Arthas and the Dreadlords

[SalvatorThenorium]

Considering that the dreadlords — seasoned agents of the Burning Legion — already possessed vast knowledge of necromancy, mental manipulation, and political influence over the human kingdoms, along with direct access to demonic power and the Lich King (Ner'zhul) himself, was Arthas Menethil truly essential for the Legion's invasion to succeed? Or was he merely a disposable pawn, a manipulable instrument that conveniently advanced a plan the Nathrezim could have executed through other means, with different champions or strategies? — This question came to me after revisiting the Undead campaign... and honestly, everything Arthas did (or could have done) was something any dreadlord could have accomplished in his place. It really makes me think that Arthas was just a major pawn in the grand scheme of things — something clearly written into the script.

 

[deepstrasz]

Arthas was Ner'zhul's way out of the ice prison.

 

[SalvatorThenorium]

Arthas was Ner'zhul's way out of the ice prison.

Exactly, that's my point. The nathrezim are consistently portrayed as highly intelligent beings — master manipulators and schemers who operate from the shadows. Yet, throughout the story, they’re deceived in such simplistic ways that it undermines the very traits they were given. Take Arthas and Kel’Thuzad, both before and after the Frozen Throne — how did the nathrezim not know that Archimonde had died and the Legion’s invasion had failed? How did they miss Arthas’s true intentions with Kel’Thuzad from the beginning? This kind of oversight contradicts everything we’re told about them, and for me, it always felt like a break in character that just never sat right. — Like in the second mission of the Undead campaign — Tichondrius is just sitting in a village doing absolutely nothing to assist Arthas in any meaningful way. I know he gives an explanation in the same cutscene, but it still doesn’t make any real sense. The nathrezim, during the main storyline of the Undead campaign — where they’re supposedly key players on the front lines — are almost completely sidelined by the devs. It feels like their presence was an afterthought, which is disappointing given their established importance.

 

[deepstrasz]

They are not most intelligent of all. Ner'zhul and Kel'thuzad outsmarted them. Most were busy with the invasion. Mal'ganis was quickly eliminated since he was the nearest to the Lich King and directly involved with the plague. A question is why didn't the Legion do anything about that as we then see Arthas as a Death Knight talking to Tichondrious, taking orders but still. I think, as we can see in the Frozen Throne with Varimathras, that they have their own interests as well. They're devils, basically not to be confided in, treacherous.
I guess it's how the writer(s) wanted it to be, somehow the distance between Kalimdor and Azeroth being big and the Legion not having a proper intercontinental communication means. Remember that to talk to Archimonde, Kel'thuzad used a portal. Yeah, it was between planets/realms but still, something similar could be valid in the dreadlords' case.
Tichondrious did not have to do petty work. He was a commander. We see him closer to important stuff in Kalimdor when Illidan eliminates him.
It's true that the Dreadlord, is the only melee hero we don't play with/as in any of the campaigns. So, there might actually be some truth to what you wrote. Perhaps, stuff was rushed or scrapped.

 

[SalvatorThenorium]

They are not most intelligent of all. Ner'zhul and Kel'thuzad outsmarted them. Most were busy with the invasion. Mal'ganis was quickly eliminated since he was the nearest to the Lich King and directly involved with the plague. A question is why didn't the Legion do anything about that as we then see Arthas as a Death Knight talking to Tichondrious, taking orders but still. I think, as we can see in the Frozen Throne with Varimathras, that they have their own interests as well. They're devils, basically not to be confided in, treacherous.
I guess it's how the writer(s) wanted it to be, somehow the distance between Kalimdor and Azeroth being big and the Legion not having a proper intercontinental communication means. Remember that to talk to Archimonde, Kel'thuzad used a portal. Yeah, it was between planets/realms but still, something similar could be valid in the dreadlords' case.
Tichondrious did not have to do petty work. He was a commander. We see him closer to important stuff in Kalimdor when Illidan eliminates him.
It's true that the Dreadlord, is the only melee hero we don't play with/as in any of the campaigns. So, there might actually be some truth to what you wrote. Perhaps, stuff was rushed or scrapped.

Exactly... that's what I was about to bring up. The only nathrezim who truly fulfilled his role effectively was Mal'Ganis. He was directly responsible for planting the seeds of corruption in Arthas, leading him down a path of vengeance that would eventually result in his downfall. Didn't any of the other dreadlords — like Tichondrius, Balnazzar, Detheroc, or Varimathras — miss Mal'Ganis? The one who started it all in the lands of Lordaeron? Did they not even question Arthas about it? Were they unaware of his death? I've never found any answers to that...

 

[deepstrasz]

We are probably delving too intellectually deep into a video game's story.