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Lore Watch Podcast

Blizzard Watch

Every week the Lore Watch podcast explores the story and lore of Blizzard titles including World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, or any other games that interest us. Join us for an in-depth look at the evolving stories of the games we all love.

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23 episodes
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Avg 1 hr 3 min
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Episodes 23

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#431
Wednesday · 1 hr 2 min
Necessity is the mother of Gnomish invention
Anduin Wrynn's kingship — and distinct lack thereof — is the first topic this week on the Lore Watch Podcast. He's been off either having adventures or healing from those adventures for nearly his entire reign, so what could happen for Anduin to truly embrace his throne as a ruler? Joe, Matt, and Eric run down the series of events that led him here, and conjecture about his future. Then, we talk Gnomes and their inventions. Gnomish inventions tend to run the gamut from great to accidentally explodey. Even human inventions run on a bit of a sliding scale, from earth-shattering ones like the wheel to the mediocre, like the pet rock. What should the next gnomish invention be, and what could spur that inventor to create it? If you want even more background story, we also have a guide to every Warcraft book in chronological order (for those of you who prefer reading that way). If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#430
August 19 · 59 min
Anima, Mana, and the forces of Azeroth
The very forces that underpin the World of Warcraft universe itself are the topic of this week's Lore Watch Podcast. We're all familiar with mana, from the earliest days of playing the first Mage that got absolutely destroyed by troggs outside Anvilmar. Anima is its newer, redder... cousin? How do these two things interact with each other? Are they related? Joe, Eric, and Matt take a deep dive across the leylines and into the anima pools, discussing not only the nuts and bolts of the Azeroth versions, but also the real-world inspiration for these concepts. They also take a stab at some of the other forces in Azeroth we've come into contact with, like the Chi used by Monks. Or, maybe more like a staff than a stab. If you want even more background story, we also have a guide to every Warcraft book in chronological order (for those of you who prefer reading that way). If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#429
August 12 · 1 hr 3 min
The Lore of Doom: A deep dive (into hell)
Doom's gore-fueled Hell was one of those games Tipper Gore woke up in cold sweats dreaming about in the 90s when they were all about censoring things for the good of the children. The story of Doom was initially a bit light on the ground (of Mars), being mostly just a vehicle for good ol fashioned wanton violence. But there have been so many entries in the series that now that Doom has several different alternate timelines worth of story. Joe and Matt rip and tear their way through the lore of Doom, from the early days through the Dark Ages and beyond. Oh, and Isabelle from Animal Crossing and Doomguy are married. It's canon now. I don't make the rules. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#428
August 5 · 53 min
Dwelling on the Shadowlands in World of Warcraft
Lore Watch Podcast starts off with a dive into the lore of the Midsummer Fire Festival, particularly since so much was added over the past few years. How has this little event about a melting ice stone grown to reflect the culture of fire and summer in the different races? Then, we go back to the Shadowlands for the rest of the podcast. We start with actually getting there. If we were the only Maw Walker, why is there a whole portal in our capital cities for any rando to traipse into Oribos? As long as we're in Oribos, let's chat First Ones. What do we know about them, exactly? How has the lore we know about them changed what we used to think we know about Azeroth? We wrap it up by touching a figurative third rail: what would it take to make it feel like Sylvanas coming back was earned, and not a "somehow, Palapatine returned" cop out? If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#427
July 29 · 1 hr
Vol'jin's family, and Fandral in hindsight
Looking back and knowing what we do about Harandar and the deep roots of the World Trees, do we owe Fandral an apology in hindsight? Matt and Joe have a lot of lore to back up their answer, which is like 20 minutes worth of "lol, no." A stopped clock may be right twice a day, but it's still broken, and Fandral Staghelm didn't just ask us humbly for Morrowgrain. All bets are off when you try to re-summon Ragnaros. But starting off the show is a discussion on Vol'jin and his family, and why we don't really see them in the game. We don't have a ton of Darkspear characters, and that difference is pretty stark in an expansion packed with Amani. So, why might Blizzard not be making Vol'jin's family front and center when they're some of the few other representatives of the canon baseline Trolls? If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#426
July 22 · 1 hr
Fractured worlds and world souls
In World of Warcraft, we've come across several shattered worlds, in varying degrees of obliteration. From Outland to K'aresh, these worlds have been corrupted with various forces, were shredded into near-oblivion, and some looked as though they may have some kind of shot at redemption against all odds. But what about their world souls? How does each world soul relate to the creation of these worlds by the Titans? And how worried should we therefore be about the fate that may await Azeroth? This one gets pretty deep into the weeds of tinfoil hat theorizing, pulling elements from several different expansions for reference. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#425
July 15 · 1 hr 1 min
The Hand of Hatred and an Azerothian Fermi Paradox
Lore Watch kicks off with a discussion from Diablo 4 this week, which breaks the seal on the Lord of Hatred spoilers. This question concerns the Chekov's Gun that was Neyrelle's lopped off arm. Matt and Joe discuss the possibility that Neyrelle isn't truly, fully dead, as through the lens of that arm, which apparently washed up on shore in Skovos, despite being cut off in a very different place. Is it really a hint that she may come back, or is this just more residual echoes of hatred? Then, Eric gets to flex his astrophysicist street cred with the next question, which asks, if we can time travel, where are all the time travelers in Azeroth? Shouldn't we be crisscrossing all over the cosmos, or whatever, running into each other all the time? He posits a pseudo-connection to the Fermi Paradox, which essentially asks the same question, but about non-humans in real life, and where all the spacefaring civilizations are. And yes, contemplating this is truly terrifying. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#424
July 8 · 1 hr 6 min
Alan Wake, Control, and the lore linking the Remedy universe
The lore of the games from Remedy and how the two series Alan Wake and Control are linked is the topic of this week's Lore Watch Podcast. Both games are about events that shift from what the main characters know to be true, into something which couldn't possibly be true, if what they already knew to be true was real. Both games have a sense of wrongness and eerieness — Alan Wake's is more weird, like Twin Peaks, while Control's veers into horror. Joe and Matt unpack the plots of both series as individual works, and then delve into the mysteries and themes that connect them. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#423
July 1 · 58 min
In the Amani Loa-fest, where is Bwonsamdi?
The Loa of death Bwonsamdi is the first topic in this week's Lore Watch Podcast. Bwonsamdi was everywhere in Battle for Azeroth, even being a major driver of events in that expansion. But now that we have a whole Troll area packed with Loa in Midnight, he hasn't joined the party yet. Why? He seems like a party kind of guy. And where is he, if he isn't here, and what is he up to? Then, we move on to the second of two listener-submitted questions. The second part of the show concerns the Tree of Whispers from Diablo 4, and the lore fallout from the events of the most recent expansion. I don't want to say exactly what all happened with the Tree of Whispers, because spoilers, so if you're diving in this far, be warned. The Loremasters go from the events from the base game, all the way into the nature of Mephisto and his offspring. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#422
June 24 · 1 hr 2 min
Azshara: A lore deep dive
This week we take a deep dive — pun obviously intended — into the lore and psychology of Azshara, the ruler of the Naga on Azeroth. But first, we have a lighthearted question from a listener, asking for the lore justification against being able to Skyride on the sad little ghost gryphon when you're dead. I agree. This feels extra bad. Clearly there must be a lore reason why we can't. Then we turn to the bulk of the podcast, which is about Azshara and her power. How she gained such influence in the Zin Azshari empire prior to the War of the Ancients, all the way to how she ended up in the mess N'Zoth saved her from. Azshara's history is long and complex, and includes an analysis of her as a character -- what could make someone so sure they're always right? Well, when you're told you're going to be someone special by people who count from the second you're born, things kinda turn out that way sometimes. And then, we veer off into tinfoil hat territory, talking about the future and what those golden eyes might mean. Why do all her followers still follow her, anyway? If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#421
June 17 · 1 hr 3 min
What else lurks inside Azeroth, and Happy Father's Day Mephisto
We start off Lore Watch this week wishing Mephisto a Happy Father's Day -- but are there any other fathers among the evils of Diablo? Then, we pivot to World of Warcraft and another set of world-shaking entities. We saw what happened when we killed a Titan and kicked off Shadowlands, but what happens when a world soul dies? Do they just get to hang out in Ardenweald forever? Because that kinda sounds better than having a sword stuck through you since Legion. Then, we turn beneath the surface of Azeroth, to the Rift of Aln and the Nightmares it may hold. Also, is Xal'atath beneath the surface of Azeroth now, too? Was that some kind of weird portal magic through the Voidwell, or is she and her void baddies just Silver Surfering it up down there? If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#420
June 10 · 1 hr 2 min
The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer to Warhammer 40k
This week, our hosts Matthew Rossi and Joe Perez are tackling the absolutely massive universe of Warhammer 40,000. It's so massive that they can only scratch the surface of it in the time they have, so this is a great primer of one big facet of the setting -- The God-Emperor of Man. They cover a bit of the Horus Heresy, all the way up to the current events happening in the universe. Who is the God-Emperor of Mankind? How did he get to be stuck on the Golden Throne? Why are some of your friends always talking about skull thrones and blood gods? What are the Primarchs, and how do they affect the current events happening in the universe? These are just a few of the topics that are covered in this look at the grim dark future of humanity in the 41st millennium. It's time to say a prayer to the God-Emperor and steel your soul against the dark gods who lurk behind the universe as we dive into one of the largest and longest-running tabletop universes of all time. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#419
June 3 · 1 hr 3 min
Lilith, the knife, the void, and Diablo
In this Diablo 4 spoiler-laden lorefest, Joe and Matt discuss the end of the campaign from Lord of Hatred and where it may lead next. The link between Lilith and Mephisto and us was a core element in Lord of Hatred, and we're discussing the nature of that link, and what that knife had to do with it, anyway. And speaking of that knife, where is Lilith now? Come to think of it, where was she at the start of Diablo 4, before Elias took his three willing participants to give the Daughter of Hatred blood and flesh again? Could that knife be leading us to another future expansion? As usual, it's a deep dive. And when it's at the end, we ask the real question: Where in the seven hells is Diablo? It's supposed to be his game! If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#418
May 27 · 1 hr 11 min
The story of Diablo 4, through the end of Lord of Hatred
Diablo 4 lore junkies are in for a treat this week as Matt and Joe run down a spoiler-filled recap and analysis of the story of the latest expansion, Lord of Hatred. Did I mention that it's spoiler filled? Because it's truly spoiler filled. From the shocking death in the opening cinematic Blizzard posted to the official YouTube channel, to the shocking death toward the end of the expansion, we discuss the implications of the events of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred. We also run through some of the details, like the role of the prophecy from the start of the base game. Also, Zoltan Kulle? Sure, why not. Let's see what Zoltan Kulle has to say about it. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#417
May 20 · 1 hr 2 min
Who is Astalor Bloodsworn, and what's the deal with Anguish?
Astalor Bloodsworn is the character at the center of the Midnight expansion's Prey feature, but this isn't the first time we've seen him. Matt, Joe, and Eric discuss his history, which dates back to the release of The Burning Crusade 20 years ago. They're answering listener questions this week, and the next topics diverge from that pretty wildly, examining how the WoW timeline gets a little wobbly when we go revisit things from the past, like old zones. But certain things we revisit in the game, specifically Hemet Nesingwary's entourage, seem to be pointing toward something sinister. Then we come to Elune and the World Trees, and how we seem to keep finding the blood of either Old Gods or the planet itself. Put together, this week's episode seems a bit more into blood than a usual show, which isn't really a high bar. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#416
May 13 · 1 hr 4 min
Millhouse Jerimus Manastorm and more, less important, World of Warcraft lore
We lead off the week with the history of the most important lore figure of all time to World of Warcraft: Millhouse Manastorm. From his incredibly auspicious beginnings to his even more auspicious middle, and the implausibly auspiciouser current machinations, Matt and Joe showcase this crucial figure in lore. What's after that is clearly less important, but eh, our listeners had some questions, so we might as well discuss them. There's a thing about the interplay between Xal'atath and Sylvanas, a little thing about the origins of the San'layn (those Blood Elf vampires near Arthas), and how portals affect narrative immersion, but all that is kind of whatever next to the magnificence of Millhouse Manastorm! If you want even more background story, we also have a guide to every Warcraft book in chronological order (for those of you who prefer reading that way). If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#415
May 6 · 1 hr 6 min
Connecting WoW's lore from the past to the future
A lot of our travels as Lorewalkers seem to revolve around what events are happening in World of Warcraft, and Childrens' Week is no exception. As we cart these vulnerable children around to various areas of incredible peril, it re-showed us several spots around Azeroth that made us say, "oh yeah, what was up with that?" Our frequent listener and question-asked scribbleigh asked us several questions in this vein, ranging from the depths of Ironforge to the depths of escorting Marshall Windsor around Blackrock Depths. Really, nostalgia in WoW has a lot of depths to it. Plus, what do you think our former best buds are up to now? I should clarify that in this case I mean the Pandaren, because there are a lot of people we've kinda pulled that number on over the years. Then, we get a full tinfoil hat conjecture on the connection between Alndust and Kajamite and Azerite. It ends up with the moon, somehow. You'll just have to listen to connect those dots. If you want even more background story, we also have a guide to every Warcraft book in chronological order (for those of you who prefer reading that way). If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#414
April 29 · 1 hr 1 min
The destinies of Warcraft, from the Alliance High King to the Sunwell
If you could choose a high king for the Alliance, who would you choose? Because who... is the high king of the Alliance right now, anyway? That's the first question on the docket this week. Joe, Matt, and Eric also discussed the races they'd like to see again, or more in-depth. 'Member Yrel, you guys? Then, to close it out: as a massive, glowing font of power, was The Sunwell just always destined to be a portal, eventually? We adore answering any and all questions you send in for us to tackle, and this week is no exception. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#413
April 22 · 1 hr 14 min
The Diablo buddy comedy of the new The Lost Horadrim novel
This week, Joe, Matt, and special guest Liz Harper read the newly released Diablo novel The Lost Horadrim by Matthew Kirby, and are here to share their thoughts. This is where I'd make a joke about that new book smell, but it's Diablo so I don't want to think about smelling anything. In terms of time, the book is set between the events of Diablo 3 and Diablo 4, though this spans several decades worth of time. The three core characters in the novel are familiar to Diablo fans: Tyrael, Lorath, and Donan. And oh, the hijinks these three wacky guys get up to on the way to Skovos! The book serves to bridge the gaps, and flesh out characters we already know from Diablo while set against the setting for the next Diablo 4 expansion, Lord of Hatred. It explores how some of these characters might know each other and the places they're about to visit while on the hunt for Mephisto. Plus, any extra time with Tyrael is always a fun little romp. Ah, angels. What scheme will they come up with next time? Well, that's kind of what Lord of Hatred is going to explore. So if you want more Diablo lore, come stay awhile and listen. If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#412
April 15 · 1 hr 9 min
The Midnight Elf-O-Rama
Is Midnight the Elf-centric team-up expansion of our dreams, or what? That's the listener question which serves as our jumping off point this week. And our cohosts conclude: Yes, mostly! Indeed, Midnight is the elf-o-rama we've always wanted -- nay, deserved. Matt, Joe, and Eric point out some of their shared elf-y foibles (must we always have a singular, vulnerable font of power that serves as both anchor and crutch?). Speaking of, is Silvermoon City just where all the elves are going to live now? And if so, how will that shake out if (when) the tensions between the Horde and Alliance inevitably boil over? Plus, where's Azshara at? Naga are basically wet elves, and if anyone has a score to settle with some jumped-up cutlery, it's her. If you want even more background story, we also have a guide to every Warcraft book in chronological order (for those of you who prefer reading that way). If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon, where you can get these episodes early and ad-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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