Could there be such a thing as life without the Lich King?
by David Bowers 
Oct 11th 2008 at 1:00PM
In response to one player's question, "After Arthas, what's left to kill?" Bornakk has revealed a surprising tidbit about the future of World of Warcraft. The answer is: Murlocs! That's right. After we kill Arthas, "instead of adding new creatures or new continents it will be just one area of endlessly spawning murlocs." Amazing fun! This is what I've been wishing for ever since I saw my first murlocs on the shores of Darkshore. Perhaps we'll be able to collect endless varieties of Murky pets, too! They could go by all sorts of cute names like Lurky, Quirky and Turky.Ah... to dream. Anyways, later in the same thread, Nethaera stops by too and adds her own meditation on the possible death of Arthas, reminding us of a most ancient question regarding trees falling in the woods without anyone to hear them: "If Arthas dies, does the Lich King also die?" This seems to be a pretty clear indication that the death of Arthas will not mean the death of the Lich King, and that the story of the Living versus the Dead will go even after the big bad prince bites the dust.
Arthas and the Lich King has been a pretty huge part of the Warcraft story ever since before most of us were even familiar with it, and for some of us it feels strange that he might one day no longer be a part of it. In our interview with WoW's lead producer, he noted that both the Maelstrom and the Emerald Dream were once considered as possibilities for WoW's second expansion, but they chose Northrend and Arthas to come before them because it seemed like the strongest idea. But how strong is Arthas really? Could he ever compare to murlocs?
No, but seriously, do you think the Lich King is just way too cool not to perpetuate indefinitely as the ultimate villain? Would you like to see Arthas get killed in one patch, while the Lich King returned in another, kind of like Kael'thas showed up twice in The Burning Crusade? Or do you think we're going to get our fill of Lich Kinginess -- so much so that once Arthas is dead, the Lich King and all the Scourge should just die for good along with him?
Filed under: Blizzard, Forums, Wrath of the Lich King, BlizzCon, Lore, The Burning Crusade, Raiding, Humor, Expansions, Rumors
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
seiya Oct 11th 2008 1:09PM
It's the new cow level, but with murlocs.
Cow Oct 11th 2008 1:11PM
There can be only one.
Kanubis Oct 11th 2008 1:10PM
Arthas is kind of the 'personality' part of the Lich King though. It could work to find a new host but there would need to be a hell of a lot of build-up for it to be anywhere near as exciting.
Surely Neltharian, aka Deathwing, is worthy of his own 'expansion final boss' status?
The only other really powerful being (apart from the more generic old gods and such) is Azshara, and she's simply not cool enough to carry an xpac, although if there is a maelstrom one it would make sense for her to feature.
Fobok Oct 11th 2008 1:38PM
I agree, she'd be great for a Maelstrom expansion pack. But, there's lots of powerful bad guys out there still. Well, maybe not 'lots', but at least a few. Besides the ones you mentioned, I can think of two just off the top of my head.
First is Kil'Jaeden. The Sunwell fight was just to knock him back into the well, to keep him from showing up on Azeroth, he's nowhere near dead. He created the Lich King, he's no weakling.
And then there's Sargeras. Sure, he's not active at the moment, but there's always the possibility of his return.
sephirah Oct 11th 2008 1:11PM
If the hypothetical next 2 xpacs are the Emerald Dream and the Maelstrom, why should they have the Lich King in it?
If the Lich King, why don't have Illidan, Kil'jaen, VanCleef or even... *shudder* Hogger?
Bloodletter Oct 11th 2008 1:18PM
There can only be one...
Lolock Oct 11th 2008 1:25PM
That PotD is from a private server you know...
Sweet Sweet SoulShards Oct 11th 2008 1:25PM
True...
Sweet Sweet SoulShards Oct 11th 2008 1:26PM
(Come on, someone say king!)
Sn75477 Oct 11th 2008 1:31PM
I have wondered for a long time about the lore. WoW lore moves at 1/10th of the pace of WC3. In WC3 new heros arose, new villains gained power. We have not seen any such events in WoW.
Eversor Oct 11th 2008 1:28PM
What will we kill? Great Murglgrgl, the murloc god.
Wulf Oct 11th 2008 1:36PM
I think Arthas should be killed, and the Lich King is presumed killed as well, but it survives in some weakened form, perhaps waiting for a new host. Then we can forget about him until WoW2 / Warcraft 4. He is a cool bad guy, but the best villains come back every so often, not all the freaking time! :)
Tarvos Oct 11th 2008 1:37PM
just to throw it out, these still is Sargeras, as well as the
maelstrom, & the Emerald Dream
shkss Oct 11th 2008 1:40PM
and nozdormu and the infinite dragon flight, the old gods, even more titans, deathwing, kil'jaeden isn't actually dead yet, etc.
as far as new lands are concerned, theres the goblin city in the middle of the great sea, and they could always invent more.
actually there's still quite a bit not covered.
Kazin Oct 11th 2008 1:40PM
It took Blizzard one game to make up Arthas and the Lich King and make them feel so important. They're not in the original Warcraft or it's first sequal, they're not really as key to the Warcraft series as a lot of people seem to believe and they are just as replaceable as every other Warcraft hero/villain.
hiphophomies Oct 11th 2008 3:34PM
I disagree. I'm not sure if it had to do with kickass starcraft coming in between, but WCIII started a new era for the warcraft world. Hell, it's when they introduced night elves and undead. Arthas is the poster boy for modern day warcraft, and to be honest, I see blizzard moving to a different mmo project once WOTLK is exhausted.
You can't continue this second warcraft era after Arthas is dead. Yes, there are more enemies to fight, but none are more central to the warcraft storyline than Arthas. He's your first hero in Reign of Chaos and he's your last one in The Frozen Throne... this era lives and dies with him.
Revolutionary WC4 comes before a fourth wow, I expect. (If I 'm wrong by the way I'd like to fight....
corrupted Malfurion!)
dAnixx Oct 12th 2008 7:30AM
I think blizz will suceed WoW with their new unanounced mmo... maybe there will be another expansion after WotLK (emerald dream :)) but then they will need to make a new warcraft rts so the story can continue
Leandar Oct 11th 2008 1:43PM
sergares (the guy that created the burning legion, i know his name is something like that) could be the end boss for maelstrom because his tomb is there and his "spirit" is floating around somewhere. Im hoping for a caverns of time expansion that puts us back to somewhere like draenor before it was ripped apart. Theres quite a lot blizz could add, once the main threat on azeroth is gone maybe its time to finish the burning legion off.
Stoneblade Oct 11th 2008 1:45PM
When in doubt, there is always the Old Gods, and their sweet, caramel-coated, Lovecraftian goodness.
Ves Oct 11th 2008 1:45PM
I've always personally thought of Arthas as an upper-class twit whose dickishness made him an easy mind-slave for Ner'zhul, the intresting part of the Lich King, so IMO Arthas should hurry up and die, leaving the rest of the lore to be properly explored.