Beyond the Dark Portal #11: the Son of Lothar

August 18, 2026•Lore•Brendo Arruda

"Beyond the Dark Portal" series — Beyond the Dark Portal #11. The story of Beyond the Dark Portal, from the internment camps to the end of Draenor. The episodes are listed in order at the end of the post.

With the Horde back, the Alliance needed a commander. It was Turalyon, Lothar's heir, who had won the Second War. He defended Nethergarde, struck back near the Portal and, once he learned of Ner'zhul's plan, received from King Terenas the order to cross over to Draenor.

The defense of Nethergarde

In the game's Alliance campaign, the first great battle is the Battle of Nethergarde. The orcs and Deathwing's dragons surrounded the keep, and Danath raised an army in New Stormwind to break the Horde's vanguard.

Seize the Portal, do not destroy it

While striking back near the Portal, Khadgar asked for something surprising: that the Portal be seized, not destroyed. He wanted the passage open so the Alliance could go after Ner'zhul.

Terenas' order

When the scouts reported that Ner'zhul and the death knights had stolen the Book of Medivh, King Terenas made his decision: Turalyon and Khadgar would go through the Portal with an army and put an end to Ner'zhul's plan on Draenor.

The weight of Lothar's name

Turalyon carried the weight of replacing the Alliance's most respected commander. To the soldiers, he was the man who had raised Lothar's broken sword at Blackrock Spire.

What this changes in the story

Turalyon is one of the most respected characters in Warcraft, and this episode shows why. He was not a noble or a king, but he led the Alliance to victory in the Second War and then accepted the most dangerous mission of all: going through the Portal with no guarantee of coming back.

Khadgar's decision to keep the Portal open also shows the mage's vision. He knew that if the Portal were destroyed too early, the Horde would remain free to plot on the other side.

Turalyon returns to the story a thousand years later, from his point of view, in Legion, as leader of the Army of the Light on Argus. For Azeroth, only a few decades had passed.

Episode timeline

The Horde and Deathwing's dragons surround Nethergarde.
Danath breaks the Horde's vanguard.
Khadgar asks for the Portal to be seized, not destroyed.
The scouts report that the Book of Medivh was stolen.
Terenas orders the Alliance to go through the Portal.

Who's who in this episode

| Name | Who they are | |------|--------| | Turalyon | The Alliance commander, Lothar's heir. | | Khadgar | The archmage who asked to keep the Portal open. | | Danath Trollbane | The warrior who led the defense of Nethergarde. | | Terenas Menethil | The king who ordered the expedition to Draenor. |

Where to see it in WotLK

Blasted Lands: Nethergarde Keep, the fortress defended by the Alliance.
Hellfire Peninsula: the other side of the Portal, where the expedition arrives.
Burning Steppes: the statue of Lothar, whose name Turalyon carried.