Zeratul

Zeratul is one of the main Protoss protagonists in Starcraft series. He is a revered Nerazim Dark Templar prelate.

Appearances[]

Starcraft[]

First appeared in Into the Darkness, the sixth mission of the third episode or Protoss campaign. Zeratul and his companions were gratified by his old friend Tassadar for helping each other. Despite the Nerazim's wariness of the Conclave, Tassadar appealed to their occupational sense and his relationship with them to convince the exiles to go back in the home world of Aiur. During the Protoss civil war between the Fleet of the Executor (allied with Dark Templar warband) and Vanguard of Aiur, both Judicator Aldaris and the Conclave confirmed that Tassadar and his brethren have turned traitors for what they have done in regards to something treasonous just before Zerg invaded the planet. So they decided to capture his friend and place him in a Stasis Cell and try to execute him, but their allied forces must protect him from their own. When Tassadar is free from his imprisonment by the Conclave (which prevents Tassadar's followers like this character from reappearance) in The Trial of Tassadar, Zeratul appears and tells Aldaris the truth about the attribution to the failure of the racial war effort. When Zerg defenses weakened the Protoss, he trains Tassadar to use dark power and join up with Raynor's Raiders under the grudging approval of the Conclave to prepare the assault on the Zerg Overmind before its death.

Brood War[]

Zeratul appears again following the death of the Overmind. Under Aldaris' order with the appointment of Artanis, Zeratul leads the refugees to the warp gate with the destination from Aiur to Shakuras, a home world where the dark templars live as their own. Zeratul was able to convince Aldaris it was necessary if he was reluctant to evacuate before both Raynor and Fenix hold off the zerg from overrunning until their escape.

In the hidden mission of the sixth episode, Zeratul puts in motion the union of the survivors of Khalai with the dark templar and show the experimental secrets of Samir Duran. After revealing the breeding of Protoss-Zerg hybrids by Duran, Zeratul sets out to find his greater master and his plan.

Starcraft II[]

Wings of Liberty[]

Zeratul returns as a protagonist of Protoss mini-campaign with prophecy missions. Jim Raynor received a crystal with his memories from Zeratul, which is importantly emphasized to redeem Kerrigan by de-infestation in order to save the Koprulu Sector from something much worse than the Queen of Blades.

Heart of the Swarm[]

Zeratul sends and guides Kerrigan to the Zerg home world called Zerus, and encourages her to become more powerful than the old Queen of Blades by re-infesting her so that she can put a stop on Amon, a fallen Xel'naga who is represented as Duran's great master and seek the destruction of all life in the Korpulu Sector and form his image in its place.

Legacy of the Void[]

Originally, Zeratul is thought to be a central character, while Artanis would be a protagonist.

Zeratul returns to the Protoss to warn Artanis about the coming darkness and the end war. Selendis ordered her zealots to arrest him, but Artanis wants to hear him out and during the liberation of Aiur, Amon corrupted the Khala, including Artanis, and the only way to save him is to sever his nerve cords, but Zeratul was fatally injured saving the young leader of the Daelaam and died in Artanis's arms and left behind his warp blade for Artanis to collect. Devastated by having killed his good friend and fellow Protoss under Amon's influence, Artanis secures the Spear of Adun and flees Aiur to rebuild his Daelaam Protoss forces to return to Aiur and free Selendis and the other Khala Protoss from Amon's control.

Later, once Amon has been banished back into the void by Selendis and the other Khala Protoss severing their nerve cords to prevent him from possessing them again through the Khala, Artanis leaves Zeratul's warp blade at his grave, thanking the late Dark Templar for everything to help the Protoss save their race from Amon.

Zeratul's death is later avenged for good when Artanis, aided by Kerrigan and Raynor, enters the void, and after Kerrigan is transformed from the Primal Queen of Blades into a Xel'Naga by Ouros transferring his essence to her, sees to Amon's destruction once and for all.