Sagin the Wolf

Sagin the Wolf

Sagin the Wolf is the main antagonist of the first arc of Ben Edlund's original comic book series The Tick. Sagin is the Japanese commander of the modern day ninja clan that is prevalent in both the United States and Japan. He is by far the most competent ninja in the modern world of the Tick, and it is implied that his branch of the shinobi warriors is less bumbling than their American counterparts. Sagin is apparently the last leader of the ninja in the modern world, a clan descended from the formidable shinobi of legend, which has since lost most of their credability and skill. Sagin's arch rival is actually a modern samurai warrior named Paul, but his fate leads him into conflict with the Tick.

Role as a villain

Sagin is introduced near the end of the ninja story arc. Having been informed by his obesese and incapable American underling the District Manager that their United States base of operation, a ninja themed amusment park called ninja world has been demolished by the Tick, Sagin makes his mind up to go to the united states. He seeks vengence primarily against the District Manager and the American branch of his ninja clan for disgracing his organization and making a mockery of ninjas in general with their extremely low standards for recruitment and training.

Sagin also seeks to retrieve an important ninja artifact called the Thorn of Oblivion, given to the Tick by a woman named Oedipus. The legend is that if the Thorn (which resembles a giant piece of candy corn) is broken, all ninja will vanish from the face of the Earth. Though Sagin is relatively competent as far as Tick villains go, he still holds a superstitious fear that this legend may be true, and wishes to obtain the Thorn at all cost.

As Sagin attacks the Tick and Paul the Samurai, the Thorn of Oblivion is hurled off the side of a building. Unwilling to risk the legend being true, Sagin leaps off the building after the Thorn to prevent it from hitting the ground, but dies on impact, unable to stop the Thorn from breaking. Contrary to legend however, ninja do not disappear.

Personality

Sagin is depicted as a cruel and ruthless assassin leader who believes he is an honorable man. He uses handguns in combat and considers it his own adaptation of the ninja way. He has little patience for stupidity and weakness. Despite this, he is still a superstitious man, and is willing to risk or end his life for superstitious beliefs.

Trivia

• Sagin's story line, personality, and death resemble a more irreverent representation of Oroku Saki,the Shredder , from the original Eastman and Laird Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic, which was beginning to gain mainstream popularity at the time. Whether or not this is coincindental has not been revealed.
• Sagin appeared as a boss enemy in the 1994 The Tick video game, which was based more on the comic book than the animated series.
• Sagin never appeared in either the 1994 animated or 1999 live action Tick series, though his ninja did make a cameo in the second season of the animated series, fighting against the Tick after being recruited by the Mother of Invention.