Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3, Cyrax was one of the three cybernetic ninjas created by the Lin Kuei, in an effort to convert all members into unfeeling, cold-hearted, cybernetic assassins to improve their performance. He was assigned to hunt down the renegade, former Lin Kuei member Sub-Zero as designated unit LK-4D4.

As a cybernetic ninja, Cyrax is well-equipped, both in martial arts involving ninjutsu and weaponry. Cyrax houses a number of weapons in his chest cavity designed for both incapacitating and destroying targets. Of the three cyborg ninjas, Cyrax is most associated with bombardment, his arsenal full of timed explosives with a seemingly unlimited supply. He also has access to an 'energy net' capable of incapacitating his targets completely. When his soul was returned to him, not only did Cyrax retain some of his cybernetic parts, he was also outfitted with state-of-the-art technology, courtesy of the Outworld Investigation Agency. Cyrax was now equipped with a portable device that would allow him to freely traverse across the realms without the need of stationary portals. In addition, his armor is heat-resistant, as he was able to completely submerge himself in molten rock without severely damaging himself in the process. His net weapon was replaced with a buzzsaw-like appendage, used for mid-range combat. Cyrax is also able to relocate himself across short distances by separating all of his limbs and head as his torso would transport to a different area where all of the discarded limbs would rejoin.

Skill Choice Rational:

"Associated with bombardment."

Throughout the various Mortal Kombat games he was involved in, Sektor has grown into an ever more menacing mechanized warrior. He represents the closest thing to evil a cyborg can be, and combines traits of both a stealthy ninja and a ruthless killing machine fit for modern warfare. In contrast to his counterpart Cyrax, Sektor never bothered to rediscover his human side, and may be unable to. As far as this could be said about a cyborg, it is likely that he suffers from a form of insanity. He is capable of independent thought and action like Cyrax and Smoke; however, unlike the other two cyborgs, the only emotion Sektor really displays is anger and ruthlessness. As a "cybernetic organism", Sektor possesses enhanced strength and stamina, as well as great onboard weaponry. As with the case of Sektor, he appears to specialize in long range combat, his chest cavity loaded with rockets and heat-seeking missiles.


Skill Choice Rational:

"Specialize in Long Range."

Hitcount(players killed) > 1

Smoke debuted in Mortal Kombat II as a hidden character to fight against, along with Noob Saibot and Jade. He was often spotted in the Living Forest stage in which he (along with Jade) peeked out of the trees. Like Reptile when he made his first appearance, he was simply a palette-swap of Scorpion with puffs of smoke surrounding him, but would move extremely fast. He would appear randomly before matches, offering clues that would enable the player to fight him, as Reptile had in the original Mortal Kombat.

Smoke would not have his own storyline until he was featured in Mortal Kombat 3, where he was once again a hidden character, but accessible to players with the use of a code. In this appearance, he would be a tortured human soul trapped in the body of a cyborg. His most defining feature is the fact that he constantly emits smoke. This, combined with his power to teleport and turn invisible, once made him one of the Lin Kuei's top assassins.


Skill Choice Rational:

"Power to teleport and turn invisible"

Princess Kitana is 10,000 years old, but is considered young in her realm of Edenia and has the appearance of a young woman. Throughout the years, she rose to great importance; first as the loyal stepdaughter of Shao Kahn, then as his enemy.

Kitana relies mostly on her Steel Fans in battle, although she is more than adequate in unarmed hand-to-hand combat. She can use her fans as both a projectile and a melee weapon, as well as a means to levitate the opponent for a juggling combo. She can also throw her fans while airborne and execute a midair punch to counter other airborne foes. This made her one of the most powerful characters in Mortal Kombat II, and was subsequently toned down in later games. In Armageddon, she can also teleport and launch herself forward with a series of kicks to the opponent.


Skill Choice Rational:

"Adequate in unarmed hand-to-hand combat."

Having descended from a race of Outworld inhabitants known as Cryomancers, Sub-Zero has the innate ability to control ice in many forms. Throughout the span of the series, Sub-Zero's powers have continued to evolve. Aside from flash-freezing opponents, Sub-Zero also has the ability to instantly conjure up an ice statue of himself to act as both a scapegoat and a 'landmine' of sorts as any who touch it instantly flash freeze. Since having taken possession of the Dragon Medallion, the scope of Sub-Zero's powers and abilities has increased significantly. As a member of the Lin Kuei, Sub-Zero has attained a great degree of skill in many forms of hand-to-hand combat. The Dragon Medallion and his ancestral armor increased and amplified his martial arts and ice-related abilities, as shown in his Deception Arcade ending. Throughout the Mortal Kombat series, Sub-Zero's abilities have grown more powerful; he can even transform his body into a liquefied state, solid state or transform his body into solid ice at will. Raiden has commented that Sub-Zero is more powerful than his brother.

Skill Choice Rational:

"Hand-to-hand combat."

Theme Song

Reptile is a green garbed, humanoid reptilian creature that embodies the archetype of the unhappy underling. Said to be physically hideous and repulsive, he is renowned for his great stealth and unquestioning loyalty. Unlike many other henchmen, Reptile does not strive for power. He is caught in a delusional state of mind, obsessed with finding the last remaining member of his race, or freeing his homeworld of Zaterra from Outworld's grasp. Thus, he always remains loyal to Shao Kahn, only obeying other masters to survive and reach his goal of returning Zaterra to its former glory. While well-meaning and sincere, his obsession is so important to him that it causes him temporary fits of insanity.


Skill Choice Rational:

"Unquestioning Loyalty"

Rain was originally meant to appear in Mortal Kombat 3, but didn't actually appear until Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Rain was originally a red herring inserted by the game developers; a character shown in the game's attract mode who did not actually exist within the game itself. A recent interview reveals that the insert was made by Ed Boon himself to intentionally trick players. Many MK fans searched for him in vain, with the eventual realization of his status as a joke character (named after a Prince song, "Purple Rain") dawning. The joke expands further when it is revealed that Rain is a "prince" himself.

Being the half-god he is, Rain wields immense power. Rain can control two things that involve weather: water and lightning. His powers being related to such, he is able to pressurize jet streams of water to either propel himself or slice his opponents like a blade. Rain's control over water and lightning is so powerful he can create storm clouds to block out the sun from the sky. He is most noted for his ability to trap opponents in a spherical prison of water that gives him limited control over their body. In addition, he is able to conjure up lightning blasts from the sky to blast his opponents into the air. He also possesses the ability to liquefy himself, turning himself into water and reconstituting behind them in a swift manner akin to teleporting. Through mysterious means, he enchants the strength in his legs, distorting space to strike them so hard that they would reappear opposite to his direction.

Skill Choice Rational:

"Control over their body."

Described as possessing the power of an Earth Elemental, Tremor is capable of controlling many different type of minerals under the ground. He can summon rocks of various sizes, create earthquakes of intense magnitude, and even cover his body with different elements that make up the Earth, ranging from crystals, to precious metals like gold, or even burning lava, expressing immunity towards the heat and burning touch of it. Combined with his immense strength and durability, Tremor is a force to be reckoned with.

Skill Choice Rational:

"Immense strength and durability."

Hitcount(players killed) > 1

Reincarnated in the darkest of all realms, the Netherrealm, Noob Saibot is the very incarnation of evil. Before becoming a wraith, he was once (Bi-Han) The Original Sub-Zero, an assassin among the most powerful of Lin Kuei. As Sub-Zero's name, clothes, and powers would suggest, his character was icy and distant. In all aspects, he was a cold-blooded and violent assassin absolutely dedicated to his clan, the Lin Kuei. While essentially neutral, his soul had become dark and corrupted from years of violence and remorseless killing. Before his story is revealed to the player, the player can make an educated guess on who he was. He disappears after MK, and reappears in MKII reborn as Noob Saibot.

When he died in the first Mortal Kombat tournament at the hands of Scorpion, his soul, corrupted by years of violence, descended to the Netherrealm's Fifth Plane, but was resurrected by Quan Chi. The evil within his soul was released, stripping him of pride, compassion, and everything else that made him a human. He wishes not only to remain in the Netherrealm, but to conquer and rule it. Though he has been seen in the service of conquerors such as Shinnok and Shao Kahn, his ultimate allegiance is himself.


Skill Choice Rational:

"The very incarnation of evil."