Lore of Hearthstone, Episode #22 - Alternate Heroes

I completely forgot to about the alternate heroes, so um... yeah, here we go!

For any other hero introduced after this batch, I'll be retroactively adding them here, due to the length of the expansion articles. I previously did that, and while it worked well for some heroes that are clearly meant to tie in to their expansion, some are clearly just meant to be little 'bonuses' that have nothing to do with their debut expansion.

I left some of these heroes that were obvious tie-ins in the expansion they showed up in. Arthas is covered with the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, Medivh in One Night in Karazhan, Mecha-Jaraxxus with the Boomsday Project expansion, King Rastakhan with Rastakhan's Rumble, Madame Lazul with Rise of Shadows, and both Lady Vashj and Aranna Starseeker with Ashes of Outland. Since this article was written before Maiev or Khadgar became cards, I'll keep both of them here. 

We covered Sylvanas, Deathwing, Elise, Kel'Thuzad, N'Zoth, Ragnaros and Katrana/Onyxia before as collectible cards. 

Alleria Windrunner, the Ranger:

Alleria Windrunner is one of the main heroes in Warcraft II, specifically the expansion, Beyond the Dark Portal. Alleria is a high elf and the eldest child of the famed ranger-general Lireesa Windrunner. Her younger sisters Sylvanas and Vereesa would go on to become famous members of the Horde and Alliance respectively (and we had a huge piece on Sylvanas in the Classic section), but neither of them were as prominent as Alleria during the Second War. Alleria distinguished herself during the ancient Troll Wars, and was expected by many to succeed her mother as ranger-general of Silvermoon, Alleria was more of a trailblazer, and instead chose to become a Farstrider, a group of rangers that specialize in dealing with matters outside of high elven territory. During the initial volleys of the Second War (Warcraft II), Alleria was one of the few high-ranking high elves who believed that the Horde would present a far greater threat than just a nuisance the humans can deal with, and went against orders to aid the human Alliance in battling the Old Horde. During this war, the Horde, seeking aid from the high elves' ancient enemy, the Amani jungle trolls, managed to raze large amounts of high elven territory. In no small part due to Alleria's own efforts, the Grand Alliance was able to shatter the Horde forces in Silvermoon, but Alleria's youngest brother Lirath was killed in the process. This caused Alleria to have a burning hatred against the orcs, and dedicated herself to revenge, seeing members of the Horde as nothing but vermin. She would befriend the human paladin Turalyon and the human mage Khadgar during this period, becoming romantically involved with Turalyon. Their relationship would result in a son, Arator, one of the few known half-elves in Azeroth.

Alleria would lead her Farstriders into human lands, hunting down the remnants of the Old Horde that did not surrender. She would be contacted by Khadgar during the events of Beyond the Dark Portal, when they learned that the Dark Portal that connected Azeroth and the orcish homeworld of Draenor is stirring. Alleria would accompany Turalyon, Khadgar and other heroes like Danath Trollbane and Kurdran Wildhammer through the Dark Portal. In-game, Alleria is a hero version of the 'Elven Ranger' unit. In Draenor, Alleria would learn that there is far more to the quest to Draenor than just vengeance and killing, and would relinquish her hate, and rekindle her once-strained relationship with Turalyon. She would accompany Turalyon and Khadgar in facing off against the black dragon aspect Deathwing, and reclaim the powerful artifact known as the Skull of Gul'dan from him. Alleria is involved in the final defense of the Dark Portal, and witnessed its destruction, while she and the other heroes willingly allowed themselves to be trapped on Draenor to shut down the portal. As Draenor crumbled and shattered, Alleria, Turalyon and Khadgar jumped through another portal, letting fate decide where they will go next.

Throughout Warcraft III and a huge chunk of World of Warcraft, the heroes of the second war were presumed dead, and massive statues are erected of them in the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind City. While other heroes of the second war like Danath Trollbane and Khadgar would turn up over the course of WoW, no sign of Turalyon and Alleria's survival or death were found.

Alleria Windrunner would finally make her return in World of Warcraft: Legion, one of the newest expansions in WoW. Her bow, Thas'dorah, was the artifact weapon for Marksmanship Hunters in Legion, although Alleria herself would not appear until near the end of Legion. Her story and Turalyon's would be told in a series of audiobooks leading up to the update that re-introduced them, and it's revealed that after jumping through the portal, they ended up on another part of Draenor. They would be found by Lothraxion, a Nathrezim member who had turned his back on the Burning Legion and joined the Army of the Light -- an army of beings gathered by the Naaru Xe'ra to fight for the Light against the Burning Legion. Alleria and Turalyon were told that the Light had a destiny for them, and after learning about the true nature of the Burning Legion and demons, they worked as part of the Army of the Light. While Turalyon was relatively content to obey the Light, being a paladin, Alleria was far more pragmatic and wished to see her son Arator, and attempted to convince Xe'ra to send them to Azeroth to rally the different nations.

However, Alleria was convinced otherwise by Xe'ra, who told her of their destiny to discover an 'emerald star' that would destroy the Burning Legion. Turalyon would be infused with Light by Xe'ra, granting him effective immortality. Alleria would assist the Army of the Light in raiding Legion worlds, and in one such raid, Alleria would arrive on a world where all the demons were permanently dead due to the powers of the Void (a.k.a. the Shadow, for priests out there). Alleria's exposure to the Void caused her to experience visions, and she was fascinated as to the usage of Void as a weapon against the Burning Legion. Turalyon and Xe'ra forbade her attempts to use Void energies against the Burning Legion's chaotic forces, but Alleria managed to learn a fair bit about the Void from Lothraxion. Alleria and Turalyon had time pass differently for them, and while it has been mere 20 years in Azeroth since the Second War, they had fought for the Army of the Light for close to 500 years.

In secret, Alleria was contacted by a powerful ethereal practitioner of the Void, called Locus-Walker. Disguising her visions from the Void as visions from the Light, Alleria led a mission to the Burning Legion homeworld of Argus, telling no one but her husband Turalyon about the true nature of her visions. Alleria and Turalyon would discover the truth about the Emerald Star within Argus -- it was the soul of a Titan, and it was what allowed the demonic souls to regenerate after death. Their army was routed by demons and Turalyon was nearly killed. A desperate Alleria called upon the powers of the Void to rescue her husband, and they narrowly escaped -- although Turalyon, a being of Light, recoiled at what Alleria has became. Alleria would then go on her own, tracking down Locus-Walker, and becoming a prisoner in the Legion-controlled world Niskara to learn how to control her void powers. While initially overwhelmed by the powers of the Void -- which, unlike the strict path that the Light showed its followers, instead showed many, many alternate paths and possible futures -- Alleria realized that neither Light nor Void is actually evil, but simply different pathways. Before her training was over, though, Alleria was forced to abandon Locus-Walker to rescue Turalyon from an eredar assassin. While she rescued Turalyon and killed the eredar, the naaru Xe'ra ordered the imprisonment of Alleria for using the Void. Despite their differing powers, Turalyon and Alleria refused to leave each other.

Alleria would first encounter the adventurers in WoW when they arrived on Argus, aiding her husband and the Army of the Light in defeating the demon Aggonar. She was reunited with her husband Turalyon and her son Arator abroad a draenei ship. She would also encounter her sister Vereesa Windrunner, a member of the Alliance, and was shocked to learn that her other sister Sylvanas was warchief of the Horde. Despite her misgivings with Xe'ra, she assisted Turalyon and adventurers in restoring the naaru, and was present when the demon hunter Illidan Stormrage killed Xe'ra for trying to turn him into a being of Light. During the Argus campaign, Alleria would go alongside several adventurers to do battle with a darkened naaru, L'ura, and her army of Shadowguard ethereals. She would meet her mentor Locus-Walker, and together they would see Alleria as she slaughtered the void revenant Nhal'athoth, and Alleria was instructed to consume its heart. Alleria would then do battle with the dark naaru L'ura, and Alleria would use her Void powers to drain L'ura and kill him, transforming herself into a Void Elf. Locus-Walker would then instruct Alleria how to control her new form without it consuming her. She notes how she has much to ponder with her newfound powers. In Battle for Azeroth, WoW's newest expansion, Alleria would return to the Alliance and would be the presumed leader of the Void Elves, a group of Void-wielding elves that joined the Alliance during this conflict.

Magni Bronzebeard, King of the Dwarves:

King Magni Bronzebeard is the king of the dwarves, ruling from his throne in Ironforge. He's mentioned in manuals of Warcraft II and unit dialogue in Warcraft III, although he would not make a physical appearance until World of Warcraft. Magni Bronzebeard was eldest of the three Bronzebeard brothers (his younger brothers being Brann and Muradin), and was heralded as King Under of the Mountain, much beloved by the dwarves of Ironforge. Magni was also one of the founders of the Explorer's League, even if he doesn't have much time to actually explore Azeroth due to his duties as king. Magni distinguished himself during the Second War, leading both Bronzebeard and Wildhammer dwarves during the Siege of Ironforge. When the Alliance of Lordaeron came to help liberate Ironforge from the forces of the Old Horde, Magni and the dwarves pledged his kingdom's support to the Alliance. During the Third War, Magni was not involved, but learned of his brother Muradin's death. During this period of mourning, Magni poured his anger and grief into the forging of a weapon as commissioned by the human paladin Alexandros Mograine, creating the mighty weapon known as Ashbringer. It's also known that during the Third War, the wandering pandaren brewmaster Chen Stormstout would befriend Magni.

During the events of World of Warcraft, Magni Bronzebeard would remain as leader of the dwarves, and would allow the gnomish survivors of the disastrous Leper Gnome invasion in Gnomeregan refuge in Ironforge. Magni is a quest-giver for the Alliance during this period, although he had to deal with much pain. In addition to the politics and war that the Alliance faced, his other brother Brann went missing during this period of time (he would later reappear in Wrath of the Lich King, alive and well), and his estranged daughter Moira Bronzebeard was seemingly kidnapped by the Dark Iron Dwarves of Blackrock Mountain, a tribe of dwarves that has often been at odds with the Bronzebeard and Wildhammer factions. Magni, who had desired a male heir, was unintentionally unsympathetic to his daughter Moira, and had alienated his own daughter. When he believed his daughter was kidnapped, put under a spell and forcibly married by the dark iron emperor, Dagran Thaurissan, Magni dispatched adventurers to slay Thaurissan. However, the adventurers who slew Thaurissan would learn the truth that the marriage between Thaurissan and Moira was in fact done out of love, and by commissioning Thaurissan's death, Magni and Moira became even more estranged.

Statue!Magni (Cataclysm)

In Wrath of the Lich King, Magni Bronzebeard would send adventurers to create an artifact made by a Naaru's Light, and when word reached him that his brother Muradin (presumed to be killed by Arthas during the Third War) and Brann (who was exploring Ulduar) has survived, Magni would personally travel to Northrend and arrive in Frosthold, helping the amnesiac Muradin to recover his memory.

Prior to the Cataclysm, the unrest within Azeroth's earth caused Magni and the Explorer's League o look up tablets from the Titans, for the dwarves were direct descendants of the earth itself. Magni also defended Ironforge during the elemental invasion, assisting adventurers in fighting Crown Princess Theradras. Magni also played host to prince Anduin Wrynn at this point, giving the young prince the sacred relic Fearbreaker, and when a heavy earthquake shook Ironforge and killed many dwarves. Magni sought to commune with the earth itself and ask how to best aid the ailing world. Using an ancient earthen ritual, however, Magni was transformed into the material that the Titans forged the dwarves out of, and Magni was transformed into a statue of diamond, fused with the heart of Ironforge. Magni's death hit the Alliance hard, and Ironforge was nearly splintered when a coup done by Magni's daughter Moira and her Dark Iron warriors took place. Anduin's intervention, would, thankfully, prevent a dwarven civil war, creating the founding of the Council of Three Hammers.

During Legion, Magni Bronzebeard would finally return, to the surprise of Moira and the other ruling dwarves. He was no longer the same, however, as he claimed to 'speak for the land', and was a part of Azeroth itself. Magni told the Council of Three Hammers that he would not reclaim his crown, but instead has arrived to deliver a warning -- that the Burning Legion was coming. Magni would then talk to Moira briefly, and told her how proud he was of her for doing what he couldn't -- go beyond racial hatred and unite the three dwarven clans.

Magni (Legion)

This new form of Magni would journey to Ulduar and meet up with Brann Bronzebeard and Khadgar, and reveal to them and several other adventurers that Azeroth itself was a slumbering Titan, the last remaining one in the world, and Azeroth has named Magni as her speaker. Magni would inform them all of the origin of the Titans, the Pillars of Creation and the Old Gods. Magni would proceed to act as Azeroth's mouthpiece throughout much of Legion, informing heroes of titan artifacts. He would accompany Brann and several other heroes into an area near the Maelstrom, discovering the Primodrial Observatory. Magni's presence allowed them to enter and uncover the Seekers -- creatures that were infused with the Light by the Titans, although the adventurers had to battle with one that was driven mad and corrupted by the Void. Magni would also travel to Sholazar Basin's Hall of Communion, and attempted to commune with Azeroth once more. After fighting against phantoms of Azeroth's nightmares, Magni and the adventurers would realize that Sargeras himself is returning to Azeroth. Magni would participate in travelling to the Burning Legion's world of Argus, and would be able to 'hear' the world-soul of Argus asking for help. Magni would also reveal how Sargeras is summoning back the Pantheon under his command. Magni would be involved in the final battle in Antorus, the Burning Throne. In Battle for Azeroth, Magni would entrust an artifact called the Heart of Azeroth to the mightiest heroes of the Alliance and Horde, and asks them to help restore the 'broken' Azeroth, because his pleas to Alliance and Horde leadership was rejected due to brewing tensions between both factions.

Khadgar, the Guardian of Tirisfal:

Khadgar is well-known as Medivh's apprentice during the First War, and his apprenticeship was described in Medivh's entry up above. While his story throughout the First War would be expanded upon in novels and the manuals to Warcraft II, his role is perhaps one of the more important ones. Sent by the Kirin Tor to apprentice under the Guardian Medivh, Khadgar found the powerful Guardian to be an eccentric but kind wizard, and while Medivh's mood swings and sudden bouts of amnesia rattled many previous apprentices, Khadgar persevered and became Medivh's longest-running apprentice. He served in Karazhan, where he often had visions into a possible future (including himself as an aged man fighting orcs) and the past (Aegwynn fighting Sargeras), and was present when the orcs first appeared on Azeroth in the Black Morass. From Medivh's childhood friend Anduin Lothar, hero of Stormwind, as well as the caretaker of Karazhan, Moroes, Khadgar would learn all about Medivh's past. Throughout the first war, Medivh would often disappear for moments at a time, and at one point would return with the half-orc Garona. Garona's arrival caused far more suspicion in Khadgar's mind that Medivh was not telling the truth, and that he had encountered the orcs before. A combination of his own investigation and visions from the tower, Khadgar discovered that Medivh was possessed and/or influenced by the demon Sargeras, and was planning to create a permanent portal between Azeroth and Draenor. He gathered allies -- Anduin Lothar and Garona among them -- to stop Medivh. Khadgar was at the forefront of this battle, delivering a blow into Medivh's heart, but this battle cost him greatly, for Khadgar was magically aged by Medivh's spell into an old man.

Khadgar would also feature greatly in the Second War, and is a playable hero for the Alliance in Warcraft II, represented as a Mage unit with a unique model. Khadgar would act as liaison between the magical kingdom of Dalaran and the Alliance of Lordaeron, working closely with Anduin Lothar in this venture. He would also befriend various other heroes of the Second War, among them the young paladin Turalyon and the high elven ranger Alleria. Khadgar participated in numerous battles, among them rescuing Quel'thalas from a surprise attack by the Horde, allowing Khadgar and his allies to bring the high elven armada to smash onto the bulk of the Horde during the siege of Lordaeron's capital city. As the Second War draw to a close, Khadgar was responsible for destroying the Dark Portal with knowledge gained from Medivh's spellbooks, cutting off the Horde's reinforcements. Khadgar would also order the construction of the Nethergarde Keep to guard against a second attack on Draenor, and remained to observe the rift between worlds.

A year after the Second War, during the events of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Khadgar would witness the opening of the portal once more, and he would be contacted by Archmage Antonidas that a powerful artifact from Dalaran, the Eye of Dalaran, had been stolen. Khadgar realized that the Horde's plan was to steal powerful magical artifacts instead of conquering Azeroth again, and Khadgar would be one of the leaders of the expedition into Draenor, alongside other heroes of the Second War like Danath Trollbane, Kurdran Wildhammer, Turalyon and Alleria Windrunner. Khadgar would participate in numerous battles in Draenor, and he would do battle against the powerful ogre mage Dentarg. Khadgar's magic proved superior, and Dentarg admitted defeat, allowing Khadgar to decapitate him. Khadgar was also responsible for forming an alliance with the mighty gronn Gruul the Dragonkiller against the black dragon aspect Deathwing, who sought to claim Draenor as a place where he can freely build up his forces without interference from the four dragon aspects. While Gruul did battle against Deathwing, Khadgar used his magics to rip apart Deathwing's adamantium armour, forcing Deathwing to retreat back to Azeroth.

Khadgar managed to recover the Book of Medivh, one of the powerful artifacts stolen by the orcs, and use it to close the Dark Portal from Draenor's side, fully aware that this would trap him and his allies in Draenor. As Draenor crumbled from the multiple portals opened by the mad shaman Ner'zhul, Khadgar and the survivors of the Alliance expedition jumped into a portal, letting fate dictate their, well, fate. Khadgar was absent throughout all of Warcraft III and the original World of Warcraft, presumed dead and immortalized with a statue in Stormwind City.

Khadgar (with beard) would make his return when heroes of the Alliance and Horde returned to Outland in Burning Ccrusade, as a quest giver in Shattrath City in Outland. Khadgar believes that the Alliance and Horde has to be united to fight against the Burning Legion, and was apparently responsible for bringing the naaru led by A'dal to Outland. Khadgar would also aid the mages of the Violet Eye in reopening Karazhan. Throughout most of Burning Crusade, Khadgar acted as an advisor to A'dal. While he was absent for much of the expansions between Burning Crusade and Warlords of Draenor, novels would reveal that Khadgar was reinstated as a member of Dalaran's Council of Six.

In Warlords of Draenor, a now-clean-shaven Khadgar, a veteran of the Second War, was asked to aid in the battle against the Iron Horde, an alternate timeline version of the Old Horde that Khadgar fought. He was also seen wielding his master Medivh's greatstaff, Atiesh, and showed the ability to transform into a raven like Medivh. Alongside Thrall, Vindicator Maraad and Lady Liadrin, Khadgar was one of the main leaders of the combined Alliance/Horde forces into the new Dark Portal, giving multiple quests to adventurers throughout the Draenor campaign, and personally facing off against many leadership members of the Iron Horde. He would also be responsible for locating the alternate-universe Gul'dan through multiple efforts, and would focus his efforts to dismantling the orcish Shadow Council. He would also be the one responsible for allowing Horde adventurers to enter Kirin Tor grounds despite orders otherwise from Jaina Proudmoore. Khadgar would also  participate in the battle for the alternate Shattrath City. During this period, as he attempts to hunt down Gul'dan, he was nearly killed by the alternate version of his old friend Garona Halforcen. Having captured Garona with the aid of adventurers and his bodyguard Cordana Felsong (a member of the Wardens), Khadgar interrogated Garona with magics to find out Gul'dan's location, but when the interrogation became torture, other heroes implored for Khadgar to stop. Khadgar would be able to use other means to free the alternate Garona from Gul'dan's control, earning her as an ally. Khadgar and the alternate Garona's effort would reveal that Gul'dan has usurped command of the Iron Horde, planning for a far more brutal conquest with the power of fel magic. As Khadgar began to prepare for the assault on the Hellfire Citadel, he was betrayed by the warden Cordana Felsong, who attacked Khadgar and his adventurer allies, and escapes with several magical tomes. Khadgar nevertheless continued to play his part, Khadgar teleports adventurers into the heart of Hellfire Citadel, and participates in the battle against Archimonde.

Khadgar is very involved in the lead-up to Legion, his story told in the 'Tomb of Sargeras' audio-novel. While on the hunt for the alternate universe Gul'dan, who escaped death on Draenor, Khadgar traveled to Azeroth's Broken Isles and teamed up with the leader of the wardens, Maiev Shadowsong, to do this. However, while Khadgar tracked down Gul'dan and did battle with him with powerful arcane spells, trying to taunt Gul'dan with the fate of his main-timeline counterpart. Khadgar's best efforts was thwarted by Gul'dan, who was empowered by the demon lord Kil'jaeden, and he was unable to stop Gul'dan from breaking the seal on the Tomb of Sargeras and unleashing the full force of the Burning Legion. Khadgar and Maiev would narrowly escape, to inform the Alliance and Horde that the Legion has returned.

Shortly after the Burning Legion's third invasion, Khadgar would re-enter Karazhan in search of any sort of knowledge to assist him in repelling the demons. The ghost of Medivh appeared before Khadgar, and egged him to embrace his destiny as a Guardian. Khadgar replied that the mages of Dalaran has agreed that after Medivh, no one person should have the responsibility to be a Guardian. However, Khadgar attacked this specter of Medivh, revealing him to be a mighty dreadlord trying to get Khadgar to unintentionally make a bargain with the demons. Khadgar would destroy the dreadlord, and resolve that no single being -- even a Guardian -- can stand against the Legion alone.

In Legion itself, Khadgar would first seen within Dalaran, campaigning for the Horde members to be allowed into Dalaran, and would win the vote to allow this. The act causes Jaina Proudmoore to leave the Kirin Tor, and Khadgar would be elected in her stead as the new leader. Thus Khadgar would be one of the main leadership figures throughout the Legion invasion, and alongside an adventurer, would bear witness to the resurrected Magni and the information about the Pillars of Creation. After a brief quest chain, Khadgar would contact the spirit of Alodi, the first Guardian, and discover that the Pillars are within the Broken Isles, and would then teleport Dalaran and a majority of the war effort there. Khadgar would also be responsible for asking the Illdari Demon Hunters to join the Alliance and Horde.

Khadgar would be heavily involved in the Azsuna campaign, helping to rescue a blue dragon and recover the Pillar of Creation, and would be involved in aiding a group of elite hunters in defeating the mighty demon Hakkar the Houndmaster. Khadgar is also involved in the mage class questline, giving some quests and assisting in uncovering the demon Kathra'nir's infiltration of Darlaran. He would also see an object in Suramar uncovered by the Order of the Silver Hand, and eventually would find out that it is a device from his old friend Turalyon, who (see Alleria's section above for the full story) is now a member of the Army of Light. Adventurers who would uncover Illidan's Soul would give it to Khadgar, who was given instructions by the naaru Xe'ra on how to resurrect him.

Khadgar is also involved (he is basically everywhere in Legion) in the reopening of Karazhan, who has been infiltrated and taken over by the Burning Legion. While heroes would do battle against the rampant magic within, Khadgar undid the bindings within Karazhan that bound the location to Legion worlds. Medivh would reappear before Khadgar, who names Khadgar Guardian, before noting that he is needed elsewhere. Despite Khadgar's initial refusal, unlike the dreadlord impostor who had offered great power, Medivh told Khadgar that he doesn't need the power of the Tirisfalen, but rather had all the power he needs from his own courage and will. Now having freed Karazhan and holding the title of Guardian, Khadgar would travel to Suramar with the rest of the Kirin Tor, aiding the Nightfallen in rebelling against Grand Magistrix Elisande, assisting adventurers and the elf coalition in fighting against the powerful magics of Elisande's forces. At the end of the Nighthold battle, Khadgar would, as instructed, send Illidan's soul into his body, and the resurrected Illidan would kill alternate-universe Gul'dan once and for all.

Khadgar would then attend a meeting with Prophet Velen and multiple champions of different order halls on what to do about the PIllars of Creation, and as the Legion struck once more, Khadgar would lead the Assault on the Broken Shore, and he, Illidan and Velen would face against Kil'jaeden throughout the events of 'Legionfall', while adventurers would battle the Fallen Avatar of Sargeras. The forces of Azeroth would prove victorious, and Khadgar would be responsible for teleporting the heroes back to Azeroth, shocked that Illidan would cause the rift between Argus and Azeroth to become permanent. Despite this, Khadgar would travel alongside the draenei abroad the Vindicaar to assault the Leigon homeworld of Argus, although he would remain behind aboard the Vindicaar, defending it from demons. On Argus, Khadgar would be reunited with the long-missing Turalyon and Alleria.

In addition to being an alternate hero, Khadgar would later become a collectible legendary minion in Rise of Shadows, and appear as an adventure mode boss in Rise of Shadows, Rise of Shadows and Book of Heroes. 

Tyrande Whisperwind, High Priestess of Elune:

Tyrande (WC3)

Lots of elves among these alternate heroes, huh? The backstory of Tyrande is closely tied with that of Malfurion and Illidan Stormrage, both of whom we've covered before. Tyrande grew up with the talented Stormrage brothers, learning the priestly arts and served as a Priestess of Elune while Malfurion learned druidic magic and Illidan learned the secrets of the arcane. While Illidan was infatuated hopelessly with Tyrande, Tyrande saw him as merely a friend, with her being in love with Malfurion instead. The night elves would quickly be thrust into the War of the Ancients, and Tyrande would be instrumental in gathering allies to defend Azeroth from the Burning Legion and the treacherous Highborne night elves. It was during this point that Tyrande was named the successor as the High Priestess of Elune, as she was favoured by the goddess. Tyrande would re-establish and personally lead the Sentinels, a group of female night elven archers and huntresses that serve as the backbone of the night elven military. During the War of the Ancients, she attempted to take the fight to the mad kaldorei Queen Azshara, but was nearly killed for it. The forces allied with the night elves would ultimately be victorious in repelling the Burning Legion, but at great cost -- the once-whole continent of Kalimdor was sundered into multiple smaller continents, and Illidan Stormrage was imprisoned for his treachery. Moreover, Malfurion Stormrage and a large majority of druids had to meditate and enter the Emerald Dream in order to commune with the land. Despite this, Tyrande would stand vigil as High Priestess and lead her people for the next ten thousand years in the continent of Kalimdor, awakening the druids only when a crisis happens. Some time during this period, Tyrande adopted the ranger Shandris Feathermoon as her daughter.

The biggest of such crises was the conflict known as the Third War (Warcraft III). Leading the night elves, Tyrande, unaware that the Burning Legion has returned and razed the Eastern Kingdoms, saw only that the night elves' patron demigod Cenarius was slain by marauding orcs. Furious at this, especially when she encountered the Warsong Clan (which had been turned into fel orcs), Tyrande waged a war against both forces of the Alliance and Horde alongside her Sentinels, using the night elves' natural ability to hide during the night... until the Burning Legion arrived in Kalimdor as well. Her troops were slaughtered by the doom guards led by Archimonde, and only Tyrande managed to escape by hiding into the shadows. Tyrande consolidated her forces and had to sneak through the combined powers of the Burning Legion and the undead Scourge, while also being attacked by the Alliance and Horde, who the night elves had made an enemy out of.

Tyrande art (WoW)

Tyrande then decided that it was high time to awaken the druids, first awakening her love, archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, then wakening the druids of the talon and the fang. Tyrande was forced to slay some of the crazed guardians who had been placed in charge of the barrow dens, however. In order to combat the Burning Legion, Tyrande also unleashed Illidan Stormrage from his ten-thousand-year imprisonment, despite Malfurion's protests -- and in doing so, killed the Watchers guarding Illidan's cage. While Illidan would cut a swath through the Legion's forces, even slaying one of their top commanders, Tichondrius, Tyrande and Malfurion would be forced to banish Illidan for transforming into a true demonic form. Malfurion and Tyrande would end hostilities with the humans and orccs when they were brought to the top of Mt. Hyjal by Medivh, the Guardian, who implored the mortals to stop fighting. Thus the combined forces of the Alliance, Horde and Sentinels fought together at the foot of Mt. Hyjal against the encroaching forces of the Burning Legion, and it eventually ended with the sound defeat of the Burning Legion. The night elves lost the World Tree Nordrassil as well as their immortality in the conflict, but saw it as a price they were willing to pay.

During the events of Frozen Throne, Tyrande and Malfurion answered to the summons of the warden Maiev Shadowsong, who was pursuing Illidan Stormrage in the region known as the Broken Isles. Tyrande and Malfurion sailed there and battled through the vile Naga to assist Maiev, but tensions quickly sprung high for Maiev distrusted Tyrande -- who had freed Illidan in the first place and had slain some of her Watchers during the process. Tyrande and Illidan had a one-on-one confrontation during this conflict, where Illidan stated that despite everything, he still loved Tyrande. During the chase for Illidan, the night elves headed into the fallen kingdoms of Lordaeron. Malfurion left to aid the blighted nature, leaving Tyrande and Maiev in command of the night elven forces. They came under conflict when Tyrande wanted to help Kael'thas's blood elves, while Maiev wanted to push on in the search. During this, Tyrande valiantly blocked a bridge to prevent undead Scourge forces from pursuing them, but Maiev forbade the night elves or their blood elven allies from going after Tyrande. Tyrande was forced to hold her own on a small island against hordes of the undead until Malfurion and Illidan Stormrage, discovering Maiev's duplicity, teamed up to save her. Illidan bid Malfurion and Tyrande farewell as he entered a portal to Outland.

Throughout Warcraft III, Tyrande is depicted as a Priestess of the Moon -- a crossbow-wielding hero whose abilities have mostly been split up between Hunters and Druids in World of Warcraft. She is able to create an invulnerable owl scout, imbue her arrows with Elune's fire as 'Searing Arrows', increase the ranged attack of her Archers and Huntresses, and as her ultiamte she is able to unleash Starfall, calling upon the powers of Elune to strike all around her.

Between Frozen Throne and World of Warcraft, Tyrande and Malfurion would focus their efforts on rebuilding their shattered territory, moving their settlements to the newly created world tree of Teldrassil. Malfurion fell into a coma at this point, slumbering into a deep sleep as he attempted to commune with the Emerald Dream, leaving Tyrande the main leader of the night elven people. She had to contend with Malfurion's replacement as archdruid, Fandral Staghelm, who had far more militaristic agendas compared to her. The night elves would, under her leadership, join banners as one of the first four races of the modern Alliance. Tyrande was also a quest giver for a good chunk of the earlier days of the game. In the novel Stormrage, Tyrande would be heavily involved in trying to free her husband from the nightmares that plagued the Emerald Nightmare as well as her husband, working with the druid Broll Bearmantle to venture into the Emerald Dream and free Malfurion and Ysera. After the crisis was over and the Nightmare King Xavius was defeated, Malfurion and Tyrande finally married.

Throughout Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm, Tyrande continued to serve as one of the most respected leaders of the Alliance, and when Malfurion finally awoke at during Cataclysm, Tyrande served as co-leaders of the night elven people with her husband. The two of them are the strongest voices in welcoming the worgen into the Alliance during this period, and the population of Gilneas was mainly sheltered within the borders of Teldrassil. During Cataclysm, a bad-future version of Tyrande Whisperwind serves as a boss in 'End Time'.

During Mists of Pandaria, Tyrande Whisperwind would lead a force of night elven rangers on landing on the shores of Pandaria, and would aid in reclaiming the Temple of the Red Crane from the Horde. Tyrande also proposed to destroy the Sha when the discussion came up on whether to use them or not. She would be involved in the Siege of Orgrimmar that the Alliance and Horde held to oust Garrosh Hellscream from power, leading a force of glaive throwers to destroy the front gate of Orgrimmar. With the night elves suffering greatly at the hands of Garrosh Hellscream, Tyrande gladly took on the role of accuser during Garrosh's trial.

Tyrande (WoW)

In Legion, Tyrande approved of Anduin Wrynn's choice to allow night elven demon hunters to join the Alliace ranks, and would personally travel  to Val'sharah on the Broken Isles, and is heavily involved in assisting adventurers in battling the Nightmare King Xavius, and forced to battle against the corrupted forms of the green dragon aspect, Ysera. Tyrande was given a choice by Xavius -- pursue him and attempt to futilely rescue a dying Malfurion, or obey her duty and protect the Temple of Elune from the corrupted Ysera. Tyrande chose duty over her love, engaging Ysera with the help of adventurers and putting her down. She would accompany adventurers into Darkheart Thicket and rescue Malfurion.

Tyrande would also be heavily featured in the Suramar campaign, with the former night elven capital on the brink of resurrection. Tyrande's Sentinels makes an alliance with the blood elves led by Lady Liadrin and Grand Magister Rommath, and condemned the Nightborne and the Nightfallen for being mana addicts. Tyrande leads the night elves into Suramar alongside the blood elves, battling against Nightborne forces until they faced off against Grand Magistrix Elisande herself. Elisande's power over time magic manages to stop the elven army in their tracks, although Khadgar and a handful of adventurers are able to pull Tyrande and Liadrin out of it. Tyrande continues to do battle during the Siege of Nighthold, and witnessed as Illidan Stormrage is resurrected. She also witnessed the destruction of the Nightwell, noting that the Nightborne would have to survive without the Nightwell.

In addition to being a hero, Tyrande would show up as an adventure mode minion in various encounters in Ashes of Outland and Book of Heroes. 

Maeiv Shadowsong, the Warden:

Maiev Shadowsong was a member of the Sisters of Elune and a former priestess during the War of the Ancients. Her brother, Jarod Shadowsong, became a captain in the Guard of Suramar. Despite not being of noble blood, the Shadowsongs were well-known for their skill. Maiev served throughout the War of the Ancients with distinction, and was particularly furious when she learned that one of the night elves -- Illidan Stormrage -- had betrayed the night elves in creating a second Well of Eternity. Illidan was imprisoned in a magical underground prison, and Maiev volunteered to become one of his wardens. To this end, Maiev created an organization called the Watchers and led it, and they guarded over the night elven prisoners for the next ten thousand years. The Watchers were infamous for their dedication to the capture of the kaldorei's most dangerous criminals, and are known for their singleminded devotion to their mission.

During the Third War, however, Tyrande broke into the prisons and freed Illidan to use him against the demons of the Burning Legion, and killed some of the Watchers in the process. Maiev was off on another mission when this happened, and sickened by this perceived betrayal, Maiev would lead an army of Watchers to hunt down Illidan. She became one of the main characters for the night elven campaign in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, represented as the new night elven hero -- the Warden. She was able to unleash a Fan of Knives, imbue her umbra crescent with poison to deliver Sinister Strikes, and use Blink to teleport short distances. Her most powerful skill was to create an Avatar of Vengeance, a wraithlike shadowy copy of Maiev herself that was able to create lesser Spirits of Vengeance.

Maiev, her lieutenant Naisha and her Watchers pursued Illidan through Kalimdor, fighting through Illidan's army of satyrs until they meet Illidan's new army -- the Naga, corrupted elves from the depths of the sea who were mutated into half-serpentine creatures. Maiev led her forces and pursued Illidan all the way to the scattered islands called the Broken Shore, specifically the ruins of the former night elven capital city Suramar, sunk to the bottom of the ocean during the War of the Ancients and raised from the depths during the Second War by Gul'dan. Maiev established a base in the Broken isles and continued to slay the strange creatures there in her single-minded quest to hunt down Illidan. She also encountered Drak'thul, a hermit that was once a warlock of the Stormreaver Clan, who explained to Maiev the purpose of the temple -- the Tomb of Sargeras. However, Maiev's venture into the Tomb proved disastrous. Illidan and his naga sorcerers unleashed the power of the mighty artifact Eye of Sargeras, creating a rockfall that trapped all the watchers inside the tomb, killing Naisha and many others. Maiev was the sole survivor, able to escape with her teleportation powers.

Maiev returned to her base and had to withstand an army of nagas that Lady Vashj sent to crush her. She was able to get a runner out, which managed to send word to Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind, who arrived as reinforcements. However, Maiev and Tyrande soon came to disagreements, and while the two leaders of the night elven people would join Maiev in her hunt to Lordaeron, Maiev would leave Tyrande behind (see the Tyrande article above for full details). Worse, she told Malfurion that Illidan had killed Tyrande, fueling the arch-druid and sending him on a warpath after Illidan. Maiev's trickery was revealed to Malfurion (and a very confused Illidan) by Kael'thas Sunstrider, the leader of the blood elves that Maiev and Tyrande had allied with. Furthermore, it's revealed that Illidan's ritual was not meant to destroy the night elves or summon demons, but rather the Lich King at Northrend. With this knowledge, Malfurion pardoned Illidan although sent him away -- something Illidan chose to do willingly as he traveled through a portal to the realm of Outland. Maiev and her Watchers pursued through the portal, heedless of Malfurion's orders.

Maiev's Watchers outnumbered Illidan greatly, for his naga servants were left behind in Azeroth. Maiev's capture of Illidan was relatively easy, and he was caged within a magical crate. However, between Maiev leaving Azeroth and capturing Illidan, strange alliances have been made -- between the naga loyal to Illidan, and Prince Kael'thas of the blood elves, who, because of numerous events and framed for crimes they did not do, have decided to desert from the Alliance. The naga and blood elves beat back Maiev's watchers and freed Illidan.

Maiev would spend the time between Warcraft III and Burning Crusade on an journey throughout Outland to attempt to consolidate forces to create an alliance with which to bring justice to Illidan, and would eventually be contacted by one of Illidan's captains, the Broken Draenei Akama, who was unsatisfied with Illidan's leadership and Illidan reneging on a promise to return the Black Temple to the draenei. While cautious, Maiev agreed to accept Akama's help... only for Illidan to discover this treachery. Akama's soul was bounded into Illidan's will, and Akama was forced to betray Maiev. All of Maiev's forces were annihilated in an ambush, and Maiev was the only survivor, kept alive and placed in a cell as revenge for her role as Illidan's gaoler. Maiev was imprisoned in the prison called Warden's Cage, refusing to trust Akama, who promised to help her 'when the time comes'.

Akama, with the aid of adventurers of the Alliance and Horde, was able to finally concoct a systematic destruction of Illidan's holdings, and would make good on his word. He would free Maiev, who would participate in the climactic battle against Illidan Stormrage atop the Black Temple, and it would be Maiev's blade that finally pierced that of her longtime rival, Illidan. Maiev took Illidan's corpse and encased it within the Vault of the Wardens, and imprisoned Illidan's servants, the demon-hunters, within the vault. However, Illidan's dying words to Maiev haunted her -- she had been hunting Illidan for so long that she was 'nothing without the hunt'.

This caused her to become more and more unstable over the next few years, and it would come to a head prior to Cataclysm. She had been working in Darnassus and training a new generation of Watchers... but she despised the fact that the night elves have let members of the Highborne rejoin their society. Around this time, Jarod Shadowsong, her brother, returned to society after his wife had died, and Maiev reunited with him. Jarod and Maiev investigated a string of murders of Highborne members, and clues seem to point towards the worgen -- who were about to be admitted into the Alliance. However, it turned out that Maiev herself was behind the murders, and even set a trap meant to claim Malfurion Stormrage's life. Jarod would be able to fight the Watcher Maiev sent to subdue him, free Malfurion and fight Maiev, saving the Highborne in the process. Maiev was forced to escape, and end up on the run again.

Legion would reveal that Maiev has made her way to the Broken Isles, in the Vault of the Wardens, where she stood vigil with her Watchers (she has a lot of Watchers, apparently) over Illidan's body and the imprisoned Demon Hunters. Maiev would assist Khadgar -- albeit begrudgingly -- in tracking down the alternate-universe Gul'dan, but they were unable to stop the warlock from unleashing apocalypse in the form of the full might of the Burning Legion's invasion force. With no other choice at the face of so many demons, Maiev was forced to free the demon hunters, setting monsters to fight monsters. However, even allied with the demon-hunters (Maiev would be a quest giver in the demon hunter starting experience), the Watchers are unable to stop Gul'dan from stealing Illidan's corpse.

Maiev ended up going to hunt for Gul'dan and Illidan's body, but was captured. She was freed by her brother Jarod from her imprisonment in Black Rook Hold, and she would reveal that Gul'dan has raised dead night elven heroes like Kur'talos Ravencrest. She would team up with her brother and adventurers to fight against the ghosts of the Ravencrests. Finally deciding to work towards the common good, Maiev would fight side-by-side with the resurrected Illidan Stormrage during the second battle at the Broken Shore, being responsible for traveling to the top of the Cathedral of Eternal Night, although the two bicker a lot. Maiev would be present for many other events during Legion, accompanying the heroes in fighting the demon invasion. 

In addition to being an alternate hero, Maiev Shadowsong would become a collectible legendary minion in Ashes of Outland. Maiev would also show up as a minion in various adventure modes in Ashes of Outland and Book of Heroes. 

Lady Liadrin, Matriarch of the Blood Knights:

Lady Liadrin is introduced in World of Warcraft: Burning Legion as one of the leadership figures within the Blood Elven faction that would join the Horde. Liadrin was attuned to the Light at a relatively young age when she (a high elf at this point) was battled a group of Amani trolls. She was also a participant in the Second War, and was part of a group that battled against the Amani chieftain Zul'jin -- although Liadrin loathed the trolls, she disapproved of the torture that the high elves put him through. During the Third War, Liadrin watched in horror as the undead Scourge ravaged and destroyed Quel'thalas, killed their king Anastarian, the ranger-general Sylvanas Windrunner, and destroyed the Sunwell that gave the high elves so much of their power. Her faith in the Light was shaken at the sight of these atrocities. Liadrin herself survived Quel'thalas's fall because she was teleported away by her master.

Following the Sunwell's destruction, Liadrin ended up having trouble summoning the Light, and due to a combination of survivor's guilt, the blood elves' newfound withdrawal from magic and partial blame at the Light for allowing all the atrocities to happen, Liadrin refused to beseech the Light. Liadrin would join her people -- now renamed as Blood Elves in remembrance of the tragedy -- in fighting against threats to their land, but she would fight not as a priest of Light, but as a warrior, picking up a blade and a shield and fighting with it. While she served Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider during this period, she was not among the legion of blood elves that joined Kael'thas to Outland and serve under Illidan. Liadrin knew of the arrangement, and disapproved of it, not trusting fel magic. While many of the Azeroth-bound blood elves went to rebuild, Liadrin focused her efforts on purging the Scourge from their lands.

Liadrin (BC, new)

Liadrin would assemble with the other remaining leadership of the blood elves, among them Regent-Lord Lor'themar Theron, Ranger-General Halduron Brightwing and Grand Magister Rommath, and during that meeting, Liadrin was given an offer. During his campaign in Outland, Kael'thas has captured a naaru, M'uru. Naarus are being that are comprised of the Light itself, and Rommath proposed the idea of using the naaru not as a mere source of power... but to create a new order of the Light. This way, the Light will never abandon Liadrin ever again, and Liadrin wholeheartedly embraced this, creating the order of the Blood Knights, drawing their Light not by devout faith but by forcibly ripping it out of M'uru. Liadrin took up the title of Blood Knight Matriarch, although this method was initially met with scorn by other elves. Despite being controversial, Liadrin's Blood Knights formed the backbone of the blood elves' military might, and aided greatly in their fight against the Scourge forces plaguing their land. The blood elves would eventually join the Horde. However, during this period, Liadrin was forced to kill his apprentice Galell, who was driven mad by M'uru's voice in his head.

Liadrin was based on the Blood Knight HQ in Silvermoon City, and oversaw the training of new Blood Knights. However, as Burning Crusade progressed, the story of the Blood Elves also continued with Prince Kael'thas's return and treachery. Kael'thas had been driven mad and sold his loyalty to the Burning Legion, and snuck into Silvermoon and stole M'uru. Desperate for power, Liadrin traveled to Outland, and met with another naaru, A'dal, to find a new source of power. She was told that M'uru had known of his fate and had allowed himself to be captured in hopes of proving that he could be the catalyst for the blood elves' redemption. Inspired and ashamed, Liadrin tore up her old banner and formed the Shattered Sun Offensive (the artwork for Hearthstone card Shattered Sun Cleric is actually the TCG card for Lady Liadrin doing just that), taking the fight against Kael'thas Sunstrider on the Isle of Quel'Danas. Lady Liadrin participated in the final assault against Kael'thas and the darkened M'uru. She returned to the site of the defiled Sunwell alongside the draenei Prophet Velen. Liadrin lamented that the blood elves will never be able to atone for damning M'uru and turning him into a void creature. Velen, however, produces a shard that he claims to be the 'heart' of M'uru, and channels it into the Sunwell. In a massive blaze of light, the Sunwell is restored, and both Velen and Liadrin notes that this could be the rebirth of the soul of nation. This marks a new chapter in the Blood Knights' story, where they no longer rip the Light out and try to command it, but rather have a more positive interaction with it.

While she remained in the Sunwell throughout most of Wrath, Cataclysm and Mists, Liadrin's next big role would happen in Warlords of Draenor. Liadrin would be among the Horde army that headed into the alternate-timeline Draenor to battle against the Iron Horde, leading a detachment of blood knights called the Sunsworn. They would assist the local draenei in driving off demons from draenei holy sites. She would serve as a quest giver, and would continue moving with Horde forces in battling against the Iron Horde. Liadrin would also be involved in searching for a cure for Gul'dan's fel orcs.

In Legion, Liadrin is heavily involved in the Paladin class storyline. She would convene with the leaders of many other paladin orders all over Azeroth in Light's Hope Citadel, and pledged the support of her Blood Knights to form a brand-new Knights of the Silver Hand, and its new Highlord (a paladin adventurer). Liadrin becomes one of the Highlord's most trusted champions. When the Knights of the Ebon Blade attack the Chapel to steal the body of the fallen paladin Tirion Fordring, Liadrin was the paladin's final line of defense, battling against the Deathlord of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, but despite her efforts, she was defeated. The Light itself intervened, however, and drove away the Death Knights. Liadrin would accompany paladins along their missions, and would meet up with her old cross-factional ally Velen during this period.

Liadrin is also heavily involved in the Suramar storyline for the Horde, taking the role that Tyrande does for the Horde. She and Grand Magister Rommath would arrive to support the rebels in seizing Suramar from Burning Legion control. Liadrin's speeches about how the blood elves had dealt with their own addiction and betrayal easily swayed many members of the Nightfallen to side with the rebels. Despite the Alliance/Horde conflict, Liadrin would ally herself with Alliance elves led by Tyrande and Vereesa, and would take the battle to Grand Magistrix Elisande, and would be present in Elisande's defeat, Gul'dan's death and Illidan's resurrection. Liadrin would also journey to Argus and battle against demons there. Liadrin's role in Suramar would eventually lead to the Nightfallen joining the Horde in Battle for Azeroth.

In addition to being a hero, Lady Liadrin would become a collectible legendary minion in Ashes of Outland.

Lei Shen, the Thunder King: 

Lei Shen (named simply "Thunder King" in Hearthstone, presumably due to China's censorship rules or something?) first debuted in the Mists of Pandaria expansion, and is one of the main villains of the expansion. Lei Shen (雷神, lit. Thunder God) is an ancient Mogu during the ancient Age of a Hundred Kings, where the Mogu empire was at its mightiest. Lei Shen was disillusioned at the fact that the mogu empire was split apart by infighting, and when his warlord father was killed, Lei Shen chose to exile himself and wander the land, seeking to claim something more than just mere conquest. Upon reaching adulthood, Lei Shen ended up finding the entrance beneath the Vale of the Eternal Blossoms, where he found the Titanic Watcher, High-Keeper Ra, one of the creators of the Mogu people (we've discussed the Titans and Mogu's origins here and here). Originally deified by the Mogu, Lei Shen found that Ra had given up all hope. The Titan Watcher felt naught but despair upon learning of the deaths of the Titans, their creators, at the hands of Kil'jaeden in ages past. Learning of this from Ra,  Lei Shen, instead of despairing, ended up being inspired and driven even more power-hungry. Lei Shen attacked Ra, bounding the Keeper in chains, ripping apart the god-like being and absorbing his power. Thus, Lei Shen gained the power and mastery over wind and storm. Lei Shen declared himself the "Thunder King", and rose to power quickly and eliminated all of his rivals, uniting the mogu people with a sole purpose -- enslaving 'lesser' races -- that has been absent among the mogu people since the Titans went silent. Among those that Lei Shen's forces enslaved were the Pandaren, the Jinyu and the Hozen. Lei Shen would also do battle with Xu'en, the White Tiger, one of the wild gods of Pandaria, and bested him after a thirty-day-long combat.

Lei Shen's rule led to an accumulation of resources and items for the Mogu Empire (like the dread Sheng-Qing, the Divine Bell), creations and loyal pets that would be entombed with him (among them the Dark Animus, the strange creature Durumu, as well as the Cloud Serpent Nalak), as well as a standarization of weight, measures and currency, as well as creating the first set of written laws of Azeroth. Lei Shen also built the Serpent's Spine, a massive wall that cut out the ravenous and endless hordes of the Mantid from the rest of Pandaria. Lei Shen would also make an alliance with Zulathra of the Zandalari Trolls, both tribes acknowledging the other to be equals.

The Thunder King died in a series of events that indirectly led to the success of the Pandaren insurrection, where he had tried to claim the ancient Titan ruins, Uldum*, and the Titan machinery within. The Tol'vir that guarded Uldum knew that they could never defeat Lei Shen and his massive army, and activated the Forge of Origination, killing Lei Shen, his army, and a significant portion of his Zandalari allies. Lei Shen's surviving minions recovered the Thunder King's corpse and buried him in the Tomb of the Conquerors.

*which means Lei Shen is a neat little sneak-peek to the next set, Saviors of Uldum.

Lei Shen remained dead for hundreds of years until the present day, during the events of Mists of Pandaria. A group of Zandalari trolls, bolstered with the manpower of Azeroth's other trolls, ended up trying to resurrect their ancient ally to fulfill an ancient prophecy, taking Lei Shen's body into the Isle of Reckoning and resurrecting Lei Shen after a ritual. Lei Shen swiftly consolidated the remaining Mogu tribes and the Zandalari tribes, preparing to completely crush Pandaria under his heel. The combined forces of the Pandarens' Shado-Pan Assault, as well as the Pandarens' new allies, the Kirin Tor and the Sunreaver Onslaught, slowed this down. Adventurers of the Horde and Alliance assaulted Lei Shen's allies and minions, eventually leading to a siege upon Lei Shen's palace. The Throne of Thunders is a raid that the adventurers fought through, taking down the last of Lei Shen's Zandalari allies, as well as the ancient minions and aberrations Lei Shen unleashed from his palace. Lei Shen himself was the final foe the adventurers encountered in the Throne of Thunder, and despite his massive power, Lei Shen was slain. Lei Shen's remaining power was sealed by the Alliance mage Jaina Proudmoore inside a staff, while his heart was consumed by the black dragon prince Wrathion to prevent him from being resurrected again, and thus the second reign of the Thunder King was ended.

Morgl the Oracle:

Morgl (WoW)

Morgl the Oracle is a hero first hinted all the way back in Goblins vs Gnomes in Puddlejumper's flavour text, before being introduced partway through the Whispers of the Old Gods expansion. The lore given to Morgl by Hearthstone is that apparently Morgl was recruited by Sir Finley Mrrgglton of the Explorer's League to form a society of well-mannered murlocs, and one among them is Morgl the Oracle, a mighty murloc shaman. Morgl, alongside Sir Finley, make the jump from Hearthstone to World of Warcraft during the Legion expansion, as a member of the Shaman organization, the Earthern Ring, although like his Hearthstone counterpart Morgl only speaks in the murloc language of nerglish, and is incomprehensible to the adventurer.

Lunara, First Daughter of Cenarius:

Lunara is a character that made her debut in Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard's answer to the MOBA genre of games that stars characters from multiple Blizzard franchises. Lunara is meant to represent one of the Dryads, a Night Elf unit from Warcraft III (which we've seen in the past in cards like Laughing Sister and Grove Tender). Lunara is the mightiest of these dryads, known as the "First Daughter of Cenarius". Lunara is a particularly battle-hungry dryad, unlike her more playful sisters, being particularly brutal in guarding her forest homes, launching toxin-laced spears from afar. Along with other characters original to Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, Lunara would make her debut in World of Warcraft: Legion as an NPC in the Dreamgrove, wandering around.

Nemsy Necrofizzle:

Nemsy Necrofizzle is a gnome warlock original to Hearthstone. Her art, hairstyle and glasses seems to be the gnome featured on the artwork of Fen Creeper and Bog Creeper. Beyond her happy gnome-ness and her happy love for oranges, Nemsy doesn't really have much lroe behind her.

Sir Annoy-O:

Sir Annoy-O is a slightly altered and exaggerated version of the Annoy-o-Tron, itself a Hearthstone-original creation, that debuted in Goblins v.s. Gnomes. Annoy-O thus doesn't have much lore of his own, only a ballad that was released during his debut.

Dame Hazelbark
 
Dame Hazelbark is also a hero original to Hearthstone, a unique-looking Ancient that doesn't correspond to any pre-existing Ancient model in World of Warcraft or Warcraft III. She's just an Ancient that has decided to step out of her grove and help fight the threat of the Burning Legion.

Annhylde the Caller

Annhylde the Caller is a Val'kyr that first appeared in Wrath of the Lich King. In the raid Utgarde Keep, one of the bosses, a Vrykul leader called Ingvar the Plunderer was one of the bosses of said encounter. When he inevitably falls to the blades of the raiding adventurers, Annhylde swoops in as a messenger of the Lich King, and with an announcement of "Your pathetic failure will serve as a warning to all... you are damned! Arise and carry out the master's will!", she resurrects Ingvar as an undead vargul in the Lich King's name. 

In the short story "Edge of Night", a tie-in to Wrath of the Lich King, Sylvanas Windrunner attempted to commit suicide after finding her undeath to have no purpose with the death of the Lich King. Horrified at seeing the afterlife that awaited her upon death, the Val'kyr offered Sylvanas an escape, preferring to bind themselves to Sylvanas and the Forsaken as their new mistress as opposed to Bolvar, the new Lich King. Annhylde was the voice of the nine Val'kyr sisters, and she ended up sacrificing herself, giving her life in exchange for Sylvanas's while her eight Val'kyr sisters served the Banshee Queen.

Hamuul Runetotem, Archdruid of Thunder Bluff

During the Third War, a young Hamuul Runetotem was present and beheld the dedication of the druids of the night elves, and ended up seeking out Malfurion Stormrage, learning the druidic arts from him despite the objections of the xenophobic Fandral Staghelm. Hamuul's aptitude for the druidic arts caused him to rise quickly among the Cenarion Circle and became archdruid in no time. Hamuul was well-known for being kind and tolerant, and was one of the loudest voices to allow the Forsaken to join the Horde. In World of Warcraft, Hamuul Runetotem resides in Thunder Bluff's Elder Rise, and would send out adventurers to investigate a certain lurking power in the Wailing Caverns, leading Horde adventurers to fight the corrupted druids of the fang. Hamuul would befriend the night elf druid Broll Bearmantle, and aided his fellow druids during the events detailed in the Stormrage novel where they attempted to find out the true identity of the corruption spreading through the Emerald Nightmare, and the mysterious circumstance as to why many druids have fallen into deep slumber. Alongside his night elven allies, Hamuul would discover that the true conspirator was Fandral Staghelm, who was driven mad by the Emerald Nightmare. He would participate in banishing Fandral and his minions back to the Nightmare.

Prior to the Cataclysm, Hamuul continued to try and massage peace between the Alliance and the Horde, but an apparently Horde-led assault (unbeknownst to most, this was led by the Twilight's Hammer cult) on the supposedly-neutral Cenarion Circle meeting shattered much of Hamuul and the Horde druids' credibility among the Alliance side of the Cenarion Circle. Hamuul narrowly survived his death and crawled out of the mass grave that the orc attackers tossed them in, sending word to Cairne Bloodhoof of the massacre, leading to the chain of events that led to Cairne's death by way of Mak'gora. Hamuul would later serve as one of the advisors to Cairne's son Baine. Among one of his major achievements was the creation of a massive water source for attacking Quillboars as a demonstration that the tauren of the Horde are able to find non-aggressive solutions to problems. 

In Cataclysm, Hamuul would participate in many of the conflicts that happened, among them assisting the other druids in protecting the world tree Nordrassil from the armies of Ragnaros. Hamuul would personally assist in freeing the primal spirit Tortolla, but was critically injured by the treacherous druid of the flame, Leyara. Hamuul was presumed dead, but in reality his adventurer allies would help the archdruid recover. He would arrive to assist Malfurion and kill Leyara personally. Hamuul, alongside Malfurion and Cenarius, would fight Ragnaros in the final battle of the Firelands. Hamuul would accompany Baine in various meetings of Horde leadership. 

In Legion, Hamuul was one of the primary founders of the revitalized Cenarion Circle, the druid organization that rises up to combat the Burning Legion's return. Hamuul and a group of powerful druids were overwhelmed in defending the Well of Eternity, though the arrival of a powerful druid hero (your character) would beat back the Legion invaders led by the Pit Lord Destromath. Hamuul would be among the druids that stayed there to protect G'Hanir the World Tree, and alongside his daugther Bashana Runetotem, would help fight back against the forces of the Emerald Nightmare. In Battle for Azeroth, Hamuul is part of the combined Cenarion Circle and Earthern Ring forces that aided Magni Bronzebeard to heal the wounded lands of Silithus. Hamuul is known to disapprove of warchief Sylvanas Windrunner, and would assist his leader Baine during his uprising against Sylvanas. 

Young Justice S02E04 Review: Finding Redemption

Young Justice: Invasion, Episode 4: Salvage

This is an episode that is mostly divided into two plot arcs. We've got a bunch of the old team showing up to try and intervene with Roy Harper (or rather, the clone Roy Harper) and try to make him stop from his self-destructive rampage to try and find the original Roy Harper -- a quest that may or may not be futile. The second main storyline running through this episode focuses on Superboy and Blue Beetle fighting returning enemies from Intergang and fighting an alien golem.

We'll talk about the second story first, because it's a lot simpler and easier to digest. After a bit of housekeeping as we see that Adam Strange and the Justice League have set up the Zeta Shield around Earth, Superboy grabs Blue Beetle out for a mission because he's irked by Lagoon Boy and Miss Martian smooching it over. Clearly, despite his dismissive attitude in the previous episode, Superboy still resents his breakup. This also gives Blue Beetle some much-needed focus, finally telling the audience that Blue Beetle's constant one-sided argument is him talking to the Scarab -- the parasitic robot creature (who Jaime thinks is created by the previous Blue Beetle) that has implanted itself in Jaime's back and is the source of his super-suit and powers.

Superboy and Blue Beetle engage in some old-fashioned 'beat down a villain'. We get the return of Intergang members Bruno Mannheim and Whisper A'Daire, breaking into the Hall of Justice and reviving those Appellaxian husks foreshadowed breifly in the previous episode. Throw in what we know about Intergang's alliance with Apokolips, and Superboy's Sphere-bike outright identifying Intergang's devices as being Apokoliptan in origin, and that's another alien race to throw into Young Justice: Invasion's theme.

The fight against the combined golem quickly goes haywire as the remote controlling the combined Appellaxian golem is destroyed, and we get a neat little display of Blue Beetle's shape-shifting robot suit. It's able to shoot sonic beams, scan things, shoot giant staples to imprison people... and the Scarab is this hilariously violent "devil on your shoulder" who keeps telling Jaime to be more violent in using the Blue Beetle suit.

But all of this superhero fighting ends up being part of a bigger conspiracy. We get to see recurring villain Sportsmaster converse with the mysterious Partner from the previous episode, distinguished by a very distinctive voice courtesy of Kevin Grievoux. And also by Sportsmaster's insistence on calling him by the term "Partner" every second line. The Partner helps Blue Beetle and Superboy take down the Appellaxian from behind before Blue Beetle can try to negotiate with the sentient Appellaxian. It's a neat little mystery added to everything that's going on, and Superboy and Blue Beetle return to see the two Intergang members they stapled to a tree completely lobotomized by Sportsmaster and the Partner. It's an interesting little action scene that builds up a neat amount of mythology around Blue Beetle and helps to add another layer of mystery behind the Light and their mysterious Partner.

But the bigger story for me this episode is Roy's storyline. See, cloning and doppelgangers have been one of the most-abused plot devices in superhero comics (alongside amnesia), and there are a lot of times that these sort of 'cloning blues' just aren't explored well or are laughably poorly written. But this story, following Clone Roy Harper as he tries desperately to find the original, is a great follow-up to the otherwise "LOOK AT THIS PLOT TWIST" revelation last season that the Roy Harper we've been following all season long is actually a clone. The combined squad of Nightwing, a retired Wally West, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Guardian/Jim Harper comes up to give Roy a bit of an intervention.

Roy is driving himself ragged in his single-minded search, stealing money from the people he takes down, pushing away everyone who wants to help him (instead of finding the original Roy) and his body's honestly quite in a sorry state, as demonstrated by Black Canary's attempt to get him to spar with her. It's a neat adaptation of the comic-book Roy's self-destructive phases while also tying in to the surprisingly interesting new backstory with Roy being a clone. It's interesting how the show will go from here. It's a story of having Clone!Roy come to terms that he's his own person, because, as Nightwing helpfully points out, just because he's not the original Roy doesn't mean that he's not a real person. Because, after all, he is the Speedy and Red Arrow that the Young Justice Team and Justice League had fought alongside.

The voice acting and the direction for this episode really makes Roy's emancipated, addled mannerisms and lashing out amazingly well. Everyone offers Roy empathy and an explanation. Jim Harper himself is also a clone, and also the fact that the original Roy has most likely already been disposed off by the Light. Nightwing and Wally come as friends, Green Arrow and Black Canary as parental figures (not a particularly good one in Oliver's case), and they all tell Roy how much he's hurting himself, but Roy angrily pushes everyone away and brushes them off, intent on his single-minded pursuit of finding the original Roy Harper, who may or may not be dead. It might have been driven by guilt over his betrayal, by self-loathing because he's a clone and an unwilling traitor, and by so many other reasons, but the series really works with Roy's bad headspace really well.

Roy's story this episode ends with Cheshire showing up in his apartment (with baby Lian!), with the revelation that they have married during the timeskip, and Cheshire offers one last chance and one final lead that the two of them can take to maybe find the real Roy Harper somewhere.

I think the other big revelation this episode is what happened to Wally and Artemis, after Aqualad's shocking revelation in the previous episode. Both Wally and Artemis have retired, focusing on college. The show gets slightly risque by re-introducing Artemis as walking around in nothing but an oversized shirt, but the scenes between Wally and Artemis are extremely supportive as they discuss Roy. Wally and Artemis's civilian life is actually a neat little inversion of just how different and peaceful a family could be, a stark contrast to Roy and Cheshire's relationship. Overall, a slower but very powerful episode.

Roll Call:

• Heroes: Red Arrow, Green Arrow, Adam Strange, Dr. Fate, Captain Atom, Black Lightning, Zatanna, Lagoon Boy, Miss Martian, Malcolm Duncan, Blue Beetle, Snapper Carr, Beast Boy, Superboy, Nightwing, Black Canary, Kid Flash, Guardian, Wolf, Artemis
• Villains: Whisper A'Daire, Bruno Mannheim, Appellaxian Golem, "Partner", Sportsmaster, Chesire
• Civilians: Lian Nguyen-Harper

DC Easter Eggs Corner:

• Lian Nguyen-Harper is also the son of Roy Harper and Cheshire in the comics, although Cheshire was a lot less supportive as a parent in the comics.
• The first acknowledged appearance of the Scarab, the mysterious alien mechanical parasite that gives Blue Beetle his powers. Jaime is under the impression that the Scarab was created by Ted Kord instead of it being an alien, though. 
• Jaime also makes a reference to Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle. In the comics, Ted Kord was the successor of the first Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett, who had found the Scarab and channeled its power under the impression that it's a mystical talisman. Ted Kord, his successor, was unable to unlock the Scarab powers, and instead relied more on gadgets to fight crime. His death in the comics was famously the catalyst for Infinite Crisis. 
• The Appellaxians are featured in the original run of Justice League of America as a group of aliens able to take the form of elements around them. JLA: Year One would retcon the Appellaxian invaders that the JLA fought as merely host bodies that are able to take over a particular element. There are seven Appellaxians in the comics (Wood King, Stone God, Fire Giant, Crystal Creature, Mercury Monster, Glass Man and Golden Roc), although only four -- the wood, stone, crystal and golden golems -- are featured here. 
• Wally West retiring from being Kid Flash to focus on his civilian life is a major plot point during the earlier stories of The New Teen Titans. 
• The whole storyline of Roy Harper driving himself to self-destruction is, of course, a reference to the award-winning Green Lantern/Green Arrow two-parter "Snowbirds Don't Fly", which featured Speedy dealing with drug addiction, one of the first superhero comics to actually tackle the issue of drug addiction. 

Legion S02E05 Review: Apparently, On Legion...

Legion, Season 2, Episode 5: Chapter 13

I absolutely love how the recap for this episode starts off with "Apparently, on Legion" instead of previously as many TV show recaps start off as. Considering how liberal Legion plays with unreliable narrators, deception, illusions and reality warping tropes, it's a neat little touch that I absolutely appreciate in the part of an episode that people tend to overlook.

The entire episode revolves on this whole "apparently" thing, as Division Three members take turn to interrogate Lenny, who has mysteriously appeared and been apprehended at the end of the previous episode. Everyone lampshades how Lenny was merely a fragment in the Shadow King/David Haller's mind, and not an actual person with an actual body (anymore, anyway, with the real Lenny's body merged into a wall). Everyone tries to disorient Lenny, with the initial interrogation by the no-nonsense Clark taking place in a weird upside-down room. Lenny tries to paint herself as an escaped hostage who is just confused, repeating anecdotes about her gran-gran and keeps telling everyone that she's the victim and an escaped hostage who just wants to talk to David, but no one is taking any chances, which is neat. Everyone basically acknowledges that Lenny is being used as a pawn by Amahl Farouk in his weird chessmastering against Division Three, but to what degree?

Ptonomy's interrogation starts off with one of Legion's philosophy talks, with Ptomony giving this speech about past, present and future as he tries to figure out whose body has Lenny taken over since she doesn't really have a body to return to per se, especially since Lenny's eyes are different. With Lenny's mind being unreadable, Ptonomy's attempts to read into Lenny's mind ends up causing him to see a lot of weird shit, including the face within Admiral Fukuyama's basket-hat, that of a weird bug-eyed bird demon creature. Is this literal? Is Fukuyama an alien or a mutant of some sort? Is it a delusion planted by the Delusion Chicken (for lack of a better term)? This episode establishes that the weird oil-like Delusion Chicken seen earlier in this season isn't just a metaphorical term for the Catalyst disease, but what appears to be an actual entity that's worming its way into Ptonomy's mind, leading to another plotlines that this episode builds up a little.

Speaking of a different plotline, the B-plot running throughout this episode follows Oliver Bird and Amahl Farouk as they go on a journey through the desert, doing some grave-digging and unleashing a device that they have stolen a couple of episodes back from Division Three. The two of them keep talking about conspiracy, coincidences and patterns, and how humanity tends to look for patterns as a holdover from their days as hunter-gatherers. Their little side-quest ends up tying into the initially seemingly-unrelated Lenny interrogation, because as we follow Oliver and Amahl as they follow a weird submarine-car and discuss the morality of killing other humans (Amahl is fully in the camp of mutantkind being Homo superior), before the story shows Amahl Farouk's end goal just as David himself realizes what's happening. We also get the clear note that Oliver is actually not very happy being used as a pawn by Amahl, and promises to kill him in the future.

The final person to interrogate Lenny before we get answers is, of course, David, and we get some questioning as to just how much of their weird friendship/relationship is real. Lenny acknowledges that, yes, she's being used by a pawn by Amahl Farouk, but she doesn't really mean David any real harm, and is about as confused as David is as to the circumstances behind her resurrection. And, of course, the truth of Lenny's body eventually dawns on David as the episode cuts to the finale of the Oliver/Amahl road tour.

Because Oliver/Amahl arrives onto the house where David's sister Amy Haller is staying, and it genuinely plays out like a goddamn horror show. It's a bit of a shame that we've not actually checked in with Amy at all this whole season, because it does sort of lose a bit of an impact when I go "oh, right, this character exists", but the episode more than makes up for it by playing up some neat serial killer/horror scenes. After a bit of an ominous foreshadowing where Amy talks about how she's dreamed that she's got a mustache and talks about being the "Machine That Bleeds", apparently dreaming that she's part of the Vermilion, we go straight into serial killer territory as Amy's bodyguards, and subsequently her boyfriend, gets killed and turned into dust by Oliver-Amahl, and as Oliver-Amahl calmly washes his hands, it's clear that Amy is very, very much helpless.

Amy gets mentally manipulated onto the table and is sculpted into the body that holds Lenny's consciousness (jury's out if Amy's actually dead, though, or if some part of her psyche remains in the new Lenny body), and Oliver-Amahl sends Lenny-Amy to Division Three as a cruel, cruel distraction. Lenny and David, in Division Three, very appropriately freaks out as they figure this out. It's the possible death of a major supporting character, told through a pretty well-executed horror and mind-fuckery lens. Pretty good stuff here.

Marvel Easter Eggs Corner:

• Amahl Farouk refers to mutantkind as "Homo superior", the term that is often used by X-Men villain Magneto in describing mutants as the inherently superior evolution of mankind. 

Movie Review: Daredevil (2003)

Daredevil, Director's Cut [2003]

Daredevil came out at a period of time where superhero movies were either sequels of already established superheroes (mostly just Batman, Spider-Man and the X-Men) and where the producers and audience alike are sort of torn between the tone of superhero movies. This was before Batman Begins and Iron Man re-codified what superhero movies should be, so poor, poor Daredevil came out at around a weird time where superhero adaptations had to appeal to both the adults and children; cannot be too cheesy but cannot be too dark... and apparently was released with around 30 minutes chopped off the running time, 30 minutes that were restored in the Director's Cut. 

I don't really remember a lot of the theatrical cut -- hell, I don't remember much about this movie other than 'blind man beats up bad guys' and a vague recollection of watching it. It's swept under the rug of so many more impressive (or impressively bad) superhero movies or movies tied to an ongoing continuity. The release of Marvel-Netflix's highly successful Daredevil TV show has all but displaced this movie in the nerd collective's mind.

But is it that bad? I picked up the Director's Cut version of this movie a while back, and I watched it. Having essentially forgotten everything about the theatrical version, it was all but a fresh movie to me. And... and it's a perfectly fine movie, one that, while probably nowhere up to the heights that the MCU enjoys, is a perfectly serviceable superhero outing. I'm not sure just which scenes were on the chopping block and don't really care enough to look it up, but the movie does a pretty neat balancing act of Matt Murdock's origin story, Daredevil as a troubled vigilante ("I'm not the bad guy!"), Matt Murdock as a lawyer, Elektra's sort-of-origin-story and the whole plot of there being a an underground Kingpin who's been manipulating everything -- from the rigged trials Murdock has to deal with by day; to the assassination of Elektra's father, a businessman who wants out from the Kingpin's influence; to even, in 1989-Batman-style, the murder of Daredevil's father. Oh, and Bullseye is there, too, as the big physical menace to fight Daredevil for a good chunk of the movie before he connects the dots and hunts down Kingpin. 

The story's pretty decent if simple, and there's a neat thematic attempt at trying to sell a darker, more mature superhero storyline interwoven with pretty well-choreographed (even if there were some rather dated CGI) fights. That said, there were definitely some parts that I think didn't work quite as well. Colin Farrell is extremely hammy and glorious to watch, but I also think that it didn't quite fit the tone of what the movie was trying to do. I'm also not a big fan of the Elektra subplot, which just takes up a hefty chunk of the movie's runtime. I am not opposed to Elektra's backstory being tied to the Kingpin/Daredevil conflict, or that Elektra is Matt's love interest in this movie, or that the Daredevil is framed for the murder of Elektra's father, but the whole "Elektra suddenly gets sais and can kick a lot of ass, stabs Daredevil, and then abruptly gets killed by Bullseye" chunk just feels like a huge chunk of trying to have your cake and eat it. 

Perhaps my favourite part of this movie is the confrontation between Kingpin and Daredevil. Kingpin (here played by the intensely imposing Michael Clark Duncan) is built up pretty well throughout this movie as a ruthless titan, and when he takes off his suit and begins pummeling Daredevil -- who's been through Bullseye and Elektra fights throughout the movie -- it's pretty damn awesome. Sure, the whole 'rain lets me see' plot point is a bit too cheesy, but it's still a pretty decent movie that honestly doesn't deserve the flak it gets. And it probably wouldn't get that much flak if the studio hadn't butchered the movie when it was released to the public.

There are also some neat bits of retroactive recognition too, the most obvious being Ben Affleck a.k.a. our newest live-action Batman, as Daredevil. Affleck's performance is another highlight of the movie, where despite some obvious "oh my I'm in love" nonsense, he does an amazing job at making Matt Murdock feel like he walked off the comic book pages, angst and all. Jon Favreau (MCU's Happy Hogan) played Matt's lawyer sidekick Foggy Nelson, and that bit is just hilarious.

Overall, it's a surprisingly solid movie, all things considered. It's a flawed  movie thanks to a bit of a mishandling of the subplots and trying too hard to introduce Elektra and the 'Elektra dies' subplot into a movie that already tries to explore multiple aspects of Daredevil's character... but I still enjoy it anyway unironically. 

Young Justice S02E03 Review: Aliens on Earth

Young Justice: Invasion, Episode 3: Alienated

This episode of Young Justice is slightly more packed with content and characters compared to the previous episode, and as always is with Young Justice, there is a fair amount of nice little touches that really show that Young Justice is a burden of love for fans of the DC comics. It's just such a shame (and also a blessing) that it has such a limited episode count and had such a problematic production that we don't get more episodes than the two seasons and the upcoming third... although perhaps it's to its own benefit. After all, part of Young Justice's unique charm is its extremely dense inter-episodic storytelling.

Take the little details told here, for example. We get a lot of gas filled, and I'm not just talking about the Aqualad revelation either, which I'll cover separately. Take the brief moments of Superboy and Superman making jokes with each other and the tender moment when Superman calls Conner his 'little brother'. It shows that after the events of the first season, the aloof Superman actually did end up making up with Superman. Or take the slow, silent, knowing glance that J'onn gives M'gann during the interrogation. Take how the Bat-family works as a wholly separate unit, so even without the focus being on them, the strong familial bond the Gotham vigilantes have are still around. There is so much to unpack and talk about in each episode, with so many little scenes that any cartoon could easily spin entire episodes out of.

We do get a bit of a catch-up after the slower 'Earthlings', with M'gann returning to the Justice League Watchtower and telling basically everyone about the missing 16 hours in the first season finale. Apparently Vandal Savage's mind control sent them all into space, into a planet called Rimbor where they wreaked havoc while proclaiming that they are villains from Earth, which is the reason that Earth is galactic enemy number one. We get a little cheeky plot handwave as Green Lantern notes that he genuinely doesn't know what's going on because Rimbor isn't in his sector.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Team is dealing with Kroloteans on Earth, mopping up the other impersonators, in this case beating up recurring character Bibbo Bibbowski. Bibbo is a character near and dear to my heart from the comics, and it's moments like this that I'm genuinely sad that Young Justice doesn't have enough time to explore extremely tertiary characters like Bibbo. Bumblebee and Blue Beetle get an action scene, but the Krolotean escapes and reveals that he's allied with Black Manta, tying to this whole alien thing being tied to Vandal Savage's Light organization. Or who we are led to believe to be Black Manta, anyway. We also get more Blue Beetle arguing with his suit, which is a neat beat of lampshading for future episodes.

From dialogue that we see from the Kroloteans in this episode, there are apparently other 'Competitors' for Earth, and that one of the Kroloteans are attacked by one of the Competitors -- with the most likely suspect at this point being one of the many alien characters in the League/Team's roster. Add that to the fact that Black Manta (whose alliance with the Light is clear as day at the end of the episode) is working with a mysterious figure with alien bombs only referred to as 'the Partner', and we get conspiracies layered on conspiracies. Also, Black Manta has replaced Ocean Master in the Light's inner conclave, another neat development that has happened in-between seasons.

But the big storyline for this episode, of course, is the revelation that the person in the Black Manta suit that has been running around in the first half of the episode is actually Aqualad. Or, well, Kaldur'ahm, since he's apparently shed the mantle of Aqualad and has joined the side of evil because his father is actually Black Manta -- a fact that Aquaman kept from him. The hurt in Aquaman's voice during their confrontation, the rage in Kaldur'ahm's voice, and the disgust in La'gann's voice at this traitor are all done amazingly well for such a short confrontation. We quickly catch the fact that apparently his old love interest Tula had joined the Team as Aquagirl and got killed in a mission, and combined with the revelation of Kaldur'ahm's parentage, drove him into evil. It's a neat revelation that combined with Beast Boy's origin story from last episode, leads you to really wonder just what else has happened in the five-year gap between the two seasons.

It's an interesting scene, with Aqualad straight-up launching a missile meant to kill his former mentor, with La'gaan's angry cries of traitor (and La'gaan is built up to be the 'jock' hate sink, but you can't blame him), and the brutal battle between Kaldur'ahm against Superboy and Nightwing... it's a pretty neat confrontation and revelation.

The older superheroes don't get as much focus as the members of the Young Justice Team, as, y'know,  it's not their show, but I do love the rare moments where they are allowed to shine. And while Aquaman gets some moments in this episode, perhaps the biggest points go to Superman. As the rest of the Team and League evacuate the exploding island, Superman beseeches and begs and pleads with the Kroloteans to please get on board their ship so he can fly them out, and the desperation in his voice as the Kroloteans refuse to listen to reason is amazingly delivered. The shots following are beautifully tragic as Superman falls into the water, is rescued by his allies, while Superboy morosely notes that Superman "won't be okay" and his failure to save the villains will haunt him. And in that short two-minute scene, Young Justice's Superman, a tertiary character at best, is easily one of the more faithful adaptations of the Man of Steel.

The episode ends with the six members of the Justice League that are branded terrorists to go onto space with Hawkman and Icon to stand trial, leaving the Earth in the protection of a skeleton crew and the Team. It's a clever way to get the bigger names out of the way while still tying them into the huge Light/alien plotline. Add that to many, many other smaller foreshadowings throughout the episode -- M'gann still being super-brutal with her mental interrogations; Godfrey's anti-JLA pundit TV show, the brief moments between Black Manta and Aqualad... there is a lot to love in this series.

Roll Call:

• Heroes: Bumblebee, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (John Stewart), Nightwing, Adam Strange, Miss Martian, Superboy, Beast Boy, Batman, Martian Manhunter, Batgirl, Robin, Lagoon Boy, Aquaman, Superman, Wonder Girl, Icon, Rocket, Hawkwoman, Hawkman. The rest of the Justice League and Red Arrow appears in flashback.
• Villains: Kroloteans, Aqualad, The Appelaxians, Black Manta, "Partner", Klarion, Brain, Queen Bee, Lex Luthor, Ra's al Ghul, Vandal Savage
• Civilians: Eduardo Dorado Sr, G. Gordon Godfrey, Bibbo Bibbowski

DC Easter Egg Corner:

as literal an 'easter egg corner' as can be

• Green Lantern mentions Oa and the Guardians of the Universe, which I think is the first time they are ever referenced in Young Justice. The Guardians of the Universe, of course, are the ones that gave the Green Lanterns their rings and order them to police the universe. 
• The planet Rimbor is the home planet of Legion of Super-Heroes member Ultra Boy in the comics. 
• Tula has became Aquagirl and has been killed in the mission. In the comics, Aquagirl's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths has been one of the more major deaths that actually remained permanent for nearly the entirety of DC's original continuity. 
• Kaldur'ahm is introduced in the comics as Black Manta's bastard son in the comics. 
• Among the brief shots of the tour in the Hall of Justice are a lot of Easter Eggs:
• The Appellaxians, who are identified as the alien threat that brought the Justice League together. It's a role that they share with their comic-book counterparts as seen in Justice League of America #9, which details the official formation of the League.
• Amazo is apparently disassembled since his latest defeat and reduced to a trophy here as well.  
• The costumes in the trophy cases are Guardian, Firebrand, Wildcat, Alan Scott/Green Lantern, Red Torpedo, Flash/Jay Garrick and Sandman. All of them are 'retired' superheroes that have appeared as part of the Justice Society in Young Justice's canon.
• The green bell, the silver wheel and the red jar are the items used to summon the Demons Three -- Rath, Ghast and Abnegazar -- constant villains of the DC comics.
• Next to those three items appear to be the Key's, well, key; followed by Libra's staff; and what appears to be the Gamma Gong, a plot device that Kanjar Ro hunted in his first appearance.
• Next to Amazo's display case appears to be Dr. Light's... light-projector thing, featured on the cover of JLA #12. 
• The golden canoe is JLA villain Kanjar Ro's "Slave Ship of Space". Yes, he is an alien with a space canoe.
• (Not quite sure what the huge diamonds, the golden organ or the katana with a ribbon are meant to be. I'm sure they reference some JLA story somewhere.)