Clark Steel

General CVG character


name=Clark Still
caption=
firstgame="Ikari Warriors"
series="Ikari Warriors" series
"King of Fighters" series
artist=
voiceactor=Sean Michaels (Maximum Impact)
japanactor=Yoshinori Shima
inuniverse=SNK character
birthplace=USA
birthdate=May 7
age=34 years old ('95-'01)
height=187 cm
weight=89 kg ('94-'95)
99 kg ('96-'98)
105 kg ('99~)
bloodtype=A
fightingstyle=Mercenary combat combined with Heidern style of assassination arts
likes=His sunglasses, Wrestling, Oatmeal
dislikes=Slugs| nihongo|Clark Still|クラーク・スティル|Kurāku Sutiru is a character from both the "Ikari Warriors", "Metal Slug 6" and "King of Fighters" video game series. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Clark was voted as the staff's twenty-seventh favorite character. He shared the spot with "Kizuna Encounter" character, Kim Sue Il.Cite book | year=1997 | editor=Gamest | title=Gamest Game Hero Collection 1997; issue 208 | pages=1 | language=Japanese | publisher=Shinseisha ]

History

Clark is part of the "Ikari Warriors" mercenary agency. He is currently under the orders of Commander Heidern and Lieutenant Ralf Jones.

Their first meeting with Commander Heidern occurred in a secret operation in the Amazon jungle (in Brazil). Their helicopter crashed, and they had to venture alone in the jungle. When they were about to give up hope, a helicopter suddenly appeared above them. Heidern got down from the helicopter, and knowing of the missions of the two mercenaries, he offered to recruit them in the next "King of Fighters" tournament in 1994. The two soldiers accepted, soon becoming acquainted with Leona Heidern after the next tournament.

After the "King of Fighters 1997" , Clark and his friends focused more on other operations. However, Commander Heidern soon assigned the "Ikari Warriors" to investigate the force behind the tournament this time around. The team also was joined by a new recruit, simply named Whip.

The "Ikari Warriors" began a deep investigation on the NESTS cartel once they found out their involvement in the latest "King of Fighters" tournament. Once Clark and his teammates arrived at Southtown, the Ikari Warriors try to contact Heidern, but to no avail. Sensing something wrong, Clark goes to the designated reunion point, given by Ling. Once there, located in an abandoned factory in the industrial zone, Clark finds his commander badly wounded, but alive. Heidern informs his soldiers that Ling was just a fake, and that he was really Clone Zero, a high-ranked NESTS agent. The team attempts to stop Zero, but are forced to retreat, as the Zero Cannon has already been fired towards Southtown. The Zero Cannon impacts on Southtown, leveling the whole city to ruins.

Back at the Ikari Warriors headquarters, Clark, Ralf, Heidern, and Leona find a video addressed to them in Whip's room. In it, Whip bids her former comrades farewell, apprarently to go off and reunite with her brother K'.

The operation to dismantle NESTS quickly begins as the tournament ends. The team raid and attack several buildings where NESTS operations are supposed to take place but the majority of the installations were deserted. Clark attends a meeting called by his commander, Heidern, in which he tells everyone that Whip has informed them that NESTS will finally "play their hand" in the next King of Fighters tournament as the new hosts, eventually ending in the defeat of Zero and his superior, Igniz.

Personality

In contrast to the rowdy and outgoing Ralf, Clark is taciturn and rarely displays much emotion. However, a melancholic streak is hinted at, and his loyalty towards his comrades is never questioned.

It is implied that Leona has romantic feelings for Clark. On the other hand, Clark seems to have feelings for Whip, as indicated by some of his win quotes and ending comments.

Notes on names

* Clark, like Ralf, first appeared as one of the player characters in Ikari Warriors. In the American and European versions, his name was Vince (and Ralf was named Paul). Coincidentally, one of the members of the band Erasure is named Vince Clarke.
* Clark's last name has been romanized as either "Steel", "Still" and "Styll". Presumably, the name is a reference to Clark Kent, The Man of Steel.Fact|date=March 2008 It is conceivable that the latter versions (the use of which appears to be the current norm) have been adopted to avoid potential legal trouble with DC Comics.

Notes on design/moves

* In "KOF '94", Ralf and Clark were very similar in terms of both looks and moves. However, by '95 Clark received a different stance, as well as a new move, the Super Arabian Burglary Backbreaker (a running grab that complimented his grappling style). He also lost the Gattling Attack, further diversifying him from Ralf. In '96, he was given the Frankensteiner and the running grab was visually changed to a Rolling Cradle. Come '99, Clark also traded his sleeveless bomber jacket and ammo belt for an open military vest.
* Clark's "Clark Lift" special move, which is performed as a follow-up to his "Mount Tackle", looks and works like the Karelin Lift, as performed by Russian wrestler Aleksander Karelin. Also, his "Flashing Elbow" (a follow-up to most of his command throws) and "Shining Wizard" are based on Keiji Mutoh's signature moves. The "Running Three" (S)DM is taken from Japanese female wrestler Chigusa Nagayo.
* Clark's Ultra Argentina Backbreaker (S/L)DM pays homage to The Great Benke's "Triple Benke Breaker" in the wrestling-based manga "THE GREAT MOMOTAROH." The SDM/LDM finishers are inspired by the fantasy-wrestling manga/anime Kinnikuman. In '96-'02 and the Maximum Impact games, he uses the "Clark Spark", which looks exactly like Suguru Kinniku's "Muscle Spark" (the opponent is caught mid-air with what looks like a Gory Special before both fighters crash to the ground). In '03/XI, he instead uses the "Clark Special", his take on the second version of Robin Mask's "Robin Special" (the opponent's neck is caught between Clark's legs as he lands in a handstand position). Also, his "Napalm Stretch" special move is used by Ataru Kinniku from the same series.
* The only occasions where Clark has been seen without his sunglasses is during one of his intro poses in '98 and in the "Cap Team" (Terry, Clark, Lucky) ending picture found in the same game.
* From '96 to '98, Clark and Ralf go into a series of Super Sentai poses before fighting each other. From '99 onward, their special intros consist of generic, informal greetings.

Miscellaneous notes

* Clark and Ralf are playable as supporting characters in Metal Slug 6. Clark can use his Argentina Backbreaker (albeit he only throws the opponent skywards), while Ralf can use his punching attack and is able to take one extra hit before a life is lost.
* Fittingly enough, in "KOF: Maximum Impact 2", both Ikari warriors have secret costumes that reference other Metal Slug characters. Ralf's is that of Marco Rossi, and Clark "cosplays" as his partner Tarma Roving. Furthermore, in Maximum Impact, the "rigging models" for both Clark and Ralf add a helmet and a rifle, the same kind of rifle used by Marco and Tarma (but not Eri or Fio) in the MS series.

References

External links

* [http://kofaniv.snkplaymore.co.jp/english/index.html The King of Fighters 10th Anniversary Official Website]