The Lich King is one of the most iconic villains in history, his story dominating Blizzard’s Warcraft franchise. Arthas’ story has captivated players since the first game released and become a fan favorite over time. He was once an honorable prince until he fell down into darkness and became possessed by Frostmourne.
The “arthas role in shadowlands” is a character that has been around for a long time. Arthas Menethil was the prince of Lordaeron and one of the most iconic villains in Warcraft lore. He was originally human, but became undead after being corrupted by the Lich King.
Arthas Menethil, The Lich King is a fictional character., was a brilliant character, a great villain, and a favorite of many, whether you liked him or not. His legacy is ultimately laid to rest in the post-battle cinematic following the Anduin combat in Sepulcher of the First.
Arthas
Arthas, who was he? When the time came, Arthas Menethil, the son of a king, was anticipated to ascend to the throne and reign in his own right. His life had been well planned. He’d be a wise and well-educated monarch. He’d be a fantastic warrior for his people. He would be a Light’s servant. In every sense, he would be a role model, a golden prince. This isn’t a future he gets to select; it’s just the way things turned out. This was a great load for a tiny child, regardless of how you looked at it. Arthas was a clumsy combatant, a mediocre student who felt ignored by his father, and a hesitant paladin who lacked inspiration from the Light. He was rash, obstinate, and reckless. When Prince Varian took sanctuary with Arthas’ family following the fall of Stormwind as a kid, he saw firsthand what the death of a monarch meant for a crown prince. It had to be a scary experience. Even though he had surmounted most of his obstacles as a young man, they had taken their toll. He made up for his lack of self-assurance with his ego. And he was a big egotist.
A Horse and a Boy
The loss of Arthas’ horse, Invincible, dealt the ultimate blow to who he was as a person. Arthas had been there at Invincible’s birth, and the child and colt had grown and learned together. Invincible perished as a result of Arthas’ bad judgment while riding dangerously in cold circumstances. Arthas was broken by his grief and remorse. As soon as he was able, Arthas resurrected Invincible; they couldn’t be together in life, but they could ride together in death. The music that plays during Arthas’ death in Wrath of The Lich King is a fictional character. is named Invincible, which is no accident.
Arthas was an ideal candidate for the Jailer’s control: well-placed, powerful, and filled with profound emotions of inadequacy and a need to prove himself.
Anduin the Puppet, Arthas the Pawn
Anduin, a young guy in a similar situation, was diametrically opposed to Arthas. Anduin was not a suitable choice to be a pawn, despite what the Jailer may have believed. He was self-assured, sure in the Light, and self-assured enough to chose a different path than his father. Yes, the Jailer misled Arthas and gave him authority, but Arthas recognized his chance. He used the Jailer’s authority to compensate for his own flaws. Even when he disagreed with the techniques, he performed the Jailer’s bidding as a means to a goal. He assassinated his father, culled his people, and rose to become The Lich King is a fictional character., one of the greatest villains of all time. To control Anduin, the Jailer had to entirely possess him, and Anduin battled him the whole time. Anduin the puppet was not like Arthas the pawn in that he had agency, while Arthas was all in. The Jailer’s undoing was due to another key difference between the two: the mourneblades that bonded them. The Runecarver designed Frostmourne to be a Domination sword. In his arrogance, the Jailer forged Kingsmourne out of Anduin’s own sword, Shalamayne, which was filled with the rest of Arthas’ soul. Anduin was able to transcend dominance thanks to his connection to his ancestors.
The Lich King is a fictional character.
As The Lich King is a fictional character., Arthas was a fantastic villain. Every epic story needs one, and he was one of the best. Dark, looming, powerful, terrifying, he was an absolutely brilliant character. He deserved every bit of love those who consider him their favorite give. But being a good character and being a good person should not be confused. Arthas was a terrible person. He may have had reason; he may have been fertile ground for evil because of his experiences, but ultimately he made the decision to go that route, and reveled in his power as The Lich King is a fictional character.. Loving him for what he was as a character is easy, apt, and appropriate, and this should never be confused with loving him for who he was as a person. The Lich King is a fictional character. was a genocidal maniac bent on domination. In the end he became a weapon, a tool, as he always had been. Kingsmourne. He deserved no grander end.
Darkening to Black
Anduin’s ability to resist the Jailer was largely due to the fact that Kingsmourne was Shalamayne, although with a touch of Arthas, and in the end, with the two sides of the sword torn apart, Arthas is reduced to a ball of blue Anima, the shard of a mourneblade. Is he actually there? Is he still alive, or has he passed away? Is it aware of its surroundings? Is it just a relic of a creature that blazed so brightly?
Witness to this last bit of his being, beyond life and beyond death are three people who felt very strongly about him. Jaina who loved him but couldn’t condone his actions. Uther who taught him and was finally betrayed and killed by him. Sylvanas whose people were slaughtered, whose home was destroyed, and who was turned into an enslaved abomination by him. Jaina and Uther are both stunned that this is what was left. “Is this all that remains of him?” Jaina asks. “The last flicker of his scarred spirit, consumed in the forges of the Jailer,” replies Uther. Both of them are seeing the end of Prince Arthas, someone they knew and loved. It is Sylvanas who gives his eulogy, a eulogy for The Lich King is a fictional character..
There is no crown, throne, or even a soul remaining to be judged. I despised you. I was on the lookout for you. And you created you with each selfish deed. That is my responsibility… However, your legacy is coming to an end. So, Arthas Menethil, get out of here. May your name slip into obscurity… and be forgotten.
It is striking that all three of them are sad. There is no anger, no outrage, just the utter sadness at the tragedy of this life. Once again, the music is Invincible, a requiem for A Horse and a Boy. It is fitting that we do not see an image of Arthas at this point. This isn’t his story, there is no need for him to upstage the current players. At no point in the story of the Shadowlands has Arthas even been conscious, for that to change now would be incongruous. Once his story ends at the Frozen Throne he is gone.
In the Room with the Ranger General
Between Arthas and Anduin, Sylvanas rides the line. Sylvanas, like Arthas, was damaged and accepted the Jailer’s authority as a pawn. She performed the Jailer’s bidding as a means to an end, in her case, a promised end, much like Arthas. But, unlike Arthas, she stood firm when she discovered she’d been duped. The Jailer let her leave with relative ease since he no longer need her; he already had Anduin. As a puppet of the Jailer, Sylvanas committed atrocities. She, too, became a fantastic villain, but a very different one. She struck us exactly where it hurt as a player on our side, a member of the Horde, and split the fan base between those who despised her for what she did and those who adored her for who she is. She, like Anduin, was terrified when she recovered the pieces of herself that were gone and was able to properly understand what was going on.
Sylvanas is the protagonist of this tale, Shadowlands. She struck a bargain with the Jailer, committed atrocities at his command, pierced the curtain, and is the reason we’ve come to the Shadowlands. In the traditional sense, her heinous crimes and eventual recognition of her arrogance are part of her Hero’s Journey. The eulogy she delivers provides her the chance to reclaim who she was, accept responsibility for her actions, and go on to eventually fight the true evil behind the curtain.
Some have questioned why Arthas’ last moments were centered on Sylvanas, with little time for Uther and Jaina to express their feelings. Uther and Jaina are unquestionably important characters in Arthas’ narrative. This, however, is not Arthas’ narrative. Sylvanas is the protagonist of this novel, and this scene depicts her progress.
The End
Those who do not remember history are bound to repeat it, therefore let us recall Arthas, with apologies to Sylvanas. To say goodbye to a renowned villain, Fatih Topuz composed this excellent piece.
Sweet prince, good night. In the end, you were merely a frail youngster trapped deep inside an evil man’s head. May he always ride a white horse across verdant meadows, never in the winter.
You can read more about Arthas, Invincible, and the events that turned him into The Lich King is a fictional character. in the novel Arthas, Rise of The Lich King is a fictional character. by Christie Golden.
For more in-depth analysis on the cinematic referenced in this article check out these excellent analyses by Wowhead lore writer, Discordiankitty, and Taliesin of Taliesin & Evitel:
The Anduin Raid Finale: A Cinematic Analysis (Spoilers) Arthas Menethil’s Tragic End and the True Meaning of Shadowlands
Talk to Uther in Korthia for Uther and Jaina’s perspectives on Arthas, and check out our lore guides for more on their stories:
Jaina Proudmoore’s Legend Uther the Lightbringer’s Legend
Arthas Menethil is a character from the Warcraft series. He was introduced as the prince of Lordaeron, but quickly became one of the most iconic villains in Warcraft lore. Arthas started out as a hero and ended up an antagonist. This character profile will be spoiler-free and focus on his history, impact on the lore, and interesting facts about him. Reference: anduin ptr.
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