There’s no denying that characters like Liu Kang orRaiden the Thunder Godhave come a long way over the years.Mortal Kombatjust wouldn’t be the same without them. However, those are not the characters that first come to mind when the franchise is mentioned; that honor goes to the technicolored ninjas like Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
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The ninja characters have been iconic staples of theMortal Kombatfranchise from the beginning. They began as just color-swapped versions of the same sprite with different abilities. But today, they have evolved into unique characters with exquisitely detailed looks, abilities, and backstories.
Updated on June 24, 2025, by David Heath:The latest installment in theMortal Kombatfranchise,Mortal Kombat 1, is just days away from release. Its development had been kept under wraps for so long that it feels like it’s been made really fast, having only been revealed in a leak earlier in the year, then as yet another reboot shortly after that. Still, with a new timeline comes new characters and new backstories. What fans previously knew about Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Co has to be thrown out of the window. Mostly. Some classic characters still have some familiar details about them. But the cast of characters, especially its classic ninjas,have completely new backstories.
17Reptile
Rather than seeking ultimate power or wealth, Syzoth AKA Reptile’s only goal is to see his realm and race of Zaterra restored. Reptile is willing to kill or destroy anything in his path in the pursuit of that goal. This anger and rage made him the perfect weapon for Outworld to use in the tournament. Reptile was one of Kotal Kahn’s first allies to help overthrow Mileena from the Outworld throne.
His fate after the events ofMortal Kombat Xis currently unknown. But he could be found skulking inMortal Kombat 11’s Krypt. InMortal Kombat 1’s new timeline, the Zaterra weren’t destroyed, but they cast Reptile out because his camouflage ability also lets him shapeshift into a human look. He now seeks a future elsewhere in Outworld.
16Skarlet
Skarlet was another adopted daughter of Shao Kahn. In the new timeline, Skarlet was an Outworlder starving on the streets until Shao Kahn took her in and became empowered through genetic experimentation. Skarlet became a uniqueform of vampireand master of Blood Magik, allowing her to use blood as a weapon and a food source.
Much like Mileena, her loyalty to Shao Kahn is zealous, and she is willing to do anything for her father. Skarlet also has a personal hatred for Kitana, despising her for her royal status while she is withering away on the streets. This earned her an unquenchable thirst for Edenian blood.
15Tremor
An earth elemental and technically one of the most powerful ninjas in the series. Not much is known about the character except that he is a member of Kano’s Black Dragon Clan. Most of his story comes from theMortal Kombat Xcomics.
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Tremor helped Kano to sway the Shokan armies to Outworld’s side again. The character originally debuted in the universally panned spin-off,Mortal Kombat: Special Forcesonly to get a massive upgrade as anunderrated DLC characterinMortal Kombat X.
14Jade
Jade is the loyal protector and surrogate sister of Kitana. They were raised together, they fought together, and they defended Outworld for Shao Kahn together. That’s why when Kitana rebels against her adoptive father, Jade is not far behind her. It also meant, like Kitana, she was also killed and turned into a revenant inMortal Kombat 9.
However, she returned during the time merger inMortal Kombat 11and reunited with her lost love: Kotal Kahn. She’d ally with Earthrealm again to protect Kitana and Kotal and stop Kronika from resetting the timeline. She hasn’t appeared inMK1, but she was likely the inspiration for the Umgadi, Kitana, and Mileena’s personal guards.
13Ermac
An interesting creature comprised of a multitude of souls including Edenia’s King Jerrod. Ermac was created as a new weapon for Shao Kahn during the tournament who uses telekinesis in deadly ways, like destroying Jax’s arms, making way for the famous cybernetic ones.
Originally, Ermac sided with Mileena after Shao Kahn’s death but when the truth of her origins was revealed, he sided with Kotal Kahn. It’s currently a mystery what happened to him after Shinnok’s death inMortal Kombat X.He’s due to return inMK1as part of its first set of DLC, but his story is currently unknown.
12Frost
A strong but hot-headed apprentice of the younger Sub-Zero. Frost is a skilled fighter with much potential but her alliance with Sub-Zero ended when he made peace with Scorpion. Frost very much believed in the old ways, that the Shirai Ryu clan were nothing but animals.
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The peace made Frost betray her old master and join forces with the titan Kronika. Frost became the new leader of the Cyber Lin Kuei inMortal Kombat 11. She is defeated during the final battle against Kronika along with her Cyber Lin Kuei. She returns as a Kameo fighter inMK1in her human form, but she’s unlikely to have a storyline presence this time around.
11Cyrax & Sektor
Two ninjas of the Lin Kuei, both victims of the Grandmaster and Quan Chi’s lies. Sektor is more zealous, truly believing that the Cyber Initiative was the best future for their clan while Cyrax was hesitant. This division between the two leads to them falling out as Cyrax betrays the Lin Kuei, believing that being cyberized was too far and their clan had lost their way.
However, Cyrax is caught by the new Cyber Lin Kuei and converted, stripping him of his humanity. Sektor becomes the new Grandmaster only to be killed by the younger Sub-Zero later. During the time merger ofMortal Kombat 11, Cyrax is temporarily freed from his programming to help Earthrealm. The two appear as Kameo fighters inMK1in their classicUltimate Mortal Kombat 3looks.
10Smoke
Tomas Vrbada AKA Smoke is a member of the Lin Kuei and a friend of the younger Sub-Zero. In the first timeline, Smoke got cyberized and became the third robot ninja with Cyrax and Sektor. But inMK9’s new timeline, they caught Sub-Zero instead. Smoke joined Raiden’s forces to save Sub-Zero and Earthrealm. His smoke-based abilities maybe because he’s an Enenra: a shapeshifting, smoke creature who lost his memories and was adopted by the Lin Kuei.
But Smoke would be killed by Sindel thus allowing him to be resurrected by Quan Chi. InMortal Kombat X, he takes on the name Enenra, recalling his past. After Shinnok’s defeat, he vanishes, not even turning up inMortal Kombat 11. InMK1, he was a boy whose parents were killed when they trespassed on Lin Kuei land. Feeling bad, the Grandmaster adopted him as his own. Now he serves the group, seeking to master magic and protect Earthrealm.
9Chameleon & Khameleon
The Chameleons weren’t really meant to be characters with lore. They were more a way for players to play as all the male ninjas (Chameleon) and female ninjas (Khameleon) in the Mortal Kombat franchise at once. They’d go through all their colors at once while having a mix of their moves. Though while Chameleon wasn’t given a story beyond speculation, Khameleon was.
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She’s actually the last surviving female Zaterran, but sided with Earthrealm inMortal Kombat Trilogyagainst Reptile, the last surviving male who supported Outworld. She has a non-canon ending where she revives the Zaterra inMortal Kombat: Armageddon,but she didn’t return for either of the new timelines inMK9orMK1. Though there is avery familiar-looking Umgadi memberin the latter.
8Rain
Unlike most of the male ninjas, Rain is actually an Edenian like Kitana and Jade. Rain witnessed the invasion of Edenia but was smuggled away to safety. From there his story differs depending on the timeline, but a few things remain consistent. He’s the son of Argus, the demi-god of water, and this makes him an arrogant man who only looks out for himself.
He started off on the side of the Edenian resistance. Then he joined the forces of his father’s killer Shao Kahn, before supporting (and betraying) Mileena inMKX. InMK1, he’s still an Edenian but is now the top student at Outworld’s Imperial Academy of Sorcery. He mastered the art of controlling water, turning it into a weapon, but seeks to master other, darker forms of magic. Chances are, like his other forms, he’ll bite off more than he can chew.
