World Of Warcraft: 10 Most Shocking Story Twists In The Series’ History

World of Warcraft recently celebrated its 18th anniversary, showering old and new players alike with seasonal gifts. The current expansion, Shadowlands, has been a controversial one, at least as far as the story is concerned. Fans hope that the next expansion coming this month, Dragonflight, gets the series back on track.

Of course, twists and turns are not a new thing in Warcraft. On the contrary, the series has thrived on its incredible narrative and awesome characters. Some twists are so surprising that they remain talked about to this very day.

The VanCleefs

One of the earliest twists in the MMORPG era of Warcraft’s history was made in the mission to defeat Edwin VanCleef and his Defias Brotherhood. Although the man’s intentions were noble, the way he went about it destroyed the city he claimed to have protected, eventually leading to his death at the hands of adventurers.

Come Cataclysm it’s revealed that his daughter, masquerading as a girl named Hope, had seen all of this happen and vowed to avenge her father. It’s an interesting way to make players doubt the morality of their actions, even for just a bit, and made for some great nostalgia for people who had been around since the start of the game.

Muradin’s Survival

Muradin Bronzebeard was one of Arthas Menethil’s’ closest allies during the Human campaign in Warcraft III. Their paths crossed as Arthas was chasing down the dread lord Mal’Ganis, who had fled to Northrend. There, Muradin spoke of a runesword that was said to have incredible power, and this piqued the vengeful Arthas’ interest.

When they finally found it, Mal’Ganis was waiting for them, and Muradin realized it was cursed. The now iconic sword Frostmourne’s subsequent explosion struck Muradin with a shard of ice, seemingly killing him. Surprisingly, come Wrath of the Lich King, Muradin is alive, but far from well, haunted by guilt for his role in accidentally corrupting the Lich King.

Illidan’s Survival

Muradin wasn’t the only iconic character struck down in the wake of Arthas’ corruption. During this time, Illidan Stormrage had been broken out of his prison by Tyrande Whisperwind. At that time, Illidan reconvened with his Burning Legion master and was told to stop Arthas at all costs.

And so, this led to the two meeting at the mouth of the Frozen Throne, their armies clashing as they raced towards their goals. All of this led to Illidan’s supposed demise at the hands of Arthas, However, the Burning Crusade reveals that he had survived his ordeal, and was angrier than ever before. A great return for an iconic franchise villain, the return of the demon slayer that gamers were not prepared for.

Kael’thas Joins the Legion

In the Frozen Throne campaign, Kael’thas led many of the remaining survivors of Quel’Thalas’ purging. They rechristened themselves as the Blood Elves, who struggled with their addiction to magic. To fight against the massive undead armies and racist human generals, Kael’thas throws in his lot with Illidan.

Despite being a noble and stoic man, fans were shocked to find that same man become a crazed lunatic joining Kil’Jaeden. It was clear at this point that his addiction had consumed him, and players were forced to put down the former savior of the Blood Elves.

Medivh’s Redemption

Medivh is the first-ever major villain of the Warcraft franchise, being the end boss of Orcs and Humans. Most players from back in the day only knew him as a good man who had become corrupted by demonic forces. None expected such an early character to come back in the lore.

Yet, in Warcraft III, his “spirit” played a huge role in saving Azeroth from total destruction. It was his intervention to unite the warring races. It’s a great way to cap off the original trilogy of games and pave the way for a new story, one that sees Orcs and Humans co-existing. His role certainly went against the meme that all orcs were like LOTR orcs.

Wrathgate

The entirety of Wrathgate was one huge twist, especially with the way it was built up. There the heroes were, getting ready to fight the dreaded Lich King in his very own home. The army is strong, and the son of the legendary Saurfang, Dranosh, loses his life in the battle against Arthas himself.

This entire sequence was a huge shake-up of the status quo. After being used to dominating demons and monsters of all kinds, Arthas showcased just why he was able to beat the Burning Legion back in the day. Through sheer power and ruthlessness, flawlessly showcased here.

The Bombing of Theramore

Garrosh’s ascension to the role of Warchief was incredibly controversial, but it was not without buildup. Clearly, Thrall had been wrestling with the guilt of letting Grommash die, and in his grief, he believed that making Grom’s son Warchief could lead the Horde into a brighter future. Unfortunately, this quickly turned out to be the biggest mistake he’s ever made.

Garrosh’s temperament and warmongering led to Horde and Alliance relations straining even further. This eventually culminated in Garrosh’s unprecedented bombing of Theramore, Jaina’s home. This shocked everybody to their core, and many in the Horde started to doubt the wisdom of their newly appointed Warchief. War was one thing, but this was a genocide that hadn’t been seen since the first Orc-Human war.

The Death of Vol’Jin and Varian Wrynn

Legion was a controversial expansion due to its story, and none moreso controversial than the deaths of not one, but two major faction leaders. Both the Alliance and the Horde found themselves leaderless after the battle for the Broken Shore. Varian Wrynn defiantly spits in the face of Gul’dan, before exploding with demonic fel energy.

Meanwhile, Vol’jinn was poisoned and impaled during the battle, and he was marked for death by the time he arrived at Orgrimmar. With his dying breath, he named Sylvanas the leader of the Horde, another unpopular choice that many gamers still debate about to this day.

Arthas’ Betrayal

Arthas’ descent into madness and corruption is still widely considered one of the best story arcs in Warcraft’s long history. The introduction of Arthas as a noble and pure-hearted man who slowly turned into a vengeful monster was subtle. His turn to the dark side was expected, but the complete and utter destruction of his homeland was completely shocking.

The choice to make Arthas fight against all the allies he had made during the Human campaign was a brilliant narrative move. It not only built up the Undead as a world-ending threat but also gave some of the best character moments for Arthas. It also happened to have dark, comedic elements at certain points, reflecting the twisted camaraderie Arthas inspires in his peers.

“There Must Always Be A Lich King”

Wrath of the Lich King is considered by many fans of World of Warcraft to be the best expansion in its history. From its new maps, gameplay mechanics, and most of all, storyline, Wrath of the Lich King provides an amazing experience for the player. This could not be better summed up than with its iconic ending.

With Arthas beaten, it seems like everything should be over. Yet, the undead army is still amassing, the only difference being their frenzy is directionless. The world is still under threat by the Scourge. Selflessly, the tortured Bolvar Fordragon offers himself up as the new Lich King, vowing to keep the undead sated in the cold north. It’s a bittersweet victory for the heroes.