00:00FIGHT!
00:01Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the 10 most iconic rivalries
00:06in the Mortal Kombat universe. Spoilers ahead, consider yourself warned.
00:10I wish to enter the tournament on behalf of Earthrealm.
00:14Impossible! It is called Mortal Kombat, or have you forgotten?
00:20Number 10. Liu Kang vs Kung Lao
00:22Though they aren't in a heated and hostile rivalry,
00:25there is a sort of sibling rivalry going on between our favorite Shaolin monks.
00:29There is more to this than we know. Raiden would tell us if there was.
00:32You need to think more about what is happening, and less about this girl you just rescued.
00:37Liu Kang and Kung Lao have served the same side as Earthrealm across the majority of Mortal Kombat's story,
00:42but when the opportunity arises, both have a tendency to try and outdo the other.
00:46You can see some of this in Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks, the 2011 reboot, and Mortal Kombat 11.
00:51I did not ask for this. It was thrust upon me.
00:55It should have been me, Liu Kang, from the beginning.
00:59It's like watching two brothers always butting heads with each other while keeping everything in good fun.
01:04It's wholesome.
01:04It is reptile. We find him. Maybe we find your girlfriend.
01:09Kitana is not my girlfriend.
01:14This isn't a story beat that is visited as often as it could be, but it is worth noticing for
01:18a list like this.
01:19After becoming a grandmaster of the Lin Kuei clan,
01:22Kui Liang began to mentor a young woman named Frost,
01:25teaching her different combat skills and how to use her freezing powers effectively.
01:28Unfortunately, Frost was the overly ambitious type and began showing hostility towards anyone who could be seen as better than
01:33her,
01:34thus leading to her betraying Kui Liang and the Lin Kuei.
01:37There is no future in which you are fit to lead the Lin Kuei.
01:41You always doubted me, Sub-Zero. Help me back.
01:45Kronika sees my true potential.
01:48And no matter the timeline, it seems that nothing can repair the relationship the teacher and student once had.
01:53It makes for interesting conflicts, though.
01:59Number 8. Sub-Zero vs. Noob Saibot
02:01The conflict between the younger Sub-Zero and the Wraith Noob Saibot follows a fractured family legacy.
02:11Kui Liang assumed the Cryomancer mantle to honor his brother, Bai Han,
02:16only to discover his sibling had been resurrected as a demon-like ghost entity.
02:19This revelation was a major plot point in Mortal Kombat Deception.
02:25Kui Liang!
02:27Their rivalry pits the Lin Kuei's honor and pride against the literal corruption of their blood.
02:31Their battles in XI further developed this rivalry, as Kui Ling actually tried to reach whatever humanity remained within the
02:38Wraith.
02:38You always mimicked me, but you make a poor Grand Master.
02:43I uphold the Lin Kuei principles I thought you shared.
02:47It's just one more bond broken by Quan Chi.
02:50Number 7. Scorpion vs. Quan Chi
02:52Scorpion's rage was initially directed at the Lin Kuei, but Mortal Kombat 4 revealed the true architect of his misery.
02:58Your soul will never rest, Scorpion. The Lin Kuei may have been responsible for your murder,
03:04but your family's true killer still remains free.
03:08If you are not the murderer, then who is?
03:12I am the one you seek.
03:14The sorcerer Quan Chi murdered the Shinrai Ryu clan and framed Sub-Zero to manipulate Scorpion.
03:20Once this deception was uncovered, Scorpion shifted his quest for vengeance toward the Pale Necromancer.
03:24You are strong, Scorpion, but not immortal. I think I'll leave you here, just like I left your son.
03:34The hunt roughly spans the middle era of the franchise and reached its official conclusion
03:38in the story mode of Mortal Kombat X, where Scorpion finally finishes Quan Chi.
03:46Quiet sorcerer. Nothing can help you now.
03:50Even though he's dead on paper, we're sure to see more of their iconic rivalry in the future,
03:54as it's one of Netherrealm's favorites.
03:57Shinnok, much like Raiden, is an Elder God, albeit a fallen one.
04:02His desire for universal destruction, however, puts him in direct opposition to Raiden.
04:06With the Elder Gods out of the way, I will take my rightful place as ruler of all eternity.
04:11Their cosmic feud drives the story of Mortal Kombat 4 and would, just like Quan Chi's story,
04:16be continued 18 years later in Mortal Kombat X.
04:18In his struggle to control the Jinsei, the life force of Earthrealm, Raiden's role as a protector
04:23forces him to become more and more ruthless to contain Shinnok's influence.
04:27The truth I embrace, Shinnok, is that mercy is wasted on those who defile Earthrealm.
04:34Their rivalry isn't so much about petty personal grievances, as it's just about the straight-up
04:38survival of reality. It quite literally came to a head when Raiden presented Shinnok's head to the
04:43new rulers of the Netherrealm.
04:545. Sonya Blade vs. Kano
04:56Sonya Blade and Kano actually share a rivalry that predates the very first tournament.
05:00You might be alive in this future, but that can change.
05:04As a Special Forces officer, Sonya has pursued the Black Dragon mercenary across the globe
05:09since the original 1992 arcade games. Theirs is a cat-and-mouse battle that's
05:14been played out across multiple games and films.
05:16Give it up, baby. I've studied all your moves.
05:18Yeah, I studied this!
05:22Whether fighting on Shang Tsung's island or in modern military bases, the hatred between them
05:26never wavers. In Mortal Kombat 11, Sonya confronted both the present and past versions of Kano,
05:32and shot both of them in their respective remaining eyes. Talk about a vendetta.
05:444. Kitana vs. Mileena
05:46Kitana discovered the truth about her supposed sister in Mortal Kombat 2.
05:50Mileena is not actually biological royalty as with Kitana, but a clone created by fusing
05:55Dinian DNA with Tarkat and blood. This revelation sparked a rivalry between them with jealousy,
06:06identity, and the throne of Outworld all coming into play.
06:13While Kitana seeks to liberate her realm, Mileena fights to prove she is the superior daughter of
06:18Shao Kahn. Their rivalry is one of the key aspects of the franchise. However, the 2023 reboot of the
06:29series shifted their dynamic, now making them actual sisters affected by a biological plague.
06:343. Raiden vs. Shao Kahn The battle between Raiden and Shao
06:38Kahn is one of the oldest rivalries in Mortal Kombat, taking center stage in both the original
06:42trilogy and the 2011 reboot game. Shao Kahn is a ruthless conqueror who
06:54seeks to merge Earthrealm with Outworld, while Raiden is bound by the rules of the Elder Gods to
06:58defend it. Their rivalry is a staple of the series' lore, pretty much dictating the stakes of every
07:15tournament. From the second game through Mortal Kombat Armageddon, their clashes determine the
07:19fate of billions. So, you know, pretty serious.
07:242. Liu Kang vs. Shang Tsung Liu Kang and Shang Tsung embody Mortal Kombat's take on more classic hero
07:30and villain archetypes. Their rivalry goes back to the very first game where the Shaolin monk defeated
07:41the sorcerer to save Earthrealm. This beef returned in the 2020 Aftermath expansion to MK11, where they
07:47battled for control over the hourglass of time.
07:503. You underestimate my prowess, chosen one. I have the crown.
07:56It seems the series runs in a continuous loop of Liu Kang having to stop the evil sorcerer to prevent
08:01him from rewriting reality. This is even reflected in the new timeline where, yet again, fate pitted the
08:06two against one another. 4. Take whatever trophies you desire, but their souls are mine.
08:13Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
08:17Kung Lao vs. Shao Kahn A monk attempts to step out of his
08:20ancestor's shadow and slay the tyrant who ended their bloodline.
08:234. For the Shaolin
08:31Tanya vs. Jade A personal clash of ideals between a
08:34steadfast protector of the Edenian throne and a traitor who prioritizes survival over loyalty.
08:395. To what do I owe this pleasure?
08:416. Your attempt on Kotal's life.
08:447. Shiva vs. Matara A brutal rivalry
08:46between Shao Kahn and Centaurean. Who is stronger?
08:507. Sector vs. Cyrax One embraces their cyborg body,
09:00the other remembers.
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09:381. Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero
09:41The feud between Scorpion and Sub-Zero is the most prominent rivalry in the fighting game genre.
09:46I will have my revenge, but I will not kill Sub-Zero.
09:52Will not.
09:54Or cannot.
09:55It began as a simple revenge story and evolved into a franchise-spanning saga of death and
10:00reconciliation. The two ninjas have appeared in nearly every game and film adaptation,
10:04essentially serving as the face of the series. It goes beyond mere rivalry though with the
10:08falling of the original Sub-Zero and the subsequent rise of his younger brother,
10:12who eventually went on to form an alliance with Scorpion. In the new 2023 timeline their
10:16relationship was reimagined instead as a brotherhood within the same clan.
10:20Those were our top 10 picks for the most iconic rivalries in the Mortal Kombat franchise.
10:24Which rivalry did you like the most? Did we miss one? Tell us in the comments below.
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