 Aratas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title |
High Khan, the Perfect One |
| Gender | Male |
| Race(s) | Centaur (perfect one) |
| Occupation | High khan |
| Location | Died in Maraudon |
| Status | Deceased |
| Relative(s) | Unnamed elemental ("father"), perfect ones ("brothers") |
|
High Khan Aratas was the ruler of the perfect ones, a race of centaur created by a powerful earth elemental after the Cataclysm. He united all of the centaur tribes of Kalimdor into a massive army, with the goal of destroying the "mongrel" races of Azeroth and creating a new era in which he and the centaur would rule over the world. Both Aratas and his father were killed by the Garad'kra before they could realize their plans.
Biography
Aratas out of his normal armor.
After the Cataclysm, an unnamed elemental emerged in Maraudon and created a new race of centaur—the perfect ones—in order to reclaim Azeroth from the mortal races who had "defiled" it and usher in a new age, one in which the centaur would reign over the world with Aratas as their ruler.[1] Aratas referred to the elemental as his "father" and to the other perfect ones as his "brothers".[2][3] He wielded a magical spear forged in Deepholm which carried his father's power.[4]
Aratas rallying his army in Desolace.
Aratas and his perfect ones united all of Kalimdor's centaur tribes—the Kolkar, Magram, Maraudine, Gelkis, and Galak—into a massive army in Desolace.[5][6] Capitalizing on the chaos of the Cataclysm,[1] he sent his army to attack settlements all over Kalimdor in order to keep the Horde distracted, and enslaved a large number of orcs.[6] He planned to then begin the "transformation of [his] kingdom" by destroying every settlement belonging the centaur's archenemies, the tauren, before crushing their capital of Thunder Bluff, which would cause the older breed of centaur to worship him as a god. Then, he planned to attack Orgrimmar itself; to crush any resistance, he planned to unleash his father from Maraudon.[7] Aratas dreamed of a strong and "pure" centaur race;[8] he was disgusted by the older breed and forbade them from entering Maraudon,[9] and in at least one case ordered the perfect ones to kill a member of the older breed who was deemed too weak.[8]
In the Northern Barrens, a group of perfect ones were defeated by Malgar the orc and Ironhoof the tauren. Before Ironhoof could question the only surviving centaur, Aratas appeared atop a nearby hill and killed the survivor with a spear throw before disappearing again just as quickly.[10] Malgar later returned to the site of the battle to inspect Aratas' hoofprints, and decided to pursue the khan to see how dangerous he was.[11] He found the khan's camp in the Barrens and sneaked in while it was seemingly undefended, but Aratas had expected Malgar's arrival and surrounded him with centaur. The orc was saved by the arrival of Ironhoof and the rest of the Garad'kra. In the ensuing battle, Aratas retreated but was pursued by Malgar. He mocked the orc for leaving his allies' side when they were fighting a losing battle, prompting Malgar to return to the fight and help turn the tide. Aratas realized that the centaur might still win if he killed Malgar and tried throwing a spear at him, but the orc was saved by Dorthar, a centaur who'd been abandoned by his kin. The Garad'kra defeated the perfect ones, but Aratas escaped back to Desolace.[12]
After learning of the High Khan's plans from Dorthar, the Garad'kra traveled to Desolace with the only hope of buying time for the Horde and stopping the centaur army by killing Aratas, even if it meant their own deaths. Aratas expected this as well and confronted the Garad'kra at the entrance to Maraudon with his perfect ones. The centaur started to defeat the Garad'kra, and Aratas personally captured their leader Shagara, tauntingly telling her that they would die since they had no harmony of purpose and therefore no "heart". However, Malgar then arrived and saved his friends, causing Aratas to realize that it was Malgar who was the Garad'kra's "heart". He threw a spear at the orc's back, but the troll Rada'jin sacrificed himself to save the orc.
Malgar killing Aratas.
Aratas retreated with the unconscious Shagara into Maraudon with the intent of sacrificing her to his father, which would drive the latter into a bloodlust and cause him to rampage across the world, leaving Aratas as Azeroth's new god. The Garad'kra pursued him into outer Maraudon, and Aratas summoned his father to fight them. Malgar and his wolf Remnes chased after Aratas and Shagara deeper into Maraudon. The khan revealed that he'd hoped Malgar would follow him, so he could kill the orc as revenge for killing the other perfect ones. He easily held Malgar and Remnes off but also, in his bragging, unintentionally revealed that his spear might be his father's only weakness. Shagara then revealed that she was conscious and used an earth totem to root Aratas in place, allowing Malgar to decapitate the khan. The orcs ran back to the main chamber and Malgar tossed Aratas' head at the elemental to distract it, sending it into a rage. Shagara gave Aratas' spear to Ashra Valandril, and he used the spear to destroy the elemental.[13] The centaur took days to recover from their High Khan's death, giving the Horde time to move their armies into position and break up the horse-men's army, thereby ending their threat.[14]
Quotes
- "My brothers and sisters - a new order has begun. An order of our ultimate incarnation. Centaur meant to rule this world. Azeroth has far too long been corrupted by the unworthy, foul creatures whose time has passed. Are you willing to follow me and drive these repulsive beings from our land? Are you willing to take what has always been yours?"[15]
- "The centaur are no longer the simple-minded brutes you have come to expect, greenskin. We have been strengthened by the Cataclysm. Your kind has remained weak... controlled by desire and pride. Is that not what brought you to me? The world has changed, orc, and it is time for the strong to rule Azeroth. The weak are unworthy. They will all soon bow before us."[12]
- "Welcome to the new Desolace. Look around you. Feast your eyes on the future of Azeroth. It will be the last thing you will ever see."[16]
- "Your kind is weak! So pathetic that Azeroth itself was forced to craft something new. Something strong enough to tame this land. Watch, greenskin! Watch as your friends are torn apart by Azeroth's new lords."[17]
- "The Horde is a charade. It starves for unity, but I doubt your kind even knows the true meaning of the word. Your allegiances are crippled by paranoia and mistrust. You fight more amongst yourselves than you do against your enemies. Ah, yes, I fully expect you to fight valiantly, but without a true harmony of purpose, your armies will lack heart. Without heart... you will all die."[18]
- "You have cost me dearly this day, orc. The centaur you helped these pitiful mongrels slay were my brothers. Brothers meant to lead my armies into battle. I'm going to rend that putrid green flesh from your bones for your insolence."[3]
- "The sharp words of a petulant slave. But I am not your master, greenskin. I am your god. I am the perfect being. Even my weapon is superior to any of this world."[19]
Notes
- Aratas was far larger than any other centaur.[20] Based on his hoofprints, which were at least twice as large as those of the old breed of centaur, Malgar estimated that the High Khan weighed around 3,000 pounds.[21]
References
- ^ a b Bloodsworn, intro
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 109
- ^ a b Bloodsworn, pg. 122
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 128
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 50
- ^ a b Bloodsworn, pg. 88
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 66 - 68
- ^ a b Bloodsworn, pg. 62
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 99
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 37
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 46
- ^ a b Bloodsworn, pg. 69 - 85
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 100 - 135
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 137
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 51
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 101
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 106
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 107
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 127
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 37
- ^ Bloodsworn, pg. 45