Another MSL has come and gone, and in the most unexpected way possible. Here with me to discuss everything that was Nate is our MSL correspondent Ranshin. Read on to catch a full review of the series along with Ranshin's opinion of the events.
There's no avoiding the drama, so I'll go ahead and open discussion on it first. What are your impressions of the controversial Game 3 decision?
Ranshin: Ah fuck I'm so sick of thinking about this that I'll leave impressions to everyone else. This thing is being talked about left and right, and everyone has their own opinion. I feel that either option available was bad, and a tough choice had to me made.
My problem is that this decision had to be made in the first place. Who's ever heard of a power outage during the middle of a damn final? Christ.
For anyone else interested, here's a vid a fan made. I've made it a response to my Game 3 cast. These are his thoughts about what happened.
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- Game 1
Jaedong opened the series with exactly the build that Flash had shot down so many times in the past - two-hatch muta. Using an early pool/gas, Jaedong was able to get mutas extremely quickly. Flash got turrets in time off his one-rax build, but not enough to meet his usual standard. Jaedong found several holes in Flash's armor and eventually saw himself in Flash's main wreaking havoc. Flash made a critical mistake while chasing Jaaedong's mutas, separating his force in half, resulting in half his army getting splat in a single shot. From there, it was Jaedong day and night.
Jaedong takes the game-winning shots.
Flash GG'ed, giving the Tyrant a major opening win in the series.
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How do you think the MSL will recover after this incident? They've taken a lot of criticism from fans and the press over their call. Is there a way for them to repair this situation?
Ranshin: The MSL had a problem finding a sponsor, but then got the best one they could find. Apparently they made it a smaller venue this time around for the finals to get a giant green (er... blue?) screen for effect. Flash and Jaedong looked really awkward in that room by the way.
They can't repair this situation at all. All they can do is say they're sorry and damn well make sure a travesty like this doesn't happen again. Which they better.
Note: MBC does indeed issue a response apologizing for the mistake. You can read the TL translation here.
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- Game 2
Game 2 started with both players going for macro-oriented builds. After a standard mutalisk vs. medic-and-marine start-up, things began to get interesting when Jaedong used drop tech to pick up nearby two island expansions. Knowing that Flash couldn't have done anything about it for the time being, Jaedong made sure he secured his position by sunkening up his door with over a dozen colonies!
I didn't know this was 1999.
Jaedong reached late game and decided to go for the cookie jar, getting a greater spire along with ultra den. The greater spire turned out to be the questionable choice though. Flash scouted guardians approaching and built enough wraiths to make Jaedong regret the move. Jaedong's high-risk gambled failed to pay off, leaving him in a defensive position. With all the sunkens and now nydus canals protecting each base, however, Jaedong seemed safe and secure, but Flash opened the book of Hwan and used defense-matrixed dropships to dump his entire army in Jaedong's main! Jaedong was unfortunately in the point of transition and unable to produce enough units to react to Flash's incredible play. His main went down in an instant, and soon his expansions as Flash continued shuttling forces around the map. Jaedong, despite a genius build, goes down to Flash's homage to the Emperor.
Jaedong tries to fend the drops off, but Flash says no.
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Getting to the actual finals, Game 1 and 2 displayed absolutely stellar play from both sides. I'd like to talk about Game 2 in particular though. From Jaedong's perspective, he used an incredibly effective build that gave him an early advantage, but made that one critical mistake of going guardians, opening the door for Flash to go for a very BoxeR-esque dropship play. Impressions on Jaedong's decision and on Flash's game-winning plays?
Ranshin: Guardians have been the Fail-Build for Zergs these days, kind of like Flash's random crazy 14CC's used to be back in the day. Jaedong had a decent idea though, trying to take advantage of unreachable territory for ground units, and if he had had more time he would've done more than just superficial damage. In the end the Guardians only took down some turrets and MnM's before being mopped but by Wraiths from 2 Ports.
Jaedong still had a sizable economic advantage despite losing his large investment. Flash had to go for dropship play, and instead of aiming for an island expo, he sent his dropships protected with D-Matrix straight at the main, which in the end turned out to be brilliant. I thought he would only manage to kill some tech and maybe the Drones, but Flash showed magnificent micro and managed to keep his Spetznas force alive long enough to annihilate JD's entire main. This game was the definite stand-out of the series and I'm sad that we didn't get more sets like this one.
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- Game 3
Once again, both players would open with the usual strong macro openings, but Jaedong would once again be the one that would diverge. Instead of immediately getting mutalisks, Jaedong opted to get his third immediately after lair, and instead depended on mass lings alone to keep Flash in check. Jaedong managed to do one better actually, taking out Flash's first group of medic-and-marines. Once Flash got his second group, mutalisks were already in the air.
Flash moved out with a large army to take down the third expansion, but Jaedong - with utmost patience - gathered a large muta/ling army and was able to engage Flash just seconds before he broke into the third, wiping out Flash's forces.
Jaedong surrounds and despite a great medic wall from Flash...
...cleans it up.
Jaedong went straight to hive tech during this time, and got his ultra den up. Jaedong had actually gone carapace before mutas were even in the air, which gave his army the extra punch it needed to keep things in check. Flash, however, was macroing like a beast on the other end, and gathered a tremendous SK Terran army. Once he reached critical mass, he pushed out for a second shot at that third base, and with perfect-timing, wiping out the base seconds before ultras arrived on the scene. Jaedong had picked up a new third though, which was soon to be terrorized by Flash's ball. Flash came within inches of wiping out this new base, but Jaedong suddenly roared onto the scene with a gigantic group of ultra/ling from out-of-nowhere and turned the game around completely!
Jaedong somehow takes this...
and makes it this. Monster macro from both sides.
Flash remacro'ed his army and went back to work, this time targeting Jaedong's newly-made fourth base. Jaedong was ready with ultras to defend, however, but Flash was able to deal tremendous damage before a hero defiler pushed him back. The fight turned into the struggle for Jaedong's fourth gas as both players continued to pump more and more troops into the area. Swarms continued to drive Flash back, but Jaedong was not at all in a comfortable position as Flash aggressively continued moving in and out of the vicinity. Just when things were coming down to the wire, tragedy struck, and the power cut leaving the players in darkness. Once the lights came up, the officials made the final call, giving Jaedong the controversial victory.
Last look at Flash before the outage.
Last look at Jaedong before the outage.
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End of Game 3 aside, Jaedong unleashed an incredibly effective build for this game, getting an early evolution chamber and third base and utilizing his lings to full effect to stop Flash from dominating the map. What did you think of these titan's play on Odd-Eye?
Ranshin: I felt that Flash didn't take early advantage of opportunities. He should've been able to snipe Jaedong's 2 o'clock before defenses were there, while still being able to protect his natural. The snipe came eventually but at heavy cost. Jaedong eventually managed to spread himself out onto to the map and Flash still didn't have a third by the time his opponent was working on getting a fifth gas going.
Jaedong's gameplan on a Terran-favoured map was creative and he managed to keep Flash at bay long enough for his early ultras to come a callin'. It was very lucky for him that heavily delaying defilers didn't end up biting him in the hind quarters. He was in a very vulnerable spot when he lost a base to Flash. Still sad we didn't see the actual conclusion to this game though.
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- Game 4
After the controversial call was given and a long hour of trauma in between, the two players sat back down to finish the finals. Flash opened with an aggressive eight-rax, but Jaedong was not only cross-positioned, but countering cleanly with an overpool build. Flash's eight rax failed, leaving him in complete ruin as Jaedong patiently went fast mutas and proceeded to take the MSL title.
Jaedong rips Flash's only medic-and-marine group.
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Flash took a devastating loss here against Jaedong. How do you think the Ultimate Weapon will respond in the coming weeks? Is this a slump-inducer for the world's #1 Terran?
Ranshin: I think the fact that the loss was in part affected by factors outside his control will make it so that he takes this in stride. I actually expect him to be more determined than ever to prove that that MSL title should've been his. Plus, he seemed strangely exuberant after the end of that game, being all smiled as he shook Jaedong's hand.
I predict that Flash will be netting himself an all-kill or five in the Winner's League this season.
Final shoutouts for the season?
Ranshin: Mad props to BachHo for covering the entire thing and sticking with me. Thanks a lot to Diggity, Nuke, DejaVu and Soulseeker for helping me this season by offer their voices alongside mine. Thanks to the viewers for sticking with me, and sorry about the crappy ending to a fine season.
Also, a loving thank you to my girlfriend for accepting the fact that the love machine that is I is sometimes too busy watching people in Korea playing video games to fulfill my manly bedroom duties.
Thanks for everything this season Ranshin. Ranshin is our MSL correspondent and caster. You can find all his cast, including the MSL Finals, at www.youtube.com/RanshinDA. Thanks for reading, GG.
