Kenshin Himura ended up as History teacher for the other students but that didn't keep him from joining them in their other classes : power usage, ethics and home economics especially. He displayed a maturity and wisdom beyond his apparent age and had no problem making the others respect him (even if he had to demonstrate to Ranma a fraction of his fighting skills).
Nobody but Sunfire himself knew the truth about him : that he was THE Himura Kenshin, better know as the Hitokiri Battousai in the end of the 19th century. The wrapped bundle he had brought with him held his famed sakabatou sword.
He was also a mutant of a rare breed : an external. He didn't age and disease could not touch him. Kill him and he would get up alive a few minutes later. His condition was revealed to him after his first death by drowning on a mission for the meiji government. After that he had seen his wife, his son and his friends grow old and die while he stayed the same.
He had returned to his wandering ways, cursing the fate that refused him the deliverance of death. He saw Japan committing atrocities before and during the second world war, making him wonder if all his efforts had been for nothing. Nicodemus, Gideon and the other externals had found him then, explaining to him what he was and the coming rise of mutantkind.
Still he didn't join his fellow immortals in their intrigues, it reminded him of those he fought against during the bakumatsu and the reformation periods. Disgusted by Imperial Japan, he had given up the sword and lived like an hermit for decades.
Recently, he discovered that being an external is not only about immortality. His mutant power, having built up to explosive levels through years of inactivity, was threatening to blow up. He had been gifted with the power of molecular creation : he could make matter in all its forms seemingly out of nothing. Metal, wood, chemicals, organic materials... you name it. It was taxing and mostly temporary but the potential uses were mind-boggling.
He had learned about the mutant program of the 'Organization' through Nicodemus (the only external he tolerated) and was outraged. He saw it only as a modern incarnation of Shishio's ideals of 'the big fish eat the small ones' and the ten sabers. Sunfire's school was the answer he was asking for. A place where mutants could learn to master their gifts and better integrate society who also formed protectors who were dedicated to stop those who would wish to rule over humanity.
He had taken up his sword again and this time hoped to find worthy successors to his ideals. He would help Shiro Yashida fulfill Xavier's dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants.
And as an unexpected bonus, he could watch over Kasumi and Nabiki Tendo, the descendants of Yahiko and Tsubame. If the Tendo sisters wanted to learn Kamiya Kasshin kenjutsu, their family's art before Soun imposed Anything Goes to his wife, he would be happy to oblige.
But for now, he had to refuse to teach Ranma Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu... again !
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Jamil Nate
(Posted Tue, 17 Dec 2002 14:27)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.