Every fan has their dream match ups, the heroes or villains from different pop culture sensations that they’d love to see do battle. And we’ve seen them all over the course of many decades. Superman met the Xenomorphs, Batman fought Dracula, GI Joe teamed with Transformers, and did you know Archie battled The Punisher? Yes, that was a dark time where comic companies were out of ideas. Good thing they’re filed with amazing new ideas today–er–never mind. In either case, I, like every other fan boy, has his ideas for fantasy battle royales. And here are ten that I think would be quite incredible.
Whom among these competitors would be your choice for victor among these battles? And what individual or team would you pair in a fight?
SON GOKU VS. RYU
Now the logical match up would be Goku vs. Superman since it’s been stated that Goku is actually supposed to be “Dragon Ball Z’s” version of Superman. But Superman can’t shoot fireballs nor can be fight martial arts, so we thought Ryu from “Street Fighter” would be the more interesting match up. Ryu has been masterfully trained and is arguably the most powerful character of the “Street Fighter” series with incredible moves, damaging martial arts skills and the ability to hone his powers in to lethal fireballs at will. Ryu is at one with his abilities and knows how to defeat almost anyone in the CAPCOM mythos. Goku is an alien of near invincibility who is so strong even his hair can’t be cut.
Goku also spends years training in other dimensions that it makes up almost half of the “Dragon Ball Z” series as filler. If you took all the filler out of the series, you’d only have ten episodes of the show, really. Goku can also transform in to giant monkey at the sight of a full moon. Ryu has battled demigods, super powered beings, monsters, and opponents who have had his form of training. Goku has fought cyborgs, monsters, super soldiers, and even beings in the after life. So this fight would be about as long as a normal season of “Dragon Ball Z.” And the world would pretty much collapse in on itself from the damage these two would inflict.
Edge: Goku. Goku would take a major beating from Ryu’s own powers and brilliant martial arts, but in the end Goku always comes out a winner. Even with his long drawn out bouts of dialogue he’s prone to delivering in the show. And he has his other Saiyin forms to help in battle.
BALOO VS. LAUNCH PAD MCQUACK
Baloo and Launchpad McQuack are journeymen, who find great art in their skill set. They’re never out of a job, and both are pilots that love what they do. Their planes are their brushes, and they’re warriors of the sky. Sure, they’re goofy, and somewhat childish, but once they pilot an airplane, there’s nothing that can stop them. Baloo was originally a lazy old bear in “The Jungle Book” who became a master pilot for “Higher for Hire” testing his skills against sky pirates, and the worst scalliwags along with his sidekick Kit Cloudkicker. Launchpad was a pilot for Scrooge McDuck and his nephews, who eventually became the ace pilot for superhero Darkwing Duck, acting as his sidekick, second in command, and co-guardian for Darkwing’s niece Gosling. Both pilots are worthy of their status, and both can find methods around violent foes in the sky.
Edge: Baloo. In the end, while Launchpad and Baloo would have a very close and very intense display of skills and techniques, Baloo has more endurance and strength. He pilots a huge plane that out flies even the fastest planes. Plus, he has the advantage of his young ward Kit at his side.
ELEKTRA NATCHIOS VS.
BEATRIX KIDDO
Both women are powered by vengeance. Both women are skilled warriors. Both women were trained by masters. Both women defied death. Both women were almost murdered by a psychopath hit man. Both women had tragic romances. Both women went through hell to avenge themselves. Both women found themselves on a quest for vengeance where they were riding on lies the whole time. And both women are driven by their skills for the edged weapon of choice. And let’s not forget, both women have spent decades trying to atone for their sins of murder. But who’d win in a battle?
Edge: Beatrix Kiddo. It’d be a literal battle to the death, with both women incapable of toppling the other’s skills, but in the end Hattori Hanzo’s sword always wins out over sais, plus Kiddo knows the “Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique.” It’d be the last fight Elektra ever had.
GIZMO DUCK VS. INSPECTOR GADGET
Gizmo Duck is another stalwart from “DuckTales” who found new digs in “Darkwing Duck” as the valiant robotic hero “Gizmo Duck.” Unlike Darkwing, he’s a celebrity and taken very seriously by his fans. With his catchphrase “Blathering Blatherskite,” his suit is assembled and he can fight crime. Inspector Gadget is a cyborg whose body poses all sorts of uses and abilities with the declaration “Go Go Gadget” allowing the crime fighter to beat up bad guys and solve the latest crime pulled off by The Claw, with the help of his niece Penny and her dog Brain.
Edge: Gizmo Duck. Gizmo Duck is a much more focused and collected hero. While he does fumble and misstep every now and then, he knows his suit more than Gadget knows his own weaponry, and it’d be a defeat by the heroic Duck.
BUCKY O’HARE VS. FOX MCCLOUD
Quick as a Hare, or sly as a Fox? Fox McCloud is a fighter pilot recruited to fight the evil mad scientist Andross in his airwing, alongside his crew of anthropomorphic animal fighter pilots. They’d be nowhere without Fox, who is the most cunning of them all, and is the center of the game series “Starfox.” Bucky O’Hare is the leader of a bunch of space traveling roughnecks, where an eternal war wages between Mammals and Toads. The Evil Toad Empire named KOMPLEX constantly threatens the crusty Captain.
Edge: Fox McCloud. There is no other animal as cunning as a Fox, and with his experience in the galaxy, Fox would prove a very devious combatant for Bucky O’Hare, and his crew.
SUPERMAN VS. SUPERMAN BLUE
Superman, born Kal-El, is the last son of krypton, who now fights crime and helps mankind as the super powered hero known as Superman. Superman Blue is an energy based being whose pale white and blue suit keep his electric abilities in tact. With it he can use the properties of electricity, and travel at lightning fast speeds.
Edge: Superman. Superman Blue is just a human and a mortal when he becomes Clark Kent. Superman is immortal and invincible no matter who he is. Superman merely has to wait for Superman Blue to become human and pound him in to the dirt.
THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN VS. HE-MAN
In the futuristic wasteland of 1994 (!), Thundarr is a skilled warrior who fights mutants, monsters, and evil Wizards in an apocalyptic Earth where terrain is desolate and dangerous. With his laser sword, he unleashes pain to anyone who stands in his way. He-Man is really Prince Adam, an heir to the throne of Eternia who, with his power sword, becomes the buff warrior He-Man. Riding his Battlecat, he and the Masters of the Universe battle the evil Skeletor.
Edge: He-Man. The Power Sword is one of the most powerful weapons in all of fantasy and science fiction. Plus, He-Man has trained under Man of Arms, so Thundarr, while a fierce warrior in a bad ass setting, wouldn’t stand much of a chance.
HELLBOY VS. PINHEAD
One being rules over the hell dimension, while the other being was created to rule over Hell. Both are neither man nor monster, and both lead a mod pack of paranormal beings. Hellboy fights for the good of mankind with his monster friends and government organization, while Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, unholy S&M demons who inflict pain and pleasure on their victims and posses immense power.
Edge: Hellboy. After Pinhead made poetic declarations, with Hellboy responding with one-liners about kicking his ass, Hellboy–with help from research conducted by Abe Sapien–would beat the Cenobites down, and eventually find a way to trap them in their puzzlebox once again. Hellboy would leave battered and bloody, but the victor.