Rumored to be dead, he never actually died to the plague and got resurrected by LK afaik, he got purged by the dragons flames and was in a state of limbo, a prisoner and torture piece for LK.
And he DOES fit the winter soldier tone...
WoWWiki
Fordragon was believed to have been killed, either by the Forsaken Blight or the fires of the red dragonflight.
However, Fordragon survived, his body altered by the dragons' flame, and was taken by the Scourge into Icecrown Citadel, tortured by the Lich King in an attempt to break him to his will.