Ralf Jones

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Ralf Jones
Ralf Jones in The King Of Fighters 2003
Game series	King of Fighters series
First game	Ikari Warriors
Voice actor(s)	Monster Maezuka
In-Universe Information
Birthplace	USA
Blood type	A
Fighting style	Martial arts + Heidern style of assassination arts

Not to be confused with Ralph Jones, an American football coach.

Ralf Jones (ラルフ・ジョーンズ, Rarufu Jōnzu^?), originally known as 'Paul' in the US, is a character from both the Ikari Warriors and King of Fighters video game series. He is believed to be inspired by Sylvester Stallone's role Rambo. He is also a playable character in Metal Slug 6, where he has the ability to use his punch to knock out vehicles, and being able to survive two shots.

Like Mario and Luigi, Ralph and his fellow agent (and presumed good friend) Clark Steel 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.

Ralf Jones has been voiced by Monster Maezuka from his debut, who also voices Kyoshiro Senryo, Caffeine Nicotine, Choi Bounge, and Benimaru Nikaido.

1 History
2 Trivia
3 Related characters
4 External links

[edit] History

Ralf Jones is a member of the Ikari Warriors, an elite mercenary for hire agency.

Ralf and Clark Steel first met commander Heidern during a secret operation in the Amazon jungle in Brazil. Their mission to reach the village of Ikari was stopped short by a helicopter malfunction which landed them deep into enemy territory. The two were forced to venture alone into the jungle. The two would complete their mission, but had lost radio contact with their squadron. With all attempts to radio in futile, and their rations running short, the two were close to giving up hope. Luckily for them, Heidren managed to find them during a sweep of the area. Impressed with their abilities, when Heidren was invited to the The King of Fighters '94 and was to form a team, Ralf & Clark were the first on his list.

In King Of Fighters '96 Ralf and Clark were introduced to their new team-mate Leona Heidern who was replacing her adoptive farther in their Ikari Warriors Team and the team were sent to investigate Southtown crime-boss Geese Howard who entered that year's tournament (as part of the popular Boss Team) the following year Leona (and Iori Yagami) went into the Riot Of Blood (an instigated process by which a member of the Orochi bloodline becomes a powerful berserker) Leona became very depressed and wanted to commit suicide, and it was Ralf who gave her the will to continue, and gave her his trademark bandanna to re-tie her hair.

After the The King of Fighters '97 , Ralf and his friends focused more on other operations. However, commander Heidern soon assigned the Ikari Warriors to investigate the new 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 Ralf and his teammates arrived at Southtown, the Ikari Warriors try to contact Heidern, but to no avail. Sensing something wrong, Ralf goes to the designated reunion point, given by Lin. Once there, located in an abandoned factory in the industrial zone, Ralf finds his commander badly wounded, but alive. Heidern informs his soldiers that Ling was just a fluke, 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, levelling the whole city to ruins.

Back at the Ikari Warriors headquarters, Ralf, Clark, Heidern, and Leona find a video addressed to them in Whip's room. In it, Whip bids her former comrades farewell, apparently 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 to 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 Igniz and his superior, Zero.

In King of Fighters 2003 Leona’s Orochi bloodline caused her to go into a rage and badly injure Ralf and Clark.

[edit] Trivia

The King of Fighters games occasionally make fun of Ralf and Clark. Sometimes when they meet, they will do the "Cross Changer" pose, a reference to Chojin Sentai Jetman. Also seen in the art gallery of King of Fighters 98 for Neo-Geo CD, where there is a reference to Jetman again with Leona defending Ralf and Clark dressed as the Commander from the series.
A special ending in KOF '97 features Ralf in his Ikari Warriors outfit, which was based of Rambo [1]. This outfit is his alternate one in KOF: Maximum Impact. In the sequel, KOF: Maximum Impact 2, his outfit and hairstyle are the same as Marco Rossi's, from the Metal Slug series.[2]
Ralf joins the small list of KOF characters with an "alternative version" in Maximum Impact 2. "Armor Ralf" is Ralf armed with massive spiked gauntlets and shoulder pads, and to a lesser extent, boasts a new hairstyle as well. Armor Ralf is also unable to block, but has much higher defense as one would expect, going by the name. Armor Ralf also cannot be "thrown" by any means, giving him a somewhat unfair advantage over the rest of the cast. However, in the arcade remake of Maximum Impact 2, Regulation-A, Armor Ralf is removed in favor of Ash Crimson.