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— Sabrewulf's story mode description |
Konrad von Sabrewulf, called hímiinhaama (the "Wolf-man") by the Nez Percé tribe of Thunder and Eagle[1], is a major signature character of the Killer Instinct series, having been playable in every game of the franchise since his debut in the original Killer Instinct (1994) arcade game. A German aristocrat who is afflicted with lycanthrophy, the werewolf desperately seeks a cure to his condition before the beast within takes over, and the last vestiges of his sanity are lost forever.
Biography[]
Appearance[]
In the original Killer Instinct, Sabrewulf is a purple/blue-furred, humanoid werewolf with yellow eyes and long claws on his hands and feet, wearing only a tattered, green shirt. He had an abnormally small waist and a massive, upper body. However, if one reaches the end of his arc in the game, his human form is revealed to have tattered, green pants.
In Killer Instinct 2/Gold, Sabrewulf has had his arms replaced with cybernetic implants and lost his shirt. He now wears torn, red pants and a yellow sash. In both games, he has three bats accompanying him.
In Killer Instinct (2013), Sabrewulf's fur has grown longer and more ragged, and he has regrown his original arms, although they're much thinner, with needle-marked veins bulging along his biceps, and he has torn straps around his wrists and a tied cloth knot on his upper left arm. He now wears torn, gray pants instead of his red ones from the previous game. Sabrewulf's retro costume largely mirrors his original 1994 appearance, although he now wears a white shirt instead of a green one, and he has a belt and a blue loincloth which is supposed to be pants that have been shredded and torn up.
Personality[]
Throughout the KI series, Konrad von Sabrewulf is portrayed as a tortured and conflicted soul who is trapped in the body of a monster. Desperate to keep the beast within him at bay, he's willing to do anything for the chance to regain his humanity; participating in the first tournament on promises of a "cure" by Ultratech, subjecting himself to gruesome experiments, and seeking out the Nez Percé tribe in hopes the native lore of the Americas can offer wisdom about his nature as a "skin-walker".
However, promises of a cure soon proved a false hope—a pretense by ARIA to have an opportunity to study the werewolf. Worse still, Thunder told "hímiinhaama" (the "wolf-man") that the spirit dwelling inside him was dark and violent, and not a "weyekin" ("spirit guide") known to the Nez Percé. With desperation taking hold, Sabrewulf turned to forlorn measures to protect the outside world from his alter ego's maddened bloodlust. He would seal himself away in his estate, only to awaken and find its gates busted open with unnatural fury. He'd malnourish himself to the brink of starvation, hoping the beast within would become too weak to wreak havoc come his next transformation; only to discover a wolf is never more dangerous than when it's starving. Now nourishing an addiction to ancient medicines which slow his descent into savagery, Konrad lives in the terrifying knowledge that his chance of being human again grows dimmer with each rise of the full moon.
During Shadow Lords, it became apparent that the dire presence within Sabrewulf neither fears nor answers to Gargos, and is a spirit so ferocious it hunts even powerful evil in its lust for more bloodshed. This soon rendered the werewolf into the ultimate wildcard amid the struggle for Earth's survival.
Powers & Abilities[]
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— Konrad during the events of Shadow Lords |
Suffering from the most virulent strain of lycanthrophy on record and being the longest lived werewolf known to exist in the world, Konrad von Sabrewulf has been studied extensively by Ultratech. Their observations led them to a troubling conclusion: an aged lycanthrope represents a far greater danger than a younger one. While any loss of strength a werewolf suffers in old age is negligible, the dark and ancient instincts they master will more than make up for it. This has prompted ARIA to summarily classify Sabrewulf as:
"One of the most dangerous creatures on the planet."
Ultratech isn't exaggerating in their assessment. Even with his body left in a dilapidated state, Konrad exhibits a frightening physical prowess; steered by decades of experience in devouring alive any creature unlucky enough to cross his path. Sabrewulf not only is feral and savagely unpredictable, but he displays a strange sense of self-preservation, as well as moments of deadly patience. These traits have turned the aging werewolf into a grizzled survivor, and the apex predator of almost any environment he finds himself in.
Killer Instinct (1994)[]
Sabrewulf's original appearance in Killer Instinct (1994)
Story[]
Sabrewulf is afflicted with the rare disease, Lycanthropy. Although he has spent most of his life as a recluse, he enters the Killer Instinct tournament on the promise of a cure if he is victorious.
Extended Story[]
Sabrewulf's retro appearance in Killer Instinct (2013)
Since the day when a wolfbite left him afflicted with a particularly virulent strain of lycanthropy, Count Von Sabrewulf has lived in exile in his remote mountain tower, shunned by society, and struggling with insanity as his disease grows steadily worse. A handful of years back his worst nightmare was realized when he failed to revert to human form at all. Every rumor of a possible cure has been at best a hoax, so when a message arrives promising salvation should he enter and win the Ultratech contest, Sabrewulf is highly suspicious but obliged to seize any chance that comes his way.
Ending[]
With victory, Sabrewulf obtains the cure he sought for so long from the hands of Ultratech. Cured at last of his curse, Count Von Sabrewulf can return to leading a normal existence.
Stage[]
- Main article: Interior Castle
Killer Instinct 2[]
Sabrewulf in Killer Instinct 2 (1996, arcade)
Story[]
Unwilling to succumb to the beast within him, Sabrewulf was badly beaten in the KI tournament. Captured by Ultratech, he is driven berserk by their "repairs" and now has only revenge to live for.
Extended Story[]
Still from Sabrewulf's character bio in KI2 (arcade)
Defeated early in the KI tournament by his reluctance to unleash the beast within, Sabrewulf was heading home, injured and despairing, when he was caught and beaten by an ignorant, sadistic country lynch mob. Barely alive, he ended up back in the hands of Ultratech who set about making their ungodly ‘repairs’. But the pain, loss and humiliation rapidly drive the Count over the edge: breaking free of the company’s clutches, he lopes back into the world with only revenge to live for.
Endings[]
Kill Glacius
With Gargos defeated Sabrewulf pursues his search for a cure. There is nothing left for him in this time, so Sabrewulf grasps the opportunity to return home. Hope has finally vanished and life is emptier than ever. Having still found no cure, his only achievement was a petty revenge.
Don't Kill Glacius
With Gargos defeated Sabrewulf pursues his search for a cure. Sabrewulf bitterly regrets leaving alive a member of a race he made his mortal enemy. Bereft of all hope, Sabrewulf finally succumbs to the madness of the beast. All that was once human to him is finally gone.
Stage[]
- Main article: Sabrewulf's Castle
Killer Instinct (2013)[]
Baron Konrad von Sabrewulf's new appearance in Killer Instinct (2013)
Story[]
Having endured agonizing procedures to remove his freakish cybernetic implants, Sabrewulf feels no closer to reclaiming his humanity. Barely clinging to sanity, he nurses an addiction to ancient medicines and artifacts which seem to slow his descent into savagery.
Extended Story[]
The Lycanthrope’s Tale:
- Main article: The Lycanthrope's Tale
Endings[]
Spare Thunder, ULTRA Fulgore:
Sabrewulf recognizes another restless spirit in Thunder, who admires the wolf for being one with his spirit guide. Sabrewulf comes to realize he is not a man with the body of a wolf, but a wolf with the heart of a man. He accepts the beast within, and resolves to remain a lone wolf.
Spare Fulgore, ULTRA Thunder:
Bloodlust reawakened in combat, Sabrewulf directs his savagery towards the relics and medicines which promised a return to human form. Seeing them as a source of weakness, he smashes them to dust, surrendering his last vestiges of humanity. The Age of the Wolf begins.
ULTRA Both Thunder and Fulgore:
A wolf knows only survival, but a man can know victory. Triumphant against every adversary, Sabrewulf feels more human than he has in years. As the moonlight ebbs away, he feels a transformation sweep over him, and begins to wonder if he should put on a shirt.
Stage[]
- Main article: Alchemical Lab
Similarity of Interior Castle (KI) and Sabrewulf's Castle (KI2) During an Ultra Combo, an electric orb strikes all the equipment, completely wrecking the laboratory. During the slow music due to characters not moving, his remixed classic theme, "Tooth & Claw" will play.
Gallery[]
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Killer Instinct Comics
Quotes[]
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— Baron von Sabrewulf reflects on his grim destiny |
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— Hope wanes... |
"I must either cure this curse... or master it."
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— Konrad addresses Mira Fallegeros during Shadow Lords |
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— Sabrewulf to Mira (Shadow Lords dialogue) |
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— Konrad warns his bite is much worse than his bark |
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— The grizzled lycanthrope starts taking sides |
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— Sabrewulf bears witness to the chaos wrought by Gargos' invasion |
Trivia[]
- Before the 2013 reboot that changed his entire backstory, Sabrewulf used to be known in the original universe as "Count von Sabrewulf".
- However, certain missions on Season 3's Shadow Lords mode do call him as such.
- Sabrewulf's name comes from a ZX Spectrum game called Sabre Wulf, which was made by Ultimate: Play the Game, a company that was later to become known as Rare. Rare & THQ released a new Sabre Wulf game on the GameBoy Advance in 2004. This game also features Sabrewulf's distinct howl.
- Sabrewulf is the only character whose opponent in the first KI tournament was never revealed. It also isn't known which opponent badly injured Sabrewulf in the first Killer Instinct, the cause of his bionic arms, either. However, considering that every other character had their opponents revealed (Glacius vs. Cinder, Thunder vs. Spinal, Jago vs. Fulgore, and TJ Combo vs. Riptor), it can be assumed that Sabrewulf's opponent was Orchid. However it is stated in his KI2 ending that Glacius was a member of a race he made his mortal enemy, making Glacius a likely candidate for who maimed Sabrewulf after he defeated Cinder.
- Kevin Bayliss, an artist of the original Killer Instinct, claimed in his Twitter hashtag #killerinstinctfacts that Sabrewulf was originally capable of transforming back into his human form as a weakness. However, the mechanic proved too complicated and was scrapped.
- Jean-Edouard Miclot, the sound designer at Double Helix, performed Sabrewulf's voice in the 2013 game. A YouTube video by Miclot explains that the voice was created by blending his gritted human vocals with animal sounds, which included an english bull terrier, labradors, jaguars, lions, lynx, elephants and bears.
- Sabrewulf's emblem in Killer Instinct (2013) interestingly shows a razor-clawed werewolf's paw. This is undoubtably the same werewolf paw that Konrad, back when he was human, accidentally cut himself with during one of his drunken stumblings. The mounted and severed paw passed on its lycan curse to Konrad, turning him into a werewolf.
- The paw would later reappear in the fourth chapter of the KI Novella as Mira tried to use it to kill Sabrewulf, however, it instead amplified his lycan powers and increased his muscles, claws, and body mass; she had inadvertently activated his Instinct Mode.
External links[]
- Sabrewulf's character page at the official Killer Instinct website
- Sabrewulf's gameplay profile at Infil's The Complete Killer Instinct Guide
Media[]
- Killer Instinct arcade playthrough (1994) - Playthrough of the original 1994 arcade game with Sabrewulf
- Sabrewulf's Ultimate - First reveal of Sabrewulf's new Ultimate Combo for KI 2013
- Roman225 (Sabrewulf) vs Ovis (Riptor, Eyedol) - Video compilation of pro gamer matchups with Sabrewulf (KI 2013)
References[]
- ↑ Briefing for the Sabrewulf-specific mission "The Wolf Weyekin" during Shadow Lords gameplay mode
| Killer Instinct (1994) Characters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playable | Jago ·Black Orchid ·TJ Combo ·Glacius ·Chief Thunder ·Sabrewulf ·Spinal ·Cinder ·Riptor ·Fulgore | |||
| Boss | Eyedol | |||
| Killer Instinct 2/Gold Characters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playable | Jago ·Black Orchid ·TJ Combo ·Glacius ·Sabrewulf ·Spinal ·Fulgore ·Maya ·Kim Wu ·Tusk | |||
| Boss | Gargos | |||
| Killer Instinct (2013) Characters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Jago ·Sabrewulf ·Glacius ·Thunder ·Sadira ·Orchid ·Spinal ·Fulgore ·Shadow Jago | |||
| Season 2 | TJ Combo ·Maya ·Kan-Ra ·Riptor ·Omen ·Aganos ·Hisako ·Cinder ·ARIA | |||
| Season 3 | Kim Wu ·Tusk ·Arbiter ·Rash ·Mira ·Gargos ·General RAAM ·Eyedol | |||
| Season 3+ | Kilgore ·Shin Hisako ·Eagle | |||
