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Zerg Cerebrates are fictional characters from the StarCraft series of video games and books. They are powerful agents of the Zerg Swarm, created by the Zerg Overmind for the purposes of controlling Zerg Broods. They manifest the collective consciousness of the respective broods under their command and are therefore inseparable from the Overmind itself; each one has a "piece of the Overmind" within it, each representing one or more aspects of the Overmind's intelligence. Even so, Cerebrates are independent entities and seem to have developed personalities and unique characteristics over time. There are sub-Cerebrates who serve greater Cerebrates. The Cerebrate is what the player controls in the game if he or she decides to play as the Swarm.
Role in the Swarm Cerebrates seem to be descended from the original Zerg parasites in the form they possessed before the Xel'Naga intervened, albeit much larger and endowed with much greater intelligence. Each Brood was given a specific role based on the personality and talents of its Cerebrate. For instance, the Cerebrate Gorn led the Baelrog Brood, a Brood dedicated to vicious attacks. A Cerebrate has a specific place in the hierarchy of a Zerg Brood: Zerg Overmind, Cerebrate, sub-Cerebrate, Overlord, Queen, other Zerg. A Cerebrate administers orders through Overlords. Cerebrates must spawn additional Overlords as they create more units in order to maintain control over their broods. A Cerebrate is capable of controlling its minions across long distances, so long as nothing interferes with its psionic communications. With the permanent death of a Cerebrate, Zerg Broods frequently go insane, but this does not always happen. Sometimes the Zerg become dormant or even exhibit normal behavior (so long as their Hive Clusters remain intact). Psionic powers and link to the Overmind Cerebrates are often (perhaps always) powerful psychics, but these powers are usually limited to a specific area. For instance, one Cerebrate may be able to create and reincarnate the powerful Zerg Torrasque, while another may be able to fill its structures with vital energy. The Psi Disruptor was also able to inhibit reincarnation, at least temporarily. Cerebrates possess detection abilities that are similar to that of the Zerg Overlord. While the Zerg Overmind was alive, it could reincarnate a dead Cerebrate through the use of cosmic energy. This type of energy is also used by the Dark Templar, who can kill a Cerebrate and prevent its reincarnation. The first time this happened, Zeratul killed Zasz, Cerebrate of the Garm Brood, and he created a mental connection with the Overmind. From this link he learned of the Overmind's creation by the Xel'Naga and its plans for the Protoss race, while the Overmind learned the secret location of Aiur, the protoss homeworld, which it immedietly attacked. Possibly more information was transmitted in this exchange. The Overmind went into some kind of depression following this, and did not recover until a short rest. Since then, other Cerebrates have been destroyed, apparently without similar effects. The Cerebrates appear to have been able to reincarnate without the Overmind- a pair who had manifested on Shakuras were able to reincarnate, although the large numbers of Dark Templar in the response attack were able to defeat them. Cerebrates appearing in StarCraft A significant number of Zerg Cerebrates appear in various missions in StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War, although not all are identified beyond any doubt. Many Cerebrates are also mentioned in the series, including the novels and the instruction booklet of the original StarCraft game; several Cerebrates die in the series. The player in both the StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War Zerg campaigns plays as a Cerebrate (specifically as a Jormungand Brood sub-Cerebrate). In the original StarCraft campaign, the player is created in order to nurture Sarah Kerrigan as she is transformed from a Terran into an infested Terran and powerful Zerg psionic agent. In the Brood War campaign, the player assumes the role of a Cerebrate working under Kerrigan's control. (possibly the same one from StarCraft, though this is nondefinite as that Cerebrate was on Aiur when the Overmind was slain, it is possible it died or was loyal to Daggoth instead of Kerrigan. Possibly, it was one of the Cerebrates who was guarding the Xel'Naga temple, that were slain by Dark Templar.) Cerebrates featured in the series include: Although each Cerebrate allegedly lords over a Brood, there may also be other Cerebrates, or some Broods may be headed by multiple Cerebrates. Several Broods have their Cerebrates killed multiple times, but survive. For example, the Garm Brood has had at least three Cerebrates: Zasz, an unnamed Cerebrate on Shakuras prior to the activation of the Xel'Naga Temple, and another unnamed Cerebrate on Char, prior to the UED's attack (due to the fact the latter was not killed by Dark Templar energies, it may have later been reincarnated). | ||||||||
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