Hsien-Ko (extended)

Article by: The Coop
Pictured from: Darkstalkers 3
Created by: Capcom
First appearance: 1995

Bio

Born in 1730, Hsien-Ko and her sister Mei-Ling (called Lin-Lin in Darkstalkers 3) lived in a turbulent time of China's past. While they were still young, their mother was killed by a Darkstalker. Orphaned, heartbroken and angry, the two young girls set out to find who or what had taken their mother from them, not knowing the evil that awaited them.

Their search didn't last long, for they were struck down by an evil force. As they lay dying, each made a vow. One swore to find and free the spirit of their mother, while the other would hunt down the powers of the night and destroy all the Darkstalkers. With this, they each released their final breaths, and their new quest began. They were reborn as Chinese ghosts with strange powers, giving them the ability to carry out their vows. However, their time to do this was not infinite.

Slowly, Hsien-Ko and her sister were becoming the very things they hunted. If they were to free their mother and bring down the beasts of the night, they had to do so before the last of their humanity faded away. It took many years, but the duo confronted and bested all the Darkstalkers they found. They came face-to-face with Pyron, a powerful alien made of energy, and began a final battle of vengeance that didn't end until Pryon was laying on the ground, defeated.

With their vows carried out, and the soul of their mother free, the girls collapsed where they stood. But just as the last tendrils of spirit energy left their ghostly bodies, the spirit of their mother appeared. She told them that their sacrifice would not result in their fading into nothingness, but rather a chance at the life that had been taken from them so many centuries ago. At that moment, the essence of Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling were transported into the bodies of two newborn girls, and their lives began anew... free of evil, and filled with happiness. Or was it?

On their sixteenth birthday, the twins shared an odd dream. When they awoke the next morning, they could feel an unknown energy growing within them. Despite this, they went about their daily business, only to have their lives change yet again the next night. This time, they had no dream, but instead were engulfed in a nightmare... one so powerful that they became captive in a state of unconsciousness, and their souls were whisked away to a strange and foreign dimension.

When they awoke in this new place, they found that they were dressed in odd yet elaborately designed clothing. As they took in what was happening, they regained a power that had been lost in a time and life that came before either's earliest memories. They came to the realization that if they were to have any chance at returning home, they would need to combine their powers. Though they didn't know it, the void around them was Majigen, a place created by Jedah Dohma the Dark Messiah, where he could absorb souls in his quest to bring peace to Makai (by uniting all of its souls into one). Cautiously, the girls walked into the dark, evil spirit-filled world before them... and it happily engulfed them.

Just as had been done in their past, they fought through the Darkstalkers, and eventually came upon Jedah. A trying fight ensued, but the girls came out victorious. However, they were still lost in the dark void of Majigen, and could see no way home. Just as they began to panic, an image appeared before them... one of a warmly smiling old woman. Hsien-Ko recognized the old woman from a dream she'd had, and wanted to know who she was. But the old woman merely smiled, and lit a path for the two souls to follow, assuring them that everything would be alright.

The next thing they knew, the girls awakened from their nightmare. They were back from the terrible realm they'd dreamt of, and wasted no time as they quickly ran home... a place they were happy to see once again. They knew their mother would be so happy to see them safe, just as their real mother was.

Quote

"Don't call me the living dead. Don't you know what scares me?"

Selected game appearances

Arcade

• Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge (1995)
• Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (1996)
• Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix (1997)
• Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers Revenge (1997)
• Vampire Savior: Jedah's Damnation (1997)
• Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire (1997)

Neo Geo Pocket Color

• SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash (1999)
• SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2 Expand Edition (2000)

Dreamcast

• Vampire Chronicle for Matching Service (2000)

PlayStation 2

• Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection (2005)
• Namco × Capcom (2005)

References

• GameFan Books - "Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge" guide
• GameFan Books - "Darkstalkers 3: Jedah's Damnation" guide
• Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge instruction manual
• Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge ending
• Vampire Savior: Jedah's Damnation ending
• Wikipedia - "Hsien-Ko"