My impression is that the Zerg and the Protoss are impure, due to the manipulations of Amon, and neither race can become true Xel Naga. Narud himself declares in his mission "The only purpose of the Swarm was to assimilate the Protoss and create the Hybrid". Kerrigan, once purged and reformed on Zerus, becomes a representative of the two races needed to ascend, and neither a Swarm based Zerg, nor as a Protoss.
The primal zerg have purity of essence, because they possess the power of great change. To quote Zeratul "They hunt, they kill, they evolve". Primal zerg naturally evolved to where they are, and kerrigan becomes like them.
Actually, the zerg developed the ability to steal DNA only after Xel'Naga intervention. Which I guess is now retconned to Amon intervention.
Quote:
Terrans, as cited in the original SC1 manual, are noted by the Overmind to possess psionic power, and he wished to assimilate this in order to battle the Protoss psionic abilities. In this way, the Terrans are the ones pure of form, because they NATURALLY became powerful psionics, expressed in individuals such as Kerrigan, Nova, and Tosh.
Protoss had telepathy (therefore psionics) before the Xel'Naga found them.
Then again, I'm referencing the manual here, so it's probably all invalid now. :P
While we can only hazard guesses at explanations for this, it didn't really bug me. Narrative-technically it was obviously done just to make sure he was really dead, so nobody would expect a Zeratul-dragoon or something like that.
That makes sense, but just having him turn right into dust before our eyes broke my suspension of disbelief.
Quote:
No, I disagree. Zeratul had more or less run his time anyway. While I don't think Blizz should kill off old characters for the sake of killing old characters, Zeratul, Raynor and Kerrigan were really the only three real 'old-timers' left and it was becoming unbelievable (especially for Raynor) that they would just hang around to move the plot forward for so long. Zeratul moving the plot forward with his death... that worked for me.
I'm just saying I feel sorry for what was done to him by the writers. Whereas Kerrigan gets all the power in the universe and a happy ending on top of that despite murdering entire planets wholesale in the last game just to get revenge on one guy. It's obvious who they like more.
Who says warp blades 'require' the Khala? The way I see it, the term has been intentionally left rather vague all through SC just so something like this would be possible later on. All I can find about this in the Wiki is that 'psionic storm requires the Khala' (which is a direct inconsistence, no argument there), and that the Khala 'grants the Protoss an enormous amount of psionic energy'. I'll agree that what happens does not seem to be 100% kosher, but the lore isn't specific enough for it for me to really view this as a huge retcon or even so inconsistent I cannot take it seriously.
Dragoons normally require the Khala to function, but the arkship has models that predate Khala integration. The high templar took a while to get back into action after losing the Khala, a detail that I appreciated Blizzard added.
Dark Templar killed Cerebrates in SC1 with warp blades (void energy). It took Tassadar a while in the Queen of Blades book to learn the void. It all just seems way too easy/contrived. They are entirely different disciplines that take centuries of training.
Quote:
I've seen people say this in multiple reviews, but... I dunno. It felt a little bit off to me when I played it, but it was more of an 'eh, weird, but ok' moment and nothing more than that. I thought they did a well enough job with Vorazun being so steadfast in wanting this; it seems overly radical, but it does put her down as a character with a very strong will and severity. "I do not see a way to save my planet and as such I would rather destroy it completely than see the Zerg take it over. I know it sounds radical, but it is what I believe in".
What they should have done is just activate the temple like normal and purge all the zerg. :P
Most Dark Templar grew up on Shakuras, not Aiur. They should have more loyalty to it, and I would have appreciated more lines about others raising objections to the decisions and yet grudgingly accepting it due to dire circumstances. Certainly, I can't see anyone allowing that to happen to Aiur.
Quote:
I have to admit, when he first popped up it felt terrible. Even though they explain he is a 'machine with the memories of' in the first lines, I really felt like they were going full retcon ham and planned on ressurrecting the dude in some kind of weird way - maybe even by having a direct clone of him walking around that literally would become the new Fenix. As I got into it, though, I became very happy that the exact opposite was the case and that Blizzard basically set a bit of a video game precedent here by retconning(-but-not-really) a dead character in a way that was actually acceptable and interesting.
He even changes his name, so as far as I'm concerned he's just a different character.
Quote:
but how would that have helped? It would've A) given Amon a place of refuge, or rather 'a place to exist' for as far as it made sense to me, and B) not done anything for the now Khala-less Protoss. The way I see it, Rohanna would just become possessed by Amon forever and since the Protoss no longer have the Khala they wouldn't be able to retrieve the memories from Rohana anyway. So really, they'd just be keeping Amon prisoner needlessly.
Rohana can't possibly be the only protoss in the galaxy who didn't sever her nerve cords. I thought the artifact itself banished him to the void, not the act of protoss cutting their cords.
Anyway, this is an entire people's' memory we're talking about. It'd be foolish and disappointing to lose valuable science, engineering and history. It wouldn't be that hard to just lock her up. And the Khala isn't necessarily gone forever. Protoss can still be born with nerve cords.
Quote:
This is the kind of stuff I was expecting to see way more off (in general), and it just makes me roll my eyes. You call a deviation from one line in a fucking manual of a 17 year old game a 'blatant retcon'? How do you even care? Not to mention the fact that the whole 'uplifting' this was, I believe, mentioned once in the campaign. Just take it as a 'oh what he's saying is not technically correct but I guess it's a manner-of-speaking' and move on if it's that important to you.
I'm sorry you feel that something as important as the origins of both races are insignificant, but a "deviation from one line"? No, just no. Try reading the manual and you'll notice very little now about Xel'Naga makes sense anymore considering all their work was the actions of one rogue, and not the rest of the race (who were supposed to be merely scientists) like we've been told all along. Also, LoTV itself flip flops on whether the cycle itself is broken or still going. I'd be surprised if somebody could form a cohesive theory for how it all works.
Quote:
The purity of essence and purity of form thing was an interesting approach, but what I think missed was a scene that made it clear that after all this time, the ones 'purest of essence' are in fact psionic Terrans rather than Protoss, who rely on an 'artifical' Khala for their shit.
Not all Protoss rely on the Khala, which Terrans aren't even capable of doing anyway. Also, I think you have it backwards. Zerg are the ones that are pure of essence. Form refers to a powerful psionic species capable of housing the Xel'Naga.
Also, the zerg already assimilated the Xel'Naga in the SC1 manual. So they should have godhood status already and/or nor be able to do it in the first place.
Why wouldn't we? In one of the shrines, the purity of form simply refers to the necessary psionic power to house the consciousness of a Xel Naga. Prior to any infestation, Kerrigan was already an incredibly powerful psionic.
And other Protoss like Tassadar were even more powerful. That was the entire point of combining the two races' purity of form and essence. You'd get something a lot more devastating than a mere infested Terran. Now Blizzard comes in and says "just kidding, anyone can do it now."
LotV is easily the best game in the SC2 trilogy in my opinion. Not writing a review this time because my only motivation was to raise enough awareness so that the protoss campaign would be the best. But here's some bulletpoint first impressions:
- Amazing graphics!
- Harder campaign than HoTS for sure.
- Mind Controlling the Golden Armada in the first mission was a ballsy move. Good thing the writers retconned a Spear of Adun ship into existence that can wage a war all on its own haha.
- Zeratul just randomly turns into dust when he dies. What?
- Didn't Zeratul say that the Xel'Naga want Kerrigan restored to power, which implies that he talked to Xel'Naga. So how did he not know they were dead? Ouros would have known and wouldn't have omitted that information.
- Selendis looks nothing like she does in Wings of Liberty.
- I thought the spear of adun was buried in a random spot according to the short stories, not literally placed under the conclave so that it destroys their HQ when it launches.
- The artifact probably has to be the biggest Deus Ex Machina in all of video games. Turns out it only does everything. Transmutes matter, and energy and essence and back again, and imprisons Amon, etc. etc.
- "Void" is LoTV's buzzword just like HoTS's was "essence". Take a shot every time you hear void. "When we go into the Void we'll need use our Void Rays to destroy the Void Thrashers that are guarding the Void Crystals that are spawning Amon's Void shades which we'll destroy to reduce Amon's Void powers."
- I feel like the protoss losing the Khala shouldn't be remotely feasible. Isn't it established that mastering any one of those arts takes decades/centuries of training? Artanis literally picks up the void in like 30 minutes. Then all the zealots in the arcship do the same. None of the khalai protoss should even be able to use psionics at this point. Yet Artanis and other units still clearly use powers that require the Khala (his warp blades are blue/green to show off his twilight nature). How does this make any sense?
- Wish we had Twilight Archons or Twilight Templar.
- Can't help but feel that Zeratul has been abused in every way possible. Turned from an ninja alien badass sage in SC1 to a doomsaying old man in SC2. And now that the prophecy nonsense is over, Blizzard has no more use for him as a character, and killed him. Talk about character assassination.
- Rohanna is a badass. The epitome of an alien, not even living in her own time.
- Karax's beard irritates me to no end. At least his voice isn't totally cliche. Was expecting him to have a deep voice and/or sound like a dwarf.
- The Spear of Adun is a badass contraption.
- The Shakuras Xel'Naga temple artifact mission took me on a serious nostalgia trip. Holding back waves of zerg from the warp gate. Artanis activating the temple. Good times.
- Destroying Shakuras was a ballsy move on the part of the writers as well. Kudos. However, I'd say many of these events move way too fast. I don't know if this is at all believable given the whole point of the protoss is their antagonism towards change.
- Artanis is becoming my favorite character. I still don't think he should be a powerful warrior given that he spends all his time as a government official, but it's good to know that he was the badass mofo that I played as in SC1 episode 3.
- Fenix. Yet another character revival. But at least this has a plausible sci-fi explanation, so I'm not too broke up about it. Also, at least they somewhat tried with his voice. Love his side stories though! Some actual worldbuilding!
- The fight scenes are sick. It's nice watching Kerrigan get her ass kicked.
- I thought Ulnar was supposed to be a twilight planet, not a space construct, and not in the milky way. Pretty much all of In Utter Darkness is retconned. No Urun. No mind controlled Protoss coming to get you. Hell, we're even using the Khala in that mission.
- I think I was kind of on point with my Xel'Naga theory: http://sclegacy.com/forums/showthrea...iverse-Origins
- As well as the fact that the Protoss shouldn't have tried to retake Aiur: http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/10895830045
- I guess preservers don't exist anymore and all their stored memories are gone? Rohana honestly shouldn't have cut her nerve cords. Just keep her in stasis and preserve the memories of all your people. Small price to pay...
- The Xel'Naga never uplifted the protoss, Amon did. Another blatant SC1 manual retcon. Destroys the whole thing about the Xel'Naga being scientists.
- How does this fit into the DT saga? Where did Zamara get her memories of the actual Xel'Naga who never interfered in our universe? How does she know about the natural cycle? Who built those labs beneath Aiur? It was all Amon? Why didn't he bring some Tal'Darim with him to Zerus and just make some Hybrids right there?
- Why even MAKE hybrids instead of assimilating protoss like the Overmind was originally going to? You don't have to abduct any protoss and you could spawn Hybrids en-masse from Hatcheries.
- Why did Amon make Narud help Kerrigan in BW? Seriously, what was the point if he already knew in advance that only she could stop his plans?
- What about the Phoenix creatures in the DT Saga and Shadow of the Xel'Naga? There are ordered temples like the one on Shakuras, and wild ones that house phoenix creatures. What is their purpose? What exactly did the normal Xel'Naga who don't interfere with anything actually build then? It's all very confusing.
- Why was Amon not in control of the Protoss empire like he was the Tal'Darim? Narud could have done that for him and saved a headache.
- I've asked this before, but again, how does Amon actually plan to remake creation in his image given the vastness of the universe, let alone multiverse? Aren't there are other universes now where the cycle is still going on? The sheer scope would undermine his own efforts.
- Probably the worst thing about the dialog is the "Friend Raynor" and "Friend Fenix" crap that the writers just can't seem to let go of.
- Alarak doesn't suck, but his voice is Covetous Shen from D3. Can't really take him seriously because I just think of a cartoon character. Still, one of the better characters in LoTV. Since he's the top protoss in the chain of ascension, does this mean he's being fed lots of power? Explains how he broke out of his stasis cage so easily, or Vorazun's surprise at how he destroyed both the door and the zerg behind it on that Aiur mission.
- Why the heck is every bad faction red now? Gets confusing when Taldarim and corrupted protoss are all red.
- I hate all the science fantasy bullcrap. The shades that are like normal units yet weaker. What the hell are they made of and who controls them? It's stupid that Amon can mind control an entire race and his mysterious essence flows out of each protoss' nerve tendrils when the artifact goes off. I can't believe the void is an actual hidden layer of reality that's just like normal reality. Makes no sense. I thought it was merely an energy source. Obviously the tone of SC2 is obviously a huge departure, and downgrade, from SC1.
- Thank you for ignoring the Primal Zerg. Phew! Not sarcasm, I'm legitimately glad I didn't have to hear Dehaka's grating voice.
- Ouros reminds me of the Leviathans from ME3. Finally meeting the beginning of all life in the galaxy and all that. And they look similar.
- Ouros tricked Zeratul into thinking he was Tassadar? Now THAT is a twist I didn't see coming. Almost feels like a response to the critics. Like SC2's version of ME3's indoctrination theory, but actually in the game.
- Why doesn't Amon even have a functioning body by the start of LoTV? Narud said we already revived him.
- The epilogue. What the hell happened? We had a semi-decent ending with the main campaign where we didn't have the cliche 3 races team up to fight Amon ending (psych!). Kerrigan ascends to godhood, the one person who's been shown to be the least responsible and judicious with her use of power. Why her? She's terran/zerg. Why not Artanis? Why not require one of each? The entire buildup of combining purity of form and essence to continue the cycle has been demolished. It's not supposed to be a Terran hybrid who becomes the next generation of Xel'Naga! Why couldn't we have gotten an epilogue that actually took us back to what StarCraft is supposed to be about: galactic domination and politics? Extremely disappointing. And I'm sorry, but entirely different universes shouldn't even be mentioned or even be in the scope of StarCraft.
- Kerrigan is an angel.
- I love how HoTS's lead writer said that Kerrigan isn't necessarily the savior of the universe, just a leader that can keep zerg away from Amon and give everyone else a fighting chance. But now she ascends to godhood and is the chosen one who saved the universe like everyone was saying all along. What a complete 180.
- So Kerrigan left a bloodthirsty Broodmother in charge of the swarm who has already began forcibly retaking planets after LoTV. Great job atoning for your mistakes Kerrigan! What a disgrace that this character got all the power in the universe and a happy ending on top of it. She talks about paying for her crimes, and when she accepts Ouros's power it's understood that she's sacrificing her happy ending with Jim to help save the universe. Psych! Just kidding! This is SC2. Happy ending for you! Happy ending for you! Happy ending for everyone! Christ, this was terrible. Just more of the writers failing to decide if they want a serious epic sci-fi, or a lighthearted cartoon that's accessible to everyone.
- The epilogue should have been an actual epilogue that showed what the races were doing after Amon was dealt with. It wasn't an epilogue, it was a continuation of the main storyline and a bitter disappointment considering that instead of getting back to galactic politics and perhaps setting the stage for more lore or another game, we dive headlong into fantasy bull$hit.
- Again, I easily enjoyed LoTV far more than the others. It's a marked improvement. Not sure how I feel about the upcoming Nova DLC though. It's hard to take a universe seriously where you can't use logic or critical thinking to theorycraft or make deductions given that anything could be retconned.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Curse PremiumSo this is the most sense I can make of the Xel'Naga plotline that was given to us in LoTV:
http://sclegacy.com/forums/showthread.php?16318-Xel-Naga-Plot-Analysis
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Curse PremiumActually, the zerg developed the ability to steal DNA only after Xel'Naga intervention. Which I guess is now retconned to Amon intervention.
Protoss had telepathy (therefore psionics) before the Xel'Naga found them.
Then again, I'm referencing the manual here, so it's probably all invalid now. :P
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Curse PremiumThat makes sense, but just having him turn right into dust before our eyes broke my suspension of disbelief.
I'm just saying I feel sorry for what was done to him by the writers. Whereas Kerrigan gets all the power in the universe and a happy ending on top of that despite murdering entire planets wholesale in the last game just to get revenge on one guy. It's obvious who they like more.
Dragoons normally require the Khala to function, but the arkship has models that predate Khala integration. The high templar took a while to get back into action after losing the Khala, a detail that I appreciated Blizzard added.
Dark Templar killed Cerebrates in SC1 with warp blades (void energy). It took Tassadar a while in the Queen of Blades book to learn the void. It all just seems way too easy/contrived. They are entirely different disciplines that take centuries of training.
What they should have done is just activate the temple like normal and purge all the zerg. :P
Most Dark Templar grew up on Shakuras, not Aiur. They should have more loyalty to it, and I would have appreciated more lines about others raising objections to the decisions and yet grudgingly accepting it due to dire circumstances. Certainly, I can't see anyone allowing that to happen to Aiur.
He even changes his name, so as far as I'm concerned he's just a different character.
Rohana can't possibly be the only protoss in the galaxy who didn't sever her nerve cords. I thought the artifact itself banished him to the void, not the act of protoss cutting their cords.
Anyway, this is an entire people's' memory we're talking about. It'd be foolish and disappointing to lose valuable science, engineering and history. It wouldn't be that hard to just lock her up. And the Khala isn't necessarily gone forever. Protoss can still be born with nerve cords.
I'm sorry you feel that something as important as the origins of both races are insignificant, but a "deviation from one line"? No, just no. Try reading the manual and you'll notice very little now about Xel'Naga makes sense anymore considering all their work was the actions of one rogue, and not the rest of the race (who were supposed to be merely scientists) like we've been told all along. Also, LoTV itself flip flops on whether the cycle itself is broken or still going. I'd be surprised if somebody could form a cohesive theory for how it all works.
Not all Protoss rely on the Khala, which Terrans aren't even capable of doing anyway. Also, I think you have it backwards. Zerg are the ones that are pure of essence. Form refers to a powerful psionic species capable of housing the Xel'Naga.
Also, the zerg already assimilated the Xel'Naga in the SC1 manual. So they should have godhood status already and/or nor be able to do it in the first place.
And other Protoss like Tassadar were even more powerful. That was the entire point of combining the two races' purity of form and essence. You'd get something a lot more devastating than a mere infested Terran. Now Blizzard comes in and says "just kidding, anyone can do it now."
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Curse PremiumLotV is easily the best game in the SC2 trilogy in my opinion. Not writing a review this time because my only motivation was to raise enough awareness so that the protoss campaign would be the best. But here's some bulletpoint first impressions:
- Amazing graphics!
- Harder campaign than HoTS for sure.
- Mind Controlling the Golden Armada in the first mission was a ballsy move. Good thing the writers retconned a Spear of Adun ship into existence that can wage a war all on its own haha.
- Zeratul just randomly turns into dust when he dies. What?
- Didn't Zeratul say that the Xel'Naga want Kerrigan restored to power, which implies that he talked to Xel'Naga. So how did he not know they were dead? Ouros would have known and wouldn't have omitted that information.
- Selendis looks nothing like she does in Wings of Liberty.
- I thought the spear of adun was buried in a random spot according to the short stories, not literally placed under the conclave so that it destroys their HQ when it launches.
- The artifact probably has to be the biggest Deus Ex Machina in all of video games. Turns out it only does everything. Transmutes matter, and energy and essence and back again, and imprisons Amon, etc. etc.
- "Void" is LoTV's buzzword just like HoTS's was "essence". Take a shot every time you hear void. "When we go into the Void we'll need use our Void Rays to destroy the Void Thrashers that are guarding the Void Crystals that are spawning Amon's Void shades which we'll destroy to reduce Amon's Void powers."
- I feel like the protoss losing the Khala shouldn't be remotely feasible. Isn't it established that mastering any one of those arts takes decades/centuries of training? Artanis literally picks up the void in like 30 minutes. Then all the zealots in the arcship do the same. None of the khalai protoss should even be able to use psionics at this point. Yet Artanis and other units still clearly use powers that require the Khala (his warp blades are blue/green to show off his twilight nature). How does this make any sense?
- Wish we had Twilight Archons or Twilight Templar.
- Can't help but feel that Zeratul has been abused in every way possible. Turned from an ninja alien badass sage in SC1 to a doomsaying old man in SC2. And now that the prophecy nonsense is over, Blizzard has no more use for him as a character, and killed him. Talk about character assassination.
- Rohanna is a badass. The epitome of an alien, not even living in her own time.
- Karax's beard irritates me to no end. At least his voice isn't totally cliche. Was expecting him to have a deep voice and/or sound like a dwarf.
- The Spear of Adun is a badass contraption.
- The Shakuras Xel'Naga temple artifact mission took me on a serious nostalgia trip. Holding back waves of zerg from the warp gate. Artanis activating the temple. Good times.
- Destroying Shakuras was a ballsy move on the part of the writers as well. Kudos. However, I'd say many of these events move way too fast. I don't know if this is at all believable given the whole point of the protoss is their antagonism towards change.
- Artanis is becoming my favorite character. I still don't think he should be a powerful warrior given that he spends all his time as a government official, but it's good to know that he was the badass mofo that I played as in SC1 episode 3.
- Fenix. Yet another character revival. But at least this has a plausible sci-fi explanation, so I'm not too broke up about it. Also, at least they somewhat tried with his voice. Love his side stories though! Some actual worldbuilding!
- The fight scenes are sick. It's nice watching Kerrigan get her ass kicked.
- I thought Ulnar was supposed to be a twilight planet, not a space construct, and not in the milky way. Pretty much all of In Utter Darkness is retconned. No Urun. No mind controlled Protoss coming to get you. Hell, we're even using the Khala in that mission.
- I think I was kind of on point with my Xel'Naga theory: http://sclegacy.com/forums/showthrea...iverse-Origins
- As well as the fact that the Protoss shouldn't have tried to retake Aiur: http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/10895830045
- I guess preservers don't exist anymore and all their stored memories are gone? Rohana honestly shouldn't have cut her nerve cords. Just keep her in stasis and preserve the memories of all your people. Small price to pay...
- The Xel'Naga never uplifted the protoss, Amon did. Another blatant SC1 manual retcon. Destroys the whole thing about the Xel'Naga being scientists.
- How does this fit into the DT saga? Where did Zamara get her memories of the actual Xel'Naga who never interfered in our universe? How does she know about the natural cycle? Who built those labs beneath Aiur? It was all Amon? Why didn't he bring some Tal'Darim with him to Zerus and just make some Hybrids right there?
- Why even MAKE hybrids instead of assimilating protoss like the Overmind was originally going to? You don't have to abduct any protoss and you could spawn Hybrids en-masse from Hatcheries.
- Why did Amon make Narud help Kerrigan in BW? Seriously, what was the point if he already knew in advance that only she could stop his plans?
- What about the Phoenix creatures in the DT Saga and Shadow of the Xel'Naga? There are ordered temples like the one on Shakuras, and wild ones that house phoenix creatures. What is their purpose? What exactly did the normal Xel'Naga who don't interfere with anything actually build then? It's all very confusing.
- Why was Amon not in control of the Protoss empire like he was the Tal'Darim? Narud could have done that for him and saved a headache.
- I've asked this before, but again, how does Amon actually plan to remake creation in his image given the vastness of the universe, let alone multiverse? Aren't there are other universes now where the cycle is still going on? The sheer scope would undermine his own efforts.
- Probably the worst thing about the dialog is the "Friend Raynor" and "Friend Fenix" crap that the writers just can't seem to let go of.
- Alarak doesn't suck, but his voice is Covetous Shen from D3. Can't really take him seriously because I just think of a cartoon character. Still, one of the better characters in LoTV. Since he's the top protoss in the chain of ascension, does this mean he's being fed lots of power? Explains how he broke out of his stasis cage so easily, or Vorazun's surprise at how he destroyed both the door and the zerg behind it on that Aiur mission.
- Why the heck is every bad faction red now? Gets confusing when Taldarim and corrupted protoss are all red.
- I hate all the science fantasy bullcrap. The shades that are like normal units yet weaker. What the hell are they made of and who controls them? It's stupid that Amon can mind control an entire race and his mysterious essence flows out of each protoss' nerve tendrils when the artifact goes off. I can't believe the void is an actual hidden layer of reality that's just like normal reality. Makes no sense. I thought it was merely an energy source. Obviously the tone of SC2 is obviously a huge departure, and downgrade, from SC1.
- Thank you for ignoring the Primal Zerg. Phew! Not sarcasm, I'm legitimately glad I didn't have to hear Dehaka's grating voice.
- Ouros reminds me of the Leviathans from ME3. Finally meeting the beginning of all life in the galaxy and all that. And they look similar.
- Ouros tricked Zeratul into thinking he was Tassadar? Now THAT is a twist I didn't see coming. Almost feels like a response to the critics. Like SC2's version of ME3's indoctrination theory, but actually in the game.
- Why doesn't Amon even have a functioning body by the start of LoTV? Narud said we already revived him.
- The epilogue. What the hell happened? We had a semi-decent ending with the main campaign where we didn't have the cliche 3 races team up to fight Amon ending (psych!). Kerrigan ascends to godhood, the one person who's been shown to be the least responsible and judicious with her use of power. Why her? She's terran/zerg. Why not Artanis? Why not require one of each? The entire buildup of combining purity of form and essence to continue the cycle has been demolished. It's not supposed to be a Terran hybrid who becomes the next generation of Xel'Naga! Why couldn't we have gotten an epilogue that actually took us back to what StarCraft is supposed to be about: galactic domination and politics? Extremely disappointing. And I'm sorry, but entirely different universes shouldn't even be mentioned or even be in the scope of StarCraft.
- Kerrigan is an angel.
- I love how HoTS's lead writer said that Kerrigan isn't necessarily the savior of the universe, just a leader that can keep zerg away from Amon and give everyone else a fighting chance. But now she ascends to godhood and is the chosen one who saved the universe like everyone was saying all along. What a complete 180.
- So Kerrigan left a bloodthirsty Broodmother in charge of the swarm who has already began forcibly retaking planets after LoTV. Great job atoning for your mistakes Kerrigan! What a disgrace that this character got all the power in the universe and a happy ending on top of it. She talks about paying for her crimes, and when she accepts Ouros's power it's understood that she's sacrificing her happy ending with Jim to help save the universe. Psych! Just kidding! This is SC2. Happy ending for you! Happy ending for you! Happy ending for everyone! Christ, this was terrible. Just more of the writers failing to decide if they want a serious epic sci-fi, or a lighthearted cartoon that's accessible to everyone.
- The epilogue should have been an actual epilogue that showed what the races were doing after Amon was dealt with. It wasn't an epilogue, it was a continuation of the main storyline and a bitter disappointment considering that instead of getting back to galactic politics and perhaps setting the stage for more lore or another game, we dive headlong into fantasy bull$hit.
- Again, I easily enjoyed LoTV far more than the others. It's a marked improvement. Not sure how I feel about the upcoming Nova DLC though. It's hard to take a universe seriously where you can't use logic or critical thinking to theorycraft or make deductions given that anything could be retconned.