Over the last thirty years, theMortal Kombatfranchise has built one of the largest rosters in fighting game history. From Scorpion to Raiden and Liu Kang to Kitana, series co-creator Ed Boon and company have crafted some of the most recognizable names in all of gaming. WithMortal Kombat 1on the horizon, many fans are eagerly waiting to see how the game’s full roster will reflect the franchise’s mammoth cast of characters. Especially with NetherRealm Studios soft-rebooting the series' narrative, andthe dynamic new Kameo fighter system, it introduces numerous opportunities for kombatants of every kind to make an appearance.
Mortal Kombat 1sees the beginning of Fire God Liu Kang’s new era, after the iconic martial artist defeated Kronika and Shang Tsung during the events ofMortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. Now the realms are at peace, for the moment anyway, and many ofMK’s iconic fighters have revised origins. Some kombatants like Scorpion have been given a new lease on life, while Johnny Cage is up to more of the same. However, a few iconic names are still missing altogether. One such name is Noob Saibot, the shadowy ninja who has been a staple ofMK’s roster for much of its history, and his absence has some fans looking for answers.
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Noob Saibot’s Origins Explained
To understand why Noob Saibot hasn’t appeared inMortal Kombat 1thus far, it’s important to first understand the character’s origins. Before Noob Saibot was the antagonist many players know him as,he was originally the first Sub-Zero, whose real name was Bi-Han. Bi-Han’s Sub-Zero was the one who first feuded with Scorpion, as the latter fighter was killed by Bi-Han. In both the original canon and rebooted timeline, Scorpion eventually gets his revenge on Bi-Han, killing him at the end of the firstMortal Kombattournament and sending him down the path toward becoming the Noob Saibot many fans know and love.
With Bi-Han dead, his younger brother Kuai Liang becomes the primary Sub-Zero, and Bi-Han’s soul descends into the Netherrealm. It’s here that the evil sorcerer Quan Chi resurrects Bi-Han as Noob Saibot, stripping him of all his human traits and shaping him into a being of pure evil. After this transformation, Noob finds himself at the side ofMortal Kombat’s various antagonists, includingShao Khanand Shinnok. His powers also fundamentally change, as he can now manipulate darkness to teleport, create projectiles, and send out a clone of himself made of pure shadow.
How Noob Saibot Could Appear In Mortal Kombat 1
Noob Saibot’s origins as Bi-Han introduce some possible hurdles when it comes to his inclusion inMortal Kombat 1, but it also opens up some opportunities. The Sub-Zero featured inMK1is confirmed to be Bi-Han thanks to pre-fight banter that’s been revealed so far, with the character appearing to be as ruthless and ambitious as he was in previous timelines.MK1’s newest trailerclearly demonstrates this repeating of history on Bi-Han’s part, and that could extend to the creation of Noob Saibot.
Character bios featured onMK1’s websiteshow how Scorpion doesn’t fully support Sub-Zero’s conquerer mentality, and this could be setting up an eventual fight between the two ninjas. Whether Scorpion purposefully or accidentally kills Sub-Zero, his death could be the inciting incident for Noob Saibot’s introduction in Fire God Liu Kang’s new era. It would add a layer of tragedy to the character considering Scorpion and Sub-Zero are now brothers, and add some complexity to the often one-dimensional Noob Saibot.
Mortal Kombat 1plans to shake up the franchise like never before. Both in terms of gameplay and narrative, NetherRealm Studios is going out of its way to deliver something players have never experienced before. The game’s newest trailer has already revealedthe return of Smoke, Cyrax, and Sektor, and there’s no telling who else could appear down the line. Considering the fighter’s status among fans, and his impact on the franchise’s history, one can only hope that Noob Saibot will show his shadowy face in some way.
Mortal Kombat 1releases September 19 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
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