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The content of this article is not part of official Warcraft lore, but has nevertheless become part of the World of Warcraft culture or community.
Forest just setback

I'll get you next time Gadget! Next tiiime!

“Doesn't anyone stay dead anymore?”

Arthas Menethil[1]

Merely a setback is a catchphrase originated by Kael'thas Sunstrider in Magisters' Terrace. It has become a common utterance and a sort of running gag whenever there is the perception that a boss who was previously defeated is merely being recycled, and has appeared multiple times in World of Warcraft as a result.

List of NPCs using the quote[]

List of setbacks[]

The Burning Crusade[]

Bc icon This section concerns content related to The Burning Crusade.

Wrath of the Lich King[]

Wrath-Logo-Small This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Cataclysm[]

Cataclysm This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

Mists of Pandaria[]

Mists of Pandaria This section concerns content related to Mists of Pandaria.

Warlords of Draenor[]

Warlords of Draenor This section concerns content related to Warlords of Draenor.

Legion[]

Legion This section concerns content related to Legion.

Battle for Azeroth[]

Battle for Azeroth This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

Shadowlands[]

Shadowlands This section concerns content related to Shadowlands.

Notes[]

"Kil'jaeden! I was merely set back. I was attempting to bolster my forces. The Lich King will be destroyed, I promise you!"

In other games[]

The phrase has carried over into other Blizzard games:

  • In the StarCraft II campaign mission A Sinister Turn, the player fights a protoss/zerg hybrid that repeatedly spawns and attacks the player. One of the quotes he utters upon killing one of his incarnations is "merely a temporary setback".
  • In Heroes of the Storm, when your character is killed for the first time as part of the tutorial, Uther will tell them that "death is merely a setback." In addition, Kael'thas makes a variety of references to the phrase:
    • Upon reviving after being killed, he may say: "Merely a setback."
    • If his entire team is killed, he may say: "This is not a defeat. It is merely a setback."
    • One of his click quotes is: "I don't suffer setbacks. I revel in them."
    • Upon killing Kael'thas, Jaina may say: "That ought to set you back a bit."
    • In one of Medivh's interactions with Kael'thas at the start of a game, he says: "My death wasn't quite the... setback that yours was."
  • In Hearthstone: Knights of the Frozen Throne, Deathlord Nazgrim's summoning quote has him proclaim that "Death was merely a setback!"
  • Kael'thas Sunstrider's flavor text in Hearthstone: Ashes of Outland is "Descent of Dragons was merely a set back!", referencing how Descent of Dragons was the card set preceding Ashes of Outland. Additionally, his death quote is "Merely a setback."

References[]

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