Kerrigan's Infested Generals

[Triceron]

Why existing characters? I would much prefer new characters. I hate it when they use the same old characters for everything they do. Characters like Infested Stukov are interesting but should be retired. Stukov had his time in the light, now it's time for someone else.

[mr. peasant]

Precisely. I don't really see why Kerrigan's 'infested generals' (if she even has them) need to be pre-existing characters. Compare this to the Terran campaign. With the exception of Horner (who appeared in one novel prior, if I'm not mistaken), Raynor's crew is comprised of new characters created specifically to fill their respective roles in the game. The same will likely occur for Kerrigan.

[Visions of Khas]

I'd definitely like to see original characters fill the rank and file of Kerrigan's swarm, rather than ones already introduced, "killed" and reanimated. But more than that, I want them to explore her research and development of more intelligent zerg strains, like the queens or something else comparable to cerebrates. This could create some interesting tensions between extant Infested commanders and the newer, badder and fiercer Queens. It's definitely an opportunity to delve into the psychology and inner-workings of the zerg.

[pure.Wasted]

Why existing characters? I would much prefer new characters. I hate it when they use the same old characters for everything they do. Characters like Infested Stukov are interesting but should be retired. Stukov had his time in the light, now it's time for someone else.

Stukov's reanimation and de-infestation will always be a blotch on the SC lore record (not that it's otherwise perfectly clean), because of how random, trivial, and anti-climactic it turned out to be. Fans feel this way and Metzen has admitted Blizz staff do as well.

Shouldn't they at the very least attempt to justify all of that by doing something interesting with the character now?

Just think... he's THE ONLY known UED survivor still among the Terrans (there are others, but he's the only one WE know/care about). He's one of, what, THREE known characters to have ever been infested? He's THE ONLY person to have been successfully de-infested.

And you don't think there's compelling stories to be told with a character like that? What is it like to be infested? He can tell us. What is it like to be deinfested? He can tell us. Is he happy the ordeal is over, or does he secretly yearn for the days when he was "perfect" before he was 'saved'? He is potentially one of the most interesting characters in the SC tapestry at this point, not only because what he's been through in the past, but because of what that should mean for him in the present. It'd be a shame if Blizzard didn't take advantage of that.

[Zero]

#1 Stukov's reanimation and de-infestation will always be a blotch on the SC lore record (not that it's otherwise perfectly clean), because of how random, trivial, and anti-climactic it turned out to be. Fans feel this way and Metzen has admitted Blizz staff do as well.

Shouldn't they at the very least attempt to justify all of that by doing something interesting with the character now?

#2 Just think... he's THE ONLY known UED survivor still among the Terrans (there are others, but he's the only one WE know/care about). He's one of, what, THREE known characters to have ever been infested? He's THE ONLY person to have been successfully de-infested.

And you don't think there's compelling stories to be told with a character like that? What is it like to be infested? He can tell us. What is it like to be deinfested? He can tell us. Is he happy the ordeal is over, or does he secretly yearn for the days when he was "perfect" before he was 'saved'? He is potentially one of the most interesting characters in the SC tapestry at this point, not only because what he's been through in the past, but because of what that should mean for him in the present. It'd be a shame if Blizzard didn't take advantage of that.

#1
Although the Stukov infestation/de-infestation thing seemed really sudden, random and out-of-place at first, once you thought hard enough on it, it was actually good foreshadowing. It's a shame I didn't figure it out more than two weeks before it was given away in the Dark Templar books. I could've been given major props for figuring it out if I had made an article about it months prior. Anyway, the special SC64 mission showed that Kerrigan was attempting to replace the untrustworthy cerebrates with infested human generals before we even knew that the cerebrates were dying out on their own.

#2
I disagree about the part about him being the only UED left. It has been confirmed there were small groups of UED left behind that hadn't been evacuated with the remainder of the fleet before their final defeat. They're still out there and, at least for now, may play a minor role in the events of StarCraft II.

The rest I agree with, and that's why I ask about Stukov any chance I talk to Metzen or Chambers. Stukov is a valuable character, and I don't want him to disappear. I even told Chambers before, I didn't care if they say he got killed, I just don't want them to forget about him. I don't want him treated like the original Terran commander, who got retconned so that he technically never existed. That pissed me off. Say he got killed, I don't care, but he was a character when we played the game and it was ridiculous to say he/she/it never existed. (/rant)

So, hopefully I've reminded/bothered the lore guys enough that they don't forget Stukov. He is a character with a lot of potential, based upon his knowledge and experiences with the Zerg. Re-infestation, UED revival terrorist group, black market contact for Raynor, head of a paid mercenary group... he could go in any direction, and that along with his character story so far, could play a significant part in the future of Koprulu Sector.

[Aldrius]

I vote Valerian,

If Kerrigan was able to infest Arcturus' only son and heir and turn him against the Dominion that would be the perfect vengeance and the ultimate slap in the face to her former commander and father figure.

Uh... I think this story is pretty tired by now. She's gotten her revenge on him (repeatedly), let's leave it at that. =S

My answer isn't even an option: "None of the Above".

Shouldn't they at the very least attempt to justify all of that by doing something interesting with the character now?

Ugh. No. No. No. No. No.

Ressurection was a SECRET mission in what amounts to a spin-off game. (It's a port, but never mind.) If they never acknowledged that Stukov ever came back to life again, the greater scheme of things would not be affected.

Honestly, I don't think they should put stuff from side-stories in the main game anyway. Cute references maybe, but not the core plot. Your audience needs to be able to follow things well. Including a crapload of stuff from extraneous material is just confusing.

[Roland]

Aren't you a downer, the point of revenge in most storytelling is that it is never satisfied, lock the offender up and torture him forever but you'll never wake-up one day and just think, well now we're even!

I really think it will be someone close to Raynor, probably not someone antagonistic like Tychus or Tosh either, a love interest or Matt is my bet.

[Aldrius]

Aren't you a downer, the point of revenge in most storytelling is that it is never satisfied, lock the offender up and torture him forever but you'll never wake-up one day and just think, well now we're even!

Uh, sure, if you want to go down the trite cliche path.

The point in the original Brood War was that Kerrigan got what she wanted. She ruined Mengsk's life and then took control. She has no reason to want revenge on him now. Anyway, Kerrigan's revenge on Mengsk was just a side-dish of what her true plans were. Taking control of the Korpurulu sector.

Revisiting it now would just be dull.

Regardless, there are more ways to say 'revenge is bad', then just saying 'it's endless.' Kerrigan's lust for vengeance and control turned her into the very monsters that had oppressed and abused her through out her life.

I really think it will be someone close to Raynor, probably not someone antagonistic like Tychus or Tosh either, a love interest or Matt is my bet.

This is another story that they've already done. Raynor already has plenty of reason to hate Kerrigan, and he's already dealt with somebody he cares about being infested. Her infesting somebody close to him is unnecessary.

[pure.Wasted]

[COLOR="Orange"]#2
I disagree about the part about him being the only UED left. It has been confirmed there were small groups of UED left behind that hadn't been evacuated with the remainder of the fleet before their final defeat. They're still out there and, at least for now, may play a minor role in the events of StarCraft II.

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. What I meant was, right now he's basically the face of the UED in the Terran sector. He's the only UED guy left whom we know, let alone care about. And that -- POTENTIALLY -- counts for a LOT.

So, hopefully I've reminded/bothered the lore guys enough that they don't forget Stukov. He is a character with a lot of potential, based upon his knowledge and experiences with the Zerg. Re-infestation, UED revival terrorist group, black market contact for Raynor, head of a paid mercenary group... he could go in any direction, and that along with his character story so far, could play a significant part in the future of Koprulu Sector.

Mad props on this. I wuv you.

Ugh. No. No. No. No. No.

Ressurection was a SECRET mission in what amounts to a spin-off game. (It's a port, but never mind.) If they never acknowledged that Stukov ever came back to life again, the greater scheme of things would not be affected.

Unfortunately, those who are new to the SC franchise will look up Stukov while reading about Brood War, and the resurrection bits will be just as there and just as important as the Brood War bits. Unless we all swear to keep Stukov's fate a secret amongst ourselves and delete all public records of what happened to him... it's just as significant as anything else that happened to him. Especially so for those who never played SC and won't know the difference between SC/BW and Resurrection.

Honestly, I don't think they should put stuff from side-stories in the main game anyway. Cute references maybe, but not the core plot. Your audience needs to be able to follow things well. Including a crapload of stuff from extraneous material is just confusing.

Should they remove Matt Horner from the game, now?

Many of SC2's audience won't have ever played SC. Jim Raynor, Kerrigan, and Mengsk will be just as unfamiliar to them as Stukov would be. Why can't he be reintroduced in the same manner they are?

Kerrigan first attempts to infest somebody in a book. Should the infestation plotline not be continued in SC2? The Xel'Naga artifacts are first mentioned in a book. Should they not be followed up on in SC2?

Just because something happened in a book/mini-campaign doesn't mean it can't be alluded to and explained very briefly. Movies (and games, SC2 no exception) do it all the time.

[mr. peasant]

Many of SC2's audience won't have ever played SC. Jim Raynor, Kerrigan, and Mengsk will be just as unfamiliar to them as Stukov would be. Why can't he be reintroduced in the same manner they are?

Well, one thing's for certain though; Stukov's infestation/de-infestation storyline was handled very messily by Blizzard. They themselves have admitted to it and that they didn't even know what direction they wanted it to go at the time (or perhaps have simply forgotten over the last decade). If anything, I highly suspect that should that particular subplot resurface, a lot of its details would be retconned into something neater. Perhaps even a total do-over in one of SC2's campaigns?