Ralf Jones

Ralf Jones is a character and a hero from the Ikari Warriors, Metal Slug, and The King of Fighters video game series. He also starred as the player character in the shooting games T.N.K. III and Iron Tank. Keiko Ijuu states that his visual appearance in Ikari Warriors was based on Sylvester Stallone's role as Rambo, which was popular at the time of his conception. His official nickname is The One-Man Army.
Ralf, and his fellow agent (and good friend), Clark Still, started out as palette swap characters in Ikari Warriors. In KOF '94, Ralf and Clark were very similar in looks and move repertoire, but by 1995, Clark got a newer stance and win pose, while Ralf retained his old ones. In every new installment of the KoF series, Clark seems to be further and further differing from Ralf; while Clark is a powerful grappler, Ralf is more of a power player, making use of some very efficient long-range attacks. Both characters were redesigned in KOF '99. He is also a playable character in Metal Slug 6, where he has the ability to use his punch to knock out vehicles and can survive up to two shots.
==History==
Ralf and Clark are members of an elite mercenary-for-hire agency called the Ikari Warriors. Over the years, Ralf has proven himself to be a powerful soldier with natural leadership abilities and courage on the battlefield. He currently holds the rank of colonel. Ralf and Clark became friends when they were in their 20s and have stayed good friends since. 
Ralf and Clark are are under Commander Heidern's command who orders them to enter the King of Fighters tournament. In KOF '96, Leona Heidern joined the team in Heidern's place. At first, Ralf was skeptical due to Leona's young age but he eventually accepted her. Under Ralf's command, the Ikari Warriors team investigates Geese Howard's suspicious involvement in the tournament.
In KOF '97, the team successfully completed one of their missions on the battlefield. However, Ralf felt unsettled about failing to save innocents in the war zone and requests a suspension from his duties. Ralf is also worried about Leona's troubled state and wants her to recover. Heidern decides to allow the team off duty, and during their time off, Ralf enlists them in the tournament to help keep them in shape and to further rehabilitate Leona. When Leona attempts suicide at the end of the tournament, Ralf stops her and assures her that, even if she has no family, she isn't alone anymore.
During the NESTS saga, Ralf and the team are ordered to participate in the tournaments to investigate what is going on behind the scenes. They are also introduced to a young soldier from the Axe Platoon of the Ikari Warriors, SALLY, who formerly introduces herself as Whip. Ralf, who knows of her whipping skills, initially mistakes her name to be Whippy (Muchiko in Japanese). Since then, he continues to call her this as an affectionate nickname. When she is missing from the aftermath of The King of Fighters 2000, Ralf demands permission to lead a search team for her. While he is ordered on another mission after the 2001 tournament, Heidern relieves his worry by sending him a photo of Whip and Kula on a friendly outing.
==Skills & Abilities==
As a member of Ikari Warriors, Ralf is proficient in martial arts and can utilize military weapons, specifically in the Heidern Style assassination techniques. Ralf is immensely powerful as a mercenary, he can deliver a barrage of punches at considerable speeds at a short period of time. His punches are so powerful that they leave explosions or fiery blasts which can even damage vehicles. Ralf's infamous ability is "Galactic Phantom."
==Other Media==
===Super Smash Bros.===
Ralf appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a background character of the King of Fighters Stadium stage, he and Clark are spirits on Terry's DLC spirit board, both are advanced primary shield spirits that increases the user's power of shooting items. Their spirit battle are on the Gaur Pain stage against two Snakes who starts with super scopes and have increased powers on shooting items.
==Trivia==
*Both Ralf and Clark originally appeared in the Ikari Warriors series. In the U.S. and European versions of Ikari Warriors, they were renamed Paul and Vince, respectively. They both also appeared in The King of Fighters game series, under their original names.
==External Links==
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