Well folks after a successful first round, where Master Chief could not overcome the First Lady of Gaming, Samus Aran, Deadliest Video Game Warrior is back with a vengeance. This time, we'll stay away from power armor and bullet calibres, and duke it out with swords and silence. In this round, we'll pit the Hero of Time against the One-Winged Angel. Get ready for a brawl, because it's Link vs. Sephiroth!
This time, I'm leaving it ultimately up to the fine Escapist Community to ultimately decide the winner. I'll present my opinions and observations, and then make my pick. Feel free to pick your own winner, and on April 29 at noon I'll declare the winner!
*Disclaimer*
I have, in the past, been very outspoken about my extreme dislike of the Final Fantasy series. I will, to the best of my ability, be impartial in this.
As always, the format is set up like this:
- Tale of the Tape (description of their experience, their stats, etc)
- Comparison of their Sword
- Ultimate Victor (based on the performance in the combat scenarios, who wins the fight)
TALE OF THE TAPE
Link
Years of Experience: Debuting in 1986, Link has a lengthy resume spanning 23 years. In terms of game years, it's impossible to pin down an exact figure because of the ambiguity of the Zelda timeline; However, he has fought through several generations' worth of conflict.
Height: Link's height can vary from game to game (and sometimes can vary within the same game!). On average, he stands about 4' 8". As an adult, he probably stands about 5' 6". However, he can stand over 8 feet tall while wearing the Goron mask, or can be immense while wearing the Giant's Mask.
Weight: Again, Link's height varies from game-to-game and form-to-form. A rough estimate, excluding his equipment, is 120 lbs.
Skills: Link bears the Triforce of Courage, an ancient Hylian relic that marks him for greatness. He is an expert swordsman, equestrian, marksman, and mime.
Victories: Link has stopped Ganondorf from stealing the Triforce (countless times). He also has saved many a parallel world (or Island).
Nemesis: No matter how many times he is pierced by the Master Sword, Ganondorf always seems ready for more. He has captured Princess Zelda, taken over Hyrule, and tried to claim the Triforce as his own countless times.
Sephiroth
Years of experience: Stalking on to the scene in 1997, Sephiroth gives a definitive edge to his opponent. While he's only really been in three games (I'm sorry, but remakes and spin-offs of FFVII don't really count in my book), his actions speak volumes.
Height: Sephiroth stands at 6' even, towering over Link in his normal appearance. This height, of course, only refers to Sephiroth as normal.
Weight: Sephiroth's weight is unknown, but I would estimate around 160 lbs. While he is slender, he is a former elite soldier; his size is presumably mostly muscle.
Skills: A former soldier of Shinra's army, Sephiroth has incredible skills with his sword Masamune. He is also incredibly brilliant, devising many intricate schemes to try and corrupt the Lifestream. His powers are increased immensely when manipulating Materia, even being able to summon Meteor.
Crimes: Sephiroth has tried, many times, to corrupt the Lifestream of Gaia. Doing so would allow him to control the populace of the world. He has also committed many attrocities, including the slaughter of Shinra, and the destruction of Nibelheim.
Nemesis: Cloud Strife, who bears a personal grievance with him, has stopped Sephiroth's schemes, and killed off the one-winged angel before.
And now, into the match-up itself. To avoid this thread spinning off into a "Sephiroth can summon Meteor" or "The Light Arrows would destroy him in one shot" arguments, we'll make this a true duel: Master Sword vs. Masamune, a battle of two of the greatest blades in all of gaming!
Equipment
The Master Sword: The Blade of Evil's Bane. When Link draws this blade from the pedastal of time, he completes a part of his destiny, and becomes the true Hero of Time. A magical blade that does incredible damage to anything evil, the sword can easily be wielded in one hand. When infused with even more power (such as the Sol orbs from the realm of the Twili) the sword can one-hit kill most enemies, and only needs a few hits to kill others.
Masamune: A massive 4 1/4 foot long sword wielded with lethal efficiency by Sephiroth. This blade, while it looks impractical, can effortlessly be used in one hand. Many innocent people and soldiers of Shinra's army alike have been slain by this blade, and it impaled Aerith in one of the most touching moments in video game history.
Well, that's it for another round of Deadliest Video Game Warrior! Remember to vote before April 29th, and may the best man with fairy ears win.
This time, I'm leaving it ultimately up to the fine Escapist Community to ultimately decide the winner. I'll present my opinions and observations, and then make my pick. Feel free to pick your own winner, and on April 29 at noon I'll declare the winner!
*Disclaimer*
I have, in the past, been very outspoken about my extreme dislike of the Final Fantasy series. I will, to the best of my ability, be impartial in this.
As always, the format is set up like this:
- Tale of the Tape (description of their experience, their stats, etc)
- Comparison of their Sword
- Ultimate Victor (based on the performance in the combat scenarios, who wins the fight)
TALE OF THE TAPE
Link
Years of Experience: Debuting in 1986, Link has a lengthy resume spanning 23 years. In terms of game years, it's impossible to pin down an exact figure because of the ambiguity of the Zelda timeline; However, he has fought through several generations' worth of conflict.
Height: Link's height can vary from game to game (and sometimes can vary within the same game!). On average, he stands about 4' 8". As an adult, he probably stands about 5' 6". However, he can stand over 8 feet tall while wearing the Goron mask, or can be immense while wearing the Giant's Mask.
Weight: Again, Link's height varies from game-to-game and form-to-form. A rough estimate, excluding his equipment, is 120 lbs.
Skills: Link bears the Triforce of Courage, an ancient Hylian relic that marks him for greatness. He is an expert swordsman, equestrian, marksman, and mime.
Victories: Link has stopped Ganondorf from stealing the Triforce (countless times). He also has saved many a parallel world (or Island).
Nemesis: No matter how many times he is pierced by the Master Sword, Ganondorf always seems ready for more. He has captured Princess Zelda, taken over Hyrule, and tried to claim the Triforce as his own countless times.
Sephiroth
Years of experience: Stalking on to the scene in 1997, Sephiroth gives a definitive edge to his opponent. While he's only really been in three games (I'm sorry, but remakes and spin-offs of FFVII don't really count in my book), his actions speak volumes.
Height: Sephiroth stands at 6' even, towering over Link in his normal appearance. This height, of course, only refers to Sephiroth as normal.
Weight: Sephiroth's weight is unknown, but I would estimate around 160 lbs. While he is slender, he is a former elite soldier; his size is presumably mostly muscle.
Skills: A former soldier of Shinra's army, Sephiroth has incredible skills with his sword Masamune. He is also incredibly brilliant, devising many intricate schemes to try and corrupt the Lifestream. His powers are increased immensely when manipulating Materia, even being able to summon Meteor.
Crimes: Sephiroth has tried, many times, to corrupt the Lifestream of Gaia. Doing so would allow him to control the populace of the world. He has also committed many attrocities, including the slaughter of Shinra, and the destruction of Nibelheim.
Nemesis: Cloud Strife, who bears a personal grievance with him, has stopped Sephiroth's schemes, and killed off the one-winged angel before.
And now, into the match-up itself. To avoid this thread spinning off into a "Sephiroth can summon Meteor" or "The Light Arrows would destroy him in one shot" arguments, we'll make this a true duel: Master Sword vs. Masamune, a battle of two of the greatest blades in all of gaming!
Equipment
The Master Sword: The Blade of Evil's Bane. When Link draws this blade from the pedastal of time, he completes a part of his destiny, and becomes the true Hero of Time. A magical blade that does incredible damage to anything evil, the sword can easily be wielded in one hand. When infused with even more power (such as the Sol orbs from the realm of the Twili) the sword can one-hit kill most enemies, and only needs a few hits to kill others.
Masamune: A massive 4 1/4 foot long sword wielded with lethal efficiency by Sephiroth. This blade, while it looks impractical, can effortlessly be used in one hand. Many innocent people and soldiers of Shinra's army alike have been slain by this blade, and it impaled Aerith in one of the most touching moments in video game history.
In the duel of legendary blades, I have to give the advantage to the Master Sword. Masamune is, without a doubt lethal, but the Master Sword simply is more powerful. The skills of the two combatants cancel each other out; Sephiroth has evil schemes to destroy the world, Link has stopped Ganon (who tries the same thing) countless times. Sephiroth can transform into multiple, increasing-powerful forms, while Link has struck down many would-be bosses who try the same tricks. Therefore, the battle comes down to a test of skills with the sword. I would argue that the swordsmen have practically equal skillsets, so it all comes down to the sword for me. And, true to it's name, the Master Sword is without equal in this match-up.
Well, that's it for another round of Deadliest Video Game Warrior! Remember to vote before April 29th, and may the best man with fairy ears win.
