Originally Posted by DJZen
In martial arts, I've learned one basic truth. The winner of the fight is not determined by who follows "the rules". In a REAL life or death fight, there is no such thing as "dirty fighting" or "cheating". If someone's seriously trying to kill you, throwing dirt in his eyes could save your life. You use the tools you have at your disposal to survive. If there is no "great equalizer" involved, this is going to become a battle of attricion. This is the reason martial arts and weapons were invented, to find sneaky ways to kill things stronger than you. Honor in martial arts is as sensible a concept as honor in war. Sure, it sounds nice, but when has anyone ever won a war without playing dirty pool? If Cloud won, it's because he was the better fighter. Not because he was stronger, more agile, smarter, or better trained, but because he was more resourceful.