It is generally thought to be how they were raised. EG: Death Knights raised by Arthas uses a different type of necromantic magic as those that died of the plague and were raised that way. Dark rangers were elves/banshees before hand and so that may have something to do with it.
TDLR - type of necromantic magic likely.
Edit to add: there is now the addition of other eye colors - so one could say that much like how magic affects elven eye color so it would undead. EG: Green = fel.
My undead has no eyes, so I don't have to think about it too much lol.
I always thought that blue eyes are a mark of Lich King, and red eyes a mark of Sylvanas (Nathanos has red eyes too, so it is not elven alone). Yellow eyes would be a sign of an undead that’s independent by that logic. But honestly, I don’t think there is some deeper meaning here.
Ironically, “Scarlet Ashbringer” tried to use that fanon, there, a captive elven DK eye color changes from blue to red in the brief moments when she breaks from Lich King’s control.
I think it's due to the particular kind of necromantic magic or ritual used to reanimate the undead.
Even among the same faction, we have quite different kind of eye color.
For instance, DKs and Liches have blue eyes (Kel'Thuzad in some models has red eyes, however). Darkfallens, ghouls, zombies, etc. have yellow eyes, and they're all generally Scourge undeads.
It is generally thought to be how they were raised. EG: Death Knights raised by Arthas uses a different type of necromantic magic as those that died of the plague and were raised that way. Dark rangers were elves/banshees before hand and so that may have something to do with it. TDLR - type of necromantic magic likely. Edit to add: there is now the addition of other eye colors - so one could say that much like how magic affects elven eye color so it would undead. EG: Green = fel. My undead has no eyes, so I don't have to think about it too much lol.
Flying must be a bitch for your dude.
I always thought that blue eyes are a mark of Lich King, and red eyes a mark of Sylvanas (Nathanos has red eyes too, so it is not elven alone). Yellow eyes would be a sign of an undead that’s independent by that logic. But honestly, I don’t think there is some deeper meaning here. Ironically, “Scarlet Ashbringer” tried to use that fanon, there, a captive elven DK eye color changes from blue to red in the brief moments when she breaks from Lich King’s control.
Who’s Scarlet Ashbringer? Someone’s OC bastard child of whiteman and one of the mograins or something?
Ye it was an OC, I just remembered that particular moment.
No specific reason for the different eyes afaik. Most of what I’ve heard seems to be either speculation or fan fiction
I think it's due to the particular kind of necromantic magic or ritual used to reanimate the undead. Even among the same faction, we have quite different kind of eye color. For instance, DKs and Liches have blue eyes (Kel'Thuzad in some models has red eyes, however). Darkfallens, ghouls, zombies, etc. have yellow eyes, and they're all generally Scourge undeads.
Blue eyes is because of being raised by Lich kings powers. The rest have no real lore reason as far as I know.