The Scorpion’s Sting: An Overview of Mortal Kombat’s Most Iconic Character

The Ballad of Hanzo Hasashi

Borne from a former member of the fictional Japanese ninja clan called the Shirai-Ryu, Hanzo Hasashi commonly known as Scorpion is a vengeful character in the Mortal Kombat Universe. Despite his villainous appearance, this kunai wielding character has more to him than meets the eye.

Described as a hell-spawned spectre who is seeking vengeance for the death of his family and the destruction of his clan, Scorpion’s journey into the dark path of crime was for all the good reasons. One of which is to provide a comfortable life for his family. Nevertheless, Mortal Kombat spins a dark plot that will trigger any man-babies and fairy tale lovers around. To which is why if you happen to be one of those who reside in their own safe space or some mystical bubble, now is the time to turn away and download the My Little Pony game instead.

Moving forward, Scorpion’s journey towards redemption does not involve shiny armors, magical staffs, and friendly wizards. For the most part, it’s a path that goes straight into the bowels of hell and back again. It’s a journey littered with broken bones, crushed skulls, and dismembered bodies all for sake of eliminating the Netherrealm demon, Quan Chi.

 

 

The Neutral Anti-Hero

Created by John Tobias, Scorpion is not your typical character. Concealed within his human façade is a spectre or a soul immune to death itself. With that said, Scorpion is not only the favorite character of the game’s producer Ed Boon but is also the mascot of the game. Like Scorpion’s backstory, Mortal Kombat before becoming an award-winning franchise was formerly a scrubbed out of existence.

 

 

However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes or Scorpion climbing out from the darkest bowels of hell, Mortal Kombat has redeemed itself to become an iconic franchise forever immortalized in the video game hall of fame. That said, it is quite clear why Scorpion is the perfect character to represent the game. Moreover, although his quest is not yet complete, this so-called neutral anti-hero evolved to become one of the most iconic characters in the game.

 

Get Over Here!

Scorpion comes equipped with the basic ninja weapons like the axe (Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat Trilogy), longsword (Mortal Kombat Gold, Mortal Kombat 4), ninja sword (Mortal Kombat: Death Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition), Mugai Ryu (Mortal Kombat: 2011, Mortal Kombat: Unchained, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 2011), and Tantō (Mortal Kombat 11). Of all those weapons available, nothing is more iconic than his Kunai that he uses in each of his appearances. Not to mention that the Kunai made the phrase “Get Over Here,” one of the most iconic lines in gaming.

 

 

Scorpion is also a master of various fighting styles. One of which is the Korean Martial arts called Hapkido. Our featured character in Mortal Kombat uses this close-range fighting style in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat: Unchained and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Pi Gua is another fighting style used by Scorpion in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition. The third fighting style is the art of the elder gods called Moi Fah. Scorpion uses this powerful style in Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Unchained.

 

The Scorpion’s Sting

Scorpion’s popularity is not contained in the Mortal Kombat Universe alone but in other titles as well. One of which is the DC Universe-inspired Injustice fighting game which is somewhat understandable given that the game is also produced by the same studio. Nevertheless, Scorpion is not only a fighter but an athlete as well. As seen in the image below, Scorpion also appeared in the iconic 2-on-2 basketball game called NBA Jam Tournament Edition.

 

 

Scorpion, despite his gruesome appearance, is one of the most iconic characters in modern pop culture. As gruesome as this spectre from hell may-be, he is a one of a kind character adored by millions of fans across the globe. From a palette swap character to a world-renowned character, Scorpion is a character you should check out.

That said, what better way to get to know this character better than getting firsthand experience with Scorpion than by downloading Mortal Kombat for yourself.