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Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)
Encyclopedia
Sub-Zero is the name given to two video game characters
from the Mortal Kombat series. The older Sub-Zero first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat game
, being replaced by his younger brother in Mortal Kombat II
and the subsequent games. In Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
and most versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy
, both the elder and younger Sub-Zero appear as playable characters. Sub-Zero also appears in many other Mortal Kombat media works such as the Mortal Kombat
live action film series and animated series.
Being brothers, both of them were born in Earthrealm, and are blue-garbed assassins that descended from Cryomancers, an ancient race of people possessing the ability to generate and control the powers of ice, which gives Sub-Zero the innate ability to control ice in many forms. Sub-Zero has received positive reception and was featured on multiple lists of the best video game ninja characters, also inspiring the character of Glacier
in World Championship Wrestling
.
The original name for Sub-Zero was Tundra
prior to production of the original Mortal Kombat, but the name was changed after a member of the design team saw the film The Running Man
, in which the first assassin fought by Arnold Schwarzenegger
's character used the name, albeit not hyphenated. Sub-Zero appeared in the first two games as a blue palette swap
of Scorpion
.
Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias
said in a 1995 interview with EGM
that Sub-Zero was unmasked in Mortal Kombat 3
in order to stir up fan speculation about the character's backstory. An April 1995 article from VideoGames
magazine, which was written while the game was still in production, included the first image of actor John Turk
in costume, though Turk was purposely photographed from the rear and in shadow in order to conceal the character's identity. The new Sub-Zero made his proper debut on the cover of GamePro
that same month with Turk's red outfit tinted blue (as it was for the game), but the photo used was actually mirrored, as his scar was over his left eye. According to Ed Boon
, Sub-Zero's Freeze was originally omitted from the game in place of the Ice Shower, but was brought back in the next revision following fan feedback at a local arcade.
Since Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero has had a scar running down from his forehead and across his right eye as a mark of death. The scar was originally red, and later changed to blue in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
as a result of Sub-Zero's enhanced powers. In Mortal Kombat: Deception
, his scar has faded to the point where it can no longer be seen. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
, Sub-Zero retains the scar, which is not part of his alternate costume.
Since Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero is the only character who has shown considerable signs of aging. Concept art from Deadly Alliance depicted him with a graying, receding hairline, and a more pale and gaunt face, while his scar was now blue and his forearms frozen over. Although Sub-Zero originally had blue eyes, they turned white after he obtained the Dragon Medallion in the game. Sub-Zero's appearance in Shaolin Monks was one of the most revised ones from the title. Character Lead Mark Lappin did almost 10 passes on his design while producer Shaun Himmerick notes that "we went through literally 5-6 heads and styles of head costume on him". Himmerick comments that Sub-Zero's design in Mortal Kombat was difficult to make although most people called it "simple". In the end, the staff was satisfied with his final look in the game as it reminisces them to his classic outfit.
Aside from Sub-Zero's unmasked appearance in his ending in Mortal Kombat II, the character has primarily been portrayed or voiced by non-Asian actors. Midway later explained Sub-Zero's rather Occidental appearance for a Chinese
assassin by giving him a Caucasian
mother. According to this new backstory, 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.
and take his treasure. He fails to accomplish his mission, and is killed by the specter Scorpion
, who sought to avenge his own death.
In the direct sequel Mortal Kombat II, Bi-Han's place is taken by his brother Kuai Liang . Upon his brother's death in the first tournament and the survival of Shang Tsung, Kuai Liang is sent by the Lin Kuei to complete his brother's unfinished task. In Mortal Kombat 3, the younger Sub-Zero escapes from the Lin Kuei who wanted to transform their warriors into cyborgs. They program 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.
In Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, "Classic Sub-Zero" also appears as a playable character. His biography states that although he was believed to have died after the first Mortal Kombat, he returned to try again and assassinate Shang Tsung. In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
, which serves as a prequel to the first Mortal Kombat, sorcerer Quan Chi hires the Lin Kuei to find an ancient amulet. After the first Sub-Zero delivers the amulet to Quan Chi, he is sent back to the Netherrealm by Raiden upon learning it is the key to releasing the god Shinnok. Sub-Zero regains the amulet while fighting Shinnok and returns it to Raiden.
In Mortal Kombat 4
, Raiden once again summons the younger Sub-Zero to assist in the defense of Earthrealm against the former Elder God Shinnok. In the meantime, Sub-Zero fights Scorpion, who was told by Quan Chi that the Lin Kuei killed his family, but he leaves him upon discovering Quan Chi was the actual person responsible. In Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero defeats Sektor in a fight for leadership of the Lin Kuei Clan. He also meets Frost, his apprentice, and takes her to fight alongside Earthrealm's warriors against the alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi.
In Mortal Kombat: Deception, Sub-Zero joins Shujinko's group to defeat the new threat in Onaga. He also confronts his corrupted older brother, now the undead Noob Saibot
, across these game. In both Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Unchained, Sub-Zero comes to encounter Frost for the Lin Kuei's leadership, but he remains victorious.
In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, which reprises the events from Mortal Kombat II, Sub-Zero first appears as a boss character, but then allies with the protagonists Liu Kang
and Kung Lao
for a short time during the search of his older brother.
In Armageddons Konquest mode, Sub-Zero faces the warrior Taven, who invaded the Lin Kuei Palace. Both eventually decide to ally to stop the invading Noob Saibot and Smoke. After the invaders' defeat, Sub-Zero stays with the unconscious Noob Saibot to find a way to save him.
He is also playable in the crossover title Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
; in the storyline, Sub-Zero is involved in a war between the titular fictional universes and is the protagonist for one chapter of the story mode. Ed Boon notes that Sub-Zero's counterpart from DC Comics
is Batman
as both are "dark, mysterious, brooding characters."
Both incarnations of Sub-Zero appear in the 2011 Mortal Kombat game. While Bi-Han is killed by Scorpion and becomes Noob Saibot, Kuai Liang's fate changes in the first tournament due to Raiden's interference; the timeline is altered and Sub-Zero is captured and turned into a cyborg instead of Smoke. He is able to regain his mind and joins Raiden's warriors to stop Shao Kahn. However, he is killed by Kahn's wife, Sindel, and he remains enslaved by Quan Chi in the Netherrealm.
When he first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat, Sub-Zero featured only two special moves: his ice blast and sliding kick. These moves have become Sub-Zero's trademark since then, being featured in every game he has appeared in. Mortal Kombat II added his ground freeze move. In Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero got his ice statue move and ice shower (the latter featuring three different variations). His first Fatality
, the "Spine Rip", is (considered by Boon) the one that stood out the most, due to how violent it was, the staff had to remove it from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe as that game was aimed to a younger audience. Boon also expressed that the "Spine Rip" is his favorite Fatality from the first game, commenting it was "the most controversial." In home versions from the first game, the move was replaced with another finishing move due to its violent content.
The Nintendo 64
port of Mortal Kombat Trilogy gives all of the younger Sub-Zero's special techniques and finishing moves to the masked version, due to the fact the Nintendo 64's cartridge format had memory restrictions that did not allow the use of both masked and unmasked characters. In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Sub-Zero gained a teleporting move (he freezes himself and falls back to the ground, appearing behind the foe).
' 1995 Battlewave miniseries, in which he froze a group of Lin Kuei while proclaiming that the clan was corrupted and no longer worthy of his services. This subplot was never developed as the Mortal Kombat comic book series folded shortly thereafter.
In the first Mortal Kombat movie, the elder Sub-Zero was played by François Petit
and served as one of Shang Tsung's guardians alongside Scorpion in the tournament. Although Shang Tsung does make a reference to the rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero early in the film, their relationship is not explored and both are slaves under the sorcerer's command. He is killed in combat by Liu Kang when he is impaled and frozen. Sub Zero and his brother are mentioned in Mortal Kombat: Rebirth.
In the animated film Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, the elder Sub-Zero was once again featured alongside Scorpion as servants to Shang Tsung and their feud was explained by Raiden through flashbacks, although interpreted differently from that of the games.
The younger Sub-Zero made an appearance in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
, and was portrayed by Keith Cooke
, who had played Reptile
in the first movie. After saving both Liu Kang and Kitana
from an ambush by Smoke, Sub-Zero has an inconclusive fight with Scorpion, who kidnaps Kitana and escapes. He urges Liu Kang to seek out Nightwolf as instructed by Raiden before going after Kitana and leaves Liu Kang to continue on in his quest.
Sub-Zero was one of the leading characters in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
, and was voiced by Luke Perry
. An ancestor of Sub-Zero featured in two episodes of Mortal Kombat: Konquest
, and was played by J.J. Perry
. He was a Lin Kuei assassin hired by Shang Tsung to defeat Great Kung Lao and retrieve a magic crystal from his home, which had the ability to transport its keeper to other dimensions. Sub-Zero's rivalry with Scorpion was also featured, in which Scorpion murdered Sub-Zero's sister and Sub-Zero killed Scorpion's lover in retaliation. The two fought to a draw and Scorpion escaped when Kung Lao and his friends came to Sub-Zero's aid. Sub-Zero was subsequently berated by the Lin Kuei for his weakness, resulting in him killing the Grandmaster.
A brief image of Sub-Zero can be seen in the short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth
. Dialogue implies a deadly rivalry between him and Hanzo Hasashi, better known as Scorpion.
Bi Han, the elder Sub-Zero appeared in Mortal Kombat: Legacy
seventh episode, assassinating a shogun whom Hanzo Hasashi
was supposed to protect and fought against him at the end of part one. In the next episode it is revealed that Quan Chi impersonated him in order to deceive Scorpion that Sub-Zero murdered his family and clan to enact a false sense of vengeance in him against Bi Han and gain his allegiance for the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament.
s, and a joystick
for the PlayStation 2
released along with Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Sub-Zero's ice-projectile technique has been noted by 1UP.com
to be one of the best mechanics that changed video games due to how practical it is as it gives players the opportunity of making any move while the opponent is frozen. Appearing as a hidden character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, GameSpot
writer Jeff Gerstmann criticized that unlocking Classic Sub-Zero in the game was so "annoying" to the point that players would not do it. His redesign from Mortal Kombat 3 was disliked by GamePro
, which they deemed "suspenders" and compared his scar to a red smear. However, his appearance in Deadly Alliance received praise by Gaming Age
's Tim Lewinson noting "Sub-Zero never looked so good, with dry ice rising from his hands and a cold, steely glare in his eyes." GameDaily
listed his appearance in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero as one of his worst moments, citing its sloppy controls, glitchy graphics, and unsatisfying quest for this. On the other hand, IGN
staff liked how Sub-Zero was given his own video game, noting him to be one of the series' most popular characters, and that "it offers gamers a new look at Sub Zero". Besides that, positive response was given to the fact that Sub-Zero's techniques from the fighting games can be used in Mythologies. The Fatality Sub-Zero uses in Deadly Alliance was found to be one of the most violent ones from the title as well as from the series as commented by Ace Gamez
. ScrewAttack
ranked Sub-Zero's original Fatality as the best in the series and credited its infamy with the creation of the videogame rating system. ScrewAttack also placed Sub-Zero at #2 on their list of "Top 10 Mortal Kombat Kharacters". The rivalry between Sub-Zero and Batman from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was emphasized by IGN who noted that although both characters were extremely powerful, Sub-Zero's freezing skills were more entertaining than Batman's abilities.
IGN also listed Sub-Zero's first incarnation 85th in their list of 100 video game villains. In 2008, GamesRadar
featured him in their article discussing the top video game assassins, stating that "his bloody ways and ability to freeze opponents solid enabled him to punch his way into the hearts of arcade gamers everywhere". He also made it to the semifinal of GamesRadar's "Ultimate Character Battle!" poll losing to Hulk
. In 2009, GameSpy
named him one of the "25 Extremely Rough Brawlers" in video gaming, praising his fighting style, while Unreality ranked him #4 on the list of top five video game ninja characters. He was also featured on the lists of the ten best video game ninja characters by CrunchGear (#10) in 2008, and by Wild Gunmen (#4), GamePro (#5) and ScrewAttack (#5) in 2010; Virgin Media
as well featured him on their list of top ten list. Also in 2010, UGO.com ranked Sub-Zero ninth on their list of the top 11 Mortal Kombat characters, noting his ninja costume as the most iconic from the series. He tied with Scorpion in the top from Game Revolution
's "Top 10 Old School Mortal Kombat Characters", with both noted as the most popular characters from the franchise. Another GamesRadar article from 2011 discussed his and Scorpion's evolution across the Mortal Kombat series, citing them as its two most popular characters.
The character of Sub-Zero inspired the character of Glacier
in World Championship Wrestling
(Ray Lloyd, a Georgia
native and former martial arts champion, has played the character in various wrestling promotions since 1996).
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
from the Mortal Kombat series. The older Sub-Zero first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat game
Mortal Kombat (video game)
Mortal Kombat is a 1992 fighting-game developed and published by Midway for arcades. In 1993, home versions were released by Acclaim Entertainment. Released in the Fall of 1994, the Microsoft Windows 3.1x version was released by Activision Interactive. It is the first title in the Mortal Kombat...
, being replaced by his younger brother in Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II is a competitive fighting game originally produced by Midway Games for the arcades in . It is the second game in the Mortal Kombat series. Like its predecessor, various home versions were produced...
and the subsequent games. In Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game in the Mortal Kombat series, released in arcades in 1995. It is an update of Mortal Kombat 3 and was later updated again into Mortal Kombat Trilogy...
and most versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Trilogy is a fighting game developed and published by Midway in 1996. It is a compilation of content from the previous Mortal Kombat titles, based primarily upon the gameplay mechanics of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3...
, both the elder and younger Sub-Zero appear as playable characters. Sub-Zero also appears in many other Mortal Kombat media works such as the Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat (film)
Mortal Kombat is a 1995 American action and adventure film directed by Paul Anderson. Based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, the film was the first part of the Mortal Kombat film series...
live action film series and animated series.
Being brothers, both of them were born in Earthrealm, and are blue-garbed assassins that descended from Cryomancers, an ancient race of people possessing the ability to generate and control the powers of ice, which gives Sub-Zero the innate ability to control ice in many forms. Sub-Zero has received positive reception and was featured on multiple lists of the best video game ninja characters, also inspiring the character of Glacier
Ray Lloyd
Raymond M. Lloyd is an American martial artist, professional wrestler, and actor. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s under the ring name Glacier.-Early life:...
in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
.
Conception and design history
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
prior to production of the original Mortal Kombat, but the name was changed after a member of the design team saw the film The Running Man
The Running Man (film)
The Running Man is a 1987 American action film loosely based on Stephen King's 1982 novel of the same name. Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, the film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, María Conchita Alonso, Jesse Ventura, Jim Brown, and Richard Dawson....
, in which the first assassin fought by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
's character used the name, albeit not hyphenated. Sub-Zero appeared in the first two games as a blue palette swap
Palette swap
A palette swap is a practice used in video games, whereby a graphic that is already used for one element is given a different palette, so it can be reused as other elements. The different palette gives the new graphic a unique set of colors, which make it recognizably distinct from the original...
of Scorpion
Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
.
Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias
John Tobias
John Tobias is an American comic book artist, graphic designer and video game designer. Along with Ed Boon he is one of the creators of the groundbreaking Mortal Kombat fighting game series....
said in a 1995 interview with EGM
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
that Sub-Zero was unmasked in Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed by Midway and released in 1995, first as an arcade game. It is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series...
in order to stir up fan speculation about the character's backstory. An April 1995 article from VideoGames
Tips & Tricks
Tips & Tricks is an American video game magazine published by Larry Flynt Publications . For most of its existence, the publication was devoted almost exclusively to strategies and codes for popular video games...
magazine, which was written while the game was still in production, included the first image of actor John Turk
John Turk
John Turk is an American model, bodybuilder, personal trainer, former Chicago police officer, and actor.He has three siblings...
in costume, though Turk was purposely photographed from the rear and in shadow in order to conceal the character's identity. The new Sub-Zero made his proper debut on the cover of GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
that same month with Turk's red outfit tinted blue (as it was for the game), but the photo used was actually mirrored, as his scar was over his left eye. According to Ed Boon
Ed Boon
Edward J. Boon is an American video game programmer who had been employed for over 15 years at Midway. He now works for Warner Bros...
, Sub-Zero's Freeze was originally omitted from the game in place of the Ice Shower, but was brought back in the next revision following fan feedback at a local arcade.
Since Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero has had a scar running down from his forehead and across his right eye as a mark of death. The scar was originally red, and later changed to blue in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, originally known as Mortal Kombat V: Vengeance or simply Mortal Kombat 5, is a fighting game developed and published by Midway for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance...
as a result of Sub-Zero's enhanced powers. In Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception is a fighting game developed and published by Midway as the sixth installment for the Mortal Kombat series. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in October 2004, while a Nintendo GameCube version was published in March 2005. Mortal Kombat: Deception follows the...
, his scar has faded to the point where it can no longer be seen. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is the seventh game in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The PlayStation 2 version was released in stores on October 11, 2006 while the Xbox version was released on the October 16, with a Wii version released on May 29, 2007 in North America.The game was not released...
, Sub-Zero retains the scar, which is not part of his alternate costume.
Since Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero is the only character who has shown considerable signs of aging. Concept art from Deadly Alliance depicted him with a graying, receding hairline, and a more pale and gaunt face, while his scar was now blue and his forearms frozen over. Although Sub-Zero originally had blue eyes, they turned white after he obtained the Dragon Medallion in the game. Sub-Zero's appearance in Shaolin Monks was one of the most revised ones from the title. Character Lead Mark Lappin did almost 10 passes on his design while producer Shaun Himmerick notes that "we went through literally 5-6 heads and styles of head costume on him". Himmerick comments that Sub-Zero's design in Mortal Kombat was difficult to make although most people called it "simple". In the end, the staff was satisfied with his final look in the game as it reminisces them to his classic outfit.
Aside from Sub-Zero's unmasked appearance in his ending in Mortal Kombat II, the character has primarily been portrayed or voiced by non-Asian actors. Midway later explained Sub-Zero's rather Occidental appearance for a Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
assassin by giving him a Caucasian
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
mother. According to this new backstory, 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.
In video games
The oldest of the two brothers who takes the name Sub-Zero, called Bi-Han , was introduced in the first Mortal Kombat game where he participates in the titular tournament as he was ordered by the Lin Kuei to kill the host Shang TsungShang Tsung
Shang Tsung is a boss and player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. A powerful and deadly sorcerer and a primary antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of those he slays in order to maintain his youth and power...
and take his treasure. He fails to accomplish his mission, and is killed by the specter Scorpion
Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
, who sought to avenge his own death.
In the direct sequel Mortal Kombat II, Bi-Han's place is taken by his brother Kuai Liang . Upon his brother's death in the first tournament and the survival of Shang Tsung, Kuai Liang is sent by the Lin Kuei to complete his brother's unfinished task. In Mortal Kombat 3, the younger Sub-Zero escapes from the Lin Kuei who wanted to transform their warriors into cyborgs. They program 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.
In Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, "Classic Sub-Zero" also appears as a playable character. His biography states that although he was believed to have died after the first Mortal Kombat, he returned to try again and assassinate Shang Tsung. In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a 1997 action-adventure game spin-off of the fighting game series Mortal Kombat. It is the first Mortal Kombat game to feature side-scrolling gameplay. It was released for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64...
, which serves as a prequel to the first Mortal Kombat, sorcerer Quan Chi hires the Lin Kuei to find an ancient amulet. After the first Sub-Zero delivers the amulet to Quan Chi, he is sent back to the Netherrealm by Raiden upon learning it is the key to releasing the god Shinnok. Sub-Zero regains the amulet while fighting Shinnok and returns it to Raiden.
In Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4 is the fourth main game in the Mortal Kombat series of fighting video games developed by Midway Games. Released to arcades in 1997, Mortal Kombat 4 is the first title from the series to use 3D computer graphics as well as one of the first games that Midway made in 3D. Eurocom later...
, Raiden once again summons the younger Sub-Zero to assist in the defense of Earthrealm against the former Elder God Shinnok. In the meantime, Sub-Zero fights Scorpion, who was told by Quan Chi that the Lin Kuei killed his family, but he leaves him upon discovering Quan Chi was the actual person responsible. In Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero defeats Sektor in a fight for leadership of the Lin Kuei Clan. He also meets Frost, his apprentice, and takes her to fight alongside Earthrealm's warriors against the alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi.
In Mortal Kombat: Deception, Sub-Zero joins Shujinko's group to defeat the new threat in Onaga. He also confronts his corrupted older brother, now the undead Noob Saibot
Noob Saibot
Noob Saibot is a video game character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He debuted as a hidden character in Mortal Kombat II , although the later game Mortal Kombat: Deception established his true identity as that of the original Sub-Zero, who was killed by his nemesis Scorpion after...
, across these game. In both Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Unchained, Sub-Zero comes to encounter Frost for the Lin Kuei's leadership, but he remains victorious.
In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, which reprises the events from Mortal Kombat II, Sub-Zero first appears as a boss character, but then allies with the protagonists Liu Kang
Liu Kang
Liu Kang is a video game character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. First appearing in the series' first title, Liu Kang is portrayed as a Shaolin monk who enters the Mortal Kombat tournament to save his world, Earthrealm, from being destroyed due to having lost nine consecutive...
and Kung Lao
Kung Lao
Kung Lao is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a former member of the White Lotus Society. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would...
for a short time during the search of his older brother.
In Armageddons Konquest mode, Sub-Zero faces the warrior Taven, who invaded the Lin Kuei Palace. Both eventually decide to ally to stop the invading Noob Saibot and Smoke. After the invaders' defeat, Sub-Zero stays with the unconscious Noob Saibot to find a way to save him.
He is also playable in the crossover title Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a crossover fighting game from Midway Games and Warner Bros. Games. The eighth game in the Mortal Kombat series, MK vs. DC was released on November 16, . MK vs. DC contains characters from both the Mortal Kombat franchise and the DC Universe...
; in the storyline, Sub-Zero is involved in a war between the titular fictional universes and is the protagonist for one chapter of the story mode. Ed Boon notes that Sub-Zero's counterpart from DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
is Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
as both are "dark, mysterious, brooding characters."
Both incarnations of Sub-Zero appear in the 2011 Mortal Kombat game. While Bi-Han is killed by Scorpion and becomes Noob Saibot, Kuai Liang's fate changes in the first tournament due to Raiden's interference; the timeline is altered and Sub-Zero is captured and turned into a cyborg instead of Smoke. He is able to regain his mind and joins Raiden's warriors to stop Shao Kahn. However, he is killed by Kahn's wife, Sindel, and he remains enslaved by Quan Chi in the Netherrealm.
Gameplay
Fatality (Mortal Kombat)
In the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, a Fatality is a finishing move that can be used against one's defeated opponent at the end of the final match, after the boss character says "Finish Him/Her." The Fatalities are usually lethal, featuring a brutal and morbid execution of the defenseless...
, the "Spine Rip", is (considered by Boon) the one that stood out the most, due to how violent it was, the staff had to remove it from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe as that game was aimed to a younger audience. Boon also expressed that the "Spine Rip" is his favorite Fatality from the first game, commenting it was "the most controversial." In home versions from the first game, the move was replaced with another finishing move due to its violent content.
The Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
port of Mortal Kombat Trilogy gives all of the younger Sub-Zero's special techniques and finishing moves to the masked version, due to the fact the Nintendo 64's cartridge format had memory restrictions that did not allow the use of both masked and unmasked characters. In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Sub-Zero gained a teleporting move (he freezes himself and falls back to the ground, appearing behind the foe).
In other media
In the Blood & Thunder series, the elder Sub-Zero is featured, seeking Shang Tsung's death faithful to his game's profile. Accompanied by fellow Lin Kuei member Hydro (an original character created for the comics), he confronted Scorpion and surpassed his fears for him when he realizes that's what fuels the specter's powers. Like the other characters, he pursued the powers of the Tao Te Zhan. In the Battlewave series, Sub-Zero allied himself with Kitana, Kung Lao, and Baraka to overthrow Shao Kahn. During the final Tournament Edition issue, Sub-Zero is depicted as being the victor of Shao Kahn's tournament, defeating Goro and claiming the Dragon Medallion, despite being killed by Scorpion. The Mortal Kombat 3 version of Sub-Zero made a cameo appearance in the epilogue of Malibu ComicsMalibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
' 1995 Battlewave miniseries, in which he froze a group of Lin Kuei while proclaiming that the clan was corrupted and no longer worthy of his services. This subplot was never developed as the Mortal Kombat comic book series folded shortly thereafter.
In the first Mortal Kombat movie, the elder Sub-Zero was played by François Petit
François Petit
François Petit is a martial artist and actor born in Lyon, France, best known for his portrayal of the original Sub-Zero in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat....
and served as one of Shang Tsung's guardians alongside Scorpion in the tournament. Although Shang Tsung does make a reference to the rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero early in the film, their relationship is not explored and both are slaves under the sorcerer's command. He is killed in combat by Liu Kang when he is impaled and frozen. Sub Zero and his brother are mentioned in Mortal Kombat: Rebirth.
In the animated film Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, the elder Sub-Zero was once again featured alongside Scorpion as servants to Shang Tsung and their feud was explained by Raiden through flashbacks, although interpreted differently from that of the games.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is a 1997 American martial arts action film that was the sequel to 1995's Mortal Kombat, and was directed by John R. Leonetti, who had served as the cinematographer for the previous film...
, and was portrayed by Keith Cooke
Keith Cooke
Keith Hirabayashi Cooke is an American martial artist, actor and an occasional stuntman.-Biography:...
, who had played Reptile
Reptile (Mortal Kombat)
Reptile is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series of video games. Created for Midway Games by John Tobias and Ed Boon, Reptile debuted in Mortal Kombat as a hidden boss and appeared in subsequent titles as a playable character. The character has also appeared on various merchandise,...
in the first movie. After saving both Liu Kang and Kitana
Kitana (Mortal Kombat)
Kitana is a recurring player and a one-time boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. One of the lead characters of the Mortal Kombat saga, Kitana is the princess of the otherdimensional realm of Edenia and the daughter of Queen Sindel...
from an ambush by Smoke, Sub-Zero has an inconclusive fight with Scorpion, who kidnaps Kitana and escapes. He urges Liu Kang to seek out Nightwolf as instructed by Raiden before going after Kitana and leaves Liu Kang to continue on in his quest.
Sub-Zero was one of the leading characters in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, also known as Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series, is a cartoon series based on the popular Mortal Kombat video game series...
, and was voiced by Luke Perry
Luke Perry
Luke Perry is an American actor. Perry starred as Dylan McKay on the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role he played from 1990–95, and then from 1998–2000. Much publicity was garnered over the fact that even though he was playing a sixteen-year-old when 90210 began, Perry was actually in his...
. An ancestor of Sub-Zero featured in two episodes of Mortal Kombat: Konquest
Mortal Kombat: Konquest
Mortal Kombat: Konquest is an American martial arts television series that aired for one season from 1998 to 1999, and was based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The program was filmed at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.-Storyline:"In each of us there burns a soul...
, and was played by J.J. Perry
J.J. Perry
Jordan Andrew Perry , better known as J.J. Perry, is an American martial artist, actor, and stuntman.-Career:Perry began practicing martial arts training in 1975, at the age of eight. Because his mother was not able to afford her son's lessons, he cleaned a martial arts school, and received...
. He was a Lin Kuei assassin hired by Shang Tsung to defeat Great Kung Lao and retrieve a magic crystal from his home, which had the ability to transport its keeper to other dimensions. Sub-Zero's rivalry with Scorpion was also featured, in which Scorpion murdered Sub-Zero's sister and Sub-Zero killed Scorpion's lover in retaliation. The two fought to a draw and Scorpion escaped when Kung Lao and his friends came to Sub-Zero's aid. Sub-Zero was subsequently berated by the Lin Kuei for his weakness, resulting in him killing the Grandmaster.
A brief image of Sub-Zero can be seen in the short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth
Mortal Kombat: Rebirth
Mortal Kombat: Rebirth is a 2010 action short film directed by Kevin Tancharoen with fight choreography by Larnell Stovall who also choreographed Undisputed III: Redemption. Based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, the short-film "actually was made by the director to sell Warner Bros...
. Dialogue implies a deadly rivalry between him and Hanzo Hasashi, better known as Scorpion.
Bi Han, the elder Sub-Zero appeared in Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Mortal Kombat: Legacy is an American web series anthology that debuted on Machinima.com's YouTube channel on April 11, 2011. The show is an adaptation of the fictional universe of the Mortal Kombat video game franchise...
seventh episode, assassinating a shogun whom Hanzo Hasashi
Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
was supposed to protect and fought against him at the end of part one. In the next episode it is revealed that Quan Chi impersonated him in order to deceive Scorpion that Sub-Zero murdered his family and clan to enact a false sense of vengeance in him against Bi Han and gain his allegiance for the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament.
Merchandise and reception
Merchandise of the character includes action figureAction figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s, and a joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
released along with Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Sub-Zero's ice-projectile technique has been noted by 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
to be one of the best mechanics that changed video games due to how practical it is as it gives players the opportunity of making any move while the opponent is frozen. Appearing as a hidden character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
writer Jeff Gerstmann criticized that unlocking Classic Sub-Zero in the game was so "annoying" to the point that players would not do it. His redesign from Mortal Kombat 3 was disliked by GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
, which they deemed "suspenders" and compared his scar to a red smear. However, his appearance in Deadly Alliance received praise by Gaming Age
NeoGAF
NeoGAF is an internet forum that discusses video games, founded as an adjunct to , a video game news site. Since April 4, 2006, the site has been independently hosted and administered....
's Tim Lewinson noting "Sub-Zero never looked so good, with dry ice rising from his hands and a cold, steely glare in his eyes." GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
listed his appearance in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero as one of his worst moments, citing its sloppy controls, glitchy graphics, and unsatisfying quest for this. On the other hand, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
staff liked how Sub-Zero was given his own video game, noting him to be one of the series' most popular characters, and that "it offers gamers a new look at Sub Zero". Besides that, positive response was given to the fact that Sub-Zero's techniques from the fighting games can be used in Mythologies. The Fatality Sub-Zero uses in Deadly Alliance was found to be one of the most violent ones from the title as well as from the series as commented by Ace Gamez
Ace Gamez
AceGamez is a United Kingdom-based video gaming website that provides news, reviews of video games, movies and hardware as well as other information. The site was launched in November 2000 by Paul Ryan....
. ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack . is a video game-related website that showcases original entertainment for an audience of video game enthusiasts. Its content is also shown on GameTrailers and IGN...
ranked Sub-Zero's original Fatality as the best in the series and credited its infamy with the creation of the videogame rating system. ScrewAttack also placed Sub-Zero at #2 on their list of "Top 10 Mortal Kombat Kharacters". The rivalry between Sub-Zero and Batman from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was emphasized by IGN who noted that although both characters were extremely powerful, Sub-Zero's freezing skills were more entertaining than Batman's abilities.
IGN also listed Sub-Zero's first incarnation 85th in their list of 100 video game villains. In 2008, GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
featured him in their article discussing the top video game assassins, stating that "his bloody ways and ability to freeze opponents solid enabled him to punch his way into the hearts of arcade gamers everywhere". He also made it to the semifinal of GamesRadar's "Ultimate Character Battle!" poll losing to Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
. In 2009, GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
named him one of the "25 Extremely Rough Brawlers" in video gaming, praising his fighting style, while Unreality ranked him #4 on the list of top five video game ninja characters. He was also featured on the lists of the ten best video game ninja characters by CrunchGear (#10) in 2008, and by Wild Gunmen (#4), GamePro (#5) and ScrewAttack (#5) in 2010; Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
as well featured him on their list of top ten list. Also in 2010, UGO.com ranked Sub-Zero ninth on their list of the top 11 Mortal Kombat characters, noting his ninja costume as the most iconic from the series. He tied with Scorpion in the top from Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
's "Top 10 Old School Mortal Kombat Characters", with both noted as the most popular characters from the franchise. Another GamesRadar article from 2011 discussed his and Scorpion's evolution across the Mortal Kombat series, citing them as its two most popular characters.
The character of Sub-Zero inspired the character of Glacier
Ray Lloyd
Raymond M. Lloyd is an American martial artist, professional wrestler, and actor. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s under the ring name Glacier.-Early life:...
in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(Ray Lloyd, a Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
native and former martial arts champion, has played the character in various wrestling promotions since 1996).