Sub-Zero
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Sub-Zero is the name of two video game characters from the Mortal Kombat universe.
Both Sub-Zeros are blue-garbed ninja brothers. They are cryomancers, possessing the ability to generate and control the powers of ice. This ability appears to run in their family line.
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Sub-Zero the Elder
Biography
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The elder Sub-Zero made his first chronological appearance in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. Like his name, clothes, and powers suggest, his character is icy and distant. In all aspects, he is a cold-blooded killer with an utmost dedication to the principles of his clan, and to whomever has paid him to kill. Although essentially neutral, the elder Sub-Zero possesses an indelible seed of evil.
Statistics
- Real Name: Unknown
- Date of Birth: ca. 1962
- Date of Death: 1992
- Height: 6ft 1.5in (185cm)
- Weight: 210lb (95kg)
- Hair Color: Black
- Eye Color: Blue
Storyline
It is unclear how the family line of Sub-Zero came to be part of the Lin Kuei clan, but what is known, is that the father of both brothers (the fourth man to be known as Sub-Zero in his lineage) was a secret operative for the clan in the United States. He married an American woman and together they had two sons and a daughter. Against the will of their mother, the father took the sons with him to move back to China at a certain time, and as such both brothers became warriors of the Lin Kuei. The fate of the mother and the daughter are unknown.
In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, the sorcerer Quan Chi hired the Lin Kuei to find an ancient amulet, and Sub-Zero was sent to find the map leading to its location. He did not know that Quan Chi had hired a Japanese ninja, Hanzo Hasashi, for the same task in case Sub-Zero would fail. They encountered each other in the map room, and Sub-Zero killed him in cold blood. However, when Sub-Zero was about to complete his task and the amulet had actually been delivered to Shinnok and Quan Chi, he was sent back to retrieve it by Earthrealm's protector, Raiden, who explained to him that the amulet was the key to releasing Shinnok. Sub-Zero stole the amulet from Shinnok and escaped the Netherealm.
Upon returning to the Lin Kuei headquarters, he learned that he had been invited to Mortal Kombat, and one of Tsung's wealthy enemies had hired him to kill Shang Tsung, the tournament's host. It is generally assumed that this enemy was Quan Chi. If Sub-Zero accomplished his mission, Quan Chi would be rid of a rival, and in case Sub-Zero failed, this would compensate the necromancer for the loss of the amulet. During this tournament, the elder Sub-Zero faced the murderous spectre of Hanzo Hasashi, Scorpion. In a malicious twist of fate, Scorpion murdered Sub-Zero, and the latter was sent to the Netherealm.
In the Netherrealm, Sub-Zero's fate would be just as bad, if not worse than Scorpion's. Whereas all Scorpion's memories were erased and he was doomed to be a vengeful spectre for eternity, Sub-Zero was turned into an evil demon, allowing the evil within himself to fully consume him. In this realm, he became Noob Saibot.
Movie appearance
Sub-Zero appears in the first Mortal Kombat movie as one of Shang Tsung's guardians, and is killed by Liu Kang (Kitana provides advice that allows Liu Kang to win; this is regarded by some as unfair). This happens by means of impalement on a stalactite of ice. His relationship to Scorpion is all but ignored; aside from their obviously similar costumes, Shang Tsung only remarks that they are the "Deadliest of enemies, but slaves under my power."
Memorable Fatalities
- Head Rip- the first fatality that Sub Zero had in the series involved ripping out an opponent's head off his/her shoulders
- Face Jab- In Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Sub Zero had a fatality where he grabbed the face of his opponent and the screen would go dark. You'd only hear screams, Shao Khan's evil laugh and a bloodcurling sound. While at first sounds horrific, it's a very cheap fatality as you cannot see anything
- Ice Spike- Sub Zero uppercuts an opponent and creates a sharp ice spike in which his opponent falls onto and is impaled
Trivia
- In the official comic books of Mortal Kombat, it has shown Sub Zero and Raiden having a certain friendship with each other and Raiden vows to protect Sub Zero from the clutches of Scorpion. It is unknown whether or not Sub Zero and Raiden shared any type of relationship
- Raiden was the only one there who witnessed Sub Zero's brutal death at the hands of Scorpion in the first tournament
- In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub Zero, Quan Chi informs him that Sub Zero has an undeniable seed of evil that will be released anytime soon (perhaps when he reenters the netherealm after death) This was the opening where Sub Zero was to become the evil Noob Saibot and his death was inevitable.
- Despite being classed as "neutral" in Mortal Kombat (and even having a seed of evil inplanted inside of him), many fans regarded Sub Zero as the "good guy" and Scorpion as the "bad guy". Because Sub Zero unfairly killed Sub Zero in "cold blood" (as Scorpion often puts it) Scorpion is supposed to be seen as the "good guy" and Sub Zero vice versa.
- His close friend was a young ninja named Hydro, who although never made it into any Mortal Kombat game, was seen in the official Mortal Kombat comic books. He was killed by Scorpion as Scorpion vowed not only to kill Sub Zero himself, but to also kill his clan and family one by one.
- Does not like being called a "ninja". Because Sub Zero is a loyalist, he refered to himself as a "Lin Kuei Warrior" adn distinguished the difference between a Lin Kuei Warrior and a Ninja.
Sub-Zero the Younger
Biography
The younger Sub-Zero predictably shares many traits with his older brother. Like him, the younger Sub-Zero gives the impression of being a stern, distant and cold man who goes about his business silently, without attracting unwanted attention. However, that is where the similarities end. This Sub-Zero is physically more impressive, and his opinions that have steadily progressed towards the more humane side of moral issues, which first set him apart in the clan, then led him to join the rebellion against Shao Khan and finally leading to his becoming the Grand Master of the Lin Kuei. As of now, the disparities between both brothers, who were once neutral and almost indistinct from each other, have now grown so large that one could speak of the evil twin syndrome.
Fighting styles
In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Deception, the younger Sub-Zero's fighting styles are Shotokan and the Dragon stance seen in many different forms of martial arts. His weapon is the Kori Blade, a blade Sub-Zero can make by flash-freezing water vapour from the surrounding atmosphere.
Statistics
- Real Name: Unknown
- Date of Birth: ca. 1963
- Height: 6ft 4in (194cm)
- Weight: 210lb (95kg)
- Hair Color: Brown, later white as a result of the Dragon Medallion
- Eye Color: Brown, later cyan as a result of the Dragon Medallion
Storyline
Following the death of his elder brother, and his failure to kill Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero's brother claimed his name and was sent to Outworld along with his partner in crime, Smoke, to complete the assignment when the next Mortal Kombat was announced. Neither succeeded at their goal, and they returned home empty handed. By Sub-Zero's "reappearance," however, Scorpion had also risen from the Netherealm once more. He would, for the years to come, continue to hold a grudge against the new Sub-Zero, although he learned fairly quickly that this was not the same man who had murdered him so many years ago.
In the events leading up to Mortal Kombat 3, the Lin Kuei obtained technology that could vastly improve the effectiveness of their warriors, and they chose four of their number to undergo the procedure that would turn them into cyborg assassins: Sub-Zero, Smoke, Cyrax, and Sektor. Sub-Zero and Smoke refused, and fled the Lin Kuei when they declared them anathema. In their attempt to escape, Sub-Zero was wounded (giving him the scar on his face), and Smoke was captured. The Lin Kuei subsequently turned him into a cyborg.
Then, the armies of Shao Kahn attacked Earthrealm, and Sub-Zero was among the few mortals whose souls were spared so they could fight Kahn and his extermination squads. These events also signalled the beginning of Sub-Zero's transition to a greater moral consciousness. Unluckily for Sub-Zero, his cybernetic assassins also survived, because they had no souls to take. Sub-Zero battled and defeated Cyrax, reprogramming him to wander in the desert. Smoke was less fortunate: he was captured by Shao Kahn's troops and transported to Outworld as a curiosium. Eventually, the Earthrealm warriors were victorious.
A few years later, Quan Chi finally freed Shinnok from the Netherealm. Sub-Zero donned his brother's uniform, and joined Raiden in his mission to stop Shinnok, because he claimed to possess information fatal to Quan Chi. During the events of Mortal Kombat Gold, Sub-Zero once again proved his worth as a warrior by fending off Sektor, who had been sent by remnants of the Lin Kuei, which was thought disbanded after Kahn's foiled invasion. At any rate, Sub-Zero delivered precious information to Scorpion, after an intense fight: he revealed that it had been Quan Chi who had engineered the downfall and killing of the Shirai Ryu. As a result, this had earned Quan Chi a ferocious foe, and had freed Sub-Zero of one.
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Some time later, Sub-Zero realised his fate lay with the Lin Kuei, his old clan. He fought Sektor for leadership of the Lin Kuei and won, attaining the rank of Grand Master of the Lin Kuei. Free from the cyborg's directives, Sub-Zero claimed the Dragon Medallion, which greatly enhanced his ice-generating powers, and chose an apprentice, Frost. Raiden contacted the two to join Earthrealm's warriors to fight the Deadly Alliance of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung. Sub-Zero grasped this opportunity to pledge his allegiance to Raiden and the cause of good, and joined the venture. When Sub-Zero and Frost got separated from the other Earthrealm warriors on Outworld, Frost attempted to steal the Dragon Medallion. Unable to control the medallion's powerful energies, she was consumed by her own freezing abilities and died before Sub-Zero could thaw her. Sub-Zero would partially blame himself for her death, and for the fact he had been unable to dam her pride.
As he was searching for a place to bury Frost, he found the ruins of a civilization of people who could manipulate cold, and discovered that he and Frost were descendants of this race. Burying her and forgiving her for her rashness, Sub-Zero donned an ancient suit of armour and headed for the Earthrealm portal. By know, he knew that the attack on the Deadly Alliance had failed. On his way through the Living Forest, a band of Tarkatan warriors attacked him. Believing he would die, Sub-Zero gave the fight everything he had. Strangely, he heard his armour speak to him, and it helped him win the battle against the seemingly endless horde. This amazing feat caught the attention of the zealot Hotaru, who started following him personally.
He later discovered the wounded Kenshi, helped him recover, and they set out for the portal, becoming friends and travelling companions. While on the way, they met Shujinko, who convinced them to help him fight Onaga.
Movie appearance
The younger Sub-Zero appears in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and has a brief, inconclusive fight with Scorpion after rescuing Liu Kang and Kitana from Smoke. His appearance is notable for its uselessness to the storyline, and confused dialogue. However, his physical appearance is identical to his video game counterpart.
Trivia
- Since Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero has a scar running from his forehead across his right eye, but in the early arcade version of Mortal Kombat 4 and Deadly Alliance, this was forgotten, each time leading to speculations that his older brother had returned. As of Deception, the scar appears to have faded with age.
- Sub-Zero had a distinctly more Asian look in his end screen of Mortal Kombat II than he did in later installments. His oddly Western look for a Chinese ninja was later retconned by giving him an American mother. According to the mythology, Sub Zero IV had a wife, two sons and a daughter while he lived in America to hide his personal role as working as an assassin for the Lin Kuei, which explains Sub Zero's rather American/Caucasian appearance.
- It is believed that Sub-Zero was unmasked in Mortal Kombat 3 to give him an identity of his own. Because Sub-Zero had a nearly identical appearance to his elder brother from the first Mortal Kombat, fans didn't necessarily buy that this new Sub-Zero was the younger brother of the first, and because the younger Sub-Zero had a storyline that depended on the elder Sub-Zero's, the fans felt that this was the same Sub-Zero all along and begun to believe that there was only one Sub-Zero in the series. Midway gave Sub-Zero a new appearance and unmasked him to simply give him a new identity and clear the beliefs that were two Sub-Zeros and that the current Sub-Zero that exists today is the younger brother of the elder Sub-Zero.
- According to his name and numerical identification, there are 6 men in his family line who have used the Sub-Zero identity. Each man has mastered the ability to freeze, although it is unknown whether or not they reached the same power status as Sub Zero VI (the current Sub Zero) has.
- Although Sub-Zero's history states that he had a sister, it is unknown if this sister is Frost, Sub-Zero's now deceased apprentice that he swore to train with upon her victory in the Lin Kuei tournament.
- Is probably the only man in his family line that has achieved the title of "Grandmaster"
- Both Sub-Zeroes have travelled with their personal friends to the Mortal Kombat Tournament. Sub-Zero V travelled with his friend Hydro (who, while is not in the Mortal Kombat Games itself yet is featured in the offical Mortal Kombat comic books) to the Mortal Kombat tournament of Shang Tsung. Sub-Zero VI travelled to Outworld with his close friend Smoke to compete in Mortal Kombat II
- Fans once believed that Sub-Zero's scar was caused by Scorpion's spear. It was received during his and Smoke's escape from the Lin Kuei.
- Sub-Zero, in one incarnation or another, has appeared in all Mortal Kombat games. He was also the first Mortal Kombat character to have his own a video game.
- Will appear in Midway's latest RPG adventure game, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. It is unknown whether or not he will be playable.
Memorable Fatalities
- Ice Shatter- A popular 2 part fatality in Mortal Kombat 2 where Sub Zero deep froze his opponent and then uppercuted his opponent's upper body, thus shattering it in the process. There are two different combinations of the fatality that had to be performed in order to achieve it
- Ice Grenade- Sub Zero forms an ice grenade and throws it to the upper body of his opponent in which explodes within his fallen foe.
- Freeze and Break- Sub Zero grabs his opponent and deep freezes him/her. After being deep frozen, he then breaks him/her apart
- Breathe and Freeze- Sub Zero blows out a mist of cold air in which freezes his opponent and the opponent falls back, thus breaking into many pieces.
- Skeleton Rip- Sub Zero would grab his opponent's spine from his/her back and rip out his/her skeleton
In Mortal Kombat 4 Sub Zero would resurrect two fatalities from Mortal Kombat 1 and 2- the Head Rip (in which was his brother's fatality) and the famous Ice Shatter fatality. Unlike in the second installment of the game however, the Ice Shatter fatality was a whole one parter and was not a two piece fatality.