Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)

Latest revision as of 04:17, 1 August 2024

The Lin Kuei warrior Sub-Zero.

Sub-Zero is a male character who features in the Mortal Kombat series.

Biography

Original Timeline

Sub-Zero served his clan well before Shao Kahn's invasion.

Kuai Liang was a male child born in Earthrealm to an unidentified family who had an older brother named Bi-Han with the pair descended from the line of Cryomancers. In their childhood, the pair were taken by he Lin Kuei clan of assassins and trained to be warriors. Bi-Han took the mantle of the warrior of Sub-Zero during this time. During their adulthood, Sub-Zero was given the task by the Grandmaster to participate in Shang Tsung's Mortal Kombat Tournament where he was killed at the hands of the hellish wraith Scorpion of the destroyed Shirai Ryu clan. This led to the younger brother Kuai Liang swearing revenge as a result and was dispatched by the clan with his close friend Smoke to Outworld to complete their new assignment when the second Mortal Kombat Tournament was announced. Taking his brothers code name, Sub-Zero discovered that the undead warrior Scorpion was continuing his vendetta against his brother by attacking him as he believed that the warrior he thought he killed had in fact survived. Scorpion learnt that Sub-Zero was infact the brother of the elders after his defeat in the Mortal Kombat Tournament. After this event, Scorpion swore not to harm him. Sub-Zero's mission against Shang Tsung was unsuccessful but he managed to aid Liu Kang, Raiden and their allies against Shao Kahn.

According to Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, during his journey into Outworld, Sub-Zero gained his red scar over his right eye after a sudden attack from Kung Lao.

Sub-Zero and returned back to Earthrealm empty handed and came at a time when the Lin Kuei developed the means to improve their warriors by undergoing a process that turned them into cybernetic assassins. The Grandmaster of the clan chose four of his warriors for the process which were to be Cyrax, Sektor, Smoke and Sub-Zero himself. The first two had undergone the process which horrified Smoke and Sub-Zero who decided to flee. In their escape attempt, Smoke was captured and forcibly transformed whilst Sub-Zero himself was declared a traitor to the clan and hunted down. This was because Sub-Zero had broken the Lin Keui codes of honor and resulted in the cybernetic Cyrax, Sektor and Smoke being sent to terminate their former comrade. Sub-Zero also recieved a vision from the thunder god Raiden about a new threat that was going to fall upon Earthrealm.

A fugitive Sub-Zero.

At this point, the armies of Emperor Shao Kahn began an open invasion of Earthrealm. Sub-Zero was one of several mortals who's souls were spared by Kahn and thus was being hunted by his extermination squads. This brought about a greater moral consciousness within Sub-Zero who yearned to be a more honorable warrior. However, he was still being hunted by the cybernetic Lin Kuei assassins who lacked souls to steal who continued their programming to kill Sub-Zero. His first encounter was with his former friend Smoke who managed to overrode his programming and decided to help him defeat Cyrax and Sektor. He next battled Cyrax but rather then destroy his CPU, Sub-Zero reprogrammed him with the mission of hunting and killing Shao Kahn though instead he failed and left stranded in a desert. However, as a result of the battle, Smoke himself was lost and captured by Shao Kahn's troops who imprisoned him in Outworld to study him. Ultimately, Earthrealm's warriors were successful in defeatinh Shao Kahn's forces and were victorious which prevented the merger between Outworld and Earth returning the latter back to normal.

However, the Earthrealm was not free from danger as the fallen Elder Gods Shinnok had risen from his home in the Netherrealm and sought to gain dominion over all existence. To that end, Sub-Zero was one of the warriors summoned by Raiden to defend Earthrealm. To honor his dead brother, Sub-Zero wore his siblings uniform and informed others of what his brother had done in his battle against Shinnok. However, danger stalked Sub-Zero as the sorceror Quan Chi convinced Scorpion that the younger Sub-Zero was involved in the destruction of the Shirai Ryu clan. Thus, the supernatural spectres attentions were focused on slaying Sub-Zero with the two fighting in Goro's Lair. Scorpion gained the advantage and defeated Sub-Zero and was about to kill him for his "crimes" when Sub-Zero revealed that the Lin Kuei were not involved in the murder. It was then that Quan Chi revealed that it was he who was involved in the act and attempted to send Scorpion back to the Netherrealm but the spectre charged at Quan Chi sending them both to that infernal realm. Thus it seemed that the vendetta between Scorpion and Sub-Zero had ended.

Sub-Zero with an ice generated weapon.

Returning back to his home, he learnt that the cyborg Sektor had assassinated the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei in attempt to gain leadership of the clan. This resulted in a duel between Sub-Zero and Sektor, with the icy warrior knowing the kind of threat the cyborg posed. Ultimately, Sub-Zero was successful in defeating him though Sektor managed to escape thus leaving Sub-Zero the new Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. Into his possession also came the Dragon Medallion which enhanced his powers and somewhat altered his appearance. Being the leader of the feared assassin clan, Sub-Zero moved their headquarters to Articka in order to ensure that their training was not to be disrupted and attempted to turn them into a force for good. He taught his students not only formidable fighting techniques but the value of life as well in an attempt to turn them into wisened warriors rather then mindless assassins.

Sub-Zero wearing the Dragon Medallion.

As part of his attempt at making a new better Lin Kuei clan, he held a tournament to recruit stronger warriors in its ranks. One of the contestants was a female with surprisingly strong freezing powers similar to Sub-Zero's himself who emerged as the winner. The Grandmaster was impressed with her exceptional skill and made her his apprentice even though it broke Lin Kuei tradition. Though she was a superb fighter, Frost did not agree with her masters philosophies. Furthermore, she was both arrogant and aloof which generated much tension between her and Sub-Zero's allies such as Sonya Blade.

With the rise of the newly formed Deadly Alliance between Quan Chi and Shang Tsung as well as the murder of Liu Kang, Sub-Zero found that the survival of Earthrealm was at stake once more. He was paid a visit by the thunder god Raiden once again who asked for his assistance. Sub-Zero was surprised by the tragic news and accepted the task given by the Elder God. However, this was partly for his own personal reasons as the new Lin Kuei clan began doubting their Grandmaster and thus Sub-Zero went to prove his worth to his clan as well as to himself. To that end, he took Frost with him and joined with the other Earthrealm warriors in Outworld. Once they were separated from the other champions, Frost betrayed Sub-Zero and attempted to steal his Dragon Medallion. But she was unable to control its great power and was consumed by it, seemingly frozen into ice by her own abilities. Sub-Zero blamed himself for not dampening her pride and teaching her the philosophies of life that he knew.

Sub-Zero as Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.

Trapped in Outworld, he sought for a place to bury her and found the ruins of an ancient Outworld civilization called the Cryomancers who were capable of controlling cold. After studying the ruins, he determined that he himself as well as Frost were descendants of this ancient race. Thus, he buried her in the ruins where he forgave her for her rashness. He then wore an ancient suit of armor from the Cryomancer race before heading back to the Earthrealm portal in order to rendevous with Raiden and the Earthrealm warriors.

Along the way, he met the warrior Kenshi who had also been trapped within Outworld. The two journeyed together for the portal but were ambushed in the Living Forest by Tarkatan warriors. This attracted the attention of the newly arisen Dragon King Onaga who dispatched his newest general, Hotaru from Seido to defeat this threat. Despite the Order realm generals efforts, Sub-Zero and Kenshi manage to escape and return to Earthrealm where the Grandmaster returned to his Lin Kuei clan.

Sub-Zero fought against a Tarkatan ambush in the Living Forest.

Life in the artic was not easy as they had to contend with the rival Tengu clan that prowled the icy wastes. The stronghold of the Lin Kuei was infiltrated the Edenian half god Taven who had come to his mothers former temple to retrieve an item. At first, Sub-Zero battled this intruders but the Lin Kuei academy came under attack from wraiths from the Brotherhood of Shadow led by his corrupted brother Noob Saibot and his cybernetic former friend Smoke. With the aid of Taven, they battled the intruders and defeated them with Noob Saibot left unconscious in the stronghold floor. Sub-Zero hoped to contain his brother and attempt to redeem him of the evil that plagued him. In gratitude, he informed Taven of the location of the Red Dragon clan in Earthrealm. He later participated in the quest at the Temple of Argus to defeat the fire elemental Blaze.

If successful, Sub-Zero was given such power that he became an Ice God but this was against the consent of the Elder Gods who sought Champions to defeat the much more powerful Sub-Zero.

Reboot Timeline

During the Armageddon, Shao Kahn proved to be the victor of the engagement bringing about the destruction of all of reality. In his final moments, Raiden sent forth his memories back in time to his younger self to the time of the first Mortal Kombat Tournament. With these scattered visions of the future, Raiden acted to avoid this dark future creating a new timeline of events. Similar to the prior timeline, Bi-Han and Kuai Liang were still brothers that were taken into the Lin Kuei clan. Whilst Bi-Han became Sub-Zero, Kuai Ling took on the name of Tundra and forged a close friendship with fellow Lin Kuei warrior Smoke. After Bi-Han's death in the first Mortal Kombat Tournament, Kuai Liang with Smoke departed their clan as they sought the truth about Sub-Zero's demise. This led to Liang taking his brothers code name of Sub-Zero where the pair journeyed to Outworld. Around this time, the Lin Kuei were initiating the Cyber Initiative that sought to transform their warriors into potent cyborgs. They targeted Sub-Zero and Smoke for breaking from he clan with hem seeking to forcibly turn the pair into cyborgs.

His humanity was later return to him by Raiden whereupon Sub-Zero began to rebuild the Lin Kuei where he turned it into a benevolent organization that was dedicated to the protection of Earthrealm. Kuai Liang, who has taken the role of grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, invites Hanzo Hasashi at the Lin Kuei temple to make amends. Hanzo thinks it is a ruse to completely exterminate the Shirai Ryu from existence, because for the longest time, he thought the Lin Kuei was responsible for the extinction of his clan. Kuai Liang explains that the Lin Kuei's honor was already blemished even before the Cyber Initiative. All of a sudden, Frost appears to attack the former Scorpion, making Hanzo believe Kuai Liang did want to kill him and fights him. With Hanzo about to kill Kuai Liang, Frost prepares for another sneak attack, but she is intercepted by Kuai Liang, encasing her in ice. To prove his sincerity, Kuai presents Hanzo Sektor's severed head, and shows him the cyborg's preserved memories. It is revealed that it was actually Quan Chi, the very person Scorpion served as a revenant, who was responsible for the murder of the Shirai Ryu, Hanzo's wife Harumi and their son Satoshi. With the truth finally revealed to him, Hanzo and Kuai Liang have since gained mutual respect as allies. Five years later, Kuai Liang is met by Cassie Cage and her team under orders from Cassie's father Johnny. Not wanting to converse with them, he and his warriors engage them in battle. Defeating Cassie and her team, Kuai reveals that the encounter is a test set up by him and Johnny, chastising Cassie's team's lack of unity while commenting that they have great potential. Sub-Zero eventually horrifically witnesses the corruption of Earthrealm's Jinsei. Later, Cassie Cage and her team were ambushed by Kotal Kahn and his forces but Sub-Zero appeared along with his Lin Kuei warriors and said he would drive Kotal Kahn and his forces back to Outworld.

When the time quake caused by Kronika occurred, Sub-Zero is the only survivor of his clan’s kidnapping and cyberized by a recently reorganized Cyber Lin Kuei, and both time-displaced, yet still cyberized Sektor and Cyrax are involved as well. Fearing Sektor will lead an attack on Shirai-Ryu like the last time, Sub-Zero immediately summons Scorpion for this emergency. Just as Scorpion arrived while Sub-Zero overlook the re-established Cyber Lin Kuei Factory, Sub-Zero found a side entrance to the east of the factory. Once inside, they find Cyrax conversing with an unknown woman, only to find out it was a cyberized Frost. Scorpion and Sub-Zero defeat the traitorous Frost and eventually Cyrax before Noob Saibot appears much to the surprise of Sub-Zero and Scorpion, just as Noob reveals to them how he got revived twice by Quan Chi’s undying creations. They then defeat Bi-Han and eventually free Cyrax from his enslavement. During their conversation with Cyrax, Sektor eventually appears and attacks the trio. Eventually, Sub-Zero and Scorpion defeat Sektor. Before Cyrax sacrifices his circuits to shut new Cyber Lin Kuei’s cyborg productions at its factory, Sub-Zero ensures to welcome him to his new Lin Kuei, no matter what form until they find a way to restore the cyborg’s human form, as long as their human souls are still intact. Due to not only his Lin Kuei Temple already been compromised, but also Raiden’s Sky Temple and Special Force HQ by attack from Kronika's forces, Sub-Zero and the other surviving Earthrrealm heroes begin to shelter at the Shirai-Ryu’s Fire Garden as their only known base left, where they learned that Shinnok is both Kronika's son and Cetrion's brother, including Kronika’s plan for her endless warring in all timelines. Sub-Zero accompanies Scorpion to Kharon's home while scouting the numbers of Kronika’s forces led by Cetrion in the Netherrealm, and was asked by Scorpion to return to Earthrrealm.

He is later seen with time-displaced Liu Kang, and surprised that time-displaced Scorpion arrived at the Fire Garden instead of his future-self. He and Raiden suspects the time-displaced Scorpion killed his future-self and beyond redemption's for blindly murdering Bi-Han into Noob Saibot, but only Liu Kang who eventually notice that Scorpion has been redeemed by his future-self and carries his dying wish after D'Vorah killed him, with Raiden also unlocks the full patterns of his visions in every timeline caused by Kronika’s machinations, finally forgives Scorpion. After Kronika kidnaps time-displaced Liu Kang to prevent him and Raiden from combining their powers to stop her evil schemes, Sub-Zero and his allies immediately goes to Netherrealm where Kronika’s Keep is, guided by Kharon, and joined by Earthrealm’s surviving armies of the Special Forces, the Shaolin and Kitana’s reformed Outworld army. Sub-Zero and the time-displaced Scorpion are with Raiden on guarding Kharon’s ship. During the Cyber Lin Kuei’s attack on Kharon’s ship, at the same time Raiden manages to convince the reluctant present-Jax from being remained easily manipulated by Kronika, Sub-Zero learns from Raiden that Frost was the one who had been controlling the new Cyber Lin Kuei army, not Sektor. Sub-Zero is one of the few allied warriors who witnessed the fusion between Raiden and the two iterations of Liu Kang (present-revenant and past-human) into an ultimate Fire God Liu Kang. Sub-Zero and his allies successfully raid Kronika’s Keep for Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Kitana to be able to confront Kronika and her remaining warriors, until Kronika resets time to the beginning, leaving Liu Kang alone against her, Cetrion and three recently upgraded remaining revenants Kitana, Kung Lao and Jade.

New Era

Overview

An unmasked Sub-Zero.

Personality and attributes

In appearance, Sub-Zero was a male human of Chinese-American heritage who had short black hair. Originally, he was said to had operated under the code name of Tundra but abandoned it and took on his brothers name of Sub-Zero after his death. One incarnation of him came to be converted into a cyborg ninja assassin given the designation LK-52O. A distinguishing feature on him was that he bore a scar on his right eye.

It was his strong moral principles that brought him into conflict with his own clan as he was horrified at the Lin Kuei's cyberization initiative. This led to him openly rebelling against he clan and leaving their ranks in horror and disgust thus breaking their sacred codes of honor.

Unlike his brother and the rest of the Lin Kuei clan, Sub-Zero believed deeply in honor and the preservation of life. Thus, upon his appointment as Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, he sought to turn the clan into wizened warriors rather then ruthless assassins that sought only their own interests. This saw him turning the clan into a benevolent organization and become defenders of Earthrealm. He was a respected leader though he doubted himself and sought to ensure that he proved his worthiness of being Grandmaster to his clan. He had hoped to finally close the book on sins of Lin Kuei's past.

He held a deep friendship with the warrior Smoke. He was aware of the help Sareena gave to his brother during his mission in the Netherrealm and attempted to aid her as well.

Powers and abilities

Being descended from the Outworld of Cryomancers who held a great deal of control over ice. His arms from his hands to his elbows appeared encased in ice and he was capable of freezing a persons attack if they hit his hands. Furthermore, his breaths appeared icy cold in nature when he was normally breathing.

Sub-Zero using his powers on Tarkatan warriors.

He was capable of using this ability to shoot blasts of deep freeze capable of temporarily freezing his opponents upon the first hit. This left them vulnerable for a second attack. In addition to this, he had the ability to freezing the ground to slide and slam into his enemies. He was also capable of directing his ice onto the floor which left the floor in a state where his enemies would lose their balance by slipping. He was also capable of leaving an icy statue behind with whoever touching it being frozen temporarily. A variant of this power allowed him to turn into ice which hardened his body making him more durable against attacks. Furthermore, he was capable of firing ice into the sky which showered back onto his opponent and froze them. A more unique ability was the capacity to turn into ice, fall onto the ground and reappear elsewhere in order to attack his opponent which served as a form of teleportation power.

Since childhood, he was inducted into the Lin Kuei where he was trained in the techniques of assassination throughout his life. Kuai Liang was shown to be skilled in a number of fighting styles which included knowledge in the use of Shotokan-Ryu Karate and the Dragon.

His powers were said to have been enhanced by the possession of the Dragon Medallion which made him much stronger with the ability to create weapons made out of ice to use in combat against his enemies. This showed a far greater level of control over the medallion as Frost was frozen solid when she took possession of it.

One incarnation was him was shown to had fallen prey to the Lin Kuei Cyber-Initiative causing his transformation into a cyborg ninja called Cyber Sub-Zero.

His capacity to create weapons from ice allowed him to create an Ice Scepter though he later made use of frozen Kori Blade.

Notes

• Sub-Zero was created by Ed Boon and John Tobias where he featured in the setting of the Mortal Kombat universe.
• According to Ed Boon, the character was originally going to be called Tundra.
• His Cryomancer armor looks similar to that of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle villain Shredder.
• In a vignette of the 2011 Mortal Kombat game, an entry was shown of Sub-Zero which was the first time he was given a name which was Kuai Liang

In other media

Television

• In Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, the younger Sub-Zero appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Luke Perry.

Films

• In Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the younger Sub-Zero appeared in the setting of the live-action film sequel where he was portrayed by actor Keith Cooke.

Video games

• In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Sub-Zero appeared as a playable character in the setting of the crossover fighting video game where he was voiced by actor Jim Miller. Sub-Zero appeared to have been a skilled tracker and was capable of tracing the nether energy generated by Scorpion allowing him to follow his trail. It was also noted that Raiden commented on him being stronger then his older brother. Set after the first Mortal Kombat Tournament and thus making Sub-Zero still a member of the old Lin Keui order. With the merger between the two universes beginning due to the unintentional creation of Dark Kahn, Sub-Zero's Lin Kuei home was partially placed within that of the Fortress of Solitude. Meeting Superman, Sub-Zero challenged the warrior by turning him into ice and trapping him. Sensing a dire threat facing the realms, his Lin Kuei master informed Sub-Zero to find Quan Chi and sent him to meet the thunder god Raiden. Sub-Zero was aware of his brothers darker nature and stated that he did not possess his mindset. Furthermore, he held a type of respect for the thunder god Raiden. Though respectful of the thunder god, Raiden still remembered the dark nature of the elder Sub-Zero and battled him; a battle that Sub-Zero won. Raiden then agreed to help Sub-Zero and informed him of the state of the realms with the merger between the two universes.
• In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Sub-Zero made a cameo appearance in the setting of the 2013 fighting video game during Scorpion's intro. He was shown as being about to perform a fatality on Scorpion before he was being mysteriously pulled into the Injustice universe.

Misc

Appearances

• Mortal Kombat 3:
• Mortal Kombat: Deception:
• Mortal Komba: Armageddon:
• Mortal Kombat:
• Mortal Kombat X:

External Link

• Mortal Kombat Wiki Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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