History Literature / WarCrimes

* NotSoDifferent: The crux of Baine's defense is to establish that Garrosh's motivations for his actions were the same sort of feelings most of his condemners have; he just [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope went way too far.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Kairoz and Wrathion]], surprising absolutely no one given [[ForegoneConclusion the massive amounts]] of {{Foreshadowing}}, help Garrosh [[spoiler: escape into past!Draenor.]] Vereesa comes close, but ultimately backs down.

** Zaela's SuddenSequelHeelSyndrome in MOP is continued with her now being racist, despite formerly being close friends with a forsaken and half orc.

* [[HumanityOnTrial Orcdom On Trial]]: What Tyrande tries to steer the trial into a couple of times. It backfires when a few of her key witnesses to that end, Velen, Alexstraza, and even [[spoiler: Jaina Proudmore]] assert that, yes orcs have done terrible deeds, but they have tried to make amends and Garrosh cannot be viewed as an example of the entire race. However, it was Garrosh not the orcs or the Horde who were on trial and Tyrande knew this; she was just doing her best to ensure that Garrosh was sentenced to death and executed but was unwilling to resort to foul play [[spoiler:unlike Vereesa and Sylvanas]].

* FriendToAllLivingThings: Alexstraza, despite the abuse she suffered at orcish hands, states that not all are irredeemably evil and claims she would forgiver her abusers if she could. Anduin also is remarkably forgiving of someone who broke most of his bones.
** This leads to some FridgeLogic, as anyone who's read the controversial yet canon 'Day of the Dragon' will know that while Alexstraza claims she would forgive the orcs who captured and abused her, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge she did not forgive them at the time when she slaughtered a stronghold full of them]]; or [[EatenAlive when she killed the mastermind of her abuse, Nekros Skullcrusher, by devouring him]]. Surprisingly, none of the characters point this out, including Vereesa who was there to see Alexstaza's vengance. Though Alexstrasza could have been speaking in hindsight, as at the time she had been tortured, starved, and watched Nekros kill her children and crush her eggs ([[MamaBear And Red Dragons are some of the most motherly creatures in the world]]).

** Despite having turned on Garrosh and supporting the Darkspear Rebellion, Shokia is convinced by Zaela to defect to the "True Horde"
** [[spoiler:Wrathion turns on Anduin and openly helps Garrosh's escape as part of his gambit to defeat the Burning Legion.]]

* KangarooCourt: Garrosh's trial qualifies as [[spoiler: the Celestials were using it as a Secret Test of Character for everyone there and state they would have shown mercy to Garrosh, implying they may have overturned Garrosh's sentence if he was convicted]].

A WarcraftExpandedUniverse novel written by Christie Golden, focused on the trial of [[BigBad Garrosh Hellscream]] for his actions during ''Mists of Pandaria''. Surprisingly, [[BigGood the August Celestials]] have decided that, while Garrosh is blatantly guilty of a number of war crimes, true justice can only be reached if they have a public trial with members of the Horde and Alliance taking part, the end goal being to reach a consensus on what punishment he deserves, ranging from execution to a full pardon.

* AscendedExtra: Vereesa Windrunner is a major player in this book, despite only a minor presence in WorldOfWarcraft. Harrowmeiser was an almost completely irrelevant Goblin NPC captured by the Alliance all the way back in ''Wrath of the Lich King'' who plays a pivotal role in the plan to break Garrosh out.

* ContinuityNod: Has several to ''WorldOfWarcraft'', such as Thalen Songweaver reminiscing about rewarding people who helped him with [[http://www.wowhead.com/item=89205 miniature mana bombs]].

** This leads to some FridgeLogic, as anyone who's read the controversial yet canon 'Day of the Dragon' will know that while Alexstraza claims she would forgive the orcs who captured and abused her, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge she did not forgive them at the time when she slaughtered a stronghold full of them]]; or [[EatenAlive when she killed the mastermind of her abuse, Nekros Skullcrusher, by devouring him]]. Surprisingly, none of the characters point this out, including Vereesa who was there to see Alexstaza's vengance.

* {{Stipperific}}: Averted. Apparently Alexstraza thought her usual bikini wasn't fit attire for a courtroom, and donned a more modest dress instead.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Tyrande's prosecution is centered around whether the Horde is this.

* ItsAllAboutMe: The crux of Tyrande's prosecution that's not race-based is to establish that Garrosh's motivations for his actions were due to a selfish bid for power and complete disregard for others.

* IRegretNothing: Averted by Garrosh. He regrets that he didn't go far ''enough'', and wasn't involved in some of the earlier orcish atrocities. However, it's implied he's lying and just wants to go down swinging.

* FantasticRacism: Everyone seems to suffer it with Garrosh full-on genocidal. A fear on the Horde side is that the trial will become a racial issue. Large portions of Tyrande's prosecution seem to merely establish that orcs (and the Horde) are barbaric, murderous brutes. See [[HumanityOnTrail Orcdom on Trial]] below.

* FriendToAllLivingThings: Really Tyrande, asking the patron deity of the sanctity of life if the orcs are irredeemably evil was only going to have one outcome. Anduin also is remarkably forgiving of someone who broke most of his bones.
** This leads to some FridgeLogic, as anyone who's read the controversial yet canon 'Day of the Dragon' will know that while Alexstraza claims she would forgive the orcs who captured and abused her, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge she did not forgive them at the time]]; or Nekros Skullcrusher, the one who masterminded her abuse, [[EatenAlive who she killed by devouring him]]. Surprisngly, none of the characters point this out, including Vereesa who was there to see Alexstaza's vengance.

* BatmanGambit: The Alliance appoints Varian Wrynn as Accuser, and the Horde immediately vetoes him. The Alliance then proceeds to name Tyrande as Accuser, who is even worse. Lor'themar admits they were completely played.

* [[invoked]]StrawmanHasAPoint: Both sides have this at times. Part of Baine's defense for Garrosh trying to kill Vol'jin for being a traitor. He shows Vol'jin's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, in which the troll a) challenges his rightful warchief's authority and b) threatens to kill him. Vol'jin was already acting treacherous, long before Garrosh committed most of the atrocities he is accused of. Also parts of Tyrande's prosecution of Garrosh. She show that Garrosh was ruling the Horde in a tyrannical fashion before they rose against him and [[ArmorPiercingResponse successfully shoots down any excuse used in defense of his personal actions]].
{{Stipperirific}}: Averted. Apparently Alexstraza thought her usual bikini wasn't fit attire for a courtroom, and donned a more modest dress instead.
** FridgeLogic rears its head as Alexstraza had no problems wearing it on several battlefields, where it would be prudent not to expose so much skin.

* [[invoked]]StrawmanHasAPoint: Both sides have this at times. Part of Baine's defense for Garrosh trying to kill Vol'jin for being a traitor. He shows Vol'jin's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, in which the troll a) challenges his rightful warchief's authority and b) threatens to kill him. Vol'jin was already acting treacherous, long before Garrosh committed most of the atrocities he is accused of. Also parts of Tyrande's prosecution of Garrosh. She show that Garrosh was ruling the Horde in a tyrannical fashion before they rose against him and [[ShutUpHannibal successfully shoots down any excuse used in defense of his personal actions]].
Stipperirific}}: Averted. Apparently Alexstraza thought her usual bikini wasn't fit attire for a courtroom, and donned a more modest dress instead.

* FantasticRacism: Everyone seems to suffer it with Garrosh full-on genocidal. A fear on the Horde side is that the trial will become a racial issue, Sure enough, large portions of Tyrande's prosecution seem to merely establish that orcs (and the Horde) are barbaric, murderous brutes. It backfires when a few of her key witnesses to that end, Velen, Alexstraza, and even [[spoiler: Jaina Proudmore]] assert that, yes orcs have done terrible deeds, but they have tried to make amends and Garrosh cannot be viewed as an example of the entire race.
** In Tyrande's defence, it's possible Tyrande (understandably) viewed the trial as a sham but was outvoted so she chose to go along with it (see KangarooCourt below). This would explain some her trying to make it a race issue, as she was desperate to ensure that Garrosh died but was unwilling to resort to foul play [[spoiler:unlike Vereesa and Sylvanas]].

* {{Flanderization}}: Tyrande is hit with this.

* [[HumanityOnTrial Orcdom On Trial]]: What Tyrande tries to steer the trial into a couple of times. Doesn't really work.

* [[invoked]]StrawmanHasAPoint: Part of Baine's defense for Garrosh trying to kill Vol'jin for being a traitor. He shows Vol'jin's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, in which the troll a) challenges his rightful warchief's authority and b) threatens to kill him. Vol'jin was already acting treacherous, long before Garrosh comitted most of the attrocities he is accused of.
* {{Stripperific}}: Averted. Apparently Alexstraza thought her usual bikini wasn't fit attire for a courtroom, and donned a more modest dress instead.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Tyrande's prosecution is centered around whether the Horde is this. However, his witnesses refute this notion, including Jaina. While she's still furious with them over Theramore, she testifies that Garrosh does not represent the Horde, and that the Horde is trying to make amends for what they have done.

* {{Flanderization}}: Tyrande is hit with it hard, even compared to her portrayals in the game.

** This leads to some FridgeLogic, as anyone who's read the controversial yet canon 'Day of the Dragon' will know that while Alexstraza claims she would forgive the orcs who captured and abused her, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge she did not forgive them]] or Nekros Skullcrusher, the one who masterminded her abuse, was EatenAlive at the time. Surprisngly, none of the characters point this out, including Vereesa who was there to see Alexstaza's vengance.

* KangarooCourt: Played with. Garrosh's trial qualifies as [[spoiler: the Celestials were using it as a Secret Test of Character for everyone there and state they would have shown mercy to Garrosh, implying they may have overturned Garrosh's sentence if he was convicted]].

* SeriesContinuityError: One of the visions of the past shows Garrosh wielding Gorehowl during the Northrend campaign. Trouble is, he didn't receive Gorehowl until well after the Lich King's defeat, as seen in ''[[Literature/TheShatteringPreludeToCataclysm The Shattering]]''.

* RememberTheNewGuy: All of the witnesses are familiar faces from the ''Warcraft'' universe... except for Gakkorg, an ex-Kor'kron who (or his story, for that matter) has never appeared either in the games or supplementary materials, making his appearance somewhat jarring in contrast.

* {{Troll}}: Garrosh spends most of his time screwing around with people, such as refusing to enter a plea either way and calling the trial

* WorthyOpponent: Garrosh has this attitude to Anduin according to WordOfGod. Note: NO ONE ELSE.

* ForegoneConclusion: Since Garrosh is set to be a major villain in ''Warlords of Draenor'', it's pretty certain no one lops his head off. [[spoiler: Or that the Windrunner sisters succeed in poisoning him.]]

** This leads to some FridgeLogic, as anyone who's read the controversial yet canon 'Day of the Dragon' will know that while Alexstraza claims she would forgive the orcs who captured and abused her, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge she did did not forgive them]] or [[EatenAlive Nekros Skullcrusher, the one who masterminded her abuse]], at the time. Surprisngly, none of the characters point this out, including Vereesa who was there to see Alexstaza's vengance.

* IRegretNothing: Averted by Garrosh. He regrets that he didn't go far ''enough'', and wasn't involved in some of the earlier orcish atrocities.
** It's implied he's lying, though, and just wants to go down swinging.

* NotSoDifferent: The crux of Baine's defense is to establish that Garrosh's motivations for his actions were the same sort of feelings most of his condemners have, he just [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope went way to far.]]

* [[invoked]]StrawmanHasAPoint: Part of Baine's defense for Garrosh trying to kill Vol'jin for being a traitor. He shows Vol'jin's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, in which the troll a) challenges his rightful warchief's authority and b) threatens to kill him. Vol'jin was already acting treacherous, not that Garrosh didn't deserve it.