jaina-proudmoore
Playing With Fire – Thoughts on the Icecrown 5-Mans
Blizzard has ignited a deep and abiding lust back in my heart – playing as fire spec. Ever since they released the three new 5mans, I have had an insatiable desire to flop back to my abandoned fire spec and blow everything up. Why is this? I guess it is finally time to do something other than run around in a room with no trash for once. Fire is pretty incredible for doing these heroics with – it doesn’t have quite the control that frost does for these places, but it definitely has the excitement and damage that I enjoy.
Ever since I switched from my “primary” spec to my “secondary” spec, it felt like coming home. It was a forbidden, sexy thrill. But let’s not forget about the instances, shall we? › Continue reading
When Ex-Boyfriends Turn Evil: Jaina and Arthas in 3.3
Jaina and Metaneira: BFF
Unlike my esteemed colleague Ais, I am completely and utterly a Jaina fangirl. I’m glad she’s getting an updated character model, and I’m thrilled that she’s going to be a focal point of the lore of Icecrown Citadel. Blizzard has recently added a new bio page for Jaina and Sylvanas, which gives people some of Jaina’s history. It’s a good read, right up until the last sentence:
“Perhaps in her heart she believes that the Arthas she knew from her past still exists somewhere deep inside the Lich King, awaiting freedom.”
This perturbs me. While I think it’s unrealistic for Jaina to approach the Arthas fight with the same drive for vengeance as Sylvanas, I don’t want her to stand around pleading with him to remember how he used to be a man who liked puppies and casting holy light. Granted, my model for how a woman should react when her boyfriend turns evil is Buffy the Vampire Slayer: when Angel loses his soul, she tries to find out whether there’s any part of him that’s still the man she loved. When it quickly becomes apparent that he has completely changed, she kicks him in the junk.
So, Blizzard, that’s my request for you: by all means, let Jaina explore whether there’s any part of Arthas that’s still human. I’m fairly certain there isn’t, and the lore in-game seems to confirm that. Jaina, being one of the most intelligent and gifted mages the Kirin Tor has seen, would want to investigate whether he’s redeemable, and I support the inquiry. But she should conclude (as others have) that there’s nothing left of the man she once knew and loved, and then she can assist us in kicking the ever-loving crap out of him.
Jaina Gets Her Groove Back
Full-size image courtesy of the very sexy Bibi of mmo-champion.com
In line with Blizzard making pronounced model updates, it looks like our homegirl Jaina got a new makeover as well in the upcoming content patch. Say what you want about Jaina in terms of her place in lore, but I’m really excited about this.
I was never a huge Jaina fangirl or detractor throughout my WoW career and I never played Warcraft 1-3 at all. She always struck me as likeable even if a little bit hampered by some spineless behavior in the face of the men in her life (Arthas, Thrall, Daddy Proudmoore.) But she’s proven to be a very strong representation of the complex and unique female protagonists that Blizzard and Warcraft are known for. It also doesn’t hurt that she’s a mage, certainly.
One reason I’ve enjoyed playing in the Warcraft universe is because of how they present females – it isn’t unique to the fantasy genre, surely, but it is nice to see a giant popular MMO have a wide-range of villains and female heroes that are deep and interesting and people you want to interact with, rather than being Scantily Clad Heroine #6. It imbues my own character building and informs other girl players that they too can be important, strong females in Azeroth.
Jaina getting yet another face, one that I hope remains in the game, is something to look forward to. And it’s definitely a little more realistic than Alexstraza and Sylvanas “Tits McGee” Windrunner. Both of those models are very artistic and well-done but Jaina looks her part as a diplomat and very powerful mage without her ass hanging out. Granted, I would have liked a little more upgrading from her usual level 40 gear but this is a step in the right direction. Maybe this signals Jaina’s possible integration into the lore in Icecrown. Does she take up the sword, like she dreamt about in the comics? Does she destroy Frostmourne? Is she going to run off with Thrall? Will she scream with her head off and shoot pyroblasts at my sheep targets like the pro mage she was in Hyjal? We shall see.
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