Cracked Sword

Cracked Sword
Participation Information
Series	S2 (King of Bots)
Other Names	Broken Blades (Official Season 2 translation)
Team Information
Team Members	Li Hui
Other Entries	Ghost No. 1 (2019 Opening Battle)
Robot Statistics
Weapons	Horizontal bar spinner

Cracked Sword (referred to in Chinese as 小李断刀 (Xiǎo lǐ duàn dāo), meaning Xiao Li's Broken Knife, officially translated as Broken Blades) was a Chinese competitor robot which competed in Season 2 of King of Bots. Armed with a powerful horizontal bar spinner, it enjoyed a successful start to the season, achieving a spectacular knockout victory against multibot Po Feng to secure a place on Zhu Zheng Ting's team. However, Cracked Sword lost its place on that particular team after being defeated by Switch, and instead joined Di Yang's team after winning a four-way rumble over Button Lee, Little Qinglong and Tank. As a representative of Di Yang, Cracked Sword lost a head-to-head battle against Megabyte. It then teamed up with Mist Lion to fight for survival against Deep-Sea Shark and Thunder, and although it was initially declared to have lost the battle, Cracked Sword and Mist Lion were saved by the official ruling that Thunder's late attack on Cracked Sword had broken the rules. Ultimately, Cracked Sword lost its next battle to Vulcan, and was eliminated alongside Di Yang's entire team.

Cracked Sword was entered into the series by 36-year old Li Hui, who had previously competed in the King of Bots 2019 Opening Battle with the similar robot Ghost No. 1.

Design

Cracked Sword with its team member

Cracked Sword, like its predecessor Ghost No. 1, was an invertible, two-wheel drive robot with a predominantly dark green color scheme. It was armed with a large horizontal bar spinner, partially painted in white, which was powerful enough to cause severe damage to opponents and send them recoiling at great force across the arena. Cracked Sword's appearance and armament gave it a passing resemblance to other horizontal spinners of its kind, notably BattleBots 2016 champion Tombstone, and other King of Bots competitors such as Knife Legend.

Robot History

King of Bots II (Season 2)

Cracked Sword debuted in Episode 1 of Season 2, where it was selected by Zhu Zheng Ting to fight in the third round of one-on-one battles. There, it was drawn to face Po Feng, a three-part multibot from successful King of Bots featherweight competitors Team Pro-fun.

Cracked Sword deals its first powerful blow on Po Feng

Cracked Sword slices Po Feng

Cracked Sword drives over Po Feng's minibot after removing one of its wheels

Cracked Sword started the more evasive machine, driving away from Po Feng as it got its weapon up to speed. However, it quickly turned its spinner into the side of Po Feng, the impact causing both robots to recoil. While Po Feng was sent hurtling into the red corner, Cracked Sword spun round and trundled across the arena, momentarily being lifted off the floor by Po Feng’s minibot. Undeterred, Cracked Sword weaved its way towards the main part of Po Feng, which had landed upside-down as a result of the first hit. Eventually, it landed another blow on Po Feng, shredding the main robot’s right tire and briefly throwing it off-balance. Seconds later, Po Feng lost a wheel after trying to gyro-dance back into its upright position, becoming immobilized almost simultaneously.

Cracked Sword sends an ailing Po Feng into the grinders

Cracked Sword faces Po Feng's flame-throwing helicopter

Cracked Sword capitalized on its opponent’s woes by first tearing one wheel off its minibot, then slamming into the main part's plough and throwing it into a nearby grinder. However, the resulting recoil sent Cracked Sword spinning and flipping violently onto its side; sparks flew as its circuitry frayed and the robot’s spinner repeatedly hit the pit panel. Despite shearing part of its weapon mount off in the process, Cracked Sword eventually landed on its wheels, and dodged flame attacks from Po Feng’s helicopter while its opponent was being counted out. With this, it secured a spectacular and popular knockout win, as well as the first place on Zhu Zheng Ting’s team.

"What a great fight tonight! Congratulation for Cracked Sword Lee!"

— Team Pro-fun on Facebook

Cracked Sword's place on Zhu Zheng Ting's team came under threat when twelve international robots joined the competition, including the British entry Switch, which fought Cracked Sword in a head-to-head battle to steal its place on Zhu Zheng Ting's team.

Switch loses its hammer head during a swing at Cracked Sword

Switch charges into Cracked Sword, but misses its swing

Cracked Sword started the battle very slowly, which allowed Switch manoeuvre its way around to the back of Cracked Sword to pop it into the air. When Switch fired its hammer, Cracked Sword caught the weapon and sheared away the hammer head of Switch; however, Cracked Sword also lost the use of its bar spinner in the process. After the two robots completely separated, Switch charged into Cracked Sword twice, missing its weapon swings on both occasions, although the second charge still disoriented Cracked Sword, and also kicked Switch's loose hammer head across the arena. Switch then drove Cracked Sword into the spikes lining the arena wall, loosening one of its exposed tires.

Switch pins Cracked Sword against the spikes

Switch pounds the weapon frame of Cracked Sword

Cracked Sword is counted out

Another charge saw Switch wedge under the weapon frame of Cracked Sword to suspend it above the floor, but Switch still could not land any successful weapon blows until Cracked Sword backed into the arena wall. Pinned in place by Switch, Cracked Sword took several swings from the bare weapon shaft of its opponent, with the exposed bars of Cracked Sword's weapon frame coming under pressure. After the two robots separated, Switch carried Cracked Sword across the arena, and eventually, Cracked Sword became completely immobile. Cracked Sword lost the battle by knockout and therefore forfeited its place on Zhu Zheng Ting's team to Switch.

In order to join a new celebrity team, Cracked Sword would need to win a four-way rumble against Button Lee, Little Qinglong and Tank during the Redemption Round.

Cracked Sword slashes at the side of Tank

Cracked Sword follows up on Tank

Cracked Sword exhibited the most movement in the opening seconds, quickly powering up its spinner while Little Qinglong and Button Lee held back. Tank launched the first offensive move and charged towards Cracked Sword, firing its flipper but completely missed the mark, causing its flipper to break in the process. Left without a weapon, Tank was struck side-on by Cracked Sword, lightly knocking it aside, and this was succeeded by another big hit from Cracked Sword, spinning Tank away from the flailing Button Lee in a shower of sparks.

Cracked Sword clips Button Lee

Little Qinglong hits Cracked Sword's wheel

Cracked Sword then started a combo attack, twice slashing at Tank to create a visible gash in its front armor, then swerving into Button Lee to clip its wheel and disable one of its flail spinners, with Little Qinglong also bumping into Button Lee at the same time. Button Lee would hardly move after this pincer attack, and the referee would eventually deem it to be immobile, counting it out. Little Qinglong finally launched its first direct attack of the match in the meantime, hitting Cracked Sword weapon-to-weapon, and Cracked Sword would also hit Tank again soon after. Later into the battle, the gyroscopic forces of Cracked Sword brought it into the air while it was turning, allowing Little Qinglong to hit it on the wheel directly, causing some damage to Cracked Sword, although Little Qinglong was then flipped over by Tank.

Cracked Sword smashes into Little Qinglong

Three robots survive to a Judges' decision

With the robots separated once more, Cracked Sword closed in to land a heavy blow on the side of Little Qinglong, also colliding with Tank's flipper while recoiling, to throw more sparks. Button Lee was still seen spinning in the background while Cracked Sword delivered a powerful blow to Tank, although its bar spinner slowed to a crawl towards the end of the bout, with one more attack on Tank being enough to silence it. Nevertheless, time expired on the battle seconds later, and the three active robots survived to a Judges' decision, which was comfortably won by Cracked Sword. This allowed Cracked Sword to join a new celebrity team, now under Di Yang's captaincy.

Successfully through to the next round, Cracked Sword was nominated to represent Di Yang in the only head-to-head among three battles between Di Yang's team and Emma Dumont's team. Alone, Cracked Sword took on Megabyte of Emma Dumont's team.

Cracked Sword delivers its blade to Megabyte

Megabyte destroys Cracked Sword's wheel

Cracked Sword got its spinner up to speed and raced over to Megabyte's corner whilst its opponent also spun up its weapon. The two robots made contact, their spinners throwing up sparks, before Cracked Sword was spun slightly away. Although it now had its rear exposed to Megabyte, it avoided getting hit after Megabyte slammed into the arena wall, bouncing off and tearing off a panel of the wall. Cracked Sword did not come in for another attack until Megabyte was back up to speed and charged straight up Megabyte's body, the attack destabilizing it and leaving it balanced on one wheel before falling back down; its charge, however, had also cut Megabyte's self-righting pole in half. Undeterred, Cracked Sword came in for another attack, but turned too quickly, allowing Megabyte to hit its left wheel, loosening the tyre. Cracked Sword was forced back towards the arena wall, but came in for another attack on Megabyte, only to be flung up off the arena floor again. Following this, Cracked Sword's mobility depleted and its weapon ground to a halt. It still attempted to turn into the approaching Megabyte, but the American robot struck it one more time, propelling both robots across the arena to their starting zones and causing Cracked Sword to catch fire. Unable to move, Cracked Sword was counted out, resulting in the first of ultimately three losses for Di Yang.

In Episode 7, Di Yang's team fought against Huang Jian Xiang, and Di Yang decided that if he lost the series of three battles, he would have to eliminate either Cracked Sword or Mist Lion from his team. Both of these robots teamed up to fight against Deep-Sea Shark and Thunder, with the outcome deciding their fate in the competition.

Cracked Sword charges straight into Thunder

Cracked Sword is driven into the wall by Thunder

Cracked Sword was surprisingly aggressive out of the gates, quickly landing a direct blow on Thunder, although this sent Cracked Sword spiralling across the arena. Thunder blocked its escape, catching Cracked Sword as it backed away, and then pushed it into Deep-Sea Shark. While Mist Lion became pinned on its own wedgelet, Thunder continued to assert itself over Cracked Sword, comfortably withstanding its bar spinner while pushing it into the arena corner. Thunder then backed away, and Cracked Sword hit the front of Thunder directly to knock both machines aside. Cracked Sword flew directly into the front of Deep-Sea Shark, which pushed it into Mist Lion, which was still stuck in place. Finally, Deep-Sea Shark hit the front of Mist Lion with its spinner, knocking its opponent back into the battle.

Cracked Sword and Thunder are lifted by the floor flipper

Mist Lion and Deep-Sea Shark are rendered immobile

Thunder and Cracked Sword continued to face off, with the spinner of Cracked Sword starting to create visible damage in Thunder's scoop, but Thunder pushed it onto the floor flipper which lifted both robots up. This allowed Thunder to continue its attack, sliding Cracked Sword around the arena. Deep-Sea Shark launched a direct hit on the side of Mist Lion while pushing it aside, and it became clear that Mist Lion could no longer move with this side of drive, using only the gyroscopic forces of its drum to move outside of its circumference. Meanwhile, Thunder moved Cracked Sword into the grinder mount, inflicting severe recoil onto the bar spinner. Soon after this, a blow from Mist Lion overturned Deep-Sea Shark and immobilized it, but Mist Lion was also counted out for its own partial immobility.

Cracked Sword is pinned against the wall just before time expired

Cracked Sword is controversially taken to the Grinder after time

Cracked Sword was left to fight alone, but Thunder guided the bar spinner of its opponent into the wall, where it ripped away an arena spike and lost all momentum to its bar spinner. Cracked Sword had managed to accelerate its blade again, but Thunder guided it back into the wall and, this time, silenced the bar spinner permanently, although Thunder also collided with a seam in the floor and was momentarily halted. Cracked Sword mostly spun in place near Mist Lion, with one of its own wheels visibly damaged, and Thunder pinned it against the arena wall until time ran out. Even though time had expired on the battle, as signalled by the change in lighting, Thunder continued to attack, carrying the beached Cracked Sword across the arena and into the Grinder, where it became pinned. This late attack did not go unnoticed by the celebrities and roboteers, who were visibly upset by the late attack.

Cracked Sword is left on the Grinder

Originally, the Judges were required to determine a winner of the battle, naming Thunder and Deep-Sea Shark as the winners. However, Di Yang objected to the decision, believing that rewarding a robot which launched an attack after time had expired would encourage other teams to attack their opponents in the same position, and worsen the issues they already faced with repairing their robots in between rounds. In response, the Judges and producers re-evaluated the battle, and concluded that no winner would be declared.

Cracked Sword did not fight again until Episode 11, where it fought against Vulcan for the right to defend its place in the competition. Prior defeats in the rotation stage reduced Di Yang's team to just three robots, with their hopes resting on the outcome of this battle.

Cracked Sword is rammed into the spikes

The initial recoil sees Cracked Sword lose a wheel and suffer damage to its spinner

Initially, Cracked Sword weaved its way out of the blue corner to dodge a fast charge from Vulcan. Moments later, it tried to respond by lunging at Vulcan, only to drive across the arena towards a control booth. Cracked Sword spun round a few times as it attempted to get its bar spinner facing Vulcan; however, it was pushed spinner-first into the wall spikes by Vulcan, causing Cracked Sword to recoil. As it flipped violently in the air, one of Cracked Sword's wheels sheared off, while half of its spinner almost broke off completely upon hitting the arena floor. Cracked Sword landed upside down, its weapon and mobility now severely compromised.

Cracked Sword's spinner breaks following two successive flips from Vulcan

Vulcan throws Cracked Sword into the corner

Cracked Sword is tossed out of the arena

Under pressure from its British opponent, Cracked Sword was twice thrown towards the grinders by Vulcan; on the first flip, its spinner snapped in two upon hitting the upper wall. While Vulcan retreated to prepare for further attacks, Cracked Sword attempted to spin up the remains of its weapon, only to shake violently and damage part of its own internals. Cracked Sword abandoned this tactic, instead weaving away from the grinders before Vulcan pushed, shepherded and threw it around in the corner. Vulcan proceeded to steer Cracked Sword into a grinder, which briefly flicked Cracked Sword upwards, before throwing the ailing Chinese machine a few more times. Having narrowly avoided getting ejected from the arena, Cracked Sword was eventually propped against the corner wall by Vulcan, and finally thrown out.

With Cracked Sword soundly beaten, it and the rest of Di Yang's team, including Rhino and Saber, were all eliminated from the competition at the same time.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 2
• Losses: 3

NOTE: Cracked Sword's battle with Deep-Sea Shark & Thunder is not included

Series Record

Series	Cracked Sword Series Record
Season 1	Did not enter
Season 1.5	Did not enter
Season 2	Di Yang's team (2-3 record)

NOTE: Li Hui also entered the 2019 Opening Battle with Ghost No. 1.

Trivia

• The name "Cracked Sword" comes from the fact that its predecessor Ghost No. 1 broke its own blade in its only fight with Tánshè
  • Ironically, when it fought the robot Vulcan, who also used flippers as a weapon, he broke his own weapon again