This is a What If? Death Battle featuring King Leonidas from 300 and William Wallace from Braveheart. (This is using the movie versions only. Per Fanon rules, we can't use actual real life people)
| Leonidas vs William Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 4 | |
Vital statistics
| |
| Air date | 1/7/2021 |
| Written by | RohgeKiller |
| Directed by | RohgeKiller |
Episode guide
| |
| Previous | Next |
| Megatron vs The Iron Giant | Sadira vs Mileena |
Prelude[]
Boomstick: You know, Wiz? We've looked at a lot of battles with supernatural wizards, cyborgs, robots and Kung Fu masters. But I think its time we recognize the real life badasses of planet earth.
Wiz: Of which there are certainly many, Boomstick. And many whos legends have surpassed time itself.
Boomstick: Like Leonidas the First. 300s Warrior King of the Spartans.
THIS IS....A DATED JOKE FROM 2006
Wiz: And William Wallace. The Scottish revolutionary of Braveheart.
FREEDOM (he said calmly)
Boomstick: He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick!
Wiz: And today we're going to examine this skills, weapons and armor of these two mighty warriors to find out who would win a Death Battle!
Leonidas[]
LEONIDAS I:[]
- Occupation: King of Sparta
- Height: 5’9
- Born: 540 B.C.
Wiz: Ancient Greece: The birthplace of democracy, western philosophy, mathematics and the Olympics. Truly a historic time.
Boomstick: It’s also the home of one of the most badass sounding city-states you’ve ever heard of, Sparta. Which itself is home to one of the most badass military leaders of all time. The King of Sparta, Leonidas!
Wiz: Born a son of King Anaxandridas II, Leonidas had to scratch and claw his way in brutal Spartan training that most young men had to go through. Creating lean warriors with pure strength and muscle. So much so that even as a child he was strong enough to kill a wolf with his bare hands.
Boomstick: Reminds me of my childhood of shooting the rats that got into dad's liquor box.
Wiz: But this training brought upon amazing results in the young Leonidas, who after succeeding his brothers, eventually became King.
Boomstick: As a king of the most badass city in Ancient Greece, Leonidas not only had to rule with an iron fist, but battle with an iron will.
Wiz: Combat was not only prevalent in Sparta, it was a way of life. And Leonidas was no different. He was taught to essentially ignore pain and live with as little food and rest as possible. But more important than physical prowess was mental grit and the willpower to never retreat in battle.
Boomstick: It was all of that and more that pushed The Greeks to seek assistance from the City State of Sparta and its king during the second Persian war. Leading to the most badass last stand in world history; The Battle of Thermopylae. 300 Spartans defending Greece against 100.000+ Persians.
Wiz: Well, there were also Thebans, Thespians, Phocians but 300 really only focused on the Spartans.
Boomstick: Because they were the most badass part, Wiz. Ending with King Leonidas and his men giving their lives to save their homeland. I hope to go out like that. Screaming while holding a blade.
Weapons and Armor:[]
- Xiphos Blade (Double edged, one handed iron blade)
- Kopis (Single edged, long Iron blade, signature weapon)
- Dory Spear (Iron tipped, leaf shaped blade, ranged weapon)
- Aspis Shield (Heavy Bronze and Wooden shield, absorbs shock)
- Bronze Corinthian Helmet, Lighter bronze greaves on wrists and legs.
- Loincloths and Tunic (300 version of Leonidas had little armor)
Wiz: Traditionally, Spartans wore bronze armor that covered most of their vital organs. But the Spartans in 300 wore very little, allowing them to move with more flexibility and control, at the cost to their defensive stats. Though he did wear a Corinthian bronze helmet, a traditional Spartan armor piece.
Wiz: Possibly the Spartans most famous tool wasn’t even a weapon at all, but a shield. The Aspis shield was a massive wall of bronze and wood that can cover nearly half of a person's length, and if they were crouched or sitting then it had no problem deflecting all sorts of attacks.
Boomstick: Along with that shield is a Dory Spear, which may sound goofy, but is actually one of their deadliest weapons. It’s basically a 6ft poll with a sharp end for piercing armor and a blunt end for dealing bludgeoning damage. There’s also the Kopis: a long iron blade that can cut flesh like a nasty papercut. A nasty, very bloody, limb removing papercut.
Wiz: Never one to surrender, Leonidas will fight tooth and nail until the very end. Be it against one or against all.
Boomstick: There is little stopping him and his Spartans from cleaving through anyone that dares to challenge them. Leonidas himself is already a proven warrior. He’s killed dozens of Persian troops, ‘immortals’, and even some orc looking thing. Plus he had to survive the brutal Spartan training and has been a warrior for all his life.
Feats:[]
- Led the Spartans against the Persians at Thermopylae for 7 days (Despite being outnumbered)
- Physically dominates multiple Persians at once
- Defeated countless Persian warriors, Immortals, Elephants, etc. (with his Spartans)
- Considered one of the greatest warriors of his time
- Voice can go from 1 to 11 real quick
Weaknesses:[]
- Can be physically overpowered.
- Shield is his only form of defense.
Wiz: Leonidas was certainly a capable fighter, but he was much better alongside his Spartan warriors. He could be overpowered by larger foes or taken by surprise, and the Aspis shield is also his only real form of defense. Otherwise his vital organs are somewhat vulnerable to physical strikes.
Boomstick: But that's only if you can survive a barrage of spear strikes, shield bashes and manly roars of manliness curtesy of one King Leonidas.
William Wallace[]
WILLIAM WALLACE:[]
- Occupation: Scottish Knight
- Height: 6’5
- Born: 1270
Boomstick: Scotland! The land of big men, big beards, big hair, big drinks and big swords. Don’t be surprised if I retire there when this show goes under, Wiz.
Wiz: Well I can’t blame you, Boomstick. The highlands have given us some of the most important moments in our world's history. Including the man who would become Scotland's most famous knight and warrior, the legendary William Wallace.
Boomstick: Oh, just look at that man! Look at that hair, that sword! Isn’t he glorious?
Wiz: Sir William Wallace may not have started out as a Scottish knight, but he would grow into the boots of a warrior and lead a resistance during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Boomstick: The young William witnessed what I’m sure everyone would be complaining about on twitter at the time, the betrayal of King Edward, who sought to take Scotland by force.
Wiz: After returning from a pilgrimage with his uncle, Wallace was thrusted into the heat of battle almost immediately as his hometown was being ransacked, and his wife was executed. Out for blood, William led multiple raids against English fortresses, killing many soldiers and prominent figures.
Boomstick: His message was clear: Get off my plane! Or country. One of the two. And he proved his point at The Battle of Stirling Bridge. This was basically Wallace's version of Thermopylae, except they actually won!
Wiz: Although vastly outnumbered, the Scottish forces ambushed the English army and defeated them decisively. It was this victory that brought fame and glory to the Scottish revolution, as well as cementing Williams legacy as a force to be reckoned with.
Wiz: In the months that followed, Wallace led raid after raid on Northern England, and was eventually knighted. Unfortunately Wallace and his army were defeated at the Battle of Falkirk. Now, Wallace was a genius when it came to evading capture, but his luck eventually had to run out and when it did, there would be no saving him.
Boomstick: With his final breath, he decried the English rule of his homeland and died a hero to the highlands. (sniff) Still gives me tears every time.
Weapons and Armor:[]
- War Hammer (Steel, double sided, bludgeoning weapon)
- Claymore (4ft, steel, slashing weapon)
- Dirk and Targe (Scottish small blade, wrist shield)
- Chain mail, Leather Cuirass (light armor, absorbed slashing attacks)
Boomstick: Before I start crying again, let's get to my favorite part. We all love a good sword, and William clearly loves his because that thing is nearly as long as he is.
Wiz: At 4ft of blazing steel, the Claymore is a massive blade fitting for a giant man. He wields that blade with enough force to one shot even armored knights. His own chainmail armor protects him from most piercing blows, and he also comes with a Scottish specialty War Hammer for bashing skulls and the Dirk and Targe.
Boomstick: That silly sounding name belongs to a small knife and wrist shield that are perfect for close quarters combat. Scottish knife fighting is also considered one of the most deadly styles of combat in European history. And Wallace could use all that and more to a T. It's no wonder he was put in charge of leading the Scottish revolution.
Wiz: He certainly has an incredible list of accomplishments that range from leading multiple raids against the well armed English, defeating and killing many nobles, and without a doubt earning a reputation as a brutal killing machine. The scores of bodies tell you all you need to know.
Feats:[]
- Led the Scottish to a victory at Stirling
- Killed multiple English infantry and cavaliers on his own
- Somehow broke into and escaped an English fort unscathed
- Evaded capture multiple times
- Rage is only overshadowed by his glorious face paint
Weaknesses:[]
- Relied very much on others for tactical advice
- Is more intimidating than he is deadly
Wiz: Sir. Wallace may be a brutal fighter who can tower over most opponents, but his fighting style is not what you would refer to as ‘clinical’. His skill with a Claymore, Dirk and Targe is nothing to sneeze at, but he’s more remembered for his brutality over actual skill with a blade.
Boomstick: Ya, but even then there is no denying that The Hammer of the Scots deserves his place as one of the most deadly freedom fighters to ever live. Give him freedom, or give him death.
Pre-Fight[]
The sun was only just beginning to rise above the beachhead as King Leonidas walked cautiously near the coastal edge of Thermopylae. The Aegean sea looking as beautiful as ever. The light shining off his golden helmet like a beacon of death.
The Persians had all but retreated after losing a large portion of their forces to everything from the end of a spear to being shoved off the edge of the cliff. It was a glorious time to be a Spartan, and a terrible time to be an enemy of one.
His Spartans had been ordered to celebrate their early victory, but only sparingly. The Persians would indeed be back with an even greater force that would only further challenge their resolve. But the Spartan King had little worry about that, for he knew the strength of his men was ten times that of any Persian Immortal.
The King stood alone, out of sight from his men but in full view of the narrow pathway leading to the beach end. The ground was covered in a multitude of weapons and armor that the cowardly Persians had dropped in order to retreat in record breaking time.
So it came as a surprise to Leonidas when he noticed a rider rounding the path and coming in his direction. He grimaced, thinking it was nothing more than a Persian messenger here to deliver another thinly veiled threat. At least that’s what he thought until the rider became more distinguishable.
The man was large, brutish almost. His face was painted in a way that made it clear he was not to be trifled with, and a sword longer than his arm draped over his back. His armor was like chains, covered in a painted leather and wool. No helmet to speak of, allowing their long hair to fly as it wished in the wind.
This, unknown to the Spartan, was William Wallace. The revolutionary Scottish warrior who at this very moment was on his way to Sparta. After the gruesome and humiliating defeat at Falkirk, he avoided capture from the English and made his way south of the border.
Knowing full well the reputation the Spartans had, he’d hope to court their leader into helping them against the English tyrants. Only to find the bodies of hundreds of unknown warriors in his way.
The reputation of the Spartans preceded them well.
He noticed Leonidas from afar thanks to his massive shield and golden helmet, which drew him to the King like a fly to fruit. He halted his horse mere feet from the Spartan King, who approached the rider and planted the blunt end of his spear firmly into the ground.
‘’It takes a brave man to walk through a field of bodies, and look upon their killer in the eye." Leonidas proclaimed to the man above him.
‘’Brave men march to the beat of their own hearts. Foolish ones march towards their death.’’ The Scottish man boomed. Even an already opposing man like Wallace could look more intimidating on the back of a horse.
‘’And, which one would you be?’’ Leonidas asked, holding his ground as Wallace turned his steed to the side before dismounting. Looking down upon Greek warrior at his front, standing nearly a foot over him. And yet even he knew the man before him had no reason to feel intimidated. That was clear from all the bodies around them.
‘’I like to think I’m the best of both.’’ Wallace calmly responded, a wolfish grin along his face. "Because here I stand at the feet of a King, and yet I have no intention to kneel." He said, the wind blowing away his brunette locks. Leonidas grinned underneath his Corinthian helmet. Whoever this man was to approach him in such a manner, he had to admit was brave.
‘’I was on my way to have a heart to heart with the King of Sparta. Though now…’’ He pauses, kicking away the hand of a fallen Persian at his heel. ‘’I see there’s only one way I can get your respect.’’ Taking a micro-step forward and planting his Claymore into the dirt to see how the shorter man would react. And much to his surprise, the Spartan King didn't strike out or take a step back.
Rather he held his ground and starred up at the face painted warrior. The two then turned their heads to the sea as the sun completely broke through the horizon. Bathing them in its golden light.
‘’You’d risk your life for that? Be willing to die?’’ The Spartan King asked the Scottish Knight, turning their heads back to the other. His trigger finger itched on the base of his spear as he waited for a response.
His answer was given as Wallace took a step back, leaving his Claymore between them and retrieved his war hammer from his horse before smacking its rear to send it away. Leaving the two figureheads to do as they please. Leonidas smiled and got into the phalanx stance while William swung his hammer over his shoulder.
‘’Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.’’
FIGHT[]
A war cry worthy of the gods erupted from the Scotsman as he rushed Leonidas with his Warhammer. Hoping to surprise the Spartan with deliberate blows to his shield in order to disorient him.
His hammer cracking against the shield, making it ring like a bell. But aside from sliding back a few inches as Wallace pushed against him, the King didn’t falter in the slightest and only smiled behind his helmet before he struck out with his shield. Bashing forward into Williams bulk and forced the Scottish Knight back before driving his Spear forward, cutting across Williams arm.
He then took a step back and spun around, using the length of the Dory spear to his advantage and forced Wallace back for a moment. The edge of the spear missing his nose by mere centimeters. The Scotsman returned the favor and tanked a slice to his leg, using his mass to shove Leonidas back.
Pain was no issue to either man, that was made clear almost immediately.
Though the speed of Leonidas proved to be more of an issue than Wallace had anticipated. With little armor to speak of and at a much leaner build, whatever the Spartan didn’t block with his shield he could sidestep.
And sidestep he did as Wallace struck out at him again, narrowly missing his unprotected right arm. Turning his shield to the side as if it was one massive blade, Leonidas struck the wooden frame of the hammer and split it in two.
Wallace growled, stumbling back and away from the range of the Dory before ridding himself of his useless hammer and pulling his Claymore from the ground.
‘’Lets see why they call you a king!’’ Wallace rushed forward, driving his blade forward into the Spartans shield, causing sparks to fly as it grazed its edge. Leonidas spun like a windmill and slashed at the Scotsman's legs, but he wasn’t fast enough as Wallace leaped over the edge of the Dory.
Using the momentum, Wallace swung his mighty Claymore at the Kings own legs. The blade cut through his boot and would have severed his leg had he not seen it coming and leapt off the ground. Still he fell on his back with a mighty thud before raising his shield on instinct, blocking a flurry of powerful strikes from Wallace.
His teeth gritted as the force of the blows rattled against his arm and shoulder. A side strike from Wallace left Leonidas open as he raised his blade again. Unfortunately leaving him open as the Dory struck him in the thinner mail around his shoulder, which only served to enrage him as he kicked Leonidas away.
The king rolled backwards onto his feet and angled his Dory before tossing it at Wallace, who recovered from his wound and rushed towards his foe. Striking the Dory in mid-air and slicing it in two.
From behind his shield, Leonidas unsheathed his Kopis as Wallace rushed him with murderous intent. Leonidas raised his Shield to block another swing from Wallace as he drew his Kopis out of sight from the Scotsman, and struck.
The slashing weapon did very little against Williams armor, much to the dismay of the warrior king. This made the Scot smile as he shoulder blocked his foe, driving his blade in between the shield and his opponent's side. In order to not be sliced in two, Leonidas had to use both hands to hold back the blade.
In that moment, William drove his blade into the dirt and unleashed a flurry of blows upon the helmeted head of the Spartan. His Targe being used as a mini battering ram that dented the Corinthian helmet with each strike.
Then came the Dirk, which Wallace pulled from his side and drove towards Leonida’s left shoulder. Grazing him and drawing blood. In a rage that was preceded by a roar of fury, Leonidas dropped his Kopis and threw his fist at Wallace, which was then blocked.
But that didn’t stop him from throwing his armored head forward, striking the Scotsman hard in the center of his jawline. Further denting the helmet and hurting his head as a worthy cost. He then struck with a forward kick so powerful that it winded the already stunned highlander, who caught himself before he could fall completely.
In that time the Greek swordsman threw his shield like a discus, spinning through the air and almost striking Wallace as he rose. But he was far too preoccupied with dodging the flying shield and barely had time to react as the now helmetless Leonidas tackled him with Kopis in hand.
The blade cut deep into Wallace’s tricep and was mere inches from severing an artery. But the clansman was far stronger and quickly turned the tide and forced the blade away from Leonida’s hand after a quick test of strength. Rolling them over with Wallace now pinning Sparta's King beneath him and bashing his Targe into Leonida’s unprotected ribs.
The sounds of bone splintering were almost audible over the sounds of Leonida’s yell of pain. Wallace then angled the Dirk and would have blinded the Spartan had he not held it back with both hands.
Struggling in the blood soaked dirt against one another, Wallace used all his weight and pushed the blade in the direction of the King's neck. Despite his own physical strength, Leonidas felt the raw power of his foe as he briefly turned his head to the side to avoid the blade.
The Kopis was within reach of either man, but neither one was willing to let up for even a second.
‘’Tonight…’’ Leonidas gritted as he attempted to push the blade away from his face. ‘’We dine in Hell!’’ Both men roared with the combined intensity of a lion before the blade drove itself deep into the Spartans shoulder, just missing his neck. Causing him to pause and gasp in pain much to Wallace's delight.
And yet Leonidas just smiled as he released his grip on his aggressor's hands and unsheathed his Xiphos. Driving it upwards into the highlanders gullet, forcing him to release his own grip and gasp as Leonidas twisted the blade.
Crying out as the Xiphos cut straight past the mail and dug itself into his stomach, Wallace began choking the Spartan with the flat end of his own shield.
But with nothing holding his other arm back, Leonidas grabbed his Kopis and sliced at Wallace’s unprotected tricep, spilling more blood from the open wound, and proceeding to kick the Scotsman off him.
The Scottish Knight didn’t have long to accept the fact that his left arm was nearly severed from the bone as Leonidas dove for his shield.
Swinging his arm around and bashing the edge of the bronze buckler against Wallace’s temple. The blow all but knocking him out cold as his molars shattered and blood poured from his nose like a river.
By the chance he hadn’t gone blind from the blow, he would have seen Leonidas follow up the head bash with a twisting swing of his Kopis. Either way he definitely heard the lion-like roar of the King and felt the edge of the blade slice across his throat in what would be the final blow of their duel.
Leonidas’s eyes wide with bloodlust as the shock took over the body of his foe. Blood poured out of every orifice in his head before he went dead and dull, his body going limp and falling to the ground. Now as lifeless as the countless Persians before him.
Teeth grinding and high on adrenaline, Leonidas bashed his shield and raised his bloody fist into the air. Letting out another beastial war cry as the light of the sun enveloped the Greek land with its blessing.
Sparta and its king wouldn’t fall on this day.
Results[]
Leonidas
- + More disciplined/trained fighter
- + Weapons are suited to pierce chainmail
- + Can physically challenge Wallace despite being leaner
- = Not as threatening without his Spartans
William Wallace
- + Better weapons
- + Bigger and physically stronger
- = Not as threatening without his Warriors
- - Not as experienced
Boomstick: See Wiz, it’s not the size of your blade that matters. It's the size of your manhood.
Wiz: I can’t confirm that statement, but I can tell you that despite having better weapons, William was outclassed in many categories. This duel really was a contrast of styles.
Boomstick: Keep in mind, we have to use the fictional versions of their characters since real life persons aren’t allowed on the fanon. It does help since very little is truly known about either combatant. What we do know is that William is more of a barbarian with his powerful strikes and solid defense, where Leonidas is like a Paladin. Now I love me a good Claymore and the Dirk and Targe are excellent for close quarters combat. But aside from having more powerful weapons, there weren’t many other things keeping this battle as close as it was.
Wiz: Chainmail is flexible and can protect the wearer from slashing weapons, but it is notoriously weak against piercing weapons such as arrows and small blades. This is something that Leonidas can take advantage of with the Dory Spear and the Xiphos. Even his own lack of armor wasn’t that much of a disadvantage, as this only increased his mobility. And the Aspis shield was more than enough to block the strongest of Williams blows.
Boomstick: And as strong as Wallace is, I seriously doubt he could wrestle that shield away from Leonidas for long, let alone break it. Those shields have been shown to take blows from superior Steel age weapons on deadliest warrior.
Wiz: Wallace had a greater variety with his weapons to deal different types of damage. And to his credit, he knew how to deal with shielded opponents from his battles with English Knights. But Leonidas is no knight who would tremble under Wallace's assault, and he's proven his ability to fight against the odds, even with less deadly weapons or armor. But at the end, this would come down to experience above all else.
Boomstick: The Scotsman is no pushover and was a powerful force, especially for any English soldier. But Leonidas isn’t just the King because he was born into it. He had to fight and train just like the rest of them, even more so since he practically had to kill his way to the top. For Spartans, combat isn’t a choice, it’s their entire reason to live.
Wiz: To put it simply, William Wallace was taught how to fight a while as a Spartan, Leonida's entire life is based on warfare. It's why he and his Spartans refused to surrender to the Persians, and how even he alone was able to kill so many of them, even when the odds were against them. Not to discredit William but his legacy, even in Braveheart, is more focused on how terrifying and brutal he was on the field rather than personal skill. That's why Knights were afraid of him, he was very intimidating but he never had the same training or experience that forged Leonidas into the warrior king.
Boomstick: It’s like a Cobra going up against a Mongoose. The snake has the deadlier weapon but the Mongoose is too tough and determined to ever give up, so he keeps attacking until the Cobra can’t fight back.
Wiz: I know it might seem surprising with a major difference in quality of weapons and armor, but no battle is determined by mere blades alone. It is the dexterity and mastery of will that defines a warrior at heart. And unfortunately for William, despite his brutality, he couldn’t compete with the overall battle prowess of one King Leonidas.
Boomstick: William may have had the High Land, but the Spear-it of Leonidas was too strong.
The Winner is Leonidas
Next Time[]
Music and Artwork[]
Trivia[]
- Both combatants are interpretations of real life warriors. (300 and Braveheart)
- Leonidas and William both died protecting the freedoms of their people.
- The legacies and legends of both men often overshadow their real life accomplishments.
- Both men gave inspirational, mostly fictional speeches before major battles.
- Don't make fun of/kill their wives or they'll fight a whole army.