In vanilla World of Warcraft, Theramore was a place Alliance players would often pass through on their way to the Eastern Kingdoms. It was the home of Jaina Proudmoore whom Alliance orphans would ask to see during Children’s Week, as well as a bustling port. Now, according to Korean sources who interviewed Tom Chilton, it’s set to burn in the run-up to Mists of Pandaria. With that known, today we’re going to look at the town’s importance and why it’s a target for destruction.

A Brief History of Theramore

Theramore, on a small island outside of Dustwallow Marsh between Ogrimmar and the neutral town of Ratchet, is a tiny enclave of Humans. These Humans followed Jaina from Kul Tiras after Medivh appeared to major leaders around Azeroth, warning them of an impending invasion from the Burning Legion. Many ignored the warning, including Terenas of Lordaeron and Jaina’s mentor Antonidas in Dalaran. Medivh, in his role as the mysterious Prophet, was trying to undo some of the damage he had done during his lifetime. After all, it had been he who had opened the Dark Portal (an experience we get to see in the Caverns of Time).

Jaina listened and traveled with her people across the ocean to Kalimdor. After Archimonde’s defeat and the destruction of the World Tree, the refugees founded Theramore. But the location made things awkward, the city is on the Horde’s doorstep and this caused even more problems when Jaina’s father Daelin Proudmoore, Lord Admiral of the Alliance’s navy, waltzed in and took over the city. Daelin detested the Orcs and used his daughter’s city as a base of operations to fuel his vendetta.

As WC3 players know, Daelin’s time was numbered. The campaign - ‘A Blaze of Glory', the final act in the bonus Founding of Durotar campaign of The Frozen Throne - saw Daelin retreat back to Theramore. Jaina told Thrall how to destroy the Admiral’s warships and the Horde laid siege to the city. Eventually Daelin was killed by Rexxar and Jaina was restored as the city’s leader.

Jaina's city is a bastion of safety for humans in Kalimdor.

Jaina Proudmoore: A Primer

Jaina, who is not only one of the most powerful mages alive but also tied to some of the tumultuous events in recent history. She has had a larger role of late, helping the warrior Lo’Gosh to realise his true identity as Varian Wrynn and joins the New Council of Tirisfal, which bestows the power of Guardianship upon Medivh’s son, Med’an.

During the WotLK storyline, she aided the forces of the Horde and the Alliance to take back Undercity from the demon Varimathras. Jaina’s friendship with Thrall has also made her an excellent mediator between the two factions, particularly when Varian Wrynn and Thrall are involved. She appeared with a new character model in the Secrets of Ulduar trailer and during the Crusader’s Coliseum. Both were a foreshadowing of her importance during the three dungeons which fed into the final Lich King encounter.

Indeed, while Jaina and Thrall are often paired romantically, when it comes to the lore, Jaina’s heart has always lain with Arthas. This is the main reason why she aided Alliance players as they ventured through the Frozen Halls dungeons. In the Forge of Souls, Pit of Saron, the Halls of Reflection, she plays a pivitol roll, not only aiding the players but also helping to discover if Arthas really has been lost to the Lich King’s evil.

This romantic relationship is expanded on during the quest Jaina’s Locket, which begins as part of the Shadowmourne questline. When the locket is returned to Jaina, she realises that Arthas did indeed love her and kept the artifact even after his transformation. Their relationship was explored to a much greater depth in Christie Golden’s novel Arthas: Rise of the Lich King and also in the Warcraft: Legenda manga anthology where Jaina dreams of a possible future in which she took up Frostmourne instead of Arthas and became the Lich Queen.

Jaina Proudmoore awaits travelers visiting her city.

Theramore’s Future

With the Shattering, Theramore has become a prime target. It sits, one of the few human stronghold’s in Kalimdor, on the edge of the two halves of the Barrens. With Garrosh as Warchief, it’s not going to be long before he turns his eye away from taking Ashvenvale and Darkshore from the Night Elves and focuses on dealing with the Alliance on his doorstep.

Before Stormwind Harbor was created, Theramore was much loved by the Alliance. Low-level Night Elves would pass through on their way to the Eastern Kingdoms, disembarking at Menethil for the long run through the Wetlands to Ironforge. However now that transport is much easier, Theramore has been all but forgotten and that just isn’t right.

This is why Theramore needs to burn. It will be the catalyst which turns the war between Alliance and Horde up a notch. Strategically, it’s a prime target, a thorn in the Horde’s side and it’s only a matter of time before the city falls. The only question is will Jaina Proudmoore fall with it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.