Ouroboros Mk.III

Ouroboros' intro card

Ouroboros Mk.III (ウロボロスMk-III) is a boss character from the 2014 Strider, appearing as the first major boss fight in the game.

Also called "The Armored Dragon", Ouroboros Mk.III is a giant segmented serpent-like, bio-mechanical creature born of the fusion of genetic engineering and mechanical technology, for the purpose of taking over target locations. The first creation in Professor Schlange's biological weapon program, the Ouroboros was ultimately a failure. The giant armored dragon developed excessive aggressiveness as a side-effect of the genetic tampering, and though a control device or "limiter" was installed in its head in an attempt to contain its behavior, it became impossible to completely supress Ouroboros' inherent aggression. With the project presently on an indefinite hold, it was decided to move the creature to the Detention Hall in the city outskirts, where it is kept in a neural-induced slumber.

Story

Strider (2014)

Ouroboros Mk.III faces Hiryu after waking up

During his infiltration of the City Gate, and while investigating a seismic disturbance, Hiryu arrives at Ouroboros' location and unknowingly destroys the power couplers that kept it dormant. Released from its restrains, Hiryu is forced to battle the dragon high above the city skies. During the struggle, Hiryu slices apart Ouroboros' limiter, breaking the beast free from its control. As it flies close to the Monument Square, Hiryu drops off and the dragon spirals away in the distance.

Ouroboros Mk.III is seen freely flying around in the sky as Hiryu travels through the rooftops of the Historical Zone. Now free from the shackles of the control device, Ouroboros has recovered its original aggressiveness and now simply follows its pure destructive instincts, continuing moving forward until the moment it dies.

Some time later, Hiryu returns to Monument Square in search of the Ultra-Cold Cypher ugprade, and finds Ouroboros perched on the giant statue of Grandmaster Meio. The dragon attacks Hiryu once again and with more powerful attacks, but Hiryu ultimately destroys the beast for good.

Abilities

Ouroboros Mk.III is a powerful engineered weapon, possessing both natural and artificial abilities. Its long, heavily-armored serpentine body has been equipped with several weapons including turret guns, missile launchers and electric spikes. Its body can also generate freezing-cold cryogenic plasma which can freeze whoever enters in contact with it instantly. Ouroboros uses this in the form of a powerful icy breath.

Ouroboros is exclusively an aerial enemy, moving its huge body with a set of thrusters located at each side of its head. It can soar the skies at incredible speed, the winds it generates by flying being strong enough to push anyone standing on its back out to their death.

First Battle

Stats
Type	Biological Weapon

Ouroboros Mk.III has three distinct phases during battle, separated after destroying one of the three tubes coming out from behind its head. Each phase is marked by Ouroboros performing a sharp dive downwards. Hiryu stands in its back the whole battle, and must fight the monster's weapons, the strong winds and other obstacles to reach its head and damage it.

• Phase 1: Ouroboros only flies vertically upwards. The simplest phase, it does no special moves and only attacks by releasing electric spikes from its body.
• Phase 2: Ouroboros flies horizontally in a straight line. As the phase starts, Hiryu is pushed back by the strong winds, and must run against them while avoiding flying PNUTs. After reaching the head, a second burst of wind pushes him back again, and now turrets surfaces to shoot at him. During the whole phase, Ouroboros also releases an electric pulse throughout its body which must be jumped over.
• Phase 3: Ouroboros flies horizontally at first. At the start of the Phase, a barrage of missile flies at Hiryu, which can be avoided by jumping or sliding. Once it ends, Ouroboros starts flying in a wavy pattern as it shoots homing missiles at Hiryu. When close to its head, several Skiffs carrying Light Troopers start appearing. Ouroboros tends to fly right below them, forcing Hiryu to jump on the Skiffs and quickly jump back on Ouroboros.

Attacks

• Electric Shock: Its only attack in Phase 1. Electric spikes rise from within Ouroboros' body, releasing an electric shock. They must be avoided by standing in the free areas of its body, as there's little room between the spikes.
• Fin Projectiles: Active during Phases 2 and 3. Small turrets rise from Ouroboros' body and start shooting at Hiryu. They can be easily destroyed.
• Electric Pulse: Ouroboros releases an electric pulse that goes across all its body. It can only be avoided by jumping.
• Missiles: At the start of Phase 3, a barrage of missiles come flying at Hiryu at different heights. They must be avoided by either jumping or sliding.
• Homing Missiles: Ouroboros shoots several homing missiles at Hiryu. The missiles fly up, then come down aiming at Hiryu's position, so they can be evaded by jumping as they approach him.
• Ice Breath: Sometimes, Ouroboros releases its icy breath and freezes the tail of a Skiff, covering it in spikes of ice which harms Hiryu if he touches them.

Second Battle

Stats
Type	Biological Weapon

Ouroboros Mk.III's second encounter is much more random than its first, as it doesn't follow any specific pattern. For most of the battle, Ouroboros remains in the background, standing atop Meio's statue and shooting ice-based projectiles and missiles at Hiryu. Eventually, it starts flying out of the statue and back, attacking Hiryu by charging at the platform he's standing or by releasing its ice breath. Ouroboros Mk.III is only vulnerable when it approaches the foreground, which is where one must openly attack it.

Attacks

• Ice Projectiles: Ouroboros shoots several ice fireballs at the foreground. Red signs mark where they will land, so they can be avoided by moving away.
• Missile Barrage: Ouroboros shoots a barrage of missiles at the foreground. Much like the above, red signals mark their landing spots, making them easy to dodge.
• Bite: Ouroboros starts shaking, and then lunges forward at Hiryu in an attempt to chomp him. When doing so, Ouroboros will be stuck to the platform it bit for a while, becoming vulnerable to attacks. After breaking free, it does a second, short bite and then flies away.
• Ice Breath: Its most dangerous attack, Ouroboros flies to either side of the screen, and shoots a damaging cold wind. Besides injuring Hiryu, it also freezes the area around it, creating spikes that can also harm him. The attack has long range, so the safest place to stand (and counter-attack) is right below its head.

Design Notes

Ouroboros Mk.III was designed as a reference to both its predecessors, the original Ouroboros from Strider and the Emperor Dragon from Strider 2. It borrows the general form and shape of the former, and the visual design, color scheme and weaponry of the latter, as well as duplicating its setting for the first boss battle (flying over a city's skies). The "Mk.III" in its name is even possibly a nod to this, being the third flying "serpent-like" enemy in the series.

As seen in concept art, the word "Drakon" (дракон, Russian for "Dragon") can be seen written at the side of its armored hide.

Gallery

Ouroboros Mk.III (bottom) in the Japanese key art

Ouroboros Mk.III (botton-left) in the Limited Edition key art.

Ouroboros flying up

Ouroboros Mk.III early intro card

Ouroboros Mk.III 2nd encounter intro card

Concept art

Blue screen in the background reads "Armored Dragon 'Tornado'" in Russian

Trivia

• One of the blue screens (visible above) found in the room before reaching Ouroboros Mk.III for the first time reads Armored Dragon "Tornado" in Russian (бронированный Дракон "торнадо"), using the Russian name of another unrelated boss by mistake.