Merely a setback

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.

• Kael'thas Sunstrider in Magisters' Terrace yells Yell
• When players defeat Kael'thas in Tempest Keep in the Memories of Azeroth raid, Chromie remarks say
• Prince Valanar in Icecrown Citadel yells Yell
• Hogger in the Stockades yells Yell
• Crusader Lord Valdelmar in Tyr's Hand yells Yell
• Analynn in Ashenvale when defeated says Say
• The announcer of the Brawler's Guild introduces Millhouse Manastorm by saying yell
• After he is resurrected as a death knight, one of Nazgrim's click quotes is "Death was merely a setback."
• Raimond Mildenhall at the Mildenhall Meadery during Back to the Lab says say
• Taelia upon completion of the world quest Treasure in the Tides (Alliance) says say

• three times. Once in the Sunwell Trilogy, once again in Blood of the Highborne, and once more in Deatholme.

• in Shadowfang Keep and Bloodmoon Isle
• in Stratholme and Naxxramas
• in the original and new Naxxramas
• in Azjol-Nerub and Trial of the Crusader
• in Utgarde Keep and Icecrown Citadel
• in Naxxanar and Icecrown Citadel
• in Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom and Icecrown Citadel
• in the Pit of Saron and Icecrown Citadel
• in Gnomeregan and during Operation: Gnomeregan
• in Maraudon and during the Elemental Unrest

• in Elwynn Forest and Stormwind Stockade
• (as well as fellow nobles Ashbury and Walden) in Gilneas and in Shadowfang Keep
• in Tyr's Hand
• in Eastern Plaguelands
• in the original and new Stratholme as Commander Malor
• in the original and new Stratholme as the Risen Hammersmith
• in the original and new Stratholme as Willey Hopebreaker
• in the original and new Stratholme as Instructor Galford
• in the original and new Stratholme
• in Molten Core and the Circle of Cinders
• in Molten Core and near Sulfuron Spire
• in Molten Core, the Inner Spire and the Firelands
• in Blackwing Lair and Blackwing Descent where he yells Yell
• in her original, her new lair and Blackwing Descent
• in Grim Batol and Bastion of Twilight
• in Night of the Dragon and the Bastion of Twilight
• in the original and new Zul'Gurub
• in the original and new Zul'Gurub
• in Stranglethorn Vale and Zul'Gurub
• in the original and new Zul'Gurub
• in the original and new Zul'Aman
• in the original and new Zul'Aman
• in the original and new Zul'Aman
• in the original and new Zul'Aman
• in the original and new Zul'Aman

• in the original and new Scarlet Monastery
• in the original and new Scarlet Monastery
• in the original and new Scholomance
• in the original and new Scholomance
• in the original and new Scholomance
• in the original Scarlet Monastery and the Brawler's Guild
• in the Mogu'shan Vaults and the Throne of Thunder
• in the original Zul'Gurub and the Throne of Thunder

• in the Siege of Orgrimmar and at the Stones of Prophecy
• in and in as Gorefiend
• in Spires of Arak and in as Shadow-Lord Iskar
• in Talador and in as Socrethar the Eternal
• During the Patch 6.2 PTR, Mannoroth's placeholder Adventure Guide entry read: "[PH] Don't look so smug - I know what you're thinking, but the cinematic was merely a setback."
• in Hyjal Summit and in

• in and the Nighthold
• in the Black Temple and the Nighthold
• five times: he was killed as a night elf in The Well of Eternity, returned as a satyr but got transformed into a tree in the The Demon Soul, killed again in Stormrage, returned in Legion and defeated as a shade in Darkheart Thicket, and finally killed once more in the Emerald Nightmare.
• in Talador and the Vault of the Wardens
• in Utgarde Pinnacle and the Maw of Souls as Ymiron, the Fallen King
• in Maw of Souls and Trial of Valor
• in Sunwell Plateau and Tomb of Sargeras
• in Shadowmoon Valley and Nath'raxas Hold
• during the Battle for the Undercity and in Antorus, the Burning Throne
• Taerar has been defeated three times, at the dream portals in Classic, in Feralas and in the Emerald Nightmare.

• in the Echo Isles, during Zalazane's Fall and The Shadow Hunter questline
• in Zuldazar and Uldir
• in the Battle of Dazar'alor and later in the same raid
• in the Siege of Boralus and the Eternal Palace
• in the Twilight Highlands and Ny'alotha, the Waking City
• in the Emerald Nightmare and Ny'alotha, the Waking City

• Nathanos Blightcaller in Eastern Plaguelands during Classic and in the Shadowlands pre-patch.
• The Black Knight five times: He was killed as a human at the Argent Tournament, as an undead, as a skeleton and as a ghost during the Trial of the Champion dungeon and once more in Icecrown when he was reanimated by the Mawsworn.
• in the original Zul'Gurub and De Other Side.
• in the Stonecore, the Brawler's Guild, and De Other Side.
• in Culling of Stratholme and Sepulcher of the First Ones.
• in the Assault on Violet Hold and De Other Side.
• in Tempest Keep, Magisters' Terrace, and Castle Nathria.
• in Sanguine Depths and Castle Nathria.
• in Castle Nathria and Sepulcher of the First Ones.

• Despite popular belief, Kael'thas was not the first character to use the catchphrase. It was actually Illidan Stormrage during the Alliance Campaign finale - Kil'jaeden's Command in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. Illidan explained his failed attempt to destroy the Lich King with these words:
• "Kil'jaeden! I was merely set back. I was attempting to bolster my forces. The Lich King will be destroyed, I promise you!"
• One of the possible quotes from the removed Confession (priest ability) glyph (as well as its replacement, the Scarlet Confessional Book) is: "This is just a setback."
• The Merely a Set achievement is a reference to the meme.
• The phrase is referenced in Smokywood Pastures Presents: A Winter Veil Carol.
• The phrase is referenced in An Ode to Returning Heroes.
• Mike Morhaime used the phrase for Onyxia, after announcing the revamp of the classic raid Onyxia's Lair at BlizzCon 2009.

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."
• HS 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."

• Know Your Meme: X was merely a setback