Four: Ryo Tetsudo (Alex Mallari Jr.)

[Just Here]

Ever-stoic and a master of the blade, his cool, calm demeanor belies a ruthlessness that gives even his fellow crew members pause. He’s a man of few words but, when he does speak – just like when he fights – it’s with precise efficiency. A fierce and relentless opponent, he is also an equally loyal and passionate friend.

 

[editorgrrl]

According to a GNN news report in episode 4, Four is Crown Prince Ishida Ryo, suspected of killing the Emperor and "implicated in the deaths and disfigurements of almost one hundred people." Is he the one from Five's dream in episode 1?

I was walking on the beach with my little brother. He was crying because he'd gotten lost, but I found him and I was was bringing him back to the palace. It was [a nice place to live] until they murdered my father and then came for me. But I was too much for them, and even though I could've killed them, I didn't. I just carved out their eyes and left them for my stepmother to find—the bitch.

Edited July 6, 2015 by editorgrrl

[atomationage]

I think 4/Ryo gets overlooked because he's so quiet so much of the time, but they all need him to get things done.  He was the deciding vote, in memory timeline, not to space 5.  They spent a lot of time in last years episodes on his backstory, and brought that into the current story more than any other character.  In S02e01 he's met with the gang leader who claims to be keeping things from getting out of hand in the prison.  I was hoping he would kill the guy, but he didn't. 

Edited July 2, 2016 by atomationage
because there's a difference between 3 and 4.

[Oracle42]

I like Four more and more as this season progresses

[FurryFury]

Yeah, he did become a bit more interesting, finally. I hope he goes through with restoring his memories.

[sjohnson]

Technically, Ishida Ryo has left the Raza. And he explicitly denies being a number person any more. So technically, Alex Mallari should be on the unemployment line with Marc Bendavid. 

The thing is, since Dark Matter seems to be committing to being a fantasy about how badasses conquer the galaxy, the character with an army and a space navy seems to have a role to play in this scenario. 

Is Ryo being a redemption arc?

[Raja]

14 minutes ago, sjohnson said:

Technically, Ishida Ryo has left the Raza. And he explicitly denies being a number person any more. So technically, Alex Mallari should be on the unemployment line with Marc Bendavid. 

 

Perhaps right now I am seeing Alex Mallari being more like Keith Hamilton Cobb as Tyr Anasazi in the final seasons of Andromeda. With a cast of six regulars going down to a reoccurring status instead of showing up in a scene in each episode with the rest of the crew of Raza is doing this while we follow the main focus in the a story be it by Two, Three, Five or Six..

[MissLucas]

Hasn't Mallozzi stated in an interview that not everybody will get redemption? I don't see Ryo on a redemption arc at all - right now he's on the slippery slop of good intentions (if you can call his policy of striving for ultimate victory instead of peace) leading straight to hell.

The slaughter of in the palace might be excused by realpolitik reasoning, but he's betrayed and endangered people he considers friends and he also had plenty of folks killed on Eos 7 (I think some people will survive though since Kierkan seems to have screwed up the schedule).

And the ultimate goal of the bombing was  to start a war that will save the house of Ishida - millions will probably get killed but as long as Zairon strives he doesn't car.

I see no badass - just a tyrant on his way to megalomania and there's no indication the show thinks otherwise. Two and Six have clearly stated they're not on his side, neither is Five nor Three. And after the last episode the Android has definitely left his fan-club too.

Alex Mallari keeps his job but at least for the time being the job description is 'villain'. I have no doubt that next season he'll be around for the crew to settle the score and trying to get the blink drive back - or at least making sure Zairon can't use it to conquer all its neighbours and the whole galaxy.

Edited September 18, 2016 by MissLucas
Mallari and Mallozzi are not the same person.

[Wouter]

27 minutes ago, MissLucas said:

Hasn't Mallari stated in an interview that not everybody will get redemption? I don't see Ryo on a redemption arc at all - right now he's on the slippery slop of good intentions (if you can call his policy of striving for ultimate victory instead of peace) leading straight to hell.

The slaughter of in the palace might be excused by realpolitik reasoning, but he's betrayed and endangered people he considers friends and he also had plenty of folks killed on Eos 7 (I think some people will survive though since Kierkan seems to have screwed up the schedule).

And the ultimate goal of the bombing was  to start a war that will save the house of Ishida - millions will probably get killed but as long as Zairon strives he doesn't car.

I see no badass - just a tyrant on his way to megalomania and there's no indication the show thinks otherwise. Two and Six have clearly stated they're not on his side, neither is Five nor Three. And after the last episode the Android has definitely left his fan-club too.

Alex Mallari keeps his job but at least for the time being the job description is 'villain'. I have no doubt that next season he'll be around for the crew to settle the score and trying to get the blink drive back - or at least making sure Zairon can't use it to conquer all its neighbours and the whole galaxy.

You mean Mallozzi. And he did state that not everybody will get redemption, and that failure may be spectacular. That seems to fit the bill for Four, who is well on his way to sacrifice everything else for his ambitions in and with Zairon. Ryo is probably able to justify everything he's done to himself, but that doesn't mean that others, like Two, won't perceive him like a villain. For a show like this, it's good to have a villain who nevertheless can believe himself to be a good guy who has to make some hard choices, in a believable fashion. DM has total bad guys, like Wexler, too, but a villain like Ryo is more interesting.

It may take a while, but I think Ryo is more likely to die without friends and full of regrets. Redemption is unlikely to happen.

[Wouter]

1 hour ago, sjohnson said:

The thing is, since Dark Matter seems to be committing to being a fantasy about how badasses conquer the galaxy, the character with an army and a space navy seems to have a role to play in this scenario.

In the finale of S2, I actually think that Two and co acted quite heroically and even selflessly, in a vain attempt to "save the Galaxy". As Two pointed out, chaos would be good for them. They could use the blink drive in all kinds of ways that would benefit them. I thought that would be right on your alley, but apparently not?

That Two and Six failed, in spite of their best efforts, to stop the bombing also shows that even a fantasy about badasses saving the Galaxy didn't work out. And Ryo has a loooooong way to go before he conquers the Galaxy.

[Chaos Theory]

Ryo still doesn't know what his childhood lady friend whose name escapes me did to Nyxx.  My guess is he will need to chose between his own people and the Raza when the crew come after him hard.  Can he kil them and they kill him?  

[sjohnson]

A redemption arc includes the scenario where a hero tragically fallen into magnificent bastard ways comes to a crisis where he (don't think this one is ever she, by the way,) realizes the mistake he made, then redeems himself with a noble sacrifice that saves the day. Don't think Misake will be gutting Ryo like the pig he is, snatching away all the empire his murders bought. 

The basic attitude that seems to be emerging is that the good die young, which proves there is a God who thinks like Hollywood producers. The repulsive male ingenue One is put down like a dog. The sexy Devon by contrast gets a kind of redemption by being where he would get killed because he was committing to the family. To be sure, the family is also a life of crime, but Hollywood is a dog eat dog business, right? He doesn't die nobly, in fact nobody even knows but us, but hey, the dude was an addict, and they're not worth much. By contrast, neither "KIll them all" Das nor Varrick who likes to blow away people when he's feeling especially righteous have no redemption arc because they're not actually doing anything besides supporting the family. Even Hollywood producers can admit that putting out an effort for family is a good thing. And One despite her badassery, is a victim, therefore has no need of redemption. Boone of course is a victim, already has had a redemption arc of True Love Lost (that teaches inner purity of heart, where it need not interfere with stealing lots of stuff or killing lots of people, but still counts.)

[Redemption]

Like Three, Four is incredibly complex. I know people might disagree with me on three, but both characters have a dr jekyl and mr hyde appearance. Like Three Four has slowly opened up to others but are both still very guarded and hate showing any weakness at all. Four is very different however because he now shares his real memories and caused a huge paradigm shift in his character. But even after he steals the blink drive, he still tries to make sure the crew gets out safely. Before all that, remember as he leaves to his planet to take back the throne he says very kind words to both Five and the Android. Words that come from not a ruthless emperor but as a crew mate. I think we will find in Season 3 Four/Ryo is at war with himself, and will go ballistic when he finds out how Nyx died. His need for revenge and killing his brother will torment him forever.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Redemption

[Raja]

From the way the are showing Emperor Ryo  I guess we see why he didn't make the cut and went ronin ending up as a mercenary with the Raza, the most infamous crew in the known universe

[Stallion12]

I don't care if I spoil myself, but episode 3 he hired mercenaries and bounty hunters, but I'm on episode 10 and I can't remember when they were dealt with. Was it a dropped plot point?