Zeratul

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StarCraft character
Prelate Zeratul
Species Protoss
Gender Male
Affiliation(s) Protoss Warband
Position(s) Dark Templar Prelate
Voiced by James Harper

Zeratul is a fictional character in the StarCraft universe.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Zeratul is a Dark Templar. Like all Dark Templar, his ancestors have been long-banished from the Protoss homeworld for refusing to follow the Khala. He is honorable, though frequently secretive, and calculating. Despite his hatred of those responsible for his exile (the Protoss Conclave), Zeratul remains loyal to his species, and his homeworld of Aiur.

[edit] Appearances in StarCraft storyline

[edit] Adventures on Char

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Zeratul had spent "many decades" away from Shakuras on missions which may have included spying on the Protoss of Aiur. He reacted to Sarah Kerrigan's psionic call from Char by taking his small force there. It was there where he met the Protoss Executor Tassadar, who was open-minded for a member of the Templar Caste.

The two groups joined forces and hid from the Zerg. After the rebirth of Kerrigan, Tassadar distracted her long enough for Zeratul to slay Zasz, Cerebrate of the Garm Brood. This created a connection between Zeratul and the Zerg Overmind, which enabled Zeratul to discern the Overmind's motives and the Overmind to discern the location of Aiur in a way it found useful. Other information may have been transmitted as well.

Kerrigan led a devastating attack against the Protoss on Char. Tassadar escaped to an orbital platform over Char while Zeratul and a small number of other Dark Templar were captured and herded into a Terran installation.

[edit] Rescue

Tassadar was able to free him, and together they fled to Aiur, meeting up with Fenix and leading a rebellion against the Protoss Conclave, which was hampering their efforts at fighting the Zerg. The Conclave felt that anyone who worked with the Dark Templar must be traitors to the Khala. When Tassadar surrendered to the Conclave, Zeratul disappeared, but later led a strike force to rescue him. He had an aggressive conversation with Aldaris, where he revealed his astounding knowledge of the universe.

[edit] The Fall of the Overmind

Zeratul's next act changed the face of Aiur. He assassinated two more Zerg Cerebrates, causing two Broods to fly out of control. This weakened the Zerg Overmind's defenses enough for Tassadar's forces to kill it.

While the Protoss defeated the Zerg, the Overmind attempted to escape. Tassadar sacrificed himself to destroy the Overmind, using Dark Templar techniques taught to him by Zeratul.

[edit] Dark Refuge

The Zerg ran rampant over Aiur, killing 70% of all Protoss. Zeratul concluded that the Protoss must retreat to Shakuras through the last remaining Warp Gate, abandoning Aiur. Aldaris reluctantly agreed. Zeratul personally led the refugees to the Warp Gate.

[edit] Unlikely Ally

On Shakuras, Zeratul met with Matriarch Raszagal and was directed to accept Kerrigan as an ally and find the Uraj and Khalis crystals, which would enable the Protoss to activate the Xel'Naga Temple and defeat the Zerg who had followed them through the Warp Gate. Due to the Zerg invasion, the Warp Gate was shut down, a decision which would have disastrous results.

Zeratul counselled young Praetor Artanis on the nature of humanity but otherwise did not personally participate in the missions. Upon his return, he found Shakuras in a state of uproar. Aldaris had discovered that Infested Kerrigan was somehow controlling Matriarch Raszagal's mind, and had defected, taking most of the Protoss from Aiur with him. When Zeratul confronted him, he attempted to reveal his discovery, but Kerrigan appeared and murdered him before he could finish speaking. Zeratul demanded that she leave Shakuras immediately. She willingly complied, but not before gloating that she had used him to kill both the cerebrates on Shakuras.

[edit] Fury of the Xel'Naga

Zeratul personally brought the Khalis to the Xel'Naga Temple and was one of two Protoss to help activate it. The other was Artanis, who brought the Uraj to the Temple.

Zeratul is rumored to have performed a secret mission on Aiur (see StarCraft: Enslavers II) but was unable to contact James Raynor and Fenix to alert them to Kerrigan's treachery.

[edit] Kerrigan's Betrayal

Zeratul next appears when Infested Kerrigan kidnapped Matriarch Raszagal from Shakuras, in a brazen attack on the planet, which was protected by the Xel'Naga Temple. Raszagal was taken to Char, where she was used to force Zeratul to kill the second Zerg Overmind. Zeratul slew the Overmind, then overcame Kerrigan's treachery, rescuing the Matriach. Raszagal, however, revealed that she had in fact been serving Kerrigan since the death of the Overmind on Aiur.

Zeratul placed her in a Protoss Stasis Cell as he awaited dimensional recall, which took some time. Alas, that was enough time for Kerrigan to defeat his forces, but forced her to place the majority of her forces on the surface of Char, and away from the space platforms (her first line of defense). In anguish, Zeratul broke the Stasis Cell and killed the Matriach. With her dying thoughts, Matriach Raszagal made Zeratul the leader of her people - she may have granted him some kind of psionic power as well. Nonetheless, Zeratul felt incredibly guilty, and Kerrigan derived sadistic pleasure by allowing him to live with this guilt.

[edit] Dark Origin

Zeratul fled with his small warband, since Kerrigan's attacks scattered most of his troops. He tried to find Artanis but failed. Instead, he located a dark moon, perhaps similar to Braxis, with Protoss energy signatures.

On the moon he fought Terran mercenaries and rescued several Protoss prisoners, including a Protoss Archon. He also discovered experiments performed on Zerg for the creation of a Zerg/Protoss Hybrid. He was even more surprised when Samir Duran revealed himself as the mastermind of this Grand Experiment, despite his former status as a member of the Zerg Swarm.

Zeratul slew the Hybrid, though Duran assured him that it would make no difference; other hybrids had been seeded across many worlds throughout the galaxy, and he would never find them all before they awakened.

Zeratul left the dark moon, unable to tell the other Protoss what he had experienced, possibly due to his guilt over the death of the Matriarch. Zeratul has not been seen since.

[edit] Game Unit

Zeratul is a special hero unit. Without upgrades, Zeratul has 400 shield points and 60 hit points. His unique attribute is a devastating 100 hp damage attack from his warp blade. Many primary and secondary infantry units do not stand a chance even with the help of sight to face him. One hit destroys almost all non-hero infantry ground units of the three races. His attack is also very effective against bigger opponents such as an Ultralisk (5 hits can bring down an Ultralisk, due to the Zerg unit regeneration). He can take massive amounts of damage to his shields, and a Shield Battery can rejuvenate his defense in a few seconds. He does not have any spell casting abilities and cannot meld with another Dark Templar to produce a Dark Archon. He has the typical Dark Templar ability to remain cloaked at all times without the need for energy consumption. He has only one weakness and that is inability to attack air units. His time between attacks is 3 seconds. Zeratul is a very useful hero because of his endurance, power and stealth.

[edit] References

StarCraft by Blizzard Entertainment
StarCraft Universe Gameplay of StarCraft • StarCraft storyline • Psionic technology
Factions and Organizations Judicator Caste • Kel-Morian Combine • Khalai Caste • Protoss • Protoss Conclave • Pirate Militias • Raynor's Raiders • Sons of Korhal • Templar Caste • Terran • Terran Confederacy • Umojan Protectorate • United Earth Directorate • Xel'Naga • Zerg • Zerg Brood
Locations Aiur • Antiga Prime • Braxis • Char • Chau Sara • Korhal • Mar Sara • Moria • Shakuras • Talematros • Tarsonis • Umoja • Zerus
Characters Aldaris • Artanis • Gerard DuGalle • Edmund Duke • Samir Duran • Fenix • Sarah Kerrigan • Arcturus Mengsk • Nova • Raszagal • Jim Raynor • Alexei Stukov • Tassadar • Zeratul • Zerg Overmind • Minor Characters
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