Know Your Lore: Wrathion the Purified

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.
While we've been busy putting Cho'gall in his place, dealing with Nefarian, and otherwise addressing Elemental Lords Al'Akir and Ragnaros, the rest of Azeroth has been busy in its own way. Players wandering through the Badlands are taken along on quests to help the red dragon Rheastrasza perform a bit of important research on the black dragons. Though at first it seems as though Rhea's work is mundane, her ultimate plans are soon revealed.
Rheastrasza is attempting to find one purified, untainted black dragon egg. And she's successful, but the egg is in immediate danger. Deathwing doesn't want this egg to exist, and he'll do anything to get rid of it. The egg has been shuffled around constantly, hidden from Deathwing's sight -- a faint shred of hope in the post-Cataclysm world.
... unfortunately, nobody bothered asking the egg's opinion on the subject.
Today's Know Your Lore contains spoilers for the rogue legendary quest line.
While we've been busy putting Cho'gall in his place, dealing with Nefarian, and otherwise addressing Elemental Lords Al'Akir and Ragnaros, the rest of Azeroth has been busy in its own way. Players wandering through the Badlands are taken along on quests to help the red dragon Rheastrasza perform a bit of important research on the black dragons. Though at first it seems as though Rhea's work is mundane, her ultimate plans are soon revealed.
Rheastrasza is attempting to find one purified, untainted black dragon egg. And she's successful, but the egg is in immediate danger. Deathwing doesn't want this egg to exist, and he'll do anything to get rid of it. The egg has been shuffled around constantly, hidden from Deathwing's sight -- a faint shred of hope in the post-Cataclysm world.
... unfortunately, nobody bothered asking the egg's opinion on the subject.
Today's Know Your Lore contains spoilers for the rogue legendary quest line.
Rheastrasza had only the best interests of the dragonflights at heart when she captured the black dragon Nyxondra, forcing her to produce eggs for Rhea's research. If Rhea could somehow find an untainted black dragon egg, it would mean that the black flight could continue to exist free from the corruption of the Old Gods. After all, the Red Dragonflight is all about the preservation of life; to wipe out every black dragon on the face of Azeroth is an action that flies in the face of their duty. But if the Red Dragonflight could somehow find a way to preserve the black dragons, it would mean that the Black Dragonflight would continue to live on, if with a slightly different perspective.
Deathwing was corrupted by the Old Gods, turned against his winged brethren back in the days of the War of the Ancients. The rest of his flight quickly followed suit -- and the maddened, chaotic mind of black dragons became a common trait of the flight. But what if a dragon could be produced free of that corruption, free of any influence of the Old Gods? What would a black dragon be, if it were free of Deathwing and the Old God's corruption?
The Red Dragonflight took the egg that Rhea nobly sacrificed her life for and hid it away at the Vermillion Redoubt in the Twilight Highlands. There, it would be kept safe until it hatched and the black dragon could be raised far from the eyes of his maddened father. But the egg abruptly disappeared. What Rheastrasza and the others failed to realize was one minor, irrefutable fact.
Black dragons as a whole are a bunch of incorrigible bastards.

Once at the manor, it didn't take long for the egg to hatch. Calling himself Wrathion, the one and only untainted and pure black dragon of his kind thought long and hard about his future. He didn't wish to be raised by a bunch of red dragons; he didn't wish to be in the spotlight at all. In fact, the only thing he really wanted was to be left alone, free to live his own life without having to worry about being some sort of shining example to black dragon society.
Though Rheastrasza and perhaps the rest of the Red Dragonflight had grand visions for Wrathion's future -- visions of a world in which the Black Dragonflight could repopulate free of the madness of Deathwing -- Wrathion's goals did not echo their sentiments. He could have been a savior of Azeroth, the new Aspect of Earth, or any other number of shining accomplishments, but Wrathion was far more interested in solitude. But first, there was the pesky matter of the Red Dragonflight trying to get him back that needed to be addressed.
Once the Red Dragonflight was warned away from any further meddling, Wrathion was then free to continue with his task -- or rather, free to assign someone else to do the dirty work for him. This is where rogues come into play. Wrathion's ultimate goal is to eliminate the last of Deathwing's family and live his life alone and unnoticed by any who would even think of looking for him. In payment for each successful elimination, Wrathion offers some surprisingly effective weapons for any rogue who completes the tasks.
The first target is a dragon disguised as a human using the name Creed. Creed disguised himself as a Gilnean and deluded a group of Gilneans into thinking they could take their land back. Not only this, but he's corrupted the humans of Gilneas with his essence, the very thing Wrathion is trying to prevent. And so capable rogues are sent in to sneak past the sentries and dispatch Creed as soon as possible. Once completed, Wrathion hands over a fine set of daggers, Fear and Vengeance. But that's not the end of Wrathion's plot.
Next, players are sent to the Dragon Soul raid to collect Shadowy Gems, faceted jewels that the Twilight's Hammer uses to control powerful elementals. Once collected, Wrathion sends rogues on to the next target, a familiar face for those who played through Wrath content: Nalice, formerly the ambassador of the Black Dragonflight to the Wyrmrest Accord.

From the Master's Cellar, Nalice is performing some sort of arcane experiments. Again, the details of these experiments are unclear at this point, but one can assume that if it has anything to do with the massive amount of power concentrated in and around Karazhan, there's nothing good to come of it. Once Nalice is defeated, Wrathion has one more target -- and one final task. His father, Deathwing, must be defeated, and the lucky rogue who manages to do so, live, and bring back a piece of Deathwing's shell is richly rewarded.
This is why the Fangs of the Father continually gain their strange appearance reminiscent of the Old Gods. Rogues aren't just building any daggers; they are building daggers infused with the essence of dragons that have been tainted by the Old Gods. Using that essence in conjunction with the daggers creates a product that is as deadly and tainted as the members of Deathwing's brood.
But Wrathion isn't all bad, for a black dragon. He could have gone out and slaughtered all the mortals who were working for Creed and for Nalice. Instead, he spares their lives, preferring to send in a rogue sneaky enough to get by all the mortal followers and strike at the heart of the corruption. Though he may be devious and conniving, Wrathion doesn't blame the mortals assisting these black dragons. He knows that they are simply under the influence of powers greater than their own and will revert back to their own destinies and their own lives when left to their own devices.

Though Rheastrasza's grand experiments didn't result in the savior of Azeroth, her work wasn't done in vain. Wrathion may wish to simply be left alone, but in the process, he managed to eliminate -- with some help, of course -- any last vestiges of Deathwing's corrupted flight on Azeroth. These final few black dragons weren't even considered as threats by the rest of the world that is completely focused on Deathwing's demise. Of course, there's still the matter of Baron Sablemane over on Draenor, but that's out of the scope of Wrathion's sight, and Sablemane is likely not worth caring about at this point anyway.
Wrathion is simply a black dragon -- not a savior, not a benevolent ruler, not an Aspect of Earth. After all is said and done, Wrathion takes his leave and presumably disappears into the sunset as the first and last of his kind. Deathwing's demise signals a new age, an age of mortals -- not an age where dragons will rise to power and glory. Thankfully, though Wrathion is as devious and cunning as any black dragon around, he seems to lack the lust for power and control that the others of his kind prized above all. In the end, this should probably be viewed as an asset.
For more information on related subjects, please look at these other Know Your Lore entries:
While you don't need to have played the previous Warcraft games to enjoy World of Warcraft, a little history goes a long way toward making the game a lot more fun. Dig into even more of the lore and history behind the World of Warcraft in WoW Insider's Guide to Warcraft Lore.
Wrathion is simply a black dragon -- not a savior, not a benevolent ruler, not an Aspect of Earth. After all is said and done, Wrathion takes his leave and presumably disappears into the sunset as the first and last of his kind. Deathwing's demise signals a new age, an age of mortals -- not an age where dragons will rise to power and glory. Thankfully, though Wrathion is as devious and cunning as any black dragon around, he seems to lack the lust for power and control that the others of his kind prized above all. In the end, this should probably be viewed as an asset.
For more information on related subjects, please look at these other Know Your Lore entries:
- Azeroth's savior and the Badlands
- The Black Dragonflight
- The Red Dragonflight
- Cataclysm's end
- Sinestra and the Night of the Dragon
- The Old Gods
While you don't need to have played the previous Warcraft games to enjoy World of Warcraft, a little history goes a long way toward making the game a lot more fun. Dig into even more of the lore and history behind the World of Warcraft in WoW Insider's Guide to Warcraft Lore.
Filed under: Lore, Know your Lore
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 4)
GrandOldDuke Dec 18th 2011 7:35PM
You can watch the ending cinematic by talking to the npc next to Deathwing's chin, which is hanging up by the Western Earthshrine in Orgrimmar (and presumably some other bit of him is to be found somewhere in Stormwind?). Though I think jongarcia has seen it, I'm just saying you don't have to go outside the game, or actually finish the raid, to see what happens.
Cheb Dec 18th 2011 8:12PM
Doh, that's what I get for staying up all night and only sleeping for 2 hours.
Still, if they're getting rid of all the other Aspects, I hope they keep them gone. The blues had to do a special star-gazing event to get their new Aspect, so who knows what the blacks would do? Lava-wrestling? Could they even reassign an Aspect if Sablemane and Wrathion are the only 2 left alive? Their votes would sort of cancel each other out.
xvkarbear Dec 18th 2011 7:22PM
I find Wrathion's desires reminiscent of a teenager.
Al Dec 18th 2011 7:31PM
Hey, he didn't ASK to be hatched!
Schadenfreude Dec 18th 2011 7:47PM
He just wants to be left alone, man, you know, go traveling, see the world, broaden his horiiizons, maaaaan.
LynMars Dec 18th 2011 8:11PM
Given he's a freshly hatched whelp, and Dragon minds seem more advanced earlier than humanoid ones, the teenager idea seems pretty accurate. He's rebelling against what Mama Alexstrasza and the others want for him (which is only the best!), but he's trying to figure himself out first. And wants to be left alone to do that.
Andres Dec 19th 2011 1:56AM
As a full-grown adult who hates being around other people, it seems pretty reasonable to me. He just wants to be left alone, and he's willing to do whatever he can to ensure that he will be. There's a long tradition of hermits and isolationists, misanthropes and social-anxiety-sufferers who'd agree with us too... Plus, he's cunning, patient and manipulative, using others to secure what he wants -- that demonstrates a degree of patience and forethought lacking in the vast majority of adolescents.
Task Dec 18th 2011 8:02PM
@Anne Stickney
Thank you again for another KYL article, especially about Wrathion. :)
Since all the Aspects are mortal, would it be implied that Wrathion is the last or 1 of the last immortal drakes?
I only ask because I don't think it was revealed if Wrathion's mother is still alive or not.
LynMars Dec 18th 2011 8:22PM
Wrathion's mother is Nyxondra, the black dragon from the Badlands chain, who you do eventually kill.
I think the Aspects have given up their immortality/uberpowers, becoming just powerful, older dragons. I don't think many, if any, of the others in the Flights were immortal or as specially powered (though seem rather long-lived). Wrathion may have some benefits to being uncorrupted, but I doubt he's immortal or any more long-lived than other normal dragons at this point.
vendeurfrancais Dec 19th 2011 2:33AM
theres mortal, and then theres mortal. dragons and elves are mortal, but they still live hundreds or thousands of years.
Killik Dec 19th 2011 5:48AM
Well, the elves were immortal when they lived for thousands of years. They've only recently been delivered what amounts to a death sentence when they sacrificed their immortality in Hyjal. Hmm. I suppose it's not unreasonable that a bunch of them, like Fandral, would go all Breaking Bad.
Evelinda Dec 18th 2011 8:18PM
So, i'd really like to know why the entire black dragonflight was corrupted. I mean, sure, deathwing was corrupted and went crazy, but why does that mean ALL the blacks were too? Malygos went nuts, and took most of his flight with him, but there were still blues who didn't side with him. And the entire orcish race wasn't corrupted when they drank demon blood, just most of them.
Now, I suppose you could argue that the corruption and madness instilled by the old gods runs deeper and is more insidious than others, but that seems kind of weak to me.
Is it stated anywhere why the whole flight followed deathwing?
LynMars Dec 18th 2011 8:23PM
I think it has to do with them being specifically Earth dragons and their connection to the depths of the world itself--where the Old Gods reside. Also, it seems like they aren't above killing other dragons if it serves their purposes; maybe relatives who didn't fall into the party line were eliminated?
VezRoth Dec 18th 2011 10:25PM
It is, yes. In the War of the Ancients books they mention that the Black Flight was nothing more than a shadow of Neltharion. As the aspect of the flight when he began to become corrupted it leaked out into the flight as a whole.
Pyromelter Dec 18th 2011 11:35PM
Compare it to Arthas. When he went to Northrend during the Third War, he had plenty of what you would call "uncorrupted" captains and lieutenants... who he subsequently kills and then raises as corrupted undead. As well as corrupting whole swaths of the continent with the vrykul, the ymirjar, the valkyr's, other heroes who died during the Wrath campaign, and even birthing/creating completely new corrupted servants.
Falric and Marwyn in the Halls of Reflection are the two specific captains you face-off against, for example.
Corrupt/villainous leaders in wow have ways to seemingly corrupt everyone and everything around them, whether it's illidan, sargeras, kael'thas, arthas, cho'gall, any of the old gods, or deathwing.
brighthammer Dec 19th 2011 1:09AM
I was under the impression that while not all of them were corrupted by the old gods, the ones that were killed the rest. I think I heard that somewhere in the lore or the old wowwiki site.
Artificial Dec 19th 2011 2:35PM
Both the blues and the orcs were corrupted very recently compared to the corruption of the black dragonflight. They had many millenia to hunt down any remaining uncorrupted members. In time, the same would have happened with the blues and orcs (or alternately, the uncorrupted would flee in exile and become their own race, like the Draenei).
Cadychan Dec 18th 2011 8:56PM
Also, I'm sorry, Wrathion's face just kills me. It's like something out of South Park. XD
Gordal Dec 19th 2011 11:20AM
The header image isn't exactly flattering either. It's like he has a broken jaw or something.
"Ah eed oo uh ill ah a-er. Oo ush eshdroy Eashing."
MacAndy Dec 19th 2011 1:39PM
I think it's pretty obvious - Wrathion's rebelling against his father.
He has no chin, because that's Deathwing's most recognizable feature.