Video games seldom deliver a "happily ever after". The fight has been fought, the princess has been rescued, but the sequel is on its way! Why not crank the difficulty up another notch and give it another shot?
In the series Street Fighter Chronicles, illustrator Arman Akopian looks to tell "what happened next" stories of some of the most iconic beat'em'up characters of all time. What happened to Vega after the final K.O? What life did Cammy make for herself when there was no one left to hit?
Each of the story telling captions have been enlarged beneath the image. You can find more of Akopian's work on his blog.
(Images: Used with permission of Arman Akopian)
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Sagat
"After he learned of Ryu's condition Sagat was furious and frustrated. He felt cheated out by fate of the chance for a rematch with his most fearsome opponent and there was nothing he could do about it. Fora while he left the Thai Boxing and street fighting scene, since there was no opponent strong enough to oppose him. But after hearing rumours that there are still some far to reach corners of the vast Asian jungle where warriors fight in the ancient and brutal style of Mui Thai that was practised during the times of war and combats to the death, he decided to seek them out and be part of those ferocious tournaments. Each fight would leave only one man breathing, and those were the kind of odds that made Sagat feel alive again."
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Blanka
"Blanka was overblown with joy after reuniting with his long lost mother. Seeing that she was always anxious and concerned for his well being, due to his street fighting life style, he decided to make a few changes. With the help of his mother's boyfriend, who was a manager at the Brazilian division of Hydro Quebec, Blanka got himself a job as an emergency power generator for some of the hard to reach areas of the Amazon River. It was work perfectly suited to his profile. While buzzing out voltage he casually sips on margaritas and has been known to indulge on the occasional joint or two. Watching the local soccer team play as he powers up the beam lights of the field late in the evening he feels happy and at peace."
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Vega
"It was the end of Vega as we knew him when he crossed paths with the rampaging Ryu. The mad warrior simply ripped apart the narcissistic Spanish matador leaving behind a smoldering carcass of what once used to be Bison's right hand man. But Bison saw this as an opportunity to test his new tech of creating cyber-warriors. After a while Vega emerged from the Shadaloo bio lab as Cyber Vega. Improved and deadlier than ever he is the prototype of the thousand cyber-clones that Bison intends to build on the road to his conquest. As for Cyber Vega himself, he is consumed with the wish for revenge and destroying everything that was once dear to Ryu."
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Ryu
"The man known as Ryu no longer exists. The power of the Dark Hadou has destroyed the soul of the ultimate street fighter leaving behind a demented empty shell that rages with uncontrolled ferocity, making it the perfect vessel for Akuma's evil spirit. Knowing that, Ken Masters has hidden what was left of Ryu in one of the mental institutions that belong to his company. With the help of Dhalsim he has created spiritual barriers that prevent Akuma from possessing Ryu's body in the hopes to somehow find a way to bring the consciousness of his best friend back into this world."
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Guile
"Fate, it would seem, has played a cruel joke with Col. Guile. One of his signature and most fearsome attack moves, the 'Sonic Boom' became the reason for his complete loss of hearing. As a result of that Guile got discharged from the Air Force. And to make matters worse, during the process of the medical exam, overblown with emotions, he lost control over his temper and knocked a military official into a permanent coma. For that reason he got discharged with dishonor and lost all his privileges as a veteran officer. After doing 2 years in prison, his life went downhill. At this point all we know about him is that he is smuggling illegal immigrants over the border somewhere between Mexico and the state of Texas."
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Oyabun
"All of Japan's underworld has to pay heed to the new Oyabun. For the Yakuza clan have been all united under the heavy palm of Edmond Honda. Frustrated at the inability of the police and the military to prevent Shadaloo's expansion in to his beloved country, Honda decided to take matters into his own hands. But in doing so, he chose to approach the problem from a different direction. The Japanese Yakuza, an ancient and powerful organization, with a vast arsenal of quick and efficient methods of solving any problem, seemed like a worthy opponent to Bison's criminal might. And so, Honda joined one of the clans, and quickly rose through the ranks to a boss position. Eventually he managed to unite all the Yakuza under his iron rule. And now he reigns supreme as the sole leader of all the clans."
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Zongief
"Zongief has found God. Or, for one thing that is certain, he went looking for one. What was the strange turn of events that pushed the "Red Cyclone" to start looking for spiritual enlightenment? Was it his recent encounter with Dhalism, who finally, through his Yoga powers, was able to reach Nirvana? Or that he might have realised that there is more to life than fighting? No one knows for sure, what was it that made this Russian Giant disappear in the vast wilderness of Siberia. However, it seems that Zangief is at peace with himself and passes his time chopping wood, praying and wrestling an occasional unlucky bear that would cross his path in the forest."
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Fei Long
"After suffering a crushing and humiliating defeat at the hands of Cyber Vega, and barely escaping with his life, Fei Long disappeared from the fighting scene and off the screens of movie theatres. For three years there has been no news of him until his recent reappearance in one of the street fighting tournaments of Hong Kong where he displayed amazing fighting skills, greater than the ones he used to have before. It turns out that for the past three years he has been at the Shaolin Temple, relearning the true ways of Kung Fu from the Grand Masters in the temple. Fei Long is back like never before and is looking for a rematch with Cyber Vega."
