Shujinko

"I was a fool, I had been deceived that I had been working for a greater good, I was in fact an unknowing tool of a greater evil."

- Mortal Kombat: Deception Bio

Shujinko is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat: Deception as the main character and protagonist of Konquest Mode.

About Shujinko
Shujinko made his debut in Mortal Kombat: Deception as the game's protagonist. He is an adventurer who, as a boy, dreamed of fighting Shang Tsung. He has traveled the realms and learned the kombat skills of many warriors. His old age has made him wise, but at a cost: he bears an immense guilt for releasing Onaga into the realms again, and now that he is discarded by the Dragon King, has vowed to make up for this mistake. A member of the White Lotus, he shares traits with the games' Shaolin monk characters, such as his great receptiveness, deliberation and ability to meditate for weeks. Nevertheless, before all other things, he has always been a traveler and a student at heart.

Appearance
Of all the Mortal Kombat characters to appear in the series, Shujinko goes through the most drastic and progressive changes. At the start, Shujinko appears as a young teen with short, shaggy black hair dressed in red and brown village clothing. Upon adulthood, Shujinko's hair grows slightly longer and tied into a ponytail and wears a bright blue gi and beige pants, looking a bit like a warrior on his very first journey. Upon stepping into the pool in Chaosrealm, Shujinko gains a beige gi and a fairly long goatee with small streaks of gray. After the purification he received from Nightwolf, Shujinko adorns himself in armor, resembling much like a seasoned warrior. His hair is now loose and has grayed from age moving into his elderly years and has grown a fairly long parted mustache. Near the end of Konquest, Shujinko appears in beige robes not unlike an enlightened martial arts master. By this time, he is well into his elder years; his hair has completed turned white and his facial hair has grown past his chin.

Storyline
Decades ago, Shujinko as a young man, was approached by a ethereal spirit entity that called itself Damashi. Damashi claimed to be the agent of the Elder Gods who was tasked with finding a mortal who had the courage and potential strength to undertake a quest for the Elder Gods. Shujinko, then only a child, eagerly accepted and Damashi charged him with gathering the six Kamidogu of Earthrealm, Netherrealm, Chaosrealm, Outworld, Orderrealm, and Edenia. To aid Shujinko in the quest, Damashi mystically instilled in Shujinko an enhanced ability to observe and then wield the Kombat abilities of warriors that he came across.

It took Shujinko decades to gather the Kamidogu. But in that time, he traveled widely through the realms and his innate kombat talent grew dramatically. Shujinko faced danger and adventure at every turn. Early in the quest, he fought briefly alongside the Lin Kuei during which time he learned the clan's cryomancery secrets.

Later, he would literally journey into the dark and hoary Netherrealm, where he would bear witness to a rivalry forming between Ashrah and Ermac.

In the Realm of Chaos, he fought alongside Havik the Cleric of Chaos, thus repelling an invasion by the Seidan Guard to control the realm's water stores.

In Outworld, Shujinko faced off against Baraka and the Tarkatan hoard-- then on the verge of slaughtering an entire city whose prefect had defied Shao Kahn. Determined to prevent an unimaginable massacre, he then journeyed to Seido, the Realm of Order.

There, after helping to quell a civil uprising instigated by Darrius and the resistance movement, Shujinko enlisted the aid of Hotaru and the Seidan Guard. They then journeyed to Outworld. The Seidan guard proved to be more than a match for the Tarkatan horde, and Shujinko thus liberated the city and its people.

His journeys would take him elsewhere still until, after helping Queen Sindel to drive back an invasion attempt into Edenia by Shao Kahn, Shujinko found the sixth Kamidogu. Shujinko then made his way back to the Nexus where he planned to present the Kamidogu, thus gathered, to the Elder Gods. However, Onaga, after revealing himself to be Damashi, confronted Shujinko and took the Kamidogu for his own.

Onaga, having acquired the Kamidogu, traveled to Outworld to re-assume his throne as the original ruler of the realm. From there, he intended to use the Kamidogu to attain ultimate power by re-making the realms in his image.

Shujinko, now fully understanding this threat to the realms, born from deception, resolved to stop Onaga. Though the heart of the quest was proven to be farce, Shujinko, having faced and triumphed over continuous dangers, had become one of the most powerful warriors in the realms. He journeyed to Outworld where he was able to gather a number of powerful warriors to one location. Then, using the mystic ability Onaga endowed him with years earlier, Shujinko reached out for the warriors' essence, thus their combined powers supplemented his own. He then used this power to shatter the Kamidogu and brutally beat Onaga into submission, giving his former mentor Nightwolf the chance to trap Onaga's soul in the Netherrealm.

Shujinko was then, for a time, known as the hero of Outworld. However, he still felt some degree of guilt of bringing back the Dragon King in the first place. As such, he didn't feel worthy of their admiration. Some time later, Princess Kitana requested Shujinko to meet her at Shao Kahn's fortress, as her Edenian forces had apparently flushed out Reiko's elite guard, the last remnants of the old empire.

Shujinko however came to the realization that he and Kitana parted ways after Onaga's defeat, as she set out to help the spirit of Liu Kang. Shujinko thought either that she departed for Earthrealm for the quest and she came back sooner than expected, or that the invitation had not come from her at all. Deciding that he would not allow himself to be fooled again, he made the decision to uncover a possible plot of an unknown enemy to make himself truly worthy of the admiration Outworld has placed in him. It is revealed that the person who sent the deceptive invitation was Mileena, who he fought and allowed her to capture him at the behest of Shao Kahn. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's Konquest mode, Taven discovers Shujinko in the dungeons of Shao Kahn's fortress. After freeing him, Shujinko explained that he allowed himself to be captured on purpose so to as to get closer to his enemies, as he plans to take on Shao Kahn, Onaga, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi by himself. He disappears soon after in the pursuit of his mission, leaving Taven to regard him an old fool.

In Shujinko's Armageddon ending, he defeats Blaze, allowing him to absorb the fighting strength of every kombatant. He becomes mad with power and destroys all the other fighters. He then challenges the Elder Gods for control of the realms.

Biographies

 * thumb|250px|right|Shujinko's Bio KardDeception: "I was a fool. I had allowed myself to be deceived into believing that I worked for a greater good. I was in fact an unknowing tool of a greater evil. My ego allowed Onaga, the Dragon King, to manipulate me into bringing together the lost Kamidogu. They are the very weapons by which the Elder Gods smashed the One Being, forming the many realms we call existence. But their misuse can also bring the realm crashing together again... reawakening the One Being... unmaking all reality. The realms are the shattered consciousness of the One Being, who has been working subconsciously through the Dragon King. Should Onaga succeed in conquering reality by fusing the Kamidogu, he will unwittingly begin a cascade of events that will merge all the realms together. The One Being will become whole once more, and all other beings will cease to exist. I must find and unite the warriors of all the realms if I am to save us. I will use the Dragon King's 'gift' against him."


 * Shujinko_Traje_alter.jpgArmageddon: "Onaga was defeated. I had absorbed the fighting styles of scores of warriors and unleashed an assault on the Dragon King, purging his soul from this existence. His body collapsed - but after a moment of horrific cracking and twisting, it was the lifeless shape of Reptile that lay before me. For a time I was revered as a hero. The people of Outworld accepted me wholeheartedly as the defender of their realm. But their respect and gratitude were misplaced, for it was I who allowed Onaga to return. I played the role of champion to help inspire this war-ravaged land, but I did not feel worthy of their admiration. Some time later, word came to me that Princess Kitana requested my presence at Shao Kahn's fortress. Edenian forces had flushed out Reiko's elite guard, the last remnants of the old empire, and she wished to celebrate the occasion with the "Hero of Outworld" at her side. What gave me pause was that when Kitana and I parted ways after the fall of Onaga, she had expressed a desire to help Liu Kang's disembodied spirit. Therefore, I thought she had left for Earthrealm. Perhaps she had completed her quest and returned sooner than expected - or quite possibly this invitation had not come from Kitana at all! I am not as naive as I once was. I have had much experience with deception. It could be that a new threat is emerging in my adopted home. If I were to uncover a plot to destabilize the realm and fend off a potential coup, I truly would have earned the respect of the people of Outworld - and redeemed myself in my own eyes."

Powers and abilities
In his young years, Shujinko was trained by the Outworld martial artist, Bo Rai' Cho, the same one who had trained Liu Kang and Kung Lao, proving he was quite formidable in combat. After his first encounter with Damashi, he is imbued with a supernatural 'gift from the gods'. This gift allows Shujinko to copy the powers of anyone he fights and any super he can see or acknowlege (which can be noted as by mere thoughts or just by reading a book. In Deception's Konquest, he is shown turning into other fighters prior to a match). Thus far, he has absorbed the powers of the likes of Liu Kang, Sindel, the ancestor of Sub-Zero, Scorpion, etc. Due to his otherworldly experiences with other kombatants across the realms, Shujinko would undoubtedly be very powerful at this point. However, his elderly status may have indeed hindered his strength though the times he has been captured were intentional, as he does not seem to believe in violent confrontations in defense of his innocence.

Signature moves

 * Spear Throw: Sending out a rope with a tipped Kunai at the end it impales itself in its victims allowing Shujinko to pull them through the air towards him for a free hit, as well as causing a small bit of damage. This move is borrowed from Scorpion: Shujinko even goes as far as saying "Get over here!" when using it (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Icy Breeze: Shujinko can send a blast of ice towards the opponent to freeze them in place for a free hit. This move is borrowed from Sub-Zero's ancestor. (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Flaming Fist: He dashes forward with his fist (on fire) extended forward, which knocks his opponents down. This move is borrowed from Kobra. (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Flip Scissor Kick: Shujinko flips forwards in a circular motion, bringing his feet over his head and kicking the opponent and then landing back on his feet. Supposedly learned from Bo' Rai Cho and then taught to Li Mei. (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Flying Jinko: This move is a variation of Raiden's Flying Thunder God move in which he flies toward the opponent while emitting small shockwaves from his body and shoving the opponent for a distance. If the opponent blocks the move, Shujinko is set up for a Juggling combo. (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Bicycle Kicks: Shujinko would fly across the screen with a series of multiple kicks to the opponent's torso. This move is borrowed from Liu Kang. (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Slide: Shujinko does a facefirst slide toward the opponent. If connected, he grabs their ankles, causing them to wobble, then bends upward and kicks them with both feet in the face, knocking the opponent down. This move is borrowed from Sindel. (MK:D, MK:A)
 * Opponent Slam: Using what telekinetic powers he has at his disposal, Shujinko would lift up and slam the opponent hard on the ground with a simple motion of the hand/arm. This move is borrowed from Ermac. (MK:D, MK:A)

Fatalities

 * Sword Plant: Shujinko decapitates the victim with a quick slash from one of his swords. As the headless victim falls to their knees, he unsheathes the second sword and plants them in the opponent's shoulders before they crumple unto the ground. (MK:D)
 * Shaolin Evisceration: Shujinko unsheathes his weapons as he promptly slices the opponent's limbs and head in quick succession before kicking them, causing the body to fall apart at the seams. (MK:D)

Other finishers

 * Hara-Kiri: Arm Slice: Shujinko throws both of his blades, outstretches his arms, as they are amputated upon falling down upon them. Shujinko reels in pain as he quickly collapses to the floor in a puddle of blood. (MK:D)

Endings

 * Deception: (Konquest) "The Dragon King now possesses the six Kamidogu and has taken the ancient amulet from Quan Chi in Outworld. Although each item is powerful beyond mortal comprehension, individually they contain only a fraction of the power needed to create the realms. To become all-powerful, Onaga must discover a way to fuse them into a single, ultimate Kamidogu. I had been a pawn in Onaga's scheme to rule all. If I am to redeem myself, I must continue to learn all that I can and prepare for this final battle against the Dragon King. My journey is far from over."


 * Shujinkoend1.jpgShujinkoend2.jpgDeception: "So that I would be able to defend myself during the quest to find the Kamidogu, Onaga had given me the power to absorb the fighting abilities of any warrior I encountered. But this 'gift' would prove to be his undoing. The warriors in Outworld were in disarray. Heroes were not focused on the true threat of Onaga, and villains were unaware that they were bringing about their own destruction by serving him. I united them, and in one moment, absorbed their combined fighting power. I shattered each of the Kamidogu, the source of his invulnerability. This weakened Onaga, and I attacked him without mercy. His mortal form was no match for a kombatant infused with the powers of so many warriors. The Dragon King was finally defeated. The realms will remain as they have since the beginning."


 * Armageddon: (Non-Canonical) "The power of Blaze drew chi from each of the kombatants and fused it with Shujinko's soul. Though the battle was over, a new threat arose: One warrior now possessed the powers and abilities of them all. Shujinko went mad with power. After slaying all present, he embarked on a new quest. He would challenge the Elder Gods for control of the realms!"

Character development
In Japanese, "shujinkō" (主人公) translates to "protagonist."

According to Mortal Kombat: Deception, Ed Boon labels Shujinko to be a "next generation Liu Kang."

Those who have seen Pai Mei in other films (such as Kill Bill Vol. 2) may notice that Shujinko bears a very similar look. Jokes on the Internet poke fun at Shujinko's look-stealing (first he looks like Liu Kang in early Konquest mode, then like Kung Lao and he even resembles Jarek at one point.) to move-stealing, a feature mocked by most fans. His alternate costume is at least partly inspired by the film Master of the Flying Guillotine.

Game information
While playing through Konquest Mode in Mortal Kombat: Deception, local villagers say to Shujinko "May Lord Raiden bless you!" The irony in that statement is that in Raiden's ending, he kills Shujinko as a punishment for what he had done. Other villagers would shout him "you are being deceived!" in backward speech, alluding to Onaga's deception while posing as Damashi.

During his travels in Konquest Mode, Shujinko can interact with almost every major character of the franchise, either during the Konquest' linear story, as fight challenges or as side-missions. The only characters he never met during Konquest are Chameleon and Khameleon. Additionally, he sees Cyrax, Goro, Kintaro, and Sheeva, but does not interact with them at all. Worth noting is his brief encounter with the rarely seen Mortal Kombat 4 character Meat, whose canonicity within the story was heavily debated before his inclusion in Armageddon.

The times at which Shujinko interactions takes place however, are somewhat erratic and sketchy, as Konquest Mode's timeline can be very non-linear and confusing, due in part to a mix of the player's choices as he/she plays, and bad writing on the staff's part. The many errors in Konquest mode's timeline have caused many fans to completely write it off as non-canon, but still others believe it can be considered canon, so long as one realizes that they have to take the timeline with a large grain of salt.

Shujinko's voice can be heard in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks before Liu Kang and/or Kung Lao fight Shao Kahn but he is never seen and he is not heard in any other part of the game.

After the completion of the main story of Konquest mode in Deception, Shujinko will morph into a random character when he enters a battle. A glitch in the game will sometimes have him morph into Nitara or Kung Lao (both of whom are not selectable fighters in this game), albeit, without any special moves or combos. Occasionally, he will also morph into his younger self from the beginning of Konquest mode.

In both Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Shujinko has the greatest number of specials and the longest combos. The tradeoff for this is that his defense has been greatly lowered, making him more susceptible to damage than other fighters.

Shujinko also has a close friendship with the general of the Seidan Guardsmen, Hotaru. However when he accidentally violates a curfew placed on the town of Lei Chen by the guardsman, he is arrested and placed in jail for many years. He eventually escapes, thanks to the intervention of Dairou, but as Shujinko plans to leave the realm of order with its Kamidogu, Hotaru stops him, believing him responsible for the deaths of the Seidan warriors that Dairou had actually slain while freeing Shujinko. The two old friends battle, with the Champion of the Elder Gods emerging victorious.

Character Relationships

 * Meets Damashi (Onaga in disguise) as a young boy.
 * Trained by Bo' Rai Cho when he was young.
 * Trained by the Sub-Zero's Ancestor to be a Lin Kuei warrior.
 * Trained by Ashrah to slay zombie beings through the wastelands of the Netherrealm.
 * Trained by Ermac.
 * Trained by Havik.
 * Trained by Mileena.
 * Trained by Hotaru to be a Seidan Guardsman and to defeat Darrius.
 * Trained by Baraka.
 * Defeated Darrius.
 * Allowed into the first Mortal Kombat tournament by Shang Tsung after the two fought to a draw, but did not go because he was ordered by Damashi (Onaga) to return to the Netherrealm.
 * Trained by Nightwolf to cleanse his soul.
 * Trained by Kenshi.
 * Trained by Scorpion.
 * Recruited by Raiden to fight the Deadly Alliance, but was unable to because he was arrested by Hotaru.
 * Trained Li Mei to fight the Deadly Alliance.
 * Arrested by Hotaru for entering his city of some ordinance.
 * Freed from his cell by Dairou.
 * Knocked out Hotaru.
 * Fought and defeated Tanya to free Sindel.
 * Trained by Sindel.
 * Manipulated by Onaga.
 * Trained by Liu Kang's spirit and Raiden to fight Onaga.
 * Reunited most of the Mortal Kombat characters to fight Onaga.
 * Defeated Onaga at the end of Deception and in the process, killed Reptile.
 * Allowed himself to be captured by Mileena.
 * Wanted to defeat Shao Kahn, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, and Onaga.
 * Freed from a cage by Taven.
 * Joined the Forces of Light in the last battle in Armageddon.

Stage Relationships

 * Dragon King's Temple: The old home and lair of the resurrected Dragon King. Shujinko tracked Onaga here, ultimately defeated him as atonement for his sins. (MK:D)
 * Nexus Arena: The hub in which Shujinko transverses all six realms in search of the Kamidogu. During his quest he has fought against both Monster and Scorpion here. (MK:D)

Trivia
In General Mortal Kombat: Deception Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
 * Shujinko is one of the four protagonists in the Mortal Kombat series, alongside Liu Kang, Raiden, and Taven. (However only in Mortal Kombat Deception).
 * Shujinko was not the only person to know that he was a fool. Raiden's ending also rendered him as a 'fool' before killing Shujinko. Interestingly, he calls Onaga a 'fool' in Sindel's ending because he made a bad decision getting Kitana to attack Sindel and Jade when he could have done the job himself, though that ending is non-canonical.
 * As shown in Deception Konquest Mode, he joins the Lin Kuei when he was young. He has done few missions for the organization (joining only to gain the ancestor of Sub-Zero's knowledge of fighting) and is believed to never really have affiliated with the group in ideology. Just the process of being affiliated and doing dishonorable deeds in their name, however, it was enough to leave a taint upon his soul that would later permit him access to the Netherrealm, a place only sinful souls may enter.
 * According to John Vogel, the Sub-Zero who taught the freezing abilities to Shujinko in his youth, was not Bi-Han or Kuai Liang but an ancestor of them (he could be their father or their grandfather)
 * Shujinko's character resembles to the mentor of Sun Wukong, Subhuti.
 * "Shujinko" is Japanese for "protagonist".
 * Shujinko is unpopular with fans as he replaces Liu Kang as the protagonist and that he copies his special moves from other characters.
 * Shujinko resembles Pai Mei from the movies Executioners From Shaolin (1976) and Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004).
 * Shujinko's secondary costume in Deception and Armageddon is that of the antagonist of the classic Kung Fu movie The One Armed Boxer vs. The Flying Guillotine (1975).
 * Shujinko's primary costume bears a resemblance to Gen from the Street Fighter series.
 * During his Fatalities he uses two Dan Tien Daos, but during gameplay he can only use one.
 * The protagonist of the game.
 * Narrates all of the characters' endings except Raiden's, who narrates his own ending.
 * He borrowed the Mantis and Shaolin Fist fighting styles that Kung Lao had in Deadly Alliance.
 * He can be unlocked by beating Konquest mode.
 * If Liu Kang's Soul Invasion Fatality is performed on him, Liu Kang's head does not appear after he rips Shujinko's head off.
 * He can be found in Konquest Mode, trapped in a cell in Shao Kahn's fortress while fighting The Executioner. After defeating him, Taven frees Shujinko out of his cell. He is one of the few characters that are not fought.
 * It is unknown what happened to Shujinko after the event of Armageddon.