Disclaimer: SPOILERS are gonna be abundant in this post. Turn away now kiddo!
Ahhh...the Lich King. Never in the history of Azeroth has there been a greater threat to the Living than him. With an army unkillable through natural means, the Lich King is a force to be reckoned with.
But what makes him who he is?
The Lich King's history is not a simple one. The emperor of the undead himself is an amalgamation of both an Orcish and Human soulss, bound together.
The Lich King's history is not a simple one. The emperor of the undead himself is an amalgamation of both an Orcish and Human soulss, bound together.
The Orcish soul belongs to Ner'zhul, chieftain of the Shadowmoon clan during the time of Draenor. He, deceived by Kil'Jaeden the Beautiful, was enticed to lead the orcs in a genocidal path to destroy the Draenei. It was his actions that led to the Orcs being tricked into drinking the blood of Mannoroth the Pitlord, and falling into the demonic powers and becoming an unstoppable Juggernaut. For his cowardly actions during the war, where he decided to defy Kil'Jaeden, the Eredar had him destroyed when he attempted to leave Draenor, and bound his soul to a suit of armor and placed inside the Frozen Throne.
Now, moving on to the second half of the Lich King, and perhaps the TRUE Lich King himself: Prince Arthas.
Prince Arthas Menethil of Lordaeron was a young boy when he suffered his first tragedy: the death of his first horse, Invincible. This drove him to become a fighter for his people, to protect them and ease their suffering where possible. This drive was carried towards his adulthood, when the Scourging of Azeroth began.
Though Nerzhul was imprisoned in the Frozen Throne, his powers did not diminish, but grew stronger. The Frozen Throne in Northrend served as a base for Nerzhul and there he waged a decade long war with Azjol-Nerub and it's inhabitants, the Nerubians. Nerubians, immune to the undead plague slowly succumbed to Nerzhul's forces and when they died were raised as his servants. Tichondrius, a dreadlord came soon to inform Nerzhul to pave the way for the Invasion of the Burning Legion. From this, Nerzhul decided to call out to Kel'ThuZad a human mage (later necromancer, later later Lich) to build a cult- The Cult of the Damned. There they would sow the seeds of undeath, and turn Azeroth into a wasteland. At this point our stories intertwined.
A strange outbreak at the Northern region of Lordaeron prompted Arthas to investigate. He found out that Kel'Thuzad was behind all of this, and as per the Lich King's destiny he slain Kel'thuzad in order to contain this threat. But for every soldier dead, another enemy would rise to take his place. Arthas, desperate and grasping for ideas, eventually became colder and more willing to take risks, which culminated into the event that would change everything: The Culling of Stratholme.
Arthas, in a bid to contain the Plague, destroyed and killed every single person in the city of Stratholme. This became the turning point in his life as he lost not only his humanity, but both his mentor, Uther Lightbringer and his lover, Jaina Proudmoore. Meeting Mal'Ganis for the first time, he decided to pursue his foe to Northrend: resting place of the Lich King.
In Northrend, he sought out the one weapon that would allow him to contain Mal'Ganis- Frostmourne, the legendary runeblade.
Through Frostmourne, the Lich King whispered to Arthas....of powers, necromantic powers that would allow him to do the impossible. To rectify his sins.....to bring Invincible back! Arthas imposed an exile on himself, learning the ways of the Scourge, and turned his most loyal men into the Death Knights, of which he became the first.
Returning to Lordaeron, Arhas slain his father, King Terenas and took control through his army: The Scourge.
He turned Lordaeron into a wasteland, and became the Lich King's unholy champion. He started spreading the Plague of the Undeath towards his lands, and fought his mentor, Uther Lightbringer and his Order of the Silver Hand, all to do the Lich King's bidding. Arthas took Kel'Thuzad's remains and moved to Quel'thalas to resurrect the unholy wretched necromancer. He succeeded, razing Quel'thalas and gaining a new pawn: Slyvanas Windrunner, former Ranger General of the High Elves. The Sunwell, the High Elves' font of power was destroyed in the process.
Through his actions, he created another faction of enemies: The Blood Elves.
Kel'Thuzad was resurrected as a Lich, a master of Frost. Kel'Thuzad and Arthas then journeyed to Dalaran to obtain Medivh's spellbook, and sought to call Archimonde, one of the Burning Legion's leaders. He was called out, and control of the Scourge returned to the Dreadlords, but the Lich King was not done for- Yet.
In the process, Arthas was dispatched to Kalimdor, and enticed Illidan Stormrage to the demonic path, paving the way as per the Lich King's orders.
Kil'Jaeden was displeased with his Pawn's actions, and summoned Illidan to destroy the Frozen Throne. Illidan set out to find another artifact: The eye of Sargeras, which had the power necessary to destroy the Frozen Throne. Meanwhile, in the Plaguelands, a civil war was brewing, in which Arthas was embroiled in a battle agains Slyvanas Wimdrunner, free from the Lich King's control. In a bid to save himself, the Lich King called Arthas to Northrend, and to protect the Frozen Throne. Arthas went to Northrend, and fought Illidan, wounding him. Weakened but still determined, he climbed the Frozen Throne, ascending to the Armor of the Lich King, and in a moment of rebirth: Arthas and the Lich King became one through the Helm of Domination.
He first infected some cities with plagued grain, and in a brazen move he decided to attack both Orgimmar and Stormwind. Thus the Alliance and the Horde decided to have an expedition North....just as the Lich King planned.
Soon the Lich King built an order of Death Knights led by Darion Mograine, the Knights of the Ebon Blade. They were sent to destroy the Scarlet Enclave. After the battle of Light's Hope Chapel, the Lich King betrayed his champions, and it was here that Darion sought to destroy the Lich King, and his Death Knights became free of the Lich King's control.
Next at the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate, the Lich King personally went and "greeted" both the champion of the Horde and Alliance, Dranosh Saurfang and Bolvar Fordragon. It is here that he "turned" Dranosh into his champion and maimed Bolvar.
At the pinnacle of his "reign", Tirion Fordring, leader of the Argent Crusade and firm opposition towards the Lich King took the Champions of the Argent Tournament to Icecrown Citadel to end his reign once and for all.
At the Frozen Throne, the Lich King laughed at Tirion for bringing what he wanted: Champions. In one move the Lich King slew all the Champions, and sought to raise them as undead. Calling for the Light, Tirion Fordring broke free of the ice encasing him, and broke Frostmourne with his blade, Ashbringer. With this move, the souls in Frostmourne were set free, and the Lich King is defeated by the Champions. Bolvar Fordragon became the jailer of the undead once more, and Azeroth is free from the threat of the Lich King.
After all, No king Reigns Forever.
And now to the dissection.
First we shall discuss Ner'Zhul.
Ner'Zhul never changed even when he became the Lich King. Ner'zhul remained the schemer, up until his very end in the hands of his champion, Arthas. This shows that Ner'zhul still sought to use Arthas as a pawn, and paid dearly. But he's an idiot, so we'll ignore him.
Ahh.....to Arthas.
Arthas is a soul forged purely by tragedy. The death of Invincible, the denial of Jaina....all these events served to change him. And the changes stayed until he became the Lich King.
In a sense, his desire to dominate the living may be interpreted as a corrupted form of his drive when he was younger, namely to protect everyone. By obtaining power, he could become a juggernaut who can protect everyone. But in the process, very unfortunately he became corrupted by the power, seduced by it.
Arthas is NOT evil in the normal sense. After all, he is just a King. In a fashion, he fulfilled his destiny one way or another. He became the "Lich" King, with his subjects of undead. Arthas is the prodigal son, spurred by a desire to protect.
And so I conclude my dissection of the Lich King. Do tune in next time for another dissection~
Returning to Lordaeron, Arhas slain his father, King Terenas and took control through his army: The Scourge.
He turned Lordaeron into a wasteland, and became the Lich King's unholy champion. He started spreading the Plague of the Undeath towards his lands, and fought his mentor, Uther Lightbringer and his Order of the Silver Hand, all to do the Lich King's bidding. Arthas took Kel'Thuzad's remains and moved to Quel'thalas to resurrect the unholy wretched necromancer. He succeeded, razing Quel'thalas and gaining a new pawn: Slyvanas Windrunner, former Ranger General of the High Elves. The Sunwell, the High Elves' font of power was destroyed in the process.
Through his actions, he created another faction of enemies: The Blood Elves.
Kel'Thuzad was resurrected as a Lich, a master of Frost. Kel'Thuzad and Arthas then journeyed to Dalaran to obtain Medivh's spellbook, and sought to call Archimonde, one of the Burning Legion's leaders. He was called out, and control of the Scourge returned to the Dreadlords, but the Lich King was not done for- Yet.
In the process, Arthas was dispatched to Kalimdor, and enticed Illidan Stormrage to the demonic path, paving the way as per the Lich King's orders.
Kil'Jaeden was displeased with his Pawn's actions, and summoned Illidan to destroy the Frozen Throne. Illidan set out to find another artifact: The eye of Sargeras, which had the power necessary to destroy the Frozen Throne. Meanwhile, in the Plaguelands, a civil war was brewing, in which Arthas was embroiled in a battle agains Slyvanas Wimdrunner, free from the Lich King's control. In a bid to save himself, the Lich King called Arthas to Northrend, and to protect the Frozen Throne. Arthas went to Northrend, and fought Illidan, wounding him. Weakened but still determined, he climbed the Frozen Throne, ascending to the Armor of the Lich King, and in a moment of rebirth: Arthas and the Lich King became one through the Helm of Domination.
And so, the Lich King entered a period of hibernation where Arthas, his humanity and Ner'zhul fought for dominance inside his mind. The period, known as the Dreaming, had Arthas confront his past, and lose his humanity completely. During this period, the Scourge began to construct Icecrown Citadel, the Lich King's base of operations.
When the Lich King did awake, he was more Arthas than Ner'zhul. He sealed away his heart, and began to wage war against the world of Azeroth.
Soon the Lich King built an order of Death Knights led by Darion Mograine, the Knights of the Ebon Blade. They were sent to destroy the Scarlet Enclave. After the battle of Light's Hope Chapel, the Lich King betrayed his champions, and it was here that Darion sought to destroy the Lich King, and his Death Knights became free of the Lich King's control.
Next at the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate, the Lich King personally went and "greeted" both the champion of the Horde and Alliance, Dranosh Saurfang and Bolvar Fordragon. It is here that he "turned" Dranosh into his champion and maimed Bolvar.
At the pinnacle of his "reign", Tirion Fordring, leader of the Argent Crusade and firm opposition towards the Lich King took the Champions of the Argent Tournament to Icecrown Citadel to end his reign once and for all.
At the Frozen Throne, the Lich King laughed at Tirion for bringing what he wanted: Champions. In one move the Lich King slew all the Champions, and sought to raise them as undead. Calling for the Light, Tirion Fordring broke free of the ice encasing him, and broke Frostmourne with his blade, Ashbringer. With this move, the souls in Frostmourne were set free, and the Lich King is defeated by the Champions. Bolvar Fordragon became the jailer of the undead once more, and Azeroth is free from the threat of the Lich King.
After all, No king Reigns Forever.
And now to the dissection.
First we shall discuss Ner'Zhul.
Ner'Zhul never changed even when he became the Lich King. Ner'zhul remained the schemer, up until his very end in the hands of his champion, Arthas. This shows that Ner'zhul still sought to use Arthas as a pawn, and paid dearly. But he's an idiot, so we'll ignore him.
Ahh.....to Arthas.
Arthas is a soul forged purely by tragedy. The death of Invincible, the denial of Jaina....all these events served to change him. And the changes stayed until he became the Lich King.
In a sense, his desire to dominate the living may be interpreted as a corrupted form of his drive when he was younger, namely to protect everyone. By obtaining power, he could become a juggernaut who can protect everyone. But in the process, very unfortunately he became corrupted by the power, seduced by it.
Arthas is NOT evil in the normal sense. After all, he is just a King. In a fashion, he fulfilled his destiny one way or another. He became the "Lich" King, with his subjects of undead. Arthas is the prodigal son, spurred by a desire to protect.
And so I conclude my dissection of the Lich King. Do tune in next time for another dissection~
