Arthas, the first Lichking, the lord in Shadowlands

[uikolertekopoku]

What do you think we can expect from Arthas?

We know Kelthuzad is in Shadowlands and that he is allegedly working for "The Banished One" aka The Jailer.

We know Saphiron was datamined as a Model/Npc.

There hints that Uther will go some process of changing into a true Kyrian in Shadowlands.

From Interviews we know that there are plans for Arthas

"Arthas is a fundamental character to the Warcraft IP and they didn't want to use him in an offhand way to cheapen his storyline."

"We want to do the right thing by him."


Kaelthas want revenge on Kelthuzad so I think Kelthuzad is going down this road being "destroyed, killed,whatever" with Kaelthas help.
Uther still has to be transformed into a "true" Kyrian forgiving Arthas?

Why Saphiron was added

What do you think they plan for Arthas?

[Dakhath]

Arthas is almost guaranteed to show up, but he's not going to be a major character. He might get a part in a patch but it's pretty clear that he's not a main focus as he'd be all over the marketing material like Illidan was.

[enigma77]

You know Blizzard can't leave well enough alone and they are absolutely going to do something stupid and ruin his story.

[Vellus]

If anything, Arthas will have a redemption arc and involve penance for his past. Having him once again be the lord of death cheapens all the events of ICC and really doesn't make much sense.

[McNeil]

Title is wrong because Arthas was not the first Lich King, Ner'zhul was.

I expect Arthas to play some role in a future patch, hopefully as the prince he once was and not when he was a death knight. I could see some sort of redemption story where he makes up for his mistakes and helps the players to defeat Sylvanas and the Jailor. He did create Sylvanas after all which caused the whole expansion to happen, so he has some unfinished business. Some interaction with Jaina and Calia would also make for some bittersweet scenes.

I doubt that he will be a major character (if this was the case it would be hinted a lot earlier), but since he has had a lot of story already they don't need to milk him out more than there needs to be. We already have characters suffering from that. The Arthas story when he was evil is over, but I'd like to see some more of ''good'' Arthas again.

[Morae]

Imo, Arthas should stay dead. I know, I know, shadowlands is the place where dead go, but still...... arthas should stay dead!


ICC end was good. I remember having nerdgasms. I have always felt like true warcraft ended there. After wotlk, there was cata, mop, wod. Perhaps legion was more "warcrafty" and not sure about bfa.
I think it was someone on these forums with a signature that put it well.
"Tell them only that the lich king is dead and that world of warcraft died with him."

The game changed so much afterwards. Arthas's death was the end. He should stay dead or my nerdgasms lose their value!

[Kyphael]

Technically, Ner'zhul is the first Lich King.



But yes, I agree, I hope Arthas has a significant role in Shadowlands. It would be a huge missed opportunity not to reveal his ultimate fate in the expansion about Death and Afterlife. I'm still betting he'll be heavily featured in the expansion's mid-patch (9.2?), like Illidan was in Legion, and play a role in Sylvanas' final fate in the latch patch (9.3?)

[delus]

Maybe not Arthas but Matthias Lehnir.

[A Chozo]

He'll probably appear, but don't expect a Lich King - expect Arthas Menethil, the Lordaeron Prince instead.

Technically, Ner'zhul is the first Lich King.
*weird-ass picture*

Popsicle Ner'zhul > that fanart.

[Kyphael]

He'll probably appear, but don't expect a Lich King - expect Arthas Menethil, the Lordaeron Prince instead.

Popsicle Ner'zhul > that fanart.

What? No way, that fan art is wicked, even if Ner'zhul was never physically The Lich King, but spiritually, so your image is more accurate. But the art is awesome!

[pewpmeiser]

Arthas is not showing up. You're taking those quotes out of context. He's dead; He's done.

[Powerogue]

Arthas is almost guaranteed to show up, but he's not going to be a major character. He might get a part in a patch but it's pretty clear that he's not a main focus as he'd be all over the marketing material like Illidan was.

Sounds about right. I think he'll play a significant role in Sylvanas's story arc, since he was present both at her first and second deaths.

[Melusine]

What do you think we can expect from Arthas?

We know Kelthuzad is in Shadowlands and that he is allegedly working for "The Banished One" aka The Jailer.

We know Saphiron was datamined as a Model/Npc.

There hints that Uther will go some process of changing into a true Kyrian in Shadowlands.

From Interviews we know that there are plans for Arthas

"Arthas is a fundamental character to the Warcraft IP and they didn't want to use him in an offhand way to cheapen his storyline."

"We want to do the right thing by him."


Kaelthas want revenge on Kelthuzad so I think Kelthuzad is going down this road being "destroyed, killed,whatever" with Kaelthas help.
Uther still has to be transformed into a "true" Kyrian forgiving Arthas?

Why Saphiron was added

What do you think they plan for Arthas?

I hate to be that guy, but you do realize, Arthas was not the first Lich King. Ner'zhul was.

When we last saw Arthas, the Helm of Domination was removed, and he says to his father Terenas, "Is it over?" I don't honestly think Arthas died as he lived. It was as if removing the helm allowed him to know the error of his ways, and to know, he was a tool for greater forces, and not the ruler of lesser forces. While none of us know the true extent of how lucid his final moments really were, he did not curse his father.

What we do know is, the Helm of domination has deranged Bolvar as well. Perhaps not to the same extent, but he is not a hero anymore.

Kel'thuzad is indeed in the Shadowlands. He seems very much irredeemable. He's not like Arthas was, where Arthas unknowingly because a pawn of the lich king before merging with the lich king. Kel'thuzad was an agent of the Lich King willingly. I have no reason to believe he wants to turn over a new leaf.

Sapphiron being added says all of nothing though, other than a dead dragon is in the Shadowlands.

Arthas is a very difficult character to do properly. It wasn't long ago, Blizzard resurrected a villain of the past and gave him a redemption story. It may be too soon to follow that same path. If World of Warcraft wants to just go through a blighted cycle of killing villains and resurrecting them for redemption stories, in two expacs, we'll likely see a Sylvanas redemption story, and I would suggest someone stops that narrative. On the other hand, if he IS the jailor, what does that say about Sylvanas? It would be one helluva plot twist for her to discover, she is working for the one she hates the most in this world. That said, I'd rather Sylvanas stays a villain and we kill her, burn her corpse and piss on her ashes.

[uikolertekopoku]

yes that's why they added Saphiron, because Saphiron is so not realated to arthas


From the Interview

Arthas in Shadowlands?
Won't answer directly - just focusing on the best story possible.
Arthas is a fundamental character to the Warcraft IP and they didn't want to use him in an offhand way to cheapen his storyline.
"We want to do the right thing by him."

what's wrong with you?

- - - Updated - - -

Post was responding to gleepot

[Kathranis]

Technically, Ner'zhul is the first Lich King.

Popsicle Ner'zhul > that fanart.

That's not Ner'zhul, and it's not fanart. It's an orc DK concept art for WotLK by Wei Wang.

Ner'zhul also didn't wear Arthas's DK armor in the Frozen Throne, that's an error in that illustration. He wore the Plate of the Damned, which is supposed to look like this:



They finally did a proper HD version of the Plate of the Damned for Reforged. Its whereabouts were never touched on after Arthas claimed the Helm of Domination.

I've personally always thought it'd look cool if Ner'zhul's spirit was still bound to it, like a lich with the chains floating around his form.

[uikolertekopoku]

Expansion in Shadowlands with added Saphiron means nothing? Do you don't see the connection to Arthas ?

And Arthas always be the Licking of Hearts, our favorite the strongest Lichking that existed.

Nerzuhl was just imprisoned to the Plate of the Damned but never a True Licking

[Dakhath]

Sapphiron is more connected to Kel'thuzad than Arthas. Sindragosa would have a closer connection to Arthas.

[Combatbutler]

Sapphiron is more connected to Kel'thuzad than Arthas. Sindragosa would have a closer connection to Arthas.

Arthas raised both of them

[Dakhath]

Right, and one guarded KT and one was guarding Arthas. Sapphiron appeared only in Naxx, a raid that has KT as a final boss, whereas Sindragosa was in the opening cinematic and part of ICC.

[Oneirophobia]

I was actually hoping it would be Ner'zhul, but they've said a dozen times the Jailer is a new character we've never met. If Arthas appears at all, I'm hoping it's out of the darkness to stab Sylvanas and then disappear. It would be fantastic for her to end twice by him.