The Law Family are a fictional family from the United States of America in the Tekken series. They are famous for being in the restaurant business and also owning a dojo. The family consists of Marshall Law, Mrs. Law, and their son, Forest Law.
History[]
The Laws are an impoverished family who live in San Francisco, California. It is implied that the area they live in does not have access to many amenities, including running water.[3] Marshall Law originally worked for a Chinese restaurant, but had dreams of opening his own dojo. Marshall entered the first King of Iron Fist Tournament in the hopes of winning its prize money.[4] He drew against Wang Jinrei though, and returned home with nothing. However, the benevolent Yoshimitsu and his Manji Clan had reappropriated wealth from Ganryu, an infamous gambler, and proceeded to distribute it to the Law family and their poor neighborhood.[5] The Law family celebrated and, with this money, Marshall was able to open his own dojo.
Two years later, disaster struck for the Laws when a (blackmailed) Baek Doo San attacked the dojo and severely injured Law's students. Marshall was forced to enter the second Iron Fist Tournament to pay for the repairs and restore the reputation of his dojo.[6] Unable to secure funds from the second tournament, the dojo appears to have never recovered from this attack. In the next 20 years, Marshall instead focused on his career as a chef. He was able to open his own restaurant, 'Marshall China', and grow it into a national fast food chain. Forest, now a grown adult, appears to have helped at the restaurant sometimes.[7] A headstrong Forest, encouraged by Paul Phoenix, went against his father's wishes and entered the third King of Iron Fist tournament in order to prove his strength to himself and his father.
The Law's restaurant chain was forced to declare bankruptcy when it lost a franchise war against a competitor. Marshall fell into depression and took to drinking. When he saw the fourth tournament being advertised, he set himself to getting back into shape for it.[8] He was ultimately unsuccessful in the tournament, and had to stay in Japan afterwards as he couldn't afford a ticket back to the USA. He worked as a dishwasher at this time. A month later, Mrs. Law phoned to tell him Forest had been in an accident whilst riding Paul's bike. On top of their previous impoverishment, the family now had enormous medical bills to pay.[9] Marshall even asked Paul to throw his fight so that he could more easily get the tournament winnings. (Paul refused, but said that if he won, he would give the money to Marshall for Forest's bills).[10] Marshall continued working as a dishwasher whilst entering the fifth tournament, but was discovered to be working illegally in Japan by the authorities. He was unable to finish the tournament as he was deported back to the USA.
After this, Marshall had trouble with debt collectors,[11] and seems to have got involved with organized crime, trying to earn some quick money by taking on more dubious tasks for criminal gangs.[12] As the deadline for paying off Forest's medical bills was approaching, Paul approached Marshall and proposed working as a three-person team to enter the sixth tournament, presumably to split the winnings of whoever won. Marshall entered the sixth tournament alongside team mates, Paul Phoenix and renowned boxer, Steve Fox, who had caught his attention.
At present, the Law family are still in dire financial straits, with the dojo also going under as Marshall has been preoccupied trying to pay bills. Marshall is looking for someone to take over running his dojo, and his eyes are set on Feng Wei as a successor. Forest seems to still be in hospital after his accident at present.
Assets[]
The Law family ran a dojo, then a restaurant, and then a second dojo.
Marshall Dojo[]
Marshall's dojo in his Tekken 4 ending
Marshall had always dreamed of opening his own martial arts school and was finally able to do so when he received money from Yoshimitsu after the first Iron Fist Tournament.
The dojo was attacked and trashed by Baek Doo San two years later. The school appears not to have recovered from this attack, as 20 years later, it is mentioned that Marshall manages a 'newly established dojo'. The name of this second dojo is Marshall Dojo. It was being built during the run up to the third King of Iron Fist Tournament.[13]
Whilst preoccupied trying to pay off his son's medical debts, Marshall neglects the dojo and it loses nearly all its members. Marshall looks for someone to take over leadership of it, and, after politely refusing Paul Phoenix's suggestion that he run it, Marshall sets off for China, having heard how capable Feng Wei is.[14]
The original dojo had mats lining its floor, and an ancestral shrine. The new dojo in Tekken 3 has a line of mirrors down one side, a wooden floor, and some gym equipment, including a bench with weights and some punching bags. In Tekken 4, it is shown to have wooden training dummies, and posters on the wall, including one of Paul Phoenix. The students appear to train in red t-shirts and blue-grey pants, rather than the white martial arts outfits shown in the original dojo. The second dojo thus has a much more informal 'gym' appearance, when compared the first dojo which had a more traditional look and etiquette.
Marshall China[]
Marshall's restaurant in his Tekken 4 ending
Marshall China is Chinese fast food restaurant Marshall Law grew into a nationwide chain in the 20 years between the second and third King of Iron Fist Tournaments.
Marshall China grew into a national chain restaurant and at its peak was a restaurant empire. The restaurant went under due to losing a franchise war against a competitor and Marshall had to declared bankruptcy shortly before the fourth King of Iron Fist Tournament.[15] It is implied there were other problems too, like customers disliking the food and claiming it was too spicy, and Marshall having a heavy handed response - he challenged rude customers to fights, trashing his own restaurants in the process.[16] Marshall now concentrates solely on his dojo and and martial arts.
Law Family Members[]
- Marshall Law - Married to Mrs. Law; Forest's father.
- Mrs. Law - Married to Marshall; Forest's mother.
- Forest Law - Son of Marshall and Mrs. Law
Relationships[]
- Paul Phoenix - A long term family friend.
- Yoshimitsu - Gave the Laws money, allowing Marshall to start his first dojo.
- Manji Clan - Members of the Manji clan rode on horseback with Yoshimitsu, distributing money to the Laws.
- Baek Doo San - Trashed Marshall's first dojo, ruining its reputation and injuring its students.
- Steve Fox - Joined Marshall as part of a three person team when entering the 6th Iron Fist Tournament.
- Wang Jinrei - Drew with Marshall in the first tournament.
- Lee Chaolan - Trained with Marshall prior to the events of the first Tekken.
- Ganryu - The Law family were in receipt of his ill-gotten gains, courtesy of Yoshimitsu.
- Emilie De Rochefort - She beat up Forest in a street fight and took his invite to the 5th tournament.
- Feng Wei - Marshall hopes he will take over running the Law family dojo whilst he himself is unable to.
Trivia[]
- In Street Fighter X Tekken, Marshall's restaurant has a cameo appearance, where is called "Marshall's Diner" rather than "Marshall China", its name shown in Marshall's Tekken 4 prologue.
- In Forest's Tekken 3 ending, the dojo is called 'Marshall's Dojo', whilst in Paul's Tekken 4 ending, it is instead just 'Marshall Dojo'.
- Alisa Bosconovitch states that the Law's restaurant is located in a ChinaTown just outside the city. She implies that in Tekken 6 a version of Marshall's restaurant is still going, and confirms that its food is very spicy.[17]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ As seen in Marshall's Tekken 4 prologue.
- ^ As seen in Paul Phoenix and Marshall's Tekken 4 endings. Also called "Marshall's Dojo" (Forest's Tekken 3 ending).
- ^ See Yoshimitsu's Tekken ending.
- ^ Marshall Law's Tekken biography.
- ^ See Marshall's Tekken 2 prologue and Yoshimitsu's Tekken ending.
- ^ Marshall Law's Tekken 2 prologue.
- ^ He appears with his father in the restaurant in the opening Tekken 3 movie.
- ^ Marshall's Tekken 4 prologue.
- ^ Marshall's Tekken 5 prologue.
- ^ See Marshall and Paul's Tekken 5 interludes.
- ^ See his initial assumption when he sees Leo in Tekken 6 Scenario Campaign (Leo Kliesen/Scenario Campaign Dialogues#Marshall Law
- ^ As implied in Tekken 6 Scenario Campaign. E.g. Wang Jinrei/Scenario Campaign Dialogues#Marshall Law, Lei Wulong/Scenario Campaign Dialogues#Marshall Law, Kazuya Mishima/Scenario Campaign Dialogues#Marshall Law.
- ^ Forest's Tekken 3 story.
- ^ Marshall's Tekken 7 prologue.
- ^ Marshall's Tekken 4 prologue.
- ^ See Marshall's Tekken 4 ending.
- ^ West District, Chinatown#Alisa's Journal