Thrall is the orc Go'el, son of Durotan, raised as a slave by humans, who became Warchief of the Horde, founded Orgrimmar and led the Horde until the end of Wrath of the Lich King. After that, he stepped down, became a shaman of the Earthen Ring and today is one of the leaders fighting the Void in The War Within.
This post tells Thrall's complete story in order, from his birth to 2026. Each phase has a link to the post on this site that tells that part in more detail.
Who is Thrall?
Thrall is the most important character of the modern Horde. He is an orc, a shaman and the Warchief who took the orcs out of the internment camps and led them to Kalimdor.
His birth name is Go'el. "Thrall" means "slave". It was the name chosen by the human who raised him.
| Item | Answer | |------|--------| | Orcish name | Go'el | | Parents | Durotan and Draka, of the Frostwolf clan | | Class | Shaman | | Weapon | the Doomhammer | | Mate and son | Aggra and Durak | | Role in WotLK | Warchief of the Horde |
Thrall's childhood: the slave of Durnholde
Thrall was born in the Alterac Mountains. His father, Durotan, had opposed Gul'dan. Shortly after the birth, assassins of the Shadow Council killed Durotan and Draka and left the baby to die.
The one who found the baby was the human officer Aedelas Blackmoore. He took him to Durnholde Keep, in Hillsbrad, and raised him as a gladiator. Blackmoore wanted to turn the orc into a general loyal to him.
Thrall's only true friend was Taretha Foxton, daughter of the family that looked after him. She helped him escape. Years later, Blackmoore had her killed.
This phase is in Between the Wars #3: young Thrall and Between the Wars #4: escape from Durnholde.
How did Thrall become Warchief?
After the escape, Thrall met Grom Hellscream, who taught him the orcish language. Then he found his father's clan, the Frostwolves. There, the old shaman Drek'Thar trained him, and Thrall became a shaman.
Then Orgrim Doomhammer, the old Warchief, appeared. He tested Thrall in a duel and made him his second in command. Together, they freed the internment camps.
At the Hammerfall camp, in the Arathi Highlands, Orgrim died pierced by a knight's lance. Before dying, he gave Thrall the title of Warchief, the black armor and the hammer. Thrall attacked Durnholde, killed Blackmoore and started a new Horde, far from demonic magic.
Read: Between the Wars #5: rebirth of the Horde and the story of the Doomhammer.
Thrall in the Third War
Shortly before the Third War, a prophet appeared in visions and told Thrall to take the Horde west. It was Medivh. Thrall freed Grom, took human ships and crossed the sea to Kalimdor.
On the way, he gained allies who changed the Horde forever:
- The Darkspear trolls, freed from an island ruled by murlocs. Their leader, Sen'jin, died there.
- Cairne Bloodhoof and the tauren, in the Barrens.
- Jaina Proudmoore, the human mage who shared the road to the Oracle with him.
In Ashenvale, Grom drank Mannoroth's blood again. Thrall and Jaina captured his spirit and purified it. Grom redeemed himself by killing Mannoroth and died in the fight. In the end, orcs, humans and night elves fought together on Mount Hyjal and defeated Archimonde.
Read: Third War #6: the Horde in Kalimdor, #7: the blood of Mannoroth and #9: Mount Hyjal.
Durotar, Orgrimmar and the friendship with Jaina
After Hyjal, Thrall founded Durotar, named after his father, and built Orgrimmar, named after Orgrim. It was the first land the orcs called home on Azeroth.
A test came soon. Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, Jaina's father, arrived in Kalimdor to destroy the orcs. Jaina tried to stop her father. He didn't listen and died in the Horde's attack on Theramore. Even so, Jaina kept the peace with Thrall.
That fragile peace between Durotar and Theramore is the backdrop of classic WoW. The founding is in The Frozen Throne #6: Rexxar and the founding of Durotar, and her side of the story is in Jaina Proudmoore: the complete story.
Thrall in classic WoW, TBC and Wrath
In classic WoW, Thrall rules from Grommash Hold, in Orgrimmar. He accepts Sylvanas's Forsaken into the Horde. In The Burning Crusade, he also accepts the blood elves.
Still in TBC, the Horde finds the Mag'har again in Nagrand, in Outland. Thrall's grandmother, Geyah, lives there, and she reveals his birth name: Go'el.
In Wrath of the Lich King, Thrall is still Warchief. But the war in the north cracks the Horde from within:
- Garrosh Hellscream, son of Grom, leads the offensive in Northrend and challenges Thrall's authority.
- At the Wrathgate, Saurfang's son dies before the Lich King, and Bolvar falls to the Forsaken's new plague.
- Varimathras seizes the Undercity. Thrall, Sylvanas and Vol'jin retake the city, and Thrall faces the dreadlord head-on.
- In the throne room, Varian Wrynn declares war on Thrall. Jaina freezes everyone and takes the Alliance back to Stormwind.
Read: Battle for the Undercity: Putress's betrayal.
Why did Thrall stop being Warchief?
After the fall of the Lich King, Azeroth's elements fell into panic. It was the warning of Deathwing's return. Thrall decided the world needed the shaman more than the Warchief.
Before traveling to Nagrand, he named Garrosh acting Warchief and gave him the axe Gorehowl. Cairne opposed the choice and, soon after, died in a mak'gora against Garrosh.
In Nagrand, Thrall met the Mag'har shaman Aggra, who became his mate. Then he joined the Earthen Ring at the Maelstrom. At the end of Cataclysm, it was Thrall who wielded the Dragon Soul and fired the blasts that defeated Deathwing.
Read: Cataclysm and the return of Deathwing and From Firelands to Dragon Soul.
Regret: Theramore and the Siege of Orgrimmar
Choosing Garrosh came at a high price. In the novel Tides of War, Garrosh destroys Theramore with a mana bomb. Jaina blames Thrall and almost kills him. Kalecgos stops her.
In Mists of Pandaria, Thrall supports Vol'jin's rebellion. In the Siege of Orgrimmar, he loses to Garrosh in combat and tries to execute him with the Doomhammer. Varian and Taran Zhu stop him. In the end, Thrall kneels to Vol'jin, the new Warchief. Around this time Durak, son of Thrall and Aggra, is born.
Read: Corrupted Garrosh and the Siege of Orgrimmar.
Warlords, Legion and Battle for Azeroth
In Warlords of Draenor, Thrall goes to the alternate Draenor. There, he meets his living parents, Durotan and Draka. And he kills Garrosh in a mak'gora in Nagrand.
In Legion, he fights on the Broken Shore alongside Vol'jin. Later, feeling he could no longer wield the hammer's power, he hands the Doomhammer to an adventuring shaman and retires to a farm with his family.
In Battle for Azeroth, Varok Saurfang comes to get him. Thrall joins the rebellion against Sylvanas. Saurfang dies in a mak'gora against her, and Sylvanas abandons the Horde. In place of the Warchief comes the Horde Council, and Thrall becomes the orcs' representative.
Read: WoW History: Warlords of Draenor and The Fourth War in brief.
Thrall in Shadowlands, Dragonflight and The War Within
In Shadowlands, Thrall is captured and taken to the Maw and Torghast. He regains his shaman powers, escapes and fights the Jailer. In Maldraxxus, he meets his mother, Draka, again.
In Dragonflight, he helps defend Amirdrassil against Fyrakk, in the Emerald Dream.
In The War Within, Thrall hears the Radiant Song, like Jaina and Anduin. He fights Xal'atath's forces after the destruction of Dalaran and regroups with his allies in Dornogal. Alongside Jaina, he also tries to bring the Horde and the Alliance to the same table.
In Midnight, the main story revolves around Quel'Thalas and the war against the Void. The next chapter of the saga, The Last Titan, returns to Northrend.
Read also: The War Within #1: the Radiant Song and Dalaran and Heartlands: Thrall, Jaina and the factions.
Where to see it in WotLK
- Orgrimmar: Thrall stands in Grommash Hold, in the Valley of Wisdom. He is the one the Horde turns in the quest Herald of War to.
- Battle for the Undercity: for the Horde, the chain continues with A Life Without Regret and The Battle For The Undercity. For the Alliance, the quest Fate, Up Against Your Will takes you to Thrall in Orgrimmar.
- Argent Tournament and Trial of the Crusader: Thrall appears at the Argent Tournament Grounds, in Icecrown, and in the coliseum during the raid.
- Caverns of Time (Tanaris): in Old Hillsbrad Foothills you help young Thrall escape from Durnholde. In Hyjal Summit, he defends one of the bases against Archimonde.
- Durotar and Arathi Highlands: the names of Durotan and Orgrim are on the map, and Hammerfall is the Horde base where Orgrim died.
If you are still leveling, follow the guide to reach level 80 faster and do the Undercity chain when you reach level 74.
Frequently asked questions
What is Thrall's real name?
Go'el. "Thrall" means "slave" and was the name given by Aedelas Blackmoore.
Is Thrall Warchief in WotLK?
Yes. He only passes the title to Garrosh in Cataclysm, when he goes to help the Earthen Ring.
Did Thrall and Jaina have a romance?
No. They were great friends. The novel The Shattering rules out the romance, and Thrall's mate is Aggra.
Did Thrall kill Garrosh?
Yes, in Warlords of Draenor, in a mak'gora on the alternate Draenor.
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