Kung Lao



"For the Shaolin!"

- Kung Lao's Mortal Kombat (2011) battle cry

Kung Lao is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II.

About Kung Lao
Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a member of the former White Lotus Society. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would rather live a life of peace. As well, he has sought counsel from master Bo' Rai Cho. Of the Earthrealm warriors, Kung Lao is the most outspoken pacifist, although he will not hesitate to severely punish those who attack him, Earthrealm, or his friends. His trademark is his Razor-Rimmed Hat, which he can employ quite powerfully and effectively in combat. Many of his fatalities involve the use of his hat to some extent.

According to MK co-creator John Tobias in a 1995 interview with EGM, Kung Lao's hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger, in which a character named Oddjob threw his derby hat as a weapon.

Mortal Kombat II
Trained in the ways of the Order of Light, Kung Lao is the last known descendant of the Great Kung Lao, a former Champion of Mortal Kombat, who lost the title to Goro 500 years previously, resulting in Lao's death at Goro's hands and the start of Shang Tsung's rule over the tournament. Like his friend, Liu Kang, Kung Lao is also a member of the White Lotus Society. Kung Lao was originally the one to represent the Shaolin in the Mortal Kombat tournament but he declined, knowing of the consequences of becoming champion. As a result, Liu Kang was chosen and emerged as the winner.

When the Shaolin Temples were attacked by Baraka and his Tarkatan soldiers, Liu Kang and Kung Lao resolved to travel through the portal to the Outworld and avenge their fallen Shaolin brothers. Although he joined his friend in his furious quest, Kung Lao's ultimate goal was to rebuild the White Lotus Society at the Wu Shi Academy, in order to train a new generation of warriors for the coming ages. He, along with Liu Kang, ventured into Outworld to do battle with Outworld's forces in a new tournament. Following Shao Kahn's defeat at Liu Kang's hand, the monks returned to Earth and began training the next generation of Shaolin warriors. Kung Lao's character bio was not included in the arcade version of Mortal Kombat 3, but was later made available for the home versions.

Mortal Kombat 3
When Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm came, he had to temporarily scrap his plans for reforming the Society. Eventually, Kung Lao faced Shao Kahn; the Emperor of Outworld blasted Kung Lao with a powerful spell and injured him so badly that he was believed to have died. Hearing of Kung Lao's apparent death enraged Liu Kang, as he challenged Shao Kahn and successfully defeated him for the second time.

Mortal Kombat 4
With Outworld driven back, Kung Lao decided not to return to the Shaolin Temples, instead allowing everyone to believe that he was dead and went on to live a life of peace in respect to the beliefs of his ancestors. This would not last long however, as he was drawn away from his newfound peace to help fight against Shinnok's forces, when word reached him that Goro, the Shokan warrior who had killed the Great Kung Lao centuries ago, was still alive. After Shinnok's defeat, Kung Lao attacked Goro, who had signed a peace treaty with the Centaurs under the mediation of Princess Kitana. Instead of being an attempted assassination, however, the blow was a ceremonial strike of vengeance for the Great Kung Lao's death. With this act, the two warriors shook hands, their feud over.

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
The next years were peaceful. This ended on a brutal note at the time of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, when the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung united and murdered Liu Kang in a vicious attack (Shang Tsung posing as Kung Lao to get close to the champion). Kung Lao found the body of his longtime friend, and was told immediately by Raiden that Shang Tsung was the assassin, who had formed the Deadly Alliance with Quan Chi. Enraged, Kung Lao vowed revenge upon the sorcerer, and once again abandoned his pacifist Shaolin beliefs. He believed his current skills were insufficient to defeat Shang Tsung. So after meeting with the other Earthrealm warriors and traveling to Outworld, Kung Lao sought the advice of the martial arts teacher Bo' Rai Cho. Bo' Rai Cho trained Kung Lao for a short time, teaching him the 'Whirlwind Kick' maneuver. Together, they joined the other warriors in the assault against the two sorcerers. Kung Lao would not rest until Liu Kang was avenged, and Shang Tsung had paid with his life. He then invited Bo' Rai Cho to join him in going back to Earthrealm and train more warriors at the Wu Shi Academy.

Mortal Kombat: Deception
The assault against the sorcerers did not end well. With Liu Kang dead, Raiden and his companions were fighting a losing battle. Kung Lao and Kitana challenged the Deadly Alliance, with Kung Lao battling Shang Tsung one on one. Despite his improved skills, Lao's strength was inadequate in comparison to Tsung's and was killed. Furthermore, Kitana died at the hands of Quan Chi, leaving only Raiden to battle the Deadly Alliance. However, Kung Lao was revived by Onaga as a slave during the events of Deception. Ermac's Deception ending, which shows him and Liu Kang's spirit being successful in rescuing the enslaved Earthrealm warriors, is generally accepted as the possible explanation of how Kung Lao is freed from Onaga's grasp.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
In the adventure game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Kung Lao's character was explored to a greater degree than had been shown in the previous MK games. However, the character presented in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is very different than the Kung Lao seen in Mortal Kombat II through Deadly Alliance. Many fans do not consider the events of Shaolin Monks as canon, as it contradicts the Mortal Kombat II story many times as the game progresses, and Kung Lao fans are also highly critical of his characterization here.

Kung Lao is depicted in Shaolin Monks as feeling almost resentful of Liu Kang's victory in the Shaolin tournament. Although he and Liu Kang are shown to be friends - much of the time - he constantly baits his fellow Shaolin monk, especially regarding Princess Kitana, and the tournament that "Raiden" (in reality, a disguised Shang Tsung) has sent them to compete in. A rivalry between the two Shaolin monks was hence established for the first time in Shaolin Monks. As the two fighters defeated Shang Tsung's warriors, they gained victories in Mortal Kombat, forming a race of sorts to become the Champion of Mortal Kombat. Kung Lao, especially, is seen gloating to Liu Kang that he will win this tournament. This rivalry escalates until the two warriors are convinced that the other has been corrupted by the Outworld.

This character is completely at odds with the Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat Gold and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. In these games it is established that Kung Lao is, at heart, a man of peace; he fights when he must - to defeat Shinnok, to avenge Liu Kang and stop the Deadly Alliance - but, at his core, he wishes to pursue the pacifist ideals of his ancestors, and thus he disappeared after his "death" in Shao Kahn's invasion to live his life according to these principles. In contrast, the Kung Lao in Shaolin Monks is eager to fight, and has an almost desperate need to "beat" Liu Kang in the Outworld, supposedly to "free his ancestors". With the somewhat immature dialogue at times between Liu Kang and Kung Lao in Shaolin Monks, many fans were angry at the way the noble Shaolin monk had been portrayed as a battle-hungry glory-seeker.

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Fujin's bio for Mortal Kombat: Armageddon describes Kung Lao as having joined forces with the God of Wind to bring their former comrades Raiden and Liu Kang under control, with the God of Thunder becoming "as ruthless as Shao Kahn" and Liu Kang's corpse selectively slaying various people. Fujin then goes on to state in his bio that if no way was found to revert the two corrupted warriors back to normal, both he and Kung Lao would be forced to finish them. It is as yet unknown what Kung Lao's outlook on this matter is, at least until his own bio is officially released by Midway.

In his Armageddon ending, Kung Lao goes back in time after defeating Blaze. He meets his old ancestor, and with his blessing, takes his place in the Mortal Kombat tournament. He defeats Goro and becomes the MK Champion and was a legend. As a result, Liu Kang never competed, and his and Kung Lao's rivalry with him never came to be. 

With the release of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, it seems - to the disappointment of many fans - that the creative team are considering the rivalry between Liu Kang and Kung Lao as canonical. Kung Lao's ending makes reference to this, stating that he was able to go back in time, stand in for the Great Kung Lao (to his agreement) and defeat Goro 500 years before Liu Kang, ending the rivalry before it started (but this rivalry between them could be friendly, after all, they are friends).

Mortal Kombat (2011)
During the final battle at the Pyramid of Argus during Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Kung Lao defeats and kills Baraka but is killed by Shinnok's clone. Before being killed by Shao Kahn, Raiden send visions to his past self to prevent Armageddon from happening.

In this timeline, the Shaolin had chosen Liu Kang to represent them at the tournament, but Kung Lao, believing that he is Liu Kang's equal, disguised himself as a guard and went to the tournament. Kung Lao remained hidden until the introduction of Scorpion in one of the tournament matches, at which time Raiden received a vision which told him of the masked guard's true identity. While Shang Tsung asked the crowd of combatants who wishes to challenge Scorpion, Raiden approached Kung Lao and told him that the Shaolin had already chosen Liu Kang and, furthermore, that he is not Liu Kang's equal. Determined to prove Raiden otherwise, Kung Lao discarded his disguise and challenged Scorpion, surprising Liu Kang and seemingly upsetting Shang Tsung.

Kung Lao was defeated and for the remainder of the tournament, forced to watch and give his support to Liu Kang. After Liu Kang's victory over Shang Tsung and winning the tournament, Kung Lao joined Sonya Blade, Jax and Johnny Cage to watch Liu Kang being awarded for his victory at a ceremony held at the Wu Shi Academy. The celebration was short-lived as a revitalized Shang Tsung came to the Wu Shi Academy later that night to propose to Raiden a tournament that would be held in Outworld. Raiden rejected Shang Tsung's proposal which caused Shang Tsung to summon a Tarkatan horde which destroyed the Wu Shi Academy and kidnapped Sonya Blade. After defeating the Tarkatan horde, Raiden received a vision of Liu Kang defeating Shao Kahn at the Outworld Tournament. Raiden accepted the tournament challenge but believes that he must change the outcome of this vision, in order to prevent Armageddon in the future.

Kung Lao and Liu Kang were sent by Raiden to free their Shaolin masters while Raiden, Cage and Jax went to meet Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung. Later on, Kung Lao and Liu Kang met up with Raiden, Cage and Smoke. They went to the wastelands where they are informed by Jade of Kitana's pending execution and that she is being held captive in the tower of Shao Kahn's Fortress. Kung Lao and Liu Kang then went to the Tower to rescue Kitana, leaving the others to go the Coliseum to take part in the tournament. Unable to find Kitana at the Tower, Kung Lao and Liu Kang are confronted by Sheeva and Noob Saibot, who told them that Kitana had been relocated. Kung Lao fought and defeated Noob Saibot. After defeating Noob Saibot, Liu Kang and Sheeva were still engaged in combat, when Goro arrived, hungry for revenge against Liu Kang. Kung Lao challenged and defeated Goro. Kung Lao demanded Goro to tell them where Kitana was and Goro told them she is at the Coliseum. The Shaolin monks went to the Coliseum, where they see Kitana chained up.



Liu Kang goes to Kitana's aid, not willing to take part in the tournament due to Raiden thinking Liu Kang is not the one who is supposed to defeat Shao Kahn. With Smoke and Cage defeated in the tournament and Sonya and Jax no longer in Outworld, Raiden believes that Kung Lao may be the one who win the tournament and sends him to fight. Kung Lao went up against the combined might of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi and defeated them, fighting Kintaro afterwards. Hearing the boos of the crowd, he takes off his hat and gives a few bows, celebrating his victory until Shao Kahn kills him by snapping his neck from behind. He is later resurrected by Quan Chi along with the other fallen warriors, as his soul now belongs to the sorcerer as payment by Shao Kahn for the Netherrealm's allegiance. When Raiden went to Netherrealm for Quan Chi's assistance to defeat the Outworld invasion, Quan Chi sends Kung Lao along with others to kill him, but Raiden defeats them.

Biographies

 * Mortal Kombat 2: "A former Shaolin Monk and a member of the White Lotus society, he is the last descendant of the Great Kung Lao who was defeated by Goro 500 years ago. Realizing the danger of the Outworld menace, he joins Liu Kang in entering Shao Kahn's contest."


 * Mortal Kombat 3: "Kung Lao's plan to reform the White Lotus Society comes to a halt when Shao Kahn's invasion takes the earth by storm. As a chosen warrior Kung Lao must use his greatest fighting skills to bring down Shao Kahn's reign of terror."


 * Mortal Kombat Gold: "Many believe that Kung Lao had died in injuries suffered during the final fight against Shao Khan. In fact he had merely turned to a new life without violence in reverence to his ancestral beliefs. As news of Shinnok's threat reaches Kung Lao together with the apparent return of Goro, Kung Lao returns once more to challenge his ancestor's killer."


 * Alt_kung_lao.jpgDeadly Alliance: "Kung Lao was the first to find the body of his friend and fellow Shaolin monk Liu Kang. He later discovered that it was in fact Shang Tsung who had dealt the fatal blow. Enraged, Kung Lao abandoned his Shaolin beliefs and vowed revenge against the sorcerer. He knew that his fighting skill would not be sufficient to best Shang Tsung. He would need training from the same Outworld master who had taught Liu Kang the one special attack he needed to win the Mortal Kombat tournament so many years ago. Kung Lao traveled to Outworld and informed the martial arts master, Bo' Rai Cho, of Liu Kang's death at the hands of the sorcerer Shang Tsung. Devastated by the news, the old master agreed to teach Kung Lao the flying kick Liu Kang had used to defeat Shang Tsung a decade ago. The training was intense, but Bo' Rai Cho was determined to give Kung Lao a greater edge than he had given Liu Kang. Once Kung Lao had mastered the 'Whirlwind Kick', both he and Bo' Rai Cho journeyed across Outworld to deal with the sorcerer Shang Tsung."


 * Shaolin Monks: "The Mortal Kombat tournament was Kung Lao's only opportunity to bring honor to his fallen ancestors. But when he did not receive the approval of the Shaolin to represent them, he disguised himself as a Masked Guard and waited for his moment to strike at the sorcerer Shang Tsung. During the final battle, Kung Lao joined Liu Kang and his new found allies as they did battle against the forces of evil."


 * Mortal Kombat (2011): "Kung Lao's ancestor was defeated by Goro 500 years ago in the pivotal match that saw Shang Tsung attain control of the Mortal Kombat tournament. To him this contest is about more than Earthrealm's freedom. His life's goal has been to slay Goro and win the tournament, thus restoring his family's honor. After being defeated by Liu Kang in a qualifying bout, he disguised himself as one of Shang Tsung's guards to gain admittance. Kung Lao believes he is ready for the challenge. The time to avenge his ancestor is at hand." 

Powers and abilities
Kung Lao appears to possess similar abilities to Liu Kang when it comes to strength, agility and martial arts. However, those are not his most deadly weapon. Kung Lao's preferred weapon of choice is the razor-edged hat that he wears all the time. The hat is usually utilized to instill fatal and amputating blows, mainly in decapitation. Kung Lao appears to have absolute control over the hat as he is able to throw whilst it moves in circular directions instead of straight ahead. In addition, the hat also appears to have magical properties. No matter how far he throws it, or where it'll end up, the hat will always materialize back on Kung Lao's head, as if like an instant boomerang. He appears to also have some degree of teleportation as well.

Signature moves

 * Wind Teleport: Kung Lao goes to the ground and reappears behind his opponent. It could be followed by multiple moves. In MK 2011 it is named Teleport and can be followed by a punch, throw, or kick. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
 * Double Pass Teleport: Kung Lao passes twice before appearing behind his opponent. (MKT, MKG, MK:SM)
 * Hat_Throw.jpgHat Throw: Kung Lao hurls his hat at the opponent. In MK 2011 this is called Hat Toss. The hat can also be directed upwards or downwards. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Ultimate Hat. Kung Lao throws the hat underhand and it slices into the opponent, spinning for a few seconds.
 * Ground Hat: Kung Lao throws his hat on the ground, causing it to spin towards the opponent. (MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Grinding Hat. The hat will stay on the ground for a second before launching into the air.
 * Whirlwind Kick: Kung Lao flies towards his opponent spinning like a tornado, doing multiple kicks that knocks them down. (MK:DA, MK:A)
 * 3D Shield / Aura Spinning Shield: Spinning like a tornado, Kung Lao knocks his opponent into the air. In Mortal Kombat Trilogy and Mortal Kombat Gold he could move while spinning. In MK 2011 this is called Spin. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Cyclone. Kung Lao will spin forward instead of stationary.
 * Dive Kick: Also called the Bullet Kick, Kung Lao dives down from the air and attacks his opponent. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Multi Kick.
 * X-Ray Move - Fist Of Shaolin: Kung Lao strikes his opponent in the neck, near the windpipe. As they heave, trying to recover, he strikes at the back of their neck shattering their vertebrae. (MK 2011).

Fatalities

 * Body Slice: Kung Lao brings his razor hat down, slicing the opponent vertically in half with a clean swipe. (MKII, MK:SM)
 * Hat Decapitation: Kung Lao throws his hat, which arcs upward suddenly, chopping his enemy's head off. (MKII, MKT, MKG)
 * Hat Trick: Kung Lao tosses his hat at an enemy, decapitating them. The hat then ricochets off the far wall of the screen and doubles back, cutting the enemy in half. A third ricochet slices the enemy off at the knees. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKG)
 * Tornado: Kung Lao executes his Cyclone Spin, and sucks the opponent into it, causing them to explode violently. This was changed to a Multality in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:SM)
 * Hat Throw: Kung Lao throws his hat at the opponent, which gets lodged in their head. He then stomps on the opponent's stomach to retrieve his hat. In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, he slams it into the opponent's head and then retrieves it when his opponent is on their knees. (MK:DA, MK:SM)
 * Mid-Air Slice: Kung Lao kicks the opponent into the air and then amputates his opponent's limbs and head with his hat. (MK:SM)
 * Hat Amputation: Kung Lao chops off the arms with his hat, and as his opponent attempts to run away, throws it, decapitating them. (MK:SM)
 * Friendly Rabbit: Kung Lao takes off his hat and pulls out a bunny, which his opponent waves at. He then proceeds to beat the opponent with it until they explode. (MK:SM)
 * Unfriendly Rabbit: Kung Lao once again pulls a bunny out of his hat and throws it at the opponent, they catch it and pet it before it proceeds to eat the opponent. The bunny eventually bites the opponent's head off. (MK:SM)
 * Head Toss: Kung Lao kicks the opponent in the gut. He then grabs them by the head, jumps over them and pulls off their head, throwing it away. (MK:SM)
 * Many Chops: Kung Lao takes off his hat and cuts of each limb one by one. As the opponent falls to the ground, Kung Lao walks over and slams his hat down on the opponent's neck, decapitating them. (MK:SM)
 * Razor's Edge: Kung Lao takes off his hat and makes it roll continuously on the ground. He then drags his opponent through the buzzsaw groin first. In MK 2011, Kung Lao lifts up the victim by his/her legs rather than retrieving the hat. (MK:SM, MK 2011)
 * Hat Trick II: Kung Lao throws his hat past his opponent. The hat comes back like a boomerang, decapitating the opponent. Kung Lao quickly catches his hat and vertically slices the opponent's body in half. (MK 2011)

Other Finishers

 * thumb|250px|right|Kung Lao's Bunny TrickFriendship #1: Bunny Trick: Kung Lao takes a bunny out of his hat. (MKII)
 * Friendship #2: Frisbee Hat: Kung Lao tosses his hat and a dog chases it off screen. The dog yelps loudly and Kung Lao cringes then shakes his head in regret. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
 * Animality: Ragin' Cheetah: Kung Lao turns into cheetah and mauls his dazed opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
 * Multality: Hat Whirlwind: Kung Lao tosses his hat, which spins around, mutilating surrounding enemies. (MK:SM)
 * Multality #2: Trial by Wind: Kung Lao spins at a high speed sucking up anyone close by, killing them. (MK:SM)
 * Brutality: Razor's Edge: Kung Lao takes off his hat in rage, running towards the opponent, slashing them with his trademark hat, slicing them for the final time, then decapitates them. (MK:SM)
 * Babality: Kung Lao throws his hat in baby form, which comes back with TaiGore following behind, trampling Kung Lao and making him cry. (MK 2011)

Endings

 * Kung_Lao_end2.gifMortal Kombat II: (Non-Canonical) "A former Shaolin monk alongside Liu Kang, Kung Lao also grieves the loss of their Shaolin brothers. He realizes that his ultimate fate lies in the dark realm of the Outworld. He defeats his Outworld opponents until he emerges the supreme champion. With his strength and spirit in complete alignment, he finally avenges the death of his great ancestor. Although his greatest challenge lies ahead."


 * Kung_Lao_end3.gifMortal Kombat 3: (Non-Canonical) "When Kahn invades Earth, Kung Lao must scrap his plans of reuniting the White Lotus Society. He instead must focus on the new tournament. He seeks Liu Kang and together, they battle Kahn's forces fearlessly. Using the knowledge he obtained as a Shaolin monk, he fights in the name of his great ancestor- The Original Kung Lao. He emerges victorious, but suffers from injuries during his battle with Kahn. Believed to have passed away, Kung Lao joins his ancestor in a new life."


 * thumb|right|250pxMortal Kombat Gold:
 * (in the Kuatan Palace, Goro is looking out the window)


 * Kitana: Goro. (he turns to see her, coming along with two Edenian guards) We are here to offer the Shokan a treaty for truce. The Centaurs have already signed and agreed to all terms. We now await your acceptance.


 * Goro: War has been waged in this realm for too long. We must bring it to an end. I will set aside my differences with the Centaurs, as long as they abide by the treaty. (uneasily) I shall sign your agreement.


 * Kitana: Goro, this is a great victory. For all of us. (reaches out for him)


 * (suddenly, Goro is struck down by a razor hat. Kitana dodges it when it comes back, and Kung Lao, from a beam up high, catches it)


 * Kitana: Kung Lao! We are at a moment of peace! How could you attack now?


 * (Kung Lao jumps down)


 * Kung Lao: I once thought that an allegiance with an enemy was a lost cause, Princess Kitana.


 * Goro: (stands up with a scar across his chest) Was that your attempt of an assassination, Earth man? (walks towards Kung Lao, menacingly)


 * Kung Lao: No. That was a ceremonial strike of revenge, for my ancestor that you killed in Mortal Kombat, so many years ago.


 * Goro: And do you wish to continue this battle?


 * Kung Lao: No. (takes off his hat) I wish only to settle the differences between us.


 * Goro: Your ancestor was a great man. A brave and noble warrior. You should be proud of his accomplishments. If he won, perhaps it would be my own son seeking to settle differences with him.


 * (Kung Lao offers his hand, which Goro shakes symbolically)


 * Deadly Alliance: (Non-Canonical) "Rage fueled Kung Lao's thirst for revenge. The memory of holding his fellow monk's broken body on the lei tai of the Wu Shi Academy grounds consumed him as he rained blow after blow down upon Shang Tsung. Kung Lao had finally mastered the attack Bo' Rai Cho had taught him. The sorcerer could not withstand his whirlwind assault. Shang Tsung begged for mercy. Kung Lao granted him none. Upon his return to Earthrealm, Kung Lao stood before the modest shrine to Liu Kang which had been erected by the Wu Shi initiates during his absence in Outworld. He lit a stick of incense and placed it among the others already burning there. He bowed his head and prayed for safe passage to the afterlife for his friend and brother. With Shang Tsung's death, Liu Kang's spirit could rest peacefully. Earthrealm was safe once more, but at terrible cost. The work of the White Lotus society had become more important than ever."


 * Armageddon: (Non-Canonical) "The power released by his victory over Blaze opened a portal, and Kung Lao found himself in Earthrealm hundreds of years in the past. His ancestor allowed him to enter the Mortal Kombat tournament in his stead. Kung Lao defeated Goro and won the tournament, becoming a legend. As a result, Liu Kang never competed, and Kung Lao's rivalry with him never came to be."


 * thumb|200pxMortal Kombat (2011): (Semi-Canonical) "Kung Lao had avenged his ancestor's death and saved Earthrealm from Shao Kahn's brutality. In quiet reflection with Raiden at the grave of the Great Kung Lao, he touched the modest stone marker. Images of past events, moments of someone else's life, flashed through his mind, concluding with a lost battle against Goro. Raiden theorized that Kung Lao had unlocked memories of his past life. The Kung Lao that stood before Raiden was in fact the reincarnation of the Great Kung Lao, who had been defeated by Goro 500 years ago. He had accomplished in the present what he could not in the past."

Appearances in other media

 * Conquest_The_Great_Kung_Lao.jpg Lao made several appearances in Malibu Comics' MK series. His story is slightly altered, stating he is an exile in Outworld due to the failure of his ancestor, and the fall of his lineage. During the Blood & Thunder series he has a minor participation rescuing a near-death Liu Kang after he was stabbed by Kano. In the Battlewave series, he joins with Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero in an attempt to overthrow the Emperor Shao Kahn. During the comics, he shares a very close relation with Kitana, contradicting the games' official story about Liu Kang and Kitana's love relationship.
 * He was featured in his own one-shot issue from Malibu Comics in the summer of 1995. The comic, entitled Rising Son, showed his struggle against Shang Tsung and his shapeshifting mind tricks, using his friends' forms (Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero) as well as his ancestor's form to kill him. It would be the very last issue produced in Malibu's Mortal Kombat series.
 * Kung Lao was also the centerpiece of the non-canon 1995 Mortal Kombat novel written by Jeff Rovin. However, his description therein completely differed from that of the games; he was depicted as being tall, bald save for a queue of long black hair (similar to Goro), and wearing a long white robe.
 * The original Kung Lao was the main character of the live-action Mortal Kombat television series, Mortal Kombat: Conquest

Original Timeline

 * Descendant of the Great Kung Lao.
 * Best friend and ally of Liu Kang.
 * Friend and ally of Sonya, Johnny Cage, Jax, Kitana, and Sub-Zero (the younger).
 * Raiden is his mentor.
 * Rival of Baraka.
 * Joined Shao Kahn's Outworld tournament to avenge the death of his Shaolin people.
 * Joined the earth warriors to fight Shao Kahn in MK3.
 * Nearly killed by Shao Kahn in MK3.
 * Sought to fight Goro during MK Gold to ransom his ancestor.
 * Challenged Goro after MK Gold and made peace to him.
 * Sparred with Sonya before Deadly Alliance.
 * Joined Raiden's forces against the Deadly Alliance.
 * Sought revenge against Shang Tsung for killing Liu Kang, but was unsuccessful and killed by Shang Tsung as well.
 * Resurrected by Onaga to serve him.
 * Freed from Onaga's spell by Ermac and Spirit Liu Kang.Kung_Lao_dead.png
 * Joined Fujin against Raiden and Liu Kang's corpse.
 * Along Fujin, they defeated Raiden and Zombie Liu Kang.
 * Joined the Forces of Light in the final battle in Armageddon.
 * Killed in Armageddon.

Alternate Timeline

 * Descendant of the Great Kung Lao.
 * Best friend and ally of Liu Kang.
 * Friend and ally of Sonya, Johnny Cage, Jax, Kitana, and Smoke.
 * Raiden is his mentor.
 * Sneaks into Shang Tsung's island during the first tournament, posing as a Masked Guard.
 * Challenged Scorpion in the tournament but lost.
 * Fights alongside his best friend, Liu Kang, to free the Shaolin Masters.
 * Defeated Noob Saibot.
 * Defeated Goro while Liu Kang defeated Sheeva.
 * Defeated both Quan Chi and Shang Tsung in a two on one battle.
 * Defeated Kintaro in Mortal Kombat.
 * Killed by Shao Kahn.
 * Resurrected by Quan Chi to serve him.
 * Was defeated by Raiden, while he was under Quan Chi's control.

Stage Relationships

 * Shaolin Temple: One of the places where Kung Lao honed his training. (MKG)
 * Wu Shi Academy: Kung Lao wished to rebuild the White Lotus Society here after the Tarkatan invasion. (MK:DA)

Trivia

 * Kung Lao appears in the intro of Armageddon, fighting Baraka in mid-air using his sword.
 * Kung Lao can be seen using his Hat Throw and Teleport Techniques in the intro of Shaolin Monks, fighting Baraka, Goro and Scorpion separately.
 * Kung Lao's body can be seen in the introduction of Mortal Kombat: Deception, located on the stairs leading to the Soulnado chamber.
 * In Deadly Alliance, Kung Lao has a joke image of himself having his own infomercial and selling swords for a limited time.
 * In Deadly Alliance and Armageddon, he and Quan Chi use the same weapon, except Kung Lao uses one sword while Quan Chi fights with two.
 * In the first episode of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, the original Kung Lao is briefly seen wearing the modern-day Kung Lao's attire including his iconic hat prior to defeating Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat.Kungalt.png
 * The White Lotus Society had meant for Kung Lao to be their champion in Mortal Kombat, but he refuses; only wanting peace and nothing to do with the dangerous and brutal tournament, so they sent Liu Kang instead.
 * However, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks retconned this by stating that Liu Kang was chosen over him and an arrogant and jealous Kung Lao went to the tournament in disguise. This was not considered canon however due to Shaolin Monks not being completely consistent with the series, though the release of Mortal Kombat (2011) now makes this personality change canon.
 * Though his Arcade ending in MK 2011 is obviously non-canon, it is interesting that he is referred to as a reincarnation of The Great Kung Lao as well as a descendant. Whether this is true is unknown.
 * His Fatality in MK 2011, Razor's Edge, shares the same name as his Brutality in MK:SM.
 * In MK 2011, he seems to be oblivious to the fact that Goro killed his ancestor.
 * During certain X-Ray Moves, Kung Lao's hat will fall off. However, during certain Fatalities, the hat will stay on Kung Lao's head, even if his head is split in half. The hat will also split in half and remain attached to the halves of Kung Lao's head.
 * Kung Lao's Unfriendly Rabbit maybe a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

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Kung Lao Кунг Лао Kung Lao