Wrath of the Lich King alternate trailer

FROZEN THRONE, EXT.

We SEE ARTHAS, the LICH KING, sitting on his throne. There are shards all around the throne, still there from when Arthas freed the Lich King and donned the helm. He speaks, and as he speaks his eyes glow brighter and then paler, and then brighter again in a slowly building cadence that matches the flow of his speech, emphasizing the building power of his words:

ARTHAS

The trek; the combat; the many trials that lead me down this path and to this point are so far away now. Power flows through me to create and destroy in a single gesture. The ascent through ice and snow was an apotheosis. And now they come. They come here to challenge the Scourge as if it were merely an army, a weapon.

CUT TO: BOREAN TUNDRA, WARSONG HOLD, int. -> ext.

GARROSH HELLSCREAM is pacing in a high tower, glancing occasionally out at the mines with a troubled look. A TROLL MESSENGER runs into view and is stopped by 2 guards. Hellscream takes notice, but waits for the formalities of challenge and response which we cannot hear. The messenger then staggers forward, out of breath.

MESSENGER

Warleader (what's his actual rank?) Hellscream, I bring word from the scouts to the north.

He hands over a scroll, which is tied with a red ribbon. Hellscream unties the ribbon and throws it aside. At first it rises slightly, and as it arcs downward, Hellscream's face turns to a mask of rage and determination. As his expression changes we PAN DOWN, following the ribbon as it falls.

FADE TO: VALGARDE DOCKS, EXT.

VICE ADMIRAL KELLER paces back and forth. Soon enough, a GNOME MESSENGER, rides into view from the road on a mechanical mount which sputters as it comes to a stop. The Gnome is carrying the body of a mechanical Gnome over his lap as he rides. When he dismounts, he motions guards to help him with the mechanical. He is treating it as if it were precious to him for some reason, and he looks distraught. As the mechanical is taken down, the messenger runs up to Keller and delivers a scroll, tied with a blue ribbon from his courier's satchel.

PAN IN ON VICE ADMIRAL KELLER

The Vice Admiral removes the ribbon and it floats first up and then down in the same way that the red one did in the previous scene. Again, we see the reader of the note become upset and determined, and then PAN DOWN to follow the ribbon.

FADE TO GLACIER, EXT.

ARTHAS on the move with DEATH KNIGHT GUARDS at the edge of a GLACIER. There are stairs cut into the ice, leading down and to the left and right, but we cannot see past the edge yet.

ARTHAS

(voiceover)

It all begins now. They come to challenge this domain, but they do not yet understand their position on the great board. They think they have power, but even now they discover a small piece of what lays before them and they know fear.

ARTHAS turns fractionally toward one of the guards and they both begin to descend the stairs. We PAN OUT to follow their progress and SEE a long and winding stairway before them and then the army of undead awaiting them, below.

ARTHAS

The Scourge is an army, true enough. The Scourge is a weapon, true enough. But what they do not yet comprehend is that (voice lowers and becomes louder) MY power flows through the Scourge. My hand descends upon this land..

We begin to PAN OUT as ARTHAS narrates.

ARTHAS

and closes upon them.

With this, WE SEE THE DRAGON begin to swoop into frame. Events speed up a bit as we enter the MONTAGE.

The dragon is skeletal and burning from within with the same blue light that flickers from Arthas's eyes. It swoops down, and cups its wings and tail toward the camera, not unlike a great hand moving toward our point of view. It continues to move forward until the entire frame is filled with black bones and blue fire. The blackness swells and covers the screen.

LAKE WINTERGRASP, EXT.

PAN BACK on what is now LAKE WINTERGRASP.

The darkness of the dragon's "grip" is now the shadow of a giant siege engine and as we pull back, we SEE a NIGHT ELF ROGUE fighting with a BLOOD ELF PALADIN. The two are locked in a complicated weave of sword, shield and daggers and neither is giving ground. Then the Blood Elf is struck from off-screen by a shot. We PAN BACK to see a DWARVEN HUNTER who has just injured the Blood Elf and the Rogue immediately moves to finish the injured Paladin, only to be struck by a blast of Fel energy from off-screen on the opposite side from the Dwarf. We again PAN BACK to reveal the caster: an ORC WARLOCK. All four begin to react to the new situation, but the scene is flooded with light as the siege engine comes to life and turns on massive flood lamps.

PUSH INTO SIEGE ENGINE, INT.

CLOSE on the pilot, a DRAENEI PRIEST, her face almost fearful of this giant contraption, but determined. She throws a lever and she lurches forward, obscuring our view.

FADE TO: THE NEXUS, ext.

A team of ADVENTURERS gather outside of the entrance, which looms up and out of our view. The party is made up of Horde races and as we PAN over their heads the darkened entrance brightens a fraction and we HEAR a low rumbling growl.

CUT TO: A view from ABOVE UTGARDE KEEP, ext.

We PAN around the Keep at a distance that leaves the whole keep in view, and then PUSH IN on the great span of bridge that connects it to the cliffs. On the span we see an ALLIANCE PARTY marching across the bridge toward the gate.

CUT TO: CLOSEUP on ARTHAS, GLACIER, ext.

ARTHAS'S FATHER

(voiceover)

In battle, my son, you must learn to be patient. A prince's power does not come from his speed or his strength. It comes from his will and his control. Arthas, if you learn one thing from me it is this: your enemies will fall as surely as the passage of time if you take the time to study them and prepare for their advance. Your faith will steady your hand until it is time to strike.

ARTHAS

(loudly)

The waiting is done. Their faith will fail and then they too will become my hands.

His gauntleted hand moves in from off-screen and forms a fist as we FADE OUT.

Category: World of Warcraft