StarCraft 2 Campaign: Personal thoughts and opinons

StarCraft 2 Campaign: Personal thoughts and opinions

Table of contents

1.0 – Introduction

2.0 – Wings of Liberty

2.1 – Introduction
2.2 – Story structure
2.3 – Characters
2.4 – Story analysis
2.4 – Themes
2.5 – Inconsistencies, plot holes, retcons, and the like
2.6 – Presentation

3.0 - Heart of the Swarm

3.1 Speculations: what comes next?

4.0 - Legacy of the Void

4.1 Speculations: what comes next?

Note: the entire article is not written, and will likely be quite big, so the table of contents might change. I will release it in fragments, mainly for practical reasons (easier to comment and discuss, and more fitting to the forum post length restrictions). Perhaps, in the future, HotS and LotV will be included too.

1.0 - Introduction

Since I enjoy writing and since I enjoy writing about things I like, I figured I could put some of my thoughts and opinions on StarCraft 2 on (artificial) paper. I was planning to do some on the original campaign, but FT did such a good job on that, so I figured, “Why not just limit myself to the second game? It’s what everyone’s talking about, anyway”.

Note that I am somewhat of a Blizzard semi-fanboy. I have played many of their games since I was very young, and they are all in various degrees dear to me, with the original StarCraft always having been my favorite, mostly because of the gameplay, but also largely because of the story. It has involving characters and an engaging plot that draws me in and teases me with its hints of coming events (I can’t tell you how many times I have played Dark Origin).

When it comes to atmosphere, StarCraft lands somewhere between WarCraft and Diablo. The former is arguably the least gritty, as it presents even its darkest moments in the same way as traditional middle age movies and games usually do. Its colors are bright and the shades between good and evil are usually pretty clear (though there are some exceptions, with characters such as Grom Hellscream, for example). Diablo, on the other hand, while having an even clearer separation between good and evil, is explicitly the darkest of the three series. One needs look no longer than introduction to the first entry, where the corpses of humans hang from trees in ropes in a deep fog, to see this.

StarCraft is not as dark as Diablo, but there is a lot of pessimism among the few moments of hope, and the characters are less black and white. Though factions such as the Zerg Swarm match the demons from Diablo and WarCraft, they are not necessarily presented as evil in the same way. They are scary, yes, and even bloodthirsty, but it would wrong to call them evil, I think, because they are only this when viewed from the perspective of the Terrans and the Protoss. But the Zerg have more missions than the other two races (20 compared to 18), and it is safe to say that we share so much time with them that it would be correct to say that the StarCraft universe doesn’t deal in good and evil, just self-preservation. Will the introduction of a greater threat, specifically the Dark Voice and his hybrids, change this? Personally, I’m not so sure. I doubt the possibility of a Terran/Protoss/Zerg alliance in the style of WarCraft III, and in Legacy of the Void, I think we will see once more how (especially) the Protoss will still find ways to quarrel with each other even in times where death and destruction is knocking on the door.

Anyway, my point is this: I will undoubtedly come off as more positive in my assessment than some of you guys here. Many have criticized StarCraft 2’s story, and although I can nod in agreement to some of that criticism, I ultimately remain positive to the story. The crucial point to make is that I am at my most critical when reading about the story, as what is written usually has an agenda that wants to convince me too to be as critical as the writers. However, when I play the game, I either forget the criticism or realize that I not only disagree with it, but also find the bad parts that I do agree exist to be so small they are of no significance to how I perceive the game’s story. So yes, I am positive to Wings of Liberty. Now, let’s go on to what I think, already.

2.0 - Wings of Liberty

2.1 - Introduction

As all of you know, Brood War ended with the destruction of the second Overmind, the defeat of the UED, and the rise of Kerrigan, who ultimately became the leader of the most powerful faction in the Koprulu sector. Four years have passed, and things have been very quiet. Kerrigan is gone, and the other races have been left for themselves to build up their worlds, whilst always knowing that the disruption of the calm can be around the corner at any times.

In WoL, our main character is Raynor, who’s been with us ever since the very first mission. He is a broken man, leading a revolution against his arch nemesis, Arcturus Mengsk, who is now the emperor of a rebuilt Dominion that terrorizes its inhabitants. Raynor doesn’t have the spirit of other revolutionaries, and there is none of the spark that fueled someone like, say, Che Guevara in his prime. Part of that, I think, is because of Raynor’s motivations for going after Mengsk. While he certainly sympathizes with the Dominion’s citizens, his purpose is ultimately not to create a better tomorrow (that is Matt Horner’s ultimate purpose), but to get revenge. Raynor does occasionally sell himself as one who “stands up for the little”, but when he does it, it’s almost as if he kids himself with it. It’s not that he doesn’t want to help (why else would he go to Agria?), but he probably wouldn’t be a revolutionary if it if he had no prior relationship with Mengsk.

Note that Raynor when gets his spirit back, it is when the possibility of Kerrigan returning to becoming human again appears. It’s when Valerian has come with his artifact that he gives his speech to the crew, and Kachinsky says, “Now that’s the commander I’ve been waitin’ for”. Raynor is smart enough to sell the invasion of Char as a means of stopping the Zerg, and not as a means to get his girl back. Knowing this is important to understanding Raynor. He is good guy, and he isn’t selling out his crew, because the motivation for going to Char he gives to the crew is worthy, but his own motivation is somewhat selfish. However, this doesn’t make him unsympathetic, because the player is intimate with Raynor’s past, and know he’s been through a lot of hard times.

2.2 – Story structure

The storyline in Wings of Liberty is branched, a choice by Blizzard which drew both praise and criticism. The praise came namely from the fact that it made the gameplay more interesting, as you weren’t forced to follow the story in a straight line (which, admittedly, can be boring in some cases). The criticism, on its side, focused on the fact that it hurt the flow of the story. It has been mentioned that the branching storylines make the plot feel jumpy, with Raynor’s moods changing abruptly. I don’t agree with that. Raynor’s mood is dependent on each mission, and if he is enthusiastic after completing one of the Rebellion missions (which is the storyline where the Raiders make most progress), and then neck deep in beer bottles after the Moebius Factor mission, it’s because the latter mission again confronts him with what Kerrigan has become (he dreams of her after she appears in person in Tyrador). I don’t see this being in conflict in how human beings behave. Let me explain how.

The Sopranos drew some criticism for the hypocrisy of some of the characters, and how some of them, particularly Carmela Soprano, could one day be mad as hell with her husband for cheating on her, and then be perfectly happy the other. The criticism was met with arguments I agree with, namely that The Sopranos so perfectly captures real life (more than most TV shows), in the sense that human beings actually tend to be “jumpy” when it comes to behavior. It’s quite possible to be happy one day, sad the next, and then happy again on the third day. It all depends on what happens on each day.

Now, while I don’t think the storyline is “jumpy”, I do think there is some criticism to be made, namely that the plot branches out, but not in again. What I mean by that is that the side missions (those concerning Hanson and Tosh) have no real significance on the main missions (those concerning Horner and Tychus). True, you earn cash and get new units that make the rebellion easier, which of course is realistic (I’ve always praised the story writers for bringing the importance of finance into war), but the impact on the main storyline is non-existent. And it’s not that Blizzard is incapable of it being otherwise. After all, what are the Tychus missions at first, if not side missions? Whereas Hanson and Tosh influence Raynor and the crew, Tychus’ missions only exist because of the need for cash. But when the true purpose artifact fragments is revealed, the Tychus missions become part of the main storyline. Couldn’t the Hanson and Tosh missions have been molded the same way?

I will say this, though: While the Hanson and Tosh missions might not be considered entirely successful because their link with the main storyline is weak, they can still be considered successful. Why? Because it is possible to view them on their own, separate from the other missions. And if you isolate them, they become much stronger. Hanson’s story is in my opinion one that is very great, and it has not only one, but two endings that in each their way conclude the story in a manner that I am engaged by. Tosh’ story is not as engaging (it is harder to get engaged in the fate of renegade soldiers than the fate of helpless people in search of a home), but it too has two great endings; one that is extremely humorous, and one which is extremely pessimistic, and simultaneously, beautifully made.

Now, is there way to consider the side missions as being positive when they are not viewed isolated? I believe so, and I say this for two reasons. The first is that there is no absolutely no requirement for each part of a story to be vital to the ultimate outcome and ending. Yes, if you make a two-hour movie, it is probably best to make sure every part of the story is relevant, as time is limited, but StarCraft is a game, not a movie. We only demand that detours (like the Hanson and Tosh storylines) ultimately are of significance to the main storyline because of tradition. There is no requirement in the theory of storytelling that says you can’t branch out into smaller storylines that exist separately for themselves. Why? Because storytelling can in no way be an obstacle in coming up with new ways to tell a story, because that would hurt storytelling. Also: theory only describes what has gone before, not what might come later. While Blizzard might not be inventing the wheel with a branched storyline, they did try something that was new and different to the StarCraft universe. You might not like it, but you can still appreciate the attempt (or not, which depends entirely on the eye of the beholder). I personally liked it. Blizzard said from the get-go that they wanted to create branched storylines, and should therefore not be held responsible for not weaving the side stories into the main stories just because they could. They created branched storylines, just as said they would.

The second reason that the side missions being detours can be justified, is that it’s possible to evaluate them from a perspective that is not plot-related. If you look at them from a plot perspective, then yes, they might be considered weak. But what if you consider them from a character perspective? I don’t know if anyone of you has seen the movie Taxi Driver, but I want to mention it anyway to make a point. Taxi Driver is a film that is fairly light on plot. Things happen, yes, but they happen more because they tell us things about the main character, not because they advance the story. Many scenes in the film could be cut without the plot being hurt. But cutting them would hurt our perspective of the main character, and that would be bad, as the film is just as much (if not more) a character study than it is a story. In the same way, the existence of the Hanson and Tosh missions can be justified because they tell us things about the characters. Tychus, for example, is revealed to be selfish and too short sighted to see the reason for helping the people of Agria, whilst Horner’s intelligence is augmented, as he manages to see the motivation for helping Hanson and her people from a wider respective (as the story will frequently show, Horner is very focused on the events that happen after they dethrone Mengsk, should they manage to do that). Raynor too, is fleshed out a lot in the side missions, and we get to know him quite a bit in them. We can even decide how he will turn out by choosing who we want to side with.

good read :)
good job Eivind, i completely agree with your points, cant wait to see your other points, keep it up!

Nothing wrong with a positively slanted assessment, Eivind. Keep it up. I'm genuinely interested in what the complete thing will look like.

I'm not going to debate with you about the finer points you have addressed here, opinions will be opinions at the end of day, but you might want to consider addressing the issue of pacing and flow of narrative in your "Story Structure".

Thanks, guys. Glad you took the effort to read the damn thing (it's quite long).

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

I'm not going to debate with you about the finer points you have addressed here, opinions will be opinions at the end of day, but you might want to consider addressing the issue of pacing and flow of narrative in your "Story Structure".

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I guess I could slip it under "story analysis", but I have to ask: is there any specific thing you are refering to? I mean, I know what pacing and flow is, but is there a point you personally have that you want to see adressed?

Now, could someone tell me how to make it say "opinions" instead of "opinons"? It's bugging me!

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Originally Posted by Eivind

I guess I could slip it under "story analysis", but I have to ask: is there any specific thing you are refering to? I mean, I know what pacing and flow is, but is there a point you personally have that you want to see adressed?

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I guess it's more an expansion of what you were saying about the story (not) being jumpy and the Tosh and Hanson missions being weakly linked to the main story. Some detractors say that the majority WoL has no "vision" or is aimless and that the real story only happens when Valerian spills the beans and then we finally get to the Char missions. There seems to be no build-up to this climax. Also, some feel that the nature of randomly choosing your own missions kills the pacing when you can hopscotch to different planets and different missions paths at any time - there's no feeling of urgency (up until the end that is).

How do you feel about the fact that the entire Prophecy arc can (although you shouldn't) can be completely bypassed? This has also caused a lot of debate about the clarity of Raynor's motivation.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

Now, could someone tell me how to make it say "opinions" instead of "opinons"? It's bugging me!

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Can't you just edit the original and 'go advanced' to change the title?

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

I guess it's more an expansion of what you were saying about the story (not) being jumpy and the Tosh and Hanson missions being weakly linked to the main story. Some detractors say that the majority WoL has no "vision" or is aimless and that the real story only happens when Valerian spills the beans and then we finally get to the Char missions. There seems to be no build-up to this climax.

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I might have a thing or two to say about that, but I'll save that for the story analysis, even though, as you say, it can fit into the story structure section as well.

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

Also, some feel that the nature of randomly choosing your own missions kills the pacing when you can hopscotch to different planets and different missions paths at any time - there's no feeling of urgency (up until the end that is).

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This one I can adress right now. I don't think the pacing is ruined at all. I'm not sure there is supposed to be a feeling of urgency either. The crew has little money, and actually needs to take their time.

Let's say you steal the Odin, and then, instead of using it on Korhal, you go do The Dig instead. I think of this as you being Raynor choosing to get more funds and siege tanks (or something like that), and when you finally go to Korhal, you are more prepared. Or, if you postpone The Dig and go straight to Korhal, it's because you think you are ready, or that outing Mengsk is too important for you to wait.

I'm trying to argue intellectually, and yet the best argument I can offer is actually an emotional one. When I played the campaign the first time, and chose to switch between the "stories", I never personally felt it was jumpy. I can understand how some could feel that way, but I personally didn't, and so it's not really a problem to me. I still don't.

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

How do you feel about the fact that the entire Prophecy arc can (although you shouldn't) can be completely bypassed? This has also caused a lot of debate about the clarity of Raynor's motivation.

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Well, if I was Metzen, I would have made it required, but I think you have to view the story as if you completed every mission. In other words, when HotS begins, Raynor has outed Mengsk, seen the prophecy, and rescued Kerrigan, no matter what you chose to do. It's a bit odd, I'll admit that, but I personally don't really think it's too much to get fuzzed up about.

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

Can't you just edit the original and 'go advanced' to change the title

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No, doesn't work.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

Let's say you steal the Odin, and then, instead of using it on Korhal, you go do The Dig instead. I think of this as you being Raynor choosing to get more funds and siege tanks (or something like that), and when you finally go to Korhal, you are more prepared. Or, if you postpone The Dig and go straight to Korhal, it's because you think you are ready, or that outing Mengsk is too important for you to wait.

I'm trying to argue intellectually, and yet the best argument I can offer is actually an emotional one. When I played the campaign the first time, and chose to switch between the "stories", I never personally felt it was jumpy. I can understand how some could feel that way, but I personally didn't, and so it's not really a problem to me. I still don't.

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I don't have problem with that at all as long as you've addressed it.

I shouldn't nitpick because it's kinda beside the point for your whole exercise here, but although your example is quite clear the same logic cannot be applied for the Hanson mission choice: Haven's fall or Safe Haven. The whole idea of this mission choice instills a sense of urgency (infestation is overruning the colony), but it can somehow safely wait until you get around to doing it? Just some food for thought.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

Well, if I was Metzen, I would have made it required, but I think you have to view the story as if you completed every mission. In other words, when HotS begins, Raynor has outed Mengsk, seen the prophecy, and rescued Kerrigan, no matter what you chose to do. It's a bit odd, I'll admit that, but I personally don't really think it's too much to get fuzzed up about.

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You could still address this in the story/ character analysis because this 'structural' issue does play a role in determining the final impetus/motivation behind Raynor's actions to save Kerrigan (was it pure love, the advice from Zeratul's vision, a combination of both? It can be unclear to someone who has not done the Prophecy missions).

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

I shouldn't nitpick because it's kinda beside the point for your whole exercise here, but although your example is quite clear the same logic cannot be applied for the Hanson mission choice: Haven's fall or Safe Haven. The whole idea of this mission choice instills a sense of urgency (infestation is overruning the colony), but it can somehow safely wait until you get around to doing it? Just some food for thought.

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In Haven's Fall/Safe Haven, the situation was set up so that Raynor arrives onto the scene just as the Protoss are about to begin purging the planet. Therefore, it can be postponed since narrative-wise, the Protoss don't arrive until just before Raynor does. A better example of time inconsistency would be the Evacuation since Raynor is responding to a distress signal yet he can wait as long as he wants to before responding to it and still be in time to help Hanson.

As for the lack of urgency and/or tension, I feel the reason for this is because Raynor and his crew are almost always the ones taking the initiative and going on the offensive. In addition, Raynor (and other central named characters) aren't directly involved to boot, as the ones doing the fighting are almost always just nameless Raiders. Hence, that's why we, the player, who are supposed to identify with Raynor, don't feel like we're in much jeopardy during those missions.

Your right, Peasant. Evacuation is a better example. My bad again.

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As for the lack of urgency and/or tension, I feel the reason for this is because Raynor and his crew are almost always the ones taking the initiative and going on the offensive. In addition, Raynor (and other central named characters) aren't directly involved to boot, as the ones doing the fighting are almost always just nameless Raiders. Hence, that's why we, the player, who are supposed to identify with Raynor, don't feel like we're in much jeopardy during those missions.

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I can understand your reasons behind the lack of tension/urgency but if the lack of jeopardy is due to the missions not featuring your story's characters (as you seem to put it), doesn't that say something about the missions not really serving the story or the characters? If the story is about getting to know what it is like to be in Raynor's shoes, the disconnect that you're implying means the missions themselves are largely superfluous to the the story. Then I'd be questioning why the heck is the majority of the 'story' spent doing missions that do not really contribute to story development or character development since the main players are not really involved.

In other words, by focusing the story development mainly between missions, there's a risk of alienating the audience through missions that seem like superfluous chores that take up most of the time and get in the way of the story.

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

You could still address this in the story/ character analysis because this 'structural' issue does play a role in determining the final impetus/motivation behind Raynor's actions to save Kerrigan (was it pure love, the advice from Zeratul's vision, a combination of both? It can be unclear to someone who has not done the Prophecy missions).

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I think Metzen and Kindregan adressed this on the Blizzcon lore panel, where they stated that Raynor's primary motivation, regardless of what the prophecy said, was personal.

I'm writing the character section now, and I've realized that there are a hell of a lot of characters in WoL. So this might take some time. Maybe I'll split the thing in two.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

I think Metzen and Kindregan adressed this on the Blizzcon lore panel, where they stated that Raynor's primary motivation, regardless of what the prophecy said, was personal.

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I have quite something to say about that as well, but this isn't the place to do that and it's getting a little off-topic from your thoughts and opinions.

Keep up the good work :)

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Originally Posted by Eivind

I'm writing the character section now, and I've realized that there are a hell of a lot of characters in WoL. So this might take some time. Maybe I'll split the thing in two.

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That's a good idea. Focus on a few at a time. Worst thing to do is try to cover/analyse too many things at once and getting them all mixed up in your head. Or, to try writing everything in one go only for some error to happen and losing everything you've just written.

Been there, done that, hate the T-shirt. ;)

Well, I was talking more about splitting it for the sake of not creating a huge wall of text here. I'd like people to discuss what I write, and if I dump every character in here in one go, it might be a bit much considering how long the entire thing is going to end up being.

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

I have quite something to say about that as well, but this isn't the place to do that and it's getting a little off-topic from your thoughts and opinions.

Keep up the good work :)

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I don't mind you saying it, though it could obviously wait till I cover it for the sake of order.

2.3 - Characters

In Brood War, the writers become strangely trigger happy, and a lot of the characters from the original game obviously couldn’t make it into the sequel because they were, you know, somewhat dead. The first to fall was Aldaris, then Stukov (who, in one of the series’ greatest moments, fell by the hands of his friend), then Duke and Fenix, and finally, Raszagal and DuGalle. Curiously, Kerrigan was involved in all of these deaths, either directly, or indirectly. In other words: when Zeratul says, “Justice demands she dies for her crimes”, we know what he’s talking about. Needless to say, with all of these deaths, new characters had to be created alongside the few that survived (Raynor, Mengsk, Kerrigan, Duran, Zeratul and Artanis). I’ll be using this post to look at all of them. Note that most of the characters, or at least the ones who have their own story, are designed in a way to make us learn about Raynor, as they play upon different facets of his persona to get their will. I’ll be looking more closely at that below. Also note that, whenever the player has to choose between several characters, we are essentially molding Raynor and putting our own imprint on how we want him to be (or how we perceive him).


Jim Raynor: After Rebel Yell, the original Terran campaign, Raynor continued to show up in the storyline. He took part in or witnessed some of the series’ biggest events, including the rise of Mengsk, the betrayal and infestation of Kerrigan, the rescue of Tassadar, the death of the Overmind, and the defeat of the UED and the simultaneous rise in power of Kerrigan. Needless to say, he was the perfect candidate for the protagonist for Wings of Liberty, where he takes center stage in an even bigger way than in the original game. Some have criticized Blizzard for not letting the player be an unidentified character in the same manner as in the original, but I don’t personally see how that makes the game any better. Yes, it worked quite well in the first game, but I appreciate this approach more.

As I mentioned earlier, Raynor is not a traditional revolutionary. He has been wronged, yes, and his past is like a library of reasons to be angry, but his heart is not in it. Throughout the story, he makes a lot of progress, but for the most part, that is because of other characters. Raynor’s interaction with others is a large part of the game, and in much of the story, he has to wrestle between some of them, at some points even having to choose between alternatives in a manner that offends, angers or causes the death of the person he doesn’t choose. We see little of his supposed tactical skills and gift for inspiration. This is entirely intentional. When the story begins, the revolution isn’t going very well, both because of practical needs (the Raiders doesn’t have much money) and emotional problems (Raynor is at times so understandably heartbroken over Kerrigan that he can’t even manage to use it as motivation to go against Mengsk). But as the story progresses, the old Raynor returns. The turning point is the bar fight, where he gives Tychus a long overdue beating, and manages to inspire his crew into agreeing that invading Char is the right thing. Once we reach Char, his battle skills shine (Card to Play), as does his will and oral skills (Fire and Fury). He trumps the experienced Warfield, successfully engages the main hive cluster and comes out on the other end victoriously.

Refreshingly, from a writing perspective, Raynor is not a smart tactician, but a very simple minded fellow. The cowboy annotations are not necessarily subtle, but in a strange way, they work (much in the same way as the ultra-serious The Wire could get away with its own occasional western influences). Part of that, I think, is because the story treats Raynor seriously, and tones down the stylistic ways that cowboys usually are portrayed. Raynor in a bar works. Raynor with a cowboy hat wouldn’t have worked. A revolver works. A horse would not have (a vulture, on the other hand, would). While not being the most intelligent guy, Raynor is surprisingly open and accepting. As Hanson notes, he knows more about the Protoss than most human scientists. He might not have ability to make complex theories, but he has plenty of empirical experience.


Ariel Hanson: Hanson is a doctor on the fringe world Agria, whose citizens are left to fend for themselves. Indirectly, her story will show us not the cruelty of Mengsk’s Dominion, but rather its passiveness and inefficiency when it comes to providing the safety of the worlds it rules over. Hanson represents the good in Raynor, and therefore acts as the antithesis to Tychus Findlay. However, while clearly intelligent, she is also somewhat naïve. Indeed, when the time comes to make the choice between her and Selendis, it is not so much good and evil we are choosing between, but idealism and realism. Selendis, the realist, would probably not incinerate Haven if there were a cure for the Zerg virus, but because there isn’t, she is willing to sacrifice the planet’s population. Hanson, on the other hand, is more idealistic, and puts her faith in hope, and thrusts this will be enough. This is why choosing to side with Hanson doesn’t end with her finding a cure as much as it ends with the possibility of her finding one (otherwise, the choice will be far too easy). If we are to apply ethical theory, Selendis’ primary concern is consequence, which makes her one who believes the end justifies the means. Hanson’s primary concern is action, and therefore believes in finding a cure for her people as opposed to burning them alive, despite the negative consequences.


Gabriel Tosh: A mysterious “pseudo-Rastafarian” who once was part of a secret ghost program of the Dominion, Gabriel Tosh is by far Raynor’s most mysterious ally during most of the game. Everything about him screams, “Are you sure want to have this guy on your ship?” Whereas Hanson was the antithesis to Tychus Findlay, Tosh is the antithesis to Matt Horner. Both want to turn the Dominion into a thing of the past, but the motivation and methods they use are radically different. Whereas Horner, who is somewhat of an optimist (though in a manner more realistic than Hanson), wants to create a better world, Tosh just wants to satisfy his own needs, using any method necessary. In other words, while Tosh might nod in agreement to the cruelty of Mengsk, he might not have been so quick to ally with you if didn’t have a personal connection with him (interestingly, the same thing could be said about Raynor).

Tosh’s egoism makes him a dangerous ally, as he can be expected to make poor choices that only pay out positive in the short-term future. Unlike Horner, he lacks the ability to see beyond his own desires. Part of that is because Tosh is much more pessimistic, and in his own view, more realistic, as seen specifically when he denounces the possibility of “a better tomorrow”, as a new Mengsk will follow the first one anyway. A point to be made is that, whichever ending you chose for Tosh, he ends up looking unfavorable anyway. If you decide to go against him, he tries to kill you (though, in his defense, Raynor tried to kill him first), and if you decide to help him, you get the feeling you have achieved a victory at a high cost. When you break open New Folsom, Tosh still comes off as a tad too dangerous to have as an ally.


Matt Horner: Horner is the captain on the Hyperion, and an idealistic realist who has an in-built desire to do good. He is a brilliant tactician, and though he is too clinically cold to be the leader of a rebel group, he might very well be Raynor’s most important ally. Unlike Tosh and Tychus, he performs each of his actions with long-term, and not short-term consequences in mind. He is not afraid to confront anyone when he feels he needs to, and is open about anyone he is suspicious of to Raynor, even when said person is Raynor himself.

While Horner is admirable, he is perhaps not as strong a character as the others in the game. The reason for that is that he is simply too good. He is not unrealistic, but I personally find characters more interesting when they have flaws. Sure, Horner can be quite condescending to Tychus (“Looks like the convict has his uses after all”), and he loses his anger with Raynor once Valerian appears, but for the most part, he is so wise and trustworthy that anytime he comes in conflict with someone, chances are high he’s in the right. This might explain his relationship with Mira Han, which I think was included to humanize him somehow. Of course, in his favor, dehumanization might be an asset, as Horner’s role is to be a calculating and forward-thinking military officer who must look behind matters that concern the likes of, say, Hanson and Raynor.


Tychus Findlay: In the opinion of yours truly, Tychus is the single greatest character in StarCraft 2, at least when you consider the characters on the basis of Wings of Liberty alone (some, like Raynor, has extra weight because they were a part of the original as well, so it’d be a tad unfair to take that into the consideration). It’s hard to believe he was once just the marine in the trailer. Yes, Blizzard didn’t originally plan for him to be as important as he was. He probably didn’t have a role at all. It’s amazing then, how much he fits into the game. Part of that, I think, is because much of the plot revolves around him. He essentially kick starts it, as his arrival bears the fruit of new finances for the Raiders, and when Valerian arrives, we realize that the plot is actually driven forward because of him too. He plays a pivotal role in the ending too, but more on that in a minute.

While I admire Tychus from a writer’s perspective, I have less love for him as a person, as he is an unsympathetic criminal who has little to no empathy for others. He is not very smart either. If he were in charge of the rebellion, he’d always choose the loudest alternative, as we clearly see in the Engine of Destruction mission, where he proclaims, “This ain’t no stealth mission anymore, ladies. Bring it loud and fast!” However, if I don’t necessarily admire Tychus, he is still a hell of a lot of fun to be around. He gets all the best lines, and although my preference for movies and television shows over games and radio means I’m probably not the best critic of voice acting, I still have to hand it to Neil Kaplan for giving what is easily the game’s best voice performance.

Tychus is such a great character from so many perspectives. He is humorous, vital to the plot, engaging, hard to make a clear opinion on and multi-faceted. While he might not be very unsympathetic to other human beings, his friendship with Raynor is nonetheless very real. Even though the game only hints at their common past, the writers still manage to convey the believability of Raynor choosing to trust Tychus even when reason says he would not. Strangely enough, Tychus comes out the other end as somewhat of a good guy to me. Yes, he betrayed Raynor on behalf of Mengsk, but as can be seen in the final cinematic, he did so very reluctantly. Imprisonment undoubtedly clouded his judgment, and I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that he hesitates quite a bit before shooting Kerrigan, and that is primarily because of his friendship with Raynor.

Agreed with almost every point, Elvind. Good job!

BTW, I hate how long Tychus pronounces vowels. "Digging up aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalien artifacts." Damn, I just want to kick him in the balls to shut him up sometimes! Overall, while I basically agree that he is generally a great character, his attitude and immoraluty are sometimes annoying. There is a word for people such as Tychus in Russian: gopnik. The term fits his character perferctly.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

Tychus Findlay: In the opinion of yours truly, Tychus is the single greatest character in StarCraft 2, at least when you consider the characters on the basis of Wings of Liberty alone (some, like Raynor, has extra weight because they were a part of the original as well, so it’d be a tad unfair to take that into the consideration). It’s hard to believe he was once just the marine in the trailer. Yes, Blizzard didn’t originally plan for him to be as important as he was. He probably didn’t have a role at all. It’s amazing then, how much he fits into the game. Part of that, I think, is because much of the plot revolves around him. He essentially kick starts it, as his arrival bears the fruit of new finances for the Raiders, and when Valerian arrives, we realize that the plot is actually driven forward because of him too. He plays a pivotal role in the ending too, but more on that in a minute.

While I admire Tychus from a writer’s perspective, I have less love for him as a person, as he is an unsympathetic criminal who has little to no empathy for others. He is not very smart either. If he were in charge of the rebellion, he’d always choose the loudest alternative, as we clearly see in the Engine of Destruction mission, where he proclaims, “This ain’t no stealth mission anymore, ladies. Bring it loud and fast!” However, if I don’t necessarily admire Tychus, he is still a hell of a lot of fun to be around. He gets all the best lines, and although my preference for movies and television shows over games and radio means I’m probably not the best critic of voice acting, I still have to hand it to Neil Kaplan for giving what is easily the game’s best voice performance.

Tychus is such a great character from so many perspectives. He is humorous, vital to the plot, engaging, hard to make a clear opinion on and multi-faceted. While he might not be very unsympathetic to other human beings, his friendship with Raynor is nonetheless very real. Even though the game only hints at their common past, the writers still manage to convey the believability of Raynor choosing to trust Tychus even when reason says he would not. Strangely enough, Tychus comes out the other end as somewhat of a good guy to me. Yes, he betrayed Raynor on behalf of Mengsk, but as can be seen in the final cinematic, he did so very reluctantly. Imprisonment undoubtedly clouded his judgment, and I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that he hesitates quite a bit before shooting Kerrigan, and that is primarily because of his friendship with Raynor.

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I disagree with your assessment of Findlay. I personally find him quite a sympathetic character and it shows that his friendship with Raynor really means a lot to him. He is driven by loyalty to his friend almost as much as by his deal with Arcturus Mengsk. This is especially highlighted towards the end after Raynor allies with Valerian Mengsk, where Findlay repeatedly drops hints of his impending betrayal and his willingness to stick by his friend's side despite knowing who Raynor would likely choose (between him and Kerrigan).

I thought I adressed that in the final paragraph?

His unsympathetic behavior is mostly is shortsightedness, his criminality, and lack of empathy.

And I was saying that for the reasons I stated, I found Findlay to be quite a sympathetic character.

Awesome.

Interesting read, Eivind.

There are a ton of things here I could comb through and be a complete bastard about but I'll keep it to myself ;) and instead ask these questions:

Are you going to comment on any of the other characters who have speaking roles, how they fit into the narrative and how they come across so far?

Considering WoL is a sequel (a literal follow-on from previous material), do you think Raynor's character is a seamless transition from where we found him at the end of BW to the start of WoL?

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Refreshingly, from a writing perspective, Raynor is not a smart tactician, but a very simple minded fellow.

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I'm not sure I get this. Are you saying that Raynor comes off as not a smart tactician based on how he's portrayed? The in-universe characters don't seem to think so (why else would Valerian require his help? How do you account for him still being around at all if he isn't a smart tactician?). If the writers are trying to say Raynor's not smart, what is making the in-universe characters think otherwise and why would they follow a dumb leader? I think you need to expand what you meant by that sentence.

Raynor's brains vary a bit from one book to another.

In Heaven's Devils, he was really smart and a good tactician. In Liberty's Crusade, he wasn't bright (at least not compared to Michael Liberty) but was a decent tactician and good small unit commander. In Queen of Blades, while not the sharpest tool in the shed, he was able to give advice to Tassadar. (Of course, in Queen of Blades, the protoss didn't have a single dragoon with them, necessitating the alliance. Didn't they think about that before? Good thing mutalisks are stupid enough to engage zealots and Zeratul in melee combat.) In StarCraft I, he didn't really get to lead troops (since a Non Entity General was the player character) and, while fooled by Mengsk, it's not hard to see how it was done. In Brood War, his tactical acumen didn't really matter; him being fooled by Kerrigan was what was important.

And in Wings of Liberty, it seems he's been stabilized, being pretty close to his portrayal in Heaven's Devils (no surprises there) and similar to Liberty's Crusade. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but seems a bit smarter than in most previous sources of lore, and he's a good (even great) commander. He came up with some great plans. His experience against both the zerg and with the protoss gives him an advantage when facing both species (Valerian specifically got him to help plan for anti-zerg contingencies, but this never really got mentioned while facing the Tal'darim and only vaguely hinted at when facing Selendis). Seems to me Matt Horner is the go-to guy when facing terrans (the Dominion).

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

I'm not sure I get this. Are you saying that Raynor comes off as not a smart tactician based on how he's portrayed? The in-universe characters don't seem to think so (why else would Valerian require his help? How do you account for him still being around at all if he isn't a smart tactician?). If the writers are trying to say Raynor's not smart, what is making the in-universe characters think otherwise and why would they follow a dumb leader? I think you need to expand what you meant by that sentence.

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I think what's meant is that Raynor is not like Horner and doesn't think in the long term or plan twelve steps ahead. For instance, he's all for toppling Mengsk and the Dominion but he doesn't really seem to have a plan for what will happen to its member planets once that happens. At least, that's my interpretation of it.

So it's like saying Raynor is good at micro but crap on macro, right? :cool: I got it now.

I guess you could say that. Looking back, I shouldn't have written "not smart tactician", but perhaps "not an intellectual". Raynor's isn't dumb, he's just not as smart as many around him. He's obviously a great commander, and a couragious one.

And yes, T, I will adress the other characters too. Mengsk is written, and I'm working on Zeratul.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

I guess you could say that. Looking back, I shouldn't have written "not smart tactician", but perhaps "not an intellectual". Raynor's isn't dumb, he's just not as smart as many around him. He's obviously a great commander, and a couragious one.

And yes, T, I will adress the other characters too. Mengsk is written, and I'm working on Zeratul.

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Raynor does strike me as a kind of "in the moment" type of guy.

That being said, you haven't answered my other question about what your thoughts are on the transition of Raynor's character between BW and WoL.

The transition of character in WoL was fine. Jim just had a change of heart, and it could have been done better, but I've seen worse. Liara in ME2 for example. Or a few of the BW problems which Fanatic Templar explained in great detail (I don't share all of FT's opinions... mostly just that everyone in BW should have been more suspicious of Kerrigan)

Sorry, Turalyon. Some stuff gets lost in the haze! :D

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Originally Posted by Turalyon

Considering WoL is a sequel (a literal follow-on from previous material), do you think Raynor's character is a seamless transition from where we found him at the end of BW to the start of WoL?

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I guess that depends on how you characterize Raynor in BW and WoL. I'm guessing you're thinking about the death of Fenix, which Raynor swore to avenge, and which he now has supposedly forgotten all about.

Metzen and Kindregan actually answered a question about that, saying that, "Raynor certainly hasn't forgotten about Fenix". They also said that him going back on his promise on Kerrigan was due to the fact that getting her back was not an alternative back then. I'm not saying that, if it was, he wouldn't be mad at her or want to have her killed, but the reason he changes his heart now is because a new opportunity is arisen. I accept that, and I think the transition is pretty good.

You say, "Do you think Raynor's character is a seamless transition from where we found him at the end of BW to the start of WoL?", which is a bit odd to ask, as 4 years have passed. Time is not an all-applying explanation tool for everything, but in this case, it helps to consider it. For Raynor, I think, Kerrigan represents some kind of salvation or redemption for him. Killing Mengsk is about revenge and justification, but it doesn't back anything for Kerrigan. Rescuing Kerrigan does.

I will be writing more about this under "Themes" too, by the way.

Raynor's sworn to kill the Queen of Blades, that bitch who killed Fenix and caused so much misery. And de-infesting Sarah is as good as killing the Queen of Blades. For some reason some people refuse to realize that.

Well, now we're into the whole "Is QoB two separate persons, or one?" debate, which I myself will not be the first to enter.

You make a fair point, though, Karass. To Raynor it might be enough. However, as we will see in HotS, it might not be good enough to others. Zeratul, for example, is probably not as forgiving, so that might make Raynor choose between those two (Zeratul will only ally with Kerrigan due to the prophecy).

Arcturus Mengsk: It’s been a while since Rebel Yell, and while Mengsk certainly hasn’t changed much (he still underestimates the threat of the Zerg, as he keeps going after his human enemies), he has faded into the background somewhat. He had a role in Brood War, but it wasn’t as big as in the first game. In StarCraft 2, his role is even smaller than in the expansion, though his importance to the plot has actually increased, as he is now the primary antagonist. Or is he? Whatever role Mengsk will play in Heart of the Swarm is uncertain, but as Wings of Liberty goes, people have been frequent to note that his appearance is actually quite small. Indeed, we never get a glimpse of him in person, only through television screens and holograms. This reminds me of how George Clooney chose to portray Joseph McCarthy in Good Night, and Good Luck, which was (you guessed it) through television screens (holograms were scant in those days). Now, while I don’t think Mengsk suffers much from his limited appearance, as his limited screen time does little to dull his character, the same cannot be said for the game. In the original StarCraft, Mengsk was a powerful man, whose personality played a grand part, most evident in the Terran campaign. Reduced to a shadowy figure, Mengsk is sorely missed from most of Wings of Liberty. That being said, I do believe him being absent made the confrontation between him and Raynor on the Bucephalus feel extra weighty. As the final victory text says, Mengsk still remains on the throne after the end of the game, so there is still time for Blizzard to give him his dues before the story finishes.

A side note: while I’ve always Mengsk as a Stalinesque figure (the change from revolutarionary to dictator, the similarly styled propaganda, the red flag), there is also a little of the US in him too. This was seen more clearly in Rebel Yell, where he made the following comment about Duke: “He may be a snake, but he’s our snake now”. This echoes a mythical line that Franklin D. Roosevelt supposedly said about the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza García: ”He may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch”. Historians are not certain FDR really said this, but nonetheless, it seems to have stuck, as it so aptly describes the USA’s shaky relationship with dictators. It also describes Arcturus Mengsk, who is exactly the kind of guy who chooses allies on the criteria of usefulness, and not morality.


Zeratul: Apart from a few cameo appearances in In Utter Darkness and the Haven mission, Wings of Liberty is short on Protoss characters. The only one who really plays a pivotal part is Zeratul, the Dark Templar prelate who exited Brood War with the knowledge that Samir Duran was creating Protoss/Zerg hybrids. In StarCraft 2, he makes a brief appearance where he hands Raynor a memory crystal, which brings us up to speed to what the hell he has been doing all these years. For Zeratul has been a busy Protoss, having seen a vision of the Overmind, given by his old comrade Tassadar, who was presumed dead. The vision depicts the end of the world by the hands of the Dark Voice, a mysterious being who supposedly commands the hybrids. Most ominous of all, is that Kerrigan seems to be the only who can stop this.

Sadly, Jack Ritschel, the voice actor who played Zeratul in the original game, passed away. Listening to clips of him only makes it such a bummer that his replacement, Fred Tatasciore, didn’t live up to the expectations for a lot of people, including yours truly. However, what is most interesting isn’t Tatasciore’s poor performance, but the fact that it occasionally is quite good. In the cinematic where Zeratul reunites with Raynor, and the one where he is fights Kerrigan, Zeratul sounds much better than he does in the missions. If he was constantly weak, it’d be one thing, but the inconsistencies makes the bad parts hard to bear, as we know the guy has it in him. Zeratul looks cool in the gorgeous cinematics, but it’s sad to see character who gave quite a speech in The Trial of Tassadar having to rely on shutting a mouth he doesn’t have, to come off as positive. Considering the fact that he’ll probably play quite a part in Legacy of the Void, this is an important topic for Blizzard to adress.


Sarah Kerrigan: Like Arcturus Mengsk, Kerrigan didn’t make much of an appearance in Wings of Liberty, though she did play an unexpected pivotal role, plot-wise. Arguably the series’ most important character, she reappears in the sequel leading a new Zerg invasion, but her goal doesn’t seem to be domination anymore, but the retrieval of the Xel’Naga artifacts. Having seen something of the future or at least learned about what it might have in store for her, Kerrigan is a different character than she was in Brood War. Part of that might be because of the change of voice actors; Glynnis Talken was replaced with Battlestar Galactica star Tricia Helfer. But even if that change hadn’t taken place, there would still be a difference, as Kerrigan’s priorities have changed. They were never crystal clear before, but now, for reasons too early to tell, she seems to have other goals, and it has changed her.

The old Kerrigan was more mocking and less sympathetic. Even though she has quite a few lines boasting about herself and some where she talks down her enemies, like in Brood War, she doesn’t have the same spit and venom as before. Her visual appearance has changed too. Before, she was somewhat ugly and deformed; now she is more of a dark femme fatale. Sure, she’s not about to win a beauty pageant, but at least she has more of a chance than her old self. While writing this, I realize I don’t actually have a clear opinion on Kerrigan as a character in WoL. The above observations are exactly that: observations. They’re not necessarily critiques. The true verdict on Kerrigan as a character will no doubt be more complete after Heart of the Swarm.


Valerian Mengsk: Valerian is the son of Arcturus Mengsk, and the heir to the throne of the Dominion. Despite not being required to do it to become emperor, Valerian nonetheless has a need to prove himself, which he apparently does by reassembling Xel’Naga artifact fragments to construct a device with the ability to reverse the infestation of Kerrigan. As you all know, he succeeds in doing this in Wings of Liberty. His appearance in the game is quite short, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he still has a major role to play. He is, after all, the owner of the Moebius Foundation, which is run by a certain Dr. Emil Narud. Whether Valerian knows himself or is just being played is still a mystery, though it is possible that it is he, and not his father, who is creating hybrids on Castanar (though the possibility that it is neither also exists).

It wouldn’t be original to point out Valerian’s resemblance to Arthas in WarCraft III. However, I doubt their similarities will prove to be anything but superficial. Sure, he is a blonde prince, but Valerian seems intent to do good to prove himself. Or does he? It is interesting how everything points to him being the antithesis to his father, and yet there is little evidence to suggest that he actually is. Sure, they have their differences, but as can be seen in the biography on the official site, he seems intent to prove himself to Arcturus, who, as you all know, has quite the wrong outlook on leadership. Much of what Valerian says and how he says it may very well be hints about his true nature. When Raynor asks if he is really just a cog in Valerian’s machine, Valerian openly admits this. And the way he says, “Everything is going as I planned” has my suspicious senses going on full alarm. Time will show if he is good or if he’s just power hungry.


Horace Warfield: Warfield is a decorated Dominion general, who has been an acquaintance of Mengsk since before the Sons of Korhal. It is safe to suggest he is quite up to speed on how the former prospector views his own role, which begs the question: is there more to Warfield than meets the eye? In the game he is quite sympathetic, openly admitting to Raynor that he was not the “devil” he thought he was, which seems to suggest that he is not immune to Mengsk’s propaganda, and yet, he never speaks down on Mengsk. This doesn’t suggest he is one to distrust, but the way his biography describes his willingness to go along with the Tarsonis genocide, even if it was more for personal reasons than anything else, does in my opinion say a lot. Who knows, perhaps it isn’t either father or son Mengsk who is doing Duran’s bidding on Castanar, but Warfield. Maybe it is a stretch, but the guy has a role to play in the expansions, and if it’s going to take 18 months, one might as do some wild speculating.

Actually, Kerrigan waged the war on Koprulu not just for the artifacts, buts also to destroy the Dominion (as Raynor points out) and I'm sure the Swarm battled Protoss as well.

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Originally Posted by Karass

Actually, Kerrigan waged the war on Koprulu not just for the artifacts, buts also to destroy the Dominion (as Raynor points out) and I'm sure the Swarm battled Protoss as well.

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She did?

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Originally Posted by Eivind

I guess that depends on how you characterize Raynor in BW and WoL. I'm guessing you're thinking about the death of Fenix, which Raynor swore to avenge, and which he now has supposedly forgotten all about.

Metzen and Kindregan actually answered a question about that, saying that, "Raynor certainly hasn't forgotten about Fenix". They also said that him going back on his promise on Kerrigan was due to the fact that getting her back was not an alternative back then. I'm not saying that, if it was, he wouldn't be mad at her or want to have her killed, but the reason he changes his heart now is because a new opportunity is arisen. I accept that, and I think the transition is pretty good.

You say, "Do you think Raynor's character is a seamless transition from where we found him at the end of BW to the start of WoL?", which is a bit odd to ask, as 4 years have passed. Time is not an all-applying explanation tool for everything, but in this case, it helps to consider it. For Raynor, I think, Kerrigan represents some kind of salvation or redemption for him. Killing Mengsk is about revenge and justification, but it doesn't back anything for Kerrigan. Rescuing Kerrigan does.

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In retrospect, the question is a little odd given the time gap. I guess if I could reword it; Do you think Raynors' change of heart, so to speak, happened during or before WoL? and if before, would it've been something worth exploring in WoL? Now, I know you've just answered that by saying his change is due to an opportunity arising during WoL for Raynor to change his stance during WoL (that's what I think you're saying anyway) but looking at Raynor at the beginning of WoL, I get the feeling that he's already had his change of heart before, and not when, the opportunity in WoL arises.

I agree with what your saying in your 3rd paragraph about the ultimate throughline of the story - Kerrigan being representative of Raynor's guilt as well as the source of his redemption - though we may differ on how this message is conveyed effectively.

Raynor should find Gestalt Zero and forge an alliance. Gestalt Zero would kick so much ass, and he'd be such a badass hero.

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Originally Posted by Eivind

She did?

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Well, yeah, she did. I'm sure she invaded most of the Terran worlds and killed 8 billion people not just for fun, especially considering that most of the artifacts are located outside of Terran space (Monlyth, Xil, Sigma Quadrant, Typhoon XI), and Raynor specifcally says "she has come to finish th job". Besides, we know from The Dark Templar Saga (great trilogy BTW, check it out) that Kerrigan wants to get revenge on Arcturus and hopes to assimilate the Protoss.

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Originally Posted by Karass

Well, yeah, she did. I'm sure she invaded most of the Terran worlds and killed 8 billion people not just for fun, especially considering that most of the artifacts are located outside of Terran space (Monlyth, Xil, Sigma Quadrant, Typhoon XI), and Raynor specifcally says "she has come to finish th job". Besides, we know from The Dark Templar Saga (great trilogy BTW, check it out) that Kerrigan wants to get revenge on Arcturus and hopes to assimilate the Protoss.

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Raynor saying that was because that was what he initially thought. When the Swarm first emerged, there was no apparent reason and Raynor could not think of any other reason to. Plus, it made for a nice, dramatic cinematic. Kerrigan attacked all those planets because she did not know where the Artifacts were. So, she basically sent her forces to all corners of the galaxy.

Yeah, that's what I thought. The 8 billion part is probably referring to the events before WoL. She did quite a few killings then too, remember? In Omega alone, her minions alone destroyed three gigantic fleets.

She didn't kill people in WoL for fun, that's correct, but she had to kill them if she wanted to get the artifacts. Raynor's quote, as mr. pesant says, is not fact, but interpretation.