Chapter Summaries

Archimonde failed to recover the Power of Destruction and collapsed, then Thrall attacked Agna, accusing her of stealing it. As a hidden figure stabbed Thrall, Archimonde’s demonic claw caught the attacker.

• Archimonde punished Malfurion and Tyrande, healed Thrall, and discovered that the Power of Destruction was missing.
• Archimonde’s energy tracking pointed to Agna, but she insisted she was innocent and had no sphere on her.
• Archimonde’s body collapsed after he threatened Robbie Capor and let his Corruptive Power seep into Nordrassil’s roots.
• Thrall struck Muln Earthfury and Nobundo, then accused Agna of hiding the Power of Destruction and beat her.
• Robbie stopped Fandral Staghelm from intervening, while Vanessa said Agna’s breasts and butt were real and Thrall was lying.
• A translucent figure stabbed Thrall from behind, and Archimonde’s demonic claw seized the attacker.

Archimonde’s trap revealed Garona, who stabbed Thrall before the Twilight’s Hammer appeared and abducted him. Malfurion uncovered that the intruders were Fandral Staghelm and the Flame Druids, but Fandral defeated Malfurion and Tyrande and escaped with his followers.

• Archimonde discovered that his captive was Garona, and Thrall attacked her after Archimonde healed him.
• Garona escaped Archimonde’s weakening grasp, stabbed Thrall, and vanished when Muln Earthfury and the Earthen Ring Shamans charged.
• Thrall mistreated Agna until the Twilight’s Hammer surrounded the wedding and bound him with flames.
• The cultists revealed that the elements would torment Thrall and took him away amid his pleas.
• Malfurion recognized Fandral Staghelm beneath the Twilight’s Hammer disguise and confronted him and the Flame Druids.
• Fandral defeated Malfurion and Tyrande with fiery spells, then escaped with the Flame Druids.

After Thrall vanished, Jaina pressured the Earthen Ring into using dark magic to search for him, at the cost of most of its Shamans. When they learned Thrall’s soul was scattered across the Elemental Planes, Jaina turned to Varian for an army.

• Malfurion transformed into an owl and left the wedding with Tyrande, while Agna insisted that Thrall could still be saved.
• Jaina threatened Muln Earthfury and Nobundo into searching for Thrall, and Nobundo discovered that his Elemental Gauntlets were missing.
• Muln and Nobundo used a dark ritual to turn Earthen Ring Shamans into Elemental Wraiths, while the Red Dragon Queen killed an Orc Shaman who protested.
• After three-quarters of the Earthen Ring’s Shamans died, Muln reported that Thrall’s soul was scattered across the four Elemental Planes and would require an army to recover.
• Jaina found Varian and reproached him for missing a chance to rescue Thrall, then told him that a new opportunity had arrived.

Jaina brought Varian and a Stormwind army to the Vortex Pinnacle to rescue Thrall, whose soul was being torn apart by wind elementals. After learning that saving even a fragment of Thrall’s soul would require three thousand soldiers to die, Varian threatened his men when too few volunteered.

• Varian agreed to rescue Thrall, while Robbie sensed a powerful hidden force within him and chose not to intervene.
• Jaina opened a Portal to the Vortex Pinnacle, and Varian led the vanguard through it despite Agna’s fear and the Dragon Kings’ mockery.
• Sek'kronas warned Jaina and Varian that Thrall’s body and soul had been torn apart in the storm, then carried them and several thousand soldiers to the Throne of the Four Winds.
• Varian sent soldiers toward Thrall, but the gales killed them; Sek'kronas explained that three thousand unarmed soldiers would have to endure the wind elementals’ fury to save a soul fragment.
• Fewer than a thousand soldiers volunteered, so Varian threatened to hang their families unless they obeyed his order to die for Thrall.

Varian and Jaina entered the Water Elemental Plane to recover another fragment of Thrall’s soul, where Varian sacrificed King Llane’s soul to satisfy Thrall’s desires. They recovered half of Thrall’s soul and prepared to travel to Deepholm.

• Varian sent three thousand soldiers into the storm to quiet the wind elementals, allowing Jaina to collect part of Thrall’s soul.
• Jaina and Varian traveled through the Portal to the Abyssal Breach, where Hydrolis showed them Thrall as a ravenous vortex.
• Hydrolis demanded repayment of Thrall’s enormous debt, and Varian pledged the people of Stormwind as payment if necessary.
• Hydrolis revealed that Thrall could be calmed only by devouring a soul, then offered King Llane’s preserved soul as the solution.
• Varian agreed to sacrifice his father’s soul, and Thrall devoured it, restoring another fragment of himself.
• Jaina announced that they had recovered half of Thrall’s soul and that they would next go to Deepholm.

Varian and Jaina went to Deepholm to ask Therazane to free Thrall, but she tested their courage and revealed that Thrall had been trapped in stone by fear. Therazane agreed to help, saying that only love could awaken him.

• Jaina urged Varian to act boldly before Therazane, though she herself greeted the Stone Mother with flattery.
• Therazane tested Varian and Jaina by lifting them into the air among flying rocks, and both panicked but survived.
• Therazane showed them the petrified Earthen Ring members, who had failed the same test, and said Thrall was hiding in the Basalt Forest.
• Varian and Jaina found Thrall curled up and weeping, trapped in stone and unwilling to leave.
• Therazane agreed to help awaken Thrall, but said they would need to love him with all their hearts.

Varian agreed to marry one of Therazane's daughters in exchange for help saving Thrall, then traveled with Jaina and his army to the Firelands to recover the last part of Thrall's soul. There, Executus revealed Thrall's plan to destroy Azeroth, and Jaina admitted she had deceived Varian and insisted he had no choice but to continue.

• Therazane demanded that Varian marry one of her daughters, and Varian reluctantly agreed after Jaina urged him to make the sacrifice.
• Therazane released the stone prison holding Thrall's soul, giving Jaina three-quarters of it and leaving the Firelands as the final destination.
• Varian led his army through the Portal on Mount Hyjal into the Firelands, where Majordomo Executus protected them from the heat and questioned Varian's resolve.
• Executus led Varian and Jaina to Thrall's remaining soul, which revealed its plan to use Azeroth's four elements to repair Outland and destroy Azeroth.
• Varian asked Jaina whether Thrall's confession was true, and Jaina admitted she had deceived him and told him he had no choice but to obey.

Varian chose to help recover Thrall’s soul, but Jaina turned him into a mouse and claimed the rescue for herself. At the wedding, Agna stole Jaina’s credit, while the revived Thrall recognized Varian and vowed revenge.

• Jaina pressured Varian into accepting Thrall’s soul, and Executus explained that Ragnaros had hoped Varian would destroy the Orcs.
• Executus burned Thrall’s remnant soul, and Jaina recovered the last piece before returning to Mount Hyjal alone.
• Jaina turned Varian into a mouse, locked him in a cage, and claimed that she alone had rescued Thrall.
• The Red Dragon Queen restored Thrall’s soul to his unharmed body while Kalecgos warned Jaina that someone might take credit for her work.
• Agna claimed to have conquered the Elemental Planes, and the Dragon Aspects praised her while Jaina seethed.
• Thrall awoke, recognized Varian in Jaina’s cage, and threatened to make him the main course.

Varian endured a vision of Thrall and the Dragon Kings feasting on him while planning to conquer Azeroth, then found himself in a palace connected to the Emerald Dream. A voice offered to exchange dream and reality to save him, but demanded a price.

• Varian imagined Thrall and the Dragon Kings eating him while Thrall announced plans to unleash the Cataclysm and destroy the Alliance.
• The Dragon Kings questioned Thrall about the Elemental Lords, the Scourge, and Garrosh, learning that he was wary of opposing forces and declined their offer to replace Garrosh.
• Thrall planned to use Varian to make Stormwind’s people willingly become Forsaken and bring the Alliance under his control.
• Varian suddenly appeared whole in golden armor before a palace floating above Mount Hyjal and the ruins of Nordrassil.
• A voice explained that the palace was tied to the Emerald Dream and offered to exchange dream and reality to save Varian if he agreed to pay the price.

Varian returned to Thrall’s wedding feast with an army and took revenge by torturing Thrall and Agna, hoping to draw out the force behind Thrall. As Thrall slipped into madness, a Seed of Il'gynoth appeared, but Uther the Lightbringer arrived before Varian could feed it to him.

• Varian accepted a deal to take cruel revenge on Thrall and Agna, then returned to the wedding feast with twenty thousand Stormwind soldiers.
• The Red Dragon Queen refused to help Thrall, and Varian’s soldiers beat Agna while priests kept her alive.
• Varian had Thrall nailed to the table and tortured, healing him repeatedly so he could continue eating Thrall’s flesh; Jaina and later Kalecgos joined the feast.
• After a day and night of torment, Thrall went mad, and a Seed of Il'gynoth appeared; Ysera identified it as a threat to corrupt his soul, while Nozdormu suggested it might reveal a prophecy.
• As Varian prepared to force the seed into Thrall’s mouth, Uther the Lightbringer stopped him and rebuked him.

Varian faced Uther and the resurrected Order of the Silver Hand, but Robbie sent undead Orc wolf riders to destroy them. Uther died before he could reveal who had sent him, leaving Robbie puzzled by the force that silenced him.

• Varian confronted Uther, who defended Thrall and summoned a thousand riders of the Order of the Silver Hand to threaten Varian's army.
• Robbie proposed exploiting the Silver Hand's weakness while Deathwing and Xavius watched Varian from the Emerald Nightmare.
• A voice taunted Uther with the claim that Saurfang had killed him, and fifty undead Orc wolf riders charged the Silver Hand.
• The wolf riders routed and slaughtered the Silver Hand, then Uther begged the young Orc general to spare him.
• Uther suddenly died before he could answer Varian's questions, and the Silver Hand, their horses, and their equipment vanished into black vapor.
• Robbie wondered why the power behind Uther's return had silenced him and what secret it was hiding.

Sir Lothar confronted Varian and the Dragon Aspects, then an order tied to Aman'Thul forced Varian to release Thrall and Agna. After the wedding farce ended and Cairne Bloodhoof prayed for help, Magatha Wildtotem appeared before him.

• Sir Lothar returned and told Varian he was not the person he remembered, then accused Alexstrasza, Nozdormu, and Ysera of their failures and crimes.
• Sir Lothar criticized Varian's army and demanded that Thrall be released, while Varian questioned who had sent him.
• Robbie recognized that Sir Lothar's footsteps traced the shape of a lightning bolt from Aman'Thul's staff, and Deathwing ordered Thrall released.
• After hearing a command to let Thrall and Agna go, Varian complied; he returned to Stormwind while Thrall and Agna went to the Maelstrom to recuperate.
• Cairne Bloodhoof, badly wounded and hiding nearby, prayed to the Earth Mother, and Magatha Wildtotem appeared before him.

Cairne returned to Thunder Bluff after Magatha treated his wounds and accepted responsibility for his failed alliance with Thrall. Garrosh forced him to choose between a disgraceful death, sacrificing his children, or a duel, and Cairne chose to fight him as the Horde’s leaders hurried to Orgrimmar.

• Magatha treated Cairne’s wounds, rebuked his alliance with Thrall, and learned that he had sent the Tauren calves to the Grimtotem for their protection.
• Cairne returned to an eerily deserted Thunder Bluff and surrendered to Garrosh, pleading for a chance to prove the Tauren’s loyalty.
• Garrosh rejected Cairne’s plea and offered him a choice between dying in disgrace or sacrificing his children to earn a duel.
• Cairne chose the duel, and Garrosh declared that he would kill and publicly eat him.
• Reports presented the duel as a harmless disagreement over the Night Elves, while Sylvanas rushed to Orgrimmar as Horde leaders recognized the crisis and opportunity.

Sylvanas brought Antonidas and the others to Orgrimmar for Garrosh Hellscream and Cairne Bloodhoof’s duel, which Garrosh turned into a public spectacle. After Cairne’s children were cooked and served as food for the Orcs, Garrosh named Baine Bloodhoof the new Tauren Chieftain, believing him to be a Quilboar.

• Sylvanas led Antonidas and the others into a festively decorated Orgrimmar, where Nazgrim presided over Garrosh and Cairne’s duel.
• Nazgrim praised Garrosh and vilified Cairne before the packed arena, while Orcs and Tauren cheered.
• Garrosh ordered Cairne’s children thrown into a giant cauldron and cooked for the Orcs.
• Nazgrim told Garrosh that Baine Bloodhoof was actually a Quilboar who believed he was a Tauren.
• Garrosh questioned Baine, accepted his claim that Cairne’s children had an honorable fate, and appointed him Tauren Chieftain.

Baine pledged loyalty to Garrosh after being chosen as the Tauren chieftain, while Garrosh weakened Cairne before their duel. With Vanessa secretly empowering Cairne’s Runed Spear, Cairne overcame Garrosh and left him bleeding on the arena floor.

• Baine thanked Garrosh for favoring him and swore to serve him, then joined the other race leaders as the duel approached.
• Nazgrim ordered Orc interrogators to weaken Cairne’s muscles without leaving marks, and Cairne learned that the Tauren had a new chieftain without learning who it was.
• Robbie identified a mysterious power within Garrosh, and Vanessa secretly sent Archimonde’s Power of Destruction into Cairne’s Runed Spear.
• Garrosh repeatedly wounded Cairne while Cairne pretended to be too weak to fight back, and the crowd cheered Garrosh’s attacks.
• Cairne suddenly struck Gorehowl from Garrosh’s grasp, pierced his chest with the Runed Spear, and bit through his neck until Garrosh collapsed.

Cairne Bloodhoof, consumed by Archimonde’s Power of Destruction, defeated Garrosh and slaughtered Kor'kron soldiers and spectators in the arena. After Garrosh rose again and lost their second clash, Cairne challenged the leaders and moved to kill him, but flesh and blood gathered around Garrosh into a pulsing mass.

• Nazgrim accused Cairne Bloodhoof of cheating and sent the Kor'kron Legion into the pit, but Cairne slaughtered hundreds and then attacked the spectators.
• Nazgrim fled with the unconscious Garrosh, who later returned healed and empowered by Holy Light fused with a mysterious power.
• Garrosh charged Cairne with Ashbringer, but Cairne concentrated his strength into Gorehowl and defeated him in one clash.
• Cairne picked up Ashbringer and challenged Tirion Fordring and Sylvanas, while Tirion hid and Sylvanas refused to fight.
• Cairne prepared to finish Garrosh, but countless pieces of flesh and blood gathered around Garrosh and formed a pulsing pustule.

Cairne fought Medivh and Gul'dan after Medivh protected the writhing flesh, but Robbie empowered Ashbringer with Holy Light and helped Cairne overcome Gul'dan's Infernals. As Cairne closed in on Gul'dan, another powerful Orc emerged from the flesh and addressed him.

• Medivh shielded the writhing flesh and tried to delay Cairne with magic and Elementals, but Cairne's Power of Destruction broke through his defenses.
• The flesh revealed Gul'dan, who summoned three Infernals that countered Cairne's Power of Destruction and began to overwhelm him.
• Robbie secretly ignited Ashbringer, and Cairne used its Holy Light to destroy the Infernals and take the fight to Gul'dan.
• Gul'dan summoned Evil Eyes and a gigantic three-headed Felhound, but Cairne's Holy Light shield protected him as he advanced.
• The writhing flesh split open and dropped a powerful Orc, who told Gul'dan he never expected them to fight side by side.

Orgrim Doomhammer appeared and fought Gul'dan while Vanessa stole a piece of the fleshly mass and Robbie and Vanessa withdrew Cairne’s borrowed power. Tirion reclaimed the Ashbringer and helped capture Cairne, but as Robbie and Vanessa escaped Orgrimmar, a giant Thrall formed from enslaved Water Elementals and threatened to destroy the city unless the Orcs submitted.

• Orgrim Doomhammer appeared and traded accusations with Gul'dan before the two began fighting, giving Cairne a chance to retrieve Gorehowl.
• Vanessa stole a fragment of the enormous mass of flesh while Medivh was distracted, and she and Robbie withdrew the power they had lent Cairne.
• Tirion Fordring called the Ashbringer back to himself, defeated the weakened Cairne, and watched as General Nazgrim had the Tauren chained and taken prisoner.
• Robbie and Vanessa escaped through Orgrimmar’s back gate, where Robbie sensed that the Water Elementals were being controlled; Jaina recognized Neptulon’s power in the gathering storm.
• Thrall returned in a colossal form made from Water Elementals, stopped Gul'dan and Orgrim’s fight, and demanded that the Orcs submit or die.

Thrall and Garrosh became vessels for rival powers and fought across Orgrimmar and The Barrens, devastating the land and killing countless Orc civilians. The chapter left the survivors watching in terror, unable to question either leader as the battle continued.

• Medivh recognized that Thrall had been stripped of his emotions and fled as Garrosh revealed his trap, which consumed most of the two hundred thousand Orcs gathered in Orgrimmar.
• A meteor of fire elements struck the mass of flesh, and Garrosh emerged as a flaming giant while Robbie explained that both Thrall and Garrosh had become representatives for powerful beings.
• Thrall pursued Garrosh into The Barrens, where their water-and-fire battle burned settlements, flooded the land, opened a chasm, and divided the region.
• Survivors mourned their families and homes but praised or defended Thrall and Garrosh, too frightened to complain about the destruction.

Robbie watched as Thrall and Garrosh’s battle devastated Kalimdor and spread to the Eastern Kingdoms, where Garrosh sought to ignite Blackrock Mountain. Thrall intercepted him, but Garrosh reached the Badlands with enough lava power, leaving the two poised for another battle.

• Robbie sent Vanessa to Icecrown Citadel to consult Kel'Thuzad, then stayed behind to watch Thrall and Garrosh fight in The Barrens.
• Their battle caused floods that devastated Thousand Needles and the Shimmering Flats, killing countless Tauren.
• Garrosh and Thrall fought across Ashenvale and Darkshore, destroying forests and settlements until Al'Akir the Wind Rider drove them away from Auberdine.
• The two crossed Kalimdor, destroying Feathermoon Stronghold and Steamwheedle Port, before Garrosh headed across the Great Sea toward Blackrock Mountain.
• Thrall pursued Garrosh through Stranglethorn Vale and Loch Modan, but Garrosh broke the Stonewrought Dam and ignited volcanoes in the Badlands.
• Garrosh reached the Badlands with enough lava power, and he and Thrall prepared to fight again.