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!

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

In my last post I talked about Arthas’ beginnings, his early life, and the culling of Stratholme, an event that majorly impacted Azeroth.  Sure, he killed all of those infected townsfolk.  But what would you have done?  Let the plague spread?  Is Arthas a hero for what he did?  Or is he a monster?  Maybe hearing the rest of the story will help you decide.

• Arthas followed Mal’Ganis, the demon responsible for Stratholme, to Northrend.
• Arthas and his men ran into Muradin Bronzebeard, the Dwarf that trained Arthas in swordfighting as a boy.  He was with his group of Dwarves exploring.
• Arthas received word from Uther and his father to return home with his men.
• Arthas wouldn’t leave until he killed Mal’Ganis.  While his men were heading back to the boats, he hired a group of mercenaries to set fire to the ships.
• When Arthas’ men arrived, he betrayed the mercenaries, accused them of burning the boats, and had them killed.
• Muradin told Arthas of Frostmourne, a fabled runeblade hidden in Northrend.  
• Arthas, Muradin, and a small group of men pressed on to Mal’Ganis’ base. 
• Using an ancient waygate, they made their way to Frostmourne, inside an icy cavern.

• Arthas was confronted by a Revenant Guardian, who told Arthas that Frostmourne was a cursed blade, and that he would not allow him to have it.  Arthas struck him down.
• As the Revenant was dying, he said, “Turn away… before it’s… too late.”  Arthas replied saying, “Still trying to protect the sword, are you?”  “No…” the Revenant said, “Trying to protect you… from it.
• Muradin read an inscription on the ice, and told Arthas that the blade was indeed cursed.  He told him to forget about the blade and lead his men home.
• Arthas refused, he stood before the blade, and shouted out to the spirits of the cavern to release Frostmourne, that he would give anything to protect his people.
• As the weapon broke from its icy prism, Muradin, Arthas’ long friend was struck by a shard of ice.  Arthas no longer cared about his friend.
• Arthas dropped his holy warhammer, wielded Frostmourne, and made his way past Muradin to defeat Mal’Ganis.
• Mal’Ganis told Arthas about how his thoughts were now controlled by the Lich King.  Arthas replied telling him that the voice said to kill him.  Slaying the dreadlord, Arthas ran farther north, leaving his troops to fend for themselves.
• Arthas soon lost the last remnants of his sanity.