You know what's funny about Mortal Kombat? The suppಞosed protagonist of the franchise Liu Kang is not the most popular character. I mean, he isn't on the bottom tier of popularity polls or anything like that, but no matter how many tournaments he wins and no matter how many bicycle kicks he throws he never reaches the top. No, the most popular character is a toss-up between the ninja specter from the Netherrealm, Scorpion, and the subject of my list here today, the Cryomancer warrior Sub-Zero. God knows those two have been fighting for the crown of top dog for decades now.
Making his first appearance in the original Mortal Kombat back in 1992, he was an instant hit with players for his ability to freeze his enemies in place with ice blasts and his signature fatality. Both versions of Sub-Zero (the elder being Bi-Han and the younger brother being Kuai Liang) have made their impact on the series felt and fans have taken note. Of all the characters in the franchise Sub-Zero seems to be the one that people think they know the most but in reality, there are still plenty of facts about the character that remain a mystery to this day. From how he affected our real-life legal system to how his various endings throughout the games spell out an odd tapestry of potential lives for him, there are things about this Lin Kuei♔ warrior that most don't know.
15 He Is Only Half Chinese ꦬ
While fans may not think ꦏabout it too much (probably because he was portrayed by a 100% white guy in the first game where he was unmasked), but Sub-Zero is supposed to be Chinese. He does, after all, come from a clan of martial arts who live secluded from society to practice their 📖deadly arts. But he is actually only one-half Chinese.
Sub-Zero's Chinese father came to America as a part of a Lin Kuei mission and married an Americ🌌an woman. The two had two children but whꦕen his task was complete their father returned home and against his wife's wishes he took his sons with him. So if you think about it, Sub-Zero might have accidentally frozen some kid while playing in a school yard in the United States. Fanfic writers, have at it!
14 🗹 His Scar Was A Point Of Contenti🍸on
The younger Sub-Zero Kuai Liang has had a scar on his face ever since🌱 the third entry in the series. For many years fans were confused by how he got hi✨s scar as the developers were always unclear in their answers.
Are Ed Boon and his team being coy about answers? Colour me shocked.
In his Mortal Kombat 3 biography, it is stated that Sub-Zero was marked by the Lin Kuei so fans for a long time assumed that it was a Lin Kuei member gave him his scar. But the game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks muddied the waters by having Kung Lao scar Sub Zero with his razor sharp hat. When the timeline of the series was altered because of Mortal Kombat (2011) it was shown in the MKX comics that Kano was the𝓰 one to scar Sub Zero. That's aဣ lot of explanation for something so minor.
13 ☂ He Has A Winning Record Against Scorpion ღ
Rivalries are common across basically all fiction. Mortal Kombat itself has several but obviously, the most popular 🗹one is Scorpion and Sub-Zero. These two martial artists have had billions of matches against each other♕ on the consoles of gamers for decades, but in continuity, their encounters can be counted on one hand.
Ice most definitely defeats hellfire in this match-up.
Their first encounter has Sub-Zero defeat the yellow ninja i♑n a Shaolin temple. Scorpion loses yet again in their second battle in the Netherrealm. The Shirai-Ryu specter would bounce back with two wins over Sub-Zero in MK 1 and 4 but would lose their final battle in Mortal Kombat Armageddon. Even if you account their fights in the new timeline Sub-Zero still comes out on top since I'm not counting in the comics when a possessed Sub-Zero fought Scorpion.
12 ♛ 𓄧 He Became Batman
By far𓆏 the most controversial game in the f𝕴ranchise to players (ironically for the very same reason why it probably didn't upset anybody in politics or the media), Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is the only game in the franchise not to earn an M rating. While the fighting wasn't too bad, the game is generally considered to be one of the weaker titles in the franchise. But at least it gave some cool endings for the arcade mode.
In Sub-Zero's ending, he gets inspired by his encounter with Batman in the game's story mode. Since he doesn't feel right siding wꦐith the rest of Earth's defenders due to his history as a Lin Kuei, he defends the world under his own terms. His former clan will hunt him down for his treason nonetheless. League of Shadows crossed with the Lin Kuei, anyone?
11 He Has Appeared I♛n Every Fighting Game
The cast of the Mortal Kombat franchise has ballooned up past a hundred by this point but even with all the new faces, Netherrealm Studios have kept their classic characters pr𒈔etty close to their hearts the whole time. If you were in the first game, there's a pretty good chance you'll end up in a toꦇn of future games.
Global warming may have melted a ton of ice in the Arctic, but it has done nothing to stop Sub-Zero's dominance.
It's not true that Sub-Zero has appeared in every single MK game as he was absent from the disastrous Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. But aside from🐻 that, he's been in all ꦓthe titles. Not even the series' protagonist Liu Kang can claim that honor as he was absent from Deadly Alliance save for the intro.
10 He Currently Isn'�ꦬ�t At Full Power
Like most of the fighters in the Mortal Kombat franchise, Sub-Zero is an extremely powerful combatant capable of incredible feats. The scariest thing about him though is that he isn't even at full power in the post-MK9 timeline.
With the help of jewelry, Sub-Zero can reach a new level.
In the original timeline which concluded in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Sꦆub-Zero had discovered an ancient artifact known as the Dragon Medallion. This medallion came into his possession after he took back his clan from its villainous headmaster Sektor. The medallion pushed his powers to levels never before imaginable for the Cryomancer. It requires a powerful warrior to wield it as another charact༒er named Frost was destroyed by it when she tried to steal it.
9 He Has A Football Play Nameಌd After Him ⭕
When Midway was still alive and kicking, they not only published the Mortal Kombat games but also a litany of sports games which have stayed classic to this day. One of the most popular of these was NFL Blitz 2000. This fast-paced over the top arcade classic was also ported to all home consoles at the time and of course, the team behind the game made references to Mortal Kombat. Not only was Raiden a playable character, but there was a play named after Sub-Zero🍒!
Would a play named after Scorpion involve a shattered family?
The play is quite unique. It features an out route on the left which turns into a slant, a hook in the center-right and a wheel on the right side. Not many playbooks would carry this in the NFL, but that's because they're not good enough f🌳🥃or Sub-Zero.
8 🍷 He Is Not A Ninja ܫ
For those who want a good laugh, search up the cutscenes from the PS1 title Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. These live action scenes feature some of the ham𝐆miest acting you will ever see and makes it such a product of 90s video gaming that it♍'s simply tubular.
Sub-Zero cares about what you call him damn it, get it right!
In a cutscene after the first level where you retriev♍e a map from a Shaolin temple, Sub-Zero meets Quan Chi who mistakenly calls Sub-Zero a ninja. This gets Frosty The Murder Man all riled up because heꦡ IS NOT a ninja like Scorpion. While he is correct as ninja hail from Japan and not China, his over the top reaction to it is what makes the line belly laugh worthy.
7 The Movieꦯ 🐽Got Him All Wrong
As big of a fan favorite as he is, you would think that when the filmmakers were creating the first Mortal Kombat in 1995 they ꦉwould take extra care to make sure Sub-Zero would be accurate to the games. They cannot get his character wrong, can they? Oh yes, they can.
The portrayal of Sub Zero in the first film is anything but a flawless victory.
Outside of his fight scene with Liu Kang which is a decent fight, Sub-Zero is completely stripped of his character in the movie. Not only is he mind-controlled to obey Shang Tsung, but he is tossed around by Raiden and loses to Liu Kang by being harpooned by a giant icicle. Mortal Kombat Annihilation is a worse m🐼ovie, but even they got Sub Zero bette🍰r than this one.
6 ༒ He Has No Love Interest 🅠
While there isn't a ton of romance inside the Mortal Kombat franchise, there are enough couples to let you know that you can find love among all the guts. Sonya and Johnny Cage got married in the new timeline (they also got divorced, who could have seen that coming), Liu Kang and Kitana have always been heavily hinted at and Jacqui Briggs and Takeda Takahashi are an item as of MKX. But Sub-Zero? 🌄Nada.
This Cryomancer not only has freezing powers but a cold heart for romance.
Both Cryomancer brothers Bi-Han and Kuai Liang have never been in a couple for the entire franchise. While Bi-Han at least hinted at one in MK My🧸thologies with the character Saree𒀰na, Kuai Liang hasn't even tried mortal dating. Somebody get this popsicle a lover now!