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* ButtMonkey: The series as a whole basically has "How many catastrophic losses can the Dominion have without collapsing?" as a core concept. ''Brood War'' involves the [=UED=] conquering Korhal and Kerrigan pulling CruelMercy on Mengsk's forces twice. [[spoiler: In ''Wings of Liberty'', Raynor's Raiders initiate a revolt on fringe worlds and do serious damage to Arcturus Mengsk's image, and Valerian takes half the Dominion fleet with him to Char. Kerrigan delivers one CurbStompBattle after another in ''Heart of the Swarm'', ending with an invasion on Korhal and her killing Arcturus. In ''Legacy of the Void'', their situation didn't improve, as the Moebius Corps invade Korhal while it's being rebuilt, causing serious damage despite their defeat, and Amon uses the Golden Armada to attack them during the time while the Daelaam are out of Aiur]]. Ever since it was formed, it has only won ''three'' times in-game, and they always needed help from another faction: Taking Korhal back from the [=UED=] (With Kerrigan's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders and Fenix's protoss forces), [[spoiler: deinfesting Kerrigan (With Raynor's Raiders) and aiding in Amon's destruction (With Kerrigan and Zagara's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders having officially joined them after Mengsk's death, and the Daelaam)]]. The Defenders of Man take advantage on this trope in ''Nova Covert Ops'' by trying to portray the Dominion as too weak to protect humanity of its own, thus presenting themselves as the alternative.
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* ButtMonkey: The series as a whole basically has "How many catastrophic losses can the Dominion have without collapsing?" as a core concept. ''Brood War'' involves By the [=UED=] conquering Korhal and Kerrigan pulling CruelMercy on Mengsk's forces twice. [[spoiler: In ends of ''Wings of Liberty'', Raynor's Raiders initiate a revolt on fringe worlds and do serious damage to Arcturus Mengsk's image, and Valerian takes Liberty'' their capital world of Korhal has been invaded and/or attacked half a dozen times, while on their front the Dominion fleet with him to Char. Kerrigan delivers one CurbStompBattle after another in ''Heart of the Swarm'', ending with an invasion on Korhal and her killing Arcturus. In ''Legacy of the Void'', sucks at their situation didn't improve, as the Moebius Corps invade Korhal while it's being rebuilt, causing serious damage despite supposed job of defending their defeat, and Amon uses the Golden Armada to attack them during the time while the Daelaam are out of Aiur]]. Ever since it was formed, it has only won ''three'' times in-game, and they always needed help colonists from another faction: Taking Korhal back from the [=UED=] (With Kerrigan's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders aliens and Fenix's protoss forces), [[spoiler: deinfesting Kerrigan (With Raynor's Raiders) and aiding in Amon's destruction (With Kerrigan and Zagara's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders having officially joined them after Mengsk's death, and the Daelaam)]]. terrorists. The Defenders of Man take advantage on this trope in ''Nova Covert Ops'' by trying to portray ''Covert Ops'', claiming that the constant Zerg attacks on Dominion colonies are proof the Dominion as is too weak to protect humanity of its own, thus presenting themselves as the alternative.stop them.
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* NoodleImplements: After Donny's meltdown, he's found "clad only in his socks, and in possession of a copy of Emperor Mensk's Manifesto and a pound of peanut butter."
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%%* DarkAndTroubledPast
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* CatchPhrase: "I should warn you; this is probably going to hurt."
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* EvilSoundsDeep: He speaks in a deep, gravelly voice.
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%% Don't add MythologyGag here. It's already in ShoutOut/Starcraft.
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%% Don't add MythologyGag here. It's already in ShoutOut/Starcraft.ShoutOut/{{Starcraft}}.
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* NewsReel: The UNN, which has been around since StarCraft. Used by the Confederacy, then by the Dominion as a propaganda machine.
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* NewsReel: The UNN, which has been around since StarCraft.''[=StarCraft=]''. Used by the Confederacy, then by the Dominion as a propaganda machine.
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* ReliableTraitor: He joined the Sons of Korhal rebellion grudgingly, basically at gunpoint, and made his contempt of Mengsk, Raynor and the rebels very clear at every opportunity he got. Mengsk however counted on that pandering to Duke's ambition, greed and lust for power would turn him into a useful ally. He was right.
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[[/folder]]
[[folder:Rosa Morales]]
!! Rosa Morales
A lieutenant in the UED, Morales was sent to the Koprulu Sector as part of their expeditionary fleet. Following the UED fleet's destruction she joined the Terran Dominion, retaining her rank.
She debuted in ''Heroes of the Storm'' as a hero-unit, representing the Medic, and acts as MissionControl for the ''Co-op'' Mission "Dead of Night" in ''Legacy of the Void''.
----
* BeenThereShapedHistory: Her profile claims she was one of the four Medics that the UED sent in to drug and pacify the Overmind during the Brood War.
* CanonForeigner: Just like Sergeant Hammer, Morales is an original character created for ''Heroes of the Storm'' that made her way in the ''Stacraft'' series.
* LooseCanon: Also just like Sergeant Hammer. Both ''Co-op'' and ''Heroes of the Storm'' are of dubious canonicity to ''Starcraft'' lore, so it's questionable if Rosa Morales actually exists in the canon.
* TheMedic: Her profession and game unit.
* PoweredArmor: As a Medic she's equipped with a suit.
[[folder:Rosa Morales]]
!! Rosa Morales
A lieutenant in the UED, Morales was sent to the Koprulu Sector as part of their expeditionary fleet. Following the UED fleet's destruction she joined the Terran Dominion, retaining her rank.
She debuted in ''Heroes of the Storm'' as a hero-unit, representing the Medic, and acts as MissionControl for the ''Co-op'' Mission "Dead of Night" in ''Legacy of the Void''.
----
* BeenThereShapedHistory: Her profile claims she was one of the four Medics that the UED sent in to drug and pacify the Overmind during the Brood War.
* CanonForeigner: Just like Sergeant Hammer, Morales is an original character created for ''Heroes of the Storm'' that made her way in the ''Stacraft'' series.
* LooseCanon: Also just like Sergeant Hammer. Both ''Co-op'' and ''Heroes of the Storm'' are of dubious canonicity to ''Starcraft'' lore, so it's questionable if Rosa Morales actually exists in the canon.
* TheMedic: Her profession and game unit.
* PoweredArmor: As a Medic she's equipped with a suit.
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* GoMadFromTheRevelation: After learning that Mengsk was responsible for the Zerg invasion of Tarsonis that his brother died in, Donny went insane and had to be committed to an asylum, though he recovered later on.
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A high-ranking member of the Dominion military.
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A high-ranking member of the Dominion military.
military. Plays a role in ''Nova Covert Ops''.
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* EarlyBirdCameo: Is mentioned and briefly visible in one of the first mission pack's cutscenes, and makes her first speaking appearance in one of the second mission pack's cutscenes [[spoiler:before she is revealed to be the central villain]].
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:After the Xanthos is destroyed, she remains inside the wreck, unable to run anywhere else. She delivers one last HannibalLecture to Nova and says no more before she is killed]].
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:After the Xanthos is destroyed, she remains inside the wreck, unable to run anywhere else. She delivers one last HannibalLecture to Nova and says no more before she is killed]].
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* BlueIsHeroic: [[spoiler:With Valerian taking control of them in ''Legacy of the Void'', the Dominion is represented in-game by shades of blue. In a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration, most of the Dominion forces seen in the game are led by Raynor, and Raynor's Raiders also used blue. In cutscenes however, their color is still red]].
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* BlueIsHeroic: [[spoiler:With Valerian taking control of them in ''Legacy of the Void'', the Dominion is represented in-game by shades of blue. In a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration, most of the Dominion forces seen in the game are led by Raynor, and Raynor's Raiders also used blue. In cutscenes however, their color is still red]]. [[spoiler:In ''Nova Covert Ops'', they remain blue]].
* AmericanAccents: Speaks with a Georgia accent.
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* DistaffCounterpart: To Arcturus Mengsk himself. She's an affable individual with a high rank in the Dominion [[spoiler:and is willing to use psi-emitters to overthrow a government]]. [[spoiler:To top it off, she's killed by a Ghost of whom she betrayed.]]
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* DistaffCounterpart: To Arcturus Mengsk himself. She's an affable individual with a southern accent and a high rank in the Dominion [[spoiler:and is willing to use psi-emitters to overthrow a government]]. [[spoiler:To top it off, she's killed by a Ghost of whom she used and betrayed.]]
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* CompositeCharacter: He's basically [[VideoGame WorldOfWarcraft Anduin Wrynn]], with a name that sounds like they just added a syllable in the middle of Varian's.
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* CompositeCharacter: He's basically [[VideoGame WorldOfWarcraft [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft Anduin Wrynn]], with a name that sounds like they just added a syllable in the middle of Varian's.
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* CompositeCharacter: He's basically [[VideoGame WorldOfWarcraft Anduin Wrynn]], with a name that sounds like they just added a syllable in the middle of Varian's.
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* MisplacedRetribution: [[spoiler:Blames Valerian for the death of his late father, but it was Kerrigan who did the deed]].
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[[folder:Matt Horner]]
-->See: [[Characters/StarCraftRaynorsRaiders Raynor's Raiders]]
[[/folder]]
-->See: [[Characters/StarCraftRaynorsRaiders Raynor's Raiders]]
[[/folder]]
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* ForScience: Surprisingly ''Subverted'' despite him being from Moebius. He explains to Nova that he originally joined the Foundation hoping he could invent great things for the sector, only to end up destroying his career.
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* OhCrap: His updates fall into this occasionally, especially when [[spoiler: the Xanthos transforms into a mode he knows nothing about]].
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* UndyingLoyalty: As he puts it, he and the crew of the ''Griffin'' are loyal only to Nova. [[spoiler: Loyal enough to go rogue with her]].
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Added VA for General Carolina Davies
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!!Political
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!!Military
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->'''Voiced by:''' Alyson Reed
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**Grows into this in ''Nova''. [[spoiler: By faking his abdication, he manages to throw the leader of the Defenders of Men off-guard, allowing her arrest. Even with the Tal'darim screwing things up and the leader escaping later, he still manages to have her eliminated (although he'll prefer to see her getting a fair trial). Lastly, with Nova and her crew going rogue (but still willing to uphold the interests of the Dominion), Valerian will be able to use PlausibleDeniability whenever the ''Griffith'' does the dirty work which the Dominion would like to do, but couldn't due to image concerns.]]
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** Deconstructed in ''Nova Covert Ops''. [[spoiler: Valerian finds out that even with him being an objectively better emperor than his father, there is still resistance to his rule, resistance that may one day need to be dealt with through overt violence. It's up to Nova to save his reputation]].
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** Deconstructed in ''Nova Covert Ops''. [[spoiler: Valerian finds out that even with him being an objectively better emperor than his father, there is still resistance to his rule, resistance that may one day need to be dealt with through overt violence. It's up to Nova to save his reputation]].reputation.]] At the end, he decides that while being the Good King is important, being able to employ PlausibleDeniability is an option worth having, which is why [[spoiler: he turns a blind eye to Nova and her crew going rogue]], at least for the time being.
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**In ''Nova: Covert Ops'', he [[spoiler: tries his darn best to arrest the leader of the Defenders of Men (alive) so that she gets a fair trial. Even after Nova kills her (against his orders), he allows Nova and her crew to go rogue, trusting them to help the Dominion from the shadows, at least for the time being.]]
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* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:She was one of Arcturus Mengsk's confidants, but after his death, she decides to carry on his legacy and becomes the BigBad in ''Covert Ops'']].
* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard. [[spoiler: Davis's loyalty was to Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.]]
* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard. [[spoiler: Davis's loyalty was to Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.]]
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* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:She was one of Arcturus Mengsk's confidants, but after his death, she decides to carry on his legacy and becomes attempts to seize control of the BigBad in ''Covert Ops'']].
Dominion.]]
* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard.[[spoiler: Davis's loyalty was to [[spoiler:Also, Duke and Warfield followed Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.and Valerian in their rebellions; Davis is the leader of hers, fighting against Valerian in the name of Arcturus.]]
* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard.
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* DistaffCounterpart: To Arcturus Mengsk himself. She's an affable individual with a high rank in the Dominion [[spoiler:and is willing to use psi-emitters to overthrow a government]].
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* DistaffCounterpart: To Arcturus Mengsk himself. She's an affable individual with a high rank in the Dominion [[spoiler:and is willing to use psi-emitters to overthrow a government]]. [[spoiler:To top it off, she's killed by a Ghost of whom she betrayed.]]
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* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:She's shot dead by Nova, of whom she deceived into being a traitor and tried to brainwash thereafter.]]
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* AvengingTheVillain: [[spoiler:Davis plotted to overthrow Valerian to avenge Arcturus's death]].
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* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:She was one of Arcturus Mengsk's confidants, but after his death, she decides to carry on his legacy and becomes the BigBad in ''Covert Ops'']].
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Split into sections
!Leadership
!!Political
!!Political
!!Military
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!Others
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* DistaffCounterpart: To Arcturus Mengsk himself. She's an affable individual with a high rank in the Dominion [[spoiler:and is willing to use psi-emitters to overthrow a government]].
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* HeelFaceTurn: Donny during the events of ''Legacy of the Void'' (specifically the Co-op mission "The Vermillion Problem"), though the fact that [[spoiler:Mengsk is dead, his reputation disavowed, and the Dominion pulling a HeelFaceTurn as a whole]] meant that Donny himself didn't need to do much.
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->'''Voiced by:''' JamesHarper.
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->'''Voiced by:''' JamesHarper.
James Harper.
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* {{Badass}}: He's a frontline-fighting general that eventually gets an ArmCannon. [[spoiler:In ''Heart of the Swarm'' he not only clings to life with two steel beams piercing his torso, but he has the strength to attempt to pull them out, then to try and attack Kerrigan as she stands over him.]]
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* {{Badass}}: As told above, he took out two street thugs with martial arts and could have killed a third with a throwing knife, but spared him willingly. He proved an able gunfighter and swordsman in ''I, Mengsk'' as well. Given he had the same tutor as his father, this is no surprise. When he was a kid, however, he was a wimp which '''infuriated''' his father.
* BadassBoast: In ''Flashpoint'' after Matt sees him in action in the above conflict.
* BadassBoast: In ''Flashpoint'' after Matt sees him in action in the above conflict.
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-->''"The time has come, my fellow Terrans, to rally to a new banner. In unity lies strength; already many of the dissident factions have joined us. Out of the many, we shall forge an indivisible whole, capitulating only to a single throne. And from that throne, I shall watch over you!"''
-->--Arcturus Mengsk
-->--Arcturus Mengsk
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-->''"You don't seem to understand my position here. I will '''''not''''' be stopped! Not by [[TheHero you]], or the [[TheEmpire Confederates]], or the [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Protoss]], or '''''anyone'''''! I will '''''rule''''' this sector, or see it burned to '''''ashes''''' around me!"''
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-->''"Everyone wonders if I will be as good an emperor as my father. But I want something more. To prove that I will be a better emperor. And a better man."''
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-->''"You missed your calling, Raynor. You would have made an outstanding staff officer."''
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-->''"Y'all need some good ol' fashioned discipline."''
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* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard. [[spoiler: Like them, Davis's loyalty was to Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.]]
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* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard. [[spoiler: Like them, Davis's loyalty was to Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.]]
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--> ''"What is wrong with that woman? Tell her not to interrupt my interviews!"''
-->-- '''Donny, regarding Kate.'''
-->-- '''Donny, regarding Kate.'''
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-->--
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-> "That's the thing about the Dominion. Even in a crisis, our rule of law holds firm."
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-> "That's ''"That's the thing about the Dominion. Even in a crisis, our rule of law holds firm."
"''
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[[/folder]]
[[folder:Burgess]]
!! Stanley Burgess
The head scientist on the Dominion "Gestalt" program, formed with the intent to implant protoss organs in ghosts to create hybrid supersoldiers.
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* MadScientist: Read the character description again. He ''delights'' in mutilating protoss and grafting their organs onto humans.
* TheDogBitesBack: His pet PsychoPrototype, after getting deprogrammed by the protoss he's been tormenting, gouges his lungs out with a Psiblade, and gives him an IronicEcho of his own CatchPhrase.
[[folder:Burgess]]
!! Stanley Burgess
The head scientist on the Dominion "Gestalt" program, formed with the intent to implant protoss organs in ghosts to create hybrid supersoldiers.
----
* MadScientist: Read the character description again. He ''delights'' in mutilating protoss and grafting their organs onto humans.
* TheDogBitesBack: His pet PsychoPrototype, after getting deprogrammed by the protoss he's been tormenting, gouges his lungs out with a Psiblade, and gives him an IronicEcho of his own CatchPhrase.
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[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/terrandominion_logo2.jpg]]
-->''"The time has come, my fellow Terrans, to rally to a new banner. In unity lies strength; already many of the dissident factions have joined us. Out of the many, we shall forge an indivisible whole, capitulating only to a single throne. And from that throne, I shall watch over you!"''
-->--Arcturus Mengsk
When the Confederacy destroyed Korhal, Arcturus Mengsk and the few survivors of the planet rallied other Confederate dissidents to their cause and formed the Sons of Korhal, a group dedicated to the destruction of the Confederacy. For years Arcturus waged guerrilla warfare on the Confederates, but slowly found powerful allies and built up his forces. The turning point was the defection of Mar Sara's colonists led by Marshal Jim Raynor. This gave Mengsk the numbers to aid other planets in open revolt, and also gave him access to Confederate technology he used to destroy Tarsonis -- the psi emitter, which could lure Zerg to their signals from across the galaxy. Arcturus used the emitters to spark a Zerg invasion of Tarsonis, breaking the Confederacy's power with the loss of their core world.
Arcturus resettled Korhal and founded the Terran Dominion, using fear of the Zerg and Protoss to call for the Terrans to rally to his banner. Knowledge of Arcturus's hand in the Zerg invasion of Tarsonis was limited to a handful of his closest allies, thus most of the Terran planets fell for it and they, along with many Confederate worlds and assets, joined the Dominion. The Dominion was temporarily deposed by the United Earth Directorate, but with the aid of Kerrigan, Arcturus retook Korhal and the Dominion took back control of its colonies. After the Brood War when Kerrigan and the Zerg went quiet, Arcturus used the time to consolidate his power and continue to build his Dominion to grander heights. His son, Valerian, also took public stage as the Crown Prince and Arcturus's heir.
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:The Dominion]]
* BigBadEnsemble: First in Episode V of ''Brood War'', when they and the Zerg act as the antagonists of the [=UED's=] campaign, then again with Kerrigan to Raynor in ''Wings of Liberty''. Come ''Heart of the Swarm'' they're the primarily villains, alongside Amon's forces.
* BlueIsHeroic: [[spoiler:With Valerian taking control of them in ''Legacy of the Void'', the Dominion is represented in-game by shades of blue. In a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration, most of the Dominion forces seen in the game are led by Raynor, and Raynor's Raiders also used blue. In cutscenes however, their color is still red]].
* ButtMonkey: The series as a whole basically has "How many catastrophic losses can the Dominion have without collapsing?" as a core concept. ''Brood War'' involves the [=UED=] conquering Korhal and Kerrigan pulling CruelMercy on Mengsk's forces twice. [[spoiler: In ''Wings of Liberty'', Raynor's Raiders initiate a revolt on fringe worlds and do serious damage to Arcturus Mengsk's image, and Valerian takes half the Dominion fleet with him to Char. Kerrigan delivers one CurbStompBattle after another in ''Heart of the Swarm'', ending with an invasion on Korhal and her killing Arcturus. In ''Legacy of the Void'', their situation didn't improve, as the Moebius Corps invade Korhal while it's being rebuilt, causing serious damage despite their defeat, and Amon uses the Golden Armada to attack them during the time while the Daelaam are out of Aiur]]. Ever since it was formed, it has only won ''three'' times in-game, and they always needed help from another faction: Taking Korhal back from the [=UED=] (With Kerrigan's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders and Fenix's protoss forces), [[spoiler: deinfesting Kerrigan (With Raynor's Raiders) and aiding in Amon's destruction (With Kerrigan and Zagara's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders having officially joined them after Mengsk's death, and the Daelaam)]]. The Defenders of Man take advantage on this trope in ''Nova Covert Ops'' by trying to portray the Dominion as too weak to protect humanity of its own, thus presenting themselves as the alternative.
** IronButtMonkey: Despite the above, the Dominion is notable for having survived ''all'' games so far and being still around by the end of ''Legacy of the Void'', something neither the Terran Confederacy nor the UED Fleet can boast about. They might have it rough, but they ''always'' get back on their feet.
* ColorCodedArmies: The Dominion soldiers wear red, though in a few missions in the original game and ''Brood War'' they were blue or white due to technological restraints. Both are justified however, as those are the respective colors of the Mar-Sara Militia and Alpha Squadron, which were compressed into the Dominion.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: After Arcturus Mengsk's death and Valerian taking his place as Emperor at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm''. They've taken in Raynor's Raiders and are now the Protoss's allies]].
* HegemonicEmpire: The Dominion is just as bad as the Confederacy it overthrew, if not worse. However, Arcturus knows how to use the media and his natural charisma to mask the Dominion's and his own true nature. In the fall of the Confederacy, most of the Terran colonies in the sector joined the Dominion because ''someone'' has to protect them from the Protoss and Zerg, and the Dominion had the power and will to do so, ''and'' Arcturus was now famous as a rebel crusader who saved the planets the Confederacy abandoned. Come the time of ''Starcraft II'', however, the Dominion's status has decayed into straight TheEmpire: the Dominion utilizes oppression and violence to keep its dissidents in-line and is primarily interested in securing and expanding Arcturus's own control of the sector than actually defending anyone from Zerg or Protoss.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Turns out, the Dominion ends up just as bad as the Confederacy.
* LaResistance: The Dominion started as the Sons of Korhal, a group that fought to overthrow the Confederacy.
* TheRepublic: Arcturus cultivates the public image of the Dominion as this, a united front of humanity that will guard its people on all worlds and keep them safe from any who would threaten them. Also fits the trope flavor of being formed out of the resistance. However, the truth is they're a HegemonicEmpire as described above. [[spoiler:With Valerian Mengsk in power, they may actually qualify now, since he's trying to weed out Dominion corruption and actually wants to live up to that public image Arcturus faked.]]
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: ''Starcraft II'' sees black worked into their sigils and units as a secondary color to the traditional red, resulting in this trope. [[spoiler: Averted after ''Heart of the Swarm'''s ending, where the Dominion pulls a HeelFaceTurn]].
* RedIsHeroic: When the player controls them as the protagonist faction in Episode I, the player's forces change color from blue for the Mar Sara Militia, to red for the Sons of Korhal. In the final mission when Arcturus has completed his FaceHeelTurn, the player switches back to blue with the red forces as enemies. [[spoiler: Come ''Legacy of the Void'' and with the Dominion doing a HeelFaceTurn, this trope is still averted, as the Dominion never uses red in the missions they appear in, [[BlueIsHeroic using blue or light blue instead, just like Raynor's Raiders]] so as to distinguish them from Moebiua Corps, which use red. Played straight in cinematics, where the Dominion soldiers are all red]].
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: Arcturus's goal in rebelling against the Confederacy was personal power and vengeance, not out of any sense to do good by overthrowing an oppressive and corrupt government, and the tactics he used to do it were no better than the Confederacy's.
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Sons of Korhal were painted as upstart terrorists even as they attempted to help colonies the Confederacy had turned their back on.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Arcturus Mengsk]]
[[quoteright:241:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mengsk_5301.png]]
[[caption-width-right:241:[[EvilOverlord Portrait of a villain]].]]
-->''"You don't seem to understand my position here. I will '''''not''''' be stopped! Not by [[TheHero you]], or the [[TheEmpire Confederates]], or the [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Protoss]], or '''''anyone'''''! I will '''''rule''''' this sector, or see it burned to '''''ashes''''' around me!"''
->'''Voiced by:''' JamesHarper.
Mengsk's father was murdered by the Confederacy, and his entire planet destroyed, for being a problem. Mengsk's response was to start a resistence faction called the Sons of Korhal, and enlist the aid of Jim Raynor, Sarah Kerrigan, and later Edmund Duke. Though he initially comes off as a benevolent freedom fighter, as the Terran campaign goes, he commits steadily more unforgivable crimes for the legitimately good purpose of overthrowing the Confederacy, until he finally succeeds, sacrifices Kerrigan, alienates Raynor, and crowns himself Emperor. His true colors revealed, he becomes everything the Confederacy was and worse. When the UED invades, he's the first person on their hitlist, and much to Raynor's chagrin he has to save Mengsk's life to help Kerrigan take out the UED, which goes sour for both of them when she backstabs them both. Mengsk ultimately launches a joint Dominion-UED-Protoss attack on Kerrigan's forces that she routs, leaving him with nothing.
By the time of ''Starcraft II'', Mengsk's empire is back on its feet, with only Raynor opposing it to any significant degree. Mengsk can't simply have Raynor assassinated because he's desperately afraid of Raynor becoming a martyr, so he uses the media to marginalize Raynor's efforts and paint him as a fanatic terrorist - [[SarcasmMode which is totally different from how the Confederacy treated him]].
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AerithAndBob: One of these does not belong: James, Sarah, Arcturus, Edmund. Though for some people, his might be a case of AwesomeMcCoolname.
* UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents: Mengsk has a thick Georgia accent.
* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: [[spoiler:Not right away, but two years after the fall of Amon, the anniversary of his death is celebrated in the Dominion]].
* AnimalMotifs: The sequel ties him with the wolf -- cunning, savage and powerful, while also tying into his image as a charismatic media darling to mask his true nature. Statues of wolves and Arcturus flanked by wolves are all around Korhal, and images of wolf heads can be found from the Dominion crest outside his palace to an emblem set into the floor of his office.
* ArchEnemy: To Raynor and Kerrigan.
* ArchnemesisDad: To his son, Crown Prince Valerian, after the Flashpoint conflict.
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning[=/=]DoNotAdjustYourSet: While announcing the formation of the Terran Dominion and crowning himself as the Emperor Arcturus I.
* BeardOfEvil: Compared to Raynor's short-cropped beard around the mouth, Arcturus has a large and bushy beard going up the bottom of his face.
* BigBrotherIsWatching: As with the Confederacy, the Dominion has spies and informants everywhere, and many on their payroll are closely observed -- the closer to secrets they are, the tighter the surveillance.
* BigBad: In Episode V in ''Brood War'' -- while he's a villain before and after that, he's not the main one save for the very end of Episode I. ''Wings of Liberty'' puts him in BigBadEnsemble territory with Kerrigan, and come ''Heart of the Swarm'' he's the primary antagonist.
** BigBadWannabe: On the grander scale of things; He is still a major threat, but despite his statement he would either rule or burn the sector to ashes, he is constantly [[OvershadowedByAwesome overshadowed by much bigger and more dangerous villains]] like [[HiveMind the Overmind]], [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression the UED]], [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Kerrigan]] or [[spoiler:[[GodOfEvil Amon]]]]; even in ''Heart of the Swarm'', where he technically is the BigBad, Kerrigan is the one who drives the plot and he merely comes out as an obstacle to deal with before [[spoiler:facing Amon]].
* BoldInflation: You can hear it in every other word he says.
* BrokenPedestal: To Raynor after seeing how far Mengsk would go to overthrow the confederacy. Even Valerian felt the same way towards his father afterwards.
* TheCharmer: Arcturus is extremely charismatic and a very gifted orator. He can even persuade people who are aware of his atrocities into aligning themselves with him.
* TheChessmaster: He manipulates Raynor, Kerrigan, Duke, and the Zerg in order to bring down the Confederacy and establish himself as the Dominion Emperor, and does so by playing to their emotional weaknesses so they work for him until they realize what he really is. The novels complete this by having him play chess against Michael Liberty, and ''Heart of the Swarm'' offers this line when [[spoiler:Mengsk is shooting at the ''Hyperion'' and Matt tries to tell his ships that the Crown Prince is with them.]]
-->'''Valerian''': My father will sacrifice any piece on the chess board to take the Queen.
* CosmicPlaything / LaserGuidedKarma: Any involvement he has after the original game's campaign is this. He overthrows the Confederacy just for the UED to knock him off his throne; he allies with the two people that hate him the most to take back his homeworld just for Kerrigan to backstab him, and fails an attempt at revenge. ''Wing of Liberty'' has him [[spoiler: take a gamble with letting Raynor live to deal with Kerrigan, and Raynor proves to be an even bigger thorn in his side than before. Also, there is letting Kerrigan live, allowing her to get back to the Swarm and everything he tries to stop her fails. She then marches right onto his doorstep before finally killing him. To add insult to injury, if Arcturus had allowed Warfield access to the xel'naga artifact on Char, Warfield might have been able to stop Kerrigan before she became an even greater threat to him.]]
** In the epilogue of ''Legacy of the Void'', [[spoiler: his death anniversary was celebrated as a holiday]].
* ConsummateLiar: He can even fool Kerrigan, a ''telepath''.
* CruelMercy: After his defeat at the end of ''Brood Wars'', it was this from Kerrigan which ensured that he continued to live (and rule as Emperor). The moment Kerrigan decided to go on the warpath against him, [[spoiler: he didn't last very long]].
* DeathByIrony: Kerrigan unleashed the Zerg on Korhal to get to him, just like how Mengsk defeated the Confederacy and abandoned Kerrigan. [[spoiler:Not to mention that Mengsk is killed by the same person who killed his father]].
* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: See the above quote. When Zerg attacked Korhal, he even resorts to using nuclear weapons inside his own city.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: In ''Heart of the Swarm'', to blackmail Kerrigan, he [[spoiler:uses Raynor as a hostage, threatening to kill him if Kerrigan attacks Korhal]]. It doesn't seem to have occurred to him that Kerrigan could just [[spoiler:rescue Raynor and ''then'' invade Korhal, which is exactly what she does.]]
* TheEmperor: Emperor Arcturus I Mengsk of the Terran Dominion, absolute monarch and oppressor of virtually all humans in the Koprulu Sector, with the exception of the Kel-Morian Combine (who might be worse) and the Umojans.
* EnemyMine: Worked with Raynor, who made it clear he still wanted to kill him, and Kerrigan during the Brood War against the UED, and later worked with the UED and Protoss against Kerrigan. Neither end well.
* ErmineCapeEffect: Averted. Mengsk does wear some fairly ornate outfits, but they are far more reminiscent of military uniforms (with a lot of BadassLongcoat/[[BadassLongcoat Cape]] thrown in). Notably, his outfits are quite a bit ''less'' ostentatious than his son's, who is objectively a much better person (if ''Wings of Liberty'' is any indication).
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Per WordOfGod, one of the reasons he was so obsessed with killing the Queen of Blades was because he could not comprehend the idea of someone not wanting revenge after everything he had done to her. Maybe a bit less EvilCannotComprehendGood and more [[BlueAndOrangeMorality Mortals Cannot Comprehend Physical Gods]], but the implication that he felt the same way about Raynor makes it count.
* EvilOverlord: As the Emperor of the Dominion, he cultivates the image of himself as a benevolent dictator who rules humanity because he is best to protect the people from threats, but in reality he's just as cruel, oppressive and sinister as the Confederacy he overthrew, and outside the core worlds people see him as the tyrant he really is.
* EvilPlan: The original one was to become the above trope. His dealings with [[spoiler: Tychus Finlay and Moebius Foundation without Valerian's knowledge]]
* EvilVersusEvil: With Kerrigan in ''Wings of Liberty''
* FaceHeelTurn: He was the leader of the rebels and your benevolent commander in the original Terran campaign. But then he went too far and Raynor turned on him when it was clear Arcturus was just overthrowing the Confederacy so he could put himself in the middle of the power vacuum.
** FallenHero: He was implied to be a genuinely good man before his lust for power and revenge consumed what little decency he had. It [[DependingOnTheWriter still depends on the writer]]. In ''I, Mengsk'', he is shown to have psychotic tendencies while he was in high school. However, he may never have sought power and rebellion if not for his family's assassination, instead preferring to be a humble prospector.
* FauxAffablyEvil:
** He's charismatic, friendly, cultured, and well-spoken. But it is just an act to hide the power-hungry murderous tyrant that lurks beneath him. When he talks to Raynor and the Magistrate at the end of Episode I, he starts by happily congratulating them on their victory; when it becomes clear they're not having any of it, he drops the pleasantries and becomes more hostile and sneering. It's also at this time he delivers the line "I will ''rule'' this sector, or see it ''burnt to ashes'' around me," shattering any lingering illusions that his "rebellion" wasn't just an excuse to take power for himself.
** A direct quote from Michael Liberty: "Arcturus Mengsk. There's a name that is synonymous with terror, betrayal and violence. A living example of the ends justifying the means. The assassin of the Confederacy of Man. The hero of the blasted world of Korhal IV. King of the universe. A savage barbarian who never let anything or anyone get in his way. And yet, he is charming, erudite and intelligent. When you're in his presence you feel that he's really listening to you, that your opinions matter, that you're someone important if you agree with him. It's amazing. I have often wondered if men like Mengsk don't carry around their own reality-warping bubbles, and all who fall in are suddenly transported to another dimension where the hellish things he says and does suddenly make sense. At least, that's the effect he always had on me."
* GeneralFailure: Ends up looking like one in the games. All of Mengsk's victories are due to Raynor, Kerrigan, and/or the PlayerCharacter. On his own Mengsk repeatedly proves an ineffective field commander that gets his ass handed to him by Raynor, the Zerg, the Protoss, and the UED. The novels, especially ''I, Mengsk'', go a bit more in-depth and reveal he actually does have good tactics and strategy. It just comes off as an InformedAttribute in the games.
** Fully degenerates into this in ''Heart''. [[spoiler: His purging of Valerian's half of the Dominion military weakened his own side for the confrontation against the Swarm, and his hoarding of the xel'naga artifact meant that Warfield didn't have a chance to use it on Char, which might have stopped Kerrigan early and for good.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: During his days as a rebel he ''was'' pretty heroic, saving colonies left for dead by the Confederacy, but they painted him as an insane terrorist to try and keep people from realizing this. After the first Terran campaign, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters however]]...
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: In ''Starcraft'', his abandonment of Kerrigan gave rise to his greatest nemesis ever. In ''Heart'', [[spoiler: his purging of Valerian's half of the Dominion military weakened his own side for the confrontation against the Swarm, and his hoarding of the xel'naga artifact meant that Warfield didn't have a chance to use it on Char, which might have stopped Kerrigan early and for good.]]
* HumansAreBastards: Mengsk is an ordinary human, yet he is the only character in the original game that could be considered completely evil (Kerrigan became the fearsome "Queen of Blades" due to her infestation; therefore, her moral agency was compromised). He lures hordes of Zerg into attacking the Confederate capital world of Tarsonis, the most populous planet in the Koprulu sector, to overthrow at most a few hundred people. In doing so, Mengsk knowingly allowed '''''[[http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/planet/tarsonis two billion]]''''' innocent civilians to die -- a statistic that doesn't seem to faze him in the slightest. Shortly thereafter, it becomes clear that his motives were ''not'' to liberate the Terran worlds from the Confederacy, but to rule them himself. After establishing the Terran Dominion and proclaiming himself Emperor, Mengsk presides over a reign of terror where arbitrary killings and slave labor are the norm. An absolute monster in every sense of the term.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:By Kerrigan at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm'']], though not fatally.
* ItsAllAboutMe: This quote of his is just one example of his titanic ego.
-->''I will rule this sector or see it burnt to ashes around me.''
* JustTheFirstCitizen: Subverted. He's always referred to as 'Emperor' after the foundation of the Dominion, but he never wears a crown or an [[ErmineCapeEffect ermine cape]] (see above), and, of course, 'Empire' is not in the Dominion's name. He also doesn't seem to stand much on ceremony in the interviews he gives to the media, nor does he seem to demand much supplication (the reporters address him more or less as equals). All of which is almost certainly carefully orchestrated to mask Mengsk's ludicrously dictatorial rule, and revealing a preference for a cult of personality over forcing people to constantly submit to his power (especially if doing so would endanger his rule and/or popularity).
* ManipulativeBastard: In the novel ''I, Mengsk'', Arcturus gives the opinion that normal people are naturally confused, disoriented and disorganized without authority to show them the way. He makes himself that authority and points them the way he wants.
* MeetTheNewBoss: A classic example.
* MotiveDecay: His original motive for overthrowing the Terran Confederacy was because they killed his father. However, as the above quote demonstrates, his hatred consumed him and later on, all he wanted was power, and he became just as bad, if not worse than the government he overthrew. He moves to do things such as unleashing the zerg on Tarsonis and abandoning Kerrigan, and later, [[spoiler:ordering an attack which had the greatest chance of killing his own son.]]
* NeverMyFault: Kerrigan and Raynor both call him out and point that he's indirectly responsible for all of Kerrigan's atrocities, but for the most part, all he does is simply blame Kerrigan for them.
* NonActionBigBad: He is not a fighter, being an older man with no combat skills. However, he did at one time serve as a soldier, so he's not inept.
* OneLastSmoke: When Kerrigan comes for him in ''Heart of the Swarm'', he takes an ornate lighter and cigar out of an equally ornate box. [[spoiler:Subverted however, as the lighter is secretly the trigger for a weapon.]]
* OhCrap: [[spoiler: Take a look at his reaction before his head lights up and explodes thanks to Kerrigan. That is pure, undiluted ''fear''.]]
* ThePurge: At the beginning of ''Heart'', [[spoiler: he orders his half of the military to crush Valerian's half, which Valerian had brought to Char. However, Warfield and his men on Char was allowed to return to the fold.]]
* ReignOfTerror: Once he replaced the Confederacy with the Dominion, he made short work of any possible dissenters that might be loyal to the old flag. Kerrigan becoming the Queen of Blades also got him on edge about Ghosts, and a novelization has his son Valerian recount that almost half of ''all'' Ghosts in service were rounded up and executed.
* {{Revenge}}: His main motivation to overthrow the Confederacy.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified: Totally subverted, as his rule became as bad as, if not worse than the regime he replaced.
* SaveTheVillain: Because of the EnemyMine situation, Jim Raynor grudgingly saved him from execution by the UED forces after they had conquered his capital Augustgrad.
* SmugSnake: Has become this by the end of ''Heart''. [[spoiler: By having the xel'naga artifact with him, he thought that he could survive the zerg invasion. He evidently forgot that many terrans, including one James Raynor, also have scores to settle with him.]]
* TheSociopath: Reviewing his key personality traits is like reading through a sociopath diagnostic checklist: superficial charm, a grandiose sense of self, pathological lying, a penchant for manipulating others to achieve his own ends, an absolutely '''''astonishing''''' lack of empathy or remorse for any of his actions, and an insatiable lust for power and dominance that drives his every move. He has no qualms whatsoever about sacrificing those closest to him if it suits his purposes.
* TheStrategist: He's known in-universe as a shrewd and skilled tactician. He knows his assets, he knows his enemies, and he knows how to best use the former against the latter.
* StuffBlowingUp: How [[spoiler:Kerrigan kills him. ''After'' [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill she already had him pinned with two of her barbed tendrils]].]]
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: [[spoiler:Kerrigan kills him by stabbing him through his shoulders with her RazorWings, pinning him to a wall in the process, and then turns him into a psychic bomb]] that completely destroys his throne room.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: The end of the Terran campaign is his charismatic speech to the people of the newly formed Dominion and to the old Confederate colonists, encouraging unity and strength before the Zerg and Protoss that will otherwise consume the Terran race. Tellingly, a good part of his speech emphasizes the people take orders from and be loyal to a single throne, upon which he will sit to watch over and protect them, in a manner that's almost indoctrination.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Abandoning Kerrigan to the Zerg inadvertently created one of the most dangerous creatures the galaxy has ever known, and she nearly eradicated the sector and killed everyone who opposed her, including Mengsk himself.
* TheUsualAdversaries: According to Raynor, the Dominion under his rule.
-->'''Jim:''' Mengsk! It's always Mengsk! [[spoiler:The end of the universe is coming and I should have known he'd be behind it!]]
* VillainousBreakdown:
** He experiences a mild one when [[spoiler:confronted by the press after Raynor broadcasted his recordings to the Dominion]], snapping at the reporters for questioning him and storming out of the press interview.
** He has a more gradual one over the course of ''Heart of the Swarm'', resorting to increasingly drastic measures to try and kill Kerrigan, and eventually starts blowing up his bases with his men still inside to try and stop her. His self-control is pretty much gone by the time [[spoiler:the Zerg are putting down hatcheries on his palace doorstep]].
* VillainsNeverLie: [[spoiler:Mengsk tells Kerrigan, after she transformed into the Primal Queen of Blades, that Raynor sacrificed everything to restore humanity, yet she threw it away. He later adds that Raynor would be disgusted by her for it. Unfortunately, Mengsk was right in a way that he reemphasized what Raynor said in the beginning about not wanting to see Kerrigan throw away his sacrifices just for revenge. In a manner of speaking, Mengsk was also right about Raynor's reaction to her becoming a monster again.]]
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: He's the ruler of the Terran Dominion, got most of the Dominion eating out of his hand, and branded genuine good guy Jim Raynor a terrorist and a real and present threat to terran society, with even managing to maintain his hold over the Dominion by pretending to save them from the Zerg onslaught which destroyed Tarsonis, as well as violently suppressing or slandering anybody who would challenge his rule. Most people like him, however, and are loyal to the Dominion, and he's widely considered a media darling and doesn't shy away from interviews with the press. And then [[spoiler:Raynor goes and blows Mengsk's real motivation of self-aggrandizement and ever more power, resulting in a mild [[VillainousBreakdown villainous breakdown]]]].
* WeHaveReserves: Mengsk considers anything and everything expendable as long as it furthers his goals. This includes his ''own son'', the Crown Prince, if destroying the ship he's on will take out Kerrigan in the process (though fortunately he does not succeed).
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Especially in the novels. At the very least, Mengsk started off this way, if the novels and [[AllThereInTheManual the backstory in the manual]] are to be believed. Mengsk himself portrays himself as this after he crosses over into outright villainy and it's largely left up to the player's interpretation whether he's purely in it for his own personal gain or if he really believes he's doing the right thing. More and more, it seems he's slipping further into selfishness as time passes.
* WickedCultured: The man loves [[AGlassOfChianti his liquor]], his classical music, his cigars, and plays a mean game of chess, even during his days as a terrorist rebel. His former command ship, a massive Battlecruiser named Hyperion, differs ''greatly'' from normal design standards to accommodate his tastes. To name one such variation, it has wider-than-normal hallways lined with carpets and paintings and lit by wall sconces. Raynor thinks it seems more like a fancy mansion than a warship. This is even truer of his new battleship, the Bucephalus (Alexander the Great's horse; legend had it that he who rode Bucephalus would conquer the world, so it's a logical choice), which is (somewhat hilariously) stolen or hijacked or commandeered by Valerian Mengsk. Bucephalus' bridge looks more like baroque palace's [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb57524/starcraft/images/5/56/Bucephalus_SC2_DevRend1.jpg great hall or ballroom]] than the command center of a warship.
* WhyAmITicking: How Kerrigan [[spoiler:finally kills him at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm''.]]
* XanatosGambit: WordOfGod is that he had no set plan in place when he [[spoiler:planted Tychus as TheMole in Raynor's crew]]. He just figured he'd stash a card up his sleeve and pull it out at a later date whenever it proved beneficial. This is also why he didn't [[spoiler:have Tychus act to stop the mission in "Media Blitz"; by that time he was saving Tychus up for Kerrigan and didn't want to blow his one usage of his infiltrator on Raynor when Kerrigan is the bigger threat.]]
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: He does this to Kerrigan by leaving her on Tarsonis. It didn't work out like he thought. It may also revenge for both her questioning his actions and over the fact that [[spoiler: she is the Ghost who killed his father.]]
* YouKilledMyFather: His original motive for rebelling against the Confederacy before his desire for power consumed him. It's also one of the reasons he abandoned Kerrigan to the Zerg on Tarsonis. [[spoiler: She was the Ghost that killed and decapitated his father, his mother, and his little sister]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Valerian Mengsk]]
[[quoteright:180:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/180px-ValerianMengsk_SC2_Head1_4066.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:180:EvenTheGuysWantHim.]]
-->''"Everyone wonders if I will be as good an emperor as my father. But I want something more. To prove that I will be a better emperor. And a better man."''
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/JoshKeaton
Son of Arcturus Mengsk and heir apparent of the Dominion. He is interested in archeology, especially the relics of the Xel'naga. It turns out he owns and runs the Moebius Foundation when Raynor's planned meeting with the company's ships turned up meeting up with the Bucephalus, the Dominion's flagship.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AdventurerArchaeologist: As revealed in the Dark Templar novels, he ''desperately'' wishes he was one. Hinted at in ''Wings'' by his obsession with the Xel'naga artifacts.
* AgentPeacock: Lampshaded in the ''Flashpoint'' novel.
* AmbiguouslyEvil: In the ''Dark Templar Saga'' and ''Wings of Liberty'', everyone is wary of him because he may seem nice and trustworthy, but he's still the Emperor's son and is obviously keeping secrets from his allies. In ''I, Mengsk'', he outright tells his father that he won't end up like him and his good side is obvious, but it's also clear that he hasn't quite grasped the ideals of [[TheRepublic Umoja]] or his grandfather. ''Flashpoint'' and ''Heart of the Swarm'' clear up the ambiguity with several scenes to establish his honor and morals are genuine.
* AntagonisticOffspring: Inverted, Valerian is a good man with a wicked father. Come ''Heart of the Swarm'', he's pretty much openly abandoned Arcturus' administration, and [[spoiler:Arcturus is apparently content to kill his son alongside Kerrigan in order to see her dead]].
* ArchnemesisDad: His relationship with Arcturus totally breaks down come ''Heart'', and we all know Arcturus himself is no angel...
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He tries to prove it at least. While he's yet to take the field in a game so far, he ''does'' orchestrate a lot of things by aiding allies, so he mostly succeeds. In the novel ''Flashpoint'', he's also able to subdue some street thugs with his martial arts and swordplay skills.
* {{Badass}}: As told above, he took out two street thugs with martial arts and could have killed a third with a throwing knife, but spared him willingly. He proved an able gunfighter and swordsman in ''I, Mengsk'' as well. Given he had the same tutor as his father, this is no surprise. When he was a kid, however, he was a wimp which '''infuriated''' his father.
* BadassBoast: In ''Flashpoint'' after Matt sees him in action in the above conflict.
-->'''Matt:''' Can you kill me with a spoon? \\
'''Valerian:''' Only amateurs need spoons.
* BadassBookworm: In addition to his fighting skills, he is very well-read and intelligent.
* BigGood: After the series, as shown in ''Nova Covert Ops'' DLC, Valerian has developed into this for the new, good Dominion, putting his trust on his allies during ''Void'' and Nova as well in terms of the troubles with the Defender of Men.
* ButtMonkey: In ''Heart of the Swarm'', occasionally; Kerrigan trolls him in the first mission and almost strangles him later after mistakenly believing he left Raynor behind (though this one wasn't played for laughs), Mira Han calls him "princess" and the list goes on.
* CallingTheOldManOut:
** It's easily his CrowningMomentOfAwesome, since he had no real reason of telling this to Arcturus except to rub it in his face. The kid just wanted to gloat.
--->'''Valerian:''' Father, I am about to accomplish that which you could not. Today I will [[spoiler:defeat the Queen of Blades and secure peace throughout the Dominion]]. By this act, the people will finally know that I am a worthy successor to you.
** He does this much more in ''Flashpoint'', letting Arcturus know several times that he is officially fed up with his father putting selfish vendettas above the safety of the Dominion and its people.
* CanonImmigrant: Before ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'', he debuted in the Dark Templar novels.
* TheChainsOfCommanding: Feels them in the ''Flashpoint'' novel. Of the twenty-five battlecruisers he took with him to [[spoiler:Char]], each with thousands of crew, less than half survived the invasion, and the ones that did, all of them were either destroyed by [[spoiler:Arcturus's own half of the fleet]], or were damaged and captured, their crews likely to be executed for treason. And they all knew from the start it was treason, especially when [[spoiler:Valerian directly turned on Arcturus]], but they did it because they wanted to help their prince. The deaths of thousands of good soldiers who believed in him does not sit well with him, and Raynor notes when they next meet in person that the kid is letting it show on his face.
* CharacterDevelopment: When he starts out in ''Wings of Liberty'', it's still unclear what kind of person he is, and he clearly underestimates Kerrigan, his invasion of Char only being saved by Raynor's help. By ''Heart of the Swarm'', he shows more obvious signs of concern for his forces and allies, and turns out to have developed enough guts to [[spoiler:call out [[HumanoidAbomination Kerrigan]] for her impatience about saving Raynor]]. Kerrigan is genuinely impressed.
-->'''Kerrigan:''' You've done some growing up since Umoja.\\
'''Valerian:''' Zerg aren't the only ones who adapt.
* TheChessmaster: Aspires to this in ''Wings of Liberty'', orchestrating [[spoiler:Raynor's retrieval of the artifacts through the Moebius Foundation in planning to ally with him and lead an invasion of Char]]. Raynor notes that Valerian sees him as a pawn to be used, but Valerian counters by asking if Raynor cares if cooperation will get him what he wants; Jim admits that no, he doesn't.
* CivilWar: Takes half the Dominion's military to the expedition on Char. Arcturus' half destroyed or took over the survivors of the expedition. However, [[spoiler: Valerian has the last laugh as the ''Zerg'' under Kerrigan dispatches Arcturus at the end of ''Heart'']].
* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu?: In ''Heart''.[[spoiler:Yeah, she's on his side and all, but still: He called out Kerrigan. And it ''worked''.]]
* TheEmperor: He becomes this by the time of ''Legacy'', after his father's defeat at the hands of Kerrigan at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm''. though TheGoodKing will probably be more apt.
* EnemyMine: With Raynor, though he did manipulate him for a great deal through Tychus. However [[spoiler:he was not aware of his father's plans with Tychus]]. Come ''Flashpoint'' and ''Heart of the Swarm'', [[spoiler:his treachery is made aware to Arcturus and he's become an almost-honorary member of the Raiders, since his fleet is gone and he and his men are now stationed on the Hyperion.]]
* AFatherToHisMen: Has shades in ''Flashpoint''. With most of his fleet crippled or on the verge of destruction, he refuses to let any of his men perform a HeroicSacrifice for his benefit, and gives Raynor a WhatTheHellHero for even suggesting that some of them be left to die.
* ForScience: The reason he's so intrigued by Xel'naga artifacts. Raynor has to caution him that ancient alien devices are not toys. He's also curious enough about Kerrigan and the Zerg to let her have control of a few of them in the ''HeartOfTheSwarm'' tutorial mission. By the end, she's destroyed most of the laboratory sector to prove the point that the [[EvilIsNotAToy the Zerg aren't his experimental playthings]].
* TheGoodKing: It's no secret even in ''Wings of Liberty'' that he wants to be "the best emperor our people could ask for," [[spoiler:and as of the end of ''Heart of the Swarm'', he got his wish. It's likely the first time the Koprulu Sector has ever been ruled by a good leader. He even sent an expedition ''into the freaking Void'' to help defeat Amon.]]
** Deconstructed in ''Nova Covert Ops''. [[spoiler: Valerian finds out that even with him being an objectively better emperor than his father, there is still resistance to his rule, resistance that may one day need to be dealt with through overt violence. It's up to Nova to save his reputation]].
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: In contrast to the dark-haired Arcturus, Valerian is blond and is a much better person.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Initially served The Dominion, sworn enemies of Jim Raynor, but come "Flashpoint" and ''Heart of The Swarm'', he now fights against the Dominion alongside Raynor's Raiders. He was especially aware of the prophecy involving Kerrigan, the reason why he refused to hand her over to his father. Subverted however, because from the beginning, his EnemyMine with Raynor was part of his agenda to prove himself a better man than his father. Furthermore, he did not treat Raynor as the enemy his father made him out to be.]]
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: After Moebius Corps' attack on Augustgrad,]] he had no words to describe the death and carnage which surrounded him.
* IAmNotMyFather: Outright states this, then goes on to prove it.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's definitely a better man than Arcturus, if a bit naive at times. But he's still a Mengsk, and is confident to the point of arrogance. By the end of ''Heart of the Swarm'', thanks to the events of ''Wings of Liberty'' and ''Flashpoint'', he's undergone a subdued BreakTheHaughty and lost some of his naivete, becoming more level-headed.
* MissionControl: In ''Heart of the Swarm''.
* TheNicknamer: Like Raynor, inverted. He's at the receiving end of lots of nicknames, such as "Junior" (Raynor), "Scooter" (Swann) and "Princess" (Mira Han). Only Kerrigan ever calls him by his actual name.
* NotSoDifferent: While he may be a better person than his father, and his rise to power was less bloody, Valerian still became emperor due to the zerg destroying the previous administration, just like his father before him.
* OddFriendship: With both Raynor and Kerrigan. Despite him being the Crown Prince of the ruling government, Raynor actually seems to genuinely like Valerian by ''Flashpoint'', and Kerrigan, while disdaining his ForScience attitude toward the Zerg, is impressed by his courage and listens to his request to spare civilian centers [[spoiler: during her invasion of Korhal.]]
* OverlordJr: Defies this trope in all flavors. Arcturus's poor parenting coupled with his ruthless methods of keeping order in the Dominion have shattered any idealized image Valerian had of him, while his mother emphasized he grow to be a good, proud man. It's mostly worked -- he's arrogant and naive, but Valerian is a very different person from Arcturus, and as his page quote demonstrates, wants to prove to the Dominion he's both a better ruler and a better man.
* {{Pride}}: He has this as his major flaw. Like father, like son. He eventually gets fed a humility pill and he gets better about it.
* PrinceCharming: Referred to as this by Rory Swann.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: His overriding goal is the safety and security of the Terran Dominion, which contrasts with his father, who just wants power. [[spoiler:After ''Heart of the Swarm'', when he takes the throne, the first thing he does is dig up his father's black-ops research projects, call the scientists who have been shanghaied, and start actually ''paying'' them, in addition to removing the psychopaths his father liked to put in charge. And of course, if the scientists want to go back to their families instead, that's fine too]].
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Wants to prove himself as this, which he does by [[spoiler:defeating Kerrigan alongside Raynor]].
* SinsOfOurFathers: Averted. While the Raiders and Kerrigan initially distrust him due to the Mengsk name, the phase passed quickly. After his [[spoiler: ascension to the throne]], the Mengsk name did not seem to hurt his reputation with Dominion citizens. To be fair, he did work darn hard to distance himself from his father. The Defender of Men in ''Nova Covert Ops'' is trying to make the trope played straight by sabotaging his Empire to make it look like Valerian turned out like his father after all.
* SixthRanger: [[spoiler:Joins with Raynor's Raiders after the Flashpoint Conflict, and is now working with them come ''Heart Of The Swarm'']]
** Inverted come ''Legacy'', when [[spoiler: the Raiders join the Dominion (now under Valerian), with Horner and Raynor taking up leadership roles.]]
* SunkCostFallacy: "I've invested far too much in this endeavor to see it fail." He doesn't even have the excuse of having the Zerg on the run.
** DeathOrGloryAttack: What the Char expedition essentially boils down to.
* ThoseTwoGuys: After [[spoiler: Jim gets captured,]] he and Matt take over command of the Raiders and are Kerrigan's primary Terran contacts in ''Heart of the Swarm.''
* TokenEnemyMinority: [[TheEmpire The Terran Dominion]] and [[LaResistance Raynor's Raiders]] are at war. [[spoiler:Dominion Crown Prince Valerian fights alongside the Raiders as of "Flashpoint".]]
* WarriorPrince: Tries to be one, anyway.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Subverted. Though flashbacks in ''The Dark Templar Saga'' show he was this as a kid, Arcturus was an AbusiveParent and Valerian grew out of it once he realized that. Now his goal is to be his own man rather than just Mengsk Jr., and is more interested in proving to the people that he's not his father and can be a better ruler than him.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He might be an aversion but comes off as one to Jake because his assistant (who was a mole for his father) altered his orders without him being aware of it.
* WideEyedIdealist: He's usually good at hiding it, but his entire plan pretty much hinged on the universe rewarding nobility and courage. Of special note is his first meeting with Raynor, which revolved around the idea that Raynor was a noble revolutionary who would want to kill Arcturus personally, rather than the terrorist rebel he was painted as. The Dark Templar Saga novels also have his servants note this, as he doesn't suspect many of them are spies for Arcturus so he can keep tabs on Valerian's private matters.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Horace Warfield]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-Horace_Warfield_SC2_Head1_134.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:Now, ''this'' is a general.]]
-->''"You missed your calling, Raynor. You would have made an outstanding staff officer."''
-> '''Voiced by:''' GaryAnthonyWilliams
Mengsk's replacement for the deceased Edmund Duke, General Warfield is a very different kind of military leader than his predecessor. Smooth-talking and well-mannered, Warfield makes very few appearances in ''Wings of Liberty'', mostly acting as SupportingLeader for Mengsk or an offscreen antagonist. Warfield does make an appearance at the end of the story, however.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AntiVillain: Warfield has basically no villainous traits, and only falls short of being a HeroAntagonist in ''Wings of Liberty'' because he works for TheEmpire.
* ArmCannon: [[spoiler:Near the end of ''Wings'', he has his poisoned arm amputated and replaced with an arm cannon that transforms into a hand.]]
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: ''"What if Raynor could see you right now?"'' It gets [[BerserkButton a reaction]].
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He eats rocks and spits out gravel.
* {{Badass}}: He's a frontline-fighting general that eventually gets an ArmCannon. [[spoiler:In ''Heart of the Swarm'' he not only clings to life with two steel beams piercing his torso, but he has the strength to attempt to pull them out, then to try and attack Kerrigan as she stands over him.]]
* BadassBoast: Almost every line of dialogue he has is a boast of how he will win the day.
* BadassGrandpa: Like Duke, he's probably in his fifties ''at least'', but he, like Fenix, "throws down with the best of them." And if you want a ''real'' explanation, all you need to know is that [[spoiler:he punched a hydralisk to death and lived to tell about it.]]
* BlackComedy: Near the end of ''Wings'', he [[spoiler: loses the use of one of his arms]]. Cut to this conversation:
-->'''Raynor:''' Good to see you on your feet, General.\\
'''Warfield:''' Yeah, well, we'll see how long that lasts.
* CoolOldGuy: He's one of the more popular new characters out of ''Wings'', and for a good reason: [[spoiler:He {{bayonet|Ya}}ed a zergling, kills a hydralisk by punching it to death, and is so tough he shrugs off enough poison to kill an ultralisk, ''and'' gets a shiny new ArmCannon out of the deal.]]
* {{Cyborg}}: [[spoiler:During the assault on Char, he loses his arm to zerg venom and gets it replaced with an ArmCannon]].
* AFatherToHisMen: Not spelled out exactly, but pretty heavily implied, given his warm demeanor and tendency to fight on the front beside his men, and [[spoiler: him demanding that Kerrigan spare his retreating soldiers despite heavily wounded and more or less at her mercy.]]
* FireForgedFriends: When they first meet, he obviously doesn't think too highly of Raynor, accusing him and "his terrorist friends" of hiding while he was busy leading the Dominion against the Zerg. After Raynor saves his life and takes command in Warfield's absence, he sees things a little different.
-->'''Warfield:''' All these years, Mengsk made you out to be the devil himself. But I've seen you put it on the line for men who'd otherwise be hunting you down. \\
'''Raynor:''' Your Emperor's the one 'should be brought to justice. All I ever wanted was for folks to live free. \\
'''Warfield:''' Charging into battle with a stranger -- taking enemy fire, holding the line shoulder to shoulder -- that's the great equalizer of war. It's a honor to fight at your side.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The BlackComedy above becomes a FunnyAneurysmMoment, as he dies early in ''Heart of the Swarm'' (Char).]]
* FourStarBadass: Though oddly enough, he only has three stars on his uniform (which from our point of view, would give him the rank of lieutenant general at the most).
* FrontlineGeneral: He takes the field with his Marines and takes on an entire zerg force ''by himself''. He seems to have internalized the lesson that tactical subtlety and staff officers don't help much against the Zerg.
* GangstaStyle: Does this as he runs low on ammo.
* IAintGotTimeToBleed: Gets impaled through the arm by several Hydralisk spikes. It barely slows him down.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:In ''Heart of the Swarm''.]]
* InformedAbility: Warfield is allegedly a hyper-competent general, but his one opportunity to demonstrate this prowess [[GoneHorriblyWrong goes horribly wrong]].
** He is, however, very well aware of the strategic value of taking down the Zerg [[DeathFromAbove air support]] rather than the ground-based [[MookMaker nydus worms]]. The final mission with the zerg air support uncrippled is considered by many to be the ''hardest'' mission in ''Wings'' by a significant margin. [[note]]Siege tanks turn anything ground based into nice big craters, and removing the zerg flyers means there's no way for the Zerg to counter a mass of them other than Kerrigan herself. And since you face Kerrigan in both versions....[[/note]]
** Justified in the sequel, Warfield is likely used to fighting Broods under the command of Broodmothers, who only use [[HollywoodTactics limited tactics]], or even just feral zerg. The forces on Char were under the command of Kerrigan, which is a whole different thing entirely. Notably, he ''[[CurbStompBattle curbstomped]]'' Zagara prior to Kerrigan's arrival and was preparing to commence mop-up operations.
* MeaningfulName: Warfield.
* TheMenFirst: [[spoiler: His last act is to request his men to be saved...[[PetTheDog which Kerrigan grants]].]]
%% Don't add MythologyGag here. It's already in ShoutOut/Starcraft.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: Sticks with Arcturus right to the end, although he did join Valerian on the expedition to Char (which was technically treason against Arcturus).
* OneManArmy: When every man with him is dead, he just presses on and takes out the rest of the Zerg host by himself.
* PunchClockVillain: He's an honorable and gruff man in his own right, and comes to respect Raynor (though he didn't think much of him at first). But much like Edmund Duke before him, being Mengsk's top general means he's usually against you in missions.
* RememberTheNewGuy: According to his backstory, he's been one of Mengsk's top officers ever since he began his rebellion against the Confederacy, which would mean Warfield was out there somewhere kicking ass for the entirety of the original game and ''Brood War''.
* RetiredBadass: He was retired prior to ''Starcraft II''; Mengsk brought him back into service at the beginning of ''Wings of Liberty''.
%%* TheSouthpaw
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler: Defeated by Kerrigan, he is mortally wounded...and she murders him the second he [[BerserkButton mentions Raynor's name]].]]
* WelcomeBackTraitor: By joining Valerian on his expedition in ''Wings'', Warfield was effectively committing treason against Arcturus. In ''Heart'', while Valerian is directly attacked by Arcturus's men, Warfield was left alone, by and large.
* WhatTheHellHero: Gives one to Kerrigan in ''Heart of the Swarm'' when she begins her RoaringRampageOfRevenge against Mengsk on Char, killing the same Dominion soldiers who freed her, while also calling out that she's betraying Raynor's trust in her [[spoiler: which might have gotten through to her, but since Kerrigan had already heard the UNN say that Raynor was executed, somebody working for Mengsk talking about turning against Raynor turned out to be a BerserkButton for her. It wasn't completely ineffective, however; after killing Warfield, she let the remaining Dominion forces go]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Edmund Duke]]
-->''"Y'all need some good ol' fashioned discipline."''
->'''Voiced by:''' JackRitschel
Edmund Duke was the Confederacy's greatest general, and the leader of Alpha Squadron, their greatest force. He starts off as a fairly generic villain, opposing Raynor and insulting backwater worlds, until Mengsk and Raynor save his life from the Zerg and demand his loyalty in return. His knowledge of the inner workings of the Confederacy prove key to Mengsk's victory, but surprisingly, Duke proves completely loyal to him, enough so that when Raynor rebels when Mengsk's evil intentions become clear, Duke stays with Mengsk.
Ultimately, Kerrigan convinced Mengsk (and Duke, though not seen) and Fenix to assist her, and while they honored their part of the bargain, Kerrigan did not, and murdered Duke to cripple Mengsk's military.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AntiVillain: He's a {{Jerkass}} all the way, but Duke never acts in a way that could be considered flat ''evil'', and is usually a loyal soldier to his superiors and has some shades of AFatherToHisMen. In a sense, he's a PunchClockVillain that always happens to be punched in whenever the player meets up with him.
* BadassGrandpa: He is old and crusty, but he's still willing to enter the front lines to fight.
* ContinuitySnarl: Blizzard has trouble keeping the history of Duke's ships in line. The game depicts the Norad II being repaired and used to attack Tarsonis, but the novel ''Liberty's Crusade'' says the Sons of Korhal set the ship to self-destruct to destroy the Zerg in the area. Then another novel ''Shadow of the Xel'Naga'' retconned it back to surviving, and further said that the Norad II was retrofitted into the Norad III. Then the same novel has the Norad III be destroyed along with the rest of Duke's fleet, and since the novel takes place before ''Brood War'', this messes up the ship's appearance in the expansion. The novel ''Firstborn'' gave a HandWave that only ''most'' of Duke's fleet was destroyed, the Norad III was either spared or recovered and repaired, but ''Liberty's Crusade'' is a straight retcon.
* CoolStarship: His flagship, the Norad II, is a pumped-up Battlecruiser and one of the best hero units in the original game. In ''Brood War'' he commands the new, upgraded Norad III.
* DeepSouth: He has the most pronounced accent of any character in the game save Stukov.
* DemotedToExtra: After being a major character in the first game, ''Brood War'' only sees him appear in two missions, and they're brief appearances too.
* DirtyCoward: It's implied he doesn't like to dirty his hands himself, leading from the back and retreating when unable to win. When Duke volunteers to lead an attack on Tarsonis' orbital platforms, Raynor is surprised to see him offering to lead a frontal assault. Duke's subsequent comments are that he knows the other Confederate squadrons stationed on the platform suck compared to his own Alpha Squadron men, and Raynor deflates when he realizes Duke is only taking the field because he knows it'll be an easy fight for him.
* DoubleTake: The normally unflappable Duke has one in Episode V when meeting Stukov, who tells Duke they're the United ''Earth'' Directorate. Duke's reaction is to sputter and respond to the effect of "wait, ''what''?"
* TheDragon: To Mengsk after Episode I.
* EliteArmy: Duke's Alpha Squadron is known as the best of the Confederacy's armed forces, and deploying them is their knee-jerk response to any serious threat. Up until they sent them to Antiga to deal with Mengsk, it worked too.
* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner: He's did this to ''[[OmnicidalManiac Kerrigan]]''.
-->'''Duke:''' Do your worst then, little girl! You ain't takin' Edmund Duke without a fight!
* FourStarBadass: He got to his position because of his admirable war record.
* GeneralFailure: Has the misfortune of almost always being on the opposite side from the player character, to the point where the only battle he wins onscreen is Tarsonis, a planet whose defenses he knows inside and out.
* GoKartingWithBowser: One of the multiplayer maps in ''Starcraft 64'' has Raynor and Duke competing in a friendly game of "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Zergling Round-Up]]"
* GrumpyOldMan
* HeelFaceTurn: And then, a FaceHeelTurn without doing any turning. Few characters can claim that feat.
* InformedAttribute: He's supposed to be one of the finest generals of the Confederacy. Between the games and in the novels though, you can count on one hand how many battles he wins, one of which in the novels is a PyrrhicVictory that costs him most of Alpha Squadron. Most of the time, be it Mengsk, Raynor, the UED, protoss or zerg, Duke is left defeated and humiliated.
* {{Jerkass}}: Though its quite obvious the second you hear him talk for the first time, the novelizations turns it up worse - after Raynor defects, his men are being overrun by Zerg and he can't save them. Raynor begs Duke to help them, offering to turn himself in if he does. Duke laughs in his face.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: In the early missions of Episode I. When Jim Raynor helps saving the Backwater Station from a Zerg attack, Duke has him arrested for ''property damage''. Perhaps subverted in this case. The Terran Confederacy was preforming tests on the zerg at the time. Destroying the infested command center may have ticked them off for losing the potential scientific knowledge they had hoped to garner from it.
* OneManArmy: In the ''Norad II'', he deals 50 damage a shot (a OneHitKO to Marines) and has a whopping 850 HP with 4 armor. In the mission where you take control of Duke, you can win the entire mission by having him solo the enemy bases, as long as you're keen to keep him repaired and target the strong anti-air units first.
* ReliableTraitor: He joined the Sons of Korhal rebellion grudgingly, basically at gunpoint, and made his contempt of Mengsk, Raynor and the rebels very clear at every opportunity he got. Mengsk however counted on that pandering to Duke's ambition, greed and lust for power would turn him into a useful ally. He was right.
* SaveTheVillain: Despite hating his guts, Jim Raynor saved his life twice. First for the Zerg on Antiga Prime and later from the UED during their assault on Korhal.
%%* SouthernFriedPrivate
* TankGoodness: He commands his personal Siege Tank in the ''Precursor'' campaign and the unused mission "Biting the Bullet"
* WeHaveReserves: The "Damn fringe world yokel" colonial militias are fully expendable in his eyes.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Carolina Davis]]
A high-ranking member of the Dominion military.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard. [[spoiler: Like them, Davis's loyalty was to Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.]]
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Aside from Nova, who is a special ops agent, Davis is the first female ranking officer of the Dominion to be seen.
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:She's leading the Defenders of Man to overthrow Valerian and seize control of the Dominion.]]
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: [[spoiler:She's well-liked by the Dominion and its citizens even as she plots attacks against it to discredit Valerian's rule.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler:She's the BigBad of the ''Covert Ops'' DLC, as the leader of the Defenders of Man.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kate Lockwell and Donny Vermillion]]
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-KateLockwell_SC2_Head1_9195.JPEG]]
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-DonnyVermillion_SC2_DevStory1_3796.jpg]]
--> ''"What is wrong with that woman? Tell her not to interrupt my interviews!"''
-->-- '''Donny, regarding Kate.'''
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/RachaelMacFarlane (Kate) and BlairBess (Donny)
Two reporters working for the UNN, Kate being the field reporter and Donny the desk anchor. Kate tries to be impartial and truthful, but often gets blocked by her coworker Donny who is a staunch Mengsk supporter. After Vermillion suffers a breakdown, Kate gets promoted to chief anchor.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* BlatantLies: Very often, due to being controlled by Terran Dominion, often in a very unconvincing manner. During one broadcast, a Dominion Marine even shows up to shut it down.
-->'''Kate Lockwell:''' In fact, Donny, survivors have credited Raynor's Raiders--\\
'''Donny Vermillion:''' I'll have to cut you off there, Kate! We've got a breaking story. Uh...uhm...g-go to commercial. Yes. Commercial.\\
\\
'''Donny Vermillion:''' I assume casualties were high as a result of Raynor's terrorist actions.\\
'''Kate Lockwell:''' Actually the only civilian deaths appear to be collateral damage from overzealous Dominion security forc--\\
'''Donny Vermillion:''' Thanks, Kate. You heard it here first! Jim Raynor: Killing women and children on Mar Sara.
* BreakTheHaughty: When Mengsk's hand in the fall of Tarsonis is exposed, Donny falls into a HeroicBSOD and is eventually committed to a mental institution, his faith in the Dominion completely shattered.
* TheCameo: Kate's voice can be heard in the last cinematic of ''Legacy'''s epilogue campaign.
* CanonImmigrant: Kate Lockwell appeared in the comics before she did in-game.
* CatchPhrase:
--> '''Donny:''' You heard it here first!
* DoubleStandard: Donny answers the question posed by some viewers that ask what's wrong with Raynor rebelling against the Dominion when it was founded after Arcturus rebelled and overthrew the Confederacy. His response? "Yes, but Emperor Mengsk didn't do it during an alien invasion!" This completely ignores the fact that while Mengsk may not have ''begun'' his rebellion during an alien invasion, the arrival of the Zerg and Protoss did nothing to dissuade him from stopping. And, in more ways than one, he twisted it to his advantage.
--> '''Raynor:''' Everyone's a critic.
* HotScoop: Kate. In fact, the ''Crown Prince'' has a crush on her, although it's hard to tell if he's telling the truth or teasing.
* HypocriticalHumor: "What is up with that woman?! Tell her not to interrupt my interviews!"
* KentBrockmanNews: UNN Live with Donny Vermillion. Raynor shoots at the screen with a broadcast in the first cinematic on Mar Sara, and got a note from the bartender mentioning that [[BrickJoke the screen would be put on his tab!]]. That's why there's a "don't shoot the screen" warning sign attached to the big TV screen in the ''Hyperion'' cantina.
* NewsReel: The UNN, which has been around since StarCraft. Used by the Confederacy, then by the Dominion as a propaganda machine.
* OnlySaneMan: Kate is the Only Sane Woman.
%% Don't add TheOtherMarty here. It belongs in the Trivia tab.
* ShipTease: Kate asks Valerian if there's any woman he has an eye on. He actually says (on a live news broadcast, remember) that he's quite taken with ''her''. Considering she's an honest reporter dedicated to ferreting out the truth and he hates his father, he was probably being serious.
* ShowWithinAShow: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlkAwH2UOuY The UNN]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uWDfA26LyM newscasts]], which is based on CNN.
* TheBusCameBack: After last being mentioned in the final newscast of ''Wings of Liberty'', Donny returns as MissionControl for the Co-op mission "The Vermillion Problem." Lore established that he was eventually rehabilitated and came back to the UNN as a reporter.
* TheWorldMustKnowTheTruth: Why Kate tends to be impartial and talk against the Dominion according to ExpandedUniverse sources. She became disillusioned after meeting Michael Liberty.
* ThoseTwoGuys: In ''Wings of Liberty''.
* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: Kate delivers one after the last "Epilogue" mission. [[note]]She points out that Valerian is emperor, Horner is now an admiral and working with Valerian, and peace talks with the protoss are going well.[[/note]]
%% Don't add WhatCouldHaveBeen here. It belongs on the Trivia tab.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Reigel]]
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/reigel_sc2screen.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:250:"It's science. Use it well, and we shall find what we're looking for."]]
A Moebius Foundation scientist tasked to help Nova's special ops team by Valerian.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* ArtificialLimbs: He has two robotic arms.
* BaldBlackLeaderGuy: He's bald, he's black, and while not the leader of Nova's crew, he's her MissionControl while she takes the field.
* MissionControl: Informs Nova of new mission objectives and general status updates.
* TheSmartGuy: Fills the role of the DLC's technical specialist, outfitting Nova and her crew with upgrades and equipment.
* SpockSpeak: He speaks in a stiff and articulate manner.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sandin Forst]]
!! Sandin Forst
A master Thor pilot working with his two friends, SCV operator Rieff, the computer whiz, and Garth, who acts as muscle when Sandin needs more. Sandin's skills have earned him the nickname "Thundergod".
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AGodAmI: Doesn't declare himself an actual god, but he does like the nickname he's earned and thinks that in the Thor he's invincible.
* GoldFever: Pulls YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness on Garth and Rieff when the three try to steal a fortune in crystals from an old facility.
* {{Greed}}: Pity for him those crystals are [[spoiler:infested with zerg spores]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Wes Carter]]
A soldier serving under Jon Dyre, he pilots the Wyrm, the prototype to the Viking. When Dyre snaps during a demonstration and takes the first Viking rogue, Carter went in the Wyrm to stop him.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* FlawedPrototype: The Wyrm is emphasized to be slower, less maneuverable, has weaker weapons, weaker armor, and a longer response time than the Viking that Dyre is piloting. Carter is only able to beat Dyre by outsmarting him, and spends the rest of the story evading and fleeing from him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Jon Dyre]]
An exceptional Dominion pilot, he mentored Wes on piloting the Wyrm. However, he's got a lot of issues with the Dominion, which may or may not be cooked up in his own head.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* BrokenPedestal: Wes idolized him, but Dyre's actions ruin that image of him.
%%* DrivenToSuicide
%%* DarkAndTroubledPast
%%* TheMentor: To Wes.
** EvilMentor: More crazy than evil, but he is from Wes's point of view.
* ProperlyParanoid: While we never find out if his suspicions about his former allies and the colonists he's destroyed are founded, the rest of the ''Frontline'' series does show the zerg are always looking for more covert ways to conduct infestation, so maybe Dyre was right.
* QuicksandSucks: Downplayed, Wes tricks him into landing his Viking in a bog.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Corbin Phash]]
Colin's father and the senator of Dominion planet Maltair IV. When he discovered Colin's abilities he tried to keep them secret, and when he failed and Colin was taken by the Ghost Academy, he defected to the Umojan Protectorate to fight the Academy's influence.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* BadassNormal: He remembers enough of his SCV training to still operate them, and is skilled enough at disguising his thoughts to fool a trained ghost.
* DefectorFromDecadence: Played with. It's implied he's still loyal to Mengsk and and the Dominion, and is only with the Umojans because he knows speaking against the Ghost Academy in Dominion territory would get him silenced.
* PapaBear: Everyone he does is to get his son back.
* SelfMadeMan: Implied, he used to be a humble [=SCV=] operator.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Corporal Faraday]]
-> "That's the thing about the Dominion. Even in a crisis, our rule of law holds firm."
A Corporal in the Dominion, Faraday leads the Korhal Defense Force, and defends the capital city of Augustgrad when Amon attempts to use Void Shards to destroy the city.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* CommandingCoolness: His rank is technically corporal, but he is in charge despite this low rank.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: His eyes and hair are both brown.
* MissionControl: He helps coordinate two commanders in destroying the Void Shards.
* NiceHat: Quite a stylish one.
[[/folder]]
-->''"The time has come, my fellow Terrans, to rally to a new banner. In unity lies strength; already many of the dissident factions have joined us. Out of the many, we shall forge an indivisible whole, capitulating only to a single throne. And from that throne, I shall watch over you!"''
-->--Arcturus Mengsk
When the Confederacy destroyed Korhal, Arcturus Mengsk and the few survivors of the planet rallied other Confederate dissidents to their cause and formed the Sons of Korhal, a group dedicated to the destruction of the Confederacy. For years Arcturus waged guerrilla warfare on the Confederates, but slowly found powerful allies and built up his forces. The turning point was the defection of Mar Sara's colonists led by Marshal Jim Raynor. This gave Mengsk the numbers to aid other planets in open revolt, and also gave him access to Confederate technology he used to destroy Tarsonis -- the psi emitter, which could lure Zerg to their signals from across the galaxy. Arcturus used the emitters to spark a Zerg invasion of Tarsonis, breaking the Confederacy's power with the loss of their core world.
Arcturus resettled Korhal and founded the Terran Dominion, using fear of the Zerg and Protoss to call for the Terrans to rally to his banner. Knowledge of Arcturus's hand in the Zerg invasion of Tarsonis was limited to a handful of his closest allies, thus most of the Terran planets fell for it and they, along with many Confederate worlds and assets, joined the Dominion. The Dominion was temporarily deposed by the United Earth Directorate, but with the aid of Kerrigan, Arcturus retook Korhal and the Dominion took back control of its colonies. After the Brood War when Kerrigan and the Zerg went quiet, Arcturus used the time to consolidate his power and continue to build his Dominion to grander heights. His son, Valerian, also took public stage as the Crown Prince and Arcturus's heir.
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:The Dominion]]
* BigBadEnsemble: First in Episode V of ''Brood War'', when they and the Zerg act as the antagonists of the [=UED's=] campaign, then again with Kerrigan to Raynor in ''Wings of Liberty''. Come ''Heart of the Swarm'' they're the primarily villains, alongside Amon's forces.
* BlueIsHeroic: [[spoiler:With Valerian taking control of them in ''Legacy of the Void'', the Dominion is represented in-game by shades of blue. In a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration, most of the Dominion forces seen in the game are led by Raynor, and Raynor's Raiders also used blue. In cutscenes however, their color is still red]].
* ButtMonkey: The series as a whole basically has "How many catastrophic losses can the Dominion have without collapsing?" as a core concept. ''Brood War'' involves the [=UED=] conquering Korhal and Kerrigan pulling CruelMercy on Mengsk's forces twice. [[spoiler: In ''Wings of Liberty'', Raynor's Raiders initiate a revolt on fringe worlds and do serious damage to Arcturus Mengsk's image, and Valerian takes half the Dominion fleet with him to Char. Kerrigan delivers one CurbStompBattle after another in ''Heart of the Swarm'', ending with an invasion on Korhal and her killing Arcturus. In ''Legacy of the Void'', their situation didn't improve, as the Moebius Corps invade Korhal while it's being rebuilt, causing serious damage despite their defeat, and Amon uses the Golden Armada to attack them during the time while the Daelaam are out of Aiur]]. Ever since it was formed, it has only won ''three'' times in-game, and they always needed help from another faction: Taking Korhal back from the [=UED=] (With Kerrigan's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders and Fenix's protoss forces), [[spoiler: deinfesting Kerrigan (With Raynor's Raiders) and aiding in Amon's destruction (With Kerrigan and Zagara's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders having officially joined them after Mengsk's death, and the Daelaam)]]. The Defenders of Man take advantage on this trope in ''Nova Covert Ops'' by trying to portray the Dominion as too weak to protect humanity of its own, thus presenting themselves as the alternative.
** IronButtMonkey: Despite the above, the Dominion is notable for having survived ''all'' games so far and being still around by the end of ''Legacy of the Void'', something neither the Terran Confederacy nor the UED Fleet can boast about. They might have it rough, but they ''always'' get back on their feet.
* ColorCodedArmies: The Dominion soldiers wear red, though in a few missions in the original game and ''Brood War'' they were blue or white due to technological restraints. Both are justified however, as those are the respective colors of the Mar-Sara Militia and Alpha Squadron, which were compressed into the Dominion.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: After Arcturus Mengsk's death and Valerian taking his place as Emperor at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm''. They've taken in Raynor's Raiders and are now the Protoss's allies]].
* HegemonicEmpire: The Dominion is just as bad as the Confederacy it overthrew, if not worse. However, Arcturus knows how to use the media and his natural charisma to mask the Dominion's and his own true nature. In the fall of the Confederacy, most of the Terran colonies in the sector joined the Dominion because ''someone'' has to protect them from the Protoss and Zerg, and the Dominion had the power and will to do so, ''and'' Arcturus was now famous as a rebel crusader who saved the planets the Confederacy abandoned. Come the time of ''Starcraft II'', however, the Dominion's status has decayed into straight TheEmpire: the Dominion utilizes oppression and violence to keep its dissidents in-line and is primarily interested in securing and expanding Arcturus's own control of the sector than actually defending anyone from Zerg or Protoss.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Turns out, the Dominion ends up just as bad as the Confederacy.
* LaResistance: The Dominion started as the Sons of Korhal, a group that fought to overthrow the Confederacy.
* TheRepublic: Arcturus cultivates the public image of the Dominion as this, a united front of humanity that will guard its people on all worlds and keep them safe from any who would threaten them. Also fits the trope flavor of being formed out of the resistance. However, the truth is they're a HegemonicEmpire as described above. [[spoiler:With Valerian Mengsk in power, they may actually qualify now, since he's trying to weed out Dominion corruption and actually wants to live up to that public image Arcturus faked.]]
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: ''Starcraft II'' sees black worked into their sigils and units as a secondary color to the traditional red, resulting in this trope. [[spoiler: Averted after ''Heart of the Swarm'''s ending, where the Dominion pulls a HeelFaceTurn]].
* RedIsHeroic: When the player controls them as the protagonist faction in Episode I, the player's forces change color from blue for the Mar Sara Militia, to red for the Sons of Korhal. In the final mission when Arcturus has completed his FaceHeelTurn, the player switches back to blue with the red forces as enemies. [[spoiler: Come ''Legacy of the Void'' and with the Dominion doing a HeelFaceTurn, this trope is still averted, as the Dominion never uses red in the missions they appear in, [[BlueIsHeroic using blue or light blue instead, just like Raynor's Raiders]] so as to distinguish them from Moebiua Corps, which use red. Played straight in cinematics, where the Dominion soldiers are all red]].
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: Arcturus's goal in rebelling against the Confederacy was personal power and vengeance, not out of any sense to do good by overthrowing an oppressive and corrupt government, and the tactics he used to do it were no better than the Confederacy's.
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Sons of Korhal were painted as upstart terrorists even as they attempted to help colonies the Confederacy had turned their back on.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Arcturus Mengsk]]
[[quoteright:241:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mengsk_5301.png]]
[[caption-width-right:241:[[EvilOverlord Portrait of a villain]].]]
-->''"You don't seem to understand my position here. I will '''''not''''' be stopped! Not by [[TheHero you]], or the [[TheEmpire Confederates]], or the [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Protoss]], or '''''anyone'''''! I will '''''rule''''' this sector, or see it burned to '''''ashes''''' around me!"''
->'''Voiced by:''' JamesHarper.
Mengsk's father was murdered by the Confederacy, and his entire planet destroyed, for being a problem. Mengsk's response was to start a resistence faction called the Sons of Korhal, and enlist the aid of Jim Raynor, Sarah Kerrigan, and later Edmund Duke. Though he initially comes off as a benevolent freedom fighter, as the Terran campaign goes, he commits steadily more unforgivable crimes for the legitimately good purpose of overthrowing the Confederacy, until he finally succeeds, sacrifices Kerrigan, alienates Raynor, and crowns himself Emperor. His true colors revealed, he becomes everything the Confederacy was and worse. When the UED invades, he's the first person on their hitlist, and much to Raynor's chagrin he has to save Mengsk's life to help Kerrigan take out the UED, which goes sour for both of them when she backstabs them both. Mengsk ultimately launches a joint Dominion-UED-Protoss attack on Kerrigan's forces that she routs, leaving him with nothing.
By the time of ''Starcraft II'', Mengsk's empire is back on its feet, with only Raynor opposing it to any significant degree. Mengsk can't simply have Raynor assassinated because he's desperately afraid of Raynor becoming a martyr, so he uses the media to marginalize Raynor's efforts and paint him as a fanatic terrorist - [[SarcasmMode which is totally different from how the Confederacy treated him]].
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AerithAndBob: One of these does not belong: James, Sarah, Arcturus, Edmund. Though for some people, his might be a case of AwesomeMcCoolname.
* UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents: Mengsk has a thick Georgia accent.
* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: [[spoiler:Not right away, but two years after the fall of Amon, the anniversary of his death is celebrated in the Dominion]].
* AnimalMotifs: The sequel ties him with the wolf -- cunning, savage and powerful, while also tying into his image as a charismatic media darling to mask his true nature. Statues of wolves and Arcturus flanked by wolves are all around Korhal, and images of wolf heads can be found from the Dominion crest outside his palace to an emblem set into the floor of his office.
* ArchEnemy: To Raynor and Kerrigan.
* ArchnemesisDad: To his son, Crown Prince Valerian, after the Flashpoint conflict.
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning[=/=]DoNotAdjustYourSet: While announcing the formation of the Terran Dominion and crowning himself as the Emperor Arcturus I.
* BeardOfEvil: Compared to Raynor's short-cropped beard around the mouth, Arcturus has a large and bushy beard going up the bottom of his face.
* BigBrotherIsWatching: As with the Confederacy, the Dominion has spies and informants everywhere, and many on their payroll are closely observed -- the closer to secrets they are, the tighter the surveillance.
* BigBad: In Episode V in ''Brood War'' -- while he's a villain before and after that, he's not the main one save for the very end of Episode I. ''Wings of Liberty'' puts him in BigBadEnsemble territory with Kerrigan, and come ''Heart of the Swarm'' he's the primary antagonist.
** BigBadWannabe: On the grander scale of things; He is still a major threat, but despite his statement he would either rule or burn the sector to ashes, he is constantly [[OvershadowedByAwesome overshadowed by much bigger and more dangerous villains]] like [[HiveMind the Overmind]], [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression the UED]], [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Kerrigan]] or [[spoiler:[[GodOfEvil Amon]]]]; even in ''Heart of the Swarm'', where he technically is the BigBad, Kerrigan is the one who drives the plot and he merely comes out as an obstacle to deal with before [[spoiler:facing Amon]].
* BoldInflation: You can hear it in every other word he says.
* BrokenPedestal: To Raynor after seeing how far Mengsk would go to overthrow the confederacy. Even Valerian felt the same way towards his father afterwards.
* TheCharmer: Arcturus is extremely charismatic and a very gifted orator. He can even persuade people who are aware of his atrocities into aligning themselves with him.
* TheChessmaster: He manipulates Raynor, Kerrigan, Duke, and the Zerg in order to bring down the Confederacy and establish himself as the Dominion Emperor, and does so by playing to their emotional weaknesses so they work for him until they realize what he really is. The novels complete this by having him play chess against Michael Liberty, and ''Heart of the Swarm'' offers this line when [[spoiler:Mengsk is shooting at the ''Hyperion'' and Matt tries to tell his ships that the Crown Prince is with them.]]
-->'''Valerian''': My father will sacrifice any piece on the chess board to take the Queen.
* CosmicPlaything / LaserGuidedKarma: Any involvement he has after the original game's campaign is this. He overthrows the Confederacy just for the UED to knock him off his throne; he allies with the two people that hate him the most to take back his homeworld just for Kerrigan to backstab him, and fails an attempt at revenge. ''Wing of Liberty'' has him [[spoiler: take a gamble with letting Raynor live to deal with Kerrigan, and Raynor proves to be an even bigger thorn in his side than before. Also, there is letting Kerrigan live, allowing her to get back to the Swarm and everything he tries to stop her fails. She then marches right onto his doorstep before finally killing him. To add insult to injury, if Arcturus had allowed Warfield access to the xel'naga artifact on Char, Warfield might have been able to stop Kerrigan before she became an even greater threat to him.]]
** In the epilogue of ''Legacy of the Void'', [[spoiler: his death anniversary was celebrated as a holiday]].
* ConsummateLiar: He can even fool Kerrigan, a ''telepath''.
* CruelMercy: After his defeat at the end of ''Brood Wars'', it was this from Kerrigan which ensured that he continued to live (and rule as Emperor). The moment Kerrigan decided to go on the warpath against him, [[spoiler: he didn't last very long]].
* DeathByIrony: Kerrigan unleashed the Zerg on Korhal to get to him, just like how Mengsk defeated the Confederacy and abandoned Kerrigan. [[spoiler:Not to mention that Mengsk is killed by the same person who killed his father]].
* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: See the above quote. When Zerg attacked Korhal, he even resorts to using nuclear weapons inside his own city.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: In ''Heart of the Swarm'', to blackmail Kerrigan, he [[spoiler:uses Raynor as a hostage, threatening to kill him if Kerrigan attacks Korhal]]. It doesn't seem to have occurred to him that Kerrigan could just [[spoiler:rescue Raynor and ''then'' invade Korhal, which is exactly what she does.]]
* TheEmperor: Emperor Arcturus I Mengsk of the Terran Dominion, absolute monarch and oppressor of virtually all humans in the Koprulu Sector, with the exception of the Kel-Morian Combine (who might be worse) and the Umojans.
* EnemyMine: Worked with Raynor, who made it clear he still wanted to kill him, and Kerrigan during the Brood War against the UED, and later worked with the UED and Protoss against Kerrigan. Neither end well.
* ErmineCapeEffect: Averted. Mengsk does wear some fairly ornate outfits, but they are far more reminiscent of military uniforms (with a lot of BadassLongcoat/[[BadassLongcoat Cape]] thrown in). Notably, his outfits are quite a bit ''less'' ostentatious than his son's, who is objectively a much better person (if ''Wings of Liberty'' is any indication).
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Per WordOfGod, one of the reasons he was so obsessed with killing the Queen of Blades was because he could not comprehend the idea of someone not wanting revenge after everything he had done to her. Maybe a bit less EvilCannotComprehendGood and more [[BlueAndOrangeMorality Mortals Cannot Comprehend Physical Gods]], but the implication that he felt the same way about Raynor makes it count.
* EvilOverlord: As the Emperor of the Dominion, he cultivates the image of himself as a benevolent dictator who rules humanity because he is best to protect the people from threats, but in reality he's just as cruel, oppressive and sinister as the Confederacy he overthrew, and outside the core worlds people see him as the tyrant he really is.
* EvilPlan: The original one was to become the above trope. His dealings with [[spoiler: Tychus Finlay and Moebius Foundation without Valerian's knowledge]]
* EvilVersusEvil: With Kerrigan in ''Wings of Liberty''
* FaceHeelTurn: He was the leader of the rebels and your benevolent commander in the original Terran campaign. But then he went too far and Raynor turned on him when it was clear Arcturus was just overthrowing the Confederacy so he could put himself in the middle of the power vacuum.
** FallenHero: He was implied to be a genuinely good man before his lust for power and revenge consumed what little decency he had. It [[DependingOnTheWriter still depends on the writer]]. In ''I, Mengsk'', he is shown to have psychotic tendencies while he was in high school. However, he may never have sought power and rebellion if not for his family's assassination, instead preferring to be a humble prospector.
* FauxAffablyEvil:
** He's charismatic, friendly, cultured, and well-spoken. But it is just an act to hide the power-hungry murderous tyrant that lurks beneath him. When he talks to Raynor and the Magistrate at the end of Episode I, he starts by happily congratulating them on their victory; when it becomes clear they're not having any of it, he drops the pleasantries and becomes more hostile and sneering. It's also at this time he delivers the line "I will ''rule'' this sector, or see it ''burnt to ashes'' around me," shattering any lingering illusions that his "rebellion" wasn't just an excuse to take power for himself.
** A direct quote from Michael Liberty: "Arcturus Mengsk. There's a name that is synonymous with terror, betrayal and violence. A living example of the ends justifying the means. The assassin of the Confederacy of Man. The hero of the blasted world of Korhal IV. King of the universe. A savage barbarian who never let anything or anyone get in his way. And yet, he is charming, erudite and intelligent. When you're in his presence you feel that he's really listening to you, that your opinions matter, that you're someone important if you agree with him. It's amazing. I have often wondered if men like Mengsk don't carry around their own reality-warping bubbles, and all who fall in are suddenly transported to another dimension where the hellish things he says and does suddenly make sense. At least, that's the effect he always had on me."
* GeneralFailure: Ends up looking like one in the games. All of Mengsk's victories are due to Raynor, Kerrigan, and/or the PlayerCharacter. On his own Mengsk repeatedly proves an ineffective field commander that gets his ass handed to him by Raynor, the Zerg, the Protoss, and the UED. The novels, especially ''I, Mengsk'', go a bit more in-depth and reveal he actually does have good tactics and strategy. It just comes off as an InformedAttribute in the games.
** Fully degenerates into this in ''Heart''. [[spoiler: His purging of Valerian's half of the Dominion military weakened his own side for the confrontation against the Swarm, and his hoarding of the xel'naga artifact meant that Warfield didn't have a chance to use it on Char, which might have stopped Kerrigan early and for good.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: During his days as a rebel he ''was'' pretty heroic, saving colonies left for dead by the Confederacy, but they painted him as an insane terrorist to try and keep people from realizing this. After the first Terran campaign, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters however]]...
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: In ''Starcraft'', his abandonment of Kerrigan gave rise to his greatest nemesis ever. In ''Heart'', [[spoiler: his purging of Valerian's half of the Dominion military weakened his own side for the confrontation against the Swarm, and his hoarding of the xel'naga artifact meant that Warfield didn't have a chance to use it on Char, which might have stopped Kerrigan early and for good.]]
* HumansAreBastards: Mengsk is an ordinary human, yet he is the only character in the original game that could be considered completely evil (Kerrigan became the fearsome "Queen of Blades" due to her infestation; therefore, her moral agency was compromised). He lures hordes of Zerg into attacking the Confederate capital world of Tarsonis, the most populous planet in the Koprulu sector, to overthrow at most a few hundred people. In doing so, Mengsk knowingly allowed '''''[[http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/planet/tarsonis two billion]]''''' innocent civilians to die -- a statistic that doesn't seem to faze him in the slightest. Shortly thereafter, it becomes clear that his motives were ''not'' to liberate the Terran worlds from the Confederacy, but to rule them himself. After establishing the Terran Dominion and proclaiming himself Emperor, Mengsk presides over a reign of terror where arbitrary killings and slave labor are the norm. An absolute monster in every sense of the term.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:By Kerrigan at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm'']], though not fatally.
* ItsAllAboutMe: This quote of his is just one example of his titanic ego.
-->''I will rule this sector or see it burnt to ashes around me.''
* JustTheFirstCitizen: Subverted. He's always referred to as 'Emperor' after the foundation of the Dominion, but he never wears a crown or an [[ErmineCapeEffect ermine cape]] (see above), and, of course, 'Empire' is not in the Dominion's name. He also doesn't seem to stand much on ceremony in the interviews he gives to the media, nor does he seem to demand much supplication (the reporters address him more or less as equals). All of which is almost certainly carefully orchestrated to mask Mengsk's ludicrously dictatorial rule, and revealing a preference for a cult of personality over forcing people to constantly submit to his power (especially if doing so would endanger his rule and/or popularity).
* ManipulativeBastard: In the novel ''I, Mengsk'', Arcturus gives the opinion that normal people are naturally confused, disoriented and disorganized without authority to show them the way. He makes himself that authority and points them the way he wants.
* MeetTheNewBoss: A classic example.
* MotiveDecay: His original motive for overthrowing the Terran Confederacy was because they killed his father. However, as the above quote demonstrates, his hatred consumed him and later on, all he wanted was power, and he became just as bad, if not worse than the government he overthrew. He moves to do things such as unleashing the zerg on Tarsonis and abandoning Kerrigan, and later, [[spoiler:ordering an attack which had the greatest chance of killing his own son.]]
* NeverMyFault: Kerrigan and Raynor both call him out and point that he's indirectly responsible for all of Kerrigan's atrocities, but for the most part, all he does is simply blame Kerrigan for them.
* NonActionBigBad: He is not a fighter, being an older man with no combat skills. However, he did at one time serve as a soldier, so he's not inept.
* OneLastSmoke: When Kerrigan comes for him in ''Heart of the Swarm'', he takes an ornate lighter and cigar out of an equally ornate box. [[spoiler:Subverted however, as the lighter is secretly the trigger for a weapon.]]
* OhCrap: [[spoiler: Take a look at his reaction before his head lights up and explodes thanks to Kerrigan. That is pure, undiluted ''fear''.]]
* ThePurge: At the beginning of ''Heart'', [[spoiler: he orders his half of the military to crush Valerian's half, which Valerian had brought to Char. However, Warfield and his men on Char was allowed to return to the fold.]]
* ReignOfTerror: Once he replaced the Confederacy with the Dominion, he made short work of any possible dissenters that might be loyal to the old flag. Kerrigan becoming the Queen of Blades also got him on edge about Ghosts, and a novelization has his son Valerian recount that almost half of ''all'' Ghosts in service were rounded up and executed.
* {{Revenge}}: His main motivation to overthrow the Confederacy.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified: Totally subverted, as his rule became as bad as, if not worse than the regime he replaced.
* SaveTheVillain: Because of the EnemyMine situation, Jim Raynor grudgingly saved him from execution by the UED forces after they had conquered his capital Augustgrad.
* SmugSnake: Has become this by the end of ''Heart''. [[spoiler: By having the xel'naga artifact with him, he thought that he could survive the zerg invasion. He evidently forgot that many terrans, including one James Raynor, also have scores to settle with him.]]
* TheSociopath: Reviewing his key personality traits is like reading through a sociopath diagnostic checklist: superficial charm, a grandiose sense of self, pathological lying, a penchant for manipulating others to achieve his own ends, an absolutely '''''astonishing''''' lack of empathy or remorse for any of his actions, and an insatiable lust for power and dominance that drives his every move. He has no qualms whatsoever about sacrificing those closest to him if it suits his purposes.
* TheStrategist: He's known in-universe as a shrewd and skilled tactician. He knows his assets, he knows his enemies, and he knows how to best use the former against the latter.
* StuffBlowingUp: How [[spoiler:Kerrigan kills him. ''After'' [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill she already had him pinned with two of her barbed tendrils]].]]
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: [[spoiler:Kerrigan kills him by stabbing him through his shoulders with her RazorWings, pinning him to a wall in the process, and then turns him into a psychic bomb]] that completely destroys his throne room.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: The end of the Terran campaign is his charismatic speech to the people of the newly formed Dominion and to the old Confederate colonists, encouraging unity and strength before the Zerg and Protoss that will otherwise consume the Terran race. Tellingly, a good part of his speech emphasizes the people take orders from and be loyal to a single throne, upon which he will sit to watch over and protect them, in a manner that's almost indoctrination.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Abandoning Kerrigan to the Zerg inadvertently created one of the most dangerous creatures the galaxy has ever known, and she nearly eradicated the sector and killed everyone who opposed her, including Mengsk himself.
* TheUsualAdversaries: According to Raynor, the Dominion under his rule.
-->'''Jim:''' Mengsk! It's always Mengsk! [[spoiler:The end of the universe is coming and I should have known he'd be behind it!]]
* VillainousBreakdown:
** He experiences a mild one when [[spoiler:confronted by the press after Raynor broadcasted his recordings to the Dominion]], snapping at the reporters for questioning him and storming out of the press interview.
** He has a more gradual one over the course of ''Heart of the Swarm'', resorting to increasingly drastic measures to try and kill Kerrigan, and eventually starts blowing up his bases with his men still inside to try and stop her. His self-control is pretty much gone by the time [[spoiler:the Zerg are putting down hatcheries on his palace doorstep]].
* VillainsNeverLie: [[spoiler:Mengsk tells Kerrigan, after she transformed into the Primal Queen of Blades, that Raynor sacrificed everything to restore humanity, yet she threw it away. He later adds that Raynor would be disgusted by her for it. Unfortunately, Mengsk was right in a way that he reemphasized what Raynor said in the beginning about not wanting to see Kerrigan throw away his sacrifices just for revenge. In a manner of speaking, Mengsk was also right about Raynor's reaction to her becoming a monster again.]]
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: He's the ruler of the Terran Dominion, got most of the Dominion eating out of his hand, and branded genuine good guy Jim Raynor a terrorist and a real and present threat to terran society, with even managing to maintain his hold over the Dominion by pretending to save them from the Zerg onslaught which destroyed Tarsonis, as well as violently suppressing or slandering anybody who would challenge his rule. Most people like him, however, and are loyal to the Dominion, and he's widely considered a media darling and doesn't shy away from interviews with the press. And then [[spoiler:Raynor goes and blows Mengsk's real motivation of self-aggrandizement and ever more power, resulting in a mild [[VillainousBreakdown villainous breakdown]]]].
* WeHaveReserves: Mengsk considers anything and everything expendable as long as it furthers his goals. This includes his ''own son'', the Crown Prince, if destroying the ship he's on will take out Kerrigan in the process (though fortunately he does not succeed).
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Especially in the novels. At the very least, Mengsk started off this way, if the novels and [[AllThereInTheManual the backstory in the manual]] are to be believed. Mengsk himself portrays himself as this after he crosses over into outright villainy and it's largely left up to the player's interpretation whether he's purely in it for his own personal gain or if he really believes he's doing the right thing. More and more, it seems he's slipping further into selfishness as time passes.
* WickedCultured: The man loves [[AGlassOfChianti his liquor]], his classical music, his cigars, and plays a mean game of chess, even during his days as a terrorist rebel. His former command ship, a massive Battlecruiser named Hyperion, differs ''greatly'' from normal design standards to accommodate his tastes. To name one such variation, it has wider-than-normal hallways lined with carpets and paintings and lit by wall sconces. Raynor thinks it seems more like a fancy mansion than a warship. This is even truer of his new battleship, the Bucephalus (Alexander the Great's horse; legend had it that he who rode Bucephalus would conquer the world, so it's a logical choice), which is (somewhat hilariously) stolen or hijacked or commandeered by Valerian Mengsk. Bucephalus' bridge looks more like baroque palace's [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb57524/starcraft/images/5/56/Bucephalus_SC2_DevRend1.jpg great hall or ballroom]] than the command center of a warship.
* WhyAmITicking: How Kerrigan [[spoiler:finally kills him at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm''.]]
* XanatosGambit: WordOfGod is that he had no set plan in place when he [[spoiler:planted Tychus as TheMole in Raynor's crew]]. He just figured he'd stash a card up his sleeve and pull it out at a later date whenever it proved beneficial. This is also why he didn't [[spoiler:have Tychus act to stop the mission in "Media Blitz"; by that time he was saving Tychus up for Kerrigan and didn't want to blow his one usage of his infiltrator on Raynor when Kerrigan is the bigger threat.]]
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: He does this to Kerrigan by leaving her on Tarsonis. It didn't work out like he thought. It may also revenge for both her questioning his actions and over the fact that [[spoiler: she is the Ghost who killed his father.]]
* YouKilledMyFather: His original motive for rebelling against the Confederacy before his desire for power consumed him. It's also one of the reasons he abandoned Kerrigan to the Zerg on Tarsonis. [[spoiler: She was the Ghost that killed and decapitated his father, his mother, and his little sister]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Valerian Mengsk]]
[[quoteright:180:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/180px-ValerianMengsk_SC2_Head1_4066.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:180:EvenTheGuysWantHim.]]
-->''"Everyone wonders if I will be as good an emperor as my father. But I want something more. To prove that I will be a better emperor. And a better man."''
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/JoshKeaton
Son of Arcturus Mengsk and heir apparent of the Dominion. He is interested in archeology, especially the relics of the Xel'naga. It turns out he owns and runs the Moebius Foundation when Raynor's planned meeting with the company's ships turned up meeting up with the Bucephalus, the Dominion's flagship.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AdventurerArchaeologist: As revealed in the Dark Templar novels, he ''desperately'' wishes he was one. Hinted at in ''Wings'' by his obsession with the Xel'naga artifacts.
* AgentPeacock: Lampshaded in the ''Flashpoint'' novel.
* AmbiguouslyEvil: In the ''Dark Templar Saga'' and ''Wings of Liberty'', everyone is wary of him because he may seem nice and trustworthy, but he's still the Emperor's son and is obviously keeping secrets from his allies. In ''I, Mengsk'', he outright tells his father that he won't end up like him and his good side is obvious, but it's also clear that he hasn't quite grasped the ideals of [[TheRepublic Umoja]] or his grandfather. ''Flashpoint'' and ''Heart of the Swarm'' clear up the ambiguity with several scenes to establish his honor and morals are genuine.
* AntagonisticOffspring: Inverted, Valerian is a good man with a wicked father. Come ''Heart of the Swarm'', he's pretty much openly abandoned Arcturus' administration, and [[spoiler:Arcturus is apparently content to kill his son alongside Kerrigan in order to see her dead]].
* ArchnemesisDad: His relationship with Arcturus totally breaks down come ''Heart'', and we all know Arcturus himself is no angel...
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He tries to prove it at least. While he's yet to take the field in a game so far, he ''does'' orchestrate a lot of things by aiding allies, so he mostly succeeds. In the novel ''Flashpoint'', he's also able to subdue some street thugs with his martial arts and swordplay skills.
* {{Badass}}: As told above, he took out two street thugs with martial arts and could have killed a third with a throwing knife, but spared him willingly. He proved an able gunfighter and swordsman in ''I, Mengsk'' as well. Given he had the same tutor as his father, this is no surprise. When he was a kid, however, he was a wimp which '''infuriated''' his father.
* BadassBoast: In ''Flashpoint'' after Matt sees him in action in the above conflict.
-->'''Matt:''' Can you kill me with a spoon? \\
'''Valerian:''' Only amateurs need spoons.
* BadassBookworm: In addition to his fighting skills, he is very well-read and intelligent.
* BigGood: After the series, as shown in ''Nova Covert Ops'' DLC, Valerian has developed into this for the new, good Dominion, putting his trust on his allies during ''Void'' and Nova as well in terms of the troubles with the Defender of Men.
* ButtMonkey: In ''Heart of the Swarm'', occasionally; Kerrigan trolls him in the first mission and almost strangles him later after mistakenly believing he left Raynor behind (though this one wasn't played for laughs), Mira Han calls him "princess" and the list goes on.
* CallingTheOldManOut:
** It's easily his CrowningMomentOfAwesome, since he had no real reason of telling this to Arcturus except to rub it in his face. The kid just wanted to gloat.
--->'''Valerian:''' Father, I am about to accomplish that which you could not. Today I will [[spoiler:defeat the Queen of Blades and secure peace throughout the Dominion]]. By this act, the people will finally know that I am a worthy successor to you.
** He does this much more in ''Flashpoint'', letting Arcturus know several times that he is officially fed up with his father putting selfish vendettas above the safety of the Dominion and its people.
* CanonImmigrant: Before ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'', he debuted in the Dark Templar novels.
* TheChainsOfCommanding: Feels them in the ''Flashpoint'' novel. Of the twenty-five battlecruisers he took with him to [[spoiler:Char]], each with thousands of crew, less than half survived the invasion, and the ones that did, all of them were either destroyed by [[spoiler:Arcturus's own half of the fleet]], or were damaged and captured, their crews likely to be executed for treason. And they all knew from the start it was treason, especially when [[spoiler:Valerian directly turned on Arcturus]], but they did it because they wanted to help their prince. The deaths of thousands of good soldiers who believed in him does not sit well with him, and Raynor notes when they next meet in person that the kid is letting it show on his face.
* CharacterDevelopment: When he starts out in ''Wings of Liberty'', it's still unclear what kind of person he is, and he clearly underestimates Kerrigan, his invasion of Char only being saved by Raynor's help. By ''Heart of the Swarm'', he shows more obvious signs of concern for his forces and allies, and turns out to have developed enough guts to [[spoiler:call out [[HumanoidAbomination Kerrigan]] for her impatience about saving Raynor]]. Kerrigan is genuinely impressed.
-->'''Kerrigan:''' You've done some growing up since Umoja.\\
'''Valerian:''' Zerg aren't the only ones who adapt.
* TheChessmaster: Aspires to this in ''Wings of Liberty'', orchestrating [[spoiler:Raynor's retrieval of the artifacts through the Moebius Foundation in planning to ally with him and lead an invasion of Char]]. Raynor notes that Valerian sees him as a pawn to be used, but Valerian counters by asking if Raynor cares if cooperation will get him what he wants; Jim admits that no, he doesn't.
* CivilWar: Takes half the Dominion's military to the expedition on Char. Arcturus' half destroyed or took over the survivors of the expedition. However, [[spoiler: Valerian has the last laugh as the ''Zerg'' under Kerrigan dispatches Arcturus at the end of ''Heart'']].
* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu?: In ''Heart''.[[spoiler:Yeah, she's on his side and all, but still: He called out Kerrigan. And it ''worked''.]]
* TheEmperor: He becomes this by the time of ''Legacy'', after his father's defeat at the hands of Kerrigan at the end of ''Heart of the Swarm''. though TheGoodKing will probably be more apt.
* EnemyMine: With Raynor, though he did manipulate him for a great deal through Tychus. However [[spoiler:he was not aware of his father's plans with Tychus]]. Come ''Flashpoint'' and ''Heart of the Swarm'', [[spoiler:his treachery is made aware to Arcturus and he's become an almost-honorary member of the Raiders, since his fleet is gone and he and his men are now stationed on the Hyperion.]]
* AFatherToHisMen: Has shades in ''Flashpoint''. With most of his fleet crippled or on the verge of destruction, he refuses to let any of his men perform a HeroicSacrifice for his benefit, and gives Raynor a WhatTheHellHero for even suggesting that some of them be left to die.
* ForScience: The reason he's so intrigued by Xel'naga artifacts. Raynor has to caution him that ancient alien devices are not toys. He's also curious enough about Kerrigan and the Zerg to let her have control of a few of them in the ''HeartOfTheSwarm'' tutorial mission. By the end, she's destroyed most of the laboratory sector to prove the point that the [[EvilIsNotAToy the Zerg aren't his experimental playthings]].
* TheGoodKing: It's no secret even in ''Wings of Liberty'' that he wants to be "the best emperor our people could ask for," [[spoiler:and as of the end of ''Heart of the Swarm'', he got his wish. It's likely the first time the Koprulu Sector has ever been ruled by a good leader. He even sent an expedition ''into the freaking Void'' to help defeat Amon.]]
** Deconstructed in ''Nova Covert Ops''. [[spoiler: Valerian finds out that even with him being an objectively better emperor than his father, there is still resistance to his rule, resistance that may one day need to be dealt with through overt violence. It's up to Nova to save his reputation]].
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: In contrast to the dark-haired Arcturus, Valerian is blond and is a much better person.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Initially served The Dominion, sworn enemies of Jim Raynor, but come "Flashpoint" and ''Heart of The Swarm'', he now fights against the Dominion alongside Raynor's Raiders. He was especially aware of the prophecy involving Kerrigan, the reason why he refused to hand her over to his father. Subverted however, because from the beginning, his EnemyMine with Raynor was part of his agenda to prove himself a better man than his father. Furthermore, he did not treat Raynor as the enemy his father made him out to be.]]
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: After Moebius Corps' attack on Augustgrad,]] he had no words to describe the death and carnage which surrounded him.
* IAmNotMyFather: Outright states this, then goes on to prove it.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's definitely a better man than Arcturus, if a bit naive at times. But he's still a Mengsk, and is confident to the point of arrogance. By the end of ''Heart of the Swarm'', thanks to the events of ''Wings of Liberty'' and ''Flashpoint'', he's undergone a subdued BreakTheHaughty and lost some of his naivete, becoming more level-headed.
* MissionControl: In ''Heart of the Swarm''.
* TheNicknamer: Like Raynor, inverted. He's at the receiving end of lots of nicknames, such as "Junior" (Raynor), "Scooter" (Swann) and "Princess" (Mira Han). Only Kerrigan ever calls him by his actual name.
* NotSoDifferent: While he may be a better person than his father, and his rise to power was less bloody, Valerian still became emperor due to the zerg destroying the previous administration, just like his father before him.
* OddFriendship: With both Raynor and Kerrigan. Despite him being the Crown Prince of the ruling government, Raynor actually seems to genuinely like Valerian by ''Flashpoint'', and Kerrigan, while disdaining his ForScience attitude toward the Zerg, is impressed by his courage and listens to his request to spare civilian centers [[spoiler: during her invasion of Korhal.]]
* OverlordJr: Defies this trope in all flavors. Arcturus's poor parenting coupled with his ruthless methods of keeping order in the Dominion have shattered any idealized image Valerian had of him, while his mother emphasized he grow to be a good, proud man. It's mostly worked -- he's arrogant and naive, but Valerian is a very different person from Arcturus, and as his page quote demonstrates, wants to prove to the Dominion he's both a better ruler and a better man.
* {{Pride}}: He has this as his major flaw. Like father, like son. He eventually gets fed a humility pill and he gets better about it.
* PrinceCharming: Referred to as this by Rory Swann.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: His overriding goal is the safety and security of the Terran Dominion, which contrasts with his father, who just wants power. [[spoiler:After ''Heart of the Swarm'', when he takes the throne, the first thing he does is dig up his father's black-ops research projects, call the scientists who have been shanghaied, and start actually ''paying'' them, in addition to removing the psychopaths his father liked to put in charge. And of course, if the scientists want to go back to their families instead, that's fine too]].
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Wants to prove himself as this, which he does by [[spoiler:defeating Kerrigan alongside Raynor]].
* SinsOfOurFathers: Averted. While the Raiders and Kerrigan initially distrust him due to the Mengsk name, the phase passed quickly. After his [[spoiler: ascension to the throne]], the Mengsk name did not seem to hurt his reputation with Dominion citizens. To be fair, he did work darn hard to distance himself from his father. The Defender of Men in ''Nova Covert Ops'' is trying to make the trope played straight by sabotaging his Empire to make it look like Valerian turned out like his father after all.
* SixthRanger: [[spoiler:Joins with Raynor's Raiders after the Flashpoint Conflict, and is now working with them come ''Heart Of The Swarm'']]
** Inverted come ''Legacy'', when [[spoiler: the Raiders join the Dominion (now under Valerian), with Horner and Raynor taking up leadership roles.]]
* SunkCostFallacy: "I've invested far too much in this endeavor to see it fail." He doesn't even have the excuse of having the Zerg on the run.
** DeathOrGloryAttack: What the Char expedition essentially boils down to.
* ThoseTwoGuys: After [[spoiler: Jim gets captured,]] he and Matt take over command of the Raiders and are Kerrigan's primary Terran contacts in ''Heart of the Swarm.''
* TokenEnemyMinority: [[TheEmpire The Terran Dominion]] and [[LaResistance Raynor's Raiders]] are at war. [[spoiler:Dominion Crown Prince Valerian fights alongside the Raiders as of "Flashpoint".]]
* WarriorPrince: Tries to be one, anyway.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Subverted. Though flashbacks in ''The Dark Templar Saga'' show he was this as a kid, Arcturus was an AbusiveParent and Valerian grew out of it once he realized that. Now his goal is to be his own man rather than just Mengsk Jr., and is more interested in proving to the people that he's not his father and can be a better ruler than him.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He might be an aversion but comes off as one to Jake because his assistant (who was a mole for his father) altered his orders without him being aware of it.
* WideEyedIdealist: He's usually good at hiding it, but his entire plan pretty much hinged on the universe rewarding nobility and courage. Of special note is his first meeting with Raynor, which revolved around the idea that Raynor was a noble revolutionary who would want to kill Arcturus personally, rather than the terrorist rebel he was painted as. The Dark Templar Saga novels also have his servants note this, as he doesn't suspect many of them are spies for Arcturus so he can keep tabs on Valerian's private matters.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Horace Warfield]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-Horace_Warfield_SC2_Head1_134.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:Now, ''this'' is a general.]]
-->''"You missed your calling, Raynor. You would have made an outstanding staff officer."''
-> '''Voiced by:''' GaryAnthonyWilliams
Mengsk's replacement for the deceased Edmund Duke, General Warfield is a very different kind of military leader than his predecessor. Smooth-talking and well-mannered, Warfield makes very few appearances in ''Wings of Liberty'', mostly acting as SupportingLeader for Mengsk or an offscreen antagonist. Warfield does make an appearance at the end of the story, however.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AntiVillain: Warfield has basically no villainous traits, and only falls short of being a HeroAntagonist in ''Wings of Liberty'' because he works for TheEmpire.
* ArmCannon: [[spoiler:Near the end of ''Wings'', he has his poisoned arm amputated and replaced with an arm cannon that transforms into a hand.]]
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: ''"What if Raynor could see you right now?"'' It gets [[BerserkButton a reaction]].
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He eats rocks and spits out gravel.
* {{Badass}}: He's a frontline-fighting general that eventually gets an ArmCannon. [[spoiler:In ''Heart of the Swarm'' he not only clings to life with two steel beams piercing his torso, but he has the strength to attempt to pull them out, then to try and attack Kerrigan as she stands over him.]]
* BadassBoast: Almost every line of dialogue he has is a boast of how he will win the day.
* BadassGrandpa: Like Duke, he's probably in his fifties ''at least'', but he, like Fenix, "throws down with the best of them." And if you want a ''real'' explanation, all you need to know is that [[spoiler:he punched a hydralisk to death and lived to tell about it.]]
* BlackComedy: Near the end of ''Wings'', he [[spoiler: loses the use of one of his arms]]. Cut to this conversation:
-->'''Raynor:''' Good to see you on your feet, General.\\
'''Warfield:''' Yeah, well, we'll see how long that lasts.
* CoolOldGuy: He's one of the more popular new characters out of ''Wings'', and for a good reason: [[spoiler:He {{bayonet|Ya}}ed a zergling, kills a hydralisk by punching it to death, and is so tough he shrugs off enough poison to kill an ultralisk, ''and'' gets a shiny new ArmCannon out of the deal.]]
* {{Cyborg}}: [[spoiler:During the assault on Char, he loses his arm to zerg venom and gets it replaced with an ArmCannon]].
* AFatherToHisMen: Not spelled out exactly, but pretty heavily implied, given his warm demeanor and tendency to fight on the front beside his men, and [[spoiler: him demanding that Kerrigan spare his retreating soldiers despite heavily wounded and more or less at her mercy.]]
* FireForgedFriends: When they first meet, he obviously doesn't think too highly of Raynor, accusing him and "his terrorist friends" of hiding while he was busy leading the Dominion against the Zerg. After Raynor saves his life and takes command in Warfield's absence, he sees things a little different.
-->'''Warfield:''' All these years, Mengsk made you out to be the devil himself. But I've seen you put it on the line for men who'd otherwise be hunting you down. \\
'''Raynor:''' Your Emperor's the one 'should be brought to justice. All I ever wanted was for folks to live free. \\
'''Warfield:''' Charging into battle with a stranger -- taking enemy fire, holding the line shoulder to shoulder -- that's the great equalizer of war. It's a honor to fight at your side.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The BlackComedy above becomes a FunnyAneurysmMoment, as he dies early in ''Heart of the Swarm'' (Char).]]
* FourStarBadass: Though oddly enough, he only has three stars on his uniform (which from our point of view, would give him the rank of lieutenant general at the most).
* FrontlineGeneral: He takes the field with his Marines and takes on an entire zerg force ''by himself''. He seems to have internalized the lesson that tactical subtlety and staff officers don't help much against the Zerg.
* GangstaStyle: Does this as he runs low on ammo.
* IAintGotTimeToBleed: Gets impaled through the arm by several Hydralisk spikes. It barely slows him down.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:In ''Heart of the Swarm''.]]
* InformedAbility: Warfield is allegedly a hyper-competent general, but his one opportunity to demonstrate this prowess [[GoneHorriblyWrong goes horribly wrong]].
** He is, however, very well aware of the strategic value of taking down the Zerg [[DeathFromAbove air support]] rather than the ground-based [[MookMaker nydus worms]]. The final mission with the zerg air support uncrippled is considered by many to be the ''hardest'' mission in ''Wings'' by a significant margin. [[note]]Siege tanks turn anything ground based into nice big craters, and removing the zerg flyers means there's no way for the Zerg to counter a mass of them other than Kerrigan herself. And since you face Kerrigan in both versions....[[/note]]
** Justified in the sequel, Warfield is likely used to fighting Broods under the command of Broodmothers, who only use [[HollywoodTactics limited tactics]], or even just feral zerg. The forces on Char were under the command of Kerrigan, which is a whole different thing entirely. Notably, he ''[[CurbStompBattle curbstomped]]'' Zagara prior to Kerrigan's arrival and was preparing to commence mop-up operations.
* MeaningfulName: Warfield.
* TheMenFirst: [[spoiler: His last act is to request his men to be saved...[[PetTheDog which Kerrigan grants]].]]
%% Don't add MythologyGag here. It's already in ShoutOut/Starcraft.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: Sticks with Arcturus right to the end, although he did join Valerian on the expedition to Char (which was technically treason against Arcturus).
* OneManArmy: When every man with him is dead, he just presses on and takes out the rest of the Zerg host by himself.
* PunchClockVillain: He's an honorable and gruff man in his own right, and comes to respect Raynor (though he didn't think much of him at first). But much like Edmund Duke before him, being Mengsk's top general means he's usually against you in missions.
* RememberTheNewGuy: According to his backstory, he's been one of Mengsk's top officers ever since he began his rebellion against the Confederacy, which would mean Warfield was out there somewhere kicking ass for the entirety of the original game and ''Brood War''.
* RetiredBadass: He was retired prior to ''Starcraft II''; Mengsk brought him back into service at the beginning of ''Wings of Liberty''.
%%* TheSouthpaw
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler: Defeated by Kerrigan, he is mortally wounded...and she murders him the second he [[BerserkButton mentions Raynor's name]].]]
* WelcomeBackTraitor: By joining Valerian on his expedition in ''Wings'', Warfield was effectively committing treason against Arcturus. In ''Heart'', while Valerian is directly attacked by Arcturus's men, Warfield was left alone, by and large.
* WhatTheHellHero: Gives one to Kerrigan in ''Heart of the Swarm'' when she begins her RoaringRampageOfRevenge against Mengsk on Char, killing the same Dominion soldiers who freed her, while also calling out that she's betraying Raynor's trust in her [[spoiler: which might have gotten through to her, but since Kerrigan had already heard the UNN say that Raynor was executed, somebody working for Mengsk talking about turning against Raynor turned out to be a BerserkButton for her. It wasn't completely ineffective, however; after killing Warfield, she let the remaining Dominion forces go]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Edmund Duke]]
-->''"Y'all need some good ol' fashioned discipline."''
->'''Voiced by:''' JackRitschel
Edmund Duke was the Confederacy's greatest general, and the leader of Alpha Squadron, their greatest force. He starts off as a fairly generic villain, opposing Raynor and insulting backwater worlds, until Mengsk and Raynor save his life from the Zerg and demand his loyalty in return. His knowledge of the inner workings of the Confederacy prove key to Mengsk's victory, but surprisingly, Duke proves completely loyal to him, enough so that when Raynor rebels when Mengsk's evil intentions become clear, Duke stays with Mengsk.
Ultimately, Kerrigan convinced Mengsk (and Duke, though not seen) and Fenix to assist her, and while they honored their part of the bargain, Kerrigan did not, and murdered Duke to cripple Mengsk's military.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AntiVillain: He's a {{Jerkass}} all the way, but Duke never acts in a way that could be considered flat ''evil'', and is usually a loyal soldier to his superiors and has some shades of AFatherToHisMen. In a sense, he's a PunchClockVillain that always happens to be punched in whenever the player meets up with him.
* BadassGrandpa: He is old and crusty, but he's still willing to enter the front lines to fight.
* ContinuitySnarl: Blizzard has trouble keeping the history of Duke's ships in line. The game depicts the Norad II being repaired and used to attack Tarsonis, but the novel ''Liberty's Crusade'' says the Sons of Korhal set the ship to self-destruct to destroy the Zerg in the area. Then another novel ''Shadow of the Xel'Naga'' retconned it back to surviving, and further said that the Norad II was retrofitted into the Norad III. Then the same novel has the Norad III be destroyed along with the rest of Duke's fleet, and since the novel takes place before ''Brood War'', this messes up the ship's appearance in the expansion. The novel ''Firstborn'' gave a HandWave that only ''most'' of Duke's fleet was destroyed, the Norad III was either spared or recovered and repaired, but ''Liberty's Crusade'' is a straight retcon.
* CoolStarship: His flagship, the Norad II, is a pumped-up Battlecruiser and one of the best hero units in the original game. In ''Brood War'' he commands the new, upgraded Norad III.
* DeepSouth: He has the most pronounced accent of any character in the game save Stukov.
* DemotedToExtra: After being a major character in the first game, ''Brood War'' only sees him appear in two missions, and they're brief appearances too.
* DirtyCoward: It's implied he doesn't like to dirty his hands himself, leading from the back and retreating when unable to win. When Duke volunteers to lead an attack on Tarsonis' orbital platforms, Raynor is surprised to see him offering to lead a frontal assault. Duke's subsequent comments are that he knows the other Confederate squadrons stationed on the platform suck compared to his own Alpha Squadron men, and Raynor deflates when he realizes Duke is only taking the field because he knows it'll be an easy fight for him.
* DoubleTake: The normally unflappable Duke has one in Episode V when meeting Stukov, who tells Duke they're the United ''Earth'' Directorate. Duke's reaction is to sputter and respond to the effect of "wait, ''what''?"
* TheDragon: To Mengsk after Episode I.
* EliteArmy: Duke's Alpha Squadron is known as the best of the Confederacy's armed forces, and deploying them is their knee-jerk response to any serious threat. Up until they sent them to Antiga to deal with Mengsk, it worked too.
* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner: He's did this to ''[[OmnicidalManiac Kerrigan]]''.
-->'''Duke:''' Do your worst then, little girl! You ain't takin' Edmund Duke without a fight!
* FourStarBadass: He got to his position because of his admirable war record.
* GeneralFailure: Has the misfortune of almost always being on the opposite side from the player character, to the point where the only battle he wins onscreen is Tarsonis, a planet whose defenses he knows inside and out.
* GoKartingWithBowser: One of the multiplayer maps in ''Starcraft 64'' has Raynor and Duke competing in a friendly game of "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Zergling Round-Up]]"
* GrumpyOldMan
* HeelFaceTurn: And then, a FaceHeelTurn without doing any turning. Few characters can claim that feat.
* InformedAttribute: He's supposed to be one of the finest generals of the Confederacy. Between the games and in the novels though, you can count on one hand how many battles he wins, one of which in the novels is a PyrrhicVictory that costs him most of Alpha Squadron. Most of the time, be it Mengsk, Raynor, the UED, protoss or zerg, Duke is left defeated and humiliated.
* {{Jerkass}}: Though its quite obvious the second you hear him talk for the first time, the novelizations turns it up worse - after Raynor defects, his men are being overrun by Zerg and he can't save them. Raynor begs Duke to help them, offering to turn himself in if he does. Duke laughs in his face.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: In the early missions of Episode I. When Jim Raynor helps saving the Backwater Station from a Zerg attack, Duke has him arrested for ''property damage''. Perhaps subverted in this case. The Terran Confederacy was preforming tests on the zerg at the time. Destroying the infested command center may have ticked them off for losing the potential scientific knowledge they had hoped to garner from it.
* OneManArmy: In the ''Norad II'', he deals 50 damage a shot (a OneHitKO to Marines) and has a whopping 850 HP with 4 armor. In the mission where you take control of Duke, you can win the entire mission by having him solo the enemy bases, as long as you're keen to keep him repaired and target the strong anti-air units first.
* ReliableTraitor: He joined the Sons of Korhal rebellion grudgingly, basically at gunpoint, and made his contempt of Mengsk, Raynor and the rebels very clear at every opportunity he got. Mengsk however counted on that pandering to Duke's ambition, greed and lust for power would turn him into a useful ally. He was right.
* SaveTheVillain: Despite hating his guts, Jim Raynor saved his life twice. First for the Zerg on Antiga Prime and later from the UED during their assault on Korhal.
%%* SouthernFriedPrivate
* TankGoodness: He commands his personal Siege Tank in the ''Precursor'' campaign and the unused mission "Biting the Bullet"
* WeHaveReserves: The "Damn fringe world yokel" colonial militias are fully expendable in his eyes.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Carolina Davis]]
A high-ranking member of the Dominion military.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* {{Foil}}: To generals Duke and Warfield. Like them, she is a commander in the Dominion military and one of Mengsk's most loyal soldiers going back years. However, she is fairly friendly and personable while still being professional, whereas Duke and Warfield were gruff and hard. [[spoiler: Like them, Davis's loyalty was to Arcturus only; she's working to overthrow Valerian.]]
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Aside from Nova, who is a special ops agent, Davis is the first female ranking officer of the Dominion to be seen.
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:She's leading the Defenders of Man to overthrow Valerian and seize control of the Dominion.]]
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: [[spoiler:She's well-liked by the Dominion and its citizens even as she plots attacks against it to discredit Valerian's rule.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler:She's the BigBad of the ''Covert Ops'' DLC, as the leader of the Defenders of Man.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kate Lockwell and Donny Vermillion]]
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-KateLockwell_SC2_Head1_9195.JPEG]]
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-DonnyVermillion_SC2_DevStory1_3796.jpg]]
--> ''"What is wrong with that woman? Tell her not to interrupt my interviews!"''
-->-- '''Donny, regarding Kate.'''
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/RachaelMacFarlane (Kate) and BlairBess (Donny)
Two reporters working for the UNN, Kate being the field reporter and Donny the desk anchor. Kate tries to be impartial and truthful, but often gets blocked by her coworker Donny who is a staunch Mengsk supporter. After Vermillion suffers a breakdown, Kate gets promoted to chief anchor.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* BlatantLies: Very often, due to being controlled by Terran Dominion, often in a very unconvincing manner. During one broadcast, a Dominion Marine even shows up to shut it down.
-->'''Kate Lockwell:''' In fact, Donny, survivors have credited Raynor's Raiders--\\
'''Donny Vermillion:''' I'll have to cut you off there, Kate! We've got a breaking story. Uh...uhm...g-go to commercial. Yes. Commercial.\\
\\
'''Donny Vermillion:''' I assume casualties were high as a result of Raynor's terrorist actions.\\
'''Kate Lockwell:''' Actually the only civilian deaths appear to be collateral damage from overzealous Dominion security forc--\\
'''Donny Vermillion:''' Thanks, Kate. You heard it here first! Jim Raynor: Killing women and children on Mar Sara.
* BreakTheHaughty: When Mengsk's hand in the fall of Tarsonis is exposed, Donny falls into a HeroicBSOD and is eventually committed to a mental institution, his faith in the Dominion completely shattered.
* TheCameo: Kate's voice can be heard in the last cinematic of ''Legacy'''s epilogue campaign.
* CanonImmigrant: Kate Lockwell appeared in the comics before she did in-game.
* CatchPhrase:
--> '''Donny:''' You heard it here first!
* DoubleStandard: Donny answers the question posed by some viewers that ask what's wrong with Raynor rebelling against the Dominion when it was founded after Arcturus rebelled and overthrew the Confederacy. His response? "Yes, but Emperor Mengsk didn't do it during an alien invasion!" This completely ignores the fact that while Mengsk may not have ''begun'' his rebellion during an alien invasion, the arrival of the Zerg and Protoss did nothing to dissuade him from stopping. And, in more ways than one, he twisted it to his advantage.
--> '''Raynor:''' Everyone's a critic.
* HotScoop: Kate. In fact, the ''Crown Prince'' has a crush on her, although it's hard to tell if he's telling the truth or teasing.
* HypocriticalHumor: "What is up with that woman?! Tell her not to interrupt my interviews!"
* KentBrockmanNews: UNN Live with Donny Vermillion. Raynor shoots at the screen with a broadcast in the first cinematic on Mar Sara, and got a note from the bartender mentioning that [[BrickJoke the screen would be put on his tab!]]. That's why there's a "don't shoot the screen" warning sign attached to the big TV screen in the ''Hyperion'' cantina.
* NewsReel: The UNN, which has been around since StarCraft. Used by the Confederacy, then by the Dominion as a propaganda machine.
* OnlySaneMan: Kate is the Only Sane Woman.
%% Don't add TheOtherMarty here. It belongs in the Trivia tab.
* ShipTease: Kate asks Valerian if there's any woman he has an eye on. He actually says (on a live news broadcast, remember) that he's quite taken with ''her''. Considering she's an honest reporter dedicated to ferreting out the truth and he hates his father, he was probably being serious.
* ShowWithinAShow: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlkAwH2UOuY The UNN]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uWDfA26LyM newscasts]], which is based on CNN.
* TheBusCameBack: After last being mentioned in the final newscast of ''Wings of Liberty'', Donny returns as MissionControl for the Co-op mission "The Vermillion Problem." Lore established that he was eventually rehabilitated and came back to the UNN as a reporter.
* TheWorldMustKnowTheTruth: Why Kate tends to be impartial and talk against the Dominion according to ExpandedUniverse sources. She became disillusioned after meeting Michael Liberty.
* ThoseTwoGuys: In ''Wings of Liberty''.
* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: Kate delivers one after the last "Epilogue" mission. [[note]]She points out that Valerian is emperor, Horner is now an admiral and working with Valerian, and peace talks with the protoss are going well.[[/note]]
%% Don't add WhatCouldHaveBeen here. It belongs on the Trivia tab.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Reigel]]
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/reigel_sc2screen.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:250:"It's science. Use it well, and we shall find what we're looking for."]]
A Moebius Foundation scientist tasked to help Nova's special ops team by Valerian.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* ArtificialLimbs: He has two robotic arms.
* BaldBlackLeaderGuy: He's bald, he's black, and while not the leader of Nova's crew, he's her MissionControl while she takes the field.
* MissionControl: Informs Nova of new mission objectives and general status updates.
* TheSmartGuy: Fills the role of the DLC's technical specialist, outfitting Nova and her crew with upgrades and equipment.
* SpockSpeak: He speaks in a stiff and articulate manner.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sandin Forst]]
!! Sandin Forst
A master Thor pilot working with his two friends, SCV operator Rieff, the computer whiz, and Garth, who acts as muscle when Sandin needs more. Sandin's skills have earned him the nickname "Thundergod".
----
!!Provides examples of:
* AGodAmI: Doesn't declare himself an actual god, but he does like the nickname he's earned and thinks that in the Thor he's invincible.
* GoldFever: Pulls YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness on Garth and Rieff when the three try to steal a fortune in crystals from an old facility.
* {{Greed}}: Pity for him those crystals are [[spoiler:infested with zerg spores]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Wes Carter]]
A soldier serving under Jon Dyre, he pilots the Wyrm, the prototype to the Viking. When Dyre snaps during a demonstration and takes the first Viking rogue, Carter went in the Wyrm to stop him.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* FlawedPrototype: The Wyrm is emphasized to be slower, less maneuverable, has weaker weapons, weaker armor, and a longer response time than the Viking that Dyre is piloting. Carter is only able to beat Dyre by outsmarting him, and spends the rest of the story evading and fleeing from him.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Jon Dyre]]
An exceptional Dominion pilot, he mentored Wes on piloting the Wyrm. However, he's got a lot of issues with the Dominion, which may or may not be cooked up in his own head.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* BrokenPedestal: Wes idolized him, but Dyre's actions ruin that image of him.
%%* DrivenToSuicide
%%* DarkAndTroubledPast
%%* TheMentor: To Wes.
** EvilMentor: More crazy than evil, but he is from Wes's point of view.
* ProperlyParanoid: While we never find out if his suspicions about his former allies and the colonists he's destroyed are founded, the rest of the ''Frontline'' series does show the zerg are always looking for more covert ways to conduct infestation, so maybe Dyre was right.
* QuicksandSucks: Downplayed, Wes tricks him into landing his Viking in a bog.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Corbin Phash]]
Colin's father and the senator of Dominion planet Maltair IV. When he discovered Colin's abilities he tried to keep them secret, and when he failed and Colin was taken by the Ghost Academy, he defected to the Umojan Protectorate to fight the Academy's influence.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* BadassNormal: He remembers enough of his SCV training to still operate them, and is skilled enough at disguising his thoughts to fool a trained ghost.
* DefectorFromDecadence: Played with. It's implied he's still loyal to Mengsk and and the Dominion, and is only with the Umojans because he knows speaking against the Ghost Academy in Dominion territory would get him silenced.
* PapaBear: Everyone he does is to get his son back.
* SelfMadeMan: Implied, he used to be a humble [=SCV=] operator.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Corporal Faraday]]
-> "That's the thing about the Dominion. Even in a crisis, our rule of law holds firm."
A Corporal in the Dominion, Faraday leads the Korhal Defense Force, and defends the capital city of Augustgrad when Amon attempts to use Void Shards to destroy the city.
----
!!Provides examples of:
* CommandingCoolness: His rank is technically corporal, but he is in charge despite this low rank.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: His eyes and hair are both brown.
* MissionControl: He helps coordinate two commanders in destroying the Void Shards.
* NiceHat: Quite a stylish one.
[[/folder]]
