You've just clutched the final round against a sweat in Kombat League. The screen turns dark. The narrator’s voice booms, "FINISH HIM!" This is the moment. But honestly, if you’re still mashing buttons hoping for a miracle, you’re missing half the fun. Mortal Kombat 1 fatalities aren't just about gore anymore; they are the cinematic punctuation to Liu Kang’s new timeline.
Finding the right inputs for all Mortal Kombat 1 fatalities is kinda like learning a secret language. The game tells you the first one, but the second? That’s locked behind a mastery grind that, frankly, nobody has time for. You don’t actually have to unlock them to use them, though. If you know the code, you can rip a spine right now.
The Hidden Nature of Second Fatalities
Most players think they have to hit Rank 14 in Character Mastery to see a fighter's second finisher. That is a total myth. While the "Move List" won't show the buttons until you grind those levels, the game engine doesn't care. As long as you stand at the right distance and press the right sequence, the animation triggers. It’s a bit of a throwback to the arcade days when you had to write codes on a gum wrapper.
🔗 Read more: Why Everyone Is Still Trying to Download Pokemon Omega Fire Red in 2026
Sentences vary. Some are short. Like this. Others go on for quite a while because explaining the nuance of "Mid" versus "Close" distance actually requires a bit of spatial awareness that most gamers ignore until they whiff a Fatality and end up doing a pathetic standing kick instead.
Basically, "Close" means you’re touching them. "Mid" is about two jump-lengths away. "Far" is basically the other side of the screen. Get these wrong, and you just look silly.
The Full Roster: Every Input You Need
Let’s get into the actual moves. I’ve lived through these inputs, and trust me, some are way pickier than others.
Liu Kang
His first, "Double Dragon," is a classic "Close" range move: Down, Forward, Back, Back Kick. If you want the more elaborate "Spaghettification" (which is as weird as it sounds), stay "Close" and hit Back, Forward, Back, Front Kick.
Sub-Zero
Bi-Han is brutal in this game. His "Hairline Fracture" works from Anywhere on the screen: Forward, Down, Down, Back Punch. His hidden one, "Brain Freeze," requires you to be "Close" and input Forward, Back, Down, Back Kick.
Scorpion
Hanzo? No, it’s Kuai Liang now. "Eye-Palling Victory" is a "Mid" range staple: Down, Forward, Back, Block. His second one is called "Killer Klones from Netherrealm," and it’s a "Mid" range beauty: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch.
Johnny Cage
Johnny is all about the ego. "Hollywood Walk of Pain" is "Close": Forward, Back, Down, Back Punch. His second, "Krash and Burn," is a "Mid" range spectacle: Forward, Down, Back, Back Kick.
Reptile
Syzoth is finally a hunk again. "Indigestion" is "Mid": Forward, Back, Down, Back Kick. The second one, "Acid Reflux," is also "Mid": Forward, Down, Back, Front Kick.
📖 Related: Path of Exile 2: Why Everything You Thought You Knew About ARPGs Is Wrong
The Guest Characters and DLC Madness
The Kombat Pack changed the game. Peacemaker, Omni-Man, and Homelander brought a completely different energy to the finishers.
Omni-Man
His "Trained Killer" is a "Close" range tribute to the show: Down, Down, Back, Back Kick. His second, where he uses a subway train (it's traumatizing, honestly), is "Mid": Down, Forward, Back, Front Kick.
Homelander
The Boys' antagonist doesn't disappoint. His first fatality is "Winging It," performed at "Mid" range: Down, Forward, Down, Front Kick. His second is just as petty and violent, keeping with his brand of "I can do whatever I want."
Ghostface & Conan
Added in the Khaos Reigns expansion, these guys have some of the most creative kills. Ghostface involves the iconic "caller" dynamic, while Conan is all about that Cimmerian brutality.
Don't Forget the Kameos
Kameo fatalities are the unsung heroes of Mortal Kombat 1 fatalities. They are usually one-button-sequence wonders that pay homage to the original 1992 game.
- Scorpion (Kameo): The "Toasty!" classic. Down, Forward, Down, Kameo (Mid).
- Sub-Zero (Kameo): The "Spine Rip." Forward, Down, Forward, Kameo (Mid).
- Sonya Blade: The "Kiss of Death." Back, Forward, Down, Kameo (Mid).
- Jax: "Big Boot." Down, Forward, Down, Kameo (Far).
There's something satisfying about calling in a classic version of Kano to rip a heart out while your modern-day Li Mei stands by and watches. It’s nostalgic. It’s gross. It’s Mortal Kombat.
The Seasonal and Secret Finishers
NetherRealm started doing something a bit controversial with seasonal fatalities. We saw the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas finishers. Some were paid, some were part of bundles. They aren't tied to specific characters; anyone can use them if you have them equipped in the "Finishers" tab of your combatant profile.
They usually have simple inputs, like Hold Block and press Up, Up. They are funny, sure, but they lack the personality of a character-specific kill. Honestly, watching a giant pumpkin crush someone is cool once, but seeing General Shao use his axe to turn someone into a human Beyblade? That never gets old.
How to Actually Rank on the Leaderboards
If you want to get good at finishing matches, stop using "Easy Fatality" tokens. They are a crutch. Plus, they're limited. Learning the manual inputs builds muscle memory.
- Go into Fatality Training mode. It’s under the "Learn" menu.
- It shows you exactly where to stand with a visual marker on the floor.
- Practice the "Mid" range ones especially. Those are the easiest to mess up because "Mid" is more of a suggestion than a fixed point in this engine.
One thing people get wrong is the timing. You don't need to be lightning-fast. You need to be deliberate. If you input Back, Forward too fast, the game might register it as a dash. Take a breath. You have about five seconds after "Finish Him" appears. That is an eternity in fighting game time.
👉 See also: Getting Through the Tricky Patch in Infinity Nikki Without Losing Your Mind
Animalities Are Back
The Khaos Reigns update brought back Animalities for free. This was a huge win for the community. Every single character on the roster—including the DLC ones—got a transformation.
Rain turns into a pufferfish. Mileena becomes a hyena. These are performed just like fatalities but usually have different distance requirements. They don't replace fatalities; they just give you more ways to humiliate your opponent before the "Rematch" screen pops up.
Actionable Finishing Tips
To wrap this up, if you want to master all Mortal Kombat 1 fatalities, stop worrying about the Mastery level. Use the inputs listed above in a local match or against the AI. Once you perform a hidden fatality for the first time, it usually stays visible in your move list anyway.
Focus on learning one "Close" and one "Mid" fatality for your main. That way, no matter where you end the combo, you’re ready to execute. If you're playing a Kameo-heavy style, get used to that Kameo button (R1/RB) timing, as it's slightly different from the main character's attack buttons. Keep your distance in mind, stay calm, and let the blood fly.