Best WoW Villain of the Decade

[MrLachyG]

Pretty simple; who is the best villain of the decade. From Cataclysm to BfA.

If you want to nominate one not on the list, go ahead in the comments.

Edit: I restricted it to foes we actually face in-game - hence why no Sargeras

[Restors]

alliance ofc.

[Asotcha]

My vote is for a lesser villain in the story that we only got to see during the quest chains in Shadowmoon Valley and (I think) some in Talador during WoD. Soulbinder Nyami, who ultimately appears as a boss in Auchindoun.

My reason is because she had such great buildup, and was really cunning and devious. When we first meet her, we don't feel like anything is 'off', and as events stack up and suspicion starts to throw her way, she makes deliberate efforts to try and keep plausible deniability. There's even a part during a quest chain where we follow her through some portal that turns out to be a literal death trap, and her response to our survival isn't disappointment or anger. Unique among many villains, she was smart enough not to make a clear enemy of us.

Villains like that are great because you can actually theorycraft plans around them, and they're smart enough to really get things done under the radar. Her story concludes after her plots unfold to their fullest, and her arc concludes alright--but part of me wishes we'd have seen more of her, or others cut from similar cloth.

Edited because I didn't read the poll closely enough before I answered; so I voted for Gul'dan. Screw that guy.

[Kyphael]

Gul'dan definitely takes it, no villain has been written better in the last decade. He was hated for the right reasons. It wasn't "go away" hate, it was "oh, you dastardly asshole."

He blew up the Alliance's best character, barbecued Tirion ALIVE, and brought the Legion back to Azeroth for the first time since the Second War. No other villain on this poll has a better resume.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Gul'dan definitely takes it, no villain has been written better in the last decade. He was hated for the right reasons. It wasn't "go away" hate, it was "oh, you dastardly asshole."

He blew up the Alliance's best character, barbecued Tirion ALIVE, and brought the Legion back to Azeroth for the first time since the Second War. No other villain on this poll has a better resume.

Gul'dan really was the one bright spot of the train wreck that was WoD. He even made it out of Hellfire Citadel looking like a villain set up for the long haul. Why do we need to get Sylvanas for 3 expansions but Gul'dan got killed off in 7.0?

[Kyphael]

Gul'dan really was the one bright spot of the train wreck that was WoD. He even made it out of Hellfire Citadel looking like a villain set up for the long haul. Why do we need to get Sylvanas for 3 expansions but Gul'dan got killed off in 7.0?

Well, the way Gul'dan died was about as perfect, and full circle as you can get; blown up and only his skull remaining in Illidan's grasp before it crumbled away. Doesn't get more climatic than that, but I agree, I'd rather have Gul'dan around for 3 expansions than Sylvanas. They actually know how to write Gul'dan. Sylvanas, they're all over the fucking place and it's all awful.

[Whitedragon]

Gul'dan definitely takes it, no villain has been written better in the last decade. He was hated for the right reasons. It wasn't "go away" hate, it was "oh, you dastardly asshole."

He blew up the Alliance's best character, barbecued Tirion ALIVE, and brought the Legion back to Azeroth for the first time since the Second War. No other villain on this poll has a better resume.

My only problem with him is all through WoD he seemed to be solely protected by plot armor. Let's be fair at that point he can't be any much if any stronger then most other warlocks from our world, but all throughout he somehow keeps evading/overpowering us.

[Kyphael]

My only problem with him is all through WoD he seemed to be solely protected by plot armor. Let's be fair at that point he can't be any much if any stronger then most other warlocks from our world, but all throughout he somehow keeps evading/overpowering us.

I would say he's very much stronger than most of Azeroth's warlocks (does Azeroth even have many notable warlocks?) He's like Kil'jaeden's most loyal non-demon underling. He has to be empowered by him. Gul'dan is also cunning, he's smart enough to get out of dodge when he knows he can't win.

Unless Illidan shows up, of course.

[Doffen]

Give it to em KJ
And here I come
Give it to em KJ
And the Legion
Give it to em KJ
Names Kil'Jaeden
And all the Naaru says I'm pretty fly
For a Draenei

[MrLachyG]

Gul'dan really was the one bright spot of the train wreck that was WoD. He even made it out of Hellfire Citadel looking like a villain set up for the long haul. Why do we need to get Sylvanas for 3 expansions but Gul'dan got killed off in 7.0?

technically it was 7.1.5. and his story had ended. at least for now, he should be somewhere in the shadowlands. both of them.

[Derpleton]

I'd vote for Activision if it were an option

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Well, the way Gul'dan died was about as perfect, and full circle as you can get; blown up and only his skull remaining in Illidan's grasp before it crumbled away. Doesn't get more climatic than that, but I agree, I'd rather have Gul'dan around for 3 expansions than Sylvanas. They actually know how to write Gul'dan. Sylvanas, they're all over the fucking place and it's all awful.

Yeah his end was satisfying, but if we can have Sylvanas kicking around for 3 expansions we could have had Gul'dan. Nothing said they had to rush out Legion immediately after WoD. Or that Gul'dan couldn't have stuck around until Tomb of Sargeras. Heck he made more sense there than in Suramar.

I don't know if it's his writing that's the difference here so much as it is the fact that his power made sense at least. With Sylvanas everything she does feels like an ass pull after she's been around this long. With Gul'dan everything he did was things we'd seen Warlocks (player or otherwise) do before.

[kiramon]

My vote is for a lesser villain in the story that we only got to see during the quest chains in Shadowmoon Valley and (I think) some in Talador during WoD. Soulbinder Nyami, who ultimately appears as a boss in Auchindoun.

My reason is because she had such great buildup, and was really cunning and devious. When we first meet her, we don't feel like anything is 'off', and as events stack up and suspicion starts to throw her way, she makes deliberate efforts to try and keep plausible deniability. There's even a part during a quest chain where we follow her through some portal that turns out to be a literal death trap, and her response to our survival isn't disappointment or anger. Unique among many villains, she was smart enough not to make a clear enemy of us.

Villains like that are great because you can actually theorycraft plans around them, and they're smart enough to really get things done under the radar. Her story concludes after her plots unfold to their fullest, and her arc concludes alright--but part of me wishes we'd have seen more of her, or others cut from similar cloth.

Edited because I didn't read the poll closely enough before I answered; so I voted for Gul'dan. Screw that guy.

I distinctly remember thinking she was evil within like two quests of meeting her...

[Kallisto]

Yeah his end was satisfying, but if we can have Sylvanas kicking around for 3 expansions we could have had Gul'dan. Nothing said they had to rush out Legion immediately after WoD. Or that Gul'dan couldn't have stuck around until Tomb of Sargeras. Heck he made more sense there than in Suramar.

I don't know if it's his writing that's the difference here so much as it is the fact that his power made sense at least. With Sylvanas everything she does feels like an ass pull after she's been around this long. With Gul'dan everything he did was things we'd seen Warlocks (player or otherwise) do before.

Thing is though we saw more of Gul'dan from 6.0 to 7.1.5 than we have Sylvanas in the past two expansions.

In legion it was bit of prepatch stuff. Openening of stormheim, see her with helya and final Cinematic of zone. Then nothing (well warden towers but doesn't count.) for rest of legion.

Then in bfa she's there for burning of tree. Battle for Lordaeron (well everyone was, hell even Baine did something there.) and 3-4 quests. Gul'dan was pretty much everywhere. His presence in everything. In Wod.

Legion he does more in orepatch than 99% of villains or heroes do from vanilla to today. He really didn't need longer it's always quality > quantity.

Now this isn't a defence for how they done sylvanas. I mean horde are nothing and I never cared can only make sense if her internal thoughts are written with her knowing she's a fictional character trying to lie to the reader.

She in her own thoughts didn't know who put her as warchief. Didn't want it. Which if she's working with the jailer makes no sense because she'd know it was his doing.

Her I hate everyone makes no sense when during the parades her own thoughts wanted her to put belves and forsaken front and centre because the fact she does care.

A good war her thoughts are known there too. Her plan internal thoughts was to basically fracture the Alliance. Take out Stormwind and split the rest with the horde.

Yet contradicted with her outburst and talk to her loyalist. So a 3rd expansion is needed to fix these parts. The only way this can work is if in the end she's feeding souls to the maw as means to have an army of souls that are fed up with the jailer they turn on him so no one goes to hell. Even then that leaves gaping holes

[Chickat]

Gul'dan. Hes partially responsible for most of the bad stuff from WoD, all of legion, some of bfa, leading into Shadowlands. Without Guldan would we even have Azerite?

- - - Updated - - -

Special nod to the Thunder King. Very fresh Villain with motivations that kind of make sense. I really liked him.

[Flaim]

As already described by other posters, from the listed entries it's gul'dan hands down. Garrosh as a second due to him following a fitting path untill his demize. His final fight was a bit anti-climatic, but it was all according to his character.

But i gotta admit, there's some unlisted gems, like nyami.

[Denizly]

Classic community.

OT: gonna go with Gul'Dan.

[Nak88]

Garrosh. One of the all-time great raids (Siege of Orgrimmar) and a badass character arc/story, I really loved MoP and its ultimate raid/villain.

[Kaver]

alliance ofc.

Someone is mad that Sylvanas turned out to be an evil witch. The Horde sucks and are always the evil beasts xD

[Bigbazz]

Pretty simple; who is the best villain of the decade. From Cataclysm to BfA.

If you want to nominate one not on the list, go ahead in the comments.

Edit: I restricted it to foes we actually face in-game - hence why no Sargeras

Lich King wasn't killed until 2010, the majority of ICC took place in 2010 and the LK wasn't even available during December 2009. Your poll is wrong and Arthas is the correct answer.