Falco

Falco (ファルコ) is the venerable general of the Holy Emperor army. When Rin and Rui were infants, Falco was goaded by Jako to kill Rin. When the infant Rin smiled at him, Falco could not bring himself to kill the unwanted princess. He instead took her to an elderly couple so that she could be raised as a normal child.

Years later, Falco stopped Raoh's army in front of one of his people's villages. The army threatened to eliminate every villager present, regardless if he fought to protect them. Rather than sacrifice the lives of many, Falco chopped off his own right leg as an offering to appease Raoh. The Fist King appreciated the selfless act and redirected his army's march elsewhere. Falco wanted to kill the one responsible for inviting disaster to their people (Jako), but he relented when he saw his mother's tears.

Although he despised Jako, Falco obeyed his commands to protect the Holy Emperor's legacy. He slaughtered hundreds at Jako's command and struck down any who stood against them. He was ordered to destroy the Hokuto army, eventually realizing that Rin is the resistance's true leader. He is later ordered by the crazed Jako to stop Kenshiro's approach to their main keep. When Falco tires against Kenshiro's might, two of Jako's assassins fire iron arrows at him. Ein shields Falco from them and dies. When he learns that Jako placed both princesses in danger, Falco finally finds his reason to kill Jako, ending the tyrant's life.

He hadn't fully recovered from his injuries, yet Falco decides to head to Shura before Kenshiro in order to save Rin. He is thoroughly beaten by a nameless resident of the island. Kenshiro arrives and presses select pressure points to revive him, allowing Falco the opportunity to protect his pride. Falco regrets leaving his technique without a successor until a messenger bird arrives with news of his lover giving birth to a son. Pleased to know that his life and martial art will not be forgotten, Falco quietly breathes his last in Kenshiro's arms.

Fighting Style
Gento Kouken is a two thousand year martial art, formerly known in past generations to be the "third constellation" beside the Hokuto and Nanto styles. It is a style invented primarily to protect the Holy Emperor from any threat. Users can manipulate the fighting aura surrounding their bodies to slice, freeze, or vaporize their opponents instantaneously. Normal people can often see the act as a flash of light emanating from the practitioner's fists. Due to their similarities it has been called a related branch of the Hokuto Shinken style.

Testuo Hara said that Falco is one of his favorite characters in the series. Hisashi Koinuma remarks that the development team listened closely to Hara's suggestions and criticism, making him as close as possible to Hara's image of the character.