Mortal Kombat Characters Guide: Sub Zero

Mortal Kombat Characters Guide:  Sub Zero
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Character Summary - Mortal Kombat: Sub Zero

Sub Zero has the distinction of being the most well-known ninja assassin with ice powers. Many people are unaware (and half the Mortal Kombat staff has probably forgotten) that Sub Zero actually diverged into two characters: The “good” Sub Zero playable in Mortal Kombat 2 and onwards that we are all familiar with, and the “evil” older brother of the current Sub Zero who eventually became Noob Saibot. This particular character guide covers the the modern character.

Sub Zero is a Lin Kuei assassin sent to kill Shang Tsung after his brother’s failure to do so in the first tournament. The Mortal Kombat storyline frequently pits him and Scorpion against each other, making it clear that the original palette swapped ninjas are rivals. The 1995 film was one of the few instances where the two have been on the same side, though by no means were we exposed to any friendly interactions between the two.

Fighting Abilities

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Despite being a ninja, Sub Zero has never been known for his abilities in hand-to-hand combat. When Sub Zero fights, we expect nothing less than to see him end it as soon as possible by literally freezing his opponent with an ice blast. In Mortal Kombat 9, we see Sub Zero become a bit more creative with his powers, generating ice picks and ice swords on the fly to stab into his opponent and break off in their bodies.

Ice Blast - Sub Zero cups his hands together and blasts a freezing projectile toward his opponent, freezing them if allowed to make contact unblocked. Without a doubt Sub Zero’s most famous move, as basic as it is.

Ice Clone - Sub Zero backflips from where he’s standing leaving an ice statue of himself in his wake that freezes his opponent should they come into contact with them. A fairly unique move which limited his opponents’ options.

Ice Shower - Sub Zero decides to mix it up a bit by blasting his ice into the air to rain down on top of his opponent and freeze them.

Slide - A good attack to close the distance; Sub Zero slides toward his opponent striking them low.

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Fatalities

Sub Zero’s fatalities usually involve freezing his opponent before some form of physical ruination, but oddly enough his most famous move involves him merely grabbing into his opponents’ body and pulling their head out with the spine attached – no ice needed.

Character Evolution

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Sub Zero has remained fairly consistent in appearance over the years, with a few notable deviations. Most of his appearances are based on his blue and black garb with a mask over his face, with different engravings, materials, and other spins varying from game to game. In Mortal Kombat 3, Sub Zero wore a similar outfit, but without his mask, and repeated this masklessness in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Sub Zero also made his admiration for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Shredder evident in Mortal Kombat: Deception, wearing a very similar headpiece.

This post is part of the series: Mortal Kombat Characters

Get the lowdown on your favorite Mortal Kombat characters. Uncover their motivations for participating in the tournament. Know what to expect from their unique fighting abilities. Witness how powerful they’ve become as they develop throughout the series. Get all the gory details here!

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