<span class="SFPTagline">
From SCIFIPEDIA
</span>
- This article is about the legend. Also see Adam Monroe for more information.
Takezo Kensei is a fictional Japanese warrior-hero on the series Heroes.
The Legend
According to legend, Takezo was once a wild savage who became a master swordsman whose heroics helped unify Japan. He found a sword in the snow that helped him focus his power. The sword and his power were said to be a godsend.
To save his country from war, Takezo went to the Dragon of Kiso Mountain and asked him to teach him the secrets of the sword. The Dragon agreed to do so in exchange for all his love. Though in love with a princess, he agreed in order to save Japan. The Dragon agreed and he was transformed into Kensei, a sword saint.
Kensi fought a great battle that saved his people. Afterward, the Dragon came to him to collect on the bargain. Their, price, the life of his love, the princess. Kensei refused. He instead cut out his own heart and told the Dragon to take his love. Seeing his willingness to sacrifice himself for his people, the Dragon replaced Kensei's heart and breathed fire-life back into him.
Series History
When Hiro Nakamura unintentionally transports himself back in time to the year 1671 in Japan, he discovers Kensei isn't at all what he expected. He protects villages for money and wastes his time being drunk. Furthermore, he isn't Japanese but an Englishman seeking adventure ("Four Months Later").
Unwilling to accept that Kensei could be less of a hero than the man he had grown up adoring, Hiro set to work forcing Kensei to fulfill his role as a hero, even going so far as to take on his identity and scare off a band of villains and rescue Yaeko, the daughter of the sword maker responsible for forging Takezo's sword. Hio discovered that, like him, Kensei had a special ability. He was able to regenerate from any wound ("Lizards").
Hiro transported Kensei to the fortress where the fire scroll was kept, leaving him to face off against the 90 angry ronin. Kensei later returned with the scroll, winning Yaeko's adoration for his heroism ("Kindred").
The three continued to forge ahead and made it to White Beard's camp at Kiso Mountain where they rescued Yaeko's father and learned that he helped Whitebeard make guns that would give him control of Japan. Hiro rescued Yaeko from a near death incident ultimately proving to her that it was he, not Kensei who had performed the actions that had won her love for Kensei. When Kensei witnessed the two kissing, he became jealous and felt betrayed by Hiro. Kensei sided with Whitebeard and recaptured the swordsmith, his daughter, and Hiro ("The Line").
Yaeko and Hiro ultimately freed themselves and Hiro returned to Whitebeard's camp and battled Kensei, and attempted to appeal to his inner hero. Instead, Kensei swore to lay waste to all that her loved. Hiro teleported away before Whitebeards gun powder exploded, leaving Kensei behind ("Out of Time").
To protect Yaeko, Hiro was forced to leave the woman he loved in the past. In the present he learned that Kensei was alive after 400 years and calling himself Adam Monroe. He also learned Adam was responsible for his father's death and vowed to take his revenge ("Cautionary Tales").
History
In the year 1671, Japan decided to close its borders, shutting itself off from all but China, Korea and the East India Trade Company. Unauthorized visitors were to be executed. But within their own country they faced a threat from the war lord White Beard who took advantage of the peace, building a vast army that swept through Japan crushing all opposition.
White Beard decided to capture the small town of Otsu which he planned to use as his staging ground to attack several of Japan's larger cities. Confident of his success, White Beard led a small company to attack Otsu. Ther he encountered Takezo Kensei in what became known as the "Battle of Twelve Swords". Kensei singlehandedly defeated White Beard and his army saving the town of Otsu . White Beard barely escaped alive.
White Beard retreated to his "Hidden Fortress" but Kensei was determined to find him. To get to White Beard's fortress he had to overcome a series of obstacles which became known as "The Trials of Takezo Kensei".
The Trial of the Fire Scroll
The fire scroll is a document said to contain White Beard's strategies as well as clues to the location of his secret fortress. It was said that White Beard had bargained with oni (devils) to keep the scroll safe within a circle of flame. White Beard often tortured spies, traitors, and thieves who've tried to get to the scroll by burning them alive.
To get to the scroll, Kensei had to face off against the 90 angry ronin. Legend says White Beard chose his cruelest warriors to protect the scroll, warriors who were cannibalistic and would eat anyone who dared to steal the scroll. Alone, Kensei fought off the warriors killing all 90 by himself. After accomplishing the task and retrieving the scroll he would climb a frozen waterfall and recover a single crimson peony.
The Trial of the Hidden Fortress
Still on his quest to find White Beard's hidden fortress, Kensei discovers his path blocked by the black bear of Sakashita. Depending on the variation the bear ranges from ten to thirty feet tall, breathes fire and as a shadow, cannot be cut. Nevertheless, Kensei emerges triumphant and recovers from him the "missing map".
With the map in hand, he had the direction to Kensei's fortress but first, he had to overcome the charm of the snake women. The snake women were said to be beautiful twin sisters who employed snake venom as their means of assassination. In legend they were described as half human and half snake able to transform themselves into large serpents and call snakes to do their work. Kensei cut his way through the snakes but each piece turned into a snake which slithered away.
Tired from his trials, Kensei arrived at the hidden fortress where White Beard's forces, Japan's largest army, had gathered. Having already conquered half the country, White Beard was poised to take the remaining half unless Kensei could stop him. Kensei fought White Beard's army for eleven days and nights leaving only those who surrendered alive. At the end of the battle, only Kensei and White Beard remained. Kensei defeated White Beard, saving Japan.
Kensei and the Dragon
Before beginning his trials, Kensei met and fell in love with a beautiful princess. The Princess made him promise to do what he could to stop the threat of White Beard. He set to work training with master swordsmen until he defeated them. Still, he believed his task required more. He sought out the dragon of Kiso Mountain. The Dragon would only teach those who truly needed the help and always for a terrible price. Accepting his cause as worthy, the Dragon agreed to teach Kensei and Kensei agreed to the price of that which he loved most.
After gaining all the knowledge of the sword from the Dragon, Kensei returned to his princess and asked her to marry him. She agreed and they had a beautiful wedding. Their happiness was interrupted when the Dragon interrupted to demand payment, demanding Kensei's love, his princess. Kensei instead cut out his own heart and offered it to the Dragon saying "my love is in here, take it". He died in the arms of his princess.
In some variations of the story, the Dragon returned Kensei's heart and breathed life back into him. Some legends claim Kensei and his bride lived a long time together, others that they left with the dragon and were never seen again. But yet another claims Takezo's life ended that day, leaving his bride grieving.
It is said by some that Kensei's bride created the first tapestries telling the tale of his heroism. The tapestries are credited to Yaeko, daughter of the sword maker.
The Mystery of Kensei
Takezo has come to be believed by many to be a myth. Few records of his existence could be found before or after the period in which he was said to have existed. But as the name "Kensei" translates as "sword saint", it is unlikely to be his real name. Tales of the days before his rise to the status of hero, suggest that he was an ill-tempered savage, of legendary anger. According to legend, it is the famed Kensei blade that allowed him to focus and calm his temper. He was said to have drawn the sword from a field of ice.
In 1977, Daniel Linderman, CEO of the Linderman Corporation, announced that he had discovered indisputable proof of Kensei's existence. He had discovered the Kensei sword. The sword was tested and proved to be the genuine artifact. The sword was stolen shortly before Linderman's murder in New York ("Parasite)
External Links
2008, SCI FI. All rights reserved.
