Bolvar Fordragon


 * "After suffering betrayal at the doorstep of his nemesis, a brave paladin was reborn in the searing heat of enchanted dragon flames. No longer fit to dwell among the living, alone he shall endure as the steward of a misbegotten throng."
 * —Jailor of the Damned

Highlord Bolvar Fordragon was a venerated warrior of the Alliance and served as the Regent of Stormwind following the disappearance of King Varian Wrynn. Upon Varian's return, Bolvar was named the commander of the Alliance forces sent to take the battle to the Scourge in Northrend. After the treachery of Grand Apothecary Putress at the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate, Fordragon was believed to have been killed, either by the Forsaken Blight or the fires of the red dragonflight.

However, Fordragon survived, his body altered by the dragons' flame, and was taken by the Scourge into Icecrown Citadel, tortured by the Lich King in an attempt to bend him to his will. However, the noble spirit of Fordragon resisted the Lich King's deprevations. After the death of Arthas Menethil, the mortal host of the Lich King, Fordragon demanded that Tirion Fordring place the Helm of Domination, containing all of the powers of the Scourge, on his head, so that he would forever be the jailer of the damned - imprisoning the Lich King within the Frozen Throne once more and containing the threat of the Scourge.

Regent of Stormwind
Shortly after King Varian Wrynn was kidnapped, Bolvar Fordragon was made Regent-Lord of Stormwind and vowed to find and rescue King Varian at any cost. Lady Prestor also became a royal advisor, and convinced Highlord Bolvar to have King Varian's 10-year-old son, Anduin Wrynn, crowned King of Stormwind, though the actual power remained in Fordragon's hands until either Varian was returned or Anduin reached the age of ascension.

Lord Bolvar was as stalwart and loyal of a soldier as they come, perhaps to a fault. While he did his best to look after Stormwind’s interests, he seemed to have fallen under the charm of the alluring Lady Katrana Prestor, much like many others in the kingdom. By deferring to her judgment, he had allowed for some crucial gaps in the defenses of human-controlled territory. He was one of the few who was aware that the true king of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn, was missing (and probably alive). This was one of the justifications for keeping most of Stormwind’s army centralized; Katrana had convinced Bolvar that the boy King, Anduin, would be the next target of whoever captured or killed the real King on his diplomatic mission. It was suspected that Varian was captured because his trip to Theramore signified an effort to make peace with the Horde, and a number of forces wished the fighting between the Alliance and the Horde to continue.

Wrath of the Lich King


Upon Varian's return, Fordragon commanded the defense of Stormwind against a surprise Scourge attack, and afterwards led the armies of the Alliance to Northrend, where he aids Alliance players in defeating the lich Thel'zan the Duskbringer. In a bold manuever, his forces laid siege to Angrathar the Wrathgate, the rear entrance to the dread Icecrown Citadel. Both Bolvar and Dranosh Saurfang, commander of the Horde's Kor'kron Vanguard, confronted the Lich King himself, with both Alliance and Horde armies in the battle. During the encounter, in which Saurfang fell to Frostmourne, a plague explosion rang out among the Alliance and Horde army, and out came Grand Apothecary Putress. Announcing to the Scourge leader that the Forsaken have neither forgotten nor forgiven him, a number of catapults moved behind him and launched an unprovoked attack on both Alliance and Horde forces as well as the Scourge. Bolvar ordered his troops to fall back, but was eventually killed by the gas, the life sucked out of him, and his very body rotting before finally dying. The Forsaken attack was considered by the Alliance to be outright treachery on the part of the Horde, giving King Varian — who had considered Bolvar a brother — a reason to purge the Horde from Lordaeron. Enraged, Varian led Alliance forces in a to bring Putress to justice.


 * There is a dialogue between Korialstrasz and Alexstrasza after the Wrathgate event. Due to a bug which allowed some players to speak Draconic, some players are able to read and translate Alexstrasza's words:
 * Alexstrasza: [Draconic] They must not discover the fate of the young paladin. Not yet.

Bolvar's shield is recovered by Alliance warriors at the behest of Alexstrasza and returned to King Varian in.

Fall of the Lich King
It is later revealed that Bolvar's body was recovered by the Scourge (along with that of Dranosh Saurfang), and has been tortured mercilessly by the Lich King. Despite the Lich King's extensive efforts to corrupt him, however, Bolvar managed to resist.

During the final battle with Arthas, atop Icecrown Citadel, Bolvar can be seen chained above the Frozen Throne. A cinematic plays when the Lich King is slain.



Jailer of the Damned
After Arthas Menethil, mortal host of the Lich King, was slain, Tirion Fordring took up the Helm of Domination, the crown of the Lich King, preparing to don it himself. As he did so, Bolvar intervened, calling from his seat upon the Frozen Throne, his body warped by the red dragonflight's fire. As a last act of service to Azeroth, Bolvar asked that Tirion place the Helm of Domination on his head. As the self-appointed "Jailer of the Damned," Bolvar seeks to keep the Scourge under control. As Bolvar encased himself and the Frozen Throne once again in ice, he warned Tirion that no one could know what happened. Bolvar instructed Tirion to tell the world that the Lich King was dead - and that Bolvar Fordragon died with him.

World of Warcraft Trading Card Game
Highlord Bolvar Fordragon is featured in the TCG set Servants of the Betrayer. The card image shows him fighting Onyxia's Elite Guards. He is also featured in the Wrathgate set.

In the Trading Card Game

 * "Today, we celebrate this glorious victory!"

Stormwind Keep

 * "It is a tragedy. I think... I believe that our kind is cursed. We are cursed to lose our greatest warriors; our most noble heroes; our most gifted scholars."

Stormwind Harbor

 * "Our efforts in Lordaeron have been all for nought. Despite numerous setbacks, the Scourge remain unfazed. We must cut them off at the source."
 * "The time draws near to sail for Northrend. I don't know what awaits us; only that our enemies are numerous and are eager for our slaughter."
 * "But we cannot pursue any other path in good conscience. Azeroth depends on our vigilance."

Battle of Angrathar the Wrath Gate

 * Arthas! The blood of your father, of your people demands justice! Come forth coward, and answer for your crimes!
 * You will pay for all the lives you've stolen, traitor!

Icecrown Citadel

 * "NEVER! I... I will never... serve... you..."

Icecrown Citadel - The Frozen Throne

 * Tirion walks over to the Helm of Domination, bends down to pick it up and examines the face of it.
 * Tirion Fordring: The weight of such a burden... it must be mine. For there is no other...
 * Bolvar Fordragon: Tirion! You hold a grim destiny in your hands, brother - but it is not your own.
 * The scorched caricature of Bolvar is revealed, sitting atop the Frozen Throne.
 * Tirion Fordring: Bolvar!
 * Tirion Fordring: By all that is holy...
 * Bolvar Fordragon: The dragons' flame sealed my fate. The world of the living can no longer comfort me. Place the crown upon my head, Tirion. Forevermore, I will be the Jailer of the Damned.
 * Tirion Fordring: No, old friend. I cannot.
 * Bolvar Fordragon: Do it, Tirion!
 * Bolvar Fordragon: You and these brave heroes have your own destinies to fulfill. This last act of service... is mine.
 * Tiron turns toward Bolvar with the Helm of Domination cradled in his hands before him.
 * Tirion Fordring: You will not be forgotten, brother.
 * Bolvar Fordragon: I must be forgotten, Tirion! If the world is to live free from the tyranny of fear, they must never know what was done here today!
 * Tirion nods and accedes to Bolvar's request, sliding the helm onto his head. The chamber begins to shake violently as Tirion looks around. There is a flash of light and Bolvar's eyes are glowing golden yellow through the eye slits of the helm.
 * Bolvar Fordragon: Tell them only that the Lich King is dead.
 * Bolvar's voice changes, acquiring the Lich King's characteristic echo.
 * Bolvar Fordragon/Lich King: And that Bolvar Fordragon died with him.
 * The Frozen Throne freezes over, encasing Bolvar in ice.
 * Bolvar Fordragon/Lich King: Now, go! Leave this place, and never return!

Trivia

 * Chris Metzen stated that when they wrote and finished the Wrathgate Cinematic they didn't necessarily know how things would play out. But due to a massive feedback of the community regarding the fate of Bolvar they decided to make him the new Lich King.
 * Bolvar shares a last name with Mara Fordragon.
 * The idea for Bolvar's appearance could be likened to pirate Raithen of the Diablo novel " The Black Road". Burned to death by the Demon Kabraxxis's fire, then resurrected by traces of a spell the demon used to raise skeletons, he walked the line between dead and alive. This is similar to Bolvar. Possibly killed by the Forsaken attack, then resurrected by the Red Dragons' fire.
 * Bolvar appears on the loading screen for Northrend with the introduction of the Cataclysm expansion.