The Stalker

[Scar]

So has anyone else noticed that the dark templar head is poking out of the stalker's body? Is that a real head or a machine? Any lore regarding this odd difference between the stalker and the dragoon/immortal?

[protoswarrior]

The head is real. The Stalker is basically a DT fused into a cybernetic body. The firing mechanism is generated through the cybernetics much like a Dragoon, but because of the DT's mastery of the void, it can use Blink to teleport short distances.

[LordofAscension]

I don't recall the lore about the Stalker - the DT is fused into the mech - but are they like that forever or is it something they could "dismount from"? IE - is it really like a Dragoon
or like vulture? Do we know who gets selected to be part of a Stalker or anything like that? Where's the SC2 unit pages full of lore?

~LoA

[protoswarrior]

lol LoA!

From what I remember from way back at the WWI 2007, I remember discussions about the stalker where it was mentioned that the Stalkers are basically DT volunteers who give their lives to continue to serve their race through these robotic shells that they are fused into. Being in touch with the void and something to do with the way the stalkers are created, the DTs demonstrate some uncanny abilities - the most prominent being the Blink Teleport ability.

To answer your question, yeah the stalkers are like dragoons, except these are fully healthy Protoss DT that volunteer for the process, and not the desperation assimilation of almost dead Protoss zealots/templar who fell on the battlefield, and placed into the Dragoon shell for a second chance to serve Aiur.

[Gradius]

The unit description says this:

The stalker is a machine controlled by the shadow-essence of a dark templar warrior fused into a metal body to protect his people.

It means the warrior himself is fused into the stalker, which is why you can see his face in artwork & such, and he controls the stalker with his "shadow essence". It's analogous to the Khalai controlling a Dragoon exoskeleton by attuning itself to it via the Khala.

[Pandonetho]

Ghosts should be able to BOOM HEADSHOT those ugly mofos. The DT have some pretty bad body holding machine designs. Dragoon was badass, Immortal is badass, stalker is no.

[Dragoonx]

The unit description says this:
It means the warrior himself is fused into the stalker, which is why you can see his face in artwork & such, and he controls the stalker with his "shadow essence". It's analogous to the Khalai controlling a Dragoon exoskeleton by attuning itself to it via the Khala.

You can actually see his head and a part of his neck in some portrait shots. So the physical body is used to some degree.

[pure.Wasted]

What the fuck is shadow-essence? Good God do I wish they would stop throwing that around like it means something.

This isn't Harry Potter. This isn't WarCraft in space. If it's the dude's mind controlling the thing, maybe they should just say that. And if it's not, and what's really controlling it is supposed to be some huge mystery, then they should make that clear, too.

Purposeful vagueness does not sound cool. Not when it forces you to fall back on WC cliches.

[Visions of Khas]

I'm not sure what to think about Stalkers. I always envisaged as each stalker being different from the last, each a custom tailored armor that replaces whatever needed replacing. But that doesn't look to be the case. It's kinda pointless for their head to be exposed, I agree, but it's also kinda neat... in a lame way.

[PhanttoM]

I can't stop thinking of Stalkers as cyborg Protoss in a RoboCop fashion - His face was also exposed despite having an armoured body.

They even have the same shiny colors.