Sun Ce of Wu

Sun Ce (175 – 200) was a military general and warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. He was the eldest of five sons and one daughter of Sun Jian, who was killed in battle when Sun Ce was only sixteen. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's former overlord Yuan Shu and headed into Southeastern China to establish his own power base there. With the help of several capable men, including Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu, Sun Ce managed to lay down the foundation of the later Eastern Wu, of which his younger brother Sun Quan eventually became the first emperor. After Sun Quan declared himself emperor, he posthumously honored Sun Ce with the title Prince Huan of Changsha (長沙桓王, literally "the diligent prince").

In 200, when the rising warlord Cao Cao was away battling Yuan Shao in the decisive Battle of Guandu, Sun Ce was rumored to be plotting an attack against Cao Cao's capital of Xuchang. However, he was assassinated before he could carry out the plan.

The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms describes Sun Ce as handsome and full of laughter. He was also a generous and receptive man who could employ people according to their abilities. Thus his subjects were willing to risk their lives for him. One detractor named Xu Gong, in a letter to Emperor Xian, likened Sun Ce to Xiang Yu, the general renowned for overthrowing Qin Dynasty . As Xiang Yu was often referred to as the Conqueror of Chu, Sun Ce henceforth became known as the Little Conqueror in popular culture.

Video games

Sun Ce also appears as a playable character in the popular Dynasty Warriors video game series by Koei. In the third, fourth, and fifth installments of the game, he wields a pair of bamboo tonfa called the "Overlords," and is portrayed as energetic, outgoing, brash, and informal. Although charismatic and well-liked by his troops, he relies on the wisdom and responsibility of his friend, Zhou Yu, to keep him focused and on track. In Dynasty Warriors 5, Sun Ce meets his death due to a curse placed on him by the sorcerer Yu Ji, after Sūn orders his execution. He is succeeded by his brother, Quan, who in stark contrast to Ce, is stolid and detached. Sūn Quan often calls on the strength of his late father and brother during combat, attributing his ability and skill to the spirits of his fallen family guiding his hand.

In Dynasty Warriors 6, Sun Ce's weapon is a single-hooked spear and dons armor similar to that of the ancient Greek muscle cuirass. Although not having a storyline, he is one of the key characters to almost all the Wu storylines, as well as apprearing often in cutscenes. His death in the game commonly was due to arrow shots at the back, at the moment Sun Ce claimed victory.

Sun Ce also makes an appearance in the spin off game, "Warriors Orochi", a combination of the Dynasty and Samurai Warriors series. In the game, Orochi uses the captive Sun Jian to blackmail the Sun family into servitude. Sun Ce is the first to rebel against Orochi, under the guidance of Sakon Shima, and much to the disapproval of his siblings, Quan and Shang Xiang, but he would eventually get them back on his side and save their father. He also has an important role in the other storylines, thus making him one of the main protagonists in the game along with Zhao Yun, Cao Pi, and Oda Nobunaga.