The Wrath of the Lich King cinematic is one of the most anticipated in all of World of Warcraft. The cinematic is both new and old, combining old and new. In it, the Wrath of the Lich King character Garrosh travels back in time to stop the corrupting of the Draenor Orcs. In the alternate timeline, the Orcs are conquerors, instead of slaves.

Sylvanas Windrunner

You’ve probably seen the many World of Warcraft cinematics, but have you seen Sylvanas Windrunner? Despite being the current Warchief, this character has only appeared in a handful of cutscenes. Recently, Wowhead published a datamined version of a cinematic showcasing Sylvanas. While the video contains spoilers for both the movie and the game, it is well worth checking out.

One of the most memorable Sylvanas Windrunner cinematics is a version of her character’s history in Warcraft 3. This version, the Banshee Queen, splits her soul in Warcraft 3, and her Ranger General half struggles to understand her Banshee Queen self. Uther, a priest of the goddess Angrath, helps Sylvanas come to terms with her actions and helps her become a useful hero for the heroes of Azeroth.

Arthas Menethil

There are many different types of cinematics in World of Warcraft, but none of them are as memorable as the one for Arthas Menethil, the crown prince of Lordaeron. The character is well known for his betrayal and corruption, and many players cite this character as a great example of Blizzard storytelling. While the story of Arthas dates back to Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, the game has expanded upon his story. As a paladin, he was trained by Uther, the lightbringer, and he was later inducted into the order of the silver hand. Arthas had a romantic relationship with Sorceress Jaina proudmoore.

In the final cinematic of the game, we see Arthas bringing the Frostmourne blade into battle against Mal’Ganis’ army. Arthas is defeated, leaving behind his soldiers and remnants of his sanity. Arthas’s savior, Terenas, then tells Arthas that his voice belonged to the Lich King.

Arthas’ legacy in World of Warcraft

The first part of Arthas’ story is arguably the most infamous in the game, but the character also bears several other names. He is known for his war against the elves, which he began when he killed his old teacher in Andorhal. After defeating the elven resistance led by Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, Arthas took his revenge by corrupting his spirit and turning it into an undead banshee. He also destroyed the elven city of Silvermoon and brought the Lich King to the edge of destruction.

As of this writing, Blizzard has no plans to revisit the story of Arthas. However, a post-Anduin cinematic shows what Arthas does in the Shadowlands, and that may prove to be one of the most memorable parts of the Shadowlands. While the character arc of Sylvanas has been somewhat underdeveloped, his role in the game’s development is noteworthy. Despite the lack of a believable redemption arc, Arthas is one of the few WoW baddies to be given a proper development and feel like a legitimate enemy.

The Queen’s Gift

In the new patch, The Queen’s Gift, the Winter King and Tyrande’s relationship is shown to have evolved into a new cinematic. It depicts the Winter Queen and Tyrande’s conversation and reveals a plot point. Watch the video to learn more. Anduin’s relationship with Sylvanas is also touched upon. The two characters are unsure of each other’s intentions.

Sylvanas’ cinematic centers on the former High Elf Ranger General and Banshee Queen versions of the same character. Her soul is split into two in the Warcraft 3 expansion and she is struggling with which half of her soul is Banshee Queen and which half is Ranger General. The new cinematic shows that Sylvanas is able to reconcile her past actions and has a chance to help the heroes of Azeroth.

The Jailer

You may be wondering what The Jailer in World of Warcraft is all about. While he may seem like a logical stepping stone to a more powerful baddy, it’s not always clear what his real intentions are. It turns out that he’s been rewriting the truth for eons, and in this World of Warcraft cinematic, you’ll learn exactly what that means.

There are many reasons for the character’s fate, but the most compelling is that he’s an abomination of all the First Ones. That, and his wrath against the world, despite his good deeds, has stifled any hope of redemption for his brothers. However, the Jailer’s death – as he’s now called, “the Automa” – is not always the best ending.