The tides come and go, the big fish eat the little fish, and the new overtake the old. Such is the way of the competitive world, and the contestants must accept that rises and falls are as inevitable as day and night. He who was proclaimed the greatest in the world one week might might find himself humbled by the unlikeliest of opponents the next.
In recent times, this has led some to believe that SC2 is an extremely volatile game, and we are forever cursed to endure a revolving door of new champions. But the truth of the matter is in just 2 years there have been nearly as many major tournaments in SC2’s short life span as there were for the entirety of Brood War's run. With the large amount of international and Korean tournaments, it's no surprise that we've had a wide variety of players call themselves 'champion.' But even in each and every age, a select few players would always fight through the chaos, climb to the top, and overshadow all others.
The latest age, the age of HotS, began as a four man free-for-all with Flash, Innovation, Parting and Life at the summit. It ended with Innovation killing the other three and Soulkey ascending late to throw his name in the competition. But even Soulkey’s miraculous victory over Innovation in the Code S finals only briefly affected the big picture, as Innovation would go on to win WCS Season One finals and take bloody revenge on Soulkey in the OSL. INnoVation is now once again poised to take another major Korean Championship, this time the OSL.
STX_INnoVation is the King of the new age. Ever since giving up his old name of Bogus, Innovation rose to heights he never knew before, hitting the Ro8 of every GSL he has participated in. His raw force of mechanics, already more suited to StarCraft II than Brood War, have been fine tuned to a level of robotic efficiency in Heart of the Swarm. His micro, macro, and multi-tasking are a level above the rest of the Terran race. He has began to learn the finer parts of series strategy, incorporate cheeses to keep his opponents honest while figuring out how to defend his opponents' dastardly tactics. Slowly but surely, Innovation is becoming THE perfect Terran. Even his personality is 100% suited to attaining this perfection: winning is his only goal. He does not win for the sake of fame, fortune, or the recognition of others. He just wins for its own sake.
With such perfect gameplay and a machine-like personality, some may say INnoVation is as boring as he is awe-inspiring. For all of INnoVation's sublime gameplay, he endures none of the struggle or tragedy that gave once robotics Terrans like Mvp and Bomber a heartbeat. But even his detractors must agree that he is a champion we have to give our utmost respect. Not that he wants it, or even cares about it.
The big question for this OSL was never "who will win?," but instead "who can possibly beat Innovation?" INnoVation has proven he more than deserves to be held in such esteem, as he has cruised through the tournament so far, defeating players like Flash and Soulkey while barely looking like he was getting out of second gear. All the while he shouldered the burden of being STX Soul's ace player in Proleague, carrying his team to victory after victory as they headed to the Grand Finals. His TvP is a war machine that grinds down his opponents, while his TvZ is on another plane of existence entirely. INnoVation's only weakness seems to be TvT, if you could call it a weakness at all since the only player he’s lost to in recent memory is Bomber.
For Innovation, this match is a victory march, pure and simple. This will be an affirmation of what we all know: that he is the best player in the world and is on his way to becoming the greatest player of HotS. The HotS era started in chaos, but now there is just one order, the order of INnoVation.
Maru, Prince of the Old Age
On August 8, 2010, sixty-four players made it through a grueling qualifier to enter the first major Korean Starcraft II tournament, the GSL Open. Among those 64 players were old Brood War veterans trying to rekindle their old dreams, hopeful foreigners who were looking for chances in a new game, and youngsters who had only seen progaming from afar. Nearly three years later, nearly all sixty-four of those players have left the GSL. Most have retired, some have gone to the military, some have gone to coaching, and others have moved on to play in WCS NA or EU. Only one player from that first ever GSL Open is now in the OSL, the premier division of Korean StarCraft. Only MaruPrime.
Back during his debut in the GSL Open, Maru wowed the fans as he won his first ever game against fan favorite Cella at the age of thirteen. He also elicited some groans, as first time nerves got the better of him and he played one of the uglier games the GSL had ever seen. Now 2 years and 11 months later he is still the youngest player remaining in the tournament, is still wowing the crowds with his micro, and still occasionally causes palm and forehead to meet due to his prodigious cheesing ability. But instead of being a novelty, a player more interesting for his age than his play, he is now a legitimate threat to reach the finals of the most difficult tournament in the world.
In many ways, Maru’s appearance in the ro4 is the most surprising possible result. First was on an insane hot-streak. SuperNoVa had the veteran cunning and intelligent series planning needed in a Bo5 format. Symbol was Korea's paragon of consistency. Maru? Maru’s entire career hae been one of middling results as he has constantly bounced around in the high Code A/low Code S zone. While always a solid Terran player with a talent for cheesing and micro, Maru never looked like a guy who could outplan and outplay a real Code S title contender in a best of five series. At least, that was the perception when this season started. Prime was doing terribly in the GSTL, Maru wasn't exactly helping them stay out of last place, and he didn't look all that different from usual.
But once the OSL started, Maru began pulling out surprise victory after surprise victory as he eliminated effort, sOs, Trap and Supernova in his run to the quarter-finals. If anyone thought this run was a fluke, he disproved it by destroying the incredibly consistent Code S player Symbol by a 3 - 1 scoreline.
Maru has been playing the best Starcraft of his life. He is bringing great aggressive builds tailored to the OSL maps. His macro is on point. His micro is some of the best we've seen in a long time, making us remember why we once called him the MarinePrince. While players like INnoVation, Bomber, and First have been hogging the spotlight for most of the OSL, Maru is forcing himself into the title conversation with every good performance.
Although Maru's performance has been the surprise of the season, you could look at it as an inevitability of time. So long as a player is passionate and willing to keep putting in the effort, eventually the results must come. In the first 2 years of WoL, there were three young prodigies that people were watching for each race. They were: Creator, Life and Maru. Creator would go on to become a top 3 Protoss in the world. Life became the best player in the world at the end of WoL and through the beginning of HotS. It's been a long time coming, but Maru is finally living up to his potential.
The next chapter in this coming of age story? Beat the best player in the world.
Overall Predictions and Thoughts
This is a Terran vs. Terran, but it's also a clash of opposites. INnoVation is the champion of KeSPA, and a long time veteran who is still a newcomer in StarCraft II. Maru is just fifteen, but is one of the most experienced veterans of StarCraft II and the eSF. Will the new old champion continue his reign over Korea or will the old young challenger rise to occasion?
I'm definitely okay with Maru winning, but part of me wants Innovation to win everything for at least a few months, just so I can think of him as godly. I like it when a dominant player is able to continually assert their dominance over a long period of time.
I followed Maru a bit closer through the early HotS days, weeks and months. To me this is no surprise that he got so far in this OSL. Since HotS launch he has been doing very well overall. When he entered online qualifier, he allways went far. When he entered smaller online tournaments, he allways went far. He was the only one of the last GSTL season on prime that delivered more than once. So far he showed only good results in HotS. Gameplay wise he has improved a lot. To me, he is like the better version of marineking. He has equal mechanics, but brings them to the table without any big blunders or very questionable decisions. I won't say, that he'll beat Innovation for sure, but he totally has a chance here and if he brings his best game tomorrow, he will succeed! GL Maru
I can't see Maru winning more than one game. He's always capable of pulling out some wacky planned build, and TvT is a pretty good match up for that style these days, but I don't think he's going to clip Innovation more than once.
On July 30 2013 09:05 monsta wrote: Heart: Maru Head: Innovation gl hf MaruPrime the terran from the young Trio
Huh? Wasn't the young trio Taeja, Life, and Creator?
Taeja's like two years older than the rest. It's always been Maru, Life and Creator, but Maru was always seen as the failure of the Prodigy Trio due to Life's two GSL titles, Triple Crown and other accolades, and Creator winning TSL4, winning WCS Korea 2012 and then getting runner-up at the WCS Finals.
On July 30 2013 09:05 monsta wrote: Heart: Maru Head: Innovation gl hf MaruPrime the terran from the young Trio
Huh? Wasn't the young trio Taeja, Life, and Creator?
Taeja's like two years older than the rest. It's always been Maru, Life and Creator, but Maru was always seen as the failure of the Prodigy Trio due to Life's two GSL titles, Triple Crown and other accolades, and Creator winning TSL4, winning WCS Korea 2012 and then getting runner-up at the WCS Finals.
There should be a liquipedia page on the Prodigy Trio for next generations. SC2 need historians .
Needs to hide strategy for pro league final so Innovation will play ractionary and safe. Maru will come with builds for every map. It will all comes down to Maru's execution and Innovation's defence/counter.
I first saw the news in the tiny picture on the starting page (while the "Tyrant's Path story was enlarged), and I SWEAR that Maru looks like a woman, due to his hoodie looking like an extension of his hair. Look it up. But be warned, once you see it....
I think maru will win, i remember watching his stream some time ago and going "Wow this is the best TvT i've ever seen !" Innovation has more experience with big matches though, so you never know.
On July 30 2013 18:00 Confuse wrote: Maru easy 4-2, innovation's weakest match up is the one where he can't exploit racial imbalance. well we'll see, betting maru 4-2.
this post is utterly disgusting tempted to say nasty things about you but that would be mean and hopefully you just feel ashamed already
On July 30 2013 18:00 Confuse wrote: Maru easy 4-2, innovation's weakest match up is the one where he can't exploit racial imbalance. well we'll see, betting maru 4-2.
this post is utterly disgusting tempted to say nasty things about you but that would be mean and hopefully you just feel ashamed already
edited to remove spoilers, whoops.
every player has their own fans, respect please : ]
On July 30 2013 18:00 Confuse wrote: Maru easy 4-2, innovation's weakest match up is the one where he can't exploit racial imbalance. well we'll see, betting maru 4-2.
this post is utterly disgusting tempted to say nasty things about you but that would be mean and hopefully you just feel ashamed already
edited to remove spoilers, whoops.
every player has their own fans, respect please : ]
i meant it's disgusting that you would say "innovation's weakest match up is the one where he can't exploit racial imbalance." lmao
Man, those all-ins were like masterworks of mindgames. "Who would expect an all-in this many times in a row?"
Well certainly not Lee Shin Hyung. (Or Hong Jin Ho.)
I like the double medivacs. It feels like its kinda hard to read those all-ins without burning a scan or scv scouting really well. The 1-1-1 with cc before fac is so flexible and can look like many different attacks..
I'd rather we hype Flash than innovation...sure he's looked good for a month or two, but c'mon Flash is far and beyond the more talented progamer here..
also grats to Maru for grabbing an OSL finals spot...that's so sick nerd balls to the wall moves he pulled on innovation! :3
wasn't that exciting as i expected ... don't like this kind of maru's playingstyle, but he crushed Innovation with very suprising and aggressive play ... (I did not see the 4th game) but in fact it was a boring semifinal, wasn't it?
now we will see a lot of cheese tvt on ladder, i guess
But once the OSL started, Maru began pulling out surprise victory after surprise victory as he eliminated effort, sOs, Trap and Supernova in his run to the quarter-finals. If anyone thought this run was a fluke, he disproved it by destroying the incredibly consistent Code S player Symbol by a 3 - 1 scoreline. (...) The next chapter in this coming of age story? Beat the best player in the world.
And now he has destroyed the best player in the world!
On July 30 2013 07:28 Aunvilgod wrote: I think Bogus will win. I think his style is very good against a player like Maru who I think of as someone who likes aggression and Banshees.
Turns out that a style of hyper greedy zero scouting is not very good against someone who likss aggression and banshees.
god fucking damnit i was hyped as fuck for this, and seeing maru dismantle innovation. by god. today we saw that even a god king can bleed. maru reminding us of the glory days of gsl open 1. glad to see him finally living up to his potential.
now if bomber can beat rain, esf can finally look at kespa, and say paybacks a bitch.
really ppl love this kind of game ??? ha ofc represent low ppl playing this game it's cool to have a low player winning this so a shame for e-sport ... hellbat was more interesting than these game, really.
Edit : anyone can do cheese like these, gm doesn't mean anything ! gg maru
Maru cheesing his way to victory exposed a large weakness in Innovation's play and mental state and it was a beautiful sight to behold. Although id rather have had Innovation win Maru showed us that Innovation isn't ready to be the Mvp 2.0 of dynasties and still has some growing to do as a player.
On July 31 2013 03:53 gongshow41 wrote: Maru cheesing his way to victory exposed a large weakness in Innovation's play and mental state and it was a beautiful sight to behold. Although id rather have had Innovation win Maru showed us that Innovation isn't ready to be the Mvp 2.0 of dynasties and still has some growing to do as a player.
While I agree that longer macro games could have more exciting, isnt rule #1 that you have to get past the opening and protect yourself from cheeses? Innovation did not do that and was not playing well so he didnt deserve to win. I mean c'mon going CC first in Game 3 before scouting your opponent after he just did two cheeses??? Even I know that sounds way too risky for a Round of 4.
Maru played much better and played to weaknesses and was so aggressive that it made Innovation look silly. If i was a little bummed about the cheeses in the first two games, the gameplay and decision-making in the last two games clearly showed that Maru was playing better, especially since they did the same build in game 4. GG WP. Go Maru!
Innovation experiencing a few different levels of his Brood War ID namesake
EPT
STX_INnoVation is the King of the new age. Ever since giving up his old name of Bogus, Innovation rose to heights he never knew before, hitting the Ro8 of every GSL he has participated in. His raw force of mechanics, already more suited to StarCraft II than Brood War, have been fine tuned to a level of robotic efficiency in Heart of the Swarm. His micro, macro, and multi-tasking are a level above the rest of the Terran race. He has began to learn the finer parts of series strategy, incorporate cheeses to keep his opponents honest while figuring out how to defend his opponents' dastardly tactics. Slowly but surely, Innovation is becoming THE perfect Terran. Even his personality is 100% suited to attaining this perfection: winning is his only goal. He does not win for the sake of fame, fortune, or the recognition of others. He just wins for its own sake. ![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Waxangel/OSL/auction13/ro8bracket_2.png)
