Mortal Kombat 1 makes quite a few changes to existing characters from previous timelines. Not only are some fans confused about who is Sub Zero, but kombatants are also unsure why Kuai Liang is Scorpion in MK1.
NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat 1 is simply breathtaking. It has amazing graphics, the fatalities remain delightfully gory, and the characters look incredible thanks to all of the face models ranging from celebrity actors to supermodels and YouTubers. Despite its name, it is not a remake of the first-ever Mortal Kombat. Instead, MK1 is a soft reboot, while still a sequel to MK11, and its new timeline brings back the original Sub Zero and changes the identity of Scorpion.
Who is Sub Zero in Mortal Kombat 1?
Sub Zero in Mortal Kombat 1 is Bi Han.
He is the original Sub Zero in the MK series. Both he and Scorpion return in MK1 as leaders of the Lin Kuei.
The Lin Kuei are protectors of Earthrealm under the eye of Fire God Liu Kang. In MK1, Sub Zero is the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, and the story kicks off with the Earthrealm protectors recruiting Raiden and Kung Lao as champions against the Outerworld.
Sub Zero and Scorpion are arguably the two biggest mascots for the Mortal Kombat series with their never-ending rivalry. They killed one another since the first-ever installment, and MK1 has a unique twist with the identity of Scorpion.
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Why is Kuai Lang Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 1?
Lots of Mortal Kombat 1 fans are baffled as to why Kuai Lang is Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 1.
This is unusual because Kuai Lang was originally Sub Zero. He took over the mantle after Bi-Han died in the original timeline, only to then become Tundra and the cyborg LK-250 before returning to the ice assassin.
Bi-Han and Kuai Lang were brothers in the original timeline, but the big difference in MK1 is Kuai Lang’s role as Scorpion. IGN asked Dominic Cianciolo about why Kuai Lang is now Scorpion, and the narrative director said the decision was made to ‘refresh’ the relationship and increase the tension.
In response to concerns about the change, Cianciolo said that the Mortal Kombat 1 reboot ‘is different than the 9 reboot in that Mortal Kombat 1 is the jumping off point for a whole new universe’. This means characters are ‘on their way to certain places that people are familiar with, but they’re not necessarily going to get there in this point’ because the new universe has just started.
Mortal Kombat 1 is now available on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox in early access format. There is no crossplay at launch, but it is coming in the future.
It has a stacked roster at launch, but there are a few missing names. Badass Cassie Cage cosplay has fans especially missing Johnny’s daughter, but her absence makes sense because of the soft reboot timeline