The world-renowned franchise began in 1992 as the Mortal Kombat game for Arcades worldwide, developed by Midway Games Chicago. The original MK team only consisted of four people: Ed Boon (programmer), John Tobias (graphics), John Vogel (graphics), and Dan Forden (sound). Hilariously, the team began working on Mortal Kombat as a (then) video game tie-in to the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Universal Soldier.
When licensing fell through, Boon and Tobias decided to continue their project without tie-ins, and eventually finished developing Mortal Kombat for cabinet release in the early 90s. The two wanted to ensure that their fighting game “had more edge” than its arcade competition in Street Fights, or Tekken. Hence the over-the-top shock and gore, which by this generations standard, is very low and no longer something that could cause a huff.
Numerous video game publications have been cited as calling Mortal Kombat “one of the most important, and most violent video game franchises ever made,” as the cultural impact of violence and gore sent the video game industry into a righteous tailspin of scrutiny and censorship. To this day, Mortal Kombat remains one of the biggest and most popular video game franchises, and most of their cast of warriors are among the most recognizable characters in gaming culture.
Scorpion, our focus today, is the unannounced poster-boy for the lucratively successful fighting game series. Introduced in the very first Mortal Kombat arcade game, Scorpion has been a mainstay since day one. Here are 20 facts about Scorpion that most Mortal Kombat fans don’t even know.
20 Corporate Shill - "Buy a Scorpion Doll"
Scorpion has long been seen as the face of the Mortal Kombat Franchise, and original developers Midway Games knew right away that they had a golden (or yellow – gi’d) goose. So when it came time to begin developing Scorpion’s finishers—the bread and gruesome butter of the Mortal Kombat franchise—they decided to turn the mascot of their blood bath into a merchandise pusher. His “Friendship #1 Finisher” sees the brutal ninja warrior pull out a stuffed Scorpion Doll, and the message “Buy A Scorpion Doll” shows on the screen instead of the normal “Victory.” Hilariously, there seems to be no evidence that either the developers or publishers ever actually sold the doll. So maybe it was all just a cheeky way to poke fun at the over-merchandised franchises of the 90s – 00’s.
19 Samurai Roots - Scorpion's Real Name
Scorpion, and the other ninja fighters in Mortal Kombat, obviously have some eastern roots. Especially when compared to other fighters like Johnny Cage or Sonya Blade. Scorpion’s human name, from when he was alive, is (or was) Hanzo Hasashi. The small nod in the name is his family name; Hasashi, which could very well be a tribute to notorious Japanese swordsman from late 1500s, Miyamoto Musashi. Scorpion’s first name, Hanzo, is a direct reference to Hattori Hanzo, one of the most famous samurai from the Sengoku / Edo period of Japan. Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) was indeed canonically from the same region of Japan as both Musashi and Hattori Hanzo. It’s a beautiful way to tribute the past, and to respect the inspiration behind the character.
18 "Get Over Here" Voiced By Mortal Kombat Creator Ed Boon Himself
Mortal Kombat was originally created in the early 90s by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The co-creator, Ed Boon, has been involved in the Mortal Kombat franchise since. He spent 15 years at Midway, before leaving in 2011 and joining Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s subsidiary NetherRealm Studios, which retained the rights to the Mortal Kombat brand, and has taken the torch into the current generation. Boon, as if he couldn’t be more monumental in the world of Mortal Kombat, is also credited for voicing the franchise’s best character, Scorpion. He remained the voice of the troubled spectral ninja up until 2008 when Patrick Seitz (an astoundingly reputable voice actor with an abundant list of voice credits in games spanning from 1992 – present) took over.
17 Foul Language In Shaolin Monks
Speaking of franchise co-creator Ed Boon, and his now infamous portrayal of Scorpion over the years, it’s clear that Mortal Kombat’s titular undead fighter has one of the most quotable and parodied quotes in video game history. “Get Over Here!” has become a recognizable line, the world over. Attached to Scorpion’s Kunai grapple move—a move that is used very often … maybe a little too often—it’s typical to hear the voice line numerous times during a match. Much to the chagrin of his opponents. It gets irritating, very quickly. So, in the Mortal Kombat spin-off game Shaolin Monks (a brawler game staring characters Liu Kang and Kung Lao) if you use the spear move x number of times, the line will change to “GET THE F*** OVER HERE!” or “GET OVER HERE, B****!”. A salty Scorpion.
16 Scorpion's TOASTY! Fatality Is The Finishing Move With The Most Appearances
Harping back, the finishing moves in the Mortal Kombat, known as Fatalities, are a staple in the over the top action and gore that saw the fighting game set in stone in regards to the history of gaming. When you empty the health bar of your opponent, you get a “free shot” against a wobbly, teetering on the edge of death version. Punch in a pre-determined order of inputs into your controller (or fightstick, as any real fighting game player would use) and you can perform a myriad of gruesome finishers from decapitations, to upper-cutting someone into a spike pit, and Scorpion’s own “Toasty!” fatality. In this post-fight brutality, Scorpion pulls off his mask, and spits flames on his opponent until they’re ash. Scorpion’s “Toasty!” fatality has the highest appearance rate in Mortal Kombat franchise history.
15 Scorpion Is Heavily Considered The Best MK Fighter
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed … but lists are kind of a thing (this just got really meta), and people have been making them to refer to their classification of the best on a given subject, and that best things subsequent closest competitors. Much like this list, ranking the importance, and intriguing nature of Scorpion facts, listicles often contain ranks. Many outlets have slaved over lists of what they consider “The Best Mortal Kombat Characters Of All Time” and as you have probably guessed by the title of this list item; Scorpion is (on average) considered #1 across the board. He’s iconic, a pleasure to use in-game, and a hassle to fight against. It’s safe to say that Mortal Kombat might have a different legacy if it didn’t include this badass assassin.
14 Parodied To Death - Odes Pour In From All Over Pop-Culture
Parody is the ultimate form of flattery. Or is it imitation? … I don’t know. But in the case of Scorpion, and the Mortal Kombat franchise, parody in a comedic setting is something that occurs often. In an insanely long list of appearances from Mortal Kombat’s pseudo-mascot, you’ll see the likes of the TV show Drawn Together, other fighting games like Injustice 2, odes in Marvel vs Capcom 3 (in the form of Bionic Commando’s wire grapple move), and even the most popular game on earth, League of Legends, has a character called Shen with a costume very similar to Scorpion’s. Even indie games like Terraria and Skullgirls have Scorpion tributes within them. With popular in-game quotes, and a 26 year history of being the face of a franchise, it’s no surprise that Scorpion pops up all over the place!
13 Scorpion Has The Most Skins Of Any MK Character
Unlockable items and collectibles fuel gamers passion for completion. It’s a tale as old as time. Fighting games, though shy on “extra content,” do have one thing up their sleeve; character costumes. It’s also no surprise that Mortal Kombat fans have gotten used to the idea of a Scorpion vs Scorpion fight—as we’ve already discussed that he’s the highest ranked favorite in-game fighter to choose. Though he, and Sub-Zero were originally just palette swapped ninjas, over the years (26 to be exact) Scorpion has collected the absolute most costumes out of their entire line-up of fighters, since the series began. And we’re talking 30-plus outfits here, most of which aren’t just different colored similar outfits. Out of all of them though, his throwback to the 1995 live-action movie, and it’s glorious.
12 Live-Action Scorpion Was Played By Stunt Actor Chris Casamassa
Speaking of the best-worst video game movie ever made, Mortal Kombat was part of the unfortunate 90s attempt by Hollywood to capitalize on the sudden success of home gaming consoles and the brands that graced them. The original take on the tournament of death has an outrageously generous 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have watching a horribly made movie. But did you know that the actor that played Scorpion in the live-action New Line Cinema film wasn’t even an actor? Apparently, the contracted stuntman and choreographer Chris Casamassa wowed the director so much that they let him don the yellow ninja outfit on-screen. Though, Scorpion was still voiced by Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon for the film. Casamassa could not (due to scheduling conflicts) reprise his role as Scorpion in the second—and just as infamously bad—movie subtitled Annihilation.
11 Thanks To MK:Legacy, Mortal Kombat And Tekken Will Forever Be Connected
Years after gamers had written off any live-action portrayal of the popular fighting franchise’s lore, an independent group of filmmakers decided to take the DC and Marvel approach to the Mortal Kombat universe, and produced Mortal Kombat: Legacy. The gritty reimagining of the beloved characters immediately won the internet over. But did you know that the actor who played the most iconic Mortal Kombat fighter, also played the lead character in the Tekken live-action movie? Forever connecting the universes of these two franchises. It was a weird time for Mortal Kombat fans. By the time Legacy came around, fans worldwide had got to be used to Mortal Kombat in live-action media being cheesy and kind of garbage. But in an entertaining way. Now, all of a sudden, we (the royal we) have to flip that mind set and ingest a very well done version of Mortal Kombat? Oh. Okay.
10 Scorpion Is An Honorable Warrior
Much like with his namesakes (inspirations behind his name), Hanzo lived his life as an honorable warrior—or ninja assassin, depending on how granular you want to get—for his family, and clan. The Shirai Ryu Clan—the group of Japanese ninjas, in the Mortal Kombat universe—was a small group of warriors and in some time lines (there are many) Scorpion is the last remaining member, drenched in the yellow colors. Throughout his journey in life, Hanzo sacrifices a lot to fight for his clan, and the honor of it. More so, a large amount of Hanzo’s reasoning is tied in with his family. His wife Kana, and son Jubei—whom both became victims of a clan war—appear most frequently in the recent Mortal Kombat: Legacy television series.
9 Sub-Zero Is Out For Revenge / And Vice Versa
Both Sub-Zero, and Scorpion are hell-bent on revenge. It’s ironic however, as one of them is actually from there. Sub-Zero—or Bi-Han as the original elder was called unmasked—was the original ninja to don the blue palette. During the brutal war between the Lin Kuei (where Sub-Zero was an elder) and the Shirai Ryu, Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi) slays Bi-Han in the original Mortal Kombat tournament. After his older brother’s death at the hands of their sworn enemy, Bi-Han’s little sibling Kuai Liang took to the role, and wore the mantel and title of Sub-Zero. Liang’s entire story-arc is fueled by the desire to avenge his brother’s death. Scorpion, on the other hand, killed Bi-Han out of pure duty, but swore to kill Bi-Hans Sub-Zero after the ninja in blue lead the slaughter of Scorpion’s family, and the Shirai Ryu Massacre.
8 He (Hanzo) Dies At The Hands Of Sub-Zero
Along with his poor family, and the rest of the Shirai Ryu Clan, the original (or living) version of Hanzo Hasashi was murdered by Sub-Zero. At least … that’s how the history goes. Sub-Zero #1 kills Hanzo, and his entire family. Then the spectral, reincarnated hell spawn Scorpion returns to enter the tournament of death, and successfully kills Bi-Han—later to be reincarnated as Noob Saibot (but that’s for another list). There’s a lot of backwards and forwards killing between Sub-Zero elders and Scorpion incarnations. But in the world of Mortal Kombat no one’s death seems forever. Either way, there’s a lot of bad blood here between two fictional characters that originally began as just different colored versions of the exact same thing. And things only really get more complicated from here.
7 Sub-Zero #2 and Spectral Scorpion Eventually Team Up
Somewhere along the lines of another Mortal Kombat tournament to the death, it was revealed to Scorpion that Bi-Han had not come back from the dead to fight against the now spectral Scorpion, but he was made aware that is was in fact his younger brother Kuai Liang whom had taken on the identity of Sub-Zero. Noticing a kinship in Liang’s fire to avenge his brother, the two became allies, and Scorpion vowed to protect the young Sub-Zero. The pair were even seen fighting side by side in the first Mortal Kombat film against Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade in that immensely dope pirate ship set. Arguably, the best fight sequence in the entire film. In the ending of MKII it is said that Scorpion agrees to become the protector of the young Sub-Zero in atonement for the death of his older brother.
6 Kunai's Greatest
Scorpion’s weapon of choice was the signature of most Shirai Ryu Clan assassins. Known in reality as the Kunai, it's a weapon derived from a farming tool. They are stereotypically “ninja” weapons in pop culture, though normally used in throwing-star type ranged combat tactics. The Kunai (as a hand/throwing weapon) is the most commonly used tip of the Rope Dart, which is the version of the weapon that Scorpion uses. It became the warriors trademark weapon when the developers of the first Mortal Kombat game used this rope dart as Scorpion’s ranged grapple. In the live-action movie from the 90s, the rope dart is realized as a living creature that Scorpion summons from the palm of his hand, but most fans denounce this from canon and believe that the filmmakers did this because stunt man turned actor Chris Casamassa couldn't properly use a rope dart weapon on-screen.
5 Scorpion Shares Inspiration With Overwatch's Hanzo Shimada
One of the most popular video games in recent years, Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch plays host to a very sturdy warrior also named Hanzo. In Overwatch, Hanzo is a master bowman, who slays (or thinks he does … spoilers … sorry) his brother, only to be pitted against him in combat. Character creators behind Hanzo obviously drew from the same inspiration pool (hence the name) as Scorpion’s living persona. Beyond sharing a given name, the Overwatch hero also has an unlockable costume that is very similar to that (pictured) of Mortal Kombat’s Scorpion (pictured). Both Honzo’s share an uneasy past, and a firm stance on honor. And with voice lines like “Cold as Ice” and “You are already dead,” the connection between the two fierce ninjas might run deeper than even the lore predicts.
4 Scorpion Was Resurrected (He's Dead... Still)
Unlike Sub-Zero’s resurrection—which was actually just the younger brother of original Sub-Zero Bi-Han, Kuai Liang—Scorpion was actually resurrected from the dead. His masked form appears human, but is a magical illusion. Instead, unmasked, only his skull and skeleton remain. Often wrapped in flames. As part of the spell that brought him back to life, from the Netherrealm, Scorpion can (and might) regain his true human appearance if he can succeed in conquering his own demons. While many different collections of lore specify various sources of Hanzo’s resurrection, it is generally assumed that Quan Chi—an extremely powerful sorcerer—is the demon that summoned Scorpion from death. Though he finds his power from the NetherRealm, Scorpion (canonically) eventually regains his true natural human form in the 2011 Mortal Kombat X game.
3 And He Gets His Powers From The NetherRealm
Drawing his power from the realm where he was resurrected as a specter, the Netherrealm re-born warrior, for a time, was technically living dead. In a finishing move called Hara-Kiri—where the losing fighter commits suicide by self-inflicted impalement or disembowelment via sword—Scorpion is the only character that doesn’t draw blood. Proving that he is not in a mortal or living state as the Netherrealm spectre. Visually, and contextually, the Netherrealm is the Mortal Kombat universe’s version of hell. An opposite of Earthrealm. Scorpion, though reborn in hell, remains the only resident of note in the Netherrealm that is not classified as evil. His resurrection is loosely based on the Chinese belief that a dead person with harsh unfinished business on Earth, can come back to “life” in order to settle scores with opponents, unable to settle in the afterlife with outstanding moral debts.
2 Prior To His Murder, Hanzo Hasashi Was Part Of The Infamous Shirai Ryu Clan
The Shirai Ryu Clan is a fictional group of assassins in Japan, developed and written by the Mortal Kombat creators. Credited with bringing ninjutsu and other “secret” martial arts to Japan—as their founding member Takeda, left the rival clan Lin Kuei in China and uprooted to Japan. The name, roughly means “Style / Flow of the White Well” in Japanese. The Clan, was eventually wiped out by the rival Lin Kuei in what became the “Shirai Ryu Massacre”, some time lines even report that Scorpion is the sole surviving member of the Shirai Ryu Clan. Hanzo joined at a young age, in direct spite of his father’s desire for him to avoid clan relations all together. Needless to say, Hanzo’s father wasn't a big fan of the little demon’s human form.
1 Not An Actual Scorpion (Despite Fan Theories)
Contrary to popular believe (that’s a joke folks…), Scorpion has absolutely no relation to the insect that shares the same name. Though some might say that the Mortal Kombat character received his intimidating name from the (often) poisonous predatory arachnids in the animal kingdom, because of his Kunai, it is his quick and deadly reflexes that granted him the nickname. And while plenty of lore states that Hanzo Hasashi got the moniker post-death as a hell-spawned spectre, he was actually given that name upon introduction into the Shirai Ryu Clan. Other than the name, there is little to no evidence that anything in Scorpion’s design or conception was inspired by the real-world insect. Though, some might claim that because the Shirai Ryu Clan logo is a Scorpion, the title of Scorpion is given to those of highest rank or respect within the clan.