The Lich King's personality

[ArMeD_SuRvIvOr]

Okay. Someone help me with this. As far as I know even Blizzard hasn't been entirely clear, nor has the Arthas: Rise of the Lich King book.

We all know the "original" Lich King was Ner'zhul and then his spirit was joined by Arthas' at the end of The Frozen Throne, apparently becoming "one" entity (remember "Now, WE are one!" in the last TFT cinematic?). At first, before any retcons, they were "fused" and became one entity, IIRC.

Fast forward to the original level 60 Naxxramas, it appears that the voice of the Lich King when you approached Kel'thuzad sounded "double", as if both Arthas and Ner'zhul were talking at the same time, saying exactly the same words. This implies that, at least by this time (as in, before Arthas took on the lead and killed Ner'zhul's spirit, or maybe before Blizzard made this change with the book! -retconned- cough.), the Lich King was going to have a double personality or perhaps he was going to be like the ogre race april's fools from Blizzard, with problems controlling the body, heh.

Then, after the book, it appears Arthas has taken the lead, and destroyed Ner'zhul's spirit. According to quests in Icecrown, the Lich King is one entity that is no longer Arthas nor Ner'zhul anymore. Just the Lich King. Then it is said that Arthas was holding the Lich King back? How is this possible?

Now I'm lost. Was the LK at one point a double person entity? Was the LK always the LK, no Arthas, no Ner'zhul? Was it Arthas the LK, but unconsciously holding back the Scourge? Or was the LK one entity, where deep down Arthas still struggled, holding back the Scourge from within? Was the LK ever Arthas at some point? So many questions here. Hopefully someone can help and clear this out for me.

[Cooper]

Was it Arthas the LK, but unconsciously holding back the Scourge

Do Halls of Reflection. It's pretty explicitly explained there.

[Fmr]

originally metzen said arthas and ner'zhul fused together. But firstly, arthas lost his soul to frostmourne/to ner'zhul and he was a puppet all the time so it is very unlikely that a soulless dumb human could overcome the powerful old orc shaman infused with hyper psychic powers from the frozen throne. howerver in the novel it says otherwise. it says arthas removed the spirit from his mind. But in wow it contradicts itself again when the lich king says that he was once a shaman. You just don't know but the first option is the likely one.

[wych]

I believe it's implied that Arthas "destroyed" Ner'zhul when they merged and the 60 Naxx voice is retconned with the more recent book being the canon. I'm sure there's a blue tweet out there that agrees with this too.

Arthas was in there deep down subconsciously holding the scourge back it's implied. There's a questline in Icecrown where you find a ghost which ends up being Arthas' soul (might be his heart or something, can't remember was a long time ago I did it) that he threw away

[Immitis]

arthas and nerzhul became one person but arthas became dominate.

think of it like this, arthas gained everything ner'zhul ever had, his intelligence, his memories, everything. but ner'zhul became arthas.

[Gamespud]

They basically are sharing the same mind though I don't think they have fully fused together its always been a kind of tug of war with each personality struggling against the other. By wrath arthas was the most dominant personality with ner'zhul just tucked away not destroyed. And Arthas may have been holding back the scourge's true power. However the real question is how Bolvar was able to instantly just say fuck you ner'zhul I'm in charge!

[Fmr]

Because they cannot let the scourge destroy azeroth. There would be no more wow to play and no money to gain.

[Immitis]

They basically are sharing the same mind though I don't think they have fully fused together its always been a kind of tug of war with each personality struggling against the other. By wrath arthas was the most dominant personality with ner'zhul just tucked away not destroyed. And Arthas may have been holding back the scourge's true power. However the real question is how Bolvar was able to instantly just say fuck you ner'zhul I'm in charge!

because when arthas fused with nerzhul he didnt have a soul, it was within frostmourne.

bolvar still had his soul, he was also infused with the power of alexstrazas breath

[Kaleredar]

here's how I believe it to be:

-Kil'jaeden shapes Ner'zhul's spirit into the Lich King
-Arthas and Ner'zhul fuse
-Arthas enters his "dream" state on the frozen throne
-Arthas destroys (what he thinks) is left of his humanity
-Arthas destroy's Ner'zhul's spirit
-This new entity, filled almost entirely with Arthas' rage, malice, and ambition, is now known as "The Lich King." A small pocket of Arthas still exists inside him, though.

[Wildmoon]

Arthas consumed Ner'zhul. He was everything Ner'zhul was +Arthas. He became dominant personality. The Lich King=Ner'zhul's memories+Arthas's memories and Arthas ruled.

[ArMeD_SuRvIvOr]

here's how I believe it to be:

-Kil'jaeden shapes Ner'zhul's spirit into the Lich King
-Arthas and Ner'zhul fuse
-Arthas enters his "dream" state on the frozen throne
-Arthas destroys (what he thinks) is left of his humanity
-Arthas destroy's Ner'zhul's spirit
-This new entity, filled almost entirely with Arthas' rage, malice, and ambition, is now known as "The Lich King." A small pocket of Arthas still exists inside him, though.

This is how I believe it went down, too. As in, at first, before WoW, they were meant to be "fused", one entity. Then by WotLK and the book, they retconned that, making Arthas the prime personality in the LK, and when he cast away his heart (his humanity, his benevolence, his good side), all his malice was what was left. Right?

It's funny to think how WoW or the lore could have turned out if the LK had actually been a "fused" entity, as was first intended. Would have made him a more interesting character than he already is, heh.

- - - Updated - - -

Arthas consumed Ner'zhul. He was everything Ner'zhul was +Arthas. He became dominant personality. The Lich King=Ner'zhul's memories+Arthas's memories and Arthas ruled.

And held back the Scourge unconsciously? This is also more or less how I see it, too.

[checking facts]

When asked, "What's the truth about the new Lich King?", Chris Metzen replied:

Arthas and Ner'zhul have become a perfect fusion of one being - Arthas' personality and body with Ner'zhul's wisdom, experience, power and EVIL.

[Ringthane]

arthas and nerzhul became one person but arthas became dominate.

think of it like this, arthas gained everything ner'zhul ever had, his intelligence, his memories, everything. but ner'zhul became arthas.

So pretty much Arthas got the Quickening?

There can be only one, indeed.

[McNeil]

I see it something like this:

Evil Arthas = Lich King
Good Arthas = Last remaining humanity left thats holding the Lich King back from overwhelming Azeroth with the undead
Ner'Zhul = Gone, fused with the soul of Arthas to create the Lich King we saw in WotLK

Think that Wowpedia explains it the best

[Neave]

I believe The Lich King is a entity in it of him(it?)self. LK says at once point (in WoW)

To Jaina in search of wanting to confront "Arthas".
LK: "You seek that which I have killed long ago, he [Arthas] is merely a ghost now - a faint echo in my mind".
Jaina: "I sensed a part of him [Arthas] still alive... Trapped, struggleing... Oh, Arthas!".

[Felrane]

because when arthas fused with nerzhul he didnt have a soul, it was within frostmourne.

bolvar still had his soul, he was also infused with the power of alexstrazas breath

Well the Lich king was also on a god level for all we know he planned the whole thing, if you read the book at the first it talks about cata and mist of panda, while he sat there dreaming he saw many things.
I like to think that he planned everything and created a new body for himself because Arthus turned out to be weak, which you see him trying to purge himself of his humanity throughout Icecrown quest lines. So the Lich king Removed all imperfections from Bolvar, time wise we laid siege to icecrown for over a year no i don't think Bolvar lasted and had become the perfect vessel and it was all according to plan!

[Deleted]

When asked, "What's the truth about the new Lich King?", Chris Metzen replied:

Arthas and Ner'zhul have become a perfect fusion of one being - Arthas' personality and body with Ner'zhul's wisdom, experience, power and EVIL.

Chris Metzen: Evil is not part of Personality.

[ArMeD_SuRvIvOr]

So I suppose the final verdict is: The Lich King = Arthas' personality and mind, with Ner'zhul's knowledge, wisdom and memory. Ner'zhul is no more, and Arthas is the dominant personality. Can we agree on this?

[arboachg]

Ner'zhul being "consumed" is the unfortunate aftereffect of Blizzard not wanting to confuse people with the "two characters in one" thing as the average player could name Arthas sooner than Ner'zhul, the REAL Lich King.

[Kaleredar]

Ner'zhul being "consumed" is the unfortunate aftereffect of Blizzard not wanting to confuse people with the "two characters in one" thing as the average player could name Arthas sooner than Ner'zhul, the REAL Lich King.

Ner'zhul was a poor sap that got tossed into becoming the Lich King for no particular reason after being tricked by Kil'jaeden... twice.

Arthas did everything he did on his own accord.


In addition, I also recall ANOTHER blue post saying that Ner'zhul was indeed gone... I'll attempt to find it.