Who’s your favorite Mortal Kombat character? Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Jax? Or maybe you’re more of a Kano fan.
Either way, there are a lot of Mortal Kombat video game characters in this franchise that spans decades, and some only appeared once or twice before disappearing into the ether.
These days, with two new movies being made and several games under its belt since its original release in 1992 (with some hiatuses), Mortal Kombat has become one of video game’s most recognizable brands ever.
So if you haven’t seen any entries from The New Era yet—or even if you have—here’s a list of all 23 mortal Kombat video game characters and their abilities.
Baraka
Baraka is a warrior from Outworld and one of the famous mortal Kombat video game characters born and raised in the wastelands of the realm.
His name means “to slice” in his native language; as you can imagine, he has no problem wielding blades. He is one of the deadliest mortal Kombat video game characters.
He’s a vicious fighter with a strong affinity for blood, which makes him a perfect fit for Mortal Kombat’s cast of characters.
As one might expect from someone who grew up in such harsh conditions, Baraka has little love for those who live sheltered lives inside cities like Shao Kahn’s capital city of Earthrealm (and his fellow Tarkatans don’t get along great either).
But he respects anyone willing to fight him face-to-face on an open field instead of hiding behind weapons, armor, or other technology.
His signature weapon is his set of four blades extending from his arms; this allows him to attack enemies at close range and defend himself against ranged attacks simultaneously—a useful tool when facing off against opponents like Scorpion, who prefer long-distance combat.
Sonya Blade
One of the Mortal Kombat video game characters from Earthrealm, Sonya Blade, is a character in the Mortal Kombat video game series. She is a martial arts expert and the leader of the Outer World Investigation Agency (OIA).
She is a skilled soldier, having served in the United States Special Forces for many years. She has also been trained by her father, Lieutenant James Briggs, who taught her various combat techniques during fights. Sonya is one of the champions of Earthrealm.
Kabal
Kabal is a character from Mortal Kombat 3. He is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games developed by Midway Games.
Kabal was introduced into the series as a new player on the roster of Mortal Kombat II but did not make it into the arcade version due to time constraints.
He made his official debut in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, where he was given an updated look and more moves than before. Due to his exceptional fighting skills, it is fun to use Kabal as one of the Mortal Kombat video game characters.
In addition to being playable in several games throughout his series’ lifetime, Kabal has appeared in other media relating to Moconstraints.
He stars as one of three main protagonists in both an animated film and two web series based on their games (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of The Realm) while also appearing as an NPC that helps explain gameplay mechanics within some titles (including “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe”).
Ermac
Ermac is a character from the Mortal Kombat video game series who first appeared in Mortal Kombat 3. He is a red and black warrior whose powers include telekinesis, levitation, possession, and mimicry. He is also composed of souls of past dead warriors bound together by Shao Kahn’s magic.
The character has received a mostly positive reception from professional critics throughout his appearances in video games from the Mortal Kombat series.
The different incarnations of Ermac have been featured in other media related to Mortal Kombat, including comic books and an animated film co-starring Scorpion and Sub-Zero, as well as having his action figure line released by Jazwares LLC.
Ermac was introduced into the franchise with considerable hype due to his unique special moves, which were considered difficult for opponents to deal with.
However, his overall effectiveness continued to be debated among fans over time due to this being somewhat offset by poor AI programming that made him easy for players themselves to exploit when used against them during matches (such as simply spamming two buttons repeatedly).
Raiden
Raiden is a playable character in the Mortal Kombat series. He made his debut as an unlockable secret character in Mortal Kombat II and became playable in every subsequent game.
Raiden is a thunder god who also serves as protector of Earthrealm and has appeared in several other games outside the Mortal Kombat franchise.
In addition to being one of the most powerful mortal Kombat video game characters on this list, Raiden has been around since the beginning of the series and has had plenty of time to develop into his unique character with his own set of skills and abilities. As such, he’s worth paying attention to when you start playing Mortal Kombat 11!
Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero is a Lin Kuei assassin and a playable character in Mortal Kombat. He was first introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 as a palette swap of Scorpion but became playable in some later games.
Sub-Zero has become one of the most iconic mortal Kombat video game characters from the series due to being featured on the box art for several games and being one of only five characters to be playable throughout all of them (the others being Scorpion, Goro, Johnny Cage, and Raiden).
He is also well known for his ice powers which allow him to create ice clones or freeze enemies solid with his signature move: freeze ray!
Scorpion
Scorpion is a ninja who uses a spear and a hook. He is one of the few mortal Kombat video game characters in all Mortal Kombat games, including Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11.
In this game, Quan Chi resurrected him with the promise that he would get revenge on Sub-Zero for killing his father (along with many others).
Scorpion accepted this offer and became much stronger than before; however, he had tricked again when Quan Chi released him from his grip so that Raiden could imprison him once more.
As one of the most popular heroes from Mortal Kombat X, Scorpion has become an icon for both hardcore fans as well as casual gamers alike; whether you’re new to video games or have been playing them since they first came out in 1982’s Pong: The Next Generation (which featured characters named “Pong” and “Ping”), you can’t deny how cool it is when someone says “Get over here!” or “It’s the time!”
Goro
Goro is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise. He first appears as the sub-boss in Mortal Kombat II and has since become one of the most popular characters in gaming history.
According to his profile on the official website for the video game series, Goro (which means “terror” or “awesome power”) hails from Outworld’s Shokan race.
He rules over his people with an iron fist and will do anything to keep them safe from outside threats. As such, he takes great pride in being their leader and protector—and he’ll make sure anyone who gets too close knows just how powerful he truly is!
Ed Boon created Goro as an homage/parody of Godzilla because both creatures are four-armed beings with human intelligence who have fought many battles throughout history against other monsters like them (King Ghidorah).
Goro’s design was based on King Ghidorah’s appearance in Return Of King Ghidorah (1991), although Ed Boon says it wasn’t intentional (he just drew what came out).
Stryker
Stryker is a member of the Special Forces unit, which consists of Sonya Blade and other skilled fighters. He’s been a police officer in the past and has also served as a bodyguard for VIPs.
Stryker is also friends with Johnny Cage and has a daughter who’s also part of the Special Forces. As you can see, Stryker’s pretty well-connected!
As one of the underrated Mortal Kombat video game characters, Stryker uses his military experience to put together some great combat skills: he’s good at ranged attacks (like his grenades). Still, he can also take on opponents up close (with his knife).
Nightwolf
Nightwolf is a Native American character who controls animals and uses a bow and arrow as his weapon. He is also a member of the Wolf Clan, one of three tribes that make up Earthrealm and one of the Legendary Mortal Kombat video game characters.
In addition to fighting, Nightwolf can also use his powers as a shaman to summon spirits to do his bidding—a skill that proves useful in winning fights without having to enter them at all.
Nightwolf was once a member of the White Lotus Society, but he left the group after their leader Ermac was corrupted by Shao Kahn.
While he does not appear in Mortal Kombat 4 or 5, Nightwolf does appear in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, where he helps guide Sub-Zero through Outworld on his quest for vengeance against Quan Chi (the main antagonist).
Noob Saibot
Noob Saibot is a ninja and a clone of Sub-Zero(bi-han). He was introduced in the Mortal Kombat series of video games. Noob Saibot’s name is short for “newbie shadow.”
Still, he’s also known as “twin brother” or “Black Smoke,” one of the outstanding mortal Kombat video game characters with exceptional fighting skills and teleporting powers.
Noob Saibot is an entity that represents humanity’s dark side, explaining his black skin tone and martial arts prowess.
Midway Games created the character as a replacement for Scorpion after they lost their license to use him in later games (although he did end up making appearances).
Sektor & Cyrax
Sektor and Cyrax are cyborgs, meaning they were once human but were transformed into robot-like Mortal Kombat video game characters with artificial intelligence.
They’re one of the deadliest fighters in the Mortal Kombat universe and have been playable characters since their introduction in 1993’s Mortal Kombat 3 video game.
They also appear as playable characters in Mortal Kombat X, released on April 14, 2015, for PC and consoles.
Shang Tsung
Shang Tsung is a powerful sorcerer who appears as the main antagonist of Mortal Kombat and its sequel. He was also included in several spin-off titles of the series, including Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
He is featured as one of the bosses among mortal Kombat video game characters in every game that he appears in except for the Nintendo Game Boy version of the original Mortal Kombat game, where Shang Tsung plays no role at all (the boss characters on this version are Goro and Two-Face).
Shang Tsung is depicted as an evil demon sorcerer from Outworld who has been serving Shao Kahn since long ago. His primary ability is shape-shifting, allowing him to assume others’ appearances.
However, he also uses other magical abilities, such as conjuring fireballs or casting illusions which make him one of Kahn’s most powerful minions outside his realm, along with Onaga (the Dragon King) or Moloch (“The Summoner”).
Reptile
Reptile is a reptilian-like humanoid with green skin, a tail, and many sharp teeth. His first appearance was in Mortal Kombat (1992), where he attacked the player as an opponent at the end of the game but was not playable.
He later returned in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) as a playable character with his special moves and combos.
As one mortal Kombat video game character, Reptile is a master of deception and has been known to disguise himself as other characters during fights.
He can also regenerate lost limbs through his healing factor, making him very difficult to defeat permanently because he can regenerate any wounds inflicted on him by other combatants instantly after damage. In addition, he can spit acid at enemies and climb walls like a lizard would do while hunting prey.
Kano
Kano is a playable character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II but has since been featured as a playable character in almost every subsequent release.
He is one of the Mortal Kombat video game characters with a laser eye which he uses to blast his opponents.
Kano is a mercenary and member of the Black Dragon criminal organization founded by his adoptive father, Special Forces Sergeant Jackson Briggs.
During their raid on Outworld’s emperor Shao Kahn’s palace, he lost his right eye to Raiden’s lightning bolt.
Kano was later captured by Sonya Blade and held prisoner until he escaped during an uprising led by Taven Rochachi and Rain Konikoff – two other prisoners who were friends with Sonya when they served together under Captain William J. Miles at Fort Bragg years earlier.
D’Vorah
It is safe to say that D’Vorah is the most savage of all the new characters that appear in the alternative timeline. It is enough to make you cringe to see her penetrate opponents in a fight with her ovipositors, and she is not one to show pity either.
As a result of the ruthless manner in which she put an end to Scorpion, Baraka, and Mileena, D’Vorah became one of the infamous mortal Kombat video game characters fans.
D’Vorah, in contrast to some of the other violent characters in the franchise, does not behave like a crazed canine. Yes, she poses a threat, but in addition to that, she is cunning and intelligent.
She acts as a double agent for Kotal Kahn, Shinnok, and Kronika for most of the time spent in Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, only exposing her actual allegiance when she is ready to attack.
Quan Chi
The necromancer Quan Chi is never exactly allowed to shine by ascending to the position of emperor, but he is constantly close at hand to those in authority.
In Mortal Kombat X, he uses his powers to resurrect Earthrealm’s fallen allies as revenants, which allows him to thrive in his work behind the scenes. He is also a master of deception among other Mortal Kombat video game characters.
He is the one who is responsible for manipulating the antagonism between Scorpion and Sub-Zero, and he is also the one who is responsible for manipulating that animosity.
Quan Chi isn’t hesitant to get his hands dirty, even though he may be better known for his connections with Shang Tsung and Shinnok.
In the game Deadly Alliance, he had a significant impact on Liu Kang’s demise, and he was also instrumental in bringing Shinnok back to Earthrealm. Quan Chi immediately becomes a major power player whenever he is factored into the equation.
Sindel
In the universes of Mortal Kombat, like her daughter Kitana, Sindel holds a position of royalty, which makes her mortal Kombat video game characters that people may unite behind.
And with the ability to fly and produce supersonic screams loud enough to shred the flesh from opponents, Sindel’s voice is undoubtedly one that matters, depending on who she talks in favor of. Sindel’s voice makes a difference.
In Mortal Kombat 9, Sindel displayed her incredible power and prowess by defeating most Earthrealm combatants and proving her superiority over them.
Then, in Mortal Kombat 11, it was revealed that she had always been evil and that she assisted in the murder of King Jerrod and the fusion of Edenia and Outworld.
Shinnok
Shinnok usually waits till Shao Kahn is out of the way before he launches an invasion. There is a good reason for this, and Shinnok is terrified of Shao Kahn, yet this does not make him a coward or a weakling.
The Elder God of death and darkness, Shinnok, was formerly the king of the Netherrealm but has since fallen from power. He is the commander of an army consisting of legions of the undead and demons.
Because he knows he is not to be trifled with, he has developed a cocky and arrogant demeanor.
This ultimately proves to be his undoing in many respects and paves the door for other mortal Kombat video game characters, like Cassie, to triumph over him.
Shinnok can corrupt anyone, and his bone constructions are powerful enough to slay gods. Only when he fuses with Earthrealm’s jinsei can he transform into a formidable demon and regain his status as an almost Elder God.
Kotal Kahn
The power that Kotal wields as one of the Mortal Kombat video game characters is not simply from his physical prowess but also from his ability to negotiate.
He is considered one of the most honorable monarchs in Outworld and repeatedly attempts to work with Earthrealm and the people who protect it. In striking contrast to Shao Kahn, Kotal’s sincere interest in bringing back peace.
Naturally, even respect has limits, and Kotal is shown as being highly harsh to those who betray the honor of others.
Because of Mileena’s betrayal, Kotal decides to order her execution, which results in what had to be one of the most horrific deaths in the entire history of the series.
Kotal is almost on par with Shao Kahn regarding strength, and the sun’s powers bestowed upon him make him an Emperor who deserves both respect and dread.
Cassie Cage
Cassie Cage has demonstrated her prowess as a warrior in two games. The daughter of Sonya and Johnny Cage is a member of Earthrealm’s Special Forces, which puts her in close confrontation with the most deadly people from Outworld.
However, Cassie inherited a healthy dose of self-assurance from her father since not only does she take on all problems while making jokes along the way, but she also accomplishes this.
In Mortal Kombat 11, Cassie has already established herself as one of the most formidable warriors and leaders on Earth, despite only being in her twenties at the time. She holds the position of Commander of Special Forces.
In addition, she inherited the blood of her Mediterranean war cult ancestors, which endowed her with the ability to compete against Shinnok and emerge victorious, thereby gaining the title of Champion.
Blaze
Blaze is also one of mortal Kombat video game characters who the Elder Gods created as a response to the destructive force of all the kombatants that exist on the Earth, to destroy as many of them as possible, preventing Armageddon.
The fact that the gods of the world have that level of faith in Blaze indicates how powerful he must be compared to most of the characters in the story.
Ironically, one of the reasons that make Blaze such a deadly opponent is that any combatant who is successful in defeating him will be able to absorb his strength, thereby transforming them into the most powerful figure on the globe.
The primary reason for Raiden’s modification of the chronology is to prevent Blaze from ever having the opportunity to bring destruction to the Earth. Blaze is a prime target for his opponents and is all but certain to come out on the losing end of the fight.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this list has helped you get to know some of the Mortal Kombat video game characters better through their history or by hearing them mentioned a few more times.
The Mortal Kombat movie will be in April, so if you’re interested in seeing it, we have some good news: tickets are now on sale! So go ahead and grab your tickets before they sell out like last time.”
