Summary
TheMortal Kombatfranchise is known for its many gods and ninja characters, including the latest entry,Mortal Kombat 1. However, starting with the originalMortal Kombat, a recurring pattern in every game over thirty years later is the inclusion of characters that happen to be monsters.
Thanks to theMortal Kombatgames taking place in Earthrealm, Outworld, the Netherrealm, and other fantastical locations, fans have been exposed to many kinds of creatures. They have been heroes, villains, and even something in between, with some becoming iconic characters in the beloved fighting game franchise.
8Motaro
A Powerful Centaurian That Rarely Appears In The Games
The original sub-boss ofMortal Kombat 3, Motaro is a Centaurian, but he is not your typical half-man, half-horse creature seen in fantasy stories. Instead, Motaro features a cybernetic tail and goat-like horns on his head and the result is a creature that ate player quarters like candy whenMortal Kombat 3was in the arcades.
Though he has only appeared a handful of times, the Centaurian design of Motaro has turned him into a fan-favorite character. Especially since he can fire lasers from his tail and teleport,towering over most in-game characters. Motaro recently made quite a comeback inMortal Kombat 1as one of many Kameo fighters for players to summon into battle.
7Onaga
The Original Dragon King Who Deserves A Comeback
The first Emperor Of Outworld before Shao Kahn, Onaga is a massive dragon-like humanoid who was the main antagonist ofMortal Kombat: Deception. He quickly intimidated fans by killing off not only Quan Chi and Shang Tsung as if they were nothing to him, but also Raiden.
Throughone of the most famous story modesin the franchise, Onaga is revealed to be a threat that even Shao Kahn fears. His design is unlike anyone else in the series and fans of Deception can attest that he remains a final boss fight that resulted in controllers being thrown due to his many unblockable attacks that can eliminate the player in just a few hits.
6Baraka
Prolific Thug Who Was Sidelined For Years
Appearing in almost every game since his debut inMortal Kombat II, Baraka has seen many ups and downs as a character.He became a beloved characterdue to his signature arm blades, rows of razor-sharp teeth, and grotesque monstrous face. Sadly, the stories have often reduced him to being a generic villain working for other villains.
Baraka has always featured memorable gameplay, typically focusing on fast-paced combos and special moves using his blades, which resulted in many wishing he would be given better treatment. Thankfully, developers have listened to fans, and withMortal Kombat 11and especiallyMortal Kombat 1, Baraka and his race of Tarkatans have become a pivotal part of the franchise’s lore.
5Sheeva
A Warrior That Went From C-Lister To A-Lister
After Goro introduced the concept of the Shokan race to gamers in the originalMortal Kombat, Sheeva was introduced inMortal Kombat 3to expand upon that concept. The female Shokan utilizes many of the same attacks and special moves as Goro as well as some of her own, which often makes her a force to be reckoned with.
Over the years, Sheeva has continued to make more appearances inMortal Kombatgames, becoming more prolific than the more famous Shokan prince. Sheeva even became one of thebest characters inMortal Kombat 11, having more depth to her gameplay and story than ever before.
4D’Vorah
Made A Legacy Out Of Killing Legacy Characters
Resembling something straight out of David Cronenburg’sThe Fly, the Kytinn named D’Vorah first appeared in Mortal Kombat X and quickly stole the show. From a delightfully evil performance by Kelly Hu to her insectoid appearance, fans had never seen a character like D’Vorah before and that’s why she returned inMortal Kombat 11.
In the canon ofMortal Kombat, D’Vorah became infamous among fans due to how many favorite characters she killed, including Mileena andHanzo Hasashi, also known as Scorpion. However, that infamy has led to her being one of many popular requests for a future DLC character inMortal Kombat 1.
3Mileena
Fans Are Obsessed With The Princess Of Outworld
Though she may look like an Edennian at first glance, Mileena is actually a hybrid made with Tarkatan blood. Originally, Mileena was a clone of Kitana created by Shang Tsung, butMortal Kombat 1depicts her as Kitana’s twin sister afflicted with a diseasethanks to convenient time travel. In both versions, Mileena sports red eyes and sharp teeth that even the deadliest fighters fear to cross.
Mileena has helpedMortal Kombatachieve its cult status with her brutal combat featuring her sais as her weapon of choice and her teeth, resulting in some of the goriest fatalities in the franchise’s history. Fans have come to love Mileena so much that it was controversial when she initially wasn’t in theMortal Kombat 11character roster.
2Reptile
From Secret Fighter To Iconic Reptilian Warrior
Also known as Syzoth, Reptile began as a secret boss fight in the originalMortal Kombatbefore becoming a recurring base roster character in almost every game since. The Zaterran warrior did not have much to do in terms of the story untilMortal Kombat 1rebooted him to be a far more complex character.
Reptile has always shined in his abilities and visual style in both design and gameplay. He began as nothing more than a recolored Scorpion, but as games progressed, the creators embraced his reptilian side more and more, with acidic abilities, tongue-based attacks, and devouring his enemies as iconic fatalities.
1Goro
A Monster That Has Been There Since The Beginning
Before fighting Shang Tsung in the originalMortal Kombat, the challenge was to first get past Goro, the prince of the Shokans. With four arms, Goro has been the bane for many gamers across multiple games, as he is immune to knockback, throws, and he can break any attack the player throws at him.
The Shokan design has always appealed to fans, which is what led to the creation of other characters, including Sheeva and Kintaro. Goro has even gone on to have a famous rivalrywith none other than Johnny Cage, thanks to the 1995 movie, and remains the most iconic monster, as shown by him being a pre-order bonus character forMortal Kombat X.
