Sub-Zero's real name is not known, but what is it?
Sub-Zero is a fictional character in the fighting game franchise.The character of the warrior from the Lin Kuei clan is defined by his ability to control ice.He is the only fighter to appear in all the main installments of the series.
Kuai Liang is the main Sub-Zero.In every chronological game since his introduction, he has used the mantle.In the original 1992 game, the mantle was used by his older brother Bi-Han, who appeared in subsequent installments as Noob Saibot.In contrast to his older brother's anti-heroic and later villainous role in the franchise, the main Sub-Zero is depicted as one of the heroic fighters defending Earthrealm against various threats.Sub-Zero is a rival and ally of the Scorpion.
Sub-Zero has appeared in various related media outside of the games.He has received positive feedback for his abilities and appearance.
The main character of the 1997 spin-off/prequel Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a character from the original 1992 game.
The younger Sub-Zero is introduced.Sub-Zero was sent by the Lin Kuei to complete his brother's unfinished task after his death in the first tournament, but he was stopped by Scorpion, who mistook him for his own brother, until he witnessed him spare an opponent.In return for taking his brother's life, Scorpion vows to protect him forever.
Sub-Zero and his fellow Lin Kuei clansman Smoke attempt to escape from their clan after they start converting their warriors into cyborgs, but the latter ends up captured and turned into one with Sektor and Cyrax; the former of whom was known to them.The three Cyber Lin Kuei ninjas are programmed to hunt and kill Sub-Zero, who by this time had received a vision from Raiden and agreed to join a rebellion against a new threat.There is a non-canonical character known as "Classic Sub-Zero" in the current incarnation of the game.According to his biography, he returned to kill Shang Tsung even though he was thought to have died after the first tournament.His ending states that he is not Sub-Zero, but a warrior who was missing from the previous tournament.[8]
Sub-Zero was once again summoned by Raiden to assist in defending Earthrealm against Shinnok.Sub-Zero fights Scorpion, who was tricked into thinking the Lin Kuei warrior killed his family.10
Sub-Zero defeats Sektor in a fight for the leadership of the Lin Kuei.He met his apprentice and took her to fight with Earthrealm's warriors against the alliance of Tsung and Chi.[13]
Sub-Zero joins the warrior Shujinko's group to defeat a new threat in the dragon king Onaga as well as confront Noob Saibot.Sub-Zero defeated Frost for the leadership of the Lin Kuei in both Deadly Alliance and Unchained.[15][16]
Sub-Zero first appears as a boss in the game, but then as an ally to the two main characters during the search for his older brother.He is last seen chasing Saibot.Upon completing the game, Sub-Zero can be unlocked as a character.
Sub-Zero and Taven ally to stop the Saibot and Smoke in the Konquest mode of the game.Sub-Zero stays with the unconscious Saibot to find a way to save him after defeating them.[18]
Sub-Zero is a character in a non-canonical title about a war between fictional universes.He leaves the Lin Kuei in the end of Sub-Zero.He becomes a superhero after being inspired by Batman.The Lin Kuei are looking for him for deserting them.[19]
The younger incarnation of Sub-Zero is assumed to be the main character in the game.The elder is known as Bi-Han and the younger as Kuai Liang, while the latter used the codename "Tundra" before becoming Sub-Zero.Bi-Han is still killed by Scorpion and becomes Saibot, but his fate changes in the second tournament due to Raiden's interference.Sub-Zero was captured and turned into a cyborg after he defeated Scorpion and was forced to serve the Outworld ruler.He is able to regain his mind and join Raiden's warriors.His reunion with Bi-Han as Saibot comes much earlier than it did in the original timelines when he tried to prevent Soulnado from forming.Sub-Zero was relieved by Nightwolf after defeating his brother.Sub-Zero is killed by Sindel before she enslaves him in the Netherrealm as an undead revenant.Sub-Zero's background is further clarified as it is revealed that the two brothers were kidnapped by the Lin Kuei as infants after their parents were murdered.
Sub-Zero is still in the game two years after the previous game.In the tie-in comics, it is explained that Quan Chi used his magic to free himself from his body.Sub-Zero and Scorpion were resurrected by Raiden while they were serving in the attack on Earthrealm.After defeating Sektor with a computer virus, Liang became the new grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.He discovered that Bi-Han's downfall was due to the involvement of Quan Chi and Sektor in the deaths of the Ryu family.Sub-Zero came to the aid of the team after they were attacked by Outworld forces while trying to stop Shinnok.Sub-Zero's cybernetic form is used as a hidden variation of the DLC character Triborg.
Sub-Zero's Lin Kuei clansmen are kidnapped by the keeper of time, who brings a past version of Sektor to the present, so that they can be converted back into Cyber Linkuei.Sub-Zero and Hasashi work together to avenge Sektor's fallen clansmen by recruiting a time-displacement Cyrax.Along the way, they encounter Saibot and Frost, the latter who had abandoned the Lin Kuei over being denied leadership and turned herself into a robot after becoming Sektor's second-in-command.Sub-Zero and Hasashi defeat their enemies and force them to retreat before Cyrax shuts down the factory.Due to his Lin Kuei base being compromised by Kronika's allies, Sub-Zero joins his fellow Earthrealm allies at the Shirai Ryu Fire Gardens to assist in formulating a plan to defeat him.Sub-Zero and Hasashi head to the Netherrealm to recruit the ferryman Kharon, whom they met while they were revenants.Hasashi sent Sub-Zero back to tell Raiden that Kharon will help them when he saves the ferryman from D'Vorah.Sub-Zero assumed that he was lying when he got into a fight with D'Vorah before realizing the truth.Sub-Zero takes part in the final battle of the Earthrealm/ Outworld armies.In Sub-Zero's non-canonical ending, he considers Bi-Han and his time as Saibot, and forges a new timeline where he is able to reform his brother and fight alongside him again.
In three Midway Games titles, Sub-Zero has appeared as a guest/cameo character.
Sub-Zero makes a brief appearance in Injustice: Gods Among Us, in which the latter is about to perform a fatality on the former before being mysteriously pulled into theInjustice universe.
The character design of the final boss in the game, a ninja named Sub-273, is a reference to the Celsius representation of 0 kelvin.
Sub-Zero is a character that can be played in the game's sequel, Injustice 2.Sub-Zero's ending suggests he was pulled to the Injustice universe during the events of Mortal Kombat X.Sub-Zero worked with Batman to find a way back to his universe after his victory over the alien Brainiac.The latter became a teacher to the younger allies of the former.Sub-Zero decided to stay for as long as he needed to assist the Justice League in re-imprisoning Superman after he was accidentally freed from the Phantom Zone.[33]
Sub-Zero was first conceived as a mysterious character named "Ninja", which is why it has Ice powers.According to Richard Divizio, the Lin Kuei idea was his input back at the very beginning of the development, in the project that had been canceled by Midway Games before being restarted later, and in which John Tomas had Japanese ninjas.The Chinese Ninja Connection by Li Hsingposits historical evidence for the existence of the Lin Kuei and their influence on the Japanese ninja.There was controversy about the author's claims.When we split the character in two, I thought it would make sense that one was of Chinese origin and the other Japanese to embody the argument.The original "Hunter&Hunted" concept was going to be about a ninja escaping from his clan and being hunted by another member.We used that for SZ.One of the ninja brothers wants to lead the clan, so he kills the father who is their teacher, according to Daniel Pesina.Sub-Zero's early name had been Tundra, but it was changed after a member of the design team saw the 1987 film The Running Man, in which the first assassin to fight by Arnold Schwarzenegger used the name.
Non-Asian actors have portrayed or voiced the character.Midway Games explained Sub-Zero's occidental appearance for a Chinese assassin by giving him a white mother.His father had a wife, two sons, and a daughter while he lived in America to hide his role as an assassin for the Lin Kuei.Daniel Pesina first came up with the Lin Kuei idea for Sub-Zero.Pesina was using a cheap story-bought ninja costume, purchased by him because of budget reasons, that was a size too small and caused problems during the filming session.Josh Tsui portrayed the younger Sub-Zero in the end of the movie.[42]
Sub-Zero's early costumes were very simple due to technical limitations.Ed Boon said that Batman and Kuai Liang's counterpart from DC Comics are dark, mysterious, brooding characters.In order to stir up fan speculation about the character's past, Sub-Zero was revealed in the third edition of the game.The photo of the new Sub-Zero on the cover of GamePro April 1995 issue was reversed because his scar was over his left eye.Sub-Zero has a scar on his forehead and right eye that is a mark of death.As a result of Sub-Zero's enhanced powers, the scar changed from red to blue.His scar can no longer be seen because it has faded.He wore an armored uniform that was heavily inspired by Dynastic era Chinese battle armor, but it was criticized by fans as being too similar to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles villain, the Shredder.The alternate uniform that Sub-Zero wore was very similar to Chinese culture.Sub-Zero reverted to his masked costume from Deadly Alliance, retaining the scar, which is not part of his alternate costume.Sub-Zero is the only character who has shown signs of aging.He was depicted with a graying hair and a pale face, while his scar was blue and his forearms were frozen over.Sub-Zero had blue eyes, but after he obtained the dragon emblem in the game, they turned white.Sub-Zero was one of the most revised characters from the title.Sub-Zero's design in the movie was difficult to make because most people called it "simple", but character lead Mark Lappin did almost ten passes on his design, and producer Shaun Himmerick noted that "we went through literally 6-7 heads and styles of head costume on himThe staff was happy with his final look in the game, reminiscing about his classic outfit.His appearance in Injustice 2 was changed by Jim Lee.[49]
Sub-Zero's ice blast and sliding kick were the only special moves he had.Sub-Zero's trademark moves have been featured in every game that he has appeared in, includingMortal Kombat II and subsequent games.The ground freeze move and two new Fatalities were added to the game.The Ice Shower was removed from the game in favor of Sub-Zero's Freeze, but was brought back in the next revision after fan feedback at a local arcade.The "Spine Rip" is considered to be his favorite Fatality from the first game as well as the most controversial.Home versions of the first game replaced the "Spine Rip" with another finishing move due to its violent content.The Fatality was not carried over to the other two versions of the game, but was brought back in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.After he grabbed onto his opponent, the screen went black and only the sound effects were heard.The development team chose not to make the spine rip fatality animation for each character in the game.Due to the fact that the N64's format had memory restrictions that did not allow the use of both masked and unmasked characters, the younger Sub-Zero was able to use his special techniques and finishing moves in the classic masked version of the game.The developers had to remove the "Spine Rip" from the game because it was aimed at a younger audience.Sub-Zero gained a move in the game in which he freezes himself and falls back to the ground.[46]
Sub-Zero is the only character that can be played in every game.Although the elder Sub-Zero is present in his Noob Saibot identity, he is not featured in the only fighting game that does not feature him as a player character.The only game without Sub-Zero is the action-adventure spin-off.
The younger Sub-Zero made a brief appearance in the epilogue of the 1995 comic book series, in which he froze a group of Lin Kuei while proclaiming that the clan was corrupted and no longer worthy of his services.As the comic book series folded, this subplot was never developed.
The actors would travel to schools to give motivational speeches to students when they played the younger Sub-Zero in the show, which emphasized getting young audiences into the martial arts.
The younger Sub-Zero is one of the main characters in the series.Sub-Zero is a member of a group of warriors assembled by Raiden to defend Earthrealm from invaders who entered through portals from other dimensions.
The younger Sub-Zero was portrayed by a man who had played a reptile in the first movie.Sub-Zero had a fight with the man who kidnapped Kitsana and escaped.Before going after Kitana, he encourages Liu Kang to look for Nightwolf, as instructed by Raiden.[56]
A Sub-Zero descendant is featured in two episodes of the live-action series, and was played by J.J.Perry.He was hired to kill Great Kung Lao and retrieve a magic crystal from his home in order to defeat him.Sub-Zero's rivalry with Scorpion was featured in which Sub Zero killed his lover in order to avenge the murder of his sister.Sub-Zero's friends came to his aid when the two fought to a draw.The Lin Kuei berated Sub-Zero for his weakness, which led to him killing the Grandmaster.[58]
An image of the younger Sub-Zero can be seen in a short film about a rivalry between him and Hanzo Hasashi.He and Mileena are in a sketch video.[59]
The elder Sub-Zero appeared in the seventh episode of the live-action series, assassinating a shogun whom Hanzo Hasashi was supposed to protect.In the next episode, it is revealed that in order to get Sub-Zero's support for the upcoming tournament, Quan Chi impersonated him and pretended to be him.Bi-Han and his brother Kuai were played by Harry Shum and Eric Steinberg, respectively, in the second season of Legacy.Bi-Han and Hanzo were childhood friends who were driven apart by the rivalry between their two clans.When they become adults, Kuai Liang threatens Hanzo and his family while out for a walk and he is forced to kill him.Bi-Han thought Hanzo was protecting his family so he decided to end the feud between their two clans.He was enraged by the fact that his clan had killed Hanzo and his family.He discovered that he had been impersonated.He encounters Hanzo on the battlefield after being chosen to fight for Earthrealm.Bi-Han's attempts to explain himself to Hanzo are futile, as he is killed by a zombie named Scorpion.
He plays a supporting role in several issues of a comic book about a video game.61
The elder Sub Zero is initially depicted as the ruthless killer of Scorpion's wife and son.He was killed by Scorpion during the tournament.At the end of the movie, it is revealed that the Lin Kuei clan killed the wife and son of Scorpion in order to get him to become the champion.
The Bi-Han incarnation of Sub Zero is portrayed by Joe Taslim.Bi-Han and the Lin-Kuei serve Outworld willingly despite being from Earthrealm, and they also personally attack and kill Hanzo Hasashi's family instead of being framed.
There are action figures, statues, and a joystick for the character.[68]
Sub-Zero is one of the most popular and recognizable characters in the franchise, as well as the fighting genre as a whole.He received the award of the best fighter in 1997.His redesign was disliked by GamePro, who compared his scar to a red smudge.His appearance in Deadly Alliance was praised by Gaming Age's Tim Lewinson.His appearance in Sub-Zero was listed as one of his worst moments by GameDaily.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 offered a new look at Sub Zero.The evolution of his and Scorpion's character was discussed in an article from 2011.IGN pointed out that Sub-Zero's freezing skills were more entertaining than the abilities of Batman in the game.The Den of Geek listed the first Sub-Zero as the eighth best character in the series, praising his role in Mythologies Sub Zero, while the second SubZero was the top character, based on his actions such as his rivalry with Batman.John Dewhurst believes that the failure of Mythologies Sub-Zero is due to the absence of Johnny Cage and Kitana.[75]