James "Jim" Raynor is a fictional character in the StarCraft universe. He is a Terran, originally from the colony of Mar Sara.

Biography

When we first encounter Raynor in-game, he is a 29-year-old marshal on Mar Sara. He escorts colonists of Mar Sara to the wastelands, in preparation for their eventual abandonment of the planet. However, no help is forthcoming from the Terran Confederacy. He and the local militia fight against the Zerg, and the Confederacy arrests him, ostensibly for destroying Confederate property. Arcturus Mengsk and the Sons of Korhal free him from prison, and Raynor works with them for some time. Towards the end of Episode I, however, Mengsk leaves Sarah Kerrigan to her death at the hands of the Zerg, and Raynor severs his ties with Mengsk for this act of betrayal. Having lost his homeworld and alienated the leader of the remaining Terrans, he strikes out on his own.

In Episode II, Raynor tries to settle on the planet Char, but his base is overrun by the Zerg under the command of Infested Kerrigan. Kerrigan defeats his forces, but allows Jim and any survivors to leave. We know little of Raynor's whereabouts or activites afterwards. His next appearance is in Episode III, when it is revealed that he has joined forces with Tassadar, a Protoss, to try and reunite the Protoss of Aiur with the Dark Templar. Aldaris, the Executor, Tassadar, Raynor, Zeratul and the Dark Templar all return to Aiur, where they meet Fenix. The Protoss Conclave immediately arrests Tassadar, but the Executor, Raynor and Fenix escape. Zeratul and the Dark Templar disappear, and Raynor helps Fenix and the Executor to get Tassadar out of the Conclave's custody.

At the end of Episode III, Raynor is present at the death of the Zerg Overmind. At the end of StarCraft, it is not clear what becomes of him, but at the beginning of StarCraft: Brood War and Episode IV, he and Fenix stay behind on Aiur to guard the Warp Gate, so that the surviving Protoss can escape to Shakuras. This is the beginning of Raynor's friendship with Fenix. This unlikely bond between a Terran and a Protoss is one of the strongest and most enduring in the entire storyline of StarCraft.

During Episode V, Raynor makes only a brief appearance when he rescues Arcturus Mengsk from being captured by the United Earth Directorate and later escapes Aiur with him through the Warp Gate. At the beginning of Episode VI, Kerrigan asks him and Fenix to bring Arcturus Mengsk to her. Kerrigan deceives all three into thinking they are allied against a common enemy - the UED. Kerrigan uses them to help her destroy the UED's Psi Disrupter, as well as retaking Korhal for Mengsk. Then, when Kerrigan has no more use for them, she has Fenix killed. Raynor finally realizes Kerrigan's treacherous nature and strikes out on his own again. For the rest of Brood War we see no more of Raynor, and after the final mission we are told that "James Raynor and Zeratul went their separate ways, and have not been heard from since their departure."

Raynor is the only major Terran character in StarCraft to be fundamentally good all the way through, and the only one closely associated with, and trusted by, the Protoss.

Raynor made an appearance in the StarCraft 64 map, Ressurection IV. Here he works with Artanis and other Protoss to right a grievous wrong on the planet Braxis.

He also makes appearances in the poorly-received StarCraft: Alternity game product.

References

• StarCraft homepage at Blizzard Entertainment
• Battle.net StarCraft Compendium