Algol

Background

Algol was a legendary ruler from thousands of years in the past, known as the Hero King, his empire spanned the entire world. He was the first one to wield the equally legendary Soul Edge, a sword that possessed the power of pure chaos, but Algol's unbreakable will was so strong that he was able to control its power to use the weapon for good, and not become possessed by it. He is the only person ever known to have been this powerful; every single other wielder of Soul Edge was overpowered by it.

However, Algol's son Arcturus became jealous of his father's great power, and stole Soul Edge with the intention of using it is power to overthrow his father. As it turns out, this was a suggestion planted in his mind by Soul Edge itself; just as the dark sword had hoped, Arcturus' will was nowhere near as strong as his father's, and he became possessed by the cursed sword. Algol was forced to fight his own son in battle, and killed him.

After the battle, a grieving Algol used purified fragments of Soul Edge, broken off during the fight, to create the spirit sword Soul Calibur, with the help of sages, as a force of pure order to counter Soul Edge's chaos if someone was to be possessed by it again. The creation of Soul Calibur, however, was enough to claim Algol's life after several failed rituals. The sages stored his soul inside Soul Calibur, and as the centuries past, even the name of the Hero King who ruled the world was forgotten, though the power of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur remained.

In Soul Calibur IV, Algol is restored to life thousands of years later, albeit at a fraction of his original god-like strength. He uses the power he does have to summon the Tower of Remembrance, in hopes that the warriors with Soul Calibur and Soul Edge - Siegfried Schtauffen and Nightmare, respectively - will appear to fight him, as he seeks a true resurrection, which can only happen if he absorbs both spirit swords.

Ending

After the battle with Siegfried wielder of Soul Calibur, Algol absorbs Soul Edge and Soul Calibur, he successfully resurrects himself and seeks to reclaim his long-lost kingdom.

A message appears, saying that now that he is resurrected, he will eternally rule the world as the Hero King, Algol.
 
- Unfortunately, due to the ill-conceived idea to not give individual characters endings in Soul Calibur V, Algol has no ending, and there is no explanation for his actions or motives in this game.

Other Information

• Algol's "weapon" is both Soul Edge and Soul Calibur, absorbed into himself, appearing from his left and right hands as needed. In addition to being the only human in history strong enough to perpetually resist the evil will of Soul Edge, Algol is the only one ever to wield both spirit swords simultaneously.

• Algol is unlocked after the player beats the game as any character who faces Algol as the final boss of their story mode.
• Algol returns in Soul Calibur V, making him the first final boss character to become a recurring member of the roster, as Inferno, Abyss, and Night Terror only appeared in a single game each.