5. Liu Kang
Ranging from the game series to the movies, Liu Kang has almost always been the main protagonist that has gone up against the enemy faction of choice. This all changed in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, when they shocked everyone by killing off Liu Kang in the opening sequence, though he returned in the next game in undead form. Between his close relationships with Raiden, Kitana, and even his friendly rivalry with Kung Lao, Liu Kang plays a major part in the long running series. With one of the most classic movesets of them all, including the Bicycle Kick, he definitely had to be on this list. Who honestly doesn’t remember the first time seeing his fatality where he turns into a dragon and bites the enemy’s top half off?
4. Kitana
Unlike most fighters, the Mortal Kombat universe has also thrived on having some semblance of a story to follow between the games, with Kitana’s transformation from a baddie to a good guy being one of the most fleshed out. Starting off under Shao Kahn, who she believed to be her father, she switched alliances to the side of good upon learning the truth. Sharing close relations, whether good or bad, with Liu Kang, Jade, Sindel, and Mileena allows her to feel more human in this franchise, especially in Mortal Kombat 9. Her fan based moveset makes her one of the speedier fighters in the game and her Kiss of Death fatality is still one of the most remembered in the franchise.
3. Raiden
While missing out on both Mortal Kombat 3 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 entirely, Raiden has been present in every other Mortal Kombat game to date. Raiden serves as the God of Thunder and protector of Earth Realm as a result, leading to him being in the middle of all the conflicts that come to the realms in the series. As a result of his title, Raiden utilizes thunder and lightning to take down his opposition as he mentors characters like Liu Kang along the way. Also, who didn’t have debates in the 90’s about what exactly Raiden was really yelling when doing his Torpedo attack?
2. Scorpion
There isn’t much surprise on who the top two characters are on this list, as they have defined the series for years. It doesn’t get any more iconic in Mortal Kombat than these top two, so it was almost impossible not to have them in the top two spots. Providing one of the most classic lines in all of gaming with “Get Over Here,” Scorpion just falls short of the #1, though he arguably could have been there. Showing up in most every game in the series, outside of the original Mortal Kombat 3, Scorpion has long been a fan favorite and also the favorite of series creator Ed Boon. Scorpion’s popularity even led to him being brought over to Injustice: Gods Among Us as DLC. Scorpion definitely has an interesting backstory and one of the most memorable movesets in the entire series easily, from his special moves to his hellfire based fatalities.
1. Sub-Zero
With Scorpion out of the way, I think you know who #1 is. Sub-Zero debuted back in the original Mortal Kombat as Bi-Han, though that iteration was killed by the aforementioned Scorpion in battle. That brought the younger brother, Kuai Liang to take over, falling more on the side of good than his previously evil brother, though still retaining the name of Sub-Zero. Spanning the different variations of the character, Sub-Zero is the only character to be playable in every single Mortal Kombat game to date, which shows just how synonymous the franchise is with him. All of the controversy over the original Mortal Kombat that led to the forming of the ESRB was greatly influenced specifically by Sub-Zero’s spine rip fatality, making him a major part of gaming as a whole. Sub-Zero became even more interesting with the later reveal that Bi-Han was revived as the similar Noob Saibot, who sports my personal favorite fatality in Mortal Kombat 9. In addition, MK9 saw the big twist that was Cyber Sub-Zero, adding even more to our #1 Mortal Kombat character.
