Heidern

Heidern is a character in The King of Fighters franchise, originally appearance as a playable character in The King of Fighters '94 in the Brazil Team (later known as the Ikari Team), along with Ralf Jones and Clark Still. He is the commander of the Ikari Warriors, and issues orders to his adopted daughter Leona and his best soldiers: Clark Still, Whip, and Ralf Jones. He is also known as the General of the Soldiers of Fortune.

Biography

In the eight years before The King of Fighters '94 tournament, a 34-year-old Heidern was promoted to his current position for his outstanding martial arts and strategic level. The event was held at a top secret base in Brazil, where his wife and daughter attended the ceremony. Rugal Bernstein grabbed Heidern's high score, attacked the base when he left, and killed 50 Secret Service personnel when he arrived. When Heidern rushed back to his position, Rugal stripped his right eye and thought he was not suitable to be part of his collection. Instead, Rugal kill Heidern's wife and children. Shame and loneliness, he developed his own fighting style and mercenary units, Ikari Warriors. Since then, he has pursued Rugal to revenge against the death of his family.

Sometime before The King of Fighters tournament, he found Leona to be the last survivor of the destroyed village. This girl is amnesiac, Heidern adopts her to take care of her. He initially banned her from attending any training, but she became tolerant because of her inclination to the matter. His refusal to give her a formal rating is a way for him to protect her from some danger on the battlefield.

Starting with the The King of Fighters '96, he assigned Leona to take a role in the tournaments while issuing orders outside the court. Since the Ikari Warriors attempted to destroy the NESTS team, he has continued to play an important role in one of the series of stories, NESTS Saga. He continues this role of the event around this mysterious group known as Those from the Past. When Leona experienced a Riot of the Blood after the 2003 tournament, he decided to pull her out of the next one and stay with her as she recovered. After hearing Ralf and Clark's personal assessment of Leona, he asked his adopted daughter to participate in the competition again. At the end of KOF XI, Ikari team successfully secured Magaki's body and intended to analyze it, but the cruise they were riding was invaded by Shroom and Rimello. The two took Magaki's body, and Shroom also stole Heidern's eye mask and began wearing it as an insult and proof of his ability. Heidern ordered the team to investigate role Those from the Past and Rose Bernstein have in the KOF XIII tournament.

Personality

Very calm and silent, Heidern's personality was built because of the trauma of losing his eye and his family to Rugal. Although he hides his emotions through a veil of professionalism, he cares deeply for all of his subordinates, especially for Leona. Heidern is very strategic, especially when trying to stop a major threat, and has used his group Ikari Warriors to deal with such threats appropriately; he has been known to enlist mercenaries and free agents too.

Outside his sphere of acquaintances, he can be either confrontational, haughty or demanding on the skills of whom he comes up with, and doesn't mince words to call out what he perceives as inferiority. He's quick to praise competence and effort in fighting, however. Whenever he faces anyone he has encountered before (ie. acquaintances, allies, employees, subordinates or colleagues) in combat, he is rather respectful and recognizes their will to be strong.

Heidern is not above accepting help from others, even accepting the help and intel contribution of Adelheid Bernstein, the son of his enemy, the late and recently-revived Rugal Bernstein.

Abilities

Fighting abilities

Razor hands - Heidern's hands can cut and pierce as if they were knives.
Cutting waves - Aside of his slashing hands power, Heidern can create a cutting/piercing wave around his arms. He can also send a cutting/piercing wave flying with his hands.
Life absorption - By piercing his hands in his enemy's body, Heidern can absorb their life-energy and refill his own.
Explosion inducement: Heidern can create explosions, through his own gloves. His adopted daughter also learns this ability from him as well.

Life abilities

Tactical administration and management - Being a leader of a military-like mercenary group, he has managed and dealt with several personalities, including his own band of soldiers, the Ikari Warriors. Apart from Ralf, Clark and Whip, he hires mercenaries and free agents to expedite work, as he is seen assigning missions to Vanessa, Seth, Ramon, Blue Mary, and many others as well.
Tactical planning - Seen in KOF '99, KOF 2000 and KOF XIII, Heidern has been the brains behind coordinated actions against many of the series' organized antagonists, with significant results.
Fishing - One of Heidern's hobbies that most likely ties in with his survival skills and recreation.
Game hunting - Heidern's other forte most likely helps him keep his senses sharp while providing a pastime and recreation.

Fighting style

Heidern employs his self-made fighting style. Said fighting style is a striking martial art with emphasis on his cutting hand strikes, and piercing full-handed thrusts. He is the master of his own brutal self-made martial art, involving cutting with the use of bladed gloves, which seem to conceal explosives and a form of energy generator (used for his signature attack, Storm Bringer).