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Sub-Zero
Series	Mortal Kombat series
First game	Mortal Kombat (1992)
Voiced by	Luke Perry (MK: DotR) Jim Miller (MKvDC)
Live action actor(s)	Daniel Pesina (MKII) John Turk (MK3, UMK3, MKT) François Petit (first film) Keith Cooke (second film) Ryan Watson (Live Tour) J.J. Perry (MK: Conquest)
Information
Origin	Earthrealm
Fighting styles	Shotokan (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A) Dragon (MK:DA, MK:D)
Weapons	Ice Scepter (MK4, MKG) Kori Blade (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)

Sub-Zero is a fictional video game character. A mainstay of the Mortal Kombat series, Sub-Zero is the only character in the series to be playable in every game. He also appears in many other Mortal Kombat media works such as the Mortal Kombat live action film series and cartoons.

In the fighting games, there are two incarnations of the Sub-Zero character. The Sub-Zero that appears in the first Mortal Kombat is the older brother of the one that appears in Mortal Kombat II. In Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and most versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, both the elder and younger Sub-Zero appear as playable characters. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, it was revealed that Noob Saibot's former identity was that of the elder Sub-Zero. Because of these two incarnations, Sub-Zero is the only character to have been playable in all Mortal Kombat games, with the exception of Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. Both incarnations of the Sub-Zero character have similar special moves. In each game, he has a variety of ice-based special moves that freeze opponents.

[edit] Character design and development

The original name for Sub-Zero was Tundra prior to production of the original Mortal Kombat.^[1]

Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias said in a 1995 interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly that Sub-Zero was unmasked in Mortal Kombat 3 in order to stir up fan speculation about the character's backstory.^[2] An April 1995 article from VideoGames magazine, which was written while the game was still in production, included the first image of actor John Turk in costume, though Turk was purposely photographed from the rear and in shadow in order to conceal the character's identity. The new Sub-Zero made his proper debut on the cover of GamePro that same month with Turk's red outfit tinted blue (as it was for the game), but the photo used was actually a reversed negative, as his scar was over his left eye.^[3] According to Ed Boon, Sub-Zero's Freeze was originally omitted from the game in place of the Ice Shower, but was brought back in the next revision following fan feedback at a local arcade.^[2]

Concept art of Sub-Zero from Deadly Alliance.

Boon and Tobias made the decision to include every ninja character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, which resulted in the appearance of "Classic Sub-Zero," a retread of the original version of the character from the first game and one of three unlockable ninjas (Mileena and Ermac the others). His biography stated that although he was believed to have died after the first Mortal Kombat, he returned to try and again assassinate Shang Tsung^[4] while his ending revealed that he was a warrior who had resurfaced from a previous Mortal Kombat, and who would return in the fourth tournament,^[5] While the PlayStation version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy (and subsequent Sega Saturn and PC ports) feature both the masked and unmasked versions of Sub-Zero from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, the Nintendo 64 version removes the unmasked version of the character from the roster, giving all of his special techniques and finishing moves to the masked version instead.

Since Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero has had a scar running down from his forehead and across his right eye as a mark of death. The scar was originally red, and later changed to blue in Deadly Alliance as a result of Sub-Zero's enhanced powers. In Deception, his scar has faded to the point where it can no longer be seen. In Armageddon, Sub-Zero retains the scar, which is not part of his alternate costume.^{[citation needed]}

Since Deadly Alliance, Sub-Zero is the only character who has shown considerable signs of aging. Concept art from Deadly Alliance depicted him with a graying, receding hairline, and a more pale and gaunt face, while his scar was now blue and his forearms frozen over. Although Sub-Zero originally had blue eyes, they turned white after he obtained the Dragon Medallion in the game.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Attributes

There are two Sub-Zeros: an older and younger brother. Both are blue-garbed warriors (assassins, precursor to, but not "ninjas", since the Lin Kuei leaders are Chinese despite being called ninjas in several Mortal Kombat games) that descended from Cryomancers, an Outworld race possessing the ability to generate and control the powers of ice, although both of them were born in Earthrealm. The younger one bears a conspicuous scar on his right eye, however, as of Deception the scar has faded away, possibly as a side effect of his Dragon Medallion. The elder Sub-Zero appeared in the first Mortal Kombat and then, after being killed by Scorpion, his younger brother replaced him for the rest of the games - the elder brother later became the undead Netherealm wraith, Noob Saibot.

The younger Sub-Zero clearly shares many traits with his older brother. Upon his introduction, the younger Sub-Zero was perhaps too similar to his brother. Like the elder, 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, as time progressed, Sub-Zero evolved from what fans labeled a "carbon copy" of his brother to a man of great integrity and self-discipline. The disparities between the 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.

While the younger Sub-Zero was depicted as a young Lin Kuei warrior who was living in the shadow of his older brother, he has since changed and grown into a warrior who has progressed towards the more humane sides of moral issues. This change in characteristics has not only strengthened him as a man, but has also set him apart from his former Lin Kuei counterparts. This included leaving his clan in disgust and breaking the sacred codes of honor, joining the rebellion against Shao Kahn and assisting Raiden and Liu Kang (along with Earthrealm's other chosen warriors). More recently, he defeated the cyborg assassin Sektor to gain the leadership of the Lin Kuei and become the Grandmaster, where he has grown even stronger and more powerful. He is a dependable ally of Earthrealm who is willing to assist when needed, especially when Raiden gives the call.

[edit] In video games

Sub-Zero makes his first appearance in Mortal Kombat II in which he was ordered by the Lin Kuei to assassinate Shang Tsung during the Mortal Kombat tournament. Though Sub-Zero's attempt to dispatch Shang Tsung was fruitless, he successfully assisted Liu Kang, Raiden, and their allies in Liu Kang's battle with Kahn. In Mortal Kombat 3, Sub-Zero escapes from the Lin Kuei who wanted to transform their warriors into cyborgs. The Lin Kuei programmed the three cyborg assassins to hunt and terminate Sub-Zero, who by this time had received a vision from Raiden and agreed to join the rebellion against a new threat.

Sub-Zero in "Mortal Kombat 4"

In Mortal Kombat 4, Raiden once again summons Sub-Zero to assist in the defense of Earthrealm against the former Elder God Shinnok. In the meantime, Scorpion fights Sub-Zero, convinced by Quan Chi that Sub-Zero still retained some culpability for the destruction of the Shirai Ryu. Sub-Zero still protested his innocence, causing Scorpion to attack Quan Chi, the one really responsible for the Shirai Ryu's destruction.

Some time afterward, Sub-Zero defeated Sektor in a fight for leadership of the Lin Kuei Clan. Sub-Zero also came into possession of the Dragon Medallion, which enhanced his freezing powers to levels he had never thought possible. In Deadly Alliance he makes Frost his apprentice, and takes her to fight alongside Earthrealm's warriors against the Deadly Alliance. When Sub-Zero and Frost were 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 seemingly died. In Deadly Alliance's Konquest Mode, Sub-Zero allies with Kenshi.

By Deception, Sub-Zero joins Shujinko's group to defeat the new threat in Onaga. Sub-Zero once again ventures back into the Outworld where he meets Sareena; Sub-Zero offers her asylum within the Lin Kuei for saving his older brother years ago. Both are attacked by Sub-Zero's corrupted older brother, Noob Saibot, and his partner Smoke, but are able to defeat them.

Mortal Kombat: Unchained revealed that upon returning to the Lin Kuei temple, Sub-Zero discovers many of his clansmen slain by Frost. She had come to the temple with the intention of killing only Sub-Zero, but she had become delusional to the point of seeing him everywhere. He then froze her and placed her body in a shrine deep in the temple.

Sub-Zero appears in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's Konquest mode, challenging Taven to a fight, after the latter invades the Lin Kuei Palace. Before the outcome of the battle could be decided, Sub-Zero takes notice of the dragon tattoo he had on his face, commenting that it was similar to the one on the vault door containing the armor Taven's mother left for him. Taven acquires the armor and the Lin Kuei Palace is invaded once again, this time by Noob Saibot and Smoke who turn the Lin Kuei warriors into evil demons. Sub-Zero asks Taven to choose sides and Taven helps defeat the demons. Taven then defeats Smoke and eventually, Noob Saibot, who had attacked Sub-Zero. Sub-Zero shows his thanks by revealing to him the location of the stronghold to the Red Dragon Clan. Sub-Zero then attempts to cleanse his brother's soul.

[edit] In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

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When the world merger begins, many Lin Kuei begin to disappear and Sub-Zero goes to investigate. He confronts Liu Kang, who is investigating a possible connection between the Lin Kuei and the merger when they are interrupted by Scorpion. At Liu Kang's insistence, Sub-Zero departs to return to the Lin Kuei Temple. Though not shown on screen, Sub-Zero returns to his temple to find that the Fortress of Solitude has appeared nearby. He storms the Fortress and confronts Superman, freezing him solid. Superman, being vulnerable to magic falls victim to the ice.

Soon after, Wonder Woman appeared at the Fortress to investigate Superman's disappearance and is confronted by Sub-Zero. She defeats him and frees Superman from the ice before taking the imprisoned Sub-Zero to the UN Space Station. There, Sub-Zero watches as Wonder Woman confronts a rage-infected Captain Marvel and is surprised that she does not kill him. Sub-Zero remains imprisoned until he is freed by Jax and the two of them return to Earthrealm.

Sub-Zero heads to Raiden's temple in an effort to find Quan Chi and get answers but Raiden tells him that he must find Scorpion first. Sub-Zero follows Scorpion’s trail to Gotham City, where he is briefly distracted by Deathstroke. After dealing with him, Sub-Zero follows Scorpion's trail to the Batcave where he fights and defeats Batman. Before he can finish him, a portal opens and Scorpion's harpoon snags Sub-Zero and pulls him through to the Netherrealm. A fight with Scorpion and Sub-Zero ensues, but it allows Quan Chi to break the chains holding him captive. Quan Chi sends Sub-Zero back to Raiden's temple to wait while Scorpion retrieves Kitana.

Eventually, the heroes and villains assemble at Raiden's temple where Kitana tells her allies and enemies of the threat from Dark Kahn. Sub-Zero and Scorpion are compelled to join forces and head to the Temple of the Order of Light where they confront Lex Luthor and Catwoman. Sub-Zero subdues Catwoman, but he and Scorpion are both promptly defeated by Luthor. Sub-Zero and Scorpion head back to Raiden's temple and join their fellow warriors as they head off to Outworld to force a final conflict with Dark Kahn. Upon reaching the ruins of Outworld and Apokolips, the champions of the two universes meet in an all-out battle. Sub-Zero faces off against Batman again, but is defeated. In the end, after the two universes are separated again, Sub-Zero stands alongside Raiden and the others, looking down at the defeated and powerless Darkseid.

In Sub-Zero’s arcade mode ending, he chooses to leave the Lin Kuei and follow Batman's example of fighting crime by striking from the shadows. He fashions a new costume similar to Batman's and begins his quest, but it is implied that he will soon find himself the target of Lin Kuei assassins.

[edit] Gameplay

Having descended from a race of Outworld inhabitants known as Cryomancers, Sub-Zero has innate ability to control ice in many forms. Throughout the span of the series, Sub-Zero's powers have continued to evolve. Aside from flash-freezing opponents, Sub-Zero also has the ability to instantly conjure up an ice statue of himself to act as both a scapegoat and a 'landmine' of sorts as any who touch it instantly flash freeze. Due to the Dragon Medallion's addition to his arsenal, Sub-Zero's powers have increased significantly, now able to form weapons out of ice. Exactly how powerful he is storyline-wise is unknown. His former ally, Frost, only knows how to make ice daggers, while Sub-Zero, due to the Dragon Medallion, can form a giant sword named the Kori Blade.

[edit] Game information

Aside from Sub-Zero's unmasked appearance in his ending in Mortal Kombat II, the character has primarily been portrayed or voiced by non-Asian actors.^[6] Midway later explained Sub-Zero's rather Occidental appearance for a Japanese ninja by giving him a Caucasian mother. According to this new backstory, his father had a wife, two sons, and a daughter while he lived in America to hide his personal role as an assassin for the Lin Kuei. Even though Sub-Zero is meant to be Japanese, he works for the Lin Kuei which are a Chinese clan. His weapon is called the "Kōri-Blade". Kōri (or hyō) is Japanese for "ice" (Chinese bīng), hyōten (bīngdiǎn) is "freezing point", and hyōtenka (bīngdiǎnxià) is "below freezing" - or, "sub-zero".

In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, if both players select Sub-Zero in versus mode, the second player to have chosen him will play as a variation of Sub-Zero's elder brother, Noob Saibot (Saibot retains all of Sub-Zero's moves, Fatalities, etc. and his forearms will be frozen like Sub-Zero's).

In the "Motor Kombat" minigame in Armageddon, Sub-Zero drives a blue snowmobile with spiked tires, and his special is to send a freeze ball at an opponent.

[edit] Cultural impact

[edit] Film

In the first Mortal Kombat movie, the elder Sub-Zero was played by François Petit and served as one of Shang Tsung's guardians alongside Scorpion in the tournament. Although Shang Tsung does make a reference to the rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero early in the film, their relationship is not explored and both are slaves under the sorcerer's command. He is killed in combat by Liu Kang.

In the animated film Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, the elder Sub-Zero was once again featured alongside Scorpion as servents to Shang Tsung and their feud was explained by Raiden through flashbacks, although interpreted differently from that of the games.

Keith Cooke as Sub-Zero in
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation

The younger Sub-Zero made an appearance in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and was portrayed by Keith Cooke, who had played Reptile in the first movie. After saving both Liu Kang and Kitana from an ambush by Smoke, Sub-Zero has an inconclusive fight with Scorpion, who kidnaps Kitana and escapes. He urges Liu Kang to seek out Nightwolf as instructed by Raiden before going after Kitana and leaves Liu Kang to continue on in his quest.

[edit] Television

Sub-Zero was one of the leading characters in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, and was voiced by Luke Perry.

An ancestor of Sub-Zero featured in two episodes of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, and was played by J.J. Perry. He was a Lin Kuei assassin hired by Shang Tsung to defeat Kung Lao and retrieve a magic crystal from his home, which had the ability to transport its keeper to other dimensions. Sub-Zero's rivalry with Scorpion was also featured, in which Scorpion murdered Sub-Zero's sister and Sub-Zero killed Scorpion's lover in retaliation. The two fought to a draw and Scorpion escaped when Kung Lao and his friends came to Sub-Zero's aid. Sub-Zero was subsequently berated by the Lin Kuei for his weakness, resulting in him killing the Grandmaster.

[edit] Comics

The Mortal Kombat 3 version of Sub-Zero made a cameo appearance in the epilogue of Malibu Comics' 1995 Battlewave miniseries, in which he froze a group of Lin Kuei while proclaiming that the clan was corrupted and no longer worthy of his services. This subplot was never developed as the Mortal Kombat comic book series folded shortly thereafter.

[edit] Popular culture

Sub-Zero inspired the character of Glacier in World Championship Wrestling. Ray Lloyd, a Georgia native and former martial arts champion, has played the character in various wrestling promotions since 1996.^[7]

[edit] Reception

UGO.com ranked Sub-Zero ninth on their "Top 11 Mortal Kombat Characters" list, noting his ninja costume as the most iconic from the series.^[8] GameSpy named him one of the "25 Extremely Rough Brawlers" in video gaming, praising his fighting style.^[9] His ice-projectile techinque has been noted by 1UP.com to be one of the best mechanics that changed video games due to how practical it is as it gives players the opportunity of making any move while the opponent is frozen.^[10]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Sub-Zero's official MySpace profile