| “ | The Horde is made up of orcs, forsaken, tauren, trolls, blood elves, and most recently, goblins. Misunderstood and cast aside, these diverse and powerful races strive to overcome their differences and unite as one in order to win freedom for their people and prosper in a land that has come to hate them. In the Horde, action and strength are valued above diplomacy, and its leaders earn respect by the blade, wasting no time with politics. The brutality of the Horde's champions is focused, giving a voice to those who fight for survival. | „ |
| ~ The Horde's description |
| “ | We came to this world as exiles and outcasts, but together, we can be more. A weapon to break the chains of oppression. A bastion for the hunted and the lost. A family bound by blood and honor. And if our enemies do not give us peace, we will give them war. Victory or death - this I pledge as your Warchief. Until the end of days, I live and die, FOR THE HORDE!. | „ |
| ~ Thrall describing the Horde. |
The Horde, also formerly known as the Old Horde or Orcish Horde and currently known as the New Horde or Thrall's Horde, is an organization who serves as the one of the two main protagonists from the Warcraft franchise.
It is one of the two major political factions alongside the Alliance, to which they have been traditionally at war with. They were led by a Warchief until Sylvanas Windrunner abandoned that position leaving the Horde Council as the current governing body with each member representing their respective species.
Driven by unity, the Horde consists of a coalition of disparate races and cultures loosely joined in an alliance of convenience against a hostile world that would see them destroyed. It is a faction led by off-worlders and composed of outsiders, the Horde has survived the obstacles of Azeroth by bonding together, fighting as family, comrades, or even uneasy allies. They are focused, ferocious, and sometimes monstrous, the Horde values strength and honor and is relentlessly opposed to any who threaten the ideals of freedom and hope, but struggles to keep aggression in check.
During Garrosh Hellscream's reign, the Horde was plunged into a state of civil war, divided between Hellscream's pan-orc government that he referred to as the "True Horde" and the Darkspear Rebellion, comprised of the remaining Horde races, as well as orcs that have decided to oppose Garrosh, under the leadership of Vol'jin. After the Siege of Orgrimmar upon the defeat of Garrosh, Vol'jin was chosen as the new Warchief of the Horde with every leader supporting the choice, even Thrall himself. This also marks the first time, when the Warchief's position was held by a person that isn't an orc, signifying a sense of unity between all the member races of the Horde, in Vol'jin's own words - "The Horde is a family". Following the disastrous Battle for Broken Shore at the start of the third invasion of the Burning Legion, Sylvanas Windrunner was named the new Warchief by a dying Vol'jin, who with his last breath said that she must step out of the shadows to lead them.
History[]
In World of Warcraft, the conflict is not a black and white one; both the Alliance and Horde see each-other as utterly evil (due to Demonization and acts of aggression by rogue members of both factions). Both factions are either at war with each other, engaged in a cold war against each other, or under an uneasy peace treaty that can be broken at anytime. And ultimately, each side has committed war crimes against the other.
The Alliance think of the Horde as brutal barbarians who would ravage and destroy their lands due to the acts of corrupt Orcs and Undead - (in the original Warcraft mythos Orcs and Humans were bitter enemies and despite new leadership they still distrust one another due to prejudice and injustice on both sides).
The Horde think the Alliance are arrogant tyrants who consider themselves superior to them whilst viewing the Horde races as sub creatures. As such the Horde worry that the Alliance would hunt them down and destroy them.
The reality is that each of these perspectives have truth to them: certain members from the Alliance and Horde races have wronged each other and because of that there has been mistrust between them, often blaming all for the actions of a few. The only things that can bring peace between these two factions are mutual enemies such as the Burning Legion (who manipulated the conflicts between the Alliance and the Horde in the first place).
Working Together[]
| “ | I see now why your Alliance and your Horde cannot stop fighting. Every reprisal is itself an act of aggression, and every act of aggression triggers immediate reprisal. | „ |
| ~ Taran Zhu |
Despite their hostilities, both sides have worked together amongst greater threats, such as The Burning Legion, The Lich King, Deathwing, and Garrosh Hellscream. Both sides have also shown signs of respect for one another and both sides have made attempts to peace. By Warlords of Draenor, the Alliance and Horde still have some tension but by now it is mostly a cold war status. However, aside from skirmishes (PVP), both sides are working together to bring down the Iron Horde. By Legion, both sides work together with the Kirin Tor, the army of the light and the newly allied Demon Hunters to stop the Legion's crusade and managed to eventually with the help of a big group of adventurers take down the corrupted core of Argus itself, eventually ending the Burning Legion for good.
Horde as villains[]
- The First War, which began with Orcs invading Azeroth, going on an unprovoked campaign of pillaging and destruction, and utterly destroying several human settlements, such as Grand Hamlet and Sunnyglade.
- Hellscream was a tyrant who tried to rule Azeroth, he was a tyrant amongst the Horde and he kidnapped Pandaren cubs to force neutral Pandaren to join the Horde. In the end, both the Alliance and the Horde work together to defeat him.
- Demon-corrupted Orcs destroyed many Human cities (such as during the aforementioned First War).
- Orcs killed many Draenei during their bloodlust.
- The Forsaken invaded Gilneas.
- While there are Goblins that are heroic, there are also Goblins that are known to be greedy when it comes to money.
- Some Blood Elves worked to destroy the Draenei.
- Hellscream had the Sunreavers steal the Divine Bell, and because Jaina was still traumatized by the destruction of Theramore, completely destroyed Jaina's hope for peace and made her hate the Horde and caused her to purge Dalaran of the Horde influence.
- Under Sylvanas Windrunner, the Horde launched unexpected attacks on Darnassus and Teldrassil, completely destroying them and killing any and all civilians who could not escape either in time. This started a new wave of warfare between the Alliance and the Horde, though it also prompted many members of the Horde to break away in disgust, dividing the Horde into two factions.
Horde's respect for the Alliance[]
- Baine and Anduin became friends and thus the Tauren protected the young prince.
- Some members of the Horde were disgusted by the destrucion of Theramore.
- Thrall has limited respect for the Alliance, even if his past means he can't trust them fully - he is at least willing to try and co-exist with them and doesn't hate them fully. (which is more than can be said for Garrosh or other radicals in the Horde).
- During Patch 5.3 Escalation, Vol'jin accepted help from the Alliance to obtain supplies from the Kor'kron.
- The Horde tried to assist the Alliance during the Wrathgate attack.
- The Darkspear Trolls went to Stormwind to warn the Alliance about the plans of the Zandalari.
- During Garrosh's reign, the Blood Elves considered rejoining the Alliance. When Jaina kicked the Sunreavers out of Dalaran, the Blood Elves held Garrosh just as responsible for their exile as much as they held Jaina responsible.
Members[]
Old Horde[]
- Shadow Council
- Gul'dan - Founder / Secret Warchief of the Old Horde
- Cho'gall - Chieftain of the Twilight's Hammer Clan
- Kargath Bladefist - Chieftain of the Shattered Hand Clan
- Teron Gorefiend
- Blackhand the Destroyer - Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan / First Warchief of the Old Horde (deceased)
- Orgrim Doomhammer - Second-In-Command of the Blackrock Clan (formerly) / Second and Final Warchief of the Old Horde
- Ner'zhul - Chieftain of the Shadowmoon Clan
- Zuluhead the Whacked - Chieftain of the Dragonmaw Clan (formerly, deceased)
- Nekros Skullcrusher - Second-In-Command of the Dragonmaw Clan (formerly, deceased)
- Overlord Mor'ghor - Second-In-Command of the Dragonmaw Clan
- Zul'jin - Chieftain of the Amani Tribe
New Horde[]
- Thrall - Founder / First Warchief of the New Horde (abdicated)
- Garrosh Hellscream - Chieftain of the Warsong Clan / Second Warchief of the New Horde (deceased)
- Baine Bloodholf - High Chieftain of the Tauren
- Shadowhunter Vol'jin - Leader of the Darkspear Trolls / Third Warchief of the New Horde (deceased)
- Sylvanas Windrunner - Queen of the Forsaken / Fourth and Final Warchief of the New Horde
- Trade Prince Gallywix - Leader of the Bilgewater Cartel
- Grand Apothecary Putress - Grand Apothecary of the Royal Apothecary Society
- General Nazgrim
- Malkorok - Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan
- Warlord Zaela - Chieftain of the Dragonmaw Clan
- Overlord Krom'gar
External Links[]
- The Horde on the Heroes Wiki
- The Horde on the Warcraft Wiki
- Old Horde on the Warcraft Wiki
[]
 Villains
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Mainstream The Horde Old Horde/Iron Horde
Knights of the Ebon Blade Illidan's followers True Horde Pandaria The Void/Black Empire Scarlet Crusade Burning Legion Dragonflights Elementals Shadowlands
Other
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