Kael’thas Sunstrider – The Corrupted Sun King
No matter how you look at it, no other Blood Elf comes close to the significance of Kael’thas Sunstrider.
Kael’thas Sunstrider was the last king of Silvermoon, leading his people from existence as High Elves into a future as Blood Elves. After the destruction of the Sunwell, he brought his people the Fel magic to satiate their hunger for magic, which also granted most Blood Elves their characteristic fel-green eye color.
However, it was revealed during “The Burning Crusade” that Kael’thas was now serving the Legion – the constant use of Fel magic had corrupted him and turned him into a pawn of the demons.
Afterward, Kael’thas was slain by adventurers in the Fortress of Storms, but that was not the end. A few months later, he reappeared – his body battered and disfigured, a large crystal of Fel magic protruding from his chest. He aided the Legion in gaining access to the corrupted Sunwell and conquered the Terrace of the Magisters with his loyal Fel Blood Elves – only to be killed again afterward.
Kael’thas is regarded as one of the first to utilize “Virdianic Spheres” for combat – the green orbs that hover behind him and can be used to enhance spells and magic. A type of magic that many Blood Elves and Blood Mages still use today.
Kael’thas is also known as one of the most powerful and talented fire mages that ever existed on Azeroth. He especially defined the spell “Flame Strike,” known in Elvish as “Felo’melorn” – and his legendary weapon bore the same name.
The fallen king even reappeared in the “Shadowlands” expansion and became an important character in the Venthyr campaign. After his death, Kael’thas’ soul was brought to Revendreth to atone for his actions. Since he was so powerful in life, a lot of anima could be drawn from him, making him atone for a very long time.
Ultimately, Kael’thas is freed by heroes from the clutches of Denathrius and begins his redemption, which initially is merely a minor subplot of Shadowlands. Kael’thas takes his revenge on Kael’Thuzad, who had corrupted the Sunwell through his creation – but afterward, the story of the prince ends rather abruptly.
Whether Kael’thas will appear again in the future remains questionable given the rather negatively viewed Shadowlands expansion. However, even many years after his death, the effects of Kael’thas Sunstrider are still clearly felt in the society of the Blood Elves.
It remains to be seen whether this will still be the case after the upcoming restructuring of Silvermoon and the Immersang Forest – as the Blood Elves attempt to leave this time and Kael’thas behind.
If you know the characters but haven’t been aware of what they’ve been up to in World of Warcraft, now might be the perfect moment to dive into the colorful world of Azeroth. Here we present the 3 best classes for newcomers and returners.
