Round 1 - Pool A
Match #1.
And so we start, not with a random event, but the foundation of all things DL, namely, a duel. Heck, even one of the contenders is a familiar face. After all, we all know and love Worker 8, the magic immune construct who works his foes to death. The randomness comes in his opponent. And what an opponent this is...
Fresh from the North Pole, it's Jolly Saint Nick himself. Yes, Worker 8 is up against the Man from the North Pole. Sadly, since this is a duel, most of his advantages, time shenanigans, extreme high speed transport, and manufacturing capabilities second to none, will have little to no effect against this combat machine. His only real hope is that, somehow, he can justify having a taser, or some other form of device that can carry a spark. Since physical lightning attacks are Worker 8's bane.
Of course... if you follow that Santa can only exist on Faith... then, well, this may not be the right opponent for him.
Match #2
Putting words on a page sounds easy, but when it comes down to it, who can not only manage to get 50k words strung together in a story, but to also make them something you'd want to read?
That said, both of our competitors are likely to actually finish. I mean, first up we've got Sir Lancelot the Brave, who's a certified questor for the Holy Grail. And, while, sure, he's likely going to write something epic, with some adulterous romance going on... and possibly some other goings on... I mean, the knights were kinda off kilter even before meeting up with Monty Python, and the killer rabbits, and the French... Ok, so maybe he won't finish... But it'll be surreal if he does.
Then again, he's up against a product of mad science. Specifically, a bionic chicken that has been forced to watch the worst and most horrific of pop culture. Assuming it's been programmed to write, and it can produce anything that isn't mad chickenscratch, this'll likely be a horror/comedy for the ages.
Match #3
Another Tourney, another Metal Gear Challenge, where both competitors will be given a task that can only be achieved with a combination of stealth, smarts, and skill. How fortunate then that both of our competitors this time are not just military men, not just superhuman military men, but they are the ideal to which all who hold the title Captain strive to reach. Truly, the only difference is what they represent, for one is the defender of Freedom and Liberty, while the other is the Defender of Earth itself.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you, Captain Gordon vs. Captain America.
Match #4
London's finest gather in a seedy bar, smoke creating a haze in the air, as the songstress finishes her song and steps aside. After all, she's just the opening act for a show that'll keep society talking for months. Apparently, the Great Detective himself is taking to the stage, and singing an arrangement of popular songs. And it's all as part of a contest against a thinking machine from the future of exotic Nippon.
Match #5
Much like writing a novel, directing a movie is a task that requires creativity. However, it also requires a much finer eye for detail, as you not only have to balance the story and characters, but you also have to manage the actors, and have a keen eye for detail on the set. And in the end, the goal is less to finish, but to see who can produce the finest film.
Stocke, the finest member of Alistel's Special Task Force, is actually rather well suited for this. He has a good eye for detail, and is capable of dealing well with even the worst of actors. The only question is, what kind of movie would he make?
A question that Fawful does not have. After all, hailing from near the Mushroom Kingdom, it's hard to imagine how he'd get the actors or script for anything the isn't surreal. The only question is, how well can he direct a movie?
Match #6
And so we have our first exception from the old format. Before, every match was two people, facing off in some inane task. Now, we have several people facing off, though the task this time isn't really inane. Instead, we have a team battle, where two teams of four will have to learn to work together in order to win and move on.
The first team is looking to actually be rather well balanced, with each member having something useful to bring to the team, and no one member being explicitely stronger than all the rest. Sterling Archer works well with intelligence and counter-espionage, as well as handling special ops. The Terran Marine is the front line grunt, providing cover fire and damage absorbtion for the main fight. Mog is the artillery with his slam dancing likely to provide the bulk of their muscle. And finally, Simon Belmont, experienced adventurer will likely anchor their team as leader, providing support wherever it's necessary.
Against them is a far less balanced team, though possibly a more powerful one. If nothing else, they'll have the cheap Godzilla knock-off in Reptar, as well as a villain's power in Sho Minamoto and a l'Cie with Snow Villiers. And that's without going into whatever powers Pinkie Pie brings into the mix. Of course, while they're powerful, there's also a leadership vacuum, with Sho and Snow unlikely to accept each other's lead, and Reptar quite possibly rampaging on his own team as well as his enemies.
And so, the main question may be, whether teamwork or power will win the day.
Quick Vote Form:
1. Santa Clause v. Worker 8 - Duel
2. Sir Lancelot the Brave v. Robot Chicken - Writing a Novel
3. Captain America vs. Captain Gordon - Metal Gear Challenge
4. Iris (MMX4) vs. Sherlock Holmes - Kareoke
5. Stocke (Radiant Historia) vs. Fawful (M&L:SSS) - Directing a Movie
6. Sterling Archer, Terran Marine (Starcraft), Mog, Simon Belmont vs.
Reptar (Rugrats), Pinkie Pie (MLP:FiM), Sho Minamoto (TWEWY), Snow Villiers (FF13) - Team Battle
