Last week we took a look at the beginning of the final battle. Well, it’s time for the Final Boss in this video game. Ninjak in this version was created specifically to defeat Akuma. So now it’s time for that fight to finally happen. Denny and Ninjak are still spiritually linked, so let’s find out if two heads are indeed better than one.

“Marvelous” round 4

The Battlefield: Ninjak#12 (again) (Acclaim Comics/Valiant Heroes – February, 1998) “All The Marbles”

The Promoters: Robert L. Washingon III & Kurt Busiek (writers), Neil Vokes (penciler), Mike Deming (inker), Dave Lanphear (letterer), and Atomic Paintbrush (colors)

Realizing the link Denny and Ninjak share, Akuma attempts to sever it the hard way. He also has set up a “Sutra of Buddha’s Retribution” in hopes of hurting Ninjak. However, Denny’s friend Town gets in the way.

It's not what it looks like.

The Sutra works by…well, the underling explains it for us.

Doez everybody underztand thiz?

Here’s where the fun starts. Ninjak is willing to kill, but Denny isn’t. So when our hero doesn’t go in for the killing blow Akuma tries to goad him into it. However, it turns out he has a rather short memory. He forgot he re-summoned the Zutra…I mean Sutra.

Maybe you should have actually let him attack before you did, genus.

So Akuma is stopped for now–and forever, because this was sadly the last issue. As Jeremy noted in the comments for last week, Ninjak would make cameos and guest appearances in other Acclaim stories, but that would be it. Frankly, I would be surprised if this version ever showed up again. Anyone restoring the Valiant Universe would most likely go with the darker original (see also X-O Manowar, which I found a bit too much, but I want to find out more about the Acclaim version). Because people hate me and hate fun.

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Be sure to head to Spacebooger’s and vote in this week’s tournament. The winning entry moves on to the Prize Fight in hopes of winning an Amazon gift card or whatever prize he feels like giving out at the time. And if you have the comics, feel free to join us. We need some more competition.