00:08Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're taking a look at 10 of the most overrated characters
00:14in Mortal Kombat. Before we begin, we publish new videos all week long, so be sure to subscribe to
00:26MojoPlays, and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos. Reiko
00:39Some of the fanbase has become slightly annoyed by the hype behind Reiko. Part of the reason for
00:45this is how he has not much to do with the overall story of Mortal Kombat. He was merely created
00:51as
00:51a means to shut up the haters who were saying, Mortal Kombat's got too many ninjas back in the
00:56day. And the backstory they gave him? Oh, he's just Shao Kahn's general who dreams of taking his
01:01Emperor's place someday.
01:03I can think of no greater honor than to give my life in the general service.
01:09And that's it. It's the same story again in the new timeline, except he's a lieutenant for General
01:16Shao. And that's as interesting as Reiko gets. So, why is anyone ever eager to see his return?
01:23As he placed it on his head, his body fused with it, transforming him into a warlord of unprecedented
01:31savagery. Serena.
01:38Hop onto the online servers for Mortal Kombat 1 and you may be surprised to find a ton of players
01:43using Serena as their cameo partner. It's odd seeing her usage rate be so high, considering most
01:49didn't bat an eye her way when she was around in earlier games. Regardless, there is a bizarre
01:55misconception about her.
02:04Serena is regarded as being the best cameo partner to have in MK1 on account of her easy usage,
02:12spammable moves, and minimal cooldown time. But the ones who are quick to make her seem
02:17the best don't realize just how easy it is to avoid her attacks. Yes, she may be efficient,
02:23but when the meta is this predictable, is it really worth using Serena?
02:42The majority of the playerbase will voice their love for Sub-Zero on about the same level as they
02:47would for Scorpion. But what most don't realize is that the Sub-Zero they're talking about is likely
02:53Bi-Han, as that is the Sub-Zero that Scorpion had a feud with. Bi-Han's successor, Kuai Liang,
02:59is just kind of... there.
03:02If he killed Bi-Han, he will die.
03:05Yeah, he gets some really cool attacks and combos across each and every game he's in,
03:08but there isn't really anything intriguing about him. He becomes a Grandmaster, he mentors Frost,
03:14Frost turns evil, and he ends up just being there to give Scorpion an excuse to keep being angry,
03:20because that's when Scorpion is the most fearsome, and the coolest. In other words,
03:25Kuai Liang is a character for other characters to shine. A roadie, essentially. And that seems to
03:31be all that NRS wants him to be, which is kind of a waste of his potential.
03:36With a force of dragon riders, the Lin Kuei's ferocity became legend. None dared risk conflict with
03:44Earthrealm. Takeda. The MKX kids have never really been well liked by the fanbase. Of them all,
03:56Takeda is the one that players have been willing to gravitate towards. The thing is that he isn't
04:02really liked for his story or his personality. The players who do play as him are mostly there because
04:08his moveset is easiest to understand and execute. Not only that, he can do all of his whipping and
04:21slashing from a comfortable distance. So, he's a super safe character to main and is super easy
04:27to learn. Aside from that, there isn't much reason to invest in him.
04:42Kotal Kahn
04:46Kotal Kahn has been deemed overrated not because of him having a huge fanbase or a broken moveset,
04:51but because of how much time NRS put into giving him screen time. Except they forgot to give him
04:57a compelling story. Between MKX and MK11, we only ever see Kotal Kahn as an emperor with the same
05:04strength as Shao Kahn, but with the kindness of Kitana. Pathetic fool! You pretend to my throne!
05:12It is mine, by right and deed. You were killed long ago. Sure, he had a very sweet relationship with
05:19Jade that tugged at our heartstrings. Unfortunately, that's as memorable as he got. Why NRS put so much
05:26focus on him as they did without really doing anything meaningful is beyond us.
05:32I will have my scouts track Shao Kahn. Kano. Kano made a fortune selling arms to Shao Kahn
05:39and used the profits to upgrade his cybernetics. Kano is in a somewhat similar position as Kotal Kahn
05:46in that he's been thrown into the story so many times, yet never lives up to his reputation. NRS has
05:53wanted us to believe that he's this super dangerous criminal who's wanted for committing
05:58devious deeds. However, there is nothing Kano has done in the games to make us believe that.
06:05His ideals of ruthless terror would die with him unless he could pass on his methods to a new
06:12generation. He's always seen either working for the bad guy as a henchman or he's just bumming
06:17around and being a degenerate elsewhere, like when he made Cassie and Sonya fight. It makes him come
06:24off as more of a cartoon villain than someone that we should fear. It doesn't help that Kano's moveset
06:30isn't all that remarkable either. Really, NRS will change Scorpion in every single game,
06:35yet Kano always feels the same as his last appearance.
06:38And when I do win, ho ho ho, it's something to say.
06:45Liu Kang
06:50Speaking of characters that never seem to change yet always get the spotlight, Liu Kang is a mixed bag.
06:57Yes, we know he's supposed to be the hero of the original Mortal Kombat. That should never change.
07:02But across each and every game, he can have the smallest amount of screen time and somehow
07:08everything falls on him in the end, even if he's done next to nothing all game.
07:24Kung Lao could have taken the mantle during the first reset in MK9, but NRS decided to off him.
07:30We could have seen Raiden become the main hero in MK1, but then NRS turned and made the story into
07:36Avengers Endgame starring Liu Kang.
07:38Brother, at least give him an interesting conflict that isn't just, somehow, Shang Tsung has returned.
07:46This isn't over, Liu Kang.
07:51Aaron Black
07:52Nearly 150 years ago, Aaron Black had been hired by Shang Tsung to assassinate an Earthrealm warrior.
08:01In return, Shang had slowed Black's aging process.
08:05Going back to questionable background characters, Aaron Black got a lot of attention from a portion of MKX's player base.
08:11Some of that admiration even carried forward into MK11 when the traitorous gunslinger was brought back.
08:19But what was it about him that people loved outside of his trap-based moveset and fancy trigger fingers?
08:25It's been a hell of a ride.
08:27Gotta keep these thrills coming.
08:29We ask this because Aaron Black doesn't do anything remotely interesting in MKX nor MK11.
08:38He's just kind of there to be another bad guy to fight before Liu Kang and friends
08:43fight the bigger bad guy who's working for the biggest bad guy.
08:46And his motive behind being evil?
08:49Money.
08:50That's it.
08:52Just money and working for whoever is winning.
08:55What a character, guys.
08:58And that's just the way I like it.
09:01Quan Chi.
09:02Having finally brought about Shao Kahn's demise,
09:07Quan Chi was then tasked with growing the ranks of the Brotherhood of Shadow.
09:11Though Shang Tsung has made frequent appearances across the franchise,
09:15it feels as if NRS puts a greater focus on Quan Chi for some reason.
09:20It often feels like every time a new problem arises, the Sorcerer of Netherrealm is responsible for it.
09:27Quan Chi had long been a servant of Shinnok.
09:30His role in freeing him from imprisonment had not gone unnoticed by the Elder Gods.
09:36Scorpion's clan getting killed.
09:38The creation of Ermac.
09:40Creating noob Saibot.
09:41Freeing Shinnok.
09:42Raising an army of undead.
09:44Betraying anyone and everyone he's ever met.
09:47You would think an individual this evil with this much power would be in Shao Kahn's role.
09:52Or, maybe have a moveset that isn't so easy to read half the time in his total buns.
09:58And yet, here we are.
09:59For when I succeed, I will achieve omnipotence.
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10:30And lastly, Mileena.
10:34Shang Tsung's end came quickly.
10:37Mileena absorbed his soul, multiplying her strength.
10:42Ask most Mortal Kombat fans, and a lot of them will tell you that Mileena is the most overrated character
10:48in the franchise's history.
10:50Part of the reason why she's dismissed is because of how frequently Mileena is used to give Kitana a rival.
10:56Truly, she never really evolves past being just evil Kitana.
11:05But what really causes the ire towards Mileena fans is how often she is sexualized by her hardest of hardcore
11:13fans.
11:14Especially when the older games enter the discussion.
11:18Don't get it twisted, art can be sexy, characters can be sexy, etc.
11:23But some folks do take things way, way too far.
11:30Good thing I know what to do.
11:32Who do you think is the most overrated character in Mortal Kombat history?
11:36Let us know down in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe to Mojo Plays.
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