However, in the localized version of Double Dragon II: The Revenge for the NES, the gang was renamed the " Black Shadow Warriors" (originally written as a separate unnamed organization in the Famicom version), a name also used for the enemy gang in Super Double Dragon and they were just called " Shadow Warriors" in Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls, the animated series and Double Dragon Advance.Īs the series progressed, the name "Shadow Warriors" slowly became the predominant term to refer to this evil organization, mainly in western product releases and especially in the animated series, where it sprouted a multitude of terms with the prefix "Shadow" on them (examples include: Shadow Master, Shadow Boss, Shadow Khan and Shadow Dojo, just to name a few). The original name of the gang in all versions of the first Double Dragon is the " Black Warriors". The story about the Black Warriors' creation, activities and ultimate demise has been retold numerous times along the many ports and remakes some of the games have had (mainly the first and second installments), some adding variations, new elements and characters involved to its lore, and in some cases even introducing fantastic elements to it, such as is the case of productions like the animated series and the live-action film.īecause of the differences between the arcade and certain console versions of the games (particularly the NES/Famicom versions), the exact nature of the gang and its roster tends to vary. The Renegades then gathered and reorganized all the remnant members of the Black Warriors and added them to their own forces. Craving to easily seize the turf controlled by Willy, they took the opportunity to put him out of the picture while he was still vulnerable. Having most of Japan under their control, they were now looking to expand their territory to America.
Nonetheless, it was later discovered that Jake was nothing more than a pawn and that the Renegades actually had their origins in Japan, with their true leaders being the Okada sisters, Casey and Shannon, a pair of successful entrepreneurs that in reality were criminal masterminds. They were called The Renegades, a new criminal organization leaded by the ruthless Jake, another powerful gang lord. It was later revealed that Willy survived his second encounter with the Dragons, but at that moment another gang entered the scene and had him assassinated. In the NES version, Hiruko, a mysterious fortune teller, reveals herself as the true secret leader of the organization. His victory was short-lived, though, as the brothers quickly dispatched both him and his new gang. This new group was called the "Neo Black Warriors" and their leader was none other than Jim Mackey, Willy's younger brother, who wanted to avenge his supposed death at their hands.
Time later, while the brothers were away, a gang attacked one of their dojos, presumably fatally wounding one of their best students. The brothers, thirsting for revenge, once again went to his hideout and defeated him a second time, leaving him for dead. One day, Willy and some of his henchmen ambushed Marian on the city streets at plain daylight again, although this time he brutally shot her to death.
Willy survived the attack, though, and full of resentment against the brothers for this defeat, he reorganized the Black Warriors with even more powerful members (some of which who even practiced magical arts). After a long and arduous journey they finally arrived to Willy's hideout, where they defeated him and the remnants of his gang, and rescued Marian from their clutches.
Instead of blindly complying to his demands, the two brothers tagged along and embarked on a journey to free Marian by themselves by taking it to the streets, facing any opponents that stood in their way. Wanting to get his hands on this knowledge for himself, Willy schemed the kidnapping of Billy's girlfriend, Marian, leaving him a note saying that if he wanted to see her again, he had to bring the scrolls (or tomes in some versions) containing the secrets of the Sou-Setsu arts to him. They taught this technique to their students at their dojo to help them survive in the hostile environment that had become prevalent on the streets with the rise in power of all the gangs. The group mainly conducted their operations in the form of a huge gang that ruled the city streets with an iron fist.Īt some point, Willy came into knowledge of a pair of twin brothers who lived in the outskirts of the city and who practiced a secret form of martial arts known as Sou-Setsu-Ken their names were Billy and Jimmy Lee. Its founder and leader was a gang lord named Willy Mackey. The Black Warriors was originally a biker gang known as the "Killers", until it grew in members after the nuclear war and became the dominant criminal organization in New York City.