Scorpion - Biography

“Scorpion” is the code name of the ninja named Hanzo Hasashi, formerly one of the finest warriors of the Japanese ninja clan Shirai Ryu.^[5] After he was originally killed by Sub-Zero of the rival Chinese clan Lin Kuei, Scorpion became a hellspawned revenant residing in the Netherrealm underworld and seeking vengeance against those responsible for the destruction of his clan and the death of his family. Although essentially neutral in allegiance, Scorpion will ally with anyone who can assist his plans of revenge. He was once manipulated by Quan Chi, whom he promised his life in exchange for his impressive combat abilities in order to defeat Sub-Zero.^[1]

Scorpion is introduced in the first Mortal Kombat game as a dead warrior who enters into the Mortal Kombat tournament seeking vengeance against Sub-Zero, the man who killed him. Scorpion manages to kill his target, but later learns that Sub-Zero plans to compete in the second tournament. Enraged at the idea that his nemesis has somehow returned, Scorpion tracks him down during the tournament. He realizes that this Sub-Zero was actually his killer’s younger brother, who was sent to complete his brother’s failed mission of assassinating the tournament’s host Shang Tsung. As a result, Scorpion vows to serve as the new Sub-Zero’s guardian in atonement for killing his older brother. He also appears as a boss character in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (set during the events of Mortal Kombat II), as he tries to kill the protagonists Liu Kang and Kung Lao. He appears in both masked and unmasked forms (the latter being named “Inferno Scorpion”). Scorpion returns to the series in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 when Shao Kahn tries to conquer the Netherealm after his invasion of Earth and enlisted the ninja in his forces. Scorpion’s allegiance to Kahn quickly dissolved when he discovered that Sub-Zero was one of Earth’s chosen warriors, with whom he then sided in their final showdown with Kahn.^[1]

In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Scorpion is only a boss character, appearing twice through the game. Scorpion is enlisted by Quan Chi to find a map hidden in a Shaolin temple, a task also given to Sub-Zero. After Scorpion is killed by Sub-Zero, he again attempts to kill Sub-Zero in the Netherrealm. In Mortal Kombat 4 he is tricked by Quan Chi to believe that the younger Sub-Zero was actually involved in the deaths of his family and clan and joins Quan Chi. Scorpion emerges victorious against the new Sub-Zero, but when Quan Chi reveals afterward the truth, Scorpion grabs the sorcerer to send him to the Netherealm. In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Scorpion is attacked by the Oni Drahmin and Moloch, who free the sorcerer from the Netherealm. Scorpion continues hunting Quan Chi and eventually meets the Elder Gods, who give him a new mission to seek and destroy Onaga before he would unmake the realms during the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception. In the Konquest mode of Armageddon, Scorpion makes a deal with the Elder Gods to serve them in exchange for the resurrection of the Shirai Ryu clan, along with the resurrection of his wife and son.^[1] However, the Elder Gods resurrect them as undead beings. Enraged, Scorpion seeks to destroy the Elder Gods’ chance of preventing Armageddon by taking Blaze’s power that was meant for Taven or Daegon, but Taven defeats him and Scorpion is later killed by Sub-Zero in battle.

In Shaolin Monks, however, he is not only a boss but also a playable character for both versus and story modes (Scorpion’s movesets in this game are largely identical to Liu Kang’s with some original techniques).^[6]Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, which would star Scorpion and Sub-Zero in co-operative gameplay, was cancelled when Paradox Development (Midway Studios – Los Angeles), creators of Shaolin Monks, “couldn’t do it in time and under budget.”^[7]

In the 2011 Mortal Kombat title, Scorpion reprises his role from the first tournaments. He serves Quan Chi, unaware that the sorcerer is the mastermind behind the Lin Kuei’s murderer of his family and clan. Scorpion gets his rematch with Sub-Zero whom he defeats in the Outerworld, and although Raiden had earlier (before the fight) offered to help revive Scorpion’s family/clan if he spared his nemesis, Quan Chi appears at the critical moment and persuades Scorpion to satisfy his revenge. Scorpion (as what happened in his original MK ending) loses his only chance to restore his family, and the damnation of Sub-Zero’s soul after his death by Scorpion turns him into the evil wraith Noob Saibot. Later in the game, the younger Sub-Zero seeks revenge for his brother’s death by facing Scorpion, and Quan Chi grants the request. Scorpion immediately recognizes that this is not the original Sub-Zero that he killed; the younger Sub-Zero defeats Scorpion but before he can be finished off, Sub-Zero is apprehended by his clan.

Scorpion also appears in the crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, participating in the war between the two titular series.In his ending the essence of Dark Kahn finds a host in the body of Scorpion making him the most powerful creature in the universe. In addition to the MK series, Scorpion has made appearances in four other Midway games: NBA Jam Tournament Edition,^{[citation needed]}MLB Slugfest: Loaded,^{[citation needed]}Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy^[8] and The Grid.^[9]

Scorpion - Biography