[SLCN.Kez]

When Nirvana asked me if I wanted the terrible, frightening, reputation ruining, yet oh so glorifying task of ranking the very top of the talent SEA has

to offer, I naturally jumped at the opportunity. My wrath of putting players in their place and how they stand up next to each other has been dormant

for many months now. However, like any dark, dormant, hidden power, once it resurges, it is truly a force to be reckoned with. So now, Ladies and

Gentlemen, please continue reading, as I unveil, in order from most gosu to least, the top 10 Power Rank of SEA.

[SPOILER="Coming in at #1.]/[SPOILER]

We have nV.Moonglade!
Probably a huge shock to most of you(/sarcasm if it wasn't obviously apparent), but Glade was without a doubt in any SEAsions mind (that's people who

reside in SEA, I've coined it, you must all now use it) the top performing player of 2012. With 3 ACL victories (Gold Coast, Sydney and at EB EXPO),

runner up WCS Australia, victor WCS Oceania, and impressive displays in group and bracket stages at various MLG's and IEM's, Dreamhack is the only

tournament yet to feel the wrath of Moonglades mop. So congratulations to Mr.Pender on his fantastic year of 2012, and good luck in the future. The fate

of sea rests in your luscious locks.

[SPOILER]Next in line at #2/[SPOILER]
If I were a person with, you know, morals and a conscience, this decision would have kept me up many nights and STILL haunted those dreams in which I

didn't have because I was busy being kept awake. How can I possibly split two players who have clashed throughout the year so many various times, each

delivering swift blows to the other, only to be riposted and vanquished in the next tournament. However, I have come to the conclusion that second place

will be Pig. Pig has had a very big 2012 in comparison to his 2011 year. With a strong 5th-6th place at ACL Goldcoast, a 3rd place at ACL Sydney,

winning ACL Melbourne, winning WCS Australia, Doing admirably at IEM Singapore in a very tough group, I felt Pig was BARELY deserving of second place.
If Pig continue to go full time, and shows similar levels of dedication, I await with baited breath for his prospects in 2013.

[Spoiler]There should be little imagination who third goes to.../[Spoiler]
iM.Mafia!
Mafia, similar to Pig, began steam rolling the SEA scene in the middle of the year, and has not let up since. Runner up of ACL Melbourne, 2nd place WCS Oceania, solid performance in the group statge of IEM Singapore, felling some random player called Luicfron to get there, achieving 1st place (albeit briefly) in the Korean GrandMaster league, and winning various online tournaments and cups, Mafia has had a year he should be proud of, and 2013 will be no different, I am sure.

[Spoiler]4th place was another doozy.../[spoiler]
I awarded it to iM.Tgun
Tgun has always been a top performer in various LAN tournaments, but rarely winning them. Online his performances are rather solid, taking down the ASUS Pro-AM in stunning style, and other online tournaments like the Masters cup and WT Weeklies. Perhaps one of Tguns' best attributes however, is his style and emotions the man displays whilst playing the game. Using ling-centric builds and wearing his heart on his ripped sleeve from his massive (t)Guns, Tgun definitely entertains and displays a unique sense of style like no-one else in the scene, and with practice and dedication perhaps 2013 will be the year of the Tgun.

[Spoiler]Number 5.Finally not a zerg player.../[spoiler]
We have the hope of the foreign races (another term I'm coining for a race that is not zerg, I'm not being racist I swear). iM.Light
Light, similar to his team mate Tgun, is consistently a top performer in tournaments and LAN events, but yet to take a major win. I wanted to humour you all with tales of his scary 2 base all-ins, but I didn't feel like it did him justice, as he also portrays equally as terrifying macro play. With the weight of the non-zergs on his shoulders, Light shows less skilled players...ready for this? The 'Light'(geddit?) by trying to help them with builds and tactics (Which apparently aren't working particularly well). 2012 Has been a solid year for Light, and with everyone screaming about how imabalanced protoss is in HOTS, 2013 might have a few Rays(GEDDIT??? THat was actually a really good one) of sunshine for Light.

[Spoiler]With 6th we go back to the Zergs.../[spoiler]
Fray'Ninja.
Ninja didn't get an intro because, well, after writing 6 of them I couldn't really be bothered, but I hope to rally by the end of this paragraph!
Ninja has had a good, yet not amazing year of 2012, with the exception of the last 2-3 months. Prior to October/November/December he was a respected zerg of the community (as respected as zergs get these days) for being a top contender for just about any tournament, at any time. Perhaps it's a lack of tournament experience, perhaps it's simply a year or two less of maturity (at the ripe old age of 18) He hasn't yet been able to clinch one. His finest moment of course, comes in the shape of making it out of groups at IEM Singapore, the only SEAsion to do so (re-read second paragraph for reference) where he unfortunately lost 3-0 to Vortix. After falling to Vortix he simply turns to me, calm as a cucumber, and spouts these momentus words "I'm just not good enough", then proceeds to turn around and continue practicing. Easily one my proudest moment whilst watching the dedication of a fellow gamer. I woulda been flipping tables. Safe to say Ninja keeps on improving, and more safe to say, we will have our eye on him in 2013.

[Spoiler]In 7th place and thefirst Terran of the top 10 goes to.../[Spoiler]
For foreign terrans, 2012 has typically been a tough year, and perhaps even tougher if you live in SEA.
nV.ROssi, however, has shown courage in the face of adversity. Improving his TvZ dramatically and TvT similarly thanks to his team mates Moonglade and Deth, Rossi has definitely been a fierce competitor this year. With a great start to the year, finishing second behind Moonglade, at ACL Gold Coast and winning online tournaments, 2012 looked bright for Rossi, alas, his year did not come to fruition, with racial problems and other commitments, he fell of slightly half way through the year, but came back strong towards the end again. Had he shown his best results and capabilities at the end of 2012 instead of the start, he very easily could have been higher up the ladder, but for now, he sits at a respectable 7th.

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At #8 This young superstar needs little introduction..
Fray'Petraeus.
This young gun has quite literally come out of no-where (that's what she said) to finish in the top 10 of 2012.
Residing in New Zealand (hence the no-where hur hur hur), constantly living in the wrath, control, and shadow that is Jazbas, Petraeus has had a monster of a last 3-4 months on the scene. Exploding onto the scene with a 3rd place at Asia e-Sports cup, then coming home and pLacing 3rd at ACL EB-Expo, winning himself a ticket to ESCW in France, his first and second international appearances didn't dissapoint. Beating some protoss who's name bests me at this given point in time, and losing in a nail biter to WW.Sortof 2-1, he departed from France proud to have shown the world what New Zealand can do. Since then, he has been destroying every online tournament and qualifer bracket I've seen. Often placing in the 1st-3rd Region. With school and a future being his only worry, 2013 will be exciting for our young not-Jazbas-New Zealander.

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Sneaking in at #9
We have our second Terran, Iaguz.
It feels weird putting Iaguz down at number 9. In 2011 he was arguably second to Moonglade, has always been a competitive force in every single

tournament he has entered. The only trouble is, he simply doesn't have a major win or a tournament where he has crushed nerds only to be slightly

unlucky and come 2nd or 3rd like many of his adversaries above him. With big expectations and being perhaps slightly unlucky, he sits Iaguz at 9th. When

asked about how his year was he had these inspirational words "My results were shit and I'm depressed", which just about sums it up.

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Last but not least..well in terms of top 10 it is least but you know what I mean
Our loveable Korean resident, nV.Jazbas!
Whilst writing about Petraeus and how he stepped out of Jazbas' shadow forced me to remember how much Jazbas has quietly done this. He won WCS New

Zealand and placed decently at WCS Oceania. Made it out of groups at ACL Sydney, and most recently has Petraeus' number in New Zealand. Perhaps the only

reason he is not much higher in this list is because other than those 3-4 tournament, we haven't seen him! Staying hidden and reslishing in his love of

music and not Starcraft, despite being korean, has made a lot of people forget about him. With recent tournament results in IEM Poland qualifiers where

he took 5th/6th, and defeating Petraeus at New Zealands Barcraft tournament, whilst seemingly with little practice, it only begs the meme, WHY YOU NO PLAY AND PRACTICE MORE?

So folks that about wraps it up. I'll give a special shoutout to those who so very nearly made it to this list of glory! In no particular order we had:
Fray'Hut, Fray'Fenner, XgKing Delete, XgKing Pokerface, nV.Deth and XgKing Myuu. Show us what you got next year guys!
As always, until next time,
Kez.