History Fridge / TheKingOfFighters

* A bit of Brilliance and {{Tearjerker}}, Kukri's antics (notably with how perverted he is towards the female fighters and the entirety of ''SNK Heroines'') might have some degree of FreudianExcuse to them. [[spoiler:His backstory states that he grew up in harsh desert streets only to be taken in by Dolores (quite the looker herself) from a young age. Due to a rather tragic case of PowerIncontinence, though, Dolores ended up sacrificing herself to contain Kukri's abilities, ultimately leading to Kukri feverishly looking through her study to find ways to bring her back to life.]] Granted, this ''does'' '''''NOT''''' excuse or vindicate Kukri from his actions in ''SNK Heroines'', but it does put his perversions and {{jerkass}} behavior in a whole new light.

* Ash Crimson is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''Creator/{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms "Jack,"]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk "Queen,"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk "King";]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY "Joker"]] is the theme of the "[[DesignatedHero Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] CoolOldGuy on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[ComicBook/XMen Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finesse so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'') ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster.

[[AC:FridgeBrilliance]]

** In ''XIII'', Ash's a single entry character. Quite odd, given that he's TheHero of the saga... You'd think that it's because [[spoiler:he'll become the TrueFinalBoss at the end as Evil Ash]], and that's right - but it's deeper than that: he's prone to manipulate his teammates to his own ends. So him being a single entry is a subtle GameplayAndStoryIntegration - He can make team with any character in the roster, but he'll end up leaving them in the end.
*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Those from the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. (''Especially'' Elizabeth, as [[MoralityPet she is the person]] [[DeclarationOfProtection he is actually doing most of this for]], and the only one who comes from his past and therefore with the highest level of knowledge about his personality.) The {{Jerkass}} facade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff.
* There ''are'' three people that are able to [[spoiler: sense that Ash's intentions aren't as malevolent as they seem]]. One of them is King, who [[spoiler: refers to Ash's behavior as "a cry for help"]] among other things. Why would she sense such stuff, considering that she's not a psychic [[spoiler: (unlike Athena)]] and has relatively limited experience [[spoiler: (unlike Chin)]]? Easy: she's a bartender, and bartenders are typically used to listen to the problems of people who are [[DrowningMySorrows drowning their sorrows.]] This means she can catch body language signals that others cannot, whether the person she's speaking to is toasted or not; then, it's not surprising that she can see [[spoiler: that Ash's plans and mindset are more complex than he lets other see, even when she obviously doesn't know ''what'' he wants (and never will, now that he's gone forever)]].

* Ash Crimson is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''Creator/{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms "Jack,"]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk "Queen,"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk "King";]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY "Joker"]] is the theme of the "[[DesignatedHero Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] CoolOldGuy on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[ComicBook/XMen Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finesse so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}
** Going back even further, one of Ash's win quotes in ''2003'' was "Don't play your trump card till the end... the ''very'' end!" In hindsight, SNK was pretty much telling us, "Keep your eye on this guy. ''Something's'' gonna happen." - Tropers/{{X2X}}
** Related to the above: In ''XIII'', Ash's a single entry character. Quite odd, given that he's TheHero of the saga... You'd think that it's because [[spoiler:he'll become the TrueFinalBoss at the end as Evil Ash]], and that's right - but it's deeper than that: Like the above Troper has stated, he's prone to manipulate his teammates to his own ends. So him being a single entry is a subtle GameplayAndStoryIntegration - He can make team with any character in the roster, but he'll end up leaving them in the end.
*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Those from the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. (''Especially'' Elizabeth, as [[MoralityPet she is the person]] [[DeclarationOfProtection he is actually doing most of this for]], and the only one who comes from his past and therefore with the highest level of knowledge about his personality.) The {{Jerkass}} facade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff. - Tropers/{{X2X}}
* There ''are'' three people that are able to [[spoiler: sense that Ash's intentions aren't as malevolent as they seem]]. One of them is King, who [[spoiler: refers to Ash's behavior as "a cry for help"]] among other things. Why would she sense such stuff, considering that she's not a psychic [[spoiler: (unlike Athena)]] and has relatively limited experience [[spoiler: (unlike Chin)]]? Easy: she's a bartender, and bartenders are typically used to listen to the problems of people who are [[DrowningMySorrows drowning their sorrows.]] This means she can catch body language signals that others cannot, whether the person she's speaking to is toasted or not; then, it's not surprising that she can see [[spoiler: that Ash's plans and mindset are more complex than he lets other see, even when she obviously doesn't know ''what'' he wants (and never will, now that he's gone forever)]]. - Tropers/{{Orihime}}
* For some people, Yuri's Neomax, the Haoh Raiouken, seems lackluster compared to flashier Neomaxes, save for the [[EverythingMakesAMushroom mushroom cloud]] at the end. Then, I realized that, unlike fellow Kyokugen practitioners Ryo and Robert, she was only taught the very basics of Kyokugenryu, aptly named the Raiou principle. In a way, her Neomax serves as a TakeThat to her father and brother, showing that she can throw away Raioukens like atomic bombs. - Tropers/{{Aenthin}}
** Also, when you examine [[SiblingRivalry Yuri and Ryo's relationship]], some interesting conclusions can be deduced/speculated. Ryo is the dutiful son, the one trained from childhood by his father Takuma to become the heir of Kyokugenryu, alongside his natural talent; Yuri is a late-bloomer, who only started when she was a teenager and mastered the basics within a year. While they love each other dearly, they also intensely clash: Ryo objected to her being trained (though he doesn't object to ''other'' {{Action Girl}}s being around, like King or Mai), Yuri decided to keep training and then add her own variations to the style. Ryo's current objections to have her around don't only come from her being a girl (though that ''does'' play a part), but because he sees Yuri's additions to the Kyokugenryu roster as an insult to the Kyokugenryu style itself... and also as a part of their interactions outside the ring. Ryo had to work ''very'' hard for his martial arts skills and to make the Kyokugenryu style widely known ever since he was a young boy, adding an ItsPersonal layer to what seems to be a mere "StayinTheKitchen"-like SiblingRivalry, even when it's not very fair to [[PluckyGirl Yu]][[TeenGenius ri]] herself - Tropers/{{Orihime}}
* For XIV, at first I wonder what kind of team would name themselves the "villains team" and why Chang and Choi of all people would join. Then the Villains Team trailer is out and we see just ''[[AxCrazy what kind]] [[AmbiguousDisorder of person]]'' Xanadu is.
* To be perfectly honest, I get this idea from knowing the meanings behind the name of Warspite, a historical Royal Navy battleship in [=WW2=]. Apparently it can either mean "despising wars" (a more modern interpretation) or "a symbol of hate/spite towards one's enemies" (an older interpretation). This could explain Iori's apparent hate of violence and yet overly violent persona and style. It can be said like this: "Iori's hatred of violence makes him act like a hateful person towards their enemies so he could scare them or at least make them surrender" or "Iori's hatred of violence fuels a hatred towards his enemies who makes him fight in the first place, so he tries to violently finish his foes quickly so he won't be violent for long".
* In Team Another World ending, it might look like that Nakoruru has been taking a little levels in either cheerfulness or ditziness, whereas Love Heart's concern about getting back to their world made her the [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]]. However, according to Nakoruru's earlier words, she knows that while Verse was beaten, this does not mean the end, there will be an after-effect which will happen in the current world and will cause a mess, and it can strike at any time, in a day or year. So her idea of 'vacation' just meant a softer way to say 'we're staying in this world to be ready if the after-effect will ruin the multiverse again'. And [[WrongGenreSavvy Love kind of missed the point]], while Mui Mui caught on quick, but only because she's also an excitable girl in the beginning.

*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Those from the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. (''Especially'' Elizabeth, as [[MoralityPet she is the person]] [[DeclarationOfProtection he is actually doing most of this for]], and the only one who comes from his past and therefore with the highest level of knowledge about his personality.) The JerkassFacade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

* Ash Crimson is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''Creator/{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms "Jack,"]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk "Queen,"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk "King";]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY "Joker"]] is the theme of the "[[DesignatedHero Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] BadassGrandpa on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[ComicBook/XMen Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finesse so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

* Ash Crimson is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''Creator/{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms "Jack,"]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk "Queen,"]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk "King";]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY "Joker"]] is the theme of the "[[DesignatedHero Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] BadassGrandpa on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finesse so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

* To be perfectly honest, I get this idea from knowing the meanings behind the name of Warspite, a historical Royal Navy battleship in WW2. Apparently it can either mean "despising wars" (a more modern interpretation) or "a symbol of hate/spite towards one's enemies" (an older interpretation). This could explain Iori's apparent hate of violence and yet overly violent persona and style. It can be said like this: "Iori's hatred of violence makes him act like a hateful person towards their enemies so he could scare them or at least make them surrender" or "Iori's hatred of violence fuels a hatred towards his enemies who makes him fight in the first place, so he tries to violently finish his foes quickly so he won't be violent for long".

** Rock could also be counted as an unofficial member of the Another World team based on one school of thought. Assuming he didn't age up normally in the background, he has an out via the same magic which brought all of the Another World members to the tournament; he could very well be ripped from the original ''Fatal Fury'' timeline.

* In Team Another World ending, it might look like that Nakoruru has been taking a little levels in either cheerfulness or ditziness, whereas Love Heart's concern about getting back to their world made her the [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]]. However, if you listen to Nakoruru's earlier words, she knows that while Verse was beaten, this does not mean the end, there will be an after-effect which will happen in the current world and will cause a mess, and it can strike at any time, in a day or year. So her idea of 'vacation' just meant a softer way to say 'we're staying in this world to be ready if the after-effect will ruin the multiverse again'. And [[WrongGenreSavvy Love kind of missed the point]], while Mui Mui caught on quick, but only because she's also an excitable girl in the beginning.

* For XIV, at first I wonder what kind of team would name themselves the "villains team" and why Chang and Choi of all people would join. Then the Villains Team trailer is out and we see just ''[[AxCrazy what kind]] [[AmbiguousDisorder of person]]'' Xanadu is.

** Also, when you examine [[SiblingRivalry Yuri and Ryo's relationship]], some interesting conclusions can be deduced/speculated. Ryo is the dutiful son, the one trained from childhood by his father Takuma to become the heir of Kyokugenryu, alongside his natural talent; Yuri is a late-bloomer, who only started when she was a teenager and mastered the basics within a year. While they love each other dearly, they also intensely clash: Ryo objected to her being trained (though he doesn't object to ''other'' {{Action Girl}}s being around, like King or Mai), Yuri decided to keep training and then add her own variations to the style. Ryo's current objections to have her around don't only come from her being a girl (though that ''does'' play a part), but because he sees Yuri's additions to the Kyokugenryu roster as an insult to the Kyokugenryu style itself... and also as a part of their interactions outside the ring. Ryo had to work ''very'' hard for his martial arts skills and to make the Kyokugenryu style widely known ever since he was a young boy, adding an ItsPersonal layer to what seems to be a mere "StayinTheKitchen"-like SiblingRivalry, even when it's not very fair to [[PluckyGirl Yu]][[TeenGenius ri]] herself - Tropers/{{Orihime}}

** Going back even farther, one of Ash's win quotes in ''2003'' was "Don't play your trump card till the end... the ''very'' end!" In hindsight, SNK was pretty much telling us, "Keep your eye on this guy. ''Something's'' gonna happen." - Tropers/{{X2X}}

* [[TheKingOfFighters Ash Crimson]] is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''Creator/{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms "Jack,"]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk "Queen,"]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk "King";]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY "Joker"]] is the theme of the "[[DesignatedHero Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] BadassGrandpa on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finesse so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

* [[TheKingOfFighters Ash Crimson]] is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms Jack]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk Queen]], and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk King;]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY Joker]] is the theme of the "[[InNameOnly Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] BadassGrandpa on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finese so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}
** Going back even farther, one of Ash's win quotes in ''2003'' was "Don't play your trump card till the end... the ''very'' end!" In hindsight, SNK was pretty much telling us, "Keep your eye on this guy. [insert word here]'s gonna happen." - Tropers/{{X2X}}
** Related to the above: In ''XIII'', Ash's a single entry character. Quite odd, given that he's TheHero of the saga... You'd think that it's because [[spoiler:he'll become the TrueFinalBoss at the end as Evil Ash]], and that's right - but it's deeper than that: Like the above troper has stated, he's prone to manipulate his teammates to his own ends. So him being a single entry is a subtle GameplayAndStoryIntegration - He can make team with any character in the roster, but he'll end up leaving them in the end.
*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Those From the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. (''Specially Elizabeth'', as [[MoralityPet she is the person]] [[DeclarationOfProtection he is actually doing most of this for]], and the only one who comes from his past and therefore with the highest level of knowledge about his personality) The JerkassFacade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff. - Tropers/{{X2X}}
* There ''are'' three people that are able to [[spoiler: sense that Ash's intentions aren't as malevolent as they seem]]. One of them is King, who [[spoiler: refers to Ash's behavior as "a cry for help"]] among other things Why would she sense such stuff, considering that she's not a psychic [[spoiler: (unlike Athena)]] and has relatively limited experience [[spoiler: (unlike Chin)]]? Easy: she's a bartender, and bartenders are typically used to listen to the problems of people who are [[DrowningMySorrows drowning their sorrows.]] This means she can catch body language signals that others cannot, whether the person she's speaking to is toasted or not; then, it's not surprising that she can see [[spoiler: that Ash's plans and mindset are more complex than he lets other see, even when she obviously doesn't know ''what'' he wants (and never will, now that he's gone forever).]]. - Tropers/{{Orihime}}.

* [[TheKingOfFighters Ash Crimson]] is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''{{SNK}} [[CreatorsPet likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms Jack]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk Queen]], and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk King;]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY Joker]] is the theme of the "[[InNameOnly Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] BadassGrandpa on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[{{X-Men}} Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finese so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Those From the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. (''Specially Elizabeth'', as [[MoralityPet she is the person]] [[IWillProtectHer he is actually doing most of this for]], and the only one who comes from his past and therefore with the highest level of knowledge about his personality) The JerkassFacade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

* There ''are'' two of three people that are able to [[spoiler: sense that Ash's intentions aren't as malevolent as they seem]]. One of them is King, who [[spoiler: refers to Ash's behavior as "a cry for help"]] Why would she sense such stuff, considering that she's not a psychic and can't read minds? Easy: she's a bartender, and bartenders are more likely than not used to listen to the problems of people who are [[DrowningMySorrows drowning their sorrows.]] This means she can catch body language signals that others cannot, whether the person she's speaking to is drunk or not; then, it's not surprising that she [[spoiler: can tell Ash's plans and mindset are more complex than he lets other see, even when she obviously doesn't know ''what'' he wants (and never will, now that he's gone forever).]]. - Tropers/{{Orihime}}.

** Also, there ''are'' two of three people that are able to [[spoiler: sense that Ash's intentions aren't as malevolent as they seem]]. One of them is King, who [[spoiler: refers to Ash's secrecy as "a cry for help"]] Why would she sense such stuff, considering that [[spoiler: she's not a psychic and can't read minds]]? Easy: she's a bartender, and bartenders are more likely than not to listen to the problems of people who are [[DrowningMySorrows drowning their sorrows.]] This means she can catch body language signals that others cannot, whether the person she's speaking to is drunk or not; then, it's not surprising that she [[spoiler. can tell Ash's plans and mindset are more complex than he lets other see.]]. - Tropers/{{Orihime}}.

** Also, when you examine [[SiblingRivalry Yuri and Ryo's relationship]], some interesting conclusions can be deduced. Ryo is the dutiful son, the one trained from childhood by his father Takuma to become the heir of Kyokugenryu, alongside his natural talent; Yuri is a late-bloomer, who only started training when she was a teenager and mastered the basics within a year. While they love each other dearly, they also intensely clash: Ryo objected to her being trained (though he doesn't object to ''other'' {{Action Girl}}s being around, like King or Mai), Yuri decided to keep training and then add her own variations to the style. Ryo's current objections to have her around don't only come from her being a girl (though that ''does'' play a part), but because he sees Yuri's additions to the Kyokugenryu roster as an insult to the Kyokugenryu style itself... and also as a part of their interactions outside the ring. Ryo had to work ''very'' hard for his martial arts skills and to make the Kyokugenryu style widely known ever since he was a young boy, adding an ItsPersonal layer to what seems to be a mere "StayinTheKitchen"-like SiblingRivalry, even when it's not very fair to [[PluckyGirl Yu]][[TeenGenius ri]] herself - Tropers/{{Orihime}}

** Also, when you examine [[SiblingRivalry Yuri and Ryo's relationship]], some interesting conclusions can be deduced. Ryo is the dutiful son, the one trained from childhood by his father Takuma to become the heir of Kyokugenryu, alongside his natural talent; Yuri is a late-bloomer, who only started training when she was a teenager and mastered the basics within a year. While they love each other dearly, they also intensely clash: Ryo objected to her being trained (though he doesn't object to ''other'' {{Action Girl}}s being around, like King or Mai), Yuri decided to keep training and then add her own variations to the style. Ryo's current objections to have her around don't only come from her being a girl (though that ''does'' play a part), but because he sees Yuri's additions to the Kyokugenryu roster as an insult to the Kyokugenryu style itself... and also as a part of their interactions outside the ring. Ryo had to work ''very'' hard for his martial arts skills and to make the Kyokugenryu style widely known ever since he was a young boy, adding an ItsPersonal layer to what seems to be a mere "StayinTheKitchen"-like SiblingRivalry. - Tropers/{{Orihime}}

* For some people, Yuri's Neomax, the Haoh Raiouken, seems lackluster compared to flashier Neomaxes, save for the [[EverythingMakesAMushroom mushroom cloud]] at the end. Then, I realized that, unlike fellow Kyokugen practitioners Ryo and Robert, she was only taught the very basics of Kyokugenryu, aptly named the Raiou principle. In a way, her Neomax serves as a TakeThat to her father and brother, showing that she can throw away Raioukens like atomic bombs. - Tropers/{{Aenthin}}

*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Those From the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. The JerkassFacade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff. - Tropers/{{X2X}}

*** Additionally, this all seems to tie in with the revelation that [[spoiler:Ash [[GoodAllAlong really is on the heroes' side]]. He functions as a GuileHero because of the very probable mindset that if more people (including [[OneeSama sister figure]] Elizabeth, presented here as [[TheRival a rival]] to Ash) knew about [[RetGone his true intentions]], [[BatmanGambit his plans]] to stop [[BigBad Saiki]] and [[GenericEvilOrganizationSquad Those From the Past]] would be less likely to actually succeed. The JerkassFacade he dons is a calculated farce used to further his goals and ensure that the number of other fighters thrown into the crossfire is a bare minimum.]] Perhaps you could say he didn't want anyone to call his bluff. - Tropers/{{X2X}}
* For some people, Yuri's Neomax, the Haoh Raiouken, seems lackluster compared to flashier Neomaxes, save for the [[EverythingMakesAMushroom mushroom cloud]] at the end. Then, I realized that, unlike fellow Kyokugen practitioners Ryo and Robert, she was only taught the very basics of Kyokugenryu, aptly named the Raiou principle. In a way, her Neomax serves as a TakeThat to her father and brother, showing that she can throw away Raioukens like atomic bombs. - Tropers/{{Aenthin}}

* [[TheKingOfFighters Ash Crimson]] is pretty much [[JustForPun The King of]] [[TheScrappy Scrappies]]. He's a {{Jerkass}} SmugSnake who has gotten away with some pretty controversial stuff in the current saga (namely, stealing the powers of [[BarrierMaiden Chizuru]] and [[TheRival Iori]]) simply because ''{{SNK}} [[TheWesley likes him too much]]''. If you've played ''The King of Fighters XI'', you've probably noticed that there's a [[ThemeNaming common motif]] with a few of the team themes, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rUGSD_1ms Jack]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ozaXGgFfk Queen]], and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFy7cHbnTnk King;]] they're all high level playing cards (in fact, Ace is the only one missing from the bunch). [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1xYnuKZoY Joker]] is the theme of the "[[InNameOnly Hero]]" Team. Given that there's a literal [[DeathDealer card-wielding]] BadassGrandpa on the team, you might think that this theme had [[TheGambler Oswald]] in mind. However, this was subtle foreshadowing at its finest. The Joker is used in a variety of roles when it comes to card games. It can either be the most powerful card to play or the weakest. ''It can even be used as a placeholder for missing cards.'' Ash Crimson only ''appears'' to be a frail, unassuming weakling, but he's a bastard of both the {{manipulative|Bastard}} and {{magnificent|Bastard}} varieties. ''He is literally the personification of the Joker, a true WildCard.'' Not only did he run the masses with an {{expy}} of [[{{X-Men}} Gambit]] and a [[BloodKnight fight-craving]] BadassNormal in order to progress far enough through the tournament, but he set it up with such finese so that after [[AHouseDivided he turned his former allies against one another]] ([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they had outlived their usefulness]]) [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse by preying on their personal ambitions]] ([[EnemyCivilWar thus eliminating any potential threats by having Shen Woo and Oswald duke it out to the death]] [[VillainExitStageLeft as Ash slips away]]), he could then steal Iori's powers (as ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Iori]]'', may I add) ''immediately'' after Iori had been worn down in a fight with [[TheProtagonist Kyo]] and [[{{Determinator}} Shingo]]. That's ObfuscatingStupidity so brilliant that you might wonder whether or not Ash is TheChessmaster. You can't deny it. - Tropers/{{X2X}}