Heroes of Azeroth
Thrall: From Slave to Warchief
Thrall, born Go'el, is the son of Durotan and Draka of the Frostwolf clan. A human lord named Aedelas Blackmoore raised him as a slave and gladiator. Thrall escaped, freed his people from the internment camps and became Warchief of a new, shamanistic Horde. He led the orcs to Kalimdor, founded Durotar, fought the Burning Legion at Mount Hyjal and later Deathwing at the Maelstrom. In the end he killed Garrosh Hellscream in a final mak'gora. Today he is a chieftain of the orcs, a World Shaman, and a father of two.
Videos: the Thrall Saga
The slave of Durnholde
Go'el was born in the Alterac Mountains to Durotan and Draka, during the exile of the Frostwolves. Soon after his birth his parents took him to a secret meeting with Orgrim Doomhammer in Loch Modan, where Durotan warned his old friend about Gul'dan and the Shadow Council. Assassins struck the family down there. Aedelas Blackmoore found the infant among his parents' bodies and named him Thrall, a human word for "slave".
Thrall grew up at Durnholde Keep and was trained in war, tactics and letters so that he could become Blackmoore's champion. A human woman nursed him, and her daughter, Taretha Foxton, became his first friend. She smuggled letters to him hidden in books. When Thrall wrote that he wanted to escape, Taretha set up a diversion inside Durnholde and met him outside with supplies.
Finding the orcs
Free at last, Thrall found the internment camps, where the orcs lay listless and broken, and met Grom Hellscream, still fighting his captors. He went on to the exiled Frostwolves in Alterac. There the old shaman Drek'Thar recognised the swaddling cloth he had been found in, and the son of Durotan began his training as a shaman among the elements.
Then Thrall sought out Orgrim Doomhammer, who was living in hiding, and won his respect. Together they freed the camps. Orgrim fell during the attack near Hillsbrad, and before dying he passed to Thrall his black plate armour, the Doomhammer and the mantle of Warchief. Thrall then broke Durnholde and defeated Blackmoore, but not before Blackmoore had Taretha killed.
The new Horde in Kalimdor
During the Third War, a mysterious Prophet (Medivh) urged Thrall to lead his people west across the sea. Thrall stole human ships and landed in Kalimdor. There he befriended Cairne Bloodhoof and the tauren and had to deal with Grom's fall to the blood of Mannoroth. Then, alongside Jaina Proudmoore and the night elves, he stood against Archimonde at Mount Hyjal.
After the victory, Thrall founded Durotar, named after his father, with Orgrimmar, named after Doomhammer, as its capital. He made peace with Jaina's Theramore, and he welcomed the Mok'Nathal Rexxar, who helped expose Admiral Proudmoore's attack.
The World Shaman
As the elements grew restless before the Cataclysm, Thrall appointed Garrosh Hellscream as acting Warchief and went to the Maelstrom to join the Earthen Ring. There he met Aggra, who would become his life-mate, rediscovered himself as Go'el, and served as the vessel through which the Dragon Aspects destroyed Deathwing.
When Garrosh's tyranny tore the Horde apart, Thrall joined the rebellion that ended with the Siege of Orgrimmar. In alternate Draenor he met versions of his parents and killed Garrosh in their final mak'gora. During the Legion invasion his connection to the elements faltered, and he handed the Doomhammer to a shaman champion.
He then retired with his family to a farm in Nagrand, where he forged the axe Dra'gora. Varok Saurfang drew him back into the Fourth War, telling him "You and I... we don't get to hide". Later the Jailer took him to the Shadowlands, where he was tortured in Torghast before being rescued. Since then he has helped revive the Kosh'harg with Drek'Thar and Aggra, and he now seeks the meaning of the Radiant Song.
Thrall family tree
Mermaid source of the family tree
%% Thrall (Go'el) – canonical family tree (The Tirisfalen)
%% Dashed = link not fully specified / alternate timeline
flowchart TD
RH["Rhakish<br/><i>Great-grandfather</i>"]
GA["Garad<br/><i>Grandfather · Frostwolf chieftain</i>"]
GE["Geyah<br/><i>Grandmother</i>"]
KE["Kelkar<br/><i>Grandfather</i>"]
ZU["Zuura<br/><i>Grandmother</i>"]
GN["Ga'nar<br/><i>Uncle</i>"]
FE["Fenris Wolfbrother<br/><i>Uncle</i>"]
DU["Durotan<br/><i>Father</i>"]
DR["Draka<br/><i>Mother</i>"]
LO["Lokra<br/><i>Aunt</i>"]
KB["Karg Bloodfury<br/><i>Uncle-in-law</i>"]
RY["Ryal<br/><i>Mother-in-law</i>"]
TH["Thrall / Go'el"]
AG["Aggra<br/><i>Life-mate</i>"]
DK["Durak<br/><i>Son</i>"]
AM["Amarehz<br/><i>Daughter</i>"]
GY["Geya'rah<br/><i>'Sister' · alternate Draenor</i>"]
RH --> KE
GA --- GE
GA --> GN & FE & DU
KE --- ZU
KE --> DR & LO
DU --- DR
DU --> TH
DR --> TH
LO -.- KB
RY --> AG
TH --- AG
TH --> DK & AM
AG --> DK & AM
TH -.- GY
Canon note: Kelkar and Zuura are named in Warcraft: Legends Vol. 4 (p. 147). Durak and Amarehz come from the Ultimate Visual Guide (pp. 116–117) and the Dragonflight Kosh'harg story. Karg Bloodfury is called Thrall's "uncle-in-law" and Durotan's brother-in-law, but the sources do not say exactly how he is linked to the family, so he is drawn with a dashed line near Lokra. Geya'rah is the daughter of the alternate-Draenor Durotan and Draka. She is not Thrall's sibling in the main timeline, hence the quotation marks and the dashed line. Lokra's fate is unknown.
Related heroes
FAQ
What is Thrall's real name?
Go'el. "Thrall" is the name Aedelas Blackmoore gave him; it means "slave" in the human tongue.
Who are Thrall's parents?
Durotan, chieftain of the Frostwolf clan, and Draka. Both were murdered by assassins shortly after his birth.
Who is Thrall's wife?
Aggra (Aggralan), a Mag'har shaman of Nagrand, is his life-mate. Their children are Durak and Amarehz.
Why did Thrall step down as Warchief?
To help heal the elements at the Maelstrom with the Earthen Ring before and during the Cataclysm. He named Garrosh Hellscream as his successor.
Who killed Garrosh Hellscream?
Thrall, in their final mak'gora in alternate Draenor (Warlords of Draenor).
Does Thrall still have the Doomhammer?
No. During the Legion invasion he passed it, along with leadership of the Earthen Ring, to a shaman champion. He later forged a new axe, Dra'gora.
Who taught Thrall shamanism?
Drek'Thar, the elder shaman of the Frostwolf clan, in the Alterac Mountains.
Is Geya'rah Thrall's sister?
Not in the main timeline. She is the daughter of the alternate-Draenor Durotan and Draka and calls him "Go'el".
Sources
- Christie Golden, Lord of the Clans; The Shattering; Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects; War Crimes.
- World of Warcraft: Chronicle, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3.
- Warcraft: Legends Vol. 4, p. 147; Ultimate Visual Guide, pp. 116–117.
- Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne; World of Warcraft from Cataclysm through The War Within (incl. Old Soldier, Shadows Rising, A Worthy Offering).
- Community wikis cross-checked: Warcraft Wiki – Thrall, Wowpedia – Thrall, plus their pages on Durotan, Draka, Aggra and Durak.
Illustrations: original artwork by The Tirisfalen. World of Warcraft and Warcraft are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment. This page is fan content and is not affiliated with Blizzard.