Summary
- Motaro, a rare Centaurian character, has made a big impact on Mortal Kombat 3 with his unique design and abilities.
- Onaga, the Dragon King, remains a formidable villain in the franchise due to his intimidating design and story.
- Baraka, a Tarkatan character, has evolved from a generic villain to a more pivotal and beloved character in Mortal Kombat lore.
The Mortal Kombat franchise is known for its many gods and ninja characters, including the latest entry, Mortal Kombat 1. However, starting with the original Mortal Kombat, a recurring pattern in every game over thirty years later is the inclusion of characters that happen to be monsters.
Mortal Kombat: The Most Powerful Kombatants, According To Lore
Plenty of Mortal Kombat fans debate who's the strongest fighter within the games. But what does the lore have to say about who's most powerful?
Thanks to the Mortal Kombat games taking place in Earthrealm, Outworld, the Netherrealm, and other fantastical locations, fans have been exposed to many kinds of creatures. They have been heroes, villains, and even something in between, with some becoming iconic characters in the beloved fighting game franchise.
8 Motaro
A Powerful Centaurian That Rarely Appears In The Games
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat 3
- Race: Centaurian
The original sub-boss of Mortal Kombat 3, Motaro is a Centaurian, but he is not your typical half-man, half-horse creature seen in fantasy stories. Instead, Motaro features a cybernetic tail and goat-like horns on his head and the result is a creature that ate player quarters like candy when Mortal Kombat 3 was in the arcades.
Though he has only appeared a handful of times, the Centaurian design of Motaro has turned him into a fan-favorite character. Especially since he can fire lasers from his tail and teleport, towering over most in-game characters. Motaro recently made quite a comeback in Mortal Kombat 1 as one of many Kameo fighters for players to summon into battle.
7 Onaga
The Original Dragon King Who Deserves A Comeback
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat: Deception
- Race: Dragon
The first Emperor Of Outworld before Shao Kahn, Onaga is a massive dragon-like humanoid who was the main antagonist of Mortal Kombat: Deception. He quickly intimidated fans by killing off not only Quan Chi and Shang Tsung as if they were nothing to him, but also Raiden.
Through one of the most famous story modes in the franchise, Onaga is revealed to be a threat that even Shao Kahn fears. His design is unlike anyone else in the series and fans of Deception can attest that he remains a final boss fight that resulted in controllers being thrown due to his many unblockable attacks that can eliminate the player in just a few hits.
6 Baraka
Prolific Thug Who Was Sidelined For Years
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat 2
- Race: Tarkatan
Appearing in almost every game since his debut in Mortal Kombat II, Baraka has seen many ups and downs as a character. He became a beloved character due to his signature arm blades, rows of razor-sharp teeth, and grotesque monstrous face. Sadly, the stories have often reduced him to being a generic villain working for other villains.
Mortal Kombat 1: Every DLC Fighter In Year One, Ranked
The six DLC fighters of Year One have joined Mortal Kombat 1, mixing guest and original characters with some proving to be better than others.
Baraka has always featured memorable gameplay, typically focusing on fast-paced combos and special moves using his blades, which resulted in many wishing he would be given better treatment. Thankfully, developers have listened to fans, and with Mortal Kombat 11 and especially Mortal Kombat 1, Baraka and his race of Tarkatans have become a pivotal part of the franchise's lore.
5 Sheeva
A Warrior That Went From C-Lister To A-Lister
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat 3
- Race: Shokan
After Goro introduced the concept of the Shokan race to gamers in the original Mortal Kombat, Sheeva was introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 to expand upon that concept. The female Shokan utilizes many of the same attacks and special moves as Goro as well as some of her own, which often makes her a force to be reckoned with.
Over the years, Sheeva has continued to make more appearances in Mortal Kombat games, becoming more prolific than the more famous Shokan prince. Sheeva even became one of the best characters in Mortal Kombat 11, having more depth to her gameplay and story than ever before.
4 D'Vorah
Made A Legacy Out Of Killing Legacy Characters
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat X
- Race: Kytinn
Resembling something straight out of David Cronenburg's The Fly, the Kytinn named D'Vorah first appeared in Mortal Kombat X and quickly stole the show. From a delightfully evil performance by Kelly Hu to her insectoid appearance, fans had never seen a character like D'Vorah before and that's why she returned in Mortal Kombat 11.
11 Fighting Games To Play If You Like Mortal Kombat 11
NetherRealm Studios' Mortal Kombat might be the top dog of the fighting genre, but fans will love these similar games.
In the canon of Mortal Kombat, D'Vorah became infamous among fans due to how many favorite characters she killed, including Mileena and Hanzo Hasashi, also known as Scorpion. However, that infamy has led to her being one of many popular requests for a future DLC character in Mortal Kombat 1.
3 Mileena
Fans Are Obsessed With The Princess Of Outworld
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat 2
- Race: Edennian/Tarkatan Hybrid (Original), Outworlder (New Era)
Though she may look like an Edennian at first glance, Mileena is actually a hybrid made with Tarkatan blood. Originally, Mileena was a clone of Kitana created by Shang Tsung, but Mortal Kombat 1 depicts her as Kitana's twin sister afflicted with a disease thanks to convenient time travel. In both versions, Mileena sports red eyes and sharp teeth that even the deadliest fighters fear to cross.
Mileena has helped Mortal Kombat achieve its cult status with her brutal combat featuring her sais as her weapon of choice and her teeth, resulting in some of the goriest fatalities in the franchise's history. Fans have come to love Mileena so much that it was controversial when she initially wasn't in the Mortal Kombat 11 character roster.
2 Reptile
From Secret Fighter To Iconic Reptilian Warrior
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat (1992)
- Race: Zaterran
Also known as Syzoth, Reptile began as a secret boss fight in the original Mortal Kombat before becoming a recurring base roster character in almost every game since. The Zaterran warrior did not have much to do in terms of the story until Mortal Kombat 1 rebooted him to be a far more complex character.
Reptile has always shined in his abilities and visual style in both design and gameplay. He began as nothing more than a recolored Scorpion, but as games progressed, the creators embraced his reptilian side more and more, with acidic abilities, tongue-based attacks, and devouring his enemies as iconic fatalities.
1 Goro
A Monster That Has Been There Since The Beginning
- First appeared in Mortal Kombat (1992)
- Race: Shokan
Before fighting Shang Tsung in the original Mortal Kombat, the challenge was to first get past Goro, the prince of the Shokans. With four arms, Goro has been the bane for many gamers across multiple games, as he is immune to knockback, throws, and he can break any attack the player throws at him.
The Shokan design has always appealed to fans, which is what led to the creation of other characters, including Sheeva and Kintaro. Goro has even gone on to have a famous rivalry with none other than Johnny Cage, thanks to the 1995 movie, and remains the most iconic monster, as shown by him being a pre-order bonus character for Mortal Kombat X.
10 Fighting Game Characters That Are Always Top Tier
These popular fighting game characters are always dominant no matter the circumstances.