GRAND FINALS: Maru vs. Dark - Starcraft 2

Maru vs. Dark in the ultimate finals between two of the greatest korean starcraft players during the ESL Finals in Valencia 2022.
Match: Maru vs. Dark
Tournament: ESL Pro Tour - Valencia 2022
VODs: / esl_sc2
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StarCraft 2 is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and released by Blizzard Entertainment.

[@MrGeorgeFlorcus]

51:50 Ultralisk in the Bottom Left: Do we win? Okay, I'ma eat this rock :3

[@jameskyaw95]

🤣🤣

[@IsThisHandleTaken]

Lol I was thinking that too, I wasn't even looking at the banelings rolling into SCVs, I was just like "Ultra what are you doing!"

[@alejandrosandovalb4907]

😹😹😹

[@Visserau]

@@IsThisHandleTaken EXACTLY

[@generaltheory]

It's these little things...

[@ScBroodSc2]

Crazy games ! True professional gamers, the speed, the decisions, the game sense, the perceverance... every skills through the roof !

[@ronsongathus9634]

Maru is just pure precision and accuracy, almost mechanical perfection and ready to brawl in the late game with his infamous multi BF, Ghosts and Thors. And then there's Dark on the opposite end of the spectrum, with raw instinct and seemingly 'appeared to be unrefined talent' (he is an experienced player but unpredictable with his timing and order) that brute forces everything down with 0 ideas on his own build order yet monster of presence. It's like the clash of a skilled master vs a raw genius in this match. A godly sight to behold.

[@AlanACN]

You know it's going to be a good video when it's almost an hour long!

[@notrixamoris3318]

Not really it is an hour long coz its best of 7...

[@Crenshaw41]

Actually its 52:16 minutes long

[@ianjasperang3941]

Its going to be boring for an hour long dont u think

[@CrimsonA1]

Was feeling sleepy before I tuned in, but not anymore!

[@Scawtsauce]

@@Crenshaw41 incel vibes

[@Yan.H]

small detail at 38:05, very unlucky timing. Scan revealed tumour directly beneath the marines, and siege tank shot just destroyed the marines' hp

[@ExuCaliba]

Wow good catch

[@1lomi901]

Maru's defences are the most hysterical moments of all SC2 The dude needs to be on a -130 pop disadvantage to make him concede the point

[@Divert486]

I love it when you dont spoil anything in the title :D

[@ah2522]

thats when maru loses.

[@Sapreme]

spoiler: maru always loses in SC2HL uploads

[@zygo0]

I like how Dark finally forced himself to use drops, vipers and ultras in that last game and just steamrolled with it when all the other games were a slugfest. Just goes to show how powerful those can be

[@cameronmiller6240]

I don’t know how much his vipers accomplished? The drops and ultras for sure though. Great series.

[@jordandavenport5784]

I can’t tell if he was saving those for the final game. A secret weapon is a lot stronger when you condition your opponent not to see them.

[@brunofa4559]

Just went full swarm. I love melee zerg when it does this, Looks like those in game campaign animations when zerg take over everything. So good to see

[@lewiswood1693]

@@jordandavenport5784 He was definitely saving it for that map, the two pronged attack then split and burrow to force Maru to use scans instead of muleing to recover. It's way to slick to have not planned it for that map.

[@artanis5163]

The comeback in game 3 is absolutely incredible. How has he done that? Maru is absolutely godlike omg.

[@caseyshaffer3348]

Absolutely godlike yet I don’t see him win any tournaments. I swear every video on this channel is Maru in the finals against rouge, Loss. Maru against serial, loss. Maru against dark, loss. So sad.

[@Lost7one]

Dark won but decided to trade his banelings for SCVS, the game was basically unlosable

[@destinilund4771]

type of situations that give you hope, reflect on all the late entrance entrepreneurs that won the market against traditional multi-millionares.

[@attractivegd9531]

Terran is just too insanely hard to play.

[@guivolp]

This shows how op terran is, he was completely outplayed in every aspect and still won the game

[@MrGeorgeFlorcus]

It's so happy to hear nice, echoey announcer voices in stadiums again, getting back into some live shows after so much remote play.

[@johnex1029]

That was a brutal ending.

[@Necroneer]

I really love Dark's aggressive playstyle with zerg. 3:49 Such a beautiful move from Dark 13:37 Man leave it to Maru to make games like this looks winnable. 15:49 HOLY SHIT NO WAY! 16:54 Man Maru is so good 20:02 Haven't seen Swarm Host in a bit so this is nice 23:06 Questionable 28:32 Finally some corruptors, felt like the bc's and swarmhosts got way too much value this game. No spire against BC, and too defensive against swarmhosts. I love how different game 4 is from the games before it though. 33:09 So juicy! Game 5 and 6 Maru's aggression is incredible. 42:44 Of course he's doing a proxy 2 rax in the final game lmao 50:10 Mass zerg drops! 51:45 Maru's spread is so good, sadly it's not enough.

[@SimplyDuker]

A shame. I was really rooting for Maru and thought he would clutch his way to the endgame, but I gotta admit that Dark's plays were also beautiful.

[@zzz181085]

I cried a little, bc the series is so damn awesome. Team Maru!

[@arcangelonmagus4239]

I like when Maru suffers. Team zerg

[@geeworm]

i absolutely love TvZ, its always so tense with shows of incredible skill from both sides terran and zerg ftw

[@jeffbitnias4282]

ive never seen maru get wiped like those 2 first games, holy shit

[@saveachildkillacaucroach4266]

Almost feels like intentionally throwing. Never seen a pro keep their depos down like that for multiple runbys.

[@Jones-ke6bt]

He was playing insanely lazy.

[@jeffbitnias4282]

@@Jones-ke6bt lol finally had his monday morning coffee in game 3 though

[@apeist]

@@Jones-ke6bt to be fair, that was his third long series of the day.

[@eelcohoogendoorn8044]

After his comeback in game 5 and 6 I figured he must just have been toying with his prey in the previous games by giving him false hope since they were so unlike him; but game 7 kinda torpedoed that theory. I guess even maru can have bad days...

[@vpr1422]

Those last two engages from Dark were perfection

[@glossary90]

Pause at 8:12 Dark has 4 troops. two defending and two attacking. Exactly in the right places. Pretty sick.

[@help1ng316]

They play perfectly, and with these players it literally means Perfect

[@Franpowah]

He's truly a human Cerebrate

[@SeventhSolar]

Explain? I don't see how he has 4 troops.

[@diegoisaac4838]

@@SeventhSolar Look at the minimap, they have 4 squads, 2 atacking and 2 defending

[@Armin.89]

Yeah it's easy when all you have to do is build the most basic and the cheapest unit in the game, then A click it across the map and let the other guy worry, coz they WILL find value. You have to do 0 clicks while opponent has to have 500APM and still doesn't matter, zerg trades at least equally. BS if u ask me

[@Scawtsauce]

I love how Maru has 3 scvs and 10 medivacs and still tries to win

[@johndoe5432]

Dark played phenomenally but it really felt like he threw game three, he should've had that in the bag. If he had just built up to beat Maru's field army, Maru wouldn't have had the resources to replace those losses.

[@tomascanales7418]

It's been one of the best finals that I've ever seen for the last 10 years! It reminded me of SC2 2010-2013

[@Franpowah]

Fantastic games! I just love how in the final attack the Ultras just derped around and contributed nothing to the fight, classic Starcraft2

[@jjeairborne8428]

they are good to absorb fire while the other units do the actual damage

[@Franpowah]

@@jjeairborne8428 Yeah but they didn't even do that lol

[@ShailenSobhee]

These two players are absolutely out of this world. Maru lost the series but what a game from him, coming back from behind, levelling to 3-3. Congrats to Dark!

[@FluffyHarmlessKitten]

come on man, don't put spoilers in the comments. be better.

[@ShailenSobhee]

@@FluffyHarmlessKitten Watch, then read comments. You're welcome xD

[@Arhatu]

11:50 One of the casters is living in a dream world.

[@nemou4985]

Actually the medivcs should have been destroyed, they were n very little HP. That happened a lot that game due to unprecise targeting. If Dark got those he would have won that game. Well, he won the match at the end at least.

[@Arhatu]

@@nemou4985 If both players would play perfectly there would be less medivac losses as terran would move them towards marines. As he was microing marines he lost unnecessary medivacs. I don't know much about the caster but he couldn't read most of the situations that happened though the video.

[@willemstrydom6667]

TYSM for making this edit, great gameplay.

[@IamKnucks]

I'm always amazed at how often best of seven games go for seven games.

[@aaronalquiza9680]

52 minute Grand Finals Maru vs Dark? Imma eat ramen while watching.

[@lordlopikong6940]

The maps are looking like 🔥🔥🔥

[@Poohdork]

That was an incredible series. Credits to both players, big Dark fan tho. ;)

[@brettstout-rojas5833]

One of the best series I've ever watched. And I've watched many a series.

[@Chris-ch4wy]

I like this compressed video format!

[@ElAndoro]

thx for the uploads!

[@AAAAAA-jj4mr]

I didn't seen this tournament and game asides this maps look great, especially Waterfall.

[@accrualworld4488]

Not a single brood lord was made. Awesome.

[@h0lyavenger]

It always feels like ling run by is such a powerful tactic that terran and protoss don't have anyway to fight back against unless they simcity perfectly. It's like literally 8 lings, 4 supply worth of units can be right clicked into someone's mineral line and erase it in a few seconds. The counter run bys from P and T are way harder to pull off because zerg gets free maphack in the form of overlords and creep.

[@mr_confuse]

lol, planetarys and cannons/shield batteries exist though?

[@Cylus024]

@@mr_confuse You dont have Planetarys until at least your 4th base.

[@jkkim6928]

It’s the same with mine drop. You don’t pay attention for a second and boom your ENTIRE mineral line is byebye. Same with terran. If you just raise your depot or pull workers, you’re good to go

[@mr_confuse]

@@Cylus024 very true, but until your 4th you have no excuse as to why you can't have 8 marines and 2 marauders sit at home in a central location to defend vs the before mentioned 8 lings

[@Cylus024]

@@mr_confuse If you let them sit at home they don't put pressure on the Zerg. If you don't put pressure on the Zerg you lose.

[@Zalisnki]

God damn that was fun to watch. Dark really making some great plays.

[@catsozen]

That was epic! Missed this series, congratz to Dark!!

[@nodag23]

Great series and good comeback from Maru though Dark could have won 4:0 if not for that little slip-up in game 3.

[@kal2352]

Dark 100% deserved that win; he brought innovative strategies and was so well prepared.

[@V3x0r]

I love the Waterfall map design. So pretty to start before it's soaked in blood.

[@w5im597]

the 4th game is just amazing OMG ..... so amazing game ... unique

[@andypetrovich2155]

When I log in to KZbin I don't go down the rabbit hole, I enter the nydus canal.

[@devinrivera6410]

how tf are they able to micro like that and still focus so well on production? This level of play blows my mind.

[@ahmednofal3865]

thanks

[@waynetrain2512]

SCVs fly to the moon 33:11 XD

[@Lazasakh]

the third game ending in awesome!

[@sc2youtube744]

Wow game 3 was insane. Maru!

[@Metaspace2]

I bow to these two players. Awesome skill and nerves!!

[@Kumpelkefer]

Lol that Ultra in the just attacking the rocks (00:51:50)

[@captainfordo2780]

Pretty sure Dark was so scared to lose he binge watched Maru’s recent wins for weeks prior to the tourney.

[@raphaelantoine7331]

Found the angry terran

[@ncubica]

The level is insane!!!! 🤯

[@ight_of_heart]

Congratz what a last game

[@bjarkov12]

Now that's some fireworks! That ultra in the end: 'Imma ¤"#*% these rocks up'

[@penguinquestionmark1704]

awesome!

[@davidjeanmichel8358]

game 3 was insane

[@Dumbledof]

I see people complain about marines being OP but these games just make me think of how easy it is for like 300 minerals worth of a-moved zerglings to just decimate a players economy

[@yoni532s9M5w]

Insane games, thanks for sharing. I dislike mass queens a lot though..

[@TheCajunAsian]

Maru looks like he is watching 2001 Space Odyssey when he is playing LMAO... talk about legend

[@sergeyurchik610]

Epic!

[@Dman40000]

Game 3 Maru is the definition of a GIGACHAD

[@helmutalexanderrubiowilson6835]

wow what a finale.... that ling drop was brutal

[@levinlan7129]

Amazing epic game

[@joseoctaviomendozacaceres9836]

Brutalass

[@hesun2460]

epic match

[@cameronmiller6240]

In the final game I wonder if building a third bunker and trying to contain dark would have been better.

[@vampirelordx1]

Love it when Zerg wins.

[@VIOLITASZ]

you know the end part with the ultra.....the ultra was attacking the rocks LOL .

[@ann0ynim0us]

if its not Dark, it will be Serral Zerg early game is just wrecking

[@Snesboy09]

Yeah free queens to defend until mid game is pretty op

[@kozatas]

Actually, Zerg loses to the timing attacks before baneling speed. The early game is Terran's.

[@hodor]

Come on it's a Grand Final, you guys can include a bit more of the celebration/awarding/trophy/humiliation/whatever. If it's not here, where? We are way too lazy to hunt/search for such clip.

[@guangdali6460]

I mean the games were great and all, but most of the games felt like Terran had to win early or get overwhelmed because the armies are just too stocky to move around. The creep was literally at the forward bases of Terran too. It just feels too easy for zergs to do multi-prone attacks, vs. how hard it is to defend it as terran. That last game, all the fighting happened at that one choke in the front, and nothing was there, had a PF been there with any type of structure, it could've transitioned to late game where there is a possibility.

[@philipschroeder5427]

A well deserved victory, congratulations Dark

[@TheCajunAsian]

Game 3... EPIC LEGEND... the standard of how SC2 should be played... Maru at his best is GOAT... sad part is we cant really even see how perfect his macro must be to not die in the worst situations... hard to watch any other games after watching this stuff

[@geekytraveler5899]

On the different note: I see that pros are even already playing championships on new maps, but EU and US ladder is still on old maps. What am I missing here? Did I miss some updates somehow... together with hundreds of other ladder opponents I'm playing against?

[@JohnSmith-mj3vj]

9 out of the last 13 premier tournament winners are Zerg....

[@haileydee9954]

Wardii is such a Maru fan boy. It's cute

[@guyclykos]

First game, Dark playing it professionally but it was taking too long so he decided to F it and ling flood.

[@fallenangel6790]

46:01 Maru :j when he realised that chageling scout it all

[@songdongian87]

cant believe Maru comeback at game 3 @@

[@ShailenSobhee]

Here we go. 1 hr on KZbin now. I hope Maru won!

[@NoHandleToSpeakOf]

And he did. Three games.

[@manu3705]

A great series up to game 7! Maru doesn't appear to be in top shape for this event though. Great finish!

[@Kamodomon]

33:17 3! 3 workers left! WTFFFFFFFF

[@Ss1mega]

GG.

[@user-qn1zj5bs5p]

what the why the heck all of your videos skip so much ? no full video ?

[@BornInArona]

Terran such troll race! Way to many scans available and mules for farming!!!

[@stikmanultra]

two gods ò_ò

[@TheWoWisok]

I love these casters so much energy in their voice really amps everything up another notch

[@Busker_3000]

Don't care who wins. I'm happy to watch knowing its not Protoss.

[@hy1252]

Maru is so good but Dark deserved that. imagine losing to a 3 worker economy just shows how strong Terran is

[@user-bm1yz3kn2q]

Dark show us what does mean to be a swarm!

[@chavalitdeeudomwongsa8418]

did anyone think that zerg is way too overpower? so there is no balance in the game. or i was wrong about this please explain

[@chichistar6687]

Дарк слишком жоский, как болел за Мару)

[@kleomenis456]

GG

[@tyrellwreleck4226]

Can we appreciate how dark deal with battle cruisers without a spire? Or hydras, or infestors

[@michalhejduk.]

You can.

[@tyrellwreleck4226]

@@michalhejduk. thanks

[@mightyoake1866]

i hate that they do more in 6 minutes than i do in an entire match

[@N1ckvan1oon]

Is that PiG casting this?

[@starcraft605]

Maru should have tried something other than Marine+medi in game 2

[@botmushin8878]

Remember when Dark was talking shit about Serral/Foreigners? x'D

[@KRHEE]

Maru is just on a different level than these dudes.....

[@IsThisHandleTaken]

I think Dark is the most entertaining SC2 player in the world. Dude brings the thunder every single game

[@billl.2441]

Dark! Favorite zerg to watch.

[@BigChungusthe3rd]

Starcraft 2 renaissance?

[@wolfclaw3812]

Wasn't this where Maru was playing for waaaaay too long, and then couldn't keep going and lost?