Mortal Kombat Movie: How Did Scorpion and Sub-Zero Become Enemies?

One of the best-known storylines in the Mortal Kombat games is the long-standing rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero. However, the exact mythology behind the feud has changed so much between the games and the movie adaptations. So how exactly did these two deadly foes become enemies in the first place?

What Happened to Sub-Zero and Scorpion in the Mortal Kombat Games?

In Mortal Kombat lore, Scorpion's family was killed by the sorcerer Quan Chi who then framed Sub-Zero for the crime. This led to Scorpion going after the man he believes had killed his loved ones.

This is already a simple yet effective story arc in itself. On the other hand, the film adaptations have changed it up several times.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion's Story Arc in Films

There have been faithful adaptations of the feud between Scorpion and Sub-Zero like in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and the animated movie Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge. However, others have taken liberties with the story arc, like in the 1995 film where they were depicted as Shang Tsung's mind-controlled slaves.

Credit: New Line Cinema

So will the new 2021 adaptation be faithful to the Mortal Kombat lore? New details about the reboot reveal it could be similar but also completely different.

Will Sub-Zero and Scorpion's Feud Get Realistic in the Reboot?

It has been confirmed that the Mortal Kombat reboot will open with a brutal 10-minute fight sequence set in feudal Japan. Interestingly, Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Bi-Han (Joe Taslim) are still very much human in the scene.

So will this once again retcon Scorpion and Sub-Zero's story? Director Simon McQuoid told Entertainment Weekly that the adaptation will be as close to the source material as possible.

"I wanted to make sure that everyone respected the material, the lore of Mortal Kombat, the fans and the love they have for this. Everyone was clear on it," McQuoid said.

Mortal Kombat will premiere in limited theaters and on HBO Max on April 16.

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