Raiden

Appearances	Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat 4 MK: Sub Zero Mythologies Mortal Kombat Gold MK: Deadly Alliance MK: Tournament Edition MK: Deception MK: Shaolin Monks MK: Unchained MK: Armageddon
Realm of Origin	The Heavens
Species	God (Former Elder God)
Alignment	Formerly good, currently Neutral[1]
Fighting styles	Nan Chuan (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A) Jujutsu (MK:DA, MK:D)
Weapons	Warhammer (MK4, MKG) Staff (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:SM, MK:A)
Portrayers	Carlos Pesina (MK, MKII, MKT) Michael Garvey (MKM:SZ) Christopher Lambert (first film) James Remar (second film) Jeffrey Meek (Conquest) Clancy Brown (DotR) Sal Divita (MKT versus screen)

About Raiden

The thunder god of the MK universe is also a protector of Earthrealm. Raiden is a wise and powerful force. Often, he leads the forces of good against those of evil. Raiden has played a pivotal role in the Mortal Kombat games and storyline and will likely remain a key player in the future. Since he is a thunder-god, Raiden commands many supernatural abilities such as the ability to teleport, control lightning, and fly. As an immortal, he thinks in terms of eternity rather than normal human lifespans and his memories date back to the beginning of time itself. It is unlikely that Raiden can ever be truly killed. Even if his mortal form is destroyed, Raiden will rematerialize some time afterward. He seeks to destroy anyone who tries to harm Earthrealm.

[edit] Storyline

When Earthrealm was young, Raiden was its protector. He fought the rogue Elder God Shinnok, who wished to overthrow his fellow gods, in a war that threatened to destroy Earthrealm itself. One of the casualties of the war was the Saurian civilization (of which Reptile was a member), forcing the remaining survivors to emigrate to another world, which they named Zaterra. With the aid of the Elder Gods, Raiden managed to defeat Shinnok, thenbanished him to the Netherealm and secured the amulet in a secret location- a Temple of the Elements tucked away in the highest mountains of Nepal. Raiden charged four gods with guarding the amulet- the gods of Wind (Fujin), Fire, Earth, and Water.

When Sub-Zero stole Shinnok's amulet from the temple for Quan Chi millions of years later, Raiden appeared before the Lin Kuei warrior and instructed him to enter the Netherealm and steal it back, lest Shinnok use it to free himself. Raiden could not retrieve it himself as his powers would dissipate in the Netherealm. Sub-Zero's mission into the Netherealm was a success and Shinnok was, for the time, no longer a threat. Though it was later revealed that the sorcerer Quan Chi had given Shinnok a false amulet, Raiden never realized it, and Quan Chi would remain in possession of the true amulet for years.

Some time later, Shang Tsung invited many of the warriors of Earthrealm to participate in a tournament called Mortal Kombat on his private island. Aware of the danger that Shang Tsung and his tournament poised to the future of Earth, Raiden assumed mortal form and took part. He is also the only one to have witnessed Sub-Zero's death at the hands of the hellspawn ninja spectre Scorpion.

One year later, after Liu Kang's triumph in the tournament, Raiden found that he had no choice but to accept Shang Tsung's challenge of a return tournament in Outworld. However, again aided by Liu Kang and the warriors of Earthrealm, Raiden prevailed over Shang Tsung's treachery and Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's brutality. Unbeknownst to him, however, was the fact that the tournament was only a distraction that allowed Kahn to invade Earthrealm while resurrecting his queen, Sindel.

Despite Shao Kahn taking every soul on Earth as his own, Raiden was able to protect the souls of Liu Kang and other chosen warriors. At first unable to participate due to the merger of both realms, Raiden decided to sacrifice his own immortality in order to help his charges against Kahn after the Elder Gods refused to assist him. In the end, Kahn's forces were defeated, repelling the invasion back into Outworld and restoring Earth to its rightful state.

After the invasion was driven back into Outworld, Shinnok, with the aid of Quan Chi, again sought to rise from the Netherealm and conquer the realms. However, with Liu Kang again uniting Earth's warriors at the side of the thunder god, Raiden's Forces of Light emerged successful. Now granted the status of Elder God, he turned over his position as Earthrealm's protector to Fujin.

As an Elder God, Raiden could not interfere when Shang Tsung and Quan Chi killed Liu Kang many years later. Disgusted at his peers for their refusal to intervene, he renounced his position as an Elder and gathered his warriors to stop the Deadly Alliance. This time, disaster struck the heroes. The Earthrealm warriors Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage were slain in battle with a Tarkatan horde; Kitana and Jax Briggs were slain by Quan Chi, and Kung Lao by Shang Tsung. In a desperate measure, Raiden confronted Shang Tsung and Quan Chi in front of the Soulnado, but Shang Tsung struck Raiden with a soul from the Soulnado, allowing Quan Chi to attack, and Raiden suffered defeat at the hands of both sorcerers.

He returned to his feet when Onaga, the Dragon King, entered the chamber; he put his differences aside with Tsung and Quan Chi and helped them as they attacked Onaga. When he saw that their attacks barely made an impact, Raiden released his godly essence, resulting in an enormous explosion. It obliterated the Dragon King's tomb, snuffed out the Soulnado, and killed both members of the Deadly Alliance, yet did little damage to Onaga.

After doing battle with the Deadly Alliance in the ether, Raiden's essence soon gathered again in the Earthrealm, where he had now become furious with the way Earthrealm's inhabitants had treated their own realm. He became even more enraged when he learned that Shujinko had foolishly unleashed the Dragon King by attaining the Kamidogu of various realms for him. With that, his patience exhausted, Raiden decided he was going to take matters into his own hands.

Removing Liu Kang's body from its grave, Raiden took it to an underground temple that belonged to an ancient sect of necromancers called the Houan, whom he had destroyed centuries earlier. Binding Kang's body with enchanted shackles the Houan had used to control their revived undead, Raiden spoke the enchantments etched into the temple's walls that revived his former ally, infusing it with a thunderclap of lightning. The corpse of Liu Kang was now the enforcer of Raiden's will, and he sent it on a mission to wreak havoc on those he believed did harm to Earthrealm. This caught the attention of Shinnok, who appeared before Raiden and offered him an alliance. If Raiden were to assist him in whatever he wanted, Shinnok would try to ensure the safety of Earthrealm. Raiden was well aware of Shinnok's deceptive nature, but he accepted the offer in an attempt to secretly uncover Shinnok's plans.^[1]

His story is further expanded in the Konquest mode of Armageddon, when Taven (the mode's main character) encounters him. He informs Taven that he had struck a deal with Shao Kahn, agreeing to let the Emperor conquer and rule all other realms, so long as Earthrealm was left alone. In return, Raiden agreed to hunt and eliminate Taven for Kahn, so that he could claim Blaze's godlike power for himself. Raiden confronts Taven as Kahn, Onaga, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi escape into a portal leading to Edenia. He is unsuccessful however, as he is defeated by Taven, and left unconscious on the ground. Taven, while still being in shock and disbelief at Raiden's actions, leaves and follows the villains through the portal.

In Raiden's ending, he becomes extremely powerful after defeating Blaze. To make sure no other realm will possibly threaten Earthrealm again, he destroys them all.^[2]

[edit] Combat characteristics

[edit] Signature moves

• Static Teleport: At will, Raiden vanishes and reappears behind the opponent. (MK, MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)
• Lightning Bolt: Raiden sends bolts of lightning flying at the opponent. (MK, MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:DA, MK:D, MK:SM, MK:U, MK:A)
• Torpedo: Raiden flies horizontally at his opponent and pushes them against the wall. Raiden can also do the move on the air, although not in the first game and Armageddon. (MK, MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)
• Shocking Touch: Raiden grabs the opponent, holds them in the air, and electrocutes them. In Deception and Armageddon, he ends the move by punching the enemy away. (MKII, MKT, MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)

[edit] Recurring fatalities

• Electric Decapitation: Raiden sends a surge of electricity into the opponent's head and it explodes. (MK, MKT)
• Explosive Uppercut: The god crouches down and sends a vicious electric charged uppercut to the opponent blowing him/her into pieces. (MKII, MKT)
• Electrocution: Raiden grabs his opponent, holds him/her a few feet off the ground, and electrifies them until they explode. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:DA)

[edit] Appearance

In the Japanese religion Shinto, from which the character is derived, Raiden (also known as Raijin) is usually portrayed as a small, red-skinned demon that beats a drum to create thunder. However, his appearance in the games resembles more a Taoist thunder god presented in the Chinese temples, right down to his attire.

In Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, it states that Raiden is seven feet tall. His sprite, however, was the same height as the other fighters. His coolie hat is his most recognizable feature. The Chinese character for thunder, 雷, is visible on most of his costumes. A saya (katana scabbard) appears on Raiden's secondary costumes in Deadly Alliance, Deception, and Armageddon, but he is never seen actually using the sword. Raiden has electricity pulsating across his body in MK, MK4 / Gold, and MK: Deadly Alliance. He has glowing white (occasionally blue) eyes, which glow red in Deception and Armageddon.

Raiden was voiced by Midway employee Jon Hey in the first two games. He became notorious for yelling randomly while performing his Torpedo move. Fans originally believed that he was yelling in Japanese, while others believed it to be mangled English phrases such as "Get back in the car." John Tobias revealed in a 1993 MKII feature in GamePro that Raiden was merely speaking gibberish and not actual Japanese or English. This was featured in the VH1 program I Love 1992, when one of the cast thought Raiden was saying "Santa Monica." This tradition was also revived for all of Raiden's supermoves in Armageddon.

[edit] Appearances in other media

[edit] Film

Christopher Lambert as
Raiden in Mortal Kombat

In the first Mortal Kombat movie, Raiden, played by Christopher Lambert, is disallowed from participating in the tournament, but remains the guiding god of thunder, bent on doing all within his power to help Earth's chosen warriors gain victory. His wardrobe consisted of the guise of an old beggar (his coolie hat was the only carryover from the games), though his eyes occasionally displayed his true nature. Raiden also possessed a sense of humor that was lost on the other characters, often prompting him to apologize after making dry remarks.

Raiden was played by James Remar In the 1997 sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. He was depicted as the brother of Shao Kahn and the son of Shinnok in the film's non-canon storyline, which included both Raiden and Kahn sporting a dragon tattoo that was explained to be a family crest bestowed to his family's bloodline while allowing its bearers to travel safely between realms. A planned fight scene he was to have with Sheeva was included in the shooting script, but it was eventually cut from the film; Raiden instead fought a pair of Reptile clones while Sheeva met her demise by being crushed by a falling cage.

Television

Jeffrey Meek played Raiden in the live-action series Mortal Kombat: Conquest. Unlike his film and game incarnations, this Raiden is far more upbeat, with a sarcastic personality making him less aloof toward humans. He was Kung Lao's mentor since childhood, and constantly reminds the young warrior of his duty to find new fighters to protect Earthrealm and to prepare for the next Mortal Kombat tournament.

Raiden was a regular in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, and was voiced by Clancy Brown. He was depicted in his MKII attire and retained the dry wit and sarcasm of his Conquest counterpart, clashing with Sonya and Jax in several episodes.

[edit] Comic books

Raiden appeared in the Malibu Comics series in his usual role as the guide and mentor of the Earthrealm warriors. He and Shang Tsung were often portrayed therein as bitter enemies, and he also was forbidden from intervening in the mortals' affairs, as shown when Johnny Cage was to answer the last question of the Tao Te Zhan. However, in a departure from the storyline of the first game, he was not allowed to participate in the tournament in the first six-issue series, Blood & Thunder, due to his godly status.

Raiden co-starred in his own 3-issue miniseries alongside Kano, entitled Rayden & Kano. In this miniseries, it is stated that, while his fellow gods remain out of mortal affairs, Raiden never remains silent, and always tries to give the good side an advantage in the eternal struggle. Raiden saved Kano's life, and attempted to give him a sword called "Ebbonrule," which drew strength from an evil man who turned to the side of good. Raiden hoped Kano would slay Shao Kahn using the sword's power, but Kano gave the sword to Shao Kahn instead in exchange for godlike powers, which left Raiden to realize that his actions would never tip the balance of good and evil.

During the last Tournament Edition issue, Raiden commandeered the group of heroes in Shao Kahn's tournament. He ultimately sacrificed himself to save the team from an ambush from Kano, Kintaro, Goro, and Smoke.

Gaming and character information

Raiden's fatality in the original MK, in which he obliterated his opponent's head with a lightning strike, was drastically altered in the Super NES version due to Nintendo's strict no-blood policy at the time. The decapitation was changed to the opponent's simply turning into a gray pile of dust. In the same game, by using Raiden's Finishing Move on the final opponent in the third Endurance Match, Goro appeared with a glitchy body that was the same shade of gray as the ashes of Raiden's defeated opponent.

Raiden was originally going to use his staff as a weapon in MKII, but Midway was forced to omit it due to memory constraints.^[3] He was unplayable in all versions of MK3 and briefly appeared only as part of Nightwolf's Friendship, which saw him transform into Raiden while an arcade machine of MKII appeared along with one of two quotes, "Yes, But I Can Do a Raiden Transformation," or "I've Never Seen a Kano Transformation," both of which were based on false reports that Kano was secretly playable in MKII and Raiden likewise in MK3. The Friendship was changed in the Nintendo 64 version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy after Raiden became a playable character in that game.

According to Raiden's Konquest Mode in MK:DA, Raiden has mastered all of more than 750 documented varieties of Jujutsu, which is his secondary fighting style. Ever since it was revealed in Mortal Kombat: Deception that the One Being was influencing Onaga's actions, it's been heavily rumored among fans that, when Raiden released his essence in an attempt to kill the Dragon King, he also became corrupted by the One Being's influence. He is referred to as "Dark" or "Evil Raiden" in his alternate costume and concept renders found in Deception, while Liu Kang's Armageddon ending refers to him defeating a Raiden that had been "corrupted by his suicide" to become Earthrealm's protector god. Raiden's behavior had also become more erratic and uncharacteristic; he became increasingly aggressive in his protection of Earth, attempting to kill Shujinko for unknowingly reviving Onaga and therefore allowing Shao Kahn free reign to conquer all other realms in exchange for his sparing of Earthrealm in Armageddon's Konquest mode, and going as far as to destroy all other realms to prevent them from being a danger to Earth in his Armageddon ending, and even forging an shaky partnership with Shinnok despite the two being known enemies.

He even openly claims to "not be the same Thunder God you knew" when the player (as Shujinko) interacted with him in Deception's Konquest mode. Interestingly enough, this new Raiden bore a similarity to the characterization of Raiden from the very first game as a god angered by mortals, participating in Mortal Kombat only to prove the gods are superior to humans in combat. In his original (though non-canon) MK ending, Raiden wins the tournament, but it is not enough for him and he invites other gods to participate in the tournament, which ends up destroying the planet.

Originally, Raiden was not going to be in Deception, and the opening therein explained why Raiden would not be in the game. However, this changed after fan complaints, and Raiden remained in the game; the character who would have replaced him, his counterpart Fujin, makes only a cameo appearance in the Prison stage and in the Orderrealm during Konquest. Despite this, logically Fujin is still the protector of Earthrealm, as appointed in MK4.

He appeared as a secret character in Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict, NFL Blitz, and NBA Jam Tournament Edition. Raiden also made a cameo appearance in Bally's 1994 World Cup Championship pinball machine in a bonus round.

Raiden's appearance and mastery of electricity appears to have been inspired by the villain "Lightning" from the 1986 John Carpenter film Big Trouble in Little China. As if referencing the influence, Lightning's prominently large straw hat is available alongside Raiden's smaller hat as usable parts in Armageddon's Kreate-a-Fighter mode.

In an interview for Raiden's Deception trading card, Ed Boon said that the hat that actor Carlos Pesina wore to portray Raiden in the earlier MK games was ruined as a result of Pesina repeatedly performing falls during production.

Name

Raiden's name was spelled as is in all of the original MK arcade versions, and in every game released since MK4. The console ports released up until then, along with both movies and the comic book series, changed the name to "Rayden." This was allegedly because of copyright issues regarding the Raiden series of arcade games, or possibly to prevent confusion with a playable character named Raiden from the Fatal Fury series.

Nightwolf

ightwolf

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Nightwolf

Appearances Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat Advance MK: Deception MK: Unchained MK: Armageddon Realm of Origin Earthrealm Species Human Alignment Good Fighting styles Vale tudo (MK:D, MK:A) Tae kwon do (MK:D) Weapons Tomahawks (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A) Portrayers Sal Divita (MK3, UMK3, MKT) Litefoot (second film) Tod Thawley (DotR)

Nightwolf is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.

Contents [hide] 1 About Nightwolf 2 Storyline 3 Combat characteristics 3.1 Signature moves 4 Appearances in other media 4.1 Film 4.2 Television 5 References

[edit] About Nightwolf

Nightwolf was the first Native American character in Mortal Kombat and was introduced in Mortal Kombat 3. Although introduced as a historian and a shaman, he does not live in the past. He is a proud and fierce warrior dedicated to the cause of good, and is in contact with Raiden through visions. As such, he draws both on internal and external spiritual energy to enhance his strength in kombat. Although his patch of tribal land provided a vital shelter territory for the Earthrealm warriors at the time of Shao Kahn's invasion, it seems Nightwolf prefers solitary work to companionship.

He has variously been described as the "quintessential Native American icon" and "a very nontraditional Indian" by the series staff.

[edit] Storyline

Nightwolf had been warned of the coming invasion of Earthrealm by a vision from Raiden. As such, he was fully aware and prepared for the events as they occurred, including the attacks of Kahn's extermination squads. His own homeland protected through shamanic magic, he would soon be joined by the other chosen warriors. Together, they then travelled back to the East Coast, prepared for battle against the Emperor and his minions, and won.

Nightwolf made his return during the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception. In the events leading to Deception, Nightwolf viewed images of the Dragon King and his resurrection in his dreams. These nightmares recurred constantly, and Nightwolf came to recognize them as a warning. He knew that a new evil threat was about to arise from the ashes, and in view of Reptile's transformation into Onaga, his predictions most assuredly came true.

The method that Nightwolf would use to destroy Onaga was one passed down to him by his forefathers. This method was that of the "Sin Eater", which involved absorbing the sins of his tribe. However there was a terrible consequence to be considered in taking on such a role. If he were to do this, he would be a danger to all that surrounded him, including his allies. Hence, he made the decision to destroy Onaga on his own, keeping his allies out of harm's way. His role as a Sin Eater would involve entering the Netherealm, drawing Onaga's soul to him, and releasing the absorbed sins of his ancestors, which would bind Onaga to the spot.

His method was successful and he managed to separate Reptile from Onaga, and bind the Dragon King to the Netherealm.

After completing his quest, he was guided back to Earthrealm by his spirit guides - a pack of wolves. Nightwolf began to receive visions of a battle, where an unknown power was forcing the participating warriors to fight each other. His visions started to become reality, when he spoke with Johnny Cage and their allies, and agreed to assist them in battle against Shinnok and his forces. Eventually, Nightwolf was met by Kitana and the spirit of Liu Kang. The bond that the two of them shared was enough for Kitana to keep Kang's spirit whole, until a way was found for him to rejoin with his body. Still drained after using his shamanic powers on Onaga, Nightwolf used what magic he could to relieve Kitana of her burden, and took on the responsibility of looking after Kang's spirit.^[1]

In his Armageddon ending, he defeats Blaze, allowing him to absorb his power. Nightwolf is catapulted into the spirit world, where he becomes the ultimate shaman, a living ghost. He finds Liu Kang's spirit and guides it back to the physical world. There, Liu Kang is able to reunite with his body, becoming human once more.^[2]

[edit] Combat characteristics

[edit] Signature moves

Nightwolf in Mortal Kombat 3

• Tomahawk Swing: Nightwolf uppercuts his opponent with a tomahawk. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
• Reflector: Nightwolf glows green and redirects projectile moves back at his opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A)
• Spirit Arrow: Creating a mystical bow, Nightwolf shoots an arrow at his opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A)
• Rhino Charge: Nightwolf dashes forward and knocks his opponent backwards. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A)
• Lightning From Above: Nightwolf raises his arm and summons a bolt of lightning that knocks his opponent back. (MK:D, MK:A)

[edit] Appearances in other media

[edit] Film

Nightwolf (played by Litefoot) appears in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation as the one who teaches Liu Kang how to use his Animality and telling him that he has to pass three tests in order to beat Shao Kahn (only one test, Courage, is shown, however). Other than striking Liu Kang unconscious, he never really fights, though he is shown transforming back from his wolf form (introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 and implied by his name). After he strikes Liu, he is shown sitting at a campfire in Liu's dream.

[edit] Television

In Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, Nightwolf (voiced by Tod Thawley) served to offer both spiritual and technical help, having experience with computer technology. He only fought a few times, spending most of his time back at base monitoring the Earthrealm looking for dimensional rips. Nightwolf had a pet wolf named Kiva, who could merge with Nightwolf to increase his power.

Kung Lao

Appearances Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat Gold Mortal Kombat Advance MK: Deadly Alliance MK: Shaolin Monks MK: Armageddon Realm of Origin Earthrealm Species Human Alignment Good Fighting styles Mantis (MK:DA, MK:SM) Shaolin Fist (MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A) Chinese Kempo (MK:SM) White Lotus (MK:SM) Weapons Battle Axe (MKG) Broadsword (MK:DA, MK:A) Portrayers Anthony "Tony" Marquez (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT) Paolo Montalbán (Conquest)

Kung Lao is a main character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.

Contents [hide] 1 About Kung Lao 2 Storyline 3 Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks and characterization changes 4 Combat characteristics 4.1 Signature moves 4.2 Recurring fatalities 5 Appearance in other media 5.1 Comic books 6 Trivia

[edit] About Kung Lao

Alongside Liu Kang, Kung Lao is one of the most popular characters in the Mortal Kombat series. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would rather live a life of peace. He is the sparring partner and best friend of Earth's champion, his fellow Shaolin monk Liu Kang. As well, he has sought counsel from master Bo' Rai Cho. Of the Earthrealm warriors, Kung Lao is the most outspoken pacifist, although he will not hesitate to severely punish those who attack him, Earthrealm, or his friends. His trademark is his razor-rimmed hat, which he can employ quite powerfully and effectively in combat. Many of his fatalities involve the use of his hat to some extent.

[edit] Storyline

Kung Lao is the last known descendant of the Great Kung Lao, a former Champion of Mortal Kombat, who lost the title to Goro 500 years previously, resulting in Lao's death at Goro's hands and the start of Shang Tsung's rule over the tournament. Like his friend, Liu Kang, Kung Lao is also a member of the White Lotus Society. Kung Lao was originally the one to represent the Shaolin in the Mortal Kombat tournament but he declined, knowing of the consequences of becoming champion. As a result, Liu Kang was chosen and emerged as the winner.

When the Shaolin Temples were attacked by Baraka and his Tarkatan soldiers, Liu Kang and Kung Lao resolved to travel through the portal to the Outworld and avenge their fallen Shaolin brothers. Although he joined his friend in his furious quest, Kung Lao's ultimate goal was to rebuild the White Lotus Society at the Wu Shi Academy, in order to train a new generation of warriors for the coming ages. He, along with Liu Kang, ventured into Outworld to do battle with Outworld's forces in a new tournament. Following Shao Kahn's defeat at Liu Kang's hand, the monks returned to Earth and began training the next generation of Shaolin warriors.

When Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm came, he had to temporarily scrap his plans for reforming the Society. Eventually, Kung Lao faced Shao Kahn; the Emperor of Outworld defeated Kung Lao and injured him so badly that he was believed to have died. Hearing of Kung Lao's apparent death enraged Liu Kang, as he challenged Shao Kahn and successfully defeated him for the second time. With Outworld driven back, Kung Lao decided not to return to the Shaolin Temples, instead allowing everyone to believe that he was dead and went on to live a life of peace in respect to the beliefs of his ancestors. This would not last long however, as he was drawn away from his newfound peace to help fight against Shinnok's forces, when word reached him that Goro, the Shokan warrior who had killed the Great Kung Lao centuries ago, was still alive. After Shinnok's defeat, Kung Lao attacked Goro, who had signed a peace treaty with the Centaurs under the mediation of Kitana. Instead of being an attempted assassination, however, the blow was a ceremonial strike of vengeance for the Great Kung Lao's death. With this act, the two warriors shook hands, their feud over.

The next years were peaceful. This ended on a brutal note at the time of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, when the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung united and murdered Liu Kang in a vicious attack (Tsung posing as Kung Lao to get close to the champion). Kung Lao found the body of his longtime friend, and was told immediately by Raiden that Tsung was the assassin, who had formed the Deadly Alliance with Quan Chi. Enraged, Kung Lao vowed revenge upon the sorcerer, and once again abandoned his pacifist Shaolin beliefs. He believed his current skills were insufficient to defeat Shang Tsung so after meeting with the other Earthrealm warriors and traveling to Outworld, Kung Lao sought the advice of the martial arts teacher Bo' Rai Cho. Bo' Rai Cho trained Kung Lao for a short time, teaching him the 'whirlwind kick' maneuver. Together, they joined the other warriors in the assault against the two sorcerers. Kung Lao would not rest until Liu Kang was avenged, and Shang Tsung had paid with his life.

But the assault did not end well. With Liu Kang dead, Raiden and his companions were fighting a losing battle. Kung Lao and Kitana challenged the Deadly Alliance. Kung Lao fought Shang Tsung one on one but because of Shang Tsung's soulnado, the sorcerer was able to keep his power at it's peak, making the battle very difficult. Things would get worse as Kung Lao's allies would perish in the battle, one by one. Kitana would fall against Quan Chi and Kung Lao would fall to the hands of Shang Tsung. Despite his improved skills, it wasn't enough and Kung Lao died, leaving only Raiden to battle the Deadly Alliance. However, Kung Lao was revived by Onaga as a slave during the events of Deception, but in MK Armageddon, he is shown apparently released from Onaga's control, without any explanation given as to how it happened. Ermac's Deception ending, which shows him and Liu Kang's spirit being successful in rescuing the slaved Earthrealm warriors, is generally accepted as the possible explanation, though no official word has been made as to whether this is true or not.

Fujin's bio for Mortal Kombat: Armageddon describes Kung Lao as having joined forces with the God of Wind to bring their former comrades Raiden and Liu Kang under control, with the God of Thunder becoming "as ruthless as Shao Kahn" and Liu Kang's corpse selectively slaying various people. Fujin then goes on to state in his bio that if no way was found to revert the two corrupted warriors back to normal, both he and Kung Lao would be forced to finish them. It is as yet unknown what Kung Lao's outlook on this matter is, at least until his own bio is officially released by Midway.

In his Armageddon ending, Kung Lao goes back in time after defeating Blaze. He meets his old ancestor, and with his blessing, takes his place in the Mortal Kombat tournament. He defeats Goro and becomes the MK Champion and was a legend. As a result, Liu Kang never competed, and his and Kung Lao's rivalry with him never came to be. [1]

[edit] Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks and characterization changes

In the adventure game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Kung Lao's character was explored to a greater degree than had been shown in the previous MK games. However, the character presented in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is very different than the Kung Lao seen in Mortal Kombat II through Deadly Alliance. Many fans do not consider the events of MK:SM as canon, as it contradicts Mortal Kombat II story many times as the game progresses, and Kung Lao fans are also highly critical of his characterization here.

Kung Lao as depicted in MK:SM is almost resentful of Liu Kang's victory in the Shaolin tournament. Although he and Liu Kang are shown to be friends - much of the time - he constantly baits his fellow Shaolin monk, especially regarding Princess Kitana, and the tournament that "Raiden" (in reality, a disguised Shang Tsung) has sent them to compete in. A rivalry between the two Shaolin monks was hence established for the first time in MK:SM. As the two fighters defeated Shang Tsung's warriors, they gained victories in Mortal Kombat, forming a race of sorts to become the Champion of Mortal Kombat. Kung Lao, especially, is seen gloating to Liu Kang that he will win this tournament. This rivalry escalates until the two warriors are convinced that the other has been corrupted by the Outworld.

This character is completely at odds with the Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat Gold and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. In these games it is established that Kung Lao is, at heart, a man of peace; he fights when he must - to defeat Shinnok, to avenge Liu Kang and stop the Deadly Alliance - but, at his core, he wishes to pursue the pacifist ideals of his ancestors, and thus he disappeared after his "death" in Shao Kahn's invasion to live his life according to these principles. In contrast, the Kung Lao in MK:SM is eager to fight, and has an almost desperate need to "beat" Liu Kang in the Outworld, supposedly to "free his ancestors". With the somewhat immature dialogue at times between Liu Kang and Kung Lao in MK:SM, many fans were angry at the way the noble Shaolin monk had been portrayed as a battle-hungry glory-seeker.

With Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's release, it seems - to the disappointment of many fans - that the creative team are considering the rivalry between Liu Kang and Kung Lao as canonical. Kung Lao's ending makes reference to this, stating that he was able to go back in time, stand in for the Great Kung Lao (to his agreement) and defeat Goro 500 years before Liu Kang, ending the rivalry before it started.

[edit] Combat characteristics

[edit] Signature moves

• Wind Teleport: Kung Lao could reappear behind his opponent. Could be followed by multiple moves. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK:A)
• Double Pass Teleport: Kung Lao could pass twice before appearing behind his opponent. (MKT, MKG, MK:SM)
• Hat Throw: Kung Lao could hurl his hat at the opponent. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A)
• Whirlwind Kick: Kung Lao flies towards his opponent spinning like a tornado, doing multiple kicks that knocks them down. (MK:DA, MK:A)
• Aura Spinning Shield: He would spin creating an aura around him that would knock his opponent into the air. (MKII, MKT, MK:SM)
• 3D Shield: Spinning like a tornado he could knock his opponent into the air. In Mortal Kombat Trilogy and Mortal Kombat Gold he could move while spinning. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM)
• Dive Kick: Also called the Bullet Kick, Kung Lao could dive down from the air and attack his opponent. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK:A)

[edit] Recurring fatalities

Kung Lao as he appeared in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

• Body Slice: Kung Lao brings his razor hat down, slicing the opponent vertically in half with a clean swipe. (MKII, MK:SM)
• Hat Decapitation: Kung Lao throws his hat, which arcs upward suddenly, chopping his enemy's head off. (MKII, MKT, MKG)
• Hat Trick: Kung Lao tosses his hat at an enemy, decapitating them. The hat then ricochets off the far wall of the screen and doubles back, cutting the enemy in half. A third ricochet slices the enemy off at the knees. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG)
• Tornado: Kung Lao executes his Cyclone Spin, and sucks the opponent into it, causing them to explode violently. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:SM)

[edit] Appearance in other media

[edit] Comic books

Kung Lao's only depiction on an outside media is in Malibu Comics series. His story is slighty altered, stating he is an exile in Outworld due to the failure of his ancestor, and the fall of his lineage. During the Blood & Thunder series he has a minor participation rescuing a near-death Liu Kang after he was backstabbed by Kano.

In the Battlewave series, he joins with Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero in an attempt to ovethrow the Emperor Shao Kahn. During the comics, he shares a very close relation with Kitana, contradicting the games' official story about Liu Kang and Kitana's love relationship.

Kung Lao was featured in his own one-shot issue from Malibu Comics in the summer of 1995. The comic, entitled Rising Son, shows Kung Lao's struggle against Shang Tsung and his shape-shifting mind tricks, using his friends' forms (Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero) as well as his ancestor's form to kill him. It would be the very last issue produced in Malibu's Mortal Kombat series.

[edit] Trivia

• His character bio was not included in the arcade version of Mortal Kombat 3, but was later made available for the home versions.
• According to MK co-creator John Tobias in a 1995 interview with EGM, Kung Lao's hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger, in which a character named Oddjob threw his derby as a weapon.
• Kung Lao is the centerpiece of the non-canon 1995 novel written by Jeff Rovin. However, his description therein completely differs from that of the games; he is depicted as being tall, bald save for a queue of long black hair (similar to Goro), and wearing a long white robe.

Scorpion

Scorpion

Appearances	Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat II Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mythologies: Sub-Zero Mortal Kombat 4 Mortal Kombat Gold Mortal Kombat Advance MK: Deadly Alliance MK: Tournament Edition MK: Deception MK: Unchained MK: Shaolin Monks MK: Armageddon
Realm of Origin	Earthrealm (reborn in Netherrealm)
Species	Wraith (formerly Human)
Alignment	Neutral
Fighting styles	Hapkido (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A) Moi Fah (MK:D, MK:U) Pi Gua (MK:DA)
Weapons	Axe (UMK3, MKT) Broadsword (MK4) Ninja Sword (MK:DA) Mugai Ryu (MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)
Portrayers	Daniel Pesina (MK, MKII) John Turk (UMK3, MKT) Sal Divita (MKM:SZ) Chris Casamassa (first film, Conquest) J.J. Perry (second film) Anthony Demarco (Mortal Kombat: The Live Tour) Ed Boon (voice) About Scorpion Scorpion is one of the most popular characters in the Mortal Kombat series. Formerly a human ninja and member of the Shirai Ryu clan, Scorpion is now a black and yellow garbed, hell-spawned spectre, inexorably seeking vengeance against those responsible for the destruction of his clan and the death of his family. Despite the fact that Scorpion has previously allied himself with the forces of evil (when promised either a means of resurrection on Earth or the chance to inflict his wrath against those who butchered his clan), he is not inherently evil. In fact, Scorpion has, at times, indirectly assisted the game's protagonists, although his reasons for doing so always ultimately serve to benefit his own motives. Fans of the series often perceive Scorpion as the title's foremost anti-hero, due to his tendency to undertake actions which serve to benefit good, albeit in his own gruesome, self-serving and vigilant manner. Scorpion's demeanor, characteristics, persona and self-reliance have all contributed to his popularity, with Scorpion ironically appearing as the most human in nature and choice when compared to the purely virtuous "good guys" and the diabolically evil "bad guys." Scorpion was once manipulated by Quan Chi, who promised him life in exchange for his impressive combat abilities in order to defeat Sub-Zero the elder. Despite such actions, Scorpion is not entirely merciless, as he once spared the life of Sub-Zero's younger brother after defeating him in battle. As Scorpion is a spectre, he is almost impossible to actually destroy, certainly in a physical sense, although sorcery and supernatural anomalies have previously proven slightly more successful in vanquishing Scorpion in combat. Despite this, none have ever succeeded in destroying him in an absolute sense. When masked, Scorpion appears human, although this is merely an illusion. When revealing his true self, only Scorpion's skull remains, which sometimes appears on fire. Scorpion's most popular and recognised skill is his famous spear attack, which is used to draw an opponent toward him. Scorpion will shout "Get over here!" or "Come here!" whilst attempting this technique. Although Scorpion is featured alongside the forces of evil in the opening scene of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, he remains neutral, due to his fierce hatred of Quan Chi. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, Scorpion is a force for good since he was chosen as the champion of the Elder Gods to defeat Onaga, the Dragon King. [edit] Inferno Scorpion In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, a new form of Scorpion is revealed called "Inferno Scorpion". As Liu Kang and Kung Lao battle through the Netherrealm, they eventually encounter Scorpion. After defeating Scorpion, the monks attempt to depart, only to be confronted by Scorpion a second time. This version, sans mask and sporting the flaming skull, is a much more powerful version of the popular ninja. [edit] Storyline "Scorpion" was the code name of one of the Shirai Ryu's finest warriors - a ninja assassin named Hanzo Hasashi. It is also known that his father, a former member of the Shirai Ryu, forbade his son from joining the clan, as he did not wish his son to live the life of an assassin. However, Hanzo joined in spite of his father's wishes in order to provide his wife and son with a comfortable life. During the events of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, he was hired by Quan Chi to find a map hidden in the Himalayas. However, Quan Chi had also requested for the services of Sub-Zero the elder, who belonged to the rival Lin Kuei clan and was Scorpion's personal rival. The theory of hiring two ninja was simple - in case one of them failed, the other would succeed and Quan Chi would be closer to unlocking unknown and ultimate power. Both Scorpion and Sub-Zero succeeded in getting to their destination, but the two met each other reaching for the same map they were sent out to acquire. The two rival warriors fought, with Sub-Zero gaining the advantage. As Scorpion lay on the ground defeated, Sub-Zero decapitated him and left his corpse where it fell. Scorpion's soul would fall into the pits of the Netherealm itself; there he had to choose whether to remain in the bowels of Hell for the rest of the eternity, or to return to the world of the living as a spectre, but losing any memory from his past and his family. Obsessed with revenge, he became a ninja spectre. Scorpion learned that the Lin Kuei, following his death, had also massacred his entire clan and family. Fueled by an undying rage and thirst for retribution, he vowed to kill Sub-Zero in retaliation for his own murder. Scorpion, as depicted in John Tobias' comic Scorpion would not meet Sub-Zero again until a brief encounter in the Netherealm, where Sub-Zero had been sent by Raiden to regain the amulet from Shinnok and Quan Chi. The two fought, but Sub-Zero defeated Scorpion again and escaped the undead assassin's wrath. Following his return to Earth, Sub-Zero was later invited to participate in Shang Tsung's tournament of Mortal Kombat - unknown to the Lin Kuei warrior, Scorpion had been invited as well. The two met on Shang Tsung's boat, at which point Scorpion grabbed Sub-Zero by the throat and said "You killed me in cold blood exactly two years ago, to this day, but my demons have allowed me to avenge my death. I could kill you at this moment, but I am not a murderer. We will meet at the tournament, and then, Lin Kuei warrior, you will pay with your life." While Scorpion and Sub-Zero did not meet during the actual tournament, they did meet in the closing moments of Mortal Kombat, and true to his word the hell-bent spectre fought Sub-Zero in another fight to the death. Proving to be too strong and powerful for the Lin Kuei warrior, Scorpion slew his nemesis and avenged his death. With that, he violently burst into flames and ash, returning to the Netherealm. A year later, Scorpion learned of Sub-Zero's plans to compete in the second tournament. Enraged at the idea that his murderer had somehow returned and his vengeance was incomplete, Scorpion followed Sub-Zero into the realm of Outworld, where Shao Kahn hosted the second tournament. It is unknown whether or not Sub-Zero and Scorpion met, but Scorpion was a witness to one of Sub-Zero's battles, in which he saw Sub-Zero sparing the life of an opponent. Scorpion did not understand why the Lin Kuei warrior had grown so merciful. He later came to the realization that this Sub-Zero was the younger brother of his murderer, who was sent to complete his brother's failed mission. Scorpion then vowed not to harm this new Sub-Zero, as it was not the man who once killed him. He also vowed to be this new Sub-Zero's guardian in atonement for killing his older brother who had become Noob Saibot. Scorpion was then summoned back to the damnation of the Netherealm. When Shao Kahn invaded Earthrealm and unsuccessfully tried to conquer the Netherealm as well, Scorpion was inadvertently set free, and began walking the Earth once more. He pledged allegiance to no one, taking neither friends nor enemies. Shao Khan, however, recognized Scorpion's superior warrior skills, and enlisted the ninja in his forces. Scorpion's allegiance with Shao Khan quickly dissolved when he discovered that Sub-Zero, whom he had vowed not to harm, was one of Earth's Chosen warriors and a target of Shao Kahn's. He turned on Shao Kahn, and sided with the Earthrealm warriors in their final showdown with the evil emperor. With Shao Khan and his minions defeated, Earth reverted back to normal, causing Scorpion to return to the Netherealm once more. During the events of Mortal Kombat Gold, Scorpion came to believe that the younger Sub-Zero was also involved with the murders of his family and clan. Quan Chi offered him life in exchange for the spectre's assistance in the war with the Elder Gods, which Scorpion accepted, but only so he could face Sub-Zero in combat- which Quan Chi was not only fully aware of, but had planned on all along. Scorpion eventually caught up with Sub-Zero, and the two began their final battle; as with the elder Sub-Zero, Scorpion's obsession for revenge was too strong and he emerged the victor. As Scorpion stood triumphantly over Sub-Zero, the defeated warrior proclaiming innocence, Quan Chi appeared and revealed that he had arranged for the killing of the Shirai Ryu and Scorpion's family. Before Scorpion could speak, Quan Chi attempted to send him back to the Netherealm. Scorpion grabbed Quan Chi before the sorcerer could complete his spell, sending them both into the dreaded realm. During the years that Quan Chi spent trapped in the fifth plane of the Netherealm, he would be chased, brutalized, and tortured by Scorpion. Quan Chi had little chance of escape, as his powers were weakened while he was in the Netherealm, and Scorpion's power and strength conversely increased (note: Quan Chi, as Shinnok's second-in-command, had previously resided in the Netherealm. However, this was explained as a new region of the Netherealm where sorcerers retain their power). Quan Chi eventually struck a deal with the Oni Drahmin and Moloch, who fought off Scorpion for him. When Quan Chi escaped the Netherealm through a portal, Scorpion followed him, but the volatile portal did not send him to the same place. He continued to hound Quan Chi in a game of cat-and-mouse until he found himself ambushed by Drahmin and Moloch, who had also escaped the Netherealm. They threw him into the Soulnado, believing that it would kill the ninja spectre once and for all (as recounted in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance). Scorpion, however, managed to escape into the Void before the purity of the soulnado tore him apart. While in the Void, he met the Elder Gods, in whom he had never believed, and forever became changed from what he saw. He also witnessed Raiden's sacrifice and Onaga's dominance beginning to unfold. The Elder Gods were aware of his presence and enhanced his mortal and supernatural abilities, making him the Champion of the Elder Gods. The Elder Gods gave him a new mission, to seek and destroy Onaga before he unmade the realms. Scorpion emerged from the Void and returned to Outworld. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's konquest mode, Scorpion appears to be no longer willing to serve as the Elder gods' champion. This is due to the bargain he had made with the Elder Gods to serve them in the first place; they would resurrect the Shirai Ryu clan in return for his services. While the Elder gods did fulfill their promise, they brought back the Shirai Ryu clan as hellspawned warriors, the same as Scorpion. Enraged at what he perceived as their betrayal, Scorpion vows to gain vengeance on the Elder Gods by removing the two things crucial to their plans- Taven and Daegon. They were the Elder Gods' only means to prevent Armageddon. In Scorpion's Mortal Kombat: Armageddon ending after defeating Blaze , the entire Shirai Ryu clan is resurrected, thousands of them crowding the pyramid below, awaiting his command, along with Scorpion's wife and son. Then the sorcerer Quan Chi appears and kidnaps his son, taking him into the Netherealm through a portal. Enraged, Scorpion commands the Shirai Ryu to find Quan Chi; Scorpion will not rest until his son is rescued and the sorcerer has been destroyed.[1] [edit] Combat characteristics [edit] Signature moves Bloody Spear: Sending out a rope with a tipped Kunai at the end, it impales itself into the victim's chest, allowing Scorpion to pull him or her through the air towards him for a free hit, as well as cause a small bit of damage. This move often follows the words, "GET OVER HERE!" or "COME HERE!" (In MK: Shaolin Monks, he even—albeit rarely—says profane versions of both phrases like "GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!" or "COME HERE, BITCH!"). This was Scorpion's signature move. It was originally believed that Scorpion's spear was actually a snake-like creature spawned from the palm of his hand when really it was a simple kunai ; while still being launched from the palm of his hand as seen in the newer games such as Deadly Alliance and Deception it is not the snake like picture as depicted elsewhere. (MK, MKII, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A) Teleport Attack / Hellfire Punch: Teleporting behind his opponent he connects with a punch. called the Teleport Attack In Deception and Unchained; Scorpion gained this attack as a kick instead of a punch, however he regained this attack as a punch in Armageddon, whilst the kick form of this attack is given to Chameleon. (MK, MKII, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A) Aerial Back Teleport Punch: Scorpion performs his hellfire punch in the air. (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM) Leg Takedown: Scorpion trips his opponent with a leg scissor takedown. (MKII, MK:SM) Air Throw: Scorpion throws his opponent while in the air. (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM) Breathe Fire: Removing his mask to show his flaming skull, he spews fire on his opponent. (MK4, MKG) Hellfire: Scorpion summons the fires of Hell to burn his opponent from underneath. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A) Backflip Kick: Scorpion performs a backflip kick followed by a trail of fire. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A) [edit] Recurring fatalities Toasty!: Scorpion's signature fatality, Scorpion takes off his mask, revealing a skull face, and breathes fire at his opponent, burning them alive and causing them to explode (usually resulting in Dan Forden squealing "Toasty!"; in Mortal Kombat 4 Dan Forden will say "Toasty! 3D!" owing to it being transferred to a new graphic dimension). For an unknown reason in Shaolin Monks, it was renamed to "Flame", although Dan Forden still says "Toasty!" afterwards at random. (MK, MKII, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM) Spear Slice: Scorpion takes out his signature kunai, slices his opponent across the throat, then slices the unlucky individual through the hip, his or her torso falling to the ground. In MK:SM, this was changed to a backhand followed by Scorpion stabbing the opponent with the kunai, then ripping his or her body across the blade embedded in his or her stomach. Scorpion rips the torso off, then raises it in victory in this version. In Mortal Kombat 4, this fatality changes into Scorpion Morph. (MKII, MK4, MK:SM) [edit] Appearance Scorpion appeared as a yellow palette swap of Sub-Zero. He kept this appearance from the first MK to MK4 after which he bore two swords on his back and his kunai attached to a rope tied to his belt. Without his mask and skin (he removes both effortlessly for his "Toasty" fatalilty from MK-MK4) , his head is a (sometimes flaming) skull. [edit] Appearances in other media [edit] Film Scorpion in the first movie Scorpion has a small role in the first Mortal Kombat movie as one of Shang Tsung's guardians, who dies in a match against Johnny Cage. His signature spear move was changed to a living metal snake-like entity that shot from a slit in his palm and could fly to a limited extent. He was portrayed by Chris Casamassa, with Ed Boon providing the voice. Although he is not explicitly labelled as undead, he does tear off his mask to reveal nothing but a skull. Though both he and Sub-Zero are shown fighting for the same side in the tournament, their rivalry is briefly mentioned by Shang Tsung early in the film. He also appears briefly in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (played by J. J. Perry), during which he kidnaps Kitana after dueling the younger Sub-Zero to a draw. His rope-spear move was further modified into two smaller living metal entities (looking similar to the heads of crocodiles) that shot from his hand. Scorpion and Raiden are the only characters confirmed to return in the third movie, Mortal Kombat: Devastation. Chris Casamassa is confirmed to reprise his role of Scorpion. [edit] Television Scorpion's primary costume in MK4, MKG, and MK:A, and alternate costume in MK:D Scorpion appeared in the second episode of Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, titled Sting of the Scorpion, in which he fought and defeated Sub-Zero. Liu Kang fought him and defeated him. He also appeared in several episodes of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, again played by Casamassa with an origin unrelated to the games. The seductive Vorpax guided Shang Tsung to a hidden recess in Outworld's cobalt mines which held a mystical emperor scorpion called the Scorpio. Shang Tsung unleashed the warrior soul trapped within it, which possessed Takeda, a guard for the Reyland family. Kung Lao was forced to fight the warrior and sent him to Hell once Scorpion killed his love, Geneviere. Scorpion was later resurrected by Shao Kahn, and built an organization of assassins for the Emperor, of whom Siro's brother was briefly a member. His last known deed was a reluctant partnership with the Lin Kuei to kill Kung Lao. It dissolved with the deaths of people close to him and Sub-Zero, and the two warriors ferociously battled each other to a draw, before the intervention of Kung Lao forced Scorpion to flee. He employed the living hand creature from the films rather than a spear. [edit] Comic book Scorpion is one of the main characters in the Malibu Comics series. Despite the game's portrayal of him as a neutral character, the comics portrays Scorpion as an evil entity: a specter consumed by revenge against Sub-Zero, decided to kill those close to him as well before killing him personally. During the first four issues of Blood & Thunder, Scorpion stalked Sub-Zero while reminding him he returned to kill him. Sub-Zero later realized Scorpion's power was fueled by his fears, so he overcome them and freeze-shatter the specter, only to force him to seek more power in the form of the Thao The Zhan. During the Tournament Edition final issue, he has a short fight with Kitana (who stopped him from murdering an unconscious Sub-Zero) which ends with his demise, and despite his past claims that killing him again would mean the end of his existence, that didn't stop him from reappearing shortly after Goro answers the last question of the Tao Te Zhan. During the Battlewave series, Shao Kahn returns Scorpion to the living world using a mystical gem called the "Deathstone", which also allowed him to resurrect an army of undead soldiers under his control. Scorpion would turn into Shao Kahn's general, and his army would replace the mutants that engrossed his ranks. Scorpion played the antagonist role in Baraka's single issue Babality, in which he was ordered to kill a baby mutant under his care. The joined forces of Noob Saibot and Baraka stopped his plans and shattered the stone, though he kept one fragment that was still useful. Scorpion played in Shao Kahn's side during the second tournament for the Medallion. He killed Siang after hearing his story (stating "Only the dead are free") and then confronted Sub-Zero on the finish line. Despite Sub-Zero's speech about winning in a fair fight and that revenge would only serve to downgrade him more, Scorpion threw a scorching flame breath when he turned around, killing him though not before he reached the medallion and the victory to Earthrealm's team. [edit] Novel Scorpion is depicted in Jeff Rovin's non-canon Mortal Kombat novel (published in 1995 to coincide with the release of the movie) as being the combination of sorts of a father and a son, contrary to his game origins as "Hanzo Hasashi". The father, named Yong Park, was disemboweled by Sub-Zero before his family. The demigod Yu allowed Yong the opportunity to seek revenge, and Yong's spirit was permitted to merge with his son Tsui Park's body, in order to seek revenge under the form of Scorpion. [edit] Game information Scorpion's "Get Over Here!" and "Come Here!" spear taunts, in all of the Mortal Kombat games and movies, were voiced by Ed Boon himself. Unfortunately, when the earlier titles were ported from the arcade to the home consoles, only one of these two taunts were featured in the games due to memory constraints. They are some of the most easily recognizable catchphrases in video gaming history. Dan Forden, who creates the sounds and music for Midway's games, especially in the Mortal Kombat series, is the man responsible for the "Toasty" callings-in relation to Scorpion. This originated in Mortal Kombat II, in which a special input allowed Scorpion's flame skull fatality to be performed anywhere, the message "Toasty!" would then be shown. In Scorpion's flame skull fatality in Mortal Kombat 4, Dan Forden screams out "Toasty! 3D!!" in reference to Scorpion's fatality being incorporated in full 3D. Another Dan Forden calling featured in the game that is a clear reference to Scorpion is "Crispy" in which is said when a player performs the stage fatality in the Scorpion's Lair stage in UMK3. A tribute to Terminator 2: Judgment Day is seen during Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, when Scorpion is defeated by Liu Kang or Kung Lao. As he's dragged into the lava by the bloody skeletons of the damned, he holds out his right hand to give the camera a thumbs up as he's finally pulled under in a scene near-identical to the scene of the Terminator's destruction in a pool of molten steel. Also in Shaolin Monks, Scorpion will occasionally swear while performing his spear move, the only character to do so in the Mortal Kombat series. Many fans also thought it was out of character for Scorpion to suddenly attack Liu Kang and Kung Lao in MK Shaolin Monks due to his neutral status. [edit] Other appearances Scorpion has a cameo in Season 2 opener of the Comedy Central show Drawn Together as one of the new potential housemates the other characters consider. After questioned as to his special move, he impales Xandir (who is himself a video game character, or at least a parody of) with his spear, saying "Get over here!" then performs a head-rip Fatality on him, later grumbling "Oy vey" when Xandir resurrects himself with his extra lives and demonstrates his reach-around special move. Scorpion used this fatality in Mortal Kombat: Deception. It should be noted, however, that the "head-rip Fatality" is normally performed by Scorpion's main enemy, the original Sub-Zero. ReBoot episode "Game Over" features a Mortal Kombat-esque game, in which the character Enzo Matrix reboots as Scorpion. In Krypt UI of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, the player can buy a video, "Cooking with Scorpion". This shows the dead ninja spectre chopping various meats, and decorating a cake. This was originally a promotional video for Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Scorpion also appears as an unlockable skin in Midway's Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy. He was a secret player in Midway's NBA Jam: Tournament Edition along with Sub-Zero. On the Adult Swim show Robot Chicken, Joey Fatone of NSYNC is trying to be a martial arts master and avenge the death of his fellow singers. The first person he battles is Scorpion, and while battling, Scorpion uses his signature spear and rips off his head. [edit] Trivia In various interviews, Ed Boon has openly admitted that his favorite character has always been Scorpion, and that any Mortal Kombat game would feel incomplete without Scorpion. While Scorpion was absent from MK3 due to Daniel Pesina being fired, he was later added to UMK3 after John Turk did the motion capture for the character. When the elder Sub-Zero died after the first tournament, there was no immediate direct quote or statement, nor was there any strong evidence to prove that Scorpion had in fact done it (what was offered at the time was that somebody murdered Sub-Zero, and Scorpion was the most likely candidate for his death). The release of the official Mortal Kombat II comic book and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks revealed that Scorpion had in fact killed Sub-Zero, ending any rumors and debates. Scorpion's yellow costume is said to have mocked not only Sub-Zero, but also the Lin Kuei, as Takeda (who was a member of the Lin Kuei) developed Ninjutsu, which he considered a superior fighting style to what the Lin Kuei had. He quickly left the Lin Kuei and formed the Shirai Ryu clan, the Lin Kuei's main enemies. Scorpion was one of four selected characters to appear in the cover for a special Edition of the Mortal Kombat Deception game in the Xbox console. The special edition of this Xbox game included a metallic card of his character. The movie Ghost Rider makes a reference to Scorpion when the Ghost Rider, while atop a skyscraper, uses a chain to grab a helicopter and pull it toward him while yelling "COME HERE!"