Plothole resolution in the Starcraft universe

[Turalyon]

Because there was no tangible evidence that the Zerg had a hive mind that could be blocked like that. The Confederates, who are essentially humans and so have an extensive knowledge of literature and story tropes, made a baseless assumption that inevitably turned out to be right. Meanwhile, the Protoss are Scary Dogmatic Aliens who are rooted in their ways and have a fixed strategy with solving all their problems. Hence, they don't bother exploring alternative solutions.

Oh, I see! Then I guess everything's wrapped up in a neat little package!

Seriously though, knowing that the Zerg operate as Hive Mind is completely different to knowing how it operates. To say that the Overmind, keeping in mind that it was an alien construct, is something analogous to Earth-based hive-minded creatures is one thing. Actually figuring it how that works (I don't even know if we even fully understand how it is achieved in Earth-based creatures) let alone constructing a device that prevents that very thing is the second and third thing.

Yes, I'm aware that SC is built on tropes to explain away certain aspects but that is not what I'm looking for. If that was the case, I wouldn't bother with my wall of texts and I would've just said "this is because of this trope and this is because of that trope" (believe you me, it's perhaps the only sanest way of making sense of what has happened in Starcraft so far). Anyone can do that! I'm looking for a possible explanation using the internal logic of that universe.

[Quirel]

Hmm. Some quick thoughts about the development of the Psi Disruptor.

-The Terrans would have had the 'inspiration' to look into Psionic Waveform Disruption, because the Zerg were targeting psionic Terrans. The Protoss, who are probably attacked indiscriminately and who are all psionic, would not have had that kernel of inspiration.

-The Overmind uses Void Energy (Whatever the Hell that is), so I would assume that it uses Void Energy to communicate. Even if the Auir Protoss did consider alternative ways of fighting the Zerg (And the evidence is quite against them in that regard) other than "Nuke the planet from orbit" and "Engage on the ground with swords", isn't working with Void Energy supposed to be taboo?

Terrans wouldn't have that taboo, if they even noticed a difference at all. The difference between Khalai Psionics and Dark Templar Psionics might look like the difference between organic and inorganic chemistry to a Human scientist.

I think this is likely, because for all the trouble it caused the Zerg, you don't hear the Protoss whining about not being able to access the Do... er, "Khala".

-The Psi Disruptor is, for all intents and purposes, a jammer. While there's a lot of finesse in multiple frequencies, it's also about broadcasting louder than your target. Not completely effective, especially as you got nearer to the Overmind, but effective enough.

Unless we're looking at this all wrong. Perhaps the Psi Disruptor wasn't jamming the Overmind's voice, but broadcasting something. A signal that silenced the fledgling Overmind's voice, disrupted its ability to think tactically, drove the broods into a killing rage until it was Hydralisk against Hydralisk, Zergling against Zergling...

...

...

Justin Beiber music?

[Visions of Khas]

The Psi Disruptor is, for all intents and purposes, a jammer. While there's a lot of finesse in multiple frequencies, it's also about broadcasting louder than your target.

According to WoL, Psi Disruptors operate by emitting sigma radiation, reducing Zerg organisms' response time and movement. This Disruptor is a more compact version of the Confederate Disruptor, and is based on UED research and development, so its mode of operation might vary with the original's. But it suggests that, rather than broadcasting white noise across the psionic spectrum, it emits a form of tachyonic radiation that inhibits Zerg neurology.

Do we have any evidence of how Disruptors effect Protoss?



I have another question about the Overmind. According to the original manual it consumed the greater portion of the Xel'Naga race. If so then how come it doesn't have full access to their memories? Why does it not possess stronger psionic power?

Was the Dark Voice a Xel'Naga who allowed itself to be consumed, so that its psychology might overwhelm the Overmind from within? Acting like some sort of psychological or memetic virus? This is an hypothesis I've been tinkering with for a while.

Another hypothesis I've had to explain this is, maybe the Xel'Naga were at the tail-end of their cycle and required cybernetic bodies to house their consciousness? This might inspire the Protoss' Dragoons, and degradation of their genetic code would disallow the Overmind from consuming any "informative" psionic-related DNA from them.

[Gradius]

I have another question about the Overmind. According to the original manual it consumed the greater portion of the Xel'Naga race. If so then how come it doesn't have full access to their memories? Why does it not possess stronger psionic power?

Pre-retcon it's because the Xel'Naga did not have these "cycles" and the Protoss were the greatest psionic race they ever created. They were just scientists. The Overmind took what he could from the xel'naga and indeed the swarm benefited from it: they can open wormholes, communicate across worlds and Overlords can float telekinetically. But they still did not match the protoss. The Xel'Naga themselves stumbled upon the Protoss and the zerg would have to do likewise.

Post-retcon, the xel'naga had done this hundreds of times, so unless they somehow manage to unlearn what they had learned with each cycle, somebody else can speculate on that. =/

[Visions of Khas]

they can open wormholes, communicate across worlds and Overlords can float telekinetically. But they still did not match the protoss.

Well, perhaps these were taken from the Xel'Naga. We don't know how powerful they were before the Zerg and Protoss. Maybe each cycle is different; or each cycle can be analogous to an alchemic cycle, slowly distilling the race, squeezing how more and more impurities. Maybe the Xel'Naga, back in the days, were'nt as powerful as either the Zerg or Protoss, alone or combined.

[Turalyon]

I have another question about the Overmind. According to the original manual it consumed the greater portion of the Xel'Naga race. If so then how come it doesn't have full access to their memories? Why does it not possess stronger psionic power?

That's a really good question despite Gradius pretty much summing it all up to a tee.

My counter to this is why do you feel that the Zerg and the Overmind are not fully accessing the powers and memories of the Xel'Naga? Are they not the most powerful force (before the likes of Duran and the DV showed up) so far? Are they not masters of genetic manipulation? Imagine if the Zerg did not incorporate the Xel'Naga. Would they have even been able to find the Protoss even or be as successful as they are now? Would the Overmind be as potent as it seems to be in SC1 if it did not have the potency of the Xel'Naga incorporated within it?

The Xel'Naga were nothing special in themselves - being soundly defeated by both of their fledgling creations. The Zerg and Protoss are much more powerful now than they were when starting out - yet the Xel'Naga still got slaughtered by mere babies? Also, there is nothing to say that the Xel'Naga were really adept at psionics (maybe in the books - but I haven't read them) or superior in any other way except for what the Protoss may incline to think of there capabilities.

As it stands, the Xel'Naga seem to suffer from the same symptoms as Kerrigan's: both have over-inflated importance, power and presence when there was none to be had from the beginning.

[Laurentian]

As it stands, the Xel'Naga seem to suffer from the same symptoms as Kerrigan's: both have over-inflated importance, power and presence when there was none to be had from the beginning.

Wasn't Kerrigan originally created literally as a joke character that wasn't even supposed to become zerg, let alone take over the Swarm? And didn't the Overmind originally want the assimilate the humans (or something similar) for their latent psionic ability to defeat the more psionically powerful protoss which was never addressed in game and seemed to be forgotten once Kerrigan was infested? Those symptoms started from the very beginning.

Oh and wasn't Tychus Findlay just supposed to be the guy in the announcement trailer? That probably explains why Tychus' role as Mengsk' mole is so confused since they just made it up as they went.

Looks like Blizzard should learn to not just make up the story as they go.

[Turalyon]

And didn't the Overmind originally want the assimilate the humans (or something similar) for their latent psionic ability to defeat the more psionically powerful protoss which was never addressed in game and seemed to be forgotten once Kerrigan was infested?

This is somewhat more forgiveable since the Overmind only wanted (to put it mildly) the latent psionic ability, it did not need it in or order to successfully engage the Protoss nor was it absolutely necessary*. You say that that the Overmind's intent was "never addressed" but what do you call Kerrigan's (someone who has some psionic ability) successful induction into the Swarm then?


*Note that I'm disregarding what WoL reveals to us for the sake of this current explanation.

[Laurentian]

You say that that the Overmind's intent was "never addressed" but what do you call Kerrigan's (someone who has some psionic ability) successful induction into the Swarm then?

A Last Minute Ass-Pull?

Edit: Okay that was probably too flippant but Blizz did admit that her infestation was a last minute decision. Also the Swarm pretty much abandons Terran Space to go to Char and then prepare to attack Aiur so I guess the Overmind realized that he only needed Kerrigan? And I believe that Kerrigan's status as the most powerful psionic ever was made after the game was released. So it seems like the zerg attitude toward the humans changed while the game was in production since I imagine that the manual was written first.

[phazonjunkie]

This is somewhat more forgiveable since the Overmind only wanted (to put it mildly) the latent psionic ability, it did not need it in or order to successfully engage the Protoss nor was it absolutely necessary*. You say that that the Overmind's intent was "never addressed" but what do you call Kerrigan's (someone who has some psionic ability) successful induction into the Swarm then?


*Note that I'm disregarding what WoL reveals to us for the sake of this current explanation.

But it actually DID need latent psionic ability in order to fully combat the Protoss, or at least it strongly believed it did:

...the Overmind was deeply disturbed, it knew the the Protoss had become a highly psionic race, capable of bending the very fabric of reality to suit their whims...it had searched for a way to counter the awesome might of the Protoss, but could find no answer among the various strains it devoured. On the verge of dispair, one of it's deep space probes relayed the location and vital statistics of a race inhabiting a group of non-descript worlds, right under the shadow of the Protoss---------------if the Overmind could harness the psionic potential of humanity, it would have the ability to combat the protoss on it's own terms. Although a short lived and seemingly frail species, the Overmind knew that humanity would become the determinant in it's ultimate victory over the protoss.

That was taken from 'The determinant' in the original manual. Words might be slightly different, the general idea is the same. The Zerg actually needed the terran's psi potential.
Post retcon, it simply states that the Overmind found 'useful but undeveloped psionic potential in humanity & doesn't elaborate further.

In either case there is still the matter of the OM believing it's acquisition of Kerrigan as being the answer to life, the universe and everything, which is just....inconsistent in any interpretation/plot justification.