Hsu Hao is the punching bag of the Midway era. Seriously. If you ask a room full of Mortal Kombat fans who the absolute worst character in the franchise is, you’re going to hear his name before you can even finish the question. He’s the guy everyone loves to hate, but honestly, the sheer level of vitriol directed at this fictional Mongolian wrestler is almost impressive. He debuted in 2002’s Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, and since then, he’s basically become the poster child for "bad design."
But why?
It isn’t just that he looks a bit like a Village People reject with a glowing chest piece. It’s deeper. It’s about the era he represents—that experimental, slightly messy transition into 3D where Midway was throwing everything at the wall to see what stuck. Most of it didn't. Hsu Hao was one of those things that hit the floor and just stayed there. He’s the anti-Scorpion. He has no cool factor. He has no "Get Over Here!" moment. He just has a big hat and a bad attitude.
The Origin of the Red Dragon’s Least Favorite Son
To understand Hsu Hao, you have to understand the Red Dragon. In the lore, the Red Dragon is the older, more disciplined, and significantly more "corporate" version of the Black Dragon (Kano’s crew). While Kano is a chaotic mercenary who probably smells like stale beer and ozone, the Red Dragon members are supposed to be methodical infiltrators.
Hsu Hao was their deep-cover operative.
He spent years inside the Special Forces, working right under Jax and Sonya Blade. He wasn't just some grunt; he was an officer. His entire mission was to dismantle the Special Forces from the inside and help the Red Dragon wipe out their rivals, the Black Dragon. And he actually succeeded. He used his access to blow up the Special Forces' Outer World Investigation Agency underground base with a nuclear device. That’s a pretty high-stakes villain move for a guy everyone thinks is a joke.
He’s a traitor. A mole. A saboteur. On paper, that sounds like a top-tier antagonist. But in execution, he just felt... off.
That Design Choice (What Were They Thinking?)
Look at him. He’s got the leather cap. The mustache. The bare chest. The glowing red "Pulsating Heart" cybernetic implant.
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John Vogel and the rest of the original Midway team have been pretty vocal over the years about their own distaste for the character. In various interviews and behind-the-scenes features, it’s been admitted that Hsu Hao was basically the "anti-Kano." If Kano had a cybernetic eye, Hsu Hao would have a cybernetic heart. But where Kano felt like a gritty cyborg thug, Hsu Hao felt like a caricature.
Even the developers didn't like him. Ed Boon, the co-creator of the series, has gone on record multiple times ranking Hsu Hao at the very bottom of his personal list. When the creators of a game publicly dunk on a character they built, the fanbase is going to follow suit. It's inevitable.
Deadly Alliance and the 3D Era Struggle
Deadly Alliance was a massive turning point. It saved the franchise after the lukewarm reception of Mortal Kombat 4. It introduced the fighting style system—switching between two martial arts and one weapon style—which was revolutionary at the time. Hsu Hao’s styles were Shuai Chiao and Kuo Shou, with the Sun-Moon Blades as his weapon.
The gameplay wasn't even the problem. He played okay. He was a grappler, which is a niche Mortal Kombat doesn't always fill well. But he was surrounded by heavy hitters. This was the same game that gave us Kenshi, who is arguably the coolest character of the 3D era. When you’re standing next to a blind telekinetic swordsman, the guy in the leather hat is going to lose every time.
His fatalities were also famously uninspired. In Deadly Alliance, his primary finisher involved him using his chest laser to bisect an opponent. It was fine. But "fine" doesn't cut it in a series where people are ripping out spines and turning into dragons.
The "F-Tier" Legacy
After Deadly Alliance, Hsu Hao’s presence in the series became more of a running gag than a legitimate threat. He showed up in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, but then again, everyone did. That game was a "thank you" to fans that included every single fighter from the franchise's history. Even then, he didn't get any special treatment.
When the timeline reset in Mortal Kombat (2011), fans wondered if some of the 3D era characters would get a glow-up. Characters like Bo' Rai Cho or Kenshi made the cut. Hsu Hao? Not so much. He started showing up in the background of stages or as a punchline in intro dialogues.
In Mortal Kombat X, the comic series actually gave him a moment. A very brief, very violent moment. He’s chasing down Kenshi’s son, Takeda, and he actually looks somewhat intimidating. He’s drawn with a bit more grit. He feels like a legitimate threat. And then? Erron Black shoots him in the head.
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The most famous "cameo" he’s had recently was in Mortal Kombat 11. In Erron Black’s intro, the cowboy walks onto the screen and tosses a sack on the ground. A severed head rolls out.
It’s Hsu Hao.
The developers literally killed him off in a pre-match animation just to let the fans know they haven't forgotten how much everyone hates him. It’s a level of meta-disrespect that you rarely see in gaming.
Is the Hate Actually Fair?
Honestly? Probably not. Not to this extent.
There are worse characters in the Mortal Kombat universe. Does anyone actually remember Kobra? He was literally just "Street Fighter’s Ken, but evil." What about Darrius? Or Dairou? Those characters are so bland they’re almost transparent. Hsu Hao is at least memorable. You know who he is the second you see him.
The hate for Hsu Hao has become a meme, a piece of community culture. People hate him because it’s the "correct" opinion to have as a fan. But if you look at his lore—a deep-cover agent who successfully nuked the Special Forces—he’s actually one of the most effective villains in the series. He did more damage to Jax and Sonya’s operations than Shang Tsung ever did.
The Red Dragon vs. Black Dragon Dynamic
The rivalry between these two factions is one of the most underutilized parts of Mortal Kombat lore. The Black Dragon (Kano, Kabal, Kira, Jarek) always gets the spotlight because they're flashy and chaotic. But the Red Dragon (Daegon, Mavado, Hsu Hao) is far more interesting from a narrative standpoint. They are ancient. They have ties to the gods. They operate like a shadow government.
If NRS (NetherRealm Studios) ever decided to actually reboot the Red Dragon, Hsu Hao could be a terrifying enforcer. Imagine a version of him that isn't a "Village People" parody, but a massive, silent Mongolian wrestler with a glowing, pulsing cybernetic engine in his chest that lets him pull off gravity-defying slams. There’s a cool character in there somewhere, buried under 20 years of bad PR.
Hsu Hao’s Impact on Modern MK
Even though he isn't a playable character anymore, Hsu Hao’s ghost haunts the modern games. He serves as a reminder to the developers of what not to do. The character designs in MK11 and Mortal Kombat 1 are incredibly polished, focusing on cultural authenticity and distinct silhouettes. You can see the lessons learned from the Hsu Hao era in every new fighter.
He’s also a staple of the "Tower" rewards and consumables. You’ll see his name on "Hsu Hao’s Laser Pointer" or similar items. He’s become a phantom, a piece of the game's DNA that is strictly relegated to the background.
Why He Won’t Come Back (And Why That’s Okay)
Will we ever see a playable Hsu Hao again? Don't bet on it. The current direction of Mortal Kombat 1 (the 2023 reboot) is focusing on "reimagining" the classics. We got Li Mei, Nitara, and Havik back—all 3D era characters who were given a fresh, incredible new look.
But Hsu Hao is different. To bring him back would be to break the joke. He is more valuable to NetherRealm as a severed head in a sack than he is as a slot on the character select screen. He represents a specific moment in time when the series was figuring itself out.
What You Can Do With This Knowledge
If you’re a fan of the franchise or a fighting game historian, don't just dismiss Hsu Hao. He's a fascinating study in character design failure and community branding.
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- Check out the Deadly Alliance lore: Go back and read his original ending. It’s one of the few times a villain actually wins without some weird magical caveat. He does his job, he kills his targets, and he returns to the Red Dragon a hero.
- Look for the Easter Eggs: Next time you play MK11 or MK1, keep an eye on the background. There are references to the "Hsu Hao Memorial" and other subtle digs.
- Appreciate the Grappler Style: If you like characters like Jax or Geras, recognize that Hsu Hao was an early attempt to bring that heavy-hitting, grab-focused gameplay into the 3D space.
Hsu Hao isn't a "good" character by traditional standards. He's ugly, he's weird, and the people who made him wish they hadn't. But in a world of ninjas and sorcerers, there’s something weirdly charming about the guy who just showed up with a big hat and a dream of blowing up a military base. He’s the underdog of losers. And for that, he deserves a tiny bit of respect.
Next Steps for Mortal Kombat Fans
- Revisit Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance: If you have an old console or an emulator, play through Hsu Hao’s arcade run. It’s the only way to experience the character as he was originally intended before he became a meme.
- Read the MKX Prequel Comics: This is where Hsu Hao gets his most "modern" and intimidating portrayal, even if it’s short-lived. It’s great context for the Red Dragon/Black Dragon war.
- Compare the 3D Era Designs: Look at Hsu Hao alongside characters like Nitara or Ashrah. You can see the difference between a character with a "hook" and a character that was just a collection of tropes.
The legacy of Hsu Hao is a reminder that even in a legendary franchise, not every swing is a home run. Sometimes, you just end up with a guy in a leather cap.