Zeratul side missions are terrible

[ilcane87]

Zeratul's missions were terrible?

They were the only chance we got to acknowledge the real threat to the universe, while you spent most of the time simply fighting Mengsk and his irrelevant (in the big picture) dictatorship.
Heck, Zeratul's final mission is probably my favorite mission of all time, because of its huge scale and implications to the main plot; that was probably the most significant episode to the story besides Kerrigan's de-infestation.

Living the apocalypse, with the Terrans stated to be dead, and all the remaining Protoss together at once... mission objective? Kill 1500 enemy units ---> Keep fighting until the last of the Potoss dies... Epic!

[Noctis]

I have to agree, Zeratul wasn't exactly interacting with a lot of people - he mostly had to talk to the player and get the player to figure out the toss units.

[ZealotPowerade]

I'd say that most of the problems with Zeratul's dialog in his missions come from the fact that he's really peripheral to the plot of WoL. Think about it: Raynor would have tried to save Sarah Kerrigan even if he didn't know that she was vital to saving the universe. So what did Zeratul add?

Zeratul's plot was peripheral, and his dialog shows it. He doesn't really have anyone to talk to, and he doesn't have much to talk about. Worst of all, nobody is his antagonist, and antagonism tends to bring out his best lines. The conflict in his missions is between himself and a nameless, formless thing that we don't understand any better after confronting it than before.

In short, the needs of his part of the plot (such that it was) didn't really allow for him to do anything in terms of dialog.



The problem I had with that paragraph was the obvious questions: when the hell did he do all that? What is a "negative sun"? What realities has he seen entropy? Where the hell are they, and why is he able to notice them?

To me, it sounded like someone boasting about nonsense. I don't find that to be particularly badass. The line only works if you take it at face value; if you think about it even the slightest bit, it falls apart.

hrmm... pretty sure you're supposed to give the characters the benefit of the doubt when they say something. Also, I'm pretty sure negative sun would be a fancy way of saying that he's seen collapsing suns become black holes. His lines still make sense if you think about it. Perhaps in a bit more poetic way. As for the entropy of entire realties.. It could be a physical galaxy that they somehow studied using xelnaga technology or speaking of his long study of protoss history through the memory storage crystals or merely ideals such as the conclave collapse.

It really doesn't matter anyway, the point was that he was rebuking Aldaris and it was an interesting way to write the rebuke. Not everything needs to fit into a perfectly explained little box. Some things are meant to be a bit mysterious. The trick is explaining just enough while still leaving room for imagination (which some people seem to lack :P).

[Visions of Khas]

Zeratul's campaign is so far removed from the main storyline and too fantastical in nature that it's hard to relate. More over, the scripting in the campaign was lacking. Most anybody who has played through the campaigns will acknowledge Zeratul's soliloquy to Aldaris as being one of the most memorable quotes in the entire series. And this is one problem. The other is his self-imposed exile and quest for redemption. Much of what we have seen comes from his own experiences and internal struggles, which hasn't been given voice to by anyone but himself. Without that vital interaction it makes him into a whining prophet wannabe. Moreover, Kerass doesn't help matters. He is a Templar. and doesn't show the tiniest amount of reservation aiding Zeratul, completely voiding the pain and perceived injustices Zeratul has committed. Of all Protoss, one would think a High Templar would be the most likely to call him out - and he doesn't.

[Nicol Bolas]

It really doesn't matter anyway, the point was that he was rebuking Aldaris and it was an interesting way to write the rebuke.

Except that Aldaris could have returned the rebuke by rattling off a list of equally vague nonsense. Unless the words actually mean something, they don't carry any weight. The only reason they carried weight here is because Aldaris didn't respond.

It's empty poetry: pleasant-sounding words that don't actually have meaning.

Moreover, Kerass doesn't help matters. He is a Templar. and doesn't show the tiniest amount of reservation aiding Zeratul, completely voiding the pain and perceived injustices Zeratul has committed. Of all Protoss, one would think a High Templar would be the most likely to call him out - and he doesn't.

Except for being a Dark Templar, which a lot of Protoss have gotten over, Zeratul hasn't done anything to warrant animosity.

I was more releaved than anything to find that they writers weren't going to needlessly retread the same ground they drove into dust in SC1.

[Visions of Khas]

Except for being a Dark Templar, which a lot of Protoss have gotten over, Zeratul hasn't done anything to warrant animosity.

That's my entire point, which makes Zeratul's moping seemingly pointless.

[Rezildur]

Can anyone post what tassadar says to zeratul? It was hard for me to understand. Also what is the comment that the red eyed evil guy makes in the last mission right before he mentions kerrigan?

[Gradius]

The problem I had with that paragraph was the obvious questions: when the hell did he do all that? What is a "negative sun"? What realities has he seen entropy? Where the hell are they, and why is he able to notice them?

To me, it sounded like someone boasting about nonsense. I don't find that to be particularly badass. The line only works if you take it at face value; if you think about it even the slightest bit, it falls apart.

So I take it that you're an expert on everything that exists in the universe, as well as Zeratul's journeys, since you've apparently thought through the line and it sounds like nonsense to you. Please share your omniscient knowledge with the rest of us.

The line was badass because it sounded cool. The meaning of the line itself you're supposed to reserve judgment on, unless you know what he is referring to.

Except that Aldaris could have returned the rebuke by rattling off a list of equally vague nonsense. Unless the words actually mean something, they don't carry any weight. The only reason they carried weight here is because Aldaris didn't respond.

And if Aldaris did so then it would sound equally cool. But he didn't. So what point are you making? Do you have an actual legitimate complaint instead of "I can't immerse myself into a story enough to believe that characters aren't either lying or don't know what they're talking about"?

[userstupidname]

Can anyone post what tassadar says to zeratul? It was hard for me to understand. Also what is the comment that the red eyed evil guy makes in the last mission right before he mentions kerrigan?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRk_ZBQ0C2E

[Eligor]

Except that Aldaris could have returned the rebuke by rattling off a list of equally vague nonsense. Unless the words actually mean something, they don't carry any weight. The only reason they carried weight here is because Aldaris didn't respond.

It's empty poetry: pleasant-sounding words that don't actually have meaning.

Actually they do have a meaning, and it's very clear. Zeratul is making a point that he experienced much more of the Universe than Aldaris and saw whole worlds dying and being born, and based on that experience is certain that the Protoss on Aiur are doomed. It's a statement, not a boast (in the sense that it's not about Zeratul's ego but rather establishing the authority upon which he speaks). In fact, it had been bad writing had you been able to perfectly understand or relate to the things mentioned since the whole point is that these things are far beyond mundane experience.

The problem I had with that paragraph was the obvious questions: when the hell did he do all that? What is a "negative sun"? What realities has he seen entropy? Where the hell are they, and why is he able to notice them?

To me, it sounded like someone boasting about nonsense. I don't find that to be particularly badass. The line only works if you take it at face value; if you think about it even the slightest bit, it falls apart.

So being immensely ancient with vast experience of the mysteries of the Universe is NOT badass? And how could the line be taken not at face value?

And furthermore, why could Zeratul NOT see negative suns and the entropy of realities (the latter by the way is a legitimate scientific concept, as for what a negative sun is, use your imagination, it's not that difficult...)? If anything, he's the one character who could do all that. It would've been a nonsensical claim for Raynor or Mengsk, but not for a six hundred years old Protoss adventurer.