Q&A #9

[Gradius]

Actually wouldn't call it a signpost, but that's semantics. But if you're using Fenix's "UED grips the Dominion with an iron fist quote" as evidence, then it's countered by Kerrigan's quote that the UED has only begun to clamp down, that taking control of the zerg is the beginning. We can assume the UED grips Korhal with an iron fist, but I doubt it had the manpower to directly administer every Dominion world. If anything, their plan would be:

1) Take control of Korhal, saying "we rule you now."
2) Take control of the zerg, saying "if you don't toe the line, feel our critters' wrath."
3) Profit!

We've already talked about this: the Fenix quote references just the Dominion, and Kerrigan is talking about the rest of the sector. Their plan was to use the zerg to pacify the protoss, and there's no indication they would have used it against humans. The "beginning" for the UED is in reference to their generally intolerant policies.

Dugalle particularly expressed an animosity primarily towards Mengsk, and the UED's main beef seemed to have been with him. For example we know the UED allowed Moria a degree of independence, which isn't exactly a sign that they can't administer every world, but that they don't necessarily have a beef with the other two original founding factions. The UED did all the right things to remove Mengsk from power, and we know they accomplished their stated goal of taking control of Dominion colonies.

Mengsk also lost at Omega, and he didn't rule the sector beforehand. So why does it follow that he should totally replace the UED when they both get defeated? What does he have that the UED doesn't? It's not inconceivable that the UED had other leaders besides Stukov & Dugalle. The faction should not be 100% obliterated from existence just because those two people died.

The "has been" line is Kate's assertion, not Mengsk's. It's an assertion he doesn't agree with, nor is it one that the rebels themselves would agree with either.

Of course Mengsk wouldn't agree with it. If Kate asked the question, then she's probably not the only one thinking it.

[Hawki]

We've already talked about this: the Fenix quote references just the Dominion, and Kerrigan is talking about the rest of the sector. Their plan was to use the zerg to pacify the protoss, and there's no indication they would have used it against humans. The "beginning" for the UED is in reference to their generally intolerant policies.

Dugalle particularly expressed an animosity primarily towards Mengsk, and the UED's main beef seemed to have been with him. For example we know the UED allowed Moria a degree of independence, which isn't exactly a sign that they can't administer every world, but that they don't necessarily have a beef with the other two original founding factions. The UED did all the right things to remove Mengsk from power, and we know they accomplished their stated goal of taking control of Dominion colonies.

I think this is a stretch. It was part 1 of the mission statement to take control of the "rogue" terran colonies, and there's no reason why Umoja or Moria should be given clemency bar being less powerful than the Dominion. It's how imperialism works. Come in, make your mark, slowly exert more control. The zerg being the "beginning" is an example of total control. Presumably the UED would have exerted more control over time as they reinforced their beachhead.

Mengsk also lost at Omega, and he didn't rule the sector beforehand. So why does it follow that he should totally replace the UED when they both get defeated? What does he have that the UED doesn't? It's not inconceivable that the UED had other leaders besides Stukov & Dugalle. The faction should not 100% obliterated from existence just because those two people died.

1) The UED hasn't been obliterated. There's still remnants in the sector.

2) The UED can't rely on local support. Mengsk can. Mengsk can, at least, take credit for liberating the Dominion from the UED. The average terran however, has every reason to hate the UED and no reason to love them.

3) The UED can't replenish its numbers. You might get a few dissidents joining a splinter faction, but wanting Mengsk gone doesn't necessarily equal wanting Earth in.

[Gradius]

I think this is a stretch. It was part 1 of the mission statement to take control of the "rogue" terran colonies, and there's no reason why Umoja or Moria should be given clemency bar being less powerful than the Dominion. It's how imperialism works. Come in, make your mark, slowly exert more control. The zerg being the "beginning" is an example of total control. Presumably the UED would have exerted more control over time as they reinforced their beachhead.

There's no proof that Moria or Umoja were given any clemency, just that they weren't explicitly targeted like Mengsk and his power structure. The fact that they were allowed to proceed as normal yet Mengsk wasn't is proof of this.

1) The UED hasn't been obliterated. There's still remnants in the sector.

2) The UED can't rely on local support. Mengsk can. Mengsk can, at least, take credit for liberating the Dominion from the UED. The average terran however, has every reason to hate the UED and no reason to love them.

3) The UED can't replenish its numbers. You might get a few dissidents joining a splinter faction, but wanting Mengsk gone doesn't necessarily equal wanting Earth in.

1) I know. Those remnants would have been more than Mengsk should have had at the end of Omega.

2) The UED relied on local support during their entire campaign i.e. conscripting the Dylarians and people like Duran. I don't see how Mengsk can take credit for liberating the Dominion without revealing that he was working with Kerrigan & Raynor. As far as the media goes, sure they didn't have enough time to get everyone one their side, but honestly, this whole "boogeymen from Earth" myth is something that should be dispelled easily. If I was living in the k-sector I'd want the might of the Earth colonies protecting me instead of a displaced & weakened politician.

3) Not wanting Earth in does not mean Mengsk is therefore the only other option. There are other more powerful factions that should have taken advantage. The UED is but one example. Mengsk on the other hand has proven himself to be a failure. So again I ask, why him? He can't protect people from aliens. He was just demolished. What does he have going for him besides the fact that he was the former ruler of a fledgling government that just failed?

[Turalyon]

I can't look at the WoL Dominion without seeing a corrupt body that's bursting at the seems, that's become as bad as the Confederacy, and say "huh, nothing's changed" in good conscience.

The "nothing's change" argument has nothing to do with how the Dominion actually works as a governing body (as an aside, the Dominion was corrupt from the beginning of its conception; The Inauguration cinematic is a fine example of dramatic irony because one could almost take what Mengsk's motivation for this speech was at face value if not for the audience knowing better that he's a corrupting influence/ piece of shit), it's more about how the "Mengsk/Dominion is top dog" status quo remaining that way after we've been treated with his/it's utter dismantling.

Putting it simply, the same way Napoleon stays in power in Animal Farm. Despite failing the people, despite their enemies occupying the land, said enemies are still portrayed as a worse alternative to the chance of strength through unity. And when those alternatives in the Brood War were the UED (invaders from Earth, the proverbial bogymen of terran culture for the last few centuries) and the zerg ('nuff said), it's understandable that some would stick with the old. It's also understandable that some wouldn't, hence the prevalance of rebellion against the Dominion. The totalitarianism works for those that endure it, not so well for those who don't considering how many enemies the Dominion has.

At BW's end, Mengsk is totally bereft of any power over larger Terran affairs and has been openly shown to be an ineffective leader multiple times, let alone "Protector of the Terrans". Mengsk needs to have some power in order to keep or expand it and given that Terran society is a dog-eat-dog world, Mengsk's loss of power and influence in BW could have easily meant someone else in a better position than Mengsk at the time (to say that Mengsk is the only one is just plain absurd and facetious) to just sweep up the reigns. In contrast, Napolean "stays in power" only because he never really lost any throughout Animal Farm. This is not taking into account, that Mengsk's Dominion was only a nascent government that was not more than a year old before its fall and dismantling in BW - how that inspires confidence in the wider Terran populace to continue supporting someone who is a proven failure is beyond belief. At least the Confeds lasted for almost two centuries before being totally wiped by an unstoppable force. Whereas we have Mengsk/Dominion blowing hard that they are better than the Confeds to only have their government beheaded in a matter of months by an expeditionary fleet. Yeah, I'll still back Mengsk any day!

[Turalyon]

^ Felt the need to give the last word without actually giving one, huh?

[Hawki]

I was hoping those posts would be completely removed. Ideally I wouldn't have responded to them in the first place, but...well, go figure.