What Will Raynor Do?

[Roland]

I think they intentionally let this video go right after the release of Heaven's Devils, which I have read the last 2 pages of. Minor spoilers relevant to the topic: Just in black text, because I couldn't find the spoiler tags...

The last thing Raynor does in the book is gun down a bad guy in cold blood, the guy clearly deserved to die, but so do most of Batman's nemesis and he doesn't kill them. Raynor sort of developed the same philosophy, he said something to the effect of he can now choose his own path, and doesn't have to do one thing or another, for any reason, it was implied he didn't have to kill the guy, and it was wrong to do so, and he wouldn't repeat that mistake, because he had a choice. This goes against the whole fate aspect of the Cycle strongly, as well as indicating as hard as it is, he will refuse to kill Kerrigan, despite vowing to do so.

[mr. peasant]

I think they intentionally let this video go right after the release of Heaven's Devils, which I have read the last 2 pages of. Minor spoilers relevant to the topic: Just in black text, because I couldn't find the spoiler tags...

The last thing Raynor does in the book is gun down a bad guy in cold blood, the guy clearly deserved to die, but so do most of Batman's nemesis and he doesn't kill them. Raynor sort of developed the same philosophy, he said something to the affect of he can now choose his own path, and doesn't have to do one thing or another, for any reason, it was implied he didn't have to kill the guy, and it was wrong to do so, and he wouldn't repeat that mistake, because he had a choice. This goes against the whole fate aspect of the Cycle strongly, as well as indicating as hard as it is, he will refuse to kill Kerrigan, despite vowing to do so.

Wait, if he believes in choice (and thus, less about fate), wouldn't that lean in favour of him killing Kerrigan?

[Kimera757]

On the other hand, Blizzard's themes include people making dreadful mistakes. For instance, Arthas had personal weaknesses going way back. While he wasn't evil then, it made his fall that much simpler/faster. You could argue the same thing about Sarah Kerrigan; after the death of the Overmind, she continued her path toward evil, probably due to the trauma she had undergone earlier.

Could Raynor make a similar screwup? Possible, but doubtful.

I wonder if Blizzard is a fan of the newer Battlestar Galactica? In the last season, the Cylons lost their resurrection ability due to a human Colonial attack, teamed up with the "good" rebel Cylons. In the very last episode, the evil Cylons (not counting the Final Five) agree to end their genocide attempts if they're given back their resurrection technology. To do so, they need to work with the Final Five. Unfortunately (?), one of the Final Five strangled another one over purely personal reasons, breaking the transfer and essentially dooming the evil Cylons. What the hell hero? This was probably not the right decision!

[Roland]

Wait, if he believes in choice (and thus, less about fate), wouldn't that lean in favour of him killing Kerrigan?

Yeah, but Zeratul just told him that his coming choice will change the future of the universe, which is going down a path that will apparently end everything, but it relies on Raynor killing Kerrigan, if Zeratul and Raynor are right about choice than he can choose not to kill her, and thus save everything, therefore defying fate.

That isn't to say Kerrigan won't go on another genocidal rampage afterwards, but hey, it's better than an apocalypse!

[mr. peasant]

Yeah, but Zeratul just told him that his coming choice will change the future of the universe, which is going down a path that will apparently end everything, but it relies on Raynor killing Kerrigan, if Zeratul and Raynor are right about choice than he can choose not to kill her, and thus save everything, therefore defying fate.

That isn't to say Kerrigan won't go on another genocidal rampage afterwards, but hey, it's better than an apocalypse!

But if he doesn't believe in fate, wouldn't he also believe that there is no such linchpin? That it doesn't need to be Kerrigan who is specifically needed to prevent whatever catastrophe is headed their way.

[Perfecttear]

A great plot would also be if Kerrigan and Raynor died together.


.... I the end he can't change her or stop her , but as a final act of forgiveness and guilt , he sacrifices himself in atemp to kill her. Atleast he doesn't let her die all alone, and joins her and redeams himself. ANd they would finaly be together at the end <3, even if for just a short time.

What do you think ?

[Visions of Khas]

I think it could be more subtle than that, Tear.

Obviously the coming events will be hard and trying. As Kimera stated, Blizzard characters tend to evolve and change, though usually for the worst, or atoning only after making huge missteps.

I think that, in the end, Jim will sacrifice himself, not physically but spiritually and personally, in ending Kerrigan. I can see her being perfectly vulnerable position, completely at his mercy, pleading... and he does it then, effectively destroying himself as a man in the process.

This could lead to a chain of events that allow Zeratul's visions - those Raynor was supposed to stop - to come to terrible life, and allowing the Cycle to begin. Again. (Metzen, after all, stated that a favorite theme of his was when terrible mistakes come back from the past to haunt the future.)


This could also lead into a Zerg fractioning. I believe the Zerg will devolve into a multitude of independent factions or broods, and Kerrigan was the only thing stopping it. She is the Lich King, sitting alone atop her molten throne keeping the hordes in check... and there is no successor.

[Perfecttear]

Also a plausible story Vision of Khas.

But regardless of the actual plotline, do you believe that the end of Kerrigan will also be the end of Raynor (not neceseary death)?

[n00bonicPlague]

I think Kerrigan's assistance to the universe will be more like a mutual benefit thing. She's not exactly allies with the Terrans and Protoss, but the incoming threat is bigger and it needs to go if she wants to continue her reign. I'm thinking something along the lines of what happened when the UED came in, but with much less trust between them all. There won't be any real alliances — just common objectives.

Another possibility is that the incoming threat will capture Kerrigan and use her to control the swarm against her will. This her-life-in-your-hands business could be Raynor having to liberate Kerrigan from the invading force so that she will hopefully stop the swarm in return for his saving her life.

No matter how it goes, though, I'm certain that Kerrigan will ultimately die, most likely by Raynor's hands.

[Roland]

I would like to remind people that we don't know what's the biggest threat, 1) the Cycle fulfilling and restarting, 2) the Cycle being broken, 3) Duran's hybrids twisting and perverting the Cycle, but fulfilling it.

Zamara certainly seemed to put the actual Cycle in a benign light, when Zeratul mentioned how revolting Duran's hybrid's were she made it clear that they weren't what they should be, indicating the proper kind may seem just as right as the wrong ones seem bad. Generally you don't want the nature of the Universe to change abruptly, like breaking the Cycle would, so I think Kerrigan actually has to survive for the Cycle to fulfil, which may be the only way to stop Duran's people.