SC2 - Generations

It is hard for me to express in words, especially written words, just how much I truly love this moment in StarCraft 2. Just as I have already mentioned this in my other work regarding favorite moments, Piercing the Shroud, SC2 offers an incredible broad spectrum of feelings, especially for an RTS game. It is full of greatness, legendary characters and moments that earn their places among the immortal icons of gaming.
The Last Stand is a hard mission, it really is. You have to hold the Great Temple against literally billions of zerg who attack you from all possible directions, even from the sky and from below the ground. But, if you manage to fight your way through it, you are treated with one of the greatest cinematics in the SC franchise.

Artanis remains the only protoss on Shakuras as he overloads the Temple, while the others warp to safety. A Nydus-worm breaches the walls, and Artanis is forced to hold off a smaller armada of Zerglings and Hydralisks all alone. This is the first time we see him use Zeratul's green psi-blade, btw. As he is overwhelmed, he manages to regain some of his strength in time and creates a Psionic Storm, a skill only undisciplined Nerazim and High Templars can use. High Templars, like Tassadar. As he defeats the remaining zerg with this ability, the Temple finally overloads and Artanis warps aboard the Spear of Adun safely, just as the whole planet explodes from the energy, dealing a horrible blow to Amon and his forces.

I love this moment, not only because of the really epic explosion-scene at the end, but because I feel that this was the precise moment when Artanis grew up from a youngling to a true leader and continued down on the path his two late mentors walked as well. I have to admit, I do not like Tassadar in the first game (that is a rant for another day), but in the end his actions are undeniably noble and even moving, and as such, he is ultimately a worthy predecessor to the Hierarch. This scene is also the first truly hopeful one. Think about it: you are driven into the fucking ground on Aiur, the Golden Armada snatched away from you. Amon uses Artanis as a mere a weapon to kill Zeratul. Even if you choose to go to Korhal first, all you are greeted with is destruction and chaos on a dying planet, with terrans who literally are aimless and desperate. After you go to Shakuras, you see Vorazun who hopelessly tries to evacuate her people from the zerg. And once you managed to hold your ground against those fuckers, only then can you finally see a true victory that propels you forward, right into the great war against a god.

SC2 is great. It is flashy and action-filled on the surface, but if you bother to pay the smallest attention, you can discover amazing characters and their developments. Unlike in SC1, where they bombarded you with literally 5-fucking-minute-long speeches around every corner so they could force some resemblance of personality down your throat, SC2 uses small hints, perfectly directed scenes and half-sentences to paint a more colorful picture than its forebearer could ever do.
WIP Sketch: kenyizsu.deviantart.com/art/SC…

TL;DR: SC2 is the greatest RTS game ever, the "Last Stand" cinematic is the fucking best thing ever in the franchise. I'm open to civilized discussion about it, toxic idiots and obnoxious nostalgic fuckers can get swallowed by Brutalisks or burnt to crisps by Colossi, for all I fucking care.
Keep being awesome, guys! Bye!

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