Against All Odds

Dr. Huey Emmerich was born a paraplegic and used a wheelchair due to his abnormally-shaped spine. This didn’t slow him down too much, however. Emmerich graduated from MIT, joined the ranks of NASA, and was responsible for developing bipedal locomotion technology and an advanced decision-making AI system. He also put his mechanical aptitude to use by modifying his wheelchair so that it could climb stairs. Eventually, Emmerich developed an exoskeleton for his legs that allowed him to walk upright without the need for his chair. Huey is a compulsive liar and a delusional megalomaniac, but you have to admire his intellect even if he is a horrible person and a literal cuck. When life gives you lemons, you’re supposed to make lemonade. When life gave Huey Emmerich a malformed spine, he made an exoskeleton.

No one on this list is more defiant than Xiahou Dun. When his eye was caught by a stray arrow, he promptly removed his arrow-pierced eye and declared it to be a gift from his ancestors. He then proceeded to eat the eye in plain view of his enemies in order to demoralize them. Wasting no time, he hunted down and killed the archer who was responsible for his injury. His vengeance was quick, but Xiahou Dun never got over the loss of his eye and would supposedly smash mirrors out of rage. That being said, his anger also motivated him and helped him to overcome obstacles. Losing an eye would have put most warriors on the sidelines, but the so-called Blind General was a force to be reckoned with. There are Dynasty Warriors characters with more impressive military records, but none are more badass than Xiahou Dun.

Kenshi was a fierce warrior who traveled the world in search of worthy opponents. Although he was a skilled martial artist, he lacked humility and he was easy to manipulate. Eventually, he was outsmarted by a treacherous sorcerer and left for dead in a dark labyrinth. He was permanently blinded in the altercation, but he found an ancient sword in the labyrinth that encouraged him to seek vengeance. Kenshi had to learn how to use his other senses to compensate for his loss of sight, and he was eventually able to unlock the full potential of his mind. After a decade of training, he became a master of telekinesis. Kenshi can deflect projectiles, his reach extends beyond the length of his sword, and he can teleport by bending space with his mind. Losing his eyesight only served to make Kenshi a more capable fighter.

Lester Crest suffers from an unspecified wasting disease which gradually wears down his motor skills as he ages. He is able to walk short distances with the use of a cane, but he spends most of his time in a wheelchair. To make matters worse, he also suffers from asthma and has struggles with his weight since he’s unable to get proper exercise. Fortunately, Lester is a genius with an eye for detail and a knack for all things technology. His skill set makes him the perfect guy to set up heists, and he has perpetrated bank robberies, stock fraud, and corporate assassinations. In one instance, he managed to shoot down three helicopters with rocket-propelled grenades despite never having used the weapon before! He might be socially awkward and physically disabled, but he’s also a criminal mastermind who can think on his feet.

As a young turtle playing near his family home, Bentley wandered away from his siblings due to his nearsightedness and wound up in an orphanage as a result. Despite his tragic past and his timid personality, he found a great group of friends and eventually formed the world’s greatest gang of thieves. Bentley was the brains of the operation, but his personality changed after his legs were injured during the final act of Sly 2. He was never especially athletic, but his paralysis made him more insecure and he began to worry about burdening his friends. Ironically, Bentley was more mobile in his wheelchair than when he was able to walk. (Turtles aren’t exactly known for their speed, after all.) In time, Bentley regained his confidence and discovered that there’s more than one way to stand up for yourself.

Jeff “Joker” Moreau was born with Vrolik syndrome, which causes extreme brittleness in the bones. He finds walking to be nearly impossible, and he relies heavily on crutches and leg braces in order to get around. After joining the Alliance Navy, he was nicknamed “Joker” because he worked too hard and seldom smiled. He quickly surpassed his classmates and instructors alike, and he had the last laugh by the end of his training. Joker knew that his medical condition made him an unlikely candidate to pilot sophisticated starships, so he hijacked the most advanced frigate in the fleet in order to prove himself. He faced a court martial for his stunt, but he was ultimately named the official pilot of the vessel. Joker can be arrogant at times, but his confidence is not misplaced and his commendations were well-earned.

Taimi has a degenerative disease that prevents her from walking long distances. There is no known cure for her condition, and the disease is likely to spread to other parts of her body as she ages. Despite the prognosis, she is fiercely independent and won’t allow anyone to take pity on her. The world of Tyria is a hostile place and her parents are nowhere to be seen, so Taimi gets around with the help of a giant golem named Scruffy. Taimi often sits in Scruffy’s hands or stands on its back, but she can also climb inside if she needs to be protected during a fight. Scruffy’s presence serves as a constant reminder of Taimi’s condition, but she’s defined by her personality rather than her disability. She’s known for her quick wit and a strong work ethic, and she’s always supportive of her friends and guildmates.

Diogenes is a muscular man whose lower body is confined within a black cauldron for some unknown reason. The logistics of the situation are unclear, and Diogenes doesn’t provide any expository dialogue to explain things. Although he’s unable to use his legs, Diogenes manages to scale mountains and various obstacles by relying entirely on his upper-body strength and an oversized Yosemite hammer. He’s at constant risk of losing his progress, however, and tremendous perseverance is a requisite for success. His task is not easy, but that’s what makes his eventual victories worth celebrating. Diogenes is a man of few words, but his actions speak for themselves. What more needs to be said of a cauldron-confined man who uses a hammer to propel himself to the tops of mountains?

When his colony was attacked by an army of mechanical beings called the Mechon, Dunban was able to repel the invasion with the use of a mythical sword known as the Monado. The Monado could manipulate the ether around it and was effective weapon against the mechanical assailants, but the sword took its tole on Dunban’s body. He was thought to be the only one capable of wielding the legendary blade, but he could only exercise limited control over it. Although he was successful in thwarting the Mechon invasion, he ultimately sacrificed the use of his right arm in the process. He had no regrets over the ordeal, however, and he simply adjusted his style so he could fight with his left arm instead. Dunban was willing to put his life on the line to save everyone else, but he never lets his heroic reputation go to his head.

Armed with a katana and a myriad of hidden weapons, Baiken was a secret boss in the first Guilty Gear game before she landed a spot on the main roster. As a child, Baiken’s left eye was gouged out and her right arm was severed in an attack that also claimed the lives of her parents. Her traumatic past transformed her into an aggressive, anti-social woman who was fueled by vengeance. She’s physically disabled and has no supernatural abilities to speak of, but her skills with a sword make her one of the deadliest fighters in the Guilty Gear pantheon. In most situations, a one-armed swordsman with no depth perception would be as effective as a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest. Baiken is obviously an exception to the rule, and her no-nonsense personality allows her to clear any hurdle that’s in front of her.