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StarCraft Episode VI: The Queen of Blades covered Sarah Kerrigan's campaign to defeat the United Earth Directorate and take control of the zerg. In this campaign, the player took the role of a cerebrate forced to work for Kerrigan.

Vile Disruption[]

Main article: Raid on Tarsonis
VileDisruption SC1 Map1

Vile Disruption

At this stage of the war, Sarah Kerrigan was hiding out on the former-Confederate capital of Tarsonis with her consort, Samir Duran, and a very small Swarm. She had taken control of a cerebrate, a necessary link in the zerg chain of command. Her forces were weak because the United Earth Directorate had activated the psi disrupter, interfering with her control of the zerg.

Kerrigan's loyal zerg recaptured her hives, slaying most of the renegades and recruiting others.[1]

Reign of Fire[]

Main article: Liberation of Braxis
ReignOfFire SC1 Map1

Reign of Fire

Kerrigan secured the cooperation of Commander Jim Raynor, Fenix, and Emperor Arcturus Mengsk in the fight against the UED. Despite the mutual animosity, Mengsk was persuaded to lend the use of his psi emitters by the realization only by assisting Kerrigan could the UED be routed and the Dominion restored. Kerrigan planned to strike the psi disrupter and the emitters were needed to gather enough zerg to attack.

The attack on Braxis began with Raynor's Raiders who destroyed the poorly defended primary power generators. With the disrupter's effects reduced a psi emitter was deployed to rally zerg on the surface to Kerrigan. The Queen of Blades then used these local zerg to construct a hive with which to assault the UED garrison.

The disrupter's defenses were overrun. With the device destroyed Kerrigan regained control of her minions.[2]

The Kel-Morian Combine[]

Main article: Raid on Moria
TheKelMorianCombine SC1 Map1

The Kel-Morian Combine

As Fenix, Raynor and Mengsk discussed about if they should really trust Kerrigan, as they believed that after the destruction of the psi disrupter she would turn on them. However, they agreed that she was serious about defeating the UED, and vowed to work with her towards that end.

Kerrigan arrived soon after and the allies began discussing their next steps. In order to assault Korhal, the UED primary staging point on the Koprulu sector, Kerrigan needed resources to build up her Swarm. Fenix and the zerg coordinated an attack on a mining area on Moria, one of the richest resource planets in the sector. Kerrigan also wished for the infestation of as many command centers as possible. The attack was successful and Kerrigan's forces made off with their quota.[3]

The Liberation of Korhal[]

Main article: Liberation of Korhal (Brood War)
TheLiberationOfKorhal SC1 Map1

The Liberation of Korhal

After acquiring enough resources, Kerrigan moved on to the main event on Korhal, taking any infested command centers with her. The UED had an important presence on the planet, having placed an entire planetary garrison and even some of their slave broods to guard the world. Despite such formidable defenses, though, Kerrigan and her allies were able to retake Korhal by removing all UED presence in Augustgrad, dealing a heavy defeat to the UED forces on the planet and placing Char as the last major stronghold the UED had in the sector.[4]

True Colors[]

Main article: Betrayal on Korhal (True Colors)
TrueColors SC1 Map1

True Colors

Kerrigan discussed her next steps with Duran. With the UED's power broken on Korhal, only their forces on Char posed a threat to her. She believed that the time to eliminate her allies had come. She ordered an immediate attack. While initially successful due to both Terran Dominion and protoss forces being caught off-guard, they quickly retaliated, with General Edmund Duke and Fenix personally leading their respective forces. Nonetheless, little could they do against Kerrigan's zerg hordes and soon fell on the battlefield alongside most of their troops,[5] to the anger of Mengsk[6] and Raynor.[7] Once the job was done, Kerrigan felt weary of slaughter for the first time since her infestation, so she ordered her forces to withdraw to Tarsonis to rest.[8]

Fury of the Swarm[]

Main article: Second Raid on Tarsonis

Kerrigan's peace on Tarsonis was short-lived, however, as a huge wave of zerg appeared in orbit over Tarsonis and hundreds of zerg landed on the planet and began to attack her outposts. Duran offered to rally the troops.

Kerrigan lost four of her outposts to the UED Slave Broods. As Kerrigan slowly fought back, Duran noticed a UED Science Corps outpost at the rear of the landing zone. There were a number of scientists and genetic engineers there, protected by security guards and pyrotechnic engineers, along with a number of zerg locked up in pens. Kerrigan commented that the UED's control of the Overmind was tenuous and it could not directly control the zerg on Tarsonis. These "scientists" were needed to coordinate the attack.

Duran ordered the cerebrate to attack the scientists instead of wiping out the attacking zerg.[9] Kerrigan's Swarm slowly fought its way past the UED's zerg and killed the scientists. The imprisoned zerg were freed from their pens.[10]

Drawing of the Web[]

Main article: Battle of Talematros

Having recovered from the attack on Tarsonis, Kerrigan moved forward with her plan. She took Duran and a zerg force to Shakuras, informing Duran that she needed to recover Matriarch Raszagal to advance her plan.

Raszagal was located in the Dark Templar capital, Talematros, which was built on a large mesa with five heavily-defended ramps to get inside. A large number of protoss from Aiur had also moved into the city, augmenting its defenses with troops and technology. Talematros had a defense system consisting of special pylons, which generated a powerful electro-magnetic field, capable of preventing zerg from maneuvering through the air nearby. As a result, Kerrigan could only send ground-based minions, with a few exceptions, anywhere near the capital.

She needed a distraction to retrieve Raszagal, and Duran provided one. He knew quite a bit about protoss technology, enough to spot a vulnerability in the city's defenses. If he could plant explosives on the five special pylon clusters and detonate them simultaneously, he could overload the pylons, creating a huge distraction. Of course, he still had to lead the zerg up the city's five ramps, which were defended by both the protoss.

Duran was successful in planting the explosives and setting them off. The entire city exploded, as all of its structures were connected to the power grid. In the confusion, Kerrigan was able to spirit away Raszagal and escape.[11]

To Slay the Beast[]

Main article: Battle of the Second Overmind (To Slay the Beast)
ToSlayTheBeast SC1 Map1

To Slay the Beast

Using Raszagal as leverage, Kerrigan sought out help from Dark Prelate Zeratul and his brethren in order to destroy the Overmind on Char. Zeratul was suspicious, but Raszagal convinced him that the Overmind was a dangerous enemy that have to be destroyed. Zeratul reluctantly agreed.[12]

Despite a formidable UED defense made of both the bulk of their expeditionary fleet and their captive broods, Kerrigan's forces managed to destroy the dreaded Overmind, with Zeratul personally dealing the final blow.[13] Zeratul then demanded the return of the Matriarch. Kerrigan asked the Matriarch if she wanted to return to Shakuras, but the Matriarch said no.

Astounded, Zeratul quickly realized that Kerrigan had corrupted Raszagal's mind. In fact, she began manipulating her long before she met Zeratul in Shakuras in order to manipulate the protoss into doing her bidding.[14]

The Reckoning[]

Shakurus SC1 Art2
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Main article: Skirmish on Char (The Reckoning)

Six hours later, Duran gave Kerrigan a report. With the Overmind and its cerebrates destroyed, all the zerg in the sector now fell under Kerrigan's control.[15] The UED fleet had fled the planet, and he did not know how many ships they had left. Kerrigan's primary hive clusters were moved to Char Aleph.

Zeratul had somehow bypassed the zerg defenses and spirited Raszagal away. He and his brethren had collected with a group of protoss survivors and clustered on the surface of Char. They had imprisoned Raszagal in a stasis cell, and would be able to initiate dimensional recall to Shakuras in only half an hour.

Kerrigan then ordered all of her Broods to descend to the surface of Char and capture the Matriarch and Zeratul. The rest of the protoss could die.

Believing the protoss intended to take Raszagal back to Shakuras, Kerrigan said it was a pity that Raszagal could not be redeemed.

The zerg had to quickly concentrate their forces and move them against the protoss. The remnants of the UED stood in their way. Eventually the zerg reached the small protoss base, killing all the protoss and destroying all the structures except for the stasis cell.

Zeratul wasn't there for the attack, but he quickly made an appearance. Cursing Kerrigan, he destroyed the stasis cell and dealt Razsagal a mortal blow with his warp blade.

As Raszagal lay dying, she told Zeratul that he had freed her from Kerrigan's control, and that he must watch over her tribe. "Into your hands I give the future." Then she died.

Kerrigan could scarcely believe what she had just seen. Zeratul said it was better that he killed her, rather than let her live as Kerrigan's slave.[16] Kerrigan, impressed, allowed him to leave without attacking him. Besides, she had "taken his honor" and believed he would never be able to forgive himself.

True to her word, Kerrigan allowed Zeratul and a few of his brethren to escape from Char. These battered protoss set their course for Shakuras, hoping to find Artanis and any other survivors of Kerrigan's attacks.[17]

Dark Origin[]

Main article: Dark Origin
DarkOrigin SC1 Map1

Dark Origin

If the Reckoning is beaten in less than 25 minutes, the player can then play the secret bonus map, Dark Origin. In this mission, Zeratul discovers a chilling secret...[18]

Omega[]

Main article: Battle over Char (Omega)
Omega SC1 Map1

Omega

At Char three separate fleets, belonging to Mengsk, Praetor Artanis and Admiral Gerard DuGalle converged on Kerrigan's base of operations. This came at a bad time for Kerrigan. She was aboard but Duran had vanished and most of the broods were on the planet surface. Only a small number of zerg were positioned to defend the platform, surrounded by the three enemy fleets. Mengsk's forces used mainly siege tanks and nuclear missiles, Artanis' forces used the typical protoss psionic attacks, and DuGalle's forces used mainly spacecraft and goliaths. However, all three forces had suffered heavy defeats in the past and were only shadows of their former selves. Eventually, Kerrigan's zerg defeated each fleet one by one.[19]

Aftermath[]

The Ascension[]

The_Ascension_Enhanced_Cinematic_Starcraft_Remastered_4K

The Ascension Enhanced Cinematic Starcraft Remastered 4K

The aftermath.

The UED fleet fled Char. During the retreat DuGalle wrote a letter to his wife, Helena, where he reflected on the expedition's failure and his own culpability in the death of Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov. The admiral then killed himself. Soon after, zerg fliers closed in on the retreating UED vessels.

Kerrigan was left the undisputed leader of the Swarm though victory had come at a cost. She was willing to allow her enemies to rebuild in the short term in the confidence they would one day bow before her.[20]

Epilogue[]

The remainder of the UED fleet was subsequently pursued and destroyed by the zerg. The UED never learned what had truly occurred in the Koprulu sector.

Mengsk and Artanis returned to Korhal and Shakuras, respectively, to rebuild their civilizations.[21] Raynor and Zeratul disappeared for a time.[22]

Kerrigan was disquieted by the feelings of an approaching threat and the uncertainty this posed for the future.[23]

List of Missions[]

References[]

  1. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Vile Disruption (in English). 1998.
  2. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Reign of Fire (in English). 1998.
  3. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Kel-Morian Combine (in English). 1998.
  4. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Liberation of Korhal (in English). 1998.
  5. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: True Colors (in English). 1998.
  6. Arcturus Mengsk: "Kerrigan, you murdering bitch! We had a deal!"
    Sarah Kerrigan: "Oh, come on, Arcturus. Did you really think I'd allow you to come into power again? You practically fed me to the Zerg on Tarsonis! You're directly responsible for the hell I've been through! Did you honestly think I'd let you get away with that?"
    Mengsk: "But you said revenge was secondary to defeating the UED!"
    Kerrigan: "I lied. I liberated this planet because it was the UED's primary staging point, not because I was under any obligation to you. I used you to destroy the Psi Disrupter. And now that I've got my Broods back, you're no longer necessary for my plans. I think I'll leave you here, Arcturus, among the ashes of your precious Dominion. I want you to live to see me rise to power. And I want you to always remember in your most private moments that it was you who turned me loose in the first place." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: True Colors (in English). 1998.
  7. Jim Raynor: "I'll see you dead for this, Kerrigan. For Fenix and all the others who got caught between you and your mad quest for power!"
    Kerrigan: "Tough talk, Jimmy. But I don't think you have what it takes to be a killer."
    Raynor: "It may not be tomorrow, darlin'. It may not even happen with an army at my back. But rest assured: I'm the man who's going to kill you some day. I'll be seein' you." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: True Colors (in English). 1998.
  8. Kerrigan: "It is done, Cerebrate. They've all been destroyed. Let us return to Tarsonis to rest. For the first time since my transfiguration I am wearied of the slaughter." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: True Colors (in English). 1998.
  9. Samir Duran: "My Queen, we have located a small Terran facility towards the rear of the Renegades' landing zone. There appears to be a number of UED scientists working within the compound, but we are unable to determine the purpose of their presence..."
    Kerrigan: "I know what they're up to. I suspected that the UED's control of the Overmind was tenuous. Tarsonis is too remote for them to maintain direct control over the Swarms, so they've sent these 'scientists' to coordinate their attack."
    Duran: "Cerebrate, focus your attacks against the Terran facility. All of the UED scientists must be killed. Only then will we be able to finish off these Renegade Zerg." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Fury of the Swarm (in English). 1998.
  10. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Fury of the Swarm (in English). 1998.
  11. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Drawing of the Web (in English). 1998.
  12. Zeratul: "Kerrigan, this is Zeratul. I demand to know why you've taken our Matriarch."
    Kerrigan: "Actually, Zeratul, she's not the one I'm truly interested in. I stole her to get to you. You see, I need you and your brethren to kill the Overmind for me. The only way I had of assuring your cooperation was to take away that which you value most. However, I give you my word that once you've killed the Overmind, I'll allow her to return to you."
    Zeratul: "As if your word held any value..."
    Raszagal: "Zeratul, my faithful servant. You must aid Kerrigan in this endeavor. The Overmind is our common enemy. It must be destroyed to insure that our people will survive!"
    Zeratul: "You ask me to aid this vile creature?"
    Raszagal: "I do not ask this for myself. Nor do I ask it on Kerrigan's behalf. I ask you to do this for our people, Zeratul. Obey me as you always have... Trust in my judgement."
    Zeratul: "Very well, Matriarch. The Overmind will die this day." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: To Slay the Beast (in English). 1998.
  13. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: To Slay the Beast (in English). 1998.
  14. Zeratul: "It's done, Kerrigan. The Overmind is dead as you wished. Now I demand that you release the Matriarch at once!"
    Kerrigan: "Of course. Raszagal, do you wish to return to your tribe?"
    Raszagal: "No, my Queen. I wish only to serve you and remain at your side."
    Zeratul: "What treachery is this, Kerrigan? This pathetic creature cannot possibly be Raszagal!"
    Kerrigan: "Ha ha ha. I promised that I'd allow her to return to you, Zeratul. But it looks to me like she doesn't want to go."
    Zeratul: "You have corrupted her! Somehow you have poisoned her thoughts. Restore her to her rightful self, or you will pay dearly for this offense, Kerrigan!"
    Kerrigan: "All right, Zeratul, you've got me. I made your Matriarch my slave long before I joined you on Shakuras. She made the mistake of underestimating my power just like everyone else did." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: To Slay the Beast (in English). 1998.
  15. Duran: "My Queen, with the Overmind and its Cerebrates destroyed, all of the Zerg in this sector have reverted to your direct control." StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: The Reckoning (in English). 1998.
  16. Zeratul: "Damn you, Kerrigan, for what I must do!"
    Raszagal: "Thank you, Zeratul... You have freed me from her vile control at last. You have always served me with honor... Thus I must ask you... to watch over my tribe... Into your hands I give the future."
    Kerrigan: "I can hardly believe this! You've killed your own Matriarch!"
    Zeratul: "Better that I killed her, than let her live as your slave, Kerrigan."
    StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: The Reckoning (in English). 1998.
  17. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Reckoning (in English). 1998.
  18. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Dark Origin (in English). 1998.
  19. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: Omega (in English). 1998.
  20. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Cinematic: The Ascension (in English). 1998.
  21. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Cinematic: Epilogue (in English). 1998.
  22. Zeratul and James Raynor went their separate ways and have not been heard from since their departure. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Epilogue (in English). 1998.
  23. And alone, floating on a dark platform above the burnt-out planet of Char, Sarah Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades, sat and lorded over the ravenous Swarms. Unable to shake the feeling that a great threat loomed just over the horizon, Kerrigan could only stare off into the vastness of space where she beheld a great void. Or perhaps a reflection of a hollow victory and of the trials yet to come... StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Epilogue (in English). 1998.
The next article in this series is Deception.
The next article in this series is StarCraft: Ghost.
The next article in this series is StarCraft II introduction.
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