We are entering the ninth ever GSL final, and I know what all of you are thinking.

"ZvZ sucks! It's gonna be over in twelve minutes! I won't even have enough time to complain about how terrible GSL finals are because it'll be already over!"

"Why should I even watch? GSL finals always suck. This is going to be even worse than the time Inca tried to go against Nestea!"

Come on, don't be so pessimistic! These are the GSL Grand Finals! Thousands of people will be at the event, screaming their heads off to see who will be crowned the champion. I know that the other eight finals have, well, really, really sucked, but you can't give up hope yet, right? We have one of the most interesting finals in GSL history on our hands. The story writes itself! Two teammates colliding. The master vs. apprentice. The veteran vs. the rookie. The best player in the world vs. the rising star.




Nestea has been around ESPORTS for a long time. Since his days in Brood War, where he was known as ZergBong (yes, that isn't a typo) and played 2v2 with Reach, the Mantoss, on KT. He wasn't the best Brood War player or even one of the top players on the team, but he was the captain after Reach left for the army. Though he's always been respected by his peers, he finally made his breakthrough as player when he entered the SC2 scene.

After bombing out of the first season of GSL in the first round to LiveForever, Nestea has been on a war path. Out of nowhere, in the second season of the GSL, he steamrolled through TheBest, MC, TheWind, Zenio, and Boxer without dropping a single game, In the finals, against MarineKing, in what could be called the least terrible of all the GSL finals, Nestea won in a seven game series where he finally showed he was mortal by losing a few games before fighting back and taking his first championship.

What followed were a few poor performances by his standards. To anyone else, it might have been a success. He made the quarterfinals of the third season, but got cheesed out by the eventual runner-up Rain. In the fourth season, he got to the semifinals but had to face his own teammate MVP and lost in a tough series. In the fifth and sixth seasons, his worst seasons after the disappointing first GSL, he got knocked out in the group stages by San and Ensnare, and then lost in the World Championship to Dimaga in the first round. At that time, it looked like maybe Nestea could possibly fall by the wayside for the new blood that was taking over the GSL.

That isn't how Professor Tea rolls, though. Nestea came roaring back by crushing through GSL May, picking apart Inca in the finals and cementing himself as the best player in the world once more. He was beaten by TOP in the round of sixteen in the Super Tournament, but that didn't stop him from coming back again in this GSL and cleaning house. He's beaten July, Ensnare (revenge for the fifth season), Coca and HongUn without losing once. At times, he's looked unbeatable.

What would a third title mean for Nestea? A lot more money, for one. Also, if he wins, it further reinforces the fact that he is the best Zerg and overall player in the world. I don't think that anyone can argue that right now he isn't the strongest player in the world. I know a lot of you might freak out, but you know if he wins, a lot of people will start asking if Nestea is, you know, the b-word. Before we even jump to that, let's see what Nestea said in his PlayXP interview for the finals, translated by the member anrimayu:



So even from the man himself, let's wait a while. He still needs three more for us to start throwing that magical word around. If he wins, he will cement himself as the best player in the first year in the game (if he hasn't already) and that's a gigantic accomplishment in itself with millions of people playing around the world. Nestea wants to be the best player in the history of Starcraft 2 and gain so many titles that no man will ever be able to catch him. This final, to him, is just another gateway to greatness. Can he unlock the way and get closer to reaching his dream?





Losira started his GSL career by also getting knocked out in the first round in the first ever GSL. Who knocked him out? Our very own TLO! Congrats, TLO. He might have gotten his revenge at MLG Columbus, but you still knocked him out of his very first GSL in a 2-0 sweep. At that time, Losira wasn't apart of Incredible Miracle or any professional team, and was still under the fOu clan online. He was coming into SC2 with some experience, playing on the B-team of Hwaseung OZ in Brood War.

We really didn't see anything big out of Losira until the second season of Code A. Out of nowhere, this zerg from Incredible Miracle - a team that already had the powerhouses Nestea and MVP - was wrecking everyone. He beat LegalMind, August, Huk, Leenock and then Supernova in the finals to take the championship in dominating fashion, only dropping three games the entire tournament. That was when we finally knew that Incredible Miracle had more than just two stars on the team.

He did well in his first Code S, getting to the quarterfinals before getting knocked out by sC. If he had gotten through sC, he would have had to face Nestea much earlier in his career. After his first try in the GSL, he then went onto the Super Tournament where he had to face the eventual champion Polt in the first round. He took a game off Polt, but with ZvT being his worst match-up, Losira couldn't hold on and was defeated in the third game to be eliminated from the tournament.

Coming into this season, the big question was if his ZvT would be good enough. He lost to sC in his first Code S and then Polt in his second try. Now, with everyone knowing that this was his weakest match-up, Losira did something that no one expected at the group selections of GSL July: he picked MarineKing.

He not only wanted to face a terran in his first match, but he wanted to face one of the best terrans in the world. Not only was Losira not scared of facing the race that had slain him twice, but he wanted to face one of the best head on. A lot of people, even I, thought that Losira made an unwise choice by picking a guy who was amazing at TvZ. Why would anyone willingly pick the race that they're worst against? Especially against someone at the skill level of MarineKing?

Losira proved his doubters wrong, beating the King of Marines in a pretty decisive fashion. He then quickly moved out of his group by dismantling Coca in a ZvZ. In the round of sixteen, he got revenge for his teammate by taking out TOP, who beat Nestea in the Super Tournament, in three games to prove once again, for the second time this tournament, that his ZvT had improved mightily since we last saw him. He continued on his way by beating the new Startale recruit Trickster in a close five game series and then finally, in the semifinals, taking out another terran in Byun.

So what has Losira taught us this tournament?

1. His ZvT has improved a ton.
2. He looks better every time we see him.
3. He has balls of steel for picking MarineKing and then beating him.
4. He prefers the yellow Incredible Miracle uniform over the black version.
5. He deserves, without a doubt, to be in the GSL finals.

Does this mean he can take down the best in the world, though?

by WaxAngel

Though it is often dismissed by certain ESPORTS philistines as a predictable and boring matchup, true ESPORTS connoisseurs with a nose for quality have long appreciated the depth and complexity of a fine Zerg vs Zerg. Of course, it may be difficult for a novice ZvZ enthusiast to sift through the many cheap, non-vintage Zerg vs Zergs flooding the market and find one of real quality, but it is well worth the effort.

In order to provide some assistance, we are suggesting the following vintages:



Full of bold flavors, one is immediately overcome by the richness of this ZvZ. Even the untrained palette can discern a full nine bases, while more experienced ZvZ aficionados may notice up to eleven.

At first, the flavor seems to be dominated by roaches, with nothing to differentiate it from the most pedestrian of ZvZs. However, it then gives way to a massive hit of ultralisks, a flavor that can only be extracted from the finest players with patient, careful maturation over time. With the ultralisks also comes a secondary burst of infestors, further enhancing the quality of this ZvZ. These characteristic are attained through the prodigious use of Nestea, a noble player who always rewards an investment of time and care with astonishing flavors.



While this is indeed an exciting and bold ZvZ, it suffers from a lack of restraint. The deluge of ultralisks, roaches, and infestors is eye-opening at first, but eventually the excess overwhelms the senses. It is a good ZvZ indeed, but more subtle use of the ingredients would have elevated it even further.




Those who expect greatness only from the more well-known players are sorely mistaken. An unexpected gem, this ZvZ features two relatively unknown players in Golden (a varietal of the well known SlayerS) and Terious (a recently overlooked strain from Prime).

Terious possess calm, comforting qualities whereas Golden is fiercely aggressive. Yet, for all of its early fury, Golden has the endurance to be a long lasting flavor. Peculiar as they are, no one would expect a noteworthy ZvZ from just these two players.

However, the mysterious properties of Shakuras Plateau - where this ZvZ was bottled and aged - caused a most wondrous reaction. Components and elements almost too numerous to count all came together and decided to mingle without any semblance of plot or order. And yet, the end result is not dissonance nor harmony. It is better summed up as an experience, a force of nature that defies our understanding.




Zerglings and banelings are a ubiquitous flavor in ZvZ, which has had the misfortune to become associated with the cheap, mass-produced varieties. The so called "double-ling" is not a low-class flavor by its nature; its ease of production simply attracts too many low-class makers.

This fine offering from the Estate de GSL's lesser known Code "A" collection demonstrates that even the most humble ingredients can be made to dance upon the tongue with an exceptional level of refinement.

The use of double-ling in this fine ZvZ could be described as next to perfect, with the two varieties of ling dancing with masterful precision, always used with purpose and never a misstep made. The Curious and Yugioh begin finely balanced, but the most subtle touches are used to slowly enhance the Curious until it is by the end, the dominating sensation.




For a time, it was thought that the the efforts of the upstart American producers were foolhardy as they would never match the Old World ZvZs of Korea. Yet, we have seen some remarkable progress being made in recent months, and at the very least we must recognize that New World ZvZ has great potential.

Destiny and Spanishiwa have often been panned by critics as populist players, fads that will pass once the masses tire of them. However, in this ZvZ of unknown origin, they prove that they can please a crowd and be artisanal at the same time.



There's the massiveness and richness found in best, aged Korean ZvZs, replete with ultralisks and infestors, but there's also a distinct North American terroir. The nydus and queens that are exceeding rare in the Old World can be tasted in abundance in this refreshing ZvZ.

On a curious side note, it is said that some producers have been tinkering with Old/New World hybrids as of late.


Conclusion

The cultured ESPORTS consumer should not fear the upcoming ZvZ with the players Losira and Nestea. Yes, the vintages may have been poor as of late, and we might be desensitized by one too many low-quality table ZvZs. But to lower our expectations to that level is to become sinfully unambitious.

Undoubtedly, this will be an interesting experiment, with the potential for the greatest splendor and the harshest disappointment. At these times we must have the bold and fearless hearts of true ESPORTS connoisseurs, thinking not of the murky depths below but of the great heights to which we might aspire. So let us not be tentative this Saturday, when Losira-Nestea is finally uncorked. Let us all gather, raise our glasses, and take an adventurous swallow together.


At least it's better than that PvP swill.