Another option is once the EB's main mission is complete, Mograine dismisses his troops and they all return to their respective factions and are regarded the same as all the other adventurers. It's less flashy and robs us of the likelihood that we will have these characters with us for future expansions but its simplistic and returns us to the status quo. I, for one, would prefer your option for the whole "Darion Mograine and the EB, Anti-Heroes for Hire" concept.

Mograine's quest text when he sends you back to your faction is "You are now, and forever will be, a Knight of the Ebon Blade, <name>, but know this: you were once a hero of the <faction>." It might hint at the Ebon Blade continuing as a separate group loosely allied with the two main factions. As far as I can remember, there's no indication from Mograine, Koltira, or really anyone except Thassarian that they're interested in trying to rejoin society. For that matter, I have trouble believing that either faction would really re-integrate a large group of death knights, regardless of what Thrall or Varian says.

I think it's fairly safe to say that the Ebon Blade will have about as much influence in the next expansion as the Blood Elf and Draenei have in Wrath, at least lorewise. As pivotal as their stories were in BC, and as large as their presence was there, they're barely featured in Wrath at all. There's very little in Wrath that throws back to BC, save Garrosh, the CE rep you get from the DEHTA quests in Borean, and the Ethereal/Blue Dragonflight alliance (which consists of one quest that never amounts to anything, despite the implication that the alliance was finalized).

Not that Blizzard couldn't break from part paradigms, but it seems probable that the Ebon Blade story ends in Icecrown. Any presence they'll have moving past that will be very limited, if they aren't absent entirely.

The questline in the Tundra shows that the political climate involving the Death Knights in their respective factions is a tense one. Thassarian was sent on a suicide mission. I think Darian was making it clear to you as you leave, no matter what happens you are a Knight of the Ebon Blade, now and forever, you really have nothing else even if you go back "home".

Unlike the Forsaken and their Banshee Queen that is extremely bitter at humanity, the Death Knights are led by Darian, and allowed to rejoin their respective homes/factions after serving the Lich King. He started their little rebellion, he is their leader, and he remembers who he once was and it seems he has embraced it. Sylvanas still seems torn between that choice. Though we'll see the conclusion of both after Icecrown in 3.3.

Another thing I just recently thought of is that The Ebon Blade has a feud with another evil besides the Scourge. In Icecrown, the Ebon Blade is also responsible for sending Mal'Ganis packing back home after meddling with his scarlet onslaught plot. He didn't seem to particularly pleased about it either. Mograine knows that the original cause of his father's fall was because of Balnazzar corrupting the Scarlet Crusade. So it is possible that leading into future expansions, Mograine will continue and push the Ebon Blade against the Burning Legion because of the EB's single purpose: Retribution.

I believe Metzen said the Ebon Blade will continue to play a part in the game even in future expansions.

Thassarian isn't a good example since he was sent on that mission by a Scourge controlled General.

Well obviously there were not many draenei things in Northrend other than NPC's due to the time they have been on Azeroth. The blood elves play quite a bit of parts in this expansion still with the Sunreavers and there isn't much else Blizzard should of done with either race. Now sure there wasn't much else from TBC but TBC was also on another planet.

It actually seems like a lot of the Alliance and Horde have quite a bit of respect for the Death Knights in their ranks. The soldiers who went with Thassrian looked up to him and no Horde showed any hostilities to Koltira.

Here's one example of what I was thinking of, from one of the NPCs on the Skybreaker.

The Sunreavers are technically present but they have almost zero impact on the game either, particularly in lore (which was what I was focusing on). No Sunreaver even gave a quest until the Argent Tournament.

The basic point I was making was that for any Wrath or BC faction to have a notable lore presence (or physical presence) in follow expansions there has to be a compelling story-related reason for their inclusion. There may prove to be a compelling reason, but until it is found there's little chance we'll see them diving into the maelstrom. Even if they are present, it'll likely be as a new faction entirely (See: Cenarion Circle -> Cenarion Expedition, Argent Dawn -> Argent Crusade).

The Horde of course already has experiences with free Undeads, and probably welcomes anyone that has such combat potencies as the Death Knights. Though it might be weird to some, the Forsaken consist of undead Humans, Elves and a probably handful of Dwarves/Gnomes, while the Death Knights can be of any race. It's one thing to accept an undead individual of a foreign race, but undead Orcs, Trolls and Tauren walking the streets of Horde cities... especially the latter ones probably have certain problems with that.

It wasn't clear when General Arlos was placed under the control of Valanar, keep in mind his sister was under control at that point and she certainly wasn't before, Arlos wasn't acting strangely @ Valiance Keep either.

Thassarian seemed to think even after witnessing his sister and the general under control that it was a decision made without mind control, I'm actually inclined to agree with him, given Arthas and Valanar's surprise when he shows up(They sent him there in the first place, and know how strong he is!)

"My obligations to my king and my army have been fulfilled. It is clear I'm not welcome among my comrades anymore. I will have to find my own way, fighting no wars but my own and following no orders but my heart's." - Thassarian

Well, the San'layn is standing right next to him. That, and the Naaru commander certainly seems to think things are not as they should be.

I'm curious about what happens to the scourge (as has been discussed on this thread before) post-Arthas. It would be cool if a part of it lived on and some of the more powerful members that avoided getting killed kept shadowing us along our adventures trying to rebuild. Not necessarily raid tier content but the same way we'll have nesingwary quests in every expansion maybe you have remnants of the scourge trying to rebuild. I bring this up as it would be a reason to keep the KotEB around to be the quest hub counter balance to these scourge subzones and instances. Plus I find it hard to completely eradicate a playable faction from WC3.

As for new race speculation (I've been away for awhile and want my 2 cents). I'm hoping for a demi-elemental or demi-dragon kind of race where people (maybe just humans and Orcs) mix with other races and become hybrids. Neverwinter nights 2 had these kind of half elemental PCs as an illutration to my point. It would be a pretty big stretch for this expansion but whenever the "other worlds" expansion that features Argus, the elemental planes etc. comes along it could be worked in. Now these things aren't in the game currently but it would be a cool addition I think.

And really Blizz needs to start working on some new lore lines as they've burned through the main cast already. There's tons of old stuff they can bring up and expand but there needs to be a lot of development on them before they are compelling even to the lore nerds around here.

"My son, there will come a day when you will command the Ashbringer, and with it mete out justice across this land. I have no doubt that when that day finally comes, you will bring pride to our people, and that Lordaeron will be a better place because of you. But, my son, that day is not today."

Yeah, I agree Babygraine is going to pick up the Ashbringer and beat Arthas in the face with it. He might not survive to carry on leading the Ebon Blade, but it definitely smells of a setup.

I think the Lich King is one of the few beings where it would make sense that they can never be 'killed', just weakened or replaced. That is not to say that whatever is left could be called Arthas either.
Another way would be to have powerful lieutenants or elements of the legion take control of the undead. We get purps and the scourge isn't an immediate threat until blizz wants to make another undead dungeon.

I am hoping that there isn't any new races anytime soon. Every idea so far has had to be shoehorned in at least as much as draenei, so it will just end up being forced and I don't think blizz will do that again. I hope.

If I recall correctly the first time anyone discussed killing Arthas (back when the level 90-100 comment was made) it was theorized that killing him was not the same as killing the Lich King. That is, Ner'Zhul might continue to be, and so too would the Scourge.

How the books enhance or detract from that theory, I don't know. But unless Ner'Zhul was destroyed outright, rather than simply dominated, it isn't unimaginable that he makes an appearance before the expansion is over.

Yeah someone mentioned that Arthas could just be replaced somehow.

So many stories would end with the death of Arthas or more specifically: the Lich King and the scourge altogether.
The Forsaken and Sylvanas, The Knights of the Ebon Blade, The Blood Elves and their revenge, The Argent Crusade, all of these plots are looking at simply ending with The Lich King. If he were to ‘switch’ and carry on, it would make for much more storyline and content.

The character of the Lich King could pull a Kael’thas and be put off into the future of Warcraft, I don’t mean Arthas using an escape rope at 5%, but someone replacing him for 3.4 or a later mmo. E.g Tirion, Darion or *gasp* Sylvanas (Wrath of the Lich Queen!).

An awful lot of things could happen at the Frozen Throne fight, especially if so many plots are tying up there. I can only hope for some sort of epic cutscene to play out to thicken the plot and give us new direction.

Metzen did mention that Arthas will die but the Lich King not so much. I like the idea of Varian picking the blade up and becoming the next Lich King :p

To be honest, I can see only one direction the warcraft lore can take after Arthas (who is fused with the lich king, so Nerzhul will die as well). We have killed Kil'Jaden, Archimonde, Illidan and his entourage, the titan story line got completed with the killing of Algalon.

Only thing left is to deal with is the infinite dragonflight. Maybe WoW's new frontier will be completely in the past, this way Blizzard can resurrect a lot of old Villains, maybe recreate bosses from War of the Ancients, fight alongside Kras and that Rhonin. Maybe the Infinite dragonflight interfered and Sargeras entered Kalimdor, and we have to beat him back etc.

There were some epic battles there, and although this is rather a stretch, I'd rather enjoy seeing World of Warcraft: The Shores of Eternity (from the well of eternity) or something.

As for Arthas, I think that Blizzard has pretty much milked out all they could out of that storyline, and anything more on it would just be reiterating whatever has already been said about it and artificially prolonging it.

Algalon was defeated not killed and left Azeroth after editing the transmission, Kil'jaeden wasn't killed and was merely pushed back, Ner'zhul is a spirit whose soul is connected to Frostmourne (and it seems the armor) so he won't die with Arthas, and there are many other things to fight in WoW such as a evil transformed ex-night elf Queen, a couple more Old Gods, and Kil'jaeden, the other Lords of the Legion among other things. It won't surprise me if we end up fighting a Nightmare corrupted Ysera when we see the Emerald Dream either.

warkhawk451: There are tons of ways blizzard can go. Sargeras, Lich King 2.0(Ner'zuhl doesn't have to die) , Azhsara and the Naga, multiple unkilled old gods, a Goblin boss could easily be implemented, the Burning Legion still exists, the Emerald Dream and the nightmare corrupting it has remained essentially untouched, and much more. The defeat of Algalon completed this particular arc but didn't shut off titans completely as a lore base to draw content from.

WoW will simply become played out as a game well before Blizzard runs out of lore to base content off of.

*cough* Deathwing?

At any rate, not even the high ranking commanders of the Scourge seem to posses the kind of power needed to take control of the whole Scourge armies should Arthas die. At best they could regain their free will and fight over each other for control until there's only one of them left, with us, the players hopefully throwing wrenches in their plans and picking them off when they're at their weakest.

At worst, the hordes of undead minions will be totally destroyed, someone else will pick up the sword, slowly become corrupted and secretly start rebuilding a Scourge 2.0 that we'll only find out about in another expansion. And there's lots of other paths in between.