Seth and Urien are men of science. Bison is just pure evil and has an any means necessary approach to things to get to where he needs to be. It doesn’t mean that Bison doesn’t have a grasp of science, on the contrary he likely has a grasp of many things both scientific and mystical, in order to corrupt them to his ends.
Bison is both Raoh and Kaioh IMO, he started out as closer to Raoh and became more like Kaioh over time. But only to an extent. He’s different enough to both to also not be pigeonholed like that.
No other SF character comes close to being what Bison is. The closest, Akuma, is just a man pretending to be the devil. Bison is the devil pretending to be a man.
IMO, keeping Gouken alive after SF4 and doing absolutely nothing with that in SFV was probably one of the biggest missteps Capcom made with the story. Is he back at his dojo? Did he take new students? Did he collect all of his pension savings and take a trip to Vegas with Oro? It kind of messes with Ryu’s story but it is really glaring in the context of Akuma’s story, as killing Gouken was a defining event for him. Is Akuma going to re-kill him, even though SF4 implies that Akuma pretty much can’t win against Mu? It’s all just a mess.
He’s a Master who already passed Life at learn and then teach the art
Despite short playable Life, he’s a SF pillar to me, will find a bit insulting have that figure become a subordinate
Have him sparring/train WITH Oro?
Sure, i like that
Just like i consider Retsu well weaker than Gouken, and i still like the idea of these two old dogs sparring
But a disciple role will ruin Gouken’s aura
Not even if they play a surprise-was-not-dead on Goutetsu (wich they should not) i will like Gouken return a disciple
Ryu is a block of marble still taking shape, Gouken Is a perfect complete statue that should not be touched
He can still (minimal) improve, but just like Oro he’s the Master of himself at this point and his path is set
I think and hope that Akuma will re-kill Gouken post-3S, raising the stakes for the final fight with Ryu and giving ample opportunity for Gouken’s Daughter to finally take centre stage.
Also Gouken returning was critical to protecting Ryu from Akuma during SF4, a time when Ryu was especially vulnerable to the SNH. That was Gouken’s final I-owe-you to his adopted son.
Gouken also critically introduces the power of nothingness into the series that would play a key part in the defeat of Bison and Ryu’s awakening.
Bison Is a man of science
Urien Is a man of science
Seth Is a product of science
Oro in his own way Is a man of science
Gil a man of faith, but his power Is not supernatural (science+ki)
Characters where the line get more blurred are
Kage
Necalli
Akuma (specially the hypotetic “Oni” future)
SFV Sim getting fire power from Fire God Agni
And even for these should be seen where Capcom would settle them in SF universe
Example Akuma’s “Oni” could very well just be not far from what made normal human Oro the Oro we know, just another path of trasformation
And Oro seem to consider all that not “magic” or mystical, just universe being universe
Akuma is a person trapped in the past when it comes to gaining power. He is obsessed with the PURITY of the ancient martial art power he practices. That core, martial arts aspect, ancient and deep, is the driving fuel of his engine in pursuit of power.
Gill & Urien are futurists, constantly looking ahead and grasping at new technology and even prophecy (the most literal futurism) to try to gain power and might. They gladly discard age old traditions for the new (themselves included) and that which is on the horizon. That is their path to power.
Bison? Fuck all that. Why would you EVER worry about the WHY of power? POWER is what matters to Bison. Ancient martial arts lore like the SnH? Cool. Drink it up. Crazy sci-fi devices to amp his scientifically studied Psycho power? Hit me with it. Modern day politicking, drug trafficking, assassinations, graft and such? Yes, yes and yes.
Bison is neither a futurist not one who looks to the past. He looks to HIMSELF. Whatever it takes to get power is what Bison does. Why? Because he deserves that power. He’s the greatest warrior, leader and being to ever live. It is merely natural that all power should funnel towards him and he’ll do whatever it takes to see that through. Morality and honor? Concepts for lesser beings. Prophecies? Tools to manipulate the superstitious. Adherence to one art? Idiotic nostalgia. Reliance on tools? Personal weakness. Rejection of ALL tools? Stupid and undeserved egotism.
To Bison it seems that POWER is power and the path is irrelevant. Explore ALL paths to power. Nothing is verboten. Nothing is sacrosanct.
Im okay for him having a Dojo, or simply died at old age and Gouki starts seeing him irrelevant and waste of time.
Gouken having the fate of dying of an old age, is better it’s like he got the most peaceful end among Gen, Akuma and the rest. Much like how Kenshin in died not as a slasher in Rokounin Kenshin compare to the others he was aquinted with as batousai. I believe that I have mentioned this before.
Giving an ordinary life and death to a person may seems boring for those that are like Gouki and Gen but that can be rewarding in a different perspective.
Re-killing him is kinda meh same as Bison being beaten over and over by Ryu or Akuma. It’s redundant if it would be repeated again just to justify something that was reconned before.
While for personal preference of Why I don’t prefer Gouken to be tried to be killed Akuma again…
Because I want the SF3 timeline Ryu and Akuma confrontation isn’t about Gouken or Gouken has nothing to do with them but rather about to men believing themselves being better along with the clashing of principles and ideas with their fist and will. It’s not anymore also about Gouki trying to convince and chase Ryu to go with SNH.
No, I don’t pretend I like T. Hawk. Here are reasons why I like him:
-Great personality, fights for his land and justice
-Badass fighting style (especially in Omega Mode with a super jump and stuff) and I’m curious what they’ll do with it in SFV
-Is somewhat relevant to the story. Now that the Dolls are free, he can reunite with Juli & Noembelu, and it’s interesting where his story can go further (maybe it’ll be linked with the Delta Red arc)
-His soundtrack is amazing IMO, the best one in SFII next to Blanka theme.
-As a bonus, he shares the same birthday as Ryu, who is my favorite fictional character.
And let’s be honest: there isn’t a single credible Season 4 leak. Nobody (except MrWiz aka the President of EVO) knows what’s gonna happen.
Yes, the idea that Bison’s one goal is to become the strongest out there under any means necessary is what makes him with a fascinating villain IMO. Unlike the other villains, he acts within his own agenda and will do absolutely anything to get more power, even at the cost of his own morality.
Are you trying to taunt me? Because actualIy have been more active recently and keep in mind the vast, vast majority of us have a life outside this thread so I don’t know what you’re trying to say about me?
I don’t know about that. Bison sometimes demonstrates that he has his own moral code that he does not break. He’s a truth teller for example, he’s not the type that deceives like Gill and Urien. He also follows a very Darwinian “Survival of the Strong” philosophy that places the will to the power as its central pillar. This is where Bison and Akuma overlap also.
