World of Warcraft: The Most Iconic 5 Plot Moments in the History of the Game

World of Warcraft is not only a confrontation between the Horde and the Alliance. Since its inception in 2004, a lot of bright and memorable events have happened in the game and many cult personalities have emerged — from Arthas and Thrall to Neltharion (aka Deathwing the Destroyer). The popularity of the game has also spawned specialized platforms where WoW carry boosters assist players in completing raids of any difficulty, obtaining the rarest mounts, and achieving coveted in-game accomplishments. Are you new to the game and have no idea how that all started? Let’s look back and remember5 ofthe most iconic plot developments in the history of World of Warcraft, a game beloved by millions.

The Arthas Story

The namesake of Wrath of the Lich King, Arthas Menethil, is arguably one of the most beloved and tragic characters in the whole of World of Warcraft. The story of Arthas, who tragically turned into the Lich King and gave the Order to the Scourge to exact his lonesome vengeance on Azeroth, was the key point of the whole expansion. He made fun of gamers and made jokes about the combat that was waiting for us at Icecrown Citadel while we wandered about Northrend. We even witnessed the younger, Paladin version of Arthas during the Stratholme Culling.

For many raiders, slaying a 25-man Heroic Arthas during a raid of Icecrown Citadel remains one of their fondest memories of World of Warcraft. This is in part because of how masterfully Blizzard developed this character's tale during the expansion.

Illidan's Lesson: The Importance of Preparation

Preparation is key; this is what Illidan taught us. The story of Illidan Stormrage is the perfect example of The Burning Crusade. While questing in Shadowmoon Valley and many of TBC's classic dungeons, you can learn more about his self-proclaimed lordship. Even though it was hard and took a long time, the original Black Temple attunement quest chain let players really get to know Illidan, comprehend why Akama was fighting, and understand what was at stake in the darkness of Black Temple. "You are not prepared" jokes are still made for a reason.

Thrall's Legacy: The Father of the Horde

Although Thrall plays a significant role in the broader plot of Warcraft, his story has never really taken center stage in World of Warcraft. He frequently makes brief appearances, emerges as a hero, and then vanishes again as a strategic leader. During TBC, we learned more about his background. In WotLKThrall and Garrosh discuss their disagreements about the decisions made during Wrathgate. And then we got to see a lot more of his narrative in Cataclysm.

Throughout the questline that accompanied Firelands' launch, we got to see his actual nature — his regrets, his greatest ambitions, and the things that give him strength in combat. Thrall is portrayed in a sincere, humane manner. Thrall genuinely questions whether it would be best for the Horde to remain united or split apart for the first time.

The Rise of Deathwing

Deathwing the Destroyer was the only thing that made Cataclysm happen. His terror descended from the skies before the expansion's release, in the shape of insane elementals attacking the major cities. His destruction was evident throughout Azeroth and remains so to this day. Deathwing was undoubtedly one of the most influential villains and the driving force behind the majority of the initial zone redesigns.

After Cataclysm struck, Deathwing put more effort into it. In Dragon Soul, the last raid of the expansion, he forced us to travel back in time a little, enlist Thrall's assistance once or twice, and ask the surviving Dragon Aspects for assistance to finally stop him once and for all.

It's also important to remember that, in the early days of World of Warcraft, Onyxia, and Nefarian, the progenies of Deathwing, made an effort to cause havoc. Throughout that time, Deathwing had been hiding in Deepholm, waiting for his turn to transform portions of Azeroth into lava.

Stratholme

Among the original WoW locations that serve as a reminder of history's fallen cities, Stratholme stands out as one of the most iconic. Once a prestigious city, it succumbed to the Scourge invasion and was later partially reclaimed by the Scarlet Crusade. In WotLK, players had the opportunity to delve into The Culling of Stratholme, a dungeon that depicted a time from Arthas' youth when he battled the Scourge in a futile attempt to save the town. Ironically, it was known that the city fell despite his best efforts. Ultimately, Arthas merged with Ner'zhul, ascending to become the new Lich King and seizing control of the Scourge, solidifying his place as one of the most renowned villains in World of Warcraft history.

Conclusion

World of Warcraft stands as a standard of gaming excellence, its iconic status forged by rich narratives explored here. Over two decades, Azeroth has witnessed countless significant events, promising further exploration in future articles. Go ahead and explore how the game looks today and what story it has to tell.