*WARNING!!! ALL OF THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS AND TEXT ARE SPOILER HEAVY!!!*
*WARNING!!! ALL OF THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS AND TEXT ARE SPOILER HEAVY!!!*
*WARNING!!! ALL OF THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS AND TEXT ARE SPOILER HEAVY!!!*
All of the following is just what I've been able to piece together from the gameplay footage and cinematics we've seen so far. Most of this stuff is from BlizzCon '08 or '09, so it's not necessarily still in the game (but it probably is). I recommend that you read/watch everything in the spoilers in order from top to bottom to make it easier to understand.
For those of you who don't know, Jimmy Raynor actually had a criminal background before the events of SC and BW along with a man named Tychus Findlay. This is them meeting each other once again.
The man that Tychus is refering to that is interested in the alien (Xel'Naga) artifacts is actually Valerian Mengsk, of the Möebius Foundation and son of Emperor Mengsk, lord and master of the Terran Dominion.
If you just watch from 1:00 through to 1:50, you will see the closing scene in the mission directly after the cinematic above. This shows Matt Horner flying the Hyperion in to rescue Raynor and Findlay from the encroaching Zerg swarm.
This is the scene directly after Raynor and Findlay make it back on the Hyperion. They are shocked to learn that Sarah Kerrigan, The Queen of Blades, has returned after the swarm's 4 year period of inactivity.
At an undisclosed time before the above scenes on the Hyperion, Zeratul finds a Xel'Naga temple of some great significance and is confronted by Kerrigan.
In an extension of this scene, in a video with such awful sound quality it's just not worth posting, Kerrigan also says to Zeratul: "Do you hear them Zeratul? Whispering from the stars? The galaxy will burn with their coming," alluding to the Xel'Naga's imminent return.
Back on the Hyperion, on his way back from the cantina to recover from the shocking new information that the Zerg have returned, Raynor, is met by Zeratul, who imparts the new information he has learned: "The Xel'Naga return, the cycle nears its end, the artifacts are the key."
Just to be clear, all of the following is just my personal speculation:
So what the heck does all of this mean? For my explanation I'm going to assume that you already know all of the events that transpired over the corse of SC and BW. If you don't, I HIGHLY recommend you read This and This. The ending of BW left us with the UED being destroyed completely, Mengsk in charge of the Terran Dominion, the Protoss in shambles trying to merge the Dark and High templar societies together, and Kerrigan and her Zerg minions dominating the whole Koprulu Sector. SC2 begins four years later.
During this time between games the Zerg and Kerrigan completely vanish. Zeratul also vanishes, never to be seen. Raynor is posted as the number one criminal in the Terran Dominion, as Mengsk tries to hunt him down. Not much has been shown to us regarding progress in Protoss cultural integration, but I speculate that nothing particularly interesting is happening from their point of view; they're busy trying to rebuild themselves after their homeworld (Aiur) was purged by the Zerg.
Zeratul has been doing some interesting work during his 'disappearance', however. The text in the following spoiler is a transcript of his conversation with Duran at the end of the BW secret mission, Dark Origin. The context is Zeratul discovering a Zerg/Protoss hybrid in perfect cryo sleep in a stasis cell, and he is horrified at the potential power of such a beast.
Duran: "I've had many names throughout the millennia, young prodigal. You would know me best as Samir Duran."
Zeratul: "Kerrigan's consort! Is this part of her twisted schemes?"
Duran: "No. Young Kerrigan could not have engineered this grand experiment. Although her rebirth into the Zerg Swarm has sped up my progress, I can assure you that this endeavor is quite beyond her narrow understanding."
Zeratul: "If you are not her pawn, then what are you?"
Duran: "I am a servant of a far greater power. A power that has slept for countless ages. And is reflected in the creature within that cell."
Zeratul: "Have you any conception of what you've created here? Do you have any idea what this... this Hybrid is capable of?"
Duran: "Of course I do. This creature is the completion of a cycle. Its role in the cosmic order was preordained when the stars were young. Behold the culmination of your history."
Zeratul: "All I behold is an abomination."
Duran: "Your violence, young prodigal, is typical. As is your inability to comprehend the greater scheme of things. You can destroy all of the specimens here. It will do you no good. For I have seeded the Hybrid on many, many worlds. You will never find them all before they awaken... And when they do... your universe will be changed... forever."
After this strange encounter, Zeratul leaves on a four year mission to learn more information about the Xel'Naga, in a desperate attempt to try to stop their return. If you don't know anything about the nature of the "Cycle" and the Xel'Naga, the I recommend you read this article. If you don't want to read that whole thing, then all you really need to understand is this:
The Xel'Naga are an incredibly powerful race that can live easily for millions of years. Unfortunately, they are not capable of reproduction in the way that we think of it. A generation of Xel'Naga is created from merging two races, one that represents a purity of form (like the Protoss), and one that represents a purity of essence (like the Zerg). The Xel'Naga travel across the stars in massive "Worldships" genetically altering various races that they encounter, trying to create the purity of form and essence that they need. Upon doing so, they will merge the two races together (we don't really know how), and then the hybrids will be the next generation of Xel'Naga. Both of the races are destroyed in the process of giving birth to the Xel'Naga. This form of indirect reproduction of the Xel'Nagas' is referred to as "The Cycle". If a generation of Xel'Naga is unable to engineer and merge the perfect races, then the Xel'Naga will go extinct forever.
So the current generation of Xel'Naga in the SC continuum is nearing their deaths now that they have lived for who knows how long, possibly billions of years, and they haven't been able to make any races that they believe are more pure in form or essence than the Protoss and Zerg (and yes, the Xel'Naga did create both of those races). The Xel'Naga are now returning to merge the Protoss and Zerg by whatever force is necessary to keep their species alive. This is most likely going to be the major crisis in SC2, as if the Xel'Naga succeed, the Zerg and Protoss will be utterly destroyed.
The Xel'Naga artifacts that have begun popping up around the sector are sought after by many factions. Zeratul seeks them to try to find some way to stop the Xel'Naga. Kerrigan desires them as well, but her motives are still unknown to us (it is implied so far that Kerrigan knows much more about the Xel'Naga than anyone else). Jimmy Raynor and Tychus Findlay are looking for them now to sell them off to Valerian Mengsk, who is also implied to be rather knowledgeable about the Xel'Naga, but it isn't completely clear why he is after the artifacts. The Dominion also is trying to gather the artifacts, and has started regulating trade among the Dominion controlled worlds in hopes of seizing them, but again, Emperor Mengsk's motives are unknown.
Discussing Samir Duran just makes my head hurt, so I won't say much about him. Some people say he's an infested terran, some people say he's a Xel'Naga, some people say he's a Zerg/Protoss hybrid, some people say he's actually a sentient Khaydarin Crystal fragment, like the Uraj or Khalis. Whatever he is, it seems to me like he is against Terran, Zerg, and Protoss alike, and that his actions make him seem like he's an ally of the Xel'Naga, even if he ins't of of them himself. His experiments in hybridizing the Protoss and Zerg make it seem like he could've been sent by the Xel'Naga to try to find a way to merge the species together by the time the Xel'Naga arrive in the Koprulu sector, making their job easier when they get there. It's also possible that he's just a very wealthy Terran doing exparaments to make the perfect pet. We won't know for a long while–probably until the final expansion of SC2.
Sure hope everyone that sees/reads all of this won't hate me for spoiling everything for them :p
On July 02 2010 07:44 Qzy wrote: My brain can't contain all this story - is there a link where they tell the basic BW/SC story? I never was much into story in SC
On July 02 2010 07:44 Qzy wrote: My brain can't contain all this story - is there a link where they tell the basic BW/SC story? I never was much into story in SC
yep look the video called a new era @http://us.starcraft2.com/dominion/
On July 02 2010 07:44 Qzy wrote: My brain can't contain all this story - is there a link where they tell the basic BW/SC story? I never was much into story in SC
yep look the video called a new era @http://us.starcraft2.com/dominion/
Some of that video is actually inaccurate, and it only covers half the story. There's nothing in there about BW. Again, I recommend This and This.
Well, I don't know how much if anything Kerrigan knows about the Xel'Naga... the Overmind must have known a lot, since it consumed the last Xel'Naga out engineering the Zerg, but how much of this Kerrigan knows is obscure. She might have learned something from the Cerebrates before they died.
As for Valerian Mengsk, I doubt he knows much about the Xel'Naga, he's after the artifacts because he has an interest in xenoarchaeology, it's just a hobby for him. Remember that when Valerian gives out the Xel'Naga artifact collection missions, the Zerg are still silent as they've been for years, and the Protoss haven't interacted with the Terrans much either. It's possible that with the return of the Swarm, he hopes to derive weapons of some sort from the Xel'Naga technology, but we can't say for sure.
As far as the Xel'Naga's return goes, that's all very murky. I personally am far from enthusiastic about their supposed return - for one thing, both the Protoss and the Zerg kicked their arses ages ago, and that was before the Protoss developed their technology or Templar Warriors, and before the Zerg assimilated the species that would become the Zergling, the Hydralisk, the Ultralisk, the Mutalisk... and so on. Both of these species are far more powerful now than they were when the beat the Xel'Naga previously, and the Xel'Naga themselves are dying... they shouldn't be that much of a threat.
Also, I hate it because thematically, I dread a scenario similar to Reign of Chaos' where everyone had to ally against the Burning Legion. I really don't think the best way to go with the StarCraft storyline ends with Protoss and Zerg (and Terran?) fighting side by side.
Also, the Xel'Naga are supposedly a benevolent species. The process of merging the Zerg and Protoss is supposed to be peaceful and harmonious, not like Zerg assimilation, or Duran's hybrids. It's a bit doubtful that this is what the Xel'Naga are going for, unless they've become very desperate.
Any way, StarCraft Legacy has a pair of very informative articles on the subject, here and here.
On July 02 2010 08:58 Fanatic-Templar wrote: Well, I don't know how much if anything Kerrigan knows about the Xel'Naga... the Overmind must have known a lot, since it consumed the last Xel'Naga out engineering the Zerg, but how much of this Kerrigan knows is obscure. She might have learned something from the Cerebrates before they died.
As for Valerian Mengsk, I doubt he knows much about the Xel'Naga, he's after the artifacts because he has an interest in xenoarchaeology, it's just a hobby for him. Remember that when + Show Spoiler +
Valerian gives out the Xel'Naga artifact collection missions, the Zerg are still silent as they've been for years, and the Protoss haven't interacted with the Terrans much either. It's possible that with the return of the Swarm, he hopes to derive weapons of some sort from the Xel'Naga technology, but we can't say for sure.
As far as the Xel'Naga's return goes, that's all very murky. I personally am far from enthusiastic about their supposed return - for one thing, both the Protoss and the Zerg kicked their arses ages ago, and that was before the Protoss developed their technology or Templar Warriors, and before the Zerg assimilated the species that would become the Zergling, the Hydralisk, the Ultralisk, the Mutalisk... and so on. Both of these species are far more powerful now than they were when the beat the Xel'Naga previously, and the Xel'Naga themselves are dying... they shouldn't be that much of a threat.
Also, I hate it because thematically, I dread a scenario similar to Reign of Chaos' where everyone had to ally against the Burning Legion. I really don't think the best way to go with the StarCraft storyline ends with Protoss and Zerg (and Terran?) fighting side by side.
Also, the Xel'Naga are supposedly a benevolent species. The process of merging the Zerg and Protoss is supposed to be peaceful and harmonious, not like Zerg assimilation, or Duran's hybrids. It's a bit doubtful that this is what the Xel'Naga are going for, unless they've become very desperate.
Any way, StarCraft Legacy has a pair of very informative articles on the subject, here and here.
I agree with everything said in ur post if all the races unite to defeat the "naga i will be dissapointed and it will feel really lame to me
On July 02 2010 08:58 Fanatic-Templar wrote: Well, I don't know how much if anything Kerrigan knows about the Xel'Naga... the Overmind must have known a lot, since it consumed the last Xel'Naga out engineering the Zerg, but how much of this Kerrigan knows is obscure. She might have learned something from the Cerebrates before they died.
As for Valerian Mengsk, I doubt he knows much about the Xel'Naga, he's after the artifacts because he has an interest in xenoarchaeology, it's just a hobby for him. Remember that when Valerian gives out the Xel'Naga artifact collection missions, the Zerg are still silent as they've been for years, and the Protoss haven't interacted with the Terrans much either. It's possible that with the return of the Swarm, he hopes to derive weapons of some sort from the Xel'Naga technology, but we can't say for sure.
As far as the Xel'Naga's return goes, that's all very murky. I personally am far from enthusiastic about their supposed return - for one thing, both the Protoss and the Zerg kicked their arses ages ago, and that was before the Protoss developed their technology or Templar Warriors, and before the Zerg assimilated the species that would become the Zergling, the Hydralisk, the Ultralisk, the Mutalisk... and so on. Both of these species are far more powerful now than they were when the beat the Xel'Naga previously, and the Xel'Naga themselves are dying... they shouldn't be that much of a threat.
Also, I hate it because thematically, I dread a scenario similar to Reign of Chaos' where everyone had to ally against the Burning Legion. I really don't think the best way to go with the StarCraft storyline ends with Protoss and Zerg (and Terran?) fighting side by side.
Also, the Xel'Naga are supposedly a benevolent species. The process of merging the Zerg and Protoss is supposed to be peaceful and harmonious, not like Zerg assimilation, or Duran's hybrids. It's a bit doubtful that this is what the Xel'Naga are going for, unless they've become very desperate.
Any way, StarCraft Legacy has a pair of very informative articles on the subject, here and here.
I feel that it is made fairly explicit that the Xel'Naga are hostile. Zeratul, upon returning from a Xel'Naga temple, urgently told Raynor that he had "Tidings of doom" and that the "Xel'Naga are returning" in the same breath. This alone makes me feel that it's supposed to be clear that the Xel'Naga could be hostile this time around.
I think the way the Xel'Nagas' supposed pacifism is expressed in the recent Voice in the Darkness comics is that the "Xel'Naga value life above all else". Although that's probably not the exact wording, the idea is that the Xel'Naga value life, it's not that they hate violence. It would be easy for the Xel'Naga to justify forcefully merging Zerg and Protoss, potentially eradicating both races to create a new generation of Xel'Naga, if the Xel'Naga just told themselves that they could create 100 times more life in the universe if they were just to kill off the Protoss and Zerg to continue their own lives.
Also, regarding how you say Kerrigan and Valerian are unlikely to know much about the Xel'Naga, I say Kerrigan is probably well informed after seeing the cinematic with her meeting Zeratul. She arrived at that important location related to the Xel'Naga well before Zeratul, which makes me think that she knows at least something. She also knows that the artifacts are important, although how we don't yet know, since she is off collecting them now. Valerian I think didn't know much about the Xel'Naga before he started gathering up the artifacts, but now that he has come into possession of several and has probably studied them thoroughly, I'm sure he's learned something of importance. If he hadn't, I'm not sure he would pursue his hobbies so far as to circumvent Dominion trade regulations and risk death if he were to be discovered.
On July 02 2010 07:44 Qzy wrote: My brain can't contain all this story - is there a link where they tell the basic BW/SC story? I never was much into story in SC
SC and SC:BW had such a good storyline, and I can't wait for it to be continued after all these years, i hope it can fill the shoes of such a classic game
On July 02 2010 08:58 Fanatic-Templar wrote: Well, I don't know how much if anything Kerrigan knows about the Xel'Naga... the Overmind must have known a lot, since it consumed the last Xel'Naga out engineering the Zerg, but how much of this Kerrigan knows is obscure. She might have learned something from the Cerebrates before they died.
As for Valerian Mengsk, I doubt he knows much about the Xel'Naga, he's after the artifacts because he has an interest in xenoarchaeology, it's just a hobby for him. Remember that when Valerian gives out the Xel'Naga artifact collection missions, the Zerg are still silent as they've been for years, and the Protoss haven't interacted with the Terrans much either. It's possible that with the return of the Swarm, he hopes to derive weapons of some sort from the Xel'Naga technology, but we can't say for sure.
As far as the Xel'Naga's return goes, that's all very murky. I personally am far from enthusiastic about their supposed return - for one thing, both the Protoss and the Zerg kicked their arses ages ago, and that was before the Protoss developed their technology or Templar Warriors, and before the Zerg assimilated the species that would become the Zergling, the Hydralisk, the Ultralisk, the Mutalisk... and so on. Both of these species are far more powerful now than they were when the beat the Xel'Naga previously, and the Xel'Naga themselves are dying... they shouldn't be that much of a threat.
Also, I hate it because thematically, I dread a scenario similar to Reign of Chaos' where everyone had to ally against the Burning Legion. I really don't think the best way to go with the StarCraft storyline ends with Protoss and Zerg (and Terran?) fighting side by side.
Also, the Xel'Naga are supposedly a benevolent species. The process of merging the Zerg and Protoss is supposed to be peaceful and harmonious, not like Zerg assimilation, or Duran's hybrids. It's a bit doubtful that this is what the Xel'Naga are going for, unless they've become very desperate.
Any way, StarCraft Legacy has a pair of very informative articles on the subject, here and here.
I feel that it is made fairly explicit that the Xel'Naga are hostile. Zeratul, upon returning from a Xel'Naga temple, urgently told Raynor that he had "Tidings of doom" and that the "Xel'Naga are returning" in the same breath. This alone makes me feel that it's supposed to be clear that the Xel'Naga could be hostile this time around.
I think the way the Xel'Nagas' supposed pacifism is expressed in the recent Voice in the Darkness comics is that the "Xel'Naga value life above all else". Although that's probably not the exact wording, the idea is that the Xel'Naga value life, it's not that they hate violence. It would be easy for the Xel'Naga to justify forcefully merging Zerg and Protoss, potentially eradicating both races to create a new generation of Xel'Naga, if the Xel'Naga just told themselves that they could create 100 times more life in the universe if they were just to kill off the Protoss and Zerg to continue their own lives.
Also, regarding how you say Kerrigan and Valerian are unlikely to know much about the Xel'Naga, I say Kerrigan is probably well informed after seeing the cinematic with her meeting Zeratul. She arrived at that important location related to the Xel'Naga well before Zeratul, which makes me think that she knows at least something. She also knows that the artifacts are important, although how we don't yet know, since she is off collecting them now. Valerian I think didn't know much about the Xel'Naga before he started gathering up the artifacts, but now that he has come into possession of several and has probably studied them thoroughly, I'm sure he's learned something of importance. If he hadn't, I'm not sure he would pursue his hobbies so far as to circumvent Dominion trade regulations and risk death if he were to be discovered.
Well, a lot of information about this comes from the Dark Templar Trilogy. I haven't gotten my hands on those books yet, but from what I could gather at sites like StarCraft Legacy or the StarCraft Wiki, Preserver Zamara seems quite adamant that the Xel'Naga have nothing to do with the hybrids, and that those hybrids (or similar creatures created by Ulrezaj) are not capable of continuing the cycle.
Anyway, Zeratul isn't clear about what or who he's talking about, it could be the hybrids, and not the Xel'Naga, that are the doom he predicts. Or it could just be something about Kerrigan, but that doesn't seem likely, given his counsel to Raynor.
Anyway, Kerrigan clearly knows something, I was mostly wondering how much, and from what source. Valerian I'm pretty sure doesn't. He's already defied his father when it comes to searching for those artifacts. Besides, simply from a logistical point of view, it's unlikely we're going to get much answers in Wings of Liberty, the Terran Campaign. Probably just more questions.
On July 02 2010 08:58 Fanatic-Templar wrote: Well, I don't know how much if anything Kerrigan knows about the Xel'Naga... the Overmind must have known a lot, since it consumed the last Xel'Naga out engineering the Zerg, but how much of this Kerrigan knows is obscure. She might have learned something from the Cerebrates before they died.
As for Valerian Mengsk, I doubt he knows much about the Xel'Naga, he's after the artifacts because he has an interest in xenoarchaeology, it's just a hobby for him. Remember that when Valerian gives out the Xel'Naga artifact collection missions, the Zerg are still silent as they've been for years, and the Protoss haven't interacted with the Terrans much either. It's possible that with the return of the Swarm, he hopes to derive weapons of some sort from the Xel'Naga technology, but we can't say for sure.
As far as the Xel'Naga's return goes, that's all very murky. I personally am far from enthusiastic about their supposed return - for one thing, both the Protoss and the Zerg kicked their arses ages ago, and that was before the Protoss developed their technology or Templar Warriors, and before the Zerg assimilated the species that would become the Zergling, the Hydralisk, the Ultralisk, the Mutalisk... and so on. Both of these species are far more powerful now than they were when the beat the Xel'Naga previously, and the Xel'Naga themselves are dying... they shouldn't be that much of a threat.
Also, I hate it because thematically, I dread a scenario similar to Reign of Chaos' where everyone had to ally against the Burning Legion. I really don't think the best way to go with the StarCraft storyline ends with Protoss and Zerg (and Terran?) fighting side by side.
Also, the Xel'Naga are supposedly a benevolent species. The process of merging the Zerg and Protoss is supposed to be peaceful and harmonious, not like Zerg assimilation, or Duran's hybrids. It's a bit doubtful that this is what the Xel'Naga are going for, unless they've become very desperate.
Any way, StarCraft Legacy has a pair of very informative articles on the subject, here and here.
I feel that it is made fairly explicit that the Xel'Naga are hostile. Zeratul, upon returning from a Xel'Naga temple, urgently told Raynor that he had "Tidings of doom" and that the "Xel'Naga are returning" in the same breath. This alone makes me feel that it's supposed to be clear that the Xel'Naga could be hostile this time around.
I think the way the Xel'Nagas' supposed pacifism is expressed in the recent Voice in the Darkness comics is that the "Xel'Naga value life above all else". Although that's probably not the exact wording, the idea is that the Xel'Naga value life, it's not that they hate violence. It would be easy for the Xel'Naga to justify forcefully merging Zerg and Protoss, potentially eradicating both races to create a new generation of Xel'Naga, if the Xel'Naga just told themselves that they could create 100 times more life in the universe if they were just to kill off the Protoss and Zerg to continue their own lives.
Also, regarding how you say Kerrigan and Valerian are unlikely to know much about the Xel'Naga, I say Kerrigan is probably well informed after seeing the cinematic with her meeting Zeratul. She arrived at that important location related to the Xel'Naga well before Zeratul, which makes me think that she knows at least something. She also knows that the artifacts are important, although how we don't yet know, since she is off collecting them now. Valerian I think didn't know much about the Xel'Naga before he started gathering up the artifacts, but now that he has come into possession of several and has probably studied them thoroughly, I'm sure he's learned something of importance. If he hadn't, I'm not sure he would pursue his hobbies so far as to circumvent Dominion trade regulations and risk death if he were to be discovered.
Well, a lot of information about this comes from the Dark Templar Trilogy. I haven't gotten my hands on those books yet, but from what I could gather at sites like StarCraft Legacy or the StarCraft Wiki, Preserver Zamara seems quite adamant that the Xel'Naga have nothing to do with the hybrids, and that those hybrids (or similar creatures created by Ulrezaj) are not capable of continuing the cycle.
Anyway, Zeratul isn't clear about what or who he's talking about, it could be the hybrids, and not the Xel'Naga, that are the doom he predicts. Or it could just be something about Kerrigan, but that doesn't seem likely, given his counsel to Raynor.
Anyway, Kerrigan clearly knows something, I was mostly wondering how much, and from what source. Valerian I'm pretty sure doesn't. He's already defied his father when it comes to searching for those artifacts. Besides, simply from a logistical point of view, it's unlikely we're going to get much answers in Wings of Liberty, the Terran Campaign. Probably just more questions.
Set it to about 2:10 and you'll hear Zeratul say:
"I bring tidings of doom. The Xel'Naga are returning"
This is why I'm concerned. I haven't read any of the novels, just played through the campaigns, so my ability to discuss this is somewhat limited, but from that quote, sure sounds like Zeratul thinks the Xel'Naga are coming back in force.
Then again, that is an '07 cinematic, which is why I didn't put it in the OP, so it is likely to be inaccurate at this point.
Well, that would be damning indeed. The fact that that line was removed may indicate that the Xel'Naga have been removed as the main antagonist (and the Dark Templar Trilogy was published between 2007 and 2009). Or it might not. You could be entirely correct that the Xel'Naga are going to be StarCraft II's antagonist, I just wanted to note that this isn't certain yet, just speculation.
Well Blizzard (by means of Karune) have confirmed that there are actually Xel'Naga unit models that will be used in the single player campaign. You're right, though, the fact that that line has been removed indicates that they might not be the bad guys. Either way, I'm just super excited to learn more about them and see how they look in WoL.
Blizzard already said that the hybrids and Xel'Naga will be part of the MAIN StarCraft II story (meaning they will play a role in each of the 3 games).
I dont think they are the antagonists, it goes against everything the lore has stated about them - good beings.
I honestly think Duran works for an evil faction - probably the arch-nemesi of the Xel'Naga race, i mean come on every race has its own evil alternate; Protoss had Zerg, Terran have themselves/Kerrigan, in Warcraft is was Human/Orc, Night Elf/Undead/Burning Legion. It would continue with Blizzard's fundamental "two sides to a coin" overall design.
Blizz also said in an interview that you will interact with the hybrids, they are however a 'neutral' race.
On July 02 2010 12:20 Windblade wrote: Blizzard already said that the hybrids and Xel'Naga will be part of the MAIN StarCraft II story (meaning they will play a role in each of the 3 games).
I dont think they are the antagonists, it goes against everything the lore has stated about them - good beings.
I honestly think Duran works for an evil faction - probably the arch-nemesi of the Xel'Naga race, i mean come on every race has its own evil alternate; Protoss had Zerg, Terran have themselves/Kerrigan, in Warcraft is was Human/Orc, Night Elf/Undead/Burning Legion. It would continue with Blizzard's fundamental "two sides to a coin" overall design.
Blizz also said in an interview that you will interact with the hybrids, they are however a 'neutral' race.
I've seen Karune say that they have Xel'Naga unit models in the single player campaign, and I assumed there were hybrids, but can you actually show me a link where it declares them to be neutral? I'm admittedly skeptical, but I'd be interested if this were actually true.
It was one of the older ones, it might have been an interview id link it but...it was a long time ago and tbh i dont have the time to go digging through every interview T.T to be on the safe side, i know for a fact he never said good or bad, im quite confident he said they will be doing their own things or something, but i do remember for sure he said that you will meet and have some interactions with them in the single-player
My instinct tells me the main drama will probably revolve around the Xel'Naga's Phoenix creatures and/or the strange Void creature, perhaps to destroy said energy creature things. It would make sense that the artifacts that Zeratul talks about may have to do with shutting down these Xel'Naga temples and in fact, the vortex Zeratul falls in that was created by the energy creatures may well be the way he got to the temple in the Old Rivals video.
The problem with that would be the fact that these artifacts seems to be keys to the xel'naga temples, if anything Zeratul could literally mean that the artifacts are the key to a Xel'Naga device that could very well be needed to be activated to initiate the final sequence of the Cycle or complete it entirely.
Wow...maybe the XN are coming to activate said device? Considering Zeratul knows of the Cycle, i find it hard to believe he would try to prevent it, he just doesnt know if the protoss will be destroyed immediately or if it will be gradual me thinks.
Ok so did everyone miss the "but do they come to save or destoy?" in the Old Rivals cinematic? Also:
the protoss referred to the xel'naga as the Ihan-rii, the "Great Teachers", the "Makers", and the "Guardians",[5] as well as "gods".
During their journeys, they learned of the Voice in the Darkness, a Void-based entity which consumed entire civilizations. The xel'naga, who cherished life, imprisoned it with an Argus crystal beneath a barren world at KL-2.
From the wiki.
I think everyone is jumping to conclusions to quickly, the phoenix type energy beings could just be collecting samples of zerg/toss energy imprints/dna or w/e is needed for the merge. Although the xel'naga will affect the zerg and protoss races I doubt they want to destroy them for good as most people imply. Kerrigan might be after they're knowledge for personal gain, zeratul's just trying to keep his people safe, and the terrans are gonna get caught up in the middle as usual.
On July 02 2010 14:07 Keren wrote: My instinct tells me the main drama will probably revolve around the Xel'Naga's Phoenix creatures and/or the strange Void creature, perhaps to destroy said energy creature things. It would make sense that the artifacts that Zeratul talks about may have to do with shutting down these Xel'Naga temples and in fact, the vortex Zeratul falls in that was created by the energy creatures may well be the way he got to the temple in the Old Rivals video.
Well, the energy creatures are thought to be in the direct service of the Xel'Naga; they were probably created by them, too. The energy creatures will only be hostile if the Xel'Naga themselves are hostile, and they can only be awoken from their respective temples if one of the races the Xel'Naga created are present. So if any Protoss or Zerg go wandering by a temple, then yes, they will be absorbed by the energy creature which will then fly away, but they wouldn't intentionally go attack some huge Protoss city or anything.
The Voice in the Dark aka Void Creature aka Eternity is a different story. We already know that he is evil, and in every likelihood he could be prompted to attack or possess and destroy populations of whole planets, regardless of race. The Xel'Naga had contained him for many millions of years, but given that he is now able to contact Zeratul through telepathy, as well as possess random individuals on different planets, he might be getting close to freeing himself, if he hasn't already. It is certainly possible that he will represent the main antagonist in the SC2 story.
The book Twilight of the Dark Templar Saga made it clear that Samir Duran was NOT an agent of the Ihanrii or the Xelnaga. On the other hand whoever was trying to create the Protoss and Zerg hybrids through genetic modification were actually trying to stop the Xelnaga forever because the Xelnaga depend on protoss and zerg evolving into one single race for their successful recreation.
Also do other readers of the novel recall those creatures that Zeratul was following in the last stages of the book? Were they actually Xelnaga or an another race altogether?
So from what I follow from the game story and the novels...there are now FIVE faction.. 1. Terran 2. Protoss 3. Zerg 4. Xelnaga (creator of the above 2) 5. Someone from the above 4 or an another race altogether which is trying to eliminate Xelnaga and destroy everything
and please ignore the smaller conflicts within a race(e.g Terran) and conflicts among the top 3 as the issue regarding the Xelnaga is on a much larger scale.
What I don't understand is how the Terran survived post-BW???
Didn't the UED come and whoop the dominion's ass and utterly destroyed them? After UED ruled them for whoever knows how long, the zerg came along and wiped out the UED. So how in the hell did the terran survive??? Like, the word dominion has even been heard since like likre 5 or 6th mission in Terran in BW
yup it was explained in the novel Twilight of the Dark Templar Saga and as for the survival of the Terran dominion Kerrigan after defeating the combined fleet of the protoss, the dominion and the UED. General Dugalle killed himself, Kerrigan spared Arcturus which was in itself a punishment for him and she spared Zeratul as well because that was the best form of torture for him due to the things he had to do.
On July 03 2010 19:05 divinesage wrote: Actually I don't even recall the Xel'Naga's "Cycle" of reproduction being explained in the SC/SCBW series. Was that written in a novel or something?
It's still kind of ambiguous. The Xel'Naga have been portrayed as having an obsession with creating and nurturing races to what they call purity of essence and purity of form. The Xel'Naga are also said to have lifespans even longer than those of the protoss. I'm suspecting the interest in creating new races is because the Xel'Naga are not a race with physical bodies, but possess the bodies of other species as part of their reproductive cycle. This is why Samir Duran could be a Xel'Naga, and why, if he is, he's trying to experiment with hybrids. The Zerg have purity of essence and the protoss have purity of form, merging the two would hypothetically result in a new "perfect" race for the Xel'Naga to inhabit. How come we never see physical depictions of the Xel'Naga, and why have they been so obsessed with growing, creating, and nurturing other races to their idea of perfection? Why were the so reluctant to fight back against the protoss and zerg when both races turned against them on separate occasions? I would further guess that the Xel'Naga raising the protoss and zerg to eventually "steal" their bodies would adversely affect the autonomy of the protoss and the zerg and this will be the main conflict behind sc2, where the terran once again get stuck in the middle of everything.
This page kind of suggests that's what the Xel'naga's reproductive cycle is about. I think the Xel'naga never had physical forms and only persist by raising races they can then posses and be reborn as; they've had multiple physical incarnations throughout their existence and are constantly seeking to nurture a more perfect race to become. In this way they sort of parallel the zerg in that they assimilate other races into their own faction.
EPT
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