Line #94 Characters/KatanaZero


1	This is the character page for ''Katana Zero''. Given the nature of the game, '''spoilers abound'''.
2
3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	!! Main Characters
6	[[folder:Zero / The Dragon]]
7	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zero_steam_card.png]]
8
9	A nameless assassin that is working for a secret group to assassinate key figures in New Mecca. The protagonist. The media seemingly nicknames him 'The Dragon' after a few jobs.
10	----
11	* AmbidextrousSprite: His sword is traditionally depicted as being sheathed on his left hip, as he's right handed. Not only is this flipped when he faces left, but so is the left side of his kimono's collar that exposes his shoulder.
12	* AnimeHair: Of the "samurai blowout" school of hair-styling. The only other character in the game with a worse case than his is [[spoiler:his old war-buddy Fifteen]].
13	* {{Antihero}}: The protagonist's only motivation towards killing countless people essentially boils down to being told to do so. Later in the game, [[spoiler:he even admits to enjoying killing. During a therapy session you have the option to say you don't enjoy killing, but the screen glitches out and forces you to say so]]. Not to mention you also have a lot of mean dialogue options, and the interrupting feature can make the protagonist seem like a {{Jerkass}} if used frequently.
14	* AssassinOutclassin: Invoked at the end of the game. [[spoiler:[[TheProtagonist Zero]] can find an assassination dossier for himself in his handler/therapist's suitcase, in case he went rogue or learned too much about how Chronos is made or the purpose of his assassination missions.]]
15	* AwesomenessByAnalysis: The main advantage his Chronos doses give him, allowing him to relive and analyze numerous occurrences of the same event again and again in order to determine the scenario most likely to result in him killing everyone in his way.
16	* AxCrazy: Downplayed, [[EveryoneHasStandards as he has standards,]] but as The Dragon's sanity slips, so does his control over his bloodlust. Best expressed by the scene in which he [[spoiler:may snap and kill a war veteran that accosted him]] and [[spoiler:the scene where he is [[ButThouMust forced to discuss]] how he enjoys killing]], not to mention [[spoiler:him braining The Psychiatrist with a paperweight in the normal ending]].
17	* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Chronos is not responsible for him ParryingBullets or throwing potted plants with enough force to kill people. As described by the psychologist:
18	-->'''The Psychiatrist''': ''Your [[ImplausibleFencingPowers swordsmanship?]] Your [[ImprovisedWeapon combat acumen?]] No, these are the product of years of training.''\
19	'''The Psychiatrist''': ''Your [[CombatClairvoyance precognition?]] Your [[BulletTime perception of time?]] [[FantasticDrug Yes, these are side effects of the drug.]] This is why'' we cannot allow others to abuse it.
20	* CombatClairvoyance: Thanks to the drugs that the protagonist takes, he can visualize his plan of attack before executing it with near-perfection. [[spoiler:You later fight a NULL user who can do the same thing, and will even turn back time ''with you''.]] However, it's later hinted that [[spoiler:the Dragon's precognition is based on his latent psychic abilities as a Gamma NULL — having been inoculated with Chronos since he was young]].
21	* TheComicallySerious: He's a silent, stoic, cold-blooded killer.
22	** He can also say that his getup is cosplay, get into a conversation about anime, play a Yu-Gi-Oh-esque card game (complete with saying the names of cards aloud), and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick use his sword to cut up drugs and proceed to inhale them,]] all without batting an eye.
23	** Hilariously, if the Receptionist openly flirts with him, one of the dialogue options makes him genuinely flustered, averting this trope.
24	* DefiantToTheEnd: Proves to be this when captured [[spoiler:by V. Somewhat deconstructed, in that with the exception of the breaking speech, spitting on or cussing out V leads to his "death" and another restart]].
25	* DeathActivatedSuperpower: A variant: His MentalTimeTravel only triggers when he "dies" in a vision, and once he doesn't die on one path, that future becomes reality.
26	* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[spoiler:A diagnosed psychopath and assassin]] he can be, does have standards.
27	** During a ride with V, no matter the conversation, he's so disgusted with his needless sadism and love for snuff films that he'll always call him "subhuman".
28	** He draws the line at [[spoiler:killing children. Even hitting the prompt to execute Al-Quasim's family multiple times while he is under the influence of severe drug withdrawal won't do a thing]].
29	* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner: [[spoiler:When being interrogated by V, he can do, say. and reply to many things, them being begging, or just insulting V, one of them is him saying "Fuck you" right before V replies it back to him, and V just sends a bullet to his skull. Then there is another one where V says that he is getting late to his date, which [[TheProtagonist Zero]] can reply that he hopes that she is ugly, and V [[LameComeback responds]] by saying that he should "Shut the fuck up." before he shoots him in the head]].
30	* ForeseeingMyDeath: [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] main asset. Unlike many examples of this trope, he ''can'' fight fate: his precognitive visions allow him to avoid any actions that would kill him, and he can have visons over and over until the sequence of actions that lets him survive is seen-after which he can execute it flawlessly.
31	* GlassCannon: [[TheProtagonist ZERO]] is quick, nimble and can destroy any thug with one well-placed katana strike... but one misplaced bullet, punch or knife does the same to him.
32	* HeroicWillpower: [[spoiler:Any attempt to make him kill a child quickly runs straight into this, as shown by him ''ignoring'' the InterfaceScrew when the game tries to force you to kill a child.]]
33	* HiddenDepths:
34	** He's a skilled and ruthless iaido master who cuts down his foes with superhuman skill. He also enjoys listening to electronic and dubstep music, displays an apt knowledge of obscure anime, is a skilled dancer, and can engage in an impromptu CardBattleGame with the otaku receptionist provided she wasn't eliminated. He can also {{troll}} various people, like telling the otaku receptionist that he's cosplaying as a "[[{{Phonymon}} Pinkachu]]" when he obviously isn't, and responding to her skeptical questions with PokemonSpeak until she gives up out of exasperation and annoyance.
35	** On a darker note, he also shows numerous PetTheDog moments that call into question his supposedly lax morals. While it is indeed possible to be nice to people, [[spoiler:the psychiatrist proclaims the protagonist is a medically diagnosed psychopath. During one monologue, the protagonist even outright says that killing soldiers in the Cromag War "wasn't so bad", but seems to feel remorse about executing civilians, among numerous other examples]]. While these could be just an example of EvenEvilHasStandards, it's so consistent that it genuinely calls into question [[spoiler:just how psychopathic [[TheProtagonist Zero]] is supposed to be]].
36	* IWorkAlone: What he says to V when he gets offered to take part in his snuff film.
37	* IaijutsuPractitioner: Dragon seems to habitually re-sheathe his sword after every swing, even when swinging multiple times in a row.
38	* ImplausibleFencingPowers: The protagonist is a MasterSwordsman capable of effortlessly slicing through armored enemies, and can deflect bullets even without resorting to bullet time.
39	* ImprobableUseOfAWeapon: The one time the protagonist actually finds a ''real'' weapon rather than (see the trope immediately below) old bottles or plants, namely a pistol, [[spoiler:he just throws it right at the enemy as he would any other one-use missile]].
40	* ImprobableWeaponUser: Applies when the protagonist picks up items frequently. It'd be hard to throw a potted plant at someone hard enough to kill them.
41	* LogicalWeakness: His precognition is an odd variant on a DeathActivatedSuperpower — so if he doesn't die in a vision, his future sight doesn't trigger, so it doesn't protect him if he ''only'' gets knocked out. [[spoiler:This is exploited by V to capture him, by Comedy and Tragedy to drug him, and is seen again when he's victimised by a suicide bomber in the bunker.]]
42	* MentalTimeTravel: His confrontations with V, Comedy, Tragedy, and Headhunter indicate that due to the Chronos in his system, if he's killed, time will just rewind to before his death.
43	-->'''Comedy:''' ''[if "I can't die." is picked]'' This is for real. The chronos in your bloodstream is running out. You'll actually die if you choose to. ''[if "Why would I ever choose to die?" is picked]'' Oh, I don't know! Maybe it's something you want? This seems like a unique opportunity, since time usually resets whenever you die.
44	* MyHeroZero: Towards the end of the game, it's revealed that [[spoiler:during the war, his NULL codename was [[YouAreNumberSix Subject Zero]], though he also goes by just [[TheProtagonist ''Zero'']]]].
45	* NoNameGiven: Dragon isn't given a name the entire narrative — "the Dragon" is just a codename, and no one says his real name. [[spoiler:The closest he has to a real name is the Subject Zero designation, but that's more of a YouAreNumberSix scenario rather than an actual name.]]
46	* OlderThanTheyLook: A midgame conversation implies that the Dragon is very young-looking. He's a veteran of a recent war, but that was seven years ago and he still looks quite young. [[spoiler:His dossier says he's just 22, but in a withdrawal-induced hallucination/flashback he says he's been fighting for 28 years. Considering he's a NULL (and that the ending confirms that yes, he was in active service during the war) it's probable that Chronos abuse has physically slowed his aging (as he was inoculated during his pubescent years]].
47	* OneManArmy: He's capable of carving his way through swaths of thugs and police officers with nothing but a katana and his ability to enter a BulletTime state by slowing his perception of time.
48	* ParentalSubstitute: To the Girl, due to her father never seeming to pay attention to her.
49	* PowerIncontinence: His perception of time is sufficiently detached from the present that his mind may sometimes randomly jump forward or backward in time for a few moments.
50	* PrettyBoy: While a fair share of the promotional art for the game depicts the protagonist as somewhat gruff, he is noted in the game for having a slim build and a baby face. One of the [=NPCs=] you can interact with, an anime fangirl, is smitten by his looks and becomes infatuated the moment he tries passing off his attire as anime cosplay.
51	* ProfessionalKiller: He works for a mysterious cabal to assassinate specific targets while leaving no witnesses in exchange for daily doses of Chronos — a rare and highly addictive drug. [[spoiler:It turns out that the people the protagonist is being sent to assassinate are all connected to the NULL supersoldier program and said drug — which is actually a flawed supersoldier serum.]]
52	* PsychoForHire: [[spoiler:According to the therapist, he's a psychopath who carries out missions for no reason other than satiating his bloodlust and addiction to Chronos. Of course, [[UnreliableExpositor given who the therapist is...]]]]
53	* ReluctantPsycho: [[spoiler:He has several EvenEvilHasStandards moments and a WouldNotHarmAnInnocent attitude, it's suggested he's not really proud of being a PsychoForHire.]]
54	* SaveScumming: His precognition is a variant on this, planning mission in his head via his powers until he finds the one correct path.
55	* {{Seers}}: He has precognition due to the Chronos in his system, using this to plan out his missions.
56	* ShellShockedVeteran: [[spoiler:His participation in the Cromag War really messed with his psyche.]]
57	* SilentProtagonist: Sort of. Most of the Dragon's dialogue is decided by the player, but the only time he ever talks on his own accord is when [[spoiler:he's up on the rooftop with the little girl, admiring the city's beauty]].
58	* SuperStrength: While not explicitly stated to be part of his power set, he is capable of throwing a variety of objects with enough force and precision to kill someone in a single hit. Said objects fly in straight lines without dropping at any point. These include among other things: bottles, knives, pot plants and entire stone busts.
59	* TheProtagonist: The player controls him for the most of the game. [[spoiler:Expect until The Dragon tape, and the V's tape, where the player's contrpl is being assigned to the people in the tape.]]
60	* TheSociopath: [[spoiler: ''Heavily'' downplayed, and possibly even subverted. The Psychiatrist calls him a psychopath, but while he is compulsively violent, he doesn't seem to actually enjoy it much, and he shows sincere regret over killing civilians in the Cromag Wars. If he ''is'' a sociopath, he's an incredibly high-functioning one, and the Psychiatrist is later revealed to be a massive liar.]]
61	* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: His withdrawal from Chronos seriously messes with his mind. [[spoiler:This comes to a head when you fight the SecretBoss, which is heavily implied to be the Dragon going critical on his withdrawal symptoms and hallucinating.]] [[spoiler:It gets even worse at the ending of the Katana HERO April Fool's bootleg, where all of the 4Kids-style anime wackiness and "poorly-translated" dialogue is heavily implied to be how [[TheProtagonist Zero]] remembers everything that has happened up until now. During the ending, he is outright asked if he is "losing it".]]
62	* ThousandYardStare: According to Snow, he has one of these bad.
63	->'''Snow:''' There was nothing behind those eyes. No soul, no remorse. He didn't care about the mission, or the people he killed, or even himself.
64	* UnwittingPawn: Shown to be one on account of having amnesia, [[spoiler:being used as an assassin in a government conspiracy to kill everyone connected to the drug Chronos and the NULL super soldier program]].
65	* ViolationOfCommonSense: If he gets punched by a burly mook, he gets killed. If he gets punched by V, he'll simply be knocked back and get up with no problem.
66	* WouldntHurtAChild: [[spoiler:While the Dragon is noted for his inhuman killing efficiency, his greatest blind spot is his inability to put up with hurting innocent civilians — particularly children. In his most vivid memory of the time he served in the Cromag Wars, as well as his final assignment as a contract killer, he's tasked to leave no survivors or witnesses, and in both cases, fails due to child presence. It's implied this was a regular sentiment during wartime, and further records from the NULL lead architect, Leon, imply that despite successfully engineering Gamma NULL to be the most powerful super soldiers known to man, they ultimately lost the war and were deemed a failure. Given the game doesn't spare any opportunity to show the belligerency of a NULL, it can be inferred that they failed to win due to disobedience; in the Dragon's case, most likely not wanting to kill children.]]
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:The Psychiatrist]]
70	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/psych_steam_card.png]]
71
72	The Dragon's therapist, who he regularly visits to talk about his PTSD-induced nightmares, other things relating to his missions, and to get his regular dose of medicine. It starts to become apparent that he's tied to things Dragon looks into.
73	----
74	* AffablyEvil: He doesn't act on his own motives and it's implied that his family is taken hostage if he fails to follow orders.
75	* AlasPoorVillain: In the normal ending, [[TheProtagonist Zero]] [[spoiler:finds him in his office, breaking down in paranoia. He screams about how he can't find his daughter. [[TheProtagonist Zero]] then proceeds to [[BludgeonedToDeath beat him to death with his daughter's own paperweight until he's a bloody pulp.]] There's no satisfaction, and despite all he's done, it's hard not to feel sorry for him. In the psychotherapy ending, it doesn't get much better either. He [[PunchCatch catches Zero's Punch,]] then gets his eye stabbed, either immediately after, or after watching [[TheProtagonist Zero]] Freak out and have a seizure.]].
76	* BludgeonedToDeath: One of the fates he can fall to. [[spoiler:Is that [[TheProtagonist Zero]] will use the ''Healing Stone'' to smash his head into red paste.]]
77	* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: [[spoiler:It's implied that his ''Akira''-esque boss form might just be a hallucination playing out in Dragon's head — which was confirmed by the developer on Twitter.]]
78	* BerserkButton: Don't interrupt him. [[spoiler:Interrupt him ''all the time'' and you get to fight him as an OptionalBoss.]]
79	** [[spoiler:Don't pull [[RevealingCoverup unwanted attention]] [[SoMuchForStealth during your missions]]. He absolutely HATES that. Naturally, the plot forces you into doing so, so he gets really nettled.]]
80	* BitchInSheepsClothing: He's a professional, and he acts like one. Then Dragon starts digging into things he shouldn't, and he pulls out all stops to insult, berate, and punish him.
81	* BodyHorror: [[spoiler:Whatever combat drugs he takes seemingly mutate him into a monstrosity, but it's subverted as it was mostly in the Dragon's head.]]
82	* BullyingADragon: Granted, [[spoiler:his family has possibly been taken hostage and/or killed]], but you'd think the guy would be nicer to the unstoppable, psychotic, unstable, drug-addicted killing machine sitting a few feet away from him.
83	* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler:During the TrueFinalBoss, the war drugs he takes to fight you seems to turn him into a '''freaking ''Manga/{{Akira}}''-like abomination'''. In reality, the drugs he takes just causes [[TheProtagonist Zero]] to hallucinate the transformation in a case of YourMindMakesItReal, as after the fight, the therapist is back in his chair, with the Dragon's sword in his face.]]
84	* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: He mentions having a daughter. [[spoiler:When either the Dragon's escapade on the highway or [[NiceJobBreakingItHero his final contract]] is implied to kill her, he just about snaps.]]
85	* EyeScream: [[spoiler: His [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind actual]] fate after being defeated as the TrueFinalBoss, courtesy of [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] katana.]]
86	* ForbiddenFruit: Gives a number of direction through the game that the player is free to listen to or ignore at will.
87	* TheHandler: He serves as the protagonist's, supplying him with assassination targets after each therapy session in exchange for a daily dose of Chronos. [[spoiler:It eventually becomes clear that he's a government agent who's more of a handler than a therapist, and is using [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] amnesia to manipulate him into killing off everyone related to the NULL Project.]]
88	* PetTheDog:
89	** If Dragon manages to get through the prison level without taking a single life, he'll state that he and Dragon's employers are genuinely elated by his "exemplary" work. It's basically the only moment where the Psychiatrist actually compliments him.
90	** The Psychiatrist also expresses genuine pride if you choose not to talk to Electrohead and remain obedient, being very satisfied with the Dragon's work.
91	* PsychoPsychologist: The "Ulterior motive'' version: he provides therapy and Chronos [[spoiler:as a means of manipulating The Dragon to cover-up the NULL project]].
92	* RageBreakingPoint:
93	** If the protagonist does everything he can to piss the therapist off, [[spoiler:he snaps and pumps himself full of super soldier serums to gain powers surpassing Chronos, but which ([[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind seemingly]]) transforms him into a monster]].
94	** Provided the therapist be sufficiently enraged, the assassination dossier for Fa Yuan is simply full of "KILL" repeated over and over — though this is likely the protagonist's Chronos withdrawal acting up, since it's a normal dossier in the game's regular route.
95	* ScaryShinyGlasses: Because of the limited pixel-artstyle of the game, this isn't really visible, but the page image clearly shows this trope. [[spoiler:This gets played straight in his first phase as the TrueFinalBoss, complete with dramatic glasses adjustment]].
96	* TheShrink: Of the Harmful variety. It's subtle at first, but it becomes clear that he is not interested in [[spoiler:[[TheProtagonist Zero's]]]] mental well-being at all. It seems that he only cares about [[spoiler:eliminating everything and ''everyone'' that might reveal the NULL project to the public, working through [[TheProtagonist Zero]] ]]. It's unclear if he even ''is'' an actual licensed psychotherapist.
97	* TranquilFury: He has his moments where it's very apparent he's ''enraged'' at Dragon, but mostly keeps his calm.
98	* TrueFinalBoss: If the player meets all the prerequisites [[spoiler:of performing every mission against his directive, as well as continually angering him in every therapy session, talking to Electrohead, Killing the police when he tells you not to, and refusing to take the Chronos injection after the Electrohead fight, you fight him after completing the Bunker level]].
99	* UnreliableExpositor: Given how he [[spoiler:is dosing you with addictive drugs to get you to kill people]], it's more than probable that his diagnoses are a bit suspect.
100	* VillainousBreakdown: By the end of the game, he's considerably more hostile, and when the Dragon shows up at his office [[spoiler:to demand answers, he finds the Psychiatrist desperately packing a briefcase, hurling papers across his desk, and smashing his phone with the decorative paperweight his daughter sent him. It's implied that his ties to the Chronos project are about to be exposed, and he's lashing out in a paranoid frenzy]].
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:The Girl]]
104	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/little_girl_steam_card.png]]
105
106	The daughter of the Dragon's next door neighbor. Due to her father being absent, the Dragon usually finds her playing in the hallway and getting into conversations with her.
107	----
108	* ChildrenAreInnocent: She's in the dark as to what Dragon's personal life involves, and he can take the approach of making sure she never finds out.
109	* DamselInDistress: At the end of the game it's revealed she was kidnapped [[spoiler:by Comedy and Tragedy, who plan on [[StuffedIntoTheFridge fridging]] her… if she even existed outside the protagonist's head in the first place]].
110	* DeadpanSnarker: While she acts as a CheerfulChild most times, if the Dragon tries to play along with her she often responds with biting sarcasm — like asking him if he's aware that Behemoth and Leviathan are just toys if he says they're scary and look really strong.
111	* EarlyBirdCameo: Her silhouette shows up in the protagonist's first few nightmares, before the shadowy figure throws her into the silhouetted machine and she's turned into the Leviathan toy.
112	* {{Hallucinations}}: [[spoiler:Much like Comedy and Tragedy, her actual presence in reality is disputable. She doesn't interact with anyone except the protagonist throughout the course of the game, the protagonist's landlord points out that the person she claims to be her father was a junkie with no children to speak of, and after a point she stops appearing in the protagonist's nightmare flashbacks — specifically around the time when he's becoming close to her. Despite this, much like the two aforementioned masked men, she has some tangible impact on reality, such as in one scene where she makes the protagonist food while he's asleep. Comedy makes a remark about the protagonist having a conscience in regards to the kid, though it's unknown whether this is meant to be a figurative or literal interpretation.]]
113	* KidsShouldntWatchHorrorFilms: She's scared by the samurai movie that the Dragon picks up, hiding her face and whimpering during the gory battle scenes.
114	* LethalChef: The one time she tries to cook for the Dragon, it ends up poorly. [[spoiler:To be fair, all she had to work with was fish and protein paste.]]
115	* MoralityPet: To the Dragon. The scenes with her really bring out the human in him.
116	* WonderChild: She comes into the Dragon's life abruptly, and proceeds to bring out the best of him. [[spoiler:However, it's heavily implied that she herself is a hallucination embodying [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] conscience.]]
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	!! Targets
120
121	[[folder:Josh Rose]]
122	One of the early-level targets.
123	----
124	* TheAtoner: He is the only person connected to the [[spoiler:Chronos conspiracy]] who seems to feel any regret over his actions; should [[TheProtagonist Zero]] give him the chance, his last words are to apologize for all the pain he's caused through [[TheProtagonist Zero]] [[spoiler:and the other NULL Soldiers]].
125	* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Jumps down the balcony upon being confronted, going out on his own terms rather than the player's. If [[TheProtagonist Zero]] has a throwable item, however, he doesn't get a chance to jump.
126	* TheConspiracy: [[spoiler:Seems to have been one of the industrialists or businessmen behind the Chronos project.]]
127	* DrivenToSuicide: Once again, both for feeling regret for his contribution to [[spoiler:the NULL project]], and to refuse [[TheProtagonist Zero]] the satisfaction of killing him.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:Electrohead]]
131	A popular DJ who stumbles across a stash of Chronos.
132	----
133	* BoomHeadshot: If the Dragon takes too long to kill him, V — presumably the one who the stash of Chronos belonged to — kills him via a bullet to the head.
134	* CharacterAsHimself: In the game's soundtrack, the music track for his level, "Hit the Floor", is credited to his name.
135	* TheConspiracy: [[spoiler:One of the only aversions in the game. Electrohead has no connection to the overarching Chronos conspiracy; he was just a drug-loving DJ who found the wrong stash.]]
136	* ConsummateLiar: His dossier describes him as such in an attempt to dissuade the Dragon from speaking to him.
137	* CoolHelmet: His helmet is a reference to Music/Deadmau5 and Music/DaftPunk, encasing his entire head and having a view screen that changes based on his emotional state.
138	* DreamingOfThingsToCome: He mentions that ever since he took Chronos, time keeps warping and repeating, and that he's already spoken to the protagonist numerous times — mistaking him for a drug-induced hallucination at first.
139	* ForbiddenFruit: Talking to him. [[spoiler:It reveals some key details about the game's plot, regarding Chronos.]]
140	* InnocentBystander: For a given value of "innocent", anyways; [[spoiler:he offers some exposition on Chronos, but he has no idea what he's gotten himself into by stealing that Chronos shipment. It gets him killed]].
141	* JustJokingJustification: When he realizes the Dragon doesn't know what he's talking about, Electroface goes from panicking to smugly gloating that his "groupies" are going to brutally murder the Dragon… and then right back to panicking if told that they're all dead or that he's going to die, saying his threats were just a joke.
142	* LoopholeAbuse: The Psychiatrist explicitly orders you not to talk to Electrohead, [[spoiler:however you can still talk to him and ask for relevant information ''without'' violating the contract. The moment he threatens the Dragon, select the option to kill him - or, if he decided to take his words back and strike a deal with the samurai, immediately select the dialogue action to kill him before any other options pop-out.]]
143	[[/folder]]
144
145	[[folder:Fa Yuan]]
146	A political prisoner being held at Mutual-Nil prison.
147	----
148	* AintTooProudToBeg: When [[spoiler:Fifteen]] corners him, he pleads for his life. [[spoiler:It doesn't work.]]
149	* AlreadyDoneForYou: When you reach him, he's already been assassinated.
150	* TheConspiracy: [[spoiler:Fa Yuan's place in the Chronos program is uncertain, and it's not really clear what his role was. He still knew enough to die for it.]]
151	* HeKnowsTooMuch: Given [[OneManArmy who they sent after him,]] someone clearly wanted this poor bastard dead before he could talk. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for them, Fifteen was faster. Unfortunately for Fa Yuan, Fifteen didn't need him alive.]]
152	* KangarooCourt: [[spoiler:Fifteen]] can claim that his imminent court date is one of these. Whether he's right or not is never determined, as Fa Yuan never lives to stand trial.
153	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Once [[spoiler:Fifteen]] gets the information he needs from Fa Yuan, he drowns him in his own toilet.
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Al-Qasim]]
157	A wealthy, reclusive industrialist.
158	----
159	* BoomHeadshot: [[spoiler:How V kills him.]]
160	* BoundAndGagged: By the time [[TheProtagonist Zero]] gets to him, V has him tied up and is in the process of torturing information out of him. [[StupidEvil Or attempting to, since he's gagged.]]
161	* TheConspiracy: [[spoiler:One of the industrialists behind the Chronos project. Interestingly, he still seems to have had access to a supply of it, and used it to retain Headhunter's services.]]
162	[[/folder]]
163
164	!! Antagonists
165
166	[[folder:V]]
167	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/v_steam_card.png]]
168
169	A Russian thug hired by an unnamed employer in order to find out how to make Chronos. Makes for the most prominent antagonist in the first half of the game.
170	----
171	* AxeCrazy: It doesn't take long to see how nuts V is.
172	* AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler:Fifteen]] wastes little time in [[spoiler:quite literally disarming V before abducting him]].
173	* AndIMustScream: He inflicts this (maybe) on [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] neighbors for the crime of listening to music too loudly and being obnoxious. [[spoiler:Fifteen gives him a taste of his own medicine.]]
174	* AttentionWhore: Wants attention from one person — The Dragon. [[spoiler:Exploiting this is the one thing that gets under his skin and lets The Dragon escape from his bindings.]]
175	* BadBoss: V doesn't care at all that the Dragon is killing his men. In fact, he's thrilled, seeing his killings as an auteur killer at work.
176	* BadassNormal: How do you think he got this job, he asks? He's not on Chronos at all, but more than able to keep up with the main character just the same.
177	* BeardOfEvil: If you look closely, he has a little blue goatee.
178	* BilingualBonus: Frequently peppers his speech with Russian Cyrillic.
179	* BlingBlingBang: Apart from his gangster chains, V packs a gold-plated pistol as his weapon.
180	* CoDragons: Along with Snow.
181	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:Got his arms chopped off by Fifteen, followed by being tortured for information. His own post-mortem account ([[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane whether you can take that at face value or not]]) adds that he got shot with a lot of Chronos during the process, as well, which [[AndIMustScream never ends well]].]]
182	* DeathByIrony: Dealing with Chronos in the first place puts a big target on you.
183	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: He pulls Dragon into a limo and gets into a talk about his "job". During such, he asks Dragon if he can use his katana as a razor/threatens a prostitute he has with him into giving him a razor, cuts up some drugs, and slams his face down to inhale it.
184	** His SnuffFilm could be seen this way, too, showcasing one of his most conspicuous character traits — namely, his love of inflicting horrible tortures on helpless victims.
185	* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner:
186	->[[spoiler:V : ''"Think you are tough shit dragon? Well I am the Dragon Slayer!"'']]
187	* FrazettaMan: He gets called a "Fucking Sub-human" by the main character.
188	* FatBastard: His Trading Card art depicts him with a noticeable belly and he complains about being out of shape due to shooting his personal trainer.
189	* HateSink: Easily the most unlikable character in the game, having zero redeeming qualities compared to the rest of the cast, and is just a cruel sadist who loves being a total asshole to everyone he meets.
190	* HuskyRusskie: The most physically imposing antagonist, he is stated to be Russian and peppers his speech with Cyrillic.
191	* {{Irony}}: His behavior stems from his desire for attention and approval from The Dragon, which is why he pursues [[TheProtagonist Zero.]] [[spoiler:[[TheProtagonist Zero]] isn't actually the Dragon, meaning that a lot of the killing sprees he was so enamored with may not have even been [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] handiwork. He does get the attention he wanted from Fifteen, though… in the form of being tortured to death, just like V did to at least two others.]]
192	* ImYourBiggestFan: The Dragon gets this treatment from V when he first meets him, but since V is a complete sadist willing to film himself torturing anybody for fun, Dragon isn't too thrilled about this. [[spoiler:V later loses all respect for Dragon when he starts interfering with his schemes to procure the means to restart Chronos production and also because he wasn't given the attention he so craves from Dragon.]]
193	* {{Jerkass}}: If he didn't have a KickTheDog moment every five minutes, he'd probably die.
194	* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:The last we see of him, he had his arms chopped off by Fifteen and was apparently taken away by him. SNOW states that he's dead in a mid-credits scene, and he's also shown tied to a chair in Fifteen's hideout. He does have one final appearance while [[TheProtagonist Zero]] is tripping on Chronos, but it's completely ambiguous whether or not this is "real" or just another hallucination.]]
195	* LameComeback: [[spoiler:During the interrogation, V will mention his date, that can make [[TheProtagonist Zero]] say that he "Hopes that she is ugly" which will make V instantly pull out his pistol and reply back that he should "Shut the fuck up." right before killing him on the spot.]]
196	* MadeOfIron: Takes a lot of punishment before finally going down, all without making much of a fuss, and [[BadassBoast boasts]] of being shot a great many times by a NULL sniper and still being in the shape to hunt them down afterwards.
197	* NumericalThemeNaming: More subtly than Fifteen and [[spoiler:[[TheProtagonist Zero]]]], but "V" is also the roman numeral for five, though unlike them he was never a SuperSoldier.
198	* OneLetterName: He's only ever referred to as "V".
199	* PsychoForHire: He's violent, sadistic, and hated by his collaborators; and has been hired to find a way to restart Chronos production.
200	* PsychopathicManchild: His attempts to get [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] approval comes across as a teenager trying to get the positive attention of a delinquent they admire, and it is easy to upset him to the point where he essentially throws a tantrum.
201	* RecruitingTheCriminal: He tries this on the Dragon, not realizing that he's already working for an employer to shut down rival Chronos producers. However, his sadism causes this to backfire, as the Dragon outright rejects his proposal and V then tries to kill him.
202	* INeverToldYouMyName: This is V's reaction to [[TheProtagonist Zero]] calling him by name.
203	* StarterVillain: The first major antagonist Dragon encounters in the story, and the first to give him any run for his money.
204	* StupidEvil: V is very, very capable when it comes to violence. Unfortunately for whoever hired him, this is the ''only'' thing he's capable at. Both times he has someone hostage who could tell him about Chronos, he kills them before they can talk — the first time on a whim to make sure [[TheProtagonist Zero]] doesn't extract him safely, the second time [[spoiler:in a fit of rage induced by [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] BreakingSpeech]].
205	* ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine: The snuff video he leaves for the Dragon shows him killing the stoner neighbours by injecting them with Chronos and torturing them to death. [[spoiler:He himself suffers this fate at the hands of Fifteen.]]
206	* TortureTechnician: As evidenced by the film he sends to the Dragon, he's rather fond of inflicting pain on a helpless captive.
207	* TheWorfEffect: [[spoiler:After being the only person to survive multiple encounters with the Dragon and threatening him even when cornered, Fifteen shows up and removes his arms in a matter of seconds, hijacking the plot from him.]]
208	* WouldHurtAChild: Implied. His two victims in his SnuffFilm come across as being a pair of rowdy older teenagers.
209	[[/folder]]
210
211	[[folder:Strong Terry]]
212	A mook who happens to be very, very popular across New Mecca. Is the first casualty of the contract on Electrohead.
213	----
214	* AvengingTheVillain: One of the later-level mooks announces he's "been saving a bullet" for the protagonist for killing Terry.
215	* BrickJoke: Early in the game the protagonist can overhear a conversation between two mooks arguing who would win in a fight, the Dragon or Strong Terry. Who's Strong Terry? Is this foreshadowing, and he's the level's boss, perhaps? Nope, he's nowhere to be found there. So you move on, get to the next level, business as usual, you kill the first regular enemy that gets in your way, and...
216	---> '''Mook:''' ''WHAT DID YOU DO TO STRONG TERRY???''
217	* ButForMeItWasTuesday: It's entirely possible to beat the entire game without ever hearing him named. It's almost assured that the protagonist does not care either way, even though Terry himself is mourned.
218	* TheDeadHaveNames: One of the very few aversions to NoNameGiven in the entire game.
219	* HypotheticalFightDebate: Subject of this, with some other mooks speculating whether he could win against the protagonist.
220	* {{Mooks}}: The only thing separating him from all others is that he was given a name.
221	* PresentAbsence: Among the mooks at least.
222	* RunningGag: Given his absolute gameplay irrelevance, all the mentions of him and the characterization he gets are reduced to this.
223	[[/folder]]
224
225	[[folder:SNOW]]
226	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snow_steam_card.png]]
227
228	V's partner in crime, a female ninja.
229	----
230	* DarkActionGirl: Very good with her sword, and is working for a rival of the Dragon's employers.
231	* EnigmaticMinion: Compared to V, whose love of violence and desire to use Chronos to bolster his murder sprees is obvious, it's hard to tell what SNOW's stake in all this is.
232	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Disgusted by V's snuff films, claiming to not "approve of his pet projects."
233	* HighlyVisibleNinja: She wears a white high-collared kimono and geta sandals, but is referred to as a ninja.
234	* InexplicablyAwesome: It's left ambiguous if she's a NULL or just a ''really good'' BadassNormal.
235	* PetalPower: Can teleport in a flurry of razor-sharp cherry blossom petals.
236	* TheStoic: She is calm and aloof, in contrast to her AxeCrazy partner, V.
237	* TheUnfought: While she hinders your mission progress at points, you never actually face her head-to-head.
238	* WorthyOpponent: While she chides the protagonist for his stance being sloppy to his face, she tells V that he showed absolutely zero fear when she came at him and that she is looking forward to crossing blades with him in the future.
239	[[/folder]]
240
241	[[folder:Mr. Kissyface]]
242	A tall man wielding an axe, and an accomplice of V's.
243	----
244	* AgentPeacock: It's a subtler case than most, but he wears a vibrant purple mask and wields an axe with a lilac-hued handle. None of that makes him any less dangerous. Though the name is less than subtle.
245	* BadassInANiceSuit: He might be a thug, but he rocks a classy white suit, even when about to commit murder.
246	* BladeLock: He engages with the Dragon in these four times before the Dragon's katana cuts through his axe's handle.
247	* BloodKnight: Chuckles with delight when the Dragon escapes his bonds, kills the other two guards, and reclaims his sword — remarking that now they can have some fun.
248	* TheBrute: He may be [[TheDragon V's right hand man]], but he's considerably bigger than the rest of the cast, even Snow.
249	* EarlyBirdCameo: He is first seen on a framed picture in the first level.
250	* FauxAffablyEvil: He wears his nickname and suave nature quite ironically.
251	* GigglingVillain: He gets a good chuckle out of violence, and also snickers at V getting riled up by the protagonist.
252	* OnlySaneMan: As opposed to V, he recognizes that the Dragon's trying to get his partner riled up, and [[spoiler:objects to V blowing Kasim's brains out because the old man hadn't told them how to make Chronos yet]].
253	* ThrowDownTheBomblet: He busts out grenades when on his last legs.
254	* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: Or an axe, in his case, which either returns to him or returns to his hands. However, this also leaves him open to attack.
255	[[/folder]]
256
257	[[folder:Headhunter]]
258	A female NULL allied with Fifteen.
259	----
260	* AntiVillain: Her goals and motives are all too justified after what was done to her, her goals align in many ways with the protagonist's by the time they meet, and she bears absolutely no malice to him.
261	* BeamSpam: Combining both of the firearm spam tropes, she's able to FlashStep while using her main beam rifle, and usually caps a combination attack off with [[MoreDakka an uzi salvo]] covering the screen.
262	* BorrowedBiometricBypass: After being killed, her head is used to bypass the retinal scan of the final vault door in the protagonist's way.
263	* CombatClairvoyance: Like all NULL super soldiers. She alludes to seeing a great number (possibly hundreds, or thousands) of cycles of this fight, and almost assuredly gets to rewind and try again like the protagonist would, many times before she is actually brought low for good.
264	* DeathSeeker: Implied by her defeat — a battle between [=NULLs=] is a battle of wills, and the fact she canonically loses despite apparently seeing our protagonist die hundreds of times implies this.
265	* FaceDeathWithDignity: She does not plead for her life or rant furiously upon being brought down, rather simply begging the protagonist to avenge her, bringing down those that did this to her and him.
266	* FinalBoss: She's the final boss of the normal playthrough.
267	* FlashStep: She can effectively teleport around the battlefield, like Fifteen does.
268	* AGodAmI: If [[TheProtagonist Zero]] tells her he doesn't kill because he enjoys it but for Chronos, she declares [[TheProtagonist Zero]], herself, and the other [=NULLs=] to be gods made immortal by the time-altering drug.
269	* TheGunslinger: In contrast to her fellow NULL brethren, Headhunter is an expert marksman who primarily fights with firearms.
270	* IronicNickname: It's her own head that ends up being hunted and put to use.
271	* KilledOffForReal: If Comedy and Tragedy's statements regarding Chronos users being unable to truly die until they're on the brink of withdrawal is true, her running on fumes is what enabled the protagonist to kill her.
272	* NeutralNoLonger: Despite being Fifteen's companion, she initially doesn't harbor the same desire for revenge against her masters that he does, expressing ambivalence towards having a direct hand in his plot and seemingly only acting as a bodyguard. This mentality changes severely once she goes through her Chronos withdrawal, so much so that her dying request to the protagonist is asking for him to kill their creators for her sake.
273	* OffWithHisHead: How she finally dies, decapitated.
274	* SanitySlippage: By the time she's fought, she's run out of Chronos altogether, and is either already undergoing withdrawal (as the protagonist accuses), or close enough to the state that its inevitability is putting immense mental pressure on her. Either way, she will reject all peace overtures and attempt to take what Chronos is left in the protagonist's blood.
275	* SmokeOut: She throws flash grenades that can knock back and stun the protagonist.
276	* SuperSoldier: She's no Gamma NULL like the protagonist and Fifteen, but went through much of the same stuff as they did and came out with similar results, powers, and grudges.
277	* SwissArmyGun: She has a gun that acts as a plasma cannon, machine gun, and grenade launcher.
278	* StillWearingTheOldColors: The only NULL we see who is still wearing the uniform, as opposed to Fifteen and [[TheProtagonist Zero]], who have switched to a suit and a kimono — which is constantly mistaken for a bathrobe — respectively. According to [[WordOfGod Justin]]{{invoked}}, this is to represent the NULL special forces sent during the Cromag war.
279	* TakingYouWithMe: Her final attack consists of charging the protagonist with a bomb belt, a last-ditch effort to force him to rewind. Should that fail, she will let herself die.
280	* ThisCannotBe: In their initial encounter, both she and the protagonist foresee killing each other only for their precognitions to cancel each other out. She's shocked by the realization that he is a fellow NULL, and is forced to flee when the police arrive.
281	* ThereCanBeOnlyOne: After the death of Al-Qasim, she and Fifteen are left without a supplier of Chronos. When facing the protagonist in the final level, she rejects any proposal of an alliance — with her saying that there's only enough Chronos left for one of them. She even declares her intent to infuse herself with the protagonist's Chronos-saturated blood after killing him in order to survive.
282	* VictoryByEndurance: How her battle works. For all their dodges and flips and incredible combat prowess, both her and the protagonist can rewind time and start all over again if they die. The fight ultimately comes down to who first decides to stop doing that and gives up and lets themselves die — a battle of wills, as she puts it.
283	[[/folder]]
284
285	[[folder:Adversaries]]
286	Various mooks that the player encounters during missions, consisting of criminals, police officers, scientists, and the military.
287	----
288	* BadassBookworm: Despite their profession, the scientist are ''not'' defenseless; once they detect the presence of an intruder, they will blast said intruder with a disintegrator gun and reduce them to nothing. If they see a plasma gun or deflector lying around, they will get their chance to get their hands on it and use it on you.
289	* CastOfSnowflakes: Of the enemy types, the Gunmen has the most variations; they can either be bald, sport a neat haircut, while others have long hair.
290	* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: During the motorcycle level, each mook rides a motorcycle with a uniform color to determine their type.
291	** Strong Terries ride red motorcycles and generally lay suppressing fire with their machine gun.
292	** Skinny Rickies ride cyan motorcycles and will actively attempt to get close to Zero to club him with their pipes.
293	** Gunmen ride gray motorcycles, move in a random pattern and shoot the player down. They are the only enemy that doesn't wear helmets.
294	* DelinquentHair: Skinny Rickies possess a pompadour that gives them the look of an 80's JapaneseDelinquents or the 50's GreaserDelinquents.
295	* DisintegratorRay: The scientist all carry disintegrator guns as their primary weapon, a hit from it will reduce them to nothing (with only the black marks and an inverted silhouette being only what's left of them).
296	* FragileSpeedster: Skinny Rickies are fast on their feet and can swing their pipes so swiftly that Zero can be killed instantly if he doesn't parry their attack on time.
297	* TheGoomba: For their muscle and intimidating build, the Strong Terries prove to be this. They are the first enemy the player faces properly and have a slow attack speed, making them easier to handle compared to Skinny Rickies (to the point that the baseline Terries are considered a rare sight on Hard Mode).
298	* HardModeMook: The Karate Ricky and Machinegun Terries are exclusive to Hard Mode, appropriately enough, they are considerably tougher compared to the other foes.
299	* MadScientist: Implied. The design for the scientist inside the weapons lab are all given a hairstyle that evokes the look of Rick Sanchez from ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty''.
300	* MoreDakka: Machinegun Terries carry an LMG and will lay down continuous suppressing fire, until they stop to reload.
301	* SharpDressedMan: Gunmen sport a suit and tie to give them the look of a professional bodyguard or hitmen.
302	* ShieldBearingMook: Shielded SWAT officers carry a shield that will deflect frontal attacks and needed to roll through them to attack.
303	* ShotgunsAreJustBetter: SWAT Shotgunners are armed with a shotgun, and their shells are spread that deflecting them is much harder.
304	* StationaryEnemy: Even though the Automated Turrets have [[https://twitter.com/askiisoft/status/1648374485567913993 threads]] that enable movement, they remain in one place at all times. They don't even turn around when Zero/Fifteen is behind them.
305	[[/folder]]
306
307	!! Others
308
309	[[folder:The Receptionist]]
310	A young woman who works at the front desk of the Murdower Hotel, but may end up changing jobs or dying as the game goes on.
311	----
312	* CharacterDeath: If the protagonist angers her or reveals that he is an assassin, she will be silenced by the therapist.
313	* HiddenDepths:
314	** She's a ''massive'' otaku, and if the Dragon is nice to her, she gushes over his samurai "costume" and their (apparent) mutual love of anime and cosplay, and flirtatiously asks him to come watch anime with her some time. [[spoiler:In their second encounter, provided she wasn't killed for discovering that the protagonist is an assassin, she can challenge him to an impromptu ''Yu-Gi-Oh''-style card battle.]]
315	** She's also sharper than she lets on. If the Dragon claims that he's wearing a bathrobe and going to take a shower, [[spoiler:in their second encounter, she lets on that she's figured out he's an assassin but becomes his SecretKeeper]].
316	* LoveAtFirstSight: Can immediately develop a crush on the Dragon if he's nice to her, and will awkwardly attempt to ask him out several times. If the Dragon tells her that the totally-not-made-up anime is about spinning tops, she dials her flirtation up a notch and invites him to her room.
317	* MoralityPet: Can become this if the protagonist is nice to her, as engaging with her brings out the protagonist's own HiddenDepths.
318	* NonStandardCharacterDesign: Her appearance is reminiscent of various classic anime, befitting her otaku nature.
319	* SecretKeeper: One of the dialogue trees leads to her figuring out the Protagonist is an assassin, but keeping that information to herself.
320	[[/folder]]
321
322	[[folder:Leon von Alvensleben ('''spoiler warning''')]]
323	[[quoteright:202:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/katana_zero_leon.png]]
324	[[caption-width-right:202:Let us see how suitable you are.]]
325
326	The lead scientist behind the NULL Project. He is only encountered near the end of the game, hidden inside of an abandoned military testing lab disguised as a slaughterhouse.
327	----
328	* DeadAllAlong: Or at least cryogenically preserved — making it unclear why the giant screens show him holding a sniper rifle when the reticle appears.
329	* GreaterScopeVillain: The one behind the NULL project, and by extension, the entire game, but he's never seen until around the game's climax. And even then he's been cryogenically frozen for quite a while, and dies immediately after being released.
330	* HerrDoktor: As his name implies, he is German or Austrian.
331	* HisNameIs: His pre-recorded messages offer some considerable insight into the plot, but when he's actually confronted in-person, he immediately crumbles to dust; see NoImmortalInertia.
332	* MrExposition: Given his role as lead scientist of the NULL Project, he knows far and away the most about the plot of any character to be met in-game. Unsurprisingly, [[HisNameIs he's killed almost immediately after finally being met in-person, preventing him from giving too much away]].
333	* NoImmortalInertia: He suffers from this after [[TheProtagonist Zero]] releases him from cryostasis, crumbling to dust in a matter of seconds.
334	* SmallRoleBigImpact: He appears for one level, and arguably only a few seconds of his screentime are actually him; the others are recordings. He was also the lead scientist of the NULL Project, making him indirectly responsible for virtually everything that happens in the entire game.
335	* TVHeadRobot: Effectively — if [[TheProtagonist Zero]] triggers any of the ceiling-mounted cameras, Leon's face will pop up on a screen and he will subject [[TheProtagonist Zero]] to a series of tests designed to assess his aptitude as a NULL and kill him if he fails — all while sniping at him. It turns out this is either a sophisticated automated message system or a digitized copy of his conscience a la Arnim Zola from ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier''.
336	* WalkingSpoiler: For his heavy involvement in the NULL supersoldier program, as well as for the circumstances in which he's finally found. He also offers some of the most detailed exposition in the game on who [[TheProtagonist Zero]] is and where he came from.
337	[[/folder]]
338
339	[[folder:Fifteen ('''spoiler warning''')]]
340	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/katana_zero_fifteen_background.png]]
341
342	A mysterious Blonde NULL, out for vengeance against everyone responsible for the NULL Project. He wields similar powers to [[TheProtagonist Zero]], but with greater finesse; he's also his old war-buddy.
343	----
344
345	* AnimeHair: A very noticeable case of it; it's long, blonde, goes nearly past his waist, and is braided into a snaketail. It's one of the traits he shares with his former comrade in arms, [[TheProtagonist Zero]].
346	* AnimalMotifs: Dragons; he's nicknamed 'The Dragon' and his sword's sheath has a stylized dragon coiling around it. Further enforced by his Steam Background, seen to the right.
347	* AxCrazy: Implied. He's driven by a need for vengeance rather than V's sadism or [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] sudden fits of violence, but his torture of V and his DialogueTree options for Fa Yuan are very telling. The Prison is also full of corpses that have been needlessly mangled, hung from the ceiling, or pinned to walls, suggesting that he must have really gone crazy after his playable level ends.
348	-->''Everyone has to die. For making us this way. Everyone.''\
349	''Al-Qasim will die. Leon will die. And You will die.''
350	* AmbiguousSituation: He and [[TheProtagonist Zero]] were partners in the Cromag War. [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Zero doesn't recognize him.]] Exactly what this means for their future dealings is unclear, especially if he really was the one who told [[TheProtagonist Zero]] where to find Alvensleben.
351	* BadassBoast: His introduction consists of him stating that the protagonist isn't the Dragon, ''he'' is.
352	* BadassInANiceSuit: Wears a slightly-disheveled suit which does not slow him down at all.
353	* BloodKnight: He's a ''little'' too eager to dish out some payback, regardless of whether the recipients actually had anything to do with what happened to him.
354	* EstablishingCharacterMoment:
355	** Appearing out of nowhere, ambushes V, and cuts off both his arms within a moment's notice, then claims he's the true Dragon before taking him away for interrogation.
356	** In the Chinatown level, he briefly outlines his plan for vengeance with Headhunter. Showcasing his meticulous planning and gathering intel despite being borderline nuts (with the dossier referring to him as extremely dangerous).
357	* FlashStep: Able to move so quickly he effectively teleports, letting him dodge lasers while slicing through anything in his path as he moves -- to showcase on how fast he is, even the security cameras ''can't'' catch him, indicating he can cover a good 10-20ft in less than a 24th of a second!
358	* IaijutsuPractitioner: Like the protagonist, he fights using iaido — sheathing his sword after every attack.
359	* InterfaceSpoiler: The simple fact that he has custom UI and his own set of animations is probably a sign that he'll be playable again in the future.
360	* IAmAMonster: He expresses the opinion that the [=NULLs=] — himself included — are monsters, and that everyone responsible for their creation should die.
361	* OneManArmy: Like [[TheProtagonist Zero]], Fifteen can effortlessly cut down dozens of heavily-armed enemies without even a scratch. This seems to come with being a GAMMA-Class NULL.
362	* RedBaron: The Media refers to his killings, and later [[TheProtagonist Zero's]], as being the work of a serial killer known as 'The Dragon.' It isn't clear whether the Media came up with this or not, but he appears to like it, since he claims it for his own in his first in-person appearance.
363	* TheRealRemingtonSteele: He proclaims himself to be the ''real'' Dragon when attacking V on the highway.
364	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: His main motivation is hunting down and killing everyone involved with the NULL Project. He's so desperate for revenge that he uses valuable Chronos that he and his allies need to stay alive to torture V — giving him a taste of his own medicine in the process.
365	* RevengeBeforeReason: Wastes a vial of Chronos to torture V to death. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero A vial that could have saved Headhunter's life]] (as she was slowly dying from withdrawal), and [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom prevented her from fighting Zero]].
366	* SuperSoldier: One of the only two known surviving GAMMA-Class NULL, the other being [[TheProtagonist Zero]]. Though this is only true if you take V's final conversation with [[TheProtagonist Zero]] at face value.
367	* SingleStrokeBattle: The end-result of anyone on the wrong end of his flash-step is being dispatched like this.
368	* TheUnfought: Much like SNOW, he never crosses swords with Zero (the latter having fled the scene after he makes his presence known).
369	* NeckLift: As the end of his playable section, he does this to Fa Yuan while interrogating him about the names of Chronos producers.
370	* TheUnfettered: Anyone who stands between him and his revenge will die, as [[LeaveNoWitnesses the entire staff of Mutual-Nil Prison found out the hard way]].
371	* WalkingSpoiler: Shows up out of nowhere about midway through the game, throwing everything out of whack as he does.
372	* YouAreNumberSix: Much like [[TheProtagonist Zero]], he has a numerical NULL designation — in his case, Fifteen.
373	[[/folder]]
374
375	[[folder:Comedy and Tragedy]]
376	A pair of masked men in lab coats, who serve as the game's narrators and are pushing the Dragon towards an unknown destiny.
377	----
378	* EarlyBirdCameo: Tragedy can be spotted sitting, reading a newspaper, at the lobby of Murdower Hotel.
379	* GigglingVillain: Comedy has a habit of letting out sadistic "He he heeeee!"'s whenever something that excites him is occurring.
380	* {{Hallucinations}}: They're ambiguously indicated to be this, suddenly appearing and disappearing. [[spoiler:The only indications that they're not a product of [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] PTSD and Chronos withdrawal is that a cop reacts to Tragedy appearing when [[TheProtagonist Zero]] is surrounded by the police, and, in the ending, [[TheProtagonist Zero's]] apartment is broken into with a note reading "A life for a life."]]
381	* InLoveWithYourCarnage: Comedy ''really'' wants the Dragon to become the embodiment of death, gleefully cackling when urging him to do so.
382	* LemonyNarrator: Tragedy narrates some parts of the game as though he's speaking to [[TheProtagonist Zero]], calling him "errant heart".
383	* MalevolentMaskedMen: As their monikers indicate, they wear theatrical comedy and tragedy masks.
384	* MarionetteMotion: They twitch and spasm constantly, appearing almost zombie-like in their movements.
385	* SirSwearsALot: Comedy is vulgar and revels in it, contrasting Tragedy's faux eloquence.
386	* WouldHurtAChild: They kidnap the [[spoiler:Girl, and in an end credits scene discuss what "baleful end" she is going to suffer — Comedy in favor of doing something ''fun'']].
387	* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Tragedy speaks in botched Shakespearian English, contrasting his [[PurpleProse eloquent verbosity]] with Comedy's crass vulgarity.

Context Characters / KatanaZero