DBZ is the greatest cartoon ever made, and it's a very nice analogy you used. Kung Lao is far more noble and humble than Liu, but they 'had' to add the touch of arrogance for the sake of rivalry. But I wouldn't get to worked up over the MK:SM storyline, too rigid to even be canon.

^No offense, but the part where you said Kung is more noble and humble than Liu, I kinda saw as you being a little bit biased there, as to me it would not make much sense with the anaysis I just provided.

Just because you make an analysis, doesn't mean others can make their own opinions that don't fit in with your analysis. As for kung lao being a man of peace, that was only after MK3 when he was beaten to near death. And just because you chose a path of peace doesn't mean you won't fight if thier is a problem that requires it. There wasn't much of a personality to kung lao and some other characters in other mk games because they were fighting games and you don't get much glimpse into who they are. They don't have a rivalry, lao is just jealous that kang won and he didn't. Besides this game takes place during MK2, and we don't know what his personality was during MK2 until now. So his personality isn't really new. Thats just how he was during MK2/MKSM and he remained the same as he did in the other games. At the end you can tell he wasn't jealous of kang and saw that they are a team and that as long as one wins they all do, just like raiden said. This "analysis" or yours is more like an observation.

^*Sighs* I just saw it as that, I mean I was trying to compare Liu Kang and Kung Lao to Goku and Vegeta, but he said great analysis and I didn't really understand it and *sighs* forget it... Oh and Kung Lao was somebody who didn't want to fight, he did because he had to, but yet he always tried to retire from it.

Kung Lao's personality evolved.
He may have started out as a bit untrusting and even aggressive in all areas, but I think that may have changed when he "died" in MK3. When he and Kitana made peace with Goro (an event confirmed to have happened in MKDA), he said, "I once thought an alliance with an enemy was a lost cause, Princess Kitana." He eventually dropped his dark personality and accepted a new way of life.
But he's still unstable. I mean, when Liu Kang died, he went right off the handle. He's a guy who just wants to live up to his ancestor's name, and it can cause him to be impulsive and untrusting. He has a lot to learn. He sees the world in black and white, but he's missing the grey. I mean, all he knows is the Shaolin teachings, and he's finally getting out.
I think it's cool how he and Liu Kang started off untrusting of eachother, and their relationship evolved into a brotherhood. Looks like we'll have to wait and see if his newfound beliefs carry on and he doesn't dump them.
The MK characters' personality is pretty flat. It's kind of left up to you as to how they act - and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Kung Lao was NOT changed by the near-death experience in MK3. He's ALWAYS wanted to avoid the fighting. That's the original reason he stayed home at the temples in MK1. He didn't want the things that being "Champion of Mortal Kombat" brings.
Look what being the champ did for Liu:
-He can't age. He's stuck watching his friends and family grow old and die around him Highlander-style until he himself is either killed in battle or defeated in a tournament, and the tournament's only held every 50 years.
-He couldn't marry Kitana and move to Edenia after MK4 because the MK Champ has a responsibility to live on Earth and defend it.
-He's every villain's first target (The Extermination Squads in MK3, The Deadly Alliance)
Kung Lao didn't want that.
In Shaolin Monks, not only is it completely reverse, he also acts like a spoiled child, openly complaining about Liu being Raiden's favorite, Liu getting all the glory, Liu wanting to save his "girlfriend", etc.
Yeah, it's real believable that a goddamn MONK would act that way. I don't f*cking think so.

Where did you get the whole "champion can't age" tid bit from?

From MKC probably, one of the worst ideas that were implemented into the MK universe. Anyway, I think that an arrogant, bit too self-concious ung Lao is okay to a degree, at least thyis would give him more depth.
from jackass pacifist to complete pacifist at least untill MKDA. About Liu Kang: if he is not the calm, and less prone to violent acts, then what trait does Liu possess (points to the fact Liu didn't had anything as a plotline since MK1)???
Damn, I think a "neck massage" is in place.

The "champion can't age" bit is canonical in the games. I can't remember what material was the first to mention it in order to provide you a direct quote or anything, but I can guarantee I didn't get it from the TV show, because I never watched Conquest.
Y'see, when the "Outworld must win ten in a row" rule was introduced (in the Official MK2 Comic by Tobias, NOT the movie as most people believe), they later added that bit to explain how a champion could defend his title every generation without ever getting too old and feeble to fight.
Though Tobias must've had that rule planned in his mind from the start, because the Original Kung Lao doesn't age between beating Shang and getting killed by Goro.
...Anyway, as for what makes the monks different from one another in the pre-MKSM continuity, Kung Lao frequently lets his anger over various things overpower his desire for peace.
He could've opted not to avenge the Order of Light in MK2, he went into Outworld anyway. He could've opted not to seek out and challenge Goro in MK4/Gold, he did it anyway (even though that confrontation ended peacefully). He could've let Shang get away with killing Liu in Deadly Alliance, he went after him anyway. He frequently compromises his principles for the sake of revenge, which means he's either got "anger issues", or he's fiercely devoted to that samurai definition of "honor" where justice is an eye for an eye.
Liu, meanwhile, doesn't mind fighting if it's for a good cause, but he doesn't let his rage take over and make him kill people. In fact, the part that bothers me most about the boss fatalities in Shaolin Monks is that it's out of character for Liu to kill his opponents. We know he willingly spared Goro and Shang after defeating them in MK1. We know that Shao Kahn has survived losing to him TWICE.
Liu's basically just like Superman, personality-wise. He grew up in a secluded, strong moral upbringing, learning the value of hard work and discipline, not unlike Clark on the farm in Smallville. He's got the same "good and evil are black and white" sense of morality and only really cares about doing "the right thing" as a result. That resolve makes him an inspiration and a natural leader to the other heroes, despite the fact that he'd rather take his cues from an authority figure like Raiden.
MK4 also establishes Liu as fiercely protective of Kitana (his bio tells us that, before joining up with the other heroes, he first ran off to Edenia and tried to take on the whole Army of Darkness by himself to rescue her, only to get sent packing), which is also just like Superman and Lois, and he's a bit gullible/naive/too easily trusting (Even after the trap is sprung in Tanya's ending, he doesn't realize until she's thoroughly spelled it out for him)...again, just like Superman.
So the difference between the two monks, in the simplest terms, is that Liu is a hero, Kung Lao is an anti-hero. And the people who keep saying ANY character needs more depth need to be smacked in the face for not seeing the depth that's already f*cking there.

A lot of that is just assumption so there is nothing really fucking there. There is no proof of what you said in your earlier post about kung lao wanting a peaceful life all the time. As for the way he acted after liu kang's death, whats wrong with that? Should he not have been mad that his friend and closes ally was murdered. It may be easy for you dismiss the way he acted since this is just a game and you are on the outside looking in. Some of the characters do need more personality. Especially the ones who are newly introduced into the game, so no one needs to be smacked since there really isn't much depth. Anti-hero is applied to people who don't really belong to either side of good or evil but do things good if they have to similar to catwoman of the batman comics. Kung lao is just a good guy who fights agains't bad guys.
Either way the MKSM version of him is his new personality and i think its just fine.

Yes on the anit-hero thing, but it's a really immature personality, after reading Razor's post, I agree 100% with it now. It makes him an unlikable character and those who want him to be the next main hero, well I don't want that to happen, because I wouldn't want someone like him as the main hero of Mortal Kombat. Also Kung Lao DID want a peaceful life, look at all the implications that he didn't want to fight, I mean if he wanted to continue fighting, he would've come back immediately after being presumed dead and said "Sorry about that." But does he? No, he decides instead to take this opportunity to retire from fighting and Liu Kang well I agree with what he says, it's not presumption, I think that's what the games are trying to imply, I mean look at what happened to the good guys when they tried to take on the Deadly Alliance. Without Liu Kang, who was their inspiration, they failed. If Liu Kang had been there, they would've won and besides the only reason Liu Kang died in Deadly Alliance was because of a cheap shot. If there is an anti-hero of Mortal Kombat, that title would belong to Scorpion, who isn't good or evil, but ultimately does do good things when he has to. After all, look at his MK4 and MK:D endings, those endings show him doing something that benefits the side of light and you know how in Deadly Alliance depending on the alignment of your character you get a "Heroes victorious or Deadly Alliance victorious picture" well, you get the good guys win picture. But Kung Lao doesn't fall into that picture, he's more of a reluctant hero.

I think that maybe Kung Lao was bitter in the beginning. Why did he not compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament? Because the Order of Light (maybe Shaolin Temple) had already chosen their representative. Therefore when Lao believes it should have been him and he is the way he was in MKSM. Now at the end, the two become closer, and I don't think that they ever disliked each other. From there I think Kung Lao has changed, as stated, he was furious upon discovering Liu Kang's body. Why did he lose to the Deadly Alliance?
That is something that we can hypothesize over. Maybe it was because he let his anger take over in the fight? Maybe the DA was just plain out better than him? Maybe it was just bad luck that day. Whatever the case, IMO Kung Lao has grown since MKSM and the main reason why he was that way, was probably to give MKSM more of an edge. Wouldn't it be boring if he just agreed with everything and never questioned. Kung Lao was made to stand out in that game and he did to me. Liu acted just the way I thought he would, but Kung Lao showed he had knowledge of their surroundings and was not just a sidekick. To me they are equal, and if he is in MK7 aren't you going to look at him differently? Hopefully he will play a very integral role.

I agree with SoulofErmac. Since this is Mortal Kombat 2 & Kung Lao is maybe younger & more immature & in DA he is more mature & he knows Liu better & they are friends now.

The way I saw Liu Kang in all of the Mortal Kombat games was that he was the most human out of all of the Earthrealm warriors and that is why I see him as the Mortal Kombat Champion. Does anyone remember hearing about Liu Kang running off to America before the Shaolin Tournament?
Liu Kang had a sense of life outside of the Shaolin and he defied them in a sense with his sacrificial actions for the right cause just how Raiden defied the Elder Gods when he relinquished his status as Elder God to help fight. But Liu Kang knowing the legend of his ancestor and his dispute against Shang Tsung had him come back to the Shaolin and he wanted to represent the Shaolin in Mortal Kombat.
Liu Kang had his reasons to join in Mortal Kombat and the Shaolin did not look upon Liu Kang with much honor before the Mortal Kombat tournament. Liu Kang valued his life and he wanted to live it. But he holds his family and honor above those things aswell and he knew it was his destiny to fight in Mortal Kombat. Perhaps wandering out on his own around the world he must have relized this. Liu Kang was probably put to the test before entering the Mortal Kombat tournament and he passed.
That is why Liu Kang is given the title as "The Chosen One" he was the man that was chosen to end Shang Tsung over all of the Shaolin even Kung Lao.
As someone posted before, Kung Lao did not want that title as champion because of the hardships and unhumbleness that the title would bring to a person. Kung Lao valued his life as a Shaolin Monk who was protected from the corruptness of Earthrealm. Kung Lao was held in great respect with the Shaolin more than Liu Kang I bet. Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat was the underdog, you can compare Liu Kang to Super Man and Goku, but I compare Liu Kang to Rocky Balboa.
I bet the Shaolin wanted Kung Lao to fight but Kung Lao refused to, as you may notice Kung Lao dropped out of the White Lotus before the Mortal Kombat tournament, perhaps to avoid entering the Mortal Kombat tournament. Another reason why I believe Liu Kang was to be the "Chosen One" is because Liu Kang already had all the qualities of being the Mortal Kombat Champion. Liu Kang was already on his own, he was not like the other monks, he was an internaly conflicted person and he always had challenges within himself. Kung Lao and the other monks were not like that, they were humble monks and they got rid of their problems. They lived life under the Shaolin teachings.
I think that when Liu Kang entered the tournament he prooved himself that he was the "Chosen One" and with his personality had this spark in Raiden's eyes, Raiden seeing that spark in Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade out of all the other mortals who entered the tournament decided to aid them in their battles to come. After many fights Liu Kang defeated Shang Tsung and Goro not only from his fighting abilities, but perhaps while fighting them he used his own experiences in life. Liu Kang had been with the Shaolin, away from them. and back again. With all the passion he had in him that gave him the strength to defeat Shang Tsung and Goro, that could very well explain Liu Kang's battle cries that make his sound like a "Turkey". Liu Kang brings his emotions and his essense in his fights with his skills in combat.
After the first Mortal Kombat I could see why Kung Lao disliked Liu Kang. Liu Kang being young at that time only in his twenties when becoming the Mortal Kombat Champion brought the Shaolin in the view of not only Shang Tsung but the emperor Shao Kahn. Kung Lao was probably there when Baraka led the attack on the Shaolin Temples and he saw the horrors of the outside world destroy his home that he grew up in and that he valued so much. Although Liu Kang himself did not destroy the Temples, because of his passion and ambition he brought upon the furies of Outworld to his home. Kung Lao is against all that Liu Kang lives his life by and that stuff that Liu Kang represents destroyed his home.
So from Kung Lao's eyes he saw Liu Kang as arrogant and stubborn, but in other people's eyes Liu Kang is a confused "individual" about himself who has great characteristics and he never backs down from a fight. That is why Kitana is probably attracted to Liu Kang, because he has this sense of power and this burning ambition to do what is right for himself and what he believes in yet Liu Kang is not even too sure about who he is. The burning question in Liu Kang's mind probably is "Where do I belong?" That question was answered when Liu Kang became the Mortal Kombat Champion and established himself as an individual. I don't know about you guys but to me Liu Kang's characteristics makes him sound like a hero.
Kung Lao does not like Liu Kang because Liu Kang is not really a Shaolin Monk, and Liu Kang is representing them and because of Liu Kang his life that he knew was taken away from him, he wanted a peaceful life and he did not want to live a life like Liu Kang and before the tournaments he probably avoided Liu Kang. But now he finds himself stuck with the same man he tried to avoid and he has to fight alongside with him. Kung Lao sees Liu Kang as a dangerous man who attracts danger. But Liu Kang is a BOLD individual.
From Liu Kang's perspective, Liu Kang had finally found his purpose in life as he became the Mortal Kombat champion. Liu Kang knows that he must protect Earth and that was his destiny. Liu Kang returns home only to find it ruined and to top it off a soul survivor is there who resents Liu Kang for everything he fought for. Liu Kang is now sure of who he is and he dislikes Kung Lao ontop of the fact that Kung Lao was not there to see Liu Kang evolve from being the man he was into the man he is now. They both want to avenge the death of their Shaolin brothers and although they don't like it, they have to work together.
As they fight together, Liu Kang slowly understands what Kung Lao is about and Kung Lao relizes what Liu Kang stands for and they become brothers. Both Liu Kang and Kung Lao do not have the influence of the Shaolin because they are basically all dead. So Liu Kang and Kung Lao do not have words put into their heads about each other. Kung Lao sees Liu Kang who he is as a person and I bet he is the only character that does not make Liu Kang live up to the title he earned. Both of them are so different from each other but yet they accept each other for what they are and both Liu Kang and Kung Lao inspire each other, thus that is why I believe they call themselves "brothers".
After all they have been through, I can see why Liu Kang becomes enraged when Kung Lao is believed to be dead after their fight with Shao Kahn in MK3, because Kung Lao is the only character that really understands Liu Kang for who he is. So with Liu Kang's fight with Shao Kahn in MK3, Liu Kang reflects on his past from his entire life and all he has been through that gives him the strength to beat Shao Kahn.
This is how I see the Mortal Kombat characters and their relationship to each other.

I like how Xalibar says my post was "just a lot of assumption" when I cited examples from the games throughout the whole goddamn post.
I swear to god, discussing storyline on these boards is the most frustrating thing in the world sometimes. Too many people prefer to stick to ignorance and misinformation rather than listen to anyone who's got any real, in-depth insight.
...On the other hand, it is pretty funny every time I see somebody who actually thinks they can correct XiahouDun on something...

Proud nintendo fan wrote:
Yes on the anit-hero thing, but it's a really immature personality, after reading Razor's post, I agree 100% with it now. It makes him an unlikable character and those who want him to be the next main hero, well I don't want that to happen, because I wouldn't want someone like him as the main hero of Mortal Kombat. Also Kung Lao DID want a peaceful life, look at all the implications that he didn't want to fight, I mean if he wanted to continue fighting, he would've come back immediately after being presumed dead and said "Sorry about that." But does he? No, he decides instead to take this opportunity to retire from fighting and Liu Kang well I agree with what he says, it's not presumption, I think that's what the games are trying to imply, I mean look at what happened to the good guys when they tried to take on the Deadly Alliance. Without Liu Kang, who was their inspiration, they failed. If Liu Kang had been there, they would've won and besides the only reason Liu Kang died in Deadly Alliance was because of a cheap shot. If there is an anti-hero of Mortal Kombat, that title would belong to Scorpion, who isn't good or evil, but ultimately does do good things when he has to. After all, look at his MK4 and MK:D endings, those endings show him doing something that benefits the side of light and you know how in Deadly Alliance depending on the alignment of your character you get a "Heroes victorious or Deadly Alliance victorious picture" well, you get the good guys win picture. But Kung Lao doesn't fall into that picture, he's more of a reluctant hero.
Kung lao was a little resentful since he wasn't able to represent the temples and honer his ancestor. And the temples had already chosen their representative. Kung lao was jealous at the beginning of the game, but you can tell that quickly goes away when the journey into outworld begins. And by the end of the game he isn't jealous of liu kang and they are now friends. He is perfectly fine. Unlike liu kang kung lao established his own personality in the fact that he seemed distrustful and questioning of raiden(shang tsung) whereas kang just agreed with him. I agree that this game does establish him as more of a just a sidekick like the others and more of a person that if liu kang he is ready to step up. They died in the battle agaisn't the DA most likely because they were outnumbered and had taken on more than they could rather than liu kang not being there made them fell like not doing anything. Thats just plain stupid.
Kung lao doesn't seem even remotely unlikeable to me. And his feelings of jealousy seem normal since he carries the name of his famous ancestor. The jealousy thing is not his personality and cannot be used to define who he is. At the end of MK3, midway said he died. Then they decided to bring him back so rather than say that he didn't die or that he was badly beaten they make a story making it appear as everyone though he was dead making the story coincide with what they said at the end of MK3. As for him going the path of peace, maybe geaten beaten to near death at the end of mk3 gave him a blow to his ego and doubt his ability as a fighter and decided that maybe it wasn't for him. The problem is that this game take time during MK2 and you are contributing his decisions and ways after this game and series of events and putting it into his personality during this game. This game establishes more of his character and a person of independant thought rather than just a clone of liu kang, which is the main reason why he was killed of during MK3. Saying that he is a reluctant hero, would be saying that cage and sonya are reluctant heroes as well as he doesn't show any sign of reluctance. He is just as dedicated to in the fight for earthrealm as liu kang and the others even if he has experinced moments of doubt in his fighting skills.
off topic: Had payed much attention the what raiden says after you leave tsungs island. About how "all can be lost in a single defeat" or "thus far the warrios of earth have triumphed" There were some other sayings that i can't remeber and i'm not sure if i worded those right, but does it seem to give the impression that they did away with the 10 tournament wins in a row and that the outworld only needed one tournament win to succeed? DId anybody else get that impression even though it is a vague interpretation?

In regards to what Grizzle said, that's a good analogy, but I thought Liu Kang running away from the Shaolin Temples to America was only in the movie?

Liu moving to America IS only in the movie.
In the games, Liu only left the temples to join the White Lotus society and to train with Bo' Rai Cho, and he returns to gain the right to represent the Shaolin in the tournament.
Kung Lao also left the temples to join the White Lotus, but he didn't want to fight in the tournament and didn't return to the temple until after it had been wiped out before MK2.

No it occured in the game too, read Kai's biography. Liu Kang met Kai while in America.

Yeah, he met Kai while recruiting for the White Lotus Society.
He wasn't living there like an ordinary guy with an apartment and not believing in Mortal Kombat, like at the beginning of the movie.

Yeah, not at all like the movie but he did venture outside of the Temples on his own. Liu Kang believed in Mortal Kombat and that is why he became Mortal Kombat champion in my eyes. Kung Lao believed in Mortal Kombat aswell but I believe you said before that he wanted no part in it.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm saying.

Some well thought out posts I'm reading on the personalities of both shaolin monks. I think ProudNintendofan, RazorsEdge701, and Grizzle make some very good observations, and deserve dragon points for their posts. Especially Grizzle. I think you're right on on much of what you said.
The impression I got from the official MKII comic was also one where Kung Lao initially wanted no part in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Liu Kang says to Kung Lao in the comic, "You left the shaolin when they needed you most." Does that not imply that perhaps Kung Lao was originally intended by the elder shaolin monks to fight in the tournament? I always liked that idea, that he walked away because it's not the way of life he desired. Only coming back to fight after his fellow monks at the Order of Light were murdered. He realizes this is a fight where he must lend his skills to aid the side of light, which leds him to reply to Liu Kang saying, "The fight with Outworld is far from over. When it continues, you can count on Kung Lao to fight at your side."
I never put much thought about how Kung Lao must have viewed Liu Kang's actions being the blame for the attack on the temples, but that sounds very reasonable. This probably was one of the reasons Kung Lao chose not to fight in MK1. Both monks left the Order of Light, but something made Liu Kang come back and humbly request to represent them. And something these monks seen in Liu Kang made them accept his request. It took Outworld coming to the temples front doors to motivate Kung Lao to fight.
You know what? John Tobias wanted to do a Liu Kang game to explain his past before the tournament, and I really wish he did. I think a lot of the questions and speculations being argued over in this thread would have been cleared up.
But I do like how Kung Lao appeared to be before MKSM came out. While the personality they give him in MKSM doesn't bother me too bad, it isn't really what I pictured for him. I prefered the impression many people had for him, the shaolin man of peace. That's just my personal preference though.
And I also agree with what someone said about Liu Kang killing bosses the way he did. It did indeed feel out-of-character to me as well. Especially him killing Jade like that. That just felt obsurdly wrong! Liu Kang would not have done that, especially not so sadistically! Stabbing her in the face with the sais?! C'mon now! 100% UNNESESSARY! If someone of Liu Kang's personality was going for a kill, it would have been less extreme. But honestly, he'd most likely have just knocked her out instead.
MKSM was a fun game, I enjoyed it. But Liu Kang and Kung Lao were not portrayed the way I had hoped they'd be. But at least now these two great heroes have FINALLY gotten some deserved recognition. For heroes of the series, they were way underfocused and overlooked in my opinion.
~Jason Rainwater

Many of you provided good analysis and brought up aspects of Liu and Kung's relationship I never considered before. I am going to take a little short cut here and comment about the point that several of you have brought up concerning Kung Lao possibly blaming Liu Kang for the attack on the temple. If Kung Lao is really as deep and thoughtful as claimed I dont think he would place any blame on Liu. This tournament was Earth's last chance they had no choice but to win, I mean it is not like the tournament was a leisure activity or for bragging rights, and if it was not Liu who was sent it would have been someone else. Also if Kung Lao knew so much about the ramifications of being champion then he would probably have also known that if Liu Kang had not done what he did then the Shaolin and earth itself would have been in a far worse position than after the attack by the Tarkata. Lastly I not certain where many of you are getting the idea that Kung Lao wanted peace(at least before MK3) His MK2 bio and ending indicate a man fueled by vengeance and therefore with a desire to fight, it was only after his near death experience, after fighting Shao Kahn, that caused him to rethink his actions.