Kano - Biography

Kano is the leader of the Black Dragon criminal empire. He made his first chronological appearance in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, freeing fellow Black Dragon cohorts No Face, Tasia, Jarek and Tremor from a U.S. Special Forces security facility, under the pretense that they would reform the Black Dragon organization, but really intending to use them as pawns to slow down any Special Forces agents who might pursue him. Annihilating an entire squad at the site of the prison break, they escaped the scene. With his Black Dragon associates given their assigned tasks, Kano headed to Outworld where he recovered the Eye of Chitian, an artifact through which he would acquire incredible power. Unfortunately for him, however, Major Jackson “Jax” Briggs had overcome his accomplices and defeated him. Jax used the eye to transport them back to Earthrealm, and proceeded to bring Kano into custody though he would soon escape.

Kano entered Shang Tsung‘s Mortal Kombat tournament after hearing rumors that Tsung’s palace was filled with gold and other riches, intending to steal them for the Black Dragon. He was pursued by Lieutenant Sonya Blade, who held a personal grudge against Kano because he had killed a former partner of hers. While Kano was free to take part in the tournament of his own accord, Sonya and her unit were captured by Shang Tsung, who offered Sonya an ultimatum to compete in Mortal Kombat, or she and her unit would be executed. Sonya and Kano survived the tournament, but many others died, including Sonya’s men. After the final battle between Shang Tsung and Liu Kang, Kano teamed up with Sonya and Johnny Cage to fight Goro. During the battle, the island began to crumble and Kano and Sonya were captured, and they spent the events of Mortal Kombat II in captivity. Kano then managed to convince Outworld’s emperor Shao Kahn to accept him as a weapons instructor for his armies. As a man with a knowledge of Earthrealm weaponry, he was the most suitable candidate.

Later, during the events of Mortal Kombat 3, Sonya tossed Kano to his apparent death from the roof of a high building. He was found by Motaro, who healed and imprisoned him. In turn, Motaro was attacked and killed by Sheeva, who freed Kano from his prison. Although they originally hatched a plan to murder Shao Kahn, Kano turned on Sheeva in the decisive moments, resulting in Sheeva’s death. Kano was then hastily promoted to general of Outworld’s rapidly shrinking army before the invasion was defeated. Shao Kahn’s act of promoting Kano, however, proved to be a lucky shot, as Kano was a very competent general. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, Kano stood ground and eventually managed to repel Princess Kitana and her Edenian-Shokan army. He returned to Shao Kahn’s palace just in time to watch from the shadows as Shang Tsung and Quan Chi sprung their attack on the weakened emperor. As soon as the battle was finished, Kano declared his allegiance to the new rulers of Outworld, the Deadly Alliance. The two had Kano oversee the enslavement of a small village, who would construct a temple over Onaga‘s tomb to house the Soulnado. During its construction, Kano was assaulted by Li Mei, but Quan Chi intervened, as the Alliance had made a deal with the Red Dragon member Mavado: he would eliminate the swordsman Kenshi in exchange for the opportunity to fight and defeat Kano. Mavado attacked and left Kenshi for dead, earning his battle. It would seem that Mavado won the fight, as in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Kano is found by Taven to have been held prisoner by the Red Dragon Clan for quite some time (possibly explaining his absence from Deception). Before escaping their facilities, Kano explains to Taven that the Red Dragon had been experimenting on him, as well as their own clan members, in an effort to create real-life genetically engineered dragons and human-dragon hybrids, Kano mentions that they were trying “something new” on him, although he leaves before he elaborates on what that “something” is.

Kano makes an appearance in the non-canonical retelling of MKII, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks where he is seen fighting Sonya during the opening sequence and reappears later in the game as a boss character whom the player (as either Liu Kang or Kung Lao) must defeat with the assistance of Jax to protect an imprisoned Sonya. He is subsequently killed by Jax following the battle. Kano also appears in the non-canonical crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. He is not playable in the story mode, but it is revealed that he was defeated by The Joker, who at the time was allied with Deathstroke. Kano also appears in the iOs game Arkham City Lockdown as an Easter Egg fighting Batman in one of the levels.^[1]

Kano - Biography