Initially, I was very confused by this update. It seems really out of place, and just confusing, given the direction that the living story has been going so far.
However, after thinking about it for a little bit, I think that this can have real potential with moving the main storyline of Guild Wars 2 forward.
While most people are skeptical that the dragons will be involved with the living story, this update seems to say otherwise, and I think that’s a good thing.
So, first of all, we know that Tequatl is (was?) Zhaitan’s Lieutenant and Champion. We also know that at this point in the story, Zhaitan is dead, which makes Tequatl’s resurgence a bit odd. Sure, there are still Risen milling about all across the Sea of Sorrows, but it was implied that their power and numbers were dwindling without their Elder Dragon around.
With this in mind, I can think of two possibilities:
Tequatl, being created by an Elder Dragon, entwined with much of the magic of the Elder Dragons, absorbed much of Zhaitan’s magic after he fell, much the way that the Elder Dragons themselves consume the magic of Tyria.
Or, Tequatl, leaderless and with draining strength, sought out a new master: a master in the “depths.” Yes, Zhaitan was related closely to water, sleeping beneath a sunken nation, and surrounded by the Sea of Sorrows, but ArenaNet seem to be putting particular emphasis on the fact that Tequatl is “rising” from deep in the ocean. The Sea of Sorrows seems to be a relatively shallow body of water, dotted with islands and archipelagos aplenty, so it’s likely that Tequatl is actually emerging from the Unending Ocean, which is highly speculated to be the location of Bubbles.
Personally, I like that theory much more, even if it may be stretching things a bit. However, if one imagines Tequatl as being of similar intellect as Glint, it does make a bit of sense.
Putting Tequatl’s lore aside for a moment, this update puts the living story in a very interesting position. Throughout the living story, we’ve seen recurrent characters in each update: Rox, Braham, Kiel, etc.. Although Kiel is probably busy in Lion’s Arch, it’s very likely that we’ll see Rox and Braham interacting with Tequatl, and even more likely that certain members of Destiny’s Edge will make an appearance. AreanNet is poised perfectly to take these new characters, which many players have started to grow attached to, and throw them into the dragon fight, perhaps becoming the catalysts to reform Destiny’s Edge, or form a new group to combat the Elder Dragons.
It’s an extremely exciting prospect, and I can’t wait for this update, and to see how all of these simultaneous storylines (Marjory and E, Ellen Kiel and Gnashblade, the Consortium) tie into the future of Tyria.
What do you guys think?