Best: Smoke

• Clan: Lin Kuei

Remember that Lin Kuei Cyber Initiative we referenced before? Smoke left the Lin Kuei clan due to this, but he was captured and forced to become robotic. The Lin Kuei assassin version debuted in MK2 as a secret character while his cyber version debuted in MK3. Smoke’s abilities allow him to create smoke fumes, thus allowing him to disappear or attack opponents when they cannot see. The smoke acts as normal smoke too, choking those who inhale it. The Cyber version has similar abilities though it doesn’t use them much.

Worst: Reptile

• Clan: Saurian/Zaterrans

Reptile’s story has changed so often that it is truly hard to keep up. He originally debuted back in MK2 as one of the ninjas, just wearing green. He remained like this for a while until the creators realized…oh wait, he’s Reptile-like. So they had him wear the same ninja costume, but appear as a humanoid reptilian creature. Though his ability to disappear into the background is cool, his character changes and odd use have been so difficult to follow. Moreover, he’s made to be a villain while having sincere intentions to free his homeworld. Yet after the death of Shao Kahn, he does not return to his newly free homeworld but goes on to work for Kotal Kahn.

Best: Takeda

• Clan: Shirai Ryu

Mortal Kombat X was a game that tried to introduce a lot of legacy characters. Some worked better than others, but one stood out among MK fans as truly unique due to his abilities and backstory. Takeda is the son of Kenshi, but due to his mother being killed, his father went to search for the wrongdoers. Thus, he left Takeda with a trusted ally, Hanzo Hasashi, better known as Scorpion. Takeda would train with Hanzo, yet still possessed a lot of his father’s gifts. Combined with Hanzo’s training and part of his traits, Takeda became a very compelling character worthy of praise.

Worst: Motaro

• Clan: Centaurians

Motaro’s only true defining trait is that he is a centaur. His entire race served Shao Kahn as hunters and warriors in Outworld, with Motaro leading an invasion squad into Earthrealm. He’s even responsible for ending Johnny Cage during one of those invasions, which Raiden interfered with and corrected by killing Motaro before this took place in another timeline. At least, that is the canon thing we know of right now. It’s clear that Motaro is one of the most uninteresting Mortal Kombat characters ever known.

Best: Jade

• Clan: Edenian

Jade along with a few other females in Mortal Kombat had the same appearance early on, only differing by color. However, Jade having black skin gave her a slightly altered look that allowed her to stand out. Her character was then properly fleshed out in later stories. She trained alongside Kitana and became her best friend, while both had to serve Shao Kahn. Once Kitana turned against Kahn, Jade was ordered to capture her, but instead joined her friend. Jade is noted for her infamous staff and razor-rang along with her use of Edenian magic, making her a tough opponent.

Worst: Jax

• Clan: Special Forces Faction

If we were to ask you to describe Jackson Briggs, how would you do it? Likely, you’d reference his metallic arms that were put in replace his original arms that were torn off in battle. You might also reference him as Sonya Blade’s best friend and partner. But that is about it. Jax is not special, and nothing about him makes him interesting outside of his arms. Sure, we might get hate for saying it. However, with all of the other interesting characters, how is Jax not among the worst these days?

Best: Quan Chi

• Clan: Brotherhood of Shadow

At first, some assumed Quan Chi was just someone MK developers had to use to replace Shang Tsung. However, they truly fleshed out his character perfectly. He was initially just a mere demon of the Netherrealm. But due to his immense abilities in dark magic and necromancy, he became a notable figure there. Enough to become a close ally to the Elder God Shinnok. He is the one that is responsible for making Scorpion into a Hellspawn and manipulating him into killing Bi-Han. Meanwhile, it was actually Quan Chi that killed Scorpion’s family as it was his plan all along to make Scorpion into his personal hellspawn.

Worst: Cyrax

• Clan: Lin Kuei (originally)

While Cyrax was certainly a weird addition when he debuted in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, his story was eventually fleshed out properly. We later find out that Cyrax was a member of the Lin Kuei during their Cyber Initiative. He too was forced into this and was made into a villain. Weirdly, this is not the story early on and he just acts as a villain with no true backstory. The change not happening until later on annoyed fans, as Cyrax could have been interesting to see in his assassin form. Now most only know of his cyber version, and it’s really just not compelling.

Best: Cassie Cage

• Clan: Special Forces Faction

While Cassie Cage’s look changed dramatically from her debut in Mortal Kombat X to Mortal Kombat 11, one thing did not. Her character was always going to have a very difficult job, as she had to actually live up as the daughter of Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage. That is a tall order, and more than that, she had to step up as her own character too. This did not happen in MK10 but did in MK11. Cassie’s character did just that as she became a great leader and skilled fighter. Often using tech more than her parents, she adds this to her impressive martial arts knowledge. On top of her love of using guns for darn near anything.

Worst: Tremor

• Clan: Black Dragon

Honestly, Tremor had everything it took to be one of the best Mortal Kombat characters. Yet it was simply how he was used that truly made him a problem for most fans. He was once an assassin and enforcer for Black Dragon, loyal to Kano. His first mistake, obviously. Like the other ninjas in MK, Tremor has powers. For him, it’s all about geokinesis. Being able to move the Earth around you should be a huge asset but time and time again, he was made to be uninteresting. While he was better in MK10, he’s still not as good as he should be.

Best: Goro

• Clan: Shokan

Prince Goro of the Shokan is one of the Outworld winners of the Mortal Kombat Tournament. He held the Grand Champion title for nine consecutive tournaments too. Known for his large stature and four arms, he’s incredibly difficult to beat. He originally debuted in the first Mortal Kombat as a Sub-Boss, helping arcades eat up quarters due to how hard he was to beat. Goro instantly became a beloved favorite to MK fans and has been in every major MK release ever since. Goro is iconic at this point, and one of the best Mortal Kombat characters of all time!

Worst: Kabal

• Clan: Black Dragon/Special Forces

What is so sad here is that it is easy to like Kabal. He was a villain that became a hero. Kabal was once a member of Black Dragon who was betrayed by Kano, leading to his body being badly burned. During a universal reset in Mortal Kombat (2011), Kabal was on the side of good during the Outworld Invasion unburned when he was on the bad side originally. By then, he was a member of the Special Forces alongside his partner Stryker and rose up to fight Shao Kahn. The problem is that Kabal, while interesting, has become really convoluted. They even made his speed too important to his character, which made him just MK’s Flash.

Best: Kung Lao

• Clan: White Lotus Society

Kung Lao is a descendant of the “Great Kung Lao,” one of Earthrealm’s Mortal Kombat Tournament champions. He is always trying to live up to the legacy of his ancestor, to a point that he gets in his own way. He is constantly trying to prove himself equal to Liu Kang, making him come off as immature and conceited. A Shaolin Monk, Lao is first and foremost a pacifist but will go to battle and end lives if he must. Known for his razor-rimmed hat and impressive martial arts abilities, he is incredibly difficult to defeat.

Wost: Shinnok

• Clan: Elder Gods

The Fallen God known as Shinnok is still technically one of the immortal Elder Gods. He is the son of the Titan Kronika, and brother to Cetrion. Oh yeah, and he’s the father of Shao Kahn and Raiden. We’re told that Shinnok’s power level is immense, but Raiden once carried around his father’s severed head and planted it right in front of evil Liu Kang and Kitana. The Amulet of Shinnok is truly the major power source, it’s one of the Elder Gods’ sacred relics that made reality possible at all. Yet Shinnok himself does not seem to be all that impressive without it.

Best: Shang Tsung

• Clan: Outworlder

When you think of iconic villains in gaming, Shang Tsung should always pop up. The infamous line: “Your soul is mine” is likely burned into the mind of many gamers. If that isn’t enough, Tsung is the ORIGINAL boss of the Mortal Kombat universe. Yet he did not become playable for gamers until MK2. Shang is a soul-stealing sorcerer known for taking the powers and sometimes even appearance of other MK characters. In the MK universe, he is a multi-time winner of the Mortal Kombat Tournament who eventually served as host for the tournament.

Worst: Jacqui Briggs

• Clan: Special Forces Faction

Now one would think that if you wanted someone to stand out from their parent, you’d make them similar but also as different as possible. Yet the MK developers thought, nahhh, when it came to creating Jacqui Briggs. Her father Jax needed his infamous arms because his actual ones were torn off. Jacqui has gauntlets that act as mechanical arms while also being equipped with weaponry. But what is she without them? Her fighting skills are subpar and her reliance on those gauntlets does not make any sense. Her arms are completely fine!

Best: Sonya Blade

• Clan: Special Forces Faction

Sonya Blade was the very first female to debut in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Originally, she looked like a 1980s runner who was still in her workout clothes. Eventually, her character is properly put together by MK developers. In the games since, she then became an officer with the special forces and even a General. She hates Kano with everything that is within her and wants to end him. Yet she’s mostly devoted to protecting Earthrealm from evildoers. Blade possesses tech-like energy bracelets and wind blades to battle against the powerful enemies she comes across in the universe.

Worst: Kotal Kahn

• Clan: Osh-Tekk

Kotal Kahn began simply as General Ko’atal, serving under Shao Kahn before his death. Once he died, someone had to take over the Emperor of Outworld role and Kotal made the most sense. He is a powerful and high-ranking Osh-Tekk. While they use the power of the sun to their advantage, skin tone seems a bit odd. It was widely assumed Kotal just had green skin but it seems to just be a form of paint that high-ranking officials wear. On top of this, he was just randomly inserted into the MK Universe without any establishment prior to MK10. It’s still odd to see him, two major games deep.

Best: Kenshi

• Clan: Special Forces, Shirai Ryu

Kenshi is blind thanks to Shang Tsung, whom he hates. He’s essentially a skilled ronin who possesses psychokinetic and telekinetic abilities. This seems to allow him to “see” without actually being able to do so. His wife was killed by Red Dragon, and he went on a mission to find them. Due to their missions aligning, he often worked alongside Sonya Blade and Jax. This also helped him align with Sub-Zero and eventually Scorpion, whom he left his son with. While he has not been in a ton of games, Kenshi’s story is so compelling, as is the character. Making him one of the best Mortal Kombat characters ever.

Worst: Onaga

• Clan: Outworld Dragon

Want a random monster boss for your game? Here, take Onaga. He’s really just terrible, and most would say he was never even fun to play as. The Dragon King’s story isn’t too bad, to be fair. He was a long-dead ruler of Outworld before Shao Kahn. Even his army believed him to be unbeatable, but when he died, he was mummified and kept in an ancient tomb where our favorite necromancer Quan Chi came across him. With a story like this, it seemed that he’d be fun. Yet not only is he essentially boring, but he’s completely unimportant to the universe at large.

Best: Erron Black

• Clan: Black Dragon, Kahn Guard

It has been said that Erron Black could be best described as the Boba Fett of the Mortal Kombat universe. That seems fitting for sure. Like Fett, Black just oozes coolness. He’s also not exactly on the side of the angels at first but does ultimately try to do the right thing when he can. Of course, Erron’s first love is himself and the money he can make off of doing jobs for those who can afford his fee. This gunslinger can fight with the best in the MK Universe, still managing to look awesome no matter what. He might be newer, but he’s already one of the best Mortal Kombat characters of all time.

Worst: Cetrion

• Clan: Elder Gods

Cetrion was an Elder God and daughter of Kronika. We’re led to believe initially that she is one of the “good” Elder Gods. In fact, she is the Goddess of Life, Virtue, and Light for crying out loud! However, not only does she fail to actually live up to this…she gives in to her mother’s plans when it makes no sense to do so. Especially after seeing what her brother Shinnok did to humanity, the fact she ignored that to side with her mother is nonsense. Making her one of the worst Mortal Kombat characters ever, because there is simply no proper consistency.

Best: Shao Kahn

• Clan: Unknown Demi-God

Shao Kahn is the son of the evil Elder God Shinnok and brother to Raiden. We’re led to believe early on that he is not exactly a God, differing him from his father and brother. However, he is still very powerful. He has spent many years as Emperor of Outworld, constantly trying to conquer new places. One of those included Edenia, where he took Princess Kitana as his forcefully adopted daughter. Kahn has often used others to do his bidding, but he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. Making him one heck of a well-defined character in the MK Universe.

Worst: Reiko

• Clan: Outworlder

Reiko had literally everything one could ask to be a good character. He’s a General in Shao Kahn’s army, known for his furious brutality and the fact he spares no one mercy. MK Creator Ed Boon even supplied his very own face to be the face of Reiko. On top of this, there was a heavy debate on whether Reiko was supposedly Shao Kahn in disguise or taking over the throne. Moreover, he has a few different endings that gamers can find. However, neither are good or well thought out. It’s like they just did not care about making Reiko compelling or interesting at all.

Best: Raiden

• Clan: Elder Gods/White Lotus Society

Raiden is one of the most iconic Mortal Kombat characters of all time. Known as the “Thunder God,” most of his offense and even defense is made up of moves connecting to electricity or lightning in some form. His story closely resembles that of Thor from Norse Mythology, both in his God-like status and his relationship with other Gods. His one mission in life is to protect Earthrealm from his father, brother, and others that will do it harm. Thus, he invented the White Lotus Society to prepare warriors for each Mortal Kombat Tournament.

Worst: Mileena

• Clan: Outworld Abomination

It is likely early on that MK developers had no real plan for Mileena. She pretty much just showed up as a color swap version of Kitana, where she wore pink rather than blue. Eventually, her character’s background was formulated. Due to Shao Kahn’s disappointment in his adopted daughter, he had Shang Tsung make a better daughter for him. Thus, Shang used her DNA and mixed it with that of a Tarkatan. Mileena and Kitana are like twins except for the massive Tarkatan teeth. Mileena just seemed forced early on and still does. Though they have done a better job defining her existence, all it does is further muddy the waters.

Best: Johnny Cage

• Clan: Special Forces Faction

Johnny Cage has been incredibly well done in the MK Universe. Originally, MK was developed after Midway was not able to make a Jean-Claude Van Damme game. Yet they were huge fans of his, so Cage’s entire reason for being was their love letter to JVD. Thus, he was made into an actor with legit fighting ability who wanted to prove himself. Along the way, he falls for Sonya Blade and calms down a bit to become smarter about how he does things. This is incredibly present in MK11 where he can be seen ashamed of his past self’s attitude and general d*** behavior.

Worst: Rain

• Clan: Edenian

Early on, Rain was Ed Boon’s favorite character seemingly. As he was a huge Prince fan, so Rain’s attire was purple for a legit reason. Boon’s favor for Rain only continued as he made the once random ninja into something that really seemed forced. Rain went from being an apparent Lin Kuei ninja to a Demi-God former Prince of Edenia somehow. He is now seeking the Outworld throne for himself, while also seeking revenge against his father, the God Argus, for killing his mother. Rain has always been fun to play as, but his story has gotten so wild and complicated that it’s really just too much now.

Best: Liu Kang

• Clan: White Lotus Society

Liu Kang has always been so well done and was pretty much made out to be the hero of the game from the start. While he’s used a bit weirdly in the MK11 game, becoming what is essentially a Fire God, he fits in so well with this universe. A lot of Mortal Kombat characters seem so random at times. Yet Kang felt like a true hero you could care about who fought well and was always fun to play as. It’s hard to find anything negative to say about the guy really.

Worst: Sheeva

• Clan: Shokan

Due to the success of Goro in the original Mortal Kombat, it seemed that MK developers were really big on trying to bring in more of the Shokan. That eventually led to bringing in a female from the species, named Sheeva. While we later find out she was actually Queen Sindel’s protector, her role was not really defined most of her existence in the franchise. Moreover, she felt forced. Like the franchise felt they HAD to put in a female Shokan rather than offering a proper reason for it.

Best: Kitana

• Clan: Edenian

Princess Kitana was part of Edenian royalty until Shao Kahn took the throne away from her family by force. He then adopted Kitana who was forced to become an assassin and fight in his honor. She never wanted that life. Her mother Sindel killed herself and we later find out she even betrayed her father, always evil. When Kitana was innocent in all of this. Noted for his fans that can slice your head off, her ability to fight makes her a literal Warrior Princess. Kitana is easily one of the best Mortal Kombat characters ever created. Plus, her story has usually been consistent.

Worst: Kronika

• Clan: Titan

The Titan Kronika is supposedly the keeper of time and the very reason the MK Universe exists at all. However, her entire reason for being was seemingly forced in because of an issue within the series. For those unaware, Midway Games had their own MK series. But when they were bought out and Warner Bros. created NetherRealm Studios, they had their own Universe. There was a need to combine things to make one, official universe, leading to the events of MK11. Kronika only ever existed for this game only, just to give us the official universe.

Best: Sub-Zero

• Clan: Lin Kuei

Important to note here that we are referring to the current Sub-Zero, the Grandmaster Kuai Liang. He is the brother of the original Sub-Zero, Bi-Han. Noted for his freezing powers, Liang is now thought to be far better than his brother ever was. He is also capable of doing things with his powers that Bi-Han was unable to or never could truly do. Though he has also had run-ins with the likes of Scorpion among other major ninja characters, Liang is thought to be a good guy who has now managed to get along with most people. Even his former enemy and killer of his brother, Scorpion.

Worst: Cole Young

• Clan: None

Only ever appearing in the latest Mortal Kombat film, Cole Young is literally forced into this movie without one reason as to why. We’re given that he is somehow a descendant of Scorpion, but it’s truly unknown why we needed him. He’s the MAIN CHARACTER of this movie having never once appeared in any of the games. MK likes to introduce new characters and bringing him into the world was fine. But making him THE main character, having the movie flow through his actions. It’s nonsense, and he isn’t even that interesting.

Best: Scorpion

• Clan: Shirai Ryu

Scorpion is the best Mortal Kombat character to ever exist. Seriously, fight us on this if you want, but we’re saying it. Hanzo Hasashi’s wife and son were killed by what he assumed to be the Lin Kuei, especially Sub-Zero. More than this, his entire clan of the Shirai Ryu was taken out too. The real person behind it was Quan Chi, whom Hanzo later kills to get revenge. While Scorpion is still essentially a hellspawn, he managed to bring back his clan and even become something of a Grandmaster to help others. We also know he will do literally anything to protect the ones he loves. Even go to hell and back. GET OVER HERE!

Where do we Find this Stuff? Here are Our Sources:

NetherRealm Studios

Warner Bros.

Screen Rant

Fandom