Illidan allies with the naga and Lady Vashj

Full History

Illidan emerged from the Third War transformed by the Skull of Gul'dan and estranged from the night elves. He had defeated Tichondrius, but Malfurion rejected the demonic power he had chosen to use. Rather than return to the long captivity from which Tyrande had released him, Illidan followed another course. The naga, led by Lady Vashj, became his allies and provided a force with powers and interests separate from the night-elven society that had imprisoned him.

His mission drew him toward the legacy of Sargeras and the Frozen Throne. The Eye of Sargeras, an artifact associated with the tomb beneath the sea, offered a means of striking the distant Lich King. Illidan and the naga pursued the device and attempted to use its power. The plan endangered other places and peoples while advancing an objective shaped by the Burning Legion's rivalries and its struggle to control the Scourge.

Maiev Shadowsong and the Wardens pursued Illidan, seeking to return the former prisoner to custody. Malfurion and Tyrande became entangled in the conflict as his actions threatened those around him. The old disagreement over forbidden magic, first exposed after the Sundering, had now expanded into a campaign involving the sea, ancient ruins, and a distant undead ruler.

The attempt to destroy the Frozen Throne failed, and Illidan's story continued with the blood elves and naga into the shattered remains of Draenor. His alliance with Vashj marked a change in scale and allegiance: he was no longer acting as a troublesome night elf within the defenders of Kalimdor, but as the leader of a growing force able to challenge powers far beyond the forests of his birth. The failed Eye of Sargeras operation prepared the larger confrontation with Arthas in Northrend.