Did Arthas do the Right Thing?

[Highelf]

IF you were Arthas in the situation he was in before entering Stratholme, knowing and seeing what he did, would you do it, or how would you of handled it differently?

[Rendark]

It was kill the people or watch as they die anyways and become undead slaves. I would say yes he did the right thing.

[Super Dickmann]

He unironically did nothing wrong at Stratholme. Quarantine was impossible because they weren't just being converted into undead, in the mission Mal'ganis teleports them away once they're zombified for later use.

[Varodoc]

Malganis was already inside the city and turning the citizens into undead, quarantine would have never worked on time or would have saved so few people at the cost of so many men that it would not have been worth it.

Of course even if he did the "right" thing, morally his actions were wrong, since it is mass murder. That is why the Culling of Stratholme is a good example of a morally grey event… unlike other, more recent events.

[Feanoro]

It's presented as bad by writers who were squeamish about having nothing but terrible choices and being forced to pick the least terrible.

[oplawlz]

Arthas was always the good guy.

[Biotec]

Arthas did what he had to do in that moment.

The people were already infected, they had started eating the grain before Arthas even got there. If he had just left it alone, the entire population would become scourge minions and Mal'ganis could have used the city as a staging point in Lordaeron to further spread plague.

[Kyphael]

It was his Kabayashi Maru; a no win situation. He would have been judged by lesser men (Uther) who had no knowledge of the true situation at hand and that judgment likely added to his stress of making worse decisions. This is in no way playing devil's advocate to Arthas' weak character, but the "Culling" of Stratholme was not the wrong thing to do. He failed to do the right thing later, but not here, because there was no right thing to do here. Stratholme was already lost.

[Dundebuns]

If he didn't do it out of anger then yes, but he got consumed by his own vengeance.

[Ardenaso]

Yes. I'm so sure Mal'ganis can easily wipe the floor with the Kirin Tor should they attempt to quarantine Stratholme like they said in The Warning. Also, Mal'ganis can easily warp them inside the Twisting Nether.

Purging Stratholme was the right choice. Following Mal'ganis to Northrend isn't.

[deenman]

Arthas was always the good guy.

ironicaly this is pretty much true,arthas and nerzhul both,they knew about the legion and its real power and to their knowlege the undead were the best tool against the legion,a united army under one comand,lich king is basicaly illidan lol

[AwkwardSquirtle]

Yes, the culling was the right decision. However, it also marked the point where Arthas decided that he was willing to do anything to stop Mal'ganis. Vengeance consumed him and led to him surrendering his soul to Frostmourne and in a tragic twist being used to destroy the people he fought so hard to save.

[StillMcfuu]

IF you were Arthas in the situation he was in before entering Stratholme, knowing and seeing what he did, would you do it, or how would you of handled it differently?

There was no right thing, but he did what had to be done. I think what led to his downfall wasn't what he did at Stratholme, but the fact that his closest friends abandoned him to do it alone.

[Hellobolis]

In hindsight, he saved those people from a worse afterlife.

At the time, quite drastic action given how little he knew about the plague at the time. Not to mention with his position as prince he could have easily taken a more middle of the road approach to try and save non-infected people, at least until malganis showed up. It's too much of a military thought process than a future ruler thought process, especially given how you see his father take the people into consideration in the intro cinematic.

[Firefall]

He did the right thing on the incorrect assumption (and limited knowledge) that the will of the Lich King cannot be broken free of. Most Forsaken would rather be undead than dead, as evidenced by the extreme and constant willpower required to maintain their sanity--if they wanted to die they would've long ago. If mindful undead happened once there is probably a way it could again.

[Zuben]

Ah, this question again. Yes, Arthas was correct. Had they not been proactive about Stratholme there'd have been a major zombie army on their lands. It's just that without the support of Uther and Jaina Arthas got stuck in revenge-mode, which is why the Northrend campaign happened. Or even if they'd have gone to Northrend regardless, again, Arthas would've had his closest people there for him to counterbalance all the craziness. Probably more forces too, since in this scenario the campaign wouldn't be hampered by opposition from Uther and Terenas.

[McNeil]

The Culling of Stratholme had to happen, it was far to late to put the city into quarantine or to find a cure as the civilians were already about to turn. The only thing Arthas could’ve done better is how he approached Uther and calmy explained about Mal’Ganis and his plans, and then have Uther put the city under lockdown. If Uther had still refused then he should be punished for it for disobeying an order and put an entire continent in danger.

Things could have turned so much different if only Uther and Jaina stood by his side. They might have stopped Arthas from going to Northrend, or at least stopped him from picking up Frostmourne because there wouldn’t be a need for it if they combined their strength against Mal’Ganis. You would have the entire party of Arthas, Muradin, Jaina and Uther against Mal’Ganis which would have assured victory. Instead Arthas had to rely on a cursed blade to defeat the one who killed so many of his people.

[Michael Jackson]

He didn't even consider another way, nor did he take time to explain to Uther his actions.

Imagine being Uther, knowing nothing about Mal'Ganis or the plague, and you're being suddenly ordered to do an Exterminatus.
At least give him some fucking context.

Yeah, Arthas did do the right thing, but if he had presented his case properly to Uther, maybe he would have determined a better approach.

[Nachtigal]

It was his Kabayashi Maru; a no win situation. He would have been judged by lesser men (Uther) who had no knowledge of the true situation at hand and that judgment likely added to his stress of making worse decisions. This is in no way playing devil's advocate to Arthas' weak character, but the "Culling" of Stratholme was not the wrong thing to do. He failed to do the right thing later, but not here, because there was no right thing to do here. Stratholme was already lost.

Ha, weeb. They always find a way to bring some Japanese sounding shit somewhere completely unnecessary

Infracted.

[Aucald]

I agree that there was no real "right thing" to do in this situation - it was a quintessential no-win type of scenario. The murder of innocent lives is itself unconscionable, but so would be allowing Mal'ganis and the plague to turn the entirety of Stratholme into shock troops for the Scourge. The only issue I have with Arthas and his conduct in Stratholme is that it isn't really done in the name of mercy but rather vengeance, a burning hatred for Mal'ganis as opposed to sparing the people the horrors of slavery in undeath. He might have even been able to sell the Culling to Uther under such auspices, as I don't think there was anything to be done for them at that time, but Arthas didn't try - and as soon as Uther pointed out the nature of what they would have to do Arthas coldly rebuked him, not even considering the cost of life as something to give pause.