Ken Masters

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 Alignment | Neutral Good

**Ken Masters**, is one of the main characters for Capcom's Street Fighter series.

## History

At the point when Ken was around 12 years of age, thought that his son needed to learn about discipline, or his son would become a spoiled brat all of his life and try to leech onto the Masters' family fortune. With a specific end goal to do as such, the senior Masters sent Ken to Japan to prepare under his closest companion, the mysterious karate ace Gouken. At to begin with, Ken was exceptionally reluctant to gain from Gouken, needing to do a reversal to the United States, yet later started to regard his lord. He even delighted in the adopted of Gouken's adopted child, Ryu, since he had a thwart to at long last force pranks on, in spite of the fact that this got Ken into a great deal of inconvenience. Ryu and Ken would later turn out to be closest companions and each other's vital adversaries.

At the point when Ryu was 23, Gouken chose that both of his students had grown up to be fine warriors and chose that their preparation was over and could now leave the dojo. Ryu chose to venture to the far corners of the planet keeping in mind the end goal to proceed with his preparation, while Ken was at long last cheerful to about-face home to the United States after his years of straining his back for his lord, Gouken, lastly taking in the significance of humility. In the wake of returning home, Ken contended in a wide range of Martial Arts competitions held in the United States, winning the greater part of them.

While Ryu was participating in the first World Warriors tournament, Ken was fighting a completely different one in the U.S where he met his future wife, Eliza. They would later have a son named Mel. Around the same time he would meet his protege named Sean.

## Powers & Abilities

* **Shotokan**: The fighting style is an assassination art, or ansatsuken, that was founded in Japan during the feudal age. The style used by Ryu, Ken, Gouken and Akuma is rooted in this very art, which is energized by the Satsui no Hado ("Surge of Murderous Intent"). While Ryu focuses on the technique, Ken opted for stylish unpredictability.
	+ **Hadoken ("Surge Fist" or "Wave Motion Fist"):** A Chi-based wave of energy that travels towards the opponent. The EX version of this projectile is bigger and stronger.
	+ **Shoryuken ("Rising Dragon Fist"):** A strong jumping uppercut. Ken can perform a stronger version, with which he imbues his fist in fire and burns the opponent. The EX version consists in two fiery Shoryuken delivered in quick succession.
		- **Shoryureppa ("Rising Dragon Rending Blast"):** Two or three Shoryuken delivered one after another. The last uppercut is usually imbued in flames.
		- **Shinryuken ("Shenlong/God Dragon Fist"):** Ken first performs a normal Shoryuken, then storms the opponent with a rapid combination of kicks and finishes with an extra-powerful, flaming Shoryuken, creating a vortex of fire while spinning on himself.
	+ **Tatsumaki Senpukyaku ("Tornado Whirlwind Leg"):** Ken jumps and performs a powerful spinning kick that hits the opponent multiple times. He can also use another variety, starting with a knee strike and then delivering several kicks in an arc motion. With the EX version, Ken begins the move with a knee strike, then performs a stronger Tatsumaki Senpukyaku which brings the opponent up into the air.
		- **Guren Senpukyaku ("Crimson Lotus Whirlwind Leg"):** Ken playfully points at the opponent with a cocky smile and proceeds to unleash a barrage of flaming Tatsumaki Senpukyaku as he spins in a horizontal straight line.
	+ **Reppu Hadoshu ("Gale Surge Kick"):** Ken fires a Hadoken from his feet. He can able to fire up to two, each capable of traveling forward or upward.
	+ **Kamabaraigeri:** Ken delivers a knee strike and extends his leg to hit the opponent a second time. Then, he turns around, ready to follow with another attack.
		- **Raikou Nataotoshi:** After performing Kamabaraigeri, Ken brings down his heel and hits the opponent.
		- **Shippu Jinraikyaku ("Lightning-Speed Leg"):** Ken moves forward and delivers two Kamabaigeri, follows up with a rising kick and then launches into a vertical Tatsumaki Senpukyaku that brings the opponent up into the air. He finishes with a last roundhouses kick that sends the opponent onto the ground.
	+ **Zenpou Tenshin ("Forward Turnover"):** An evasive move. Ken performs it by rolling forward.
	+ **Zento ("Front Drop"):** A variant of the Zenpou, used as a feint to mislead the opponents. Ken rolls, lands on his back and then returns to his initial position.
	+ **Knee Bash:** Ken grabs his opponent, delivers two knee strikes to their face and then hits it with a kick to the chin.
	+ **Hell Wheel:** Ken grabs his opponent, and falls in backwards roll, planting a foot on the opponent and applying pressure, causing them to flip back and land on the ground.
	+ **Shoulder Throw:** Ken grabs his opponent and pulls them over his shoulder, causing them to land on their back.
	+ **Inazuma Kick:** Ken performs an overhead following-legged axe kick that hits the opponent two times via his heel.
	+ **Thunder Kick:** Ken slightly rushes forward and delivers an overhead axe kick with his leading leg. Ken can also suddenly interrupt the move, performing a feint.
	+ **Chin Buster:** Ken delivers a punch into the chest region.
	+ **Chin Buster 2nd:** Ken delivers a punch into the chest, followed by an uppercut to the chin, launching the opponent into the air.
	+ **Lion Breaker:** Ken hits his opponent with a high roundhouse kick to the head, followed by a crescent kick which will launch the opponent into the air.
	+ **Forward Step Kick:** Ken steps forward and then launches a fast kick at the opponent.
	+ **Focus Attack:** A heavy move that grants an augmented defense to the user during the execution and, if it lands, makes the opponent crumple. Ken's version consists in a low roundhouse kick.
	+ **Guren Enjinkyaku ("Crimson Lotus Flame Swift Leg"):** Ken begins with a jumping kick that, if successful in hitting the opponent, begins the attack combination where he jumps off the opponent with the other foot, spinning on the ground backward before he runs back up and hits the opponent with a furious upward-flying flaming Tatsumaki that ends with a final, slightly prolonged kick going straight across the opponent's face.
	+ **Senpu Nataotoshi ("Whirlwind Hatchet Drop"):** Ken blocks an opponent's attack and then replies with a flaming kick.
	+ **Shadow Thunder-Kick:** Ken quickly dashes backwards to dodge an incoming attack and replies with a powerful roundhouse kick that strikes the opponent before they are able to react, knocking them down
	+ **Quick-Step:** Ken runs towards the opponent, closing the distance in an instant. He can also choose to step kick or input another attack closer to the end of his run.
	+ **Ryusenkyaku ("Dragon Flash Leg"):** Ken leaps forward and performs a wheel kick on the opponent.
	+ **Heat Rush:** Ken channels flames through his entire body for a short period of time, which powers up his special attacks by increasing their number of hits and improving their trajectory, allowing him to perform even more damaging combos. His Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Ryusenkyaku are enhanced with this fire.
		- **Shakunetsu Hadoken (Scorching Heat Surge Fist):** A Hadoken imbued with fiery energy which Ken is able to shoot during Heat Rush.

## Alternate Forms

### Violent Ken (Non-Canon)

Violent Ken is a more ruthless, daring, and cutthroat version of Ken. He gains the Rasetsu Kyaku, a special dash like teleport that can close distance with a faster startup and recovery than the Ashura Senku, and the Shinbu Messatsu, where he immediately rushes forward at the opponent, putting all of his anger into one attack. He then executes a Rasetsu Kyaku, making multiple attacks; then Ken is pushed back and repeats the process landing more blows onto his foes.  Due to the attack's recoil, Ken is pushed back, and repeats another dash to continue the flurry of blows. He is also much more brutal with his special attacks, with more hits in his Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Unlike Evil Ryu however, who requires careful reservations of space and control of strength to ensure his somewhat slow speed doesn't leave him open, Violent Ken does not have much variability in his movesets, and requires a lot of control of pace to properly win, including knowing when to strike and to pull off combos; his moves are reflective of Violent Ken's erratic and unstable berserker-like nature, using up more energy than he can coherently realize and leaving him dangerously close to "burning out".

* **Rasetsu Kyaku:** As Violent Ken, he dashes in a daring instant, flashing ahead akin to a teleport, passing through both the opponent and their projectiles.

### Power of Nothingness

The Power of Nothingness is a state of consciousness transcending ordinary perspective, born through spiritual and mental refinement. Bearing common traits with states of being within Buddhism, martial arts, and spiritual perfection, it is the power to act without being attached to emotions and thought, free of fear, anger, pride, and ego, to draw upon the contents of one's heart intuitively without obstacle and hesitation, and to be aware of the world and to know one's place and meaning within its vastness, to flow with all of creation without the need of worry, desire, and doubt. While Ken has practiced it, he hasn't mastered it like Ryu, although he did use a similar ability to defeat Akuma in the US Cartoon. During his fight with C. Viper, Mu no Ken awakened inside Ken and not onl protected him from Viper's electric attack, but also counter it.

## Feats

### Strength

* Managed to uppercut Dan up high 15 feet into the air.
* Kicked a punching back hard enough to the point where it exploded.
* Managed to knock a bull unconscious with just a single hit.
* Punched through trees with ease.
* Knocked a helicopter out of the sky thanks to a combined Hadoken with Ryu.
* Along with Ryu, managed to easily punch through solid stone.
* Ken’s Shoryuken punch is strong enough destroy a building.
* Ken can produce Shoryuken attacks powerful enough to make a giant beam of light
* He beat down Zangief in one strike during the U.S tournament

### Durability

* Got back up after falling 100 feet down to a cliff
* Survived a vicious attack by Akuma who is at the very least island level.
* Survived a blast from Rosonov, which was as big as a large building.
* In a fight against Vega, Ken lost a lot of blood, got stabbed multiple times, broke both his feet, got his foot and arm stabbed but still kept on fighting despite all that.

### Skill

* Defeated Ryu on 4 separate occasions.
* Defeated Vega while he was bleeding out.
* Defeated M. Bison by teaming up with Ryu.
* (Non-Canon) Defeated Akuma
* Defeated the likes of Karin, Sean, Sakura, Laura, Zangief, Charlie Nash, Vega, Birdie, and F.A.N.G
* Won multiple martial arts tournaments.

## Weaknesses

* **Cocky to a fault**: Ken can overestimate his skills at times, leaving him open for an attack
* **Busyness:** He focuses on his company and family nowadays

## Fun Facts

* As a result of potential lawsuits, Ken was given the last name "Masters" so he would not be confused with Ken Carson from *Barbie*, a *Mattel* owned franchise.
* Despite being born in the United States of America, Ken Masters is actually 1/4th American and 3/4ths Japanese.
	+ However, this might mean that he has Japanese ancestry and is an American citizen.
* Ken actually dyes his hair blonde, his hair is naturally black.
* Despite not being confirmed by Capcom, it is possible that Ken Masters is actually inspired by the real life martial artist named Joe Lewis, who also happens to be born in the United States who went to Japan to train in martial arts.
* Ken was the one to give Ryu his iconic red headband.