“That’s strange” – The fall of Theramore
Years later, Garrosh Hellscream had become the Warchief of the Horde and represented a much more aggressive expansion policy. Kalimdor was to belong to the Horde – and Theramore was in the way.
Jaina noticed this and had several roads built to move troops across the continent more quickly. At that time, Jaina was already the most powerful human mage and was visited by the dragon Kalecgos, who sought the Focusing Iris and needed Jaina’s help for it. During the search for the Iris, the two became friends and grew closer.
Jaina was warned by the Tauren Baine Bloodhoof that Garrosh wanted to overrun all of Kalimdor. To develop a defense strategy, Jaina called many leaders of the Alliance together, and they decided on a joint defense. Even the Naaru A’dal sent help in the form of a small unit of the Sha’tar.
The Horde’s attack was repelled. However, it was just a distraction, as Garrosh actually intended to drop a mana bomb over the city, which would react with the Focusing Iris.
The resulting explosion annihilated the entire city-state Theramore, killing almost all inhabitants in an explosion of pure arcane energy. Among the fallen were also Rhonin and Jaina’s apprentice Kinndy, who disintegrated into a pile of arcane dust before her eyes. Jaina herself survived because Rhonin saved her at the last moment through a portal.
This moment was the “turning point” for Jaina. Hatred flared up within her, and she decided to fight fire with fire and hunt down those responsible. She tried to convince the human king, Varian Wrynn, to start an immediate war against the Horde and attack Orgrimmar. Although the king was not fundamentally opposed to the idea, he realized that there were too few troops to do so without enormous losses.
Afterward, Jaina approached the Kirin Tor and wanted to win them over for an attack on Orgrimmar, but she again faced rejection. The mages of the Kirin Tor did not want to get involved in any war.
As the most powerful mage, Jaina then took the matter into her own hands. She summoned an army of water elementals and raised the sea to simply drown Orgrimmar in a tidal wave. Even Thrall could not stop her – but Kalecgos succeeded at the last moment.
“For Dalaran!” – Betrayal within the ranks
During the Pandaria campaign, Garrosh sought the God Bell and received help from Aethas Sunreaver – a member of the Kirin Tor. Jaina noticed that she was being betrayed by a Kirin Tor member who was also a member of the Horde. She began to cleanse Dalaran, killing or imprisoning all blood elves she could find in the city and declared that no member of the Horde would set foot in the city again.
Her aggressive stance against the Horde has only strengthened since then.
With the onset of the invasion of the Burning Legion in “World of Warcraft: Legion,” Khadgar initiated a vote to allow the Horde back into Dalaran. When the outcome was positive, Jaina lost control and relinquished her position on the Council of Six. She left Dalaran and the Kirin Tor, announcing that she would now care “for her people.” Since then, Jaina has not appeared in the defense against the Burning Legion.
The return to the Alliance
With the start of Battle for Azeroth and the Alliance’s attack on Lordaeron, Jaina returns. She has salvaged her father’s ship from the sea and quickly turns it into an airship by using her magic to make it fly. This contributes significantly to the siege of Undercity and opens the ruins of Lordaeron for the Alliance forces to confront Sylvanas Windrunner.
“You asked for it!” – Jaina’s possible role in the future
It is difficult to predict Jaina’s future. Since she is featured in the key art for the upcoming BlizzCon 2017, it is considered very likely that she will play a significant role in the next expansion. She is unpopular in Kul Tiras, and her family has essentially cut ties with her. Nevertheless, she will attempt to establish peaceful relations between Kul Tiras and the Alliance.
But a much darker path also lies ahead for Jaina. Hardly any character in Warcraft has lost so much in so few years as Jaina Proudmoore. And with despair often comes madness, which can swiftly lead the afflicted into the tentacled arms of the Old Gods. And it would be a very ironic fate if Jaina were to end up like Garrosh, whom she once despised.
What do you think of Jaina Proudmoore, and how do you hope her story will evolve in the future?
We have also introduced another character: The story of Sylvanas Windrunner.
