Ok here's one for your that'sbeen puzzling me-

It recently occured to me that Arthas never died, he simply was influenced like pre-death Kel'Thuzad. So that means he fused with Ner'Zhul as a albeit powerful yet living being.

This comes to light again in the quest chain in Icecrown which ends with Tirion Fordring destroying Arthas's heart, which didn't kill him but weakended him severly.

It appears to me that between the gassing of the Wrath Gate and now this that Arthas as a being is now dead, leaving only Ner'Zhul in Arthas' body.

So, got an answer or another question? Then feel free to ask here.

Arthas not dieing led me to believe Death Knights arent automatically undead. But that heart thing could be symbolical, I dunno.

I have a hunch that Arthas might be redeemed by no one else but Jaina. And when you kill him you basically kill Ner'Zhul.

Biek:
Arthas not dieing led me to believe Death Knights arent automatically undead. But that heart thing could be symbolical, I dunno.

I have a hunch that Arthas might be redeemed by no one else but Jaina. And when you kill him you basically kill Ner'Zhul.

Yeah it was never actually said in the chain that the death knights died.

If Arthas is redeemed by Jaina it makes the romance obligatory, that will piss off hordies(like me) for Blizzard teasing us for so long over Thrall and Jaina.

stormcaller:
It appears to me that between the gassing of the Wrath Gate and now this that Arthas as a being is now dead, leaving only Ner'Zhul in Arthas' body.

You're a bit mistaken in assuming that Ner'Zhul and arthas are simply inhabiting the same body. They're not separate beings, they fused into a new even more powerful entity which is neither arthas or Ner'zhul. Just the Lich King.

The quest involving arthas heart was the last remnant of Arthas' humanity that was left over from the fusion. Tirion wanted to know for sure if Arthas could be saved but when he struck the heart he knew he can't be, because Arthas no longer exists.

There is only the Lich King.

If you played the WC3 undead campaign, Tichondrius says this

"The runeblade you carry was designed to steal souls. Yours was the first it claimed"

Sentient undead such as Darion Mograine are kept alive by the Lich King, and retain their personalities, they are just subject to his will. This is why Arthas showed some of his personality in the undead campaigns. Also, many undead are sentient and yet they have rotting bodies. So long as they have a means of talking they can communicate properly.

I dont know why he would bother, but I'm pretty sure that he just took arthas' heart out of his body. Its strange, because that would imply that he is now undead, because his body is in a state in which it wouldnt survive , but it is being kept alive through magic. How stabbing the heart would weaken the lich king is still a mystery to me.

Yassen:

stormcaller:
It appears to me that between the gassing of the Wrath Gate and now this that Arthas as a being is now dead, leaving only Ner'Zhul in Arthas' body.

You're a bit mistaken in assuming that Ner'Zhul and arthas are simply inhabiting the same body. They're not separate beings, they fused into a new even more powerful entity which is neither arthas or Ner'zhul. Just the Lich King.

The quest involving arthas heart was the last remnant of Arthas' humanity that was left over from the fusion. Tirion wanted to know for sure if Arthas could be saved but when he struck the heart he knew he can't be, because Arthas no longer exists.

There is only the Lich King.

Arthas IS technically dead. Also read: Arthas:Rise of the lich king for a little info involving Ner'Zhul you'll see why they only call him Arthas now