Zeratul

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Prelate Zeratul
Zeratul
Game series StarCraft
First game StarCraft
Creator(s) Blizzard Entertainment
Voice actor(s) James Harper
In-Universe Information
StarCraft character
Zeratul
Species Protoss
Gender Male
Affiliation(s) Protoss Warband
Position(s) Dark Templar prelate

Zeratul is a fictional character in the StarCraft universe.

In Starcraft Map Editor, he appears as the hero version of the Protoss Dark Templar.

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. His rank in the Dark Templar hierachy at first is Prelate, a rank not in the Khalai's force. After Raszagal is slain by Zeratul, she entrusts him with leadership of the Dark Templar. However, Zeratul's acceptance of this rank, given how he came upon it, is debatable.

[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] Return to Aiur

With assistance from his successor to the Executor rank ,Tassadar was able to free Zeratul, and together they fled to Aiur, meeting up with Fenix and leading a rebellion against the Protoss Conclave that sought to execute them both for treason. Zeratul and his breathren fought to defend Tassadar and strike down the Conclave, but Tassadar was sickened by the sight and surrendered. Following this Zeratul disappeared, but later led a strike force to rescue Tassadar. He had an aggressive conversation with Aldaris, where he revealed his astounding knowledge of the universe.

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 the Protoss forces to infiltrate its lair and lead an assault with Jim Raynor. 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 and crashing the Protoss flagship Ganthrithor into its body, the hull charged with his power.

[edit] Flight to Shakuras

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. Raynor and Fenix stayed behind to battle the Zerg while what Protoss could escape did so, but the Zerg still managed to warp to Shakuras. While the small force sent to the surface was nearly killed, the Dark Templar emerged to assist their brethren and escort them to the Matriarch Raszagal. In an attempt to keep more Zerg from reaching the planet, Raynor and Fenix ordered Zeratul to destroy the Warp Gate.

Both the Aiur refugees and the Dark Templar were eager to dispatch the Zerg that had taken root on the planet. Raszagal directed the Executor to a Xel'Naga temple that, given the proper conduit crystals, could eradicate the Zerg. As the two Cerebrates near the temple were killed, Kerrigan emerged on the planet and greeted the Protoss, claiming she had reformed. Raszagal accept Kerrigan as an ally and directed her, along with Zeratul and Artanis, to collect the Uraj and Khalis crystals needed to access the temple.

Zeratul sent Kerrigan and the fleet to Braxis, where they defeated the Terran Dominion and recovered the Uraj. During the conflict, Kerrigan's seemingly genuine desire to assist the Protoss convinced him of her reformation. Upon leaving Braxis a blockade was encountered, formed by the United Earth Directorate. Artanis scouted a safe path, but Zeratul warned him against arrogance against the humans and reminded him of their role in the Overmind's death. On Char, Kerrigan controlled a Zerg Hatchery to provide them with back-up, and the allies were able to capture the Khalis.

Upon returning to Shakuras, Aldaris and a band of Khali survivors had declared rebellion against them. Aldaris had discovered that Kerrigan was somehow controlling Matriarch Raszagal's mind, and had defected for fear of what they were planning. 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.

Sometime afterwards, Zeratul performed a secret mission on Aiur (see StarCraft: Enslavers II) to rescue a few remaining Protoss survivors. He was, however, unable to contact Raynor and Fenix to alert them to Kerrigan's treachery. This would later prove a fatal error when they unknowingly assisted her.

[edit] Kerrigan's Betrayal

Zeratul next appears when Kerrigan kidnapped 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 refused at first, but Raszagal begged him to do so, stating the Overmind was a greater enemy than Kerrigan. Kerrigan also promised to let her go free if Zeratul complied. Zeratul slew the Overmind, then demanded Kerrigan release Raszagal. Now entirely controlled, Raszagal refuses his assistance, and Kerrigan admitted to controlling her. Zeratul, outraged, grabbed Raszagal as an Arbiter Recalled them to safety.

Zeratul placed Raszagal 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 she was using as a base. In anguish, Zeratul broke the Stasis Cell and killed the Matriach, choosing her death over her enslavement. With her dying thoughts, Matriach Raszagal made Zeratul the leader of her people. 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, similar to Braxis, with Protoss energy signatures.

On the moon he fought Terran mercenaries and rescued several Protoss prisoners. 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 accused the Hybrid of being an abomination, but Duran simply (and tiredly) explained that "young" Zeratul was unable to comprehend the creature's true role in the cosmos. Zeratul attempted to slay 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. This makes him the strongest unit in the game in terms of pure power: Reavers and Edmund Duke's Siege Tank do more damage, but at half the rate of fire. Many primary and secondary infantry units do not stand a chance even with the help of sight to face him. Outside of the Ultralisk and the two types of Protoss Archon, there is no ground unit Zeratul cannot kill in two strokes. His weaknesses are a slow rate of attack that can doom him when he is overwhelmed with superior numbers, and his inability to attack air units.

Zeratul can take massive amounts of damage to his shields, and a Shield Battery can rejuvenate his defense in a matter of seconds (although it takes a fully charged Battery to do so). 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.

[edit] References

StarCraft by Blizzard Entertainment
StarCraft Universe Gameplay of StarCraft • Psionic technology
Species Terran • Protoss • Zerg • Xel'Naga • Hybrid
Factions and Organizations Judicator Caste • Kel-Morian Combine • Khalai Caste • Protoss Conclave • Pirate Militias • Raynor's Raiders • Sons of Korhal • Templar Caste • Terran Confederacy • Umojan Protectorate • United Earth Directorate • 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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