Arthas Menethil

**Arthas Menethil**, also known as **Blessed Lord**, **Champion of the Scourge**, **Crown Prince of Lordaeron**, **First of the Lich King's Death Knights**, **King of Lordaeron**, **Lich King** and **Paladin of the Silver Hand**, is a major character from the *Warcraft* series.

## **Charactah Account**

The son of King Terenas Menethil, Arthas started out as The Wise Prince, an idealistic, chivalrous hero of Lordaeron, and was also Jaina Proudmoore's lover. Unfortunately, the events of the Third War drove him to abandon his idealistic stance in favor of purging the Plague of Undeath sent by Ner'zhul.

Eventually, the trail set up by the Dreadlord Mal'ganis led him to Northrend and the sword Frostmourne, which consumed his soul and turned him into a Death Knight, Arthas went on to slaughter his people and his father, the king and helped summon Archimonde in a failed attempt to claim the power of the World Tree. Shortly thereafter, Ner'zhul called him back to Northrend to defend against the assault of Illidan Stormrage.

Arthas defeated Illidan, then rose to the weakened Frozen Throne, merging with Ner'zhul and becoming the Lich King. Arthas then consumed Ner'zhul's spirit and eradicated Ner'zhul's mind some time after their merge but before Wrath of the Lich King, establishing him as the sole leader of the Scourge.

## **Appearance**

### **Comics**

* Hearthstone: Knights of the Frozen Stone
* Warcraft: Legends
* Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy
* World of Warcraft: Death Knight

### **Video Games**

* Heroes of the Storm
* Warcraft II: The Dark Saga
* Warcraft III: Reforged
* Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
* Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
* World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
* World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor
* World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

## **Trivia**

* In a PC World article, Arthas was voted #19 of the top 47 "most diabolical game villains of all time".
* Arthas's fall from Paladin to Death Knight and eventually Lich King is similar in many respects to the fall of Anakin Skywalker from Jedi Knight to Dark Lord of the Sith. This can be seen in the motivations of both Arthas and Anakin to protect their loved ones, their aspirations to greater power, the betrayal and slaughter of their former allies, and eventual showdown with their former mentors. One could also draw comparisons between Uther the Lightbringer and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
* In addition, Arthas's return to Lordaeron is similar to the newly christened Darth Vader's march on the Jedi Temple with the 501st Legion during Operation: Knightfall. The scenes share similar camera angles, Vader and Arthas are both cloaked, and both menacingly draw their weapons in preparation to attack their former allies.
* Another comparison could be drawn between Darth Vader and Arthas concerning their deaths. The Lich King appears to be redeemed as he lay dying in his father's spectral arms, as Vader redeemed himself moments before his death, and died not as Darth Vader but as Anakin Skywalker.
* The plight of the Lich King is similar to that of the legendary spirit Davy Jones as seen in *Pirates of the Caribbean*, because when the current Lich King is destroyed, another must rise to take his place. There must always be a Lich King. Arthas (as the Lich King) abandoned his humanity entirely by silencing his heart, just as Davy Jones had. Additionally, the Lich King commands an a massive army of undead soldiers and creatures, while Davy Jones' duty is to ferry the souls of those lost at sea to the afterlife. As a villain, Jones commands a crew of undead pirates.
* Many of Arthas's acts regarding his journey to Northrend seem to have been inspired by Hernan Cortes, a Spanish Conquistador during the Spanish invasion of the new world. Cortes was ordered to take some ships and some soldiers on an expedition, it was called off shortly before its start, but he got ships of his own, took the force and went rogue. When he arrived he then destroyed his own ships so there would be no going back, similar to Arthas. Cortes's forces were too small against the Aztecs but he recruited Native American tribes who hated them and with their help defeated and conquered them, like how Arthas's forces were too small against the Scourge and he had to find Frostmourne and use it against Mal'Ganis.
* There is a reference to Arthas in Adventurequest, where there is an enemy named Lord Arrgthas, wears armor resembling an ice knight and has, "Hes not a lich king just yet" in his description, referencing his time as a death knight.
* In *Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock*, both Arthas (as the Lich King) and Frostmourne (his guitar) are unlockable after earning 1600 stars and reaching level 71.
* Orochi, the main antagonist in Koei's *Warriors Orochi* game series is possibly a reference to the undead Arthas, especially his character and facial design. Even Orochi become very similiar with him in his secondary form as Orochi X, though his armor in both forms are slightly lighter rather than Arthas's Lich King armor, and Orochi is prefer to use a giant scythe as his weapon.
* Arthas also offers many similarities with Michael Moorcock's "*Elric of Melniboné*" character and his rune sword Stormbringer. Both are rulers who betray their own land, and both are cursed by their runic blades.
* The story of Warhammer 40,000 is in juxtaposition to the opposite equivalent of *Warcraft III*, as Lion El'Jonson following the Great Crusade which was much similar as the respective one of Arthas Menethil in terms of purges like the one in Stratholme, reaching the far ends of known territories and fighting against demonic forces as well as Orks, abandoned his adoptive father Luther just like Arthas abandoned Uther whose name as well as experience and opposite perspectives, talents and personalities compared to the students bear a striking resemblance in terms of their complicated relationships, but it was Luther and not Lion El'Jonson who was considered insane and a traitor and slayed his pupil instead of other way around.