Leon Powalski

"Andross has ordered us to take you down."

- Leon's first words in SF64 on Fichina. "Not yet, the party's just began!"

- Leon whenever his ship is hit. "I think I'll torture you a bit before I cook you."

- Leon's first words in Starfox Assault.

Leon Powalski is a villain and anti-hero from the Star Fox games. He is a member of the rival mercenary squadron Star Wolf, and is second to Wolf O'Donnell in piloting. Unlike previous Star Wolf members, he has remained in the team for as long as Wolf. He is also the supposed rival of Falco Lombardi. He is the Assassin of Star Wolf, a title he takes great pride in, and he loves to torture and toy with his enemies before he kills them.

Early Life
Leon's origins and past are unknown. It is implied that he and Wolf have had a longstanding friendship/partnership, and has had a rivalry with Star Fox member, Falco Lombardi, whom he always attacks during dogfights. Any other knowledge about his past is unknown. However, his species name is a Lacertilian.

Star Fox 64
Leon was introduced as a member of Star Wolf alongside Wolf O'Donnell, Andrew Oikonny, and Pigma Dengar. They were hired by Andross to intercept and destroy the Star Fox team on the planet Fichina. Leon and the rest of Star Wolf were defeated but not killed.

The Star Wolf team sustained severe injuries. Leon himself had the right side of his face, and his right eye replaced with cybernetics.

Fueled by vengeance, each member was given a second chance and a new brand of ships called the Wolfen II. Again, they were defeated but not killed. Leon exclaims before crashing that Fox is "Too strong!".

Star Fox Assault
Leon was introduced again alongside Wolf and the newest member of Star Wolf, Panther Caroso. They engage in a dogfight with the Star Fox team for trying to sneak into their secret hideout. Again, they are beaten but not killed.

Leon and Star Wolf arrive later in Corneria to help Fox and his team fight back against the Aparoids, but only because they want to kill 'em themselves.

The Star Wolf team arrives again at the planetary gateway to help defend it against a large Aparoid fleet.

While the Star Fox team enters the core of the Aparoid homeworld, the Star Wolf team had followed them through the planetary gateway. They arrive inside the planet alongside Star Fox with the intention of destroying the Aparoids once and for all. Wolf order Leon and Panther to distract a strong group of Aparoids while Star Fox confronts the Queen. Somehow, they managed to escape the planet before it falls to pieces after the Aparoid Queen is destroyed.

Star Fox Command
Leon is still a loyal member to Star Wolf, and he along with the other members have taken a more evil turn, as they are wanted across the Galaxy. Ironically, even though Leon is the "assassin" of the group, and has a higher kill count than Wolf or Panther combined, his bounty is at the lowest at a mere $10,000. In this game, Leon pilots his own ship, a modified version of the Wolfen he named "Rainbow Delta". He is a playable character, as is the rest of the Star Wolf team. They side with Star Fox to take on the Angler Army.

In one of the negative endings of Star Fox Command, the Star Wolf team had recruited Krystal and destroyed the Angler Army. Their bounties were lifted and their crimes pardoned. They were welcomed back as heroes.

Appearance
Leon is an anthropomorphic Chameleon. He has green skin/scales, three digits on each hand, a triangle-shaped head, a tail, a hunched-over posture, big eyes and spikes on his back. He has little muscle tone, but what he lacks in strength, he makes up for in speed, reflexes and agility.

Personality
Leon was first introduced as being very calm, classy, intelligent and calculated. He never loses his cool, and he is never scared. He also speaks with a deep English accent. But despite his nonchalant attitude, Leon is sadistic, ruthless, cruel, fearless and cunning. He loves to draw in his enemies with taunts and toy with them during battle. He also enjoys making them suffer before sending them to a painful death.

Years after the events that transpired during the Lylat Wars, Leon's personality took a frightening change. While still sadistic and cruel, he has become very psychopathic. His defeat at the hands of Star Fox have driven him nearly to the brink of insanity. There was also a radical change in his voice. Instead of the calm, deep English accent he had before, he developed a psychotic high-pitch tone. He speaks with the American accent instead of the English accent.

Despite his ruthlessness, Leon has a soft spot for peace and tranquility. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he admires the beauty of a big blue planet, even calling it "breathtaking". He is loyal to Wolf and his teammates, and to any other flyers he is fighting alongside with, even Star Fox. Leon is surprisingly not greedy or selfish. He will choose friendship over money, depending on the amount of respect, and will always help his squad mates. Leon is also not completely devoid of reason. He is an intellectual, and is always willing to set aside his depravity for a greater good.

Powers and Abilities
Leon rarely fights outside his spacecraft, but he is very efficient in hand-to-hand combat. He moves fast but quiet and will kill silently, although he enjoys killing slowly, and can disappear without a trace. Leon is also strategic-minded. Many of Corneria's best pilots have been shot down because of his remarkable skills in battle.

Trivia

 * Like Wolf, Leon was originally going to debut in the unreleased SNES game Star Fox 2.
 * Leon did not appear in the original Star Fox and Star Fox Adventures.