Chapter Summaries

Grom Hellscream and the united orc clans confronted Mannoroth in Ashenvale to avenge the corruption of their people. In Lordaeron, the Scarlet Crusade formed after Uther’s death, while Princess Cariath doubted that it would recognize her authority and resolved to rely on her own people.

• Grom Hellscream rallied the Iron Horde and New Horde clans before charging Mannoroth alone.
• Uther died beneath Frostmourne, and the surviving paladins formed the Scarlet Crusade under Ashbringer Mograine.
• Northshire Abbey, Fireside Valley, Tyr's Hand Fortress, and Grand Lord Dathrohan joined the Scarlet Crusade.
• Jaina set out after Arthas toward Quel'Thalas, hoping to awaken the prince she had loved.
• Princess Cariath continued tending refugees on Fenris Isle and questioned whether the Scarlet Crusade would accept her leadership.

Boss Hu questioned Mannoroth and handed him over to Gul'dan for study or dissection after the Holy War of Mount Hyjal. Illidan and Maiev arrived at the Eternal Night Palace, where Elisande reminded Maiev that the Watchers served the God-Emperor and told Illidan to adjust to the new era.

• Boss Hu taunted the captured Mannoroth, struck him with divine power, and asked who would take charge of the Pit Lord.
• Gul'dan agreed to subdue Mannoroth, and Boss Hu ordered him to deliver an obedient Pit Lord or its corpse after the Holy War of Mount Hyjal.
• A guard informed Boss Hu that Maiev Shadowsong and Illidan Stormrage had arrived, and he told them to wait in the Assembly Hall.
• Illidan recognized Elisande at the palace, and she welcomed him back while directing him and Maiev to see the God-Emperor.
• Elisande asked Maiev to affirm the Watchers' loyalty, and Maiev pledged that they would carry out every order from the God-Emperor.

Hu Feng assigned Maiev to continue monitoring Illidan while supporting his work, then gave Illidan the Skull of Gul'dan for an upcoming dangerous mission. The two left to prepare, and Hu Feng returned to the burdens of governing the Night Empire with Elisande.

• Hu Feng reassured Maiev that releasing Illidan served the Night Elves and offered her a choice between monitoring him and guarding dangerous creatures.
• Maiev chose to keep following Illidan, and Hu Feng made her and the Watchers his team while assigning them to support Illidan's work.
• Hu Feng placed Cordana Shadowsong in charge of the Watchers and gave Illidan the Skull of Gul'dan to strengthen him for a future holy war.
• Hu Feng warned Illidan not to bully Maiev, then sent them away to prepare for their mission.
• Hu Feng reflected on the demands of ruling the Night Empire as Elisande returned to help process government documents.

At Quel'Thalas, Jaina briefly reached Arthas through his control by Frostmourne, but he sent her away before leading the Scourge against the city. In Elwynn Forest, Vivianka continued toward Stormwind to find Anduin Fortagen while a Dark Titan projection followed and urged her to call him daddy.

• Sylvanas left Jaina and Kael'thas to watch the approaches to Quel'Thalas, while Kael'thas rejected Jaina's plea to help awaken Arthas.
• Arthas arrived with the Scourge, and Jaina's call caused him to struggle against Frostmourne's control.
• Jaina teleported away after Arthas warned her to return to Kul Tiras, while Kael'thas and Sylvanas predicted disaster for the human kingdoms.
• Arthas resumed his mocking demeanor, drew Frostmourne from the ground, and ordered the Scourge to attack Quel'Thalas.
• Vivianka rode toward Stormwind to find Anduin Fortagen as a Dark Titan projection followed her, claimed she was his Chosen One, and told her to call him daddy.

The Scourge breached Quel'Thalas's three great walls, leaving Eversong Woods devastated as the defenders withdrew to Silvermoon City. As Jaina sailed for Kul Tiras and Dalaran's plague spread, Sylvanas and Kael'thas prepared for a final defense against Arthas's advance on the Sunwell.

• Sylvanas spotted Oscar among the Scourge, and Oscar mocked Arthas before Arthas blasted him away.
• After the first wall fell, Kael'thas teleported Sylvanas to Silvermoon City, where they discussed her becoming the Dark Queen and Jaina's situation.
• The plague spread through Dalaran, and Jaina sailed for Kul Tiras with a group of mages, believing Arthas would guide her.
• The Scourge destroyed Quel'Thalas's three great walls and advanced north, raising fallen defenders as undead while the four Flame Ascended attacked them.
• Arthas demanded passage through Silvermoon City, but Sylvanas struck him with Dawn's Light, and Kael'thas's forces withdrew to the scar of death as Sylvanas rallied her followers for the final battle.

Arthas raised Sylvanas and the Twilight's Hammer as elite undead, unaware that Cthulhu's power had freed them from his control and that Sylvanas planned to betray him. At the Eternal Night Palace, Hu Feng reassured Sylvanas's sisters while Elisande and Tu'ranni disagreed over whether concealing the plan was justified.

• Arthas raised Sylvanas and the fallen Twilight's Hammer members, turning them into powerful undead.
• Cthulhu secretly replaced Arthas's control over the new undead and concealed their freedom from him.
• Sylvanas pretended to swear loyalty to Arthas while preparing to betray him.
• Hu Feng reassured Alleria and Vereesa that Sylvanas was safe, though he hid what had happened.
• Tu'ranni criticized Hu Feng for keeping the truth from Sylvanas's sisters, while Elisande defended waiting to tell them.
• Hu Feng stopped Elisande from lecturing Tu'ranni, and Tu'ranni accused him of indulging the others.

Sylvanas restored Oscar’s memories and ordered him to remain undercover in the Scourge while she prepared to rebel. After Kel’Thuzad was resurrected at the polluted Sunwell, he revived his cat and learned that the Scourge planned to seize the Guardian’s Tome and summon Archimonde, while he suspected a larger conspiracy.

• Sylvanas used the Will of Cthulhu to restore Oscar’s mind and secured his promise to stay undercover among the Scourge until her rebellion.
• Kel’Thuzad rose from the Sunwell, whose waters had been contaminated by his resurrection.
• Arthas had Kel’Thuzad revive Mr. Bigglesworth, and Kel’Thuzad ordered guards to protect the cat and find fresh fish.
• Arthas told Kel’Thuzad that Jaina had unknowingly brought the plague to Dalaran and asked to proceed with the next stage of their plan.
• Kel’Thuzad said they needed the Guardian’s Tome to open a portal for Archimonde, then suspected that the Scourge and Burning Legion were entangled in a conspiracy.

As the Scourge marched on Dalaran, the surviving kingdoms prepared for war and dealt with the plague’s devastation. Exiled from Kul Tiras, Jaina led her remaining followers to Dustwallow Marsh to build a new home.

• Antonidas learned that Arthas’s Scourge was advancing on Dalaran, while Tichondrius forced Arthas to attack without delay.
• Kael’thas, Liadrin, and Solarian rebuilt Quel’Thalas’s army and formed the Blood Elves to seek revenge on the Scourge.
• The plague devastated the Arathi Highlands and Kul Tiras, and evidence of Jaina’s actions led Derek and Katherine to exile her.
• Jaina returned to the Arathi Highlands, recruited more Stromgarde citizens, and sailed with the exiles for Kalimdor.
• Jaina chose Dustwallow Marsh as the place to build a new city and begin again.

While Kel'Thuzad prepared to summon Archimonde at Dalaran, Deathwing sensed the demon’s arrival and was ordered by the God-Emperor to join the Battle of Mount Hyjal. Deathwing set out for Kalimdor after wrecking Stormwind City’s gate and Ironforge’s stone dikes, leaving King Llane and Magni furious.

• Arthas and Sylvanas led a strike team into Dalaran, killed Antonidas, and stole the Guardian's Tome without the Kirin Tor noticing.
• Kel'Thuzad used the Guardian's Tome to open spatial rifts through which Archimonde's power began to enter the world.
• Alexstrasza recognized Archimonde's aura and begged Deathwing to release her so she could warn the other Dragon Aspects and the Titan Father God, but Deathwing refused.
• A Nightborne messenger ordered Deathwing to join the holy war in Kalimdor, and Deathwing accepted after learning his absence would extend Alexstrasza's captivity.
• Deathwing flew toward Kalimdor, smashed Stormwind City's gate, and destroyed Ironforge's stone dikes along the way, angering King Llane and Magni.

Archimonde destroyed Dalaran and ordered the Scourge to sail for Kalimdor, but Sylvanas rebelled and seized control of the undead in the Eastern Kingdoms. After taking Lordaeron and raising Archmage Antonidas as an Archlich, she prepared to establish Undercity as the center of her free undead.

• Archimonde destroyed Dalaran and ordered Arthas and Kel'Thuzad to prepare a fleet for Kalimdor and Mount Hyjal.
• Sylvanas rebelled against the Scourge, seized its ships, and burned them before Kel'Thuzad could sail.
• Kel'Thuzad retreated to the Eastern Plaguelands and took command of the floating fortress Naxxramas as Sylvanas's forces expanded across the north.
• Sylvanas's forces defeated the Scourge defenders in Lordaeron and resurrected Archmage Antonidas as an Archlich with aid from Old God Cthulhu.
• Sylvanas took the ruins of Lordaeron and prepared to build Undercity as the seat of her rule over the free undead.

The Scourge advanced across Kalimdor while the Night Elves, Orcs, and Goblins pursued their own plans. Illidan joined Arthas after killing Tichondrius, then sailed for the Tomb of Sargeras to retrieve the Eye of Sargeras for Sarodar.

• The Night Elves showed little concern for Nordrassil because its immortality blessing had been transferred to Teldrassil, while the Druids preferred Moonglade and the Green Dragons sealed the Emerald Dream passages.
• The Iron Horde's Black Dragon Riders and the New Horde's Wyvern Riders fought the Scourge's Gargoyles with firearms, cannons, and dragon breath.
• The New Horde negotiated with the Night Elves to relocate Dire Maul's Ogre clans to Horde territory, while the Bilgewater Cartel sought to expand its trade in the Horde market.
• Arthas recruited Illidan, who killed Tichondrius and consumed his soul essence and Fel Energy.
• Illidan asked Arthas for undead soldiers to retrieve the Eye of Sargeras, then sailed from Azshara toward the Tomb of Sargeras in the Broken Isles.

Skala Darkscale’s peaceful life as chief of the Darkscale Clan ended when Deathwing destroyed his village, so he set out to seek the Titan’s help and avenge his people. Meanwhile, Sylvanas continued building Undercity, learned that the war at Hyjal was about to begin, and led her army toward the Dreadlords Balnazzar and Varimathras.

• Skala Darkscale remembered how his Titan master had empowered him before he journeyed to the Wetlands and built the Darkscale Clan into a powerful tribe.
• Deathwing flew over the coast, destroying the murloc village and killing Skala’s tribesmen with the force of his passage.
• Skala recovered his harpoon and supplies, then left for Kalimdor to ask the Titan for justice and prepare revenge against Deathwing.
• Sylvanas discussed Oscar’s undercover work among the Scourge and ordered the construction of Undercity beneath Lordaeron.
• After hearing that the war at Hyjal was near and the Eternal Night Energy Cannon was almost ready, Sylvanas led her army toward Balnazzar and Varimathras.

Illidan delivered the Eye of Sargeras to Boss Hu, completing the final component for the Eternal Night Energy Cannon as the forces gathered for the coming battle at Mount Hyjal. In Lordaeron, Sylvanas defeated Balnazzar and forced Varimathras to pledge allegiance to her.

• Illidan gave Boss Hu the Eye of Sargeras, while Malfurion warned him not to let Fel Energy corrupt him and Illidan said he would leave after the holy war.
• The Scourge and Burning Legion established bases near Nordrassil, and the allied forces prepared to attack them in separate groups.
• Sylvanas wounded Balnazzar and revealed that she knew Kil’jaeden had sacrificed the Scourge as a diversion for Archimonde.
• Balnazzar tried to escape in bat form, but Sylvanas struck him with a divine arrow and he fell, apparently dead.
• Sylvanas offered Varimathras a chance to serve her, and he accepted after Cthulhu’s tentacles stopped attacking him.

The Azeroth Allied Forces fought the Scourge on Mount Hyjal while Illidan lured Arthas away in Azshara and revealed the Eternal Night Energy Cannon’s attack on the Frozen Throne. With Ner’zhul weakened and Arthas’s control over the Scourge faltering, Illidan attacked the prince and called the Illidari into battle.

• Mery Winterwind, Durotan, Lothar, Thrall, Jaina, and the Allied Forces battled the Scourge, while Mery and Jaina focused their attacks on Raeg Winterchill.
• Raeg Winterchill unleashed Death and Decay, killing several orcs before Mery froze the corrupted ground and Thrall deployed a Healing Rain Totem.
• Illidan kept Arthas in Azshara and showed him the Eternal Night Energy Cannon’s beam striking the Frozen Throne in Northrend.
• The blow cracked the Frozen Throne, weakened Ner’zhul, and caused the Scourge’s control and strength to decline.
• Illidan attacked Arthas, who ordered nearby undead to cover his retreat, and then summoned the Illidari to fight.

Illidan’s Illidari destroyed the Scourge forces at the coast as Arthas escaped, while at Mount Hyjal the Lich King’s weakened control broke and freed undead joined Sylvanas as the Forsaken. After the coalition defeated the remaining Scourge, the Forsaken prepared to return to Lordaeron and build their new society under the Dark Queen.

• Illidan led the Illidari Demon Hunters in slaughtering the Scourge troops, while Arthas escaped aboard an undead ship toward the Eastern Kingdoms.
• Meryl Winterstorm and Jaina killed Rage Winterchill, and the Lich King’s injuries caused the Scourge lines at Mount Hyjal to collapse.
• Cthulhu’s influence freed at least half the undead from the Lich King’s control, and the Forsaken gathered under Sylvanas and commander Gregory Agamand.
• The Alliance and Horde fought alongside the Forsaken under orders not to attack them, and together they destroyed the remaining Scourge and burned its Mount Hyjal fortress.
• The Forsaken prepared to sail to Lordaeron and Undercity, while Sylvanas appointed former undead nobles to help govern their settlements.

The allied forces destroyed the Burning Legion’s army and base on Mount Hyjal, leaving Archimonde and his guards as the only remaining foes. At Antorus, Kil'jaeden ordered the portals to Azeroth closed and their coordinate markers destroyed, abandoning Archimonde.

• Grom Hellscream killed Doom Guard Lord Kaz'rogal, while the Iron Gorons and Illidari Demon Hunters helped defeat the Pit Lords.
• The Alliance and New Horde arrived after the main battle, and the allied forces drove the retreating demons to their base and bombarded it.
• The allies destroyed the Legion’s portals, buildings, and defenses, wiping out the Legion forces on Mount Hyjal except for Archimonde and his personal guards.
• At Antorus, Portal Guardian Hassabel was maintaining the portals when Kil'jaeden ordered her to close them and destroy the coordinate markers.
• Kil'jaeden left after Hassabel obeyed, concluding that Archimonde was as good as dead.

Socrethar, Elisande, Malfurion, Rukmar, and their forces attacked Archimonde as he tried to destroy Nordrassil. Boss Hu arrived atop Deathwing, whose charge knocked Archimonde down and left the allied forces with the advantage.

• Archimonde discovered Socrethar had appeared with a Legion of Eredar, and Socrethar attacked him with a Chaos Bolt.
• Elisande led the Highborne against Archimonde’s elite guards while Malfurion rallied the Druids and Dawn Druids into battle.
• Rukmar struck Archimonde with a ring of golden sonic force, and Elisande warned him that the God-Emperor was coming.
• Archimonde began casting Death’s Finger, but a crushing pressure interrupted him as Deathwing descended with Boss Hu standing on his head.
• Boss Hu cut off Deathwing’s boast, and Deathwing charged Archimonde, slammed him into a mountainside, and pinned him down.
• The allied forces poured their attacks onto the fallen Archimonde, turning the battle in their favor.

Archimonde was overwhelmed by the allied forces and the two Titan avatars, Sarodar and Elune, and prepared to self-destruct. Sarodar delivered Dawn Judgment, leaving the arriving Azeroth Allied Forces to witness Archimonde's impending death.

• Archimonde unleashed Death's Finger, but Elune shielded the gathered fighters with moonlight.
• Hu Feng and Elune agreed to finish Archimonde, and Hu Feng's Titan avatar joined the attack.
• Archimonde realized Kil'jaeden had abandoned him and Sarodar struck him with Fel Energy and Void energy.
• Archimonde tried to self-destruct, but the foreign energies in his body disrupted his thoughts and destroyed his organs.
• Sarodar declared judgment and summoned a colossal dark-golden blade that pinned Archimonde in place.
• The Azeroth Allied Forces arrived at the World Tree and watched Sarodar's blade descend as Stormwind's soldiers looked on in awe.

The Allied Forces defeated Archimonde at Mount Hyjal, and the emergence of the Dawn Knights helped turn the victory into a moment of celebration. In the Eastern Kingdoms, Sylvanas prepared to intercept Arthas and learned that Cariath Menethil led a group of refugees calling themselves the Lordaeron Restoration Army.

• The soldiers and priests who witnessed Archimonde’s execution awakened as Dawn Knights, and Rukmar joined them in burning the Defiler to ash.
• Boss Hu prompted the Allied Forces to celebrate, while Malfurion sounded his horn to mark their victory over the Burning Legion.
• Hu Feng worried about Sylvanas in the Eastern Kingdoms and reflected that he cared for her more than the other women around him.
• Sylvanas discussed her plan to intercept Arthas with Hu Feng’s divine projection and told him to keep her transformation into the Dark Queen secret from Alleria and Vereesa.
• Nathano the Blight told Sylvanas that Cariath Menethil led the Lordaeron Restoration Army, and Sylvanas decided to deal with them later.

The Scourge and Scarlet Crusade fought for control of the Plaguelands as Alexandros Mograine struggled with his sons’ choices and the Crusade’s internal compromises. Balnazzar secretly took Dathrohan’s body and began working to corrupt the Crusade from within.

• Kel'Thuzad retreated to the Eastern Plaguelands, where reinforcements from Naxxramas and Stratholme helped him hold his territory against the Scarlet Crusade.
• The Scarlet Crusade focused its main forces on the Scourge while the Scarlet Monastery conducted limited skirmishes against Sylvanas’s Forsaken, wary of Quel'Thalas’s threat to defend her.
• Alexandros Mograine mourned Sitharis, took pride in Darian, and grew angry that Renault had fallen in love with Whitemane.
• Renault turned to Dathrohan for sympathy, unaware that Balnazzar had killed the paladin and possessed his body.
• Illiyasen ruled Fireside Valley behind the scenes while Taelan Fording remained its nominal heir, and the Crusade’s leaders tolerated the arrangement to preserve their forces.