History TearJerker / StarCraft

-->'''[[https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/starcraft2/23181745/incontrol-commemorative-bundle Blizzard official blog]]:''' We'd like to believe that ''StarCraft'' was important to Geoff. But what we know, beyond any doubt, is that Geoff was important to ''StarCraft''.

* Pylo the Pylon...

* [[BittersweetEnding The end]] of the novel ''Speed of Darkness''

** Bear in mind the reason for Arcturus' betrayal in the first place: Kerrigan was one of the three Ghosts who [[spoiler:murdered his family for resisting the Confederacy. He only survived because he'd ''enlisted in the Confederacy Marine Corp.'' He willfully spent years working with one of the three who murdered his mother, father, and little sister...because she could help him topple the Confederacy. That smug smile he has during the cinematic depiction in the sequel of his original betrayal suddenly makes more sense: he didn't just kill her. He knew about her and Raynor. He let her fall in love, and ''then'' killed her.]] Just remember: they couldn't even find his father's head. That explains an awful lot about Arcturus Mengsk.

* On July 20, 2019, Geoff "[=iNcontroL=]" Robinson, a professional gamer and shoutcaster from the time of ''Brood War'', died from a pulmonary embolism at the age of 33. That November, the ''StarCraft II'' finals began with a video tribute to his long legacy, both mourning his passing and celebrating his presence. The video ended with that greatest tribute: "''En taro [=iNcontroL=]''!"

* [[spoiler: Tassadar]]'s HeroicSacrifice at the end of ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' combines this with CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

--->'''[[spoiler: Infested]] Kerrigan''': It was.

* [[spoiler: Tassadar]]'s HeroicSacrifice at the end of ''StarCraft'' combines this with CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

*** This is made even worse via a cinematic in ''StarCraft II'', where we see [[spoiler:Kerrigan, the last person left at New Gettysburg, calling for backup. She's implied to have watched ''her entire force'' be devoured by the Zerg, and she's darting from place to place, fighting off zerglings and hydralisks erupting from every shadow, as her cloaking device runs out of energy and her ammunition runs out. Down to just her sidearm, she sees a mass of zerglings coming towards her, and knows from the lack of radio contact and the mutalisks wheeling overhead that her rescue is not coming. [[AvertedTrope Instead]] [[TheLastDance of fighting to the last]], [[DespairEventHorizon she drops her gun, completely broken, and just]] ''[[DespairEventHorizon stands there]]'' [[DespairEventHorizon as the Zerg wave rushes her]].]] If this wasn't Arcturus's MoralEventHorizon moment before, it certainly is now.

* The semi-secret ''Starcraft II'' mission "In Utter Darkness", which is a playable peek into a BadFuture [[spoiler:that will result if Kerrigan is killed]]. Basically, [[spoiler:without Kerrigan to guide them, the Void Daemons took control of the Zerg. Humanity is extinct, and you get to play as the last Protoss force in existence, holding Zerg off until the Templars can seal away a record of the conflict, and then the mission continues with the objective "Fight until the last Protoss is killed". Guiding the Protoss in a final, glorious, doomed LastStand, you get to watch as the last vestiges of the species, including every named Protoss in the game, are killed, all while they lament the fact that they killed Kerrigan and thus allowed this horror to happen]].

En taro Tassadar

* the real reason Infested Terrans now have timed life. [[spoiler: it's how long it takes them to muster enough HeroicWillpower to [[DrivenToSuicide kill themselves]].

** Especially when one considers the possibility of it [[spoiler:being a case of SuicideByCop]]. It is very difficult to imagine that Tychus could have faked enjoying himself during the revolution story arc or appearing VERY reluctant to get anywhere near Char.

** And the worst part? [[spoiler:'''Neither it, nor the entire zerg-protoss war, was supposed to happen.''' The zerg, while they are normally a fairly hostile and paranoid species, are not naturally cruel or sadistic, and don't need to overwrite the personality of the infested to make them as heartless as Queen of Blades Kerrigan. It was just due to the selfishness and greed of one particular Xel'Naga.]]

** And the worst part? [[spoiler:'''Neither it, nor the entire zerg-protoss war, was supposed to happen.''' The zerg, while they are normally a fairly hostile and paranoid species, are not naturally cruel or sadistic, and don't need to overwrite the personality of the infested to make them as heartless as Queen of Blades Kerrigan. It was just due to the jealously of one, particular xel'naga that it had to be this way!]]

** Also, the end of ''Brood War'' was [[spoiler: crushing]]. This troper wanted to cry at what was done to [[spoiler: [=DuGalle=], Stukov, Raynor, Mengsk, and most of all, Zeratul. Definitely Zeratul. I want to fucking kill Duran. I LIKED STUKOV]]

* Fenix's death in Brood War. This troper is not ashamed to admit to having cried at that scene. [[spoiler:Especially considering that she killed him with broodlings.]] That just felt too cruel.

** Also, the end of ''Brood War'' was [[spoiler: crushing]]. This troper wanted to cry at what was done to [[spoiler: DuGalle, Stukov, Raynor, Mengsk, and most of all, Zeratul. Definitely Zeratul. I want to fucking kill Duran. I LIKED STUKOV]]

* The entirety of the Refugee mission chain in ''Wings Of Liberty'', involving the Koprulu Sector's [[{{Woobie}} unluckiest bunch of colonists]] and your efforts to save them from the Zerg - up to and including picking a fight with ''a Protoss purification fleet'' if you choose to do so. At the end, [[spoiler:if you chose to protect them, their leader leaves the ship, thanking Raynor profusely for giving the colony a second chance. If you chose to help clease the infestation instead, she winds up infested as well, and Raynor is forced to kill her]].

* The semi-secret ''Starcraft II'' mission "In Utter Darkness", which is a playable peek into a BadFuture [[spoiler:that will result if Kerrigan is killed]]. Basically, [[spoiler:without Kerrigan to guide them, the Void Daemons took control of the Zerg. Humanity is extinct, and you get to play as the last Protoss force in existence, holding Zerg off until the Templars can seal away a record of the conflict, and then the mission continues with the objective "Fight until the last Protoss is killed". Guiding the Protoss in a final, glorious, doomed LastStand, you get to watch as the last vestiges of the species, including Artanis and Zeratul, are killed, all while they lament the fact that they killed Kerrigan and thus allowed this horror to happen]].

*** This is made even worse via a cinematic in ''StarCraft II'', where we see [[spoiler:Kerrigan, the last person left at New Gettysburg, calling for backup. She's implied to have watched ''her entire force'' be devoured by the Zerg, and she's darting from place to place, fighting off zerglings and hydralisks erupting from every shadow, as her cloaking device runs out of energy and her ammunition runs out. Down to just her sidearm, she sees a mass of zerglings coming towards her, and knows from the lack of radio contact and the mutalisks wheeling overhead that her rescue is not coming. Instead of fighting to the last, she drops her gun, completely broken, and just ''stands there'' as the Zerg wave rushes her.]] If this wasn't Arcturus's MoralEventHorizon moment before, it certainly is now.

----

* The ending of Wing's of Liberty, for untraditional reasons. After all the pain and suffering Raynor has endured for four years, he has finally managed to make a real difference for the better in the galaxy, and he managed to save the woman he loved from the zerg, and in doing so can now finally forgive himself for his failures. Even though there is a long way to go, the fact that Raynor walked away with a real victory for the first time in three dames is pretty damn touching.