Tychus is working for Duran (speculation)

[Kimera757]

she would have had to pay VERY close attention to Duran in order to attempt to infest him

I doubt that.

I think Duran presented himself as an infested terran created by the first Overmind - a stealthier but weaker version.

It took Kerrigan four years to learn how to infest a terran properly. Wouldn't she be suspicious of her "good luck" infesting Duran?

Not that anyone knows the answer for sure (except people at Blizzard, of course).

[The_Blade]

Is there any evidence that supports that the first overmind attempted to create other agents like Kerrigan and failed?

[Kimera757]

Is there any evidence that supports that the first overmind attempted to create other agents like Kerrigan and failed?

Yes. Every infested terran made before Kerrigan (the unnamed explodey kind). They were failed experiments.

The Overmind wanted someone intelligent and psychic. It lucked out on the first due to genetics, and the second because Mengsk essentially told them where she was, along with the population of Tarsonis (with the psi emitters).

Once the Overmind made Kerrigan, we didn't see evidence that it had tried again. However that doesn't conflict with my theory. The Overmind clearly didn't tell Kerrigan everything, since it never told her how it made her. (If it did, Kerrigan wouldn't have needed four years to replicate the process.) So it would be easy for Duran to tell her he was made as her backup and somesuch. The only evidence would be what's in Duran's mind, and either Kerrigan couldn't read it, or he could fake his thoughts so what he told her seemed true.

[phazonjunkie]

Duran: "While her rebirth into the swarm has sped up my progress............such a grand experiment is beyond her narrow comprehension." (or some words to that effect)

I always wondered what Duran meant by those words. Perhaps he had a hand in Kerrigan's capture and assimilation? It also should be noted that even as a terran psychic, Kerrigan was different from most others. I think it was revealed during secret experiments involving zerg larvae that she could psionically control them to an extent; even before her infesation.

[Kimera757]

I think Duran used Infested Kerrigan as his "research notes". The Overmind was dead, but its work in successfully creating Kerrigan was still there.

Furthermore, Blizzard has said StarCraft II will explore Kerrigan's true role in the Swarm. Perhaps she thinks she was made to be the second-in-command or something like that, but in reality she was a template for when the Overmind would have successfully assimilated the protoss. This could mean Duran realized, from his investigation of the Overmind's notes (which he could have done while being Kerrigan's right-hand-man) the only way to create hybrids was the way he was using in Dark Origin. (This is quite different from the way the zerg usually would have done it, but also seems different from what the xel'naga wanted.)

Of course, the Overmind failed at that task (thanks to Tassadar and Zeratul) leaving Kerrigan in charge of the Swarm (after a brutal civil war, of course). Still, Kerrigan has obvious gaps in her knowledge which the Overmind didn't fill in, although she did plan on continuing its aims.

[Aldrius]

Or maybe the chaos created by her insurrection allowed him to work in secret more effectively.

[phazonjunkie]

I think Duran used Infested Kerrigan as his "research notes". The Overmind was dead, but its work in successfully creating Kerrigan was still there.

Furthermore, Blizzard has said StarCraft II will explore Kerrigan's true role in the Swarm. Perhaps she thinks she was made to be the second-in-command or something like that, but in reality she was a template for when the Overmind would have successfully assimilated the protoss. This could mean Duran realized, from his investigation of the Overmind's notes (which he could have done while being Kerrigan's right-hand-man) the only way to create hybrids was the way he was using in Dark Origin. (This is quite different from the way the zerg usually would have done it, but also seems different from what the xel'naga wanted.)

It should also be noted that the Overmind wasn't the only one trying to create intelligent, semi-autonomous infested terrans. Up to and during broodwar, terran scientists were apparently trying to do the same; as evidenced by the bonus map 'deceptions' that was released some time ago.

Speaking of which anyone remember 'Morik'? I wonder if Blizzards planning on doing anything with him in the future.

[Kimera757]

Well, Blizzard did mention the Kimeran Pirates at least once when they didn't need to...

[Noctis]

in terms of duran/xel'naga involvement with the story;

blizzard said that the xel'naga will be the driving force in every game, so it's very possible that many organizations/people will be either anti-xel'naga or pro-xel'naga

we already know zeratul/protoss will end up being pro XN, while Zerg are gunna be anti-XN , with kerrigan probably wanting to take their knowledge and assimilate them.

it's odd, but if you look at SC2 its all about the return of Xel'Naga, what they plan on doing (maybe help stopping the Zerg and whoever this other organization is), the completion of the 'new' Xel'Naga (aka the perfect being - combination of protss and zerg)

[Pandonetho]

we already know zeratul/protoss will end up being pro XN, while Zerg are gunna be anti-XN , with kerrigan probably wanting to take their knowledge and assimilate them.

Uh what? Says who? Where are you even getting this from?