Jim Raynor

Grew up… on the agricultural world of Shiloh. Jim Raynor spent the first 18 years of his life working on a farm. After a quiet and uneventful childhood, he enlisted with the Confederate military when he was 18 years old, eager to become a hero in the interstellar “Guild War.”

Living… on the planet Mar Sara. While Mar Sara is considered a backwater, it contains a thriving mining industry. During Jim’s time on the planet, he’s gained and lost a wife and a son. The place thus holds bittersweet memories for him, but it’s peaceful, and Jim doesn’t hesitate to call it home.

Profession… marshal on Mar Sara. But Raynor has worked a variety of jobs in his lifetime. He’s been a soldier, outlaw, and lawman – working for or against authority at different times, but always finding consistency in the gun in his hand.

Interests… his work. When Raynor was younger he was interested in beers, women, and steak dinners, but those shallow desires abated as he got older and met his wife, Lidya. After their marriage Lidya and their son John became Raynor’s pride and joy. When they both passed away within a short time, Jim was left with nothing, a fact that’s pushed him to dedicate himself completely to his work.

Relationship status… chronically unlucky in love. Jim Raynor’s first great love, Lydia, died of grief after their son John was killed in a shuttle crash. His second shot at love came in the form of Lt. Sarah Kerrigan. She was beautiful, professional, and loyal, but it wasn’t meant to last. Kerrigan was captured by the dangerous, insect-like Zerg, and merged with their hive mind. This transformation turned her into the “Queen of Blades,” a monstrous leader of the Zerg swarm and one of the greatest threats to the human race. Perhaps in part due to his track record, Jim Raynor is not interested in dating.

Challenge… surviving as a decent man in an indecent universe. The galaxy is consumed by war. First, the human Confederation is splintering with the rise of a rebellion. Meanwhile the Zerg, a new race of deadly and parasitic aliens, are encroaching upon the human frontier, while the hyper-advanced Protoss race’s commitment to act as stewards of the galaxy is bringing them into conflict with both the humans and Zerg. When the Zerg come to Mar Sara, Raynor finds himself at the center of these conflicts – but also in a position to alter the course of a war that will determine the fate of the human race.

Personality… easy-going, sarcastic, and honorable. Jim Raynor isn’t the most charming man, but he’s one of the most decent. He possesses a quiet confidence that makes him a strong leader who is capable of making hard decisions quickly. He’s the first to admit that he isn’t the strongest or the smartest man, but he is extraordinarily resourceful and persistent, making him a formidable foe. He has an ironclad sense of right and wrong, and will always insist on doing what he thinks is right, even if it’s the path of most resistance. While Raynor is lonely, unhappy, and perpetually overmatched, his resolve never wavers. He exists not only as one of humanity’s best chances for avoiding annihilation, but as a living example of why humanity is worth saving.