Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

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Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

Highlights

  • Popular fighting game characters can die but be brought back to life through various plot devices.
  • Some series use non-canon events to allow dead characters to remain playable, pleasing fans.
  • Resurrection in fighting games can involve direct reversals of death or retcons to maintain narrative consistency.

I’ve had the privilege of living through the lives of some truly remarkable characters in video game history. Each one has left an indelible mark on me with their unique stories and experiences.

In the realm of fighting game series, there’s a constant tug-of-war between developing an engrossing narrative and maintaining a diverse roster of playable characters. At times, these objectives may clash. A compelling storyline might result in the demise of a beloved character, despite their popularity among fans. To bypass this dilemma, certain fighting games, often crossovers or non-canonical events, momentarily allow deceased characters to return as playable figures.

In certain instances, instead of staying dead in the storyline, fighting game characters are brought back to life. The means by which this occurs can differ. At times, a character’s death is undone completely, while other times it’s merely rewritten or retconned. Regardless, these fighters have been granted another opportunity to live.

5 Liu Kang

Mortal Kombat

Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

In a well-known instance, the main character of “Mortal Kombat” has died and come back to life more than once. Given that the central theme of this game is defeating opponents through mortal combat and features a resurrected fighter as its iconic figure, such occurrences aren’t all that surprising within the context of the series.

Liu Kang met his end at the hands of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi prior to “Deadly Alliance,” rendering him unplayable in that game. But his demise didn’t last long as his spirit and physical form reunited separately in “Deception.” His heroic spirit allied with Ermac, while his resurrected corpse was manipulated for wicked intentions. In “Armageddon,” Liu Kang succumbed to death yet again, among numerous other characters.

In the initial reboot of “Mortal Kombat” (2009), Liu Kang met his untimely demise towards the end of the game, at the hands of Raiden. This unfortunate turn of events was due to Raiden informing Liu Kang that they had no choice but to let Shao Khan merge the realms. Consequently, Liu Kang ended up among Quan Chi’s horde of undead minions in “Mortal Kombat X”. Merged with another counterpart and Raiden, this undead version of Liu Kang transformed into the Fire God Liu Kang for “Mortal Kombat 11”. It is this iteration of the character that appears in “Mortal Kombat 1”.

4 Yūki Terumi

BlazBlue

Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

In the game “BlazBlue: Chronophantasma,” the long-standing adversary, Terumi, met his end at the hands of Hakumen. Hakumen, a warrior whose spirit dwelled in the Susanoo Unit’s armored samurai frame, employed a fatal time-manipulating move that erased all remaining existence time for Terumi. However, by concentrating on a minuscule segment of time that was spared, Hakumen survived within Centralfiction. Nevertheless, he urgently requires a new body before his preserved time runs out, but Hazama, his previous host, remains unwilling to oblige once more.

In due course, Terumi annihilates Hakumen’s soul and joins forces with the Susanoo Unit, transforming into Takehaya Susanoo. Yet, in this incarnation, he is debilitated enough for Ragna the Bloodedge to slay him again. The saga of Centralfiction, being the latest entry in the series thus far, leaves uncertainty as to whether Terumi or Susanoo will remain deceased indefinitely within the primary narrative or rise from the dead once more.

3 Jinpachi Mishima

Tekken

Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

In the Tekken series, Jinpachi, once a wealthy industrialist who made his fortune during World War 2, spent most of his later years out of the public eye. Instead, disputes and conflicts within the Mishima empire were handled by his offspring. Despite his past as a businessman, Jinpachi felt remorse for this path and desired to prioritize martial arts. However, his son Heihachi seized control of the Mishima Zaibatsu from him, locking Jinpachi away in the family temple, Hon-Maru. Jinpachi became more of a mythological figure, with his friend Wang Jinrei stepping in to battle against the remaining Mishimas on his behalf in earlier installments of the Tekken games.

I was surprised when when I was unexpectedly brought back to life in Tekken 5, not through the devil gene but by an unnamed entity. In this new form, I became both the final adversary and the mastermind behind the fifth Iron Fist Tournament. Unlike other characters who accepted their resurrection without question, I longed for release from the clutches of the dark force controlling me. If a player chose to abandon the game after losing against me, my ending depicted me being swallowed entirely by the malevolent spirit possessing me. Nevertheless, according to the storyline, I met my demise once more and disintegrated into dust.

2 Charlie Nash

Street Fighter

Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

In the same vein as Jinpachi, Charlie made his debut as a legendary figure before being added as a playable character. He served as a captain in the US Air Force and maintained a tight bond with Guile. Tragically, Charlie lost his life at the hands of M. Bison, fueling Guile’s intense animosity towards him in Street Fighter 2. Subsequently, Charlie became playable in the Street Fighter Alpha series, a collection of games bridging the gap between Street Fighter and Street Fighter 2. Regrettably, he meets his demise in most endings throughout these three games. The ending in Street Fighter Alpha 2, which features Bison being less directly responsible for Charlie’s death, has since been deemed the canonical conclusion.

In the game “Street Fighter 5,” it’s disclosed that Charlie, who was believed to have perished based on US Army reports, is back. However, it’s unveiled that Gill, the Illuminati’s head honcho, brought him back to life to eliminate Bison. Instead, Charlie selflessly gives his life away, taking in a vast quantity of Bison’s psycho power and subsequently exploding, leaving his current status uncertain. Though it seems clear that Charlie has died, his official standing remains “undetermined.”

1 Many SNK Characters

The King Of Fighters

Fighting Game Characters Who Were Brought Back From The Dead

In the narrative of “The King of Fighters,” for an extended period, major adversaries often met their demise. This was facilitated by special installments known as “Dream Match” games such as “King of Fighters ’98: Ultimate Match” and “King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match.” Set apart from the chronology, these titles enabled the inclusion of once deceased beloved characters in a limited role.

However, the “Dream Match” model seems to be retired for the moment. The King of Fighters 13 was not followed by an anthology roster consisting of every character from the Tales of Ash saga. That said, this was the game Vice and Mature, previously killed in 96, returned in a tangible form to team up once more with Iori Yagami. However, they are still technically considered “dead.” The King of Fighters 14 set the stage for many more returning villains with its own final boss, Verse.

Verse was an entity created by the erasure of Ash Crimson erasing himself in 13. It consists of negative energy and numerous souls. When faced with certain foes, souls associated with them emerge from Verse. Examples include Krizalid telling K’ he is the original and Leona Heidern’s birth father, Gaidel, saying he will always watch over her.

Following its loss in the year 14, numerous souls that were once believed to be dead or missing emerged from the creature and lived anew on Earth. Several of these figures, such as Rugal Bernstein, Goenitz, Ash Crimson, and the New Faces Team from 98, have been added as playable characters in King of Fighters 15. This list only includes the currently accessible characters. Many other souls, previously assumed to be extinct, now hold the possibility of reappearing in future games in some form.

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2024-07-22 11:34