Artanis: Brood War

The campaign’s script also forgets him at key moments. After Aldaris’s shocking rebellion and death, Artanis barely reacts. The emotional weight falls on Zeratul and Fenix. By the end, when the Protoss flee to Shakuras, Artanis feels less like a character and more like a plot device—a placeholder for “young Protoss officer.”

★★★☆☆ (3/5) – Essential for lore completionists, forgettable for everyone else. artanis brood war

Unlike Kerrigan, Duke, or Duran, Artanis is never a battlefield unit. You never feel his presence. In missions like “The Reckoning,” he is merely a voice in the briefing. For an RTS, this is a cardinal sin: a hero you can’t command is a hero you don’t remember. Even the nameless “Protoss Executor” from Original StarCraft had more agency because you were that executor. Artanis feels like a middle manager. The campaign’s script also forgets him at key moments

In a campaign dominated by ancient heroes (Fenix, Zeratul) and fallen legends (Tassadar, posthumously), Artanis is a breath of fresh air. He represents the next generation of Protoss—loyal to the old ways but forced to witness their collapse. His dialogue is measured, respectful, yet subtly questioning. When Aldaris rails against the Dark Templar, Artanis doesn’t argue, but his silence speaks volumes. This is a character learning that the rigid caste system (Judicator, Templar, Khalai) is a luxury the Protoss can no longer afford. By the end, when the Protoss flee to

Blizzard smartly uses Artanis as the player’s surrogate. You feel his confusion when the UED arrives, his grief during the fall of Aiur, and his frustration when forced to ally with Kerrigan. He is the “straight man” in a campaign of betrayals, and his growing weariness is palpable.

Context: Brood War ’s Protoss campaign, The Stand , introduces Artanis not as a player-controlled hero unit, but as a young, untested executor serving under the aging Judicator Aldaris.