Heir Apparent Cinematic

[Gradius]

No my problem is not that Raynor mistakes a blonde gentleman for Arcturus. Me and freespace were discussing this, and we'd appreciate it if somebody could clue is into what exactly the hell happened?

So Valerian warps in with Arcturus's flagship and doesn't introduce himself like a normal person. He'd be an idiot to think that Raynor wouldn't be alarmed by Mengsk's flagship. Seems like all he wants to do is make a grandiose entrance.

Raynor decides that it would be a good idea to board the flagship despite being outnumbered. Matt says "this is not a smart move" but that does little to alleviate the audience's confusion. No shit it's not a smart move, why is it even happening?

The missing gap of info though is mostly in the time from when Raynor & Tychus are boarding the Buccephalus via their transport.
1) Why do the other Dominion battlecruisers not fire on them? And why wouldn't Raynor have considered that?
2) Why isn't Matt attempting to raise the Buccephalus?
3) Is Valerian just sitting there twiddling his thumbs?

It feels like this should have been an entire installation type mission that we missed.

Then they board the ship, and kill a bunch of Dominion marines because Valerian couldn't introduce himself like a normal person. Valerian & Warfield have absolutely no pride, as they totally ignore all of their men that Raynor killed even prior to this cinematic.

Raynor himself could have gotten killed, but he's an immortal prodigy, so we can't have that. It also raises the question of why Raynor didn't bring more men. Apparently two marines is all the firepower you need to get to the emperor on his own flagship.

[The_Blade]

I found this cinematic horrible in many ways. This is what I thought after thinking a bit about it.

Plot:

Warfield, "Any more plans for the invasion of Char, Sir?"
Valerian, "Hey we got a crapload of resources, and I could take my dad's ride too!"
Warfield, "Good idea Sir, but shouldn't we get one more Battle Cruiser to invade Char?"
Valerian, "Oh well, we have a problem here. We will lose the invasion if we don't get an additional Battle Cruiser... Hey! I have an amazing idea! Let's go find Raynor and tell him we need him for Char!"
Warfield, "You are a Genius Sir!
Valerian, "He will be so happy when he sees all those Battle Cruisers as allies! Oh god I need to pop out of nowhere so that he can see our present and feel all the joy at once."
Warfield, "Should we call some Marines to receive him with a cake?"
Valerian, "Don't be silly. If they take their guns instead, it will be just like receiving a brother in arms."

Some time after

Matt, "Sir are you taking a single dropship into the Dominion fleet?"
Raynor, "Yes, why?"
Matt, "Oh, nothing Sir I just had a wild thought, but it doesn't matter."
Raynor, "Call Tychus, I'll need him. Even if he backstabs me if Mengsk is indeed there, because I know he works for my old friend. I just ignore that all the time."
Matt, "Should I at least create a diversion, Sir?"
Raynor, "Get some rest Matty, you need some spare time."

[Turalyon]

Raynor decides that it would be a good idea to board the flagship despite being outnumbered.

I think this is the major issue from which all the other stuff stems. Not only is Raynor outnumbered but he is offered no guarantee that they'll not open fire nor are we told that the Dominion ships are disabled, which would at least be an attempt to logically explain the feasibility of the action at all.

I'm not really sure whether the Hyperion actually docks with the Buchephalus or whether Raynor boards transport to the Bucephalus. Either option would seem ludicrous (both action expose themselves/ are vulnerable to easy retaliation) when confronting an active enemy.

All I can reason for Raynor's action is that he must have latent suicidal tendencies. Given that he's supposed (?) to be in a drunken haze and is constantly depressed this is the only real justification. Otherwise, there's no logical reason why Raynor could ever conceive of his boarding action ever being successful. Also, considering that the running theme of WoL is that improbable/impossible events actually turn out in favour of the "good guy" (see Overmind), at least it's being consistent...

[DemolitionSquid]

Are you seriously accusing SC:WoL's script to be sub-par? Surely you jest.

[Freespace]

Good to see this thread, Gradius. There is no logical way this cinematic makes any sense. Like I said on MSN, there are 5 minutes of footage missing here, and even then, it wouldn't make sense.
This is an insult to StarCraft fans. Fans that have been with the franchise since 1998, reading all the books, playing the games numerous times, debating the storyline and chatting about what is to come.
I still have hope for HotS, but things like this and a few others (the way they handled the Tassadar reveal in SC2), make me die a little inside.

[The_Blade]

There's just a lot of flaws working together to make WoL's storyline bad.

[Turalyon]

I guess there isn't any more to say on this topic since no-one has offered up a better 'in-universe' explanation than I have (he must be bat-shit crazy) for why Raynor would decide to take on a whole Battlecruiser by his lonesome (not including Tychus because we know he's got a screw loose already).

Seeing how "suspension of disbelief" seems to be a common justification for all the recent goings-on in the Starcraft universe, I'm starting to think that the moniker "Wings of Liberty" was just a euphemism for the approach Blizzard's writing staff were told to take when forming the story.

♫Good authors too who once knew better words,
Now only use four letter words
Writing prose, Anything Goes.♫

[Hawki]

While the cinematic has its problems, I don't exactly fault Raynor's decision to attack. Unless the Hyperion was prepared for a warp jump (unlikely), their only options would be an emergency warp (highly risky) or trying to outrun battlecruisers that, given the divide in class, would likely be superior in speed among other things. That, and the shields were down. A chance to take out Mengsk, no matter how small, would be one he would take in light of the lack of better choices.

[The_Blade]

While the cinematic has its problems, I don't exactly fault Raynor's decision to attack. Unless the Hyperion was prepared for a warp jump (unlikely), their only options would be an emergency warp (highly risky) or trying to outrun battlecruisers that, given the divide in class, would likely be superior in speed among other things. That, and the shields were down. A chance to take out Mengsk, no matter how small, would be one he would take in light of the lack of better choices.

They infiltrated Korhal on a giant war machine called the Odin. I think Raynor had the resources to kill Mengsk while he slept. Matt revolution was perhaps more important, and that's why they did not killed Mengsk back there.

[Turalyon]

While the cinematic has its problems, I don't exactly fault Raynor's decision to attack. That, and the shields were down. A chance to take out Mengsk, no matter how small, would be one he would take in light of the lack of better choices.

I don't think anyone here doubts that Raynor would leap at the chance to take Mengsk down. The problem is the choice of action he decides to take for this chance.

In the time Raynor and co. got suited up, boarded transports, flew the distance between the Hyperion and the Bucephalus, fight his way through to "Mengsk's" hiding spot and maybe gun him down, Raynor could have just ordered a Yamato blast to the bridge of the Bucephalus what with their shields powered down. Both actions net the same outcome but with less potential personal risk and harm for the latter option.

Really, aside from "plot armour" and "inept enemies" reasons, the only other realistic reason Raynor was able to get so far to eventually face Valerian was because Valerian wanted him to - which is logically ridiculous in itself. I mean Valerian risks the life of his men and his own personal safety (Raynor really could have just shot him) just for a dramatic entrance?

Why the Buchephalus doesn't hail Raynor or provide any sort of resistance would have clued Raynor into something not being right and yet he opts to personally jump into a potential lion's den without wanting further information. One can only conclude that Raynor has a death wish.

Unless the Hyperion was prepared for a warp jump (unlikely), their only options would be an emergency warp (highly risky) or trying to outrun battlecruisers that, given the divide in class, would likely be superior in speed among other things.

It's kinda funny that you bring this up as an action that is unlikely and highly risky. Surely it can't be more unlikely and risky than Raynor diving headfirst (and with his own body on the line, mind you) into an uncertain battle and coming up trumps. The fact that this is what incidentally happens does not ease the issue of how insane Raynor's actions are when there are plenty of reasonable alternatives. Given the "leaps of faith/suspend disbelief" moments we are meant to swallow throughout WoL, an emergency warp (or even just plain exchanging ship-to-ship fire) at least is both easier to swallow and makes a helluva lot more sense logically than what we have here.