Breakfast Topic: Do you mind being the unsung hero?
by Fox Van Allen 
Jan 5th 2012 at 8:00AM
Of course, we're never the real hero. The real hero of the fight against Deathwing was Thrall. Anveena vanquished Kil'jaeden. It was Tirion Fordring who saved the world -- and you -- from complete destruction at the hands of the Lich King. It's like we're the Secret Service agent who saved Ronald Reagan from being assassinated. But if we were also the agent who saved Gerry Ford twice -- and then traveled back in time to save JFK and Lincoln, too. And then found Saddam Hussein and killed Hitler. And also maybe you caused the Big Bang too. It's an inevitable fact of MMORPGs. You're always there, but you never get the credit.
Does that bother you at all? Do you wish that it was your character with the statue along the entrance to Stormwind? Or are you OK with your character's role, serving as the bridesmaid in every wedding to ever occur throughout history?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Swifteye Jan 5th 2012 8:03AM
If it bothered me, I wouldn't still be playing after all this time.
I don't mean to come across as rude or dismissive, but... really, that's all there is to it, to my way of thinking.
*shrug*
Fifticon Jan 5th 2012 8:04AM
I could tell you what really happened, but then I'd have to kill you.
Unowitz Jan 5th 2012 8:09AM
And all this time...I thought those were a statues of my main and my alts at the gate...
You've crushed my delusions.
bscaggs06 Jan 5th 2012 9:50AM
Those are your statues. You are doing great. Keep up the great work!
cygnus Jan 5th 2012 2:27PM
The plates in the bottom with those random names and fictional achievements were nailed there as vandalism, underneath is your name and your story, don't let it get you down.
Drakkenfyre Jan 5th 2012 8:15AM
There's a point where it gets tiresome always being the "unofficial" hero.
Onyxia. Was in the game for 5 years, Killed thousands and thousands of times over. Had a huge quest-chain leading up to her. Having one of the most epic quests ever on the Alliance side.
Wrynn comes back, and in a comic book, a comic book, not even in the damn game, kills her with one hit.
That's a bit of a !@#$%^&* moment. I understand it was an appropriate way to end the story with her, since she was the person responsible for his kidnapping, but come on, we don't get any credit with her despite her head hanging in SW for probably a combined total of a couple years?
A statue isn't necessary. Just an important NPC even MENTIONING your name as being the person responsible, not simply saying "hey, thanks for the help."
SR Jan 5th 2012 8:29AM
At least they credit us for the death of VanCleef.
vocenoctum Jan 5th 2012 11:01AM
It does raise some subtopics though.
Who would it be preferable to have "complete" historical events?
1) Lore NPC (Thrall killed Deathwing)
2) Un-named PCs (van Cleef got done in by Fighting Guy)
3) You, by name, in text at least when you walk by certain places or something...
Pyromelter Jan 5th 2012 3:34PM
"Mal: Well, look at this! Appears we got here just in the nick of time. What does that make us?
Zoe: Big damn heroes, sir!"
i AM a big damn hero, screw all the npc's.
rnadratowski Jan 5th 2012 8:18AM
Hopefully the real hero was Tyler Caraway.
Fadmin Jan 5th 2012 9:33AM
Musta been some date.
Tyler Caraway Jan 5th 2012 9:36AM
I like you.
Adam Jan 5th 2012 12:56PM
True story:
I saw a statue of Fox's toon in game. Cause he's the hero. Yep.
Ullaana Jan 5th 2012 8:21AM
Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you.... WoW, and the anonimity to live a normal life. Bwah-ha-ha.
And this way I am less likely to be sought out by the Old Gods for corruption.
TinyPhreak Jan 5th 2012 8:22AM
I don't really mind it. My characters become what I put into it, folklore-wise so to speak. One's character, if worked on hard and played properly, as well as becoming integrated into the community of the realm (as an avatar of oneself as a player of course), becomes a folklore hero—an icon of sorts, to the population of the universe in which it exists, for what you're supposed to be. Something to look up to in other words. If there's a statue or not doesn't matter in the end, that's for the story of Warcraft. One's own character can still take part of the story of it's own home world, and it all comes down to the player.
That's how I see it at least, and that's how I believe it should be as well.
Dez Jan 5th 2012 8:26AM
In a way it's kinda nice not to be Public Hero Number One for a change. Pretty much every offline game ever puts you in the role of the protagonist destined to save the world or whatever, so it's nice to play a game where there isn't a main character, there is no single great hero. Variety is the spice of life, and all that.
Heleos Jan 5th 2012 8:28AM
Something to ponder, What if those who achieve World First get credit for being the hero?
Or another scenario, do it by server, lets say my 10man and I were first to kill epicmob001, wouldn't it be cool if NPCs in casual conversation mentioned our name at least?
Edymnion Jan 5th 2012 8:47AM
That sounds all well and good on the surface, until you think about some of the names people choose.
Do you really want to see the NPCs talking about the awesomeness of Ponkeyduncher for the rest of the game? Or the one time Asklhdfer saved the world?
hicks Jan 5th 2012 10:46AM
"Thanks be to Imatanklol!"
Chivvy Jan 5th 2012 10:47AM
"Hey, remember that time when Water Elemental killed Deathwing! Water Elemental is such a hero!"