World of Warcraft
When people hear the title “The Lich King,” most immediately think of Arthas Menethil or his 35 anima version in the Shadowlands. The long haired blonde prince who purged Stratholme. But the entity within the Helm of Domination, the mastermind who created the Scourge, was never Arthas. It was an Orc. An old, regretful shaman who was manipulated into damning his entire race.
Ner’zhul. He is the “Patient Zero” of the Horde’s corruption. Without him, there would be no Orcs on Azeroth, no Burning Legion invasion, and no Scourge. He is the broken father of two broken worlds.
A Husband’s Grief, The Great Deception
Ner’zhul was not evil. In fact, he was the highly respected Elder Shaman and Warchief of the Shadowmoon Clan on Draenor. He was a spiritual leader who deeply cared for his people. But he had a weakness, his deceased wife, Rulkan.
Kil’jaeden (the Deceiver) knew this. The Demon Lord came to Ner’zhul in the form of Rulkan’s spirit. Kil’jaeden, disguised as the wife Ner’zhul loved more than anything, whispered some lies to him, “The Draenei are plotting against us. They want to kill our ancestors.”
Unlike his apprentice Gul’dan, who sought power for power’s and revenge’s sake, Ner’zhul started the war against the Draenei because he thought he was saving his people. He acted out of love and fear, not malice.
The Betrayal of the Apprentice
Eventually, Ner’zhul realized something was wrong. The elemental spirits of Draenor stopped talking to him. The ancestors went silent. He traveled to Oshu’gun (the sacred mountain) in Nagrand and discovered he had been duped. The “Rulkan” he saw was a demon (there is a questline for this in WoD expansion, and it’s really good).
He tried to back out and refuse Kil’jaeden. But his fatal mistake was, he trusted his apprentice. Gul’dan, a little snake he is, betrayed his master to Kil’jaeden in exchange for power. Ner’zhul was stripped of his authority but kept alive as a powerless figurehead. He was forced to watch as Gul’dan fed the Blood of Mannoroth to the Orcs, enslaving them to the Legion. He saw his people turn green and bloodthirsty, knowing it was his fault, but unable to stop it.
Shattering of Draenor and Creation of Outland
After the Horde lost the Second War on Azeroth, Ner’zhul (now back in charge of the shattered Horde on Draenor) grew desperate. He knew Kil’jaeden would come for him for failing the Legion, so he planned an escape. He gathered powerful artifacts, including the Skull of Gul’dan. Ironic, using the head of the traitor apprentice to fuel his escape (detailed in Sons of Lothar article) and open portals to other worlds where the Legion couldn’t find him.
He grew reckless and opened too many portals at once. The magical stress was too much for the planet’s crust. Just like Malfurion broke Kalimdor to save it, Ner’zhul broke Draenor to escape it. The planet shattered, turning into the floating rock debris we now know as Outland.
The Birth of the Lich King
Ner’zhul stepped through a portal to escape the destruction, thinking he was free. Kil’jaeden was waiting for him on the other side. He played right into the demon’s hands.
Kil’jaeden tore Ner’zhul’s body apart, piece by piece, but kept his soul alive in agony. He offered him one last deal, “Serve, or suffer for eternity.” Ner’zhul chose servitude. Kil’jaeden bound his spirit to a set of magical armor and a runeblade (Frostmourne), encasing him within a block of diamond-hard ice from the Twisting Nether. He hurled this frozen prison onto the roof of the world, Northrend. Ner’zhul was gone, The Lich King was born.
Merging of Ner’zhul and The Sad End
For years, Ner’zhul expanded his influence, creating the Scourge to soften Azeroth for the Legion. He fought a massive war against the spider kingdom of Azjol-Nerub. He won, resurrected their king Anub’arak, and stole their architecture. That’s why Scourge buildings look like spider webs and ziggurats. But in secret, he was plotting his revenge against his demonic masters. A helm was created for this purpose. Now in need of a champion, he lured Arthas Menethil to Northrend. A pound of flesh to free him from the ice. When Arthas put on the Helm of Domination, they merged.
But here is the sad part that is detailed in the novel Arthas: Rise of the Lich King (really good book, a must read). Ner’zhul thought he and Arthas would rule together as a dual mind. But Arthas, mentally stronger and far more ruthless, consumed Ner’zhul’s spirit within the dreamscape. He silenced the old shaman and became the dominant personality.
The final insult to his character came in Shadowlands. In the Sanctum of Domination raid, we fought the “Remnant of Ner’zhul.” He was a miserable, tortured soul, still screaming in agony, twisted by the Jailer’s magic. We put him out of his misery. It was a really sad end for a legend.
Personal Thoughts on Ner’zhul
Ner’zhul is the definition of “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” He is a tragic villain. He isn’t cool like Illidan or stoic like Malfurion. He is just… sad. He lost his wife, tricked by her memory, lost his world, lost his body, and eventually lost his mind to a human prince.
I also really liked his Alternate Universe version in Warlords of Draenor. The Shadowmoon Burial Grounds dungeon was visually stunning. Seeing him use the Void magic, summoning dark stars… It showed us what a “Dark Shaman” really looks like. He was a man who just wanted to save his people but was always looking for salvation in the wrong places.
