Arthur (Soulcalibur)

	“	I will never yield to the likes of you!	„
		~ Arthur

	“	You picked the wrong person to fight.	„
		~ Arthur

Background

Arthur is a protagonist of the Soulcalibur series. He was created as a replacement for Mitsurugi, in countries that discouraged samurai imagery and references, and as such he bears both a striking resemblance and vast differences from Mitsurugi himself. Arthur was an Englishman who had been adopted by a Japanese merchant as a young age, and forced to become a warrior. Because of his foreign features drawing bad attention to him, Arthur sought Soul Edge to earn respect.

This dropdown contains the synopsis of Arthur’s story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!

Arthur does not know who his siblings are. Born in a harbor town of England, he was living alone by the time he realized what life was like. On that street, which was the key point of the Atlantic trade, even a beggar could make enough money to live a day. At the age of 8, by the suggestion of a sailor who became close to him, he became a sailor. Life on the sea as a handyman of the ship was fun. But, his travel as the mascot of the ship, being loved by the crew, was over only in two years. When they visited the country of the Far East. In Japan, known as the island of gold, a wealthy merchant, who was trading with them, took him as a stepson. For the merchant, he only took Arthur in as part of his collection of things from the West, but a 10 year old boy couldn't have understood such peculiarity of an adult. He was very happy to have someone to call father. He learned Japanese and the Japanese manners so as to please his stepfather. The Japanese people disliked and criticized "the foreign boy who acts like a Japanese" and eventually, his stepfather offered him to a noble in the excuse that it was to teach him manners. In the battlefield, his appearance was a target. Arrows, blades and lead bullets attacked him. To stay alive, he had no other way but to fight recklessly. And one day, after countless battles gave him confidence about his skills, he realized what he was. Neither a Japanese, nor a foreigner, but a swordsman without roots. The Japanese just look at him with curiosity, not as a man. But there was no way he could be European again, having forgotten his mother tongue already. An ineffable anxiety and nervousness overwhelmed him. What to do to be recognized as a man? The only way was to fight. Achieve what no one else can by accomplishing brilliant exploits! Without knowing what to accomplish, he left his home and wandered the battlefields. To become stronger, he risked his life many times. As a result, he lost an eye that people said was like a jewel and what he gained were countless scars, self-confidence that he couldn't lose to anyone, and a lovely woman who used to be a prostitute, who followed him like a shadow. By the time a baby of mixed bloodline was born, a rumor reached his ear. The evil knight of the West, and Soul Edge. It was like an oracle to him, who didn't know what to do with his life. If he defeats that knight and obtains that sword that's called invincible, this time, people might recognize his skills, then his love and his baby won't be seen as strangers. Leaving behind the woman and the baby, he went aboard a ship again after 20 years. At the moment a cannon signaled the departure of the ship, the long-forgotten scenery of his homeland came back to him like an illusion. Arthur's journey to find Soul Edge was perilous indeed, especially with such a lack of information in a foreign land. Nightmare eluded him, and he was constantly reminded of his powerlessness. He had begun to grasp the vastness of he world and realized that no matter what, humans were only humans. He now appreciated what was important in his life, and understood that his current goal was trivial and meaningless. After a year of searching, Arthur gave up and headed back for Japan. The only piece of proof of his journey he carried with him was a single fragment of Soul Edge. When he arrived and finally saw his partner again after so long, he said nothing, and embraced her. He presented her with the fragment of Soul Edge, not needing it any longer. They were married and he returned to his life as a soldier in order to feed his family. No matter how much he accomplished, he was treated no differently. However, the curious stares of the native Japanese no longer bothered him. For a time, life didn't change. Two years after he was married, a pandemic broke out in his village. Fortunately, nobody in Arthur's family was affected by the disease. His wife was ecstatic, believing the Soul Edge fragment to be a good luck charm. The epidemic passed and the village returned to normal, but his wife became mysteriously ill. One day, Arthur returned home and heard the sound of a body collapsing to the floor. He opened the door to find his wife on the ground with his daughter crying next to her. Her breath was shallow, but her eyes were gleaming with life. Recognizing this situation as an emergency, he brought the best doctor he could find to examine her. All he could do was tell Arthur that his wife was dying. He could do nothing but watch as his wife's condition worsened, until one day she passed on to the next life. A short man, dressed in strange robes, visited Arthur shortly after his wife's passing. He claimed to be a traveling physician who visited because he had heard of his wife's condition. However, engulfed in anger and sadness, Arthur barked at the man to go away. "Probably caused by the fragment..." the man muttered as he left. Those words stunned Arthur. He scrambled to call after the man for more information, but he was nowhere to be seen. After the funeral, he put his crying daughter to bed and contemplated the words he was left with by the physician. If it was true, then the person responsible for his wife's death was none other than Arthur himself! Arthur knew what he had to do. The cursed sword had to be destroyed. In order to undo his wrongs, he must prevent similar tragedies from ever happening again. Arthur prepared for the journey ahead, and boarded a ship with his daughter to foreign lands once again. He had yet to lay his eye on the cursed sword, but his unclouded gaze seemed squarely locked into it.

Codex Statistics

Tier: 9-B

Name: Arthur

Origin: Soulcalibur

Sex: Male

Age: 28 years old (Soulcalibur), 32 years old (Soulcalibur III)

Classification: Swordsman

Species: Human

Occupation: Sailor

Status: Alive

Alignment: Chaotic Good (Though Arthur sought Soul Edge, a extremely evil sword, his intentions were pure. Since he only saw Soul Edge as an invincible sword, and not evil, it was simply a means to an end in order to create a better life for he and his daughter, who were discriminated for their heritage. He wants to earn respect for his family, a selfish yet honorable goal)

Dimensionality: 3-D

Attack Potency: Wall level (Is directly comparable to Heishiro Mitsurugi who doesn't consider rifles to be a threat. Should be comparable to Siegfried Schtauffen, who can dropkick people with this much strength, and reduce a sanctuary of stone pillars to rubble, as well as Astaroth, who can casually smash through stone pillars)

Durability: Wall level

Striking Strength: Wall Class

Lifting Strength: Athletic Human

Travel Speed: Athletic Human

Combat Speed: Supersonic

Reaction Speed: Supersonic (Can keep up with Ivy Valentine, who casually deflects bullets point-blank. Is directly comparable to Heishiro Mitsurugi, who can casually deflect musket fire, which travels between 450 and 540 meters per second)

Stamina: Very High (Arthur, as a trained swordsman, is exceptionally athletic and has a high level of physical stamina, so that he may be fit to fight for prolonged periods on the battlefield)

Range: Standard Melee, Extended Melee with katana

Intelligence: Gifted in combat (Arthur has been masterfully trained in the art of combat from a young age, and is a master of his craft. Because of his race, Arthur was a target on the battlefield and was forced to fight and train harder than any average swordsman. He's capable of taking out renowned fighters, and even the strongest combatants in the world. Due to his training as a samurai, Arthur is well-versed in the art of warfare)

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Powers and Abilities

Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Acrobatics (Can jump and spin during his attacks, flip forwards, and roll to his feet), Martial Arts (Can utilize high-kicks, knee-strikes, and throw people over his shoulder), Weapon Mastery (Can proficiently wield a katana), Damage Boost (Soul Charge powers up weapons), Aura (Soul Charge has Arthur charge up his energy and get a multicolored glowing aura)

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Equipment

• Shishi-Oh: A wide-bladed katana favored by Bizen swordsman Heishiro Mitsurugi. It has a good balance between weight and cutting power that makes it easy to wield, but its more outstanding characteristic is a durability to withstand Mitsurugi's forceful fighting style. It bears the same name as a blade owned by the legendary Minamoto Yorimasa, but it is not the same sword.

• 

  Shishi-Oh

• Gassan: This sword has a thicker blade than is normal for katanas, and lacks a scabbard. It is a sword forged by a Japanese sword smith named Gassan, who is rumored to be an oni demon. It is said that the Gassan has both spiritual and demonic powers. Much like the legend of Sir Arthur and the Sword in the Stone, it chooses who is worthy to wield it, turning against those it deems unworthy of using it.

• 

  Gassan

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Optional Equipment

• Zantetsuken: A Japanese sword that bears no name, yet will likely still remain a legend. Its blade has been honed to an unbelievable sharpness and can cut through even iron. As a result of its focus on cutting ability above all else, it is somewhat frail and weak when struck by an opponent's weapon.

• 

  Zantetsuken

• Wo Dao: A sword from the country of Wo. In other words, it is the Ming Dynasty era Chinese name for a Japanese sword. Most of them were used only for display, but among them were some that were actually used in battle. Even as far away as Europe, the sharpness and power of Japanese swords were well-known.

• 

  Wo Dao

• Monohoshizao: A steel sword said to have been carried by the famous Japanese swordsman, Sasaki Kojirō. It boasts an unusually long and heavy blade for a Japanese sword, and it takes an extraordinary man to even draw it from its scabbard, much less wield it in combat.

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  Monohoshizao

• Shiranui: A secret sword that is said to increase its shine and power in response to its wielder's mind. If one grips this weapon with strong feelings, it will surely respond in kind. It is rather old, and as such, it is somewhat weak against direct blows.

• 

  Shiranui

• Murasame: This is a magical sword of fiction, appearing in Hakkenden, one of the most famous master piece of ancient Japanese Literature.

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  Murasame

• Kokuenra: The frequency with which this katana was used to execute notorious criminals led to its being named after the King of Hell in Buddhist Mythology, whose role it was to judge souls in the underworld. When bloodied, the blade turns black. The majestic glow of the blade is said to bestow upon its wielder an unshakeable fighting spirit.

• 

  Kokuenra

• Masamune: Masamune was a famous fourteenth century Japanese sword smith. This sword is said to have been crafted by him, but whether that is true or not is unclear. But it is such an incredibly elegant piece of work that the issue of whether or not it was made by Masamune himself feels trivial.

• 

  Masamune

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Other

Weaknesses: None notable.

Battle Records

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