Comprehensive list of Mortal Kombat characters: Roles and personalities explained

Comprehensive list of Mortal Kombat characters: Roles and personalities explained

Are you a fan of video games? If so, you're likely familiar with the thrilling fighting game Mortal Kombat by NetherRealm Studios. It is known for its intense combat, memorable characters, and signature fatalities that have become legendary among gamers. But aside from its gameplay, what else do you know about the media franchise? Discover the Mortal Kombat characters, roles and personalities.

Mortal Kombat characters
Scorpion, Liu Kang and Lord Raiden on the cover of various Mortal Kombat games. Photo: @finalround_ on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Mortal Kombat is a fighting game developed by Midway Games and released in 1992. The game has resulted in the development of a franchise that has become a cornerstone of the fighting game genre. The Mortal Kombat franchise has expanded beyond video games into a multi-media phenomenon.

Mortal Kombat characters

Mortal Kombat franchise characters are known for their unique abilities and diverse backgrounds. The game introduced players to fighters like Baraka, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kano, Liu Kang, Goro, Jade, Jax, and Johnny Cage.

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Original Mortal Kombat game characters

The original Mortal Kombat game characters, released in 1992, included ten characters, seven (Johnny Cage, Kano, Raiden, Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sonya Blade and Sub-Zero) of which are playable. Here are all the original ten characters, their roles, and personalities.

Johnny Cage

Mortal Kombat characters
Johnny Cage from MK 11. Photo: @TQT1995 on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Jonathan "John" Carlton is an action movie star and martial artist from Earthrealm. He is known for his charismatic, arrogant and self-obsessed personality. Johnny Cage is strong and agile, and his signature moves include a projectile energy blast, a shadow kick, and the split punch.

Kano

Mortal Kombat characters
Kano from Mortal Kombat 11. Photo: @MortalKombat, @kanowinsmk on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Kano is a Black Dragon clan member known for his ruthless, greedy, treacherous nature. He is often depicted as a mercenary or a criminal known for his brutal fighting style and lack of empathy. Kano has a sarcastic, cowardly and criminal personality.

Raiden

Mortal Kombat characters
Lord Raiden holds his weapon of choice (L). Raiden shows his power and control over lightning and thunder (R). Photo: @MortalKombat, @MortalKombatBrasilMKB on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Raiden is the eternal god of thunder and the former protector of Earthrealm. He is wise, serious, and highly responsible. Raiden carries the heavy burden of defending Earthrealm from threats. Being a god, he possesses many supernatural abilities.

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Liu Kang

Mortal Kombat characters
Lui Kang on the KM game and cover art. Photo: @MortalKombat, @LudiLinActor on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Liu Kang is a former Shaolin monk and the undisputed champion of the Mortal Kombat Tournament. He is the eternal god of fire, protector of Earthrealm, and the current keeper of time. Liu Kang has a dedicated and courageous personality.

Scorpion

Mortal Kombat characters
Scorpion cover art from Mortal Kombat X. Photo: @Scorpion Mortal Kombat X, @MortalKombatScorpion on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Scorpion, real name Hanzo Hasashi, is a mortal Japanese warrior. Initially from Earthrealm, he becomes a spectre from Netherrealm after his death. Scorpion is defined by his quest to avenge the deaths of himself, his family, and his clan. He is known for his vengeance, determination, nobility, compassion, honour and loyalty.

Sonya Blade

Sonya Blade is among the top Mortal Kombat female characters. An agent of Special Forces, she debuted in the original 1992 game as the roster's sole female fighter. Sonya joins the Mortal Kombat tournament in pursuit of her nemesis, Kano. Sonya is known for being an emancipated and headstrong woman.

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Sub-Zero

Mortal Kombat characters
Sub-Zero displays his ice power (L) and (R) his cover art from Mortal Kombat 11. Photo: @Sub-Zero mk, @MortalKombat on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Sub-Zero, real name Kuai Liang, is a selfless warrior and member of the Lin Kuei clan of ninjas. He can control ice. Sub-Zero has an older brother known as Bi-Han, who was also a Sub-Zero before Scorpion killed him and became the wraith, Noob Saibot.

Goro

Mortal Kombat characters
Goro from the Mortal Kombat franchise cover art. Photo: @Toonyforyou4ever, @cosmiccomicssa on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Goro is a half-human, half-dragon beast, a member of the four-armed Shokan race. He is a non-playable character who serves as the sub-boss of the game. Goro is much stronger than the other characters and cannot be affected by throw attacks. He represents the Outworld as a mighty and brutal warrior.

Reptile

Reptile is a member of the Saurian race from the realm of Zaterra. He is a non-playable secret character. Reptile is one of the few survivors of his kind after Shao Kahn conquered his world. He has since served the Outworld emperor as a spy and assassin.

Shang Tsung

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Mortal Kombat characters
Shang Tsung, the powerful sorcerer and shapeshifter, cover art. Photo: @MortalKombat on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Shang Tsung is a non-playable character and the final boss of the game. He is a powerful, deadly sorcerer and primary villain in the Mortal Kombat series. Shang Tsung is a demonic shapeshifter who needs to consume souls to sustain his health and life.

Mortal Kombat 11 characters

How many fighters are in Mortal Kombat 11? It has 37 characters comprising combatants from the franchise and some new faces from movies and comics. They include:

KombatantGenderOriginSpecies
CetrionFemaleHeavensElder god
Jacqui BriggsFemaleEarthrealmHuman
Liu KangMaleEarthrealmHuman
The Joker MaleDC Universe Human
FujinMaleHeavengod
SheevaFemaleOutworldShokan
KabalMaleEarthrealmHuman
GerasMaleKronika's KeepArtificial construct
SpawnMaleImage UniverseImmortal Hellspawn
KanoMaleEarthrealmHuman
Shang TsungMaleEarthrealmHuman
Noob SaibotMaleNetherrealmWraith
Sub-ZeroMaleEarthrealmCryomancer
Cassie CageFemaleEarthrealmHuman
KollectorMaleOutworldNaknada
Kotal KahnMaleZ'Unkahrah, OutworldOsh-Tek
Kung LaoMaleEarthrealmHuman
Johnny CageMaleEarthrealmHuman
JadeFemaleEdeniaEdenian/Revenant
SindelFemaleEdeniaEdenian/Revenant
D'vorahFemaleArnyek IslandsKytinn
Erron BlackMaleEarthrealmHuman
ScorpionMaleNetherrealmSpectre
The TerminatorMaleTerminator franchiseModel T-800
Jax BriggsMaleEarthrealmHuman
RaidenMaleHeavensgod
Sonya BladeFemaleEarthrealmHuman
FrostFemaleEarthrealmCryomancer
RainMaleEdeniaDemi-God

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MileenaFemaleOutworldHalf-Tarkatan, Half-Edenian
RamboMaleRambo franchiseHuman
BarakaMaleOutworldTarkatan
NightwolfMaleEarthrealmHuman
KitanaFemaleEdeniaEdenian
SkarletFemaleOutworldGenetic experiment
RobocopMaleRoboCop franchiseCyborg
Shao KahnMaleOutworldgod

Who is the strongest character in Mortal Kombat?

According to CBR, the One Being is considered the most powerful character in the Mortal Kombat universe. However, it has never appeared as a villain or playable character in games.

It's important to note that the power levels can vary depending on the context and the specific storyline. For example, in the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie, Raiden is depicted as the most powerful character.

Who is the best Mortal Kombat character?

It is challenging to settle on one character as being the strongest because they all have different abilities. According to Screen Rant, Kronika is the most powerful combatant. The Gamer ranks Raiden as the most powerful fighter, and WatchMojo lists Noob Saibot as the most powerful Mortal Kombat character in the franchise.

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How many total MK characters are there?

There are a total of 77 playable fighters. However, all Mortal Kombat characters are an estimated 101 when considering unplayable bosses and guests.

Mortal Kombat characters have unique abilities and backstories. Some of the most iconic characters are Johnny Cage, Kano, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sonya Blade and Sub-Zero. These characters have become staples of the franchise, appearing in numerous games, movies, and TV shows.

Yen.com.gh published about the LazyTown cast then and now. LazyTown is an English-language Icelandic children's television series created by aerobics champion Magnús Scheving.

The show was designed to encourage healthy lifestyles. The series show combines live-action, puppetry, and computer-generated imagery. However, since its debut, the show has seen many characters come and go. So, who are the LazyTown cast then and now?

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Chris Ndetei avatar

Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a junior reporter writer who joined the Yen team in May 2021. He graduated from the Machakos Technical College in 2009 with a diploma in ICT. Chris has over two years of experience in content creation and more than ten working in the hospitality industry. He covers lifestyle/entertainment, focusing on biographies, life hacks, gaming and guides. In 2023, Christopher finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach him at chrisndetei@gmail.com