EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hTLFio1.png?1)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hVz06YR.png)
The Dark Horse who defies expectations against one of the ladder's best players seeking redemption for his failings in brood war. Will it be inauguration or downpour? This is GSL Open Season Three; this is MC vs Rain!
Previous Reports:
Fruitdealer vs Rainbow
Set One: Delta Quadrant
Set Two: Lost Temple
Set Three: Kulas Ravine
Set Four: Desert Oasis
Set Five: Scrap Station
FoxeR vs NesTea
Set One: Shakuras Plateau
Set Two: Lost Temple
Set Three: Scrap Station
Set Four: Jungle Basin
Set Five:Steppes of War
Set Six: Xel'Naga Caverns
Set Seven: Metalopolis
MC vs Rain
Set One: Delta Quadrant
Set Two: Lost Temple
Set Three: Xel'Naga Caverns
Set Four: Steppes of War
Rain and MC are all-in for a race to the finish!
Set Five: Jungle Basin
MC spawns in the 5 o'clock position; Rain spawns cross map in the 11 o'clock position. The in-base expansions will allow for faster expansions in theory, but also provide a great opportunity to lead a surprise attack. In his semi-final match against Jinro, MC used that fact to devastating effect, warping DTs into his main base from across the ravine. Will we see similar aggression here? With everything on the line for Rain in this game, he'll need to be careful not to fall victim to MC's tricks.
Both players open standard, with Rain going for an unusual partial wall at his main ramp. Not wanting to fall victim to the same ploys he faced on Steppes of War, he immediately scouts for proxy gateways. He finds nothing, because MC has opened gateway into gas back at home.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/bI4oP3q.png)
The scout of MC also finds nothing.
Both players appear to be going for standard safe openings, which makes sense, given that a win in this game would give MC the championship. However, as soon as the probe in his base goes down, Rain starts work on a factory. MC chronoboosts a stalker out to kill the SCV scouting his main. As he does, he drops a second gas, indicating he plans to transition into a heavier tech route. As soon as the SCV dies, he moves out to secure map control.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wK2lEnJ.png)
Stalkers patrol the map, hunting for rogue SCVs.
Rain has 4 marines at home so he isn't too worried about the stalker and zealot. Meanwhile, he's continuing his surprise tech route, going for a tech lab on the factory and a starport behind his minerals. It's possible that he's going back to the style he used at the start of the series, but he could also be going for a banshee rush like in game 3.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/sq8Zz3b.png)
Shenanigans afoot; what is Rain up to?
MC has a second gate building at home and drops a pylon behind his natural. He still hasn't made any advanced tech structures, so it's beginning to look like a faster expansion. His second gas isn't being mined, so a picture is beginning to develop; has MC also tricked Rain?
The terran player has his own tricks up his sleeve though. Back at home, he's getting blue flame for his hellions and working on a medivac. It looks like he's planning a nasty surprise for MC. But not to be outdone, the Bosstoss prepares for a rush of his very own.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7DfOvy7.png)
Four Gateways incoming.
MC moves out onto the map with a probe, as neither of the players know what the other one is planning. A bunker at Rain's ramp finishes just in time to stop stalkers pushing into his main, and he starts one at his natural ramp as well to guard the back door.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wlgWAZp.png)
MC's attack gets denied. For now...
Blue flame has finished now and two hellions are out and about. MC's probe has arrived and he begins to set up proxy pylons, but his base is totally undefended. If Rain can pull off the hellion assault while defending at home, it could be lethal.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/6QMDMjh.png)
MC sets up to warp in across the ravine.
With the four gate attack imminent, Rain has smelt out what's happening and has a siege tank on the way, with SCVs pulled to repair the bunkers. However, MC has four sentries in his army and with great forcefields he could deny any repair efforts.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/B2Bwma3.png)
The attack begins!
MC drops a pair of forcefields almost instantly and shuts down the repair. He has loads of stalkers now and Rain is short on firepower, having dedicated a lot to his tech. During the chaos, he manages to sneak out his hellions and swing the medivac back round to repair. He's losing a lot at the front and it looks like he might be dead, until...
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/2nJDB5e.png)
Blue flame hellions arrive at MC's undefended main.
Suddenly, neither player can defend at home. Rain rallies back to his second bunker as MC attempts to pull his probes away. Controlling two battles at once, each player is pushed to the limit.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/75Wgwqe.png)
MC breaks through the first position...
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hEkoCm8.png)
...But Rain massacres probes.
During the fight at the first bunker, MC managed to take out lots of the repairing SCVs, but there are still quite a few left to hold the second bunker. MC snipes the medivac and pushes forwards to the next position. Lots of his powerful gateway units have died now and he's on mostly sentries. If Rain can hold this position he can stop the rush! SCVs are blocking zealots and the tank is punching holes in MC's stalkers, but there's just a little too much.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8mOtTBE.png)
By the slightest whisker, the bunker falls.
With the second bunker dead, the rest of Rain's base is now undefended. His tank is suddenly vulnerable, but it's joined by a second. With his SCVs pulled to fight, Rain stages a last stand at his main command centre.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Qfn6W0A.png)
MC snipes a tank...
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JMZgylk.png)
...But all of his probes are dead at home.
Rain's army is crumbling at home. MC only has a couple of stalkers and zealots left, but with the second tank falling, Rain doesn't have anything to contest the army of MC. There's no way he can take out the protoss army, but he can still make the draw happen. MC only has 30 minerals and with no air units, Rain can still be unkillable. He takes out the last probe at MC's base and it looks like he's secured the draw. Until...
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/pZrwwaQ.png)
...MC has one last probe hidden on the map!
With no way to finish off the probe and nothing to protect him at home, Rain GGs out! MC goes 4-1 against Rain and wins the GSL Open Season 3!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/txFfbXJ.png)
The president has been sworn in!
After a great final game, MC manages to close out the series against Rain. Using stellar micro in every game and tactical ingenuity in how he took apart his terran opponent, he becomes the third and final open season champion!
But now, the open GSLs have come to an end and the first Code S championship can finally begin. MC has made his way into that lineup and he'll be joined by Fruitdealer, Rainbow, Nestea, Marineking and Rain, all of whom have shown that they represent the top tier of the world's players.
They can all advance to Code S, but only one can go down in history as a legend... MC is the Champion!
Next time, Code S begins! Denied his destiny by Nestea in Season 2, can Marineking forge his own legend? To do so, he'll need to overcome the Devourer of Worlds; a terran with nightmarish macro and deadly timing attacks- IM-Mvp!
