Sub Zero is one of the many characters in the Mortal Kombat universe who is known for his moveset. Obviously using the power of ice, he is a fan favorite that uses brutal combos and tactics while also being a wise leader to the Lin Kuei. The character has gone through quite a lot when it comes to his life, but no matter what he has never faltered and has done his best for Earthrealm.
Although many know of Sub-Zero, there might be some facts that they may have missed out for those that want to know him a little more. As such, here are some facts, both obvious and not so obvious that the reader should know about the legendary Sub-Zero.
10 There Are Actually Two Sub-Zeros
For those that are new to the Mortal Kombat lore, they would at least know that Mortal Kombat often brings a lot of returning characters back, such as Liu Kang or Johnny Cage. However, what makes Sub-Zero different is that he is actually a unique case.
This will be touched on a little later, but for those that may not know, the original was named Bi-Han who eventually became Noob Saibot. The one that most people know of is actually named Kuai Liang.
9 Sub Zero And Scorpion Are Actually Pals...Now Anyways
Something that the trailers kind of fool around with but it's still cool nonetheless is the rivalry between Sub-Zero and Scorpion. Although the characters have fought a lot since the original game, for very good reasons, their dynamic has since changed completely.
Ever since Mortal Kombat X, with some hints during the other Mortal Kombat games, the characters have become allies and have put their history behind them once the truth came out regarding Scorpion's clan.
8 He Is One Of The Few Who Has A Spin-Off
During the '90s due to the success of the Mortal Kombat series, a couple of characters had their very own spin-offs. One of them was a game starring Jax but another was obviously Sub-Zero.
Called Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, it was a prequel that took place a few years before the original game. It was a side-scroller that stars Bi-Han as he attempts to find an amulet for Quan Chi as many enemies attempt to kill him.
7 He Was A Cyborg Ninja But Only For One Game
Only appearing in Mortal Kombat 9, due to the timeline changes that have occurred, Sub-Zero ends up becoming a Cyber Lin Kuei. Although brief, it was still extremely cool nonetheless especially since he has some of the elements of a cyborg in that universe.
This is evident by how some of his abilities come out of his chest cavity or having a teleport mechanic where he has to move all of his limbs. However, an interesting fact is that he actually has the lightest frame out of all the other cyborgs.
6 Voiced By Steve Blum
Currently, Steve Blum voices the character of Mortal Kombat and he is practically a legend within the voice acting community. For many anime fans, he is the voice of Spike Spiegel, the bounty hunter that is a part of the Bebop crew with a mysterious past.
For comic fans, he is the Wolverine who is the best at what he does, which isn't always very nice. With someone at his caliber, he is capable of voicing Sub-Zero in a way that's both serious as much as he is serene.
5 He Was Part Of The Reason Mortal Kombat Got Involved With Congress
The original Mortal Kombat was many things. It was both revolutionary and bold, but its boldness didn't always appeal to everyone. As a result of its more violent approach to gameplay and particularly the fatalities, it became so bad that the game got Congress involved.
Sub-Zero is the star of one of the more pivotal moments as, during a news showing of the game, Sub-Zero's iconic spine ripping fatality was one of the focuses. That's one way to attract attention.
4 Uses The Martial Arts Shotokan Karate And Dragon Kung Fu
Sub-Zero, like other characters in the original Mortal Kombat, is capable of using multiple fighting styles. This is shown in the many stances that he is able to use from time to time. But for Sub-Zero, in particular, he uses two distinct martial arts: Shotokan Karate and Dragon Kung Fu.
Shotokan Karate is the most common form of Karate that often appears in movies or in dojos. In general, it's known for its more defensive properties. Meanwhile, Dragon Kung Fu is a common form of wushu that attacks directly and ferociously.
3 Sub-Zero Is The Only Character Who Died In The Original MK
As brought up before, Sub-Zero is a title that has been portrayed by two people. Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. However, the reason for this was because Bi-Han died during the original Mortal Kombat.
This resulted in his younger brother taking over the mantle while the essentially zombified Bi-han became Noob Saibot. This is a really cool backstory as well as a way for both characters to exist without one replacing the other. But canonically, Sub-Zero is the only one in MK to definitively die.
2 He Was A Guest Character In NBA JAM Tournament Edition
Crossovers are no surprise for many people who play fighting games. For example, with Soul Calibur characters like Link or Spawn officially crossed over, while Tekken 7 had characters like Noctis from Final Fantasy XV or Negan from The Walking Dead. This is no exception with MK characters crossing over with other games.
But this one is by far the most interesting as Sub-Zero, along with Scorpion, officially crossover and played basketball with NBA teams. It's kind of a really interesting crossover and it was nonetheless both cool and unique, to say the least.
1 Sub Zero Became Batman
For those that may not know, Mortal Kombat and the DC universe had an official crossover a while back and it wasn't as good as people hoped it be. Utilizing the standard Mortal Kombat engine and simplistic combat, it did eventually plant the seeds for Injustice.
If the player finishes the Sub-Zero arcade mode of Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, they would know that the events have put a deep impact on Sub-Zero's character. He took the mannerisms of Batman and essentially became the non-canon dark knight of Mortal Kombat.