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Overview

The ancient gods created the dinosaur, and the ancient gods destroyed it. So Ultratech has created the Stalker unit. And so it in turn shall destroy an ancient god.

ARIA during the events of Shadow Lords

Riptor is a genetically engineered bioweapon created by Ultratech. A crossbreed of human and reptilian DNA, she combines a near human-level intellect and problem solving capabilities with the ferocity of the extinct Raptor genera—together with various cybernetic and biotech enhancements. Riptor was part of the original roster of playable characters featured in Killer Instinct (1994), and became re-introduced to the franchise twenty years later during Season Two of Killer Instinct (2013).

Biography[]

Appearance[]

In the original Killer Instinct game, Riptor is a human/velociraptor hybrid, having the basic appearance of a velociraptor, but with much larger arms, humanoid muscle mass in the chest area, and broken shackles hanging from its wrists. The color of its scales changes depending on its renders and in-game appearance, ranging from being primarily orange with black stripes, not unlike that of a tiger, to green scales around its back and tail to orange scales on the underside of its body.

Riptorclevergirl

She's such a clever girl

In Killer Instinct (2013), Riptor's muscle mass is distributed in a more reptilian and less humanoid manner, giving it a smaller chest and thinner arms. Its eyes are slightly larger and its head is less pointed, and three flimsy spikes protrude from the back of its head. However, the biggest change by far are the cybernetic components. Metal bionics run down Riptor's back and down to the end of its tail, and its claws have been given blue energy enhancements. In place of its signature shackles are metal plates. The hexagonal patterns along its body slowly fade in and out from light blue to black, and bar codes and the UltraTech logo are tattooed in several places.

Riptor's retro costume mirrors its Killer Instinct (1994) appearance with additional anklets on its legs and has become less bulky than it was in the first game. Its tail is also stretchable, similar to its default appearance.

Personality[]

Riptor’s personality is difficult to determine due to her animalistic reptilian nature. She is a cunning and clever hunter who leads her pack of Stalkers with power and authority, quickly striking down the enemies of Ultratech with fierce genius. She is quite intelligent for an animal, though she still can’t resist some of her primal instincts, and in the end all she really wants is a good meal of fresh meat.

Abilities[]

If you're lucky, you might actually see her before she begins to eat you.

— Riptor's story mode description

In the original universe, Riptor has a fairly basic moveset, fighting mainly with rabid claw, jaw and tail attacks, along with a venom-spitting attack. In the rebooted universe, however, she has been greatly improved with cybernetic enhancements. She can breathe fire, whether it be a short plume from her throat or an arcing fireball mortar. Her tail can also separate into several linked units to stretch out and attack, similarly to the Snake Sword used by the character Ivy in the Soul Calibur series.

Killer Instinct[]

Ki riptor mov

Riptor's original appearance in Killer Instinct (1994)

Riptor retro costume

Riptor's "retro" appearance in Killer Instinct (2013)

Story[]

A product of UltraTech's DNA manipulation project. By splicing human and reptilian genes, they have created a fighting creature with animal ferocity and human intelligence.

Extended story[]

Another of Ultratech's miraculously realized concepts: a crossbreed of human and reptilian DNA, resulting in a creature that combines formidable intelligence with sheer brute strength. Nurtured from the egg by a dedicated Ultratech professor and her team, the beast nicknamed 'Riptor' by others has barely reached 4 years of age before it first demonstrates its full savage power in a human kill. Riptor is confused and often finds itself torn between human reasoning and predatory instincts, resorting to attack when it fails to understand the situation, as ever more people find out the hard way.

Ending[]

Ultratech's plans at creating a genetically engineered weapon have escalated beyond even their control. By toying with the laws of nature, Ultratech have finally doomed the human race... Dinosaurs once again rule the Earth.

Stage[]

Main article: Altar

Killer Instinct (2013)[]

Riptorbackground

Riptor's new appearance in Killer Instinct (2013)

After 20 years since her last appearance, Riptor returned as the fourth character of Season Two. Riptor was brought back to life by Ultratech using cybernetic implants, thus becoming a cybernetic Riptor.

Story[]

"Ultratech reveals the newest addition to its ever-growing brand of military products, the Riptor battlefield infiltration and disruption unit! Plasma claws, internal flame generators, and cybernetic tail extensors are combined with a natural predator’s advantages. Don’t wait! Genetic assembly pods are filling up now. Order yours TODAY!"[1]

Biography[]

Ultratech doesn’t always look forwards to find the solutions to future military development. Sometimes, they look to the past.

So it was with the Riptor project.

A competing combat contract project with the Fulgore line and the Cinder initiative, brilliant Ultratech genetic engineer Dr. Erin Gupte saw a better path to follow. She thought that Fulgore’s maintenance and lack of ability to adapt to radically different hostile environments would create a nightmare for upkeep and result in a prohibitively expensive machine. At the same time, she saw the Cinder initiative as pure R&D with years before any interesting developments could be realized. She believed that a creature built on a ruthless adaptable predator and augmented and constrained by modern technology would result in the ideal combat platform. It could rely on its own victims for sustainment, and could maneuver and infiltrate in areas that the Fulgore line would never be able to function; Riptor couldn’t be jammed or hacked, stopped by weather, or be disabled by a grain of sand in an intake. Nor would it take a decade of research to decode the alien technologies the Cinder initiative toyed with.

The first batch of Riptor units were vicious, and even with cybernetic augmentation and programming, were completely uncontrollable. No amount of shock, drugs, or control systems would contain them, and they would tear anything it saw apart in moments, making it impossible for them to work as a coordinated team as planned.

1418682440-riptor-3

Ultratech thought it was a great idea to give her the problem-solving ability of early humans

Digging into the problem, and amidst the pressures from Ultratech leadership for results, Erin theorized that all her creations had no upbringing, no parenting, only genetic memories to kill that she could not overwrite; they came into the world fully ready to fight, and without any other upbringing to guide them, that’s exactly what they did.

She destroyed the initial batch of Riptor assets and began work on a new batch, augmenting the creatures even further than the originals. Borrowing cast-off technology from the Fulgore project, Erin began using her own mind as a training tool for her new creations, simulating upbringing through her own directed thoughts, guiding the creatures into understanding that there was a place for family, and the idea of a pack…[2][3][4]

Extended Story[]

You and Your Riptor Unit:

Main article: You and Your Riptor Unit

Novella[]

Chapter 2 — The Watchman Awakes:

Main article: The Watchman Awakes

Chapter 4 — Conflux:

Main article: Conflux

Shadow Lords[]

Information to be added...

Stage[]

KI riptor

Riptor's new Hatchery 09 background stage in Killer Instinct (2013)

Main article: Hatchery 09

During an Ultra Combo, a military base in the background launches multiple missiles at the stage, apparently intended to destroy the evidence of the incident.

Riptor's theme is basically her remixed classic 1994 theme, "Rumble".

Moveset[]

Combo Trait - Fire and Tail Linkers: After an auto-double, Riptor can follow up with a three hit flame or tail attack by simply pressing Hard Punch or Hard Kick.

Moves:

  • Shoulder Charge
  • Talon Rake
  • Tail Flip
  • Clever Girl
  • Primal Run
  • Survival Run

Ultra Combo: 31 Hits

Ultimate Combo:

  • Riptor launches the defeated opponent into the air with her tail and as the victim is high above, she then flips over the victim and tries to bite the victim's torso but misses by an inch; the victim lands lifelessly as Riptor lands on her back and breathes out fire in frustration; Riptor then looks at her victim — who is still alive by a hand twitch — before breathing fire onto the victim causing the screen to go white; the screen fades back to Riptor walking towards the flames where the cremated victim once lay before lying down next to the flames for a victory nap.

Signature Moves[]

  • Claw Uppercut: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Quick Punch.
  • Tailflip: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Any Kick.
  • Flaming Venom: Down, Quarter Back, Back, Any Punch.
  • Dragon Breath: Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Fierce Punch.
  • Jump Rake: Charge Back Then Forward, Any Kick.
  • Rampage: Charge Back Then Forward, Any Punch.
  • Reverse Jump Rake: Forward Then Back, Medium Kick (Or Quick Kick).

Other moves[]

  • No Mercy 1: Riptor unfurls its hood and spits acid in its opponents face.
  • No Mercy 2: Riptor stabs and impale the opponent with its tail.
  • No Mercy 3: Riptor jumps at opponent, then the screen goes black, then you see Riptor burping and farting with a full tummy.

Gallery[]

Killer Instinct (1994)

Killer Instinct (2013)

Killer Instinct Comics

Trivia[]

  • It's never been specified which of the Raptor genera Ultratech used the DNA samples of to engineer Riptor with, but her morphology suggests she's closely related to either the species Utahraptor ostrommaysi (her size) or Deinonychus antirrhopus (her frame).
  • Riptor's gender wasn't mentioned in the original game and was seemingly left ambiguous, but her 1994 arcade ending revealed that she had found access to eggs during the tournament (with rather apocalyptic consequences). The Nintendo Power Guide refers to Riptor with masculine pronouns, implying that this Riptor was a he.
    • Riptor's ending's eggs are referenced in her Killer Instinct (2013) background story, "You and Your Riptor Unit", which is a draft manual for new Riptor "owners" that includes an unfinished chapter titled: "What to Do If You See an Egg".
    • In KI (2013), Riptor first became officially designated as a female by Iron Galaxy.
  • In the original Killer Instinct (1994), Riptor is shown to have a Cobra-like hood which she unfurls only before performing one of her Ultimate Combos.
  • Riptor didn't re-appear for the 1996 sequel of Killer Instinct 2. TJ Combo's KI2 character profile instead states he scored a "decisive victory over Riptor", implying that Combo put down Riptor for good during the previous tournament, at the cost of his left eye.
    • This in-universe factoid is referenced in KI (2013) during Shadow Lords. When playing as TJ, the player suddenly gets attacked by the real Riptor. When defeating her, Combo will blurt out: "Like she had some 20 year old grudge, or something..."
  • The 2013 Riptor design shares some resemblance to the Dinosaur Train character Buddy.

External Links[]

Media[]

References[]

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