by Fionn

Over a year ago, the Starcraft community was caught up in the newest feud to hit the scene. With smack talk being thrown back and forth, the biggest rivalry in esports at last year's MLG Columbus was between America's own EG.IdrA against the two-time GSL champion oGs.MC. Two months prior to the MLG event, MC had won vs. 2 - 0 vs. Idra at the Dreamhack Stockholm Invitational and went on to win the entire tournament.

With the most popular foreign player and one of, if not the most popular Korean player butting heads at Columbus, you knew something special was brewing - especially since both had no filter when it came to words. What occurred in Columbus last year was a spectacle that we have only managed to come close to a couple of times, and even Nestea and Naniwa's exchange could be considered minor in comparison.

The rivalry since that night hasn't been the same. What was once a rivalry between two of the biggest stars in Starcraft 2 slowly became a one-sided affair with MC beating up on Idra over and over, knocking him out of various tournaments and tormenting him everywhere he went. Looking at their present record, MC has a 14 - 3 advantage over Idra

The next great Korean vs. foreigner rivalry would not start with a bang like MC vs. Idra, but quietly, only noticed by those who kept their eye on online cups. In December of 2011, Stephano was entering the 5th MSI Pro Cup as the three-time champion, looking to win his fourth straight and continue his monthly paycheck from the tournament run by his then-team Millenium. Polt, having moved from Prime to TSL a few months before, was starting to enter more and more online tournaments on his new team.

December 17th, 2011 is the day the two first met each other in an official tournament. Cast by Khaldor, the two would have an entertaining series, Polt pulling out a very close 2 - 1 win, eliminating Stephano from the tournament and stopping him from winning his fourth straight MSI Pro Cup. The TSL captain would then beat Mana and Thorzain in his next two series to win the first of what would be his own streak of three straight MSI Pro Cup titles, matching Stephano in that department. The two wouldn't be kept apart, and had a second meeting in another online tournament, January's Eizo Cup, where Stephano got revenge for his MSI Pro Cup streak ending, beating Polt in another close 3 - 2 series to tie up the overall score between the two players.

With the records tied 5 - 5, it was the perfect timing for the budding rivalry to move from the online world to bright lights of a live stage. It so happened that ASUS ROG would invite both players to Assembly Winter 2012 just two months later, a rather fortuitous bit of timing. There, the rivalry would finally explode into the mainstream, with StarCraft II fans all around the world realizing how the two players pushed each other to play their best.


Stephano began the tournament on a war path, crushing everyone in his group stage and moving through the knockout bracket with ease. His ZvP was at the top of its game, beating every Protoss that he met without much trouble. Even in the semifinals against Puma, who was still a formidable player at the time, Stephano had nothing to sweat about, sweeping the series 3 - 0 and placing himself in the finals.

Polt, on the other hand, had a rougher start, but he still managed to get by and keep his appointment with Stephano. He had a tough series against TaeJa in the Ro16, an easier victory against Hero in the quarterfinals, and then won a slugfest against Lucky in the semis where Polt was able to finally put down his resilient opponent with a 3 - 1 score. Finally, the stage was set for Polt and Stephano to play their first games in front of a wide audience.

Instead of throat-slashing or middle-fingers, there was only respect between the two, Stephano saying that Polt was the scariest player at the tournament and someone he thought he couldn't beat, and Polt coming back with saying that Stephano was a genius for how well he plays the game. They shook hands, went to their stations, and put on a classic series that still holds up as one of the best of 2012.

Polt took the series and championship 4 - 1, but no one seemed to mind that it was a blowout score. All five games were amazing, extremely close, and the two played at the top of their abilities. The two proved that even a series that didn't go to a final game could still be amazing. The win would do wonders for Team SCV Life, giving them exposure outside of Korea and helping Polt regain position back into Code S with a seed into the second season. As for Stephano, it was his first step on his all too familiar road to superstardom in 2012.

Only a few weeks later at the first Lone Star Clash, the two would continue their story. Even though they were positioned on opposite sides of the bracket, fans were penciling them in for a finals meeting before the tournament started. Neither disappointed their fans, getting to the winner finals and facing each other to see who would get a direct spot into the grand finals. Changing his play style from when the first two met, Stephano caught Polt off guard with his BL/infestor combination (how times change!) instead of the late game ultra composition he used at Assembly.

Polt, still trying to play the way he did against Stephano at Assembly, was able to take the first game on the Terran favored Antiga Shipyard, but couldn't keep up in the next two games, falling to the loser finals and letting Stephano rest up before the final. While he was able to defeat Sleep to make it to the grand finals, Stephano's adjusted style was still too much for Polt in the grand finals, and the Frenchman beat the Korean 3 - 1 to take the Lone Star Clash series 5 - 2 overall.

The two were all tied up in live competition after Lone Star Clash, and for a while after, it seemed like the two couldn't get enough of each other, trading blows in series across the USA. Polt got the better of Stephano at MLG Winter Championship with his marauder-hellion play, only to have Stephano return the favor at MLG's Summer event in Anahiem, winning on the back of some early attacks of his own.

However, since that meeting in sunny southern California, the most promising StarCraft II rivalry of 2012 has been on an unfortunate hiatus. Polt stopped going to international tournaments in the fall to focus on Korean tournaments, trying to get back up to championship form after a run of poor results in Code S. For Stephano, there's been enough going on in his life lately – championships at NASL Season 3 and WCS Europe, and signing with Evil Geniuses – to overshadow all the things that came earlier.

But heading into the second Lone Star Clash, you have to remember that Polt vs. Stephano was, and still is the rivalry of 2012, and that these two made each other famous. This is the first tournament they've been at together in months, and even if they're not even guaranteed to face each other, we'll be damned if these two don't find a way to rekindle their competitive fire. It's sixteen wins for Polt and fifteen wins for Stephano, and both players will want to push themselves ahead. Intense rivals inside the games and friends outside, these two have shone a different light on the Korean vs. Foreigner rivalry. With respect, friendship, and most importantly, amazing games between these two, there is a reason why fans flock to a stream when they hear the words, 'Polt vs. Stephano! Here we go again!'

Rivalries are important for StarCraft II to keep growing. MC vs. Idra, even if they didn't produce the best games, was part of what made MLG Columbus 2011 truly an event to remember, and for many, the moment esports truly arrived. While it's okay for some rivalries to be based on theatrics, you also need ones based on two players bringing out the absolute best in each other when they play.

Does it strike me as odd that I spent so many words talking about a match-up that might not even happen? Not in the slightest. Yellow and Boxer, Grubby and Moon, Flash and Jaedong. These are names fans could read off a list and get excited about, even before a tournament even started. If I can look forward to Polt and Stephano in the same way, then I'm taking it as a sign that no matter what anyone says, StarCraft II is doing alright.