Recaps

Valstann spared Tyrande and Malfurion as Archimonde began his assault, while the allied armies staged retreats that left the Night Elf fortress exposed. Tyrande's order to admit the retreating troops was thwarted by the Vrykul, who departed after freezing the Orc vanguard, and the Legion attacked the fortress directly.

• Valstann left Tyrande and Malfurion alive, then Archimonde launched the Burning Legion's all-out assault.
• Jaina retreated after Rage Winterchill attacked her camp, while Anetheron found the Orc camp deserted and staged a mock battle there.
• Tyrande ordered the fortress gates opened for the retreating armies, but the defending commander recognized that the Orcs showed no signs of having fought and could not open the reinforced gates.
• Tyrande ordered the gates blown open in Elune's name, but three hundred Vrykul warriors appeared and surrounded her.
• A female Vrykul mage froze thousands of Orcs in the vanguard, then the Vrykul left through a Portal.
• The Burning Legion bypassed the retreating Orcs and humans and attacked the Night Elf fortress, prompting the defending commander to call the armies actors.

Tyrande and Malfurion fled from one collapsing Night Elf fortress to another as Azgalor and the Burning Legion overwhelmed their defenses. After eighteen fortresses fell in a day, Shandris Feathermoon confronted Tyrande and declared that they would face the final battle together, taking Tyrande’s teleportation scrolls.

• Azgalor led the Burning Legion’s assault, and Infernals shattered the weakened shield and breached the first Night Elf fortress.
• Malfurion shielded Tyrande from an Infernal, and they escaped the overrun fortress with a teleportation scroll.
• Tyrande and Malfurion repeatedly fled to other fortresses, but eighteen fell within a single day as Tyrande’s morale speeches failed to inspire the soldiers.
• At the nineteenth fortress, Tyrande claimed the Legion had retreated, while exhausted Night Elf soldiers watched her with distrust.
• Shandris Feathermoon confronted Tyrande about the disastrous defeat and her plotting, then said she would take Tyrande’s teleportation scrolls and join her in the final battle.

The Night Elves prepared to make their last stand at the nineteenth fortress, using lake water, Flame Druid magic, and the Secret Mage Corps to resist the Burning Legion. Their defenses held against Azgalor and the aerial assault, but Archimonde identified the hidden mages and ordered the Orcs to confront them.

• Shandris Feathermoon destroyed Tyrande's teleportation scrolls and told her to pray to Elune after the Night Elves lost.
• The Night Elves gathered at the nineteenth fortress, where Fandral Staghelm taught Flame Druid spells and the army armed itself with water from Mount Hyjal's lake.
• The Burning Legion attacked, but Fandral and the Night Elves contained the Infernals and wounded Azgalor with lake-water-enhanced arrows.
• Azgalor charged the fortress, and Fandral bound him with flaming vines and drove out his Doom Curse.
• Archimonde and Mannoroth sent Fel Screechers against the fortress, but the Secret Mage Corps shielded it with a net of lightning.
• Archimonde learned the mages' location in the forest and said the Orcs were ready to deal with them.

Thrall's Orcs joined the Burning Legion's assault on the Nighthold, where Shandris Feathermoon's Secret Mage Corps destroyed the Legion's Fel Cannons. The Orcs then charged into the valley, but a massive explosion killed them, leaving Archimonde impressed by the Night Elves' small cleverness.

• Thrall sent elite Orc warriors to hold up the Secret Mage Corps while ten thousand Orcs moved to encircle them.
• Archimonde and Mannoroth planned to use the Mo'arg Engineers' Fel Cannons to break the Night Elves' defenses.
• Shandris Feathermoon revealed the Secret Mage Corps and used their Moon Goddess Orbital Cannon to destroy the Fel Cannons.
• Thrall ordered the Orcs to attack the Night Elves, and the Orcs charged into the valley as Fandral Staghelm condemned their betrayal.
• A massive explosion blasted the Orcs to pieces, and Archimonde examined a Fel sphere before praising the Night Elves' cleverness.

Archimonde avoided a costly assault and sent Jaina to persuade Tyrande to betray the location of the Night Elves’ Secret Mage Corps. After Malfurion revealed that the corps was hidden in Ice Spring, Medivh surrounded it with elite Orcs and told Jaina to take Tyrande and Malfurion away.

• Archimonde recognized the canyon as an illusion and ordered Medivh to act rather than waste Legion troops attacking the stronghold.
• Medivh sent Jaina to speak with Tyrande, who admitted she no longer trusted Elune to save her if the Night Elves fell.
• Jaina appealed to Tyrande’s self-interest and learned that Malfurion’s scouts had found the Secret Mage Corps in Ice Spring.
• Medivh confirmed the corps was hiding underwater, then surrounded Ice Spring with ten thousand elite Orcs.
• Medivh promised to honor his agreement and instructed Jaina to send Tyrande and Malfurion on their way.

Jaina sent Tyrande and Malfurion through a Portal to escape the Burning Legion’s assault, while the Secret Mage Corps destroyed itself and the approaching Orcs at the icy spring. In a rune-covered cave that suppressed their powers, Tyrande and Malfurion faced the Orc Blademaster Samuro’s offer of a fair fight.

• Medivh told Jaina to open a Portal for Tyrande and Malfurion, and she agreed after hearing his plan to trap them.
• Fandral Staghelm and Maiev Shadowsong recognized that the Night Elves’ defeat was near as the Burning Legion advanced.
• Shandris Feathermoon ordered the Secret Mage Corps to destroy its equipment and prepare for battle, but Valstann Staghelm arrived with the Night Elf Mage Corps.
• Tyrande rebuked Malfurion for endangering Shandris, then argued with Jaina about the Moon Goddess as Orcs died in an explosion at the icy spring.
• Jaina led Tyrande and Malfurion through a Portal to a cave before the Burning Legion’s Fel Cannons attacked the fortress.
• Samuro challenged Tyrande and Malfurion to a fair battle in a cave whose runes had stripped them of their powers.

Malfurion and Tyrande faced Samuro in a Legion-built confinement space that supposedly sealed the Moon Goddess’s power. After Malfurion defeated Samuro in a duel, Samuro brought in the Burning Blade Clan, only for Tyrande to reveal her hidden magic and eliminate them; she then prepared to deal with Samuro.

• Tyrande challenged the fairness of the Fel runes, and Malfurion stepped forward to fight Samuro one-on-one.
• Malfurion caught Samuro’s sword barehanded and returned it, but Samuro rejected defeat and used his Mirror Image Technique to summon hundreds of Orcs.
• Malfurion told Tyrande to handle the crowd, and she revealed her Night Warrior power and destroyed every Orc except Samuro with Disintegration.
• Tyrande explained that she had secretly studied and modified Arcane Magic, then said she had spared Samuro to avoid raising suspicion about her and Malfurion’s escape.
• Samuro begged Tyrande to spare him and swore he would keep silent, but Tyrande warned that Orcs could not be trusted and said they had prepared for this situation.

Malfurion and Tyrande erased Samuro’s memories and skills before deciding to return to the fight against Archimonde. At Mount Hyjal, a corps of undead Night Elf mages shielded the nineteenth fortress from the Legion’s bombardment, and Archimonde advanced toward them.

• Tyrande bound Samuro while Malfurion destroyed his memories and swordsmanship, leaving him with a bundle and a damaged diary; Samuro later became a wandering singer and joined the Tauren Chieftains.
• Tyrande and Malfurion left the cave in Felwood, where Malfurion urged them to fight Archimonde, and Tyrande agreed that he must die.
• At Mount Hyjal’s nineteenth fortress, Fandral Staghelm asked Maiev whether she loved anyone, but Fel Cannons drowned out her answer as a purple shield protected the fortress.
• Valstann Fandral Staghelm and Shandris Feathermoon arrived through a Portal with a hundred masked Night Elf mages, who had become Undead to overcome Mana Addiction and sustain the shield.
• Archimonde recognized the shield as the Burning Legion’s magic and inferred that Queen Azshara’s Highborne had entered the conflict; after Azgalor’s forces awaited orders, Archimonde walked toward the battlefield.

Archimonde reached Nordrassil and began investigating its magical power, but the Elemental Lords and Deathwing confronted him. As Therazane distracted him with a bizarre question, Archimonde felt an inexplicable fury rise within him.

• Archimonde opened a Teleportation Array to Nordrassil and ordered Azgalor to keep the Night Elves inside their fortress.
• Archimonde examined the lake water and Nordrassil, then climbed a root to find a place to draw on the World Tree's power.
• Ragnaros confronted Archimonde, and Al'Akir and Therazane joined him to oppose the demon.
• Therazane revealed Deathwing Neltharion as their ally, and the Elemental Lords prepared to fight Archimonde.
• Therazane asked Archimonde whether he thought she was beautiful, and an inexplicable fury ignited in him.

Archimonde fought the Elemental Lords and Neltharion at Nordrassil, but they defeated him after he summoned a dangerous Portal to the Void. As Archimonde revealed that his defeat was part of a trap, countless tendrils emerged from Nordrassil.

• Archimonde attacked Therazane, Ragnaros, Al'Akir, and Neltharion, who used their powers to fight him together.
• Archimonde used the Flame Ender shield to drain Ragnaros's Fire Elementals, but Therazane and Al'Akir freed Ragnaros to strike back.
• Archimonde summoned a Portal to the Void, and Neltharion swallowed it with a mouth formed in Nordrassil's bark.
• Ragnaros pierced Archimonde with a spear of fire, and Therazane pinned him beneath boulders as Al'Akir declared him defeated.
• Archimonde claimed the fight was a trap for his opponents, and countless tendrils emerged from Nordrassil.

Deathwing rescued himself and the three Elemental Lords from Nordrassil’s trap using a mysterious Rune Stone that brought them to Lisa’s inn in Lakeshire. Archimonde remained behind, embraced his corrupted powers, and promised Elune he would eradicate life on the surface so Azeroth could hatch undisturbed.

• Nordrassil unleashed tentacles and mutated creatures against the three Elemental Lords and Deathwing, while Archimonde declared that Elune had set the trap.
• As the Elemental Lords began to weaken, Deathwing used Divine Shield to protect them and revealed that he had learned the Holy Light while living among humans.
• Deathwing activated the Innkeeper’s Daughter Rune Stone, teleporting the group past Elune’s restrictions to Lisa’s inn in Lakeshire, where their elemental powers vanished.
• Lisa introduced herself as the innkeeper’s daughter and charged the newcomers a hundred thousand gold coins per trip or payment in magical items.
• After the aberrant creatures returned to Nordrassil, Archimonde healed his wound and vowed to wipe out life on the surface in exchange for Elune helping Azeroth hatch.

Malfurion and Tyrande planned to use Azeroth's Starry Sky Defense to conceal Malfurion as he unleashed Wrath of Nordrassil against Archimonde. Medivh discovered their plan and sent Jaina to interfere, leaving Malfurion vulnerable to her influence.

• Malfurion persuaded Tyrande to defy Elune and help kill Archimonde, and they used a replica key from Ulduar to obscure the Moon Goddess's view.
• Tyrande activated the magic array while Malfurion broke off an enchanted piece of his antler and shaped it into the horn needed to unleash Wrath of Nordrassil.
• Medivh noticed the darkened sky, discovered Malfurion was alive, and saw Samuro relaxing in a tavern after apparently taking payment.
• Medivh recognized the danger to Archimonde and told Jaina to touch Malfurion's horn using the magic his mother had left on her.
• Jaina approached Malfurion with a tearful explanation, and though he distrusted her story, he found himself unable to feel angry with her.

Malfurion pursued Archimonde as the demon absorbed Corrupted Power from Nordrassil, but Jaina had sabotaged the horn he needed to stop him. As Archimonde transformed into a more powerful monster, Robbie arrived to confront him as the Moon Goddess's divine envoy.

• Jaina mocked Malfurion and returned his horn after secretly damaging it, leaving him unaware as he continued after Archimonde.
• Archimonde found the Corrupted Power in Nordrassil and absorbed it, resisting the World Tree's power as a storm gathered overhead.
• Malfurion reached Archimonde and blew the horn, but it shattered; he realized Jaina had sabotaged it and watched helplessly as Archimonde transformed.
• Robbie climbed the World Tree to face the transformed Archimonde, confident that he was ready to end the demon's threat.

Robbie confronted Archimonde on Nordrassil and revealed that the ancient gem vein was Archimonde’s excrement, drawing the attention of powerful watchers across the world. Archimonde destroyed Robbie’s avatar and spirit, but a magic gem then fell from his crotch.

• Archimonde boasted that no one could stop him from destroying Nordrassil, while Robbie questioned how his power compared with Elune, the Old Gods, and the Void creatures.
• Robbie told Archimonde that the world’s eyes were on Mount Hyjal, and Archimonde sensed the many watchers, including Odyn, Helya, the Ethereals, Goblins, and a Naaru.
• Archimonde dismissed the watchers as indifferent and claimed he would take the ancient gem vein after destroying Nordrassil.
• Robbie announced that Archimonde’s diet of magical minerals produced the ancient gem vein as excrement, and Archimonde furiously attacked him.
• Archimonde shattered Robbie’s avatar and spirit, then a crystalline magic gem fell from his crotch onto Nordrassil’s bark.

Archimonde destroyed the gem Robbie had left behind and unleashed his fury on Nordrassil, while C’Thun, N’Zoth, and Neptulon each reacted to the claim that Archimonde could create ancient gem veins. The chapter ended with Neptulon deciding to ally with N’Zoth to capture Archimonde.

• Archimonde crushed Robbie’s gem and ravaged Nordrassil with Fel and corrupting power.
• C’Thun ordered the Twin Emperors to contact the Void Lords about capturing Archimonde, despite Vek’lor calling the claim a crude lie.
• Yogg-Saron mocked Algalon as he continued compiling information and hoping the Titans would answer his message.
• N’Zoth rallied the Naga to flood Mount Hyjal, oppose the Burning Legion, and capture Archimonde.
• Neptulon revealed that he and Ozumat had only been pretending to fight, then decided to ally with N’Zoth to capture Archimonde.

As rumors about Archimonde spread across the universe, the Naaru reported the matter to the Army of the Light, while the Void creatures debated how to protect their reputation. Kil'jaeden withdrew the Burning Legion from Azeroth, leaving Archimonde isolated as Elune's familiar sigh reached his ear.

• The Naaru sent an objective report about the events in Azeroth to the Army of the Light, while Odyn withdrew and Helya returned to Helheim.
• Void creatures at the Tomb of Sargeras recognized Robbie's story as a lie but considered capturing Archimonde to silence rumors about their strength.
• Kil'jaeden told Mannoroth that powerful forces had turned their attention toward Azeroth and ordered the Legion to retreat, despite Mannoroth's protests.
• Fandral Staghelm watched the Burning Legion build a Portal and withdraw as Malfurion had not sounded the Horn of Nordrassil and Tyrande stopped casting.
• Archimonde blamed Kil'jaeden for abandoning him and vowed to make him pay before Elune's sigh sounded in his ear.

Elune revealed that she had engineered events to seize Azeroth’s newborn world soul and demanded that Archimonde sacrifice himself. When he refused, she activated her long-prepared Wrath of Nordrassil plan, unleashing Nordrassil’s power on him.

• Elune told Archimonde that she wanted him to give his life for Azeroth, but he rejected her demand and mocked her schemes.
• Elune showed Archimonde a vision of a drunken Thrall threatening to enslave him and use him to obtain ancient gem veins.
• Elune explained that she had planned to destroy the lake on Mount Hyjal through Wrath of Nordrassil, independently of the Burning Legion’s invasion.
• The fragments of Malfurion’s destroyed horn reassembled on Nordrassil and sounded, causing the Night Elves to look toward the World Tree and Thrall to sober in fear.
• Nordrassil’s power erupted, and countless Little Elves swirled around Archimonde like a tornado.

After Archimonde was destroyed by Wrath of Nordrassil, Robbie returned to Northrend with data gathered from the World Tree. The Scourge’s scholars used it to locate the Aetrite Ore control hub beneath the ice in northern Icecrown Glacier.

• Void power corroded Archimonde’s soul, and his body collapsed as Nordrassil burned and withered.
• Maiev Shadowsong and Fandral Staghelm credited Tyrande and Malfurion with destroying Archimonde, while Tyrande questioned Malfurion about what had happened.
• Tyrande and Malfurion returned to the Nighthold, and Tyrande later contained rumors about the Horn of Nordrassil’s destruction.
• Medivh vowed revenge on those who had opposed him, and Jaina suggested using Thrall to unite Azeroth’s mortal forces against them.
• Robbie brought Nordrassil’s data to Northrend, where Scourge scholars spent over half a month locating the hub beneath ancient ice near Sindragosa’s burial place.

Robbie discovered that the Nexus was guarded by a massive frost-powered cow aboveground and a chained Elven woman below, with the Azeroth Orrery controlling Aetrit's Nexus. Rather than risk alerting the Moon Goddess Elune, he planned a secret underground approach and began a covert excavation expected to take six years.

• Anub'arak explained that the Nexus lay in an exceptionally cold region of Northrend, and Robbie led a concealed expedition to investigate it.
• As the group neared the Nexus, they encountered a gigantic chained black-and-white cow whose Frost power caused the deadly cold.
• Robbie used the Eye of C'Thun to find the cavern below, where he saw a chained Elven woman guarding the Azeroth Orrery that controlled Aetrit's Nexus.
• Robbie decided to avoid the cow and secretly tunnel into the cavern, then spent more than a month mapping a hidden excavation route.
• The Scourge began constructing the Icecrown Bulwark and resurrected Sindragosa as a distraction while Ghouls dug underground toward the Nexus.
• Robbie estimated the secret tunnel would take five or six years to complete, ending around the time the Alliance and Horde attacked the Lich King.

After fleeing the Tomb of Sargeras, Illidan met with Kil'jaeden and considered the Burning Legion's offer to make him master of Azeroth. Kil'jaeden proposed that Illidan seize control of the Scourge by defeating Arthas and taking Frostmourne.

• Illidan escaped the Tomb of Sargeras after being attacked by its forces and warned that he would return.
• A Pit Lord acting for Kil'jaeden offered Illidan a deal to rule Azeroth with the Burning Legion's support.
• Illidan traveled to a secret Legion base and accused Kil'jaeden of luring him away from the Battle of Mount Hyjal.
• Kil'jaeden offered to help Illidan take command of the Scourge, and Illidan questioned how he could seize leadership from Arthas.
• Kil'jaeden proposed arranging a one-on-one fight with Arthas so Illidan could take Frostmourne and claim the Scourge.

Kil'jaeden proposed that Illidan destroy the Frozen Throne with the Eye of Sargeras so he could seize Frostmourne, while the Legion exploited the resulting chaos. After the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Rhonin sought Thrall's support to rebuild Dalaran, but Thrall rejected him and humiliated him.

• Illidan accused Kil'jaeden of plotting to make him and the Scourge weaken each other, then agreed to hear his plan.
• Kil'jaeden explained that the Eye of Sargeras could destroy the Frozen Throne from Dalaran, disrupting Northrend and giving Illidan a chance to take Frostmourne.
• Illidan agreed to become leader of the Scourge and help Kil'jaeden pursue his goals, confident he could eventually defeat the Legion.
• Rhonin decided to seek Thrall's support for rebuilding Dalaran and traveled to Orgrimmar with Jaina.
• Rhonin met Thrall as he ate two living High Elf sisters, then pleaded that Dalaran would be an ally of the Orcs.
• Thrall told Rhonin that the Orcs had no need for Dalaran's magic and called him a disgrace to Azeroth.

Thrall and Jaina coerced Rhonin into agreeing that Dalaran would supply Orgrimmar with two hundred thousand humans annually, claiming it was necessary to save Azeroth. Thrall then demanded Rhonin’s wife as another sacrifice, leaving Rhonin facing an even more horrific choice.

• Thrall offered to support Dalaran’s rebuilding in exchange for its help controlling the human kingdoms, then demanded five hundred thousand humans each year as Orc rations.
• Jaina and Thrall haggled over the quota, settling on two hundred thousand humans annually, while Jaina cited sacrifices demanded of other races and Kul Tiras.
• Rhonin realized he had been manipulated and would become an accomplice in the Orcs’ exploitation of humanity.
• Thrall threatened to invade the Eastern Kingdoms, and Rhonin reluctantly accepted the human tribute to avoid war and an alliance with the Scourge.
• Thrall told Rhonin he had eaten Sylvanas and demanded that Rhonin send his wife, Sylvanas’s younger sister, to Orgrimmar to be eaten.

Thrall forced Rhonin to agree to let him eat Vereesa, but Illidan Stormrage arrived, took Thrall hostage, and offered Rhonin protection for Dalaran in exchange for loyalty and eating Thrall’s flesh. Rhonin refused aloud, though a sudden insight seemed to have changed his understanding of the situation.

• Thrall and Jaina pressured Rhonin to surrender Vereesa, and Rhonin agreed for Azeroth’s sake.
• Illidan Stormrage appeared, seized Thrall, healed the High Elf sisters, and killed many Orcs who rushed into the tent.
• Illidan cooked and ate Thrall’s flesh, then persuaded the High Elf sisters to eat it as well.
• Illidan offered Rhonin a lasting pact to protect Dalaran if Rhonin ate Thrall’s flesh and became loyal to him.
• Rhonin recalled past leaders and saw old mysteries become clear, then quietly answered, “I wouldn’t dare!”

The monster rejected Rhonin’s refusal to eat Thrall’s flesh, then took Rhonin and Jaina to Dalaran to draw on its magic. He began rebuilding the ruined city as a floating stronghold, and the chapter ended as he commanded the earth to rise.

• The monster left Thrall alive by ordering a Dreadlord to take his head to Argus for repairs, delaying the Orcs’ plans while their Warchief was away.
• The monster ordered Rhonin to lead him to Dalaran and forced Jaina to accompany them.
• Rhonin asked Jaina why she had set aside her hatred of the Orcs, then explained that he had refused the monster because of his own past mistake.
• At Dalaran’s ruins, the monster contacted the Burning Legion through a spatial rift and secured its magical power.
• The monster dismissed his illusion of old Dalaran and announced that he would rebuild it as a floating city capable of teleporting.
• The monster gathered immense magic and commanded the earth beneath Dalaran to rise into the air.

The monster raised Dalaran into a floating city and organized its mages to build an array for attacking the Frozen Throne. His strongest strike devastated the mountain and killed many Scourge, but the underground portion of the nail remained intact.

• The monster created a floating Dalaran, and Rhonin and Jaina marveled at the city and agreed with his plan to make it Azeroth’s mobile fortress.
• The monster ordered Rhonin to summon Dalaran’s surviving mages, then gave them an array diagram while keeping his role in creating the city secret.
• Robbie’s spies reported the preparations, and Scourge mages worked on the Frozen Throne while Ghouls secretly built a tower near the aetrite ore hub.
• After more than five hundred mages completed the array, the monster used the Eye of Sargeras to attack the Frozen Throne twice, but it withstood both strikes.
• The monster added Void power and unleashed his strongest attack, nearly breaking the Frozen Throne’s mountain and killing many Scourge, though its underground nail remained active.
• A huge fissure opened in the hard frost beneath the aetrite ore hub, and the cow locked above it cried out.