The final addition to Mortal Kombat 11's Kombat Pack is the unholy Spawn, joining the ranks of Mortal Kombat's demons, deities, and soldiers. As to be expected of someone who made a deal with the forces of Hell, Spawn's fighting style is suitably brutal, pulling no punches and allowing players to put their opponents through Hell with an array of options for both ranged and melee assaults.
Hammering home Spawn's position as one of Hell's fearsome demonic lieutenants are the visually impressive introductions and victory animations. Each pays tribute to the storied past of one of comic's most famous antiheroes.
Dark Guardian
Although he may have come into power via a deal with the devil, Spawn has found himself torn continuously between good and evil. Bounding off an ornate cross illuminated by red lightning captures the fine line the Hellspawn has had to walk. While the comics have numerous instances of Spawn perched atop a church, this may be specifically referencing the first episode of the short-lived 1997 Spawn: The Animated Series. In that scene, Spawn is seen perching atop a church's cross as he watches a mob attempt to silence a witness before deciding to intervene.
Violated
Violator was sent to Earth to serve as a demonic mentor to Spawn in the form of Clown, urging him to kill criminals to swell the ranks of Hell's armies further. After their motives clashed repeatedly, Violator became one of Spawn's most dangerous reoccurring enemies. Although Violator may not look intimidating for a demon while in the facade of a morbidly obese, squat, middle-aged clown, his true demonic form proved to be more than a match for his assigned apprentice on multiple occasions. In this introduction, we see that Spawn has found a way to at least temporarily get a reprieve from Violator by impaling his human clown form's head on what appears to be a twisted piece of rebar.
Nemesis
Short and to the point, Spawn poses with his signature red cape flowing upward in tattered shreds, a pose used in countless scenes and covers in the comics. The cape was a sticking point for fans in Mortal Kombat 11. Up to this point, Spawn was traditionally depicted without his cape, as it was just too hard to render with past technologies.
Hellfire
Spawn advances, both hands burning with his signature green necroplasm. In the comics, necroplasm allowed Spawn to perform all manner of metaphysical marvels, limited only by his imagination and, in earlier issues, his finite supply of energy. Spawn has used this power for everything, whether for blasting enemies, regenerating injuries he's sustained in combat or even something as mundane as creating a keg of beer out of thin air. As this intro shows, however, he's not above using it as a none-too-subtle means of intimidating perspective foes.
Malebolgia
When Al Simmons made the initial deal to become Spawn, he did so with Malebolgia. Malebolgia was the current ruler of Hell, acting in Satan's stead, granting Al a chance to see his wife again in exchange for becoming a Hellspawn to serve in the war against Heaven. In this victory animation, Spawn is pulled through a pit of lava back down to Hell, kneeling before the intimidating, snarling form of his demonic sponsor. Initially serving Malebolgia, Spawn would eventually manage to (temporarily) slay the former ruler of Hell.
King Of Hell
In John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost, Satan claims that it is "better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." While in the comics Spawn might have declined to act as a ruler of Hell when given the opportunity, here he seems to agree with the prince of darkness' point of view. This victory sees him reclining on a dark throne atop a pile of skulls and bones, giving an appropriately hearty chuckle as he eases into his new role as the King of Hell.
Retribution
Crouching in a feral position before springing into the air, Spawn unfurls his chains, right hand glowing with necroplasm and giving a war cry as he descends towards the camera, spiked hellchains spiraling menacingly. A straightforward and effective way to emphasize a victory. The pose in this animation pays homage to a key piece of Spawn art seen years ago.
Unmasked
While earlier comics would depict his mask as being a removable facet of his costume like so many other superheroes, here his mask is a bit more attached. Spawn digs his hands into his own face, peeling away his necroplasmic skin to reveal the charred flesh and bone that are all that's left of Al. This particular victory seems to pay tribute to issue #19's cover, where Spawn strikes a similar pose.
Spawn's introductions and victories provide a brief glimpse of one of Image's most famous comics that will impress both newcomers to the Spawn series and long-time alike. Adding one of the most iconic antiheroes in comic book history alongside other infamous guests such as The Joker and The Terminator, fan speculation abounds as to what other potential fighters might be included in future DLC packs. With players already scrutinizing his fighting style and combo setups, Spawn so far looks to be a solid addition to a growing cast of kombatants seeking to test their might.