Stalker Lore Question

[Visions of Khas]

So the lore would seem to imply that a Stalker shell is possessed by the spirit of a dead dark templar. However, the portrait clearly shows a living, breathing protoss head tacked onto the chassis.

What gives?

[Nissa]

Zombie? Maybe the dead corpse of a DT is matched up with an available spirit?

Or maybe the Protoss saw the Terran adjutant and thought that they could do it better.

[ragnarok]

Or maybe the Protoss saw the Terran adjutant and thought that they could do it better.

If that's true it finally showed the protoss showing some change for once by somewhat trying to copy a terran idea, instead of just believing their methods are always best

[sandwich_bird]

The wiki says

While dragoons were piloted by crippled protoss warriors, the stalker is controlled by the shadow-essence of a Dark Templar warrior fused into a metal body.[2] Nerazim who control stalkers undergo this process voluntarily,[3] said process involving a Void-powered ritual[1] which fuses their shadow essence to the machine.

It doesn't say that the machine has to be purely mechanical; just that the shadow essence was fused with it. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are dead either. It's probably just a convoluted way to say that the dt has been cybernetically and irreversibly augmented. Alternatively, the head could be synthetic despite its organic look. It's kinda interesting to see that some official or past art renditions of the unit seems to be purely mechanical though. I'm guessing this was debated internally.

Good catch either way. Another lore misstep for the records!

[Turalyon]

I think the more pertinent question is why is there even an exposed head (artificial or alive) on the Stalker chassis at all? Surely, the cybernetic/technological aspects of the chassis itself it would cover any sensory capabilities and be placed more appropriately/effectively along the chassis. It's not as if it needs to eat or talk which it can't because they have no mouths anyway and that Protoss communicate psionically. What other purpose does it serve beyond being an obvious target-able weakpoint?

[Visions of Khas]

From what I'm reading, it seems dragoons have a difficult time integrating themselves into society after their transplantation. I'm guessing the dark templar, being individualistic, would place some emphasis on an individual retaining their place in society. So, even if they're mechanical, the bust and arms would assist with this psychologically.

[Turalyon]

^ I suppose that could explain why Immortals to seem have faces/heads on them, too, given they're supposed to replace/be an upgrade to Dragoons. Still, it's kinda weird that such a high minded and psionic species (who's identity you'd think would transcend/be beyond their physical forms) would concern itself with a slight cosmetic/physical detail as including a head. I mean, why does it have to be a visible "head" specifically? If it's an "individual" thing, why does every Stalker have a head and not some other random physical or cosmetic detail instead? It seems more like a uniformity/conformity type choice/decision than an individualistic one to me.

[drakolobo]

I think it's something you should not interpret literally

[ragnarok]

From what I'm reading, it seems dragoons have a difficult time integrating themselves into society after their transplantation. I'm guessing the dark templar, being individualistic, would place some emphasis on an individual retaining their place in society. So, even if they're mechanical, the bust and arms would assist with this psychologically.

Why would they have a different time with the integration? The Dragoons are still templar, after all, just in a metallic exoskeleton. Unless the Khalai feel that to fall in battle is considered a disgrace.

[Visions of Khas]

Dragoons are clearly an expy of dreadnoughts from WarHammer 40K, which have a difficult time integrating into society themselves, as revered as they are. Stalkers, on the other hand, are just protoss wraithguards. It's probably reflective of khalai and nerazim ideals more than anything.