Clark Still
Clark Still is a recurring military officer and mercenary appearing across SNK's *Ikari*, *The King of Fighters*, and *Metal Slug* series. Serving alongside his longtime battle partner Ralf Jones under the command of Heidern, he operates as a calm and analytical intelligence officer who balances out his commander's aggressive combat style.
Overview
Clark Still is a recurring military officer and mercenary appearing across SNK's Ikari, The King of Fighters, and Metal Slug series. Serving alongside his longtime battle partner Ralf Jones under the command of Heidern, he operates as a calm and analytical intelligence officer who balances out his commander's aggressive combat style.
Appearance
Clark Still is identified by his blonde hair, blue eyes, dark sunglasses concealing a forehead scar between his eyebrows, and a black or dark navy cap. Starting as a blue-headband recolor of his partner, his design evolved to feature tactical vests, tank tops, cargo pants, and combat boots. He typically wears a wristband on his right hand and a glove on his left. Although briefly depicted with dark skin and a heavily bulked physique, his appearance later returned to a fair skin tone and an athletic build.
Personality
In contrast to the hot-headed Ralf Jones, Clark Still maintains a composed, logical, and pragmatic demeanor. While soft-spoken, he possesses a sharp wit and expresses realistic views on defeat and survival. He frequently mediates among his eccentric comrades, taking the demanding role in stride. As a supervisor, he is a caring mentor to Leona Heidern and Whip. Outside of duty, he is a dedicated professional wrestling fan and an avid firearm collector favoring practical handguns like the Colt .45. He harbors a deep aversion to slugs and snails, citing both physical disgust and the operational risk of slipping on them.
Abilities
Clark Still integrates martial arts with Heidern-style assassination martial arts, relying primarily on high-impact professional wrestling throws. His grapple-focused toolkit features signature techniques such as the Super Argentine Backbreaker, Ultra Argentine Backbreaker, and Running Three, allowing him to launch opponents upward and crush them over his knee or slam them into the ground, often executing follow-up strikes like the Flashing Elbow. Alongside his throws, he utilizes long-reaching keep-away kicks, the airborne-floating Vulcan Punch, Gatling Attack, and the anti-air strike Napalm Stretch to manage distance and setup devastating close-range combinations.
Background
Clark Still began his military career as an intelligence officer in the United States Armed Forces, joining Ralf Jones's unit during the operations of Ikari. Though initially met with skepticism, he proved his worth through joint combat operations, establishing a lifelong partnership. To further refine their skills, he and Ralf traveled to Brazil to enlist in Heidern's mercenary organization, where they mastered specialized assassination techniques. Operating as a lieutenant (and major in Metal Slug assignments), he routinely competes in The King of Fighters tournaments as part of the Ikari Warriors team. His signature sunglasses were adopted to hide a forehead scar he sustained while shielding Ralf from a jungle booby trap.
Relationships
Clark Still shares an unbreakable bond with Ralf Jones, serving as his strategic partner and operational counterweight. Heidern acts as his commanding officer and combat instructor. Toward his subordinates Leona Heidern and Whip, Clark takes on a protective role, helping restrain Leona during blood-rage episodes and personally assigning Whip her official codename. He holds a strong appreciation for Goro Daimon's Judo throwing techniques and maintains a friendly connection with Terry Bogard, with whom he shares visual traits, nationality, and a mutual dislike of slugs.
Trivia
The dog tags Clark Still holds during victory poses in several titles belong to a fallen battle comrade. His special pre-match interaction with Ralf Jones in The King of Fighters '96 through '98 references the transformation wrist devices from the tokusatsu series Choujin Sentai Jetman. Many of his throw names and combat callouts draw inspiration from real-world professional wrestlers, Kinnikuman, and Kamen Rider V3. Beneath his sunglasses, he possesses striking blue eyes and facial features that are noted to be suitable for modeling if his muscular build were reduced.
