For people who aren’t familiar with Street Fighter’s history, there’s some confusion over M. Bison and Balrog. For most people in English speaking countries, they know of M. Bison as the dictator, the megalomaniacal end boss. Balrog is the ballsy boxer. In Asia, that’s reversed. M.Bison, an obviously play on Mike Tyson – is the boxer, leaving the dictator as Balrog. In competitive play – because it spans the globe – many just refer to them as Boxer and Dictator for the sake of clarity.
But what if there was a character who epitomised both? There is now, and his name is Ed. The latest addition to Street Fighter V’s growing roster is called Ed, and he’s one of the Dictator’s many clones – which means he’s imbued with the same sort of psycho energy .He was, however, raised and trained by the Boxer – so he has a moveset that mashes up both characters.
Here’s what Capcom says of Balrog’s protégé:
Ed, the young commander, is the next character to join Street Fighter 5 as part of the Season 2 Character Pass. Previously appearing in the story of Street Fighter 4 and Super Street Fighter 4, Ed’s experimental body aged him beyond his years until he was ready for battle.Having been raised by Balrog, his fighting is centered on boxing, but Ed is enhanced by the Psycho Power carried within his genes from M. Bison. Use this power to perform special moves like the Psycho Snatcher V-Skill, Psycho Cannon V-Trigger and Psycho Barrage critical art.
He works a little differently to most characters, too:
What makes Ed especially unique is how players perform his special moves. His special moves have simple inputs; they only require simultaneous button presses, repeatedly pressing a button, or holding down a button. Only Ed’s Critical Art is done by inputting a traditional motion.
While a seemingly odd inclusion, Ed does fit into the established (and convoluted) Street Fighter canon, He appeared in Balrog’s ending from Super Street Fighter 4, and in Balrog’s Street Fighter V story mode – though as a younger bloke. Seems he grows fast.
Last Updated: May 9, 2017
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 9, 2017 at 11:41
I heard he prefers to be called Mister Ed…
https://www.ridetv.com/sites/default/files/mr_ed_costume.jpeg
Admiral Chief
May 9, 2017 at 12:21
SF is such a lame franchise
Geoffrey Tim
May 9, 2017 at 15:31
Erwin used bait. It was not effective.
Skyblue
May 9, 2017 at 17:14
Ooh, read your comment before the rage consumed me ;-p
Admiral Chief
May 10, 2017 at 07:29
Got the biggest SF fanboi to reply, so it WAS effective HA!
GooseZA
May 9, 2017 at 13:32
Dat header! Right in the nostalgia.
Edit – and by dat header, I mean the thumbnail from the story list on the main page.