Sylvanas Windrunner
Of course, Sylvanas Windrunner is also on the list.
The undead high elf Sylvanas is, at the beginning of World of Warcraft, the leader of the Forsaken and is mostly referred to as the “Banshee Queen.” Her pact with the Horde is more of a pragmatic alliance to establish a home for the Forsaken, which she understands as “her people.”
Sylvanas had essentially only two goals back then. To protect her people and to simultaneously take revenge on Arthas, who condemned her and many others to undeath.
This second goal is achieved at the end of “Wrath of the Lich King.” Her revenge is fulfilled, and Arthas, the Lich King, is dead. However, the death of the Lich King also plunges Sylvanas into a crisis of meaning. She feels empty (or even emptier than before) and wants to end her own, undead existence. She jumps from Icecrown Citadel – but is resurrected by the Val’kyr, who make a pact with her.
From then on, Sylvanas works on increasing her people. During “Cataclysm,” she conquers Gilneas and parts of the Plaguelands and raises new Forsaken.
In “Legion,” she fights against the demons but begins to pursue other goals secretly and slowly deviates from her path.
Her drastic transformation comes when she is unexpectedly appointed Warchief through a trick by the Loa Mueh’zala. She initiates a war against the Alliance and marches against Teldrassil. After winning the battle, she sets the tree on fire, killing most of the night elf population.
As the war does not go in her favor, Sylvanas ultimately betrays the Horde as well and declares that her actions were merely to send more souls into the realm of death, the Shadowlands. She collaborates with the mysterious Jailer, ripping the crown of domination from the new Lich King Bolvar and opens a rift into the Shadowlands.
After Sylvanas is reunited with the rest of her soul at the end of Shadowlands, her character changes drastically again. She becomes compassionate and regrets her actions.
As punishment, she is banished to the Maw, tasked with finding all souls there and sending them to the Souljudge so that each soul can be reevaluated.
Faithful Sylvanas loyalists hear a few words from her when they play the quest for the Forsaken’s traditional armor. But it will probably be a while before Sylvanas has served her sentence and returns to Azeroth – however she will be received there.
Bolvar Fordragon
The paladin Bolvar Fordragon, or sometimes called “Highlord Bolvar,” was once the Lord Regent of Stormwind. When Anduin was still too young to rule, he had the power and made decisions for the young king.
Although Bolvar had good intentions, he became a servant of Onyxia (Lady Katrana Prestor), who controlled him with a magical amulet. Only through the intervention of heroes was he freed from this enchantment.
With “Wrath of the Lich King,” King Varian returned, so Bolvar no longer had to stay in Stormwind. He supported the attack on the Scourge in Northrend and was part of the legendary battle at the Wrathgate:
The Horde and Alliance attempted in a joint effort to defeat Arthas. As the battle against the Scourge raged on, some rogue Forsaken intervened and unleashed a new plague on all fighters – the Scourge, affecting both Horde and Alliance.
Bolvar was close to death. The red dragonflight cleansed the area with fire and burned his body beyond recognition.
Nevertheless, Bolvar survived and was captured and tortured by the Lich King.
After the death of Arthas, Bolvar takes the crown of domination and becomes the new Lich King – to keep the Scourge in check. Without the Lich King, the Scourge would run rampant and Azeroth would likely fall.
But the time on the Frozen Throne and the Helm of Domination changes Bolvar. He not only keeps the Scourge at bay, but also uses them.
During the “Legion” expansion, he gives direct orders to the death knight heroes and even challenges them to destroy all eggs of the red dragonflight – something that death knight heroes in the game are often accused of.
However, during “Shadowlands,” Sylvanas takes his crown and robs him of a large part of his power. He remains the leader of the death knights but is now significantly more “human” – partly because he sees his daughter from Kul Tiras once again.
Wrathion
Wrathion is a comparatively young character from World of Warcraft. He was introduced in the “Cataclysm” expansion. During a quest line in the Barrens, we save an egg from which Wrathion hatches later.
In the first years after his birth, the small black dragon is primarily active underground. He establishes a secret organization and tries early on to influence the fate of Azeroth from the shadows.
He really comes into his own in “Mists of Pandaria,” where he befriends the young prince Anduin. The two spend a lot of time together. Here, however, Wrathion comes to the realization that Azeroth is facing absolute destruction in a few years. In his opinion, the only solution is a united Azeroth – whether united in undeath, united under the Horde, or any other power.
Even though Wrathion was long regarded as a side character, he significantly influenced the course of history. Only through his intervention was Garrosh able to travel back in time and thus set the events of “Warlords of Draenor” in motion.
This, in turn, ultimately led to Gul’dan arriving from the alternate Draenor to Azeroth, where he initiated the large-scale demon attack in “Legion.”
If you carry this consideration to its conclusion, then Wrathion is responsible for King Varian Wrynn, Anduin’s father, dying during the demon attack.
In Battle for Azeroth
Wrathion comes into contact with the madness of the Old Gods, who had also manipulated his father Deathwing. Although he resists, he still sees himself called to greatness and begins to become power-hungry.
This greed for power reaches its temporary peak in Dragonflight. A rivalry arises with his older brother Sabellian. Both want to become the new black aspect and try to outdo each other.
Only after the events in Aberrus does Wrathion’s temperament visibly cool. He no longer wants to become an aspect and willingly cedes this position. He appears calmer and more controlled – and seems to have become a fair bit more mature.
The complete story of World of Warcraft to date gives you even more information.
Feel free to let us know in the comments which character development you found particularly drastic in World of Warcraft or which you liked best?
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