A Flicker of Hope

This was really one of the more eye-opening quests I've ever done. Caught me off-guard with this one Blizzard, well done.

This was my experience with this quest: (warning, I got a bit immersed)

Spoiler

You accept the quest and you fly out of the temple with a can-do attitude, as you do most of the time. A quick glance at the quest tracker text tells you there's 982 NPCs to save, no worries, there must be a mechanic to get it done. You fly down to the places you know and start saving the NPCs you're familiar with. Sure enough, they flee in groups when you talk to one nearby. This will be quick and easy.

You save a few buildings worth of NPCs, and you put out some fires while you're at it, maybe it helps, who knows? All in all, it feels like you're making good progress. Sooner or later you'll successfully complete the quest - as you always do. Not thinking much of it, you casually peek back at the quest tracker and notice you've saved 53 NPCs. Alright.
Wait hang on, 53 NPCs?
You frown for a moment because there's only a minute and a half left on the timer.
What.
How is this possible?

You double your efforts because the clock is still ticking, but you're troubled by that number. Are you doing something wrong? Is there a better way to do this?
You're puzzled. The timer starts to count down from 50 seconds. 68 NPCs saved. You can't do this in time. Maybe you can redo the quest? That's what happens after you fail a quest right?

Then it hits you. You stop in your tracks and understand with horror, the reality that Blizzard is trying to show you:
Teldrassil is going to burn down and you will not save everyone.

You are at a loss for words. It really hits you when, with a handful of seconds to go, that despite all the gods and legends you've defeated over the years, and all the power you've gained throughout your adventures... there is still nothing in your set of skills that will let you save everyone in Darnassus.
You struggle with this idea. You're supposed to be the hero of the Alliance! Someone your faction has always depended upon to save the day. Whether it be the Old Gods, the Lich King or even the Titans, you've always managed to be there to strike the finishing blow.

You stop in your tracks and stand there as time runs out and you black out.

...
You wake up in the temple and watch Genn Greymane save his delirious wife and a child. He also tells you to save yourself.
Regretting that going back out there will change nothing, you take one last look around you and you jump through the portal.
On the other side, you curse the Horde for backing you into a corner, and you vow to avenge the ones you couldn't save.

I personally feel this quest has single-handedly set up the whole expansion for me.

About one minute into this quest, I realized I wasn't going to be able to save everyone. I realized I wasn't even going to save a tenth of the people. I realized that I was going to have to choose 900 citizens to leave in the ashes. I realized later that I didn't even try to save the citizens of Dolanaar.

Never before, NEVER, has a quest in WoW imbued such despair and hopelessness in me. I cried. I literally cried while saving as many as I could. I cried while watching my first character's home be erased from the world. Last week's questline was a disappointment. This week has me ready to destroy Sylvanas Windrunner and any who follow her. FOR THE ALLIANCE!

I rescued a Darnassian Citizen who was a male worgen with a top hat (in the Tradesman's Terrace), and he said "this is fine". Hmm.

But seriously, I thought the game was bugged when it said to save almost 1000 people. Heartbreaking quest if you've played a Night Elf main.