The world of Azeroth has changed. As fans of the latest expansion to the hit MMO, World of Warcraft, can attest to, everything is falling apart. Lands that were once barren deserts are now flooded beneath the ocean depths. Rich and lavish cities now lie in total ruin. The world is, quite literally, pulling apart at the seams. And the cause of all this chaos is a name only whispered in all of Azerothian lore ...

"Deathwing"

In case you've had a hard time keeping up with all the mythology in World of Warcraft, and yes there's a LOT of mythology, we've got you covered. In this Character Spotlight this month, we're going to play a little "This Is Your Life" with World of Warcraft harbinger of the Apocalypse and the creature responsible for Azeroth's recent Cataclysm, none other than Neltharion the Earth Warder ... a.k.a. Deathwing.

According to legend, in the early days of the formation of Azeroth, Neltharion was chosen by the Titans as one of the five Dragon Aspects. These dragons were each granted special power over the elements and even time itself, charged with the task of watching over the fledgling world and the development of all life it held. That was the Titans' plan at least. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite as planned, and there were other forces at work. The Old Gods, a race that ruled the universe before their defeat at the hands of the Titans, used their power to influence the mind of Neltharion.

The Old Gods whispered sweet nothings in Neltharion's ear, telling him he was the only one they wanted and promising him the moon and the stars ... as long as he did a little something for them first. Yes folks, the Old Gods played Neltharion like frat boys with a date at the drive-in. And Neltharion fell for it hook, line, and sinker, ditching the rest of his Dragon Aspect clique to spend all his time with his new suitors, the Old Gods. When the other members of the Dragon Aspect tried to stage an intervention, Neltharion pitched a fit and stormed off to start a new life with the Old Gods. And with his new commitment came a new name. Gone forever was Neltharion the Earth Warder, and in his place now stood Deathwing the Destroyer.

Whether it was the time he created the Demon Soul (the magical equivalent of a pocket-sized nuke), or the time he took a human disguise in order to manipulate the Alliance and ultimately be named king, Deathwing plotted and schemed to take over Azeroth and rule it with an iron claw. Like some sort of comic book supervillain, though, Deathwing's schemes always came close to fruition, but ultimately fell apart and left him defeated. The last Azeroth knew of Deathing, he'd kicked the bucket in one last battle against his brethren, the four remaining Dragon Aspects.

With the recent Cataclysm that's shaken the World of Warcraft to its core, the people of Azeroth have learned the hard way that you just can't keep a bad dragon down. Deathwing had simply been biding his time deep in the Temple of Earth, licking his wounds and having his minions graft armored plating to his skin. Then, like some sort of giant winged Doctor Doom, Deathwing broke loose from his temple, tearing a hole through the Elemental Plane and bringing utter destruction along his path. Unfortunately, Deathwing's plans for Azeroth have changed. No longer is the leader of the black dragonflight looking to rule the world. This time around, he simply wants to destroy it.

While times may seem at their darkest Azeroth, the players of World of Warcraft couldn't ask for more exciting times. With the world they know changing around them and the looming threat still just over the horizon, players are gathering together with one common thought: It's the end of the world as they know it ... and they feel fine.