Games
The legendary dragon is a staple of the Tekken series, but how has this nunchaku-swinging fighter evolved over the years?
Ever since his first appearance in the original Tekken, Marshall Law has been a fan favourite fighter. A clear homage to legendary action film star Bruce Lee, Law is a martial arts master who has honed his craft to perfection in his own dojo, which he runs alongside a Chinese restaurant franchise. While he might not be the most glamorous fighter, Law more than makes up for his shortcomings with infectious charisma and raw strength.
01
Tekken (1994)
Age: 24
Players first met Marshall Law with the very first game in the series, which was released for arcades in 1994. Driven by financial struggles, Law enters the King of Iron Fist tournament along with his friend Paul Pheonix, in the hopes of securing the prize money to set up his own dojo. Law was a great fighter in the original Tekken, possessing enviable speed and a strong moveset filled with quick jabs and long-range kicks. Although it's never confirmed in-game, Law appears to be a practitioner of Jeet Kune Do, a school of martial arts popularised by Bruce Lee.
Law more than makes up for his shortcomings with infectious charisma and raw strength
02
Tekken 2 (1995)
Age: 26
In Tekken 2, we see that Law has achieved his dream of opening his own dojo, but it's not long before a mysterious villain appears to bring his dream crashing down. Determined to regain his dojo's honour, he enters the King of Iron Fist tournament once again. In this sequel, Law was an even deadlier fighter, specialising in kicks, which he executes with unparalleled mobility.
03
Tekken 4 (2001)
Age: 48
Marshall Law took a few years off after Tekken 2, replaced by his son Forest Law in Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament. You can't keep Marshall down for long though, as he returned in the first PlayStation 2 entry in the main series. Tekken 4 sees Marshall Law fall on hard times, as his restaurant chain has declared bankruptcy. In his desperation, Law once again turns to the King of Iron Fist tournament to get his life back on track.
Law's fighting style was once again defined by his powerful spin kicks. The more powerful hardware allowed the developers to give Law more fluid animations which further allowed him to embody the spirit of his Hollywood inspiration. Law's acrobatics were more impressive than ever, and the ability to interact with environments added extra layers to his combat style.
04
Tekken 5 (2004)
Age: 48
Law's run of bad luck continues into Tekken 5, which finds him attempting to raise funds for his son's healthcare after he got into an accident on Paul's motorcycle. Law returns with a similar move set to the previous game, doling out spin kicks like they were going out of style.
05
Tekken 6 (2007)
Age: 49
The move to the next generation of consoles, namely the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, allowed Law to be rendered in greater detail than ever. As players fought to not be distracted by the sweat glistening from Law's shredded torso, the fighter was spinning circles around his opponents with lightning-fast combos.
06
Tekken 7 (2015)
Age: 49
Leaping to another generation, the Tekken series arrived on PS4 and Xbox One more than two years after the Japanese arcade release. After such a long wait for a new Tekken, Law fans were delighted to see the legendary dragon return to the roster. The fighter's moveset was refined once again, with the introduction of Rage Arts and Power Crush moves, adding some devastating weapons to the martial artists' arsenal.
Law's gameplay mechanics are constantly evolving without becoming convoluted
07
Tekken 8 (2024)
Age: 50 (Estimated)
This year, Marshall returned to lay down the law once again in the long-awaited Tekken 8. Law had previously been able to bust out his nunchaku for special moves, but Tekken 8 marked the first time the melee weapons were incorporated into his regular move set. His Rage Art is Fate of the Dragon, which sees him unleash a barrage of mid-nunchuck hits.
Overall, his defense is strong, mitigating how punishable his combos are. Given his relatively simplistic combat style, Law makes for an excellent starter character, allowing players to master the basics with a character that retains a high skill ceiling.
Over three decades of appearances, Marshall Law has been established as a mainstay of the Tekken series. The narrative depicts a man who constantly overcomes adversity to achieve greatness, while his gameplay mechanics are constantly evolving without becoming convoluted. With Law now presumably in his early 50s, it seems only a matter of time before his son Forest once again steps up to take the torch from his father. We'll have to wait for future games (or possibly Tekken 8 DLC?) to find out.
