| “ | Sooner or later, everyone comes to me. | „ |
| ~ One of Bwonsamdi's farewell quotes. |
| “ | De realm of death be his alone. Ya life and spirit to him be known. And when dat life do end, Make sure Bwonsamdi be ya friend. Den Bwonsamdi will surely guide, "Come on through to de other side." |
„ |
| ~ The Tales of de Loa on Bwonsamdi. |
Bwonsamdi is a recurring character and an on/off antagonistic (but mostly chaotic neutral) entity in the Warcraft franchise.
He is the loa of Death, who made his first appearance as supporting character and ally in World of Warcraft: Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde, then once again appears in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King as well as the World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, where he revealed his true nature and where it's also revealed that he works for somebody else, 'da boss' as he calls it, likely originating from the Shadowlands.
He was voiced by Dave Fennoy (who also voiced Pong Krell, Dr. Merlot, Josey and Telltale's Bluebeard) in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, and is currently voiced by Alex Désert starting with World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, who also voiced Skelly in LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers, Sonny Tang in Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, and Zimos in Saints Row the Third and Saints Row IV.
Biography[]
| “ | Behind his smile and pointed humor, Dere lies a darkness, a hint of rumor. He knows things dat make de brave men shriek, The truth from him, ya must not seek. |
„ |
| ~ The tales of de Loa on Bwonsamdi. |
An ancient inscription on Bwonsamdi.
In the novel Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde, it's revealed during a conversation that the loa, including Bwonsamdi, existed long before the trolls came to be, potentially making him tens of thousands of years old, befitting his status as something of a deity worshipped by trollkind, even those who normally wouldn't worship such a character, like the Dazar'ai.
The Shadow Hunter[]
Bwonsamdi summoned by Vol'jin during Zalazane's Fall.
During the liberation of the Echo Isles, the male jungle troll and shadow hunter Vol'jin recruited Bwonsamdi to his side for the battle against Zalazane after proving themselves worthy to the great spirit. Bwonsamdi personally defeated Zalazane by using the recently defeated and killed Darkspear tribe, who had once worshipped Bwonsamdi, resurrecting them into zombies. The loa took Zalazane's soul and said farewell to Vol'jin, leaving to the Other Side.
Bwonsamdi later contacted Vol'jin in his dreams after a group assassins crippled him, telling him that the loa had forsaken him for his injuries, self-doubt, and conflicting loyalty toward the Horde.
Bwonsamdi showed him various visions of many possible alternatives, including a future of Vol'jin using the Horde to destroy the Alliance, and turning the Horde into an empire that would rival even the ancient troll civilizations. The Death Loa wished Vol'jin would use his influence to create as much strife and war as possible, for that would mean more souls would be sent to the other side on his behalf. Vol'jin refused to go down the path of the Zandalari conquerors, believing it was not the Darkspear 'way', but by eventually proving his conviction and reaffirming his identity, he regained both Bwonsamdi's respect and his powers.
At the end of the war, Bwonsamdi received the souls Vol'jin sent from the battles between the Shado-Pan and the Thunder King's forces with great satisfaction.
The Deal with King Rastakhan[]
After a blood troll attack on Zuldazar, King Rastakhan made a deal with Bwonsamdi: If Bwonsamdi gave him the power to take back his empire, then Rastakhan would elevate Bwonsamdi above all other loa in the Zandalari pantheon. Bwonsamdi accepted the deal on one condition: that the king's bloodline would be devoted to Bwonsamdi, to serve him in life and in death.
When the Alliance managed to reach the pyramid of Dazar'alor, Rastakhan called upon Bwonsamdi to empower him, which he did, and with it, Rastakhan managed to defeat and kill Zul, with Bwonsamdi congratulating Rastakhan on taking back their empire.
During the Battle of Dazar'alor, the Horde's Champion of the Light and Jadefire Masters were killed, leaving King Rastakhan with no other option but to urge Bwonsamdi to aid his forces, and so he did. By creating a blood moon and raising the dead, one of which was the recently killed giant gorilla Grong (who he turned into a Revenant), he was able to fend off the Alliance.
Determined to protect his empire and people, Rastakhan called on Bwonsamdi to empower him once again, but this time, the boon of the loa of death soon overwhelmed Rastakhan and threatened to devour his soul. As he realized that the "blessing" was actually a curse and that his deal with Bwonsamdi was a terrible mistake, he fell to the might of the Alliance, mortally wounded. As the Alliance retreated from the city, the dying Rastakhan was discovered by his daughter, and with his last breaths he apologized to her as his pact with Bwonsamdi was transferred to the Princess, now Queen Talanji.
Bwonsamdi sitting on Rastakhan's throne after the king's death.
As Talanji held her dying father, Rastakhan's pact with Bwonsamdi was transferred to his daughter as he took his final breath. Bwonsamdi himself then appeared before Talanji, who demanded to know what he had done to her, unaware of the pact her father made that bound his bloodline to the loa of graves. In response, Bwonsamdi merely saidthat her father never told her about their bargain, which was a pity. When asked by her allies about what to do about the fleeing Alliance, she turned towards Bwonsamdi, who with his gesture encouraged Talanji to order the Horde to go after the Alliance.
Sylvanas, Warchief of the Horde[]
The Queen later asked for the loa's help alongside Baine Bloodhoof and Vol'jin's spirit, revealing Vol'jinn had been calling for him, and Bwonsamdi had not heard him for some reason. They confronted the loa of Death and Bwonsamdi denied any claims of him telling Vol'jin to make Sylvanas the Warchief of the Horde on Vol'jin's deathbed, since even as much as Bwonsamdi was all for war and death, Sylvanas took things too far and kept the souls of what she killed as undead instead of releasing them for Bwonsamdi to claim.
Troubled by their words, Bwonsamdi agreed to help them find out the one responsible for this, and in their journey the loa opened a Death Gate to one of his rivals in the ownership of souls: the Lich King, who likewise told Vol'jin that he was not responsible.
The Necropolis, Bwonsamdi's temple in Nazmir.
Realizing that Vol'jin's spirit was getting help from some other power, Bwonsamdi also sent them to speak to one of his rivals, the Val'kyr Eyir, warning them not to mention him by name to her. Indeed, because of some past history with Bwonsamdi, Eyir did not allow Talanji to enter her hall as she was a priestess of the death loa.
After obtaining answers from Eyir, Bwonsamdi urged Vol'jin to search not the living world but the Shadowlands for his answers while the loa returned to the Necropolis.
Personality[]
| “ | Bwonsamdi guards our spirits well, He makes death most inviting. Ya think he be a trickster, His humor often biting. |
„ |
| ~ The Tales of de Loa on Bwonsamdi. |
Of all Loa, Bwonsamdi is definitely the most manipulative and opportunistic, and one could go as far as calling him cruel, mostly from the joy he takes in doing his job, and especially from how he manipulated King Rastakhan into bounding the loa to the troll's lineage (including his daughter Talanji who would soon replace him and become Queen) after a coup, betrayal and battle left Rastakhan with no other option after the previous loa they were bound to, Rezan, was killed during the conflict, all of which Bwonsamdi was fully aware of and took delight in its progress.
His deals usually benefit him more than those he's helping, such as when he healed Vol'jin's companion Tyrathan Khort who was near death, with the loa only complying to Vol'jin's pleads due to knowing he would have his soul now or later, and it did not matter when.
An interesting detail about him is that, despite being the loa of Death and possessing the ability to control and reanimate the dead, he sees undead as abominations and cannot stand their "unbearable taint" in his temple.
Powers and Abilities[]
Bwonsamdi is a powerful loa, possibly the most powerful one, and likely the most feared due to his powers to control the souls of the dead. He has obtained this much power, like all other loa, from being worshipped by many tribes of trolls, and has only gained more worshippers with time, growing stronger still. As if that wasn't enough, Bwonsamdi, like other loa, can bound himself not just to an individual, but that individual's entire lineage, and become even stronger by taking the souls from those they kill on the battlefield.
He can seemingly only bound himself to others by making a deal and shaking the hand of the one he will be bound to, and from these deals, Bwonsamdi is generally benefitted more than those he is bound to.
He spends most of his time in the "Other Side", a presumed pocket dimension he may have found or created. The souls from fallen warriors he has collected throughtout the years and is able to summon likely come from this dimension.
In spite of this, he is not is as godlike as he might seem, since he can still be killed just like any other loa.
Quotes[]
| “ | Huh, what ya be asking of ol' death? | „ |
| ~ A greeting from Bwonsamdi. |
| “ | I see dead people. Yes, kinda my ting, you know. | „ |
| ~ Bwonsamdi makes a reference. |
| “ | What you be doin' here, mon? It not your time to pass on... yet. | „ |
| ~ Bwonsamdi at the graveyards on Zandalar. |
| “ | Bwonsamdi: WHO BE STIRRIN' UP MY BONES? Dem's Bwonsamdi's charges, and not ta be touched! Vol'jin: I be Vol'jin, Son of Sen'jin, here ta ask your aid, o great Bwonsamdi. Bwonsamdi: I know who ya are, shadow hunter. An' I know what ya WANT. But what makes you tink I'm gonna help YOU? Ain't a wise ting, callin' me from de Other Side... Vol'jin: I ain't askin' for me alone, Great Spirit, but on behalf of da Darkspear Tribe... on behalf of me PEOPLE. Bwonsamdi: Darkspear... it been a long time since I heard de drums... since I drank de ritual offerings. I be watchin' over your dead, Vol'jin, and for NOTHIN'. Why have de Darkspear forsaken Bwonsamdi, eh? Vol'jin: We were driven away, Great Spirit. Hexmaster Zalazane took de Isles from us... drove us mad, made us fight one another. De only trolls left in de Echo Isles are his mindless voodoo slaves. Bwonsamdi: Zalazane... Vol'jin: Aid us, Bwonsamdi! Help us regain our home! Return de Darkspear to de Isles, and hear your drums again! Drink your ritual offerings once more! Dis, as de Son of Sen'jin, I swear. Bwonsamdi: Hrmmm. Time ta see how bad ya want dis, shadow hunter. Time ta see if you be WORTHY. |
„ |
| ~ Bwonsamdi being summoned in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. |
| “ | Vol'jin: Give up, Zalazane. It be over, now. Zalazane: You fool! I ain't runnin' away. I lured ya here, ta kill ya wit' your own precious tribe! [Zalazane's voodoo hexes Vol'jin's warriors to turn against him, but they are soon defeated.] Zalazane: No matter! I can't be touched. No living ting can make its way trough dis barrier! Da Echo Isles be Zalazane's ta rule, shadow hunter! Now, and FOREVER! Bwonsamdi: [Laughter] Zalazane: Who... who dat be? Bwonsamdi: ZALAZANE. What you tinkin', takin' dat which be mine? De Darkspear dead are MY domain, sorcerer... and now you gonna be one of dem! [Bwonsamdi raises the dead warriors as zombies. The fresh army of "no living tings" attack his barrier, and Zalazane's shield is dispelled.] Zalazane: No! No... NO! [Zalazane explodes.] Vol'jin: A fittin' end for so foul a troll. Bwonsamdi; you have my tanks, and dat of all de Darkspear. We will continue to honor you, as is proper. Bwonsamdi: It'll be good to hear de Darkspear drums once more. You take care now, Son of Sen'jin. Bwonsamdi will be waitin' for ya... on de Other Side... |
„ |
| ~ Bwonsamdi defeating Zalazane with his own forces. |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- His name is pronounced "BWAN-sam-dee".
- He is not the only loa of Death, as Mueh'zala and Samedi also fill this role, and in fact some believe the latter and Bwonsamdi to be one and the same, just being addressed by slightly different names.
- He is based on Baron Samedi from Voodoo folklore. Just like the Baron, he is a mostly neutral being but has a darker side (just as Baron Samedi has a dark alter-ego in the form of Baron Kriminel).