Good cosplay means that you don’t have to know who a character is to be completely blown away. I admit to knowing little to nothing about Heroes of the Storm, but my jaw still dropped when I saw Kinpatsu‘s cosplay of Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen.
A quick trip to the internet showed me that Sylvanas is one hell of a woman. There’s so much lore throughout World of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm, but here’s the takeaway from some immersive reading about this character.
Sylvanas Windrunner was once the ranger-general of Silvermoon, and was charged with defending the elven kingdom of Quel’Thalas. She died when her homeland was by Arthas Menethil and the undead Scourge, but there was no sweet silence or eternal rest in her death. Arthas ripped her soul from body turning her into a banshee – a hate-filled agent of the Scourge. Still, she retained her willpower, and was able to break free from the Lich King’s control and build a new home beneath a fallen kingdom. She and her other willful undead comrades called themselves the Forsaken, and vowed to exterminate the Lich King. As the Queen of the Forsaken, Sylvanas seeks a higher purpose for those who have already died once. In her undeath, she haunts the battlefield and puts her dark powers to good use.
Sylvanas is a very interesting character, and her design is such that it’s no mere feat to attempt a cosplay of her. Kinpatsu’s take on this Hero is really extraordinary. The armor work is so detailed and beautifully rendered. It’s impossible to tell from the photos whether there are LEDs in all of the blue jewels. If so – amazing. If not – even more amazing, because those blue jewels give out such an ethereal glow. There is just so much incredible workmanship on display here, from the sculpting of the skulls to the delicate paint on the armor and bow. Kinpatsu is not only one to watch, but her cosplay of Sylvanas is so amazing that I was psyched to learn about a new character.
Photography by GiantShev Photography
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