He wore it in MK4 to honor the memory of his brother, because he was fighting his brother's enemies, Quan Chi and Shinnok.

From Deadly Alliance on, he wore it because it's part of the Lin Kuei uniform. They're a ninja clan. Ninjas wear masks.

Well, I know that ninjas wear masks, I'm aware of that, thank you. But he made up his own Lin Kuei in Deadly Alliance, and was ashame that they agreed to let the Automation Program do whatever they wanted to do with the Lin Kuei, why go back to traditional ways?

I've always questioned his various appearances with and without the mask too. But then this could also apply to some other characters, too.

*shrug* I've always thought of it as just part of who they are. The MK characters are people, too. I figured that sometimes they just wanna wear masks.
I could see Kitana on a bad day looking through her beautiful princess wardrobe and being like "Fuck it. Today I'm goin' ninja."

Sometimes ya feel like a ninja, sometimes ya don't.

Not all of the old ways of the Lin Kuei are evil to Sub Zero.


So he kept the old ways of the Lin Kuei while bring it to the new age. And I do think that Both Sub Zero and the Other Lin Kuei Grandmasters has different opinions on Tradition. For Example the Automation of their ninjas was the final break for Sub Zero. In the Real world and in the realms of fiction, Ninjas always look for the cutting edge in technology and other methods over their enemies. So Automation of their ninjas was the logical course of action, but it doesn't mean it was the right course of action aka Sektor.

Didn't Sub-zero say that the Lin Kuei weren't ninjas.

Maybe Sub-zero decided to stick to simple tradition.

though if it were my decision, i'd have kept him maskless.

I totally forgot the fact that he mentioned this, thank you!

Don't forget that Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu are rivals. So being called an "ninja" is an insult to the Lin Kuei.


Don't forget about All of the other ninjas of MK, Rain, Ermac, Noob Saibot, Scorpion and other MK ninjas. Don't forget that Ninja term is used loosely in MK.



Are Lin Kuei ninja? By the loose Mk meaning then YES.

In any case, the idea of wearing masks is to shield their identities, so regardless of whether or not they're ninjas, or for honouring his brother and the original Lin Kuei traditions, it makes sense that they're covering their faces; it's no different from the X-Men using code-names and wearing funky costumes while they conduct their missions.
With that in mind, a bit of trivia to note is that in MK:DA, though his primary costume is unmasked, that was only a last-minute change, as his original primary was his Lin Kuei Grandmaster uniform, amulet and all, which is even depicted in every ending that involves him.

Jerrod makes a good point!

If i were part of a powerful clan of assassin's

i wouldn't want my face to be all over the place and walking down the street
people being all "HEY look, it's that dood from the Lin Kuei, GET HIM!"

Who needs a rational explination? PEOPLE WANT MOAR NINJAS