As stealthy as the night and deadly as the dawn. Sub-Zero is Mortal Kombat's other poster child with the other being his rival and fellow ninja: Scorpion. Over the course of almost thirty years and a multitude of games, movies, a web series, and a short-lived animated series, the blue ninja has gone through many changes.
From his cryomancy powers to his family history, the legacy of Sub-Zero is vast. Those that might not know much about the games or casual players might be surprised by how expansive Sub-Zero's lore is. On top of that, the character has also had history outside of the main series of games.
Sub-Zero Played Basketball
The Mortal Kombat games are certainly no strangers to crossovers. Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11 both feature iconic characters from famous action and horror movies. However, one might be surprised that Mortal Kombat characters were guest characters in other franchises.
Sub-Zero, his rival Scorpion, Raiden, and Reptile made an appearance in NBA Jam Tournament Edition. They were secret characters that could be unlocked via codes.
Three Characters Have Been Sub-Zero
In the games, two people have donned the mantle of Sub-Zero. The first was Bi-Han who attended the first Mortal Kombat tournament before dying at the hands of Scorpion. The mantle went to his younger brother Kuai Liang AKA Tundra. Where did the Sub-Zero title come from?
It began with the brothers' grandfather, a cryomancer who created the Sub-Zero moniker. The cryomancy carried through family blood, allowing both Bi-Han and Kuai Liang to have their grandfather's gift.
Reptile Played Sub-Zero
In the 1995 movie, Scorpion and Sub-Zero were sadly one of the weaker parts. However, Reptile was given a standout action scene against Liu Kang in the third act. Much like the games, Bi-Han died and Kuai Liang was introduced in the infamously bad sequel.
In Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, those watching might notice that Kuai Liang looks familiar and that's because he is portrayed by Keith Cooke Hirabayashi. He was the same actor who portrayed Reptile's human form in the first movie. This explains why his fight with Scorpion was one of the only somewhat enjoyable ones.
Sub-Zero Had A Spin-Off
Before the tournament, Bi-Han actually played a hand in defending Earthrealm. In the spin-off game, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Bi-Han is talked by the sorcerer Quan Chi to find Shinnok's amulet. When the evil Shinnok returned, Raiden sent Bi-Han to the Netherrealm to stop him.
It's at the end of the spin-off that Sub-Zero is acquainted with Shang Tsung who recruits him to fight in the tournament against Earthrealm. It's a plot that sounds interesting but it was a disastrous spin-off that ended the Mythologies series before it could even begin. It does, however, feature hilariously bad live-action cutscenes to enjoy.
Kuai Liang's Scar Is From Kano
Both Sub-Zero brothers wear nearly identical garb. The biggest distinguishing figure between them is that Kuai Liang sports a bright red scar on his right eye. The origin of the scar depends on which timeline is in effect.
In the second timeline, Kuai Liang got the scar from a battle with the always clever Kano. In the Mortal Kombat X canon comics, Kano ambushed Sub-Zero with a cursed dagger that turned him into a slave. Even after revived by Raiden, Kuai Liang still sports the bright red scar.
The Stronger Brother
Not only did Kuai Liang become the new Sub-Zero but Bi-Han became the dark ninja known as Noob Saibot. On multiple occasions, Kuai Liang defeated his brother in combat, thus earning the Sub-Zero name fully. As Sub-Zero, he also vowed to restore his Lin Kuei clan to their lost honorable ways.
In his quest, Sub-Zero defeated the Cyber Ninjas including the evil Sektor, and became the new Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero also made peace with Scorpion and his clan which resulted in a surprising friendship. Meanwhile, his brother remained nothing more than an assassin.
Voiced By Wolverine
If one plays Mortal Kombat X or Mortal Kombat 11, there is a chance that Kuai Liang sounds familiar. That's because, in those games, Sub-Zero is voiced by legendary voice actor Steve Blum. Marvel fans will recognize him as the definitive voice for Wolverine for over twenty years. Anime fans will know him as Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop's English dub.
Steve Blum has voiced hundreds of characters in animated movies, TV shows, and video games. He also voiced Hal Jordan AKA Green Lantern in Netherrealm Studios' Injustice 2.
Appeared In The DC Universe
Speaking of, Sub-Zero is one of many Mortal Kombat characters who crossed into the DC universe. In a bizarre crossover, Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe saw the two franchises battling. It was not the best game but it did lead to the eventual creation of the Injustice games.
In Injustice 2, Sub-Zero was a DLC character and according to dialogue, Bi-Han was the Sub-Zero that crossed over the first time. In Injustice 2, it is Kuai Liang who crossed over along with Raiden to help in the fight against Brainiac.
The Only Cyber-Ninja To Reform
Under the corruption of the previous Grandmaster, the Lin Kuei were all subject to the Cyber Initiative. This turned every Lin Kuei assassin into soulless cyborg ninjas that did Outworld and Netherrealm's bidding. In the second timeline, Sub-Zero took Smoke's place and became Cyber Sub-Zero.
Cyber Sub-Zero defected from the Lin Kuei and assisted Earthrealm until he was killed by Sindel. As an undead warrior known as a Revenant, Kuai Liang got his human body back. This allowed him to be freed once the evil Quan Chi was defeated by Sonya Blade. This makes him the first and only Cyber Ninja to regain his humanity.
Appears In Every Main Game
Despite characters like Liu Kang and Johnny Cage being the main heroes, Scorpion and Sub-Zero remain the poster children of the franchise. Nearly every game features one or both of the iconic ninjas on the covers. Even though Scorpion is creator Ed Boon's favorite, he was not always present in the games.
With Scorpion absent from the original release of Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero makes the only character to appear in every single main entry of the series. The only game in which a Sub-Zero did not appear was with the rightfully forgotten Mortal Kombat: Special Forces spin-off.