Master Izo

Background

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Powers & Abilities

Master Izo is one of the most skilled martial artists alive, with centuries of experience.

Despite being blind, he’s trained his senses to compensate, so the disability causes him little trouble.

He can slow his pulse sufficiently to fake death, can contact the minds of others, and knows some secret to slowing the aging process.

History

Master Izo is centuries old. He was one of the original members of the Hand in feudal Japan. He grew so disillusioned with its fall from an honourable group to demon worshippers that he put out his eyes and left the group.

The extent of his travels are unknown. But he’s mentioned in the Book of the Iron Fist, and remains a mythic figure in certain circles. The Hand refer to him as the Old Man, and try to kill him.

He later went on to found the Chaste to oppose the Hand, only for them to grow too rigid in their ways. They frowned on his drinking and gambling, and eventually voted him out. His student, Stick, took his place as leader.

It was Izo who found Matt Murdock shortly after the accident that gave him his powers, and informed Stick of the boy’s abilities. He probably kept watch on Murdock, planning to use him in his war against the Hand.

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Shadowland

Taking as a student the young girl who’d go on to become Lady Bullseye, Izo trained her to infiltrate the Hand as his agent. He promised she’d become leader of the organisation, although that was a lie.

When the time came that the Hand moved to try and recruit Matt Murdock (Daredevil) as their leader, Izo travelled to New York so he could manipulate events directly. He introduced himself to Daredevil and Iron Fist, and recruited Black Tarantula as another mole to be planted in the Hand.

Izo’s plan appeared to come to fruition as Murdock became leader of the Hand. Lady Bullseye was less than happy at the result, accusing Izo in private of using her. He admitted it without remorse, and they parted on less than happy terms.

Izo had to fake his death as Murdock’s sacrifice to be accepted by the Hand. He left New York in order not to interfere with Murdock changing the Hand into what they wanted it to be, so wasn’t present to detect the plan being turned against them.

By the time Izo realised the Hand elders planned to corrupt Murdock into an avatar for The Beast, they’d already established the Shadowland castle in Hell’s Kitchen.

Recruiting Elektra, Izo returned to New York. Working with other costumed friends of Murdock they attacked Shadowland, and managed to exorcise The Beast from Murdock. Izo wandered away soon after.

Personality

Cheerful and mocking, Izo’s irreverence can irritate the more serious martial arts types.

While his casual nature is probably genuine, Izo is also patiently manipulative, viewing people as pawns in his long term plans to reform or destroy the Hand. If he respects someone he may be upfront about part of his plans, at least not lying to them.

Quotes

“Better to let the sun take my eyes than see what we have become. There is no honor left in the Hand.”

“I blinded myself so I could see the world better than all of you.”

Stick: “You’ve become a disgrace, old man. The drinking, the trips to the world to gamble…”
Izo: “You people… You’ll be as bad as the Hand, with all your rules. Not supposed to just be their good reflection, we were supposed to be what they should have been. Not a bunch of prudes.”

Izo: “Who does your shopping, Murdock? Because there is a severe lack of alcohol here.”
Daredevil: “Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house ?”
Izo: “Me ? I’m Master Izo. And you, Matt Murdock, are going to help me destroy The Hand. At least, after you find me a beer.”

“That son of a goat-#@$%#%.”

“See, Murdock ? You spend too much time asking questions, not enough listening. New York is about to become Hand Central Station. Ha ha ha. You see what I did there ?”

“No, Danny Rand… you are right where you should be. Bankrolling Master Izo’s run at the tables.”

“And there goes the whiniest superhero I ever met.”

Izo: “If you only brought me here because you wanted an audience to watch you wallow in guilt, I’ve got better places to be. Fun places, with girls and whiskey and dice.”
Daredevil: “You think I can just shrug this off ?”
Izo: “Listen, kid. You live as long as I have, eventually you learn that the world keeps turning whether you screw up or not. You do what you can. But the weight of the world ? Ain’t your burden to carry.”

By Gareth Lewis.

Source of Character: Marvel Comics.

Writeup completed on the 2^nd of March, 2014.