Disclaimer: if you want to learn about the lore behind the Tekken series, please do not proceed. I know it's inconceivable that a fighting game should have a story behind it, but alas, here we are.
Heihachi Mishima (三島 平八), is one of the most lovable characters from the series. Despite the atrocity of his actions, he remained the icon of the King of Iron Fist Tournament. His reign finally came to an end in Tekken 7 when Kazuya came full circle and threw him into the volcano.
Many fans pointed out the retcon of Heihachi's background story in Tekken 7. It would appear Namco Bandai tried to make players feel bad for him by giving him a tragic past. That his choices were results of factors beyond his control. It's also possible that the real villain could be Kazumi, his wife, all along.
Before we venture further, let's revisit the canonical storyline for this universe. Namco Bandai published these helpful videos summarizing the plot up to Tekken 6.
In short, Heihachi seems like a horrific person. He was cruel to his son, his grandson, and even his own father! He was bend on obtaining power for his own ends. But, what changed in Tekken 7? Why do people feel like he was a tragic villain? The cutscenes from Tekken 7 offer some insights to this matter.
According to Heihachi, his wife of the Hachijo Clan, was an entity with the power of the Devil. Fearing his own son was tainted by this dark power, he set out to confirm his suspicions. Unfortunately, this set everything into motion.
The cutscene portrayed Kazumi as a devious, self-righteous, manipulator, who was doing good. The expressions on her face suggested villainy. In another scene, Akuma revealed that Kazumi had entrusted him to kill both her son and husband. This led Kazuya to be bewildered by the absurdity of the whole ordeal.
Despite the extremity of his actions, it would appear Heihachi's behavior was believable. How would you respond to your spouse revealing herself to be a secret assassin coming for your life? What do you do if you suspect your child(ren) may have similar ideas about you? Regardless, it is no doubt you'd belong to one of the most dysfunctional families in fiction.
This plot twist begs the question: who is the real villain in the Tekken series? Is it Kazumi? Or is it the entire Hachijo Clan? She declared that the clan targeted the Mishimas because of Heihachi's ambitions. That he would bring about great tragedies across the globe. It did not occur to her that her interference could be what drove the fulfillment of that prophesy.
The journalist noted that Heihachi embarked on his dark journey after Kazumi's betrayal. The taking over of the Mishima Zaibatsu, which led to the death of Jinpachi. The awakening of Kazuya through being thrown off a ravine. In that regard, Heihachi is truly a tragic villain.
Kazumi transforming into a Devil
There is one flaw to this theory: we have only heard the story from Heihachi's side. The idea of tragic villain hinges on him being a reliable narrator. We have no way to verify the accuracy of his story without knowing more from Kazumi or members of the Hachijo clan.
The narrative, then, becomes much like Humbert Humbert's in Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. The audience cannot be sure if he was honest when he divulged the secrets of the Mishimas to the journalist.
Tragic or not, Heihachi will continue to be an iconic figure after his apparent demise. For the fan base, it will be interesting to see if a new character would inherit his classic move sets. For me, he will always remain a "badass grandpa" and a motivation to stay fit into old age.
Heihachi in Tekken 7
Philosofic aims to discuss items you never cared to talk about.
Previous post: Illusion vs Reality - Darker Than Black
