Juan Sánchez

BIOS
Bellum Bestiae:

A master of stealth, Juan is a thief, though he only wishes to use his thievery for good intentions, and has been that way since he learned the art from his Romani mother. With the intention of helping his poverty-stricken village, and despite fearing that the Spanish Inquisition will have his head if he continues stealing, Juan goes out to rob the Incan royal vault.

ARS SPECIALIS
Puñalada Oculta (Hidden Stab): Juan places his right fist on the opponent's gut, then extends his hidden blade, stabbing them there. On Meter Burn, he throws them to the other side, causing them to slip off quickly. (Match Win Finish Animation: Bleed Out)

Contrarrestar Puñalada Detrás (Countering Behind Stab): Juan extends his hidden dagger and holds it in front of him. If hit by a high or medium attack while in this state, he will do a 360° clockwise spin behind his opponent, retracting his blade as he does so, then put his right fist on their back and re-extend the blade, stabbing them there. On Meter Burn, he kicks them to the arena floor. (Match Win Finish Animation: Bleed Out)

Caida Libre (Free Fall): Juan does a 180° backwards flip and extends his hidden dagger, which he then points towards the ground in a similar fashion to the Assassin ultimate ability, "Deadly Dive," in South Park: The Fractured But Whole, damaging his opponent if it connects. Must be performed in midair. Meter Burn causes a hard knockdown. (Match Win Finish Animation: Bleed Out)

Bomba de Humo (Smoke Bomb): Juan drops a smoke bomb at his own feet, teleporting towards or away from his opponent depending on whether the left (away) or right (towards) button is held. Meter Burn makes the explosion bigger and stuns the opponent for a free hit. (Match Win Finish Animation: None)

Adelante Salto (Forward Leap): Juan leaps towards and over his opponent, performing a 360° clockwise flip as he does so and bouncing off the "wall" to his left or right if close enough to it. Cannot be Meter-Burned. (Match Win Finish Animation: None)

Atrás Salto (Back Leap): Juan leaps away from his opponent, performing a 360° counter-clockwise flip as he does so and bouncing off the "wall" to his left or right if close enough to it. Cannot be Meter-Burned. (Match Win Finish Animation: None)

ARS BESTIAE
Rascarse la Cara (Face-Scratching): Juan jumps at his opponent, turning into his fox form halfway through, then, once he's close enough to their face, beast!Juan claws them there four times, twice with each front paw. Afterwards, he back-flips off them and changes back to human form. (Match Win Finish Animation: None)

Zorro Evadir (Evading Fox): Juan shape-shifts into his fox form and runs under his opponent, dodging any incoming attack except for low attacks, much to the foe's confusion, then back to human form. (Match Win Finish Animation: None)

PERCUTE ULTIMUM
Pre-Percute Ultimum pose: Extends, then retracts his hidden blade

Pre-Percute Ultimum strike: Jumps over his opponent and, while above them, stabs them in the head with his hidden dagger

Juan performs his Bomba de Humo Ars Specialis, disappearing off-screen. Then, wondering where the half-gypsy thief is right now, the opponent looks around for him for 3 seconds until we cut to a 2-second bird's-eye view of them as Juan spies on them from above in first-person mode. Afterwards, we cut back to normal camera view where the defeated foe looks behind them to see Juan, while in fox form, reappear in front of them. He jumps at the losing character and bites them in the neck, which becomes a hidden dagger stab upon Juan changing back to human form, and he then retracts his blade, causing them to fall to the arena floor dead. Post-Percute Ultimum, Juan stands over his off-screen opponent, declaring, "My mastery of stealth is unmatched!"

MISC. INFO
Voice Actor: Liam O'Brien (Naruto, Marvel cartoons, Asura's Wrath)

Destined Battle Rival: Micha

Stage: Pueblo de los Gitanos (Gypsy Village)

Intro Sequence: Juan, while in fox form, jumps into the battlefield, reverting to human form during his descent, then gets back up from a crouching three-point position, declaring, "I am willing to steal...", goes into his fighting stance, and continues, "for a good cause!"

Round Win Sequence: Juan extends and retracts his hidden dagger, saying, "You never saw that coming," then goes into his fighting stance again.

Outro Sequence: Juan extends his hidden dagger, then does a spinning slash, saying, "I have forgotten not..." and retracts his blade, continuing as he throws his cape back, "...that which my mother has taught me. ¡Adiós (goodbye)!", then turns back, crouches down, and leaps off-screen.

PROLOGUE: THE TALE OF THE THIEF, JUAN SÁNCHEZ
(We cut to a 16th-century tapestry of Juan in the Pueblo de los Gitanos running and carrying a bag of stolen gold coins, then some text pops up in a manner reminiscent of the Story Modes of Soul Caliburs III and IV.)

Juan Sánchez was born the son of Antonio Sánchez, a shopkeeper, and his Romani wife, Esmeralda, both of whom lived in destitution. Unfortunately, when Juan was but 12, his father passed away of pneumonia, leaving his mother to be his sole parent, and as soon as the boy turned 14, she taught him the art of thievery.

The fox spirit, Volpes, saw Juan's potential as a thief and inhabited the half-gypsy's body, choosing him as her host. Hearing from one of his gypsy friends of mountains of gold hidden deep within the royal vault of the Inca Empire, Juan left home to find and steal it to bestow upon the villagers and free them from the poverty that they have long suffered.

MIRROR MATCH (QUEST MODE)
(Juan is in his home stage when, out of nowhere, a fiery circle appears in front of him, and Damoclus emerges from it.)

Damoclus: I am impressed you have made it this far, warrior. However, before your destined battle begins, I have one more challenge for you... yourself! (creates another Juan for the real one to fight)

(Out of nowhere, a late-60s, dark-skinned Romani woman, beautiful for her age, with wavy, shoulder-length gray hair appears. She is not only barefooted, like her son, but also wears a pastel yellow dress with half-length, three-layer sleeves and a three-layer, gold-trim purple skirt, with the top part of the dress exposing the shoulders without being too provocative, two small gold earrings, as well as arm bands made from the same material, and red and white flowers on the right side of her head.)

Juan: Madre (mother)! What are you doing here?

Esmeralda (voiced by Cree Summer): Tener cuidado, hijo mío (beware, my son). This trickery you are seeing is of unholy nature. And are you aware that la Inquisicion (the Inquisition) is after you?

Juan: Si, madre (yes, mother). They want my head for the thievery I learned from you, not too long after we lost Padre (Father). (hugging Esmeralda, who accepts) Be sure to wish me luck out there. (kisses his mother in the face, much to her appreciation)

Esmeralda: I most certainly will, cariño (darling). (breaks off her hug with Juan, who then leaves to face mirror!Juan) ¡Adiós (goodbye), Juan!

Juan: Who... are you? You have some nerve, copying my appearance! I am assuming, perhaps... this could be some sort of disguise?

(Both Juans go into their fighting stances.)

Mirror!Juan: I would suggest not referring to it as such... unless you wish to be swiftly executed here and now.

DESTINED BATTLE - vs. Micha
(Cut to an abandoned cathedral somewhere in Europe, where Juan and Micha stand a foot away from each other, looking at each other.)

Juan: I require some of the gold hidden inside your royal vault. Will you excuse me, princesa (princess)?

Micha: And... exactly what do you intend to do with that gold?

(Juan and Micha go into their fighting stances.)

Juan: What I intend to do is get my hands on that oro (gold)! And once I do, my village will be free of poverty!

Micha: Whether by us, or your Inquisition back home, petty thievery cannot, and will not, be forgiven!

SUB-BOSS BATTLE - vs. Torturex
(After the fight, a badly-beaten Micha is down on one knee and one hand.)

Juan: ''¡Si! ¡El oro es mio! (Yes! The gold is mine!) (hoists a bag full of some gold he just stole from the Incan royal vault in his right hand into the air)'' Now the people of my village will be happy.

Micha: Now you have gone too far. Return that gold that you stole to our vault unless you wish to pay the price for it.

Juan: ¡Nunca (never)! I would much rather use it to help those in destitution.

(A fiery portal materializes beneath Juan's feet, slowly dragging him into it.)

Micha: See? This is what those who lay their filthy hands on that which belongs to royalty, the nobility, and all others get!

(Six seconds later, we cut to Juan in the Infernal Torture Chamber.)

Juan: Is this... Hell? Where la Inquisicion (the Inquisition) told me I would be condemned to spend all eternidad (eternity), must I continue to break el Octavo Mandamiento (the Eighth Commandment), "Thou shalt not steal?"

Damoclus: I am assuming you mean somewhere similar. This, human... is my realm, Infernus. In order for your final confrontation against me to commence, you must first get past... my chief torturer.

(Soon after, thunderous footsteps are heard, which are revealed to be those of an emerging Torturex.)

Torturex: Me welcome you to Infernus! Torture you in chains for Lord! Me want watch you suffer!

Juan: None of your attempts at physical torture will work against me, demonio (demon)! (goes into his fighting stance)

FINAL BOSS BATTLE - vs. Damoclus
Damoclus: (sitting on his molten rock throne, infuriated that Juan has defeated Torturex) What is this?! My chief torturer, defeated? (rises from his throne) Very well... I shall finish off that filthy-handed gypsy mongrel myself!

Juan: (walking into Damoclus' throne room with his hidden dagger retracted) I am not about to allow anything to stand in the way of my quest to help my village!

Damoclus: Juan Sánchez, son of two different races, one of which has faced prejudice ever since they migrated to Europe from India. You are a thieving lowlife, and have been since you were not yet fully mature... and Esmeralda's poor parenting is to blame for it. Welcome to your final confrontation against me, Damoclus, the demon lord of the realm of Infernus!

Juan: You mean... like Satan? And for your information, do NOT insult mi madre (my mother) right in front of me, ever!

Damoclus: Oh, I have every right to, and that is an irrefutable fact.

Juan: Exactly what do you mean by that?

Damoclus: As if it were not sufficient that she, as is a common tendency among Romani people, committed all the robbery and pickpocketing that she taught unto you before you, she is no less destitute than everyone else in your village you intend to bestow the gold that you stole from the Incan royal vault, hidden inside... (pointing to Juan's bag, which contains the stolen Inca gold) this bag of yours.

Juan: I rob a vault in order to help those in poverty, and this is the thanks I get?

Damoclus: Yes, and here you will remain to be tortured with no chance of escape!

Juan: I would much rather not face such a cruel fate in Hell, nor anywhere similar. (going into his fighting stance) What needs to be done for my village needs to be done, period!

Damoclus: You think you, a thief, can defeat the demon lord of Infernus? Allow this battle to be your final one! Septemgladio! (his seven swords, Septemgladio, materialize, and he goes into his fighting stance as well)

AFTER WINNING AGAINST DAMOCLUS IN HIS PRIMARY FORM
Damoclus: (badly beaten and down on one knee and one hand) How dare you...?! (slowly gets back up, heavily breathing with his fiery purple glow becoming angry) Never again... will you see... the light of day!

(Damoclus then transforms into his dinosaur form, then lets out a vicious roar, forcing the player to fight him in only one round.)

ENDING
Damoclus: (defeated and reverting to his humanoid form) NO!! This is impossible! (having been beaten even worse, slowly gets back up again, but barely) Me, a demon lord... defeated by a mere thief?

Juan: When I say that nothing will ever get in the way of mi noble búsqueda de robo (my noble quest of thievery)... (jams his right hand into Damoclus' chest and, in an X-ray shot, extends his hidden dagger into his heart) I really mean it!

Damoclus: I will make you pay dearly... (breathing heavily) for ruining my plans! (falls to the molten ground, dead and lying in a pool of his own purple blood)

(Cut to the Pueblo de los Gitanos, where Juan, with a fearful expression on his face, and the bag of stolen Inca gold still in hand, as he is cornered by some guards of both the Spanish Inquisition and the Inca Empire, who point their halberds at him.)

Even though he had defeated Damoclus and put a stop to his plans of dooming humanity and the world, Juan now found himself in trouble with both the Inquisition and the Inca Empire, the latter of whose royal vault he only recently robbed, for his continued flouting of the Eighth Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal."

(Juan is then seen standing on the rooftop of one of the village houses alongside some of his gypsy friends as they throw some of the gold from his bag to some peasants, who raise their hands to catch it as it rains down on them.)

Despite heavy pressure from the Incan royal family and his king, Juan returned only half of the gold he stole to the palace vault and, together with his gypsy friends, bestowed the other half upon his village. Many of the villagers rejoiced, for they would soon be free of poverty. They were very grateful to the thief and hailed him as a hero; however, still, he knew not whether he wished to cease his thievery or not.

(Cut to pre-credits roll, where "The Devil and the Huntsman," from Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, starts playing as we are treated to short animations of all the characters, shown in full-body, in their home stages, with the names of their voice actors/actresses and pieces of 16th-century tapestry depicting said characters as their animal forms on their left or right. Afterwards, the credits start rolling and the song continues playing.)

DID YOU KNOW?

 * Liam O'Brien, who voices Juan here, was previously the voice actor of Gaara in Naruto, Asura in Asura's Wrath, and various Marvel and DC characters, ranging from Doctor Strange (whom he reprises in Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite) and Johann "Red Skull" Shmidt to Kurt "Nightcrawler" Wagner and, in Injustice 2, Eobard "Reverse Flash" Thawne, and did you know he was also Gill from Street Fighter and Querl "Brainiac 5" Dox?
 * Juan's mom, Esmeralda, is one of the few non-historical figure Bellum Bestiae NPCs to warn your chosen character of demonic trickery in their Quest Mode mirror-match cutscene.