| “ | They're gonna be screaming your name boy, mark my words.
— Lionel Starkweather
|
” |
James Earl Cash is a death row prisoner and protagonist of the highly controversial Rockstar game Manhunt. Recently executed by lethal injection in 2003, Cash was actually abducted by a director named Lionel Starkweather. The latter promises Cash his freedom, but only if Cash follows his instructions. He must move through an abandoned section of the city being patrolled by a gang called "The Hoods", murdering them as he goes, all the while being filmed by CCTV. Cash successfully dispatches the Hoods, but despite the Director's promise of freedom, he is beaten and thrown into the back of a van by a group of private security experts ("The Cerberus").
Cash is then told by the Director that he reneged on their original deal and that he has more to do before the night is out. Cash is subsequently taken to various locations around the city and forced to face off against a series of increasingly dangerous gangs. First, he is pitted against a group of white supremacists and Neo-Nazis ("The Skinz") in a scrap yard. Then, he faces a gang of former military turned mercenaries ("The Wardogs") in an abandoned zoo. Here Cash has to save members of his own family who have been kidnapped by the Wardogs and are being used as bait to lure him out. Following this, he fights a gang of Satanic Latino occultists and perverted pedophiles ("The Innocentz") in a derelict shopping center.
During this conflict, Cash discovers that the Director had his family killed despite his promise to let them go. After watching their deaths on a TV set up for him by the Director, Cash vows revenge as the Director coldly tells him "I'm all the family you need, now." After again facing the Innocentz in a graveyard and abandoned factory, Cash is forced to face off, in what is supposed to be the final scene of the film, against a gang of schizophrenic, sociopaths ("The Smileys") who have taken over an insane asylum. Here, Cash unexpectedly survives, killing the Smileys (including their leader dressed in a rabbit costume) and escaping the asylum after killing several Cerberus. As such, the Director deploys the remaining Wardogs, led by the vicious Ramirez (Chris McKinney), to hunt Cash down and kill him; from this point on, the Director no longer communicates to Cash.
As Cash escapes the asylum and enters an abandoned apartment complex, he is caught by Ramirez and the Wardogs, who decide to play a little game of cat and mouse; Cash manages to kill the gang and Ramirez before backup arrives. Upon fleeing the area, the journalist reporting on Cash suddenly arrives in her car and rescues him. She explains that the Director is actually Lionel Starkweather, a former film producer from Los Santos, who was popular in the 90s, but was forced to leave the industry due to a "scandal." The reporter has been putting together evidence about Starkweather's snuff movies for months, and now she has enough to expose him. First, however, she needs to retrieve some of this evidence from her apartment. Meanwhile, Starkweather orders the chief of the Carcer City Police Department, Gary Schaffer, to bring both Cash and the journalist to him, blackmailing him that he will expose his corruption to the Liberty City Supreme Court if he does not comply.
Protecting her from the police, Cash takes the journalist safely to her apartment, and from there, heads off to deal with Starkweather personally. Killing off several police officers, Cash then evades the SWAT teams, before making his way through a train yard, only to be cornered by more police and SWAT. They begin to beat him, and just as they're about to execute him, they are suddenly ambushed and killed by the Cerberus, who recapture Cash and bring him to Starkweather's mansion. There, they are about to kill Cash, when Piggsy - a mentally retarded, chainsaw-wielding, muscular tall psychopath, who wears a pig's head as a mask and was normally kept chained up in Starkweather's attic - breaks free. This distraction allows Cash to work his way through the garden and mansion, killing members of the Cerberus along the way. He finally reaches the upper levels of the mansion, where he and Piggsy stalk one another. Cash triumphs after luring Piggsy onto a grate that collapses under his weight. After using Piggsy's chainsaw to hack his way through the last of the Cerberus, Cash finally confronts Starkweather in his office. Upon disemboweling him with the chainsaw, Starkweather pleads with Cash to spare him ("Cash, I made you!"), but Cash thrusts the chainsaw into his face, killing him. Later, the media and the police arrive at the mansion, with the journalist exposing Starkweather's snuff ring and police complicity, and Schaffer is arrested for corruption and brought on trial in Liberty City for his actions. Cash, however, is nowhere to be found. (Taken from Wikipedia)
Battle vs. Rorschach (by Pygmy Hippo 2)[]
J.E.C. & Sons Construction Site
It had been a long time since James Earl Cash had killed Lionel Starkweather. Somehow he managed to avoid police detection and opened up his own business afterwards. But now it was midnight and the only thing he had to do now was shut off the lights. James moved to the power box but noticed a man standing by it, clad in a trench coat and fedora with an ink blot mask.
Cash knew who this was, the vigilante Rorschach. "Listen, I'm done killing people. I just want to make some honest money now. I don't want any trouble." "Dogs like you don't deserve second chances. They get put down." Walter drew his Grapple Gun and fired at James who just barely dodged the shot and ran off to his truck. Rorschach retracted the hook before chasing after the Star.
"Damn it, I didn't load this before." Cash sighed as he set the double-barrel shotgun down and instead picked up the Nailgun. Walter grunted in pain as a nail hit his shoulder before he took cover behind a brick wall. The Star took the opportunity to load his shotgun before leaving the truck and fired at the other side of the wall...to hit nothing.
Before he could react Rorschach had grabbed him from behind and wrestled the shotgun out of his hands before kicking him away. James pulled out his Nailgun but that was grabbed as well. Walter tackled him to the ground before raising his meat cleaver high but got stabbed in the side with Cash's hunting knife. The vigilante grunted in pain as James pushed him off him and ran for his shotgun.
The Star had barely grabbed it when he felt a surge of pain that was burning hot. In fact, it was fire from Rorschach's Hairspray Flamethrower. Cash could barely get a single shot off to end the stream, most of the pellets missing but some hit Walter's already wounded shoulder, causing him to drop the Flamethrower. James rolled around in agony before the flames went out and immediately smacked the vigilante with the shotgun when he tried to hack him up with the meat cleaver again.
Cash was in a panic now, he hadn't been in this kind of situation in a long time but he wasn't going to let Rorschach kill him. He entered the half-finished building and went up the stairs to find a Chainsaw. "So that's where you've been." The Star chuckled before hiding in a dark room and he listened for Walter's approach. Sure enough, he walked past the room and he didn't notice him.
James snuck up on the vigilante before turning the Chainsaw on to which he turned around and fired the Grapple Gun. The hook bounced off the blade and the wire was cut with Rorschach's only option being to block the strike with the Grapple Gun. It was cut in half but it gave Walter enough time to punch Cash in the face, making him stumble backwards before he tackled him again.
The two brutal heroes fell out of the window and the vigilante slammed his meat cleaver onto the Star's arm, forcing him to let go of the chainsaw. Rorschach saw a nearby Circular Saw and turned it on. "Men go to prison. Dogs get put down!" But before Walter could bring the Circular Saw down, he lost an eye to a nail. As he yelled in pain, James pulled the meat cleaver out of his arm and dropped the Nailgun.
Cash used his good arm to hold the Chainsaw and slashed the vigilante's stomach open, forcing him to his knees. "Just do it, dog." The Star obliged and shoved it through the top of Rorschach's head, turning his mask red and black. After a couple seconds of this, James Earl Cash finally let the body and the Chainsaw drop to the floor before he collapsed as sirens closed in.
Winner:James Earl Cash
Expert's Opinion[]
While Rorschach was an excellent hand-to-hand fighter who was capable of using the environment as well as James Earl Cash, he just lacked a lot of edges. James had the far more practical arsenal, was a master of stealth, and had just as great experience as Walter.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Battle vs. Connor (Assassin's Creed) (by Pygmy Hippo 2)[]
Bran Castle, 3:00 AM
Count Dracula's home was almost silent except for the sound of a bed creaking as James Earl Cash laid down on it. After killing Rorschach in self-defense, he had to go back on the run and eventually found this place to stay at. He brought only the weapons he had used that night with him but didn't dare to keep them far away for fear of intruders or the police.
It had been about a month since Connor Kenway's encounter with Takkar and he had received a message from the Order to investigate a castle which they believed belonged to Dracula. He brought only the basics with him and scaled the building before getting on the roof and looking for a way in. He walked and accidentally caused a noise which led to a light being visible from outside a window.
James walked out with his nail gun and a lamp before hearing the sound of glass breaking down the hallway. Rather than charge after the invader, he crept into the darkness and smacked the stone wall with his gun to make a sound. It was a futile effort as Connor's Eagle Vision had already caught him and he climbed to the second floor before pulling out his hunting bow.
He pulled the string back and let a steel arrow fly at Cash's head but unfortunately the man heard it and stepped backwards in surprise. Kenway fired another arrow but this made his foe aware of where he was and the gun shot several nails at him, at least ten, which forced him to retreat after getting hit by a couple. James had avoided getting an arrow stuck in him and now ran back to his room to gather his other weapons before pursuing his opponent.
Connor was more angry than hurt and pulled out his double-barrel pistol as his target went around the corner before opening fire. The first lead ball missed its target but the second hit Cash in the knee, making him grunt in pain before pulling out his chainsaw and revving it up. Kenway had no idea what the weapon that was coming for his face was but he knew it wasn't anything natural and desperately used his tomahawk to block the blow.
James simply pressed onwards and sent the tomahawk flying with the chainsaw's weight before going for a stab which his target dodged. Connor was terrified but still kicked the man in the face, causing him to fall over from the blow, and leapt for his weapon again. Cash couldn't dodge the thrown tomahawk and it dug into his shoulder and he dropped the chainsaw before ripping it out.
Kenway extended his hidden blade mid-leap and plunged it into his foe's gut before he pulled it out and went for the killing blow. Before he could do that, James had gotten his hunting knife out and stabbed his opponent in the right eye with it. Connor yelled in agony as he toppled over and held his face as the man bent down and raised the knife for a fatal wound but he managed to get his blade hand behind him.
Cash felt pain in his back as his target's weapon pivoted to stab him in the spine and his aim was thrown off, instead stabbing the man's shoulder. Connor threw his foe off of him and ran for his tomahawk to finish the job but groaned as buckshot hit his back. Before James could fire his second shot, his opponent was gone and he charged after him with his sawed-off shotgun.
James Earl Cash found him in a back room and blew the intruder's head open before running to check if he was dead. He discovered a potato chip bag on the body however and held it in surprise as he realized that he shot a mannequin. He turned to see Connor Kenway leaping at him with his tomahawk and hidden blade before being pinned to the floor and tried to use his shotgun to hold back the man.
Unfortunately for Cash, his shotgun was knocked out of his hands by a tomahawk swing before the blade stabbed his neck. Connor ended James with another swing to the forehead after that before getting up and cleaning his blades. As Kenway looked in disgust at his foe's body, he realized he had several slugs on his body and popped open the sawed-off shotgun to discover that they were ammo for it, a decent reward he supposed.
Winner:Connor Kenway
Expert's Opinion[]
Connor Kenway had the better mid and long range weapons but James Earl Cash had the better short range and special weapon. Both warriors were incredibly experienced and the X-Factors ultimately came down to Connor's superhuman physique and Eagle Vision beating out James' various improvised weapons and stealth. Despite Cash being from a more modern time period, Kenway still was the better stealth killer.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Battle vs. Ethan Thomas (by SPARTAN 119)[]
Ethan Thomas climbed up a fire escape ladder, into an emergency door on the second floor of an abandoned shopping mall. The door led him into an abandoned clothing store, filled with dusty coat racks and yet more creepy mannequins- for some reason, ever since this crime wave started, people got into the habit of leaving those things lying around all over the place. Standing among the mannequins was one very real person, a man currently tasked with spray painting graffiti on the wall.
The man turned to Ethan as he entered and pulled out a hunting knife, yelling, "I'll fucking gut you!". As the man ran at him, Ethan drew his sidearm, a SIG Sauer P226 and fired three times, hitting his attacker three times in the chest and causing him to slump to the floor, dead.
The sound of the gunfire alerted two more people, both of whom looked like members of the same gang as the man Ethan just shot to rush into the room, the first one carrying a sawed-off pump-action shotgun, and the second a .38 revolver. As they rushed in, however, they made themselves easy targets. The ex-FBI agent fired five times, hitting one of them twice in the chest, and one in the head. Both of them collapsed.
Ethan then advanced, gun in hand, out of the room, only to be greeted with a burst of automatic weapons fire. Ethan jumped behind a column just in time to avoid being hit by another burst. Ethan blind fired three pistol shots around the corner, forcing the gunman back behind cover. A second later, he threw a piece of debris lying on the floor in the direction of the gunman. The shooter peeked out from behind cover, believing Ethan had moved, for Ethan to jump out and fired three shots, killing him.
Ethan ran over the gunman's position, and picked up his weapon, a scoped Colt 933 assault rifle. Suddenly, a bullet whizzed past his head. Ethan took cover behind another concrete pillar. Peeking out for a second, he the scope of a rifle on the first floor about 100 meters away, reflected in the moonlight filtering in through the skylight.
James Earl Cash pulled back the bolt on his scoped Enfield L42 as quickly as possible, and took aim at the location where he saw the gunman on the upper floor. Suddenly, a burst of automatic weapons fire narrowly missed him. Then, with the final round in the burst, Cash felt a stab of pain in his arm. As he ran behind a concrete fountain, Cash realized that his arm had only been grazed by the round- the bone was not broken.
Ethan fired another burst of 5.56mm rounds at his target, impacting the concrete fountain, shattering one side of and spraying shards of concrete everywhere. It was clear the fountain wouldn't hold up to the high-velocity rounds for long. Cash fired his rifle at the area where the shots came from and ran for it, into a nearby store out of the line of fire from Ethan.
As he enemy retreated, Ethan gave chase along the balcony, trying to get a firing angle on Cash. As he did so, however, he stepped on a damaged piece of floor, which collapsed under his weight. Ethan Thomas landed in an abandoned hardware store on the lower floor. He was not seriously injured by the fall, but his weapon had been knocked several meters away.
To make matters worse, James Earl Cash was standing over him with a sledgehammer, about to bring it down on his head and crush Ethan's skull. Ethan rolled out of the way just in time and drew his SIG P226 from his pocket, however, as soon as he raised the weapon, Cash swung again, knocking the gun out of his hand. Ethan was forced to jump backwards to avoid another, landing next to a stack of lighter fluid cans that were apparently abandoned when the store was closed.
To make matters worse, Cash was reaching down to retrieve Ethan's pistol. Not seeing any other options, Ethan grabbed one of the lighter fluid canisters and uncapped it. As Cash raised the gun, Ethan threw a splash of the flammable liquid into the Cash, coating his upper body, including his gun and his face in lighter fluid.
Cash fired the gun, but with his eyes blinded by a faceful of petroleum distillate, he missed. As the same time, the muzzle flash ignited the lighter fluid, the fire spreading from the gun to the entire upper half of his body in less than a second. As Cash fell to the ground, trying to extinguish the flames, Ethan ran several feet in front of him, grabbing the assault rifle he lost in the collapse of the floor. With a single shot to the head, Ethan finished off his adversary.
WINNER: Ethan Thomas
Expert's Opinion[]
Ethan Thomas won this battle in large part because of his training as an FBI agent, meaning he would have more experience and training in the use of firearms, and would likely also have some form of unarmed combat training. Cash, on the other hand, was a hardened killer, but not known to have any combat training.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here
Battle vs. Cloaker (by Guitarcar)[]
It was 7:00 PM.
The streets of Manhattan were silent as 2 vans approach each other in the middle of a dark alleyway.
2 Figures exit the van and meet each other in the middle of the moist alley.
Volkmar: Ach, Is the nuisance here Herr Leopold?
Leopold: Jawhol. I found James Cash right here in this apartment. He is ready to negotiate with us.
Volkmar: Gut! That man has ruined our investment in Cerberus long enough.
The 2 figures knock on the door of a building. James knows his cue and jumps out of a dumpster bin behind the 2 Figures and points his Glock at them.
James: Hands up where I could see them....
Volkmar: I assure you Herr James, we have noone tailing us. The men in the van are here for...the talk.
James keeps his guard and looks around. He slowly walks towards the 2 men.
Leopold: We need the money right now James....Right now.
James keeps the Glock pointed at them. James knows that something is suspicious.
James: I dont trust you people at all. Where are the men in the van?
Volkmar: Ah, Okay then Herr James. Uhmmm Otto! Please come here and drop the guns on the floor.
The Van opens up and a figure drops over to the floor. Blood spilling from his throat. Before the 3 could figure what was going on, Multiple men burst out of the vans with blood on their coats.
Volkmar: What is the meaning of this!
Otto: THIS IS THE FBI!!! RAISE YOUR HANDS UP!!
James: This day just keeps getting better...
James instantly runs right back inside the Apartment as a hail of gunfire cut down the 2 men beside him. He runs towards a switch on the wall and pulls it. Before the FBI agents could burst into the apartment, A loud bang is heard. Explosions ring across the alleyway as multiple shrapnel and debree kill all but one of the agents. James looks outside a peephole and sees destruction and fire. In the middle of it all, Otto stood with both of his legs cut off. James opens the door to finish the traitor until a hail of gunfire whiz past him.
It was a SWAT Team.
He bolts back and closes the door and runs upstairs towards the roof. James reaches the roofs and jumps on another building before sprinting downstairs.
CRASH-
James looks behind him and sees a man cladded in a tactical vest and night vision goggles. He seemed to have missed his attempt to tackle him. James grabs his Glock and shoots the man at the head but smoke suddenly splashes across his face. The White phosporus flash staggers him back a little but he fires afterwards.
The Cloaker: Nice job, youve missed. Now prepare for a difficulty tweak!!!
The Battle starts hereEdit[]
The Cloaker grabs His MP5 and fires at James who is now running away from the gun fire. James realizes he's screwed as his only path is blocked by debree.
Not the man to be easily pushed away, James breaks through the debrees like a badass and runs straight into a room. The Cloaker gives chase.
He bursts open the room and clears the right. Check
He swings his gun left and clears it. Check
He swings his gun on front of him and clears it. Check
The Cloaker: Where the fuck did that guy go?
The Cloaker slowly walks over to the window and looks outside to check wether James jumped out. James slowly drops from the roof he was clinging on and slowly crouches his way over to the Cloaker, ready for the kill.
He grabs his knife and slowly walks over to the cloaker until-
Pling
The Cloaker: Oh, My Wife's trinke-
The Cloaker spots James as he is about to pick the trinket and narrowly dodges the knife that nearly took his life.
He swerves to the side and prepares for the melee.
The Cloaker: I got your DLC right fucking here!
James rushes towards the cloaker with no remorse in his eyes and slashes the Cloaker's arm. Wasting no time, the Cloaker jumps behind James and drop kicks him on the ground. He grabs his nightstick and repeatedly smashes it on James.
The Cloaker: Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?
James looks around to escape the beating and sees his Knife on the floor. He grabs the Knife and rams it at the Cloaker's leg and pushes him away. James then runs outside and hides behind a box.
The Cloaker walks around in pain ready to give James another beating. He walks outside and clears the corridor, He finds a vent and climbs up in it.
James is visibly confused as he listens for the noises in the vents.
The Cloaker: Jeez. It would be a dissapointment if he shoots me from below.
James finds his chance and grabs the Stevens DB from the box and shoots the vent piece on him, The Cloaker drops down in pain. James bolts away and fires again, dropping the cloaker and his MP5 with ease.
James walks away satisfied. He slowly walks down the stairwell until a loud pitch sound is heard behind him.
This time, the Cloaker had him. The Cloaker's green nightvision goggles ripped the darkness in the room and sprints towards him. The charge sends both James and the Cloaker tumbling down the stairwell as they desperately attempt to hit each other with their weapons.
The 2 lands with a thud in the first floor. The Cloaker bolts up and fires at james with his MP5 as he runs for cover. James does the same and fires back with his Glock.
Several bullets pierce James side which causes him to fall on the ground. He rolls over as fast as he could behind a couch as the 9mm rounds rip the couch to shreds.
The Cloaker reloads his MP5 until a S&W round hits it and destroys the gun.
The Cloaker: Hey! That model render took a long time you know!
The Cloaker shoots back at James with his glock. He hits James in the cheek and James retaliates by shooting his goggles off.
The 2 reloads their pistols. James discards his as he forgot to pack another mag and switches to the Nailgun he just packed.
James comes in Needles blazing as he unloads his needle gun at the table the Cloaker hid behind, supressing him. He jumps over and kicks the Cloaker's face repeatedly.
The Cloaker has no way to go until he saw it. His Phosporus Smoke grenade.
He pulls the pin and throws it at James, who takes the full brunt of the smoke.
Before James can react, The Green pitch noise blares his hearing as he is kicked down again. The cloaker tries to beat him until he saw something glowing from the couch he just shot.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT-
Expert's Opinion[]
The Cloaker won this match due to his skills and training as a Special Forces personnel despite losing any weapon edge in the battle.