Cody

Cody Travers(コーディー) is a video game character from both the Final Fight and Street Fighter series. He has been fighting his way to survive the harsh slums of Metro City since he was a kid.

Appearance
Cody is a street fighter who before being taken to prison, wore a white shirt and blue jeans, with white sneakers. After prison, he now wears a variation of the prison uniform, which has dark blue stripes and has two handcuffs linked with a long chain. Unlike other prisoners, he intentionally keeps his prison uniform, as well as the hand cuffs around his arms, though he can easily remove his handcuffs.

Final Fight
In the original Final Fight, Cody teams up with his best friend/rival Guy and the Mayor of Metro City, Mike Haggar, to save Jessica (Cody's girlfriend and Haggar's daughter) from Belger, the leader of the Mad Gear gang. Cody takes on many of Mad Gear's worst thugs, in particular he defeats Damnd (also known as 'Thrasher', for literally thrashing his opponents in street fights) the first Mad Gear Gang member to kidnap Jessica and Edi E., a corrupt Police Officer that infuriates Cody for his cowardly methods of fighting (using a gun and police baton against Cody, making the fight very difficult to win) and his penchant for fighting often leaves the others free to pursue the other bosses of Metro City. In the end, Cody had confronted Belger on the top floor of his penthouse building and after a tough battle, Cody was able to use a strong uppercut punch to knock Belger off the top floor of the penthouse building, sending Belger plummeting to his death towards the street below. Cody is then celebrated as the hero of Metro City and that Jessica herself wants to celebrate with Cody, but Cody tells Jessica that he can't sit still while evil continues to stalk the streets and after sharing a passionate kiss with Jessica, Cody leaves the city for parts unknown.

Final Fight Revenge
Cody would soon reappear in Final Fight Revenge, which is chronologically set between the events of Final Fight and Street Fighter Alpha 3. He has returned to Metro City from a year of traveling, where he learns that the Mad Gear gang is beginning to reform and that his girlfriend Jessica has gone missing after a series of riots that occurred in the city following the destruction of Mad Gear. Hoping to prove himself that he is Jessica's hero, Cody tries once more to come to her rescue, battling many thugs along the way, but sadly, Cody wouldn't get the chance to continue his search for Jessica, as he would soon get arrested by Edi. E. for crimes that were committed by Mad Gear member Poison and the many street fights that Cody had participated in from within his time. Jessica's whereabouts in the game are never resolved in any of the playable characters' endings. However, the design sketches for Cody from Street Fighter Zero 3, as well as the Street Fighter Zero 3 Secret File Book would establish that Haggar was able to rescue Jessica from the immediate danger and that Cody and Jessica had ended their relationship with one another on a bitter note, due to the fact that Cody was jailed for his reckless street fighting and that Jessica had decided to take a study abroad in Europe.

Street Fighter Alpha 3
In Street Fighter Alpha 3, Cody broke out of prison after a riot ensued. During his travels, he met up with Edi. E (who is trying to recapture him), Rolento, and even Guy once more. Rolento wanted him to join his militant movement, which Cody refused after a heated argument (it's unknown if they had actually fought). Guy, meanwhile, wanted to reform Cody and get him back on the good path, but Cody said that he was no hero and basically lived for fighting. The two then had their own battle but after the two calmed down, Guy accepted the fact that his friend had to live his own life. The two separated afterward when Guy asked if Cody would stay in Metro City, but Cody said he still had traveling to do. Guy bid him farewell, realizing that deep down inside, Cody is still a good person.

Super Street Fighter IV
After spending all those years in jail, Cody has become very apathetic, his attitude changing completely from when he was a hero. He also seems to harbor a little resentment of the outside world, musing that he fought solely for the sake of the city and still ended up in jail despite his intentions. Apparently bored of his jail life, Cody 'casually' breaks out of prison. Telling the terrified guard that he'll be back later, he ventures outside. While out, Cody looks up at a familiar face that he hasn't seen for a while; his old friend and rival Guy. Cody's main motivation seems to be finding a way to alleviate his boredom by participating in S.I.N's tournament.

After defeating S.I.N., Guy appears again, asking Cody if he's fighting for what's right and if there's still a bit of good left in him. Cody says that he only did it because S.I.N. was in his way, and states he'll be returning to his prison cell, because that's where he belongs. Much like the Street Fighter Alpha 3 ending, it is implied that Cody is actually a good guy, considering he only targets evildoers, and he's simply a man who loves the thrill of the fight.

Street Fighter x Tekken
=== Cody is approached by Guy in Metro City. Guy says he wants to stop Shadaloo and the Mishima Zaibatsu from getting their hands on the mysterious box of unknown power in Antartica, Pandora, and that he needs Cody's help to do it. Cody sighs but says he will do it, saying that the city was boring him anyway. On the way to Antartica, they are attacked by a psychopathic zombie-cyborg named Bryan Fury and his giant robot, Jack-X, which classifies both of them as AAA rank fighters. Bryan attacks them to weed out the competition for Pandora, despite Cody's warnings. Guy dodges Bryan's attacks, and Cody matches the enormous Jack-X robot in strength. They defeat Bryan and move on. === After their final victory, they find Pandora in the middle of Antarctic. The wish-giving Pandora's Box senses the lack of selfishness and just wisdom within their souls, and Pandora erases itself from existance. Guy notes that it was all for the best, since its powers could cause untold chaos to the world, which Cody comments that its all the same to him. As Cody leaves, Guy mentions how good it was to fight as a team again. Cody concedes and admits that it definitely was not boring. Guy smiles and says that's good to hear, and the two go home.

Final Fight Streetwise
Cody has long retired from street fighting due to his knees suffering from arthritis, and instead coaches his younger brother Kyle in pitfights, but gets frustrated due to Kyle's lack of focus which in turn stokes Cody's wish to fight once more. Due to this, Cody started to use a new drug called "GLOW", fueling Cody's strength and relieving the pain in his knees, but getting him addicted and out of control in the process. Without telling Kyle, Cody started fighting in Vito Bracca's fight club. However, Vito finds out about his drug use and is taken by the mob enforcer known as The Stiff, with Kyle searching all over Metro City to look for his brother. Due to being out of control because the drug was getting the better of him, Blades wanted to kill him, but gets spared due to Kyle interference. Kyle searches for his older brother all over Metro City (with help of Guy, Haggar and others) and finds him heavily addicted under Guy's custody, but Cody breaks free once again. Near the end, Cody fights Kyle as the Horseman of Death under the psychotic Father Bella, as revenge for Cody killing Bella's brother - Belgar. When the fight is over, Bella has Kyle at gunpoint, causing Cody to regain his senses and tackles Bella off the church, dropping along with him. After Bella died and both Kyle and Cody being hospitalized, Cody has beaten his addiction and states (after jokingly asking Kyle for the date of their next match) that due to the massive dosage he received, his knees are feeling "better than ever".

Gameplay/Fighting Style
Cody's move set is mainly based off of his Final Fight counterpart, similar to Guy, with some moves of his own designs added in. In Super Street Fighter IV, Cody gains more weapons; Cody uses a wrench during his Focus Attack, and in one of his Ultra Combos, he uses a pipe at the end of a combo. Basically, Cody is a decent all-rounder, having a diverse range of simple moves. His strongest point comes from his powerful normals, and to add damage to that, a strong offensive play against opponents. His easy commands also result in equally easy combos. His overall play is best suited aginst projectile users, due to him having multiple options to escape a fireball war.

His biggest weakness lies in mostly in his wake-up, due to the slow movement. To add insult to injury, his defense is quite bad and his slow movement isn't any better, resulting in being unable to get out of a pinch quickly. Also, he is very vulnerable when being pressured by an opponents rushdown (his only viable reversal in Super Street Fighter IV being an EX Zonk Knuckle).

Starting with Street Fighter Alpha 3, his trademark attacks are the Bad Stone, in which he throws a normal rock with the force of other fighter's projectiles. Despite the low start-up, it's handy in punishing opponents from afar (it can also be charged to play mind games, due to the fact that as long as you hold the punch button, he'll keep tossing the rock in the air for a moment). The Criminal Upper, in which he throws an uppercut that releases a multi-hitting tornado that blocks projectiles. His Ruffian Kick is a charging kick attack that varies on attack level depending on which button used (hitting low, mid or high), and the ability to use a knife lying in the middle of the stage in all of his fights, which Cody can pick up by pressing crouch and two punch buttons, which also can be thrown at the opponent by inputting the command for Bad Stone.

Cody's A-Ism super move is Final Destruction, an homage to a glitch in Final Fight. In Final Fight, a player could deliver two hits, turn around—instantly canceling the combo—turn back around and chain the same two hits; repeated, this could act as an infinite combo attack. Cody mimics the attack, and accordingly, Final Destruction is a devastating move if it connects. In X-Ism, using this move replaces his moves with the original Final Fight moveset: tapping any button repeatedly performs his normal combo from Final Fight, and all his air attacks are replaced with the F+HK Crack Kick.

In Super Street Fighter IV, he adds a new technique called the Zonk Knuckle, which is a sucker punch that can be charged in a similar manner as El Fuerte's Quesadilla Bomb, or Balrog's Turn Punch. Next to Final Destruction (now an Ultra), there is also a new Ultra named Last Dread Dust, which he also can use to block projectiles in the process. His new Focus Attack is aside from damaging, covering a lot of range.

Trivia

 * It's very likely (though never officialy confirmed) that character of Cody is inspired by Tom Cody, the main protagonist of the 1984 film 'Streets of Fire'. They have matching initials, both are formidable street brawlers great with knives, both are vigilantes waging war on the local gang attempting to rescue their love interests along the way and, in the end, they both walk out on the girl. Also, Cody's portrait in SSFIV very much resembles Michael Pare, an actor who portrayed Tom Cody in 'Streets of Fire'.
 * Haggar and Cody seem to have a father - son relationship though Cody is often annoyed by his preaching.
 * Cody's use of the knife is a throwback to Cody's favored weapon in Final Fight, in which he was the best character at using knives.
 * In Street Fighter Alpha 3, Cody's A-Ism Final Destruction is a reference to a glitch in the original Final Fight.
 * The move appears, sans glitch reference, as one of his Ultra Combos in Super Street Fighter IV.
 * Cody possibly makes an appearance in the intro to Street Fighter II, punching the African American fighter some people perceive as Mike. Many fans have shared the theory that the man in the intro is Joe; however, Joe wore a white t-shirt and had a different hairstyle. Another theory is that the intro was an unused one for Final Fight, originally titled "Street Fighter '89".
 * In Street Fighter Alpha 3, the 'escaped criminal fighter' was originally planned to be Joe returning from the original Street Fighter. Cody later replaced him.
 * Even though the two look similar and even share a kick animation (Cody's Crack Kick heavily resembles Joe's kick), Joe and Cody continue to remain separate characters in the Street Fighter universe.
 * Cody's artwork for Super Street Fighter IV displays a destroyed brick wall showing the Street Fighter logo. Also, in the intro for Super Street Fighter IV, he destroys an entire brick wall with just a small rock, with the camera doing a closeup on the rock right before he throws it. Both are a throwback to the original intro of the first Street Fighter - and by extension, Joe.
 * In Super Street Fighter IV, when two Cody players both go for the knife, the one who loses out has a shocked expression on his face.
 * Cody makes an appearance in the USA Cartoon version of Street Fighter. However, Cody is depicted in his Final Fight attire, due to Street Fighter Alpha 3 not having been released yet at the time the episode originally aired.
 * Cody's rival in Super Street Fighter IV was originally intended to be Chun-Li, but was then changed to Guy shortly before the release.
 * In Street Fighter Alpha 3's Arcade Mode, after defeating Guy, Cody concludes that "some things never change", most likely referencing one (or more) of his and Guy's past duels in which, judging by this quote, he held the upper hand.
 * Cody is heard saying a similar sentence in SSF4 while dealing the final blow to Guy during their rival match ("This feels familiar, don't it?").
 * Cody is one of three characters (the others being Oro and Akuma) who voluntarily restrain themselves by giving himself a handicap on purpose. His reason for keeping his handcuffs on is to make his fights more challenging.
 * Oni and E. Honda are the only characters who recognize that Cody, while still wearing very loose chains, is in fact holding back on all his battles. Unusually, Shin Oni actually implies that Cody might survive a battle with him if he doesn't hold back.
 * Cody is also one of the few characters in Street Fighter universe to utilize a weapon during his fights (others being Eagle, Geki, Sodom, Rolento, Vega, Maki, Ibuki and Doctrine Dark).
 * If Cody, who is one of the most blunt and honest about fights, wins in a fight against Akuma, he admits he thought Akuma was rather weak compared to his expectations, being the only Street Fighter to honestly imply that he was unimpressed by Akuma's strength.
 * If Cody wins against Shin Oni, he'll say that was the most fun he's had in his life worth living, making it the only time besides fighting Ryu that he admits having fun.
 * In the semi-canonic Street Fighter 2 Turbo comic book published by UDON, Cody is seen as one of the toughest fighters around, being apparently capable to single handedly subdue Hugo, Rolento, Poison and the entire Andore family. He even went on to pummel Ryu in the qualifying round for the World Warrior tournament, but was eventually defeated by Ryu's Satsui no Hado.
 * Coincidentally, he is the only person to utilize street fighting as a fighting style, despite the fact he doesn't originate from the Street Fighter series (though this can be argued due to the fact that Final Fight was originally titled Street Fighter '89).
 * Despite his 'normal' frame, Cody is an extremely powerful character. His damage output is very high and he deals a lot of stun. After all, he is able to break down a prison wall with a single blow. Due to his appearance, he also comes as a surprise to many fighters he encounters during SSF4 who often mistake him for a common street punk (usually realizing their mistake a little too late).
 * In UDON comics, Ryu goes as far to release Cody of his cuffs before fighting him in the World Warrior Tournament qualifier. However, Ryu is no match for Cody, who states that he is used to fighting six to nine opponents at once, and that defeating one man is child's play. Ryu manages to win only by giving in to Satsui no Hado, but comes to his senses in time to avoid killing the unconscious Cody.
 * Throughout the Street Fighter series, Cody considers himself a fallen hero. In Street Fighter Alpha 3, he says that his reasons for fighting was mostly for the thrill of the fight itself. In Super Street Fighter IV, his win quote against Chun-Li says: "The hero you know died a long time ago".
 * Despite his attitude however, Cody does hint at having some good in him because he mainly targets criminals and evildoers. This is most evident in his win quote against M. Bison: "I don't consider myself a good guy anymore, but I had to take you down!" and to an extent, his "encouragement" in his win quote to T. Hawk: "Hey, if you've got important things to do, don't let me stand in your way. Good luck!"
 * In addition, despite his indifference and fallen attitude, he does seem to have some self respect compared to others. In his win quote to the assasin Gen, he remarks "Watch out for karma, man. Things have a funny way of workin' themselves out..." He also remarks when he defeats Balrog "I ain't about to get beat by a classless chump like you! No way, no how!" He also gives a lot of practical martial arts advice to people like Makoto and Fei Long, and has even given comforting words to Sakura's future, belying his more kind nature. In his win quote, he seems to have developed a sort of respect for Juri that he doesn't have with the other villains, saying "I've got a certain amount of respect for people who don't follow the rules." Perhaps he sees Juri more as a fallen person than someone who freely choses evil, as the death of her parents, Shadaloo's brainwashing, and S.I.N.'s eye surgery has done to her psyche, yet she still refuses to harm children.
 * Cody reason's for fighting are very similar to Ryu's; they both seek battle for the sake of battle. Although Cody was self-trained to be a hero in the streets of Metro City, he has fallen back from that ideal due to self-hate, unlike Ryu, whose goals are to fight and fight only.
 * Cody and Jessica make a small stage appearance in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter and Street Fighter Alpha 2. In SFA2, if one or both characters battling on the Metro City stage, are female, Cody passes them a naughty glance which results in him being slapped by jealous Jessica. He also has a cameo appearance in Capcom Fighting Evolution.
 * On some occasions in Street Fighter Alpha 3, Edi. E (who is a boss from Final Fight) chases Cody around, trying to arrest him after a win. An even rarer occasion shows him getting kicked off the screen after this.
 * Cody's first downloadable costume is a more stylized take of his attire from Final Fight, with his white t-shirt being replaced with a white singlet with black trims, as well as tattoos, jewelry and hand accessories. Cody-alternate.jpg
 * His second downloadable costume is a more modern prison uniform, which is orange in color and adds slippers. Despite it being a one-piece uniform, it does somewhat resemble his appearance from Final Fight Streetwise.
 * In his Alpha 3 sprite, Cody is seen wearing a pair of Adidas Superstar. Some of his original artworks from Final Fight already implied that these where the shoes he had always wore, but this sprite was the very first time where it could be fully confirmed.