Xel'Naga Storyline Projection 2: Twilight

[Gradius]

Full Article.

[Gradius]

Kimera and I endeavored to get this one out - I hope you guys like it.

Also, thanks to LoA for editing support.

[DemolitionSquid]

We'll, I'm certainly aroused.

[Visions of Khas]

We'll, I'm certainly sexually aroused.

Fix'd.

A few things:

If the Conclave knew this info, it could explain why they were so desperate to destroy the Zerg, even to the point of eradicating the Terrans.

It's indicated that the Protoss were on the lookout for xenomorphic races at they expanded their sphere on influence during their Golden Age. I wondere if they might have been on the lookout for a race comparable to the zerg, or if "xenomorphic" simply indicates "alien races".

It's also possible that since the Xel'Naga empowered the Protoss with Khala energies

Do we have evidence of this? It's been said the the Khala dilutes and attenuates the Protoss' natural abilities, and was an advent during Savassan's tenure as Khas - Bringer of Order. That seems it was a Protoss, not a Xel'Naga, imposed limitation.

"What is the purpose of the artifacts?"

It's my theory that the Essential Energies - an entity similar to the energy sphere that empower Cerebrates - of the Xel'Naga crystallized; their spirits made manifest and fossilized. These will transfer into the Hybrids, once created.

W

ho is Coming Back - Xel'Naga or Hybrids? What is Their Nature?

Again, speculation, but I think Duran's - and Ulrezaj's - Hybrids combine the Essence of the Protoss with the Form of the Zerg, a reversal of what the Xel'Naga sought. It could simultaneously create an extremely destructive force and completely eradicat the 'Naga's efforts.

or that the Anakh Su'n is not bound by the constraints of time, which is itself only a single dimension of the universe.

I can see the Psionic Matrix of Aiur, infused with the spirits of millions of fallen Protoss, rise up and destroy a foe in a fashion similar to the Dark Elf ending in WarCraft III.

I'm not a fan of prophecies; in this instance, I see Protoss conforming their beliefs to reality and supposition, rather than a seer's prophecies coming to fruition. Therefor, while Tassadar may fit the description of the Twilight Massiah, it doesn't necessarily mean his spirit is that of Adun's. Just an expression of my own feelings, though.


Ultimately, this is a very satisfying read and was a long time coming. Excellent job, Kimera, coup de maitre.

[Nicol Bolas]

It amazes me that you brush so close to it and yet missed Theory 3 for who Duran serves:

Someone from a previous cycle.

Pretty much since the truth about the Xel'Naga cycle was revealed, I've been expecting someone from the last cycle to show up.

The details from the merging of the Purity of Essence with the Purity of Form are scant at best. But it is clear that the Xel'Naga cause the merging of two species, against their will if needs be.

Take the Zerg and Protoss. What exactly would the Zerg Swarm have had to be for the Protoss to willingly allow their entire race to merge with it? I can't imagine them going along with this just because the Xel'Naga tell them to "get with the merging already!" So some kind of force will be needed.

The resulting species would then be used in some fashion by the Xel'Naga to keep themselves alive. However, the resulting species would also themselves likely be as long-lived as the newly refreshed Xel'Naga.

If the process by which the Xel'Naga use this species would normally kill all of them, it is possible that a few got away. And if it doesn't kill them, then it's almost certain that some are still around.

Either way though, they're not going to be too happy about the Xel'Naga, you know, forcing them into this merger. Even better, maybe they would like to usurp the Xel'Naga cycle, supplanting their former masters to become immortal as the Xel'Naga were.

To do that, they'd need to create... a merged species, just like the Xel'Naga. A merging of Purity of Form and Purity of Essence. Oh look, there just happen to be two of those lying around. And look, the Xel'Naga stupided themselves out of existence just in time, so there's nobody around to help the merging happen "properly" (or perhaps the Overmind had some help getting those space-dwelling creatures in range of its assimilation capabilities?)

But first, you'd have to figure out how to do the merging at all. After all, these refugees from the last merging aren't as smart as the Xel'Naga. They don't know how all this stuff works. Well, lucky for them that the Overmind gave them a hint, when it transformed a random human into Kerrigan, Queen of Blades.

Of course, they'd have to study this fusion, particularly the results of it. Once Kerrigan took control of the Zerg, this would seem more likely. Maybe they would slip an agent, a confederate if you will, among the Zerg.

And thus, Samir Duran. Obviously Kerrigan's feeble powers (Purity of Essence mixed with mere Human) would be no match for Purity of Form + Purity of Essence. So he hangs out with Sarah, doing her bidding, but there for only one reason: to learn how she was made. Once he knows how, he clandestinely takes some Zerg and goes to combine the new Purity of Form with the new Purity of Essence.

Now this is almost certainly not how the Xel'Naga would have accomplished the merging. The result would likely be a corruption of the perfect creature, though far more powerful than the Zerg or Protoss.

[Visions of Khas]

Mm, nice theory. I had thought at some point too that Duran had been a survivor from a previous age, but never thought of it so in-depth. I hope it's true!

[newcomplex]

Is it confirmed that purity of essence means "Hive mind"? (All for one). I was under the impression that it means "Singularity mind" (one for all AND all for one, harmonious unity of multiple unique beings as opposed to the forced unit to a single being"

If it does mean zerg hive mind, doesn't that mean that their is only one xel'naga entity?

For that matter doesn't having true purity of essence contradict your later statement on xel naga factions? How can a race with a perfect hive intelligence/perfect singularity intellect have divergent factions?

I think their are powers that predate even the Xel'naga, who are the the true gods of the infinite void of space. The voice in the darkness is but a mere effigy of its power. Backing this up, we have seen repeatedly time and again that they're seems to be two different sides to this. One cannot attribute everything to the doings to the xel'naga, while the very fact of having a true purity of essence seems to mean that they cannot have different factions.

I think an ancient and primal intellect predating the xel naga could be this third force, who is manipulating the creation of the hybrids, possibly to disrupt the xel'naga's cycle. Maybe the xel'naga are responsible for keeping the "Old Gods" chained. Duran is almost certainly not a servant of the xel'naga. I also doubt durans simply just wrong, it seems a dumb plot device to create a character so mysterious, ancient and sinister, only to end up explaining it with "his facts are wrong lols"

Also, it may not be a correct inference to draw that a mere two thousand years were bar out any surviving xel'naga. They could live for millions, if not tens of millions of years.

Probably the most cliched answer will be the right one. And the xel'naga will be equivalent to the titans, and the dark and ancient evil be old gods.

[LordofAscension]

Stellar work guys - I'm very proud of this article - Gradius and Kimera did an awesome job - hopefully you all find value in it.

~LoA

[Gradius]

Do we have evidence of this? It's been said the the Khala dilutes and attenuates the Protoss' natural abilities, and was an advent during Savassan's tenure as Khas - Bringer of Order. That seems it was a Protoss, not a Xel'Naga, imposed limitation.

You bring up a good point, this is true - I will remove this part from the article.

Is it confirmed that purity of essence means "Hive mind"? (All for one). I was under the impression that it means "Singularity mind" (one for all AND all for one, harmonious unity of multiple unique beings as opposed to the forced unit to a single being"

Not sure where you're getting these definitions from - a hive mind, as far as I know, is simply a collection of linked minds.

Also, it may not be a correct inference to draw that a mere two thousand years were bar out any surviving xel'naga. They could live for millions, if not tens of millions of years.

Their lives were already drawing to a close by the time they started engineering races, and that was millions of years ago. Though there's a chance some could have survived, it always seemed to me that the reason they were pushing their creations so fast was because they had limited time.

[ArcherofAiur]

Cool!