Morden is the beret wearing moustachioed evil military leader from SNK's legendary 2D platform/shooter series, Metal Slug.
As with Bowser for Mario or Robotnik for Sonic, Morden is an enemy who appears to have been thwarted completely at the end of each game, only to return in the next even stronger. Morden is always leading a huge army (the symbol of which is a cross, rather like a multiplication symbo, in a circle) and sometimes teams up with some interesting otherwordly forces.. Morden has so far appeared in all the Metal Slug games that I have finished.
In the original Metal Slug, Marco (or Marco and Tarma in 2 player mode) first fought Morden when he hangs out the back of a huge plane, flying above a flatbed train at the end of level 2, firing his trademark bazooka. After the plane was destroyed, a small fighter plane from Morden's forces flew in to save the man himself, just in the nick of time. It wasn't long before the Metal Slug team caught up with him again though - at the end of the game, he appeared leaning out of the side of a Chinook style helicopter, again firing his bazooka, but this time accompanied by the helicopter's bombing, shooting, and missile firing capabilities. Eventually, however, the team managed to to down the chopper, at which point Morden flew out of the side, landing with a resounding crunch and a splat of blood*. Surely he's dead, you say? No, not even close...
During the course of Metal Slug 2 it gradually becomes clear that Morden has teamed up an alien race in order to take over the world. After fighting their way past legions of aliens (which, incidentally, look kind of like squid crossed with some sort of sea anemone), the team get outside the base in the final level... just in time to see Morden being, essentially, screwed over by the aliens. Morden is laughing on top of a substantially sized tank, guarded by a pair of troops. However, a pair of aliens teleport in and kill the troops, and shortly afterward a lovely big flying saucer** pops in for some tea and destruction. Morden's shiny new tank is quickly turned into a burning reck, and the two aliens follow Morden as he is sucked up by one of those magical light beam things which come out of the bottom of UFOsTM. Naturally, the Metal Slug team are a little pissed off, as if anyone should be kicking Morden's ass, it should be them. The team go about destroying the flying saucer/globe, and while they do eventually manage it, this game ain't over yet.. A huge Independence Day style mothership flies over and sucks up the smoking wreck of the flying saucer. Now the enemy fills the whole sky, and it looks like it could be too much for the team to manage... But luckily, Morden's army come to the rescue (they want their leader back too, but for different reasons than the team...) and all manner of troops and tanks arrive to shoot a seven shades of shit out of the poor, unsuspecting flyer saucer. Kindly enough, they even drop in a Metal Slug to help the team. Once the mothership is defeated, Morden comes crashing to earth strapped to a large metal slab, wearing only his underwear. Understandably, he looks happy to have been rescued, and his troops all being to cheer, until the slab topples over, squashing Morden into the ground. Damn, that's gotta smart...
Metal Slug 3 features Morden, yet again, although the first time you fight him, it isn't really him (woo, spooky..), and it is in fact an alien impersonating him. Yes, that very same alien race is back for revenge. Once you realise that the "Morden" you just killed isn't the real deal, you naturally head on up to the alien Mothership (this time it's much, much bigger) not only to defeat Morden, but to get back one of the 'Slug team - one of the four is randomly picked up by the aliens to be cloned. After an immensely long fight (which even features the Super Soldier turning up to lend a hand), the alien menace is finally defeated, the captured team member is rescued, and Morden's butt is saved. The end sequence of the game begins with the team sitting on a re-entry module (well, they had to get out of space somehow. Stop sniggering at the back, you) throwing their guns into the sea, clearly not having any enery left to fight, while Morden and his army flies past in the background. An uneasy peace... but will it last?
Well, clearly not. I haven't played Metal Slug 4 yet (snaffin rassing not adding to MAME...) but when I do I'd be very shocked if it didn't involve some form of moustachioed beret wearing dictator. Yes, of course Morden will be back, because it wouldn't be the same without him. Just like how Mario teams up with Bowser in Super Mario RPG, that doesn't mean they won't be fighting each other straight after the greater evil is defeated....
Peace Forever!
* - If you have it turned on, of course...
** - Being honest it's more of a flying globe, but let's not let that get in our way..
Sources:
Playing through Metal Slugs 1, 2, X, and 3.