StarCraft II introduction

The Brood War
The Brood War began with the evacuation of Aiur by the Protoss, using a Warp Gate to travel to the safety of the Dark Templar homeworld, Shakuras.

A number of Protoss were left behind, however.

Meanwhile, the Zerg civil war raged between factions led by Infested Kerrigan and Daggoth, who had created a second Overmind on Char. Kerrigan took control of the Dark Templar Matriarch, Raszagal, and through her used the Protoss to support her side of the war.

Meanwhile, the war was interrupted by the arrival of the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Force, which conquered the Terran Dominion, and activated a powerful anti-Zerg weapon and captured the second Overmind, but not without the loss of Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov.

The Protoss also became embroiled in a civil war against the Dark Archon terrorist, Ulrezaj, who aimed to destroy the Protoss refugees who sought shelter on Shakuras.

The Brood War ended with the death of the second Overmind and the destruction of the Cerebrates.

The Brood War ended with a massive battle over Char, with Infested Kerrigan emerging as the winner. The United Earth Directorate fleet was nearly destroyed, with only remnants remaining in the Koprulu Sector.

Zeratul's Journeys

 * Main article: The Reckoning

Zeratul was instrumental in Kerrigan's victory over the second Overmind. She had kidnapped the Dark Templar Matriarch, Raszagal, to ensure his cooperation. Refusing to turn Raszagal over, Kerrigan was surprised when Zeratul counter-abducted her, and began a massive search of Char to reacquire the Matriarch. Zeratul had hidden her in a Stasis Cell, but Kerrigan's forces discovered them and laid waste to the Protoss forces. Zeratul, in a desperate attempt to break Kerrigan's hold over Raszagal, slew his own Matriarch. Raszagal told him she would grant her power to him before dying. Kerrigan, surprised by this display, allowed Zeratul to leave with his pain.


 * Main article: Dark Origin

Due to the chaos surrounding the battles between the Protoss and Zerg on and over Char, Zeratul drifted away from Char and stumbled upon a dark moon. Noticing Protoss energies, he descended with a small warband to investigate, only to discover a chilling secret: a Protoss/Zerg hybridization experiment masterminded by Samir Duran. Zeratul was unable to tell anyone else what he had seen.

Zeratul paid a brief visit to Shakuras before vanishing.

He spent four years searching for clues behind Duran's mystery before reappearing on Jim Raynor's battlecruiser, informing him that "the Xel'Naga return, the cycle nears its end, the artifacts are the key."

Jim Raynor's Journeys
Following his betrayal by Kerrigan, Raynor threatened to kill her. He maintained a relationship of some kind with the Protoss, visiting them on Shakuras briefly and cooperating with them on a mission to right a grievous wrong on Braxis, the reanimation and infestation of Alexei Stukov. Raynor was successful in this mission.

Since then, Jim Raynor's organization have become mercenaries, pursued relentlessly by the Terran Dominion while trying desperately to continue the fight against Arcturus Mengsk.