StarCraft: History of the Zerg

[@bstjules]

Loved this, I basically memorized the SC1 manual and seeing it brought to life is amazing. Thank you!

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words! Those kinds of dense, detail-filled game manuals really are a lost art these day.

[@Anudorini-Talah]

Good video Very relaxing voice and narration Felt to slumber in a good way

[@OpiatesAndTits]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet seriously those manuals were awesome. I’d bring my game manuals on long family car rides and read them because I’d rather be playing StarCraft or Diablo or Black & White.

[@fatbasterd5195]

I love how he said "fuck that" to all that Amon shit...

[@bstjules]

@@fatbasterd5195 Just haven't gotten there in the story yet, This is verbatim from the original SC manual

[@wesleyewert1023]

it's weird seeing how much they changed the lore between the first and second games. zerus being a volcanic world when zagara specifically comments on it looking weak and it clearly being some kind of jungle planet comes to mind immediately.

[@diegotrejos5780]

You can literally see the volcanic vents in Zerus from outer space

[@BroadwayRonMexico]

There's still a lot of volcanic activity. It's also possible that it's cooled significantly since the time the Xel'naga showed up originally

[@domidium]

Maybe, but then there's also the spiel about the primal zerg. A blatant jarring retcon if ever there was one. It glaringly contradicts what we knew about the zerg from before. The zerg were a feeble worm-like species that were genetically uplifted into a malignantly spreading and growing apex force? Nope! They were already like that before the xel'naga (now just Amon) even arrived. The zerg gaining their abilities of essence from the xel'naga was the entire point! That the zerg as we know them were creations of the xel'naga that were a "success" but ended up leading to their eventual demise, a le engineers and xenomorphs. @@BroadwayRonMexico

[@MrArik86]

@domidium Fully agreed. The zerg in SC1 were new and epic, the zerg in SC2 were.... Not.

[@elonwhatever]

@@domidium You /could/ also choose to look at it as the information during SCI being incomplete. Every actor only had access to their own imperfect information and their sources proved unreliable in various ways. Terran only knew what the Zerg were in so far as they were a malevolent force that infected and controlled creatures (and probably had seen some of the creatures that were incorporated into the swarm on other planets-. The Protoss knew that the Xel'naga had meddled in creating life but that knowledge was steeped in mysticism and superstition, so they also only knew of both their own and Zerg histories in a limited capacity. The Zerg themselves probably only knew what was granted to them by the Xel'Naga and corrupted by Amon, probably being unaware as to the distinction. And the overmind being bound to the design of Amon was likely limited in what it knew and could convey to the swarm without giving away its own plans and consequently having its plans disrupted or prevented by Amon. Though I agree that those reveals and story-beats could been woven into the narrative in a more fluid manner. I'm also not the biggest fan of the whole Kerrigan chosen one ending. Although that may be my own bias on display.

[@Ovvkoz]

The amount of effort you put into this really highlights your appreciation for the lore. Profound amounts of kudos for keeping to the classic lore instead of the new stuff. Ever since I was a kid, I've had an unhealthy obsession with the Zerg and their lore. Especially when it's brood war based.

[@KINGjackJACKjack]

Honestly man your speech pacing and the visuals are so nice, thank you this was really enjoyable.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Thank you, glad you liked it!

[@Morec0]

I am wretched. But I am strong! I am the future. I am Zerg!

[@NineNoRouge]

A couple of questions. When were the overlords assimilated. I was under the impression that they were absorbed after the zero left Zerus. Second. You mention that the zerg were aware of humanity and then took 60 years to reach them. In your previous video about the terrains, you all mention them taking like 60 years to start traveling between the stars again. So, were they very aware of them shortly after the terrains woke up or later down the line?

[@NineNoRouge]

Great video by the way. My only suggestions would be to include a time line from time to time. And I love your use of the in game engine to recreate events. Though the disappearing bodies are funny.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

I don't know if there's a definitive answer for when certain units were added to the swarm. Zerg unit descriptions in the original manual say that most of the things we see in SC1 are mutated creatures from other planets, so even my using the zergling and hydralisk here is *technically* incorrect, but that's just out of a limitation of what I have access to inside the editor. As for the 60 years thing, I want to say that yeah, the zerg caught wind of the terran just around the time they showed up, and then by the time the swarm was able to survive extended space travel, our friendly humans had gotten to all the other planets. Ultimately, I am just reading from the original manual, so any conflicting information is sadly here to stay. I didn't really want to take it upon myself to try to rewrite things and end up getting something wrong.

[@thecommentguy9380]

They were originally a space faring species that were about to be starved to death, so they all voluntarily allowed themselves to be assimilated by the Zerg at an unspecified point in time

[@Niggurath-n4h]

Actually this was not the canon writing anymore. As blizzards retcon them and what we have is what’s in SC2 and it’s expansion. Although I still find this SC1 lore more interesting as we can see what the originals developers real intentions.

[@fnamelname9077]

@@Niggurath-n4h There is no such thing as canon. It's more legitimate than the bad fan fiction of the "Episodes". I never even player the third one, so it literally doesn't matter to me. SC1 is canon. SC1 is the only canon. The end.

[@dominaun9981]

This is too dope, you made me love star craft even more. they really need to put more into the brand.

[@malcontent1119]

This is the first video I've seen of yours and I gotta say, this is a great breakdown of the history! You've got a good handle of it and the way you talk and break up the information is easy to listen to. You deserve more subs!

[@michaelpeer1753]

It's pretty much lifted from the original game manual that shipped with the CD.

[@spacemanspiff6332]

The idea of the Xel'Naga being wiped out by their creations instead of seeing the threat the life forms posed and eradicating them, or even just simply escaping seems absolutely ridiculous.

[@laurentiuslancaster1657]

Iirc it was Amon that messed with the Zerg into what we know of them now (from what I'd assume was the primal Zerg) and turned them against his fellow xel'naga. At least that's what I remember from the wiki correct me if I'm wrong

[@kbjosekiller]

@@laurentiuslancaster1657 NOO AMON is not cannon, sc2 was just a writing nightmare, the most idiotic villain ever, its better to think the xelnaga were old and they were like old people irl where they just loose braincells and do stupid shit, in sc1 they where a dying race already.

[@MrCoolguy425]

@@kbjosekiller not sure describing xelnaga as old people who lose braincells and do stupid shit is the right way to go. Amon as a traitor to the xel naga makes much more sense than an entire race of near god-like beings deciding to basically kill themselves for no reason.

[@lorddreemurr]

You know, I'd be ok with Amon, if it wasn't for the fact they absolutely fucked with the original lore. Amon could have been just a Xel'Naga coming back to the Kaprulu sector, finding the zerg wiped out his brethren, the protoss being failures, and with that knowledge try to wipe the sector clean. Then the 3 races could have come together to stop their extinction.

[@postmodernjambox5951]

This was in the original paper manual as backstop for sc1.

[@sc2_Nightmare]

Oh hey. It's the original lore, not the messed up retcon from StarCraft 2. I like this.

[@TheLongasen]

my thoughts exactly! 😆 💯

[@jonimusprime6202]

I must respectfully disagree. I personally liked the adjusted origin story. Plus, it makes sense that their true origin would be lost.

[@sc2_Nightmare]

@@jonimusprime6202 It would be, if the original lore wasn't given as fact, but as a third person account or something. Also, why would they chose Char as a homeworld in the Kuprulu Sector if Zerus was not originally an equally desolate volcanic ash-world but actually a jungle?

[@jonimusprime6202]

@@sc2_Nightmare In the “retconned” story from SC2 and follow ups, we learn that Amon manipulated things and twisted the Zerg. I think he changed any fleeting memories of Zerus to make them think it was a volcanic world. So why go back when they found another suitable world closer to the conflict. Or, Zerus could have been a volcanic world back then. Over thousands of years, conditions and environments easily could have changed

[@sc2_Nightmare]

@@jonimusprime6202 That is the definition of retconning. They went back in at a later point and changed the lore. And again, the first lore was not given from the perspective of someone in the lore. "Being misinformed" or "altered memories" is not at play. What we have here is a blatant "I don't like it so I am gonna make up some new stuff."

[@makenshi2k]

Great video! Well narrated with fitting visuals to boot. Looking forward for more.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@gegiaalexandru9092]

Just subscribed. I am so happy that I finally found a starcraft lore video with such good quality!

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Well thank you, it's very much appreciated!

[@palkoescobar5997]

I absolutley loved this. I know this is from the SC1 manual, but that doesn't take away from how well you manage to bring it to life. Speaking of manuals, how does one even write these dense information filled manuals? I know they're basically a dead part of game design nowadays, but it Stil lamazes me how those few writers who worked on these could make all this up. (I don't know how many writers Blizzard had in 1998, don't at me.)

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Yeah, game manuals used to be such a great resource for learning all the little details it was clear the people making the game had fun writing. All the info on the various subfactions, weapons, vehicles, buildings, and even the upgrades. Just a ton of fun to flip through and have that universe come a little more to life.

[@palkoescobar5997]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet Exactly. My favourite type of game manuals are the one sthst are 1/3 gameplay explanations and 2/3 of pure LORE. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that some game manuals could be sold as actual books if the structure was a bit different.

[@josephseidman9074]

Criminally underated channel 💕

[@vladtomuta3008]

Wow, the zerg went through a massive retcon in hots

[@rbg9602]

Yeh... didn't like the primal zerg shit

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

No

[@TheHunchy101]

I actually like the primal zerg origin. I'm actually surprised that it changed to a zerg parasite/insect thing

[@locustkllr]

What i understood from the manual, or maybe the descriptions in the 1st game were that most of the zerg types we see today came from different planets. Essentially the zerg would explore a new planet and find the most unique or useful lifeform there, take over its DNA and mutate it to make it even better.

[@syweb2]

That is correct. As I understand it, most of the units we see here technically should have been added to the swarm later, but are placed here just to have some kind of representation, since we never see the truly original Zerg strains save for perhaps the larva.

[@quintrapnell3605]

The overmind was pleased when defeated because of his primal Zerg instincts. He only sees a better host species to assimilate.

[@undeathghost5627]

While I recognize most of the units you depict here are not here and that you likely used them out of a sense of flavor or visual gratification. I would like to point out that you mentioned the Overlords a bit early. The "Large, Lumbering, space-farers" that gave the zerg space travel are the Overlords. This was mentioned in the SC1 Manual and it was mentioned that their large sacs doubled as the ability to ferry the zerg into to space that could not travel it themself. Just wanted to correct it. Good video though :)

[@clockwork7daemon]

I think it's a continuity error between sc1 and sc2. If I remember correctly the Zerg got the Overlords first, as you said, and the Leviathans are an add in to history around then.

[@syweb2]

Weren't the large spacefarers the Behemoths? We never see them in-game, but they are referenced in some side media.

[@Regunes]

@@syweb2 I've seen that one too. Tbf I think the overlord existed prior to this, but they weren't always the "sac balloon" they were referenced as. I mean even in SC1 they look more like flying cockroaches than anything. Behemoth are basically overlord on steroid.

[@syweb2]

6:50 Weren't the Overlords from a different planet? Or was that a StarCraft 2 retcon?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

This might possibly have been in reference to what eventually became SC2's Leviathans, but I'm not 100% sure, which is why I just tossed both into the next scene. The more detailed unit descriptions in the manual go into a lot of the background stuff, but it's not super clear when exactly various critters got absorbed into the swarm.

[@syweb2]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet The Leviathans as a concept were introduced in SC2, but I headcanon that the polyp-shaped things in some Zerg-centric cinematics in SC1 are pre-SC2 Leviathans. So I just looked at the SC1 manual, and it doesn't mention where the Overlords get assimilated. The SC2 short story "Just an Overlord" does, and that where my understanding of their origin came from. It's a pretty good read, too.

[@voxtelnismo]

Mutalisks traveling between planets by flapping wings is pure gold.

[@jamesdeley8053]

I commented on another post but here I’ll just say that this is the type of content that makes me wish I had influence. I’d love to boost the hell out of this, but my 3 subs ain’t gonna do it. 🤦🏻‍♂️. I really hope it grows and encourages more content.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

I really appreciate that! But hey, I'm just glad that they've had even the reach they already do, it's great to see so many people enjoying the idea.

[@itsbiju]

Great video!

[@Thecommander248]

Another great lore video, man. I hope you get discovered soon.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Thanks!

[@Hoogalindo]

Brilliant video, pal. Keep it up.

[@nicolasferland.cayouette8356]

The visuals are unique!

[@fawli86]

I like how it is like a parallel of AI. The Zerg or Overmind is just waiting and learning things...

[@seantaylor424]

Man, the Zerg are scary! The Overmind is compelled to evolve because of the Xel'Naga but when it had the Xel'Naga at its mercy, it just killed them and used them to evolve rather than get them to do something about that instinct they gave it. This problem can never be solved now, since I wouldn't be surprised if Kerrigan wound up getting that impulse either through exposure to the Zerg or just because she decides she wants it.

[@byronsmit1959]

This is very well done. Good work

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Thanks very much!

[@vladislavkaras491]

Thanks for the video!

[@mavenrulz1719]

you make better content than 90% of youtubers nowadays

[@rickydiscord7671]

I just think of one and two are two different universes. I mean in the 2nd game. there were two different timelines. one was the end of everything and the other was saved. I always thought the 1st timeline was the 1st game's and the 2nd game timeline is actually another universe. would explain why primal zerg and a few other things were so different from what we knew from the 1st game. Kerrigan is a example on what I'm talking about. the 1st game she does have free will as a zerg. but on the 2nd game she some odd reason have a spread personality in Wings than have free will in Heart. even the Xel'Naga are different. sure there still creators of protoss and zerg. but you can tell something's different. ether they are different universes or they just forget the actual origin and just remake it. like how warcraft ever since they make WoW they been making things up just to keep the story going. like some kind of TV show.

[@OlympusLaunch]

I like this.

[@alejomarlandiza4346]

wow this is very well made video. how does this only have small amount of views?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Oh you know, the internet's just a hard beast to please. Glad you liked it!

[@alejomarlandiza4346]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet Keep up the good work! soon you'll get the fruit of your hard work. I was binge watching your videos.

[@mob5613]

So glad I came across your ch

[@jasonbrown5100]

There are at least three creatures in the video I can't quite identify. The first is a winged bug that appears at the 2:46 mark along with the crab beetles & lava crabs. The second comes at the 4:50 mark and looks vaguely like a short centipede with a spiked back & big pincer jaws (I believe you use them as stand-ins for cerebrates). The last one comes in at the 5:22 mark and is either a big, spiky caterpillar-like creature that splits when attacked or is multiple creatures made to walk in a straight line to give the impression of the former. I've looked all over the StarCraft wiki but so far I've found no matches for them. And no, I haven't had the luxury of playing any of the StarCraft II games, so I can't go there to ID them myself.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Hey, I'm happy to help ID those for you. In the same order you asked about, it's something called a Dirge Beetle in the group shot, the second one is just a massively scaled-up Larva, and the final one is actually a pack of Quillgore that all bunched up together during that take.

[@jasonbrown5100]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet THANK YOU! I double-checked the wiki and they are indeed those creatures. The last two definitely threw me off the most at first.

[@stoneylonely6416]

this is amazing thank you

[@joaopadua7134]

Amazing videos my dude

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Thanks very much!

[@SAG1028]

These are good man, really enjoyed the history and the narration. Lots of things I didn’t know about all three races. Would be nice if you did the races from the Warcraft universe.

[@MrHikagemono]

I was about to start correcting, until i realized StarCraft, as in StarCraft I, as in shown by the tag for the 1998 version, because THEN it all fits the manual of the game. If this was to include Broodwar or StarCraft II ... well most of this was proven to be a bit alternated, since they races did not fail but were set up :P.

[@zalem9577]

very cool dude I learned a lot thank you.

[@sztypettto]

Did you create these animations or are these sourced from somewhere?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

Everything here was put together in the SC2 editor by me!

[@sztypettto]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet , man you've got great story telling skills. Gives me many ideas to try out the same with other games. Are you only interested in SC or open to other Universes?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

@@sztypettto There's some stuff I'd like to touch on in the future, but not quite in the same way. For now though, I've got a lot more Starcraft coming up. And thanks, glad you like it!

[@sztypettto]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet , keep up the amazing work. Subscribed to see more from you.

[@BaxterAndLunala]

Personally, I'm okay with Zerus being changed from a barren wasteland to a very tectonically active jungle planet, primarily because of the fact I feel the origins of the Zerg make more sense that way. Also, I'm not bothered by the fact Kerrigan wiped out the Cerebrates and replaced them with the Broodmothers, because the former were programmed with the instinct to create a new Overmind should the current one be killed. This literally happened in the Brood War expansion.

[@littlebrennan3]

Excellent video. I’m surprised it doesn’t have more views, so hopefully my comment gives the algorithm a much needed poke!

[@jamesporquez3682]

Now I understand why zergs have different units like roaches zerglings and hydralisks these are probably the creatures they consumed and integrated to the swarm.

[@meaningfulmax9351]

How can the zerg travel at light speed, in space?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

They just want it bad enough. (Something about assimilating a species that could open wormholes with their brains.. Most flying zerg are adapted for vacuum, and the ground dudes just hang out in overlords or leviathans.)

[@atreyos9449]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet there are also the behemoths that appear in the cinematic of invasion to Aiur only that blizzard forgot to use them, besides that the wormhole was faster than the leviathan travel but they didn't explain that topic, as such all flying zerg are adapted to space to navigate there, now if you refer to battle in space stations outside the orbit of the planet as kerrigan fought with the swarm against the DUT, mengsk and artanis in the space station outside char so if you could say that yes, they are adapted to space but it is different if they move as such.

[@Bliss467]

Wouldn't the zerg need just one protoss and one human to master their genetics and assimilate them?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

The first couple humans they grabbed had the "cilantro tastes like soap" gene and from there things just spiraled out of control.

[@syweb2]

The more variety, the better they can isolate what makes them tick. The Zerg operate through trial and error, just on a grand scale and really fast. Plus, they are totally incapable of incorporating the Protoss.

[@justincase5002]

Early lore of SC was so detailed, so epic, so breathtaking... and what did Blizzard do to it in SCII? They said: "it was all a lie", and took out some uninspired BS god knows from where. SCII lore is the greatest failure and the saddest loss in history of games.

[@Leikjarinn]

This is amazing!!!!!

[@ImperialEarthEmpire]

A game focus on early time of zerg would be nice...

[@d.maxwell8669]

Wheren't the Xel'Naga powerful psionics? When the Zerg assimilated them, shouldn't they also have obtained psionic powers and thus had no need to gain them from the humans?

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

Don't ask good questions. SC1 fans will cry😂

[@01trixor]

I want r34 of the overmind

[@veilnebula2411]

sc2 story line was a treason to this awesome lore.

[@MastaSquidge]

Good video. Can't read the text on mobile while it's sitting on my desk though. Embiggen!

[@411aquatictrust8]

Also, I thought it was a mystery the whole time about what happened to the zelnaga. But the only one that was left was the dark one. And he made the over mind to enslave the zero, and he made the protoss. At least according to starcraft 2. And the over mind could see the future of it and the protoss and amon.. so it made the queen of blades to take over and lead the swarm. But the whole time you never learned what happened to the rest of the zelnaga. Only that amon was the last one and it was in the void.. and the original strain of the zero survived on the original home world. So it was more like amon tweaked the zero rather than made from scratch.

[@OpiatesAndTits]

I think he’s maybe going from SC1 lore because he doesn’t mention the primal Zerg either? I wish we knew what the original team was thinking story wise because the original game and it’s expansion story was fantastic. The whole Amon, Kerrigan as the galaxy’s savior, and primal Zerg story feels retconned. That secret mission with Zeratul at the end of the Zerg campaign in Broodwar where he discovers the hybrids and destroys them confronting Duran who had been working with Kerrigan but secretly for his own agenda.

[@jordanread5829]

What basically happened was that the rest of the Xel'naga found out about Amon and his band of rebels experiments with the Protoss and later the zerg. Directly uplifting races was taboo amongst the Xel'naga. Their roles were to seed and watch over life, not to directly interfere. Amon and his followers did so because they came to believe that the endless cycle was flawed from the start. After they were found out, Amon and his group unleashed the newly formed zerg Swarm against their kin. In the end all but one Xel'naga were killed. The lone survivor was Duran, who would go on to continue Amons mission to end the Endless Cycle via the creation of the zerg-protoss hybrid. Which was a bastardized take on the Xel'naga. While also trying to find a way to resurrect his master. Now it should be mentioned that when Xel'naga die in a physical plane (i.e. not the void, which is where they are form), their host body dies and they are unable to create a new one for that reality. This is why Amon needed an artificial host body and also the Khala in Legacy of the Void. When Xel'naga are killed in their host bodies, their souls go back to the void. There Amon and his followers (minus Duran) killed all but one Xel'naga. However that Xel'naga was imprisoned. Although Amon and his followers were killed for good in the process as well. You can see the corpses of a large chuck of the Xel'naga in the cinematic where Artanis and Kerrigan are exploring Ulnar, the entry point to the void. It is speculated in game that the energy unleashed by the keystone to cleanse Kerrigan at the end of Wings of Liberty provided enough power to resurrect Amon in the void. This is also why Duran appeared in the epilogue (in his Xel'naga form) as well even though he was killed by Kerrigan in Heart of the Swarm.

[@jordanread5829]

@@OpiatesAndTits Even in that secret mission, Duran was working for another. One who's image was reflected in the Hybrid. Duran only "aided" Kerrigan to destroy the UED (and the second overmind) along other major threats to his plans. Such as the Dominion and the Protoss. While also stealing some of Kerrigans unique mutated DNA to finalize the Hybrid. The primal zerg was a retcon as was Zerus still "existing". Amon was already hinted at during Brood War and his (along with his followers) were later to be revealed to be the Xel'naga behind the Protoss and the Zerg Swarm. You could argue that was a retcon, or it was simply putting names to already existing lore. Plus Duran did hint that the Protoss existed simply to become Hybrid. As he claimed that the Hybrid were the Protoss (and Zergs) destiny.

[@411aquatictrust8]

@@jordanread5829 I don't know if it was answered yet, but what happened to the zelnaga? If amon and the others all died in the physical, but Duran is trying to resurrect amon with the hybrid then why couldn't karrigan,.. or protoss do the same with the others? Aka have an equal power to push back amon from the void or physical plane? Is my question logical, or understood? Or am I mistaken and the other zelnaga were killed in totality? And they are worse off than amon?

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

​@@411aquatictrust8all xelnaga had host bodies. After the good xelnaga found out .about overmind and amon and his followers, there was a fight in physical realm with the host bodies. The primal zerg zurvan said that Amon could truly rip planets apart. The fight must have been intense, but all host bodies died in the end except Narud's. Overmind assimilated the bodies and gained knowledge. After the host bodies were destroyed, all xelnaga were thrust back into the void. Now there is a fight between good and amon teams. Xelnaga who are killed in the void are permanently dead. Amin himself told kerrigan that he killed xelnaga previously.

[@danielhale1]

This is the correct lore. No Amon, no Zerg Virus, no remaining zerg homeworld to return to, no nonsense.

[@VERMILSON]

What if the Zerg was used in ultimatrix

[@coryhafer7285]

The only part in the old lore that seemed farfetched was the part of the zerg killing zel'naga.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

They really did just jump up and chew on their starships...

[@syweb2]

The Xel'Naga weren't as completely godlike back then as StarCraft 2 makes them out to be.

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

​@@syweb2what were starcraft 1 xelnaga?

[@syweb2]

@@lostrelicsf2p756 According to the manual/background lore, they were long-lived alien geneticists with super-advanced technology (and probably Psionic powers). The Protoss may have treated them like gods, but that was due to them being fairly primitive relative to the Xel'Naga that uplifted them. They didn't seem to have reality-warping powers like the ones in SC2 (Amon moment), instead using science and technology (and _maybe_ Psionics). Heck, last I checked, the Xel'Naga had no affiliation with the Void at all, especially not in the way SC2 portrays the Void.

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

@@syweb2 That was a manual to keep things reveal later. And it is like from protoss perspective where they only met host bodies of xelnaga. Xelnaga being wiped out by zerg after they already escaped from previous experiment is the dumbest story otherwise.

[@merikmalhads1676]

Now that we know it was actually Amon was the only Xel'Naga that was experimenting here and that, after he used them to destroy his brethren, was destroyed himself actually makes the story much better in my mind.

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

His host body was killed by his bretheren in a fight.

[@racionador]

One thing i HATE blizzard did is that in Starcraft 1 the lore was much more HARD-SCIFI, with very deep explanations about the origins of the races and the political agendas they had behind it, but in Starcraft 2 they retconed removing a alot of the cool deep lore turning the franchise into a more fantasy scifi. its really lame.

[@Kirov4ever]

I didn't like the way the races were given plot armor so at any one time, say Terran can overpower and win then at another time, say Zerg wins. There is no longer any clear boundary who's stronger - Terran, Zerg, Protoss? And the 3 races no longer "have boundaries" so to speak. Protoss are meant to be the most technologically advanced, wise, foreseeing things but were written so they often failed and failed not because of lack of numbers, or their enemies had better strategy - they just failed and no sensible explanation was given - they just failed because the story said so. I don't know how to get this idea across and there have been many people who didn't offer serious discussions because they simply missed the point - let's say the Hulk in Marvel cinematic universe - suddenly gets low esteem, lost his strength, lost his edge - at least you can still see why the Hulk is failing although you had difficulty accepting it. There are theories out there. So far, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't understand how say Zerg can best Terran technology. Even your most carapaced units would suffer concussions, heat exhaustion, constant need to refuel for their regenerative abilities to work - that the Zerg must have some magic occult sustenance force or they have Undead-like abilities or amazing evasion. Or sheer numbers to tank a lot and a lot of Terran ammunition meaning many Zerg die every battle it's nuts but their sheer numbers exhaust the enemy's ammunition and resources and overrun them. And in no way Zerg damage can be too high - I always imagined the Zerg as sort of representing tribal groups fighting more technologically advanced colonizers. Forgive me if I cannot grasp any concepts of story/fiction but to me science fiction must have a basis of truth and reality - sensible explanation for things. Not perfect but at least something! Help me to understand.

[@lostrelicsf2p756]

Protoss lost due to infighting in SC1, zerg are connected to void energy and are very strong like hulk.

[@billyschwartz3586]

You add upward inflection at the end of sentences it sounds like you're reading off a list

[@hahaha123456678]

Go back home Platinum

[@jorgemendez6864]

At last, the true history and not a fancy recopilation of the second game.

[@vergulyanets]

I’m confused, was not Zerus a jungle world? Was it not Char the volcanic ash world?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

In the original manual, where all this is from, Zerus was originally said to be a volcano world. I'd imagine they left for Char because it was a familiar environment as well as being closer to the Protoss. And to be honest, Zerus changing from a volcanic hellscape into a jungle world is probably the most reasonable change 2 made to the lore, since the same thing happened here in real life.

[@davidpankus6765]

Wait isnt the zealots from the begining is alaraks starcraft 2 units what do they call them.. supplicants!

[@davidpankus6765]

Im dumb nvm

[@ErikAndersonFrost]

Y'all remember Zasz? Zasz was love.

[@threeten22]

So how did the Primal Zerg come into play with this?

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

I don't think even Blizzard knows that one. If I had to make something up, I would say that *maybe* after the Overmind left Zerus for Char, the ones left behind turned into the primals? And the planet itself turned into a jungley place after being all volcanoes for a while? I dunno, the primal zerg are confusing.

[@threeten22]

@@RekkinOnTheInternet Yeah feels like a massive retcon really.

[@noticarus3164]

The Primals developed way after the Overmind left Zerus, they burrowed deep underground to avoid Amon and the Overmind's will. So they don't contradict actually. Zerus turning from a Char'ish planet into the deadly jungle world we know today is also the work of the Primals. Also the planet was still volcanic, just not as much as it used to a millenia ago.

[@threeten22]

@@noticarus3164 dunno that makes sense but just feels like a weak fanfic, Ive never encountered any evidence that the zerg were able to terraform a planet beyond just gooping up the place. I could see the burrowing to avoid the overmind/amon but volcanic ash consistently spewing stuff into the atmosphere would never conduct any form of plant life from growing due to how dense the atmosphere would be. They either needed to downplay the zergs hold on their subjects, and took far longer to get to the protoss than what was canonically stated so that the planet could cool down enough to support plant life. As such it would be a retcon of sorts.

[@noticarus3164]

@@threeten22 They literally constantly terraform planets in the games with how much they cover them with creep and sucking the life out of them and with how good the Zerg are at weaponizing and modifying anything from tiny slugs into the Roaches we know today to machinery like Banshees (Current Zerg now actually fully heals planet into fully revitalized shape in a short amount of time with the Xel'Naga essence Kerrigan left for them). The Primals just did the opposite and gave it life. I like the Primals because they give us insight into what it means to be a Zerg at the purest levels without being tainted or controlled by a malevolent higher power. Simply just animals being animals fighting for survival and power. Dehaka has been a great addition to the cast too with how well he also complements one of the themes of the games, which is change. All Zerg change and adapt, but not all change is good. It's why I like him so much, the Primals lacked vision and kept reinventing the wheel of grinding for more power. Dehaka saw this as foolish and thought otherwise. To him, survival isn't just about being the strongest. It's about being versatile and knowing your limits/goals. Dehaka didn't just mindlessly attack Kerrigan, he simply joined her due to recognizing her strength like the rest of Zerus did but never feared or despised it. And for that he was rewarded with more essence to absorb in his travels with him and being spared her wrath.

[@TR-zx1lc]

It always amazes me how Halo basically copied this whole story, and how much of it was directly inspired by 40K.

[@daniel36476]

You'd do a very well DAELEK voice, sir!

[@nukeout]

lol why are they flapping their wings in space 🌌

[@celticjordan1]

Man the Zerg would wreck the flood from halo however not sure they would against the tyrannoids from war hammer…

[@atreyos9449]

the zerg defeat by many factors the tyranids from warhammer 40k and one point is that starcraft is not write in unreliable narrative like wh

[@crixster]

noice ❤️

[@admiralmurphy1543]

There's one, massive inaccuracy. Zerus is a Jungle world, not an ash world. You're thinking of Char, which is only an adopted base of operations for the Swarm. (Edit) There are other inaccuracies but they dont matter because SPOILERS.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

This is all from the original Starcraft 1 instruction manual. If anything, 2's use of Zerus was a huge retcon. I can only imagine that at some point over the years, some ideas got swapped around or shuffled together, but either way, this is how it was originally presented.

[@eyeballpapercut4400]

Oh hey someone's new to actual history of StarCraft

[@bag-manbaron2547]

@@eyeballpapercut4400 or they just didn't read or have the manual of the first game

[@Harbinger835]

I swear you have the same voice of Charlie (Penguinz0)

[@l.c.7955]

I thought this was Moist Critical's voice 😂

[@katamari2525]

Good video, but the narration is weird. Ends every sentence like it's a question

[@Ghostface4k]

About the birth of the Zerg. This isn't the story as we know it through the Heart of the Swarm campaign. According to the story Zerus wasn't a volcanic planet like Char. It was a green planet where the Zerg were fighting each other consuming the essence and becoming stronger. And the first Zerg was born within the first spawning pool, the one which Kerrigan stepped in to become like super strong.

[@Hoogalindo]

Yeah, this is the telling of the lore pre-shittying of SC2.

[@bag-manbaron2547]

@@Hoogalindo *pre shittying of hots and lotv. While wings had it's own flaws it didn't do all this primal zerg or Kerigan turning into Xel'Naga stuff

[@Draeckon]

@@bag-manbaron2547 While it is the most tolerable of the three, WoL still falls under the umbrella since it introduces Amon and alters the Overmind's objectives by setting up Kerrigan as the savior of the galaxy. It also severely hurt Zeratul as a character by stripping away most of his personality in favor of making him into Exposition Man/Raving Prophet. Not to mention what they did to Mengsk's character, flattening him into a cartooney, unsubtle and frankly idiotic moron that does not at all fit with his previous characterization as an intelligent smooth-talker that was able to manipulate the entire Terran sector into setting himself up as Emperor.

God damn bugs!

[@BrianMcElwain]

Mutalisks in space ?@?!11wtf?!. Also, this is a settled argument. The Zerg are the monster from "Who Goes There?" (1938) which is the book that went on to become John Carpenter's The "Thing" (1982).

[@zoranznidaric4518]

explore my guru Paramahamsa Nithyananda

[@yharnamiyhill787]

I reject sc2 lore. Sc1 is my only game.

[@Tony-ih1pg]

Zerus was not a volcanic world, its Char that was. Little confusion there, I think.

[@RekkinOnTheInternet]

By the SC1 instruction manual where all this is from, Zerus was also all volcanic! I just imagine that enough time has passed between that and when we revisit in SC2 that the environment changed as much as it did. If it's good enough for our real life Earth, I think it's good enough for Zerus.

[@alanyuan8565]

I don’t think it’s correct to say xel Naya, they don’t interfere. It should be Amon and his followers

[@Mrcryptidsarereal]

Get that garbage SC2 lore outta here!

[@TeronGer]

I strongly dislike how they changed the Zerg in SC2 >:/

[@legsusmaximus6854]

tyranidz

[@atreyos9449]

GOD zergs and zzzzzz tyranids, why you may be wondering? It's simple, the zerg are not written in unreliable narrative exaggeration like all 40k and they are not the punching bag of their universe.

[@majo9shadow]

amazing video but sorry to say your narrating is annoyiong. that intonation on full stop is annoying everything else great job

[@kailiciousthumbsup]

Bootleg tyranids

[@trigz8626]

More like Tyranids, but not cringe

[@atreyos9449]

on the contrary, they are superior to the Tyranids in many ways as they are not written in exaggeration or unreliable narrative and they are not the punching bags of their universe XD

[@jamespaguip5913]

@@atreyos9449 StarCraft is more realistic and better written than Warhammer 40k

[@ynkybomber]

I hope the Xel Naga are a playable race in SC 3.