Lady Jaina Proudmoore - Part I

The first Alliance character we'll be looking at is Lady Jaina Proudmoore. Jaina, like Thrall, is an incredibly popular character, and is probably the most well-liked character of the Alliance faction. She is also closely linked to Thrall, so it helps expand the understanding of character relationships, even those of different factions.

Lady Jaina Proudmoore, Ruler of Theramore

Lady Jaina Proudmoore, founder and ruler of Theramore

Related Characters:

Admiral Daelin Proudmoore - Father

Antonidas - Mentor

Jaina Proudmoore was born before the First War between the orcs and humans. She is the yougnest child of Admiral Daelin proudmoore, the lord of Kul Tiras and ally of Lordaeron. As a young girl, Jaina was fascinated by the tales of Guardian Aegwynn, the famous guardian of Lordaeron. She discovered her magical talent at a young age, and was sent to Dalaran, the city of the Kirin Tor magi, to develop her magical talent. She convinced Antonidas to take her under his wing as his apprentice, and became one of the only female mages in direct service to Dalaran.

Prince Arthas Menethil

Due to her royal heritage, Jaina inevitably met Prince Arthas Menethil, heir to the throne of Lordaeron. Arthas and Jaina became very close friends over the years, and eventually became romantically involved. They were very much in love with each other, and eventually became engaged to be married. Arthas however, eventually questioned whether the two should be together. Arthas abruptly ended their relationship, allowing Jaina to focus on her magical studies, and for him to focus on his commitments to Lordaeron. Shortly after, they decided to rekindle the romance, which would be doomed by the oncoming Scourge invasion.

The Third War (Warcraft III)

Years later, Jaina's mentor, Antonidas, became curious about the Scourge plague sweeping Azeroth. He was approached by the Prophet, who pleaded him to take his people to the western continent of Kalimdor. Antonidas dismissed the Prophet as a mad man, but Jaina - who had been eavesdropping - sensed a great power within him. Jaina asked Antonidas to reconsider, but Antonidas was adamant that the Prophet was wrong. Jaina instead met with Arthas, to investigate the plague at the northern village of Brill.

At Brill, Jaina witnessed shocking things, such as necromancers and zombie constructs. She and Arthas fought multitudes of undead. They came across a mill containing plague-infested grain. The crates of grain bore the mark of Andorhal, a large grain distributor throughout Lordaeron. 

Jaina and Arthas chased the necromancer, who was revealed to be Kel'Thuzad, former mage of the Kirin Tor, to Andorhal. Arthas and Jaina encountered masses of undead, but managed to fight throuhg them to reach Kel'Thuzad. Arthas killed Kel'Thuzad before he and Jaina left. On their way back to central Lordareon, Jaina and Arthas stopped at a small village named Hearthglen. However, the grain had already reached Hearthglen, and it's villagers had begun transforming into the undead. 

Mal'Ganis

Jaina left Hearthglen in order to find Uther for reinforcements. She returned with the Silver Hand to find Arthas fighting a losing battle. With the Silver Hand at their side, Arthas, Uther  and Jaina managed to push back the undead threat. Arthas decided to travel to the city of Stratholme, hoping to fight Mal'Ganis. 

Jaina and Uther accompanied Arthas to Stratholme, but they were too late to prevent the tainted grain being eaten by the townsfolk. Arthas recommended slaying the people of Stratholme before they transformed into mindless undead. Uther however, could not condone the murder of the innocent people. When Uther refused to assist Arthas, Arthas renounced him and accused him of treason. He demanded that any loyal subject of his father, King Terenas, stay with him and help him purge the city. To his surprise, Jaina followed Uther.

Jaina and Uther later returned to Stratholme, to find it in an appalling state. Jaina was then visited by the Prophet, who had failed in his reasoning with both King Terenas and her mentor, Antonidas. He sensed that Jaina was a great leader, and urged her to flee Lordaeron and travel west, taking as many people with her as possible. She, unlike King Terenas and Antonidas, listened to the prophet and began making plans to sail to Kalimdor.

Jaina left for Kalimdor just as the invasion of Lordaeron began, saving thousands of lives.

Jaina's Arrival at Kalimdor (Warcraft III)

The Continent of Kalimdor

Upon her arrival at Kalimdor, Jaina discovered that there was a large orc population living there. Jaina believed that the orcs had followed them from Lordaeron, and immediately engaged in battle with them. Grom Hellscream retaliated. causing a disastrous battle. Following the battle, Jaina bega to search for a place to settle where she could keep the orcs at bay. She decided that Stonetalon Peaks was a suitable place for this, as she sensed a great power within. Jaina led a small party into the mountains in search of the pwoer she sensed.

Thrall and Cairne

When she reached the core of the mountain, Jaina ran into the orc, Thrall and tauren, Cairne Bloodhoof. They were about to engage in battle with each other, but where suddenly confronted by the Prophet. He warned them that if they did not ally with each other, they would be crushed by the increasing might of the Burning Legion.

Jaina reluctantly agreed to the alliance, and gave Thrall a soul gem. With it he captured Grom Hellscream's essence as the invasion of Kalimdor began. She helped Thrall purge the demonic curse from Grom.

Jaina and Thrall remainded allys, to the dismay of their troops, even after the death of Grom Hellscream. They were contantly under attack by both the undead and night elves. Their alliance kept them alive, but just barely.

Malfurion and Tyrande 

Thrall recieved a vision, and Jaina agreed to follow him to where he needed to go. They travelled together, and eventually came across the leaders of the night elves, Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind. The prophet appeared, revealing himself to be Medivh, attoning for his past mistakes. He told them that unless the humans, orcs and night elves united against the legion, they would all fall. They all agreed to defend the mountain of Hyjal as allies.

Jaina scouted the areas surrounding the mountain, finding that Archimonde, one of Sargeras' generals, and his dooomguards were making their way up the mountain. The humans, orcs and night elves set up three bases on the mountain in an effort to stop the demons' ascension. Jaina's base was directly in Archimonde's path, and was therefore the first to fall to his power. Jaina however, managed to teleport away before Archimonde could kill her. Thrall's base was the second to fall, but Jaina managed to use her magics to teleport him away, saving his life as well as her own.

The Birth of Theramore (Warcraft III)

Following the reent and unlikely triumph at Hyjal, Jaina took her followers to a small island off the east coast of Kalimdor. She named it the Isle of Theramore.

Jaina soon realised that her father, Daelin, had arrived on Kalimdor. Daelin and his army attacked the orc Rexxar and his troops, despite Jaina's pleading. Thrall retaliated by launching an assault on Daelin. Jaina was torn trying to decide whether to support her father or the orc. Eventually she realised that her loyalty must be to Thrall, and she ordered her troops to stand down when the orc army entered Theramore to kill Admiral Proudmoore. 

The Isle of Theramore

Cycle of Hatred (Novel)

The humans of Theramore and the orcs of Durotar remained at peace for three years following Daelin's execution. Jaina and Thrall were still wary of each other, however. Thrall requested Jaina's aid in the location of a group of thunder lizards that had been displaced by a mysterious logging operation at Thunder Ridge. Jaina set out to relocate the lizards in Mulgore, only to find the area magically protecting the presumed dead, Aegwynn, former guardian of Lordaeron, and mother of Medivh.

Aegwynn revealed that a minor demon, Zmodlor, had revived an ancient clan known as the Burning Blade. Zmodlor was using the orc and human members of the Burning Blade to play the two powers - Jaina and Thrall - against each other. 

Jaina and Aegwynn managed to locate the demon and his followers, and fought him. Jaina almost died during the battle, but was saved by Aegwynn's protection using her own life-force. Jaina and Aegwynn managed to banish the demon back to the Twisting Nether. 

Jaina and Thrall later agreed to sign a non-aggression pact, ensuring that disagreements between their followers and allies could not escalate to a war between the orcs of Durotar and the humans of Theramore. Aegwynn assumed the duties of Jaina's chamberlain.