Who is the best swordsman in fiction?

[Spartan448]

Strangely enough, I have not seen too many people mention the two swordsmen who are in the closest contest for this position -

Ryu Hayabusa, leader of the Hayabusa Clan, wielder of the Dragon Sword;

And Frank Jeager, AKA Gray Fox, the only member of the FOXHOUND unit to ever posses the codename "Fox", a man who should have been dead long ago, yet lives on, and is one of only two people in history with the ability to take on Metal Gear REX on his own.

Ryu and Fox are both incredible swordsmen of their own accord, and it's tough to say which one is better. While it's true that Gray Fox ultimately is killed by Metal Gear REX, there's considerable evidence that he let REX kill him, so that he could finally have his last release from his mortal coil.

I'm just gonna call it a tie between those two, as I really can't see a clear winner.

 

[Drake666]

This was 25 years back and I read it in a russian language version of a Grimm fairy tale compilation, but one of the stories had a swordsman so badass that his epic quest was to stand in the rain for a full night and he had to parry every single raindrop, if even a single drop of rain landed on him he would fail.

I'm still trying to find the story, apparently it's not one of the more popular ones for the Yanks, I'll edit if I ever find the name or the story.

Wow, that's sound amazingly cool.

Personnaly, I think you guys forgot Durzo Blint from "The Way of Shadows". The guy's had a LOT of time to pratice. Even without the kakari, he's still an frightful opponent!

 

[SonofSpermcube]

Seriously? No Hiro Protagonist?

He even has "Last of the freelance hackers and Greatest swordfighter in the world" on his business card

I figure most people here are too young to have actually read most classic dark future fiction like "Snow Crash", it's just not really current or geek-chic anymore, though people will sometimes pretend to be familiar with genere classics.

It's enjoyed a bit of a resurgence post-banking crisis in a "holy shit cyberpunk happened while you weren't looking" sense.

He'd get destroyed by almost anyone listed in this thread, though. I mean hell, IIRC he wasn't up to taking on Raven in the real world, and Raven didn't even use a sword.


I nominate: every character who uses a sword in "Blame!", including the (IIRC) only human one.

 

[Slycne]

That's a misleading title if there ever was one. Whoever gets picked is not the best swordsman in fiction. Because the moment they step out from between those arbitrary limitations that have been set, they'll be cut down within seconds by somebody who is superior to the average baseline human.

It's like children arguing whose daddy is strongest, but that the kid whose daddy wrestles bears for a living doesn't count.

The only problem with those discussion is that without arbitrary limitations they simply devolve. "Well this character pilots a mech that wield a planet sized sword made of black holes." "Well so and so is the strongest swordsmen because they don't even need a sword and can kill you with their time altering mind powers that drops a sword on your character's father's balls before that character was born."

 

[samuraiweasel]

Generally I'm just a lurker, but I'm a fan of fantasy, so I know lots of powerful swordsmen and IMHO Dassem Ultor of the Malazan Book of the Fallen is the best swordsman.
Just a mortal, but capable of fighting a 300000 year old elf expy.
The number one of the Seguleh (an island full of warriors who consider three warriors a punitive army)
He was on a queeste to defeat the being who lead an army against death and then became Death.
All as a normal human being.

Ah that's what I was forgetting, the Malazan series. Though I was thinking of Karsa Orlong, who's gotta be the biggest BAMF in the series, but since technically he's not human I guess Dassem can claim the title. Never really liked the latter as much since he was never developed as a character but rather just someone that was already there, already established as an ultimate ass kicker.

snip

Ah, how could I forget about Brys Beddict? I'm actually reading The Crippled God right now, so I'm surprised that he wasn't on my mind.

Come to think of it, I'd like to throw Onos T'oolan into this contest as well. The First Sword of a people that cursed themselves with immortality for the sake of a punitive war has surly had plenty of time to train.

If only the question had been "who is the best spearman?" That would be much easier to answer

Didnt Tool get beaten by Mok, thats why his sister got so angry.....

For a not superhuman guy, Brys Beddict wins IMO

PS. The more Malazan fans, the better

 

[SpinnokDurav]

Tool didn't actually get beaten by Mok, but Mok was winning and then she knocked Mok out. According to my very hazy memories of Kilava.
Though Brys Beddict is awesome, serieusly awesome, I'm still in favour of Dassem Ultor. However,honourable mentions should be made to about every other swordsman in the series.

PS Wouldn't a battle between Blues and Brys Beddict be awesome?

 

[dystopiaINC]

It's really Kenshin.

While exageratted, he's still a bit grounded on reality, and even then he just kicks ass.

Though, if we want to argue the strongest, then Shishio would win, he did beat Kenshin after all.

I would argue though that had ken shin not been limiting himself to nonlethal methods he is better than any of the people he faced. evry one of his move would be an instant death, the only reason anybody every stood a chance was that they were fighting a guy using a handicap. Shishio gets points for taking everything Kenshin had and still getting back up. but lets be honest, if Kenshin was using a regular sword he was more than dead.

Spoiler

If we don't limit ourselves to mortal and unsuperpowered, I give it to Arais Valerian from Codex Alera. He took fought the second best swordsmen in Alera for something like several hours in a duel that traveled half way across the city an won, with out killing him. his talent is using metal crafting. And has been compared to one-man-army types that are OP in Six different elemental combat abilities, while he can only use 1. he demonstrated a move that before had only ever been seen used by the first lord, the most powerful crafter in the world. and he took on the word queen, and almost killed her, when hit squad of several OMA OP high lords famed for their combat prowess failed, with some being wounded and killed. He both fought her to an almost standstill, wounded her when we had been shown her armor to be so tough that crossbow bolts made of solid metal shot by 8 ft tall wolf people bounced off of her. these bolts have been noted to have the capability to go though and armored legionnaire's shield, armor, and body and still kill the next legionnaire behind him. her crafting capabilities at the time were an order of magnitude greater than the first lord and strongest crafter up until that point, plus she was already super humanly strong and fast as a Vord queen making her neigh invulnerable, the only thing that could take her down was a great fury. Yeah she tried to take a fury the size of a mountain, and his wife the continual furystorm as her servants. and the Furystorm ripped her a new one. Araris fought that thing to a standstill. bad ass

 

[F'Angus]

It's really Kenshin.

While exageratted, he's still a bit grounded on reality, and even then he just kicks ass.

Though, if we want to argue the strongest, then Shishio would win, he did beat Kenshin after all.

Have to agree with you, Kenshin is an excellent swordsman but Shishio absolutely destroyed him at first, countered all his moves. Yes Kenshi wonbut mainly because of Shishio's crippling catch-on-fire-ness.

 

[Bat Vader]

I would have to say Geralt of Rivia. He is considered the best swordsman in the Northern Kingdoms. Jaime Lannister and Barristan Selmy are both considered to be excellent too.

 

[putowtin]

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die".

He might not technically be the best swordsman - but he'll always be my favorite.

This, a million times this!

Come on his a wizard! (read the book if you don't know what I mean)

Spoiler