Sub-Zero is one of the Mortal Kombat series' most iconic characters. This cyan shinobi is most well-known for his ability to manipulate ice, as well as his ability to rip spines cleanly from unsuspecting torsos like a fisherman deboning a trout. As ridiculous as Sub-Zero's ultra-violent actions are, the developers behind the character actually based some of his moves on real fighting styles.

These fighting styles were displayed during Mortal Kombat's 3D era, in games like Deadly Alliance, Deception (along with its PSP version, Unchained), and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. In these games, every character had two fighting styles and one weapon style, which players could switch between at any point during the fight. Most of these styles were based on real world martial arts. Armageddon would eventually remove the second style, reducing players to one martial art and one weapon, before the entire style system was ditched along with the 3rd dimension for the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot.

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Sub-Zero's primary style of fighting in these games was Shotokan Karate. This traditional Japanese martial art is one of the most common styles of Karate in the world, and focuses on deep, stable stances that allow the user to strike with ample speed and power. It's mostly a strike-based style of fighting, but it does include some basic grapples. This style of Karate is famously shared by other fighting game celebrities such as Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter.

What Inspired Sub-Zero's Fighting Style?

Sub Zero in Mortal Kombat (2021)

Sub-Zero's secondary fighting style is Dragon Kung Fu, a form of Shaolin Kung Fu emerging from Southern China. It is one of the five imitative styles of Kung Fu along with Tiger, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis. Keen observers will note that it is the only one of these styles to imitate a mythical creature. It is a testament to the importance of dragons in Chinese culture.

Finally, Sub-Zero's weapon style has him wielding the Kori Blade, a razor sharp sword crafted from Sub-Zero's own ice. The Kori Blade has taken multiple forms over the years, switching between a broadsword and a katana in different titles. It has subsequently made its way into the character's moveset after the series reverted to 2D gameplay.

Other Mortal Kombat characters' movesets follow a similar pattern throughout the 3D games. Their fighting styles are usually selected according to their backstory so that their actual moves suit their character. Unfortunately for fans of this system, however, characters are reduced to just one fighting style in the current Mortal Kombat series. The closest alternative which remains is the variation system, which adds new moves or weapons to existing move lists rather than replacing them entirely.

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