Both Ryo and Naoto are from Tokyo and play against each other on a regular basis. Ryo won the roll and chose odd initiatives. She mulliganed, but was even less satisfied with the hand that she was dealt the second time—it left her with nothing to play on turns 1 and 2.

Naoto took advantage of this by playing Rem-Ram and Dane Whitman ◊ Black Knight, placing Ryo at 45 before she ever played a character. She was finally able to play something on turn 3, when she recruited Lady Lark, Linda Lewis with a Thunder Jet. Naoto responded with Joanna Cargill, which came out as a beefy 6ATK / 6DEF, and he also discarded a card to recruit Rick Jones.

Lady Lark was sent after Joanna Cargill, and Ryo played Might Makes Right in an effort to lighten her hand a little. Naoto of course responded by returning Rick Jones to his hand to reinforce Joanna. Dane and the rest of the group went in for attacks, bringing Ryo down to 35.

Naoto’s Turn 4 play consisted of Anne-Marie Cortez to Ryo’s Golden Archer. The Golden Archer was nothing more than a speed bump, though, which fell to Anne-Marie after firing off a shot at Naoto for 5. Joanna then stunned Lady Lark, with the rest of the team going in afterwards. After all attacks were finished, Ryo used Panacea Potion on the Golden Archer. The totals were now 19-35, with Ryo still behind.

Ryo started off turn 5 the way a Squadron player always wants to—by hitting Albert Gaines ◊ Nuke. Naoto paid a resource point to boost Dane Whitman and replace a resource, and then played Hawkeye, Clinton Barton.

Ryo played Other-Earth, and it was on. Nuke went after Hawkeye, only to meet a Heroes in Reserve for the mutual stun. Lady Lark traded with Anne-Marie Cortez, and Golden Archer went after Rem-Ram—a usually safe call, but one that didn’t seem like such a great play after Naoto played The Acolytes and another Heroes in Reserve to stun the Archer—putting Naoto to 7 and Ryo at 2. Dane Whitman went at Ryo directly and Naoto powered-up to seal the game. Naoto Ikeda chalks up another win!