Zoda is a villain who wants to conquering Earth, even though he is from it, as an "improved version of the human." He has been in a long dispute with the hero of justice, Super Arrow. He has also been marked by Captain Falcon, and once was almost captured for his bounty. Zoda’s crazed tendencies comes from a machine that pumps adrenaline and dopamine into his body.
He enters the Grand Prix races with the Death Anchor to raise funding for his sinister plots, and during this latest race, he plans to take out anyone who dares interfere with his master plan.
F-Zero GP Legend[]
In the anime-based games, Zoda's backstory is drastically different for this incarnation. In the year 2051, he was a criminal being chased by detective Rick Wheeler. He caused Rick to be in a devastating accident that caused him to be put in stasis for 150 years. He was known as the Prince of Crime back then. What became of Zoda afterwards is at first unknown, but he was later revived by Black Shadow as his second-in-command of the Dark Million; it's soon revealed he was exposed to a Dark Reactor Might upon his awakening.
In Lap 33, it was revealed in the ancient diary that after he killed Rick, he headed to the deserted East Bank where he was eventually cornered by ice beam bots. Rose and her team set up the ambush, but Zoda and Haruka were at the center of the scrimmage. They were both simultaneously frozen from the icy mist and were then sent to Alcatrand where they received permanent cold sleep. Till 145 years later.
He was resurrected 145 years later, and after the raid in Planet Alcatrand, he orchestrated a shootout in Mute City which caused a fatal explosion resulting in Jody Summer to become half-cyborg, and her brother, Andy, presumed dead. This resulted in Jody awakening Rick, even though he was planned to be awakened in 2251, as they both know Zoda well as revealed in Lap 6, Chain Reaction.
He often hires the sniper, Pico to do his bidding, but he often dominates over low-class cronies like Octoman, Bio Rex, Baba, and the Death Soldiers even though he often destroys them for spare parts. Often times, he would strike fear into his cronies and miss his shot deliberately. At times, he rebels against Black Shadow, especially when he shifts his attention to Miss Killer; a perfect example was in Lap 10, Double Jeopardy as he engineered a meteor shower unto Outer Space in an attempt to rule over them and become the new head of Dark Million. He also failed to convince Antonio Guster to join his ranks as revenge against Goroh, impressed by his work on destroying his space transport.
During the saga of the Reactor Might, Zoda metamorphosed into a new form and became Hyper Zoda during Lap 26, after Black Shadow forced a Reactor Might into Zoda's stomach.
Several episodes after his transformation, he started driving a new version of his vehicle Hyper Death Anchor. He actually grew more in power during the episode, Scream from the Darkness, in which he was imprisoned in Dark Space by Black Shadow. After Rick and Falcon entered the dark void, Zoda absorbed all the Blood Hawks power and used Death Fire, along with the Dragon Bird and the Blue Falcon, to break free from Dark Space. At first, he was weakened by his new powers, but adjusted to them, so much so that he was able to manipulate the thoughts of Haruka Misaki, awakening her past, and labeling her as a traitor.
In The 150-Year Decision, Hyper Zoda was close to killing Rick a second time, even creating the same sequence in shattering his Dragon Bird after hammering it so many times. But after a flashback, he used a Full Power Boost Fire to keep the Hyper Death Anchor at bay.
It was revealed late that Black Shadow went back in time and brought Zoda with him; it was soon told that he was afraid of the savior's coming, which actually turned out to be Rick, and as revealed by Falcon, they had a common link going back 150 years. In the end, Zoda was imprisoned inside the Reactor Core at Dark Star after he lost a scrimmage against the emperor and persuaded Rick to use all his hate on him and destroy the Core. He did, resulting in Falcon's sacrifice. In 2207, he was the last-minute entry during the Grand Prix, putting his cronies in a sense of dread. From then on, it is implied that he's the new ruler of Dark Million.
Ikran's F-Zero timeline[]
Zoda...wasn't the same one in the X and GX races. There were 2 different aliens of Zoda; the first being the inhabitant of Uma-51, which was just a nemesis to other racers. The second Zoda, the criminal of New York, was the main form in Ikran's timeline.
The criminal escaped prison and Rick chased him down, only to be murdered by the monster by shooting off a door and kicking it thru the windshield! Moments later, Haruka was distraught and had a deep vengeance following him to the East Bank. Zoda was then ambushed by some robots that froze Zoda and was soon taken away to Planet Alcatrand!
145 years later, 5 years earlier then Rick, Black Shadow revived him as he invaded the prison there, and utilizing a Reactor Might, transformed his molecular makeup. He then went on a killing spree in downtown Mute City and began a lethal shootout demonstrating Black Shadow's worth by killing Andy and Jody Summer with a rocket launcher!! Jody survived, but it was presumed Andy didn't; even though he wanted to go by the alias of Burt Lemming and open a new business at the Falcon House. He then met his cronies Bio Rex, Octoman, Baba, Pico and others after the GX competition.
5 years later, Jody had the idea to revive Zoda's nemesis who once captured him, Rick Wheeler. She and Dr. Stewart were successful reviving him, and even she wanted to have revenge; however, unlike Rick, she mostly focuses on her own life, even though it's possible she can be using him for her gains. Zoda has been a menacing threat, even to Tinsel who raced against him in the elite Big Blue course, the Dolphin Dive. She was against him and Baba, and the former kept demoralizing her, even calling her a defect! In her rage, she bashed into the Death Anchor, which impacted Baba causing him to fall into the raging sea!
Zoda frozen by Tinsel's Comet ice jets and soon to be shattered by Rick
He was soon seen again as he captured Tinsel in Port Town's Queen League course, while Rick was up and about before her. Following the chaos, he found his signature gunship, then infiltrated it. He was forcing Tinsel to drink the black solution; the same one in which he contaminated her cannister in Tinsel's Trial while she was training with hovercrafts. Luckily, it was a ploy, as she spat it in his eyes, blinding him before he saw Rick! They were involved in a nasty scrimmage, even taking two firearms and pointing them against his head! He should've rectified the mistake he made 150 years ago, but Tinsel instantly froze him with her Comet's ice jets! Rick then declared the nightmare's over as he threw him down the massive chute, shattering his body!! Although Haruka and Rick won't be completely vindicated till Black Shadow is destroyed and the universe saved.
He was also seen briefly as the familiar prisoner escaping after Rick had been comatose by the Skull. He managed to get away and repeated the same tactic as before; however, Rick slammed on the brakes and immediately covered his head with the denim jacket, protecting himself from the lethal shards! He declared the nightmare was over, till Deathborn mentioned it was only the beginning.
Trivia[]
- Zoda's name is possibly a reference to another Nintendo villain from Star Tropics series.
- Zoda is in fact, a human from Earth, as revealed through the post-race interviews in F-Zero GX.
- In the anime, during Lap 32, his anime counterpart's full name is Zoda Strawberry.
- He was born on May 19 and is currently 42 years old. He also has a blood type O and he was born in Mute City (formerly NY) 150 years prior.
- He loves sweet treats, mostly ones with strawberries, and his hobbies include travel and fashion.
- In Lap 45, Zoda gets chocolates for his birthday and Bart reveals that Zoda used to work in a cake factory 150 years ago. It was then that he was fired for stealing and eating the food, which is why he always had a sweet tooth and soon became a criminal. The Reactor Might seemed to enhance his cravings.
- In Super Smash Bros. 4, he's part of the Trophy Gallery; the data reveals info from both the main games and the anime as he's not only constantly being hunted down by his nemesis, Super Arrow and Captain Falcon, but there was a tidbit from the show saying he was modified by Black Shadow.
- Zoda appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit in the Spirits Mode.
- Zoda may be considered for Ikran's Top 12 Abhorrent Characters in Video Games.
Gallery[]
