Favorite Villains

A good villain can really make or break the plot in a video game.  Villains help motivate players to mow down masses of enemies to finally reach the evil masterminds.  I'm going to spend the next few entries discussing some of my favorite video game villains.

Villain #1--Arthas Menethil

Arthas by namesjames on DeviantArt.  Cool!

If you've played Warcraft III or World of Warcraft, you're familiar with this infamous baddie.  If you've only played WoW you might not know the full story behind the evil figure who controls a legion of the undead and who sits on the frozen throne in Icecrown Citadel.  Arthas was the crown prince of Lordaeron and was a beacon of hope for the people in his kingdom.  When he turned nineteen, Arthas became a member of the elite Knights of the Silver Hand.  As a member of this organization he became an apprentice to the famed paladin Uther Lightbringer.  Events start to unfold and Arthas is sent to investigate a plague that has broken out in parts of Lordaeron.  He eventually discovers the source of the plague and kills the necromancer who helped spread it through plagued grain.  Unfortunately, the plague continues to spread-- Arthas learns that the city of Stratholme is infected.  This is where things really start to unravel for the prince.  He decides that the best decision is to kill all the inhabitants of the city to prevent further spread of the infection.  Uther Lightbringer objects to this plan so Arthas expels him and the Knights of the Silver Hand.

While killing off the many residents of Stratholme, Arthas meets the demon lord Mal'Ganis and learns that he is responsible for spreading the plague.  Arthas swears that he will hunt Mal'Ganis to the ends of the earth.  It's from here that Mal'Ganis escapes to the icy wasteland of Northrend.  Arthas doggedly pursues him.  It's in Northrend that Arthas finds the legendary blade known as Frostmourne.  What he doesn't know is that this blade is cursed and that even though it will grant him immeasurable power he will fall under it's sway..  But it's already too late for him--the sword begins speaking to him (hearing voices in your head is bad) and he seems to be slowly going insane.  He eventually returned to Lordaeron and was welcomed as a triumphant hero.  It's here that Frostmourne speaks and tells him to slay his own father in order to seize power.

After seizing power in Lordaeron, Arthas has fully become a death knight and dedicated himself to the undead scourge. Then he makes the decision to merge with the Lich King and take over the Frozen Throne placing himself at the king of the undead forces.

Good guy turned bad makes for a really great villain.