Kai

Raiden: What will you do next? Kai: I don’t know, wander the Earth, search for my soul... -- Kai's Mortal Kombat 4 Ending

Kai is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat 4.

About Kai
Kai made his debut in Mortal Kombat 4 as a nimble and agile Nepali fighter of the Gurkha warrior class. Like Liu Kang, he is a Shaolin monk who is a skilled martial artist with the ability to use fire.

Storyline
Kai's biography screen tells that he is former member of the secretive White Lotus Society. He had learned his skills from the great masters throughout Asia. He met Liu Kang who happened to be in America at the time, recruiting to train a new generation of Shaolin warriors. During the events of Mortal Kombat 4, Kai went with Liu Kang to China to become a Shaolin warrior. This was, however, interrupted with the invasion of Shinnok and his dark legion into Edenia. Liu Kang and Kai then joined the other Earthrealm warriors in Edenia to assist Raiden in his battle against Shinnok. After Shinnok was beaten, Kai decided to wander the Earth on a quest for self-enlightenment. As a blessing from Raiden as he prepared to ascend to Elder Godhood, Raiden entrusted his Lightning Staff to Kai to help him on his quest, and perhaps find his way into immortality.

In Kai's Mortal Kombat: Armageddon ending, he defeats Blaze and then becomes linked with the One Being, allowing him to see through time. He sees all of the events in the past that led up to the final battle at the Pyramid of Argus. But when he looks into the future, he sees nothing. It is implied that after Kai defeated Blaze, Armageddon began of its own accord.

Biographies

 * Mortal Kombat 4: "A former member of the White Lotus Society, Kai learned his skills from the great masters throughout Asia. He journeyed to the far east after meeting his friend and ally Liu Kang in America. Now they reunite and assist Raiden in his battle against Shinnok."


 * Armageddon Bio Card: "Once a member of the White Lotus Society, Kai trained under the instruction of Liu Kang. His tutelage complete, Kai wanders the world on a quest of self-enlightenment."

Signature moves

 * Downward Fire Ball: Kai shoots a fireball into the ground, juggling his opponent. This move can also be performed in the air. (MK4, MKG, MK:A)
 * Fire Ball From Above: Kai launches a ball of fire into the sky, where it then slams down onto his opponent's head. (MK4, MKG, MK:A)
 * Renegade Kick: Kai charges up and unleashes a powerful flaming kick that knocks his opponent down. (MK:A)
 * Rising Heel: Kai ducks to the ground then slides, unleashing a powerful flaming kick that launches his opponent up and back. (MK:A)
 * Hand Stand: Kai moves into a hand stand position and can kick his opponent's stomach or face. Kai can also rotate on one hand and spin his legs like propellers, kicking his opponent repeatedly. (MK4, MKG)
 * Lunging Roundhouse: Kai lunges forward and finishes with a roundhouse kick, sending his opponent flipping sideways a half-screen distance away. (MK4, MKG)

Fatalities

 * Headshot: Kai levitates in front of his opponent and throws a fireball at his opponent's head, decapitating them. (MK4, MKG)
 * One into Two: Kai lifts his opponent above him and rip him into two pieces. (MK4, MKG)

Endings

 * Mortal Kombat 4: Kai is seen by himself until Raiden appears. He thanks Kai for his assistance in defeating Shinnok. When Raiden asks what Kai will do next, he mentions that he would like to wander the Earth or search for his soul. Raiden then gives his lighting staff to Kai as a blessing for his self-enlightenment. Kai promises Raiden that he wil never fail him.


 * Armageddon: "The power of Blaze opened Kai's mind, and he became psychically linked to the One Being. He could see the One Being's dreams, from which all of reality is formed. In deep meditation, Kai allowed his mind to wander the realms in search of knowledge. He witnessed the rise of Shao Kahn and his eventual demise at the hand of Liu Kang, the return of the Dragon King and the final battle at the pyramid. But when Kai looked to the future, he saw nothing."

Comic books
Kai appears in the official Mortal Kombat 4 comic that was distributed with some versions of the game. He is first seen training with Liu Kang. Their activities are interrupted when they witness an object fall from the sky. Investigating where it landed, they discover Fujin in a crater surrounded by demons. The two are able to rescue the god and soon learn from Raiden that these were servants of Shinnok. After Kai and Liu Kang join with the other Earthrealm warriors, they all travel to Edenia to stop Shinnok's plan.

Character development
In Mortal Kombat 4, Kai was designed to be a very quick and nimble character comparable to Liu Kang, but with his own unique type of projectile attacks that would summon up from the ground or fall from the sky. Motion capture for his moves was performed by Sultan Uddin. Concept art for an updated version of Kai can be unlocked in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, suggesting that he was once planned to be in the game. However, he would not return as a playable character until Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. According to his bio card, Kai's handstand special move is one of Ed Boon's favorite techniques for the character, and – had they the time to implement it correctly – it would have become Kai's fighting stance in Armageddon. In Armageddon ' s Krypt, pieces of concept art show two possible weapon stances for the character: a White Lotus staff and a machete blade. Both were dropped in favor of a spiked club, while the machete was later given to Kobra.

Game information
After beating the game with Kai in Mortal Kombat 4, his weapon will change to Raiden's lightning staff. He is the only character that will change weapons upon beating the game. This reflects his game ending in which he receives the staff in order to aid his journey to search for his soul.

A side mission in Mortal Kombat: Deception ' s Konquest mode revolves around Kai. After the player, as Shujinko, encounters Kung Lao in Earthrealm and discovers that all of the Shaolin monks have been slaughtered, the latter requests that Kai be found in Outworld so that he can return and help rebuild the monastery. When approached, Kai states that he had finished wandering Earthrealm and would only return once his explorations in Outworld were complete. He then gives the player Raiden's lighting staff to give to Kung Lao.

Trivia
Mortal Kombat 4: Mortal Kombat Deception: Mortal Kombat Armageddon:
 * His player two outfit does not have a garb around his torso.
 * He is one of the characters that appear within the cells of the Dark Prison stage.
 * In early development stages, Machette, White Lotus Staff and Lighting Staff were supposed to be his weapons.
 * Kai's alternate costume is his appearance in MK4, but without the facial hair.
 * Kai borrowed the Moi Fah fighting style and weapon moves that Scorpion had in Deception.

Character Relationships

 * Friend and ally of Liu Kang, who trained him to be a Shaolin warrior.
 * Once a member of the White Lotus Society.
 * Joined Raiden's forces to fight against Shinnok.
 * Encountered Raiden after Shinnok's defeat and was given his staff to use on his quest for self-enlightnment.
 * Encountered Shujinko while finishing his journey and gave him Raiden's staff to give to Kung Lao to restore the White Lotus Society.
 * Joined the forces of light to the final battle in Armageddon.