Zhuge Dan

Zhuge Dan (onyomi: Shokatsu Tan) may or may not be Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jin's cousin, sometimes being argued as Zhuge Liang's younger brother or someone from an unrelated branch of the Zhuge family. In addition, he may possibly be Zhuge Jin's older or younger brother. He is one of the many Wei generals who rebelled against Sima Zhao's reign and was met with miserable failure.

Before his playable Dynasty Warriors appearance, he was the default name for a bodyguard in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends. Fans voted him to forty-third place in Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll and forty-eighth in the Shin Sangoku Musou 7: Moushouden poll.

Dynasty Warriors
During Jin's Story Mode in Dynasty Warriors 7, he promotes himself as the commander at Dongxing. He has an argument with Sima Zhao and is infuriated by the young man's laziness. He leads the Wei army against the Wu forces led by Zhuge Ke. After crossing a large bridge with zealous Wei troops, the bridge is destroyed by Ding Feng. Isolated, they are surrounded by Wu troops. Due to Wang Yuanji's persuasion, Sima Zhao finally moves to assist. Each man blames the other for their respective failures at Dongxing. In a bid to increase the Sima family's reputation, Sima Shi ultimately lays blame on Sima Zhao.

Later, when Sima Zhao rises to power after Sima Shi's death, a jealous Zhuge Dan tries to bolster his reputation in retaliation. Seeking to restore power back to Wei's emperor, Cao Mao, he sells himself to the Wu forces at Shouchun. However, he loses his Wu allies due to his obsession with revenge and the cruelty he gives them, and they defect to Sima Zhao's side. To his ire, Sima Zhao confronts him to state he has lost everything for his ambition. Determined to defeat his enemy no matter what, Zhuge Dan sets the castle on fire in an attempt to end both of their lives. But the plan ends with failure as Sima Zhao kills Zhuge Dan and escapes the castle.

His first Legendary Mode allows him to prove his intellect as a member of the Zhuge family by defeating the other famed strategists of the time including his well-known relative Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Dan's second Legendary Mode allows players the chance to lead his rebellion to slay Sima Zhao.

He continues a similar role in Dynasty Warriors 8 and initially fights alongside the Sima Family loyally throughout their campaigns. Distraught with Sima Shi's death and the uncertain future of Wei, he rebels at Shouchun under the orders of Cao Mao. Shortly after his defeat, he defiantly asks Sima Zhao to kill him only for Jia Chong to perform the deed.

Zhuge Dan's defection does not occur on the alternate path due to several factors that result in Sima Shi being rescued in time. One of these factors is Zhuge Dan's presence in Xuchang which is made possible should the player manage to prevent the Wu army from breaching the gates of New Hefei Castle. After forcing Zhuge Ke to retreat, Sima Shi causes Zhuge Dan to question his obsession with the prestige of the Zhuge clan. Coming to terms with his own flaws, he casts off the burden of the family name and vows to hone his talents instead. Zhuge Dan helps Sima Zhao in defeating Wu at Jianye and is present during the final battle against the remnants of Shu and Wu at the waters of Chibi.

Warriors Orochi
In the original timeline, Zhuge Dan is one of the warriors who was overwhelmed at Ueda Castle in Warriors Orochi 3. He is perplexed when Sima Zhao and company explain they came from the future one day, and by their urgent request to assist their defense. While he is aghast by their bogus sounding story, Zhuge Dan eventually comes to terms with it and agrees to save their allies in the past and future. From then on, he acts as a secondary advisor for Sima Zhao's forces.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
He mainly appears as an above-average officer in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. He usually appears as a secondary and optional general for Wei and has done so since the early titles of the series. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI, he stars in a short scenario centered around his revolt in April 257. Players can reenact his first rebellion against the Sima family.

During the Online adaption, he is one of the four focal characters in the 2008 summer event. Zhuge Liang requests players to help him face against his other talented family members from the Zhuge family. He includes himself, Zhuge Dan, Zhuge Jin, and Zhuge Qiao in a competition in Jing Province, using their wits to concoct various inventions against one another. If players choose to support Zhuge Dan, they get to use fire-breathing tiger cannons against his family's siege weapons.

Development
Zhuge Dan was made to be the tragically flawed character for the series. He is a man who isn't bad by nature but ironically suffers his downfall due to his beliefs. To represent his character as a stiff man of discipline, the producer wanted to give him sleeked back hair and a suffocating collar. His white gloves were meant to signify nervousness and the anxieties he tries to keep hidden. Zhuge Dan is meant to be a character who struggles to overcome his various internal complexes and conflicts, for better or worse.

Personality
Proud of his family's reputation for intelligence, Zhuge Dan thinks himself worthy to be the same ilk. He tries to act as an assertive and wise individual at all times. He is indeed talented in concocting reasonable strategies and possesses natural leadership. Zhuge Dan's brilliance, however, is overshadowed by his impatience. His eagerness to act on his decisions clouds him from rethinking his steps and severely narrows his focus. He neglects to consider alternations or consequences of his plans. When the epiphany finally dawns on him, it's often too late for him to do anything about it. The knowledge may cause him to react with nervousness or anger, his humiliation with his fault breaking his otherwise stern composure.

In his original appearance, Zhuge Dan is depicted as a man who has no real friends or allies. Everyone who knew him judged him for his misdemeanors. For his Warriors Orochi appearance, however, he shares an affinity with Sima Zhao, Zhuge Liang, Taigong Wang, and Sakon. The geniuses offer friendly tips for improving his thinking process or jest about his uptight appearance.

Voice Actors

 * Keith Silverstein - Dynasty Warriors 7~8 (English-uncredited)
 * Takuya Kirimoto - Dynasty Warriors 7~8, Warriors Orochi 3 (Japanese)

Quotes

 * See also: Zhuge Dan/Quotes


 * "I carry the pride of my entire clan with me!"
 * "Well, if it isn't the black sheep of the Zhuge family."
 * "Silence! I'll show you."
 * ~Sima Yi and Zhuge Dan; Dynasty Warriors 7


 * "Hm? Zhuge Dan, why are you being pursued? Is it for the same reason I am?"
 * "Yes, unfortunately so... I just couldn't resist its silky smooth exterior."
 * ~Sima Zhao and Zhuge Dan; Dynasty Warriors 7


 * "The entire Zhuge clan are skilled and clever. I must not soil that truth!"
 * "Haha... what a sad thing to say! Your gloomy face makes you look far less of a man. The moment you made that claim, with that face, you already soiled the name of your clan."
 * Zhuge Dan and Taigong Wang; Warriors Orochi 3

Dynasty Warriors 7
Zhuge Dan is affiliated with the war fan in this appearance. When he is equipped with it, he can perform a unique attack exclusive to him. Upon performing his Musou techniques, he will automatically use the weapon in his attacks.


 * EX Attack:, , undefined, undefined: Summons lightning to strike his opponents.
 * Musou - Firefly Bomb (飛雷弾): : Conjures a ball of energy which he directs with his hand to hit in any direction.
 * Aerial Musou - Tundra Blast (大氷塊):, : Materializes huge ice crystals on his fan to smash down onto his opponents.


 * Warriors Orochi 3
 * , : Waves fan and creates a short gust of wind damaging enemies below.
 * , undefined: Shoots three lasers in a row while hovering in the air. Trajectory of the attack depends on which direction the user is facing at.
 * R1: Creates an updraft to engulf opponents.
 * , R1 (Ultimate only): Conjures a ball of energy and causes it to revolve around Zhuge Dan multiple times before exploding.

Dynasty Warriors 8
Zhuge Dan is affiliated with the short rod in this appearance. When he is equipped with it, he can perform a unique attack exclusive to him. Upon performing his Musou techniques, he will automatically use the weapon in his attacks.


 * EX Attack 2 (Xtreme Legends only):, , , , , undefined, undefined:
 * Alternate Musou - Icy Valor (義気氷然): R1 + : Conjures an arctic wind that blows enemies away or freezes them. Also summons four foot soldiers that charge forward before disappearing at the end of the attack.
 * Awakening Musou: Strikes weapon up and down, with the second hit releasing a bolt of lightning on the ground. It ends with a short but powerful smack that sends foes flying. The extended version wraps the user's weapon in flames followed by a series of curt flailing hits and an extra slam that sends out several lightning bolts at once.

Weapons

 * See also: Zhuge Dan/Weapons

Dynasty Warriors 8
Zhuge Dan now uses the short rod as his default weapon in this title.

Historical Information
Zhuge Dan was a politician and warrior who originated from Yangdu County in Langye (roughly modern day Linyi, Shandong). Honest, fair and non-judgmental, he was good friends with Xiahou Xuan and Deng Yang. He was praised as one of the "Four Bright and Eight Intellects", clever men who served Wei. According to the Shishou Xinyu, the following was supposedly written about the Zhuge relatives in the three separate kingdoms: "Shu has their dragon, Wu has their tiger, and Wei has their hound." Zhuge Liang was the dragon, Zhuge Jin was the tiger, and Zhuge Dan was the dog.

Even so, Cao Rui found his fame to be superficial and uttered, "His (Zhuge Dan's) reputation is like a portrait; one can try to complete it but they will never be satisfied." Thus, he dismissed Zhuge Dan at once. When Cao Shuang seized power, he and Deng Yang were summoned to govern politics. Zhuge Dan was entitled as an imperial advisor and returned as a minister. He later became the General of Illustrious Warrior and was sent to Yangzhou. He then distrusted Lujiang's Grand Administrator, Wen Qin.

While Deng Yang was murdered by Cao Shuang and Xiahou Xuan was demoted to a meaningless post, Zhuge Dan was able to stay in power by assisting Sima Yi. After he helped suppress Wang Ling's rebellion in 251, he was put in charge of various military affairs in Yang Province and became the General Stabilizing the East. He was given Shanyang Juye soon after his appointment. It is said that his relationship with the Sima family was either due to family ties or ominous implications made by the Sima relatives for Zhuge Dan's head.

When Sima Shi climbed up the ranks of power, he and four other lords (Hu Zu, Wang Chang, Chen Tai and Guanqiu Jian) were ordered to defend the capital from all sides. In 252, after Sun Quan's death, he banded with three of Wei's directional lords to strike Wu's position in Hefei. They targeted a castle in Dongxing and they desired to obtain the position for future water attacks. Seeing the threat early, Zhuge Jin, Ding Feng and Lu Ju drove his army back and he suffered heavy losses. He took responsibility for the defeat and had his governed province switched to Yuzhou as a result.

Three years later, Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin staged a rebellion. They invited for Zhuge Dan to join them, but he refused their offer and joined the subjugation. While he did struggle against his former comrades for a time, Zhuge Dan eventually fought the invading Wu general, Liu Zan. His general, Jiang Ban, killed the elderly general in a duel and his troops caused the enemy's downfall. Since Liu Zan was among the generals who caused his defeat along the eastern boarders, Zhuge Dan became a distinguished general. He was given 3,500 households and appointed as Great General who Subdues the East. However, when Xiahou Xuan (or Cao Shuang according to some accounts) was unjustly killed by Sima Shi, he was weary of the Sima family and became uneasy about the future. His doubts redoubled when Wang Chang, who shared an equal standing with him, was promoted for what he thought was a grave mistake. In 256, he requested 100,000 reinforcements to be sent to him. Officially, he said he needed them to suppress Wu, but it is argued that he wanted to keep them as a strong foothold against the Sima family.

As Sima Zhao came into power in 257, Zhuge Dan was appointed Minister of Works, one of the three most important titles in the Han Dynasty. He moved to the capital, Luoyang, and was ordered to recall troops. Either the court was suspicious of his behavior or Jia Chong's brother wanted to test Zhuge Dan's integrity and end the rebellion early. In spite of his new rank, he lead a rebellion with 10,000 soldiers during the same year and killed Yue Lin. He went with Wu Gang to request help from his youngest son in Wu, Zhuge Liang.

In 258, Sima Zhao ordered 260,000 to deal with Zhuge Dan and take possession of Shouchun Castle. The instigator had 30,000 people from Wu to assist him and additionally Zhu Yi's larger army as the conflict ensued. Although they were able to repel the initial blows of the struggle, his unfriendly relations with Wen Qin soon took its toll. Fearing that Zhuge Dan would one day kill themselves and their father, Wen Yang and Wen Hu defected to Sima Zhao. Their surrender dealt a massive blow to the morale of Zhuge Dan's army and they eventually scattered during the following confrontations. As he tried to abandon his position, Zhuge Dan was killed by troops lead by Hu Fen. Hundreds of his followers refused to surrender, believing that their rebellion was just, and shared the same fate as their leader.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
He is introduced during the later story arcs in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He was Zhuge Liang's cousin and chose to employ himself in Wei. He received no particular promotions until his cousin died.

In chapter 110, he was given command over the forces of Yuzhou and ordered to march from Anfeng and possess Shouchun. He took Shouchun and received a seal from the dying Sima Shi. He became General Who Conquers the East and marched the army back to Xuchang. He eventually became Lord of Gaoping and Commander of the south and east of River Huai. To gauge his loyalty, Sima Zhao sent Jia Chong to secretly judge Zhuge Dan's feelings. Zhuge Dan pressed for Jia Chong to ascend and boldly declared that he would fight for what he believed the people wanted. To keep the rebel under his thumb, Sima Zhao appointed him as Minister of Works and forced him into the capital. Once Zhuge Dan heard that Yue Chen was responsible for the abrupt move, he angrily raided the man's residence and killed him.

With a total of five hundred thousand troops, he sent his advisor to ask Wu for aid and sent his son, Zhuge Jing, as a hostage on good faith. Wu accepted the gesture and sent seventy thousand to assist. He then joined forces with Wen Qin and his two sons. On the day of their confrontation, he lead the central vanguard unit. However, his forces were driven back and he decided to hold himself within Shouchun. As the river's waters began to rise, Wen Qin suggested to withdraw the northern troops and save supplies. Enraged by what he considered a suicidal suggestion, Zhuge Dan had Wen Qin put to death. Wen Qin's sons, Wen Yang and Wen Hu, left and were employed under Sima Zhao. When Zhuge Dan's troops saw the defectors treated with hospitality, their morale faltered and their commander put to death any who he suspected of betrayal.

Sima Zhao's army attacked soon after and Zhuge Dan was betrayed by Zeng Xuan, who opened the northern gates for the Wei army. Zhuge Dan tried to retreat but was cut down by Hu Fen. His followers were held prisoner and chose to follow their master's fate. His family within Wei were slaughtered.

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