The forthcoming Mortal Kombat 2 could see the beloved character Scorpion return with a very games-accurate Fatality, offering audiences a tease of what they really want to see. The big-screen reboot of Mortal Kombat arrived in theaters and on HBO Max in April 2021, with its sequel officially being greenlit earlier this year. While it's still in the writing stage, some elements, such as Johnny Cage being recruited by Cole Young (Lewis Tan) to fight for Earthrealm, can be expected to be part of Mortal Kombat 2's story.
In a Mortal Kombat 2 update, screenwriter Jeremy Slater described the writing process of building the Mortal Kombat universe, stating, "This is Mortal Kombat. We have guys who are ripping off their faces and breathing fire—it’s a weird universe, let's embrace some of that weirdness, and let’s make a Mortal Kombat sequel that no one is expecting and that can kind of sneak in and blow everyone away." Slater's comment is a clear reference to Scorpion's signature "Toasty" Fatality, and this could hint to the return of Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 2 and his greater involvement in the sequel, along with it really indulging in his trademark abilities from the games.
Scorpion was portrayed by Hiroyuki Sanada in Mortal Kombat, though his role contained him to the beginning and end of the film. First shown in his human life as Hanzo Hasashi in feudal Japan, the movie shows Hanzo and his family being killed by the future Sub-Zero, Bi-Han (Joe Taslim), Hanzo returns in the climactic showdown as Scorpion, teaming up with Cole to defeat Sub-Zero. Scorpion ultimately finished Sub-Zero with one half of his famed Fatality, breathing fire to immolate him without ripping his own face off. Slater's comment on Mortal Kombat 2 could indicate that Scorpion's full Fatality will be in the sequel, however.
Releasing with an R-rating, Mortal Kombat had many gory Fatalities that are the game's stock and trade. Several characters even got to utilize some of the most famous ones, such as Kano (Josh Lawson) executing a heart rip and Kung Lao (Max Huang) using his buzzsaw hat Fatality on Nitara (Mel Jarson). Still, Scorpion peeling back his face to roast his defeated enemy was a missed opportunity in his fire-breathing victory over Sub-Zero.
Indeed, the R-rated terrain the Mortal Kombat reboot franchise has embraced would make Scorpion's face-rip quite a payoff after the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, which was rated PG-13. That original adaptation didn't feature a particularly violent moment, with Scorpion (Chris Cassamassa) failing to burn Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby) before Johnny defeated him with his own Fatality. Mortal Kombat 2, with the foregone conclusion of its R-rating and Sub-Zero possibly returning as Noob Saibot, can unleash Scorpion's Fatality in its full bloody glory, with both Scorpion's face rip and flaming defeat of his enemy.
As one of the most popular characters of the Mortal Kombat franchise, Scorpion was one of the highlights of the Mortal Kombat reboot despite the relative brevity of his appearance. The possibility of Scorpion's return for Mortal Kombat 2 could see him being more significant to the story, including Scorpion possibly mentoring Cole Young. Still, for Mortal Kombat 2, more Fatalities are a must, and Scorpion's face-rip to fire breathing should be one of them.