Thrall

Biodata

Power Progression

Background and History

Thrall grew up in Karazhan as Medivh’s servant. Accounts of his early life also present him as Blackmoore’s adopted son and Durnholde’s arena champion, but his publicized parentage and upbringing are later exposed as fabricated. His body double Gudan is revealed to be Durotan’s son 1671 1708 1756 1937.

Varimathras brought Thrall to Drek'Thar to give him a shaman mentor and a plausible background. Thrall blinded and tortured Drek'Thar into teaching him, then used fear and elemental magic to force the Frostwolf Clan into submission 1663 1664.

Thrall cultivated the image of an Orc liberator after Durnholde’s fall. He killed and ate Taretha, blamed Blackmoore for her death, and promoted stories of his own heroism. King Terenas later adopted Thrall and named him heir, while Uther trained him in martial skills and formations 109 1671.

Appearance

Thrall is a green-skinned Orc with a powerful build, a fierce face and prominent tusks 1021.

• He kept himself cleaner than ordinary Orc soldiers and had even, white teeth; a cat’s-eye stone was set into one tusk 820.
• He wore Orgrimmar’s black battle armor in combat 168.
• His demonic transformations altered his appearance substantially, ranging from a green, flame-wreathed Infernal to a scaled, winged monster 155 298.
• Eating Loa flesh caused mutations including a rhinoceros horn and snake scales. Sif’s treatment restored his Orc form 982 983 996.

Personality

Thrall presents himself as a courteous, benevolent savior, but uses that reputation to conceal ambition and brutality. Eitrigg describes him as resourceful and skilled at disguising ambition as a righteous cause; Thrall also uses rumors and staged displays to shape public opinion 94 96 103 1942.

He rules through intimidation, flattery and calculated cruelty. He threatened Saurfang’s son to secure his service, relished humiliating enemies and treated other peoples as food. When faced with opponents who could overpower him, however, he was willing to beg for mercy or surrender 122 124 1739.

Abilities & Skills

Shamanism

Thrall commands elemental power and learned Drek'Thar’s shaman magic under coercion 128 1664.

• Used wind, a lava hand and lightning against Grommash Hellscream; he also summoned Earth Elementals during their fight 128 129.
• Cast Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning and Earthquake while subjugating the Frostwolf Clan 1664.
• Planted a Grounding Totem to deflect Agna’s Lava Burst 297.
• Lost access to elemental support when Garrosh used Dark Shaman power to turn the elements against him 297.

Fel Transformations

Burning Legion modifications gave Thrall an Infernal form; he later displayed more advanced demonic forms 155 298.

• As an Infernal, he grew enormous, burned with green flames and breathed Fel fire. Barthilas defeated him with Holy Light, forcing him back to normal 155.
• His later horns enhanced his use of Fel, while demon wings let him fly. He admitted using the winged form to hunt people over Orgrimmar 298.
• In his armored form, he withstood Garrosh’s attack, crushed his shoulder and devoured him 298.

Combat and Command

Thrall combined human fighting techniques with tactical deception. He became an arena champion and later studied martial skills and battle formations under Uther 95 109.

• Used a frenzy potion and summoned elementals to wear down Grommash after losing his grip on Doomhammer 129.
• Combined Rage Potion with his Heroic Totem to keep Orc warriors fighting during a retreat 140.
• Was vulnerable to skilled or stronger opponents: Robbie defeated him hand-to-hand, and Grommash disarmed him in their duel 5 129.

Equipment and Items

• Doomhammer — Thrall’s legendary hammer and a principal weapon in battle 5 129 168.
• Orgrimmar’s black battle armor — Armor he wore when leading the attack on Stratholme 168.
• Nozdormu’s scales — Three scales given to him by Aegwynn, with powers to imprison, kill or destroy Nozdormu 834.
• Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire — A dagger Thrall took from a treasure vault, intending to use it to command Trolls and oppose Garrosh 1295.
• Black Rune — Used to bind Ra-den; Ra-den’s body broke apart and he died 1338.

Relationships

• Medivh — Thrall grew up in Karazhan as his servant. Medivh supported his rise but also checked his behavior; Thrall feared defying him 103 819 1937.
• Drek'Thar — His shaman teacher, whom Thrall blinded and tortured into surrendering his knowledge 1663 1664.
• Eitrigg — Thrall’s adviser and frequent accomplice. He later turned public opinion against Thrall and revealed that the story of Thrall being Jaina’s copy had been staged 835 1886.
• Jaina — Initially respected Thrall’s courtesy, then became entangled with him as a fearful subordinate, political partner and adversary. Her apparition later split his flesh and soul into a second body 94 101 890 1836.
• Saurfang the Great — A subordinate and recurring rival. Thrall coerced his service, while Saurfang participated in an ambush that killed him and later plotted against him 122 129 693.
• Garrosh — A rival for leadership of the Orcs. Thrall defeated and devoured him in one confrontation; Garrosh later escaped an ambush at his wedding and continued opposing him 298 1113.
• Vol'jin — A political associate whose relationship with Thrall shifted between open challenge and cooperation 298 693 996.
• Agna — Thrall’s wife. She attacked him during the battle for Orgrimmar, and he later seized Garrosh’s wedding and declared that he was marrying her there 297 1113.
• Gudan — Thrall’s lookalike and body double, revealed to be Durotan’s son 1746 1756.

Story Role and Major Arcs

Rise as the Savior

Thrall’s public persona helped him secure support from Jaina and other powers. Behind that image, he used prisoners against Jaina, forced Saurfang into service and told Grommash of a plan to channel Azeroth’s elemental power into Draenor, leaving Azeroth uninhabitable 94 101 122 128.

After defeating Grommash with a potion and elementals, Thrall was shot by Sylvanas and struck down by Saurfang. An Evil Soul preserved his soul, enabling his resurrection in a stronger, Legion-modified body 129 131.

Contests for the Horde

Garrosh stripped Thrall of elemental support during a battle for Orgrimmar, but Thrall revealed his demonic forms and devoured him. Vol'jin then challenged Thrall’s claim to be the true Warchief 297 298.

Later, Thrall used Dragonblood Orcs to humiliate Saurfang and planned to conquer Kalimdor. Saurfang and Garrosh subsequently worked together against him 645 693.

Loa Powers and Icecrown

After eating Loa flesh, Thrall mutated as their powers conflicted inside him. Sif spent seven days balancing those powers with the elements; Thrall recovered, executed the four Loa and later helped kill Sif 982 983 996 998.

At Icecrown, Thrall lured two thousand Orcs away from the Scourge and had Vol'jin’s forces kill them. He then persuaded the Emissary to invite the Alliance and Horde to attack Arthas together 1078.

War with Garrosh

Thrall’s attempt to capture Garrosh at his wedding failed when Garrosh escaped by an unknown teleportation spell. Thrall used the occasion to demand forces and Loa essence from allies, while inviting the Dragonflights and Night Elves to support his plan for Azeroth and Outland 1113.

After losses at Rustwater Port and Gallywix’s defection to Garrosh, Thrall hid in Theramore with Wrathion. In Pandaria, he recruited Anduin into a scheme to provoke war between the Jinyu and Hozen and use them as food for an Orc army 1187 1193.

Beast Emperor and Later Schemes

Eitrigg rescued Thrall from an apparent offer to inherit the Beast Emperor’s throne, revealing that the Beast Emperor intended to devour him. Eitrigg also claimed Thrall had once been destined to become the Beast Emperor himself 1266.

At the Forge of Origination, Thrall killed Ra-den with the Black Rune. A mysterious power ordered him to arrange the sacrifice of a hundred thousand Ramkahen to resurrect Ra-den, whom Thrall hoped to enslave 1338.

Identity and Downfall

After Vashj attacked the Horde leaders, Thrall’s double Gudan was mistaken for him. Medivh exposed the deception and said Thrall’s supposed parentage had been fabricated 1746 1756.

Jaina’s apparition later tortured Thrall and created a second body from his flesh and soul. When Eitrigg’s published accusations turned public opinion against him, Thrall claimed he was Jaina’s copy; Eitrigg instead identified him as the original and suggested Arthas might have altered his soul 1836 1886.

In the Timeways, Thrall joined the Cult of the Damned and continued building his Savior persona through favorable newspaper reports while gathering Orc followers 1937 1942 1943.