Sub-Zero

Story

This character is absolutely iconic in the Mortal Kombat multiverse and in the general gaming culture. But in fact, it’s not one person but rather a role in a Chinese clan of ninjas, named Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero was one of the assassins, and he became a leader of this organization. We saw him transforming from a bad guy to a noble hero — and there was a change of the person behind this role too.

Bi-Han is the original Sub-Zero and a source of the famous rivalry between this character and Scorpion. First Sub-Zero kills his opponent. And then, after being resurrected from the dead by the sorcerer Quan Chi, Scorpion returns to the physical world and takes revenge. 

Kuai Liang is the brother of Bi-Han. He becomes a new Sub-Zero, and Liu Kang guides him to participate in the Mortal Kombat tournament and save the Earthrealm.

It is pretty normal in MK that someone returns after their deaths, and Bi-Han is not an exception. Quan Chi brings him to Netherrealm, while changing his personality quite a lot. The guy has his evil side intensified and all the bad qualities bubbling on the surface. He is known as Noob Saibot after that point, and Kuai Liang remains Sub-Zero — until the timeline is reset.

Kuai Liang reevaluates the values of his brother quite significantly, moving from evil to heroic tendencies. He fights bravely to protect the Earthrealm and his ninja clan. He becomes closer to Scorpion, forming an alliance for reaching common goals. Kuai Liang does not support conversion of Lin Kuei warriors into cyborgs, and when this period is over, the new Sub-Zero becomes the clan’s leader.

Both “incarnations” of Sub-Zero went through the events reboot — in the Mortal Kombat game from 2011. But that did not really change their general fate. Yep, Sub-Zero turns into a cyborg this time, but the hero keeps his mind clear and doesn’t fall into the evil side. A bit later, his normal body is restored thanks to the magic of Quan Chi.

The story around Lin Kuei cyborg ninjas continues, though. Sub-Zero gets involved in a battle against Kronika — for ruining her plans and avenging his comrades.

Another timeline reset is on the horizon, and it affects Sub-Zero pretty significantly. In Mortal Kombat 1, we return to the elder brother, to the original character. Bi-Han is the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei clan, and he wants to reconsider the primary goal of his people. For centuries, no one has been threatening the Earthrealm, so perhaps it is time for the ninjas to distract themselves from searching for external enemies. Expanding their power on the Earth might be a good goal for now…

The signature ability of Sub-Zero is control over the ice element. He can create ice weapons from thin air. And he can freeze his opponents in the middle of their actions — to punish their moves or to continue devastating combos. Sub-Zero players certainly can use these skills in the fights of MK1.

Personality

The character went through significant transformation — even if we talk about the first Sub-Zero only. His evil qualities were intensified, turning Bi-Han into a rather villain. But the reboot changes everything. Sub-Zero returns to his roots as a ninja clan leader. He seems to care about his people and the Earthrealm. But the ambitions for world domination may change his personality, taking a villain turn once again.

Playstyle

When a character easily creates ice projectiles, he certainly has a very strong zoning game. Sub-Zero keeps his opponents at a distance, finds an opening, and then quickly confirms it and converts into a destructive combo. Freezing opponents is an effective opening, confirming, and combo-extending tool.

Appearance

Sub-Zero wears his traditionally blue clothes and a face mask. He is a muscular guy; his body reflects intense ninja training.