Recaps

As war spread across Northrend, Dick joined Brann Bronzebeard, Tirion Fordring, Lor'themar Theron, and Rogelio Starstrider in the ruins of Azjol-Nerub. The group chose to pursue Anub'arak while Dick headed toward the passage leading to Ahn'kahet for his own business.

• The Alliance Forces began a dawn counterattack at Angrathar as battles continued across Northrend.
• Brann Bronzebeard warned the group about venomous Nerubian spiderlings and told them that the Nerubian Krik'thir had sought protection after Arthas's assault.
• Brann identified the three passages as routes to Ahn'kahet, Anub'arak's throne, and the Pit of Narjun, while Lor'themar Theron advised them to avoid Hadronox's lair.
• Lor'themar revealed that his giant plague spider Maexxna came from the Pit of Narjun and had once been Hadronox's rival.
• Tirion Fordring's group headed toward Anub'arak's throne, while Dick burned away the webs blocking the passage to Ahn'kahet and told them to call for help if needed.

Anub'arak recalled his defeat, resurrection, and role in destroying the Nerubian kingdom before facing Tirion Fordring, Lor'themar Theron, and Rogério Starseeker in Azjol-Nerub. The battle began in earnest, leaving Anub'arak wounded and the Suspended Throne cracking beneath them.

• Anub'arak remembered how Ner'zhul's forces defeated him at the Frozen Throne and raised him to lead the Scourge against his own kingdom.
• Tirion Fordring, Lor'themar Theron, and Rogério Starseeker broke into the Suspended Throne while Maexxna fought the Nerubian undead outside.
• Lor'themar fired a Chimera Shot at Anub'arak, but the Crypt Lord deflected it with a forelimb.
• Tirion struck Anub'arak with Shadowmourne, cutting his forelimb and shattering its armlet as the throne's floor cracked.
• Rogério and Lor'themar hit Anub'arak with arrows, piercing his carapace and abdomen as the battle intensified.

Tirion Fordring, Lor'themar, and Rogério fought Anub'arak on the suspended throne, coordinating their attacks to overcome the Crypt Lord. They killed him, and as his vision faded, Anub'arak remembered his innocent childhood before lamenting Nerub's fall.

• Anub'arak burrowed beneath the throne and impaled Tirion Fordring, but Tirion's Shadowmourne soul fragments wounded the Crypt Lord.
• Lor'themar shot Anub'arak with a powerful Black Arrow, binding one forelimb in shadow energy, then climbed onto his back and attacked with his greatsword.
• Rogério drew Thori'dal and fired a star-infused arrow while Tirion Fordring and Lor'themar restrained Anub'arak.
• Rogério's arrow struck Anub'arak between the eyes, and Tirion Fordring and Lor'themar drove their weapons into his throat and forehead.
• Anub'arak fell and died as Shadowmourne drained his soul, and he remembered his childhood before declaring that Nerub had fallen.

Dick entered Ahn'kahet to confront the Twilight Cultists worshipping Yogg-Saron. After killing Yoggoda Shadow Seeker and a chosen cultist, he announced that the survivors would be exiled to another world.

• Dick passed through a hidden tunnel into Ahn'kahet's depths, where he found the Twilight Cultists living in a concealed camp.
• Yoggoda Shadow Seeker led nearly a thousand cultists in prayers and prepared to grant a Dark Iron Dwarf power from Yogg-Saron.
• Dick's holy fire killed the Dark Iron Dwarf and burned Shadow Seeker to dust, destroying their souls as well.
• Dick emerged before the stunned cultists and sentenced them to exile in another world, while watching the road toward a deeper source of chaos.

Dick entered Ahn'kahet's ritual hall and fought the Faceless Ones serving Yogg-Saron. After killing three guardians, he confronted Yogg-Saron's enormous messenger, who warned him to turn back.

• Dick left Anveena and Lei Shi to watch the Twilight Cultists while he explored deeper into Ahn'kahet.
• Anveena killed a cultist who tried to escape, then promised Lei Shi she could drown the next one who moved if she first learned to take human form.
• Dick entered a dark Nerubian ritual hall, revealed his armor Redemption, and drew out three Faceless Guardians and their enormous leader.
• Dick swiftly killed the three Faceless Guardians as the Faceless Ones Squire emerged from a black vortex.
• The Squire spoke in the Old Gods' language, and Dick answered in Titan language before the Squire warned him to turn back.

Dick confronted Yogg-Saron through Messenger Volazj and learned that the Old God was temporarily trapped by the shutdown of Ulduar’s Forge of Wills. After concluding Yogg-Saron had no real connection to Arthas, Dick decided to begin the attack on Icecrown Glacier before the Energy Lock could be broken.

• Dick challenged Yogg-Saron through Messenger Volazj and revealed that he had severed the Forge of Wills’ energy supply to Ulduar, temporarily trapping the Old God.
• Yogg-Saron threatened Dick, claimed a connection to Arthas, and promised to await him in Ulduar before withdrawing from Volazj’s collapsing body.
• Dick realized Yogg-Saron’s claim about Arthas was a deception meant to buy time to break Ulduar’s Energy Lock, and concluded the Old God had no connection to Arthas.
• Dick determined that he needed to defeat Arthas and secure Alliance and Dragon support before storming Ulduar.
• Dick raised Windfury and ordered the attack on Icecrown Glacier to begin.

Muradin, Fandral Stormpike, and Angerforge prepared Frosthold’s forces to draw the Scourge away from the Alliance’s small strike team targeting Arthas. Meanwhile, Gavincente Skovald led the Frostborn assault on Utgarde Keep and broke through its gates to confront Ymiron.

• Muradin, Fandral Stormpike, and Angerforge planned to use the secret passage into Echo Valley and hold off a hundred thousand undead for twenty-four hours.
• Muradin reassured his deputies by naming the experienced leaders of the strike team, including Mathias Shaw, Hemet Nesingwary, Rexxar, and Khadgar.
• Muradin ordered Fandral to inspect the cannons and Angerforge to check the Dark Iron Mole Machines as Frosthold prepared for battle.
• After a month-long campaign, Gavincente Skovald’s Frostborn destroyed the Dragonflayer Clan’s last village and attacked Utgarde Keep.
• Gavincente smashed through the keep’s great gate and called on Ymiron and the Champions of Odyn to face him.

Ymiron recalled his reign and the Curse of Flesh as he prepared to face Odyn’s champion, Gavincente, rather than flee with Skadi. Their fight began with both warriors trading sudden, powerful blows, leaving the outcome uncertain.

• Ymiron refused Skadi’s plea to escape and ordered him to protect Angrboda and wait in Warren De.
• Ymiron gave up his royal badge and chose to remain in the castle to confront Odyn about abandoning the Vrykul.
• Gavincente entered the throne room and demanded that Ymiron come with him on Odyn’s orders.
• Ymiron struck Gavincente hard enough to send his steel helm flying and questioned his worth as a champion.
• Gavincente attacked Ymiron with crimson flames, and Ymiron blocked his blow as Gavincente claimed to be the finest warrior.

Gavincente fought Ymiron in Utgarde Pinnacle, urging him to return to Odyn while Ymiron blamed the god for abandoning his people. As the warriors called on powerful blessings and prepared for a final clash, Ymiron vowed to demand an answer from Odyn.

• Gavincente recognized the extraordinary power of Ymiron's dark red rage as the two warriors exchanged brutal attacks.
• Gavincente told Ymiron to surrender and face Odyn's judgment, but Ymiron charged him and demanded to know what right Odyn had to judge him.
• Ymiron accused Odyn of abandoning his believers, while Gavincente insisted Ymiron's choices had been his own and urged him to return.
• Gavincente used Odyn's power to knock Ymiron into his throne, but Ymiron countered with a Battle Shout and summoned the ancestral kings Bjorn and Haldor.
• Ymiron called on Tor and Ranulf for further strength as Gavincente empowered himself with his axes, and both warriors prepared to fight to the death.
• Ymiron declared that he would demand an answer from Odyn and attacked Gavincente.

Gavincente defeated Ymiron in a fatal duel and granted the dying king his request to hear Angrboda’s song before sending him to the Halls of Valor. Meanwhile, Dick searched beneath Icecrown Glacier for the hidden prison where Arthas’s goodness had been concealed.

• Gavincente shattered Ymiron’s sword and won their final clash, though Ymiron’s broken blade pierced his chest.
• Ymiron explained that he had turned against Odyn because Odyn abandoned his people, and he demanded to know why they had been left behind.
• Gavincente promised Ymiron would reach the Halls of Valor, sang “Northern Myth” at his request, and struck him down.
• Dick traveled invisibly across Icecrown Glacier to find the prison Arthas had revealed to him.
• Dick concluded that Arthas’s goodness was hidden somewhere beneath the glacier.

Dick descended into Icecrown Glacier’s hidden abyss, where he found Arthas’s discarded heart and met the ghost of Mithysilsa Anarell. After learning Anarell was Caliea’s missing brother, Dick promised to take him back to her once his war with the Lich King was over.

• Dick entered a concealed sinkhole beneath Icecrown Citadel and discovered the Old God outpost of Naxxanac, which he passed without confronting its Faceless Ones.
• Dick found a frozen, bloodless heart beneath the icy water, but stopped before touching it when a ghost child warned him away.
• The child introduced himself as Mithysilsa Anarell and said he had seen Arthas discard the heart before becoming the Lich King.
• Anarell described his family and remembered that his home was Lordaeron, so Dick identified him as Caliea’s missing brother.
• Dick proved he knew Caliea by recalling details about her, then promised to take Anarell to her after his war with the Lich King ended.
• Dick told Anarell he was sorry he had come so late.

Dick recognized Anarell as the kind and bright fragment Arthas had torn from his own soul, and used a soul-absorbing lantern to take the child away from the heart beneath the glacier. As Anarell revealed how Dick and Arthas had changed each other, he fell asleep in the lantern, leaving Dick to continue toward Frosthold with the heart still intact.

• Dick realized Anarell was the fragment of Arthas's soul that held his kindness and light, and decided to protect him with the lantern that absorbed souls.
• Dick lured the Faceless Ones away from the heart, placed Anarell inside the lantern, and escaped toward Echo Valley while elite Death Knights headed for Naxxanac.
• As Dick traveled through Frosthold's secret passage, Anarell showed him memories of Arthas killing Thassarian and Dick defeating Arthas at Sunwell Hall.
• Anarell showed Dick how their encounters had changed both him and Arthas, then remembered that his surname was Menethil and asked Dick to help the Prince.
• Anarell fell asleep in the lantern after warning Dick that Arthas's heart was his weakness, and Dick said only darkness remained in Arthas's shell.

Darion recruited Gavincente to challenge the Yuldrin Lord in Jotunheim, drawing the Vrykul into a public spectacle while the fleet attacked and allied forces seized nearby citadels. Meanwhile, Muradin prepared to lead the dwarves into battle, determined to settle his old score with Arthas.

• Darion signaled Gavincente’s arrival at Vengeance Landing, where Onyxia had flown him through the storm.
• Darion explained that Gavincente would enter Jotunheim’s Valhallas Tournament, win ten matches, then challenge the Yuldrin Lord to distract the Vrykul while the fleet bombarded the city.
• Gavincente agreed to the mission and asked for food and wine before departing with Darion in thirty minutes.
• Muradin, Fandral Staghelm, and Angerforge waited with the dwarven soldiers in a tunnel as the main battle at Angrathar began.
• Muradin told Fandral Staghelm that he had come to repay Arthas for nearly killing him five years earlier, then asked whether Fandral would join him.

The Alliance launched a sudden, full-scale counterattack across every front, catching Arthas and the Scourge off guard. As the Ebon Blade’s necropolises charged Angrathar and exploded, Mograine and Tirion led the Alliance assault toward the gates.

• Marduk the Black noticed the ground shaking and saw the Alliance attack advancing, with its forces cutting down gargoyles and undead.
• The Alliance’s sound barrier fell as soldiers, dragons, cannons, and flying fortresses struck the Scourge; Marduk died in an engineering-shell blast.
• The Alliance committed most of its forces to simultaneous counterattacks across the fronts, killing many undead before Arthas could respond.
• Arthas ordered the Scourge to launch a counterattack, while Uther commanded the Ebon Blade’s four necropolises to charge through Icecrown Glacier’s magical barrier toward Angrathar.
• The four necropolises exploded above Angrathar, and Mograine led the Scarlet Crusade through a weak point in the undead line.
• Tirion announced that the Ebon Blade had landed in Angrathar and urged the Alliance champions to charge with him.

The Ebon Blade struggled to hold its foothold at Angrathar as Arthas sent Scourge necropolises to bombard the Alliance forces. Dalaran arrived as the last reinforcements and unleashed a devastating attack that destroyed the floating cities.

• Uther led the Death Knights in establishing a defensive line at Angrathar, while Sseratus tore apart a Scourge Hound and Lor'themar's arrows cleared Gargoyles from the sky.
• Arthas sent Scourge forces and seven necropolises to attack the Ebon Blade, whose knights took heavy losses under the bombardment.
• Mograine's cavalry, the Scarlet Knights, and Alliance forces split the undead before Angrathar, while the Orcs and dragons fought on other fronts and could offer little support.
• Uther reassured Thassarian that they would hold, then laughed when he saw Dalaran appear above the battlefield.
• Rhonin and the Council of Six focused Dalaran's power into a purple beam that obliterated the Scourge necropolises and the undead beneath them.

The Alliance pushed through the Scourge at Angrathar until Arthas opened the gate and sent reinforcements that turned the battle back in his favor. As he realized Muradin’s dwarves had launched a raid on Echo Valley while his forces were away, Arthas called on the Yul'dim Vrykul at Ymirheim to respond.

• The Alliance used Dalaran’s bombardment, artillery, and flying machines to break through the undead defenses at Angrathar.
• Arthas rallied the undead around Icecrown Glacier and opened Angrathar Gate, sending a fresh tide of Scourge into battle.
• Tirion Fordring and Mograine watched as the Scourge regained the initiative and Arthas closed the gate.
• Arthas spotted Muradin’s dwarves attacking Echo Valley, where Dark Iron Mole Machines and the Frost Dwarves' Secret Passage had brought nearly ten thousand warriors into the valley.
• Arthas realized he had sent the nearby undead to Angrathar and ordered the Yul'dim Vrykul at Ymirheim to answer the raid.

High Tinker Mekkatorque and the Gnomes detonated a Mana Bomb at Ymirheim’s exit, collapsing the glacier and trapping Orbaz Blood Poison’s undead Vrykul army inside. Enraged by the explosion, Arthas sent Sindragosa and her frost army toward Echo Valley while keeping his focus on the battle at Angrathar.

• Mekkatorque and the Gnome engineers prepared a hidden Mana Bomb to block the Vrykul reinforcements leaving Ymirheim.
• Orbaz Blood Poison sensed danger near the exit but ordered his undead Vrykul to advance through the gate.
• After noticing melted permafrost, Blood Poison ordered the army to stop as Mekkatorque activated the Mana Bomb.
• The explosion shattered and collapsed the glacier, destroying Ymirheim’s exit and sealing Blood Poison’s army inside.
• Arthas reacted angrily to the explosion, then sent Sindragosa and her frost army toward Echo Valley.

Gavincente’s surprise attack and a fleet bombardment threw Jotunheim into chaos as the Breaking the Ice forces launched an assault on the Shadow Vault. Darion broke through its gates and came face to face with Renault.

• Gavincente received a signal, overpowered Baalgarde, and revealed the attack as cannon fire struck Baalgarde Fortress.
• Brigadier General Matthew ordered a second bombardment and prepared the sailors and battle supervision units to land.
• Darion led the Breaking the Ice warriors toward the Shadow Vault, while Swen transformed into her empowered Nightsaber form.
• Hemet II shot a patrolling Lich, and Darion shattered two Death Knights to force the Shadow Vault gates open.
• Darion recognized Renault inside the Shadow Vault, and Renault declared that Darion would not leave.

Dranosh, Garrosh, Plugger, and their allies fought to disable Odosa’s arcane node while the Scourge defended the ziggurat. After the node was shut down, dying Ascendant Oru'mus warned Plugger that Frostmourne and the Forge of Souls empowered Arthas with the souls of his victims, then asked him to take his ashes to Lakeshire.

• Dranosh used the Scale of the Earth-Warder to charge the undead while Garrosh climbed toward Odosa’s highest level to reach its arcane node.
• Plugger confronted his former acquaintance, Ascendant Oru'mus, and urged him to abandon the Cult of the Damned.
• Oru'mus refused and warned Plugger that he was no match for Arthas, so Plugger used a magical shift and a fel seed to wound him before a Blademaster Elder killed him.
• The vanguard extinguished Odosa’s runic magic circles, disabling its arcane node and prompting the allied fighters to cheer.
• Plugger promised to hear Oru'mus’s last request, and Oru'mus urged him to destroy the Forge of Souls and take his ashes back to Lakeshire.

Darion fought Renault across the ice field outside the Dark Dome, determined to stop his older brother despite the hatred and deathly power that transformed him. Darion killed Renault but suffered a grave wound himself, and collapsed beside his brother wishing to go home.

• Darion and Renault clashed in a brutal duel while Swen and the others fought the undead around the Dark Dome.
• Renault accused Darion of abandoning and betraying him, then attacked with his battle axe and death magic.
• Darion used Fatal Calm and Fight with Burning Blood to withstand Renault’s blows and counterattack.
• Renault trapped Darion in frost and unleashed a Frost Dragon’s icy breath, but Darion broke free with Battle Shout.
• Darion shattered Renault’s shield and cut his throat, telling his dying brother that he had come to take him home.
• Renault’s Ice Shard pierced Darion’s lung, and Darion collapsed in the snow beside his dead brother, longing to go home.

Dick attacked Corp'rethar alone, defeated the undead giant guarding its gate, and faced his former mentor Korth'azz in battle. After releasing Korth'azz from undeath and preserving his ashes, Dick destroyed the fortress and continued the assault on the Scourge.

• Dick fought through Corp'rethar's undead defenders and killed the giant guarding the gateway with a spear of Holy Light.
• Korth'azz confronted Dick and challenged his former pupil to a duel.
• Dick and Korth'azz fought with their warhammers until Dick broke through Korth'azz's defenses and engulfed him in Holy Light.
• Korth'azz accepted his death, asked Dick to end the Scourge, and vanished in the flames.
• Dick collected Korth'azz's ashes and destroyed Corp'rethar with a Solar Lance and Holy Fire.

Muradin led the dwarves in defending Echo Valley and set out to seal its entrance, trapping the undead there to keep Arthas from reinforcing Mord'rethar: The Death Gate. Sindragosa devastated his force, but the mountain pass collapsed as planned, provoking Arthas’s furious reaction.

• Muradin defended the newly built fortress against the undead, while dwarven marksmen disrupted their command by killing frontline commanders.
• Muradin led a cavalry charge toward Echo Valley’s entrance so the Steam Tanks and Earthen could plant explosives in the mountainside.
• The dwarves suffered heavy losses as they fought off the undead while preparing the blast.
• Sindragosa arrived with hundreds of Bone Dragons and destroyed more than half of Muradin’s force with her Frost Aura.
• Muradin struck Sindragosa with his dragonlance and charged toward her as the mountain behind him collapsed, sealing the pass.
• Arthas realized that the dwarves had brought down his gate and swore vengeance.

Arthas realized the Alliance Forces had used the battles at Angrathar and Echo Valley as diversions while raiding the dark ziggurats. After Maraad destroyed the final arcane node, Dick broke through Icecrown Citadel’s gates, and the Alliance’s leaders and elite army arrived for the final battle.

• Arthas discovered that the Shadow Vault, Odosa, and Corp'rethar had fallen and sent the Scourge toward the last remaining ziggurat, Mord'rethar: The Death Gate.
• Muradin withdrew his battered raiding party into the Earthen fortress at Echo Valley as Sindragosa and her frost wyrms left to reinforce Mord'rethar.
• Maraad fought Dathrohan and Rivendare while unseen allies disrupted their attacks, then destroyed Mord'rethar's arcane rune with his warhammer.
• Dick used Anveena's power to split Icecrown Citadel's Saronite gates and opened the way for the Alliance Forces to teleport in.
• Tirion Fordring, Mograine, Kael'thas, Velen, Uther, Safarur, Muradin, Rhonin, Jaina, Liadrin, and Erigor arrived with the elite army for the assault on Icecrown Citadel.

The Alliance forces were trapped at Mord'rethar: The Death Gate by Sindragosa and her bone dragons, so old Hemet organized a hunt to take down the Frost Queen. The hunters prepared to lure Sindragosa into a trap while the others kept her undead reinforcements away.

• Maraad ordered the assault team to defend its position as the bone dragons and undead blocked their escape.
• Old Hemet learned that Mekkatorque's engineers needed ten minutes to prepare a Teleportation Beacon, and he decided the hunters had to clear the sky.
• Nathanos reported that Sindragosa was directing the bone dragons, and Hemet declared he would hunt her with Rexxar and the other hunters.
• Rexxar escaped Mord'rethar: The Death Gate and joined Hemet, who assigned him to trap Sindragosa while Starstrider, Nathanos, and Hemet II took supporting roles.
• Hemet II and Nathanos agreed to help keep the bone dragons from aiding Sindragosa.

Rexxar, old Hemet, Hemet II, and Rogério coordinated a long-range attack to bring down Sindragosa and save the trapped defenders at Mord'rethar. Their assault left the Frost Queen gravely wounded in Rexxar’s Dragonfire Trap as the hunters prepared to finish her.

• Rexxar carved an enormous Dragonfire Trap and concealed it beneath the snow while Hemet II defended him from bone dragons.
• Old Hemet and Rogério took aim at Sindragosa, with old Hemet loading a rune-inscribed golden bullet into his rifle.
• Old Hemet shot Sindragosa in the skull, and the bullet’s runes detonated, sending her plunging toward the ground.
• Rogério struck Sindragosa with three arrows, steering her into Rexxar’s trap, where platinum-white flames engulfed her.
• Rexxar forced Sindragosa’s head back into the flames with his spear as Hemet II’s fire held off the bone dragons.