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- A welcoming billboard on Mar Sara(src)

Mar Sara is a planet in the Sara system.

History[]

Early History[]

The xel'naga set foot on Mar Sara. Some of their relics still remain.[4][5][6]

Some time after the terrans arrived in the Koprulu sector, Mar Sara was catalogued by freelance terran prospectors, and several years later was colonized by an expedition from Tarsonis. Mar Sara formed the eighth of the thirteen core worlds of the Terran Confederacy. Although Mar Sara was always a backwater colony compared to its more prosperous sister planet, Chau Sara, its mining industry was seen as a key strategic asset.[1]

Mar Sara's populace consisted of a mix of former prospectors and soldiers, along with a couple of religious types who didn't agree with the Confederacy's limits of tolerance for other faiths.[7]

The Zerg Invasion[]

"The Confederacy has quarantined this entire planet, and we'll proceed with the lock-down within 48 hours. You're to relocate your core colonists to the outlying wastelands."
Mar Sara SC2 Art1

Mar Sara prior to purification

In 2499, Mar Sara was one of the first planets to be infested by the zerg when they appeared in the Koprulu sector.[1] Arcturus Mengsk claimed that the Confederacy deliberately sacrificed the planet in order to test the psi-emitter.[8] However, Sons of Korhal agent Merdith Jernic claimed that she stole and activated a psi emitter in order to attack or denigrate the Confederacy.[9]

After the protoss incineration of Chau Sara on December 8, the Koprulu Expeditionary Force approached Mar Sara. The Confederacy launched a clumsy counterattack as Executor Tassadar commanded his ships to pull away and withdraw, for he couldn't bring himself to destroy Mar Sara or the fleet that had come to protect it.[10] At the same time, the Confederacy sent a new Colonial Magistrate to safeguard the colonists and keep their state of panic from escalating any further.[11]

BootCamp SCR Game3

Confederate forces arrive on Mar Sara

The Confederacy quarantined the entire planet. Forty-eight hours before they were to proceed with a lock-down, General Edmund Duke sent the core colonists to the Wasteland. They were escorted by Marshal Jim Raynor.[12] Soon, Backwater Station was attacked by the zerg and a distress beacon was activated. Instead of waiting for Confederate reinforcements,[13] Raynor saved Backwater Station with the help of local militia forces sent in by the Magistrate. Duke subsequently arrested Raynor and his men on the pretext of violating standing colonial law by destroying Confederate property.[14]

Sixteen outland stations reported sightings of the zerg,[15] but the Confederates continued to avoid action against them and even arrested all standing militia forces. Three stations fell to the zerg before the Sons of Korhal intervened[16] and evacuated thousands of colonists.[17]

EvacMarSaraCity SC2 Art1

The Sons of Korhal evacuate the colonists

In truth, the Sons didn't believe they could evacuate the city in time, and made the offer for the propaganda value. However, the 417th Confederate Marine Platoon was involved in a mission which would unexpectedly buy the Sons the time they needed. The platoon was seeking the psi-emitter which Sons of Korhal-affiliated engineer (and minor psychic) Merdith Jernic had activated. They arrested her, but the Confederacy attempted to destroy them with a nuke. Upon discovering the truth, the remnants of the platoon used the emitter to lure the zerg to their position, keeping the majority of the airborne zerg away from Mar Sara City by sacrificing themselves.[9]

At the same time, the Sons of Korhal released Raynor and his men from the Confederate prison ship.[18] Edmund Duke refused to fire on the fleeing civilians.[7]

Three hours after colonial evacuation, Mar Sara was almost completely overrun by the zerg and both the Confederacy and the Sons of Korhal abandoned it. Before leaving, Raynor and a group of his men liberated secret information from the Jacobs Installation.[18]

MarSaraBombardment SCR Game1

Mar Sara bombarded

Thirteen hours after the evacuation of Mar Sara, the protoss fleet arrived, with Executor Tassadar briefly taking a team to the overrun Fire Base Chimera to investigate the planet.[19] Once he was convinced no more terrans could escape the world, his fleet glassed the planet from orbit, killing all life upon the surface.[18][20]

Recolonization[]

"They come at night...mostly."

- Anonymous comment on the zerg of Mar Sara(src)

MarSara SC2 Game1

Mar Sara civilians

Prospectors from the Kel-Morian Combine found that minerals on Mar Sara had acquired unique properties due to the protoss bombardment. Shortly thereafter, the KMC staked a claim to mining and salvage rights over the planet. In 2502, independent and indentured contractors terraformed Mar Sara and soon began strip-mining the planet of its resources.[1] Due to the influx of miners with too much spare time on their hands, numerous shanty towns have sprung up with little enforcement of law.[20]

Many of the original colonists returned in order to terraform the planet.[3] Burrowed dens of zerg continued to be found out in the wastelands years after the incineration, allowing for the Annual Hydralisk Derby to occur.[21][22] The zerg may have reinfested the desolate world some time after the protoss bombardment.[1]

The Dominion[]

"By request of the Kel-Morian Combine, all security on the world of Mar Sara is now the responsibility of the Terran Dominion. All citizens are subject to to search and unlimited detention on suspicion of any of the following crimes—illegal assembly, unauthorized communications, recidivism, hording, tax evasion, property tax, resource piracy, aiding and abetting a known felon, criminal association, weapons violations, failure to disclose illegal activity, impending a Dominion peacekeeper in their duties."

- A Dominion poster on Mar Sara(src)

MarSara SC2 Game2

Dominion roadblock

The Terran Dominion also showed a renewed interest in Mar Sara and established outposts there. The KMC claimed that these outposts were established at their invitation due to security issues with piracy and mining camp revolts.[1] The Dominion restricted access to these sites, sometimes turning them into dead spots and putting information on them under level Black censoring. One of these sites was raided by renegade Thor pilot Sandin Forst.[20]

In 2504,[23] the Dominion annexed Mar Sara, and its Repopulation Commission began a public relations campaign to boost local support. However, its heavy-handed military tactics upset the locals, creating a fear of an uprising.[3] For months, Dominion engineers excavated a piece of the Keystone at White Rock Base. The Dominion forcibly shipped citizens there from Backwater Station to dig it up.[4]

Viking SC2 Art2

Open revolt

Dominion forces set up a logistics headquarters in Backwater Station, which become the hub for all operations on Mar Sara. The people of Backwater Station were anti-Dominion. But they lacked weapons and organization. After the Dominion pulled troops out of the city, Raynor and his marines destroyed the logistics headquarters with help from the locals.[24] Raynor then seized weapons and distributed them to the local populace,[25] inciting an open revolt against Mengsk.[4]

At Joeyray's Bar, Tychus Findlay informed Raynor of the artifact,[26] which the Dominion was getting ready to move off-world. The Dominion attacked a rebel base south of the dig site, but Raynor's marines intervened. The rebels returned the favor by helping them destroy White Rock Base. The Dominion deployed hellions to stop them, but they were unsuccessful. The base was destroyed and Raynor's Raiders seized the artifact.[4] In the meantime, news of the unrest on Mar Sara began tricking through to the Dominion public.[27]

When the zerg landed at the abandoned dig site, Raynor had his marines man bunkers and hold two bridges at Backwater Station. They held out long enough to be extracted by the Hyperion.[28] The attack was once again part of a larger zerg invasion of terran space, this time led by Sarah Kerrigan.[29]

By 2508, Mar Sara had apparently been recolonized.[30]

Geography[]

"Mar Sara. The rural peace you so much strive for!"

- An advertisment for Mar Sara(src)

MarSaraCanyons SC2 CineEscapeMarSara1

Mar Sara canyons

Although Mar Sara was mainly covered by hard-baked mud and scrub, irrigation techniques such as waterfarms enabled agriculture to develop and there was significant potential for mineral exploitation.[7] The planet's sky is a dusty orange and it has two moons.[31] At night, sandstorms often sweep across the planet's surface.[9] Canyons can be viewed on the planet's landscape.[29]

In ancient times, it is likely that a significant portion, if not all of Mar Sara's surface was covered in iron-rich oceans. By the time of terran settlement however, these oceans had mostly receded, leaving behind a rust ingrained surface, courtesy of oxidation (similar in principle to the ancient oceans of Earth and Mars).[9] A significant portion of the planet was still covered in water however, the planet possessing oceans[7] and a main continent in distinction.[32] Due to the spread of zerg creep[7] and the protoss bombardment, these oceans appear to have been vaporized.[33]

Mar Sara is home to a number of infamous "wave-band anomalies," which could disrupt victor-balance equipment and communicators. These made aircraft transport in some regions risky to nearly impossible. Some theorized this was due to rare crystal formations that sprouted from the mineral rich depths of the planet. These anomalies were centered around a region named Perdition's Crossing.[34]

Known Locations[]

MarSara SC1 Art1

Mar Sara during the Great War

Establishments[]

Installations[]

Landforms[]

MarSara SC-G Cncpt1

A Mar Saran setting

Military Bases[]

Regions[]

Settlements[]

MarSara SC2 Cncpt1

A Kel-Morian mining operation on Mar Sara

Other Appearances[]

StarCraft Ghost Logo2
This article or section contains information about StarCraft: Ghost, which has been declared non-canon. Elements may be taken as 'flavor lore' however.
The content may be significantly out of date. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details.

Mar Sara was to play a role in StarCraft: Ghost.

Early Builds

In early builds of Ghost, Mar Sara would be the site of a secret terrazine refinery at Borgo Refinery. However, two agents of the Koprulu Liberation Front sabatodged the plant and made off with an amount of terrazine. The explosion attracted a massive amount of zerg to the planet, necessitating Nova, Jackson Hauler, and Omega Squadron to fight back the zerg.

Nova investigated the refinery, and rescued the miners. Nova then helped General Horace Warfield push his forces through the zerg offensive, taking out key zerg targets such as sunken colonies, lurkers and infested command centers as the Dominion pushed through the zerg assault.[35]

Later Builds

In later builds of Ghost, Terran Dominion established a secret terrazine refinery there. To disguise its true function, it was designated "Vespene" Refinery BF 1138.[36]

The refinery came under zerg attack. A Dominion Marine Corps force accompanied by a black ops team (including a ghost named Nova) was sent to investigate, engaging in battle with the zerg.[31]

During the conflict, two opposing terran factions waged an important battle in the barrens of Mar Sara. The resources of both sides were all but depleted, and a single unclaimed mobile factory stood to turn the tide.[37]

Notes[]

  • The blue terran faction is identified as the Mar Sara Colonial Militia in StarCraft. This remains the case into StarCraft: Brood War (even when the forces are clearly not from Mar Sara).
  • "Mar Sara" is Portuguese and Spanish for "Sarah Sea" or, in the context of onomastics, "Sarah's Sea."
  • The orbital view of Mar Sara is identical to the orbital view of Moria.
  • The quote "They come at night... mostly" is a reference to the film Aliens.
  • Maps that take place on Mar Sara often have signs planted near terran installations that say "Mar Sara: Shake and Bake Colony". This is another reference to Aliens.
  • A version of Mar Sara is featured in the backstory for a couple skins in Heroes of the Storm, as the planet where a wild west version of Riksville is situated. This shared theme consists of Raynor as a marshal, and Valla, the female demon hunter from Diablo III, as his deputy.

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Koprulu Sector Systems: Mar Sara. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24.
  2. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Remastered. (Blizzard Entertainment) (in English). August 24, 2017.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Metzen, Chris (w), Hector Sevilla (p, i). "Homecoming." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 4 (paperback binding), pp. 6-27. Tokyopop, October 1, 2009. ISBN 978-1427-81698-6.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, The Outlaws (in English). 2010-07-27.
  5. hawks911. 2009-07-02. Protoss Late Game Experience. Inc.Gamers. Accessed 2009-08-07.
  6. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Map: Wings of Liberty, Blistering Sands (in English). 2010-07-27.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Grubb, Jeff (February 27, 2001). StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0671-04148-9.
  8. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Trump Card (in English). 1998.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Hickman, Tracy (May 21, 2002). StarCraft: Speed of Darkness. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0671-04150-2.
  10. Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  11. Narrative: The Confederacy, fearing that the alien fleet's next target will be the colony of Mar Sara, has sent you to intervene. Acting as Magistrate, you are to safeguard the colonists and keep their state of panic from escalating any further. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Rebel Yell Intro (in English). 1998.
  12. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Wasteland (in English). 1998.
  13. Edmund Duke: "We've already received the distress beacon from Backwater, and we'll take care of it. You just sit tight. You'll be notified if there's anything we think you need to know."
    Jim Raynor: "Damn! Listen, if we wait for Confederate reinforcements, that station's dust. I'll head out there now, do what I can. You send in some militia, and we'll save those folks. Trust me." StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Backwater Station (in English). 1998.
  14. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Backwater Station (in English). 1998.
  15. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Desperate Alliance (in English). 1998.
  16. Adjutant: "The Confederates have arrested all standing militia forces and continue to avoid action against the Zerg. Three stations have fallen to the Zerg already. We've been unable to locate any source of military relief except... the extremist faction known as The Sons of Korhal. Their liaison is holding on line." StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Desperate Alliance (in English). 1998.
  17. Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-10-18. A New Era. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2014-01-15.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Jacobs Installation (in English). 1998.
  19. Metzen, Chris & Samuel Moore (March 29, 1999). "StarCraft: Revelations." Amazing Stories 596 (Spring): 20-27.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Knaak, Richard A. and Naohiro Washio. "Thundergod." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 1, pp. 48–93. Tokyopop, August 1, 2008. ISBN 1427-80721-3.
  21. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). Joeyray's Bar trophies (in English). 2010.
  22. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Conversations after The Outlaws (in English). 2010
  23. April 6, 2010. "Timeline". StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). pp. 311 - 323. ISBN 978-1416-55084-6.
  24. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, Liberation Day (in English). 2010-07-27.
  25. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Special Report: UNN newscast after "Liberation Day." (in English). 2010.
  26. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Old Times. (in English). 2010.
  27. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Open Rebellion: UNN newscast after "The Outlaws." (in English). 2010.
  28. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, Zero Hour (in English). 2010-07-27.
  29. 29.0 29.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Escape from Mar Sara. (in English). 2010.
  30. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Homecoming. (in English). 2015.
  31. 31.0 31.1 2007-03-18. StarCraft Ghost Trailer. Blizzard Entertainment/Youtube. Accessed 2007-04-18.
  32. 1999-10-15, Turtle Island. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed on 2007-11-10
  33. 2007-08-03. StarCraft II Single-Player Campaign BlizzCon Preview. Gamespot. Accessed 2007-08-07.
  34. Waugh, James. "Perdition's Crossing (short story)." (Oct. 6, 2015). Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft Lore: Perdition's Crossing Accessed 2015-10-06.
  35. 2014-18-12, StarCraft: Ghost Demo Build. Dropbox.com, accessed on 2020-02-16
  36. Rausch, Allen 'Delsyn'. 2005-08-19. StarCraft: Ghost Preview Gamespy Accessed 2007-07-26.
  37. Mar Sara StarCraft: Ghost Mobile Conflict. Mar Sara Mobile Conflict map. Accessed 2009-03-19.
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