Why Did Nightborne Join the Horde?- World of Warcraft Lore 

The real reason they joined the Horde is so that Blizzard can give Alliance a Blood Elf variant while the Horde gets a Night Elf variant.

Tyrande’s diplomacy( or lack of) is what truly led to their decision, the night elves wanted to restrict their use of magic which was so intertwined with their culture and day to day life it’s literally a necessity, seeing as how the night elves forbid magic then exiled the high borne naturally made them reluctant in joining, the blood elves were in the almost exact situation they sympathized with their cause and understood their actions. Also Thalyssra’s visit to silver moon showed them that the horde would allow them to continue their way of life while being still being allies. Tyrande only wished to dispose of the night well and kill elisande she was never interested in an allegiance.

Great analysis. I’d also wish to add that Lady Liadrin’s diplomacy skills is what secured the Nightborne for the Horde.

Wow, the Blood Elf guards need a new model!

Blizz wanted Horde to have "Night Elves" and Alliance to have "Blood Elves". New races explained. The end.

To be honest the only reason the Nightborn joined the Horde is Tyrande got the genius idea of let's make an enemy of this force of potential allies for nonsensical reasons because it CAN'T POSSIBLY LEAD TO THEM JOINING THE ENEMY AND BITE US BACK EVENTUALLY. That and Alleria also screwed up any chance of both them and the Bloodelves ever considering to join the Alliance with losing control over the Void right at the Sunwell giving the Voidlords information of it's location which will yet again bite everyone in the back.

Elisande actually used her scrying and divination to look into the future and see all possible outcomes, and none of them showed that the Legion could be stopped. Hence why she sided with them.

But what about the highborn from Dire Maul that joined the night elves in Cata? They did the same, locking themselves up, using a demon to power themselves. Tyranda let them in. What different with the nightborn?

I personally think that Tyrande and Thalyssra must have known each other 10,000 years ago -- both of them were born in Suramar, after all, and the night elven priesthood also resided there. Maybe that was why she was so angry at seeing her old girlfriend again -- because she felt personally backstabbed and betrayed, believing Thalyssra and everyone else had perished while instead she was alive and well after all this time.

When Doronsmovies uploads a new vid, everything else I'm doing becomes irrelevant.

Night elf gives them tree seed that saved them all. Tyrande said mean things. joins horde immediately

And not one thought, "hey, let's take a peak outside the shield". If we can see into time, we can surely look outside.

Tyrande was a jerk, Liadrin was kind. That's another reason why.

Your voice is soo good to listen to.

Nightborne elves joining the horde is just as likely as an undead elf leading a faction originally created by orc, tauren and trolls. I know its a video game but there is no need to be this irrational with the lore. Blood elves barely make sense alliancing with the Horde, Nightborne are even more so.

The big thing for the Nightborne's joining of the Horde was not just convience and mean words. Tyrande held the Nightborne people in great contempt and showed no mercy or compassion that Thalyssra and her people desperately needed. - When the rebellion was in full swing; Tyrande would not accept Thalyssra's Obligation to her people's crucial needs. - When there were fights across Suramar; Tyrande used the Nightborne people as meat shields to limit her own ranks' losses. - When the Nighthold Raid is completed and the final quest of the Nightwell's fate; Tyrande demanded the Nightwell's destruction. She didn't care for the Nightborne's livelihood or future whether they'd survive long enough for enough fruits to be harvested for all of the city's population. In the end; Tyrande's spite and refusal to let go of the past pushed the Nightborne into the Horde's hands. Where they needed compassion, Tyrande refused. Where they needed council; they were spat in the face.

The Nightborne choosing a side was flimsy at best. The Alliance helped them liberate Suramar and just because Tyrande was wary of them and asked them to prove they're trustworthy alone is enough for them to choose a side? Hogwash. Tyrande and her people were burned once by Aszhara and again by Elisande, Tyrande merely queried Thalyssra on whether she was going to become the third. You cannot blame Tyrande for being wary. The Alliance as a whole would not share that sentiment and the whole thing just seems like a flimsy excuse to make them side with the Horde. You know who would have good reason to choose sides? The Valarjar. The ones Sylvanas betrayed in her pursuit for immortality and saved by Genn and the Alliance? Nope, lets just make up a race at the last second and give them purple elves instead. Logic.

The cult of Elune doesn't teach diplomacy

New question: Why are the void elves even a thing other than to balance out the subraces and recycle the work and designs they used for Alleria?

Honestly the Nightbourne joining either faction is odd. Both factions did help, the night elves were mean is not a reason to try and to kill the people who just helped them. Especially since a night elf made the biggest impact for their rebellion more than any single one person had (The druid who helps them grow the big tree with fruit that heals their addiction)

Zdravo, svaka cast za svaki video...analize cinjenica odlicne kao i do sada.. jedina zamerka koju imam je: sredi malo playlist-e na kanalu, fali ti dosta video-a u postojecim...il' se ja svaki put pijan setim da proveravam, u svakom slucaju odlican sadrzaj. Srdacan pozdrav

Tldr: Tyrande is a snob, Lor'themar is a bro.

tldr: Tyrande was mean to Thalyssra

One of my favourite people on RU-vid. You should do Elderscrolls lore as well

Doron nice video)

Malfurion needs to divorce Tyrande.

""Hum durr, the blood elves had thirst for magic, so we know that and lets get into, and Tyrande gave me a bad look, huuuu"

The Nightborne contacted the Night Elves first, but Tyrande rejected them. Which led to them joining the horde, which eventually led to them helping the horde broke Zandalari trolls out of Stormwind prison and set Stormwind on fire. Blame Tyrande!

To me, the nightbourne remind me of dark elves from everquest and elder scrolls. They share a common trait with on another despite different universes, they were once a different race of elves, and by the will of time, magic or curses their skin turned dark and would associate with "monsters" to increase their armies abilities against alternate forces, and its more complex then that and others say they were only added because of the void elves but i prefer the nightbourne over them.

Just got back into wow, used to love your videos from ages ago your voice has changed! Nice video btw

such awesome video as always, are you going to play allied race and possibly excite for straight back orc or sticking with hunch :>

To those criticizing the choice of Nightborne siding with the Horde: 1. Cultural reasons. The Night elves' history is filled with hatred and fear for the Arcane, that was banned as taboo after Azshara. Despite them embracing the Arcane in most recent times, druidic magic reigns supreme in their society. A concept totally alien to the Nightborne who, in their isolation, kept the old ways of Arcane magic as their most distinctive trait. They litterally live and soak themselves in magic, having sustained their very lives with it for thousands of years. This fits very well in Blood elven culture and society and, considering Blood elves were once High elves magic users who got exiled by the Night elves themselves, you get the whole picture. I agree that after the Nightborne won their freedom thanks to druidic magic, they could have started questioning the same Arcane magic that made them slaves to themselves and ultimately to the Legion, or at least they could have shown some more gratitude. But let's not forget their second most distinctive trait: a great amount of pride. Here we pass onto the second point. 2. Diplomatic reasons. The Night Elves failed winning the Nightborne favor, with Tyrande perhaps being too cautious of them for their cultural association with the Highborne, and even offending to Thalyssra somehow. However Tyrande had a point: the Hightborne almost destroyed Night elven civilisation ten thousand years before, one might say she isn't so wrong being distrustful of the Nightborne, considering they aren't just similar to Highborne: they ARE those very same Highborne, their culture almost perfectly preserved after centuries. On the other hand, Blood elves easily succeeded winning the Nightborne favor, being them so close culturally and even admiring each other for mastering the Arcane. The possibility of siding with the ancient Highborne, the most powerful mages of elven society of all times, the same mages that made Elven culture so great through magic, was simply too gluttonous for Blood elves to miss. 3. Finally, let's not forget the most relevant cultural division between Alliance and Horde, meaning a religious one. Whilst magic is shared on both sides, what runs the Alliance in modern days (the ones we play at) is the cult of the Light. Somehow this zelous and sometimes bigoted predominant factor (Scarlet Crusaders, Forsaken, anyone?) limited the cult of Magic instead, that finds more freedom within the Hordes ranks. Now the Nightborne don't simply use magic, they bend it, twist it, shape it, even play with it. Magic is their religion, but also their playground. The same magic they saw practiced by the social taboo-free Horde and Blood elves. Their choice thus being the most natural one, in my opinion.

You do remember what Liadrin said about the Night elves right? All she basically did was sweet talk to Thalryssa and making promises. Liadrin blackened the night elves in every conversation with Thalryssa. Yes Tyrande was cold towards Thalryssa because of what happened. Night elves, all elves for that matter have a keen memory and hold grudges for a very long time, even after death. Do you remember how the Nightborne are? They are very stuck up and demanding. Even when in need of help and scared, they demand you to help and save them. Thalryssa came running to Tyrande time and time again, because their people complained and wanted their comfortables back even when living in squalor and in a war. Tyrande wanted nothing of the sort, because it wasn't what was needed at the time. They needed to be safe, protected and trained and willing to take back their own city. Tyrande had her misgivings about them at first and warned them of their past, but she stayed and contributed forces to the resistance. That's why she retreated so soon after the fight. We still had to fight off the Nightmare in Valsharah. Didn't see any blood elves there? That's why Tyrande needed the Nightborne to raise themselves from the muck and fight. They had to train them to fight. Nightborne as a race are very weak willed, unable to adapt and change. Their magic had peaked and they plateaued, unlike the blood elf magic, which was ever changing and evolving. Magic is a drug for blood elves, to the nightborne it's water and air. and yes being nightfallen and even withered is a very sad thing to view, but they're basically our real world junkies and the reverse of the wretched. Tyrande looked down on them because of far they've failed into depravity. It's a normal reaction, which the blood elves have great sympathies for. It's different when only a handful are like that, but an entire nation? Nightborne have fallen into debouchery and perversed themselves, even lost their faith. I hope now with their alliance to the blood elves they pick themselves up and learn from their cousins, because they can't handle the truth the night elves bring. You know what's the worst thing? Thalryssa willing to kill night elves. The moment she allied herself with the Horde she's heading straight for Ashenvale and skin herself some kaldorei hides. She doesn't even consider what the night elves have done for her and the nightborne. Says a lot about her character, don't you think?

i think blizz missed 2 massive opportunities with allied races. One with Argus now freed but still filled with fel twisted draenei (eradar) that lost their leader/oppressor they could have easily given horde its first ever draenei model in the form of kil'jaden ish looking model with wings (allowing ppl to either fold them up like a cape or have them fully displayed via toggle, perhaps even have fun an macro it to rotation to give it a bit of flair to the animations) an portal keeper . Then with the light forged orcs , allies could have had their first full forgiven good orcs(slightly better than thrall). both vastly different enough to their normal versions...Cough, light forged draenei, cough.... to avoid confusion an actually fit in the lore without bending it much....cough, void elf, cough....

don't forget the most important part, tyrande was extremely rude to them. Its a long time problem of night elves, they often are extremely self righteous, judgmental, condescending, and constantly look down on other races, especially elven ones. It's not just a problem for the NE but for the alliance overall, especially the humans, also tend to display a lot of intolerance and judgement. Anyways the NE are very holier than thou as a people. You would think they would learn their lesson by now. As a side note will be very interesting to see how the void elves fair in this alliance. The night elves are already highly predujice against the former high elves (aka blood elves) and now they are allied with not only these people, but people who deeply delved into void magic. And they thought arcane and fel was bad. Good luck my void elf cousins, you're going to need it. (ps: watch your back when human generals are around too, just saying ^^)

last I checked the Nelves were the ones that cured their addiction to the nightwell… Does that worth nothing? Does that make sense when they help the horde burn teldrassil?

Anither great vid. Thx man.

If you don't take the Cataclysm into account, it would make a lot of sense for the Alliance not to team up with the Nightborne. Kal'dorei society used to be against Sorcery in general, especially sorcery that involved the burning legion. Right now there's a bit of an odd spot in lore though where alliance gets Highborne in the form of Thel'deras magi (night elf mages) and Void elves(? haven't really followed the lore on those), the horde gets Highborne in the sense of blood elves and Nightborne. And that's not even taking into account the non player faction that is the Naga. Seems like for every regular elf, there's 4 Highborne around. Which is kind of strange considering the Highborne were considered practically extinct before the second opening of the dark portal. I guess they must breed like rabbits or something.

lol, it's funny when Liadrin talked about the night elves "Sleeping in Dens and Hiding in trees" while the nightborne refuse to fight with the kaldorei resistance and hid in a Magical Bubble. While these blood/High Elves just sought some source of magic and sit & watch their sunwell. And the Night elves had faced the legion for multiple times just to protect azeroth.

You make more morning showers informational. I put my phone inside two ziplock bags and pop on one of your 15+ min vids.

While the similarities with the blood elves make sense for a reason to join the Horde, this was another example of the Horde getting a race that was requested by fans, while the Alliance got a race that either didn't exist prior to the expansion it was announced or required major retcons to make sense. As someone who plays both factions, I believe had the Alliance gotten actual high elves rather than the void elves, they hadn't been that bitter about the Horde getting the nightborne. There was clear

Night elf’s: is skeptical of a race that sat-back and watched their empire crumple; nightborne get butt hurt. Night elf’s literally give them the key to their salvation and liberate their people, refugees, and children form addiction; nightborne conveniently forget. Night elf’s are suspicious that their words of destroying their source of addiction for 10,000 years are true since their city was so loyal to Azhara and that once liberated theyre not sure they will give up such power since they have known temptation and understand how hard it is to make sure their promise is met; nightborne are insulted? Blood elf’s, show up after, lore wise, the night elf’s did everything,take part in small poultry fights, and are addicted junkies; nightborne “I like these guys, I’m sure the fact that they betrayed the alliance and almost turned away from the horde twice makes them great allies, they’re sure to have our backs always, us addicts have to keep together.” Blood elf’s were also saved by the alliance, and not just any alliance member, an alliance faction leader after they did what Azhara literally tried to do and Elisande succeeded in helping to do (bring the legion in to Azeroth) only to conveniently forget that this even happened and to add insult blame and alliance emissary when her mere presence causes the underlying malice of their power to surface; nightborne “yeah these guys are great, junkies stick together right?” Except now the nightborne are no longer addicted to the night well thx to the night elves, so I’m sure they will have some prejudices and lore wise will and should discourage their people from mingling with blood elves whose addiction is a grim reminder of their dark past; nightborne “yeah but tyrande criticized us, screw the alliance.” Yeah like the hordes warchiefs ad races don’t have a history of criticizing one another. Also how would you like it if some junkies used your religions most important temple as a source of corruption and evil? I’d be a little pissy of such junkies too. Go hide under your dome i can’t wait until they face another great threat and instead of fighting sit back and surrender like always.

It isnt JUST the Night Elves that made them join the Horde. I beleive the biggest reason is the connection they feel for Blood Elves.

that they didn't go crazy with heavy consanguinity over 10 000 years is something or a miracle... or plothole. how come the elves are the only specie that can become addict to arcane magic? That the Night Elves couldn't accept the Nightborne because of events that take place 10 000 years ago is a clumsy and easy excuse, Tyrande has accepted the Highborn into their societie and allowed the practice of arcan magic so i think they are well past what happenned 10 thoussand years ago. And i doubt being the descendant of Highborn hold much significance outside Historical for modern Blood and High Elves. But they do have a similar background, is that really enough? commiting yourself to a faction you barely know and which with you have little in common because of certain familiarities with one of its members? who use arcan magic in the Horde outside of the Elves?

I think it's kinda interesting that all the races we basically saved (as the alliance) in WoW Legion joined the horde at the end. I'm not going to help anyone outside the alliance in BFA. They will betray me anyway in the following expansion :D

I completely agree that it makes sense for them to -prefer- the blood elves, but regardles, the night elves and the Alliances both aided them greatly and to then choose one side over the other and commit to actually go to war against the other...just seems so unplausable to me.

Alliance got void elves, so horde needed a new elf race too.

The short explanation is Blizzard wanted to give each faction the other's elves and made up some sketchy lore to do so. Let's /dance!

They joined the horde cause all the other races who literally got their asses kicked at some point in the lore did aswell. Taurens we're almost pushed to extinction by the centaurs, orcs screwed up their own homeland and got fucked up in the 1st invasion by the humans, trolls got their homeland completely destroyed and their leader killed, blood elfs got their asses kicked by the scourge and their homeland destroyed, goblins we're the troll's bitches for ages and they got their homeland wrecked by a volcano, the forsaken dont even have a homeland so they had to take what was left of lordaeron and even that got raided by alliance players and the king himself and even the horde despise them and the nightborne are the blood elfs mana junkie cousins so it's more than obvious they meet the rejection requirements to join the horde!

The real reason is to play more and pay the subscription multiplied by many.

Tyrande: See, I don't know if we can trust you people. You'll have to work to heal old wounds. Night borne: How dare you accuse us of being untrustworthy! We're going to help the Horde commit genocide for that! Alliance: Wow you Night elves sure hold a grudge.

thank you for the video! I've been wondering! 💙

"Shielow Guys! This is Doronsmovies" this is WoW RU-vid gold that's what it is ^.^

Konačno neko ko pravi videje o wow-u a netraje pola sata Samo nastavi tako!!!

Because it's World of Warcraft and the elves basically join sides based on coin flips. Seriously Night Elves are the best explained and they just weren't.

Havent played wow in abit, your vids make me want to buy some time again

The one thing that people seem to be ignoring is that the Nightborne hate the fel. The Nightfallen rebellion would rather wither than ally with anything fel. The second they realize why the Blood Elves have green eyes, they would outright slaughter the Blood Elves. The Nightborne would see the Blood Elves as the mutated Felborne, and would kill any on sight. A similarity in backstory does not make up for horrible recent wounds. It can't.

so I went thru all that shit and bored myself stupid while questing thru Suramar only for Thalyssra to side with the opposite faction that my char who helped her ppl were on simply because "Tyrande was a big meanie" huh, I had no idea Thalyssra was such a child. Talk about a temper tantrum.

Well the alliance are getting the blood elf model through the void elves, only seems fitting that the horde should get the night elf model in the nightborn

The whole nightwell pretty much rips of the synwell except with the isolation thing.

Simple, Thalyssra really has the hots for Lor'themar.

Can you make roleplay guides for the allied races!? :)

Remember when the Nightelves allied themselves without question with the space goats that just fell from the skies, tainting and corrupting Azuremist and Bloodmist isle, AND striking a huge resemblance to the Eredar? Yeah... apparently Malfurion and Tyrande weren't such self imoprtant, smug assholes back then. Well the way they replied to Illidan's last words was hinting pretty clearly their current mindset though.

Well, let me just put down what I was doing for a new Doronsmovies video. Stop being so addicting, kind sir.

How would The Burning Legion with Sargeras, the Titans and Void Lords compare with the Daedric Princes of the Elder Scrolls universe?

It feels so forced. I mean they blame the nightelf for being coward, yet the horde did nuke innocnt, and the nightelf gave up their immortality to save azeroth. Basically the only piint is that thalyssra can't stand tyrande

Nightborne are basically, Dark Elves? Because they are similar to the mythological, or the Drows. Only i think that for their Lore and Changes.

Well Nightborne once was night elves so perhaps they somehow feel betrayed by them and joins the horde because of that

Love the videos. Keep up the good work

I don't get why they are not a neutral race, I have completed the suramar campaign with both alliance and horde characters and It almost makes the alliance side of the story helping them figth against the legion worthless (they even give you the personal mount of the resistance "leader" as a gift). They have alot in comon with the blood elfs but now like half of the alliance legion lore doesn't make any sense. I guess we will have to wait for bfa to explain more but for me it feels like a plothole and btw I'm a horde main it's not like I'm a bitching alliance player.

I would love to see one of your videos based on Tyrande, her personality, goals, how she changed througout the arcs, etc... Her way of thinking is alien to me. On War3 she was a hell of a good character, whose primary concearn was to stop the Legion to save her husband and her people. WoW made her almost forgetable. She was barely there until Legion, that makes her somehing like "only go with the flow and blame/praise Elune, based on the outcome". Ty, great video !

Ur voice is very nice to listen to. Keep it up!

tbh without artifically created shits in lore they would join alliance but without those, horde'd have like 5 classes so you can't really blame them for it

Cause they know of you join the alliance then the story revolves around the humans and leadership stays with human faction.

Thanks for the vid

Becuase Tyrande fucked up the negotiation! If it wasn't for Tyrande Nightborne could have been neutral.

Ex druggies take solace with ex druggies. :P j/k. Should have been ogres for the horde.

Here the deal with me I understand why Tyrande is still mad about the WotA thing and said what she said, BUT what I don't understand is after the Thalyssra and the Nightborne proved themselves that they weren't the same people as they were before she didn't even mention them to Anduin when was asking for new blood into there ranks knowing they would be valuable asset to the Alliance. It's kind of hypocritical when Tyrande wanted Varian to forgive what Genn did in the past and let him join the Alliance (which is just about the same thing what Thalyssra did, maybe even worse) but not willing to forgive what Thalyssra has done. Personally I don't care but I'm just saying though.

tbh why didn't they just do so you can chose faction like pls blizzard they basically told us that the night born is joining the horde because we use the void in next expansion

They realised that the alliance is a bunch of racists and they joined the "bloodthirsty monsters" instead because at least the horde is much more accepting .

Because they needed night elf models for the horde

Because the leader loves lorthamar.

Blood elves need the sunwell to survive btw

The fact you have to explain this at all really says something about entitled the Alliance playerbase is. “ugh how DARE the Horde get another pretty elf race!” “Why would ANYone want to join those ugly Horde savages?!?”

My friend ..... Let's get .. Into ... The lowre ..

It's amazing how you can put so much lore in just a five-minute video. Good job, man!

I like the Nightborne ppl and the story the only one race i like in the horde, im not into void elfs and blood elfs, its a shame Aliance didn't get Nightborne. Glory to the Shal'dorei

Because Doron's on it.

Because nasty Tyrande was mean to the little princesses sniff sniff.

Not the same people when you take evolution into account.

I find it funny how people are hating on nelves when the blood elves did the exact same thing with the void elves: exile their own.

hello! Why i get the subtitles on your videos every single time? while i turned this option off?

Basically night elves hate any other race of elves, that is why. Humans are usually assholes to any kind of elves if you follow the story from Warcraft Kaelthas up until now. Blood elves might be arrogant and stuff but Lorthemar is more of a pacifist who wabts just to protect his kingdom. He doesnt want to conquer and make petty wars as orcs and humans do.

TLDR Version: Because they are traitorous crack elves

It's because blizz writing is inconsistent. Tyrandes character changes every time they need horde players to hate alliance players, I remember when Tyrande met the blood elves in wc 3... I want that Tyrande and those Night elves back, not this Tyrande with mood swings and night elves as horde punching bags. If they would've had Tyrande ask them to join the alliance, but they realizing that they had more in common with the blood elves and join the horde to be allied with them, I could've stomach it better.

Last race on azeroth huh why does THAT sound familiar

Nightborne joined the Horde because they're too similar to Night Elves to be a part of the Alliance. Alliance gets Blood Elves called Void Elves. Neither Nightborne or Void Elves should be a part of this game, especially as playable races.

Short answer reasons. Long answer: Reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssoooooonnnnnnnnnsssss

Make pls vid like this for all added races

yeah its weird. just make the two new elves neutral blizz. everything solved. and we could get something else in the neutral tab.