X-Ray

X-Ray Moves are a feature introduced in Mortal Kombat (2011). They are moves that cause a large amount of damage, comparable to "Super Moves" found in various other fighting games. True to their name, these moves consist of a short sequence of attacks that zoom in on the target with an X-Ray and displays bones and organs being crushed, smashed and snapped, dealing massive damage. The player must completely charge up the Super Meter in order to perform an X-Ray Move.

About the X-Ray
While incredibly powerful, X-Ray Moves often require special conditions to be met. For example, Johnny Cage's X-Ray Move is classified as a counter-attack, meaning that it is only performed if he is attacked within a few seconds of the player activating it. Other limitations include X-Ray Moves having to be activated from an aerial position, and the fact that the damage inflicted by an X-Ray is altered based on the damage scaling.

How to Avoid
While Breakers can not be used against X-Ray Moves, all of them can be avoided in some way. Offensive X-Ray Moves can be initially blocked or dodged, often leaving the performer vulnerable and drained of all super meter charge. Defensive X-Ray Moves, like Johnny Cage's, can be avoided by not attacking the target until they are allowed to openly fight again. Projectile attacks like Scorpion's Spear or Sub-Zero's Ice Ball will also cancel the Defensive X-Ray (but they must be done at a long range, as they will be countered if done up close). All X-Rays can be interrupted with projectile attacks.

X-Rays are normally easy to dodge as well. It's worth taking the time to learn how each X-Ray is triggered as you can then work out a strategy for dodging them. For example, Sheeva's X-Ray can be avoided by jumping in the air or Cyrax's X-ray can be avoided by quickly dashing back.

Hitting the attacker with a well-timed strike is possible, but difficult as players attacking with an X-Ray become resistant to front facing attacks, due to the fact that the attacker gains armour (which stop the attacks from causing flinching but will still do damage). Because of this, it is possible to stop the X-Ray with a well-timed strike, if, and only if the hit does enough damage to reduce the attacker's health to 0%. Another method of landing a hit on an X-Ray attacker usually requires characters with a teleport ability. If two players activate it at the same time, the first one who connects will initiate their attack. Johnny Cage can counter X-Ray Moves with his own X-Ray Move. It is also worth noting X-Ray Moves cannot be performed, if either Armless Kombat or Headless Kombat come up on Test Your Luck.

Trivia

 * Cyber Sub-Zero's Brain Freeze Fatality and The Street's Stage Fatality in MK 2011, are the only finishers that use the X-Ray.
 * Kitana is the only character who can activate her X-Ray both on the ground and in the air.
 * Sonya Blade's X-Ray has the most hits in it, with up to eleven hits.
 * Stryker, Reptile, Kano and Kintaro are the only characters whose X-Ray move hits three times, as the other characters hit only two.
 * Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Cyrax and Rain all have X-Rays that, after they connect, allow for longer combos.
 * Johnny Cage is the only character whose X-Ray is activated by a counter attack.
 * Cyber Sub-Zero is the only character that must activate his X-Ray in the air.
 * Jax, Kano and Sheeva are the only characters to have unblockable X-Rays, as Jax and Kano's are both grapple-type X-Rays, and Sheeva's is a full-screen ground pound.
 * Sindel is the only character to possess an X-Ray that is registered as a low attack.
 * Sub-Zero and Smoke are able to delay their X-Ray.
 * Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot are the only two whose X-Rays don't make their opponents fall to the ground.
 * Jade's, Jax's, Quan Chi's, and Sindel's X-Rays are the only ones who don't make their opponent bleed.
 * Reptile, Skarlet, Baraka, and Kitana are the only ones who aim at the eyes.
 * Goro, Kintaro, Shao Kahn, Kano, Jax and Shang Tsung (as sub-boss) have the most damaging X-Ray Moves.
 * Mileena's X-Ray move seems to be based off of Johnny Cage's early X-Ray Move.
 * Skarlet's X-Ray is the one that deals the least damage.
 * Jade's, Johnny Cage's, and Sindel's X-Rays all deal with hitting the groin area.
 * Noob Saibot is the only character whose X-Ray makes the opponent vomit.
 * Noob Saibot is the only character whose X-Ray uses the help of a second 'person'.
 * Quan Chi is the only one who doesn't touch the enemy while hitting him.
 * Jade, Kitana, Stryker, Kratos, Cyber Sub-Zero and Kenshi are the only characters that only hit the opponent with weapons.
 * Sheeva is the only character that only hits the opponent with the feet.
 * Rain is the only character to snap the enemy's arm.
 * Sub-Zero and Shao Kahn are the only two characters to hit the enemy with a headbutt.
 * Shang Tsung, Mileena and Noob Saibot are the only ones who use the knee to hit their enemy.
 * Stryker's X-Ray is the only one that shows the enemy's whole skeleton.
 * Shao Kahn, Scorpion, Ermac, Smoke and Sheeva are the only five to hit the enemy while he is fallen to the ground.
 * Smoke is the only one among this ones who does not stomp the enemy.

Videos
thumb|left|230px|All X-Ray Moves