The answer is ironically Nerzhul was a better person than Arthas since he actually had regrets about the bad things he did that led to him becoming the Lich King. Arthas used that against him to become the new persona of the Lich King.
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Correct. remember the Wrath Cinematic when Arthas’ eyes blaze open and the ice starts to crack? That’s the moment where he had finally eradicated the last remmnants of both Nar’zhul AND his lingering Humanity.
It was also at that moment he passed irretreivably beyond redemption.
I fkn love this… of course, Blizzard will not do this since this is obviously a cool idea.
Seriously, it was so titillating to hear in that quest in Howling Fjord, the LK say he was a shaman once… only to have the wind go out of my sails by the time Icecrown rolls around and Nerzhul is no where to be seen and we have some Matthias Lenner crap.
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I hope you’re misinformed, or joking.
In the original timeline/lore, he is quite prominent, capable and respected. He’s the Warchief of the Horde, for crying out loud. It is due to his humanity and honor that causes him to doubt the schemes of KJ - that, combined with Gul’dan’s ambition that vastly eclipses his - is what brings about him losing face among the Horde.
Nerzhul is a fantastic, complex character, much like many “side” characters in WoW. He’s a character who wants to play the big leagues, gets out-maneuvered, makes bad choices and is severely punished for them. This pattern repeats even when he becomes the LK, unfortunately, and I was really hoping he’d reach a character development point where he’d learn from this and overcome it in playing a part in Arthas’ downfall in WotLK.
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As far as Chronicles is concerned, Ner’zhul wasn’t destroyed just shoved into the background of the Lich King’s mind where Arthas can ignore it. I’m going to assume it’s the same deal with Arthas and Ner’zhul for Bolvar.
Hell it’d explain why Bolvar went from “I will be the jailer of the damned” to “I am actively rebuilding the Scourge.”
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In the original timeline his unintentional betray(and subsiquent betrayal) by Gul’dan all but break his spirit. Also, by the end of Beyond the Dark Portal his so called humanity/care for the Horde turns out to be false.
Bolvar had already been warped by Arthas’ torture sessions and what the Red Dragonflight had done to the Blight that had infested his body. He’s pretty messed up BEFORE he took up the Helm of Command.
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you don’t even need to be tortured to get crazy in undeath. Look at all those forsaken
Ner’Zhul was a mastermind, and highly resilient to pain due to his unpleasant stay in the Nether with Kil’Jaedin.
When Arthas & Ner’Zhul had a battle of the mind, Arthas could not use tactics of physical torture - But as Ner’Zhul was honing down on his ambition & failures, it sparked an idea in Arthas, to assault Ner’Zhul via emotional torture. The result of his wife, the aftermath from the destruction if his world, the torture of the elements, the shunning from the ancestral spirits, the strife of his people, and his own failures - Arthas dissected this of Ner’Zhul til his broken voice merely became a whimper — Arthas, the Fallen Prince with a prideful resolution and a indomitable will: Was then able to take full control of the Scourge for his own ambition …
I would however, like to see Bolvar start making big moves - Moves that caused much fear & concern. Then later something incredibly dark, that scares even Bwonsamdi, then have Bolvar later mutter “Taking over this one was a difficult task. But alas, I am now once more awakened, the name of Arthas shall pale in comparison to mine … And the world shall once more recall the the name, of Ner’Zhul …” {Has Epic Exit Scene}
Indicating the same mind-battle, except Ner’Zhul battled over & won - Victor to the spoils & dread that lay ahead.
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Ner’zhul was never Warchief. That was Blackhand. Ner’zhul is, and always has been, quite secondary and weak-willed. The only time he tried taking the initiative himself, he destroyed his world, got himself and his followers captured, and was tortured into near-insanity by Kil’jaeden and became the first Lich King. Then, he got himself absorbed into Arthas.
Literally, the MU lineage of Warchief is as follows:
Blackhand
Ogrim Doomhammer
Thrall
Garrosh
Vol’jin
Sylvanas
In AU, it was Grommash, and Grommash alone until his supposed death at the hands of Yrel.
NerZhul was most respected orc during early wow books. Everything was retconned then. He wasn’t horde leader (cause there was no horde), but when orcs gathered for annual meeting he was the one that was respected by every tribe
An echo trapped within the shards of Frostmourne.
You fight the echo of Ner’zhul and Arthas within frostmourne, not the helm.
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You ignored Garrosh, fixed it for you.
Exactly. Most people would not have been able to follow through on such a horrific order. It was totally vicious, obviously, but also required incredible will.
Thanks.
/10c
I thought Ner’zhul held the position of Warchief during the events of beyond the dark portal expac for WC2??
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He did. The poster is mistaken, or there’s been a retcon done that I am unaware of.
He lead the Horde on Draenor during/after the Second War when the portal to Azeroth was deactivated.
If seeing through the machinations of an intergalatic dark lord, attempting to act out against those schemes; defying the Legion under their very nose as LK, etc are “weak-willed” and “secondary” then sure, he’s weak willed.
I will say that I find that definition of weak-willed very strange, but whatever, this is the internet 
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Yeah, Ner’zhul lead them, but he was never crowned Warchief as of Chronicles Volume 2.
Potayto, potahto 
I think it’s less interesting that Arthas overpowered Nerzhul, but I’d be lying if I said they didn’t lay framework for it.
As an aside, I think it’s obscenely weak that Nerzhul is reflected inside of Frostmourne, as an orc. I always assumed that the transformation into the Lich King had permanently changed his soul into something else. Something cooler.