2002: Primordial Ooze. (With the exception of Link and maybe Cloud depending on how much you think Mario boosted against him, the noble nine were all extremely close.)
2003: Squaresoft Rising. (KH Factor boosts Cloud and Sephiroth far beyond the rest of the non-Link Noble 9. Magus and Tidus believed to be near-elites.)
2004: The Return of the King. (Link takes back crown from Cloud and begins his era of contest domination, save for L-Block.)
2005: Nintendo Sun. (The Nintendo boost that turned the gauntlet into a joke).
2006: Dawn of the Snake, Twilight of the Crono. (Snake's rise to power completely shook up the noble nine, as did the beginning of Crono's fall from grace).
2007: Post-Modern Era. (L-Block's victory reveals that jokes are now a deadly contest power, Vincent defeats Crono and reveals that the noble nine can be beaten).
2008: Pokemon Reborn. (Pikachu proves that Pokemon is no longer fodder.)
2010: Return to the Beginning. (Snake/Samus prove that noble 9 are once again close, reflecting 2002).
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Fast Falcon ate my bracket for dinner in the guru contest.