Sub-Zero
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| |
| Sub-Zero | |
| Real Name | {{{realname}}} |
|---|---|
| Age | 32 |
| Height | 6' 2" (1.88 m) |
| Weight | {{{weight}}} |
| Resides | Earthrealm |
| Origin | Earthrealm |
| Appearances | Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat 4 Mortal Kombat Gold MK: Deadly Alliance MK: Deception MK: Shaolin Monks MK: Unchained MK: Armageddon MK vs. DC Universe Mortal Kombat 9 |
| Species | Cryomancer and Human |
| Allies | Kenshi Raiden Sareena Kung Lao Liu Kang Shujinko Kitana Cyrax Hydro Ashrah Ermac |
| Enemies | Quan Chi Hotaru Shinnok Sektor Noob Saibot Frost Baraka Shao Khan Shang Tsung Goro Reptile |
| Weapons | Ice Scepter (MK4, MKG) Kori Blade (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A) |
| Fighting-Styles | Shotokan-Ryu Karate (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A) Dragon (MK:DA, MK:D) |
| Alignment | Good |
| Portrayers | Daniel Pesina (MKII) John Turk (MK3, UMK3, MKT) Keith Cooke (second film) Ryan Watson (Live Tour) J.J. Perry (Conquest) Luke Perry (DotR) |
With his freezing powers enhanced by the medallion, he vowed to reform the Lin Kuei as a force for good. -- Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance Bio
Sub-Zero is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game.
Contents |
[edit] About Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero is one of the most popular characters in the Mortal Kombat series. There are in fact two Sub-Zeros: older and younger. Both are blue garbed warriors that are ninjas that descended from Cryomancers, an Outworld race possessing the ability to generate and control the powers of ice, although both of them were born in Earthrealm. The younger one bears a conspicuous scar on his right eye, however, as of Deception the scar has faded away, possibly because of a side effect of his Dragon Medallion.
Both Sub-Zeros were sons of a Chinese Cyromancer father and a Human mother. It is known that the father of both brothers (the fourth man to be known as Sub-Zero in his lineage) was a secret operative for the clan in the United States. He married an American woman and together they had two sons and a daughter. Against the will of their mother, the father took the sons with him to move back to China at a certain time, and as such both brothers became warriors of the Lin Kuei. The mother and the daughter remained in the U.S.
The Elder Sub-Zero appeared in the first Mortal Kombat and then, after being killed by Scorpion, his younger brother replaced him for the rest of the games - his elder brother later became the undead Netherrealm wraith, Noob Saibot.
The younger Sub-Zero clearly shares many traits with his older brother. Upon his introduction, the younger Sub-Zero was perhaps too similar to his brother. Like the elder, the younger Sub-Zero gives the impression of being a stern, distant and cold man who goes about his business silently, without attracting unwanted attention. However, as time progressed, Sub-Zero evolved from what fans labeled a "carbon copy" of his brother to a man of great integrity and self-discipline. The disparities between the brothers, who were once neutral and almost indistinct from each other, have now grown so large that one could speak of the evil twin syndrome.
While the younger Sub-Zero was depicted as a young Lin Kuei warrior who was living in the shadow of his older brother, he has since changed and grown into a warrior who has progressed towards the more humane sides of moral issues. This change in characteristics has not only strengthened him as a man, but has also set him apart from his former Lin Kuei counterparts. This included leaving his clan in disgust and breaking the sacred codes of honor, joining the rebellion against Shao Kahn and assisting Raiden and Liu Kang (along with Earthrealm's other chosen warriors). More recently, he defeated the cyborg assassin Sektor to gain the leadership of the Lin Kuei and become the Grandmaster, where he has grown even stronger and more powerful. He is a dependable ally of Earthrealm who is willing to assist when needed, especially when Raiden gives the call. He is without question one of the greatest and most powerful warriors that Earthrealm has to offer. He, like much of the MK cast, also follows a character archetype, in his case the enigmatic hero that shows up to aid the main hero(es) when needed.
Younger Sub-Zero is easily identified by the scar on his face which, according to Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, was caused by Kung Lao, who sliced Sub-Zero's face with his hat when he mistook him for his older brother. His real name is also unknown.
[edit] Storyline
[edit] Mortal Kombat II
Following his brother's failure to assassinate Shang Tsung during the first tournament (and his eventual death therein at the hands of Scorpion), the young Lin Kuei warrior took up his brother's name was sent to Outworld to complete the assignment after Mortal Kombat II was announced; he was accompanied by fellow Lin Kuei and close friend Smoke. He soon discovered Scorpion's foul vendetta against his brother. Scorpion had risen from the Netherealm once more upon learning of Sub-Zero's "survival" and continued to hold a grudge. However, Scorpion received a rude awakening when he witnessed Sub-Zero spare the life of a defeated opponent whom he battled during the tournament, which left him confused for he did not understand why Sub-Zero showed mercy. Scorpion then came to the realization that this Sub-Zero was actually his sworn enemy's younger brother, and thus swore not to harm him. Sub-Zero never learned why the specter spared his life. Despite their efforts, neither accomplished the mission that they were tasked to do for the Lin Kuei, although they did assist Liu Kang, Raiden, and their allies in Liu Kang's battle with Shao Kahn. Smoke and Sub-Zero returned home empty handed.
[edit] Mortal Kombat 3/Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Mortal Kombat Trilogy
In the events leading up to Mortal Kombat Trilogy, the Lin Kuei obtained technology that could vastly improve the effectiveness of their warriors, and they chose four of their number to undergo the procedure that would turn them into cyborg assassins: Sub-Zero, Smoke, Cyrax, and Sektor. Sub-Zero and Smoke refused to participate, and fled the clan, who declared them anathema. While Sub-Zero successfully managed to escape, Smoke was captured and subsequently turned into a cyborg. In leaving the clan, Sub-Zero had broken the Lin Kuei codes of honor. After Smoke's automation, the Lin Kuei programmed the three cyborg assassins to hunt and terminate Sub-Zero, who by this time had received a vision from Raiden and agreed to join the rebellion against a new threat.
The armies of Shao Kahn attacked Earthrealm, and Sub-Zero was among the few mortals whose souls were spared so they could fight Kahn and his extermination squads. These events also signalled the beginning of Sub-Zero's transition to a greater moral consciousness. Unluckily for Sub-Zero, his cybernetic assassins, lacking souls, also survived. Sub-Zero eventually encountered Smoke and convinced him that he still had a soul, which then overrode Smoke's Lin Kuei programming. With his new ally, Sub-Zero battled and defeated both Sektor and Cyrax. However, instead of destroying Cyrax's CPU, he reprogrammed the cyborg to hunt and terminate Shao Khan (at which Cyrax failed - he would wander in Jade's Desert and become trapped there). Smoke was less fortunate: he was captured by Shao Kahn's troops and transported to Outworld as a curiosium. Eventually, the Earthrealm warriors were victorious and Earth was restored to its normal state.
[edit] Mortal Kombat 4/Mortal Kombat Gold
When the banished Elder God Shinnok threatened the Earthrealm, Raiden once again summoned Sub-Zero to assist in the defense of Earth. In homage to his older brother, Sub-Zero donned his sibling's uniform, and brought to the battle information passed to him which could prove essential to Raiden in his mission to stop Shinnok. In the meantime, Quan Chi had convinced Scorpion that Sub-Zero still retained some culpability for the destruction of the Shirai Ryu, turning the spectre's hostile attentions to him once more. Sub-Zero met Scorpion in Goro's Lair and the two fought, with Scorpion gaining the upper hand. When it seemed that Scorpion was going to kill Sub-Zero, the Lin Kuei revealed that he had no role in the murder of Scorpion's family. Quan Chi, convinced that Sub-Zero was about to die nonetheless, readily admitted his guilt to Scorpion, who then turned on Quan Chi and transported the sorcerer into the Netherrealm, where Scorpion hunted Quan Chi unceasingly. This was to be the last time Scorpion and Sub-Zero were to actively oppose each other.
[edit] Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Some time afterwards, the defeated cyborg Sektor assassinated the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei and challenged Sub-Zero to a fight for the leadership of the Lin Kuei Clan. Realizing how great an opportunity this was, as well as recognizing Sektor as a threat, Sub-Zero accepted the cyborg's challenge and defeated him, gaining the position. Sub-Zero also came into possession of the Dragon Medallion, which enhanced his freezing powers to levels he had never thought possible (as a side effect, it appears, it also changed his appearance). Great changes were made to the Lin Kuei after Sub-Zero's victory. He moved the Lin Kuei to a remote area in the Arctic where they would not be disrupted and began training them as a force for good, teaching his students not only formidable fighting skills, but the value of life as well, turning them into wisened warriors rather than mindless assassins.
Sub-Zero held a tournament at the Lin Kuei headquarters in order to recruit strong warriors, and a female who surprisingly harnessed the same freezing powers as Sub-Zero emerged as the winner. Impressed by her exceptional skill, Sub-Zero made Frost his apprentice, breaking Lin Kuei tradition. While she was a superb fighter, Frost did not agree with Sub-Zero's philosophies and appeared arrogant and aloof, which would generate some friction between her and Sub-Zero's allies, specifically Sonya.
After Liu Kang's murder at the hands of the newly formed Deadly Alliance, Raiden asked Sub-Zero to join him to fight for Earthrealm's survival. Surprised at the tragic news, Sub-Zero agreed, but mainly for personal reasons - he wanted to gain the respect of his fellow Lin Kuei and prove his worth once again to his clan and to most importantly, himself.
When Sub-Zero and Frost were separated from the other Earthrealm warriors on Outworld, Frost attempted to steal the Dragon Medallion. Unable to control the medallion's powerful energies, she was consumed by her own freezing abilities and seemingly died. Sub-Zero placed the blame squarely on his own shoulders for her death, feeling he had failed to dampen her pride and teach her the same philosophies of life he had.
[edit] Mortal Kombat: Deception
As he searched for a place to bury Frost, he encountered the ruins of an Outworld civilization capable of manipulating cold. After careful study and examination of this race, the cryomancers, he came to the realization that he and Frost were descendants of this race. Burying her and forgiving her for her rashness, Sub-Zero donned an ancient suit of armor found in the ruins and headed for the Earthrealm portal, to rendezvous with Raiden and the Earthrealm forces.
As Shujinko rallied Earths remaining warriors to defeat the new threat in Onaga Sub-Zero once again ventured back into the Outworld where he soon ran into Sareena. Since she helped free his brother from his confines of the Netherrealm and also helped defeat Quan Chi with him so many years ago, Sub-Zero offered her asylum within the Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero gave Sareena a small metallic object that would guide her and grant her access to the hidden Lin Kuei temple. The two then spotted two dark figures leaving Shao Kahn’s fortress, it was Sub-Zero’s brother Noob Saibot and his good friend Smoke, the two disapeared into the Netherealm. Sub-Zero ordered Sareena to wait for him at Lin Kuei temple as he ventured after the two, however Noob and Smoke knew they were being followed and attacked Sub-Zero in the Netherealm. It appeared the Grandmaster was overpowered and doomed until Sareena jumped in fending off Sub-Zero’s would be assassins but not before Sub-Zero was left unconscious, but upon waking Sareena had reverted back to her demonic form, dazed and still very confused Sub-Zero attacked and Sareena fled to the depths of the Netherrealm.
[edit] Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Upon returning to the Lin Kuei temple in Earthrealm, Sub-Zero discovers many of his fellow Lin Kuei slain by a highly delusional Frost, who was in reality still very much alive when he buried her, and had now returned seeking revenge. Sub-Zero then froze the highly unstable Frost in a solid block of ice and placed her frozen body in a shrine deep in the temple, with the knowledge that she will one day recover, and, on that day, will have to answer for her crimes against the Lin Kuei.
[edit] Mortal Kombat Armageddon
Sub-Zero appears in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Konquest mode, challenging Taven to a fight, after the latter invades the Lin Kuei Palace. Before the outcome of the battle could be decided, Sub-Zero takes notice to the dragon tattoo he had on his face, commenting that it was similar to the one on the vault door containing the armor Taven's mother left for him. Taven acquires the armor and the Lin Kuei Palace is invaded once again, this time by Noob Saibot and Smoke who turn the Lin Kuei warriors into cyborg demons. Sub-Zero asks Taven to choose sides and Taven helps defeat the demons. Taven then defeats Smoke and eventually, Noob Saibot, who had attacked Sub-Zero. Sub-Zero shows his thanks by revealing to him the location of the stronghold to the Red Dragon Clan. Sub-Zero then attempts to cleanse his brother, Noob Saibot's, soul. It is unknown as to whether he is successful.
[edit] Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe
In the story mode, Liu Kang first thought the Lin Kuei were responsible for the disappearing warriors. Thinking Liu Kang was also responsible for the disappearance of his own clan, Sub-Zero challenged and was defeated by Kang. However, he allied himself with the monk when Kang saved him from Scorpion. Retrating to the Lin Kuei temple, he found the Fortress of Solitude had appeared. Sub-Zero went down and froze Superman, in ice. Wonder Woman sought out Superman and defeated Sub-Zero, taking him prisoner and freeing the Man of Steel. At the U.N. orbital station, Wonder Woman was defeated by Jax, who also decided to free the Lin Kuei warrior and take his offer of help.
Sub-Zero sought Raiden's help, thinking Quan Chi might be able to help. Raiden didn't trust the Lin Kuei or Sub-Zero, and challenged him. Proving himself to be more powerful than his deceased brother, Sub-Zero defeated the thunder god and earned his trust. Raiden had Sub-Zero seek out Scorpion as a means to the Netherrealm. He followed Scorpion's trail to Gotham, and after a brief battle with Deathstroke, Sub-Zero ended up in the Bat Cave where Scorpion had once been; he was accosted by a raged Batman, but defeated him. Scorpion then brought Sub-Zero to the Netherrealm by his spear. The two battled and accidently freed a chained Quan Chi. The sorcerer managed to convince both ninjas and Raiden that all rivalries had to be put aside if they are to stop the new invaders. Sub-Zero was forced to team up with Scorpion and faced off against Catwoman and Lex Luthor at the White Lotus temple. He froze Catwoman in place, but both he and Scorpion were defeated by Luthor. In the battle between the D.C. warriors, Sub-Zero was defeated by Batman. Superman and Raiden defeated Dark Kahn and saved the realms.
[edit] Combat characteristics
[edit] Powers and abilities
Having descended from a race of Outworld inhabitants known as Cryomancers, Sub-Zero has innate ability to control ice in many forms. Throughout the span of the series, Sub-Zero's powers have continued to evolve. Aside from flash-freezing opponents, Sub-Zero also has the ability to instantly conjure up an ice statue of himself to act as both a scapegoat and a 'landmine' of sorts as any who touch it instantly flash freeze. Due to the Dragon Medallion's addition to his arsenal, Sub-Zero's powers have increased significantly, now able to form weapons out of ice. Exactly how powerful he is storyline-wise unknown. His former ally Frost only knows how to make ice daggers, while Sub-Zero, due to the Dragon Medallion, can form a giant sword named the Kori Blade. He can even go as far as freeaze the moisture within the air into any form, even making it a misty type form, hinting that he freezes even molecules. He can control water as well.
[edit] Signature moves
- Ice Blast: Sub-Zero sends a blast of ice horizontally towards the opponent to temporarily freeze them in place for a free hit. In the earlier Mortal Kombat games, if Sub-Zero were to freeze the opponent twice, the second iceball would defrost the opponent and freeze Sub-Zero, setting him up for a free hit. Like Scorpion's Spear, it has had different depictions. In MK1, it is depicted as frozen liquid. In MKII to MKT, it is depicted a series of ice shards and from MK4 onward, an energy blast of ice condensed into a spherical form. In Annihilation, it is depicted as a strong beam of energy. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A, MKvsDCU)
- Slide: Sub-Zero slides across the floor, knocking the opponent off their feet. It is assumed Sub-Zero slides by freezing the soles of his feet. This move was later given to Frost. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM, MKvsDCU)
- Ground Ice: Sub-Zero freezes the floor and whoever steps on the circle of ice will temporarily slip all over the place, setting the opponent for a free hit. This move was also later adapted for Frost. (MKII, MK:SM)
- Ice Clone: Sub-Zero creates an ice statue of himself anywhere he chooses, and anyone who touches it will freeze. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)
- Ice Shower/Ice Pillar: Sub-Zero shoots ice straight overhead which falls back down atop his opponent. He can shoot it close, mid way, or far away to freeze the opponent. In Armageddon, instead of falling on the opponent, the ice goes over them, freezing and suspending them in the air. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:A, MKvsDCU)
- Cold Shoulder: Sub-Zero rushes the opponent with his shoulder, leaving a trail of ice behind him on the ground. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)
- Freezing Teleport: Sub-Zero turns into ice, falls to the ground, and reappears next to his opponent. (MKvsDCU)
- Ice Defense: Sub-Zero quickly covers himself in a sheet of ice. If an opponent attacks him physically whilst in this state, they will automatically be flash-frozen as Sub Zero disappears and reappears behind the opponent with his Kori Blade in hand to strike them down. (MKvsDCU)
- Ice Nugget: Sub-Zero makes a nugget out of ice above his opponent, which comes crashing down onto the opponent. It is unblockable. (MKvsDCU)
[edit] Fatalities
- Spine Rip: Sub-Zero punches into an opponent's neck, and tears out their spine and skull. Variations of this have appeared where he further attacks the opponent with the spine. In Deadly Alliance for example, Sub-Zero rips the whole skeleton out of his opponent's body, pulling it from the spine. In Shaolin Monks Sub-Zero grabs his opponent in a chokehold and rips it out.The screen blacks out when Classic Sub-zero does this in Ultimate MK3 as well as in Trilogy, most likely due to the fact the spine rip in MK1 drawing so much negative attention blacked out to mock the censors. (MK, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM)
- Deep Freeze Uppercut: Sub-Zero deep-freezes his opponent, then uppercuts their upper body, shattering it in the process. There are two different input sequences of the fatality that had to be performed sequentially in order to achieve it; failing the second sequence would result in a frozen opponent, but no fatality. This was also incorporated as a standard special attack in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, he kicks the opponent instead of uppercutting them. In the censored SNES version of Mortal Kombat, Sub-Zero would jump back, deep freeze his opponent, jump back towards him/her, and punch them, shattering them into pieces. In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, the upper body is torn off. (MK, MKII, MK4, MKG, MKvsDCU, MK:SM)
- Snowball: Sub-Zero forms an ice grenade and throws it to the upper body of his opponent, exploding his enemy from within. (MKII, MK:SM)
- Freeze and Throw: Sub-Zero does the first part of the Deep Freeze Uppercut, only now he rips the head off, slides away, then throws the head at the opponent, shattering the body and head. (MK:D)
- Ice Breath: Sub-Zero breathes icy breath at his opponent, who falls back and shatters upon contact with the floor. (MK3, UMK3)
- Below Freezing: Sub-Zero freezes the legs of his foe and shatters them, then stomps on his opponents body causing his head to explode. (MK:D)
- Frozen Beatdown: Sub-Zero grabs the opponent and presses them over his head. After freezing the opponent, Sub-Zero breaks them into peices with his own hands. In MKvsDCU, Sub-Zero throws the opponent on the ground, shattering them. (MK3, UMK3, MKvsDCU)
- Skeleton Rip: Sub-Zero rips the whole skeleton out of his opponent's body, pulling it from the spine.This fatality was borrowed from Kano. (MK:DA)
[edit] Other Finishers:
- Friendship #1: Sub-Zero takes out a Sub-Zero doll and text appears onscreen saying "Buy a Sub-Zero Doll." (MKII)
- Friendship #2: Sub-Zero makes himself into a snowman. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
- Animality: Sub-Zero turns into a polar bear and mauls his opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
- Hara-Kiri: Sub-Zero covers himself with ice, falls over and shatters, leaving him as a mess of ice and bones. (MK:D)
[edit] Endings
- Mortal Kombat II: "When Sub-Zero failed to return from the Shaolin tournament and rumor of Shang Tsung's survival reached the Lin Kuei clan, they immediately sent another assassin the complete the task. This new warrior is actually the younger brother of the original Sub-Zero. He enters the Outworld contest and accomplishes his task. He learns of Scorpion's foul vendetta against his brother, but will never know why his life was spared. Perhaps a third tournament is in his future?"
- Mortal Kombat 3: "In vicious battle, Sub-Zero face Cyrax and Sektor: but not alone. He finds his third Lin Kuei assassin - the elusive Smoke. Before automation, Smoke and Sub-Zero were allies. Sub-Zero helps Smoke recall his past and gains him as an ally once again. Sub-Zero defeats his cyborg assassins with the help of Smoke and finds it takes all his inner strengths to defeat Khan and his Outworld minions. The former ninja once again disappears into the shadows, his legacy known by a select few."
- Mortal Kombat 4 (Non-canonical): Sub-Zero defeats Scorpion, ending his quest for venegence. Quan Chi comes from behind and knocks Sub-Zero down, congratulating him on defeating Scorpion, just like his brother had aided the sorcerer also. Sub-Zero declares that he serves no one; not the Lin Kuei, and not Quan Chi. The sorcerer states that he had offered Scorpion freedom from the Netherrealm in exchange for aiding Shinnok, a reward that Quan Chi wouldn't have granted anyway, but Sub-Zero had now taken care of that problem. Scorpion angrily gets up and uses his own magic to kill Quan Chi. He then tells Sub-Zero that he is free of his curse and wishes him well.
- Deadly Alliance: In words of Raiden: "After defeating the Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero returned to the new temple of the Lin Kuei with the severely injured ninja Frost. A short time later, I visited the temple to commend him for his victory in Outworld and to express my gratitude for all his assistance. With Sub-Zero now the Grand Master of the Lin Kuei, Earthrealm will be well protected."
- Deception:: "On his way to the rendezvous point with Raiden and the others, Sub-Zero was ambushed by a band of Tarkatan warriors in the Living Forest. He tried to outrun them, but there were too many. He was quickly surrounded. Sub-Zero decided that his last living deed would be to vanquish as many of these barbarians as he could before he succumbed to death. As Sub-Zero began his attack, he felt his armor speak to him. It guided and strengthened each blow as he broke their limbs and crushed their skulls. At his feet, a dying Tarkatan warrior uttered the words, "Long live the Dragon King...."
- Armageddon (non-canonical): "The Dragon Medallion having amplified the godlike power granted him by his victory over Blaze, Sub-Zero was no longer a mere warrior, but an ice god. He was, however, a false god. He had become a deity without the consent of the Elder Gods, who sent their champions to hunt him down and destroy him."
- MK vs. DC (non-canonical): "Fighting alongside the Forces of Light during the world-merge crisis, Sub-Zero came to a realization. He was no longer the assassin he had been; nor was he comfortable among the self-proclaimed defenders of Earthrealm. Inspired by one of the invaders, Sub-Zero decided he would work for the good of the realm, but on his own terms. He would be a mostly solitary figure, blending in with the dark and the cold. Sub-Zero left the Lin Kuei and donned a new costume befitting this new endeavor. But the Lin Kuei do not tolerate desertion, as he will soon discover...."
[edit] Appearances in other media
[edit] Film
The younger Sub-Zero has a brief appearance in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. After rescuing Liu Kang and Kitana from Smoke, he fights and is temporarily bested by Scorpion. As Liu Kang rushes to the assistance of Sub-Zero, Scorpion teleports away from the battle, kidnaps Kitana and escapes. He was portrayed by Keith Cooke, who appeared as Reptile in the first movie.
For Francois Petit's portrayal of Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat, see Noob Saibot.
[edit] Television
Sub-Zero appeared in the cartoon Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm as one of the leading characters, in which he was voiced by Luke Perry from Beverly Hills 90210. Sub-Zero has to prove he was trustworthy in the first episode of the series (Kombat Begins Again), since his status as a Lin Kuei traitor cast a shadow of doubt over his intentions, especially with Sonya, who takes longer to be convinced. In episode 2 (Sting of the Scorpion) he confronts and is defeated by Scorpion, only to be succeeded by Liu Kang. His last important episode is Episode 5 (Old Friends Never Die) in which he is attacked by former friend Smoke, and is able to free his soul and later take on the Lin Kuei Grandmaster.
An ancestor of Sub-Zero, played by J. J. Perry, also appeared in the live-action TV series Mortal Kombat: Conquest, as a Lin Kuei assassin hired by Shang Tsung to defeat Kung Lao and retrieve a magic crystal from his home which had the ability to transport its keeper to other dimensions. The Lin Kuei were later forced into a partnership with Scorpion on orders from Shao Kahn, who believed that the combined strength of the two fighters would finally result in the death of Kung Lao after their individual failures. The alliance quickly dissolved when people close to both warriors were killed. Sub-Zero also killed a Grandmaster who attempted to bar him from meeting his original family from before his Lin Kuei days. Not only did these events turn Scorpion and Sub-Zero against each other in a stalemate battle, but the icy warrior was forced to become renegade, abandoning his clan. He turned down an offer by Kung Lao to join him in the fight against Outworld.
[edit] Comic books
Sub-Zero makes a cameo appearance in the Malibu Comics series Battlewave epilogue, in which, wearing his MK3 attire, freeze a group of Lin Kuei while proclaiming the clan is corrupted and no more worthy of the services of Sub-Zero. If there was any plannings to the younger Sub-Zero, they were never met as the comic books ended before adapting the Mortal Kombat 3 stories.
[edit] Character development
Although Scorpion was intended to become the protector of the younger Sub-Zero in atonement for murdering his older brother at the end of MKII, and the plot is mentioned in UMK3, this was retconned by Deadly Alliance, whose Konquest mode specifies that Scorpion vowed only not to harm the Lin Kuei warrior.
It is believed that Sub-Zero was unmasked in Mortal Kombat 3 to give him an identity of his own. Because Sub-Zero had a nearly identical appearance to his elder brother from the first Mortal Kombat, fans didn't necessarily buy that this new Sub-Zero was the younger brother of the first, and because the younger Sub-Zero had a storyline that depended on the elder Sub-Zero's, the fans felt that this was the same Sub-Zero all along and begun to believe that there was only one Sub-Zero in the series. Midway gave Sub-Zero a new appearance and unmasked him to simply give him a new identity and clear the beliefs that there were two Sub-Zeros and that the current Sub-Zero that exists today is the younger brother of the elder Sub-Zero.
Since Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero has appeared far older, while few, if any characters show signs of dramatic aging. This is possibly due to the amplifications his powers have undergone during the time, as in MK:DA, his arms became frozen over, and his scar turned blue as well as his hair graying. In Deception, Sub-Zero, now wearing the armor of his ancestors in addition to the Dragon Medallion from MK:DA, his skin has become far more pale than a normal human's. Deception Sub-Zero is also notable for no longer having the infamous eye scar. It is most likely simply faded, again due to his Medallion.
[edit] Game information
Sub-Zero had a distinctly more Asian look in his Mortal Kombat II ending than he did in the previous and later installments, the animated series, the second movie, and the 1996 live tour, in which he was portrayed or voiced by non-Asian actors. His oddly Western look for a Chinese ninja was later retconned by giving him a Caucasian mother. According to this new story, his father had a wife, two sons and a daughter while he lived in America to hide his personal role as an assassin for the Lin Kuei, which explains Sub Zero's rather Occidental appearance. But some fans assume that he is simply of mixed heritage since his bloodline and nationality may have been blended throughout generations that traced back to his ancestors from Outworld.
When filming Mortal Kombat 3, the unmasked Sub-Zero costume was red. As shown in the Mortal Kombat history section featured in Deadly Alliance.
Since Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero has had a scar running from his forehead across his right eye, but in the early arcade version of Mortal Kombat 4 and Deadly Alliance, this was forgotten, each time leading to speculations that his older brother had returned. The scar was first featured to be red, only to later change blue as a result of Sub-Zero's enhanced powers. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, his scar seems to have faded to the point where it can no longer be seen. In Mortal Kombat Armageddon, Sub-Zero's ninja outfit retains the scar, while his alternate outfit, his Deception armor, does not. In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, the player witnesses Kung Lao vertically slashing Sub-Zero's face with his hat, resulting in bloodshed and ultimately a scar. However, very little of Shaolin Monks is considered canon, so the truth about Sub-Zero's scar remains debated among fans.
Although Sub-Zero originally had blue eyes, they turned white after obtaining the Dragon Medallion. Renders from Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks also give him white eyes. Official renders from Deadly Alliance also depict him having ice-blue eyes, demonstrating his power.
In the N64 version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, the unmasked Sub-Zero was nowhere to be found, possibly due to the N64 lack of ROM space of the cartridge, though the ninja Sub-Zero is still found. What is interesting is that the ninja Sub-Zero in that version can perform both the MKII and MK3 version of Sub-Zero's special moves such as the Ice Puddle and the Ice Clone, as well as the Ice Shower and while though the unmasked version was omitted, his Babality sprite can be seen in Stryker's Friendship. In the PlayStation, PC and Sega Saturn versions of MK Trilogy, had two different forms of Sub-Zero with the correct move sets.
In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, if both players select Sub-Zero in Versus mode, the second player to have chosen him will play as a variation of Sub-Zero's elder brother, Noob Saibot (Saibot retains all of Sub-Zero's moves, Fatalities, etc. Also his forearms will be frozen like Sub-Zero's).
In Armageddon's Motor Kombat Sub-Zero drives a blue snow mobile with spiked tires and his special is to send a freeze ball to another driver.
Sub-Zero, in one incarnation or another, is the only character to have been playable in all Mortal Kombat games, with the exception of Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. He was also the first Mortal Kombat character to have his own game.
Sub Zero had a brief apperance in BSA to the rescue.
[edit] Trivia
- In an episode of Malcolm in the Middle, Reese mentions the fact that nobody believes that he beat the secret level of Mortal Kombat, to which Hal responds "Because that's just ridiculous; no-one beats Sub-Zero".
- Sub-Zero inspired the professional wrestling character known as Glacier in World Championship Wrestling. Ray Lloyd, a regional Karate champion, played the role for several years.
- Even though Sub-Zero is meant to be Japanese, he served the Lin Kuei which was origanally a Chinese ninja clan.
- His weapon is called the "Kōri-Blade". Kōri (or hyō) is Japanese for "ice" (Chinese bīng), hyōten (bīngdiǎn) is "freezing point", and hyōtenka (bīngdiǎnxià) is "below freezing" - or, "sub-zero".
- In one incarnation or another the character "Sub-Zero", aside from his older brother, Noob Saibot, is the only character to appear in every Mortal Kombat fighting game to date.
- Sub-Zero was the selected character to appear in the special Premium Pack Edition for PlayStation 2 of the game Mortal Kombat: Deception (the special game for Xbox included other character covers). He was featured as the only cover character of that game and the Premium Pack included a metalic card of his character. Oddly, there were a few text/story mistakes in his box art and metallic card.
- Ed Boon stated that Sub-Zero was originally going to be called "Tundra".
- Sub-Zero is the only character in the entire series to show any signs of natural aging as most other characters seem to be able to keep their youth over the years. While Shujinko has been through a similar process, one must keep in mind that he experiences an abnormal age jump in his stay at Chaosrealm
- In his MK vs. DC Universe ending, it is implied that he becomes the "Batman" of Earthrealm as he alters his costume to be similar to Batman's (minus the bat ears, of course) and the hint that Lin Kuei Assassins would soon target Sub-Zero for leaving the Lin Kuei is similar to certain plot elements in the movie "Batman Begins".
