Sub-Zero is a name used by two characters in the Mortal Kombatfighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. They are depicted as two Chinese brothers and ninja warriors of the Lin Kuei clan principally defined by their blue attire and ability to control ice in many forms. Both incarnations of Sub-Zero are the only series characters to have appeared in every main installment of the series in addition to being featured as the protagonist of the spin-offMortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997).
The franchise's original and current Sub-Zero is Bi-Han (Chinese:避寒; pinyin:Bì Hán), who first appears in Mortal Kombat (1992). During the events of the first game, Bi-Han is killed by Scorpion, leading to his younger brother Kuai Liang (Chinese:奎凉; pinyin:Kúi Liáng) taking over the Sub-Zero mantle and forming a rivalry with Scorpion, which becomes one of the series' most prominent story elements. Bi-Han returns in Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004) as the undead Noob Saibot, mastering shadows instead of ice. Following two reboots, Bi-Han is reestablished as Sub-Zero while Liang becomes the new Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 1 (2023). Throughout the years, Bi-Han remains depicted as an anti-hero-turned-villain while Kuai Liang is a more heroic and noble figure. One of Mortal Kombat's signature characters, Sub-Zero has appeared in various related media outside of the games, including films and television series both live-action and animated. Additionally, he has received acclaim for his appearance, abilities, and Fatality finishing moves.
Character design and gameplay
John Tobias' original concept art and idea notes for the "Lin Kuei / Ninja" character that would become Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero was first conceived by Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias as a mysterious character named simply "Ninja"[7] and inspired by the book China's Ninja Connection by Li Hsing, which "posits historical evidence for the existence of the Lin Kuei and their influence on the Japanese ninja.[8][9] I was aware of there being some controversy about the author’s claims. So when we split the character in two for palette swaps,[10] I thought it would be fitting that one was of Chinese origin and the other Japanese to kind of embody the argument."[11] According to Tobias, the original "Hunter&Hunted concept was going [to be] about a ninja escaping from his clan and hunted by another member. We used that later for SZ in MK3."[12] Sub-Zero's early name had been Tundra,[13] but it was changed after a member of the design team saw the 1987 film The Running Man in which the first assassin fought by Arnold Schwarzenegger's character used the name.
In his early appearances, Sub-Zero was primarily portrayed and voiced by non-Asian actors.[14]Midway Games later explained Sub-Zero's rather occidental appearance for a Chinese assassin by giving him a white mother. According to this new backstory, his father had a wife, two sons, and a daughter while he lived in America to hide his personal role as an assassin for the Lin Kuei.[15] Midway Games programmer Josh Tsui portrayed the unmasked Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) in the character's Mortal Kombat II ending.[16]
Sub-Zero's early costumes have been very simple due to technical limitations.[17]Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon noted that Kuai Liang's counterpart from DC Comics is Batman as both are "dark, mysterious, brooding characters".[18] Tobias said that Sub-Zero was unmasked in Mortal Kombat 3 in order to stir up fan speculation about the character's backstory.[13] The new Sub-Zero made his official debut on the cover of GamePro April 1995 issue, with Turk's red outfit tinted blue (as it was for the game), but the photo used was a reversed negative, as his scar was over his left eye.[19] Since Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero has had a scar running down from his forehead and across his right eye as a mark of death. The scar was originally red, and later changed to blue in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance as a result of Sub-Zero's enhanced powers. Mortal Kombat and Deadly Alliance states that Sub-Zero is 6 feet 2 inches tall; in recent games such as Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, his sprite appears to be similar to most characters. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, his scar has faded to the point where it can no longer be seen. He now wore an armored uniform heavily inspired by Dynastic era Chinese battle armor, though it was often criticized by fans as being too reminiscent of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles villain, the Shredder. However, Sub-Zero's alternate uniform was very reminiscent of Chinese culture, even featuring Sub-Zero without a cowl and a Qing dynasty-era hairstyle. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Sub-Zero reverts to his masked costume from Deadly Alliance, retaining the scar, which is not part of his alternate costume (which is the primary one from Deception). Since Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero is the only character who has shown considerable signs of aging. Concept art from Deadly Alliance depicted him with a graying, receding hairline, and a more pale and gaunt face, while his scar was now blue and his forearms frozen over. Although Sub-Zero originally had blue eyes, they turned white after he obtained the Dragon Medallion in the game. Sub-Zero's appearance in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks was one of the most revised ones from the title. Character lead Mark Lappin did almost ten passes on his design; producer Shaun Himmerick noted that "we went through literally 5-6 heads and styles of head costume on him" and commented that Sub-Zero's design in Mortal Kombat was difficult to make although most people called it "simple". In the end, the staff was satisfied with his final look in the game as it reminisces them to his classic outfit.[20] His appearance in Injustice 2 was redesigned by Jim Lee.[21]
When he first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat, Sub-Zero featured only two special moves: his ice blast and sliding kick. These moves have become Sub-Zero's trademark since then, being featured in every game that Sub-Zero has appeared in (Mortal Kombat II and subsequent games feature a younger Sub-Zero whose identity is Kuai Liang). Mortal Kombat II added his ground freeze move, and two new Fatalities including the now-famous one where he would freeze and shatter the victim. According to Boon, Sub-Zero's Freeze was originally omitted from the game in place of the Ice Shower, but was brought back in the next revision following fan feedback at a local arcade.[13] Sub-Zero's Predator-inspired[22]Fatality, the "Spine Rip," is considered by Boon to be his favorite Fatality from the first game as well as the most controversial.[23] Some home versions of the first game replaced the "Spine Rip" with another finishing move due to its violent content, for instance the SNES port had a freeze and shatter finishing move due to Nintendo's "family friendly" policies (this tame fatality received a positive reception so it was added to Sub-Zero's arsenal in the sequels).[24][25] Unlike other returning characters whose moves remained intact, the spine rip Fatality was not carried over to Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3, (an explanation is because Kuai Liang was heroic compared to his villainous brother Bi-Han)[26] but was brought back in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 as one of Classic Sub-Zero's finishers. However, the move was intentionally censored[clarification needed] by Midway; right after he grabbed onto his opponent, the screen went black and only the resulting sound effects were heard. This was due to the development team choosing not to animate the spine rip fatality for each of the updated character sprites in the game[clarification needed] The Nintendo 64 port of Mortal Kombat Trilogy gives Sub-Zero's special techniques and finishing moves to the classic masked version, due to the fact the N64's cartridge format had memory restrictions that did not allow the use of both masked and unmasked characters. The developers had to remove the "Spine Rip" from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe as that game was aimed at a younger audience.[27] Sub-Zero also gained a teleporting move in the game in which he freezes himself and falls back to the ground, appearing behind the foe.[18]
Appearances
Mortal Kombat games
Bi-Han first appears as a playable character in Mortal Kombat (1992) and Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997). A cryomancer and warrior of the Chinese Lin Kuei clan, he was sent to kill Shang Tsung, host of the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament. However, Bi-Han is attacked and killed by Scorpion, an undead specter who seeks revenge on Bi-Han for seemingly killing him sometime prior.
Kuai Liang first appears as a playable character in Mortal Kombat II (1993). Following his older brother Bi-Han's death, he takes up the mantle of Sub-Zero before the Lin Kuei send him to compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament in Bi-Han's stead. In the process, he encounters Scorpion, who initially tries to kill Kuai Liang under the belief that he is Bi-Han.[28] In an alternate take on the game's events depicted in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005), in which Kuai Liang appears as a boss and unlockable player character, he briefly allies himself with Liu Kang and Kung Lao while searching for Bi-Han, who had been transformed into the undead Noob Saibot.[29]
In Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Kuai Liang and his ally Smoke leave the Lin Kuei after the clan begins converting their best warriors into cyborgs, but Smoke is captured and converted. Following this, Kuai Liang is recruited by Earthrealm's protector Raiden to defeat the tyrant Shao Kahn.[30] Additionally, a non-canonical playable character called "Classic Sub-Zero" appears in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996).[31] Despite his name, he is an unidentified warrior who was mistaken for Bi-Han and presumed dead during the events of the first game before returning to assassinate Shang Tsung.[32][33]
In Mortal Kombat 4 (1997), Raiden summons Kuai Liang to help him defend Earthrealm against the fallen Elder God Shinnok.[34] Amidst this, he fights Scorpion, who had been manipulated by the necromancer Quan Chi into believing Kuai Liang had killed his family.[35] In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), Kuai Liang becomes the new leader of the Lin Kuei, takes on an apprentice named Frost, and helps Earthrealm's warriors fight the titular Deadly Alliance of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung.[36][37] In Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004), he joins forces with the warrior Shujinko, among others, to combat the Dragon King Onaga and Noob Saibot.[38][39] In the training mode of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), Sub-Zero faces the warrior Taven before they ally to fend off Noob Saibot and Smoke, during which they knock out the latter in the hopes of reversing his conversion.[40]
Both Bi-Han and Kuai Liang appear in Mortal Kombat (2011). Though Raiden alters the timeline to avert the events of Armageddon,[41] Bi-Han is still killed by Scorpion and resurrected as Noob Saibot by Quan Chi, leading to Kuai Liang changing his Lin Kuei codename from Tundra to Sub-Zero.[42] While attempting to avenge Bi-Han, Kuai Liang is captured, converted into a cyborg, and forced to serve Shao Kahn.[43] Nonetheless, he regains his mind and joins Earthrealm's warriors in fighting the tyrant.[44] In the process, he re-encounters Noob Saibot, who seemingly dies after being pulled into Quan Chi's "Soulnado", before Kuai Liang is killed by Shao's queen Sindel and resurrected by Quan Chi as an undead revenant.[45]
In Mortal Kombat X (2015), which takes place two years after the previous game, Kuai Liang continues to serve Quan Chi until he and Scorpion are restored to life by Raiden. Over the course of the following twenty-five years, Kuai Liang defeated former ally Sektor, became the Lin Kuei's new grandmaster, made amends with Scorpion - now Hanzo Hasashi - while helping him uncover Quan Chi and Sektor's roles in their feud, and trained Cassie Cage's team. Additionally, his cyborg form appears as a hidden variation for the downloadable playable character Triborg.
In Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), which takes place a further two years later, Kuai Liang learns Sektor, Noob Saibot, and Frost have allied themselves with the keeper of time Kronika and kidnapped several of his clansmen to convert them into cyborgs and bolster Kronika's forces. Allying himself with Hasashi and former enemy Cyrax, Kuai Liang infiltrates and destroys Sektor's cyborg factory before regrouping at Hasashi's Fire Gardens with the rest of Earthrealm's warriors due to the Lin Kuei base, among other locations, being compromised.[46][47] After gaining help from Kharon, a Netherrealm ferryman whom he and Hasashi met while they were revenants, Kuai Liang joins Earthrealm's warriors in assaulting Kronika's keep.[48][49][50][51][52]
In Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), following Kronika's defeat and Fire God Liu Kang creating a third new timeline, Bi-Han became Sub-Zero once more and the Lin Kuei's grandmaster following his father's death who believes Liu Kang is limiting the clan's potential. Furthermore, Kuai Liang became the pyromancer Scorpion and the Lin Kuei are Earthrealm's centuries-old protectors. Both are playable characters while Kuai Liang appears as an assist character, or "Kameo Fighter". In the story mode, Liu Kang sends Bi-Han, Kuai Liang, and their adopted brother Smoke to investigate Shang Tsung. However, the brothers are captured before Shang Tsung sways Bi-Han to his side by promising him control of the undead Dragon Army. Bi-Han agrees and betrays Kuai Liang, revealing he allowed their father to die for his perceived weakness. Kuai Liang and Smoke subsequently escape to help Liu Kang stop Shang Tsung before heading to Japan to found the Shirai Ryu clan and replace the Lin Kuei as Earthrealm's protectors. Meanwhile, Lin Kuei clansman Sektor advises Bi-Han to bolster their forces with science and machinery instead of the Dragon Army as Liu Kang will detect their magic.
Sub-Zero makes a cameo appearance in Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013) while a character inspired by Sub-Zero called Sub-273 appears as the final boss of Punch Club (2016).[56]
The Bi-Han and Kuai Liang incarnations of Sub-Zero appear in Malibu Comics' Mortal Kombat: Blood & Thunder and Mortal Kombat: Battlewave miniseries respectively. Additionally, Kuai Liang / Sub-Zero appears in DC Comics' Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties.[57]
The Bi-Han incarnation of Sub-Zero appears in Mortal Kombat (1995), portrayed by François Petit. This version is an enslaved servant of Shang Tsung who is later killed by Liu Kang. Additionally, Bi-Han appears in Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, voiced by an uncredited Jim Cummings.[citation needed]
An original past incarnation of Sub-Zero appears in Mortal Kombat: Conquest, portrayed by J. J. Perry. He is an unnamed ancestor of Bi-Han and Kuai Liang's and a Lin Kuei assassin working for Shang Tsung from the Great Kung Lao's time period who displays a rivalry with his time's Scorpion, whose lover Peron killed Sub-Zero's sister, leading to Sub-Zero killing Peron in turn.[60][61]
The Bi-Han incarnation of Sub-Zero and Kuai Liang appear in Mortal Kombat: Legacy, with the former portrayed by Kevan Ohtsji in the first season and Eric Steinberg in the second while Liang is portrayed by Harry Shum.[62] This version of Bi-Han was a childhood friend of Hanzo Hasashi before they drifted apart due to their mutual hatred for each other's clans. Twenty years later, they formed an uneasy truce. Though Liang provoked Hasashi into fighting him and was subsequently killed by him, Hasashi and Bi-Han attempted to maintain peace until Quan Chi impersonates Bi-Han and kills Hasashi's clan, family, and Hasashi himself. By the present, Hasashi became Scorpion and resurfaces to kill Bi-Han.
The Bi-Han incarnation of Sub-Zero appears in Mortal Kombat (2021), portrayed by Joe Taslim. This version is the leader of the Lin Kuei and ally of Shang Tsung who personally led the attack that killed most of Hanzo Hasashi's family before killing Hasashi himself. In the present, Bi-Han helps Shang Tsung ensure Outworld's victory in the Mortal Kombat tournament. However, he is defeated and killed by Hasashi and the latter's descendant Cole Young before Shang Tsung claims Bi-Han's body. Taslim was surprised by how violent was his character and his death, which convinced him to take the role.[63] Additionally, he has stated that he found Sub-Zero "cool and he's just kickass" and wanted to humanize him, wanting audiences to feel his pain and that he still has dilemmas. He felt the character became scary and lacked any sort of humanity in the final project.[64]
While Steve Blum's performance as Sub-Zero's English actor was praised, Dimitri Vegas' in Mortal Kombat 11 was criticized.
Deemed one of the most popular and recognizable characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise, as well as in the fighting-genre as a whole, Sub-Zero is regarded as the franchise's most iconic character along with Scorpion. He was given the award of the best fighter of 1997 by SuperGamePower (readers vote).[73] A GamesRadar article from 2011 discussed his and Scorpion's evolution across the Mortal Kombat series, citing them as its two most popular characters.[25] The rivalry between Sub-Zero and Batman in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was emphasized by IGN who noted that although both characters were extremely powerful, Sub-Zero's freezing skills were more entertaining than Batman's abilities.[74] In 2010, UGO ranked Sub-Zero ninth on their top list of Mortal Kombat characters, noting his ninja costume as the most iconic from the series.[75] That same year, GamePlayBook ranked him as the best Mortal Kombat character, praising his freeze attacks and "Head Rip" Fatality,[76] but the unmasked version of Sub-Zero was ranked as the third worst Mortal Kombat character.[77] In 2011, ScrewAttack ranked Sub-Zero second in their Top 10 list of Mortal Kombat "kharacters"[78] while Anthony Severino of Game Revolution tied him with Scorpion at the top of their list of the best "old school" Mortal Kombat fighters, noting both of them as the most popular characters from the franchise.[79] In 2012, Sub-Zero placed third in UGO's list of top Mortal Kombat characters.[80] That same year, IGN's Brian Altano and Ryan Clements chose him as the most iconic character of Mortal Kombat to represent the series against Jin Kazama of Tekken and Ryu of Street Fighter.[81] Together, Scorpion and Sub-Zero were voted the fifth most iconic characters in the two decades of the PlayStation by readers of PlayStation Official Magazine – UK in 2015.[82] Sub-Zero alone, ahead of Scorpion, placed third in a 2016 readers poll by Hobby Consolas for the most popular character in all fighting games.[83]
Conversely, Hyper's John Dewhurst opined that what contributed to the failure of Mythologies Sub-Zero is that Sub-Zero's character alone "isn't that interesting without Johnny Cage and Kitana to bounce off."[84]GameDaily listed his appearance in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero as one of his worst moments.[85] On the other hand, IGN staff liked how Sub-Zero was given his own video game, noting him to be one of the series' most popular characters, and that "it offers gamers a new look at Sub Zero."[86]Den of Geek listed the first Sub-Zero as the eighth best Mortal Kombat character, praising his role in Mythologies Sub-Zero whereas the second Sub-Zero was listed as the top Mortal Kombat based on many of his actions such as his rivalry with Batman, as well as his role in the series such as his relationship with the Lin Kuei.[87] His redesign in Mortal Kombat 3 was disliked by GamePro, which they deemed "suspenders" and compared his scar to a red smear.[88] However, his appearance in Deadly Alliance received praise by Gaming Age's Tim Lewinson noting that "Sub-Zero never looked so good."[89] According to GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann, the unlocking of the hidden character Classic Sub-Zero in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was "annoying" to the point that players would not do it.[31]
IGN included Sub-Zero's first incarnation at 85th place in their list of 100 video game villains.[90] He made it to the semifinals of GamesRadar's 2008 "Ultimate Character Battle!" poll, losing to Hulk.[91] In 2009, GameSpy named him one of the 25 "extremely rough brawlers" in gaming, praising his fighting style.[92]Complex ranked Sub-Zero as the fifth "most dominant" fighting game character in 2012,[93] as well as the 24th "most badass" video game character of all time in 2013.[94]
BBC News mentioned Sub-Zero as a prominent example of "Western ninja-inspired nonsense" in popular culture.[95] His ice-projectile technique has been noted by 1UP.com to be one of the best mechanics that changed video games due to how practical it is as it gives players the opportunity of making any move while the opponent is frozen.[96]Prima Games listed the same move as the 23rd in fighting games due to how it paralyses enemies, allowing the player to attack the enemy.[97] Additionally, the same site ranked his "Spinal Rip Fatality" 12th due to how Sub-Zero holds the enemy's head after decapitating him.[98] ScrewAttack ranked Sub-Zero's original Fatality as the best in the series and credited its infamy with the creation of the ESRB video game ratings system.[99] Scorpion and Sub-zero shared the fifth place on the top video game ninja list by PC World and assassins by GamesRadar.[100][101]Dimitri Vegas' performance as Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat 11 was the subject of heavy criticism for sounding "truly awful" according to Eurogamer as they noticed the celebrity is more skilled as a dee jay rather than voice acting.[102]Bleeding Cool noted fan response was negative too, to the point it was as bad as Ronda Rousey's performance as Sonya Blade in the same game and instead preferred Steve Blum's performance as Sub-Zero.[103] Critics in general also found Blum as one of the best actors in the franchise for his take on Sub-Zero and wished he would return in future installments.[104][105][106]
The Escapist called the Scorpion and Sub-Zero-themed episode 7 "one of the best episodes" in the series, lending an emotional weight to the most famous tale in the franchise.[107] On the other hand, Film School Rejects bemoaned the series' expectation that its viewers be knowledgeable about the franchise's history, explaining that without previous knowledge of the games, the viewer is left with too many questions that may never be answered.[108] Stephen Wilds of ComingSoon.net said that while it is a cliche that Sub-Zero is rude mentor to Kenshi, the fact that he is tired of fighting might divide the audience.[109] Ron Yuan's voice acting as Sub-Zero was praised by Comic Book Resources.[110] Taslim's portrayal of the character was praised by Los Angeles Times for his violent moves performed on several characters from the 2021 movie referring to him as "a Takashi Miike remake of Frozen".[111] Espinof agreed with both Sub-Zero's handling and Scorpion so much they would like to have them explored more in a prequel.[112] Discussing Film enjoyed how entertaining is Sub-Zero as a villain due to the action scenes he is involved.[113] However, GamesRadar+ was more critical to the character, claiming he lacked a personality in the film other than being one of Shang Tsung's pawns.[114]
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is a 2002 fighting game developed and published by Midway for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance. It was the first all-new Mortal Kombat fighting game produced exclusively for home consoles, with no preceding arcade release. It is the fifth main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a sequel to 1997's Mortal Kombat 4. Its story focuses on the eponymous alliance between sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung and their schemes to revive an ancient army to conquer Outworld and Earthrealm. The game is the only main installment not to feature series protagonist Liu Kang as a playable character. It is also the first game in the canon series to not have the involvement of co-creator John Tobias, as he left Midway in 1999 to pursue other interests.
Shang Tsung is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted as the final boss in the original 1992 game and has remained one of the franchise's primary villains. A powerful sorcerer, he is principally defined by his abilities to shapeshift into other characters and to absorb the souls of defeated warriors. Shang Tsung is usually portrayed as the right-hand man of Outworld emperor Shao Kahn and the archenemy of Shaolin monk Liu Kang. He also appeared as the main villain of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), alongside Quan Chi as the eponymous Deadly Alliance, as well as in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (2020) and Mortal Kombat 1 (2023).
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This is a list of playable and boss characters from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise and the games in which they appear. Created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the series depicts conflicts between various realms. Most characters fight on behalf of their realm, with the primary heroes defending Earthrealm against conquering villains from Outworld and the Netherrealm. Early installments feature the characters participating in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to decide their realm's fate. In later installments, Earthrealm is often invaded by force.
Jackson "Jax" Briggs is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in Mortal Kombat II (1993) as the leader of a Special Forces unit, he became a mainstay of the series, including as the protagonist of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (2000). The character is distinguished by his metal bionic arms, which he first received in Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), and his abilities are based around his upper-body strength.
Kenshi Takahashi is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He makes his series debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002) as a blind swordsman and Special Forces operative. In addition to his sword skills, he possesses telekinetic abilities.
Mortal Kombat 3 is a 1995 arcade fighting game developed by Midway Games. It is the third main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a sequel to 1993's Mortal Kombat II. As in the previous games, it has a cast of characters that players choose from and guide through a series of battles against other opponents. The game avoids the tournament storyline of its predecessors, as various warriors instead fight against the returning Shao Kahn, who has resurrected his bride Sindel and started an invasion of Earthrealm.
Scorpion is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. A ninja dressed in yellow, his primary weapon is a kunai rope dart, which he uses to harpoon opponents. Debuting in the original 1992 game, Scorpion has appeared as playable in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995).
Reptile is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in the original 1992 game as a hidden opponent, establishing him as the first secret character in fighting game history. Reptile became playable in the follow-up Mortal Kombat II (1993) and has remained a mainstay of the franchise. As implied by his name, he is a Saurian, a fictional species of reptilian humanoids. One of the last surviving members of his race, he aligns himself with the series' primary villains in the hope his service will lead to the Saurians' revival.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a 1997 action-adventure game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. A spin-off of the Mortal Kombat franchise, it is the first installment to not be a fighting game. Set before the original 1992 game, players control Bi-Han, the elder Sub-Zero, during his quest to find Shinnok's amulet. It also serves as a prequel to Mortal Kombat 4, which was released the same year, introducing characters and story elements that would be used by the fourth main installment. Mythologies is the final game in the series to use digitized actors.
Daniel Pesina is an American martial arts expert and a former freelance employee of Midway.
Mortal Kombat is a 2011 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the ninth main installment in the Mortal Kombat series and a soft reboot of the series. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems in April 2011, and a PlayStation Vita port was released in May 2012. An expanded version of the game, titled Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2012 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2013.
Liu Kang is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as Earthrealm's greatest warrior and champion, he debuted in the original 1992 game as a Shaolin monk with special moves, which were intended to be the easiest for players to perform. Since his introduction, Liu Kang has appeared as playable in every main installment except Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002). He is also one of the protagonists of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).
Raiden is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Based on the Japanese deity Raijin, he is depicted as the god of thunder who possesses control over lightning. He debuted in the original 1992 game and has appeared as a playable character in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its first update. In the storyline of the games, Raiden is the protector of Earthrealm. He fulfills his duty by selecting and training the warriors who defend Earthrealm from various threats, while also participating directly in the realm's defense. Raiden generally serves as a mentor figure to the franchise's heroes, although he sometimes assumes a darker role in the story, which sees him become more ruthless in his protection of the realm. One of the franchise's central characters, Raiden has appeared in various related media outside of the Mortal Kombat games, including guest appearances in NBA Jam Tournament Edition (1995), NFL Blitz (1997), Unreal Championship 2 (2005), and Injustice 2 (2017). He has generally received a positive reception and is among the series' most popular characters for his design and special abilities.
Mortal Kombat 11 is a 2019 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the eleventh main installment in the Mortal Kombat series and a sequel to Mortal Kombat X (2015). The game was announced at The Game Awards 2018 and was released in North America and Europe on April 23, 2019, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One—with the exception of Europe's Switch version which was released on May 10, 2019. It was released on Stadia on November 19, 2019.
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Mortal Kombat is a 2021 American martial arts fantasy film co-produced and directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham, based on the video game series of the same name created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The film serves as a reboot and as the third installment of the Mortal Kombat film series. It stars Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Max Huang, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. The film follows Cole Young, a washed-up mixed martial arts fighter who is unaware of his hidden lineage or why the assassin Sub-Zero is hunting him down. Concerned for the safety of his family, he seeks out a clique of fighters that were chosen to defend Earthrealm against Outworld.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge is a 2020 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. South Korean studio Mir animated the film and was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is the first installment in the Legends series. Borrowing source material from Mortal Kombat, the film contains two plots: one dealing with Scorpion seeking his revenge on those who murdered his family and clan after being resurrected by Quan Chi, the other follows Johnny Cage, Liu Kang and Sonya Blade, who are chosen to participate on the Mortal Kombat tournament for the fate of Earthrealm.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms is a 2021 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film, directed by Ethan Spaulding from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, it is the second installment in the Legends series and a direct sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020). Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and animated by Studio Mir, Boon returned from the predecessor as creative consultant.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind is a 2022 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film based on the Mortal Kombat franchise, directed by Rick Morales and written by Jeremy Adams, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation with animation by South Korean studio Digital eMation. Snow Blind was released on October 11, 2022, and is the third installment in the Mortal Kombat Legends series. The film borrows elements from the plot of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat 11, and is a direct sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021). It received mixed-to-positive reviews.
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