Lidia Sobieska (リディア・ソビエスカ Ridiya Sobiesuka?) is a karateka and the Prime Minister of Poland within the Tekken series. She made her debut in Tekken 7 as DLC in the Season 4 Pass.
Biography[]
Lidia was born into a family that had produced many prominent politicians. When Lidia was 10 years old, her grandfather was elected president of Poland. Despite her family background, Lidia had no intention of becoming a politician. Instead, she wanted to continue to study traditional karate, which she had been training in for some time.
Two years later, as Lidia stood waiting to welcome her grandfather and father back from a trip to Japan, the government helicopter carrying the two of them suddenly exploded and crashed. Lidia's face was injured by flying debris and she fainted. A few days later, Lidia regained consciousness. She was told that the helicopter explosion was not an accident, but an act of terrorism. Lidia was angry and upset to learn that her father was killed in the attack. Two months after the incident, Lidia visited her grandfather, who survived the explosion after receiving intensive care. He told her never to give in to injustice.
Lidia entered university law school at the age of 16 and graduated with first-class honors five years later. At the age of 18, Lidia won her first world karate championship and would go on to win an unprecedented six consecutive titles in the following years. When she turned 21, she immediately ran for national office and won her first election. Lidia’s martial arts prowess and determined outlook earned her the nickname ‘The Strongest Member of Parliament’.
As the war between the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corporation intensified, the situation in Poland deteriorated. Calls for a new political leader in the country rapidly grew stronger. In response, Lidia put her name forward for the presidency of the ruling party and won, becoming prime minister of Poland at the young age of 29. She requested that the Mishima Zaibatsu withdraw the Tekken Force solders they had illegally stationed in Poland, but the Mishima Zaibatsu's owner, Heihachi Mishima, refused to do so. He sent a letter that told Lidia that, if she was dissatisfied with his response, she would have to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament and negotiate directly with him. Though she was offended by the prospect, she nevertheless entered the tournament.[6]
Personality[]
Lidia is very patriotic as she vows to win The seventh King of Iron Fist Tournament in the name of the people of her country. She is seemingly unphased by the threats that her aide warns her about, and unafraid to confront Heihachi Mishima when he refuses to withdraw Tekken Force from Poland. She is a dedicated karateka, and, in her character reveal trailer, accidentally slips into speaking like she is in the dojo whilst on the phone with her aide, suggesting she is more comfortable in a martial arts setting than a political one.
One of her default win animations shows her offering a hand to her opponent whilst saying, "I went too far, an ambulance is on its way," suggesting thoughtfulness and self-restraint. Another win animation shows her thanking her opponent for the match in a traditional karate bow, suggesting she has respect for her opponents and upholds a code of honor in her martial arts.
Appearance[]
Lidia has platinum blonde hair which she ties into a high ponytail. She has blue eyes, with a scar through her left eye. She wears winged eye make up and glossy red lipstick.
Outfits[]
Lidia is a politician and therefore dresses formally, donning a white dress shirt underneath a black vest and blazer whilst a light gray coat, which contains a pin featuring the Polish white eagle, is worn on top of them. She also wears a brown knee-length pencil skirt with black trim, pantyhose as well as black pumps with white accents.
Her main costume consists of a patterned black and red sports top with an imprint of an eagle and text which says "Polska". She wears leather sparring gloves which have a symbol of an eagle on a shield, as well as red sports tape and a protective elbow pad on her left arm. She has a white gi, the top of which hangs around her waist. On her gi pants there is a badge, possibly of her Karate school, which has a glossy silver motif of wings. There is also a red rim on the pantlegs. Alongside this, she wear a pair of leather sandals with red accents and a white-red headband tied around her head.
Her 2P color makes the red parts in her costume appear in a darker shade of purple while her gi becomes black.
Her alternate costume consists of her wearing a black jacket with a brown leather trim, reminiscent of the ones that the Polish highlanders wear, that also has a decorative pin with a feather motif. Underneath the jacket she wears a white summer dress with a red trim that appears to be tied with a brown leather belt. She also seems to be wearing a pair of blue leggings and a pair of black shoes. Instead of her headband she wears a plain red beret.
Story[]
Tekken 7[]
Tekken 7 - Lidia Sobieska Character Reveal Trailer
Official Website Profile (English)
Lidia has always been an upright and resolute woman. She believes that justice requires absolute power, which is why she has shown great interest in karate from a very young age. The loss of her father stoked her interest in the family tradition of politics. Lidia showed great qualities in both areas, entering and winning her first karate world championship at 18, and more recently being one of the youngest rising stars in the Polish political arena. The war started by the Mishima Zaibatsu is greatly affecting Poland and she is committed to settle the situation with her own fists.[7]
Official Website Profile (Japanese)
Young Prime Minister Lidia Sobieska, who will lead the next generation of Poland.
Born into a prominent political family, Lidia was destined to be a politician from an early age. When Lidia was 10 years old, her grandfather became President of Poland, which attracted public attention to her as the next generation of politician. However, as a matter of fact, Lidia had no intention of becoming a politician and wanted to pursue the path of traditional karate, which she was learning for self defense. Two years later however, a life-changing incident occurred for Lidia. Intending to welcome her grandfather and father home from a trip abroad, Lidia was waiting for the designated helicopter when, in front of her eyes, the government helicopter carrying her grandfather and father suddenly exploded and crashed. At that time, the scattered debris injured Lidia’s face and she fainted. A few days later Lidia finally regained consciousness, and, although her grandfather miraculously survived, her father died. It was reported that the crash was not just an accident, but a terrorist act aimed at assassinating the prime minister using explosives.
Lidia was deeply angry and upset that her father had been killed and that it hadn’t been an accident. Two months after the incident when visitation restriction was finally lifted, she visited her grandfather, and she was told, “Never give in to unjust power. Never. Be strong both physically and mentally”. Whilst squeezing her grandfather’s hand, she put hidden determination into her words. “I have decided. I will be a good politician like my grandfather and father!”
To put those words into practice, Lidia enrolled in the law department of a university at the age of 16 and graduated at the top of her class five years later. As soon as she was 21 and earned eligibility for election, she ran for national election and won on her first run. In addition, she won the world championship kumite division of karate, which she first appeared in at the age of 18. She continued to participate in tournaments even after becoming a member of parliament, and achieved an unprecedented six consecutive victories and became familiar to people under the nickname 'the strongest member of parliament.'
As time went by, the war between the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corporation intensified all over the world, and various conflicts occurred, such as the Mishima Zaibatsu illegally deploying special forces in Poland. With this, the demand for a new political leader rapidly increased in the country, and in order to answer that call, Lidia won the ruling first party presidential election and became Prime Minister of Poland at the young age of 29. Lidia, who became prime minister, requested the Mishima Zaibatsu to withdraw the illegally stationed Tekken Force, but a threatening letter arrived from Heihachi Mishima, the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu: 'I’m not going to obey the withdrawal request at all. If you’re dissatisfied, you should come to The King of Iron Fist Tournament and negotiate directly with me.'
Lidia was angry with the content of the letter, but decided to participate in the tournament. “I cannot stand injustice. For the sake of the people of Poland, I cannot lose!”[6]
Letter from Heihachi
Handwritten letter sent to Lidia from Heihachi, stamped with the Mishima Zaibatsu seal.
Dear Ms. Prime Minister,
I do not intend to follow your request for the withdrawal of the Tekken Force deployment in Poland.
However, I hold you in high regard on account of your ascension to the post of prime minister at such a young age. I have no doubt you will play a prominent role in shaping the future of your country. If you are of the mind to cooperate with my ambitions, you will have the strong support of the Mishima Zaibatsu for your country and all of the endeavors related to politics, economics, and military affairs.
If you refuse this offer, I am sure you understand the perilous situation in which it would place your country.
If you have any objections, you could always enter the King of the Iron Fist Tournament and propose them directly to me.
January 22nd
CEO of Mishima Zaibatsu
Heihachi Mishima[8]
Gameplay[]
Fighting Style[]
Lidia uses a style of Karate practiced in Poland.[9]
Moves[]
Character Relationships[]
- Heihachi Mishima - Lidia requested Heihachi withdraw Tekken Force from Poland when he was head of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Heihachi refused to do so, causing Lidia to enter the Iron Fist Tournament at his invitation to further discuss the dispute.
- Her grandfather - He was President of Poland and an inspiration to Lidia.
- Her father - He was killed in a helicopter crash, during an assassination attempt on Lidia's grandfather. She vowed to follow in his and his father's footsteps to become a good politician.
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- She practices the Shōtōkan-style of Karate, as is evident from her wide stances, straight closed fist strikes and performing the Kankū-dai kata in her reveal trailer, a signature kata of Shōtōkan.
- Kazuya Mishima's fighting style is also based on Shōtōkan but Lidia's is much more traditional. Shōtōkan is the most widely practiced style of Karate and also the most influential, with nearly all other styles of Karate (and some other martial arts as well, such as Taekwondo) listing it as an influence.
- Several of Lidia's attacks were motion captured from Tatsuya Naka of the Japan Karate Association and a 7th dan master that teaches Shōtōkan-style Karate.[10]
- Information on Lidia's background was sent out as a care package to some fans by Bandai Namco. A letter is included that is sent from Heihachi Mishima to Lidia in her capacity as head of state.[11]
- In the same above mentioned care package, a black belt with Lidia's name on it is provided. The belt has the polish word "Potęga" (power) sewn onto it, along with "Polskie Karate" (Polish Karate), indicating she is likely has a black belt in a style of karate.
- Her surname is possibly based on Jan III Sobieski, King of Poland who commanded the Polish Winged Hussars against the Ottomans in Siege of Vienna in 1683, in the largest cavalry charge of all time.
- Her surname could indicate she is a descendant of, or named after the Sobieski household, a real-life noble Polish family which existed during the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Due to her hair color and scar, she was mistaken for Ciri from The Witcher series during her initial teaser.
- An early file found on the XBOX store entitled 'DLC18-Krystyna' led fans to believe that the character's name would be Krystyna.[12] The character's name was confirmed as Lidia Sobieska by Katsuhiro Harada on 16th March 2021.[13]
- The name change could have possibly been due to the similarity to Christie.
- Like many DLC characters, despite having been added to the game later, Lidia's story does not take place after Tekken 7, but during it. This is evidenced by her communication with Heihachi who is now the deceased head of the Zaibatsu, and by her choice to enter the Iron Fist Tournament, an event which is cancelled part way through Tekken 7's story.
- Lidia was released in Season 4 DLC alongside the stage Island Paradise.
- Lidia's reveal trailer was first aired live on Twitch during the King of the Hill tournament on 21st March 2021.
- Lidia's favorite soup is żurek [14]. Harada tasted this dish when he visited Poland and ordered it every day during his visit.[15]
- In an interview, Harada stated that he had been thinking of introducing a Polish character since around the time of Tekken 5 and Tekken 6, but had a lack of knowledge about the country so held off creating one. After visiting the country and talking to many locals, he felt better placed to create a Polish character. He also stated that Lidia was not based on any particular politician.[16]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ https://www.tk7.tekken-official.jp/special/dlc18.php
- ^ a b c https://www.tk7.tekken-official.jp/special/dlc18.php
- ^ https://twitter.com/Harada_TEKKEN/status/1374525107473772544?s=19
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=751399912150510&id=138303293460178
- ^ http://dubbingpedia.pl/wiki/Aleksandra_Nowicka#Gry
- ^ a b Tekken 7 Official Website - DLC 18 Lidia Sobieska
- ^ Tekken 7 Official English Website Profile.
- ^ https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/tekken-7-prime-minister-lidia-sobieska-is-a-karate-user/z02f2f
- ^ https://twitter.com/Harada_TEKKEN/status/1371637907702775808
- ^ [1]
- ^ A full transcript of the letter can be read here, and photos of the care package can be seen in this video.
- ^ https://www.reddit.com/r/Tekken/comments/lptd74/tekken_7_dlc_18_krystyna/
- ^ Harada tweet confirming DLC character as Lidia Sobieska. News source linked by Harada: [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]