Illidan Stormrage

"Betrayer... in truth, it was I who was betrayed. Still, I am hunted. Still, I am hated. Now, my blind eyes see what others cannot. That sometimes the hand of fate must be forced!"

- Illidan, in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.

Illidan Stormrage is a former Demon Hunter, transformed by incredible demonic power, and a villain from the Warcraft franchise. He is the supporting character in Warcraft III: Reign Of Chaos, a leading Anti-Hero and villain in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, one of the two main antagonists of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade.

Past


Illidan is born the identical twin brother of Malfurion Stormrage, though with amber eyes, which the night elves consider to be a mark of a great destiny, though it actually indicates great potential as a druid. As a youngster, Illidan attempts to master druidic energies like his brother, but sorcery appeals to him more. He eventually comes to serve Kur’talos Ravencrest, a Highborne military leader.

When Sargeras launches his invasion of Azeroth, Malfurion convinces Illidan to abandon his service to Queen Azshara and the Highborne. As the war progresses, Malfurion plans to destroy the Well of Eternity, much to Illidan’s anger as it is the source of his power and likely the source of the elves’ immortality. In addition to this, Illidan begins to become enamored by the powers of the Burning Legion, seeing a magical purity beneath their destructive actions. Xavius, a satyr, exploits this to turn him against the night elves and seek the power of the Burning Legion. Xavius is aided by the fact that Illidan has romantic feelings for Tyrande Whisperwind, but she already has chosen Malfurion as her mate. Convinced that if Malfurion would be slain, he could finally win Tyrande’s heart, Illidan planns to defeat the demons with their own power and goers to Zin-Azshari, where he pretends to swear himself to Azshara and Mannoroth, so he may obtain the Demon Soul, a powerful artifact that could close the demons’ portal.



Illidan is brought before Sargeras, who sees through his ruse, but finds him to be interesting. Sargeras "gifts" him by burning out his eyes and replacing them with orbs of fire that can visualize all forms of magic. Azshara becomes interested by Illidan, though she still sends captain Varo’then with him as he searches for the Demon Soul.

After the lands of Azeroth are torn asunder by the Great Sundering from the Well of Eternity’s destruction, Illidan takes seven vials of water from the Well of Eternity to the top of Mount Hyjal. Discovering a peaceful lake, he pours three of the vials into it, creating a new Well of Eternity. Illidan is soon discovered by Malfurion, Tyrande, and the rest of the night elf leaders. Malfurion attempts to convince Illidan of his folly, saying that the magic is chaotic and could bring destruction. But Illidan could not be reached, with his mind twisted by the magic’s power. Enraged by Illidan's obsession and misplaced belief that magic could defeat the Burning Legion, Malfurion has his brother imprisoned beneath Mount Hyjal, under the care of the Wardens, until the end of time.

Release and Transformation


10,000 years later, the Burning Legion launches a second invasion of Azeroth. Tyrande enters Illidan's prison and murders the Wardens. Upon the condition that he fights for the night elves once more, Tyrande frees him, much to Malfurion's chagrin.



While leading a night elf force into Felwood, Illidan encounters the Lich King's champion, Arthas, who mocks him for the demons' hold over him. Illidan and Arthas duel, but prove to be equally matched. Coming to a standstill, Arthas tells Illidan about the Skull of Gul’dan, a demonic artifact the arch dreadlord, Tichondrius, was using for corrupting the forests. Arthas explains that if it were to be destroyed, the forests’ corruption would cease and that it possesses incredible power, with his master knowing full well of Illidan's hunger for power.



Upon reaching the skull, Illidan decides to consume the powers for himself. Upon doing so, he is transformed into a demonic form and gains Gul'dan's memories. He makes short work of Tichondrius and his forces. Tyrande and Malfurion arrive and angrily reprimanded him. As such, Illidan is forever banished from the night elf lands.

Making New Allies


Following the Legion's defeat, Illidan is discovered by Kil'jaeden, who offers him one more chance to serve his cause. He is tasked him with destroying the Frozen Throne, as the Lich King had grown too powerful and rebellious for the demons to control. In exchange for his service, Illidan would be granted more power and magic than he could ever imagine. To aid him, Kil’jaeden gives Illidan the Orb of Kil'jaeden.

Illidan possessed the warlock's

Utilizing Gul'dan's memories, Illidan formulates a plan. He summons the Naga, the mutated former servants of Azshara, who are eager for revenge against the night elves and the others who had survived the Great Sundering. He soon, however, discovers that Warden Maiev Shadowsong is in hot pursuit of him. Illidan travels to the Broken Isles, the remains of Suramar that were raised by Gul'dan twenty years earlier, where he grew up and where the Tomb of Sargeras is located. Illidan enters the tomb with Maiev hot on his heels. Illidan finds the Eye of Sargeras, which he uses to stall Maiev and kill her servants.Malfurion and Tyrande arrive with reinforcements. Tyrande and Illidan face each other and she reveals the reason she chose Malfurion over him as that he forgot his inner strength due to his lust for magical power.

Illidan travels to Dalaran, where he plans to use the Eye of Sargeras to destroy Icecrown Glacier and the Lich King in the process. However, Malfurion, Maiev and Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider of the blood elves interrupt the spell's ritual, causing the Eye of Sargeras to explode. In the grips of his enemies, Illidan reveals his plans for destroying the Lich King, to which Malfurion reveals that Maiev told him Tyrande was torn apart. Illidan is shocked and broken upon hearing this, but Kael'thas Sunstrider reveals that Tyrande was merely swept downstream, as opposed to Maiev’s lie. Enraged at Maiev's duplicity, Malfurion ensnares her and agrees to team up with his brother and his naga to save Tyrande.



Illidan personally saves Tyrande and reunites her with Malfurion. After Malfurion gives a final warning, Illidan bids a final, fond farewell and departs for Outland, the remnants of the orc homeworld of Draenor. Hot on his tracks, however, is Maiev, who leads a contingent through his dimensional portal.

Lord of Outland


Knowing that Kil’Jaeden would be after him, Illidan decides to flee to Outland, where he could cut off access from the Burning Legion. However he is soon captured by Maiev, who intends to return him to the Barrow Deeps beneath Mount Hyjal. But Illidan is soon rescued by Kael and Lady Vashj's blood elves and naga. He reveals his plans to rid Outland of demonic influence so Kil’jaeden could not find him, which would require usurping the current Lord of Outland, the Pit Lord Magtheridon. As such, Illidan closes the dimensional gates Magtheridon used to summon demonic reinforcements, while also aiding Akama of the Broken Draenei in fighting off fel orcs attacking his village.



The combined strength of the blood elves, naga and Broken Draenei is enough to defeat Magtheridon, who is imprisoned beneath the Hellfire Citadel for use of his powerful blood.



However, Kil’jaeden immediately appears and chastises Illidan for trying to evade him. Illidan claims to merely have been trying to gather his forces for another attack on the Frozen Throne. Though skeptical, Kil’Jaeden acknowledges that his new allies show promise. Thus, Illidan is given a final opportunity to serve.

Spooked, Illidan leads his forces to Northrend, making their way to the Icecrown Glacier. However, Arthas returns to Northrend to save his master, as well as complete the plan he set in motion from the beginning. Illidan arrives at Icecrown just as Arthas and Anub'Arak do and their forces battle for control of four mystical obelisks needed to open the way to the Frozen Throne.



Arthas ultimately succeedes, but Illidan refuses to surrender and the two engage in one final duel. Arthas slices open Illidan's chest, incapacitating him. The wounded and defeated Illidan is brought back to Outland, where his failure causes him to go insane.

Death


Illidan knows Kil’Jaeden would not ignore his failure and as such, spends years preparing for an attack by the Burning Legion. He fashions himself into an oppressive dictator who becomes extremely unpopular to peaceful inhabitants of Outland. He created new fel orcs using blood from Magtheridon and works to ensure all the portals in Outland remain sealed. Recognizing Shattrath City as a bastion of opposition, Illidan launches an attack against them. However, the unprovoked attack causes numerous blood elves to leave the Illidari and join the Naaru.

As the Alliance and Horder campaign against Illidan, he presents himself on several occasions. Eventually, heroes of both the Alliance and the Horde are ordered to enter the Black Temple to kill Illidan. Akama aids them, having set out to end the fallen night elf’s tyranny to the point that he even joins forces with Maiev Shadowsong. The heroes, Akama, and Maiev engaged Illidan in battle and manage to finally slay him. Illidan replies that the huntress is nothing without her prey.

Following Illidan's death, Maiev returns to Azeroth with the corpses of Illidan and his Illidari commanders. Maiev seals the bodies and souls away in the Vault of the Wardens, so that her prey would suffer eternal torment as mean spirits.

Resurrection
Following the merging of the old Draenor timeline with the current Azeroth timeline, Gul'dan, now an active agent of the Burning Legion, infiltrates the Vault of the Wardens. Discovering Illidan's corpse trapped in stasis, Gul'dan reanimates the fallen Demon Hunter to serve the Legion once more.

Abilities
Illidan is extremely powerful, thanks to his study of magic and absorption of demonic energies. He wields a set of demonically charged warblades, the Twin Blades of Azzinoth, and uses demonic power to augment his combat skill. Illidan can use arcane, fire, shadow, and demonic magic, which allows him to drain life from enemies, send out bursts of fire, and summon parasitic shadow fiends. Illidan can also transform into a more powerful shadow demon form, where he can attack with demonic meteor like projectiles.

Trivia

 * Illidan’s blades originally had panda like faces on them in Warcraft III, which became more ferocious and evil after his transformation due to the Skull of Gul’Dan.
 * Since Illidan is seen in a normal night elf form when speaking with Kil’Jaeden, it is most likely possible that his new demonic base form is the result of further empowerment from Kil’Jaeden.
 * At one point, Illidan wrote a book called “The Emerald Dream: Fact or Carefully Planned Out Farce Perpetrated By My Brother.” This book is part of quest in World of Warcraft for druids.
 * At the time of release for World of Warcraft, Illidan was declared the most powerful NPC and when Blizzard was asked where he was, they replied, “He was shy.”
 * Illidan and Malfurion were originally identical in appearance, except for their hair and eye color. However their transformations have made them much easier to tell them apart.
 * In the original Warcraft RPG, Illidan was listed in the sorcerer and fighter class, but this was changed to mage and warrior in the World of Warcraft RPG. In the novels, he is called a sorcerer.