The Burning Legion is but a shadow of his terrible darkness. Trust in me when I say that we have hope even if every demon who serves him comes through, but no hope if we destroy all only to have him step into the world.” Krasus[4]

Sargeras (pronounced "SAHR-gair-ahs")[5] is a titan and the creator and leader of the Burning Legion. He was once the champion of the Pantheon, chosen to defend the worlds the titans had ordered. However, while he once served as a guardian and protector, he later set out to destroy all world-souls and life in the universe, and undo what the titans had strived for ages to achieve.[6]

His actions and their effects essentially made him one of the main antagonists — or as Chris Metzen called him, "the big, mega bad guy" —[7] of the Warcraft franchise, and he served as the main antagonist of Legion.

Biography

Champion of the Pantheon

Sargeras as part of the titan Pantheon

Like all titans, Sargeras was born from a world-soul maturing within a planet in the Great Dark Beyond. He was the mightiest warrior of the titan Pantheon and originally possessed the title "The Defender" and was the "noblest of all".[6] Like the rest of his kind, he was altruistic and just, unable to conceive of pure evil.[8] When the chaotic demons, spawn of the Twisting Nether, began to threaten the Pantheon's work of bringing order to worlds in the Great Dark, Sargeras was sent to battle them. Sargeras continued defeating the disorganized and incompetent demons with ease, but he also soon discovered that some demons had begun wielding the dark energies of the Void. The Defender also suspected the existence of malevolent beings far more powerful than mere demons who sought to influence the physical universe hidden behind the veil of the Void. The presence of these beings troubled Sargeras, but he nonetheless continued his work.[9]

To his dismay, Sargeras soon discovered that the demons he had defeated simply returned to the Twisting Nether to be reborn in new bodies and continue to torment the worlds of the Great Dark. The Pantheon grew concerned about this development and the increase of demonic activity, and so sent the inexperienced titan Aggramar to aid Sargeras in battle. Aggramar proved a quick study and soon earned Sargeras' admiration, and became the warrior's trusted lieutenant. The two fought shoulder to shoulder against the endless demons of the Nether. This allowed Sargeras to more closely study the nature of the Nether, and by learning how to manipulate the chaotic realm's magical energies, he created a prison world known as Mardum to contain the demons he had defeated (though in Mardum, the demons were not idle; a nathrezim named Ulthalesh, in particular, ruled the pocket dimension with an iron fist, plotting his vengeance[10]). Demonic invasions became increasingly rare, and together, the two titans soon brought peace to the cosmos.[9]

Betrayal

Sargeras destroying the corrupted world-soul

Sargeras and Aggramar eventually agreed to go their own separate ways in order to protect several parts of the universe at the same time, allowing them to more effectively combat the demons. It was during this time that Sargeras learned about the Void Lords and discovered their plans. Coming across a world that had been completely infected by monstrous aberrations known as Old Gods, the titan ruthlessly interrogated a conclave of nathrezim demons who dwelled on the black world. From them, Sargeras learned that the void lords had sent the Old Gods out into the cosmos to infect any worlds that housed titan world-souls, and if they succeeded, the world-soul would be twisted into an unspeakably dark creature that not even the Pantheon could stand against: a Dark Titan. Enraged at this discovery, Sargeras cleaved the planet in two, instantly killing the nascent titan it housed. He then immediately returned to the rest of the Pantheon to tell of his discovery, but they chastised him for his rash action, insisting that they might have been able to purge the world-soul of its corruption without killing it. Sargeras tried to convince the other titans that what he had done was right, and that the universe needed to be purged of life - which, in his mind, could have been already corrupted by the void lords - in order to prevent the risk of a world-soul becoming corrupted and opening the way for the void lords (in his mind, even a lifeless universe was better than one dominated by the Void, for he argued that if life had once taken root in the Great Dark on its own, perhaps it would do so again). Eventually realizing that the others would never see things the way he did, Sargeras stormed off, and never returned.[9][9]

Birth of the Legion

Sargeras leading the Burning Legion in battle

While the titans continued their work, Sargeras meditated on the fate of the cosmos in isolation. Fear, doubt and despair overwhelmed him, and he eventually came to the conclusion that the only way to spare the fundamentally flawed universe from the void lords was to purge it all of life. Thus began the Burning Crusade. The fallen titan knew that he would need an army to accomplish this, and so he traveled to Mardum, which had become bloated and twisted with fel energies over the eons. Sargeras instantly shattered the prison world, unleashing its countless demonic inhabitants onto the cosmos and creating an explosion of fel energies so powerful that it warped his form into a horrific being of blistering hatred. In the process of destroying the prison world, the fallen titan had also ripped open a wound in the boundaries between the Nether and the Great Dark, creating a great burning maw of emerald fire that would remain an eternal reminder of the titan's betrayal for all time.[11]

Sargeras then imbued the ravenous demon hordes before him with his power, granting them increased size or intelligence, before offering them a simple choice: join his cause or be destroyed.[11] While most of the demons accepted, a minority refused, instead rallying around the Dreadlord Ulthalesh. In answer to the challenge, Sargeras forged a great felsteel scythe from the fires of Mardum's destruction, using it to harvest the souls of the rebellious demons and trapping them in a new prison. Ulthalesh, strongest in will, was the last to be devoured. Sargeras named the scythe, later known as Ulthalesh, the Deadwind Harvester, after the nathrezim who had opposed him, and would over the ages bestow the weapon to nathrezim, doomlords and even demigods, only to see their spirits be devoured by the scythe as they fell.[10]

Sargeras and the Burning Legion

With the rebellious demons annihilated, Sargeras had his Burning Legion formed. The army fell upon its first world, extinguishing several mortal civilizations and sentient species. Sargeras himself annihilated the constellar who had been assigned to watch over the planet. Aggramar, Sargeras' former student, was the first to learn of the constellar's death and arrived to confront his former master. He demanded an explanation from Sargeras, but when he realized that his words would not sway him, Aggramar challenged the fallen titan to single combat. The battle between the two raged until, in an explosion of fel and arcane power, both of the combatants' blades shattered. Heavily wounded, Aggramar retreated and informed the Pantheon of Sargeras' betrayal.[11]

Nihilam

The Pantheon and the Legion, both girded for war, confronted one another near a planet called Nihilam. Aman'Thul, the Highfather of the Pantheon, pleaded with Sargeras to abandon his mad cause, telling him of a distant world-soul called Azeroth who would one day be powerful enough to challenge the void lords. Sargeras listened closely but was unmoved. Despite their earlier battle, Aggramar then made one last attempt to reason with Sargeras. He approached his former tutor, unarmed, trying to persuade him by recounting tales of the glorious battles the two had fought. But Sargeras was set in his ways. With a howl of fury and sorrow, the former champion raised his blade and struck Aggramar down, cleaving him in two. Outraged by this murder, the Pantheon launched an all-out assault on Sargeras, but, unable to stand against the fallen titan's Fel might, soon perished as well. The fallen titan proclaimed his army victorious and set out to continue the Burning Crusade and discover the location of Azeroth for, to him, Azeroth was not the savior of the universe but the opposite, if corrupted. Unbeknownst to Sargeras, however, the titan Norgannon had managed to weave a final spell which managed to temporarily save the Pantheon's souls from the destruction of their bodies, sending their spirits hurtling out through the cosmos.[11]

The Burning Crusade

Sargeras appears to the Triumvirate on Argus under the guise of an elegant, radiant being

Though Sargeras had succeeded in destroying the Pantheon, much of the Legion had been needlessly killed in the battle on Nihilam. Most demons, though bloodthirsty, lacked strategic thinking, and the fallen titan could not direct his entire army at once. On the planet Argus, Sargeras found the cunning and tactically minded agents he sought — the eredar, a race of highly intelligent beings with a natural affinity for magic in all its myriad forms. In the form of a radiant and elegant being, Sargeras appeared to the eredar's three greatest leaders, Kil'jaeden, Archimonde, and Velen, and made his offer: untold power, prestige and the opportunity to transform primitive worlds into peaceful sanctuaries in exchange for their allegiance. Though Velen had doubts, Kil'jaeden and Archimonde readily agreed. Guided by a vision from the naaru and the ata'mal crystal Velen and his followers fled, becoming the draenei. The remainder of the eredar people were transformed into hideous demons, Sargeras' fel whisperings surging through the minds of Argus' every inhabitant and drowning out their ability to reason.[11]

Sargeras tasked Kil'jaeden the Deceiver to seek out the darkest races in the universe and recruit them into the Legion's ranks. Meanwhile, Archimonde the Defiler would lead Sargeras' vast armies into battle against any who might resist the titan's will. Now that his armies were amassed and ready to follow his every command, he launched his raging forces into the vastness of the Great Dark. To this date, it is still unclear how many worlds his Burning Legion has consumed and burned on their unholy Burning Crusade across the universe.[12]

This section concerns content related to Legion.

At some point after the formation of the Legion, Sargeras entrusted an aranasi named Brood Queen Tyranna with an artifact called the Sargerite Keystone and assigned her as ruler of the now-shattered realm of Mardum. Moreover, Sargeras offered the mighty aldrachi people a place in his Burning Legion. But the aldrachi proved incorruptible: they slew innumerable demons before their race was wiped out. Sargeras, using an Avatar, personally killed their greatest champion and seized his weapons - the Aldrachi Warblades which eventually ended up with Kil'jaeden and his loyal demon hunter.[13]

Sargeras also had a personal hound named Goremaw the Devourer. At some point, the Legion conquered a new world, corrupting its leaders and killing their heroes. However, a child, burning with righteous fury for his dying world, crept into the Legion's stronghold and killed several eredar guards--and Goremaw--while they rested. When Sargeras saw his slain hound, he was consumed with rage. That world, and all who lived upon it, was scattered as ashes in the Great Dark.

The dreadlord, Mephistroth, believed that Goremaw could still serve the Legion. He extracted the felhound's fangs and took them to a great demon forge on the eredar homeworld of Argus and eventually created two of the deadliest weapons the universe had ever known, the Fangs of the Devourer. These daggers could twist the air and bend light, allowing their wielders to conceal themselves effortlessly. He presented the daggers to Sargeras, who was greatly pleased. It took time for Sargeras to find someone worthy of wielding the Fangs of the Devourer. Loyalty was a concern. Skilled assassins are deceptive by nature, all too capable of betrayal. Sargeras would not abide the thought of Goremaw's legacy falling into the hands of the Legion's enemies. Finally, Sargeras found someone suitable to carry these daggers into battle. An eredar tracker named Akaari had distinguished herself in several Legion invasions, silently murdering those who suspected that the demons' promises were laced with doom. She was summoned to Argus and told of the great honor being offered to her. Sargeras promised Akaari that she would become a fearsome instrument of death, one of the deadliest creatures alive in any known realm, but at a cost of her will. If she wanted to be this living weapon, betrayal would become impossible. It was a grim bargain, but Akaari accepted it.

Sargeras had his eyes on a small, militaristic world. Its inhabitants would have fought hard against a Legion invasion. Though they would have fallen eventually to direct force, Sargeras believed they might be vulnerable to fear and paranoia. This world was Akaari's first mission with her newly granted powers.She infiltrated its strongholds alone and was successful. Thus, Akaari became Sargeras's asset, loyal and unquestioning. But even though her will was gone, her guile remained. She requested that Sargeras allow her to roam the Twisting Nether for a time. He agreed, curious to see how she would further the goals of the Burning Legion.

She returned to Sargeras with new skills and a new philosophy: fear was a double-edged sword, useful, but not always the right choice. An unseen assassin inspired terror, yes, but an unknown assassin inspired complacency. An enemy could not prepare to face a danger that seemingly did not exist.[14]

The first invasion of Azeroth

On Azeroth, 10,000 years before the opening of the Dark Portal, the elven Queen Azshara and her people, the Highborne, were wielding magic as their plaything. Sensing the great magical power of the Well of Eternity, Sargeras finally discovered the location of Azeroth. In order to invade the planet, he called to Azshara. The Highborne queen was impressed and overwhelmed by Sargeras' great power. He used a subtle form of mental manipulation while speaking to her and her councilor, Xavius. They saw Sargeras as a god and worshiped him. Azshara agreed to grant him entrance to her world if only for a taste of a portion of his knowledge and energy. (Furthermore, she thought he would marry her.) Thus, the first invasion of Azeroth began.

Sargeras burning out Illidan's eyes

Archimonde and the great pit lord Mannoroth stormed through Kalimdor, ripping the world to shreds and sucking every ounce of energy from it that they could. Sargeras waited in the Twisting Nether for Azshara to strengthen the portal enough to allow him entrance, and during that time, he accomplished many things.[15]

Among them, he transformed Xavius into the first satyr and gifted Illidan Stormrage with his dark magic, burning out the eyes of the night elf and covering both of his shoulders with arcane tattoos.[15][16] Then, he gave the scythe Ulthalesh to Sataiel and commanded her to reap the souls of Azeroth's rebellious denizens, starting with the area that would later be known as Deadwind Pass.[10]

But, at the crucial moment for his entering on Azeroth, the night elves, aided by Cenarius' woodfolk and Alexstrasza's dragons, mustered their forces and rebelled against the Highborne in a climactic battle that destroyed the Well of Eternity and crushed much of the continent to rubble. The defenders of Azeroth paid a great cost to throw the demons back into the Twisting Nether, but in the end, Sargeras' mission had failed for the very first time. Because the portal rift into the Twisting Nether vanished in such a great display of magical power, the forces holding the worlds together ruptured, causing the Well of Eternity to implode. A massive part of Kalimdor sank beneath the ocean, and where the Well of Eternity had been before there was only a gigantic oceanic vortex, later named the Maelstrom.

In the novel War of the Ancients, Krasus, Rhonin, and Brox are thrown back in time and are able to help the demi-god Cenarius and the dragon Aspects fight the Burning Legion. Once again, in this new timeline, Sargeras' first invasion of Azeroth failed. During the end of the war, Broxigar leapt through the portal and using the Axe of Cenarius crafted by Malfurion Stormrage killed many demons before catching the attention of Sargeras himself. In a last desperate attempt to buy time for his allies, Broxigar personally attacked the huge titan with the Axe of Cenarius, wounding him in his leg - an extraordinary feat for anyone as he was said to be invincible. Sargeras then killed Broxigar, however, the scratch was pivotal. When Sargeras approached the gateway, Krasus poured the combined power of his companions at the tiny wound and momentarily distracted Sargeras from the portal. Malfurion used this opening to assail the portal and destabilize it. Refusing to believe his defeat, Sargeras stepped within the collapsing portal in a futile attempt to rebuild it. It imploded, casting him in to the Nether.[17]

After the Well of Eternity

After his defeat at the Well of Eternity, Sargeras immediately planned his next method of infiltrating Azeroth. He knew he couldn't rely on a static portal; to serve a titan, such a gateway required an astronomical amount of power, and the most promising source had been destroyed in his last attempt. Moreover, the Highborne's laborious preparation and spellwork had given away his intentions, which had allowed the night elf resistance to thwart him. If he wanted to overcome Azeroth's defenders, Sargeras needed to enter the world with minimal warning.

Thus he commanded the eredar to forge a tool that would wrench open rifts between worlds for only a short time, just long enough to let a portion of his soul through. Although that meant he couldn't enter Azeroth in his most devastating form, such an instrument would clear a path for his avatar to lead the Legion's invasion or carry out subtler schemes. Such an instrument would also weaken the integrity of the physical universe and threaten to collapse it, but Sargeras considered those to be only side benefits.

First, scores of magi conducted dark rituals to channel countless portals into a single staff. They then projected the empowered artifact into every corner of the Great Dark Beyond, weaving it into the fabric of reality, creating a thread that could be pulled to unravel the seams of the physical universe at will. To fuel this monstrous undertaking, a hundred warlocks sacrificed a hundred demons, selecting them from among the Legion troops that had been part of the failed invasion of Azeroth. Thus was forged the Jeweled Scepter of Sargeras.

Soon after the War of the Ancients, Sargeras also had a vision: the Well of Eternity imploded once again, but this time, it dragged him down to the very core of Azeroth. He was there for only an instant, but in that moment, he saw Azeroth's slumbering world-soul--and in that moment, the world-soul opened one eye and gazed at the Dark Titan. He was enraptured. Since then, the eye of Azeroth's world-soul has not been far from his thoughts. He commanded the eredar who forged the scepter to crown it with that lone, wondrous orb. Next to it, the eredar placed two nathrezim wings, a testament to Sargeras's conception of the world-soul: corrupted, demonic, and most importantly, his.[10]

Sargeras and Sataiel

This section concerns content related to Legion.

In the millennia after the collapse of the Well of Eternity, Sataiel, who was still on Azeroth, grew into an over-ambitious, strong-willed, and supremely confident. She had come to Azeroth to prove herself to Sargeras, but when she saw the heights of power she could reach with Ulthalesh, she wondered whether she'd set her sights too low. She had massacred thousands, turned the Deadwind Pass into a tomb, and ripped open a magical nexus of unspeakable force. Her destiny was bright, and she needed no one's patronage to achieve it. The dreadlord Ulthalesh whispered to Sataiel from the scythe, infecting her mind. She decided to keep the magical nexus for herself, and she cast potent wards to hide it from the outside world. Then she cut off all contact with the Legion, biding her time until she and Ulthalesh had the strength to challenge the Dark Titan.

When Sargeras discovered her deception, he was furious. The fount of power was his by right, and Sataiel was keeping it from him. Not only that, but his spies on Azeroth informed him that she was harboring delusions of grandeur, conspiring with the spirit of Ulthalesh to slay Sargeras. Such arrogance could not go unpunished. The upstart eredar had to be eliminated. Sargeras found his champion in Scavell, the Guardian of Tirisfal. He sent the Guardian visions of a dangerous entity lurking in Deadwind Pass, a demon awaiting the return of the Burning Legion. Scavell boldly took up the charge, hunting down Sataiel and, after an epic battle, slaying her with her own weapon. Her soul was cast screaming into the scythe.[10]

Aegwynn and Medivh

Ultimate Visual Guide Aegwynn fighting the Avatar of Sargeras from the

Some nine thousand years after the War of the Ancients, another Guardian of Tirisfal, Magna Aegwynn, kept a constant vigil over Azeroth, destroying demons wherever she found them. Sargeras saw that Aegwynn was a serious threat, but he also saw how she could be manipulated. The Dark Titan sent demonic agents on a great dragonhunt. The demons killed several dragons, but Aegwynn inevitably appeared to aid the great beasts. It was then that Sargeras used the Scepter of Sargeras to send his own avatar to battle the Guardian. Though Aegwynn emerged victorious with the help of the dragons, defeat had been Sargeras's plan all along; his spirit entered her body, lying in wait for centuries.[18]

After Aegwynn defeated Sargeras's avatar, she interred his corpse in the ruins of Suramar, along with the artifacts that he bore. Deep beneath the sea, shielded by enchanted Highborne seals, the Scepter of Sargeras remained for centuries, its power undiminished. Sargeras attempted to regain control of the staff through Aegwynn, but the task proved more difficult than he had estimated. He could sway the Guardian in many ways, but he could not compel her to exhume his scepter from its watery grave. Something held her back, a primal instinct louder than Sargeras's whispering. She knew the artifact was dangerous, that its use risked the destruction of all things. Even possessed by the Dark Titan, she would not yield.[10]

Years later, the Order of Tirisfal informed Aegwynn that her time as a Guardian was up and asked her to proceed to Dalaran to choose her successor. Aegwynn disobeyed the Order's command, deciding that only one of her own lineage would suffice. Sargeras, within Aegwynn, was slowly twisting her thoughts. She became more distant from the Council; rarely being seen by them. Sargeras amplified fears she already had about the Council. The Council had been using its powers to manipulate the politics of the Eastern Kingdoms. They believed they had the power to prevent war suffering, for the greater good. Aegwynn believed that their constant manipulations would end in disaster. She decided to not relinquish her role as Guardian, for fear that the Council could elect a new weaker Guardian they could control and manipulate. Aegwynn would eventually fall in love with Nielas Aran of the Tirisgarde, who agreed with her opinions on the council, and the two fathered Medivh to pass the Guardian powers on to. Unbeknownst to either of them, Sargeras began to corrupt Medivh from within Aegwynn.[19] Through this new vessel, Sargeras planned to recover his beloved Jeweled Scepter.[10]

Medivh the Corrupted in the TCG

When Medivh reached fourteen, his powers as a Guardian manifested themselves throwing him into a coma that lasted for ten years. Medivh awoke a decade later under a facade of control, and assured the clerics and the court that he was fine.[20] In time Sargeras would influence Medivh by guiding his thoughts and emotions towards an insidious end. Eventually, Medivh would become determined to stop the Burning Legion at all costs and under Sargeras's influence would discover Draenor and its Horde. Seeing that the Horde had been abandoned by the Legion Medivh felt that it would be perfect irony to use the orcs against their (seemingly) former demonic masters. Thus bargaining with the warlock Gul'dan from his chambers in the tower of Karazhan, Medivh promised to furnish Gul'dan with the location of the Tomb of Sargeras if Gul'dan would bring the Horde to Azeroth. And so, aided on the other side by Gul'dan's Shadow Council, Medivh went to the Black Morass in the remote, southern parts of the continent and opened the Dark Portal between Azeroth and Draenor, allowing the orcs permanent access to the planet and signaling the beginning of the Age of Chaos.

When the Dark Portal was opened by him, almost every creature attuned to magic on Azeroth felt ripples as the gateway flared to life. Aegwynn could not fathom what had happened, but she sensed the presence of fel magic and knew Medivh must have somehow allied himself with the Legion. Aegwynn traveled to Karazhan with the blue dragon Arcanagos to confront her son about it. The tower was crowded with nobles who were expecting a gala, and so Aegwynn entered alone at first, hoping to convince Medivh to give up his power peacefully. It was then that Medivh revealed that, as he fell in battle before her, Sargeras had spirited his essence into Aegwynn's own body like a cancer, lying in wait for her to conceive an heir as he knew she would. Sargeras later stitched himself into the fabric of Medivh's unborn body so that when he awoke and realized the power of Tirisfal he would also manifest his unholy, demonic heritage.

Aegwynn was stunned as the truth set in, but she did not lose herself to despair. Instead, Aegwynn became angry and knew she would defeat Sargeras there and then, even if it meant striking against her beloved son. The battle between the two shook the tower to its foundations and sent the would-be revelers fleeing. When Aegwynn was temporarily incapacitated, Arcanagos joined in. However, despite being a blue dragon, Arcanagos was severely outmatched. Sargeras struck him down, burning him from the inside out until all that was left was bone. Her friend's death sent Aegwynn further into her rage. Sargeras may have had the full weight of a Guardian's power, but she had centuries of experience. As their duel continued, Medivh slowly gained the upper hand.[21] His original personality then surfaced back and, unable to kill his mother, Medivh instead banished her from his sight.

It was shortly after this time that the mages of Dalaran sent Medivh an apprentice. This young apprentice was known as Khadgar, who in time would discover that it was Medivh who has brought the orcs upon the lands of Azeroth. During this time, Khadgar and Garona had an audience with King Llane and Sir Anduin Lothar, where Lothar was convinced of Medivh's corruption. Lothar, one of Medivh's best friends, led a troop of human forces, which included Khadgar and Garona, to deal with the crazed Guardian. During the battle with Medivh, Khadgar—magically aged by Medivh's spellwork—held Lothar's blade to the Guardian's chest, and finally ran it through Medivh's heart. The demon within him awakened at that point, right up until Lothar delivered the mercy stroke, decapitating the Guardian and banishing Sargeras into the Nether. At the same time, Gul'dan was trying to probe Medivh's mind for the location of the Tomb of Sargeras. The warlock was still deep within the Guardian's thoughts when Lothar and Khadgar killed him, ending Medivh's treachery and forcing Gul'dan into a coma.[22]

Sargeras desired vengeance against the mortals of Azeroth and expected the orcs to travel through the portal and destroy them. Although the orcs did enter the portal, and eventually caused a great amount of damage to the Eastern Kingdoms, Sargeras ultimately failed in his plans because of Medivh's early death. Eventually, Sargeras wanted to shed the body of Medivh and once again enter his avatar, but he didn't have enough time to do so.[23] Although he tried to control Garona and cursed Khadgar, the apprentice stabbed the Guardian into the chest, forcing the spirit of Sargeras out of his body, and banishing him into the depths of the Twisting Nether.[24]

Gul'dan's encounter with Sargeras

The orcish warlock Gul'dan believed the Tomb of Sargeras to hold amazing power since he had been told as much by both Medivh and the eredar demon Kil'jaeden. Gul'dan attempted to claim the tomb for himself, but when he gained access to the grave, Sargeras' avatar was not there. Instead, Gul'dan found a plethora of demons that had been driven mad by their long imprisonment. The demons proceeded to attack Gul'dan but he survived the first ambush. Then Gul'dan saw Sargeras (or at least an illusion of him) laughing at him and understood that he had been a pawn, a fool. Now that he knew he would not get the Eye of Sargeras and would instead die in the tomb, he wrote his story in runes with his own blood. Shortly afterward, the demons sent by Sargeras[25] came for him and killed him, eventually using his skull as a focal point of demonic power.[26][27]

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Sargeras appeared as a distant voice during the Battle for the Undercity, telling Varimathras that he was a failure.[28]

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Many years later, the Burning Legion launched their third invasion of Azeroth. Adventurers that approached the Tomb of Sargeras during the battle at the Broken Shore were instantly killed by the "Gaze of Sargeras", a spell followed by the message: You feel a staggering presence on the other side of the portal touch you for a moment....[29]

The forces of Azeroth's only hope to defeat the Legion is to find the Pillars of Creation, mighty artifacts created by the titans of the Pantheon themselves, to close the portal inside the Tomb of Sargeras. Aware that the people of Azeroth are seeking the Pillars of Creation, Sargeras personally sent Thar'zul to lead an army of demons to Karazhan to stop them from learning more about the Pillars' locations.[30]

Though he does not appear in person, Sargeras's voice is heard in a flashback to the War of the Ancients when he burned out the eyes of Illidan Stormrage and revealed to him in a vision the true might of his infinite army.[31]

The Legion's full, terrifying might is fixed on summoning Sargeras to Azeroth, and they have already located the key to his return, Illidan Stormrage's body.[32] Gul'dan seeks to use Illidan's body as a vessel for Sargeras' entry into Azeroth, and so Xe'ra and the Illidari seek out Illidan's soul to return it to his body before Sargeras can possess him.[33] Class orders and a coalition of all elf factions led by Tyrande Whisperwind, Vereesa Windrunner and Lady Liadrin gathered together to back the Nightfallen Rebellion up and take the Nightwell, the Eye of Aman'thul and Illidan's body back from Gul'dan, before he manages to put a portion of Sargeras' soul into the latter.

At the Nighthold, Khadgar attempts to return Illidan's soul to his dormant body. But unbeknownst to Khadgar, Sargeras has already filled Illidan's empty shell, and doing so awakens him.[34] The adventurers then battle The Demon Within. Illidan is eventually freed of Sargeras's control, allowing him to kill Gul'dan.[35]

Legionfall

Kil'jaeden spoke with Sargeras in his Legion ship above Argus

As Kil'jaeden observed Khadgar, Velen, and other order champions gathered together from his Legion ship above Argus, he spoke to Sargeras about how everything the Legion had done under Sargeras's design had only given them failure to show for it. Sargeras asked Kil'jaeden if he had lost sight of his destiny and wondered if he had overestimated Kil'jaeden's resolve. An irritated Kil'jaeden claimed that he paid for his destiny with his world and that the time had come to see it done.[36]

Within the Hall of Communion deep beneath Sholazar Basin, Azeroth warned her Speaker, Magni Bronzebeard, that Sargeras's coming was imminent.[37]

Shadows of Argus

Aggramar speaking to Sargeras in the core of Argus

When Magni traveled to Argus with the forces of Azeroth, he received via Argus's world-soul a vision of Aggramar, revived and brainwashed by Sargeras. Sargeras told Aggramar that the circle neared completion and the mortals must not stop the rebirth of the Pantheon, then ordered Aggramar to stop their incursion.[38]

Later, Sargeras spoke to Aggramar as the latter watched the Coven of Shivarra torture the souls of Aman'Thul, Norgannon, Khaz'goroth, and Golganneth. Though they refused to be broken, Aggramar assured Sargeras that they would be soon. Sargeras told Aggramar that the essence of Eonar was still needed to ensure victory, and Aggramar promised that she would not escape.[39]

Sargeras as a cloud above Azeroth

Sargeras impaling Azeroth

Through the Antorus raid, one can see Azeroth being more and more covered in a fiery storm, which turns out to be the Dark Titan, seeking to claim his prize. Sargeras ordered Argus the Unmaker to rise in the Seat of the Pantheon. After the defeat of Argus the Unmaker, Sargeras was ultimately imprisoned by his kin at the Seat of the Pantheon, bringing an end to the Burning Crusade. But before he could be taken by the remaining titans, Sargeras plunged his sword into the depths of Azeroth. The wound thus formed in Silithus caused Azeroth to bleed out. Her blood would crystallize as a mineral called [Azerite], pooling up across the planet.

Appearance

Sargeras is a huge, planet-sized being—so large that his sword, when mostly-embedded in Silithus, is perhaps the tallest object on Azeroth. Upon shattering Mardum, he unleashed an enormous torrent of fel energy that warped his very being. His eyes burst in gouts of emerald fire while fel volcanoes ignited across his body, splitting his skin apart and revealing a furnace of endless, blistering hate.[11] The Dark Titan is fully clad in a burning suit of molten, black armor, and his skin cracked with veins of magma. Wildly dancing flames surround his head and form a thick mass of hair and a sweeping beard. A pair of horns extends from his forehead and a pair of demonic wings lie on his back.[6]

Before his imprisonment by the Pantheon, Sargeras could be seen surrounding Azeroth as a swirling, fiery mass of clouds.

Powers

The exact powers at Sargeras's command are unclear, though certainly formidable given his status as a titan and lord of the Legion. His power before his corruption was such that he was the champion of the Pantheon, and he demonstrated the ability to destroy entire worlds with barely an effort. After his fall and corruption, he was able to single-handedly destroy the entire Pantheon with his fel magic, the one thing titans are uniquely susceptible to.[40]

He has been shown to display the following powers:

Sargeras created a planet, Mardum, and bound the souls of all the demons he fought to it.

Telepathy (able to commune with his servants, such as Mannoroth and Archimonde, from the Nether)

Illusion (can show visions and speak in a compelling angelic voice) [41]

Invulnerability against mortal weapons, and limited immunity to immortal weapons (Broxigar's Axe of Cenarius was able to scratch him, but not to any great effect, while the powers of the Demon Soul had no effect).

Ability to enter mortal bodies (remained within Aegwynn's womb for nearly a millennium) and take control of them (Medivh).

The strength of 100 dragons is merely a fraction of Sargeras' strength; [42] his strength nearly matches the power of a portal closing.

his strength nearly matches the power of a portal closing. In comparison to Sargeras, Mannoroth and Archimonde were as fleas. [42] This could be a reference to either power or height.

This could be a reference to either power or height. He wields a horrific broken sword which, according to a non-canon source, is called Gorribal.

Sargeras can re-form his minions again and again. [43]

Various magical abilities (lashed out with energy at Illidan through a portal, marked him with arcane tattoos and gave him demon sight, unleashed a monumental fel storm that obliterated the titan Pantheon).

Titles and epithets

Character development

Sargeras was originally a footnote in very early Warcraft RTS lore, a fallen Daemonlord whose dark legacy was used by Medivh to manipulate Gul'dan. With Warcraft III, he became one of the primary lore villains.

It was originally stated in the Warcraft III manual that Sargeras fell into despair due to the endless evil of the demonic eredar and nathrezim, and that he abandoned the Pantheon due to coming to believe that the titan's vision of an ordered universe was impossible and pointless — that chaos and depravity were the only absolutes.

The origin of the eredar was heavily retconned with the introduction of the draenei in The Burning Crusade, and the WoW Magazine instead showed Sargeras fighting nathrezim, mo'arg, sayaad and infernals prior to his corruption, but his reason for betraying his fellow titans remained relatively the same.

World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 changed Sargeras' backstory once more by providing a more specific reason for his betrayal: namely, the void lords and the risk of the Old Gods infecting a nascent world-soul.

Related artifacts

Sargeras had various weapons:

Quotes

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

"I have decided to redeem you. I have decided that there is a place for you. I have looked into the darkness within you and found that which once pleased me. I make it the core of what you are to become and in doing so make you a far superior servant than you were. You must be reshaped, but so that others will mark in you the glory I give and the punishment I mete out, I return that by which they will know you best.

"You are strong, but not strong enough."

"The black beast has shielded himself well, even from me."

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

"The time of Tirisfal is about to end. This world will soon bow before the onslaught of the Legion."

"Surrender now. I have use of your power."

"You killed a body, witch. You only killed my physical form! Killed it and hid it away in a tomb beneath the sea. But I was willing to sacrifice it to gain a greater prize. Yes, Mother dear. I hid in your womb, and passed into the slumbering cells of your unformed child. A cancer, a blight, a birth defect that you would never surmise. Killing you was impossible, seducing you unlikely. So I made myself your heir.

"You see, I am nothing but one more component in the great machine, one that has been running since the Well of Eternity was first shattered. The one thing that the original bits of Medivh and myself agree on is that this cycle needs to be shattered. Of course, I assure you, we are of one mind."

World of Warcraft

This section concerns content related to the original World of Warcraft.

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Sargeras after his fall in the RPG

History

Aegwynn battles the avatar of Sargeras from the RPG.

Sargeras was once a vanir titan,[61] called upon to defeat and imprison the hordes of demons native to the Twisting Nether, so that their evil would not contaminate the titans' vision of order. Sargeras went about his task devoutly for several millennia.[62]

Shaken by the boundless evil and hate of demons, Sargeras began to despair of his task and gradually slipped into a brooding depression. He was unable to comprehend the nature of such pure evil and came to blame the titans for what he considered to be their flawed pursuit of a false order. Sargeras concluded that chaos and depravity were the only true forces in the universe and angrily exiled himself from their ranks forever.[62]

Sargeras roamed the Twisting Nether for thousands of years, freeing many demon races that he had previously hunted down and imprisoned. He bound the newly released demons to his will and used them to construct an army of massive proportions — one that eventually became known as the Burning Legion.[62]

Convinced that the titans' ordering of the universe was unnatural and ultimately responsible for the corrupted nature of the demons, Sargeras decided to undo the work of the titans throughout the universe. The only way that he could correct their mistakes was to destroy all of the worlds that the titans had shaped and brought order to so long ago.[62]

Sargeras and the Legion eventually became aware of the young world of Azeroth due to the night elves' reckless use of arcane magic, and Sargeras began to hunger for the limitless energies of the Well of Eternity.[62] Sargeras' first invasion of Azeroth failed, and his armies were defeated by the demi-god Cenarius and the dragon Aspects left by the titans.[63]

The second time Sargeras assaulted Azeroth, he was confronted by Aegwynn, the Guardian of Tirisfal. As Aegwynn surveyed the scene, she found the rift from which the Legion's agents had come through in the Storm Peaks. Using this portal, Sargeras entered Azeroth in the form of an avatar. It is said that this avatar was infused with a portion of Sargeras' soul which he controlled.[63][64] The Guardian of Tirisfal did not hesitate in attacking, but Sargeras held back, letting the mage destroy his physical body. However, as it died, Sargeras' spirit reached inside Aegwynn's body and hid, lying dormant for many years. Unaware of the tainted presence inside her body, Aegwynn buried Sargeras' physical body in a tomb and cast it deep into the ocean.[63]

Eventually Sargeras' spirit awoke and possessed the mind of Aegwynn's unborn son, Medivh. When Medivh grew old enough to inherit the mantle of Guardian of Tirisfal from Aegwynn, Sargeras' spirit manipulated him to use his powers to contact Gul'dan and open a portal between Draenor and Azeroth. Sargeras desired vengeance against the human kingdoms, and expected the orcs to travel through the portal and destroy the humans. Although the orcs did enter the portal and eventually caused a great amount of damage to the human kingdoms, Sargeras ultimately failed in his plans because a band of Medivh's friends recognized signs of possession in the sorcerer and rushed to kill him. As Medivh died, the portion of Sargeras' spirit that had possessed him was released and swiftly dispersed. Many believe that Sargeras' spirit yet endures somewhere, hungering for revenge against the only world ever to withstand the Burning Legion’s might...[63]

Brann Bronzebeard is fairly confident that the real Sargeras never actually set foot on Azeroth, implying the real Sargeras is still around in the Twisting Nether.[64] Lending this theory further credibility is in War of the Ancients, the power of the Well of Eternity was needed to create a portal strong enough for Sargeras to attempt to enter Azeroth, the creation of which took a long time to be completed. The portal used to bring the Sargeras that Aegwynn fought was powered by a handful of demons and was created in only a few minutes.

Skills and abilities

As a former Champion of the Pantheon, Sargeras is nearly impervious to physical damage. He is highly resistant to magical attacks. His natural attacks are more powerful than other titans. Demonic influences have given Sargeras' body flames and made him totally immune to fire damage and fel damage. Sargeras' flesh burns with demonic energy, scorching everything in his path. Sargeras' body flames slowly increase the ambient temperature by up to fifty degrees in every direction for one thousand miles. The effect on natural climates can be devastating.[63] Body Flames (Sargeras' flesh burns with demonic energy, scorching everything in his path. Sargeras’s body flames slowly increase the ambient temperature by up to 50 degrees in every direction for 1,000 miles. The effect on natural climates can be devastating.)[63][65] His molten armor can nearly burn your eyes.[65]

Related artifacts

Gorshalach — Sargeras wielded this sword when he was still the Champion of the Pantheon. It sundered itself into two pieces upon Sargeras' fall into madness. Sargeras reforged one of the two fragments into his current weapon, Gorribal, while the other fragment was claimed by Aggramar and reforged into Taeshalach.

Notes and trivia

Gallery

Fan art

"The Dark Titan" by Joel Lagerwall.

Videos

Patch changes

See also