5.14. ERMAC

5.14.1. BIOGRAPHY

Since Ermac is a composite of many warriors, he naturally opposes the fragmentary consciousness of the One Being, and has access to intuitive visions few can match. As a friend and ally of Liu Kang, he was reluctantly assigned to protect Kung Lao from harm at Raiden's tournament. Ermac has sensed great dangers, and his special abilities may well be needed once more.

5.14.2. DATA

Status: Ninja-sorcerer
Height: 177cm
Weight: 81kg
Origin: Outworld
Birthplace: Unknown
Race: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Moral alignment: 4
Order alignment: 3
Allies: Liu Kang, Kenshi
Foes: Shao Kahn, Onaga

5.14.3. STYLES

* Hua chuan (sm: power-up): Hua Chuan or China Style Boxing originated in Jining of Shandong Province, also known as the ancient Rencheng, during the Tang Dynasty (713 - 741) by Cai Mao, a Mount Hua knight. Some 400 years later, Cai's family, Cai Tai and Cai Gang, competed in national contests and finally developed the style into the present day Hua Chuan. Hua Chuan is characterized by its flawless, well connected movements, ligntening like speed, and well routed stances. Practioner's breathe deeply to bring air to the entire body and the movements are coordinated with mental concentration

* Daito-ryu (sm: shove): Daito-ryu, aiki-jujutsu, originally called Daito ryu jujutsu, is a Japanese martial art that first became widely known in the early 20th century under the headmastership of Sokaku Takeda. Takeda had extensive training in several martial arts (including Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage ryu and sumo) and referred to the style he taught as Daito Ryu. Although the ryu's traditions claim to extend back centuries in Japanese history there are no known extant records regarding the ryu before Sokaku Takeda. Whether he is regarded as the restorer or founder of the art, the known history of Daito ryu begins with Sokaku Takeda. Perhaps the most famous student of Sokaku Takeda was Morehei Ueshiba, founder of aikido.

* Manriki (sm: weapon counter): Manriki is a throwing chain, generally about 11 inches (279 mm) long. When used with a whipping motion of the wrist, it can injure or knock out opponents at a considerable distance. Often at one end of the chain it had a round weight for extra punch or a pointed weight (like an arrowhead). The manriki gusari is a chain usually about 3 feet long and weighted at both ends. It was developed as a self-defense weapon but was also a wicked offensive weapon. It is small and easily concealed in the palm of the hand or in a sash. While holding one end of the chain, it can be swung around and used as a whip. The weighted end can cause a great deal of damage. Masaki Ryu is one of Japan's older and more obscure martial arts. Masaki Toshimitsu Dannoshin was a guard at a Buddhist temple gate in Edo in the 1600's. He created the manriki-gusari so he could do his job and not break the Buddhist prohibition against spilling blood.

* Halberd (sm: uncounterable two-hit combo): A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word "halberd" comes from the German words halm (staff), and barte (axe). The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft. It always has a hook or thorn on the back side of the axe blade for grappling mounted combatants. The halberd was cheap to produce and very versatile in battle. Originally, the halberd was best known for the sheer weight and cutting power of its axe head, able to carve through the armor commonly used by knights upon its introduction into the battlefield. As the halberd was eventually refined, its point was more fully developed to allow it to better deal with spears and pikes, as was the hook opposite the axe head, which could be used to draw horsemen to the ground.

* Difficulty: 4

Ermac is dependant on set-ups to trick his opponents into eating lots of damage. The good thing is he possesses a decent number of short, uncounterable combos, especially in hua chuan, that plant or push away the opponent to mid-range (where all his tele-attacks work). Daito-ryu is designed more for joint locks and submissions, and can be seamlessly integrated with his chain style, effectively leading to some chain throws. His halberd is much like his axe in MKD: powerful but slow. So in short, Ermac can be played both as a ranged fighter with his special moves, and a grappler with his array of throws.

5.14.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Hado-energy (high)
* Tele-slam (mid)
* Tele-ride (high)
* Tele-hammer (Ermac's hands glow green as he makes a swiping movement with them; when hit the opponent is planted) (high)
* Mystic float (-)
--->* Mystic bomb (low)
--->* Mystic kick (mid)

5.14.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Soul destroyer (Ermac's right hand glows bright green; the soul of his opponent seems to writhe in terror with otherwordly sounds and then explodes, leaving the lifeless body fall to the ground in a heap)
* Teleripper (Ermac's left hand glows bright green as he telekinetically extracts the heart of the victim, painfully slowly, and lets it fall to the ground before the very eyes of the victim)

5.14.6. COSTUMES

* His first MKD costume.
* His second MKD costume.
* Unmasked. Ermac's right arm is bare and only has one black wrist bandage. His other arm is covered in plated metal and he appears to wear a glowing ring over his black glove. One red leather belt runs diagonally across his chest and connects the red shoulder cap from costume #1 to his main belt. On his back he has the rose tattooed. His pants are the same from costume #2.

5.14.7. VOICE

His MKD voice.

5.14.8. OUTCOME

Ermac was well aware of the precarious situation both his allies and his foes were in. With Shao Kahn returned to the throne of Outworld and Onaga building a power base in the Netherrealm, anything could happen at Raiden's evil tournament. Ermac warded off all attacks on Kung Lao as they travelled across the realms together, but it was the death of his former student Kenshi at the hands of Qanturus that enabled Ermac to find the strength he needed to win the tournament.

With the joint energy of the hundreds of spirits that inhabited his body, Ermac destroyed Qanturus and defeated the thunder god. The kamidogu had been protected, and the Amulet of Whispers returned to the Elder Gods. Meditating on his victory, Ermac was glad to have found a new purpose in life, and was soon asked by the Wu Shi Academy to become a resident teacher. He was honoured to accept, and knew that there was more kombat to come.

5.14.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Sektor
2. Kobra
3. Reiko
4. Noob Saibot
5. Irikara Neferu
6. Havik
7. Hachiman
8. Quan Chi
9. Shang Tsung
10. Damashi
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

It all looks very realistic and MK like. Good job.

One question, where are all the chicks?

Thanks! Falcon and Kitsune are girls, as is Irikara Neferu. None of the classic ladies made the cut, however. Originally Ashrah and Jade were going to be in, but I dropped them later in favour of Hotaru and Noob. I'm sure that this displeases some people, but then again you can't make everyone happy :).

I'm planning on a possible MK all-stars fanfic game that would include all characters and still be playable and manageable in terms of storyline. But we'll see how that goes, I'll first post the other characters of MKR.

Koming soon are...

* Damashi: an angry god joins Fujin's coalition, but can he be trusted?
* Reiko: one of Outworld's few trustworthy villains punishes the wicked
* Drahmin-Moloch: released into the world of the living as Noob's hell hounds... who will stop them?
* Kenshi: the blind swordsman hears his blade speak to him at night...
* Sektor: the killing machine returns at the side of Hachiman
* Irikara Neferu: some evils are best unspoken...
* Xerxes: Chancellor of Orderrealm, a beacon of Order in a universe gone mad



..

5.15. DAMASHI

5.15.1. BIOGRAPHY

Formerly protector of Outworld, Damashi, also known as the God of Fire, has always been a friend and ally of Raiden and Fujin. It is many centuries ago that Damashi took a human form to compete in hand-to-hand kombat with mortals. He offered his assistance to Fujin, but may well have different plans which he will reveal to his travelling companions when the time is right.

5.15.2. DATA

Status: God of Fire
Height: 215cm
Weight: 125kg
Origin: Heavens
Birthplace: Unknown
Race: God
Age: Unknown
Moral alignment: 3
Order alignment: 2
Allies: Fujin, Raiden
Foes: Onaga, Shinnok

5.15.3. STYLES

* Shuai chiao (sm: taunt): Shuai chiao is the modern term for Chinese and Mongolian wrestling. It literally means "to throw onto the ground using 'horns'" or "to thrown onto the ground through wrestling". It is a devastatingly effective fighting art, incorporating limb control (joint locks, bars and twists), chokes, throws, and grappling. Students learn the vital points of human anatomy, but with a view to grasping, pressing and locking them rather than strking them. To watch, a qinna strike is surprisingly swift and relaxed. Shuai chiao is one of the oldest martial arts, predating even kung fu and first emerged 700 BC. Initially it was quite crude, but a thousand years saw great changes. By AD 700 the crude headbutts had been replaced with sophisticated holds and throws. Wrestling reached such a cultural level that contests were held before the emperor. These contests were held as court amusement and used as eliminatory process for selecting superb martial arts instructors for the noble. Some contests would reach a week or so, with more than 1,000 participants.

* Capoeira (sm: escape): Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art developed in the 1500s by African slaves. It is marked by deft, tricky movements often played on the ground or completely inverted. It also has a strong acrobatic component in some versions and is always played with music. The word capoeira has a few meanings, one of which is an area of forest or jungle that has been cleared by burning or cutting down. Alternatively, Kongo scholar K. Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau thinks that capoeira could be a deformation of the Kikongo word kipura, which means to flutter, to flit from place to place; to struggle, to fight, to flog. In particular, the term is used to describe rooster's movements in a fight. Capoeira was developed by the slaves of Brazil as a way to resist their oppressors, secretly practice their art, transmit their culture, and lift their spirits. Some historians believe that the indigenous peoples of Brazil also played an important role in the development of capoeira. Capoeira primarily attacks with kicks and sweeps. Some schools teach punches and hand strikes, but they are not as common. Capoeira also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent. Cartwheels, handstands, head- and hand-spins, sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips, and large dodges are all very common in capoeira.

* Fire (similar to Raiden, Damashi morphs into his primal fire personality, partially resembling his old self, but completely in flames and with his eyes glowing fiery yellow; he is somewhat similar to Blaze but looks much more ethereal; he doesn't bleed, only flames up or smokes when hit) (sm: auto-counter – Damashi burns the limb caught): Fire is a form of combustion. Most typically, the word fire refers to the combination of the brilliant glow and large amount of heat released during a rapid, self-sustaining exothermic oxidation process of combustible gases ejected from a fuel. The flames are a body of gas that releases heat and light. Fires start when a fuel is subjected to heat or another energy source, e.g. a match or lighter, and are sustained by the further release of heat energy until all the combustible fuel is consumed. Controlling fire for the purposes of providing heat and light was one of humankind's first great achievements. Fires and burning have often been used in religious rites and symbolism, as the smoke of the fire disperses into the heavens. Fire is one of the four classical elements, as well as one of the five Chinese elements. In Hinduism fire is one of five sacred elements of which all living creatures are comprised and is considered an eternal witness essential to sacred religious ceremonies. In Christianity, fire is a symbol of the Holy Ghost and is often used in descriptions of Hell.

* Kendo (Japanese swordfighting style; Damashi' blade is on fire) (sm: impale): Kendo is the modern martial art of Japanese fencing, developed from traditional techniques of Japanese swordsmanship known as kenjutsu. Taught using "swords" made of split bamboo (shinai) and extensive protective armour (bogu), practitioners are called kendoka or "kenshi". Kendoka merely means one who practices kendo. Kenshi means swordsman. Both terms are used, though many clubs have a preference for one term. Kendoka also use bokuto (wooden katana) to practice set forms known as kata. On formal occasions, real swords or metal swords with a blunt edge, called habiki, can be used. There are 10 basic kata. In modern kendo, there are two types of attacks - strikes and thrusts. Strikes are allowed against only certain areas on the body. The valid targets are men (top of the opponent's head), sayu-men (the left or right side of the opponent's head), right kote, or wrist at any time, the left kote when it is in a raised position (such as jodan), the left or right do (in tournament situations points are rarely awarded for striking the left side of the opponent's do). Thrusts are only allowed to the throat (tsuki).

* Difficulty 2

While Damashi's styles are not as well integrated as those of others, a player has many options to choose from. His first style consists of some powerful punches and grappling techniques, and offers limited counters and throw escapes. Capoeira is his most spectacular style and can be used for juggling, while fire is both quick and very safe, but makes Damashi eat more damage when hit. Kendo, lastly, is gracious but slow. All in all Damashi is more poised towards the offence.

5.15.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Tiger blast (Damashi shoots a ray from his eyes, pinning the opponent back; when he performs this move his face and hands temporarily morph into those of a tiger) (high)
* Tiger claws (Damashi temporarily morphs into a glowing golden tiger with a fluid animation and jumps at the victim, scratching them multiple times in the face) (high)
* Magma column (Damashi raises his hands; a column of magma breaks the ground and shoots up from under the victim) (low)

5.15.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Ray of fire (a seething ray of fire from below burns the victim to ashes; should be coolly animated so that it's visible how skin and flesh burn away)
* Visible hole (Damashi' hand morphs into a tiger claw, which he uses to punch through the opponent's chest – camera shows this from the back of the opponent – after which he retreats, leaving the victim drop dead with a hole in their chest)

5.15.6. COSTUMES

* Damashi' lower legs are equipped with shin guards and knee guards similar to Raiden's, only his are in shades of yellow, of course, and the gold is black. The rest of his wide-fitting pants are red, with, on the sides, small horizontal yellow stripes that run up to his waist and continue on the sides of his shirt. His shirt has no sleeves and is fairly tight. His belt is metallic and has, as centerpiece, the yin-yang symbol. His upper arms are bare. His lower arms are covered in thick forearm guards similar in design to those he's wearing for his lower legs. His hands are covered in black, fingerless gloves. Damashi has blonde, spikey hair and a stern, cold face that contrasts with his fiery yellow eyes. He has a mustache and sideburns. His complexion is fairly normal. He is muscular.

* Damashi wears wide black jeans that widen near his feet. They're not fully black, actually in shades of black suggesting a tiger motive. His usual red shirt is covered by an open leather jacket which looks a bit like Jacky Bryant's in VF4, only Damashi' has a big flame on the back. He still wears his gloves. He also wears sunglasses, in a Rayban model.

* Pants similar to Raiden's in his alternate MKDA costume, including the Japanese "sandals" he was wearing in that costume. Damashi' pants are ornamented by motives of red dragons curling themselves around the pants. His lower arms and hands are the same as in his #1 costume. The rest of his torso and face is bare.

5.15.7. VOICE

* Deep, agressive voice, taking a visible pleasure in kombat
* Lacks the authority of Raiden but seems to have more spirit

5.15.8. OUTCOME

Damashi had long been disgusted with the apathy and lack of intrest the Elder Gods Senate had displayed when it came down to the affairs in the realms. Enjoying his time with the mortals, Damashi had no great difficulty in overcoming his adversaries, no matter how bizarre or strong their powers were. His true plans came to fruition however, when he learned that it was in fact Kung Lao who held the kamidogu. He stole them.

With these new found powers, Damashi attacked Raiden and destroyed him, much against the Elder Gods' wishes. He then shattered all kamidogu and melted the Amulet of Whispers in his ethereal fires, so that no one would ever gain control of so much power again. Damashi took possession of Outworld, but this last act invoked the wrath of the Elder Gods. In the subsequent wars, Outworld would be completely scorched, and Damashi would be banished to the bowels of the Netherrealm.

5.15.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Hachiman
2. Kitsune
3. Noob Saibot
4. Hotaru
5. Irikara Neferu
6. Dairou
7. Xerxes
8. Quan Chi
9. Shang Tsung
10. Fujin
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.16. REIKO

5.16.1. BIOGRAPHY

As is natural on Outworld, many of its prominent citizens have been repeatedly reported as dead, switched allegiances or waged brutal wars of conquest. Reiko is no different from these, but has earned special renown for his ruthlessness and radical effiency – a rare treat. As one of Shao Kahn's commanding military officers, he has been sent to Raiden's mortal kombat tournament to represent the realm of Outworld.

5.16.2. DATA

Status: General
Height: 205cm
Weight: 129kg
Origin: Outworld
Birthplace: Unknown
Race: Outworlder
Age: 5 million years (at least)
Moral alignment: 2
Order alignment: 4
Allies: Shao Kahn, Shinnok, Goro
Foes: Raiden

5.16.3. STYLES

* Krav maga (sm: counter plant - Reiko automatically counters a high attack move with a plant): Krav maga ("contact combat") is a martial art, at first developed in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. The developer was Imi Lichtenfeld. When Mr. Lichtenfeld came to Palestine prior to the establishment of the state of Israel, he began teaching hand to hand combat to the Haganah, the Jewish underground army. After the establishment of Israel, krav maga was adopted by the Israeli armed forces and police as the martial art of choice. The basic idea is to first deal with the immediate threat (e.g. hands around one's neck), prevent the attacker from re-attacking, then neutralize the opponent, proceeding through all the steps in a very straightforward manner. An emphasis is put on taking the initiative from the attacker as soon as possible. Krav maga generally assumes a no-quarter situation- the attacks and defenses are intended to inflict or divert the most pain possible on the opponent. Groin, eye, and other "unfair" attacks are emphasized, as are a variety of other fairly brutal attacks.

* Sambo (sm: super sidestep): Sambo (also called sombo and sometimes written in all-caps) is a modern martial art, combat sport and self-defense system developed in the Soviet Union. The word Sambo is an abbreviation of "samozashchita bez oruzhiya" meaning "self-defense without a weapon" in Russian. Although Sambo has its roots in traditional folk wrestling and foreign martial arts like judo (the founder of Sambo studied under the founder of Judo and acquired a 2nd degree black belt in this sport), this martial art is new: on November 16, 1938, the sport was recognized by USSR National Committee of Physical Culture. Sambo is a martial art that combines strikes and grappling, with a slight emphasis on the latter. Combat Sambo is more concerned with disabling an opponent quickly, without worrying about finesse or permanent harm; also, Combat Sambo includes weapons practice and disarming techniques.

* Warhammer (sm: guard crush): A war hammer is an archaic weapon of war intended for close combat, the design of which resembles the hammer. The war hammer consists of, like the tool it resembles, a handle and a head. The handle may be of different lengths, the longest being roughly equivalent to the halberd, and the shortest about the same as a mace. Long warhammers were pole weapons meant for use against riders, whereas short ones were used in closer quarters and from horseback. Later warhammers often had a spike on one side of the head, thus making it a more versatile weapon. Warhammers were developed as a consequence of the ever more prevalent metal armours of the medieval battlefields during the 14th and 15th centuries. The war hammer could deal blows of tremendous force to the target, especially when mounted on a pole, and by impact alone do damage without penetrating the armour. The most famous instance of a hammer as a weapon is Mjolnir, the weapon of the Norse god, Thor.

* Zweihänder (sm: impale): The Zweihänder (German for "two hander"), also zweihander, is a massive two-handed sword, designed to capitalize on brute force and shock effect, at the expense of some finesse. It is also known as "Bihänder" or "Bidenhänder." While implemented in Germany in the 14th century. It gained renown during the sixteenth century as the hallmark weapon of the Swiss Confederates. It was also employed by the german Landsknechte mercenaries of Maximilian I. They were typically used by the front lines of the Landsknechte, where they would be used to hew through the opposing pikemen and spearmen whose spears presented a difficult barrier for normal weapons and calvary. The zweihänder could be up to 6 feet (1.8 m) long from the base of the handle to the tip of the blade, with a 4 to 5 foot (1.2 to 1.5 m) blade and 1, 1 1/2 foot (300 to 450 mm) hilt. The weight could range between 2.8 and 5 kg. The earlier, more practical zweihänder types were used to break up pike formations, first by smashing the pikes and then by hitting the pikemen themselves. Wielding it effectively not only required brawn and stature but also proper training and great courage; soldiers capable of such a feat were usually fielded as shock troops. Seeing a troop rushing towards you carrying six foot long swords is enough to strike terror into any army.

* Difficulty 3

Reiko's biggest advantage is his incredible force. Krav maga has many what I would call 'force pokes', moves that make the opponent stagger by poking their eyes, gut and groin. This style also has some short combos, that flow into his sambo style, which is ideal for countering moves and disarming strategies with its super sidestep, which enables his throw from the side. He also has numerous throw escapes and some chain throws that are hard to escape. Two tools of more direct force are his weapons. The war hammer is limited in terms of moves, and slow, but is very powerful and punishes constant turtling. The zweihänder is a weapon that is slightly less powerful, but with an enormous range and many circular moves. Reiko's biggest weakness is his lack of a good long-range game and only one move that pops up (his flip kick).

5.16.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Flip kick (his MK4 special, has a comparable effect to Li Mei's old move) (mid)
* Teleport (his MK4 special) (-)
* Invisibility (Reiko disappears into a purple-white haze) (-)
* Energy ring (Reiko pulls out a stick that looks like an appliance of a firespitter, and blows a purple-white energy ring at the opponent, with an effect that can be compared to Reptile's sonic bombs in MK2 and UMK3/MKT, only that it fizzles after it reaches mid-range) (mid)

5.16.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Mega kick (his MK4/MKG fatality)
* Invisible split (Reiko turns invisible. After a few moments of agony for the victim, which looks around confused, they are suddenly cut into two vertical halves. When the victim is fully separated, Reiko appears with his zweihänder in his hands)

5.16.6. COSTUMES

* Reiko wears dark brown boots that are wide at the knees. He has wide black pants with a purple stripe on the sides to signify his rank. His dark brown belt contains the sheath of his zweihänder. His torso looks like it did in MK4, only the purple textures are now made of armour, with several inscriptions on them, and are dark brown with some purple accents. Underneath these wings of armour, he wears a black shirt that has its upper two buttons unbuttoned, revealing a necklace with the jewel of a small skull. His arms have dark purple bandages across the point where his biceps, triceps and shoulder muscles meet, and he has dark brown gloves on with spikes on them. His face is as in MK4.

* The same pants and boots as in #1, only this time he has some carapace armour covering the sides of his thighs. His torso is completely bare and his face is painted differently, with two diagonal red streaks, one slim one running left to right across his right eye, and a parallell thicker one running across part of his left eye and his nose. His torso and arms show scars from the numerous battles he has fought. His back has an evil tattoo on it.

* Black boots, the tops of which are covered in blue-grey wolf fur. The remainder of his legs is covered in black leather pants. His zweihänder is strapped to his back. He wears a once-piece grey armour over his belly and chest, which is tied together with small leather cords. His shoulders are ornamented by the blue-grey wolf fur and his head is partially covered by the head of a wolf, only revealing the lower part of his face. Reiko's hands are covered by the same fur, and show some ornamental claws. His arms show scars.

5.16.7. VOICE

* Reiko makes very few sounds of grunting, groaning or screaming, only some muffled sounds of exertion
* When hit by a forceful attack that would make any other opponent scream, Reiko says nothing, only the sound of impact is heard

5.16.8. OUTCOME

Reiko's true mission was to check on the doings of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, the former Deadly Alliance. Shao Kahn was well aware that his two arch-sorcerers were looking for the Amulet of Whispers, and would just as soon betray their emperor as they had sworn allegiance to them. Reiko discovered their plot and personally executed them in a vicious battle. He then challenged Raiden and destroyed him.

Reiko then returned back to Outworld to take up his position as infantry general of Outworld's reformed army. Together with Shao Kahn and Goro, and with imminent threats out of the way, he began plotting for Outworld's new era of conquest. With all other realms in disarray and the Heavens reeling from Raiden's death, Reiko's time as a great conqueror had come.

5.16.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Sub-Zero
2. Falcon
3. Cyrax
4. Kenshi
5. Jax
6. Kung Lao
7. Damashi
8. Fujin
9. Quan Chi
10. Shang Tsung
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.17. DRAHMIN / MOLOCH

5.17.1. BIOGRAPHY

Once a ruthless warlord on Earth, in the Netherrealm Drahmin became a caricature of evil, tormented endlessly by an unknown force and twisted until he became an Oni. There he allied himself with the elder Oni Moloch. Recognising their thirst for brutal violence and murder, Noob Saibot recruited them as his personal shock troops for his army. It is believed they have been sent to the tournament to take care of Noob's personal enemies.

5.17.2. DATA

Status: Oni
Height: 180cm / 251cm
Weight: 73kg / 401kg
Origin: Netherrealm
Birthplace: Gobi Desert (Mongolia), Earthrealm / Unknown
Race: Oni
Age: 503 (57 at death) / Unknown
Moral alignment: 1
Order alignment: 1
Allies: Moloch, Noob Saibot / Drahmin, Noob Saibot
Foes: Scorpion, Quan Chi

5.17.3. STYLES

* Drahmin
* Shark (sm: power-up): Though many martial arts forms find their origins on Earthrealm and were later exported to other realms, some were also modified and changed into totally different styles over time, separated from their Earth kin. Shark is one of these styles. Most likely it derived from other forms of kung fu on Chaosrealm and was then brought to the Netherrealm, and it is a special form of kung fu which emphasises quick open-hand attacks, relentless offence and sometimes attacks involving the entire body.
* Brass knuckles (sm: uncounterable three hit combo that brings in Moloch): Brass knuckles, (sometimes called knucks or knuckle dusters) are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Basically, brass knuckles are pieces of brass, steel or other metal shaped to fit around the knuckles. A hit from someone wearing these is extremely painful, and sometimes fatal. In most countries, the possession, let alone the use of brass-knuckles is illegal, as they are considered to be a 'cold weapon'. They are associated with organized crime in US popular culture. Knives using brass knuckles as their handle were common during the World War II era. A knife such as this is known as a "trench knife."

* Moloch
* Whale (sm: taunt): This form of kung fu was developed exclusively in the Netherrealm and taught to Oni Destroyers like Moloch by Noob Saibot. Though it shares some similarities with shark, in that it uses the entire body in its attack pattern, including elbows, shoulders, chest and back, whale is designed specifically for heavy warriors who wish to exploit their weight maximally. It could be considered a more aggressive variant of Earthrealm sumo wrestling. Whale's punch patterns are intended to intimidate and confuse an opponent to humble them as quickly as possible.
* Chain ball (sm: guard breaker – Moloch slams his chain ball into an opponent if one is nearby, and if they are blocking, they receive massive damage. If they are not blocking, they will stop the ball by lifting it back with their hands, opening up the possibility for a counter hit): Some prisoners in the Netherrealm end up with a souvenir of that time, and Moloch is no different. After fruitlessly trying to cast off his chain ball that once tied him to a dungeon in the 5th plane of the Netherrealm, Moloch decided to make his greatest weakness his greatest virtue. The ball, which weighs about 100 kilos, is effortlessly swung around by the Oni Destroyer and can be used to take out many opponents at once, or immediately kill one.

* Difficulty 4

Drahmin and Moloch are this game's double character. Though they are both very powerful, they need to be used for an all-out offence, as they possess little to no counters, chickens and have a bad wake-up game. As in MKDA, they rely on juggles and set-ups to make their game work, as neither of them possesses any auto-combos. Drahmin is good in the mix-up department and is the better juggler of the two. Moloch has a better grappling game and is extremely destructive against opponents who are grounded.

5.17.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Ground slam (mid)
* Ball of flies (high)
* Clockwork punch (Drahmin only) (mid)
* Chaos uppercut (Drahmin only) (high)
* Wind tunnel (Moloch only) (mid)

5.17.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Face off (Drahmin wrings his fist into the opponent's mouth and rips off half of their skull by their upper jaw, leaving their lower jaw hanging limply on their necks)
* Death splat (Moloch knocks down the opponent and smashes his chain ball into their face, splattering it all over the floor)

5.17.6. COSTUMES

* As in MKDA, only Moloch's skin is now rotting away too and the iron club grafted to Drahmin's arm has been changed into a set of brass knuckles. His silly underpants have been replaced by a loin cloth in a rough texture.

* Drahmin wears rusty green shin and forearm guards now, and his mask is now entirely wooden, without paint (a bit like the mask from the movie The Mask). He still has his loin cloth on. Moloch's skin tone is some sort of olive now, and his eyes glow red.

5.17.7. VOICE

* Drahmin: his familiar roar
* Moloch: his ghoulish screams, but some of them are longer and more threatening than before

5.17.8. OUTCOME

Noob Saibot watched from the shadows with ever increasing glee how Drahmin and Moloch raged through Raiden's tournament as an unstoppable force. Their targets had been well-chosen. They ripped their old adversary Scorpion a part once more, and Quan Chi did not escape his punishment either. But Drahmin rose far beyond the scope of Noob's plans after the centaur Qanturus killed Moloch. Drahmin slew him, and then smashed Raiden's skull.

The shock of electricity that went through Drahmin as he delivered the final blow to Raiden, knocked him unconscious. When he woke up on the roof of the Sky Temple under a clear blue sky, he realised something had changed. He had regained his memories of his past life, and gradually felt the hate and perpetual rage inside of him ebb away. Drahmin contemplated his next move.

5.17.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Kenshi
2. Hotaru
3. Irikara Neferu
4. Dairou
5. Kung Lao
6. Gnorado
7. Reiko
8. Shang Tsung
9. Scorpion
10. Quan Chi
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.18. KENSHI

5.18.1. BIOGRAPHY

Kenshi again felt his ancestral weapon speak to him in feverish dreams. Shang Tsung was still alive – or had been revived. The blade Kenshi held was able to track his movements through the astral planes, and still sought vengeance for the consumption of the souls that were once contained in it. For his extensive knowledge of Outworld and its threats, Jax included Kenshi in his strike team at the tournament.

5.18.2. DATA

Status: Special Forces
Height: 178cm
Weight: 70kg
Origin: Earth
Birthplace: Osaka (Japan), Earthrealm
Race: Human
Age: 27
Moral alignment: 4
Order alignment: 3
Allies: Sub-Zero, Jax, Cyrax
Foes: Mavado, Shang Tsung

5.18.3. STYLES

* Tai chi (sm: taunt): T'ai chi ch'uan or taijiquan ("supreme ultimate fist") is a nei chia ("internal") Chinese martial art. This art is often practiced for the purposes of health and longevity. It is considered a soft style martial art, an art applied with as complete a relaxation or "softness" in the musculature as possible. Tai chi is well known as one of the slow motion routines that groups of people practice every morning in hundreds of parks across China and, recently, other parts of the world. Tai chi training involves learning solo routines, known as forms, and two person routines, known as pushing hands, as well as acupressure-related manipulations taught by traditional schools. In a fight, if one uses hardness to resist violent force then both sides are certain to be injured, at least to some degree. Such injury, according to tai chi theory, is a natural consequence of meeting brute force with brute force. Instead, students are taught not to fight or resist an incoming force, but to meet it in softness and "stick" to it, following its motion while remaining in physical contact until the incoming force of attack exhausts itself or can be safely redirected, the result of meeting yang with yin.

* San shou (sm: power-up): San shou is a form of Chinese self-defense and a martial art. It consists of free-fighting and is composed of various aspects of wushu styles. The two main styles that san shou is composed of is kickboxing and shuai jiao, a Chinese form of wrestling. San shou was developed by the Chinese army in the 1960s, which was a decision of the Chinese government. Various traditional styles were studied, as well as old-style lei tai fighting competitions, and a choices were made from these combined with modern insights. One can see san shou as a modern form of wushu, in which an attempt was made to combine the essence of the various traditional wushu styles.

* Pekara katana (his katana glows fiery red at the end of a combo) (sm: sidestepping strike): The katana is the Japanese backsword or longsword, although many Japanese use this word generically as a catch-all word for sword. It refers to a specific type of curved, single-edged sword traditionally used by the Japanese samurai. The weapon was typically paired with the wakizashi, a similarly made but shorter sword both worn by the members of the buke (bushi) warrior class, it could also be worn with the tanto, an even smaller similarly shaped blade. The two weapons together were called the daisho, and represented the social power and personal honor of the samurai (buke retainers to the daimyo). The long blade was meant for cutting, while the shorter blade was reserved for stabbing purposes and for the purpose of performing seppuku, a form of ritual suicide. It is primarily used for cutting (although the chisel-like tip, called the kissaki, allows for thrusting) and can be wielded one- or two-handed, the latter being the most common mode. It is traditionally worn edge up. Kenshi's sword is an ancestral blade he found at the tomb of Pekara, moments after he was blinded by Shang Tsung.

* Three-sectional staff (as in the MKDA extra content; the sound of the three sections moving is clearly audible; hard plastic sound) (sm: three-hit combo): The three sectional staff, is a Chinese flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. A larger, more complicated version of the well-known nunchaku, the staffs can be spun to gather momentum resulting in a devastating strike, or their articulation can be used to strike over or around a shield or other defensive block. Dating back to the Song dynasty, these staffs were designed for defence against spears and other long weapons. Historically made of white oak or Chinese red maple, modern staffs are constructed from rattan, bamboo, various hardwoods or aluminium. For optimum fit, each of the three sticks should be about the length of the combatant’s arm and have a combined diameter that easily fits in the hand.

* Difficulty 3

Kenshi is a defensive fighter. His tele-attacks do damage at long range but only very little (a bit like Hsu Hao's Khan Klap in MKDA, which had a different animation on long range than mid range) and are unsafe, while they are safer and do more damage on mid- and short-range. Tai chi is more graceful and fluid than it used to be, but excels in quick counter hits and interrupting other attacks. San-shou can be used for limited offence, but his best style is pekara katana, which rewards long combos by adding 3% to its last move and cannot be guard crushed. Like his tele-attacks, however, when used for pure offence these are slower. His three sectional staff is a weapon for close quarters and excels in moves and throws that become unbreakable when your opponent lets down his guard.

5.18.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Telekinetic push (mid)
* Telekinetic slam (mid)
* Telekinetic ride (mid)
* Telekinetic kombo (mid)
* Teleport (-)

5.18.5. FINISHING MOVES

* A stab in the dark (Kenshi walks around the victim and hits them at the back of their knees, forcing them to kneel; he then takes out his katana and slams it into the victim's back; they die with an expression of pain and anguish)
* Death slam (like Ermac's fatality in UMK3, only this time around the victim does not explode, rather unpleasant sounds of bones breaking can be heard)

5.18.6. COSTUMES

* His MKDA outfit. He now has a faint mark of stubbles.
* His primary MKD outfit. His chest plate looks less like a pair of tits.
* Kenshi wears a black military strike team outfit with boots, gloves and a bullet-proof vest. The red bandana that covers his eyes has been replaced by something more stylish (similar to what the Geordi wears in Star Trek: TNG). The rest of his head is bare.

5.18.7. VOICE

* Average Japanese dude voice
* When he powers up he should say something in Japanese ;)

5.18.8. OUTCOME

With Jax and Falcon occupied warding off vicious attacks from the reformed Black Dragon and its allies, Kenshi was left to his own designs on Outworld, and defeated incoming adversaries with great ease. His greatest opponent, however, was the demon-sorcerer Shang Tsung. Caught off guard by Kenshi's superior skills, the shapeshifter was defeated and killed. His ancestors' souls swirled back into the lighting katana and the voices that followed him in his dreams and nightmares ceased their pleading choirs.

Kenshi regained contact with his unit and his other allies, to find that all had been defeated, killed or lost. Vowing that Raiden would not achieve his designs to spread war across the realms, Kenshi took on the thunder god himself. Once again, being underestimated proved to be his most faithful ally. Remembering the lessons of his tutor Ermac well, Kenshi used a moment of overconfidence in Raiden's strategy and tossed him off the Sky Temple, sending him falling to his death. Peace had come, but at a terrible price.

5.18.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Scorpion
2. Kobra
3. Sektor
4. Quan Chi
5. Hotaru
6. Kabal
7. Xerxes
8. Hachiman
9. Irikara Neferu
10. Shang Tsung
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.19. SEKTOR

5.19.1. BIOGRAPHY

Once a human member of the Lin Kuei clan, Sektor became a cybernetic ninja when it took steps in the direction of full mechinasation. For this reason they ousted Sub-Zero, who would later become the clan's leader and reformer. Some time later Sektor was contacted by a criminal circle that called themselves the Red Dragon, and joined them. They were attracted to him by his complete devotion, lack of empathy and his skills as a warrior. Some suspect that under Sektor's exterior, there is a machine that has become possessed by evil.

5.19.2. DATA

Status: Red Dragon
Height: 177cm
Weight: 270kg
Origin: Earth
Birthplace: Nanjing (China), Earthrealm
Race: Cyborg
Age: 33 (human part), 8 (cyborg part)
Moral alignment: 1
Order alignment: 5
Allies: Hachiman
Foes: Sub-Zero, Cyrax

5.19.3. STYLES

* Sikaran (sm: power-up – a shot of electricity going through Sektor's body): Sikaran is one of the Filipino kickboxing martial arts. It is mainly a kicking art, much like tae kwon do. It originated in the rural farming province of Baras, Rizal in the Philippines. Traditional garb consists of a plain white "camisa de chino", a simple white shirt, and blood-red trousers. Its signature move is a reverse spinning roundhouse kick called "biakid" wherein the attacker's heel connects to the back of the head or neck of the defender.

* Savate (sm: shove): Savate, also known as boxe française (French boxing) or French kickboxing, is a French martial art which uses both the hands and feet as weapons and contains elements of western boxing, grappling and graceful kicking techniques. Savate takes its name from the French for old boot (heavy footwear used to be worn during fights). The modern formalized form is mainly an amalgam of French street fighting techniques from the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, savate was a type of street fighting common in Paris and the north of France. And in the south, especially in the port of Marseille, sailors had developed a form of fighting involving high kicks, which was known as jeu marseillais (game from Marseille), which was later renamed chausson (slipper, after the type of shoes sailors wore). In contrast, at this time in England (the home of boxing and the Queensberry rules), kicking was seen as unsportsmanlike or as something that only cowards would resort to.

* Poison arrows (a modern poison crossbow that is semi-attached to Sektor's arm and has three arrows, much like the shuriken weapon functions, however the crossbow arrows don't impale and the weapon is recharged periodically) (sm: shoot all three arrows at once): In the context of biology, poisons are substances that cause injury, illness, or death to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale. Some poisons are also toxins, usually referring to naturally produced substances that kill rapidly in small quantities, such as the bacterial proteins that cause tetanus and botulism. Animal toxins that are delivered subcutaneously (e.g. by sting or bite) are also called venom. In normal usage, a poisonous organism is one that is harmful to consume, but a venomous organism uses poison to defend itself while still alive. A single organism can be both venomous and poisonous.The derivative forms "toxic" and "poisonous" are synonymous. Within chemistry and physics, a poison is a substance that obstructs or inhibits a reaction, for example by binding to a catalyst.

* Ashiko spikes (spikes that clap out of Sektor's feet; in this stance he constantly stands balancing on one leg, his other heaved a bit to be able to strike immediately) (sm: sidestepping pop-up attack): Ashiko foot spikes help the martial arts warrior to climb trees and scale walls. They are commonly used in conjunction with the shuko hand claws. Ninja ashiko foot spikes are made of black steel and come with a laced closure to secure to the shoe or tabi boot. They are typically associated with ninja. Though actually more suitable as tools and climbing materials, Sektor enjoys battering an opponent with these spikes when his unarmed styles have not caused enough pain. It is a warped remnant of Sektor's earlier days as a human, when he was an avid climber and speleologist.

* Difficulty 1

Sektor is fairly straightforward and easy to handle. Sikaran and savate cover his short-range attacks and have a lot of interesting combos and juggle opportunities, while his poison arrows and special moves cover the ranged aspect of his style. Sektor is designed to pose a threat at any distance, and has quite a number of juggle options and mix-ups. Fu jow pai is his quickest and safest style. Savate is less safe but has a number of guard crushers and is more powerful, while his ashiko spikes are good planters and sweepers. Sektor lacks a good throw game.

5.19.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Teleport uppercut (high)
* Homing missile (high)
* Dumb missile (high)
* Flame blast (Sektor has a small flamethrower attached to his arm he can use, depending on how long you charge this move, to release a jet of flames across the arena) (high)

5.19.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Flamethrower (his classic fatality)
* Acid bomb (Smoke's old acid grenade fatality, however this time only the victim's stomach explodes)

5.19.6. COSTUMES

* Sektor looks damaged from his fight with Sub-Zero. Since the Red Dragon modified him he also looks distinct from Cyrax. The black skinsuit is still present its texture is very rough (like the suits worn to shield against intense heat). Around his lower legs he has broad metal bands, connected by a red plate running under it. The rest of his pants are black. His belt appears to have a grenade or two attached to it. Two diagonal belts that contain small reservoirs for his flamethrower meet each other on his chest. Under those belts he wears his familiar cyborg harness, although it seems scratched. His left arm is covered in the black skinsuit and he wears metal gloves with red markings. His arm is also ornamented by a red stripe. His right arm has a tube connected to the back of his harness. That tube is attached to his arm and ends in his flamethrower, just above his wrist. The other side of that arm has the crossbow semi-attached to it. Of course, these things are coloured red. His right arm is also more plated and shows some rust. His face is modelled after a metal skull. The wires coming out of the back of his head sometimes give off electric sparks. His head is composed entirely of metal, except for a protruding "breathing mask" which is black with red stripes. His visual receptors are red. The one on the left is round and red, the other one is much larger and has two wires connected to it which run into the back of his head, giving it the appearance of a visor.

* Sektor wears black boots which are open on the end. From there his pants are red; the red runs up his legs diagonally (higher on the sides than in front), after which they are black again. Two small straps run over his thighs and seem to be connected to what looks like gun holsters. He wears his familiar red armour, this time with the ammo belt for his flame thrower running over his right shoulder down to his belt in two rows. His arms are unchanged. His helmet is black this time, being slightly flat on top and protruding in the front. He has a visual receptor in one piece that is quite large but other than that it looks a lot like his former head. The in the back of his head wires are still present.

* Sektor wears grey metallic boots. His skinsuit is mostly visible now. He has the gun holsters from #2 and one of the straps from his thighs runs up to his hip where it connects with his grenade belt. Another belt goes from there up to the opposite shoulder (this belt contains the ammo for his flamethrower). All these belts are in red. His arms remain unchanged. His head now has a black helmet with a large red visor that covers his face in its entirity and mirrors what it sees, giving an eerie, empty impression.

5.19.7. VOICE

His familiar cyborg voice. Unlike Cyrax', there is nothing human to it.

5.19.8. OUTCOME

Sektor, fiercely loyal to his new superiors, entered the tournament and eliminated all his targets in complete secrecy. This was what he had been trained and programmed to do. With great ease, he overcame his erstwhile clansman Cyrax. However, after his battle with Sub-Zero, Sektor began to become possessed by a paranoid fear that the Red Dragon would dispose of him as soon as his task was completed. Sektor went insane with conflicting instructions and his circuits overheated.

Hachiman had erased the threats from Chaosrealm and was now turning against Chancellor Xerxes. When he called on Sektor for aid during the subsequent onslaught, he travelled to the City of the Sun and initiated his self-destruct sequence at the Solar Pyramid, wiping it off the face of Seido. The chaos on Orderrealm was now complete.

5.19.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Kabal
2. Scorpion
3. Kitsune
4. Havik
5. Damashi
6. Jax
7. Kung Lao
8. Xerxes
9. Cyrax
10. Sub-Zero
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.20. IRIKARA NEFERU

5.20.1. BIOGRAPHY

Irikara Neferu was an ancient, local Outworld pharaoh who ruled the lands of Sarna before Onaga and Shao Kahn had risen to power. She was defeated by Onaga's armies millions of years ago, and imprisoned in her tomb, which gradually got covered by tons of sand. She was recovered from her state of hibernation by Quan Chi, who promised to restore her ancient glory if she would join the tournament. Irikara is fanatically obssessed with the idea of becoming a goddess, and to achieve this she wants to slay Raiden.

5.20.2. DATA

Status: Pharaoh
Height: 180cm
Weight: 73kg
Origin: Outworld
Birthplace: Sarna (Wastelands), Outworld
Race: Outworlder
Age: Unknown
Moral alignment: 1
Order alignment: 4
Allies: Quan Chi, Shao Kahn
Foes: Raiden, Fujin, Damashi

5.20.3. STYLES

* Sebekkha (sm: chicken): Nearly five thousand years ago along the river Nile in Egypt, the martial art of sebekkha was created. Sebekkha ("Crocodile Spirit") is the oldest martial art in the history of mankind. It emphasizes balance in the use of legs, arms, speed, power, agility, defenses, and attacks. It includes throws, holds and the use of traditional weapons. Sebekkah requires much waist power in its movements. It was from this diverse art of wrestling, stick fighting and boxing, that the pankration arts of Ancient Greece were created.

* Pankration (sm: shove): Pankration (from the Greek 'all force') is a sport or martial art introduced in the Olympic games in 648 BC. Classical pankration combined striking and grappling, and a match was won by submission of the opponent. A contestant could signal submission by raising his hand, but sometimes the only form of submission was the death of one of the contestants. Joint locks and choke holds were common techniques of accomplishing this. In fact, there were only two rules: contestants were not allowed to gouge each other's eyes out, or to bite each other. Grave, even permanent injuries were common, as an accepted means of disabling the adversary: mainly breaking limbs, fingers or even the neck. Because of Alexander the Great's impact on the Eastern world, there is plausible reason to believe that the earliest recorded systems of kung-fu in China were influenced by pankration.

* Sceptre (a typical Egyptian short, curbed staff with a golden snakehead on the end) (sm: super taunt): A sceptre or scepter is an ornamental staff held by a ruling monarch, a prominent item of kingly regalia. A rod or staff has long represented authority. Among the early Greeks the sceptre was a long staff used by aged men, and came to be used by judges, military leaders, priests and others. It is represented on painted vases as a long staff tipped with a metal ornament, and is borne by some of the gods. Among the Etruscans sceptres of great magnificence were used by kings and upper orders of the priesthood, and many representations of such sceptres occur on the walls of the painted tombs of Etruria. The British Museum, the Vatican and the Louvre possess Etruscan sceptres of gold, most elaborately and minutely ornamented. The Roman sceptre probably derived from the Etruscan. With the advent of Christianity the sceptre was often tipped with a cross instead of with an eagle, but during the middle ages the finials on the top of the sceptre varied considerably.

* Ghurka knife (sm: taunt): Gurkha (or Gorkha) are people from Nepal who take their name from the eighth century Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorkhnath. His disciple Bappa Rawal (real name Kalbhoj) founded the house of Mewar. Later Bappa Rawal's descendants went further east to found the house of Gorkha, which in turn founded the Kingdom of Nepal. Gurkhas are most well-known for their history of service as foreign soldiers in the British Army. Their "kukri" is a heavy, curved Nepalese knife used as both tool and weapon. It is also a part of the regimental weaponry and heraldry of Gurkha fighters. It is known to many people as simply the "Gurkha knife". Nepalis handle these knives from the age of five. In combat, the main thrust is upwards against the neck. Despite the physical resemblance to a boomerang, the kukri is not designed to be thrown; instead, the blade's distinctive kink is intended to translate and amplify lateral swipes into perpendicular motion. Blades are typically 30-38 cm (12-15 inches) but size varies. Ceremonial versions can be up to 70 cm (27 inches) long.

* Difficulty 5

Irikara Neferu is one of the most difficult characters in the game to master because of her complex chain throws and juggles in sebekkha, and the fact that her other styles seem slow, unsafe and awkward. The trick however lies in exploiting her powers as a defensive character. Sceptre can be used to destabilise a defence because of its good range and mix-ups, but especially the fact that its moves have good priority over incoming attacks. Pankration is the only style with wake-up combos, and ghurka knife's moves sometimes become juggle starters on counter hits. Added to that, Irikara has the power to regenerate.

5.20.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Sand teleport (Irikara seems to crumble a part in an image of sand and appears at a random spot on the area) (-)
* Sandstorm (Irikara raises her hands and a squall of dust and wind comes down on the opponent diagonally) (high)
* Blast aura (Irikara creates a blue aura around herself for three seconds that reflects all missile attacks) (-)

5.20.5. FATALITIES

* Sand choke (Irikara lets loads and loads of sand come down on you from the skies until you choke in it; the victim's hands move for a while to get out of the pile but then stop)
* Ritual killing (Irikara goes around the victim and holds it by the throat with her forearm, then fluidly slitting it with her knife, leaving the victim bleed to death on the floor)

5.20.6. COSTUMES

* Irikara Neferu is a tall woman with a fairly dark complexion. She wears a pharaoh's mask, but the gold has been replaced by pitch black. She wears a white tunic with a golden belt. She also has rings on her fingers and both wrist and ankle bands. She wears sandals. Her chest is covered by a golden cuirass that has a black solar symbol in the middle. A part from her shoulders, which are still covered by the cuirass, her arms are bare.

* Irikara still wears a pharaoh's mask but in a simpler edit, not as massive and heavy. Her neck has a golden band around it. She wears a white tunic again, this time with her black solar symbol stitched in and leaving one shoulder open. She has black nail polish and wears small leather boots. She has no belt this time.

* Irikara has a long, typical Egyptian hat (see statues of Nefertiti for an example). She wears heavy make-up and has bright white eyes. She wears bandages around her feet and hands that seem to come loose a little (suggesting her recent mummified status). She wears an elegant blue robe with a v-collar and a medallion that is a miniature version of her solar symbol and has an Egyptian bird symbol on the back. There is some red ceremonial armour around her shoulders. She wears the sandals from #1. For the rest she doesn't have any jewelry.

5.20.7. VOICE

* Raw and hoarse
* Fairly low-pitched, with a streak of cruelty

5.20.8. OUTCOME

Irikara Neferu recognised the Earthrealm warriors as a potential source of lifeforce and fiercely engaged in kombat with them, not only to sustain her own powers but also to draw the attention of the gods protecting them, Fujin and Damashi. Proving her worth to Quan Chi and showing allegiance to Shao Kahn, she slew them both and absorbed their powers. Her final test came, however, when she faced Raiden.

As she watched Raiden fall to his death from the top of the Sky Temple, the ground began to shake. The Elder Gods had awoken in a terrible wrath for the death of three gods, which ripped the very fabric of the universe, and Irikara Neferu was consumed by the ethereal storms that were released upon her.

5.20.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Falcon
2. Cyrax
3. Kenshi
4. Jax
5. Ermac
6. Scorpion
7. Sub-Zero
8. Kung Lao
9. Fujin
10. Damashi
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.21. XERXES

5.21.1. BIOGRAPHY

For as long as any living entity can remember, Xerxes has been the Supreme Chancellor of Orderrealm, also known as Seido. For many Seidans, his enduring rule is the symbol of the principles of order and justice on which the unified republic was founded. But now the once peaceful realm is in crisis since the rebellion of Darrius. Xerxes has entered Raiden's tournament for an unknown reason.

5.21.2. DATA

Status: Chancellor
Height: 187cm
Weight: 90kg
Origin: Seido
Birthplace: City of the Sun, Orderrealm
Race: Seidan
Age: 5 244 321
Moral alignment: 3
Order alignment: 5
Allies: Hotaru, Onaga, Raiden
Foes: Havik, Dairou, Darrius

5.21.3. STYLES

* Five ancestors (sm: chicken): Five ancestors fist is a Southern Chinese martial art that consists of techniques from five different styles: the hands of white crane, the evasiveness of monkey, the legs of Emperor Taizu, the footwork of Luohan and the iron body of Dázun. Five ancestors has been attributed variously to Chua Giok Beng of Jinjiang near Quanzhou in Fujian in the second half of the 19th century or to Bai Yufeng, a famous 13th century Shaolin monk of the original Henan Shaolin temple in the North of China. Although the exact method depends on the school, Five Ancestors is known for is large variety in power generational methods. Due to the distinct character of each ancestor, these methods change depending on the power required. Some schools teach tension forms that develop power, of which there are about ten, and fist forms that train technique, of which there are dozens. Others stress a relaxed body, instead seeking maximum transmission of the relevant jing. On top of this are miscellaneous hand forms, two-man forms, and forms for a comprehensive arsenal of weapons including rice bowl and chopsticks, umbrellas, even opium pipes. Over the decades masters have added to this list introducing material they considered relevant to the time.

* Byxtagsglima (sm: escape): Glíma is Icelandic wrestling. There are four points that differentiate it from other forms of wrestling: The opponents must always stand erect. The opponents step clockwise around each other (looks similar to a waltz). This is to create opportunities for offense and defense, and to prevent a stalemate. It is not permitted to fall down on your opponent or to push him down in a forceful manner, as it is not considered sportsman-like. The opponents are supposed to look across each others shoulders as much as possible because it is considered proper to wrestle by touch and feel rather than sight. Historically byxtagsglima was the one put in highest esteem for favourising technique over strength. It consists in the two wrestlers wearing a special belt. A fixed grip is then taken with one hand in the belt and the other in the pants at thigh height. From this position the glima-wrestler attempts to trip and throw his opponent. In this style of Glima if a wrestler is thrown he may attempt to land on his feet and his hands and if he succeeds in doing so he has not lost the fall. The winning condition in this type of glima is to make the opponent touch the ground with an area of the body between the elbow and the knee.

* Tetsubo (sm: weapon counter): The tetsubo is an iron staff used in feudal Japan as a weapon. It was constructed out of heavy oak and covered with iron in the middles and iron studs at the end. As one can see from the description, the Tetsubo is generally not a light weapon. The weapon was very heavy and many soldiers could not carry them and very few did. It was more of a mythical weapon. Some have said it was used by the great Japanese demons "Oni" since the Oni were in possession of extremely great strength, enough to carry these mammoth weapons and so were feared by many superstitious people.

* Solar blade (looks like MK4's windblade, only the axis in the middle is a faintly glowing golden orb – in this stance a gold-coloured predatory bird sits on Xerxes's shoulder) (sm: power-up): The solar blade is Xerxes's regal weapon which only he may wield in Orderrealm. It was a gift given to him by the Elder Gods after he had aided them in the wars against Shinnok. Although the Chancellor rarely fights, this weapon never leaves his side. It has been magically inspired by the principles of order and the blazing light of Orderrealm's sun. Its curved blades can not only rip open the thickest hide in a matter of moments, but they also infuse the victim with the deadly powers of law.

* Difficulty 3

Xerxes's first two styles complement each other: the first is more poised towards the offensive, while the second one is more defensive, which some inescapable throws and submissions. His second style possesses no strikes, kicks, pokes or sweeps, only a varied array of counters, throws, chain throws and submissions, and his second style has only a minimal amount of punches. Secondly, Xerxes can never be guard crushed in any stance. Tetsubo is a lot like Raiden's staff, only heavier and more powerful, and with no combos. Its greatest advantage is its good ground and wake-up game. Solar blade is a weapon with a lot of circular movements, and possesses Xerxes's only real pop-up attack. Overall, Xerxes good in 3D range, but not well equipped for a long range fight.

5.21.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Short circular blast (Xerxes opposes the backs of his hands and moves them away from each other, simultaneous with two arcs of blinding yellow light that meet each other on mid-range. When either of these arcs hits the opponent, they are temporarily blinded. Doesn't work on Kenshi) (high)
* Long circular blast (same, but long range) (high)
* Loops of light (Xerxes creates what looks like a hoola-hoop of light and throws it from his elbow like Jax's sonic wave in MK2, it goes up into the air and hits any incoming aerial adversary) (high)
* Eagle shield (Xerxes's bird glows gold and hangs, wings outstretched, at chest hight in front of him, absorbing missile projectiles and adding to Xerxes's health) (-)

5.21.5. FINISHING MOVES

* The birds (Xerxes makes a blessing motion with his hand, and the bird on his shoulder leaps up as dozens of other birds in the same colour fly from above, attacking the victim. When they are gone, the victim sits kneeling on the floor, most of its clothes, skin and flesh torn away)
* Loops of fury (Xerxes throws a lot of glowing loops in succession into the victim, causing them to begin shaking. When the shaking is at its boiling point, the entire backside of the opponent explodes)

5.21.6. COSTUMES

* Xerxes is pale and looks vaguely Asian, but has very short, light blonde hair. He has a thin moustache and a goatee. He wears long, deep blue pants that grow wider near his feet, which are mostly covered by a one-piece metal plate. He has knee caps with threads and tubes on them that connect to a main belt with a solar buckle in it. From there, various other wires run to his neck and shoulders. His torso seems to be covered by a dark-blue skinsuit. He has a small metal plate in the same colour of that on his feet that protects his belly muscles and is supported by three golden rings. He also has two other armour plates in this colour that protect his chest. Around his shoulders runs a golden cord, which holds together a long, flowing cape in deep purple with the symbol of a rising sun on the back. His hands are covered entirely by metallic, knight-like gloves and his arms have little plates on them that are connected by the wire network. Reaching to the floor is his tetsubo weapon that's attached to his belt. His neck is protected by a stiff black collar.

* Same as #1, but the blue has been replaced by green, the purple with black and he has a typical Greek helmet on.

* The Greek helmet returns, this time in gold shades. With it, he has the entire look of an ancient Greek hoplite.

5.21.7. VOICE

* Unexpectedly ferocious
* Low pitched

5.21.8. OUTCOME

Xerxes was aware of the precarious situation Seido was in and realised that the civil unrest taking place there was the consequence of his own meddling with the affairs of Chaosrealm. The Elder Gods however, who had known Xerxes as a trusted ally for millions of years, had pledged their assistance if he would join the mortal kombat tournament Raiden hosted, and capture him. Xerxes complied and entered the tournament with his trusted guardsman Hotaru and the mercenaries of the Red Dragon.

Xerxes survived multiple attempts on his life and demonstrated easily why order was superior to chaos. Eventually he bested Raiden and brought him before the justice of the Elder Gods. The Senate, true to its word, sent reinforcements to Seido to quell the unnatural chaos raging out of control, and its spiritual avatars were soon able to rout Darrius's resistance troops and restore the rule of law. Darrius and his loyals were banished, and Xerxes then decreed offworld travel illegal. Seido would enter an era of isolation.

5.21.9. OPPONENT LIST

1 Gnorado
2. Ermac
3. Scorpion
4. Kitsune
5. Kobra
6. Dairou
7. Kabal
8. Sektor
9. Havik
10. Hachiman
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

Koming soon...

* Cyrax: the remorseful cyborg turns into a kind stranger
* Qanturus: Raiden's guardian stands ready
* Jax Briggs: AWW YEAH! Or... no, what's happening to Jax?
* Shang Tsung: something is stirring inside the demon-sorcerer
* Noob Saibot: the dark technocrat is up to no good
* Raiden: every thunder cloud has a dark lining
* Quan Chi: the purest of evil has just begun to emerge from the necromancer

5.22. CYRAX

5.22.1. BIOGRAPHY

Due to his unique state of being, Cyrax has been able to visit places no mortal man could ever hope to see. He has been on missions in the far reaches of space, and has set foot on realms where the conditions are hostile to life. Almost a year ago, he aided the vampire Nitara in freeing her realm from Outworld in exchange for a safe passage home. Now that he is travelling with the Special Forces to other realms for Raiden's tournament, his sensors have picked up a similar lifeform.

5.22.2. DATA

Status: Special Forces
Height: 177cm
Weight: 123kg
Origin: Earthrealm
Birthplace: Karachi (Pakistan), Earthrealm
Race: Cyborg
Age: 27 (as human), 6 (as cyborg)
Moral alignment: 5
Order alignment: 4
Allies: Jax, Sonya, Kenshi, Nitara
Foes: Reptile, Sektor

5.22.3. STYLES

* Ninjitsu (sm: escape): Ninjutsu, also called shinobi-jutsu, is a collection of techniques originally practiced for espionage purposes. It includes methods of gathering information, nondetection, avoidance, and misdirection techniques. Ninjutsu can also involve training in disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, and explosives. Although the popular view is that ninjutsu is the art of secrecy or stealth, actual practitioners consider it to mean the art of enduring - enduring all of life's hardships. The character nin carries both these meanings. It is true that ninjutsu has a long and mythfull history, but today almost anyone is allowed to practise ninjutsu. As one makes progress in ninjutsu the system gets more sophisticated, and one might realise that the system contains more than fighting skills.

* Hwa rang do (sm: sidestepping plant): Hwa rang do is a traditional Korean martial art that was created over 1800 years ago for warriors of the Silla kingdom (during the Three-Kingdoms period) in what is now Korea. The modern form was created by Dr. Joo Bang Lee and his brother, Joo Sang Lee. This martial art teaches and encourages fighting and defense techniques, religious training, intellectual enhancement, and artistic pursuits. It has an extensive history, and a very involved technique structure. During the course of study up until black sash, a practitioner will learn a long form, eight basic techniques, around 30 "one step sparring" techniques and about the same number of self-defense techniques, and some short forms, every sash level. In addition, three main weapons will be taught.

* Pulse blade (sm: impale): One of Cyrax's lesser known talents is that of a craftsman and weaponsmith. While many other Lin Kuei were specialised in arts of information and nanotechnology, Cyrax preferred traditional handcrafts. Shortly before being converted into a cyborg, Cyrax made this pulse blade, a durable and light weapon that possesses a charge opposed to the charge of whatever atmospheric layer it penetrates, creating a small shock upon contact with a target. Though it looks fragile and light, breaking the weapon is almost impossible. The lithe blade complements Cyrax's strengths as a stealthy warrior.

* Kama (sm: taunt): The Kama are Okinawan and Chinese weapons that resemble traditional farming devices similar to a small sickle. The sickle, implement as a redesigned weapon form, was called a natagama. The kama resemble another weapon familiar to the Japanese koryu, the Kusari-Gama, which had a weighted chain used to parry and club an enemy from a distance before the final Kama strike was administered. The 'freestyle' forms popular today have little or nothing to do with the original weapon or its historical techniques.

* Difficulty 4

Cyrax is designed as a fast fighter with good recovery time on quick moves that do little damage. Ninjitsu should be his prime style, with a lot of interesting escapes, cancels, a good wake-up game and some countering, but mainly pretty straightforward combos. Kuo shou is Cyrax's most powerful style and should be used for launching. Pulse blade is interesting in that it chips away more damage than other weapons would on block, unless blocked by other weapons. His kamas, lastly, are good for confusing mix-ups.

5.22.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Plasma net (high)
* Grasshopper (high)
* Close bomb (mid)
* Far bomb (mid)
* Exploding teleport (-)

5.22.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Jigsaw (Cyrax lets his jigsaw from his chest rip through the opponent's torso, cutting it in two halves but leaving the legs standing)

* Kick off (Cyrax forces the opponent down on his knees by kicking the backside of their knees, pulls out a bomb and puts it down whatever piece of clothing is available for tucking it into. He then sends the opponent away with a strong kick, and as they fly across the screen, they explode)

5.22.6. COSTUMES

* His MKDA costume, only with less lights flickering and a slimmer look. His kamas dangle from his wrists.
* Basically the same as #1, only the yellow colouring of his armour plates is now in camouflage colours, and he wears a small backpack, to which the kamas are attached.
* Like his alternate from MKDA, only his face is more in proportion with the rest of his body.

5.22.7. VOICE

* Sounds like a voice pulled through a vocoder, bit like Smoke's in MKD

5.22.8. OUTCOME

Mainly working as a spy for Jax, Cyrax finally located the vampire he had sensed earlier. Her name was Kitsune and she was part of Nitara's family line. Since Cyrax had had access to several documents and archives, and overheard conversations between the kombatants, he passed on information to Kitsune that Havik was planning to have her killed in the commissioned attack. Talking to the young vampire, he was reminded of his travels with Nitara almost a year ago. Cyrax had little time to contemplate this, however, as he was forced to fight.

The Earthrealm warriors and Fujin were threatened from all sides, and even though Cyrax repeatedly pleaded for a strategic retreat from the tournament, Jax insisted on continuing. The Special Forces mined Raiden's Sky Temple and as Cyrax was challenged by the thunder god, all bombs detonated. He was certain that both the Special Forces agents and Raiden would be killed in the explosion, but was surprised to awake on the soil of Stirgos, with a familiar scent.

5.22.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Gnorado
2. Shang Tsung
3. Kobra
4. Sektor
5. Scorpion
6. Quan Chi
7. Hachiman
8. Noob Saibot
9. Havik
10. Drahmin
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.23. QANTURUS

5.23.1. BIOGRAPHY

Qanturus was raised since birth to become a high priest at the Sky Temple, a sacred shrine located on a remote realm where the thunder god Raiden meditates or where pilgrims are received. He was selected by the priests of Raiden for this task because when he was born, he survived being struck by lightning three times. Next to being an intelligent and articulate cleric, Qanturus is a formidable fighter who defends his god with unwavering belief.

5.23.2. DATA

Status: High Priest
Height: 243cm
Weight: 340kg
Origin: Outworld
Birthplace: Elhebr (Unstable Plateaus), Outworld
Race: Centaur
Age: 3569
Moral alignment: 3
Order alignment: 3
Allies: Raiden
Foes: None

5.23.3. STYLES

* Qigong (sm: charge taunt): is an increasingly popular aspect of Chinese medicine. Qigong is mostly taught for health maintenance purposes, but there are also some who teach it, especially in China, for therapeutic interventions. Various forms of traditional qigong are also widely taught in conjunction with Chinese martial arts, and are especially prevalent in the advanced training of what are known as the internal martial arts. There are currently more than thirty three hundred different styles and schools of qigong. In general, qigong schools teach their own variations of physical training routines based on coordinating different patterns of breathing with different physical motions of the body. Qigong relies on the traditional Chinese belief that the body has an energy field generated and maintained by the natural respiration of the body, known as Qi. Qi means breath or to breathe in Mandarin Chinese, and by extension the energy produced by breathing that keeps us alive; gong means work or technique. Qigong is then "breath work" or the art of managing the breath to achieve and maintain good health, and especially in the martial arts, to enhance the leverage and stamina of the body in coordination with the physical process of respiration.

* Labrys (sm: guard crush): The Labrys is the doubleheaded axe, known to the Classical Greeks as pelekus but which predated the arrival of the Hellenes in the Aegean world. Representations of the labrys are on Neolithic finds of "Old Europe", and the labrys is continued in Minoan Thracian, Greek (and Byzantine) art and mythology. It also appears in African mythology (see Shango). Today, it is sometimes used as a symbol associated with female and matristic power. The term, and the symbol, is most closely associated with the Minoan civilization, which reached its peak in the 2nd millennium BC. Some Minoan labrys have been found which are taller than a man and which might have been used during sacrifices. The sacrifices would likely have been of bulls. In feminist interpretations (particularly by Marija Gimbutas), it is also interpreted as a symbol of the Mother Goddess and compared to the shape of a butterfly rather than an axe. The word labyrinthos (Mycenaean daburintos) is probably connected with the word labrys. In the context of the myth of Theseus, the labyrinth of Greek mythology is frequently associated with the Minoan palace of Knossos.

* Difficulty 5

Qanturus has only two styles, making him not so varied as other fighters at first sight. The fact that qigong is a charge stance that takes some patience, and the fact that Qanturus is not so fast, makes him a sitting duck for most beginners who will play with him. However, qigong is all about applying the right pressure at the right moment, and though he possesses some obviously very strong attacks, if Qanturus is charged up properly (which can be done by performing various moves), he gains access to moves that are unpunishable and sometimes even unblockable. His labrys is a more general weapon that shares a lot of similarities with Ermac's old axe from MKD. It should be noted that Qanturus cannot be thrown.

5.23.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Charge (Qanturus gathers power by folding his arms into an x and reciting an incantation. He loses his charge when he takes a direct hit, and each hit he takes at this stage also does more damage)
--> Stage 1: Qanturus's eyes glow cyan (charge takes 1 second)
--> Stage 2: Qanturus's arms are surrounded by crackling electricity (charge takes 2 seconds)
--> Stage 3: Qanturus's human part becomes entirely blue skinned
* Ball lightning (Qanturus fires an electric projectile from his mouth)
--> Stage 1: the ball lightning knocks the opponent away on impact
--> Stage 2: the ball lightning becomes a stream of electricity that also catches ducking opponents
--> Stage 3: the ball lightning cannot be sidestepped and takes away 25%
* Electric teleport (A ray of electricity shoots through Qanturus's body, and he reappears behind his opponent)
--> Stage 1: faster teleport
--> Stage 2: Qanturus heals a little by teleporting
--> Stage 3: Qanturus charges through the opponent, whose only option is to sidestep
* Shock grasp (A ray of electricity shoots out of Qanturus's tail, with which he surrounds the opponent and slams them into the ground once)
--> Stage 1: two hits to the floor
--> Stage 2: two hits to the floor, and then swung around the arena
--> Stage 3: two hits to the floor, then an overhead slam into the floor, and then Qanturus kicks away the opponent with his hind legs

5.23.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Head rip (Qanturus grabs the victim by the hair, hood or whatever and rips off their head)
* Ping pong (Qanturus grabs the victim with his tail, smacks them around the arena three times, then tosses them up and pierces them with several lightning bolts, as if they were bullets)

5.23.6. COSTUMES

* Unlike Motaro, Qanturus does not have the tail of an overgrown rat, but his tail looks more like a dragon's would. The horse part of his body has a black fax, with his hooves in fluorescent blue. One white stripe runs across his back to his tail. The human part of his body is dark skinned, and has a 'tribal' looking tattoo across its chest and belly. Qanturus's face looks old, and he has long, grey hair falling down to the sides of his face. His horns resemble that of a demon. He has the same grey body hair on his arms.

* Same, but in this costume his lower legs have been wrapped up by white bandages, as have his lower arms. His tail is ornamented with a long, cyan coloured flag and he wears a samurai helmet in dark grey.

5.23.7. VOICE

* Centaur voice, like Motaro's

5.23.8. OUTCOME

Eager to prove himself in battle, Qanturus defeated numerous adversaries in mortal kombat. Caught off guard by his superior power and centuries-long training he received from Raiden himself, his opponents were beaten brutally. Being unknown proved to be his advantage, but his innocence also nearly lead to his downfall. Suspicions began to arise when he had defeated Damashi and Fujin. Though no worshipper of these gods, Qanturus had always been taught to treat them with respect.

It was then, during a long meditation session, that he picked up whispers of Raiden's thoughts and began to feel that his control over lightning and thunder was fading. The insight struck Qanturus that he might well be on the wrong side of the conflict, and that the Raiden he had known for centuries, had changed. Desperate not to lose control over his magic, Qanturus attacked Raiden and emerged victorious. He then went into hiding on a distant world, lonely and broken.

5.23.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Noob Saibot
2. Reiko
3. Gnorado
4. Shang Tsung
5. Quan Chi
6. Scorpion
7. Irikara Neferu
8. Xerxes
9. Damashi
10. Fujin
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.24. COL. JAX BRIGGS

5.24.1. BIOGRAPHY

Jax's experiences on Outworld have rendered him cynical, and unable to trust even his closest friends. Raiden's invitation came as no surprise to him. With Liu Kang on a pilgrimage to guard the kamidogu and the others still reeling from their previous encounters with evil, Jax accepted the invitation and assembled an elite team of warriors to join the tournament with him. Some believe that Jax's frequent bursts of anger may stem from the heart implant he had fitted after he had killed Hsu Hao.

5.24.2. DATA

Status: Special Forces
Height: 204cm
Weight: 98kg
Origin: Earth
Birthplace: Detroit (United States), Earthrealm
Race: Human
Age: 43
Moral alignment: 4
Order alignment: 5
Allies: Sonya, Falcon, Kenshi, Cyrax
Foes: Kano, Jarek, Hsu Hao, Mavado

5.24.3. STYLES

* Muay thai (sm: taunt): Muay thai ("Thai Boxing") is the Thai name for a indigenous form of martial art practiced in several southeast Asian countries including Cambodia (where it is known as Pradal Serey). The basic offensive techniques in muay thai use fists, elbows, shins, feet, and knees to strike the opponent. To bind the opponent for both offensive and defensive purposes, small amounts of stand-up grappling are used: the clinch. The clinch is applied by holding the opponent either around the neck or around the body. Because of the power involved with muay thai techniques, fighters do not often block strikes like in other martial arts. Fighters prefer to evade attacks by stepping out of range or moving toward their opponent in order to buffer techniques such as kicks. Though the high kicks to the head appear spectacular during a competition, the most destructive blows tend to be elbow and knee strikes.

* English boxing (sm: unblockable throw that hits high): Boxing is a combat sport. In both amateur and professional versions, the fighters wear padded gloves, attacking only with the front of the fist. Generally four types of punches exist. All other punches are basically variants of the below. If a boxer is right handed, his lead foot will be his left, and vice versa - the leading hand providing faster punches, the rear conversely used for power punches (more power is employed with the rear hand through weight distribution and greater momentum). The word "boxing" first came into use in England in the 18th century to distinguish between fighting to settle disputes, and fighting under agreed rules for sport. It is now used to describe a sport in which two contestants (boxers) wearing padded gloves face each other in a "ring" and fight an agreed number of "rounds" under recognized rules. Although men have always been the most numerous participants, there are some references to fights between women during the 18th century, and women's boxing was organized again at the end of the 20th century.

* Tonfa (sm: sidestepping pop-up): The tonfa, also known as tong fa or tuifa, is an Okinawan martial arts weapon from which the modern side-handled police baton is derived. Folklore says these were originally used as wooden handles that fit into the side of millstones, or as horse bridles, and were later developed into weapons when peasants were banned from using more traditional weaponry. The tonfa traditionally consists of two parts, a handle with a knob, and perpendicular to the handle, a shaft or board that lies along the hand and forearm. The shaft is usually 51-61 centimeters (20-24 inches) in length, and optimally extends about 3 cm past the elbow when held. Often the shaft has rounded off ends which may be grooved for a better grip. There are numerous ways to defend and attack with the tonfa. Defensively, when holding the handle, the shaft protects the forearm and hand from blows, and the knob can protect from blows to the thumb. By holding both ends of the shaft, it can ward off blows. When holding the shaft, the handle can function as a hook to catch blows or weapons. In attack, the shaft can be swung out to strike the target. By holding the handle and twirling the tonfa it can gain large amounts of momentum before striking.

* Bionic blades (his bionic implants reshape into two claw-like blades) (sm: far-reaching strike that can't be sidestepped, knocks down the opponent): At the time Jax had his arms outfitted with bionic implants to enhance his strength without resorting to special – and illegal drugs – the polymorph metal that coated his skin and penetrated into his muscles with ultra-thin needles was state-of-the-art technology. In theory, it also allowed his entire arms to reshape themselves completely for a short time, but because of the heavy risks involved and the energy it took, Jax did not make extensive use of this technique until he received a cybernetic upgrade in the OWIA labs. Now Jax has learnt to reshape his implants and put them to practical use, by transforming them into two deadly blades that can cut through any foe.

* Difficulty 3

Jax is all about raw power and relentless offence. His two unarmed styles are equipped with a lot of untechable moves that knock down or leave opponents open to being thrown by his powerful grappling moves. Tonfa is aimed at destabilising turtles, while his bionic blades can deliver the finishing touch with some easy combos. Jax's weakness lies in his long distance game, which is only partially covered by his special moves. His chain throws are also relatively easy to break and his combos, though powerful, can be broken easily as well.

5.24.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Ground pound (as in MKDA) (low)
* Gotcha grab (classic move) (high)
* Bionic blast (his MK4 missile move; only from his armed stances) (high)
* Machine gun blast (his MKDA missile move; only from his unarmed stances) (high)
* Machine gun punch (his MKDA move) (mid)

5.24.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Crumble (his MK2 head splat)
* Arm ripper (his MK2 classic)

5.24.6. COSTUMES

* His primary MKDA costume. Under his belt of bullets the faint glow of the heart implant is visible, which is connected to his left shoulder by a bionic metal strap.
* Similar to #1, but with a leather jacket much like Kano's, a dog tag and pants that seem to fit wider, in camouflage colouring. Jax also has camouflage paint on his face.
* In this costume Jax is styled after sgt. West in the movie "Basic".

5.24.7. VOICE

His MKDA voice. Still with his over-the-top-taunts and everything! a61514;

5.24.8. OUTCOME

Jax devised a battle plan to deal with multiple threats at once. While the Shaolin monks and Fujin squared off with their old enemies of Outworld, protecting the kamidogu, Sub-Zero and Ermac would do battle with their opponents from the Netherrealm who had been sent by Onaga. Jax and his team, on the other hand, quickly found traces of the Black and Red Dragon. Rather than sitting back, hoping they would annihilate each other, Jax delivered the first strike and eliminated Red Dragon operatives Hachiman and Sektor.

His subordinates took on the renegade Kabal and his underling Kobra. Jax was then challenged to mortal kombat by Raiden. Despite arguably being the strongest man alive, Jax's superior strength was no match for the insanity of the thunder god who had fallen from grace. But the seconds before he plummetted to his death, consumed by anger and bitterness, he activated a dead man's switch that blew up the entire Sky Temple with Raiden still on it. Jax did not die in vain.

5.24.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Havik
2. Quan Chi
3. Kitsune
4. Kabal
5. Dairou
6. Scorpion
7. Drahmin
8. Quan Chi
9. Hachiman
10. Sektor
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.25. SHANG TSUNG

5.25.1. BIOGRAPHY

Quan Chi had saved Shang Tsung's life by teleporting them, a moment before Raiden's useless self-sacrifice in the face of Onaga. Despite their internal differences, with both sorcerers weakened considerably, the Deadly Alliance was quickly reforged, especially in the light of Shao Kahn's apparent return. Though officially not a participant in Raiden's tournament, Shang Tsung eagerly anticipates its outcome, and is still fiercely determined to take back what he considers to be rightfully his: Outworld.

5.25.2. DATA

Status: Demon-sorcerer
Height: 178cm
Weight: 81kg
Origin: Outworld
Birthplace: Shanghai (China), Earthrealm
Race: Demon
Age: ca. 11 000
Moral alignment: 2
Order alignment: 3
Allies: Quan Chi, Shao Kahn
Foes: Liu Kang, Raiden

5.25.3. STYLES

* Liu he ba fa (sm: escape): Liu He Ba Fa (also called: Six Harmonies Eight Methods or water boxing) is a form of Chinese nei-gong or internal exercise with combat fighting applications. Its principles are associated with a 'water' exercise method known during, but predating the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The Taoist sage Chen Po (Chen Xi Yi, Chen Hsi I) is credited with its development. He was associated with the Mt. Hua Taoist monastery on Hua Shan in Shensi Province. The 'core' exercise is usually taught in 66 forms, in two parts, for health or martial purposes. The complete liu he ba fa-system, taught in Nanjing by Wu Yi Hui, includes training derived from external-styles reworked to complement the core form. There are very few teachers with the full knowledge of the LHBF-system.

* Hung gar (sm: shove): Hung gar (literally "Hung family," also called Hung Kuen, literally "Hung fist"), is a Southern Chinese martial art associated with the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-Hung, who was a master of hung gar. Because the history of the Chinese martial arts was historically transmitted orally rather than by text, much of the early history of hung gar will probably never be either clarified or corroborated by written documentation. The hallmarks of the Wong Fei-Hung lineage of Hung Gar are deep low stances, notably its "sei ping ma" horse stance, and strong hand techniques, notably the bridge hand and the versatile tiger claw. The student traditionally spends anywhere from months to three years in stance training, often sitting only in horse stance between a half-hour to several hours at one time, before learning any forms. Each form then might take a year or so to learn, with weapons learned last. However, in modernity, this mode of instruction is deemed economically unfeasible and impractical for students, who have other concerns beyond practicing kung fu. Hung Gar is sometimes mischaracterized as solely external - that is, reliant on brute physical force rather than the cultivation of qi - even though the student advances progressively towards an internal focus.

* Xiphos (sm: impale): The xiphos is a double-edged, single-hand sword used by the ancient Greeks. It was a primary battlefield weapon for the Greek armies along with the spear or javelin. The straight, double-edged design of the xiphos lends it the same overall martial versatility found in the swords used by infantry until the firearm supplanted the sword on the battlefield. Its design lent itself to cutting and thrusting. For some reason unknown to anyone but himself, Shang Tsung has always preferred European swords to Asian ones, although he himself is of Asian descent. The exceptionality of this is augmented by the fact that the xiphos and other straight swords are fairly linear and efficient weapons, as opposed to Tsung's preference for flowery, fluid and deceptive styles.

* Magic staff (a long staff with a green globe attached to it that faintly glows. It is fairly weak but makes Shang's special moves 20% stronger) (sm: sidestepping sweep): Though common folklore often depicts sorcerers as having a staff, in the realms of Mortal Kombat sorcerers derive their power from within rather than without. While a special weapon or object may further enhance these powers or provide the sorcerer with a symbolic element of focus, generally most sorcerers tend to look down on so-called magic wands. However, this weapon forms an exception to that rule. Shang Tsung acquired this weapon from a fallen warrior long ago and is able to channel his dark chi powers through it. In a mental duel with a fellow sorcerer, he sometimes whips out this weapon as a surprise measure.

* Difficulty 3

Shang Tsung has been made weak on purpose. Though he is pretty quick and possesses some safe pokes, lui he ba fa is dependent on juggle power and mix-ups, and his juggle starter is unsafe. Hung gar has some good lows, but lacks pop-ups and truly powerful moves. Straight sword is largely unaltered from MKDA, while his magic staff is special in that it hasn't got many regular moves, but enhances the power of his special moves and lengthens his morphs. And that's where Shang's true power lies. Because he can use everyone's special moves, by picking the right warriors to morph into, he can become a beast.

5.25.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Flaming skull (high)
* Flaming skulls 2x (high)
* Flaming skulls 3x (high)
* Skull eruption (low)
* Morph (can only perform special moves of char, no fighting styles, lasts 10 seconds) (-)

5.24.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Soul stealer (as it was in MK2)
* Spine cruncher (Shang goes around, twists the victim's arm and kicks them in the spine, then doing it again to kill them as they lie down, writhing in pain - kind of like he killed off Chan in the first MK movie)

5.24.6. COSTUMES

* His costume from the MK movie! The only difference is that his eyes glow white and he has his familiar beard and mustache. Also, he looks a bit older than before, with a touch of grey at his temples and throughout his hair and beard.
* His primary MKDA costume.
* His secondary MKDA costume.

5.24.7. VOICE

* His MKDA voice.
* Has a touch of contempt in it.

5.24.8. OUTCOME

Shang Tsung knew that his service to Shao Kahn was only temporary, as it had, in fact, always been. And he knew the emperor knew this. That's why Tsung needed a way of securing power. As such, he struck a deal with Quan Chi to attack Raiden and steal the Amulet of Whispers. From the start, he knew that that deal, too, was only temporary. But things inside of the demon-sorcerer had changed. When Raiden had released his divine essence to counter the threat of Onaga, some of it had remained with the former partners of the Deadly Alliance.

Conversely, some of the socerers' marred souls had flown into Raiden, ultimately corrupting him into the monster he had become. Staring at the former thunder god as he climbed to the top of his pagoda, he recognised the corrupting force that was active within Raiden, and the cleansing force that was changing himself. Shang Tsung destroyed the diety and broke the amulet. He knew Quan Chi would kill him for it, but he didn't care. There were some bounds that were not to be overstepped.

5.24.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Ermac
2. Falcon
3. Scorpion
4. Cyrax
5. Hotaru
6. Sub-Zero
7. Kenshi
8. Kung Lao
9. Damashi
10. Fujin
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.26. NOOB SAIBOT

5.26.1. BIOGRAPHY

Descended into the Netherrealm, the elder Sub-Zero was transformed into a demon, no longer Sub-Zero, but Noob Saibot. There, using the ailing cyborg Smoke he had recovered from Shao Kahn's fortress as a template, he would construct his own army of cyber-demons. Ironically, Smoke's automated body had originally been designed by the elder Sub-Zero before he was killed. Noob pledged his allegiance to Onaga when he came to the Netherrealm, and has now been sent as his representative to reclaim the Amulet of Whispers and the kamidogu.

5.26.2. DATA

Status: Brother of the Shadow
Height: 175cm
Weight: 70kg
Origin: Netherrealm
Birthplace: New York (United States), Earthrealm
Race: Demon
Age: 44 (32 at death)
Moral alignment: 1
Order alignment: 3
Allies: Smoke, Onaga
Foes: Sub-Zero, Ashrah

5.26.3. STYLES

* Shadow (a quick and safe style with a lot of evasive moves) (sm: ghost): Noob Saibot was originally trained in the art of ninjitsu, like many of his clansmen, and adapted this technique to the environment of the Netherrealm when he awoke there after his death. Shadow allows Noob to move at preternatural speeds. For this, he sacrifices some of his strength and power output, but what he gains in stealth and psychological effects more than makes up for it.
--> Ghost (an even quicker substyle of shadow) (sm: shadow)

* Rat (sm: escape): Rat kung fu, choy gar kuen or caijia quan is a Chinese martial art that was invented by Choy Gau Lee. The original techniques were once from the Shaolin temple. Somewhere in Southern China, a variety of snake kung fu was modified to include lower stances, and swifter foot movement. Choy Gau Lee added more kicks to his style, differentiating some of its longer range techniques thereby from those of its snake kung fu origin. This martial art makes for very good, fast closing in movements.

* Scythe (sm: far-reaching low sweep): A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing and reaping grass or crops. It consists of a long (about 170 cm) wooden shaft called a snath (modern ones are sometimes made from metal and/or plastic) with a perpendicular handle at one end and another roughly in the middle. The handle at the end of the snath could be omitted but the handle in the middle of the snath is a must, it is used to control the position of the blade. A long blade (roughly 60-80 cm, approx. 26"-30") with a slight curve mounted perpendicular to the snath is mounted at the other end. A scythe is used by holding the handles such that the blade is approximately parallel to the ground (with the heel nearly touching the ground) and swinging one's arms from side to side. When done correctly the blade makes wide sweeping motions. The scythe appeared in Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries. Initially used mostly for mowing grass, it replaced the sickle as the tool for gathering crops by the 16th century. The scythe also plays an important traditional role, often appearing as weapons in the hands of mythical beings such as Father Time, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Grim Reaper (Death). This stems mainly from the Christian cultural interpretation of death as a "harvest of souls".

* Shuriken (Noob has three shuriken; he may use them to slit and stab but those moves aren't worth much – his best option is to impale/throw; the three shuriken in a victim's body do more damage than a regular impale) (sm: impaling toss): Shuriken are throwing blades. The martial art of wielding the shuriken is called shuriken-jutsu. The major varieties are the bo shuriken, darts; and the hira shuriken, throwing blades with multiple points, sometimes called kurumaken but more commonly known in the West as throwing stars or ninja stars, due to their distinctive shape. They have been used by ninja and other samurai. These "throwing stars" usually had only four points, as more than four were considered as being too flashy or difficult to handle. Contrary to popular belief shuriken are not designed as a primary weapon, but rather as a distraction or tactical weapon. In the past, shuriken were sometimes used as a warning means, or to deliver death threat messages to enemies.

* Difficulty 3

Noob Saibot's advantage is speed. While his styles are pretty linear, with the exception of his scythe (which is incidentally his slowest style), he has good recovery time for most styles, and excels in evasive moves and quick dashes. This makes him suitable both for pressuring opponents with pokes and jabs, and retreating quickly against an all-out offensive opponent. His greatest lack is that he does not have many powerful moves. Shadow and its substyle ghost are his most defensive styles, while the rest are slower and more offensive.

5.26.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Ghostball (his MK4 projectile move that disables block for five secs) (high)
* Clone throw (his old MKT move) (high)
* Teleport (his MK4 move) (-)
* Invisibility (his MKD move) (-)

5.26.5. FINISHING MOVES

* 1000 Shuriken (Noob nails the victim by throwing a massive amount of shuriken into their body)
* Grim reaper (Noob uses the back of his scythe to punch the victim in its stomach and then slashes off their head with his scythe)

5.26.6. COSTUMES

* His MKT costume mixed with the more subtle texture differences from MK4. His skin is still pitch black and his eyes glow faintly blue. He has the shurikens attached to his belt and the typical "ninja" forearm guards end in spiked gloves.

* His MK4 "cyborg" costume. His voice is altered in this costume from vocal to some sort of hiss similar to Kabal's voice behind his mask. This costume looks metal more than plastic, however.

* His MK4 "street" costume. He has black baggy pants and sneakers, and the same cool jacket with the hood, which hides the features of his face. You can see his spiked gloves under the long sleeves of his jacket.

5.26.7. VOICE

Aggressive voice, similar to the guy that gets blown up by Sub-Zero in the first movie

5.26.8. OUTCOME

Working from the shadows, Noob Saibot successfully delivered blow after blow to the Earthrealm warriors, having studied their techniques and skills in detail when he was on Earth years ago. With the last traces of sentimentality eroded from his soul, and the last warriors, including his former brother, killed that would possibly still have protected Raiden, Noob Saibot levied his armies from the Netherrealm and entered the Sky Temple.

Noob was pleased with his armies. Under the command of Smoke, they destroyed what was left of Raiden's priestly guards. Noob Saibot then took on the thunder god himself, and in a showdown of dark powers he destroyed the deity that had originally condemned him to the Netherrealm. The circle was complete. With the Amulet of Whispers in his possession, Noob now had a score to settle with Onaga...

5.26.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Ermac
2. Dairou
3. Kitsune
4. Reiko
5. Xerxes
6. Damashi
7. Fujin
8. Ermac
9. Scorpion
10. Sub-Zero
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

5.28. QUAN CHI

5.28.1. BIOGRAPHY

Quan Chi had teleported himself and Shang Tsung away to safety the moment Raiden's essence discharged. Still healing from their vicious battle, they joined forces with a revitalised Shao Kahn. Ever wary of his own allies and leering at the opportunity to regain the Amulet of Whispers, Quan Chi primarily seems to have entered the tournament for his own purposes.

5.28.2. DATA

Status: Necromancer
Height: 195cm
Weight: 93kg
Origin: Unknown
Birthplace: Unknown
Race: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Moral alignment: 1
Order alignment: 2
Allies: Shang Tsung, Irikara Neferu
Foes: Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Onaga, Drahmin

5.28.3. STYLES

* Tang soo do (sm: escape): Tangsoodo or Tang Soo Do (The Way of the Tang Fist) is a popular Korean martial art that was largely incorporated into Taekwondo. The origins of the art have been debated for several decades. However, Tangsoodo associations generally accept that that Tangsoodo is a mix of three major styles: Soo Bahk Do, Northern China Kung Fu and Southern China Kung Fu, combined with the Okinawan discipline and modified katas of Karate. This art was created by Grandmaster Hwang Kee (1914 - 2002), who originally called it Hwasoodo, but later changed the name to the already popular name Tangsoodo. The full name of this art at that time was Moo duk kwan Tangsoodo. Hwang Kee was said to have had learned Chinese martial arts while in Manchuria, as well as having been influenced by Japanese karate and Korean Taekkyon. Hwang Kee claimed to have been highly influenced by an old book about martial arts called the Muye dobo tongji.

* Baji quan (sm: power-up): Bajíquán (literally eight extremes fist) is a style of wushu (Chinese martial arts) that features explosive, short range power and is famous for its elbow strikes. It originated in Hebei Province of North China, but is also well-known in other places as well today, especially Taiwan. All techniques are executed with a very distinctive form of short power, developed through rigorous, sometimes torturous training. Strategically, Baji focuses on in-fighting, entering from a longer range with Baji's distinctive Charging Step and issuing power up close. Made famous in recent times by Li Shu Wen (1864-1934), a fighter from Shandong province whose skill with a spear earned him the nickname "God of Spear Li." His most famous quote about fighting was, "I do not know what it's like to hit a man twice."

* Double broadswords (sm: taunt): The term broadsword is used to refer to different types of swords, depending on when the term is used, and on what period is being talked about. during the 17th through 19th centuries, the term referred to contemporary European straight double-edged basket-hilted swords. Like the Italian schiavona and the Scots claymore (a troublesome term in itself), Surviving examples of such swords are around 105 cm long (90 cm of which is blade) with a base blade width of 3.5 cm and a weight of about one kilogram. From the late 19th century, however, museum curators began to use the term to refer to the medieval knightly sword, to distiguish them from the comparatively slimmer-bladed rapier, smallsword and épée, and it is in this manner that the term is used most often today. The Chinese Dao is sometimes translated as broadsword, although sabre is the more usual translation.

* Flail (sm: weapon counter): A flail is also a medieval weapon made of one (or more) spiked metal balls attached to a handle with a hinge or chain. There is some disagreement over the names for this weapon; the terms "morning star," and even "mace" are variously applied, though these can be used to describe other weapons, which are very different in usage from a weapon with a hinge or chain, commonly used in Europe from the 13th century to the 15th century.

* Difficulty 4

Quan Chi relies a lot on mix-ups from tang soo do to make his game effective. As in MKDA, he has a long, powerful style branch combos, but this time around they include some more circular moves. While tang soo do is suited for close combat, baji quan contains a few launchers that are safe but limited in reach. His double broadswords are his biggest powerhouse, but also rely on good mind games to work. His flail is suitable for mind games and dislodging a defence. Quan Chi possesses some counters and reversals that are interesting, but his greatest weakness is his safety.

5.28.4. SPECIAL MOVES

* Biting skull (now has the same cool animation as in the promo vid where he fought Scorpion) (mid)
* Rising star (mid)
* Trample (his MK4 move) (high)
* Weapon steal (Quan acquires the equipped weapon of his opponent) (high)

5.28.5. FINISHING MOVES

* Leg beat (his MK4 fatality)
* Tackling the problem (Quan Chi performs his rising star move, tearing the victim's head off its torso, leaving a bloody trail)

5.28.6. COSTUMES

* His MKDA costume. This time around he also has black, tiger-like stripes painted on his upper arms and his back instead of the tattoos.
* His MK4 costume.
* Quan Chi's hands are surrounded by a faint white glow (as in Baraka's MKG ending). His torso is bare. He wears a metal, spiked belt and metal forearm guards that end in spiked gloves. He wears wide-fitting black pants with red, evil runes on them. His pants cover his usual boots.

5.28.7. VOICE

His MKDA voice.

5.28.8. OUTCOME

Like his fellow sorcerer, Quan Chi had felt parts of Raiden's essence penetrate into their souls, while Raiden's was corrupted with the evil that housed within the erstwhile allies. He saw that Shang Tsung was beginning to revert to a life he had lead centuries ago, before he became cursed by the gods and bent on destroying souls. But Quan Chi himself had not changed. The evil within him was so strong that it swallowed all that was good.

Strengthened by this knowledge and free of any form of compassion, Quan Chi entered the tournament and had his new attendant Irikara Neferu take care of most of his opposition. Impervious to the struggles of order and chaos, good and evil, he fought his way through what remained of the competition. Though Raiden had become dark and confused, his godly essence was slowly extinguishing. Quan Chi exploited this weakness and consumed the thunder god's life force. With the Amulet of Whispers back into his possession, he knew his destiny was open again.

5.28.9. OPPONENT LIST

1. Kung Lao
2. Ermac
3. Sub-Zero
4. Jax
5. Falcon
6. Shang Tsung
7. Gnorado
8. Scorpion
9. Damashi
10. Fujin
11. Qanturus
12. Raiden

Ok guys...now it's time for YOU! to comment.

I know it's an awfully big read, but you'd do me a great favour to read it :).

Cheers,
VQ

I'll be reading it soon, bud. Don't worry about that. As for commenting, I'll do that too if I haven't passed out from all the reading!

I gotta say in the 3 hours i spent reading, i was reading the whole story line you had written as if it was the "official" new story for next game. Other really good stuff you have and definatly how you went in deph with the history of the weapons and fighting styles and origin. In terms of characters i really liked how you really didnt portray Raiden as being evil but more like he's doing what hes believes is right. I really liked the Kobra twist at his outcome, Definatly didnt see that coming and would if that really played out. The thing about Shoa Kanhs return was a nice touch though im just nitpicking i was sat wondering after reading how he returned why would he faked his "death" the way he did return with Shang and Quan. Again, little small question iasked myself after reading.
Definatly liked the background ideas that were presented and each were unique in concept but at first when i was reading ,at least the first few ideas on stages, that the backgrounds sounded a bit "calm" or nothing was really going on. Not at all trying to be a critic but reading about the stages at first they seemed like they were once these great historic places where these big things happened at these places but now there abandoned where theres really nothing going on. So at first, though it was all well imaginativly thought out, if i was to sit and play the next game with the ideas you had for "some" of the backgrounds, i may have though some of the backgrounds were kinda somewhat "bland". But i just finished reading the whole thing at once so i havent really completely gotten my thoughs together but overall i kinda think the MK teams should take a few looks out your notes. Good stuff

the gameplay sounds alot like VF....but this is a good thing in my mind....but also bad....cuz....VF is VF....although they dont have one for xbox

I've only just begun reading the Ermac part......and as one of his top fans, I must say, you've got this shit pretty well locked down. Still reading the rest you have, but from what I've seen so far, I think you could very well give Vogel a run for his money.

Few people attempt a thread like this, and it usually doesn't amount to much...but you've done it, and with actual quality shit. Haven't read it all, and will read in intervals.

My regards.

I just read the whole thing and its great. Kobra is Stryker = LOL. The only thing I would have done is maybe reverse Hotaru's and Dairou's bios around. Xeres seems like a cool character. The levels seem cool and puzzle modes gonna be way better as its more in depth. I give it 9/10.

Props VQ that s some awesome stuff man.Let s hope Boon finds this and copies it 1 zu 1.

Death Traps as Ring Outs are necessary imo though,and it would add more depth if they would make some escapable DTs.Having the possibilitiy to fight back while hanging with one hand on the cliffs and making a spear while hanging and throwing them to the spikes,stuff like that.That would be cool.

Hey guys,

Thanks for the comments until now. Keep it coming. I didn't know you read these boards too, Gala. Es freut mich, dich hier zu treffen :).

CaptainSpalding, Shao Kahn's faked death is explained on the GC version of MKD. I don't like that twist either (imo he should have stayed dead), but that's what I had to work with. No problem with your comments on the backgrounds. Some are fairly static, yes, but I think that they can't all be eye candy. Personally, I tend to appreciate simple backgrounds too, like MKD's Courtyard.

Maverick, actually I was thinking more of Tekken than VF when I wrote about the gameplay, but I used to be a VF player too, so some elements might have snuck in :). It's not my intention for MK to become Tekken or VF, but it would do well to adopt some things that are very common in the best fighting games, like throw escapes, different framerates, no 50/50 game, etc. MK will remain MK because of its characters, gore, blood and fantasy element. Most common players don't really care about how the engine works.

MajinDragon and Peanut, thanks for the comments guys! I know it takes a long ass time to read everything.

Cheers,
VQ