Characters of StarCraft

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Blizzard Entertainment's 1998 bestselling real-time strategy game series StarCraft revolves around interstellar affairs in a distant sector of the galaxy, with three species and multiple factions all vying for supremacy in the sector. The original game has sold over 9.5 million copies^[1] internationally, making it one of the top selling games in the PC market. One of the reasons for StarCraft's success is its intricate story, carried by generally positively received characters from the industry's reviewers and journalists. The StarCraft universe, comprising a number of games, authorized additions and novels, has an extensive list of characters, but only a limited number of these characters have a major influence on the overall story arc.

Most of the main characters in the StarCraft series are put under the player's control at some point within the game to some degree; Jim Raynor and Fenix are consistently put under the player's command throughout the games, whilst others such as Edmund Duke appear multiple times but are only accessible in-game to the player once or twice. Some characters, such as Arcturus Mengsk and Aldaris are never put under the control of the player during the course of the games, but feature prominently in the lore of the series. The universe also contains a whole host of minor characters, but these characters are of much lesser significance within isolated areas of the general story.

Contents 1 Casting and design 2 Primary characters 2.1 Artanis 2.2 Samir Duran 2.3 Sarah Kerrigan 2.4 Arcturus Mengsk 2.5 Jim Raynor 2.6 Alexei Stukov 2.7 Tassadar 2.8 Zeratul 3 Other main characters 3.1 Aldaris 3.2 Gerard DuGalle 3.3 Edmund Duke 3.4 Fenix 3.5 Tychus Findlay 3.6 Valerian Mengsk 3.7 Nova 3.8 The Overmind 3.9 Raszagal 4 Minor characters 5 Cultural impact 5.1 Merchandise 5.2 Critical reception 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Casting and design

The characters and story of the StarCraft series were created by Chris Metzen^[2] and James Phinney.^[2] However, as Phinney was not involved in StarCraft: Brood War; Chris Metzen alone is credited for the development of the plot in the expansion.^[3] Despite the series' success globally, particularly in South Korea, Blizzard Entertainment has not made any major comments regarding the development of the characters and the storyline of the StarCraft series.

However, interviews with the two of the voice actors have given a glimpse into small parts of the development process. An interview with Robert Clotworthy, the voice of Jim Raynor in all released StarCraft games to date, has revealed that for the most part the voicing for the characters was done over only a few days in sessions of up to four hours,^[4] a fact mirrored in a similar interview with Sarah Kerrigan's actress, Glynnis Talken Campbell.^[5] Clotworthy also stated how the concept art for the game - usually used for the visual development of characters and locales in games - was used by him in order to develop the personality of his character.^[4]

Visually, most of the characters and units in the games were developed from artwork by Metzen and Samwise Didier, although at least two other artists - Glen Rane and Peter Lee - have developed concept art for the upcoming StarCraft II. It is also implied by some of the authors of the novels that the development of the characters in their books was also influenced by Metzen^[6][7] as well as Andy Chambers and Evelyn Fredericksen.^[8] This is particularly notable for characters later appearing in the games, such as Valerian Mengsk.

[edit] Primary characters

[edit] Artanis

Artanis is an advisor to the Protoss player in Brood War and a high-ranking Protoss official. Artanis holds the rank of praetor in the Protoss Defense Forces and at two hundred and sixty two years old^[3] he is the youngest templar to achieve this rank.^[3] An ambitious leader, Artanis holds Tassadar in high esteem and despite being a strong believer in the Conclave^[3] the young Protoss also holds strongly to the idea of reunification with the dark templar. Initially appearing in Brood War, Artanis is voiced by Jack Ritschel^[9] and pilots a scout-class starfighter in-game. In the novel Queen of Blades it is revealed that the executor the player takes the role of in StarCraft's Episode III is actually Artanis prior to being made praetor in Brood War.^[10] This was later confirmed in an article released by Blizzard summarising the events of StarCraft.^[11]

Through Episode IV of Brood War, Artanis works with Zeratul and Judicator Aldaris to evacuate the Khalai Protoss to Shakuras and defend the world from the Zerg. During this time they receive unexpected aid from Sarah Kerrigan, but Artanis and Zeratul become furious at Kerrigan's true motives for being on Shakuras and her killing Aldaris.^[12] Despite knowing that destroying the Zerg and its cerebrates on Shakuras will only strengthen her, Artanis and Zeratul activate the Xel'Naga temple on Shakuras,^[12] annihilating the Zerg on the surface. Artanis does not appear again until the end of the game, in which he commands a fleet to bring Kerrigan to justice^[13] for the Protoss deaths she is responsible for, but his forces meet defeat despite outnumbering Kerrigan's standing forces. Returning to Shakuras and separated from Zeratul, Artanis and the Protoss survivors begin to rebuild their civilization.^[14] In the StarCraft 64 mission "Resurrection IV", Artanis enlists the aid of Jim Raynor to de-infest Alexei Stukov on Braxis,^[15] sterilizing the planet's surface afterwards.^[15]

At Blizzcon in August 2007 it was revealed that Artanis holds the rank of hierarch and thereby is effectively the leader of the reunified Protoss in StarCraft II, but is still struggling with reintegrating the two estranged branches of his people, as many of the Aiur survivors wish to retake their planet while the dark templar do not.^[16]

[edit] Samir Duran

Samir Duran is one of the most mysterious beings in the StarCraft series. Throughout the game, Duran's character, alliances and motives change from the player's point of view. In a hidden mission, his role and true nature are made even more mysterious. Fan speculations link Duran to nearly every faction and character in the game, but the most common theory is that he is a Xel'Naga. Duran's voice is provided by Paul Ainsley^[9] and he is represented in-game as a ghost agent in both Terran and infested Terran forms, although the two subtly differ.

Duran first appears as a leader of an anti-Dominion resistance force early in Brood War Episode V,^[17] and allies with the United Earth Directorate. Although Duran provides invaluable data on the Dominion to the UED, he also allows Zerg to overwhelm their strike forces on Aiur, sabotaging the objectives of that mission and allowing the Dominion emperor to escape.^[18] As a result, Vice-Admiral Alexei Stukov suspects him of being a traitor late in Episode V, at which point Duran kills him^[19] and shows that he is working with Sarah Kerrigan,^[20] revealing himself as an infested Terran. With Duran as her advisor, Kerrigan successfully establishes herself as the dominant power in the sector, taking command of the majority of the Zerg Swarm in Episode VI. However, despite his valued assistance, Duran vanishes shortly before Kerrigan is attacked in Brood War's final mission. He is discovered by Zeratul in a secret mission on an unknown geological satellite, engineering a Protoss/Zerg hybrid.^[21] At this point Duran states clearly that his work has little to do with Kerrigan, and that he in fact serves what he describes as "a far greater power".

Due to a lack of appearances in any other media Duran's true nature is a mystery, and Blizzard Entertainment has not elaborated on his character. What is certain is that Duran is highly intelligent and manipulative, demonstrating a degree of knowledge of Protoss technology^[21] and Zerg control hierarchy,^[22] along with inside knowledge of several Terran factions. He is able to fool the UED into thinking he is a thirty-three year old^[3] human and Kerrigan into thinking he is infested when he is neither, although the means by which he accomplishes this are not known. Duran also claims to have "had many names throughout the millennia", suggesting that he is far older than any other character in StarCraft; even the extremely long lived Protoss rarely live over a single millennium.

[edit] Sarah Kerrigan

Main article: Sarah Kerrigan

Sarah Kerrigan is a major character and the predominant villain in the StarCraft series. The twenty-six year old^[2] psychic female Terran is initially the second-in-command of the Sons of Korhal but is abandoned by Arcturus Mengsk in the final stages of Episode I. In Episode II she is revealed to have been captured and infested by the Zerg, and in the wake of the death of the Overmind at the end of the original StarCraft, Kerrigan makes moves to consolidate her position as the supreme commander of the Zerg swarms where she becomes known as the Queen of Blades. In both StarCraft^[23] and Brood War^[9] Kerrigan's character is voiced by Glynnis Talken Campbell. In-game, Kerrigan appears as a ghost agent and later as a unique infested Terran unit.

[edit] Arcturus Mengsk

Arcturus Mengsk is a major character in the StarCraft series and commands the player's missions through most of Episode I. Aged thirty-eight,^[2] he becomes the emperor of the Terran Dominion and as such the ruler of the majority of the Terrans in the sector. The original StarCraft documents Mengsk's rise to power, and subsequent novels and games have depicted him as growing in strength. Mengsk was originally planned to appear in-game piloting the battlecruiser Leviathan, but this idea was scrapped, although third party campaign editors still refer to his unit as a battlecruiser. Mengsk is voiced by Jason Hayes in both StarCraft^[23] and StarCraft: Brood War.^[9]

Prior to the events in StarCraft, Mengsk's father, Angus, is assassinated by the Confederacy. Although Mengsk is initially not interested in war, he takes up his father's cause and rallies the survivors of his home planet to form a rebel faction, the Sons of Korhal. Mengsk's campaigns become increasingly successful, but in an attempt to quell the rebellion once and for all, the Confederacy launches a barrage of nuclear warheads at Korhal, effectively exterminating life on the planet. However, as Mengsk is not on Korhal during the attack he is able to regroup and renew his movement. After several years of missions^[2] and terrorism^[24] to subvert Confederate rule over the Terrans, Mengsk successfully convinces the former inhabitants of Antiga Prime and Mar Sara to join him, making the Sons of Korhal strong enough to attack the Confederate capital, Tarsonis. Despite a successful campaign due to the advice of former Confederate general Edmund Duke, Raynor and Kerrigan grow uneasy with Mengsk's increasingly extreme methods.^[25] Kerrigan is abandoned to the Zerg on Tarsonis^[26] and as a result Raynor leaves the group near the end of the battle.^[27] Mengsk returns to Korhal with Duke to found the Terran Dominion, portraying himself as a benevolent dictator in the wake of the Confederacy's destruction and convincing all Terran colonies in the sector to submit to his rule.^[3]

In Brood War, Mengsk and the Dominion are attacked by the United Earth Directorate, and Mengsk narrowly escapes capture through the help of Raynor.^[28] Faced with death and the destruction of the Dominion as alternatives, Mengsk allies with Kerrigan and Raynor to defeat the UED, but Kerrigan betrays their alliance and kills Duke,^[29] crippling Mengsk's militia. Furious, Mengsk calls in favors to what he describes as "special interest groups",^[13] forming a new fleet and attacking Kerrigan's orbital base at Char. Despite a desperate alliance with the UED and the Protoss, the fleet is defeated and Mengsk retreats back to Korhal to rebuild the Dominion, letting Kerrigan know that he will be there when she finally "slips up".^[13] In novels set after StarCraft, Mengsk still rules the Dominion and it is still the dominant Terran power in the Koprulu Sector. In StarCraft II, Mengsk and his son Valerian find the "evil empire" of the Dominion opposed by several (but numerically inferior) militia groups, including the forces of Jim Raynor.

[edit] Jim Raynor

Main article: Jim Raynor

James Raynor, usually referred to as Jim, is one of the central protagonists in the StarCraft series. He is a twenty-nine year old^[2] Terran, originally appearing as a Confederate marshal from the colony of Mar Sara. Episode I of the original StarCraft follows Raynor's character as he joins the revolution against the Confederacy under the command of Arcturus Mengsk, helping him overthrow the Confederacy for his new Terran Dominion. However, Mengsk betrays Sarah Kerrigan at the end of Episode I, after which Raynor abandons the newly styled emperor to form a paramilitary organization, eventually allying himself with the Protoss. In both StarCraft^[23]and Brood War,^[9] Raynor is voiced by Robert Clotworthy. Raynor normally appears in-game on a vulture scavenger bike, although he has also appeared in-game as a marine unit and as the captain of the battlecruiser Hyperion.

[edit] Alexei Stukov

Alexei Stukov is the vice admiral of the United Earth Directorate's expeditionary force and a main advisor to the Terran player in Brood War alongside his childhood friend Gerard DuGalle.^[3] A fifty-two year old^[3] male Terran of Russian descent, Stukov is described as a brilliant tactician and has spent most of his career involved in secret military research^[3] rather than actual combat. In-game Stukov appears as with the equipment of a ghost agent despite the character not being psychic. Castulo Guerra provides the voice of Stukov in Brood War.^[9]

Stukov appears throughout Episode V of Brood War, in which he accompanies discussion with DuGalle, but always gives in to the higher rank of his friend. However Stukov is consistently suspicious of the motives of Samir Duran^[17] throughout the episode and discreetly disobeys the misinformed orders of DuGalle by preserving a psi disruptor, a device that disrupts Zerg communications, on Tarsonis. After Duran causes the defeat of a UED strike force on Aiur,^[18] Stukov separates from the UED fleet and works to activate the reconstructed psi disruptor on Braxis.^[19] However, after convincing DuGalle that Stukov has betrayed the expedition, Duran takes a force into the disruptor and assassinates Stukov,^[19] but not before Stukov manages to convince DuGalle that Duran is the traitor and to keep the psi disruptor running. Stukov's body is given a full funeral and propaganda was made to portray Stukov as a hero back on Earth, claiming he died in combat on the planet Char.^[30]

However, Stukov still continues to feature in the StarCraft series. In Blizzard's separate mission "Deception", the deceased vice admiral briefly reappears as an infested Terran, in a secret Confederate science facility which he proceeds to blow up.^[31] This infestation is also displayed in concept art by Samwise Didier.^[32] He later appears in another map of the month, "Mercenaries II", in which he hires several mercenary groups to destroy some of his adversaries.^[33] The reason for Stukov's resurrection is explained in the StarCraft 64 secret mission "Resurrection IV", where it is revealed that he was infested by a cerebrate named Kaloth and is in command of the "New Swarm" on Braxis.^[15] As a result of this Artanis sends Raynor and Taldarin to inject him with an experimental serum that can undo Zerg infestation. The serum reverses the effects on Stukov and leaves him as a healthy human, although somewhat melancholy and bitter.^[15] Without a leader, the New Swarm go berserk; Raynor, Taladrin and Stukov are able to evacuate the planet before the surface of Braxis is destroyed by Artanis.^[15] Stukov's ultimate fate is left unresolved, although Chris Metzen has confirmed that the secret mission is canon^[34] and Blizzard Entertainment are believed to be planning to reintroduce the character in the future.^[16]

[edit] Tassadar

Tassadar is the primary protagonist of the Protoss campaign in StarCraft and the main advisor to the Protoss player. Tassadar is a three hundred and fifty-six year old^[2] male Protoss high templar, holding the rank of executor in the Protoss Defense Forces.^[2] Described as being fascinated with, if somewhat wary of,^[10] the dark templar, Tassadar is the commander of the fleet that made first contact with the Terrans by sterilizing the surface of Chau Sara in order to contain Zerg infestation. However, he disregarded his order from the Conclave to repeat the act with Tarsonis; he tried to destroy the Zerg whilst attempting to spare the humans. Voiced by Michael Gough in StarCraft,^[23] the character is seen in-game as a high templar unit and later as the captain of the carrier Gantrithor. The character of Tassadar also appears in StarCraft: Queen of Blades,^[10] a novelisation of the events of Episode II.

Throughout Episode I Tassadar's fleet follows the Zerg infestation across the sector, sterilizing the surfaces of Mar Sara and Antiga and attempting to engage the Zerg on the ground on Tarsonis, but is prevented from doing so by the Sons of Korhal.^[26] It is not until Episode II that Tassadar reveals himself, conducting sorties against Kerrigan on Char.^[35] During this time he establishes a friendship with Jim Raynor^[10] and Zeratul,^[10] learning how to use his psionic powers in conjunction with the powers of the dark templar from the older Protoss. Tassadar also learns the weaknesses of the Zerg cerebrates through Zeratul assassinating Zasz.^[36] By Episode III, Tassadar's involvement with the dark templar becomes seen as a bigger threat than the Zerg on Aiur by the Conclave,^[37] who send Aldaris and Artanis^[11] to arrest him. The player's forces side with Tassadar, sparking a civil war between templar forces led by Fenix and the Conclave's forces led by Aldaris.^[38] Towards the end of Episode III Tassadar turns himself in to the Conclave in an attempt to stop the civil war, but Zeratul frees him from captivity.^[39]

In the final missions of Episode III, Tassadar plans the assault on the Overmind with Zeratul, Fenix and Raynor, using the dark templar to weaken the Overmind's outer defences before launching a full scale assault on the primary Zerg hive cluster.^[40] The battle costs the Protoss forces heavily, but in the closing moments of the game Tassadar channels the psionic energies he learnt from the dark templar along with his own Khala energies through the Gantrithor and crashes the capital ship into the Overmind.^[40] The resulting discharge of energy kills Tassadar and completely disintegrates the Overmind. In Brood War and StarCraft II, Tassadar's actions are revered by numerous Protoss in the honorary expression "En Taro Tassadar".^[41]

[edit] Zeratul

Zeratul is one of the primary Protoss characters in the StarCraft series. He is a six hundred and thirty-four year old^[2] dark templar prelate, exiled from Aiur for refusing to submit to the Khala. During the later episodes he takes part in defeating the Overmind on Aiur and reuniting the dark templar with the rest of their people. He plays a major role in the expansion Brood War, as well as the upcoming sequel StarCraft II. Zeratul is voiced by James Harper in both StarCraft^[23] and Brood War^[9] and appears in-game as a dark templar unit. He is described by GameSpot as a "savior" and "willing scapegoat" for his people and ranked in their top ten heroes chart.^[42]

Zeratul is first introduced in the course of StarCraft Episode II, in which he uses a distraction caused by Tassadar to assassinate the cerebrate Zasz on Char,^[43] accidentally revealing the location of Aiur to the Overmind in the process. While on Char, he befriends Tassadar and Raynor, teaching Tassadar how to use dark templar powers in tandem with those of the Khala.^[10] Later in Episode III he and a group of dark templar accompany Tassadar back to Aiur to aid the Protoss, but are hunted by Aldaris and the Conclave as heretics. Despite this, he is able to free Tassadar from the captivity of the Conclave^[39] and supported by Fenix's forces, personally assassinates two key cerebrates in the Overmind's core defences.^[44] Zeratul then participates in the end battle of StarCraft that results in the death of the Overmind and Tassadar.^[40]

Taking a larger role in Brood War, Zeratul leads the surviving Khalai Protoss to the dark templar homeworld of Shakuras. After it is realised that Zerg are also on Shakuras, Zeratul plans with his co-patriots of Artanis, Raszagal and Aldaris to activate a Xel'Naga temple on the surface to destroy the infestation.^[45] Aided by Kerrigan,^[46] they are able to retrieve the crystals necessary for this and activate the temple,^[12] but not before Kerrigan's ulterior motives are revealed and Aldaris is killed.^[47] In the final missions of Episode VI Kerrigan uses Raszagal to blackmail Zeratul into slaying the new Overmind on Char,^[48] and afterwards Zeratul retrieves the brainwashed matriarch but is pursued by Kerrigan's forces. Realising that the damage to her mind cannot be undone, Zeratul kills Raszagal; Kerrigan, taken completely by surprise, allows Zeratul and his surviving forces to leave.^[49] In the following secret mission "Dark Origin", Zeratul stumbles across a genetic engineering facility while searching for Artanis and learns of a Protoss/Zerg hybrid being engineered by Samir Duran.^[21] At Blizzcon of 2007 it is revealed that Zeratul, troubled by this knowledge, begins searching for more clues in the time before StarCraft II.^[50]

Zeratul is also featured in the novel Queen of Blades, a novelisation of Episode II which shows how he meets Tassadar and Raynor.^[10] He is also the main character of the bonus campaign Enslavers: Dark Vengeance, in which he works to counter the plans of the rogue dark templar Ulrezaj.

[edit] Other main characters

[edit] Aldaris

Aldaris is an advisor to the Protoss player in the first half of Episode III, but later becomes an enemy.^[2] Aldaris is a judicator who acts as the Protoss Conclave's agent for contacting and ordering the player's character and their fleet. He later returns to his advisor role in the early parts of Episode IV. Paul Eiding provides the voice for the character of Aldaris in both StarCraft^[23] and Brood War.^[9] In-game, Aldaris is represented by a high templar unit.

A fanatical believer in the Khala,^[2] Aldaris is outraged when Tassadar allies with the dark templar and perceives him to have turned his back on the Khala. After a failed attempt to capture the wayward templar during the middle of Episode III, Aldaris leads the Conclave forces in an attack on Tassadar's allies, taking him prisoner and putting him on trial for crimes of blasphemy and treason. Zeratul interrupts the trial and rescues Tassadar, but allows a bitter Aldaris to escape. In the closing missions of the original game, Aldaris witnesses the rebels successfully assault the Zerg's core defences, and wishes them luck in their final battle.^[40]

In Brood War, Aldaris reluctantly allies with Zeratul and Raszagal^[3] when the Protoss flee Aiur and travel to Shakuras. However, when Sarah Kerrigan is accepted as an ally during Episode IV, Aldaris is furious and does not accompany the expeditionary fleet.^[46] In the fleet's absence he discovers Raszagal is being mentally controlled by Kerrigan and takes a legion of Khalai refugees and attacks her citadel. The player's character repels the attack, and Aldaris is eventually slain by Kerrigan^[47] in Episode IV's penultimate mission before he can warn his comrades of her schemes.

[edit] Gerard DuGalle

Gerard DuGalle is the commander of the Terran player's fleet in Episode V and their primary advisor. DuGalle is an experienced battlefield commander and the most highly-decorated admiral in the United Earth Directorate. Aged sixty-four^[3] and of French descent, he is the head of the expeditionary force sent to take control of the Koprulu Sector in StarCraft: Brood War.^[3] DuGalle is voiced by James Harper.^[9] DuGalle is seen in-game in command of the battlecruiser DSS Aleksander.

DuGalle is a staunch believer in the UED's mission and carries out his orders with precision. Despite a twelve-year age gap, he is also a childhood friend of his vice-admiral, Alexei Stukov.^[3] Despite his experience, DuGalle is prone to believe faulty intelligence from Samir Duran throughout Episode V and thus causes Stukov to abandon the fleet.^[18] DuGalle accepts Duran's theory that Stukov is a traitor and allows Duran to kill his friend,^[19] only realizing his horrible mistake too late. The true traitor Duran vanishes after Stukov's death, but DuGalle is still successful in foiling Duran's plans for sabotage. He goes on to capture the Overmind and occupy the majority of the sector by the end of Episode V.^[20] However, as a result of demoralization, limited manpower, and an alliance of enemies led by Kerrigan, the fleet is slowly but surely pushed back throughout Episode VI, and when a last-ditch attempt to recapture Char fails, DuGalle and the fleet attempt to retreat. In Brood War's final cinematic, DuGalle composes a letter to his wife, informing her of the fleet's failure and taking full responsibility for Stukov's death.^[51] DuGalle then commits suicide by a gunshot to the head, after which the UED fleet is overtaken by Zerg and destroyed.

[edit] Edmund Duke

Edmund Duke acts as a figurehead for the Terran Confederacy and later the Terran Dominion in StarCraft and Brood War, and is usually perceived as an enemy by the player's allies in both games. Duke is initially a colonel in the Confederate Security Forces and is later promoted to general,^[11] but during the course of StarCraft Episode I Duke defects with his forces, Alpha Squadron, to the Sons of Korhal. The fifty-three year old^[2] Terran is voiced by Chris Metzen in both StarCraft^[23] and Brood War.^[9] A member of one of the influential Confederate Old Families, Duke is portrayed in the games and the novels as a "by the book" leader^[2] but also as a humorless and xenophobic man. Despite this, he is considered by other characters as a competent military commander. Comparisons have been drawn between Duke and the U.S. Army General George Patton.^[52] Duke's character first appears in the StarCraft prequel campaign Loomings,^[53] defending the colony of Chau Sara, where he appears as a siege tank commander. In StarCraft and Brood War, Duke is always in command of a battlecruiser.

Through the early parts of StarCraft Episode I, Duke's character represents the Confederacy, passing down orders to the player on Mar Sara and later arresting Raynor.^[54] Mid-way through Episode I, his forces are deployed to Antiga Prime to prevent any revolt from the citizens but his forces are defeated by the Sons of Korhal and Duke's flagship, Norad II, crash-lands in Zerg territory.^[55] However, Duke is rescued on the orders of Arcturus Mengsk. Mengsk convinces Duke to defect, and the general's knowledge becomes vital to the assault on Tarsonis towards the end of Episode I. After Episode I Duke only makes sporadic appearances, heading up a Terran Dominion task force to Char in Episode II,^[56] an expedition that fails its objectives and drags on into Episode III.^[57] In Brood War Duke's role is reduced even further, appearing to defend the Dylarian shipyards from the UED^[58] early in Episode V and later in Sarah Kerrigan's alliance in Episode VI. Duke is ultimately killed when Kerrigan's forces destroy his new flagship,^[29] the Norad III, halfway through Episode VI in order to weaken the Dominion.

General Duke is also featured in three StarCraft novels; StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade shows his movements through StarCraft Episode I.,^[59] and he makes a brief appearance in orbit of Char in StarCraft: Queen of Blades. Queen of Blades also reveals that Duke was responsible for losing Mengsk's flagship, the Hyperion, to Raynor at the Dylarian shipyards^[10] just after the end of Episode I. Duke is also a main character in StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga, in which Alpha Squadron is decimated by a Xel'Naga energy creature^[60] and as a result he and his surviving forces are merged into Mengsk's Elite Guard for Brood War.

[edit] Fenix

Fenix is a veteran Protoss warrior and a field commander of the Protoss player's forces in StarCraft. Fenix is a three hundred and ninety-seven year old^[2] male Protoss templar and is an old friend of Tassadar.^[2] A praetor in the Protoss Defense Forces, he is described as a powerful and cunning leader who is distrustful of the motives of the judicator caste.^[2] Fenix initially appears in-game as a zealot ground warrior, although he later features as a dragoon unit after being mortally wounded and revived. Bill Roper voices Fenix in both StarCraft^[23] and Brood War.^[9]

Fenix first appears in the early missions of StarCraft Episode III, in which he joins the player and Aldaris in the defense of Aiur against the Zerg, but during one mission Fenix's forces in the province of Antioch are attacked by overwhelming Zerg numbers and he is believed to have been killed.^[37] However, true to the style of his namesake, the phoenix, his mortally wounded body is retrieved and he is "reborn" as a part of a mechanical dragoon unit,^[38] much to the surprise of Tassadar towards the end of the episode. Allying his forces with Tassadar, Fenix leads the campaign against the Conclave in a brief civil war on Aiur, later leading a task force against the Overmind's outer defences, facilitating Zeratul's assassination of a number of cerebrates. Despite being present in the briefing,^[40] Fenix does not take part in the final battle of the original StarCraft.

In Brood War, Fenix's character normally accompanies Jim Raynor; it quickly becomes apparent that the two have developed a strong friendship in their time together. During Episode IV, Fenix's forces stay behind on Aiur to secure the warp gate to Shakuras,^[41] and are not seen again until mid-way through Episode V when the UED engages his forces around the warp gate.^[18] In Episode VI, Fenix features as part of Kerrigan's alliance, even leading the Zerg forces on a raiding mission to Moria.^[61] However, after the UED is routed from Korhal IV, Kerrigan turns on her allies and Fenix is killed^[29] when the Protoss base camp on Korhal is attacked.

[edit] Tychus Findlay

Tychus J. Findlay is a Terran marine who first appears in the StarCraft II cinematic trailer,^[62] in which he is shown being encased into marine armour. He is also the subject of a promotional statue for StarCraft II.^[63] According to an interview with Blizzard's Nick Carpenter, Findlay is to be a prominent character in StarCraft II.^[64]

According to his criminal record within the trailer, Findlay is a convicted criminal from Mar Sara, sentenced for murder, piracy, theft, larceny and narcotics offenses, and is also suspected of several other crimes.^[63] It is also revealed in the trailer that his death sentence was commuted for service in the Marine Corps. At BlizzCon in August of 2007, Findlay was shown in the single-player campaign demonstration, in the service of Jim Raynor, although Matt Horner reports he has gone missing later in the demo.

[edit] Valerian Mengsk

Valerian Mengsk is a twenty-two year old^[65] Terran male in the StarCraft series. He is the son of Arcturus Mengsk^[65] and the heir to the Terran Dominion. He is one of two characters in the StarCraft series to appear in a novel before appearing in one of the games. A disciple of Japanese martial arts,^[65] he is described as "brilliant and a bit arrogant for knowing it"^[65] and is a keen archaeologist.^[65] According to Firstborn he was raised in secrecy on a number of worlds across the Koprulu sector^[65] during the Sons of Korhal terrorist campaign. The identity and fate of his mother have not been revealed.

Valerian Mengsk first features in the novel Firstborn, in which he enlists Jake Ramsey to investigate a Xel'Naga temple^[65] on Nemaka, later attempting to have Ramsey and his archaeological team taken for interrogation and Ramsey subjected to extensive psychological and mental testing to garner the information he had acquired. However, the team is killed before questioning and Ramsey escapes.^[65] Frustrated, Valerian sends a fleet under his personal employ to retrieve Ramsey after deliberately hiding knowledge of Ramsey's powers from his father.^[66] Valerian Mengsk's character was confirmed to appear in StarCraft II^[67] during Blizzcon of August 2007. Chris Metzen has explained that as StarCraft documented his father's rise to power, in StarCraft II, Valerian, not content to just be "Emperor Mengsk II", will make his own name in the Dominion.

[edit] Nova

November Annabella Terra,^[24] normally known by her codename Nova, is a ghost agent for the Terran Dominion, and the protagonist of the StarCraft: Ghost sub-series. Despite the postponement of the Ghost game, her character still continues through StarCraft Ghost: Nova, a novel covering Nova's early life that was meant to accompany the game's release.^[68]

According to StarCraft Ghost: Nova, Nova is the daughter of one of the highly influential Confederate Old Families,^[24] and despite having unusually high psionic potential her father is able to prevent her from being taken into the Confederate Ghost Program.^[24] However, after her family is murdered by an anti-Confederate resistance movement, Nova flees to the undercity of Tarsonis and is forced to work for an organised crime boss who wants to utilise her psionic powers for his ends. During the Zerg assault on Tarsonis at the end of StarCraft's Episode I, a Confederate wrangler eventually tracks her down and is able to get her off the planet, inadvertently ending up in the Sons of Korhal fleet.^[24] As a result, Nova voluntarily trains as a Dominion ghost agent and has her memory wiped to remove the reminders of her family's murder and her involvement with the Tarsonis underworld.^[24]

Due to the postponement of the StarCraft: Ghost game, Nova has not been featured in any media since. However, it has been speculated that Nova may have a role in StarCraft II as her armour discreetly appears in concept art^[69] depicting Arcturus Mengsk. At Blizzcon in August 2007, Blizzard Entertainment claimed that if there was a role for Nova in the game, she would appear, but she would not be in the game just for the sake of being in it.

[edit] The Overmind

The Overmind is the original leader of the Zerg Swarm and the center of their hive-mind society.^[2] According to the contextual history of the game, the Xel'Naga wanted to make sure the Zerg did not suffer from problems arising from individual egos like the Protoss had, and so created the Overmind to act as a single consciousness. However, the Overmind grows at an exponential rate, becoming sentient and aware of its masters.^[2] After luring a space-faring race to the Zerg homeworld of Zerus and assimilating them, the Overmind attacks the Xel'Naga fleet and, through the assimilation of many of the Xel'Naga,^[2] learns of their experiments on the Protoss.

The Zerg travel from planet to planet, assimilating creatures and becoming stronger, but the Overmind desires the assimilation of the Protoss above all else, believing that such an action will result in perfection for the Zerg.^[2] During the first half of StarCraft, the Zerg and Protoss clash on various Terran worlds until the dark templar Zeratul kills the cerebrate Zasz. This momentarily links the minds of the Overmind and Zeratul, allowing each to learn critical information about the other, with Zeratul learning of the Xel'Naga's hand in the Zerg's evolution^[44] while giving the Overmind the location of the Protoss homeworld Aiur.^[70] The Overmind quickly launches an invasion of Aiur, stealing Protoss technology and using it to manifest itself on the planet's surface.^[71] After a lengthy war with heavy casualties, Zeratul and the high templar Tassadar return and, with the help of Jim Raynor, Tassadar is able to sacrifice himself to destroy the Overmind.^[40]

A major plot point in Brood War is the formation of a second Overmind from the union of several cerebrates.^[46] However, this incarnation of the Overmind never reaches full maturity. It is not sapient, does not have the same powers or intelligence as the original and has much weaker defenses;^[72] attacks that were superficial to the first Overmind send the second into remission, although it still takes dark templar energy to be killed.^[48] The United Earth Directorate enslaves the organism and uses it to control a majority of the Zerg,^[20] but it is eventually killed by Zeratul.^[48] Although this Overmind is the same type of bioform as the original, it is not the same character. The character of the Overmind is voiced by Jack Ritschel^[23] in StarCraft.

[edit] Raszagal

Raszagal is a Protoss character in StarCraft: Brood War, taking the position of the matriarch of the dark templar.^[3] At one thousand and forty-five years old^[3] the female Protoss is one of the oldest Protoss observed in the StarCraft universe. During the Brood War Protoss campaign, Raszagal gives the player missions and orders whilst the focus of the storyline is on Shakuras. Debra Deliso voices the character of Raszagal in Brood War.^[9] Raszagal is represented in-game as a dark templar unit.

Raszagal's character is revealed in the early missions of Brood War, directing the player to objectives that eventually leads to the activation of the Xel'Naga temple on Shakuras. However, whilst the player's character, along with Zeratul and Artanis are recovering the crystals necessary to activate the temple during the course of Episode IV, the judicator Aldaris learns that Kerrigan is holding mental sway over the matriarch and starts an open revolt against the dark templar on Shakuras. Upon Artanis' and Zeratul's return to the planet late in Episode IV, Raszagal orders the termination of Aldaris.^[47] Aldaris is eventually killed by Kerrigan, and despite Zeratul's growing suspicions of Raszagal,^[47] the temple is activated in the final mission of Episode IV, annihilating the Zerg on the surface.^[12]

The matriarch does not feature in the game again until the late stages of Episode VI, when Kerrigan and Duran abduct her from a fortified outpost on Shakuras.^[73] Kerrigan then uses Raszagal to persuade Zeratul to assassinate the second Zerg Overmind,^[48] after which it is revealed that Raszagal had been controlled by Kerrigan since before the events of Episode IV^[48] and that Raszagal was following Kerrigan's objectives for dominance. However, Zeratul's forces recapture Raszagal, but are unable to hold off the Zerg forces long enough to escape. Realising that Raszagal is beyond redemption from Kerrigan's influence, Zeratul kills Raszagal.^[49] Razagal's mind is freed by the lethal blow, and she dies thanking Zeratul for releasing her, naming him as her successor as leader of the dark templar.

Raszagal makes a brief appearance in the novel Shadow Hunters as the first dark templar to be captured and questioned by Adun in his mission to exterminate the dissident Protoss, and it is ultimately her testimony that convinces the templar to spare Raszagal and her brethren.^[66]

[edit] Minor characters

Main article: List of minor characters in the StarCraft series

In addition to the main characters, the StarCraft series also has a significant roster of supporting characters. These characters are usually main characters in their prospective source - for example, Michael Liberty is the central character to StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade and Jack Frost is a key character in Insurrection - but do not have any major influence on the overall storyline outside these mediums. Whilst their contributions are noteworthy in expanding the universe, they can be regarded as minor characters within the entirety of the StarCraft series.

[edit] Cultural impact

[edit] Merchandise

The characters of StarCraft have been popular enough to inspire the creation of several collectable statues and toys. The first series of statues was released by ToyCom in 2003, consisting of a firebat^[74] with markings similar to some original StarCraft concept art for the firebat,^[75] a hydralisk^[76] and one of Tassadar^[77] with a ceremonial sword, which is also seen in concept art for the original game.^[78] A series of toys were also made available in 1998,^[79] featuring two variations of the marine, another hydralisk and a Protoss zealot. In addition, 1/30 scale model kits for the marine^[80] and hydralisk^[81] were released in 1999 by Academy Hobby Model Kits.

A second series of collectable statues, which included infested Kerrigan,^[82] Zeratul^[83] and a Terran ghost,^[84] was in development but appears to have been cancelled. However, upon announcement of StarCraft II in 2007, Blizzard released a new collectable statue depicting their mascot character Tychus Findlay.^[63]

[edit] Critical reception

The characters and story of the StarCraft series have been received with praise and only minute criticism by many game reviewers. The GameSpot review of StarCraft described the voice acting as "great", stating that it brings the characters to life.^[85] GameSpot goes further in the review for Brood War, commenting that the story and dialogue is with only a few exceptions "brilliantly written" and "one the year's best stories in any gaming genre".^[86] The reviewer of StarCraft for IGN praises the melding of the story into the gameplay and implies that the development of the characters during the course of the story, particularly that of Kerrigan, is unforgettable.^[87] In addition, the review of Brood War puts the storyline as "solid".^[88]

Gaming Revolution echoed this praise, saying the plot is "fantastic", but the reviewer added that he felt it was "over too quickly".^[89] At GamePro.com, the reviewer cited that he felt "the characters were talking to me" and even expressed a development of an emotional attachment to the character of Raynor.^[90] Electric Playground put the story as the best part of the game, if a little derivative, but described the voice acting as "really quite excellent".^[91]

Individual characters have also received praise, such as the readers of GameSpot citing Kerrigan as the second best villain in computer gaming^[92] whilst putting Zeratul in the top ten of the best heroes in all video games.^[93]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Loomings, the StarCraft precursor campaign at the StarCraft Compendium on Battle.net.
• Enslavers: Dark Vengeance add-on campaign at the StarCraft Compendium on Battle.net.
• StarCraft bonus missions, Deception and Resurrection IV, at StarCraft Legacy.
• Sons of the Storm, the official site of a number of Blizzard Entertainment concept artists.

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