Zerg

This page is about the fictional extraterrestrial race from the StarCraft series. For the villain from the Toy Story series of films and television series, see Emperor Zurg.

Zerg may also be used to describe the act of zerging.

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A Zerg Hydralisk.

The Zerg are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the real-time strategy (RTS) games, StarCraft, and its sequel, StarCraft II. The species is insectoid in appearance, and composed of various warrior strains which act as combat units. The Zerg race as a whole is often referred to as "The Swarm."

In-game, the Zerg have rapid build-times and inexpensive units, making them well suited for rushing (or swarming, since they are an insectoid species) that the term zerg or zerging has entered gaming vocabulary as a synonym for the "rush" tactic.

Unlike the other two species in StarCraft,—the Protoss and Terran—who use machines and nonliving components extensively in their armies, the Zerg utilize entirely organic materials. All Zerg soldiers' and workers' equipment are parts of their bodies, and even their spaceships and buildings are organic and living. The Zerg have adapted themselves to survive in all types of environments and terrain types, such as volcanic, icy, earth-like, and even the vacuum of space.

The Zerg were created by the Xel'Naga, a powerful species obsessed with their goal of creating the perfect race. When the Zerg were created, they had a "purity of essence", meaning that even though they evolved to assimilate dozens of species and created an elaborate command structure, they still had many of the basic traits that defined them, such their hive mind, and the impossibility of disobedience to the Zerg race as a whole.

Attributes and Gameplay

Typical Zerg strategies are characterized by speedy construction of a large number of units, with the aim of overwhelming the enemy through superior numbers. Zerg units are much less expensive, more rapidly trained, and easier to produce than their Terran and Protoss counterparts, but are correspondingly weaker in terms of the damage they can deal or withstand.

In the StarCraft universe, the Zerg use entirely organic technology. Their weapons are part of the physical make-up of the various warrior strains, and mainly consist of physical and chemical attacks. Since they do not use any artificial armour, they are more suceptible to attacks which utilize fire, electricity, or radiation. Zerg buildings are also living organisms, and must be constructed on an organic membrane called the "creep", which surrounds Zerg colonies. Players can build special structures to extend the range of the creep, and thus expand their base.

A major trait that separates the Zerg from the other races of StarCraft is the way that they construct buildings. The Terrans build structures much like the way humans do today with building materials connected together, and the Protoss open a warp gate to transport it in from Aiur, their homeworld. The Zerg workers, however, actually become the buildings they construct. This is done by moving to the location of the building-to-be and then slowly "morphing" into a building from a unit.

Players may upgrade certain units by researching new "mutations", which augment their skills or alter the units purpose. For example, a light air unit can be mutated into a heavily-armed air unit, albeit with reduced movement capabilities.

Tactically, the Zerg are designed to be slightly stronger when using ground-based attacks as opposed to airborne attacks. Players can use large numbers of inexpensive, fast units — such as the Zergling — to absorb damage from enemies, whilst causing greater damage with ranged attacks.

History

The history of the Zerg in the StarCraft universe began when the ancestral Zerg species was discovered on the irradiated, unstable planet of Zerus by the ancient and mysterious Xel'Naga civilization, shortly after abandoning the Protoss on Aiur as a failure. The ancestral Zerg organisms were small and weak larva-like creatures, but they contained the "purity of essence" the Xel'Naga sought, being capable of surviving—even thriving—in a staggering variety of ecological conditions.

With the help of the Xel'Naga's proto-genetic manipulations, the Zerg survived the horrendous firestorms of their world, and thrived. They developed the ability to parasitically burrow themselves into the bodies of other species on Zerus. These bodies would be thereafter controlled by the Zerg, for their own purposes. The Zerg began to assimilate the genetic strains and processes of these host animals, allowing them to direct the evolution of their hosts at surprising speeds, making them far stronger than before.

Wary of the chaotic infighting that had enveloped the Protoss, the Xel'Naga created the Overmind, an enormous brain-like being, to bring order to the Zerg. At first, it was only a semi-sapient entity, created from the instincts and collective sentience of the Zerg, but it quickly evolved.

Expansion

Even though the Overmind had great psionic power, it did not give orders directly to individual minions. It created large larva-like creatures known as the Cerebrates to give orders that could be micromanaged more effectively. Even the Cerebrates themselves did not command individual Zerg. The Cerebrates would give more specific versions of the Overmind's orders to "Overlords" and "Queens". They would command the individual Zerg soldiers themselves to carry out the orders of the Overmind and the Cerebrates.

In order to continue finding new species to assimilate, the Zerg needed to leave Zerus, and travel to new worlds. Extending its senses into space, the Overmind discovered enormous space-faring organisms. It lured them to Zerus, using its psychic abilities, and assimilated them into the Swarm. Soon, all the Zerg had the ability to travel between worlds, with the aid of reinforced carapaces to counter the vacuum of space. The Xel'Naga considered this achievement a triumph; the Zerg had conquered their world, and were poised to do the same to others—all while still holding onto their purity of essence.

The Overmind again extended itself further into space, becoming aware of the Xel'Naga fleet in orbit above Zerus. The Overmind then had its psionic link with the Xel'Naga severed, removing the Xel'Naga's way of knowing where the Overmind was, and what it was doing. The Overmind then sent its minions into space, attacking the unsuspecting Xel'Naga. The besieged Xel'Naga attempted to pull away from the planet, however, they were quickly overwhelmed, and the Zerg destroyed them in only a few hours. Most of the Xel'Naga were consumed by the Zerg, and the Overmind gained all their knowledge and insights. Having thousands of Xel'Naga brought into the Overmind made it even more psionically powerful than before. With the knowledge gained from the Xel'Naga, the Overmind was able to increase the level of sapience in many of the higher Zerg strains, while still keeping them fully under its control, ironically helping to achieve the goal of the Xel'Naga.

The Overmind dissected the memories of the Xel'Naga experiments with the Protoss, learning both of their failures, successes, as well as the potentially great benefit of assimilating such a powerful race. The Zerg then devoted their energies to seeking out the Protoss, in the hope of absorbing them into the Swarm, uniting purity of form and of essence to complete themselves.

The Determinant

The Zerg did not know the exact location of Aiur, homeworld of the Protoss, but they were able to travel towards it, adding new species—such as the Mutalisk, Hydralisk, Guardian, and Zergling—to the Swarm, from various planetary genepools along the way.

In the shadow of the Protoss lay the Koprulu Sector, a patch of space inhabited by the Terrans. This species had previously been discovered by Zerg deep space probes. Normally, the Zerg would not be interested in such a weak species, but the Terrans exhibited a powerful psionic potential, which could assist the Zerg in battling the Protoss.

The Zerg slowly made their way towards the Terran worlds, infesting multiple planets, and slowly evolving due to exposure to raw vespene gas. The journey lasted for sixty years, but eventually the massive, extended Zerg Swarm reached the outskirts of the Koprulu Sector. According to StarCraft: Uprising, the Zerg infested a number of Fringe Worlds upon their arrival.

The Overmind first subtly infested the surface of the Terran Confederacy colony of Chau Sara with Hive Spores. Then, it sent its minions down to the surface, in order to infest the Terrans themselves. The Terrans were defeated, most of them assimilated or killed.

The Zerg were surprised at the Terran response, and were defeated by a sudden attack by the Protoss, led by Executor Tassadar. The Overmind told its minions not to fight back in order to observe the Protoss attacking for the first time. The attack sterilized all life on the surface of Chau Sara, effectively ending the Zerg infestation.

The Terrans did not warn their compatriots on other worlds, enabling the Zerg to infest Mar Sara virtually unopposed.

Plot advancement in StarCraft

Episode I

The Zerg have infested the Terran planet, Mar Sara, and are killing its inhabitants. They conquer the planet, but a Protoss fleet under the command of Executor Tassadar destroyed all life on it, including the Zerg. Though the Zerg were used by the large empire called the Confederacy to attack disloyal worlds, the rebel organization, the Sons of Korhal, turned the Zerg against them by using Psi Emitters, which caused the Zerg to attack the Confederate capital world of Tarsonis. The Zerg overwhelmed the defences of the Confederacy, and took Sarah Kerrigan hostage in the process. The Zerg do not appear again in Episode I.

Episode II

A new Sub-Cerebrate is formed by the Overmind to take control of part of the Jormungand Brood. This young Cerebrate — the player — has at first only one task: to safeguard a Chrysalis containing Sarah Kerrigan, who is being infested inside the Chrysalis. The Cerebrate is taught the basics of the Zerg Hive Cluster. They inform and help the Cerebrate, giving stronger breeds to it in its battles against the remaining Confederate and Protoss forces on Tarsonis, before leaving the planet for Char.

On Char, the Chrysalis becomes mature and begins to send out psychic calls to Terrans and Protoss alike. While the Zerg were battling the forces of Jim Raynor, — the leader of a rebel Terran organization — called by these psychic calls; the Chrysalis hatches, and Sarah Kerrigan exits as a powerful Zerg. Using her powers, Kerrigan felt the presence of Protoss forces on Char under the command of the Executor, Tassadar. Kerrigan attacks Tassadar's base, but as the attack is happening, the real Tassadar escapes with the remainder of his forces.

After the battle, Daggoth informs Kerrigan that Zasz had been killed by the Dark Templar, Zeratul. Daggoth then orders the Cerebrate to annihilate Zasz's Garm Brood, as it has gone mad, rampaging chaotically across Char at the death of its leader. The Garm Brood is annihilated by the Swarm and the Zerg attack the main Protoss base afterwards. Zeratul — the leader of the Dark Templar — and his soldiers were captured and locked away in a Terran installation on Char. The Overmind, who managed to locate the Protoss homeworld by linking with the mind of Zeratul as he killed Zasz, then ordered the invasion of Aiur.

When the Zerg invaded Aiur, they were met with stiff Protoss resistance even though the gigantic Protoss Grand Fleet had been sent into another dimension by the Overmind. However, the enormous numbers of Zerg eventually reached the powerful Khaydarin Crystals. In the climax of Episode II, the Zerg assault a major Protoss Temple, destroy it, and place a Khaydarin Crystal where it stood. The Overmind plants itself on Aiur at this location. Afterwards, the invasion of Aiur continues, and the Zerg slaughter even more of the Protoss forces.

Episode III

The Zerg begin to lose ground on Aiur and elsewhere. They are halted in their advance on the Protoss, and Tassadar and the Dark Templar escape Char. After this, a great Protoss counterattack kills two of the Zerg's Cerebrates, and eventually the Overmind itself. With the death of the Overmind, Episode III—and StarCraft—ends, and goes on to StarCraft: Brood War.

Plot advancement in StarCraft: Brood War

Episode IV

After the death of the Overmind at the hands of Tassadar, the Zerg on Aiur had run amok and continued to rampage across the planet. A number of Protoss survivors lead by Zeratul managed to escape the onslaught through a Protoss Warp Gate leading to the Dark Templar world of Shakuras. The Zerg, however, were able to follow Zeratul through the Warp Gate, and established themselves on Shakuras as well.

Shortly after this, Kerrigan came to the Protoss and revealed that the Zerg had formed a new Overmind on Char. The Protoss, however, were not interested in fighting the Overmind a second time. Still, Kerrigan assisted in retrieving two special crystals—Uraj and Khalis—that could activate the Xel'Naga Temple, the act of which would destroy the Zerg located on Shakuras.

While the crystals were being collected, a rebellion between the Protoss broke out on Shakuras, between one group that did not wish to leave Aiur led by Judicator Aldaris, and another group that felt it was necessary for their survival led by the player's character. Kerrigan did not get involved in this dispute, until she intervened by assassinating Aldaris before he could divulge Kerrigan's secret plan of using the Protoss to destroy some of Kerrigan's Zerg enemies. Because of the death of Aldaris, Zeratul banished Kerrigan and her minions from Shakuras. The Zerg Broods then launched an all out attack on the Xel'Naga Temple and the remaining Protoss Forces, but failed, due to the Protoss successfully activating the Temple, wiping out all Zerg life on Shakuras.

Episode V

The Zerg did not appear in Episode V as much as they did in Episode IV. They first appear on Tarsonis as four separate Zerg Broods, all protecting a powerful psionic structure,—known as the Psi Disrupter—which was able to disrupt communications between Zerg. The Hive Clusters were destroyed by a Terran organization known as the United Earth Directorate (UED). The UED forces were about to destroy the Psi Disruptor, when soldiers acting under the orders of Vice Admiral Alexi Stukov informed them that they were going to disassemble the structure instead.

The Zerg weren't seen again much, until the UED traveled to Aiur, where they, two Zerg Broods, and a Protoss force fought each other near the perimeter of a fully-functional warp gate (which could be the same one Zeratul and his brethren escaped for Shakuras). The UED successfully destroyed the Protoss Base and the Zerg Hive Clusters, but were overrun by more Zerg reinforcements.

The Psi Disrupter, which was rebuilt on Braxis secretly, had been infiltrated by Zerg thanks to the UED traitor, Samir Duran, who had been hiding the secret that he was really an infested Zerg Hybrid. Duran activated the melt-down sequence for the Psi Disruptor, however, he didn't succeed in destroying it, due to the UED marines being able to stop its meltdown in time.

With the Psi Disruptor working, the UED traveled to Char, and attacked the Overmind. Though the Zerg fought desperately, the UED prevailed, killing the Cerebrates that guarded the Overmind, causing the Zerg Broods to run amok. The UED then succeeded in capturing the Overmind, and turning its controlled swarms into the UED Renegade Swarm, in order to destroy all opposition in the sector.

Episode VI

Kerrigan realized that the UED Fleet and their Renegade Swarm posed a great threat to her and her future plans. Therefore, she took control of a Cerebrate of the Jormungand Brood, and its forces.

At the time, Kerrigan had Jim Raynor, Fenix, and their forces as allies. Raynor had previously captured Arcturus Mengsk on Korhal from the UED fleet. Afterwards, Kerrigan, Raynor, Fenix, and Mengsk all agreed that the UED posed the biggest threat in the sector, and allied with each other, in order to fight the UED Fleet, as well as the Overmind's swarm, which was in the UED's control. Kerrigan first used her forces to destroy the Psi Disruptor because it was damaging her communications. Then she attacked Korhal because Arcturus Mengsk wanted it as payment for assisting Kerrigan in destroying the Psi Disruptor. Though the UED and a Zerg brood guarded the base, they were defeated and the planet was taken. After the battle, however, Kerrigan planned to attack her allies because she suspected that they would betray her.

Thanks to some information gained from Duran stating that the Protoss and Terran forces of her allies would be resting after the battle against the UED, Kerrigan launched an attack on Fenix and Mengsk quickly destroying their bases before they were able to properly defend themselves. Though Fenix and Raynor quickly rearmed their forces to resist Kerrigan, she was victorious and killed Fenix and Mengsk's favorite general, Edmund Duke. After the slaughter, Mengsk and Raynor bitterly vowed revenge on Kerrigan for her treachery against them.

Traveling to Char, Kerrigan was contacted by Zeratul, saying to release their Matriarch who had been captured by Kerrigan's lieutenant, Samir Duran. In a bargain, Zeratul allowed her to use some of his Dark Templar to kill the Overmind, in return for the release of the Matriarch. Fighting through large UED resistances and Renegade Broods, Kerrigan broke through the defenses, and used the Dark Templar to destroy the Overmind. As it was beginning to hatch again, Zeratul came in and finished off the Overmind for good. After the death of the Overmind, all of the Zerg in the Koprulu Sector were under Kerrigan's command.

Just after all this, three fleets approached Kerrigan's orbital platforms above Char. The fleets consisted of Mengsk and the remnants of his Terran Dominion, Artanis and his Protoss forces, and General DuGalle and the remainders of his UED Fleet. A battle ensued between the fleets and the Zerg. Kerrigan's enemies fought well, but each eventually fell to the Zerg.

With the Terran Dominion in ruins, the expeditionary fleet of the UED destroyed, the greater whole of the Protoss homeworld, Aiur conquered by the Zerg, with the survivors living on Shakuras, the Zerg became the dominant force of the Koprulu Sector.

Zerg Control

All Zerg are directly subject to the will of the Overmind, because of the hive mind of the Zerg. In fact, it is a biological impossibility for them to oppose its directives. Only Cerebrates and Kerrigan have sentience, and control individual armies—called Broods—using Overlords as Lieutenants to directly control the warriors and workers. The lesser Zerg minions are wholly dependent upon the Cerebrates and the Overlords for order. Should a Cerebrate die, its brood may run amok; the animalistic natures of individual Zerg emerge. When an Overlord dies, a Zerg player loses control points, and must create more Overlords to replace the loss. Without these control points, additional Zerg units cannot be built until existing units die, or more Overlords are created. Even Zerg buildings are living organisms, and aren't built, but grown. They act as organs in the body of the Zerg Hive Cluster.

Though Zerg are incapable of disobeying their masters, their masters can change. When the Overmind died, the Cerebrates had freedom to do as they pleased. Though most of the Cerebrates themselves chose to remain loyal to Daggoth, Kerrigan did not and fought with the Cerebrates for control over the Zerg. However, the minions under each Cerebrate were completely loyal to it, and followed all orders—even to fight other Zerg.

Zerg broods are mostly named after Norse mythological monsters—Jormungand, Garm, and Surtur are examples. However, at least three broods have been named from another source. The Leviathan Brood was named after the Leviathan, a Hebrew mythological sea monster, the Tiamat Brood was named after the dragon, Tiamat, in Babylonian mythology, and the Grendel Brood was named after Grendel, the monster in the epic poem, Beowulf. Furthermore, the names of the Hydralisk, Mutalisk and Ultralisk, share a common terminal syllable with the name of the Basilisk, a fearsome reptile of legend.

External links

• Zerg Unit Stats
• Battle.Net: Zerg
• Zerg theme song
• StarCraft homepage at Blizzard Entertainment
• StarCraft 2 homepage

• Blizzard Entertainment (1998-04-01). StarCraft Manual. Blizzard Entertainment. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)