Why Mengsk is the most Diabolical Dictator in Starcraft

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]You don't seem to realize my situation here. I will not be stopped. Not by you or the Confederates or the Protos or anyone. I will rule this sector or see it burnt to ashes around me.

[00:00:19]>> Dictator. One who holds absolute power.

[00:00:23]Back in the day in times of peril, the Romans would appoint one man to make all the decisions. You know, we can't always vote on stuff, but just like Rome, they fell off. You see, back in my day, dictators for life actually did cool things like conquering Gaul or capturing Moscow before nearly freezing to death.

[00:00:38]Well, actually, Caesar conquered Gaul before he became dictator. Silence, heretic. All dictators do nowadays.

[00:00:45]Anyways, M is the most diabolical dictator in the series. Yeah, he's technically not as powerful as say the UE or Allarak, but he's the tyrant we spend the most amount of time with. We spend just enough time to believe in his dream of a free humanity, only for him to stab us in the back and dive headlong into complete megalomania. His rise is chilling, his betrayal personal, and his fall cathartic. From charismatic revolutionary to ruthless tyrant, MX goes through the full life cycle of an absolute autocratic [ __ ] No other tyrant in the series gets this much documentation, this much history, this much facial hair. Yeah. Yeah. Aman was behind everything. But did you know Arcturus once wanted to be a prospector or that he served in the guild wars alongside Edmmond Duke? Or that he was a deadbeat father? Actually, that one's pretty obvious in the games. Join me as I explore the intricate history and actions of Starcraft's most infamous death spot.

[00:01:47]>> [music] >> Arcturus Mans grew up as the son of Angus and Catherine Mang, heads of the Mansk family, one of the old families of the Confederacy. While Angus spoke out against the Confederacy's corruption, Argie wasn't as sold. Why bother changing things when you can just get rich? Nevertheless, he doted on his younger sister Dorothy and respected his mother. But even as a youth, he displayed a lot of the same narcissism and manipulation we see in the games.

[00:02:14]Exhibit A. He tricked a tech into giving him schematics that allowed him to sneak into the man's mansion. When informed that the tech would lose his job, he went lol and continued with his day.

[00:02:24]Exhibit B. His relationship with Juliana pastor. The daughter of a new politician, Juliana was an inspiring parallegal and activist. But all Archie saw was a future conquest. While Juliana slowly became enamored with him, Arcturus never really loved her. After a one night stand, he kind of ghosted her until learning about his son Valyrian's birth and the possibility of using him as an heir. I'm not joking. Mx literally pumped and dumped her. Again, it's not surprising given what happens in the games, but uh yeah, this guy kind of sucks. Originally, MX preferred mining over rebellion. To this end, and despite his father, he joined the Confederate Marine Corps, beat up the Calorians, led a squad known as Dominion Section, and saved Edmund Duke during the Battle of Niranda Glacier. At the end of the guild wars between the Confederacy and Moria, Mansk had risen to the rank of colonel.

[00:03:11]Then he resigned, struck big as a prospector, and lived happily ever.

[00:03:14]Corhal declared independence, forcing the Confederates to retreat. In the meantime, Arct Turus would reunite with Juliana and Valyrian, and criticized the former's parenting and called his son a bookish, affeminate weakling. It didn't help by this point that Juliana was terminally ill and could do little to stop Mang. Just like Angus before him, Arcturus dismissed his son's interests and began molding Valyrian into a carbon copy of himself. Or at least he tried.

[00:03:40]The most that father and son connected on was sword fighting. Otherwise, tension. Alas, the family reunion would sour when news broke that a trio of Confederate ghosts would assassinate Mink's father, mother, and even his little sister. With his family gone, a vengeful Arcturus allied with the Emojins and took the reigns of his father's cause. Despite early successes, Corhall would be annihilated in nuclear bombardment by the Confederate fleet.

[00:04:04]And though the backlash would force the Confederacy to resort to subtler methods, for the time being, MK was left without a home. Dubbing his men the Sons of Corhal, Arcturus vowed to continue the fight.

[00:04:18][singing] >> The rebels eventually rescued one Sarah Carrian from a Confederate lab alongside samples of creep and Auror larvae. After a brief duel with the NORAD 2, the same one where he used a siege tank to blast the battle cruiser from his hangar bay.

[00:04:34]MX escaped Confederate hands, successfully killed a ghost sent to assassinate Arcturus, which he'd identify as one of the three ghosts who killed his family. Of course, Carrian remained none the wiser, as MX seemed uniquely skilled at hiding his true thoughts from her. Foreshadowing.

[00:04:50]Afterwards, MX sent the rebels to attack the Confederate ghost academy and capture a specific ghost. Surprise, surprise, they get betrayed. Carrian's boyfriend dies. Uh, by the way, she had a boyfriend in this book. Carrian would capture the ghost MX was hunting. Turns out he was the second ghost that killed Minkx's family. After revealing the truth to the clueless agent, Minkx executes him.

[00:05:11]Carrian is understandably pissed that all her friends are dead because of his vendetta, only for MX to reveal the truth. She was the final ghost he was looking for. Sarah Carrian was involved in the murder of Angus MX as well as the deaths of Katherine and Dorothy.

[00:05:27]Granted, she was brainwashed at the time, but it does add a lot of context to uh her whole feud with Arcturus later on in the games. While MX initially wanted to kill Carrian, he figured she'd be more useful alive and claims to have forgiven her for his family's murder, which if you've played any of the games, >> STOP THE COW.

[00:05:44]>> Starcraft Uprising does a lot to show Arcturus and Carrian's relationship pre-starcraft 1. He takes on a very fatherly role in her life as she recovers from the Confederate brainwashing. However, she also senses he's hiding secrets from her. As mentioned, MS is very good at masking his thoughts, only ever letting his true self show on rare occasions. Impressive given his lack of telepathy, but the failure to read his intentions would be a fatal error.

[00:06:15]Mech's first debuts in the games during episode 1. With Marcera falling to the Zurg and the Confederates refusing to act, the magistrate is forced to accept aid from the sons of Corhal.

[00:06:25]>> If you decide to accept our help, you'll be branded as an outlaw, too. But it's a chance to save those people.

[00:06:33]>> From his first appearance, Archie portrays himself as a charismatic, seemingly benevolent man of the people.

[00:06:38]After some aggressive defense against the swarm's onslaught, the sons of Corhal arrive and evacuate the city. MX even has the decency to free our buddy Jim Rener from jail. Back then, this makes guy seemed pretty great until he wasn't. Before Marcera falls to the Zurg, Minkx sends Rainer to retrieve data discs, hoping to use whatever schematics are on them. During the operation, they encounter Captive Zurg and Pens.

[00:07:01]>> I don't believe this.

[00:07:02]>> Believe it.

[00:07:03]>> After escaping Marcera, the gang ferment revolution on Antigga Prime. Alpha Squadron shows up to retaliate, but they get their asses whooped. This is also the first mission where Carrian shows up as Minkx's loyal assassin. Back then, these three seemed like the best of buddies until they weren't. Anyways, Duke's flagship crashes on the surface.

[00:07:22]And hold up, are those guardians?

[00:07:24]Ignoring the scourge for a sec, this is actually a genius level play by the Zerg. Send units that can't shoot up to confuse the units that can shoot up, causing them to crash. To the surprise of everyone, MSK orders Rainer to save the good general.

[00:07:37]>> Jim, I want you to move in and save that base.

[00:07:41]>> I'm positive I didn't hear that right.

[00:07:43]>> Tourist, have you lost your mind?

[00:07:45]>> As we've seen in the books, MX has more reason than most to want Duke dead. The man led them into an ambush. Couple that with Duke's involvement in the fall of Marsara, and it's no surprise that no one's saving him just cuz they missed them. It's the first sign, at least in the games, that this fatherly revolutionary is not as fatherly as he seems. Of course, one could argue it's born out of pragmatism. The rebels are too outnumbered to simply kill every Confederate they run into. But did they have to save Duke? After some aggressive rescuing by Rainer, Max gives Edmund an offer.

[00:08:14]>> I'm offering you a position in my cabinet, not just some backwater post.

[00:08:20]Don't test my patience, Edmund.

[00:08:23]>> I can't believe you're really going to trust this snake.

[00:08:26]>> Don't worry, Jim. He's our snake now.

[00:08:31]Undeterred by Duke's defection, the Confederates enact a blockade of the rebels while the Zerg continue their invasion. Mech reveals that the discs from Marcera held designs for a device known as a sigh emitter. Basically a homing beacon for the Zerg. One such device was activated on Marcera, indicating that the invasion may have been engineered by the government.

[00:08:50]>> I'm saying the Zerg are a secret weapon developed by the Confederacy.

[00:08:55]I'm saying you were all subjects of a Confederate weapons test.

[00:09:00]Just as they destroyed Corhal with nuclear weapons to establish dominance a generation ago, they would use the Zerg to put an end to their other rivals.

[00:09:10]Only this time, there'd be no outrage.

[00:09:12]Who could suspect the aliens were their creation? No, they'd be louded as heroes for coming in and destroying the Zerg.

[00:09:21]>> With hindsight, we know the Zerg are a little smarter than that, but MX had limited intel. Despite Carrian's objections, MX believes employing the Sciameter a fitting revenge for the destruction of Corhal and a necessary move to save the rebellion.

[00:09:35]>> Same emitter in place. Just promise me we'll never do anything like this again.

[00:09:41]>> We will do whatever it takes to save humanity. Our responsibility is too great to do any less.

[00:09:48]>> Dictators always try to justify atrocities. Can't be seen as the bad guy, after all. Yet the rift between Mex and the others continues to grow. If you use the same methods as your enemy, are you all that different? I also reveals that Valyrian and Juliana later learned of Arcturus' actions on Antigga and Tarson. Juliana, for her part, was disgusted with him, while Valyrian's stance was more that's horrible, but I respect the hustle. Just for the heck of it, I might as well also talk about the book Liberty's Crusade. It covers all of episode 1 with a catch that this random reporter was apparently there the entire time. Michael Liberty, formerly of the UN, ends up stuck with the Sons of Coral and tries to cover their exploits.

[00:10:29]Sadly, the media pulls media and edits its hollow reports to discredit MS. In between the main missions, Mike and M tend to chat a lot. They play chess, which MX obviously wins. Arcturus suggests that Mike is there to try and save his soul. Perhaps beneath the facade, Arcturus does have a heart.

[00:10:46]Alas, events would soon crush those high hopes. After the exterminus of Antigga, the rebels invade Tarsonus. Duke launches a diversionary attack on the central defense platform, allowing the sons of Corhal to land on the planet.

[00:10:59]After clearing out Omega and Delta squadrons, the general reveals that more emitters have been planted and activated under M's orders.

[00:11:07]>> This is Duke. The emitters are secured and online.

[00:11:11]>> Who authorized the use of SI emitters?

[00:11:14]>> I did, Lieutenant. Both Carrian and Rainer plead with Max not to pull another Antigga, but their cries fall on deaf ears. In Liberty's Crusade, Carrian even admits to confronting Arcturus, with him providing his usual justifications. She wants so badly to believe in him, that the Zurg were already there under Sonus and that the planet was doomed anyways. But for once, she looks deep in his mind. Not the surface level thoughts, but beneath the image she presents. She doesn't like what she sees. The Zerg arrive and with them the protos. With Tacadar hot in their heels, MX orders Carrian to distract the protos, allowing the swarm time to wipe out the government. Reor is in utter disbelief. The once good man of the people would willingly throw them away for his own aims. Despite the insanity of the plan, Carrian still believes or wants to believe in MX.

[00:12:05]>> Armed tourists will come around. I know he will. As soon as the protos are beaten, the Zerg overwhelm Carrian's forces, at which point Max pulls a fast one, but there's a wave of Zerg advancing on this position. We need immediate evac.

[00:12:20]>> Delay that order. We're moving out.

[00:12:23]>> What? You're not just going to leave them.

[00:12:27]>> All ships, prepare to move away from Taronus on my mark.

[00:12:31]>> Base is under attack.

[00:12:32]>> How about that, Evac?

[00:12:34]>> Damn you, Arcturus. Don't do this. It's done. Helmsman, signal the fleet and take us out of orbit now.

[00:12:44]>> Commander, >> your forces are under attack.

[00:12:46]>> What the hell is going on up there?

[00:12:48]>> Another trait of dictators is their willingness to purge any threats to their power. Now, whether always planned to betray Carrian is debatable. There are numerous reasons that he did, though. She'd repeatedly questioned and objected to his decisions. She was a powerful psychic assassin with intimate knowledge of his plans. And as the book showed, she killed his family. Thus, this act was born out of pragmatism and vengeance. But in doing so, Mansured his own doom to hell with you.

[00:13:16]>> You're making a terrible mistake. Don't even think to cross me. I have sacrificed too much to let this fall apart.

[00:13:23]>> You mean like you sacrificed Carrian?

[00:13:25]>> You'll regret that. You don't seem to realize my situation here. I will not be stopped. Not by you or the Confederates or the Protos or anyone.

[00:13:39]I will rule this sector or see it burnt to ashes around me.

[00:13:45]>> This conversation, however, brief reveals a lot about Mix. All that talk about liberating people from tyranny lies all a front to gain power. The only difference between him and the Confederacy is the paint job. It's a disturbing parallel to many real world revolutionaries who dive head first into authoritarianism. Oftenimes people fight tooth and nail for change, meaningful change. But one tyrant replaces another, and the cycle continues. Yet even in the hour of M's victory, the seeds of his defeat are sown. The first of many that would bring his kingdom crashing down.

[00:14:18]For now, though, episode 1 ends with MS at the height of his power. He styles himself a savior, mankind's last hope against the alien menace. In a sectorwide broadcast, he crowns himself emperor of the Terran dominion. And to all the enemies of humanity, seek not to bar our way, for we shall win through, no matter the cost.

[00:14:50]>> So, how does this new Dominion fare?

[00:14:52]Well, after receiving some psychic DMs from Carrian, Mag sends Duke down to Char to find her. And by find her, I mean find death as his base is quickly torn apart by Mass Muta. Duke's forces remain on Char into episode three when the protos return seeking Zeratul.

[00:15:06]>> If [clears throat] you persist in halting our course, we will burn your pathetic fleet down to the last man.

[00:15:13]>> I'm going to have to assume that was a hostile response.

[00:15:17]>> Despite Duke's bravado, the feeble Dominion fleet is easily vaporized by a greater power. A sign of things to come.

[00:15:29]Now, you may be wondering what Ellis Banks was up to after episode 1.

[00:15:32]Enslavers 1 covers the Dominion's efforts to battle Alen Chzar, that one dude I mentioned in the Zeratol video, a notorious smuggler. During a raid on his base, Alpha Squadron discovers they've seized control of a Zerg brood.

[00:15:44]Obviously, we cannot have a second rate smuggler in command of his own brood.

[00:15:48]Those are for emperors. After locating the sight of Shezer Cerrit, MX orders it neutralized. However, Prader Mojo advises against this move. If you set that Zerg brood free, it will destroy everyone. Instead, he proposes an alliance to beat Chzar. Now, technically helping Mojo is the cannon route, but route B has fewer missions and more mix.

[00:16:07]So, I doom drop the bugs and leave the predator to his fate. The Dominion next tracks Shazar to.

[00:16:13]How the heck did they land without getting vaporized? I guess it's during the Zerg invasion. Anyways, Judicator Alderas is understandably pissed that MX abandoned Mojo to the Zerg. First time, huh? Dominion forces are hemmed in by both the ProS and Chzar, but after destroying their temple, the Greykins are cut off from reinforcements. The fight for Shzar's stronghold is far more difficult with a mix of battle cruisers, ghosts, and siege tanks making progress, well, difficult. Eventually, the expert tactic of siege tank wins out, allowing the Dominion to wipe them out. But as the Zeratul video showed, this would not be the last of Alan Chzar. Afterwards, MX visits his family on Emojia, only for the Confederate resistance forces under Angelina Amelon to attack. Valyrian and his father hold out until Duke's reinforcements arrive, but the dying Amelion hints at a larger threat. UED, what's that stand for?

[00:17:08]The forces of Earth show up to rock's house, stealing his files, stealing his fleet, stealing more of his fleet or his nukes, and completely devastating the Dominion military. Like many real world death spots, MX crumbles as soon as he fights an actual war.

[00:17:23]>> Remember that Minkx is an accomplished tactician, so you at best be wary of any counterattacks he may attempt.

[00:17:30]>> Without the services of General Duke, Minkx will be easy to deal with. Carrian really said, "Nah, he's mid." The final assault on Augustrad has two different versions, nukes or cattle bruisers. In ground zero, MX reveals an undying hatred for supply depots and unleashes his arsenal on these poor civilians. The UED land a massive force which is immediately annihilated in a nuclear firestorm. There's apparently a cheese for this segment where you can kill some of the ghosts with spider mines, but unfortunately I'm me, so I can only save a couple guys. Thankfully, Mech's ghost must be more brainwashed than usual cuz they kept trying to nuke my natural. In the battle cruiser version of the mission, MX reveals he also hates missile turrets and flattens your outposts with a massive fleet.

[00:18:11]Thankfully, with the expert tactic of skip turn, the ships are shut down. Both versions of the mission can be completed by slowly pushing through Dominion lines, or you could just go mass wraith and fly around everything. Minkx attempts to escape, but de Gaul hits him with the facts. That seems unlikely, sir, seeing as how you'll be publicly executed along with the rest of your ranking officers.

[00:18:34]>> You wouldn't dare.

[00:18:38]>> The man who crowns himself emperor speaks to me of daring.

[00:18:43]You have far outlived your reputation, citizen mex.

[00:18:48]>> For all of Mex's ambitions, Corhal is a blimp in the shadow of Earth.

[00:18:52]Thankfully, Jimmy the OED tracks MSK and Rainer to the warp gate on IR. As soon as the gate activates, all hell breaks loose. But with the expert tactic of flying around it, Earth's forces arrest Mans. Nope. Duran pulls a Duran and the Emperor escapes while the UED is busy with the Zurich.

[00:19:13]MX next returns during Carrian's bizarre adventure. He's understandably nervous speaking with Carrian again. After all, he did betray her and leave her for dead. Nevertheless, if the Queen of Blades wanted him dead, she could have easily arranged that. It seems for the moment, their interests align. MX, like many genocidal dictators, is also a massive hypocrite. Sure, he's pro-h humanity in public, but the moment it's convenient for him, he'll gladly use the alien menace to claw his way back to power. Be a real shame if that came back to bite him. Using MX's emitters, Carrian rallies enough sur to neutralize the side disruptor, restoring stability to her forces. Afterwards, the unlikely allies discuss Carrian's motives.

[00:19:52]>> If you ask me, she's completely untrustworthy.

[00:19:54]But so long as she'll help me retake Corhal, I'll work with her.

[00:19:59]>> Shut up, Arcturus. If I wanted your damn opinion, I would have beaten it out of you.

[00:20:04]>> As much of a meme as this moment is, it also highlights how shortsighted MX can be. Sure, Carrian's help will give him his throne back, but deals like this always come with a price. On the eve of Porhal's liberation, Mansk is itching to get his planet back. To leave it in the hands of Earth is unacceptable.

[00:20:21]>> We've discussed this plan a hundred times. Commence the damn attack.

[00:20:26]>> Now, I'm no politician, but I don't know if you should be mouththing off to the big scary bug lady dude. About 5 seconds after regaining his crown, MX is immediately betrayed by Carrian. While inevitable, it's likely that MX and the others assumed Carrian would wait until after the second overmine was neutralized. That's just my guess.

[00:20:42]Regardless, the former allies are caught completely offguard by the sudden attack with Maggspace taking the brunt of the initial strike. Duke and Phoenix counterattack, but the damage is too severe. Duke makes one final stand against the Queen of Blades, but yet again falls victim to mass scourge.

[00:20:59]>> Do your worst then, girl. You ain't taking Edmund Duke without a fight.

[00:21:05]>> MX is both enraged and shocked at the betrayal.

[00:21:09]>> You murdering [ __ ] We had a deal. You practically fed me to the Zurgon Tarson.

[00:21:15]You're directly responsible for the hell I've been through. Did you honestly think I'd let you get away with that?

[00:21:21]>> Carrian, for her part, is content to leave him in the ruins of his kingdom.

[00:21:24]Racked with the fear of what he's created. This would come back to bite her. After Carrian seizes control of the swarm and drives the UED from Char, the Empire strikes back.

[00:21:34]>> You sound worried, Carrian. Have I caught you at a bad time?

[00:21:37]>> For all his flaws, M is persistent. In direct violation of his own proclamation, no consorting with aliens or traitorous humans, he allies with the forces of Earth and the protos and scrapes together a fleet with the sole purpose of killing Carrian. I respect the dedication. The Dominion forces employ a heavy anti-ground approach.

[00:21:54]Siege tanks radiate weapons of mass destruction. But all of this falls quickly to air power, forcing MX to concede. With his base and empire in ruins, MX bids his archeneemy farewell.

[00:22:05]because sooner or later you'll make a mistake. And when you do.

[00:22:11]>> So, we reached the end of the original games. True to form, MX styled himself a liberator, dawned the image of benevolent ruler of mankind before reality crashed down on his designs. For all of his ambitions, MS is repeatedly put in place by every other faction in the game. His forces are devoured by the swarm, incinerated by Tacador, hoodwinkedked by the Nerazim, dominated by the UED, and finally annihilated by Carrian. Yet even wounded, the wolf of Corhal could still bite back.

[00:22:42]Between Brood War and Wings, MX continues rebuilding. In just a matter of four years, somehow Archie manages to get his empire back on its feet. I've seen rail lines that take longer to build cuz corruption. But anyways, MX purges the Ghost Academy, invests in Big Mecca, ignores the fleet, and chases after his old enemy, Jim Rener.

[00:23:05]Heading into Wings of Liberty, Kate Lockwell interviews Arcturus on the neglect of the Dominion Armada.

[00:23:10]>> The threat of a new Zerg invasion is still very real, but instead of expanding our fleets, you've squandered trillions on hunting down rebels like Jim Rener. Mix reasons that with the aliens seemingly dormant, Rener is now the main threat to the Dominion. He >> is an unscrupulous, lawless revolutionary bent on spreading fear and dissension across the sector.

[00:23:31]>> Propaganda, baby. Rainer initially vindicates M's claims, inciting revolts at Backwater Station and seizing an alien artifact from Dominion forces. But the outlaw's campaign is quickly overshadowed by the return of the Zurg.

[00:23:44]>> Full scale attack.

[00:23:45]>> Devastation spread throughout all outer rim. sustained heavy losses, >> casualties in the billions.

[00:23:51]>> I'm sure MX was quaking in his boots.

[00:23:53]This image is album cover material. With the swarm overwhelming the fringe worlds, the Dominion falls back to the core. Whether they could have held on to the outline worlds like Agria is debatable. Max doesn't care either way.

[00:24:03]As Juliana once said, everyone is a tool to him. And right now, these colonists work just fine. as Zergchow.

[00:24:15]All tyrants ultimately must protect their power base. They can rally the masses through propaganda and force, but civilians are ultimately little more than cannon fodder. The trade-off is obvious. Not only do the colonists feed the Zerg, but in the power vacuum, rebels like Rainer ferment revolution.

[00:24:30]Since the Dominion won't protect them, the colonies split off.

[00:24:33]>> They have no faith in Emperor Mangst's leadership. Now, whether MX could have held the planets is irrelevant because the result is clear. History repeats and worlds revolt once more.

[00:24:48]As with all dictators, M's also great at getting different groups to cooperate.

[00:24:52]Specifically, he's uniquely skilled at giving rebels and psychics a reason to kill him. In his attempts to enhance Terran ghosts, the rogue specters were born. As a certain executive would say, >> "You are your own worst enemy." Led by Gabriel Tosh, the specters ally with Rainer's raiders to wreak havoc. While Nova tries throwing a wrench in the alliance, the canonical route is the raiders siding with Gabe and busting open new Falsome cuz obviously he never worked with the Dominion except for the times that he did. In many ways, Rener is the foil to Arcturus, a rebel crusader who never fully abandons his morals, works with psychics and aliens, and flies a ship called the Hyperion.

[00:25:28]Unlike Mink, he aims to win without losing his soul. In the aftermath of the breakout, Matt seems hopeful that they can build a better future after MK finally falls.

[00:25:40]>> You really that naive? Tomorrow there'll be a new Mink and another one after that.

[00:25:47]>> Despite my misgivings about the sequels, this is one of my favorite scenes. An idealist, a cynic, and a realist all giving their own takes. You'll see that better future, Matt, >> but it ain't for the likes of us.

[00:26:02]>> And the best part is none of them are wrong. Matt eventually achieves that better tomorrow in a reformed Dominion.

[00:26:08]Tosh gets his revenge when MX dies, but copycats rise up in his place, and Rener is correct that he won't be there to stop them. It's up to folks like Matt to prevent a return to the old order. And as Covert Off shows, the machine of tyranny keeps on spinning.

[00:26:27]That machine I mentioned uh just hit a snack. When interviewed by Donnie Vermillion about the fall of Tarsonus, MX claims it was an unforeseeable tragedy, dismissing any evidence to the contrary as conspiracy theories. Classic dictator move. Unfortunately for him, Rener manages to get a hold of said evidence, a Confederate agitant that conveniently intercepted M's orders to use emitters and his admission of wanting power above all else. Who authorized the use of sum emitters?

[00:26:53]>> I did, Lieutenant. I will not be stopped. Not by you or the Confederates or the Protos or anyone.

[00:27:02]>> Rainer sends it to Colonel Orland to hack, but surprise, surprise, he tries selling it to the Dominion. Now, it's unclear if MX knew the exact contents of said agitant, but Rainer implies they dug it up because it was incriminating.

[00:27:14]As with all things MX, there's a lot of ambiguity. How much did he know about Rainer's operations? He did technically have two spies on the Hyperion.

[00:27:22]Flashoint reveals Cooper was also a traitor, but according to interviews, he held off on using Tykus during media blitz to score a bigger hit, i.e. potentially take out Carrian with the artifact. I don't know about that. The artifact plan always seemed like a long shot. Even the invasion of Char only succeeded through sheer luck. It seems more practical to stop Rener and ensure your rule remains secure. That being said, tyrants rarely adhere to practicality.

[00:27:47]Rainer hits the UNN studios to broadcast MK's war crimes. Warfield's counterattacks fail to accomplish anything and the Dominion falls into chaos. MX tries salvaging the situation, but just like a certain rapper, his response is not wellreceived.

[00:28:00]>> Personal power was never my goal.

[00:28:02]>> Then how would you characterize this statement?

[00:28:05]>> I will not be stopped. Not by you or the Confederates or the Protos or any of them. I will rule this sector or see it burnt to ashes around me.

[00:28:18]I won't stand for this. You jackles think you can come in here and question me. This interview is over.

[00:28:25]>> Rather than question the legitimacy of the audio or give a witty retort, he starts tweaking. I know he's a narcissistic control freak, but I don't know, man. Just call it AI, fake news.

[00:28:35]You didn't need to crash out like this.

[00:28:36]Technically, he does this later on, but the damage is done after an outburst like that. No one believes him, but thankfully for the good emperor, the story line doesn't really go anywhere.

[00:28:46]Um, Meg stays in power anyways until Heart of the Swarm. In fairness, in real life, powerful people get away with crimes all the time. Autocrats are hard to overthrow. The removal of one often leads to a messy power vacuum. Even in covert ops years later, there's plenty of mans loyalists with a vested interest in keeping his regime in power. And given the threats faced by humanity in the series, what choice does the common man have? When faced with the options of survival and tyranny or freedom in oblivion, most folks would probably choose the former. Regardless, Meg's facade of benevolence has cracked. While he has yet to fall, his days are numbered. During Rainer's infiltration of a lab on Castanar, he discovers that MX has also been dabbling in protosuric hybrids. What is it with dictators and wonder weapons? While Rainer jumps to the conclusion that Oal Argie is the one behind this, Matt points out that for all his charisma, M is no scientist, >> the technology required is way beyond anything Terran have developed. He can't be working alone on this.

[00:29:43]>> He's Prometheus, thief of the flame.

[00:29:46]He's about to get burned.

[00:29:52]In the meantime, the Dominion continues to battle the swarm. After Rainer's raiders intervene on Tyidor, the Zerg attacks begin to slow. Things seem to look up for Me. Then Valyrian goes missing and half the Dominion fleet joins him. Flashoint puts this at 25 battle cruisers, which given the average Starcraft game seems kind of small. 50 battle cruisers for the entire Dominion.

[00:30:12]I know they're super big, but it seems like there should be more. Anyways, it turns out Valyrian's been up to some shenanigans. Using the artifacts collected by Rainer, he plans to invade Char and defeat Carrian.

[00:30:26]MX is understandably skeptical. If entire galactic powers weren't able to beat Sarah, there's no way a magic rock could just >> He ain't alone, Arcturus.

[00:30:36]>> Raina, I don't know what gutter my son pissed you out of, but even you got to realize that treacherous cannot be saved, and neither can you.

[00:30:50]>> The invasion goes incredibly well for the Zerg. The Dominion landing is a disaster, and it's only through Rainer's leadership and that thick, juicy plot armor that anyone survives the initial battle. With Char threat, Carrian pulls the bulk of the swarm back to the planet. But it isn't enough. The magic rock goes off and the Queen of Blades is destroyed with his greatest enemy, human again. Mans reveals his trump card, Tykus Finley.

[00:31:14]>> You have your orders, Mr. Finley.

[00:31:17]Carry them out.

[00:31:24]Now, I don't know what MX was expecting to happen. Um, he kept Tykus in reserve on the off chance Rainer's invasion succeeded and actually beat Carrian. But the odds of this paying off were astronomically low, especially with Rainer still kicking.

[00:31:45]Not to be deterred, Amx shows up in force. With half the Dominion fleet by him, he wants to swoop in and claim Carrian for his own. Valyrian turns down his generous offer, revealing he knows about the prophecy. Of course, MX dismisses this as complete nonsense. I mean, have you reviewed your sources, Valyrian? Have you used academic, peer-reviewed, scholarly articles on Zelnaga artifacts? I mean, probably he did study archaeology, but to an outsider, this sounds insane.

[00:32:11]Ultimately, neither will Budge and the two fleets blast each other to bits.

[00:32:14]With Valyrian's forces already bloodied by the swarm, they're quickly defeated, but the Hyperion and Busphilis escape capture. Mech spends the rest of the book attempting to kill Carrian and Rainer. With his agents constantly popping up to hinder them. Near the end of Flashoint, Carrian is sent into a rage upon hearing his voice. She swears vengeance against him, though in her current condition.

[00:32:34]>> That seems unlikely.

[00:32:40]>> While Carrian's busy in emojent rehab, MX makes his move. The Dominion raids the lab with Nova leading the charge.

[00:32:46]Sadly, we do not get a Nova Carrian duel. But here, giant Mecca. Carrian escapes, but Rainer is captured. And have I pointed out how weird this moment is? Like a random Dominion marine just like runs out to delay Rainer? I I guess he just really hated Rainer. Anyways, Carrian meets up with her and Valyrian and is predictably pissed. This is now the second time a Mang has left a main character behind. There's no time to argue, though, as the Dominion quickly tracks them down.

[00:33:09]>> Dominion fleet, this is Hyperion. Cease fire. Prince Valyan is aboard.

[00:33:14]>> My father will sacrifice any piece on the chessboard to take the queen.

[00:33:19]>> With the rebels warping out, Carrian decides to stay behind with the feudal hope that Jim will show up at Feton. A slight problem with that.

[00:33:27]>> Notorious rebel Jim Rainer was captured in a daring raid yesterday. He was briefly interrogated and sumearily executed.

[00:33:34]>> Ever the politician, MX declares victory prematurely, claiming their greatest enemy is dead. The Queen of Blades is no more. and the protos have retreated. I mean, I guess it's not like they were super involved in the last game, but Max, like all tyrants, has made a big strategic blunder. The broadcast undoubtedly gives him good PR with the people, but it comes with a cost. First, it makes Rainer a martyr, which is a plot point of why he held off on assassinating him, but more importantly, removes the last thing keeping Carrian from coming after him. And boy, does she.

[00:34:08]On the planet Char, General Warfield's forces have been allowed to continue cleanup operations independent of the Dominion Civil War. Broodmother Zagara is the only remaining source of organized Zerg resistance, but that quickly changes when Carrian drops in.

[00:34:22]Assuming command of the Zerg, she quickly dismantles Warfield's fleet, which he slowly sends into the Bone Trench like a conveyor belt of death.

[00:34:30]>> Where' you study tactics, boy?

[00:34:32]>> Obviously, if he just destroyed them all from orbit, there'd be no mission.

[00:34:35]Anyways, with the way open to the Dauntless Plateau, a massive horde of Zergs smash into the outlying defenses.

[00:34:40]Warfield pulls a core hall and spams nukes, but the fallout isn't enough. The fortress is breached and the general is fatally wounded. Though he successfully convinces Carrian not to kill the remaining Terran forces, they'll probably just get killed by her later.

[00:34:54]It's the thought that counts. Just like the UED, Protos, Reer, and Duke before him, MX commits yet another tactical blunder. fighting the Zerg on Char.

[00:35:07]After Carrian becomes the legendary primal Saiyan, we get a shot of Msk in his office with a Zelnaga artifact. I'm sure this won't be a problem later.

[00:35:14]Archie rings up Sarah and throws a couple jabs at how quickly she returned to the Zurg.

[00:35:19]>> I knew you'd return to your true form, a monster.

[00:35:24]>> He reveals Rainer's alive and threatens to kill him if Carrian moves on Corhal.

[00:35:28]That man sacrificed [music] everything to give you back your humanity and you threw it away.

[00:35:39]>> How he must be disgusted by you.

[00:35:42]>> No, no, he's got a point.

[00:35:44]>> But in showing his hand, he also ensures Carrian will simply find Jim and kill him. Anyways, in the meantime, Hybrid Labs continue their research under Dr. Narude.

[00:35:57]Officially, they're loyal to the Dominion. In reality, they have a different master. An escape stugov reveals their existence to Carrian, who invades the lab. The good admiral reveals that MX believed that the hybrid would be loyal to him. Given developments in legacy, >> I am not so sure.

[00:36:13]>> It goes to show M's hubris and desperation. He constantly plays with fire with powers far beyond him. But in his lies and delusion, he still seems to think he can command them. He deserves to command literal demigods. Yet, he's but a man. Icarus courting the sun.

[00:36:31]Yeah, I've been working on my metaphors recently. Despite Narude's best efforts, the lab and hybrid fall to the swarm.

[00:36:40]Surprise, surprise, Carrian ends up rescuing Rainer with help from Valyrian and her. Despite Arcturus' opinion of the boy, Valyrian proves himself to be everything his father isn't. He's willing to listen to reason, forgo old grudges, and actually convince Carrian to chill.

[00:36:54]>> If the Dominion sense our intrusion, they'll move Jim or kill him. I am not going to risk failure because you are impatient. So save your threats.

[00:37:05]>> You've done some growing up since your Mojo.

[00:37:07]>> Zerg are not the only ones who adapt.

[00:37:09]>> I don't plan on talking much about Valyrian cuz this video is already really long, but he is the heir to Mangin's story. He's also, in my opinion, one of the more underrated characters in the sequel. He gets a lot more to do in the books, especially Flashoint and Evolution, but he combines all the best attributes of his father with those of his mother. I just wish he got more screen time.

[00:37:27]>> I've accepted that my father is beyond redemption and must be removed from power.

[00:37:33]>> I'm glad we understand each other.

[00:37:35]>> Anywh who, during the rescue, MS cementss himself as an absolute monster.

[00:37:39]>> And now your actions will lead to the death of all these brave men.

[00:37:48]What did he just say?

[00:37:49]>> They are all heroes willing to sacrifice their lives in order to end your miserable existence.

[00:38:00]>> You and James Raina can burn together.

[00:38:05]>> When it comes to Sarah and Jimmy, M is a top tier hater. If he were stuck in a room with Carrian, a kitten, and a loaded gun, he'd shoot the kitten twice and blame it on Sarah just to make her feel bad. does action show a complete disregard for anyone not named Arcturus.

[00:38:24]With the final barriers to Corhal removed, Carrian returns in force. MX desperately calls out for reinforcements, framing it as a holy struggle against the vile aliens. But by this point, we know the truth. The only devil they face is him. Even with infinite Zerglings, Archie doesn't make it easy. The orbital defenses cut through swads of Zerg, but a small fraction establishes a foothold on the planet.

[00:38:47]>> I will deliver you and your swarm back to whatever hell you crawled out of.

[00:38:53]>> Max can make all the threats he wants, but it doesn't change the battlefield situation. His orbital cannons are destroyed, and the swarm is poised to invade Augustrad. Not to worry, our glorious leader has yet another wonder weapon, the Sigh Destroyer. Yet again, MX uses the Zurg's hive mind against them. But just like the side disruptor, Carrian just disables it and the advance continues. Try as he might, the one thing MX can't spin is his predicament.

[00:39:18]He's trapped.

[00:39:20]>> Carrian, the dye is cast. This is the last day your swarm darkens the sky of any planet.

[00:39:32]>> Corhal will endure, as will I. Then that shall be your epitap.

[00:39:39]>> During the final battle, the Hyperion drops in, drawing Mink's attention. Out of sheer spite, he wastes his final reserves trying to wipe out the raiders to no avail. Even the might of the Odin melts in the face of his enemies, proving Swan correct that just like MX, it's a overblown shownpiece, not a genuine weapon. That's what the Dominion's always been, a house of cards in the wind. All right, I'll stop with the metaphors. As Garigan reaches the palace, MX calmly awaits her arrival and proceeds to read off a list of action movie oneliners.

[00:40:10]>> I've been waiting for you. Clearly, you are my greatest failure.

[00:40:17]Now, at long last, you will die. You know, for an accomplished wordssmith, this man has some of the most generic last words I have ever heard from a villain. Anyways, Max proceeds to reveal one last card, the Zelnaga artifact. Rather than use it while his arm is still around, though, he decides to activate it when Carrian is literally at his front door.

[00:40:38]Honestly, the final mission would have been a lot more stressful if we had a reverse haul in. But in Mech's mind, he's the hero. He has to face Carrian personally. Like the stories of old, this godly machine will turn the tide.

[00:40:50]Alas, this is not that story.

[00:40:54]>> Change of plans.

[00:40:55]>> Oh god, the dialogue's got you too, Jimmy. With no more tricks, Mang is faced by the two people he's hurt the most. You can never suffer enough for all the lives you've ruined, Arcturus.

[00:41:09]>> I'll make you into a monster, Carrian.

[00:41:13]>> As far as last words go, uh, eh, for all his grandeur, MX died alone and humiliated with the lamest of comebacks and an explosion. We do always need more of those.

[00:41:27]One final trait that all dictators possess, legacy. Not legacy of the void, but legacy of their rule. Even in death, the shadow of Arcturus remains. Just as Tosh predicted, a new MX would arise. As far ahead as Novakops, the loyalists continue to fight for him. With the same tactics as the sons of Corhal, Siame posing as heroes, battling the protos, the defenders of man undermine the dominion in Valyrian's authority.

[00:41:52]Brainwashing a number of Dominion ghosts, they implant emitters on numerous Dominion worlds, unleashing Feral Zurg. I don't know where Zari is, but ma'am, your kids are on the loose.

[00:42:01]Valyrian, for his part, attempts to secure his reign without losing his principles. It's a similar struggle that his forefathers fell to. Angus held on to his ideals, but died before his dream was realized. Arurus ascended to power, yet sacrificed what remained of his soul. Thankfully, Valyrian would fare much better. With aid from Nova, the Emperor uncovers the truth behind the defender's actions. General Carolina Davis, a former MX associate who has never appeared before this game, is behind everything. As revenge for Valyrian cooperating with Carrian to kill his father, the general attempts to rest control of the Dominion from him.

[00:42:35]Just like Arcturus, she is similarly self-righteous and shortsighted.

[00:42:39]>> We will die for Arcturus before we serve his murderer. Sure, when Argie uses aliens to overthrow the government, he's a necessary evil. But when his son does it, everyone loses their minds. In setting up this elaborate conspiracy, though, Davis sacrifices countless soldiers and hardware. Regardless of the outcome, the Dominion is weakened for future conflicts. That's not even getting into the whole attack on the Tall Darim, a faction that was not hostile until she shot at them. If Nova hadn't intervened, Vardona would have been vaporized. Now that I think about it, it probably would have been easier to just pull a Rainer and release audio of Valyrian working with Carrian.

[00:43:13]>> I've accepted that my father is beyond redemption and must be removed from power.

[00:43:19]>> I'm glad we understand each other.

[00:43:21]>> Hold up. You're working with the worst mass murderer in history. No one's going to care that she's reformed or whatever.

[00:43:27]Your credibility just goes down the drain if that gets out. But just like Arcturus, Davis is not known for practicality, just vindictiveness. And just like MS, Davis ends up getting slain by a psychic assassin who she tricked into working for her. She may have been the most notable imitator, but Davis certainly won't be the last. The stain of tyranny does not fade easily, and only time will tell whether Valyrian's reign outlasts his fathers.

[00:43:54]So, as you can see, MS is perhaps the vilest dictator to ever grace the Copulu sector. Yes, he's not as overpowered as Allarak or Carrian, but his evil feels so much more real. This isn't some alien death cult or swarm of space bugs. His empire is human. It's filled with people desperate for protection or power clinging to false hope. And at its head, a man who behind the facade of benevolent authority is and perhaps always was a parasite. A beast driven by vengeance and power. Unlike Carrian, there's no mind control involved, just charisma and manipulation. MX was always an ambitious narcissist and skilled manipulator, but these traits worsened with time until eventually he couldn't hide them anymore. Unlike Aman, he's no immortal. But even in death, M's ideals live on because that is true power. Not the ability to crush starships or eat planets, but the skill to move the masses, to speak lies as truth, to wield the strongest forces in the galaxy and carve out your own empire in the stars.

[00:44:57]That is the power of Art Turus MX.

[00:45:01][music] For the next video, I'm probably going to try something different. Starship Troopers. I think it would be kind of fun to talk about some other sci-fi works. I know there is a Starship Troopers game, but I'm just going to talk about the OG film. Let me know what you think. Thanks to my patrons for the support. You know, surprisingly, a couple new folks signed up after this video. I appreciate it. Uh, my post updates and extra artwork con there.

[00:45:26]Depends on the tier. Shout outs to Sergeant Comul, Happy Forest, Hunter Eisenhardt, Brightwing, Mike Pierce, Gladis Marino, and Happy Akrid for supporting the channel. If you enjoyed this video, make sure to like, share, comment, subscribe, and save that magic rock until your entire army's already been wiped out. Until next time, see you.