You’ve seen the spine-rips. You’ve heard the "Get over here!" yelled across arcades and living rooms for over thirty years. But when people talk about all characters from Mortal Kombat, they aren't just talking about a list of fighters. They’re talking about a weird, blood-soaked soap opera that has survived reboots, legal battles, and the jump from grainy digitized actors to hyper-realistic 4K gore.
It’s honestly kind of a miracle.
Back in 1992, Ed Boon and John Tobias just wanted to make a Jean-Claude Van Damme game. They didn't get the license. So, they made Johnny Cage instead. That pivot created a universe where an actor, a thunder god, and a cryomancer from a secret clan can coexist without it feeling totally ridiculous. Well, it’s still ridiculous. But it’s the good kind of ridiculous.
Why Scorpion and Sub-Zero Are Basically the Mario and Luigi of Violence
If you look at all characters from Mortal Kombat, the conversation starts and ends with the yellow and blue ninjas. It’s the rivalry that defines the brand.
Scorpion, or Hanzo Hasashi, is the poster boy for "too angry to die." He’s a specter. He was murdered by the original Sub-Zero (Bi-Han), and his entire story is basically one long, fiery quest for revenge that occasionally gets him manipulated by sorcerers like Quan Chi. Then you have Sub-Zero. Most people don’t realize there are actually two of them. Bi-Han was the cold-hearted assassin in the first game. After Scorpion killed him, his younger brother, Kuai Liang, took over the mantle.
Kuai Liang changed everything. He turned the Lin Kuei from a bunch of soulless killers into a force for good. Meanwhile, the original Sub-Zero went to the Netherrealm and became Noob Saibot. It’s a tragic family dynamic wrapped in ice and shadow. If you're playing the modern games, like Mortal Kombat 1 (the 2023 version), they’ve actually swapped their roles again, making them brothers in a new timeline. It's confusing. It’s messy. It’s why fans keep coming back.
The Earthrealm Defenders: More Than Just Action Movie Tropes
Liu Kang started as a Bruce Lee clone. There’s no point in denying it. He was the "Chosen One," the guy who won the tournaments and saved the world while wearing plain black pants. But then the developers did something bold—they killed him. Then they brought him back as a zombie. Then a revenant. Now? He’s a literal Fire God who restarted the entire universe.
His supporting cast is just as storied:
- Raiden: The God of Thunder who is surprisingly bad at his job. Seriously, look at the body count under his watch. He’s the mentor figure who keeps accidentally causing apocalypses while trying to prevent them.
- Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs: The Special Forces duo. They represent the human element. Jax’s metal arms aren't just a cool power-up; they represent the trauma of losing his limbs to Ermac (in the second timeline) or Kintaro (in the original).
- Johnny Cage: The comic relief who actually has the most growth. He went from a narcissistic B-movie star to a loving father and a legitimate hero. His "Green Shadow" powers are actually ancient Mediterranean warrior traits, which is a bit of deep lore most casual players miss.
The Villains and the Outworld Problem
You can't have all characters from Mortal Kombat without the villains. Shao Kahn is the gold standard for "boss energy." He doesn't just want to kill you; he wants to mock you while he does it. His design—the skull mask and the massive war hammer—is iconic.
Then you have the sorcerers. Shang Tsung is a soul-stealing shapeshifter who basically serves as the ultimate snake oil salesman. His rivalry with Quan Chi in Deadly Alliance showed that the bad guys in this universe are just as likely to backstab each other as they are to fight the heroes.
And let’s talk about Mileena. She’s not just "evil Kitana." She’s a Tarkatan-Edenian clone created in a flesh pit. Her struggle with her identity—being a monster that wants to be a queen—is why she has one of the most dedicated (and vocal) fanbases in the entire fighting game community. When she was left out of the initial roster for Mortal Kombat 11, the internet basically went into a meltdown until she was added as DLC.
The Oddballs and the Forgotten
Some characters didn't quite land the same way. For every Scorpion, there’s a Hsu Hao. People hate Hsu Hao. He’s basically a guy in a vest with a red laser in his chest, and even the creators have joked about how much they regret him.
But then you have the cult favorites.
Reptile started as a secret green palette swap of Sub-Zero and Scorpion. To find him in the original 1992 game, you had to get a Double Flawless victory on the Pit stage without blocking and wait for a silhouette to fly past the moon. It was the kind of playground legend that actually turned out to be true. Over time, he evolved into a literal lizard-man, though many fans prefer his "human ninja" look.
Ermac is another one born from a glitch. Or a rumored glitch. "ERMACS" stood for "Error Macros" on the diagnostic screen of the old arcade cabinets. Fans thought it was a secret character. NetherRealms eventually said, "Fine, here’s a telekinetic ninja made of thousands of dead souls."
The Evolution of the Roster: How They Change
The way these characters are built has changed. In the 90s, it was all about the "hook." Baraka has arm blades. Kabal has hookswords and a gas mask. Cyrax and Sektor are cyborg ninjas. It was very "action figure" logic.
Now, there’s a massive focus on "archetypes."
If you’re looking at all characters from Mortal Kombat through a competitive lens, you see a different hierarchy. Kenshi isn't just a blind swordsman; he’s a "puppet" character who controls a spirit to attack from two sides. Grapplers like Goro or Sheeva are designed to punish you for staying too close.
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The 2023 reboot, Mortal Kombat 1, introduced "Kameo" fighters. This was a clever way to include characters like Motaro or Stryker who might not work as full-fledged main roster picks but are too legendary to leave out entirely. It’s a nostalgic nod to the history of the franchise while keeping the gameplay fresh.
How to Deep Dive Into the Lore Without Getting Lost
If you're trying to track the history of all characters from Mortal Kombat, you have to understand the three main timelines.
- The Original Timeline (MK1 through MK: Armageddon): This ends with everyone dead on a pyramid and Raiden sending a message back in time to his past self.
- The NRS Timeline (MK9 through MK11): Raiden tries to change the future, fails a lot, but eventually Liu Kang becomes a God and defeats Kronika, the Titan of Time.
- The New Era (MK1 2023): Liu Kang’s crafted universe where old enemies are now friends (mostly).
It’s a lot to take in. Honestly, the best way to learn these characters isn't by reading a wiki—it’s by playing the "Story Mode" in the newer games. NetherRealms basically pioneered the cinematic fighting game story. It gives you a reason to care about why a cowboy like Erron Black is hanging out with an insect-lady like D’Vorah.
Why We Care About 2D Sprites and 3D Models
The staying power of these characters comes from their flaws. They aren't perfect heroes. Raiden is arrogant. Kitana is burdened by her family’s bloodthirsty legacy. Even the "bad guys" like Kano have a charisma that makes them fun to watch.
Mortal Kombat has survived because it isn't afraid to be weird. It’s a world where a Hollywood star can punch a four-armed monster in the groin, and we all just accept it as part of the Tuesday routine. It’s a legacy of "What if we just made this as cool as possible?" that has lasted for over three decades.
Actionable Insights for Fans and New Players
- For the Lore Seekers: If you want the real grit, look up the "Mortal Kombat: Deception" Konquest mode. It’s old, but it explores the realms (Netherrealm, Chaosrealm, Orderrealm) better than almost any other media in the franchise.
- For the Players: Don't just pick a character because they look cool. Each character in the modern games is built around a specific "range." Scorpion is a mid-range punisher. Sub-Zero is about "mix-ups" and freezing the opponent's momentum. Find the one that matches how you naturally move.
- For the Collectors: The original digitized actors (like Daniel Pesina and Elizabeth Malecki) often appear at conventions. Following the history of the real people who "became" these characters adds a whole new layer of appreciation for the 1992-1995 era.
- The Best Starting Point: If you're new, start with Mortal Kombat 1 (2023). It’s a clean slate for the narrative and explains the core relationships between all characters from Mortal Kombat without requiring you to know thirty years of baggage.
The roster is always growing. Whether it's guest characters like Peacemaker and Omni-Man or the return of obscure fighters like Li Mei, the MK universe is a revolving door of the macabre and the magnificent. It’s never just a game; it’s a bloody, brilliant legacy.