Strife (Soul Calibur)

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Strife Astlar

Game series	Soul series
First game	Soul Calibur III
Voice actor(s)	Naoki Imamura
In-Universe Information
Age	17
Birthplace	Parousia, Grandall Empire
Birthdate	November 11
Blood type	B
Weapon	Iron Sword
Weapon name	Ambition
Fighting style	Malloy Mercenary Swordstyle
Family	Father (former Grandall king), killed in war Mother, deceased Blood Relatives, executed by Strife

Strife Astlar Grandall (ストライフ・アストラル・グランダール, Sutoraifu Asutoraru Gurandāru^?) is a fictional character in Namco's Soul Series of fighting games. He appears in Soul Calibur III side-quest mode Chronicles of the Sword as the main enemy and final boss of the mode. He's also an unlockable Bonus Character in the main game. He represents the "Iron Sword" Create-a-Fighter discipline.

1 Biography
2 Weapons
3 Trivia
4 Series' Appearances
5 External Links

[edit] Biography

Strife is the only heir of the Astlar dynasty ruling the empire of Grandall. After his father's death during a battle, he's appointed as the heir of the reign when he was only ten years old. Blinded by greed and power, his close relatives plotted everyday to kill him and take control of Grandall for themselves.

Strife endured days without a proper meal, without good sleep and hiding a knife everytime. Eventually the stress and fear started eating away his sanity.

Then one day he started hearing voices every time he sat on the throne. The voices came from deep within the castle. Eventually at the time he understood those voices, his behavior changed completely. He started executing his relatives, and torturing anyone who arises his suspictions. His leadership turned into dictatorship. He also started amassing armies in silence, while not interfering with the war between Dalkia and Halteese. Around this time, he apparently got ahold of the cursed Soul Edge, which further deteriorated his mind.

During the Chronicles of the Sword, Strife takes little actions during the first half, mostly giving orders to the player and the unit to confront Dalkia first, then Halteese. His orders are always discussed by Girardot, as they are almost suicidal. Strife is also reluctant to send more troops to help the player against entire armies. All this because the player is gaining fame among the people, and this has enraged him to the point of wishing to see him/her die.

A year after the end of the war, Strife sent the player against a rebelled Girardot apparently under the advice of Chester, who has turned into his minister. After the Cadet defeats Giradot in battle, Strife appears to finish Giradot off. Unfortunately for Strife, this action causes the Cadet to realize the malevolence of the emperor and his ambitions, and causes the Cadet to rebel as well.

Unfortunately, Strife implanted fragments of Soul Edge into the player's former allies when the Cadet rebelled, somehow allowing Strife to control their minds. As the player, you must fight and defeat Aeneas and the others who helped you in the earlier chronicles. After the Cadet defeats his friends, it turns out they do not die, but instead they wake up from their trance and decide to join the Cadet once again. Apparently, whoever controls the main body of Soul Edge controls the people it's fragments are forcefully implanted in. This "mind control" power that Soul Edge possesses has never been revealed prior to Soul Calibur III.

Strife meets the player's unit at last during the last chronicle, sending his elite troops against them. Even with his best warriors, he's at last confronted by the player and killed in battle.

[edit] Weapons

-- Ambition

A huge sword used by Strife. Ambition is the Astlar dynasty's symbol of imperial power, and was probably his father's weapon first. Despite its weight, Strife doesn't have problems carrying it. However, Strife does not carry or wield this sword in Chronicles. Ambition lends the wielder strength, but lowers the wielder's defence.

-- Soul Edge

It is unknown as to how Strife got ahold of the demonic sword, but he is seen using it for the first time as he slays Girardot at the end of Chronicle 15. He uses it again as he faces off against the Player in Chronicle 20.

[edit] Trivia

Strife's entire costume is made from Create-a-Fighter parts. He has no original parts or features, other than his yellow-green eyes in his 2P costume.
Despite being the final boss and main enemy, Strife's role as such is not revealed until advanced the plot of the Chronicles.
The Old Toledo - Burning Gallery stage serves as his castle's interior during his fight in Chronicles of the Sword. The stage seems to represent the castle being set on fire.
Despite being his default weapon, Strife never wields Ambition during Chronicles. He's always seen using Soul Edge.
Besides moves, Strife's extra weapons are also borrowed from Nightmare's weapons from Soul Calibur II.
During the dialogues of Chronicles its revealed Strife uses fragments of Soul Edge to control his soldiers in battle. He uses this tactic to get the player's old allies on his side.
Strife's Destined Battle (during Quick Play) is Siegfried.
It is unknown who the "voices" Strife heard belong to or what they said that caused Strife to turn into a dictator. It is possible that Soul Edge was within the castle the entire time, and it's influence had spread over it, allowing it to contact Strife without having to be within very close proximity of him. That way Strife could've simply found Soul Edge hidden within the castle or the voices could've told him where to find it. This, of course, is just a theory.
Coincidentally with this character, in Final Fantasy VII, there is a character named Cloud Strife, who, like Strife Astlar, also carries a very large sword.