The Symbolism of World of Warcraft

On the one hand World of Warcraft, like any other MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), is a bottomless abyss of a time-vortex that is designed to keep players hooked, on the other hand though if you can see through the obvious ways to keep you playing continuously - people who study game-design get classes in psychology that focus on getting people as addicted as possible: leveling up characters, releasing new gear and rewards periodically, (daily) quests, weekly rewards for dungeons and raids, professions to level, 'farming' for gold, achievements, etc and sombunall MMORPG players are genuinely addicted - it's wonderful fantasy with rich storytelling and symbolism inspired by many different mythologies.

 The elements:

The elements of water, earth, air and fire are represented in many ways. In the last expansion Cataclysm the elements received their own zones and instances as well.

Earth: Deepholm aka Deephome aka The Elemental Earth Plane.

  Therazane, the Earth Mother. Seemingly inspired by the Venus of Willendorf.

Water: Vash'jir

The Sunken City of Vashj'ir is located in a complete underwater zone, a heavy nod to Atlantis. Azshara, once the proud capitol of the Night Elves was submerged after her visor's arrogant experiments with magic unleashed the demons of the Burning Legion, exploding the Well of Eternity which submerged the city and was the end of one era and the beginning of a new one.

"The water spirits were called undines. These beings were thought to be larger and more graceful than the earth spirits, with beautiful bodies and lascivious minds." Jan Fries' Visual Magick

The Naga - Serpent People of Vashj'ir

Fire: the Firelands & Mount Hyjal

Air: Uldum & Vortex Pinnacle

Deathwing: the former Earth Aspect who went mad through "whispers of the Old Gods".
As anyone might go mad by being taken over by the primitive and/or darker aspects of their consciousness or ancient invoked gods without proper banishing or such.

His minions are part of a deranged cult called the Hour of Twilight who walked around major cities in "end is nigh" mode

High Priestess Azil and 99 (3x33) cult followers kneeling in front of her.

Before the Dragon that went mad through the Old Gods, the Lich King was the main villain:

The Lich King was sent to Azeroth through the Great Dark Beyond, landing in Northrend where the ice that encased him formed into the shape of a throne, The Frozen Throne. Here, he would begin the formation of the Undead Scourge and in the process weaken the world in preparation for the Burning Legion. This new army would not fall victim to the petty infighting that had caused the orcs to fail in conquering Azeroth earlier. Sent to watch over him were the dreadlords, led by Tichondrius himself. Within the Frozen Throne, the Lich King experimented with his psychic powers and enslaved the local indigenous life forms. The plague of undeath that came from the Frozen Throne transformed each of them into his undead servants. Thus, using his psychic and necromantic powers, he was able to conquer much of Northrend. As he devoured more and more souls, he only grew in power as the individual undead under his control gave him "much needed nourishment". (Some conspiracy theorists believe the Cabal that run the world have sealed a demonic pact and have to offer a steady supply of death to feed their masters.)

Before the Lich King, the Burning Legion, an army of demons led by the fallen Titan Sargeras.
One of his Generals, Archimonde performs an act of destructive magick:

The Dark Portal, a portal between Azeroth and Outland through which the Burning Legion tried to invade Azeroth again:

One of the Burning Legions Champions (or is he): Illidan Stormrage:

Illidan sacrificed his reputation and his life to infiltrate the Burning Legion in order to save his people. I like to equate him with Aleister Crowley who sacrificed his reputation and did tons of good for humanity too (like liberating and inspiring tons of new great inspirers), just like the Dark Knight. Telling symbolism: When he infiltrated the Burning Legion, his 'master' burnt out his eyes and gave him Magical Sight instead. Illidan in the end was banished by his people because he drank from the Well of Eternity and through pouring 3 vials into a lake in Mount Hyjal started a new Well of Eternity which the people feared. In some vague way this could be some kind of reference to Crowley's Boleskine House antics at Loch Ness.

Documentary: Aleister Crowley - The Other Loch Ness Monster

The next Expansion will focus on Eastern Themes, the new class will be the Monk, and the new race the Pandaran, a laid back yin-yang brewmastering windwalking mistweaving Panda-bear!


Some class-specific symbolism
The warlock: A warlock controls several demons and can also turn into one through Metamorphosis. A warlock who wants to train new spells in the city of Stormwind, has to go to the basement of the tavern the Slaughtered Lamb to find his warlock masters.


The mage can spec either Frost (with a Water Elemental), Fire or Arcane (playing with the very fabric of time and space.) Mages and warlocks obviously use Staves, Wands, Athames, Grimoires, Magic Lamps and more!

Druids are able to shapeshift into Bears, Panthers, Owlkin/Moonkin, Trees, Jaguar or Stag (soon), Sealion or Orca (soon) and Birds. They control the element of Air (Hurricane and Typhoon), and nature energy.

A druid's Hurricane, like many other spells, is cast by placing a Magic Triangle within a Circle reticule on the floor:


Shaman use Totems of each Element and can shapeshift into a Ghost Wolf. Some noteable spells: Healing Rain, Lightning Bolt, Earthquake, summon Spirit Wolves, Earth & Fire Elemental.

A priest uses holy spells, Chakra and becomes a Guardian Spirit for a while after dying. They can heal through the talent trees Holy or Discipline, but they can also become Shadow Priests with the ability Vampiric Embrace.

Paladins are knights of the holy light, who wield holy power. Some of their spells are Consecration which emits a holy energy on the floor, or Divine Shield which is similar to the Energy Cocoon of Reiki practitioners.

A warrior in WOW uses Berserker Rage. From Jan Fries' Visual Magick: In times of war, some Fylgia would overwhelm and possess their human friends. 'Going beserk' refers to the old and honourable custom of being possessed bya Fylgia in fighting rage. In such trance-states, ordinary human consciousness would be flooded in a tide of beasdy rage and violence, leaving no space for the squeaky little ego to doubt, despair or flee. Berserkers (meaning 'in bear skins') were famed for their wildness, their 'inhuman' reflexes and their ability to endure severe wounds without noticing them.

Another excerpt of Jan Fries' Visual Magick: In the philosophy of the Greeks, starting with Empedocles (c.500-430 BCE), the world was considered as a blend of the four elements earth, water, fire and air. Quite naturally these elements had their spirits. Earth spirits were known as dwarves, gnomes, earth people and sometimes as giants. These beings were said to be the sentience of the earth, the consciousness of heavy, strong, formed and fertile matter. Some even considered the quartz crystals to be dwarves; the word 'quartz' comes from querch, which is a form of 'zwerch' or 'zwerg' meaning 'dwarf.  (Image: An Earthen Dwarf.)

The Vrykul are heavily influenced by Norse mythology.

Of course there are tons of different types of dragons in world of warcraft too.

Professions in WOW include Scribes who make Glyphs. Enchanters that can charge equipment and weapons with power. Jewelcrafters who can cut citrines and other gems. Alchemists who make potions. Tailors who make flying carpets, etc.

The old and current glyph systems.

The Symbol of the Kirin Tor.

The magocrats in WOW formed the Kirin Tor as a specialized sect that was charged with cataloging and researching every spell, artifact, and magic item known to mankind at the time. The Kirin Tor became Dalaran's (a floating city) ruling power. The Kirin Tor’s headquarters was the Violet Citadel, an impressive building so named for its stone walls which gave off a faint violet light. The ruling council, six members in all, met in the Chamber of the Air, a room with no visible walls — the gray stone floor with its central diamond symbol stood beneath an open sky that shifted and changed rapidly, as if the time sped past within the chamber.

So that's just a short overview of some of the Symbolism of World of Warcraft! I'll leave you with the infamous & hilarious South Park episode: Make love, not Warcraft.

Stargates destroy religion eventually

Indeed. From MCS.

William Henry interview - Lost Symbols

Investigative mythologist and author William Henry talked about the significance of the art and symbols in the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol was thought of as a recreation of Solomon's Temple by its builders, Freemasons, who conceived of the building as a "beehive" buzzing with energy, he said. Higher wisdom flows through the Capitol's spiritual imagery, particularly in the painting, The Apotheosis of Washington (see images below), which is featured in the dome of the Rotunda, he shared, adding that the dome of the Capitol is a mirror image of the one in the Vatican. The painting depicts the first President as a deified being along with five pagan gods who are symbols for alchemy. He noted that a scene in Dan Brown's new bestseller, The Lost Symbol, features a character staring up into the Capitol dome and seeing the painting transform into a gateway. This imagery shares similarities to Henry's work into stargates or portals, which he believes humans can ascend to higher consciousness. The bell-shaped Capitol Dome could be thought of as a kind of stupa that creates a vortex or field of energy, he continued. Interestingly, Henry detailed that the Capitol contains a "crypt", one story beneath the Rotunda. It has 40 columns and was modeled after the ancient Temple of Poseidon-- this was a way for the United States to pay homage to Atlantis, he commented.

Chris Knowles interview on William Henry's Revelations

Comics as Prophecy

Could there be a connection between comic book heroes and real aliens, either unconscious or something created in the minds of comic book artists by the aliens themselves? Christopher Knowles points out many instances of comic artists being pop culture prophets, among them the fact that a book was drawn involving a face on Mars in 1959, and in 1971 the concept of the stargate entered our imaginations--out of a comic book.

Listen to the full interview here at Revelations with William Henry.

Tour de France 2009 Stargates

Tour de France 2009 in Monaco, Kenny van Hummel goes through the Stargate first.


Le Tour de France 2009 Podio general 1. Alberto Contador 2.Andy Schleck 3. Lance Armstrong

Time's Orphan

Star Trek DS9 - 6x24 - Time's Orphan

I know it's a Cardassian (Reptilian) station, but come on, redecorate a little. Who wants to sleep with an evil horned alien above their heads every night?

Chief O'Brien's daughter is about to become a Child in Time.As she falls into a waterdoor stargate

Here is a view of the old portal when not operational

When they get it operational again, Molly has aged a little and grown up feral

Travelling through Space and Time, climbing the Tree of Life through stargates

The Chief and his wife want to send her back to the planet & in time cause the Federation is gonna put her away in some institution.

Ooh, purdy stargate

Now you see her

Now you don't

But look who she finds when she steps through it, her younger self.

She tells her mommy & daddy are through that nice pink shiny portal

"You'd better close your eyes and bow your head"

Time to go home for little Molly,
while parallel feral Molly stays home herself in her time.

Dukat - Emissary of the Pah Wraiths

Star Trek DS9 - 7x09 - Covenant

In the fictional Star Trek universe, Pah Wraiths (also spelled Pagh Wraiths, Bajoran for Soul Wraiths) are evil Bajoran Prophets, non-corporeal life-forms, who were expelled from the Bajoran wormhole and are imprisoned in the Bajoran Fire Caves on the planet Bajor. They serve as the ultimate villains of the DS9 series. (no spoilers in comments please, not at the end yet!)

My that's a nice Eye

Oh Emissary with your solar halo eyeSome devoted fan startgate

Adrian Gilbert - The Invisible College & The Orion Stargate

Red Ice - Adrian Gilbert - The Invisible College & The Orion Stargate - Pt1

The entire playlist here. Definitely watch parts 2 & 3! Adrian Gilbert is the co-author of a number of bestselling books like "The Orion Mystery", "The Mayan Prophecies", "Magi" and "Signs in the Sky". The interview ties into the recent DS9 posts and think about the Battlestar Galactica story too (constellation map and altered states leading the way to their Earth).

Will Power - The Greatest Power

Welcome to Orochimaru's Hideout, stargate alert!

In the anime Naruto, Sasuke left Konoha village to train with the evil Orochimaru to become powerful enough to avenge his entire family clan's death at the hand of his own brother Itachi. In exchange for the training, the deal between the two is Orochimaru gets Sasuke's body to transfer to as he has found a way to transfer his consciousness to other bodies if the current one is worn out. One day, Orochimaru and Sasuke are sparring, quite extremely as usual.

Sasuke VS Orochimaru, both Trance-formed Orochimaru seems to be defeated at first,
but he inserted a sedative to be released when his 'body' was cut.

Suddenly Sasuke finds himself in Orochimaru's mindspace...

Not really impressed with it either

later scene, Sasuke walks away from the scene, on Orochimaru's blood

Kabuto, Orochimaru's loyal servant is confused and terrified, and asks..."Which one are you now?"

"Which one do you think?"

Sasuke activates his Sharingan, his Clan's "Bloodline power"
and shares the memory of his victory with Kabuto.Exclames Orochimaru as Sasuke overtakes himKabuto witnesses the "Transference Ritual",
intended to transfer Orochimaru's consciousness to Sasuke's body.

Sasuke's power grows quickly "Sasuke's will is eroding the space!"
"Love is the law, love under will. Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. There is the dove, and there is the serpent. Choose ye well! He, my prophet, hath chosen, knowing the law of the fortress, and the great mystery of the House of God."
Aleister Crowley - Liber al vel Legis 1:57

"Any Jutsu you use will have no effect before these eyes."
What a Winner Script!

"You should realize that by now." Indeed, Orochimaru
made the fatal mistake of thinking he could oppose Sasuke's will.
"This can't be! I am the one to unravel the order of this world..." Orochimaru"Everything... will be mine!"

Orochimaru's pathetic last words before being eaten by his own symbolic choice of creature, the Serpent. Or, the Order-imposer gets devoured by the Galactic Center resonator - the Monster.