Ladies and gentlemen of Azeroth, start your siege engines and place your bets: Garrosh Hellscream must die.

No, we’re not filthy brutes indulging our lust for violence and bloodshed. It’s just what has to go down in the Siege of Orgimmar: Garrosh, not exactly the most beloved and conscientious Warchief in the first place has been revealed as wielding the Heart of Y’shaarj for his own baleful intent.

So who will be the one to definitively depose the Mad Mag’har in the upcoming raid encounter? Let’s go down the list:

Lady Jaina Proudmoore

Image Source: TamplierPainter

Odds: 10,000 – 1

Jaina has had enough.

After Garrosh’s assault on Varian’s son Anduin, a usually peaceful Jaina Proudmoore is hell-bent on exacting revenge on Garrosh. Between that and her forbidden, estranged relationship with Thrall, Jaina could very well lead her Kirin Tor out of Dalaran and into the heart of Grommash Hold, showing the world she is not to be taken lightly.

King Varian Wrynn

Odds: 8,000 – 1

Sure, this is largely a Horde conflict. But the leader of the Grand Alliance would be a fool not to use Horde infighting as the opportunity of a lifetime for he and his troops to put an end to this malevolent Alliance/Horde war once and for all, and while he has nearly no control over his own anger, a fool he is not.

Trade Prince Jastor Gallywix

Odds: 5,000 – 1

Speaking of goblins… or lack thereof: Where does Jastor Gallywix and his Bilgewater Cartel factor into all of this?

Despite their pint-sized appearance — the goblins are no jokes:

Goblin forces are terrifying to behold. The Trade Fleets are outfitted with the most fanatical and destructive creatures on Azeroth.

Although the major portion of the Siege of Orgrimmar will ostensibly take place with a ground assault, the Goblin Trade Fleets could be used to transport auxiliary forces into the fray. And let’s not forget their air superiority: Zeppelins, goblin gliders, and rockets just to scratch the surface.

Will the goblins factor decisively into the Siege? Vol’jin made no mention of them when he spoke to Baine Bloodhoof about augmenting the forces of the Darkspear Rebellion: will his disregard come back to bite him in the ankles? Or has the goblins’ allegiance in this uprising already been bought off?

Sylvanas

Odds: 300 – 1

Sylvanas has been quiet lately, but to count her out as a major player in the Siege of Orgrimmar would be foolish to say the least.

Sylvanas and her Forsaken’s place in the Horde has always been tenuous, and a relationship of convenience. The last thing the Banshee Queen needs is an excuse to put her arrows in the heads of some Greenskins. Hell, she’s already claimed the befouled underbelly of Lordaeron for herself; why would anyone assume Sylvanas doesn’t see this conflict simply as an opportunity for furthering Forsaken domination? (And don’t think she’s forgotten about Garrosh calling her a bitch. Dem’s fighting words.)

Lor’themar Theron

Odds: 300 – 1

Lor’themar is still dutifully spearheading antiquated dailies; too preoccupied with leaping over anthropomorphic s--t-blobs on the Isle of Thunder whilst disguised as a Saurok to have any stake in the Siege of Orgrimmar. Oh well.

All joking aside, Garrosh has shown disdain for the Regent Lord of Quel’Thalas and his Blood Elves time and time again. His contempt for Garrosh is arguably as justified as any of the other faction leaders. Lor’themar is a dark horse candidate to be sure, but there is no doubt that he is in the running due to his impressive show of initiative and leadership on the Isle of Thunder.

Baine Bloodhoof

“Garrosh is a fool, and a betrayer. I should have killed him long ago, when he betrayed my father.” — Baine to Vol’jin during the Darkspear Rebellion.

Odds: 50 – 1

Garrosh killed Cairne Bloodhoof, Baine’s father, and former chieftain of the Bloodhoof Tauren — this much is true.

But does Baine really see Garrosh as a betrayer or is he just saying this to placate Vol’jin as the wheels of revolution are finally set into motion?

After all, for once, this one wasn’t all Garrosh’s fault: The blame for Cairne’s death more accurately falls on Magatha Grimtotem, matriarch of the Grimotem Tribe. She secretly poisoned Gorehowl (Garrosh’s axe) before Cairne and Garrosh’s honor duel because she believed the right to lead all Tauren lay with her and the Grimtotem — not Cairne.

Since the death of his father, Baine has taken over as chieftain and had a surprisingly decent rapport with Garrosh. Garrosh knows that the Tauren are an integral component to the Horde’s forces and therefore has shown Baine and his ilk a little more respect than say, the trolls or the Forsaken. Will this show of esteem factor in to Baine’s ultimate decision?

Vol’jin

“… And when tha time comes dat ya failure is complete and ya ‘power’ is meaningless, I will be dere to end ya rule swiftly and silently …. ya will know exactly who fired da arrow dat pierced ya black heart.” — Vol’jin in a meeting with Garrosh

Odds: 5-1

Tonight’s main event: In the Darkspear tribe corner, sporting a meaty 348,909,600 hit points and a robust red mohawk; the rightful leader of the Echo Isles… Vol’jin.

Everybody’s favorite Shadow Hunter has had a long history of strife with Garrosh and been through thick and thin with the Horde. Thrall saved his people from extinction and Vol’jin considers him a brother. It’s clear where his allegiances lie, but can he pull the trigger?

Thrall

Odds: 10 – 1

At the end of the day, on top of the weight of trying to keep Azeroth together (literally), Thrall has to live with the fact that on some level, a lot of this is his fault.

He gave Garrosh the throne, entrusting the fate of thousands of his people, his city, and his friends with Garrosh. Garrosh in kind, for the most part has repaid him by having a hand in the murder of one of Thrall’s most trusted viziers, flushing the Alliance-Horde peace treaties down the shitter and splintering the Horde like never before.

Thrall is a man of the highest honor: Does he see the problems with Garrosh as those to be solved by he and he alone?

Garrosh Hellscream

“Much has transpired since I have assumed the mantle of warchief. We have faced trials and danger, threats to our world and our way of life. And yet, we persevere. We are the Horde. We will not let anything break our spirits!”

Despite Garrosh’s brutal methods and questionable temperament, is he truly corrupt? If you were to ask Garrosh or the Kork’ron Elite — bodyguards who have exhibited their readiness to lay down their lives for the Warchief — he is only doing what is right for the empowerment of the Horde. After all, this is war we’re talking about.

Is there a chance the Heart of Y’shaarj can be extinguished, Garrosh redeems himself, and all the Horde leaders end up hugging it out and holding hands around a Basic Campfire crooning Kumbaya in unison? Not likely, but if his main opposition is quelled or some other monkey wrench is thrown into the plot — there’s a chance we could be seeing Garrosh as Warchief for a bit longer than we anticipated.