LogFAQs > #981826119

72. Ridley vs. Diablo (Spring 2005) R1

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a91a3f9a.jpg

Ridley 42.35% 31438
Diablo 57.65% 42796
TOTAL VOTES 74234
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/(2)Ridley_vs_(7)Diablo_2005
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/2000-ruin-division-round-1-ridley-vs-diablo

M. Bison vs. Diablo (Spring 2005) R2

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4441a78e.jpg

Ridley 47.12% 39761
Diablo 52.88% 44627
TOTAL VOTES 84388
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/(6)M._Bison_vs_(7)Diablo_2005
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/2010-ruin-division-round-2-m-bison-vs-diablo

Kefka vs. Diablo (Spring 2005) R3

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/04b3a598.jpg

Kefka 45.91% 38660
Diablo 54.09% 45547
TOTAL VOTES 84207
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/(1)Kefka_vs_(7)Diablo_2005
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/2015-ruin-division-final-kefka-vs-diablo

And so the Villains Contest finally shows up on my list. One might take this high debut as a sign of the contests quality, but unfortunately for any villain fans, its the opposite. There was just not much exciting that happened during it, but the exciting stuff that did happen, hoo boy, there were some entertaining results. First up being this string of matches, an all-timer Cinderella run that produced some much needed excitement and anticipation throughout the 31 days of this contest.

When it came to the bracket, there were three obvious members of the Final Four: Bowser, Ganondorf, and Sephiroth were all likely locks to win their division. The final Divisional winner though, that was up in the air. As the 1 seed for the Ruin Division, Kefka was the presumptive favorite to take it, but his previous contest performances had left quite a bit to be desired, so the knives were out in terms of finding someone else to take it instead. Despite our misgivings though, the pre-contest consensus coalesced around Kefka. As weak as he might have been, his competition in the division was seen as even worse. Ocelot, Liquid, Robotnik, all people that might have stood a chance had been shunted off elsewhere. It looked like, in the end, it would be Kefka after all. There was just other contender: Ridley. Ridley had been someone who had been hyped up for a potential appearance in a regular character contest, not just villains, and while he might have been an unknown quality, he was considered the one other character in the division who had a shot at stopping Kefka from making the Final Four.

Ridleys first round opponent had other plans though. Despite being a 7 seed, Diablo was not someone we entirely underestimated. While Ridley vs. Kefka might have been the most debated match in the division, Ridley Vs. Diablo was probably the second most. It all came down to where Ridleys popularity fell. . .or so we thought. When the match started Diablo got to work immediately and showed that this was not Ridleys match to lose, it was Diablos to win. And Diablo didnt just win, he won by over 10%, upending all of our expectations, and immediately making himself a new contender. In the world of villains, this was Final Four material. For the second spring contest in a row, we had underestimated a low seeded Blizzard entrant, and we would have to wait and see if once again that Blizzard entrant would wreak havoc on our brackets.

In the second round, Diablo did it again, albeit with more trouble against an equally low seeded M. Bison. Despite some stumbles early on, Diablo would pick up steam as the day went on, winning a narrower, but still safe victory. And then in the next round, Diablo would come face to face with Kefka himself. . .and he would win with little trouble yet again. Kefka lead for the first several hours of the poll, but Diablo took off with the Day Vote, and in no time at all won his place in the Final Four. Most upsets are a one round affair, but Diablo beat the odds round after round after round, bowing out in the Semifinals after a run very few saw coming, but which everyone would remember.

For anyone paying attention, this was the second contest with an entrant from Blizzard, and it was the second contest where said entrant exceeded all expectations and made a deep run. GameFAQS is known as a Japanese favoring, console heavy website, so when entrants like Starcraft and Diablo do so well it stands out like a sore thumb. For whatever the reason, Blizzard was an exception to our rules, and this run, coming on the heels of Starcrafts, led many to believe that there was some special sauce with them, and that you should only underestimate Blizzard at your own peril. This bit of advice would prove fruitful more often than not, but when it was proved not, oh boy. But those disappointments were still to come, and in the moment Blizzard had pulled it off yet again, ensuring their spot in contest lore.