Sarah Kerrigan
Sarah Louise Kerrigan, the self-styled Queen of Blades, is a character in Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft franchise. She was created by Chris Metzen and James Phinney, and her original appearance was designed by Metzen. Sarah Kerrigan is voiced by Glynnis Talken Campbell in StarCraft and Brood War, Tricia Helfer in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, and Vanessa Marshall in Heroes of the Storm.
Kerrigan first appears in StarCraft as a twenty-six-year-old Ghost, a psychic trained both physically and mentally as an expert espionage agent and assassin. Initially the second-in-command of Sons of Korhal, a revolutionary movement against the oppressive Confederacy of Man, she is captured by the insectoid Zerg and genetically mutated into a human/Zerg hybrid completely under the control of the Zerg Overmind. Initially one of the Zerg's most powerful agents, she gains control of the Zerg after the destruction of the Overmind, and seeks dominance over the galaxy. Kerrigan's life before her infestation is further explored in the StarCraft novels Uprising and Liberty's Crusade, while Queen of Blades elaborates on her infested character.
As one of the major characters of the series, Kerrigan has been critically praised by video game journalists for her believability and character depth, and is frequently featured in lists of the top video game women, villains and characters in general. Her reception in regards to gender representation in video games has been more mixed. She has been considered to challenge some hetero-normative gender roles while adhering to others, and to also have an overly sexualized design.
Character design
The character of Kerrigan was created by Blizzard Entertainment's Chris Metzen and James Phinney, with her physical appearance designed by Metzen. Though only meant to appear in a single level, her character grew on the developers, who ultimately designed a far greater role as the "Queen of Blades" that would evolve into the greatest agent of the Zerg Overmind. Amid a rivalry between Blizzard and Westwood Studios, Kerrigan was named after figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, known for her feud with Tonya Harding, as a reference to the character Tanya Adams in Command & Conquer: Red Alert.In an interview Glynnis Talken Campbell, Kerrigan's voice actress from Starcraft and StarCraft: Brood War, described Kerrigan's change in personality during her infestation as "going from good girl to bad girl", and has said it was more of a change in personality than voice when providing her voice work. Kerrigan's voice also consisted of many grunts, growls and screams, and her unique infested voice was provided by doubling up Campbell's voice. She has also claimed that, were she to pen a StarCraft film or novel, she would rather have Kerrigan's relationship with Jim Raynor—the series' primary male protagonist—portrayed as one of admiration, sacrifice, and "them saving each other's butts" than actual romance due to StarCraft
Personality
Having been conscripted into the Confederate Ghost program as a child due to her psychic potential, Kerrigan is described in the manual for StarCraft as never having been given the chance for a normal life. Her rigorous training and the use of neural implants to control her mental abilities leave her withdrawn and introverted. Despite this, Kerrigan exhibits qualities of courage and daring, and is an effective tactician. She is also described as a moral character, exemplified in her opposition to Arcturus Mengsk using the Zerg against the Confederacy. However, after her transformation by the Zerg, Kerrigan is freed from her inhibitions—as well as her neural conditioning—and indulges her darker traits. Her attitude, combined with her natural intelligence, makes her extremely calculating and manipulative. A hint of her former moral sensitivity is noticeable when towards the end of the Zerg campaign of Brood War, she states how she feels weary of slaughter for the first time since her transformation. Kerrigan has also become far more physically aggressive, relishing close quarters combat so much that at one point in the novel Queen of Blades, she begins absent-mindedly licking the blood of her victims from her fingers.One of the core elements of Kerrigan's personality is that of her manipulation by others, and her lack of identity. Her reversion to human form by Raynor allowed her to finally develop an identity for herself, though found her emotions torn between a man that she loved and a man that she despised.
Depiction
Prior to her infestation, Kerrigan is described as being a graceful and deadly woman, exceedingly agile and athletic, possessing jade-green eyes and brilliant red hair usually worn as a ponytail. The novel Queen of Blades describes her facial features as being too strong to be classified as beautiful, but instead as striking and completely fitting for her personality. Kerrigan is rarely seen out of her armor, a form-fitting hostile environment suit specifically designed for Ghost operatives and equipped with a personal cloaking device. When off-duty, she is described as wearing casual clothing and always being equipped with at least a combat knife.Kerrigan's infestation by the Zerg signaled a major overhaul for her appearance. Despite maintaining her stature, build, and facial features, she is described in Queen of Blades as having mottled green skin, covered in a glossy protective carapace. Kerrigan's eyes are bright yellow as opposed to her natural green, and her hair has transformed into stalks, described as being segmented like an insect's legs. Kerrigan's fingers are stated to now contain extendible claws. A pair of skeletal wings has also grown from her back, consisting of elongated segmented spikes that reach down to the level of her knees. Kerrigan is seen using these wings as a melee weapon, tearing opponents apart.
Kerrigan ascended into Xel'naga form by consuming the essence of Ouros, the last remaining Xel'naga, marking a complete overhaul for her appearance. Her physique resembles that of her human form, though her skin turns a metallic gold color with flames along the surface, and she has a pair of angelic wings. Kerrigans final canon appearance is in the Legacy of the Void epilogue cutscene, where she is shown to have returned to her human form.
Appearances
In ''StarCraft''
Sarah Kerrigan appears in StarCraft halfway through the first chapter of the game. She and Confederate officer Jim Raynor are tasked by Arcturus Mengsk, the leader of the militant rebel group Sons of Korhal, with starting a revolution on the fringe colony world of Antiga Prime by assassinating the presiding officers of the ruling Confederacy of Man. In response, the Confederacy blockades the planet as the insectoid Zerg Swarm begin to invade the surface, and Mengsk orders Kerrigan, against her wishes, to plant a psi emitter—stolen Confederate technology that attracts Zerg to it—to lure the Zerg into breaking the blockade, allowing the Sons of Korhal to escape. The Sons of Korhal then directly attack the Confederate capital world Tarsonis. During the attack, Mengsk, without consulting his officers, uses the psi emitters to ensure the complete destruction of the planet by the Zerg. The Zerg are subsequently attacked by the Protoss, a race of psionic aliens who attempt to stop further Zerg advancement and conquest. Kerrigan is sent with a detachment of troops to stop the Protoss from interfering with the Zerg rampage, but her position is overrun by the Zerg, and Mengsk refuses to rescue her as punishment for questioning his orders. Raynor deserts Mengsk in disgust, and Kerrigan is presumed dead.However, as the second chapter begins, the player is charged by the Zerg hive mind, the Overmind, to protect a chrysalis on the planet Char. When the chrysalis hatches, it reveals Kerrigan has been infested with Zerg DNA, making her a powerful Zerg and Terran hybrid. In addition to her radically altered appearance, her personality has drastically shifted, putting her in allegiance with the Zerg. Raynor, drawn to Char by psychic dreams cast by Kerrigan during her incubation, fails in an attempt to rescue her, but is spared as Kerrigan, who is now aligned with the Zerg, does not see him as a threat. After breaking into a Terran science vessel, Kerrigan is able to sense the presence of the Protoss fleet commander Tassadar on Char. Tassadar diverts Kerrigan's attention long enough for his companion Zeratul to assassinate Zasz, one of the Zerg commanders. However, through a temporary mental connection, the Overmind is able to use Zeratul's memories to locate the Protoss homeworld of Aiur. The Overmind immediately launches the bulk of the Zerg Swarm to invade the planet, although Kerrigan remains behind on Char to hunt down Tassadar and Zeratul.