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The Cybermen first entered the world of Doctor Who all the way back in 1966. Instantly recognizable in their various designs by the distinctive handles on their heads, circular eyes and expressionless faces, these cyborg menaces have always chilled audiences through with their own particular brand of body horror. It is neither their sheer power nor their coldhearted ruthlessness that makes the Cybermen so terrifying. Rather, it is the fact that they were once human and now seek to turn all other humans into Cybermen, carving away any trace of real humanity in the process.

In their original incarnation, the Cybermen were the inhabitants of Earth's twin planet, Mondas, but modern Doctor Who reimagined this classic nemesis. Season 2's "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel" saw the Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler falling into a parallel Earth, where the inventor and CEO of Cybus Industries, John Lumic, had created the Cybermen. The modern series' new approach to the classic foe courted some controversy among classic series fans. Ultimately though, Lumic's twisted motivations and the means he utilized to start converting humanity into Cybermen made this iteration of the Doctor's old enemy their most terrifying form yet.

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When William Hartnell's First Doctor originally encountered the Cybermen in the serial "The Tenth Planet," they had come from a species identical to humanity that existed on Mondas, which initially shared an orbit with Earth. After their home world had been pushed out into space by the formation of Earth's moon, the planet became increasingly inhospitable. The Mondasians began to modify themselves with cybernetics to survive these conditions, replacing flesh with metal and plastic, and removing their emotions, which they had come to see as a source of weakness.

By contrast, Lumic's Cybermen on the parallel Earth visited by the Tenth Doctor were created not out of a need for basic survival, but out of Lumic's own narcissism. Lumic himself was terminally ill, rendered reliant upon a wheelchair with a built-in life-support system. He saw the Cybermen as a means of gaining immortality, with little consideration for what was being lost to gain that prize. Chillingly, Lumic's Cybermen had their emotions removed not because they viewed emotionality as weakness, but because existence as a Cyberman was so traumatic that the brain would not be able to cope with it otherwise.

Lumic's willingness to overlook the pain his upgrade program inflicted on those subjected to the procedure spoke again to his narcissism and twisted worldview, which developed into a dangerous ideology that was borderline fascistic. Having decided he knew what was best for humanity, Lumic took it upon himself to start forcibly upgrading the population of Britain into Cybermen, removing their humanity to reshape the world as he alone saw fit.

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When Doctor Who brought back the Cybermen, it did so through a look at the landscape of modern technology. In order to enforce mandatory upgrades, Lumic made use of technology Cybus Industries had already released to the public. The EarPods manufactured by Cybus were worn by practically everyone, enjoying the same ubiquity as real-world smartphones. As well as serving as phones, the EarPods allowed people to receive a daily news download from the Cybus network, straight to their brains. Through the EarPods, Lumic was able to control people's minds, compelling them to walk straight into the Cyber-conversion factories.

While the original Cybermen had been inspired by advances in human prosthetics and "spare-part" surgery, modern Doctor Who's new version of the Cybermen drew instead more heavily on advances in everyday technology. These Cybermen were essentially an extension of the various devices that are becoming endlessly more prevalent in the real world, and of people's desire to endlessly increase the integration of those devices into their lives. As time has gone on, advances in such technologies and the companies behind them have only made the Cybus Cybermen more relevant and more terrifying.

It's hard not to see the parallels between the Cybus EarPods and technology that is emerging today. This includes the growing interest in commercial neurotechnology and in the constant drive to improve compatibility between smartphones and similar devices. All of these technological advances aim to build a world where humans and technology are more heavily integrated with one another. Alongside these developments, of course, is an increasing focus on the billionaires of the tech world whose push for progress can often appear to be at odds with the interests of the people for whom they are supposedly developing such products. It's hard to look at such figures and not see a glint of John Lumic.

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Doctor Who's Season 2 Cybermen Remain the Most Terrifying Villains - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Honkai: Star Rail takes up the cherished tradition that Mass Effect and other space-faring games pioneered. As a member of the Trailblazers, players are teased of countless worlds with alien creatures, cultures, and geography. Theyre teased of civilizations in various life stages, as seen in the almost desolate Jarilo-VI, and the Xianzhou Alliances roaming planets on their flagships.

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Players know for a fact that other, more unusual worlds and species exist because of in-game lore. Memory Bubbles are chief sources of these extraterrestrial realities and exposition on known concepts. Each Memory Bubble has a twist to it that makes even the most relatable setting a neat piece of speculative work.

Who knows what Pompom is? Is the Immortal in a Vase just a soul or a shapeshifter? In Honkai: Star Rail, strange creatures populate the universe and even the players party.

AI supercomputer Pronto Expert System & Mecha No. 16 are advanced machine lifeforms presented in Memory Bubbles. Both are shown to have very human reactions to uncomfortable scenarios, despite either being completely or partially artificial.

Pronto has advanced senses that made a run-of-the-mill press conference a sensory overload. Because their team is wary and nervous about its capabilities as an advanced AI, it understood that it needed to mask its reaction to appear normal and, above all, loyal.

Mecha No. 16 was also overwhelmed, although in a different manner. Its deliberately made unclear if the being inhabiting No. 16 is a sapient being or a partner AI, or if they can move their own body or are entirely reliant on Leah. Aside from its Sapphic undertones, No. 16s story is interesting for its implications on artificial sapience, mind transference, and what stars are in this universe.

These Bubbles introduce terrifying creatures that can wipe out civilizations and entire worlds. Not only are they incapable of understanding sapient beings and morality, but they are also driven solely by their hunger or biological drive.

Both the world-eating youngest member of the Amoeba Slime Mold tribe and the humanoid fungi that evaporates all life operates on instinct. And yet the humanoid fungi have some form of reason, as they worship an unnamed god likely to be Oroboros, the Aeon of Voracity. The Fluffies share this capacity for base reasoning as they could disguise their bloodlust to lure victims in.

Aeons or God of the Stars are mortal beings elevated into immortality and near omnipotence. They do not adhere to human perceptions of morality. Instead, they act and judge according to their ideals.

These ideals are embodied by The Paths or wellspring of Imaginary energy bound by an Aeons principles which, in turn, confine Aeons to it. The same beliefs bind an Aeons followers as well, oftentimes to a fanatical, destructive fervor.

The researcher who led a rebellion against a society inspired by the Aeon of Beauty, Idrila, was subject to this fanaticism. Idrila or Anne Durays principles drove Harlow-VIs citizens to murderous devotion even after her disappearance. Its similar to the living legacy left by the dead Aeon of The Propagation, Tayzzyronth.

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Except in Tayzzyronths case, his Swarm actively carries out their will of self-duplication and propagation at the cost of wanton destruction and consumption. Theres no leeway in The Path of Propagation, unlike The Path of Beauty.

Whereas Harlow-VIs citizens aim to preserve what they believe of Idrila, the Mirror Holders aim to revive the Aeon of Beauty. They do so by finding her fragments or mirrors, which they hope to reunite. These mirrors reflect what one believes is beautiful, as seen when a being from a primitive civilization beholds one fragment.

Honkai logs, books, and characters reference historical events frequently. These Memories are not direct accounts, but they tell of encounters that occurred at the height of these events.

One tells of a royal family sundered by followers of the Aeon of Destruction Nanook and the other Emperor Rubert I, whose actions indirectly caused the ascension of Nanook. The Destruction is the first Path the player character has access to, while the being that led a rebellion against Rubert I, Screwllum, is a lead developer of the Simulated Universe.

Compared to the previous two Bubbles, these are light-hearted. Even the political intrigue and espionage of Family have lower stakes than the others. Pure Faith and Family offer glimpses of how the followers of Aeon of Finality Terminus and Aeon of Harmony Xipe operate. The latter is a little more interesting, as the Astral Express was supposed to dock at a world inhabited by Xipes followers before redirecting to the Xianzhou Luofu.

One of Honkai: Star Rails strongest aspects is its world-building. Near-incomprehensible geographies and events play with whats familiar to make Star Rails universe feel more lived in and feel like its scale.

Calcification and The Atonement show the consequences borne by intergalactic travelers ignoring warnings for their discoveries. In terms of settings, they establish worlds in which ancient horrors remain alive and lethal.

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Alive and lethal are also apt descriptions for the creature in which Digestion takes place. Having an industrial civilization spring forth inside a giant mammal is an exciting prospect. If the second world players have access to is on a spaceship, then its not implausible to have the next world inside a gigantic creature.

All three Bubbles depict aliens in alien worlds in everyday scenarios. They do important work in depicting alien worlds and beings as having normal, everyday lives. Not every setting or world needs to be elevated, and moments contribute a lot to world-building.

New Londinium also appears to be a cosmopolitan city with a good mix of alien races with an Interastral Peace Corporation presence. Meanwhile, Voyeurisms world of synthetics appears to have a vastly different structure than a world for organics. With no definite road map, its not inconceivable for Honkai to dip into worlds with non-humanoid aliens like these.

Splendid Planet takes place after a civilization-wiping disaster, while Unable to Communicate occurs before one. Players are walked through how intelligent life was and would be, destroyed in a darkly comedic manner.

Splendid is more of a bottle episode that carries Honkais modern fantasy tone. Its unsettling, mixes small events with grander concepts, and ends with a twist. Communicate delivers on the small moments that answer unasked questions about the IPC, and how it interacts with astral citizens.

Honkai: Star Rail is available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Android.

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Honkai: Star Rail: Aeons, Worlds, & Creatures In Memory Bubbles - GameRant

Covering most of Disneys renaissance era, the 90s was a prolific decade for Disney, with lots of its classic movies being released during this time. Each of these movies have their own unique merits that make them great, whether its their soundtrack, animation, story, or a combination of these.

Related: Most Underrated Disney Animated Movies

If you want to be entertained, you cant go wrong with a Disney movie, especially one from the 90s if you want a dose of nostalgia too. Theres a range of stories to enjoy, from fairytale romances to those emphasizing the importance of family. Here are the best Disney movies that the 90s has to offer.

A sequel to 1977s The Rescuers, The Rescuers Down Under sees Bernard and Miss Bianca, employees of the mouse-run Rescue Aid Society, traveling to Australia. Their mission is to rescue a young boy named Cody, who has been kidnapped by the evil poacher Percival C. McLeach to get information from him about the location of an uncommonly large golden eagle.

George C. Scotts portrayal of the menacing McLeach is one of the highlights of the movie, presenting a villain with strong evil intentions that you can easily root against. Its an underappreciated sequel with an important message about protecting animals.

Taking place in the fictional city of Agrabah, Aladdin follows a thief who falls in love with Princess Jasmine. Aladdin is tricked by the evil Jafar into retrieving the Genies lamp from the Cave of Wonders, and uses one of his wishes to become a prince to marry Jasmin, though it backfires when Jafar steals the lamp for himself.

The most memorable part of the movie has to be Robin Williams performance as Genie, especially during the song Friend Like Me, and his humor shines through, too.

The Hunchback of Notre Dames main character Quasimodo is born with a physical deformity and shunned by Claude Frollo, his master who demeans him and makes him stay within the upper part of Notre Dame.

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Quasimodo befriends Esmeralda, a Romani woman who is hunted down by Frollo, and helps her to escape from his grasp, learning about Frollos true nature at the same time. The Hunchback of Notre Dames theme of outsiders coming together is heartwarming and one that sticks with you after the movie ends.

Beauty and the Beast centers around the smart and beautiful Belle and the prince, who has been cursed to appear as a beast. If the Beast fails to love and be loved in return before his rose dies, he will remain as a beast forever.

While it takes a little while for her to warm up to the Beast, Belle eventually falls in love with him, breaking the spell once and for all. Its a classic romantic tale thats only uplifted by its memorable cast of side characters and charming animation.

A Goofy Movie focuses on the Goof family, with single-father Goofy struggling to connect with his son, Max. Goofy takes Max on a fishing road trip in hopes of bringing them closer together, but Max has other plans, as he promised Roxanne that he would appear on TV at the Powerline concert.

A Goofy Movie has everything you could want from a movie - an oppossum-themed amusement park and even Bigfoot. It perfectly captures the spirit of the 90s, particularly through the characters outfits and the music, and has a touching story as Goofy tries to be the best father he can.

Orphaned by the leopard Sabor, Tarzan is taken in by a gorilla named Kala and raised as one of their own, despite being human. When human explorers visit the jungle, Tarzan recognizes himself in them and falls in love with Jane, but ultimately decides to stay with his family instead of returning to human society.

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The movie has a poignant message about family and identity thats only uplifted by its moving soundtrack recorded by Phil Collins. Tarzan was the last classic animated Disney movie of the 90s, and it certainly didnt disappoint with its stunning animation and lively characters.

When her father is drafted in the Imperial Chinese Army, Fa Mulan disguises herself as a man to take his place, fearing that her father wouldnt survive the war because of his age. Mulan goes on a heroic journey, showing that she is just as capable as the men in the army.

Mulans message about defying social expectations is moving for anyone who watches it, and, as a character, Mulan herself is inspirational in her agency and independence. And, of course, Mulans soundtrack doesnt disappoint, with memorable songs such as Reflection and Ill Make a Man Out of You.

Set in ancient Greece, Hercules follows the titular Hercules, son of the gods Zeus and Hera, who lost his immortality and was raised as a mortal. To regain his godhood, Hercules has to become a true hero.

The movie has a colorful cast of characters, including Danny Devitos performance as Phil the short-tempered satyr and Susan Egans sarcastic portrayal of Meg. Hercules has lots of iconic songs, from the upbeat Zero to Hero to the forlorn Go the Distance, which set the tone of the movie perfectly.

The Lion King follows Simba as he grows from a young lion cub into the king of his pride. When Mufasa, Simbas father, is killed by Scar, Simba leaves the kingdom, believing the tragedy was his fault.

Now an outcast, Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him their way of life. Unbeknownst to Simba, Scar has taken over the Pridelands and is destroying it, so he has no choice but to return. The Lion King is celebrated as one of Disneys best movies - not just in the 90s, but also in its overall catalog - because of its emotional story and excellent soundtrack.

Next: Best Disney Animated Movies

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The Best Animated Disney Movies From The '90s - TheGamer

Many of us rely heavily on streaming services to watch the latest releases as well as memorable films from the 2000s. However, the evolution of the cinema age has always been prior to the 1990s, when CGI played a minimal role, rendering the efforts of films indescribable. While many streaming platforms, such as Hulu, often bring old classics to the audiences, it still feels somewhat lacking, which is where Arrow comes in.

Arrow Films is a film distributor based in England that has grown tremendously since its inception in 1991, mainly specializing in horror and classic films. As it continues to expand its catalog, it adds new movies every month, and July is no exception. Recently, Arrow Films released its cutting-edge cult cinema lineup for this month, which ranges from Bruce Lee's most influential films to mafia classics worth rewatching, and we're here to give you a rundown on the best ones from the schedule.

While Arrow is well-known for bringing incredible vintage movies to its service, it has also produced some strange yet well-crafted films like Lake Michigan Monster, which, while having a low budget, utilized it to its advantage.

In the movie, Captain Seafield (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) vows to seek vengeance on a titular beast that killed his father and assembles a crew consisting of a weapons expert, Sean (Erick West), a sonar whiz Nedge Pepsi (Beulah Peters), and a former Navy officer, Dick Flynn (Daniel Long).

However, the captain is notorious for screwing up simple opportunities. How can he succeed in his adventure where the lives of his crew members lay in the hands of his decisions?

Yakuza Graveyard is created by Kinji Fukasaku, the man behind the hit Japanese film Battle Royale. Yakuza Graveyard, like his other films, is way ahead of its time, not in terms of storytelling or acting, but rather due to the masterful direction he executed throughout the film.

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The movie follows a cop named Kuroiwa, who gets transferred to a new precinct where he gets friendly with the yakuza, but his intentions remain unknown to both his colleagues and these gangsters, which puts him in a difficult predicament.

Fist of Fury is without a doubt the most intense film Bruce Lee has ever done in his career as it is ripe with his kicking trademarks and anti-japanese theme, which gave rise to one of cinema's most empowering moments: the Japanese garden fight.

The story follows Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee), who returns to his village in hopes of marrying his sweetheart but is devastated to learn that his master has passed away. However, he eventually realizes that his untimely death was caused by Suzuki, the boss of a Japanese dojo. Faced with a ruthless and strong enemy, Chen must seek vengeance for his master while dealing with racial discrimination.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark has to be one of the best horror parodies ever made, which you could label as a guilty pleasure. While it has its flaws, no pun is left unchecked or overlooked in the film, making every scene worth staying for.

Elvira, a horror hostess, has quit her job in the hopes of producing her own show in Las Vegas, but due to the huge sum the productions demand, she could only hope that things would play out in her favor. Out of the blue, she finds out that her aunt Morgana has passed away and left her an inheritance, and Elvira travels to her aunt's small town only to confront her evil uncle and the town's people.

Western films used to be the trademark versions of the 1960s since the age between the 1940s and early 1960s was known as the "golden age" of the subgenre. Romolo Guerrieri's $10,000 Blood Money is one such film you must watch if you like Westerns with an antihero twist.

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In the movie, Gianni Garko plays Django, a bounty hunter who pursues a villain for kidnapping his client's young daughter. However, as he is not offered enough money, he joins forces with the enemy, but things get heated when he gets double-crossed.

You may have watched many freakish Asian horror films like The Wailing, which goes beyond human understanding, but there are countless masterworks that go unnoticed by modern audiences, and The Boxer's Omen is no exception.

The movie is about a Hong Kong boxer named Chan Hung, who travels to Thailand to avenge his brother, who has been crippled by a dishonorable opponent named Mr. Bu-bo. However, what awaits Chan in the country exceeds his expectations as he is pitted not only against a ruthless boxer but also against an evil wizard who draws the power from dark magic to stop the local abbot from achieving immortality.

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Best Movies Coming to Arrow in July 2023 - MovieWeb

When people think of traitors in anime, they often think of antagonists. Characters who pretend to be friends with people for the sake of betraying them once they've gotten what they wanted lines up with villain behavior, after all. However, even heroes can occasionally betray other people.

Sometimes it's a villain who sees the protagonist's point and changes sides. Other times a hero has gone undercover with the villains to gain information. Some characters regret betraying those they care about, while others couldn't care less. Regardless of the reason or how they feel about it though, heroes from Dragon Ball Z, Bleach and more still turned their back on people who trusted them.

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Millia Fallyna was meant to sneak aboard the Macross and kill its strongest pilot. Though she was able to find Maximillian Jenius, the ace pilot of the Macross, she wasnt able to kill him. Instead, after being defeated by him in a knife fight, the two pursued a romance together.

Seeing one another as equals, Millia and Max became living proof the human and Zentraedi could work together. Their union produced the first hybrid human-Zentraedi child, bewildering the rest of the Zentraedi and contributing significantly to them working towards peace.

Quattro has never known loyalty to anyone other than himself. Born Casval Rem Deikun, his world was torn upside down when the Zabi family took over the Principality of Zeon. Forced to live in hiding, Casval bounced from secret identity to secret identity.

During the One Year War, he became Char Aznable, and carefully began taking the lives of members of Zabi royalty. By Zeta Gundam, hed changed sides once again to become Quattro Bajeena. Here, he was a member of AEUG that stood against the Earth Federations Titans forces, betraying the Zeon to side with the AEUG while it was convenient.

Fujiko Mine is likely the biggest rival Lupin has when it comes to committing capers. While shes often seen working together with Lupin, often its because shes using their abilities to help her with a job. Given half a chance, she will abandon the rest of the group with the loot at the earliest possible chance.

If it were anyone else, Lupin would see her betrayal coming and make moves to avoid it. However, because hes in love with Fujiko, and sometimes they do legitimately work together, somehow when she betrays him its always a surprise.

Gin Ichimaru revealed that he had betrayed the other members of the Soul Society at the same time as Aizen. He helped strike down some of the other Soul Reapers before escaping to Hueco Mundo with his new leader.

However, it later turned out that Gin wasnt a loyal member of Aizens group at all. Instead, he wanted revenge for Aizens scientific actions, and later revealed himself to be a double agent. However, while he thought hed waited until the perfect moment, Aizen was still able to easily defeat him.

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Carly Carmine was originally a nice girl who just wanted to get a scoop on the King of Duelists, Jack Atlas, for her newspaper. However, following Jack around led to her being caught up in his involvement with the Dark Signers. After being defeated and losing her life in a duel with Divine, Carly is transformed into a Dark Signer, relying on the power of the Earthbound Immortals.

Gaining increased powers and an all-new Deck, Carly turned against Jack and his friends, even standing in his way by challenging him to a duel. Still, when she was defeated she switched back to the side of the angels.

The Prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta spent years within the employ of the galactic conqueror Frieza. While he had some degree of autonomy, being allowed to work with the other Saiyans to conquer planets, once he heard about the Dragon Balls he decided hed had enough.

Believing immortality was the key to beating Frieza, Vegeta refused to return to working for the conqueror even after his loss to Goku. Instead, after being healed he began one of the greatest character arcs in Dragon Ball Z, as he started systematically killing Friezas strongest lieutenants while trying to assemble the Dragon Balls for himself.

Early in Fairy Tail, Gajeel was one of Natsus most fierce rivals. A member of Phantom Lords Element 4, he was one of their strongest soldiers. However, after Phantom Lords defeat, Gajeel defected to Fairy Tails side, becoming a reluctant new member.

Later still in Fairy Tail though, it was revealed Gajeel was also playing a double-agent for the guild Raven Tail. A guild run by Laxus father, Makarov asked Gajeel to join Raven Tail to keep an eye on them. Thanks to his previous life and general demeanor, he had no problem fitting into their group, pretending to be a member until they were shut down by Laxus.

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Originally part of the Soma Familia, Liliruca was a kind girl who gradually turned bad because of her treatment by her Familia. Bullied by the members of her Familia, she tried to become a Supporter but no one respected her. Afterward, she began stealing from any adventurers who worked with her, including Bell Cranel.

However, Bell was willing to forgive her for what she did to him, saving her life later. Afterward, she joined the Hestia Familia, willing to do anything to support the man who rescued her from her old Familia.

The Number Two Pro Hero in the Hero Community, no one could have guessed that Hawks was actually a member of the Paranormal Liberation Front. Or at least, thats what they were led to believe. Realizing the Heroes needed someone on the inside, Hawks joined the PLF to gain intelligence on them.

However, while in the PLF Hawks built a genuine friendship with Twice, who felt betrayed when Hawks revealed he was still a Hero. Though Hawks legitimately tried to save Twice, the villain lashed out in rage, and Hawks battle with Twice and Dabi eventually led to Twices death.

The focus of all of Sasukes rage and hatred, Itachi Uchiha was single-handedly responsible for wiping out the Uchiha clan. Or at least, so Sasuke believed. In truth, Itachi spent his entire life betraying everyone around him.

He betrayed his family by choosing the city of Konoha and his brother over the clan. He betrayed his brother by lying to him over the real reason for killing the Uchiha. Finally, he betrayed the Akatsuki by working for them to collect intel on their goals. In his own way, Itachi represented the ultimate ninja, constantly dealing in deception for the sake of the mission.

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Best Anime Heroes Who Betray Other Characters - CBR - Comic Book Resources