- Izsha(src)
Izsha is a zerg advisor in service to Sarah Kerrigan. She is a unique type of zerg, one of a kind.[2]
Izsha exemplifies a midpoint for Kerrigan, standing between Kerrigan's cold rationality and the feral nature of the Swarm. She harkens back to the ideology of the Overmind, but is still a rational individual.[3]
Biography
In earlier times, Kerrigan used her to store her thoughts and plans.[4] On at least one occasion she entrusted Izsha with a plan to infest a planet using the hyper-evolutionary virus through its water supply.[5]
Izsha reunited with Kerrigan following the latter's de-infestation and subsequent return to the Swarm. She served as an advisor, recalling memories from her time as the Queen of Blades and helping her to reclaim the Swarm[6] while remaining attached to her queen's leviathan.[7]
Game Effect
Izsha, in Heart of the Swarm, plays a role similar to Matt Horner from Wings of Liberty, providing the player with the distribution of missions and tactical/intelligence support,[6] along with plot points relevant to Kerrigan's past.[8]
Izsha does not appear on the field of battle in missions as per her attachment to the leviathan.[7]
Izsha's portrait is made available to players after obtaining the achievement "StarTours" in Heart of the Swarm.[9][10]
Quotations
Inside the story-mode space of the leviathan, Iszha will make a comment every two minutes if the player remains inactive. They progress as follows:
- "We will never conquer our enemies by doing nothing."
- "There are enemies to be fought, planets to be taken."
- "The old Queen of Blades was much more active than you."
- "I have heard that the Overmind was a very active leader. You should try it sometime."
- "Really? You have a terrifying Swarm, a giant leviathan, and a deadly grudge but you choose to stand around?"
- "Think I'll go for a walk" (the comments do not loop back after this line).
Notes
While Abathur was designed to be "evil," the concept of Izsha was to strike a balance between human and monster. Unlike Abathur, Izsha was to have a face that the player could talk and relate to, one that Kerrigan could have more of an emotional connection with.[11]
The following section contains information from a previous version of StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm which is no longer valid.
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Izsha's original background had her as an adjutant, from an era where they were cybernetic rather than synthetic.[5] Her organic components allowed her to be infested by the zerg.[12] By BlizzCon 2011, her backstory had been altered, instead portraying her as a former Amanda Haley.[2][13][14] However, her (supposed) former life as Haley is never mentioned in the campaign.
Promotional materials suggested that Izsha might have had ulterior motives for assisting Kerrigan.[15] There was no sign of this in the final product.