Bolvar Fordragon - Rise of the new Lich King

With the release of the Cataclysm trailer yesterday (that you can check out here), I thought I would do another post regarding the upcoming expansion.  Though not as beautifully written as Arthas, Bolvar Fordragon has come to be a major factor in the Warcraft universe.  Let’s check out his backstory!

• Little is known about Bolvar’s early years besides the fact that he was a renowned human warrior.
• When Varian Wrynn, current King of Stormwind, went missing, he stepped up to look over the city.  (This was in Vanilla & BC.)
• When the King returned, Bolvar was named commander of the Alliance forces, and led his troops against the scourge in Northrend.

• Here’s the part that most lot of people don’t know about.
• At the end of the Wrathgate cinematic, it looks like Bolvar died, but he didn’t. 
• Both Saurfang and Bolvar’s bodies are recovered by the Scourge.
• Arthas, the Lich King at the time, tortured Bolvar Fordragon mercilessly, with the intent to corrupt him.  However, Bolvar managed to resist.
• When Arthas Menethil was killed, Tirion Fordring was told that someone had to control the scourge.  He was about to take up the job when Bolvar called to him.
• Bolvar told Tirion to give him the Helm of Domination (The spiky crown), to keep the scourge under control as his last act for Azeroth.
• Bolvar told Tirion that no one could know what had happened that day, to tell the people that the Lich King was dead, but Bolvar Fordragon died with him.
• And now, encased on the icy throne, is the new Lich King, Bolvar, the ‘Jailer of the Damned’.

So… what do you guys think?  Will he control the scourge, and keep his own people safe.  Or will he get power-hungry, like most people in his position do, and set the scourge after the innocent. 

Is Bolvar much different from Arthas?  Both had good intentions.  Both made sacrifices.  But will Bolvar fall to corruption, just as Arthas did?  Guess we’ll find out in Cataclysm.

Arthas Menethil – Hero, or Villain? (Part Four)

Anub'arak

Forgotten One

Once a fierce knight, who would do anything for his people, Arthas turned into an evil warmonger.  Arthas now makes his return to Northrend, for his power is threatened by forces that push towards The Lich King’s frozen throne.  Let’s find out if he’ll make it in time.

• Arthas returns to Northrend, gets attacked by Blood Elves, but is saved by the undead giant spider, Anub’arak, former king of the Nerubian Empire.
• Arthas killed Sapphiron, a mighty blue dragon, and resurrected it as a Frost Wyrm to serve him.
• Arthas and Anub’arak fought a ‘Forgotten one’.  An incredibly powerful tentacle-bearing monster thought only to exist in legend.  This was their hardest battle yet.
• Arthas reached the base of the Frozen Throne, and was immediately under attack by Naga and Blood Elves, hoping to keep Arthas from becoming all-powerful.
• Battling through the forces, Arthas magically activated the obelisks surrounding the glacier, opening the doors of the Frozen Throne.  Illidan was waiting for him.
• Arthas, the soon to be King of the Scourge, and Illidan, the Demon Hunter, fought.  This was one of the most badass fights to ever happen on Azeroth. 

• Arthas sliced Illidan’s chest with Frostmourne, and walked away the victor.
• As Arthas walked the stairs to the Frozen Throne, the voices of those he betrayed filled his mind.  Muradin, Uther, Jaina… He ignored all of them.
• He stood before a suit of armor frozen in ice on top of a throne.  With one strike from Frostmourne, Arthas broke the icy prison, and the Frozen Throne exploded.
• Arthas kneeled down, and put on Ner’zhul’s spiky helmet.  At that moment, Ner’zhul and Arthas fused into a single, mighty being.  The Lich King.

• Arthas later dies in WoW to Tirion Fordring, wielding Ashbringer, a sword forged by Magni Bronzebeard, King of Ironforge, and Muradin’s brother.
• Frostmourne is destroyed and Arthas spends his dying moments with the ghost of his father.  (Heart-breaking, I know).

So what do you think?  Was Arthas good at heart, and just corrupted by Ner’zhul and the other demonic forces?  Did he have good intentions his whole life?  Or was it evil from the start?  Let me know what you think in the comments below!  Thanks for reading!

Arthas Menethil - Hero, or Villain? (Part Three)

Was his goal to save his people? Or was it vengeance? Was Arthas just following the cookie crumbs that the villains in charge were leaving for him?  Frostmourne was cursed and he knew it, but he also knew he had to stop the scourge.  Was it worth it?  Let’s find out.

• Arthas now had the Lich King in his head, rightful owner of Frostmourne.  The Lich King’s spirit was imprisoned within ice the highest point of Northrend.
• The crowd cheered as Arthas, their champion, returned to Lordaeron.
• Arthas killed his father, King Terenas, and had the undead invade the city.

• Arthas left Lordaeron and went to Invincible’s grave, the horse he used to love.
• Using his new necromantic powers, he resurrected Invincible, his old steed.
• Arthas traveled to Andorhal to dig up Kel’Thuzad’s remains.
• To resurrect Kel’Thuzad, Arthas needed a magical urn that was being kept by the Knights of the Silver Hand, Arthas’ former group of Paladins.
• Arthas found the magical urn, but it was being guarded by Uther, Arthas’ Paladin mentor and long friend.  Uther told him the urn kept the ashes of Arthas’ father. 
• Arthas killed Uther, got the urn, dumped out his father’s remains, and replaced them with Kel’Thuzads.
• Arthas traveled to Quel’Thalas in order to resurrect Kel’Thuzad.  He killed Sylvanas Windrunner, and transformed her into a banshee to help him. 
• Arthas and his undead army marched onto Silvermoon, the Night Elf capital at the time, and destroyed the city.
• Using the Sunwell, a fountain of magic, Arthas brought Kel’Thuzad back to life, reborn as an undead lich.
• Kel’Thuzad, Arthas, and their army traveled to Dalaran in order to summon the demon lord Archimonde. 
• Using a spellbook, they summoned Archimonde to Azeroth.  Archimonde had no use for Arthas or Kel’Thuzad, so they just chill for a couple monthes.
• Archimonde gets destroyed by wisps while trying to destroy the world tree.
• Arthas returned to Lordaeron to take control of the city, but his power was dwindling.  Sylvanas, her fellow banshees, and some dreadlords betrayed Arthas, forcing him to retreat from the city.
• Arthas started having painful seizures, and could feel the Lich King calling for him.
• He was told to return to Northrend, for demonic forces were working to destroy the Frozen Throne, ending the Lich King, and Arthas’ power.

Stay tuned for the final addition of this four-part series!