Great Kung Lao

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The Great Kung Lao is a character occasionally referenced in the game series and featured in the television show Mortal Kombat: Conquest. He is the ancestor (or father) of the present-day Kung Lao and Liu Kang and has an outfit similar to his namesake, and the Shaolin monk Liu Kang, who follows his teachings. In Conquest, he is portrayed by Paolo Montalban. Conquest was not part of the canon storyline the Mortal Kombat games follow, but nevertheless was immensely popular among the fan community.

Kung Lao was raised in the Order of Light, a monastery of Shaolin monks. While he lived happily with his family and friends, Kung Lao prepared for his entire life to fight in Mortal Kombat. He was trained thoroughly under the monastery's phenomenal martial artists, teaching him moves many would think impossible. All of Kung Lao's training made him undeniably the monastery's best fighter. Being the first person on the Earthrealm to represent the Order of Light in Mortal Kombat, he would do battle with the evil sorcerer and shapeshifter Shang Tsung (500 years before Liu Kang would do the same).

Despite Tsung having the advantage of winning nine consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, Kung Lao defeated him and became Grand Champion, saving Earthrealm in the process. While it is common for the victor to take his opponent's life, Kung Lao spared the sorcerer. As champion, Lao could not age. Fifty years later, Tsung, the now old man he spared half a century before, had corrupted the tournament. He was defeated by Goro, the Shokan prince. Afterwards, Kung Lao's soul was taken by Tsung, an event that would lead up to the events of the first arcade game. In Deception, his soul is presumed freed after Shang Tsung is killed by Raiden's failed attempt to destroy the Dragon King giving his soul peace after over five centuries of torment.