Although I did play Warcraft 2 quite a bit - it was my first RTS and I loved it - most readers of this blog would know that Sylvanas Windrunner in Warcraft 3 is one of the main reasons I started playing WoW and rolled a hunter in the first place.
Even though her pre-banshee life was short (in terms of campaign maps, anyway!), I couldn't help but admire her tenacity to keep fighting, trying to protect Silvermoon from Arthas. She just kept coming back, and even after she was dead, she used her new Dark Ranger powers to her advantage and became the leader of the Forsaken.
However, I recently read the novelizations of the Warcraft 2 campaign plus expansion: Tides of Darkness and Beyond the Dark Portal, where Sylvanas' older sister Alleria's story is told.
I was totally struck by how similar Alleria's story was to Sylvanas' - both were exceptional rangers, leaders and tacticians, loved and protected their family to the last, were willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause and pursued their enemies with a reckless burning passion.
I'd never given much thought to Alleria after playing WC2 - the lore behind that game didn't come through as well for me, whether it be because Blizzard improved their storytelling in WC3 or because I was too young to pay much attention - but after this I think I'd really like to know where she is and what she's been up to.
I don't know if she'll replace Sylvanas as my favourite ranger, but if Blizzard brings her back with an epic storyline.... who knows? :)
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