Roman Goodwin

For the manga version of this character, see Skeleton Knight.

Roman Goodwin

Names
English	Roman Goodwin
Japanese translated	Rudger Goodwin
Japanese Japanese ルドガー・ゴドウィン Rōmaji Rudogā Godowin
Personal
Gender	Male
Relatives
Rex Goodwin (younger brother; deceased)
Career
Previous occupation	Lab assistant
Previous organization	KaibaCorp R.R.D. Dark Signers
Duelist
Anime Deck	Spider
Other Decks
WC 2010	Spider's Web
Tag Force 6	Black Widow Dark Widow Widow Spider Arachnophobia
Duel Transer	Web of Sacrifice
Appearances
Manga debut	Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Ride 1: "Yusei, Turbo Duelist!!"
Anime debut	Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 01919: "Return to the Spirit World, Part 2"
Video game debut	Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 4
Appears in Manga Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Anime Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Nintendo DS Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2010: Reverse of Arcadia Wii Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Duel Transer PSP Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 4 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 6
Voice actors
English	Marc Thompson Marc Diraison (prior to becoming a Dark Signer)
Japanese	Tora Take
Goodwin, Roman

Roman Goodwin, known as Rudger Goodwin in the Japanese version, and sometimes romanized as Rudger Godwin, was the apparent leader of the Dark Signers as well as the Signer who originally possessed the Dragon Head birthmark.

Design

Appearance

Linework

He wore black robes that were accented with red stripes and which corresponded to his Earthbound Immortal, as his Mark of the Shadows represented the Spider. It was also revealed that he was the original Signer with the Head Mark of the Dragon on his left arm, though he replaced it with a metal arm since when became a Dark Signer.

Personality

Originally, Roman had a kind personality, who loved his brother Rex and believed in the infinite possibilities that Ener-D had to offer. However after being exposed to the light of the Ener-D reactor, he begun mentally struggling to keep his sanity as his dragon birthmark and the Dark mark he obtained fought for control over his body, and he eventually was consumed by the Dark Mark according to Rex Goodwin.

As leader of the Dark Signers, Roman became very much ruthless and sadistic, and was even described as mad by Yusei. Much of his demeanor stemmed from his belief in destiny, especially in his jealousy for Dr. Fudo and the battle between both groups of Signers. As such he revered Ener-D as the light of destiny itself, and was willing to sacrifice as many innocent lives as it took to appease it and the Wicked Gods themselves.

Abilities

Roman had the ability to possess ordinary people and used spiders he controlled; potentially using them as pseudo or "fake" Dark Signers (Shadow Drones in the dub) who acted as unwilling and unsuspecting pawns for him. The number of his "Dark Spiders" currently possessing a victim was indicated by the number of legs missing from his birthmark. When one of them lost a Shadow Duel, the spider controlling them died, which caused Roman's birthmark to regrow its missing limb, and caused him pain when one of the people he controlled lost. He was also capable of switching himself out with those that were captured, as shown when he switched himself out for Rally during his first Duel with Yusei.

Anime biography

History

Roman and Rex, while working for R.R.D..

Roman Goodwin, was the older brother of Rex Goodwin. Just like his brother, Roman served as an assistant to Professor Fudo, while working in R.R.D.. Dr. Fudo was bent on canceling the Ener-D project due to the natural disasters occurring in Domino City as a result of using the system. But wanting to continue the research, Roman researched occurrences similar to what was happening in Domino City. He then came across the Nazca Lines. Once at the site of the Nazca Lines, a mysterious man who belonged to the Yliaster group spoke to him. The man told Roman that he was destined to activate the Ener-D Reactor and told him to look into the light of the Ener-D Reactor. After returning to the facility, Roman looked into the light of the Ener-D Reactor. He saw the battle between the Crimson Dragon and the Earthbound Immortals. The Spider then dark mark appeared on Roman's arm, where it struggled with the Dragon Head birthmark for control of his body.

Under the influence of the Spider Mark, Roman ousted Dr. Fudo as head of the Ener-D project, having claimed "Stardust Dragon", "Red Dragon Archfiend", "Black Rose Dragon" and the "Ancient Fairy Dragon" cards, which were the keys to activate the Ener-D Reactor's control units. Dr. Fudo managed to take three of the cards and fled, and left behind "Ancient Fairy Dragon" when he was wounded by Roman's henchmen. When he nearly succumbed to the power of the Dark Signers, Roman decided to leave his Mark of the Dragon to destiny by tearing his left arm off and placed it in a preservation canister (which was removed from dub, and still had his hand without being ripped off completely). He gave Rex the canister and told him to gather the Signers and someday defeat him. After that, he activated and overloaded the Ener-D Reactor which ultimately lead to the Zero Reverse, and killed himself and subsequently allowed the first Earthbound Immortal released, Uru, to revive him as a Dark Signer. Sometime after his revival, he set up a base in the old Reactor and eventually met and teamed up with 3 other Dark Signers, who served him as his subordinates. One of them, Misty was still in the city disguised as a human while Roman and the others were in Satellite, it was likely that Roman had sent her there to find the 5th Dark Signer.

Dark Signers arc

After the Fortune Cup ended, Roman possessed Grady and Trudge, in order to test the Signers, Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas.

When the Signers along with Mina, Leo and Trudge venture to Satellite and are meet-up with Martha, Roman appeared and imposed a Duel. Jack wanted to, but was stopped by Yusei, who told him that it was too dangerous to duel here, especially if a geoglyph appeared. Jack was instructed to take Martha and the kids somewhere safe, while Yusei, accompanied by Akiza, faced Roman in a Shadow Duel in another location.

However, three of the children decided to watch the Duel. As the Duel unfolded, Yusei and Akiza noticed two kids near the flames that were caused by the geoglyph and wondered how they got in when they were not Signers. As Roman prepared to Summon his "Earthbound Immortal", "Uru", Yusei and Akiza feared that once it was Summoned, it could have used the kids' souls as sacrifices. Luckily, Jack appeared and uses his birthmark to stop the kids from being sacrificed. Yusei eventually managed to gain the upper hand in the Duel. As a final insult to Yusei, Roman used evil magic to flee and forced Rally to take his place. Rally managed to destroy Uru, but doing so apparently cost him his life.

Roman, along with the other Dark Signers, later appeared before their rivals, the Signers, to begin their final battle. Each of Roman's comrades were waiting at each of the control units of the Original Ener-D Reactor with the purpose of dueling against their correspondent Signer rival. As for Roman, he awaited within the place where the system itself resided. After Devack's defeat at the hands of Luna and Leo, he killed Greiger in order to remake him into a Dark Signer by hanging him over the Original Ener-D Reactor.

Roman blows up the bridge (not shown in the English version)

After Kalin's defeat, Roman's mark seemed to cause him anguish as it escalated up his arm. But then he was confronted by Rex Goodwin, who Dueled him. Rex lost on purpose in order to be reborn as a Dark Signer like his brother.

Yusei and his friends entered the crater in the B.A.D., where they confronted Roman. Although Yusei won, Roman proceeded to tell Yusei that things were not finished yet, as the King of the Netherworld would soon be born. Before Roman dissolved, he detonated a bomb in his left arm, and blew up the bridge and sent Yusei falling into the depths of the Enerdy Reactor (In the English version he didn't do this, he just warned Yusei about the King of the Netherworld's arrival while Uru's destruction caused the bridge to blow up).

Roman was the fourth Dark Signer to be defeated.

Roman and his brother before passing on to the afterlife.

When Rex was finally defeated and the King of the Netherworld was destroyed, Roman and Rex were the only Dark Signers to not return to life.

Manga biography

Roman's former human appearance in the manga.

Main article: Skeleton Knight

In the manga, Roman is the being known as Skeleton Knight.

Non-canon appearances

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 4

Roman's photo in Tag Force 4: "Hungry Fangs".

In Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 4 Roman appeared as a Partner character and could only be found at nightfall after completing the stories of the Signers. Roman observed you dueling the Signers and did not participate in duels.

Roman's Story

In the first event, Roman had the Player duel against Luna who reminded him of the events that happened in her story but dueled him anyway.

In the second event, Roman had the Player duel against Akiza.

In the third event, Roman had the Player duel against Jack.

In the final event, Roman had the Player duel against Yusei, who had figured out everything.

In the end, Roman's plan succeeded, though Yusei told him he was still their friend. Roman then told the Player about his next opponent.

Upon completing the story, the Player would receive three copies of Earthbound Immortal Uru and the photo "Roman Goodwin - Hungry Fangs".

Other Appearances

In the final event of Yusei's story, Roman Dueled with Devack against the Player and Yusei.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Duel Transer

In Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Duel Transer, Roman could be found on the second floor of Yggdrasil if you have an "Earthbound Immortal Uru" card. After defeat him, you could buy his Deck Recipe to Duel him in free Duels.

Decks

Main article: Roman Goodwin's Decks

Roman played a "Spider-themed Insect Deck. His "Earthbound Immortal" card was "Uru".