List of characters in the Mortal Kombat series

This is a list of characters from the "Mortal Kombat" fighting game series and the games in which they appear. Due to the large number of characters and games in the series, the list is presented in the following table.

Key:
*x - Playable Character
*b - Boss/Sub-Boss
*h - Hidden Character
*c - Cameo appearance/NPC

†In "Mortal Kombat: Deception" and "Mortal Kombat: Unchained" Noob Saibot and Smoke appear as a tag team.

The following relates to changes made for different versions:

*"Mortal Kombat" - Reptile is not in the handheld versions; Johnny Cage is not in the Game Boy version; Kano is not in the Game Gear version.
*"Mortal Kombat II" - Baraka, Johnny Cage, Kung Lao, Noob Saibot and Raiden are not in the handheld versions; Kintaro is not in the Game Boy version.
*"Mortal Kombat 3" - Jax, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Motaro, Nightwolf, Shang Tsung and Stryker are not in the handheld versions; Noob Saibot is not in the Game Boy version.
*"Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3" - Sheeva is not in the 16-bit versions; Noob Saibot and Rain are playable characters in the 16-bit versions.
*"Mortal Kombat Trilogy" - Chameleon, Goro, Kintaro, and the "classic" versions of Jax, Kano, Kung Lao and Raiden are not in the Nintendo 64 version, and Sub-Zero's two versions were consolidated into one character sharing both's powers; Khameleon is not in the PlayStation or Sega Saturn versions.
*"Mortal Kombat 4" - Goro is not in the arcade version. Goro, Jarek, Jax, Johnny Cage, Kai, Meat, Noob Saibot and Sonya are not in the Game Boy Color version.
*"Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance" - Blaze, Bo' Rai Cho, Cyrax, Drahmin, Hsu Hao, Johnny Cage, Mavado, Mokap, Moloch, Nitara, Raiden and Reptile are not in the Game Boy Advance version.
*"Mortal Kombat: Deception" - Goro and Shao Kahn are in the GameCube version only.
*"Mortal Kombat: Armageddon" - Khameleon is in the Wii version only.
*"Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" - Also includes characters from DC Comics universe.

Characters

Ashrah

Making her first appearance in "", Ashrah is actually a demon from the Netherealm, even though she has the appearance of an elegant and humble woman. She was once a member of Quan Chi's Brotherhood of Shadow, which worshiped the fallen Elder God Shinnok. Ashrah's appearance is a blend between aristocracy and innocence.

One day, Ashrah refused to carry out one of Quan Chi's orders. In response, he sent her sister (a fellow member of the Brotherhood of Shadow) to kill her. While escaping her would-be assassin in the Netherealm, she found a holy sword known as a Kriss. As she learned how to wield the blade, slaying Netherealm demons with it, Ashrah began to recognize that the sword progressively cleansed her spirit of evil with each one she killed. She then resolved to liberate herself from her inherent malevolent nature by using the Kriss to eliminate the evil within her. Each demon that she slayed brought her closer to her goal of purification and her eventual expulsion from the Netherrealm, as that dimension cannot sustain anyone with a soul containing such purity. What she didn't know, was that the blade was actually the "Datusha", a mystical vampire-slaying weapon that corrupts its wielder with the false belief that they are using it for a greater purpose in order to continue its genocide against the vampires and (apparently) other demons. She has allied herself with Shujinko and taught him demon slaying techniques in the past. At one time, she came into conflict with Ermac. Mistakenly considering him to be a demon, she attempted to kill him and lost. During the events of "", she searched for Noob Saibot, whom she considers to be a powerful demon, as doing so would enable her to complete her ascension.

Ashrah's bio in "" explains that, after slaying a multitude of demons in the Netherealm, she transcended that plane of hell and emerged in an unfamiliar realm, surrounded by celestial beings of light. The celestial beings made her into their chosen warrior - the wielder of the Kriss who could purify the world, and would ascend into becoming "an angel of light", once she used the weapon to "consume the darkness". After submitting to their will, Ashrah was transported to Vaeternus to start slaying the vampire race, whom she saw as vile beings for their feeding the blood of their prey and spreading their corruption throughout the realms. Ashrah began her quest, slaying numerous vampires. However, she soon was encountered by Nitara, who was warned by her elders of this threat to her realm. Ashrah was defeated by Nitara but then she managed to escape to Edenia, and Ashrah followed her to gain the power of Blaze in order to destroy Nitara and gain ascension. [http://mkarmageddon.com/assets/bios/bio_ashrah.html Ashrah's "Armageddon" bio] . [http://www.mkarmageddon.com/ Official "Mortal Kombat Armageddon" website] . Retrieved on 2007-08-27.]

Blaze

Blaze made his first chronological appearance in "Mortal Kombat II", visible only as a burning figure on a bridge in the Pit II background, fighting a character fans had nicknamed Hornbuckle.Blaze's Bio Card. "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Premium Edition" Bonus Disc, Midway Games, 2006.] cite web | title = MK Fighter of the Wii-k: Blaze | publisher = IGN | date = 2007-05-03 | url = http://media.wii.ign.com/media/845/845775/vids_1.html | accessdate = 2007-05-04 ] Details behind his story were not known until he returned as a secret playable fighter in "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance", where his in-game biography screen reveals that he is an elemental that had been pursuing a quest until he had been attacked on a bridge by an ancient sect. The group of holy men, described as still serving the dead Dragon King, capture Blaze using magic and bound him to the task of protecting the last Great Dragon egg. After the egg hatched (an event shown in Reptile's "Deadly Alliance" ending), Blaze was able to resume his past mission. [ [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mkda/blaze/#ending Blaze's Ending] . "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance", Midway Games, 2002.]

The purpose of this quest, which had previously been left unexplained, was finally divulged in the subsequent releases of ' and '. It is said that Blaze had been created to oversee the strength of all of the fighters in the realms. His creator (shown to be Taven and Daegon's mother Delia in "Armageddon"'s Konquest mode) had prophesied that there would be a time when the fighters' power would become a threat to all of existence itself. When this happened, it was thus Blaze's role to call out and awaken Taven and Daegon from their suspension. However, upon being freed from the egg incubation chamber, Blaze discovered that, in his absence, the power and numbers of these fighters had become too great and that Daegon had already been revived. He sounded the call to awaken Taven. [ [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mkd/blaze/#bio Blaze's Bio] . "Mortal Kombat: Unchained", Midway Games, 2006.] He then enacted the plan to bring all the fighters together into one final battle, where the actions of the two brothers would end up determining their fates and prevent Armageddon. [ [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mkd/blaze/#ending Blaze's Ending] . "Mortal Kombat: Unchained", Midway Games, 2006.] Sensing that something evil from the Netherealm was influencing Daegon, Blaze decided to travel there in order to find its source. [http://mkarmageddon.com/assets/bios/bio_blaze.html Blaze's "Armageddon" bio] . [http://www.mkarmageddon.com/ Official "Mortal Kombat Armageddon" website] . Retrieved on 2007-03-24.]

In "Armageddon"'s Konquest mode, Blaze appears confronting both Taven and Daegon after the former had defeated Scorpion. He informs the two that the quest was not going as planned, and they were not following the guidelines as they were set by his creator. He transports them to Edenia, where the final battle is set to occur and where one of the brothers is destined to defeat Blaze. However, Taven first defeats Daegon, who had become corrupted due to his premature awakening. Blaze then informs Taven that the future of all the realms would then depend on the remaining brother, who needed to defeat him in Mortal Kombat to determine the fate of the rest of the fighters. The Pyramid of Argus then forms in the nearby crater with Blaze waiting atop it for Taven to destroy him.

Blaze's Armageddon ending states that he was enslaved by Onaga's holy men and forced to protect the great dragon egg. His original design has been corrupted by a spell that used to control him until he became unstoppable by defeating the rest of all kombatants. Armageddon began in the Edenian crater and spread throughout the realms, shattering reality until there was nothing.

Daegon

The main villain of "", Daegon is the evil brother of Taven, and the second son of the Edenian protector god Argus and the prophet Delia. Contrary to his appearance, he is actually the younger brother of Taven. When Delia foretold the future of the realms as Armageddon, Argus had his sons put into incubation guarded by two dragons. They would be awakened one day to fight Blaze and save the realms from Armageddon. Daegon awoke prematurely due to an error by his guardian dragon Caro, who momentarily lost mental contact with Blaze and mistakenly believed that to be the signal to release Daegon. Daegon became unbalanced by the early awakening, and confronted his parents about the true nature of the quest. Once he found out what he needed, he killed his parents and formed the Red Dragon Clan. He used the dragon's ability to create portals to transport his clan anywhere they needed to go. In later years, using the DNA of Caro, whom he had imprisoned, he intended to create human-dragon hybrids. The quest required that both brothers take a weapon that was given to them by their father (the Drakeswords) and a gift from their mother (their armor). When Daegon made it to the temple of where the swords were, he took them both.

Daegon and his brother Taven have been put in a contest by their parents. They have been put in a long sleep and were to be awakened by their guardian dragons when the time for the quest to begin will come. Daegon's dragon, Caro, had mistakenly awakened him centuries prematurely. As a result, he became crazed and corrupted. He enlisted the help of Shinnok, who lied to him, telling him that his parents were aiding his brother. Daegon confronted and killed them, and founded the Red Dragon crime organization, which had its main target in finding Blaze and Taven, using Caro to open portals as transportation. When Taven was awakened, Daegon used his Red Dragon troops in an attempt to get rid of his brother. Taven chased Daegon down to the Netherrealm, but left without finding him, because Shinnok lied to him that Daegon had already left the realm. Taven and Daegon eventually reached Edenia, where they fought for the right to contest Blaze. Daegon was defeated by his brother.

However, in Daegon's ending, he defeats Blaze by cheating, killing him when Taven was fighting him. His parents are revealed to be alive feigning death as to draw out the true nature of their sons. Taven, being the noble one, will take Argus' place as Defender of Edenia, while Daegon will be punished severely for the suffering he caused. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/daegon/]

Dairou

He was once a highly respected Seidan guardsman, much like Hotaru, but he was imprisoned when he attacked and killed the man who he was led to believe murdered his family. In "Deception"'s Konquest mode, Dairou is hired to free Shujinko from prison. In the present, he has been hired by Darrius to steal the constitution of Seido and to kill Hotaru. Dairou fails to kill Hotaru given his appearance in "Armageddon".

In Dairou's "" ending, he defeats Blaze and gains a glowing suit of armor. Shao Kahn is enraged and attacks, but Dairou defeats him. He becomes the new ruler of Outworld. Under his rule, Outworld becomes beautiful and majestic like it was before. Convinced of Dairou's peacefulness, Earthrealm and Edenia form an alliance with Outworld that would ensure peace in all the realms. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/dairou/ Dairou's "Armageddon" info] at [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/ Mortal Kombat Warehouse] ]

Darrius

Darrius made his debut appearance in "". A former Seidan Guardsman who became disillusioned with the oppressive nature of Seido, the Realm of Order, Darrius leads a resistance movement which seeks to overthrow Orderrealm's senate. He takes advantage of the strict laws of Orderrealm to manipulate individuals into joining his movement. One tactic is to have a Guardsman's family murdered, who will then retaliate and be expelled from the Guard. They are then ripe for induction into the swelling ranks. Others joined him of their own volition, such as the cleric of Chaos, Havik.

During "Deception", he hires fellow former guardsman Dairou to steal the Seidan government's Declaration of Order, a scroll depicting its laws. It is also speculated that Darrius hired Dairou to kill Hotaru.

Though not explicitly stated, the similarities between Dairou's background and Darrius's method of recruitment seems to imply that he was the one to order the killing of Dairou's family.

In Darrius's "" ending, he defeats Blaze, causing the pyramid to shrink and turn into a ring. Darrius takes the ring, and with it, defeats Hotaru and creates a new world order for Seido. Because the ring was meant for Taven and Daegon, however, Argus sends them to retrieve it and work together to get what Darrius has stolen. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/darrius/ Darrius's "Armageddon" info] at [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/ Mortal Kombat Warehouse] ]

Drahmin

Drahmin made his debut in "" as one of two Oni, demons of the fifth plane of the Netherealm. He wields an iron club mounted on his right arm. The mask he wears is an artifact called the Face of Kun-Lo. Wearing it allows him to control his rage and fight with his disciplined Netherealm style. Removing it causes him to go into Oni style where he loses his focus and attacks with murderous insanity.

Drahmin was not always a demon. Centuries ago, he was a cruel human warlord in Outworld. For his crimes, he was exiled to the Netherealm where his body and soul were to be tortured for all eternity. As the years dragged on, he fell further and further into insanity until his humanity was lost altogether. He eventually accepted his fate and submitted to the power of the Netherealm. He re-emerged from the Netherrealm depths as Drahmin: the Oni Tormentor.

The two Oni known as Moloch and Drahmin are allies. They roamed the 5th plane of the Netherealm in search of damned souls to torment. After many centuries, the two demons came upon a battling Scorpion and Quan Chi. Quan Chi, sorely pressed by Scorpion, pleaded for aid from the Oni. Drahmin and Moloch intervened and drove off Scorpion. Demanding payment for their services, Quan Chi agreed to liberate them from Netherealm. The Oni agreed and led the sorcerer to an ancient structure rumoured to be a gateway to other realms.

Quan Chi studied the ruins and discovered that it was a dormant portal that could be used with Shinnok's amulet, now in his possession. Suddenly, Scorpion attacked again and Quan Chi took advantage of the distraction to activate the portal and escape from the Netherrealm. The portal had not yet closed before all four managed to pass through. The two Oni found themselves in Outworld with Scorpion and Quan Chi nowhere to be seen.

Now free, Drahmin and Moloch began searching for Quan Chi. They scoured the wastelands and killed all they encountered. Before their encounter with Shang Tsung, they encountered the cyborg Cyrax and Li Mei. Both escaped the Oni's clutches. Shang Tsung found the pair after he and Quan Chi had formed the Deadly Alliance. He employed them as a safeguard measure against any treachery from his partner. He kept the Oni hidden beneath his palace and paid the Oni with both mortals to feed upon and the promise of revenge against Quan Chi.

While waiting for their opportunity, the Oni once again encountered Scorpion. This time, the demons overcame the ninja spectre. Knowing that they themselves were unable to devour the spectre, they instead disposed of him by throwing him into the Soulnado.

In ""'s Konquest Mode, Drahmin is once again in the Netherrealm. While it is unknown how he was sent back there, it is revealed that he spent the next few years wandering aimlessly throughout the Netherrealm Cliffs and feasting on any demons he encountered. Taven then came across him, they fought and Taven won.

In his "Armageddon" ending, the power of the gods gets infused into Drahmin's mask, which then causes him to grow three times his normal size. He then turns on Moloch, after which the game states that his bloodlust has only just begun. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/drahmin/ Drahmin's "Armageddon" info] at [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/ Mortal Kombat Warehouse] ]

Frost

After Sub-Zero became Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei clan, he held a tournament in order to recruit strong warriors. The victor was Frost, whose exceptional skills impressed him. Breaking Lin Kuei tradition, Sub-Zero took her as his protegé and trained her personally. With his assistance, her ability to focus her freezing power increased. However, as her skills grew, so did her arrogance. Sub-Zero was unable to teach her humility.

When Raiden requested Sub-Zero's assistance in defeating the Deadly Alliance, Frost's training was cut short. Sub-Zero brought her along with him for assistance, hoping at the same time she would attain perspective and enlightenment through the experience of actual battle. After meeting with the other Earthrealm warriors (one of which was Sonya, who did not get along with Frost), she accompanied Sub-Zero into Outworld. It is revealed in the MK Deadly Alliance Konquest mode, that Sonya had a brief fight with Frost in which it seems Frost would have lost had the fight not been stopped by the other fellow warriors. It seems Sonya never trusted Frost and was suspicious of her intentions in addition to the fact that she despised the arrogance of the new Lin Kuei warrior.

Once there, her true intentions for joining the Lin Kuei became apparent. Desiring to become Grand Master of the clan herself, she immobilized Sub-Zero with a freezing blast and tore the Dragon Medallion (an artifact which enhanced Sub-Zero's abilities, as well as the symbol of Lin Kuei leadership) from his chest. Without the strength and discipline required to control the medallion's power, she was consumed by her own freezing ability, seemingly killing her.

Seemingly forgiving her for her betrayal, Sub-Zero searched for a suitable place to bury her remains. He discovered the ancient ruins of a holy structure erected by the long-lost race of Cryomancers. After careful study of the building, Sub-Zero came to believe that both he and Frost were their descendants and laid her body to rest in a sarcophagus before leaving.

However, during the events of "", Frost awoke some time after Sub-Zero's departure, miraculously alive after all. Realizing she was still in Outworld and that Sub-Zero had left her for dead, she swore to make him pay. [Mortal Kombat Online Report from E3 [http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=759] .] Frost then returned to the Lin Kuei temple, hearing Sub-Zero was still in Outworld and hoping to kill him. Later, she entered a state of delirium, seeing Sub-Zero everywhere. Frost dispatched many Lin Kuei members while in this state until Sub-Zero returned. He deep froze Frost into an ice coffin and placed her in the chamber of the fallen Lin Kuei, sealing it later with an ice wall. Later, as the events of "Armageddon" begin, Taven revived her from her ice coffin. Frost, still seeing Sub-Zero everywhere, attacked him, but was still defeated by Taven. After the fight, she realized Taven is not Sub-Zero, and left the chamber to parts unknown.

Fujin

Fujin made his first chronological appearance in the spin-off game "Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub Zero". He appeared here as one of the four guardians assigned by Raiden to protect Shinnok's amulet [cite web | url = http://mythologies.dragondata.com/MKM.html | title = Official "Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero" Site | publisher = Midway Games | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/19981201035009/http://mythologies.dragondata.com/MKM.html | archivedate = 1998-12-01] and was the first of the gods that the elder Sub-Zero bested in order to acquire it (he is seen being torn asunder by his own tornado, but survived the ordeal).cite book | last = Roberts | first = Nick | title = Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero Official Game Secrets | publisher = Prima Games | date = 1997 | isbn = 0-7615-1215-2 ]

He would remain inactive until the events of "Mortal Kombat 4", being one of the few remaining Earthrealm gods not destroyed by Shinnok. He joined Raiden in his battle against his old enemy, assisting the Earthrealm forces in emerging victorious. [ [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mk4/fujin/#bio Fujin's Bio] . "Mortal Kombat 4", Midway Games, 1997.] After Shinnok's defeat, Fujin consulted with the Elder Gods. They revealed to him that he had a new task. Raiden appeared before him and informed him of his own impending ascension to the pantheon of Elder Gods. Earthrealm would be in need of a new protector and Fujin was the one Raiden had chosen. Fujin accepted the position and promised Raiden that he would not fail him. [ [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mk4/fujin/#ending Fujin's Ending] . "Mortal Kombat 4", Midway Games, 1997.]

During the time of "", Fujin became aware of a stark change in Raiden. He saw that the thunder god, while still seeking to protect Earthrealm, had grown to be ruthless. Raiden was now commanding the reanimated corpse of Liu Kang, who was killing many innocent people for unknown reasons. Fujin allied with Kung Lao in hopes that they could possibly find a way to save both Raiden and Liu Kang. From Kung Lao he learned of Johnny Cage's gathering of the Forces of Light and the mention of the brothers Taven and Daegon. It is revealed that Fujin had been a friend of their family for ages, and that he had questioned their father Argus when the two disappeared. He realizes that Argus placed them on a quest, but now this quest was becoming corrupted by evil. Fujin then goes to search for both brothers, hoping to prevent their progress and learn the true purpose of their quest. [http://mkarmageddon.com/assets/bios/bio_fujin.html Fujin's "Armageddon" bio] . [http://www.mkarmageddon.com/ Official "Mortal Kombat Armageddon" website] . Retrieved on 2007-01-23.]

Fujin reappears in "Armageddon"'s Konquest mode, confronting Taven outside of the Red Dragon Clan's headquarters. He urges him not to enter, even if that means he will have to fight Taven to stop him. [Taven: "The Red Dragon have attacked me twice. I'd like to know the reason and I'm not leaving until I find it!" // Fujin: "Such ignorance! I will stop you - by force if necessary." Konquest mode. "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon", Midway Games, 2006.] They do battle, but in the end Taven emerges victorious, allowing him to continue his journey but feeling regret at having had to do this to a friend.

Fujin appears in the official "Mortal Kombat 4" comic that was distributed with some versions of the game. Fujin met Liu Kang and Kai after he fell from the heavens while defending the Elder Gods' eternal palace. Finding him in a crater surrounded by demons, the two monks begin an attack in an attempt to protect the fallen god until Raiden appears and takes out the remaining demons with lightning. Afterwards, Raiden reveals that these demons were servants of Shinnok. Fujin and Raiden then return to the palace to continue battling Shinnok's forces. [Comic book reference | title= Mortal Kombat 4 Limited Edition Comic Book. | date=1998, | publisher= Midway Games]

Havik

Hailing from Chaosrealm, Havik is a cleric of Chaos. Neither good nor evil, his ambitions are to spread discord and he will ally himself with those who can seek to further his ends, regardless of their goals. He is known to be a frequent troublemaker in Seido (the realm of Order), where he has formed an alliance with the revolutionary Darrius, and is heralded as a hero by the populace of the Chaosrealm. He opposes the Dragon King, Onaga, who rules by order.

Seeing Onaga's return and plans to unite the Kamidogu as a possible threat to the "never ending turmoil of life", Havik made his way to put a halt to the schemes of the Dragon King. Along the way, he encountered a severely wounded Kabal, who had just been defeated by the Red Dragon Mavado. Healing Kabal's injuries, Havik manages to convince Kabal to restore the former glory that the Black Dragon clan once possessed in the name of anomie. He did this in order to promote chaos in Earthrealm.

Havik, along with Kabal and his new Black Dragon recruits, Kira and Kobra, ventured into Outworld. There, Havik revealed his plans: lure the heroes into a battle with Onaga, and, once the Dragon King had been defeated, take down or distract the victors of the battle long enough so that Havik could consume Onaga's heart. This would grant him Onaga's ability to resurrect the dead. Havik lured the heroes to the Dragon King as planned and thus put his schemes into motion.

Hotaru

At one point, Hotaru had ventured into Outworld to confront Shao Kahn's Tarkatan armies laying siege to the walled city of Lei Chen. Years later, however, those same forces would be under the command of Onaga (the Dragon King). Believing that this newly resurrected ruler would bring order to the universe, he helps Onaga's hordes in their attacks and pursues those who would stand against them, such as Sub-Zero. At the time of "Deception", Hotaru has set out to bring the Lin Kuei Grandmaster to justice before Onaga.

He is, however, unaware that a bounty has been placed on his own head. In the past, Hotaru had served as a guardsman for Dairou while he was incarcerated. Dairou now is under contract to murder Hotaru.

In Hotaru's "" ending, he defeats Blaze and becomes the very essence of Order. He then converts the realms into an orderly existence, making people bow to him or be transformed. He transforms Havik into his second-in-command. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/hotaru/ Hotaru's "Armageddon" info] at [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/ Mortal Kombat Warehouse] ]

Hsu Hao

For the events on Earthrealm leading up to "", Hsu Hao is of prime importance. Mavado orders him to act as a Chinese Secret Militant for the Special Forces and aid them in completely destroying the Black Dragon clan. Hsu Hao carries out his instructions without question and helps the U.S. Special Forces for years until the entire Black Dragon clan is seemingly eradicated, after the death of Jarek. Hsu Hao is called back to the Red Dragon headquarters at Charred Mountain but later receives orders from Mavado to stay within the Special Forces HQ. He is then instructed to destroy their underground base and with it, their only means of inter-realm travel. He arms a miniature nuclear weapon and just escapes through the portal before it blows up.

As a result of his betrayal, his former superior at the Special Forces, Jax, who just barely escapes with his life, has a score to settle with him. After Mavado captures and imprisons Kano, Mavado sends Hsu Hao to kill Shang Tsung under orders from Quan Chi. On his way to Tsung's palace he is cornered and killed when Jax rips out his artificial heart.

Jarek

Jarek made his first chronological appearance in "". Kano freed him and other Black Dragon members from a United States Special Forces detention facility. Kano had proposed to reform the Black Dragon clan, but in reality merely wished to use them to slow down any Special Forces agents who may have followed him. Jarek was stationed as head of security at a downtown office which the clan was using as a front for their activities."Kano's student and head of security for the office building." Messages – Jarek. "Mortal Kombat: Special Forces", Midway Games, 2000.] While there, he was confronted by Major Jackson Briggs on the building's helipad. Jarek was soon defeated and brought back into custody.

Shortly before the events of "Mortal Kombat 4", Jarek was able to escape to Edenia after learning of Kano's apparent death. Now thought to be the last surviving member of the Black Dragon, he was pursued by Sonya Blade and Jax who were seeking to destroy the last remnants of the clan forever. However, seeing that all of humanity was faced the threat of Shinnok's invasion during this period, they decided to focus their attention on the new threat, and Jarek agreed to help his sworn enemies defeat this common foe. [ [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mk4/jarek/#bio Jarek's Bio] . "Mortal Kombat 4", Midway Games, 1997.] After the destruction of Shinnok's forces, he resisted allowing himself to be turned over to the Special Forces. The encounter concluded with Jarek being dropped off a cliff by Jax. [ [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mk4/jax/#ending Jax's Ending] . "Mortal Kombat 4", Midway Games, 1997.]

"" reveals that he survived this brush with death by driving his weapon into the ravine side, slowing down his fall enough so that he only ended up gravely injured. Using his presumed demise as a cover, Jarek went into hiding and began to master new fatality techniques in order to exact revenge on his adversaries. However, he became frustrated with the difficulties that his injuries befell him, and soon he wished to do nothing more than to kill everyone. Quan Chi found Jarek and promised him that, in return for aiding the side of the Forces of Darkness, the sorcerer would give him the ability to enhance the strength and capabilities of his fatalities, and he would be given a chance to challenge all of his foes at once. Jarek agreed and headed into Edenia to take part in the final battle. [http://mkarmageddon.com/assets/bios/bio_jarek.html Jarek's "Armageddon" bio] . [http://www.mkarmageddon.com/ Official "Mortal Kombat Armageddon" website] . Retrieved on 2007-02-26.]

Kai

His biography screen tells that Kai is former member of the secretive White Lotus Society. He had learned his skills from the great masters throughout Asia. He met Liu Kang who happened to be in America at the time, recruiting to train a new generation of Shaolin warriors. During the events of "Mortal Kombat 4", Kai went with Liu Kang to China to become a Shaolin warrior. This was however interrupted with the invasion of Shinnok and his dark legion into Edenia. Liu Kang and Kai then joined the other Earth warriors in Edenia to assist Raiden in his battle against Shinnok. [ [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mk4/kai/#bio Kai's Bio] . "Mortal Kombat 4", Midway Games, 1997.] After Shinnok was beaten, Kai decided to wander the Earth on a quest for self-enlightenment.

In Kai's "" ending, he defeats Blaze and then becomes linked with the One Being, allowing him to see through time. He sees all of the events in the past that led up to the final battle at the Pyramid of Argus. But when he looks into the future, he sees nothing. It is implied that after Kai defeated Blaze, Armageddon began of its own accord. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/kai/#ending Kai's Ending] . "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon", Midway Games, 2006.]

Kai appears in the official "Mortal Kombat 4" comic that was distributed with some versions of the game. He is first seen training with Liu Kang. Their activities are interrupted when they witness an object fall from the sky. Investigating where it landed, they discover Fujin in a crater surrounded by demons. The two are able to rescue the god and soon learn from Raiden that these were servants of Shinnok. After Kai and Liu Kang join with the other Earthrealm warriors, they all travel to Edenia to stop Shinnok's plan. [Comic book reference | title= Mortal Kombat 4 Limited Edition Comic Book. | date=1998, | publisher= Midway Games]

Kira

In the mountains of Afghanistan, Kira had disguised herself as a man, and sold weapons to terrorist organizations. During one such transaction in a cave, her gender was revealed, and she had no choice but to fight her way out. Emerging victorious, she encountered Kabal, who had been waiting outside to behold the victor. He had decided to reconstitute the Black Dragon, and observing how Kira conducted herself in executing her misdeeds in a cold and calculated fashion, he was reminded of the Red Dragon, the organization from which the Black Dragon split. Since the Black Dragon did not have this presence, Kabal offered to make Kira his first recruit. Accepting, Kira devoted herself to her new organization. She then went with Kabal to New York City to recruit Kobra.

Li Mei

Li Mei's village was forced into slavery to help construct Shang Tsung's palace around the Soulnado, which had been a long-time legend of her people. In attacking Kano, however, she gained the attention of Quan Chi, who promised her freedom if she could win a tournament. Around this time she befriended an old warrior among her enslaved villagers; the supposed "Champion of the Elder Gods" Shujinko, captured by Kano during his 40 year quest for the Kamidogu. Shujinko offered to train her even though he felt that her chances in the Deadly Alliance's "tournament" were slim. She later journeyed to a nearby forest were she was attacked by Moloch and Drahmin. She escaped through the trees as Shang Tsung came and formed an alliance with the Oni.

In "", Li Mei returned (most of the newly-introduced fighters did not). Though her ending in "Deadly Alliance" depicted her winning Quan Chi's tournament, and "winning" the right to be imprisoned forever in one of the Dragon King's soldiers' bodies, "Deception" had Bo' Rai Cho rescuing her from this fate. However, he was apparently only partially successful, and Li Mei took on some of the aspects of one of these ancient warriors, which explains why she turned on her fellow kombatants in her ending from Mortal Kombat: Deception.

In ""'s Konquest mode, Li Mei is seen fighting Shinnok in the Netherealm. She begins to gain the upper hand on him until Taven (who is unaware that Shinnok turned evil) appears and demands that she gets away from "Lord Shinnok". Li Mei attempts to attack Taven for interfering, but is defeated and flees. Shinnok later reveals that this was all created as a test for Taven, thus making it unclear if this was the real Li Mei.

Mokap

Originally introduced in "" as a secret character, Mokap is described as being a motion capture actor with a vast knowledge of martial arts and fighting styles. Although he is introduced somewhat as a joke character, he is indeed being treated as a legitimate figure in the canon plot. Mokap has been involved with the events of the last few games, although the circumstances as to how and why are very mysterious and vague. He seems to continually find himself inexplicably transported to and wrapped up in the battles that have transpired, simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mokap's name is short for motion capture (with the "C" being replaced by a "K" as per Mortal Kombat tradition), as in the devices used by the actors to capture the movements of characters in the game. The character had been added late in "Deadly Alliance"'s development, so he lacked many character-specific features such as his own fighting styles, a weapon stance, and a fatality. [cite web | title= MK:DA Dev. Team Fight Night Chat | publisher = [http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/ Mortal Kombat Online] | date=2002-12-13 | url= http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/kom/transcripts/MKDATEAM_12-13-2002.txt | accessdate=2007-01-28] Mokap is a tribute to Carlos Pesina, the actor who played Raiden in "Mortal Kombat", "Mortal Kombat II", and "Mortal Kombat Trilogy".Mokap's Bio Card. "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Premium Edition" Bonus Disc, Midway Games, 2006.]

Mokap's "Deadly Alliance" bio reveals that he is a former martial arts teacher on the North side of Chicago. One day he was called upon by Johnny Cage to do some motion capture work for his new movie "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance", and he became the primary martial arts talent for motion capture in this film. Mokap was flown to Hollywood to begin his first session, which consisted mainly of the Crane and Snake styles (although none of these martial arts have been used by Mokap in the games that he appeared; concidentally enough, both styles are used by Shang Tsung in "Deadly Alliance"). [ [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mkda/mokap/#bio Mokap's Bio] . "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance", Midway Games, 2002.]

It is unknown how Mokap participated in the events of "Deadly Alliance". Although he fought on the side of good, he did not appear to have any effect on the outcome of the battle. Some time after this, Mokap gained some telekinetic powers, although the source of these powers was not explained. Mokap returned in "", again fighting for the side of Earthrealm and for his life.

In Mokap's "Armageddon" ending, he defeats Blaze and causes an explosion which kills himself and the rest of the fighters. Mokap becomes a constellation, and he remains a figure taught in Edenian history as the Earthrealm warrior who saved all the realms from Armageddon. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/mokap/#ending Mokap's Ending] . "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon", Midway Games, 2006.]

Moloch

Moloch is the only known ally of his Oni counterpart, Drahmin. Unlike Drahmin however, distorted and consumed by rage as he may be, Moloch has most likely always been a demon from the Netherrealm. The sorcerer Quan Chi confronted Moloch and Drahmin with an offer to free them from the Netherrealm if they protected him from the ninja spectre Scorpion. It was no surprise to Moloch that Drahmin accepted the offer and so they smashed Scorpion whenever he came near Quan Chi. As the two oni were combatting Scorpion, Quan Chi escaped from the dark realm without them. Enraged, Moloch and Drahmin followed Quan Chi through the portal but were transported to a different location than the sorcerer.

The Oni encountered the cyborg Cyrax in Outworld but were forced to flee from his bombs. Eventually, they took refuge in a forest and fed on those who wandered too close to its borders. Li Mei came too close to the forest, but escaped through the trees. After that, they were enlisted by Shang Tsung and held in the basement of his palace as an insurance policy should Quan Chi turn on him. Eventually, Moloch and Drahmin were set free. Instead of confronting Quan Chi, they ironically protected him by defeating Scorpion and hurling him into the Soulnado.

In "" Moloch is shown to be a bit smaller or rather less bulky than he was in "Deadly Alliance". Also, it is worth noting that he was not carrying his trademark Mystical Orb (aka Ball and Chain) despite the chain still being wrapped around his arm. Originally, it was believed this would mean the Orb would be his weapon fighting style in the game, but it's since been shown he only has one fighting style, leaving the mystery of why the Orb is missing unanswered. However, the Orb does appear in his hand during some of his special moves and his versus screen picture.

In his "Armageddon" ending, Moloch defeats Blaze and absorbs his power, transforming him into a Destroyer of Worlds. He then destroys Argus' pyramid and later destroys Edenia and turns it into a wasteland. But because he had destroyed the portal, he was stuck in Edenia, a victim of his own destructive rage. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/moloch/ Moloch's "Armageddon" info] at [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/ Mortal Kombat Warehouse] ]

Tanya

Tanya is a slender, gloomy female from Edenia. Originally introduced as relatively innocent, she quickly turned out to be corrupted by evil, as evidenced in her adherence to the worshipping of Shinnok and her later service to both the Deadly Alliance and Onaga. She seems to view herself as more of a survivor rather than anything else, justifying her choices as being the "right decisions". Tanya is one of the few lady henchmen from the "Mortal Kombat" series, and prides herself on her superior knowledge of dark magic and diplomacy. Because of her frequent betrayal of the Edenian cause, she has earned the rivalry and bitter hatred of Jade.

It is unknown when Tanya fell to the lure of the dark side of existence. Possible explanations may have been her youth under the harsh regime of Shao Kahn, when Outworld and Edenia were still merged, or her attraction to the forbidden areas of magic, which led her to make contact with Shinnok. Her upbringing on Outworld may also explain her total lack of affinity with her native realm Edenia.

At any rate, Tanya first appeared on the stage during the events of "Mortal Kombat 4". As the daughter of Edenia's ambassador to new realms, she invited a group of refugees fleeing their own world into the peaceful realm of Edenia. However, the refugees were in actuality a disguised Shinnok, along with Quan Chi, and their Netherealm forces. Thanks to Tanya's treachery, Shinnok was free to wage war against the gods. During this time, she attempted to lure Liu Kang into a trap, but the attempt did not succeed, and Shinnok's power base was soon destroyed. With her master gone, and herself a wanted traitor in Edenia (having earned in particular the wrath of Jade), Tanya fled to Outworld.

Years later, Tanya resurfaced in the Deadly Alliance's ranks as an enforcer (although she preferred the term "ambassador" and was not a playable character in the game). She imposed Shang Tsung and Quan Chi's will upon the denizens of Outworld. But when the Deadly Alliance crumbled, Tanya found herself alone once more, and desired to return to Edenia. She was found, however, by Baraka, who gave her the choice of serving the newly resurrected Onaga or dying. She joined the ranks of the Dragon King, who was searching for ancient incantations that would enable him to fuse the Kamidogu into one, and thus acquire incredible power. Believing that such information still existed in Edenia, Tanya brought Onaga to her native realm.

Tanya was for a time mistaken to be a "clone" of Jade, just like Mileena is a clone of Kitana. In development stage of "MK4", the development team did intend Kitana to be a playable character, but the decision was made to add a new face instead (Kitana would, however, be accessible through third-party devices, and officially reappear in "Mortal Kombat Gold"). Her name comes from Ed Boon's sister, Tania.

Tanya could be considered to be the single most untrustworthy character in the series. She has betrayed both Kitana and Queen Sindel, her own homeworld of Edenia, her "MK4" ending depicts her as betraying Liu Kang, following this she betrays Quan Chi and Shinnok (evidenced by her being with Onaga in "Deception"), and her "Deception" ending depicts her as betraying Onaga as well as betraying Shujinko in Konquest mode. Her alignment as being evil was hard to distinguish when she first debuted in "Mortal Kombat 4", as her profile seemed to suggest that she "herself" was a victim of treachery. Her ending in "MK4" (which never occurred canonically) demonstrates her alignment of evil, and reveals that she did in fact know the true nature of the refugees she accepted.

Taven

Taven made his first appearance in "" as the game's hero, featured as the main character in the game's Konquest mode. He is a half-god and the oldest son of Argus, the Protector of Edenia, and Delia, a powerful sorceress who has the ability to see into the future. He also has the ability to control fire, much like his brother Daegon.

The Konquest Mode in "Armageddon" revolves around a contest between Taven and his brother Daegon set by their father to save the realms from Armageddon. They are sent to Earthrealm and are kept in incubation by two dragons, Caro and Orin, until Blaze calls for them to be awakened and the quest to begin. Their task is to find and defeat Blaze. The victor would succeed his father's place, becoming a full god and Protector of Edenia. He would also decide the fate of the rest of the kombatants.

When Taven is released by his dragon, Orin, he finds that his brother, Daegon, had been prematurely awakened centuries ago. Taven soon discovers that his brother had become corrupted during this time. Daegon's dragon, Caro, reveals to Taven that Daegon killed their parents and formed the Red Dragon clan in order to locate Blaze sooner, as well as to eliminate the competition: his own brother.

Eventually, Taven confronts Daegon in battle on the edge of the crater that Armageddon is said to begin in. Taven emerges victorious, defeating his brother. The Pyramid of Argus then rises from the ground nearby. Fighting his way to the top, Taven finally reaches the end of his quest to save the realms and decide the fate of the other fighters. Not knowing if his victory would disarm the rest of the combatants or kill them all, Taven manages to defeat Blaze in Mortal Kombat. In the end, however, because Blaze's design had been corrupted long ago by Onaga's holy men, his victory over Blaze does neither of the above, instead actually "increasing" the powers of the kombatants below, potentially exacerbating the onset of Armageddon. As a result, Taven will make it his duty as a new god to delay Armageddon until a solution can be found. [http://mortalkombatwarehouse.com/mka/taven/ Taven's "Armageddon" info] at [http://www.mortalkombatwarehouse.com/ Mortal Kombat Warehouse] ]

ee also

List of minor Mortal Kombat characters

References