"She executes her orders with chilling accuracy. The Silent Soldier in all her glory. LEONA HEIDERN." - The King of Fighters XV
Leona (レオナ), also known under her extended codename Leona Heidern (レオナ・ハイデルン), is a character introduced in The King of Fighters '96 as the new member to the Ikari Warriors Team. Her official nickname is The Silent Soldier (サイレントソルジャー).[1][2]
Aside from the main body of The King of Fighters series, Leona is also featured in a one-shot chapter in the spin-off manga, The King of Fighters: Kyo and has her own character image album.
Before production for her debut game began, developers wanted to create a suitable replacement for Heidern as a part of the game's overhaul. Developers admit that they wanted to introduce the plot element of Heidern's adopted daughter before the production of KOF '96.[3] Leona was conceived to be an Orochi descendant by the time of her debut and her designers took special care to let their interests at the time reflect in her actions.[3] Her most recent design was done by Eisuke Ogura, Nobuyuki Kuroki comments on Leona's chest ending up being more robust compared to her previous incarnations.[4]
Personality
Leona is a reticent individual who has trouble expressing herself outside of combat or a mission. Due to her past, she often keeps her emotions in check as she is afraid of losing control and hurting her friends because of her Orochi blood.
Aside from Ralf, Whip, Clark and Commander Heidern, Leona does not talk to anyone. She often feels lonely, but is comforted with the new family she has found with the Ikari mercenaries. Ever since the attempted suicide, Leona resolves to take control of her own Orochi blood, using it only when the situation calls for it, something that she tells her opponents in her own pre-fight dialogues. As she understands and gain more control of her own power, even as a Hakkesshu, she has become more vigilant against her own kind and made a personal vendetta to stop whatever the Hakkesshu are planning, similar to what the Three Sacred Treasures do.
Fighting style
Leona shares several moves with her adoptive father, Heidern, including over time the explosive and dynamic power of her teammate Ralf to her own style, which currently blends speed and acrobatics with powerful strikes.
Leona’s abilities extend beyond physical combat; she can generate a cutting aura around her hands and feet, enhancing her attacks with slashing energy. She can also create a ball of energy surrounded by blades, showcasing her control over this power. Her explosive techniques further amplify her fighting style, allowing her to create explosions with her gloves and earrings.
Due to her Orochi heritage, Leona has a latent ability that activates in the presence of Orochi's power, known as the Riot of the Blood. This transformation temporarily changes her hair color to red and amplifies her ferocity. While she can control this state when Orochi’s influence is weak, it becomes harder to manage as the power intensifies.
Music
Rumbling on the City - The King of Fighters '96, '98, R-1, R-2, SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
W.W.III - The King of Fighters '99
The Trooper - The King of Fighters 2000, EX, EX2
My Whip - The King of Fighters 2001
Jungle Bouncer - The King of Fighters 2002
Inside Skinny - The King of Fighters 2003
Irregular Mission - The King of Fighters XIII
Smell of Gunpowder - The King of Fighters XIII (when the music is set to "Type B", console version only, shared with Ralf Jones and Clark Still)
Survivors Under The Sky - The King of Fighters XIV
Great Grit - The King of Fighters XV
DESERT REQUIEM ~Operation '02UM~ - The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
Ray - Days of Memories (Boku to Kanojo to Koto no Koi)
Rumbling on the City ~SNK Heroines Edit~ - SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy
Rumbling on the City -KOF XV ver.- - The King of Fighters XV (as Heidern's opponent)
K' • Kula Diamond • Scotia Amundsen • Pharaoh • Red Goblin • Ptolemaios • El Dorado • Professor • Dragunov • MS-Alice • Abigail • Vatn • Yoshino • Odette • Beatriz • Caroline • Cleopatra • Vita • White Baby • Annette • Lydia • Anna Wiese • Jin • Veronica • Navy • Percier • Aileen • Nova • Elysion • Sisilia • Esther • Aswang • Destrade • Midori Schumann • Nowan • Shizuka • Rapid • Towa • Huracan • Aisha • Mira • Elena • Licht • Simon • Julia • Anastasia IV • Mello • Schwarz Metzelei • Chloe • Miharu • Izabella • Rita Lewinsky • Amber • Agalia • Ariadna • Perche • Nikita • Chunyan • Reika Bradford • Fedeln Metzelei • Grazia • Alma • Owen • Iron Fortress • Rillacle • Loretta • Ichima • Ami • Gemini Twins • Edda • Sho • Halle • Hemet • Arsinoe • Molly • Dion • First Baby • M.D.P.S-Mz 3 • Norah • Maria • Franke • Louise • Teresa • Emma • Beecham • Kelly • Ulala • Vicky • Damian • Gisee • Bonny • Achetto • Dolores • Teleko • Minerva • Romy • Lucy • Clario • Growth & Cline • Bloom Metzelei • MS-Heart • Sally • Odine • Zoni Doloma • Conny • Hathol • Phoebe • Bersek • Maggie • Naomi • Sharifa • Josette • Ashley • Geweih Metzelei • Nantes • Rocky • Millefie • Mizuna • Yang Dao • Kriemhild • Growl • Matilda • Purple King • Otto • Little Lady Black • Jephet • Harriot • Melvina • Avvio • Kagura • Keisetsu • Tsukikage • Ouka • Ramal • Jane Doe • Et A Omnis • Svetla • Barbeln • Anastasia I • Victoria • Maya • Quaith • Code Marionette:Un • Claudia • Pauline • Cara • Sharl • Padwah • Leone • Humphrey • Kanae • Claris • Type:Ant-Lion • Lithos • Katalina • Biene Goldenes • Mirror Mantis • Oao-One • Yutong • Howell • Wendy • Zahara • Sekhat • Unsigned • Grace • Tatyana • Swordesit • Cocatrix • Drache Goldenes • Sylfie • Phi • Eis Monstrum • Karen • Ido • Fluffy • Ai Agate • Elizabeth Mariani • Draco & Pocke • Eight Eight • Sweet Baby • Cica • Raubtier • Undo • Wepset • Lin Lin • Olga • Lieben • Virginia • Maki • Linhua • Philia • Charlotte • Goldenes Krieger • Hisui • Reverse Trinity • Melk • Malkuth • Valette • Pictura • Nayutaro Ichimonji • Flan • Extra Raven • Mostro
Merris • Dalia
Paqar
Lyla • Eva Glenn • Haran • Gru Kang • Scarlett • Kukik • Saya • Eiserner • Joe • Lilith • Ame • Dong Huanlong • Ilum • Freyja • Eske • Aurora • Martina • Shadow • Horae • Phoenix • Chi Lian • Li Xuanlang • Donald Morden (alternate timeline) • Zero • Thea • Ophelia • Violet (Guest) • Alessio (Guest) • Sun Shangxiang (Guest) • Marco Polo (Guest) • Bill Rizer (Guest) • Elia Bastet • Amir Bastet • Elia's mother • Hasan • Kemut Posse Member • Asuka • Mia • Lambert • Eve • Shirley the Narrator • Victor • Gadd • Elaine • Crow • Club Butler • Club Manager • Siuri • Ace • Lucas the Gunsmith • Dr. Dee • Andre • Bucara • Eileen • Laura • Neso • Ajax • Theo • Hilo • Eugenia • Ishtar • Wizz • Chad • King Harold • Niord • Mimir • Ymir • Ms. Caroline • Odin • Pharaoh of Kemut • Gordos • Tarpu • Resheph • Dr. Neander • Sid • Bombardier Captain • Anke • Sylrush • King Caesarenes • Eric McCanny
