Dystopian Madness: V vs Ronin

Today in Deadliest Fiction, let us go to the bleak future where freedom is naught and dictators rule. When freedom is infringed, its up to the freedom fighters to save everyone. But what happens if the freedom fighters are the one who'll face each other?

V: The anarchist-slash-terrorist of dictator England.

vs

Ronin: The nameless samurai of lawless New York.

It's a battle between two well-known dystopian freedom fighters from the minds of Alan Moore and Frank Miller. Who is deadliest?!

V (Comics)[]

V is an anarchist and the main protagonist of the graphic novel V for Vendetta. The background and identity of V is largely unknown. Due to the ill effects of worldwide famine, disease and a devastating war, the British government has morphed into a fascist dictatorship led by Norsefire. This new hardline government uses excessive force and extreme measures to keep the population in line. They built concentration camps where political prisoners, homosexuals, Jews, Pakistanis, Muslims and probably all non-Europeans are exterminated.

Despite the troubling police state, there is one individual who is willing to stand up to the government. His name is V, a shadowy figure who speaks in riddles and quotes literary figures from the storied past. He wears a costume at all times, a costume that includes a hat, wig, cloak, and a mask. V has the ability to thwart the government by seemingly appearing out of nowhere to carry out his vendetta, including destroying public buildings to send messages. Additionally, he wants to get back at the government for oppressing him specifically in the past. At one point, V was held captive at the Larkhill Resettlement Camp, one of Norsefire's infamous concentration camp. After escaping, V determines to go after those responsible for his torture and incarceration. He enacts various plans to torture and kill each of them, slowly causing the break down of Noresfire in the process. His plans also caused widespread riots and disturbance that further diminished Norsefire's now leaderless government. V makes the ultimate sacrifice at the end of the novel to complete his vendetta against Norsefire.

Hugo Weaving portrayed him in a 2005 film. The popularity of V led to the Guy Fawkes mask becoming the symbol of anarchy, with the hacktivist group Anonymous adopting it as their symbol.

Weapons[]

Knives - V uses straight double-edged knives, specifically designed like Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knives, with wired handles to give a firmer grip even with blood running down. V can use two knives at once and can even use them as ranged weapons by throwing them at his enemies. To use these knives, V has mastered his own form of combat, which is probably based around HEMA, specifically Elizabethan or Paranza Corta. He seems to know hand-to-hand combat and pressure point fighting.
Grenades - Besides his knives, another ranged weapon he uses predominantly are grenades. Most of these grenades are gas grenades, from tear gas to blind and exasperate enemies, to smoke grenades to escape or ambush opponents.
Explosives - Like all anarchists and terrorists, V uses explosives a lot. He mostly uses old-fashioned TNT, though sometimes he would also rig his equipment with explosives (like at one point, using a fake hand filled with explosives to trick and kill people). During his first battle against Norsefire, V used mustard gas. Since then he has mastered the art of destruction, with bombs that can destroy something as small as the Lady of Justice Statue or something as large as the House of Parliament.

Ronin (Comics)[]

Ronin12 — "This here's Ronin -- and he's an event. Biggest, baddest thing to ever hit this town. I mean rilly." - Head

Ronin is the nameless protagonist of the comic book limited series Ronin. His story begins in Feudal Japan as a samurai charged with defending his master, Ozaki. However, Ozaki is assassinated by the shapeshifting demon, Agat. Ozaki's spirit grants the now-ronin his magical sword, the only tool capable of slaying the demon lord. The Ronin then goes on a journey to slay the demon, which he succeeded at the cost of his own life. But on his dying breath, Agat curses him to the same eternal prison as itself, within the sword.

The story then cuts to a near-future dystopic New York City, a lawless wasteland. What is left of civilized New York lives inside a massive complex called Aquarius, which is owned by the ominous Aquarius Corporation. The city is powered by Virgo, a sentient computer who is gaining more and more control over Aquarius. Meanwhile, by supernatural means, the ancient Japanese sword is discovered, releasing Agat and the Ronin. The Ronin's soul was then absorbed by Billy Chalis, a telepathic autistic man. After further cybernetic enhancements, Ronin and Agat continue their blood feud throughout Aquarius and across the wastelands of New York. All the while battling street gangs, Neo-Nazis, and Aquarius's security forces.

The comic series is yet to be adapted, however its influence is well-known to many artists and writers. Genndy Tartakovsky, the guy who created Samurai Jack, admitted to having been inspired by Frank Miller's Ronin. Samurai Jack and Ronin bear a lot of similarities, from time-travelling samurai, dystopian futures, to a shape-shifting demon.

Weapons[]

Tachi - A traditionally antique sword that's quite longer than a katana (approx. 70–80 cm). Ronin wears it on his back, though he's quick enough to draw it and behead someone with a single stroke. As a former samurai, he is highly skilled with it. His fighting skills consist probably of Kenjutsu, Jujitsu together with Iaijutsu.
Yumi - As a ranged weapon, Ronin uses a red yumi bow. He's pretty accurate with it, capable of shooting the barrels of firearms with ease while riding on horseback. Not even motor-riding cops could handle him and his bow.
Technopathy - Since he possesses the body of the cybertelepathic Billy Chalis, Ronin is capable of controlling technology to some extent. His whole capabilities with it is not entirely seen, but in combat, he mostly uses it to order his dismembered robotic limbs to attack people, or make digital equipment like computer-assisted firearms and motorcycles explode with a thought.

X-Factors[]

Physicality

V - 90
Ronin - 80
- There's no doubt that V is stronger and faster. The experiments done to him at the concentration camp gave him superhuman powers. He can easily punch his fist straight to someone's chest, easily jump on board speeding trains with parkour, and was said to be able to dodge bullets. During his confrontation with Eric Finch, the latter managed to shoot and hit V with his pistol, but Finch believed that V could have easily dodge his point blank shot if he wanted to (V planned to die that night). V can also easily lift full grown adults and blitz multiple opponents at once. Ronin isn't as strong or as fast, but he is hella durable due to his cybernetic enhancements and healing factor. He can survive getting shot by short-caliber weapons (though one shot was enough to cripple him) and can reattach his dismembered limbs. Ronin can draw his sword faster than someone can pull the trigger of a pistol.

Intelligence

V - 88
Ronin - 75
- V seems to have more feats when it comes to intelligence. The guy literally took down a whole government single-handedly. He defeated each of his targets with devious creativity, from using obsession, trauma, and their hubris against them. He once hacked Norsefire's AI to trick them as well, and even rallied London to rebel. The only problem is that he did have 5 years to plan everything out (and he's a crazy 'un too who talkes to statues). That being said, V is smart enough to adapt to things he possibly couldn't have predicted. Ronin is smart himself, capable of outsmarting the shape-shifting demon Agat in their first fight. He knows strategy and can dispatch people with precision. That being said, his prep skills are less impressive than V's. He's more of an adapter than a prepper (not to mention the many times he got tricked into working for people).

Experience

V - 80
Ronin - 95
- Don't get me wrong, V has his fair share of battles. But most of his combat are against thugs and the Scotland Yard that Norsefire threw at him. He had to contend with more than one of them, but they were humans even so. Ronin meanwhile, fought against samurais, street gangs, megacorporation police, to supernatural demons (like a giant humanoid rat and the shape-shifting demon Agat).

Notes[]

The battle will take place in an alternate future of America where Donald Trump successfully enacts his plan for a Trump Dynasty. This dystopian authoritarian future is filled with bigotry, racism, and full-on human rights abuse, so its up to the rebels to put an end to this. The battle specifically will be on a post-apocalyptic version of Portland (renamed as Biden's Slums). V and Ronin will be in this city, but distrust and varying life philosophies (V believed in total freedom while Ronin believed in order and discipline) will make them fight each other.
The battle will not start off face-to-face. Each will be on separate sides of the city. Their job is to hunt down the other. Each warrior will not have any info of their opponents (so no preps). For example, V will be able to rig certain nooks and crannies with explosives before his eventual meeting with the Ronin, but will not have any information in regards to where the Ronin will be in.