Betrayer Betrayer , while usually a more general term , is often applied to certain characters within Warcraft lore whose crimes are so heinous that they have been immortalized by their societies as traitors . Alexstrasza . Called betrayer by Emberstrife for buying the other Aspects enough time to escape Nefarian at Grim Batol . Anub ' arak . Anub ' arak was a former king of Azjol - Nerub who was raised as one of the Lich King ' s crypt lords . When leading Arthas into Azjol - Nerub in the race to Icecrown , they encountered living nerubians , who called Anub ' arak " the traitor king " - which made Arthas think , at first , that they were referring to him . It can be argued however that Anub ' arak is just another helpless slave of the Lich King , as when he dies in Azjol - Nerub he utters , " I never thought . . . I would be free of him . " Deathwing . Once known as Neltharion the Earth - Warder , Neltherion fell into corruption by the Old Gods sometime during the War of the Ancients . He created the Demon Soul and used it not only on the Burning Legion , but the Night Elves and most of the Blue Dragonflight . While holding on to the Demon Soul too long his body was falling apart and his insides became fire . So the same Goblins that forged the Demon Soul forged armor for Deathwing that would keep his body from falling apart . It is also said that Deathwing is the main cause for war between the races because he ruined fertile land and thus encouraged races to fight over food . Dar ' Khan Drathir . Once an esteemed magister , Dar ' Khan Drathir has become one of Quel ' Thalas ' greatest traitors . His limitless ambition , combined with his egotistical mindset , made him an easy pawn for the forces of the Lich King . Empowered by the treacherous Prince Arthas , Dar ' Khan opened the way for the Scourge to enter Quel ' Thalas and ravage the land in their march to the Sunwell . Gul ' dan . The evil orc warlock has been called " betrayer " and far worse by the Horde in the decades since his demise in the Tomb of Sargeras . The specific betrayal that most orcs remember dates back to around the end of the Second War . As Orgrim Doomhammer , Warchief of the Horde , prepared for his final assault on the Capital City of Lordaeron , Gul ' dan took both his Stormreaver Clan and the Twilight ' s Hammer - led by his ogre - mage lieutenant , Cho ' gall - and set out across the Great Sea to raise the Broken Isles from the depths . Enraged , Doomhammer ' s battle - hungry clans followed Gul ' dan across the Great Sea and laid waste to the Stormreavers and Twilight ' s Hammer . Gul ' dan himself was already dead when Doomhammer arrived , but the split in the Horde forces ultimately cost them the war . It could be argued , however , that Gul ' dan ' s true betrayal was in his pact with the Burning Legion , in which he willingly condemned his entire race to slavery and servitude to gain personal power . Arthas Menethil . Arthas is called a betrayer because of his horrible acts against the world . He brought Lordaeron and Quel ' Thalas to ruin and slaughtered many innocents , including his own father , King Terenas . It should be noted though , that one could argue that he did not betray his people , because when he took up Frostmourne he wanted to save his people and rid the world of the Scourge . One could also argue that Muradin did tell him that his soul would be scarred . Nonetheless , it is generally accepted that Arthas betrayed his people by taking up Frostmourne and slaughtering many elves , humans and to a lesser extent dwarves . Mennu the Betrayer . After betraying his kind to the naga under Lady Vashj ' s rule , Mennu the Betrayer and many fellow broken subordinates now guard the Slave Pens in Coilfang Reservoir . It is likely that many of the Broken found in cages throughout Coilfang Reservoir are there because of Mennu ' s treachery . Mennu is an example of a broken who has found a way to turn Illidan ' s reign of terror to their advantage , by betraying his fellow draenei he gained favor with his naga overlords . His betrayal has tainted his shaman training , and he now wields corrupted totems , which make him a formidable opponent . Sargeras . The Dark Titan is often referred to as the Betrayer of Life or the Betrayer of the Titans . Originally a noble warrior who led the Titans ' armies against the evils that existed within the Twisting Nether , Sargeras became corrupted and set himself to destroying the Titans ' orderly universe . Thus was the Burning Legion born , and thus began the eternal Burning Crusade . Maiev Shadowsong . The Warden who had been responsible for Illidan ' s imprisonment , Maiev had tricked Illidan ' s brother , Malfurion , into thinking that his lover , Tyrande Whisperwind , had been torn apart by the undead , in order to goad the Archdruid into action . In fact , Tyrande had fallen from a collapsing bridge and been swept up the river . When informed of Maiev ' s deception , Malfurion entangled her and asked who the true betrayer was . Illidan Stormrage . " Betrayer " is a term often used to refer to Illidan . Specifically , it refers to how he had apparently joined Azshara against the Night Elves and his creation of a new Well of Eternity by taking vials of water from the old one and pouring them into an untainted lake . Illidan ' s other questionable actions since then have paled by comparison . Kael ' thas Sunstrider . Kael ' thas Sunstrider was the proud prince of Quel ' thalas . He promised his people the Blood Elves a new source of magic . After his failure at Tempest Keep he left Outland and joined an alliance with Kil ' jaeden , overlord of the Burning Legion . He gave his people fel magic and it consumed them , transforming them into Felblood . Kael ' thas then attempted to summon Kil ' jaeden through the Sunwell , similarly to the way the Well of Eterity was used to create a portal to summon Sargeras into Azeroth . Varimathras . Varimathras , Archlord of Undercity and Majordomo of Sylvanas Windrunner . During the Civil War in the Plaguelands Varimathras confronted Sylvanas thanking her for her help against Arthas and that she may either join the Burning Legion or leave the Plaguelands . Sylvanas declined both and forced Varimathras to join her in taking the City of Lordaeron for herself . Varimathras first betrayed all Nathrezim by breaking the number one rule , killing another Nathrezim . He killed Balnazzar and the Forsaken formed on the same day . Varimathras then joined with Grand Apothecary Putress in taking the Undercity and betraying the Horde at the Wrath gate .