Mind
The Legacy of a King
Jul
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King is more than just a luchador, more than just a combatant in the Tekken tournaments. Inside the mask he’s a man with a mission. A drive to establish a proper legacy in this world while he has time in it, a legacy worthy of a King.
Orphan Turned Guardian
In his youth, King was an orphan living on the streets by his wits alone. Naturally combative, he frequently either instigated or got involved in street fights, until one injured him so badly, he was left on death’s door. His life was saved by a priest at a monastery, and from this moment on, King decided to dedicate his life to helping others, rather than getting into needless fights. He founded an orphanage, and began training to fight in the Tekken tournament to provide for his young charges.
This kind of fundamental character shift, from scrappy miscreant to guardian, often can only come from a truly drastic life experience. For King, it was a near death experience, coupled with a benevolent savior. Drastic life experiences are almost ALWAYS catalysts for change. They don’t have to be inherently negative, though! If you’re looking to make a big turnaround in your own life, you can induce change without having to have a brush with death.
Inducing a drastic change can be making a big scenery change (move somewhere new, or travel somewhere for a while.) It could be switching careers if you’ve been stuck in the same one for a while. Switch to a new diet archetype (go vegan?) Sell all of your stuff and donate the money to your favorite charity, and try a life of simplicity. Make some sort of big, major paradigm shift, without the ability to easily go back, and you’ll be amazed what kind of a transformative effect it can have on you.
Strength and Sacrifice
Once he took on the charge of running an orphanage, King had to solve a problem. He needed money, desperately. Even with the positive change in his life, he was still a former street urchin with basically no skills besides fighting. He didn’t let that kind of obstacle stand in his way, though. He returned to the world of combat, entering the ring as a luchador to win prize money for his adopted family of orphans.
Fighting might seem like an obvious option in the situation, but you have to think about the fact that King had previously left a life of constant fighting behind him. A return to combat could not have been an easy thing for him, mentally and morally speaking. However, now that he was fighting for a cause rather than just a thirst for violence, he was able to push back those misgivings, and play to his biggest strength: The ability to kick ass.
Don’t accept obstacles. Don’t accept limits. Acknowledge your strengths and play to them, don’t give up the gifts you’ve got. If you feel like you don’t have any strengths to play on, then it’s time to start trying new things. You’ll never know what you can really do until you try!
Perseverance Through Adversity
Despite initially winning the money for his orphanage in the first King of Iron Fist Tournament, King’s orphanage eventually falls on hard time again. King, too, runs into troubles, in the form of alcoholism and depression. After the death of a child in his care, he ends up losing himself completely, almost giving up. This is when Armor King finds him, and helps him find his center again. Together, the two train for the next tournament.
Persevering through adversity is one thing to talk about, but another thing entirely to do. It’s incredibly difficult, especially when you’re on your own. King’s friend helps him through his troubles, giving King the catalyst to get back on a healthy path. Having allies there to help pick you up when you’re down is incredibly important, but they’re only part of the journey. They can help pick you up, but standing on your own feet again is an act of personal strength and willpower.
Remember the beliefs you live for, and the ideals you strive to represent. Though King lost his way, he found his path again by remembering those who depended upon him for help. He found his passion, and returned to the ring.
Legacy
In the end, King (the first King,) loses his life in a battle against Ogre, the god of fighting. Though this is a tragic end for a true hero, he leaves something behind: A legacy. Not content with merely providing for the children in his orphanage, before he died he began to train them in his strengths. He taught them how to defend themselves, how to fight, and how to stand up for what they believe in.
Teaching and setting an example for those around you is the best way to leave your impact on those around you. Model the behaviors you’d like to see others exhibit, and strive to teach everyone what you know. Your legacy, then, will continue on, growing your legend even beyond your own days.
That’s it for our time with King. Sorry for the long break, I’ve been getting things rolling over at Hero Academy Fitness, and things have been a little crazy. We should be back on regular weekday updates again now. =)
I’ll see you tomorrow with a new character breakdown! Live boldly, change the world, and continue to be awesome!
