Ariel Hanson

Dr. Ariel Hanson is a scientist associated with Raynor's Raiders. She is a selfless and altruistic individual.

Biography
The daughter of Bernard Hanson and Talise Cogan, Ariel Hanson was taken from Tarsonis at a young age to  Agria, the colony newly-founded by her father. Her mother remained on Tarsonis, so in a sense the colony acted as her mother.

Ariel Hanson grew to be a genius. At age six she was reading advanced chemistry notes, and at age eleven she had written a paper on mutagenic effects on the rare trabillia flower. She graduated from upper school two years early and was offered a scholarship at Tarsonis University. Despite the rich biodiversity available to study on Agria, she traveled to Tarsonis over her father's objections.

She spent three years there and met her mother, Talis Cogan. However, Cogan prioritized work and achievement over her relationship with her daughter. A frustrated Ariel Hanson decided to return to Agria, with Cogan telling her she was running from the "real" world. Her father was happy she was back and didn't ask any awkward questions.

While her father remained the colony's chairman, Ariel Hanson effectively became his second-in-command. Her duties included holding a round of hands-on health examinations.

Due to the Fall of the Confederacy, Agria was taken over by the Terran Dominion. They provided a defense force. In 2503 pirates raided the colony, intending to steal its advanced technology. The Dominion fought back, but many innocent colonists were killed in the crossfire. Hanson risked her life to save dozens of innocent bystanders trapped in areas of heavy fighting. She now believed the Dominion saw the colonists as expendable.

The Second Great War
The Second Great War found her on Agria when the zerg invaded the planet. The Terran Dominion quickly pulled out, leaving Agria to the mercy of the zerg. This action incensed Hanson and she despised the Dominion more for it.

Raynor's Raiders responded to Hanson's distress call and successfully evacuated as many colonists as possible. The Raiders resettled the colonists on Meinhoff. A zerg virus that created infested terrans soon struck the colony, but it was purged by the Raiders. Hanson, at Raynor's suggestion, began to devise a cure for the virus. Gabriel Tosh later mentioned that the zerg had nothing to gain from the invasion of Agria in the first place, apart from some infested worker bees and felt that something about Hanson was not right.

Hanson stayed on with the Raiders, aiding the Raiders' "medieval" medical facilities and "non-existent" science expertise, when they reached the world of Haven on the border of protoss space. However, the zerg virus had found its way to Haven as well. A protoss fleet, led by Executor Selendis, arrived to contain the virus by purification.



Raynor chose to protect the colony. During the fighting, Hanson continued to develop a cure for the virus. When the protoss were driven back, Hanson left to settle on Haven. She could not persuade Raynor to come with her. Nonetheless, Hanson gave him a kiss on the cheek and said he was a good man before leaving.



Raynor chose to assist the protoss effort, believing that purification was the only way to stop the virus from spreading. Hanson was displeased, stormed off Hyperion's bridge, and locked herself in the laboratory. She was already infested secretly. When the Raiders were finished purging Haven, 99.3% of her DNA was zerg. Hanson taunted Raynor, as he was forced to kill her.

Game Effect
Dr. Hanson can be found in the Hyperion's lab, where upgrades can be purchased.

If the player completes the Agria mission, The Evacuation, but doesn't complete one of the final missions on Haven (Safe Haven/Haven's Fall), Hanson will remain on the Hyperion throughout the game and offer opinions on the previous mission. For example, after finishing Breakout, Dr. Hanson will state that Gabriel Tosh and his spectres "aren't the psychotic killers we were lead to believe" and that "Nova lied to us." Alternatively, if the player side with Nova, Hanson will state she "doesn't like that Nova. Who knows how many people she's killed."

Personality
Onboard the Hyperion, Hanson can represent a positive moral influence on Jim Raynor, acting as something of a love interest (albeit limited by Raynor's status as a mercenary) and representing his "good side".