What Will Raynor Do?

[pure.Wasted]

As mr. peasant pointed out, there are three key things to take into account here.

1. The next campaign is about Kerrigan.
2. It's called "Heart of the Swarm" (mr. P that's the first time I've seen someone else point this out!).
3. The relationship between Jimmy and Sarah is the heart of the entire story.

Either phazonjunkie is right, or 3 is true. And with Metzen backing 3 all the way (from VA panel, etc), and common sense suggesting that we haven't seen the entire story here and aren't just waiting for a conclusion, I feel very confident in saying that Jimmy and Sarah aren't through. Not by a longshot.

PT brought up something like Jimmy dying a hero's death, or maybe even committing suicide. Y'know, both of these are actually options (even though Jim committing suicide at the end would probably be too highly reminiscent of DuGalle), because whatever happens has to serve as the trigger for change in Kerrigan herself. I've said that Raynor isn't long for this world for years now.

But at the same time, Metzen made it sound as though the two are at the heart of all SC2, not just Wings. What's she gonna do, get flashbacks of Raynor during Heart of the Swarm?

I'm tempted to say that Blizz might have come up with some resolution here that is beyond the immediately apparent.

I wonder if Blizzard is a fan of the newer Battlestar Galactica?

Absolutely they are. Not only was their reaction to Tricia Helfer appearing at the lore panel very telling, come on... Matt Horner counting down to the warp jump? Yeah, right.

[Visions of Khas]

Y'know, Pure, I was reviewing actors lately to see who could play as Matt Horner, and Felix Gaeta's actor seemed like he could fit the role nicely. :P

Hm, I never considered the possibility that "Heart" referred to both Kererigan and Raynor, but simply Kerrigan herself. Whatever the case, I think the figurative heart of the swarm will be torn, one way or another, in terms of allegiance or cause.

[RotherIm]

I think Raynor will do or be forced to do something against his beliefs, and it will haunt him greatly.
After everthing that hapened to him this will be the last straw, and he will commit suicide at the end of the campaign. ( now that would be something diferent, strongly emotional , god writing and not cliche)

I don't think Blizzard will kill Raynor... he was the most popular character in starcraft I, it would cost them alot of fans

I think Raynor will hunt Kerrigan and finally kill her...

Still the question about Samir Duran remains... what do you think about him?

The Faith of Creation hangs in balance

I think we will see him at the end of the terran campaign.

[pure.Wasted]

I think Raynor will hunt Kerrigan and finally kill her...

...we just went over this. How can he kill her if hers is the next campaign?

Hm, I never considered the possibility that "Heart" referred to both Kererigan and Raynor, but simply Kerrigan herself. Whatever the case, I think the figurative heart of the swarm will be torn, one way or another, in terms of allegiance or cause.

Absolutely it will. And since we've already seen the "Zerg Swarm not doing Kerrigan's bidding" story, the only story we've yet to see is "Kerrigan not doing the Zerg Swarm's bidding."

[mr. peasant]

Y'know, Pure, I was reviewing actors lately to see who could play as Matt Horner, and Felix Gaeta's actor seemed like he could fit the role nicely. :P

Hm, I never considered the possibility that "Heart" referred to both Kererigan and Raynor, but simply Kerrigan herself. Whatever the case, I think the figurative heart of the swarm will be torn, one way or another, in terms of allegiance or cause.

I wouldn't necessarily say 'Kerrigan and Raynor' exactly. However, I think it will definitely reflect the direction of growth Kerrigan's character will get. As in before this, Kerrigan was 'heartless'.

[Zero]

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.

Not sure how all of you could ignore this, because Roland makes an excellent point. For the Zerg to survive until the Cycle is complete and the Zerg and Protoss merge to form the new "generation" of Xel'Naga, they need some command structure, some intelligence or guidance to suppress their natural superviolent tendencies. Otherwise the Zerg would wipe themselves out.

Obviously, if there is imminent danger from this unseen threat, Kerrigan would still need to survive in order to command the Zerg against it.

As far as the title of the next part of the trilogy is concerned, we know that Heart of the Swarm centers around Kerrigan. It likely will go into more detail about Kerrigan's past, her knowledge of the present dangers, and discovery into near-future events and perhaps how her choices are affecting her conscience (maybe it's coming back, idk).

[Alex06]

I think Raynor will save Kerrigan at some point, but he won't be happy with it.
Something like,

"Jim, you...saved...me?"
"Look, I hate your guts just about the same I did back 4 years ago, and I'll never pardon you for everything you did, but the world needs you, so let's just get on with this already."
"Thank you."
"Don't let it get to you, if you ever try and backstab us again, I'll personally end you, and I swear on it."

And I bet some action or mistake Kerrigan has made in the past will come back to haunt her. It will make Raynor think she has betrayed him again, even though she hasn't and is trying to make amends in a way (some things she will not regret, I'm sure), and Raynor will leave her to fend for herself. We'll probably see it Raynor's way and think she has betrayed him in WoL and in HotS we'll see it from Kerrigan's point of view and it will have been pulled off by someone like Duran, to sever the ties between them. (and thus probably dooming both Kerrigan and Raynor)

I could also see Zeratul in LotV making the ultimate sacrifice to save all life in the galaxy, like Tassadar back in the original StarCraft.

[Hav0x]

Nowhere in the cinematic does Zeratul say that Kerrigan must be killed. I don't know where some of you are getting that from.

[Roland]

He says her life will be in Raynor's hands and Raynor must not kill her. I'm not sure who said Kerrigan must die, I guess the whole cinematic just raises the issue of if and when Kerrigan will end, be it as a Zerg or as a person entirely.

[protoswarrior]

Kerrigan still needs to remain "bad" for HotS.

So, turning good in WoL is out of the question. Raynor and her will probably reconcile their differences (personally) and move on to their separate paths, maybe mending their twisted relationship, and MAYBE inspiring some of Kerrigan's humanity back. But, she will remain Zerg, and her mindset will still be animalistic and ravenous while keeping her intelligence. Her emotions would probably surface, but once Raynor is "gone", she will return to much of her former self, and may find something else to cling to for HotS.