Arthas Menethil

'''Arthas Menethil''' was the prince of Lordaeron who eventually became the Lich King.

His fall from Paladin to Death Knight and later ruler of the Scourge is one of the central stories of Warcraft and Wrath of the Lich King.

Early Life

Arthas was born into the royal family of Lordaeron.

He was the son of:

King Terenas Menethil II

Arthas trained as a Paladin under Uther the Lightbringer.

He was expected to eventually become king of Lordaeron.

Paladin Training

As a young Paladin, Arthas fought to protect his kingdom.

He believed strongly in:

duty
justice
protecting civilians
defending Lordaeron

However, his determination gradually became obsession.

The Plague

A mysterious plague began spreading through Lordaeron.

The plague transformed people into undead servants of the Scourge.

Arthas became determined to stop it at any cost.

Culling of Stratholme

The Culling of Stratholme became one of the defining moments of Arthas's fall.

Arthas discovered that the city's population had consumed infected grain.

Believing they would soon become undead, Arthas ordered the city purged.

This decision created a major divide between Arthas and his allies.

Mal'Ganis

The dreadlord Mal'Ganis manipulated events surrounding the plague.

Arthas became obsessed with hunting him down.

This pursuit eventually led Arthas to Northrend.

Journey to Northrend

Arthas traveled to Northrend in pursuit of Mal'Ganis.

There he became increasingly desperate.

He eventually discovered the runeblade:

Frostmourne

Frostmourne promised Arthas the power he needed to defeat his enemies.

Despite warnings, Arthas claimed the weapon.

The decision changed him forever.

Frostmourne corrupted Arthas and consumed part of his humanity.

Becoming a Death Knight

After taking Frostmourne, Arthas became a Death Knight.

He returned to Lordaeron as a servant of the Lich King.

Arthas then committed some of the darkest acts of his life.

Fall of Lordaeron

Arthas returned home and murdered his father, King Terenas.

This marked the collapse of his former life and the destruction of the kingdom he once swore to protect.

Champion of the Scourge

As a Death Knight, Arthas became one of the Scourge's greatest champions.

He fought against:

surviving forces of Lordaeron
High Elves
resistance forces
enemies of the Scourge

Quel'Thalas

Arthas invaded Quel'Thalas and devastated the High Elven kingdom.

During the invasion, he used the Sunwell to resurrect Kel'Thuzad as a lich.

Return to Northrend

Eventually, Arthas returned to Northrend.

He traveled toward Icecrown and the Frozen Throne.

His goal was to protect the Lich King's power.

Becoming the Lich King

At the Frozen Throne, Arthas reached the imprisoned spirit of Ner'zhul.

He placed the Helm of Domination upon his head.

Arthas then became the Lich King.

Years on the Frozen Throne

The Lich King remained dormant for years while his power grew.

Eventually he awakened and began preparing the Scourge for a massive campaign.

This leads directly into Wrath of the Lich King.

Arthas in Wrath of the Lich King

Throughout Northrend, Arthas appears repeatedly.

Players see his influence in:

quest lines
Scourge invasions
major story events
Icecrown
Death Knight content

The expansion gradually builds toward the final confrontation with him.

Icecrown Citadel

Arthas rules from Icecrown Citadel.

Players eventually storm the fortress and climb toward the Frozen Throne.

Final Confrontation

The final battle against Arthas takes place atop the Frozen Throne.

The fight serves as the climax of the expansion's story.

Legacy

Arthas remains one of the most famous characters in Warcraft history.

His story is remembered because it combines:

heroism
obsession
tragedy
corruption
power
betrayal

His transformation from prince to Lich King became one of Warcraft's defining story arcs.

Arthas and FrozenThrone

Arthas and the Frozen Throne are deeply tied to the identity of FrozenThrone.

The server's name represents the location from which Arthas ruled as the Lich King.