Shao Kahn

"I am Shao Kahn! Konqueror of worlds! You will taste no victory."

- Shao Kahn to Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat (2011).

Shao Kahn is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II as the final boss, a role he also served in Mortal Kombat 3. He serves as the primary antagonist of the series in many instances.

Shao Kahn returned as the non-playable final boss in Mortal Kombat (2011), serving as the main antagonist in the game's Story Mode.

Shao Kahn returned in Mortal Kombat 11 as a pre-order bonus character while also having a role as one of the secondary antagonists in the game's Story Mode, while also being an announcer for the game's Arcade.

About Shao Kahn
Shao Kahn the Konqueror is represented as the embodiment of evil. In many respects, he resembles a large Asian warrior, and is well known amongst the roster of Mortal Kombat Kombatants for his godlike strength which rivals, if not outright exceeds, that of Raiden, the God of Thunder. He is also known for his extreme callousness, brutality, ferocity in battle, and his fondness of personal executions, though he has occasionally spared the lives of his subordinates, if they prove their worth, and his victims such as Sindel and Kitana, raising the latter like his own daughter and treating the former like his own wife. However, his true power that has served him well and allowed him to rise above the image of a mere warlord is his high intelligence and profound knowledge of the black arts. Like his subordinate Shang Tsung, he has the power to consume other souls.

Perhaps Shao Kahn’s greatest strength lies in his ability to work towards his goals with great tenacity and his ability to organize. However, his greatest weakness is his arrogance and overconfidence. Shao Kahn has often underestimated mankind, and therefore tried to conquer Earthrealm many times, with or without a queen (consort), to no success. He also possesses a blinding lust for conquest that can sometimes overwhelm his better judgment, allowing him to be manipulated by those that are cunning enough to exploit this weakness.

Appearance
Shao Kahn is one of the few non-ninja characters whose appearance has stayed consistent throughout the years. He is easily recognizable by his intimidating stature; his apparent height varies between appearances, but he is always significantly taller than regular characters. He is almost never seen without his trademark warlord helmet which features a skull-like design with a long crest at the forehead. His attire usually consists of spiked shoulder pads, similarly designed kneepads and gauntlets, and a skull medallion embedded in two straps that intersect across his chest. When his helmet is removed, he appears to be bald with a slightly demonic face featuring red eyes and small spikes protruding from his head.

In Mortal Kombat 11, Shao Kahn retains the same key design features along with a more detailed helmet and pauldron. In addition, his whole body now appears dragon-like, with spikes protruding from his skin, apparently only a design change to make him look less human. However, during some intros, it's implied that Shao Kahn wields the power of his former master and previous Kahn, Onaga.

Powers and abilities
Shao Kahn is shown to be an immensely powerful being throughout the series. He is able to utilize magic and has superhuman strength and durability. He is also able to charge at the opponent with considerable speed and power. His kombat abilities were demonstrated during the events of Mortal Kombat 3, where he defeated Kung Lao with relative ease. Armed with his Wrath Hammer, Shao Kahn can send opponents flying with one swing. During the events of Armageddon, he was able to smash through Mileena's magic barrier with his hammer.

Like Shang Tsung, he can absorb the souls of others to increase his own power, often through the usage of soulnado. His ability to absorb souls is so potent, he can rob the billions of souls of an entire realm with a hand motion, often using portals in conjunction with his soul steal to access the souls of a realm without stepping foot on it. The warrior souls he has taken have also retained their memories such as combat knowledge, making him wiser with every soul he imprisons within him.

Shao Kahn is one of the few wielders of the mysterious green energy besides Johnny Cage, Cassie Cage, Nightwolf and Jade. He is one of the most versatile wielders of green energy, as he can use it to create energy weapon constructs such as spears, generate protective forcefields that reflect projectiles and fire energy beams seemingly from his eyes and shoot laser beams from his hands. He can enhance his strikes with green energy to increase the power behind his attacks, greatly increase his attack speed with it (like how Johnny Cage uses green energy to speed up his attacks in his Little Improve fatality) and sometimes use it to propel himself to great distances.

Apart from his projectile attacks, Kahn's knowledge of magic seems to include cloning, as this is how he managed to avoid assassination at the hands of the Deadly Alliance. After escaping into the wilderness, he was able to heal and resuscitate a mortally wounded Goro and recruit him back to his cause. Shao Kahn has also created a body of flesh and bone for Shang Tsung using his magic when the evil sorcerer's original body was vaporized by Raiden's suicide attack in the events of ''Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. He is capable of resurrecting others as well, he demonstrated this ability in the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy ''where he brings Mileena back to life after she was killed by Kitana.

His powers extend to wielding psychic powers, as he was able to enslave the thousands of souls within the magical being Ermac using his powerful mind control and is capable of using telekinesis to lift and rag doll opponents.

It is revealed in Mortal Kombat 11 in an intro between Scorpion and Skarlet that Kahn has knowledge in other fields of magic as well, as he was the one who taught Skarlet how to use Blood Magik and could possibly bestowed upon her this powerful and gruesome ability to manipulate blood.

Signature moves

 * Light Spear: Shao Kahn crouches down to his knees and throws a long light spear at his opponent. In MK11, the attack is called Merciless Spear, and now has a physical appearance rather than being made of light and energy, but is still summoned as such. The attack can also hit ducking opponents, but also has a chance of completely missing standing opponents, even if they are blocking, in some instances. (MKII, MK 2011, MK Mobile, MK11)
 * In MK 2011, the attack has armor on startup.
 * In MK Mobile, Shao Kahn performs this as one of his combo-enders. Has the same appearance as performed in MK 2011.
 * Charging Spikes: Shao Kahn shoulder rams his opponent with a shadow trail following behind him. In MKII, MK3, and UMK3, Charging Spikes had white trailing shadows and in Trilogy was replaced to green, however in N64 version, the shadows were blue. In MK11, it is called Shoulder Charger. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MK Mobile, MK11)
 * In MK 2011, the attack has armor on startup.
 * In MK Mobile, Shao Kahn performs this as one of his combo-enders. Has the same appearance as performed in MK 2011, although he does not leave a green trait when charging.
 * In MK11, Shao Kahn can amplify the attack to deliver an additional strike for increased damage, however the attack can not be amplified if it is blocked by the opponent. When amplified, the attack can deliver two separate attacks depending on a button input and can be amplified as many times as possible:
 * Shao Kahn uppercuts the opponent into the air for a juggle.
 * Shao Kahn delivers an overhead fist slam, knocking his opponent to the ground.
 * Wrath Hammer Attack: Shao Kahn summons his Wrath Hammer and smashes his opponent over the head with it, setting them up for a free hit. In Deception and on, the Wrath Hammer became a weapon style and thus was no longer needed as an individual special move. In MK11, the attack is called Hammer Lunge, and can be used at different ranges, called Close/Far Hammer Lunge, respectively. The far version of Hammer Lunge can reach the opponent full-screen distance. Additionally in MK11, Shao Kahn is vulnerable as he leaps with his hammer, leaving him open to attack in some instances. When used in the corner, the attack offers an brief moment of combo extensions. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MK11)
 * In MK 2011, the attack has armor on startup.
 * In MK11, amplifying the attack has Shao Kahn impale the opponent in the stomach with his spear then toss them in the air and away for additional damage.
 * Explosive Ball: Shao Kahn fires a green star like fireball, seemingly from his mouth or eyes. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A, MKvsDCU)
 * Uplifting Knee: Shao Kahn performs a rising knee attack with a streak following behind him. Between two games, Uplifting Knee had white shadows, but in Trilogy they were replaced by green. In the N64 version however, they were blue. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
 * Hammer Dance: Shao Kahn swings his hammer at an alarming rate, causing his foe to fly. He makes nine dancing strikes and one final strike. (MK:SM)
 * Ridicule: Shao Kahn would often taunt, mock, and ridicule his opponents with insults, mockery, or just plain laughter. It is a trademark of Shao Kahn's and is what makes him one of the more memorable bosses in fighting game history. In Deception, performing a Ridicule could heal Shao Kahn, though only a tiny sliver of health would be recovered and could only be performed three times a match before it was automatically disabled. Same goes for Armageddon; however, in it there is no limit to the amount of times this is used. It heals him once for a rate above 10%, and decreases the more it is used. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:U, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011, MK Mobile, MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * In MK Mobile, Shao Kahn only taunts on tagging in or after performing his Culling The Weak passive if the opponent still has teammates on their team. If there are no opponents when he performs his passive, he will simply laugh.
 * When tagging in, he only says "You suck", and points at his opponent upon entering.
 * When tagging out, he spawns his hammer, carrying it away on his shoulder and laughs at the opponent when walking away.
 * In MK11, the attack has two versions;
 * Ridicule: Shao Kahn points and taunts his opponent.
 * Successfully performing this version causes the opponent to catch fire with a green fire for a short time, reducing all the damage they deal by 50% for the duration. Only the first strike of the opponent's Fatal Blow will be reduced. If Shao Kahn is attacked before the opponent catches fire, the debuff will not take effect. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely.
 * Humiliate: Shao Kahn laughs at his opponent. Shao Kahn recovers from this much quicker than Ridicule.
 * Successfully performing this version causes the opponent to catch fire with a green fire for a short time, only this time, Shao Kahn's damage dealt is increased by 25%. Only the first strike of the Shao Kahn's Fatal Blow gains the damage bonus. If Shao Kahn is attacked before the opponent catches fire, the buff will not take effect. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely.
 * Grab and Punch: Shao Kahn lifts his opponent up by the throat with one hand and then smashes his fist into their face, sending them sailing back. In Deception and Armageddon, this is simply his throw, and if performed next to a Death Trap, could automatically knock opponents into them. (MKT, MK:D, MK:U, MK:A, MKvsDCU)
 * Emperor's Shield: Shao Kahn creates an energy shield to either reverse attacks or to shatter the opponent. (MK:D, MK:U, MK:A, MKvsDCU)
 * Mystic Choke: Shao Kahn engulfs his foe in a force field and slams him/her twice in the chest. (MK:A)
 * Hammer Throw: Shao Kahn throws his hammer at the opponent, stunning them and setting them up for a free hit. This move is only blockable with Nightwolf's Absorb, Kratos' Golden Fleece, and Kenshi's Blade Absorb, or dodgeable with Freddy Krueger's Nightmare Stance and Jade's Shadow Flash. Shao Kahn has armor on start-up. In MK11, the attack is called Wrath Hammer and no longer stuns, but can hit ducking opponents. Shao Kahn can also perform the attack in the air, called (Air) Wrath Hammer, respectively. The airborne version is an Equip Ability and must be selected to use in a variation along with the original. (MK 2011, MK Mobile, MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * In MK Mobile, Shao Kahn kicks his opponent before throwing his hammer. Additionally, the attack is blockable, but equipping specific equipment cards can make it unblockable.
 * In MK11, after successfully landing Wrath Hammer, landing a second Wrath Hammer on an opponent as a Punish or Kounter turns the attack into a Krushing Blow, causing the hammer to shatter the opponent's ribcage on impact, knocking them further back and dealing over three times the attack's original damage.
 * Hammer Swing: Shao Kahn uppercuts the opponent with his hammer, also allowing a possible juggling combo if the move connects. Shao Kahn has armor on startup. (MK 2011, MK11)
 * In MK11, this is a basic attack called Dragon Toe, which has Shao Kahn uppercut the opponent with a single-handed hammer swing. When used in the corner of an arena, it offers a brief moment of combo extensions; otherwise, the opponent is knocked away. This juggle effect is present when used outside the arena, however the window is very short.
 * Hammer Cut: Kahn sweeps the foe with his hammer. Shao Kahn has armor on startup. (MK 2011, MK11)
 * In MK11, this is a basic attack called Hammer Slammer, which is Shao Kahn's sweep attack, in which he steps forward and sweeps the opponent with a low hammer swing.
 * Upward Shoulder: Shao Kahn performs an upward shoulder charge, juggling the opponent. While charging, Shao Kahn leaves a green shadow trail when performing the attack, similar to his Charging Spikes. Shao Kahn performs this during his Fatal Blow in MK11 but never in the actual game. Shao Kahn has armor on startup. (MK 2011, MK Mobile)
 * In MK Mobile, Shao Kahn performs this as one of his combo-enders just before performing a Charging Spikes.
 * Scum Grab: Shao Kahn grabs the opponent out of the air by the throat and throws them on the ground in the opposite direction. (MK11)
 * Amplifying the attack has Shao Kahn slams his hammer on the downed opponent after throwing them to the ground for increased damage.
 * Up Wrath Hammer: Shao Kahn uppercuts his opponent with his hammer. As they are launched in the air, his hammer is teleported above the opponent, slamming down on them and knocking them to the ground. Shao Kahn does not have to connect the first strike of the attack to have his hammer land on the opponent, however the hammer will not always land on the opponent if this is done. the attack can be used at two different ranges, normal or close range, called Close Up Wrath Hammer, respectively. This ability conflicts with Seeking Wrath Hammer when equipped, disabling the option to select Seeking Wrath Hammer. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Seeking Wrath Hammer: Shao Kahn throws his hammer backwards, where it loops around the fightline and strikes the opponent from behind. This ability conflicts with Up Wrath Hammer when equipped, disabling the option to select Up Wrath Hammer. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Dark Priest: Shao Kahn summons a priest who enchants his Wrath Hammer, causing it to glow green for a short time. While active, all attacks involving Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer deal 10% increased damage. If Shao Kahn is attacked before his hammer turns green, the buff will not take effect. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Ground Shatter: Shao Kahn slams his hammer on the ground, damaging the opponent's shins and feet, causing them to stumble. This can also re-stand the opponent in some instances when it successfully connects. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Amplifying the attack has Shao Kahn deliver a second, overhead slam, knocking the opponent down for increased damage. Despite Shao Kahn performing this action, the amplified version is not actually an overhead attack (See Errors).
 * Annihilation: Shao Kahn hits the opponent over the head with his hammer forcing them to the ground. He then slams his hammer on the ground, forcing the opponent to stand back up where he slams the hammer over their head, knocking them down for a second time. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Amplifying the attack no longer has Shao Kahn deliver the second hammer slam, but has him impale the opponent in the stomach with his spear after slamming it on the ground, after which he spawns his hammer, spins, and knocks his opponent away full-screen distance for increased damage.
 * If Dark Priest is active, performing the regular version of the attack turns the attack into a Krushing Blow, having the second hammer slam shatter the top of the opponent's skull and bouncing them into the air for a juggle and dealing increased damage. The juggle effect is extremely brief, but performing the Krushing Blow in the corner greatly increases this opportunity. The Krushing Blow will not activate if the attack is amplified.
 * Skewered: Shao Kahn stabs upward with his spear, snatching airborne opponent's out of the air and slams them on the ground with his spear in front of him. This replaces Scum Grab when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Amplifying the attack has Shao Kahn bounce the opponent down in the opposite direction for a juggle. The attack can only be amplified once for the juggle effect.
 * Spear Charge: Shao Kahn charges at his opponent with his spear drawn, stabbing them in the stomach and knocking them away. This replaces Shoulder Charger when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
 * Amplifying the attack has Shao Kahn release the spear after stabbing the opponent, causing them to fall to their back. He rolls forward, grabbing the spear, still impaled into the opponent, picks them up and bounces them off the ground for a juggle, dealing increased damage in the process.
 * X-Ray Move - It's Official: Shao Kahn hammers his opponent to the ground and grabs their arm. He then stomps on their head (breaking the whole skull), lifts the opponent up by the arm, and delivers a skull-shattering headbutt. (MK 2011, MK Mobile)
 * In MK Mobile, Shao Kahn summons his hammer, points at his opponent saying "Bow to Me" before the startup, then leaps and shatters his opponent's spine and ribs with his hammer in addition to the original.
 * Fatal Blow - You Suck: Shao Kahn impales the opponent with his spear and slices them twice across the chest before launching them upwards with a vertical slash. He then performs an Upward Shoulder before grabbing the opponent's leg and throwing them down to the ground and nailing them to the ground with his spear. Finally, he spawns his Wrath Hammer and slams it down hard on the opponent's head. (MK11)

Other Moves

 * Throw: Shao Kahn slams his fist down on his opponent's head, forcing them to their knees, and then summons his Wrath Hammer to strike them with. Shao Kahn has armor during start-up. (MK 2011)
 * Culling The Weak: Shao Kahn has a chance to assist his fellow Outworld teammates by throwing his hammer at the opponent from off screen. (MK Mobile)
 * Emperor's Bash: Shao Kahn grabs his opponent, slams his fist on their head to force them to his knees. He then summons his hammer and smashes them with it, sending them flying. The attack is completely unblockable. (MK Mobile)
 * Throw (Forward): Shao Kahn jabs the opponent in the stomach and over the head with his hammer, bringing them down on all fours, then launches them across the arena with a golf swing. (MK11)
 * If Shao Kahn connects his Throw (Forward) as a Reversal Punish or Getup Punish, the attack is turned into a Krushing Blow, where when Shao Kahn delivers the golf swing, it shatters the entire front of the opponent's skull, dealing nearly double the original damage, and sending the opponent high in the air and even further away from Shao Kahn. Shao Kahn is also able to continue combos if this effect is used in the corner of the arena, granting Shao Kahn the opportunity to juggle his opponent's and continue his combos.
 * Throw (Backward): Shao Kahn hits the opponent in the stomach with his hammer, then spins around the opponent, hitting the opponent in the back of the head with his hammer. (MK11)
 * DIE: Shao Kahn strikes the opponent with the butt of his hammer's handle, backhands the opponent then stabs them in the stomach with his spear, where he stabs them three more times in the chest with his spear before kicking them away. (MK11)
 * If Shao Kahn has successfully landed three or more Merciless Spears, the combo turns into a Krushing Blow, with the final stab being dug significantly deeper, causing blood to splatter and dealing double the combo's original damage.
 * Last Breath: Shao Kahn kicks the opponent in the knee, stomps on their foot and picks them up over his head and crushes their back and side over his head before dropping them on the ground in the opposite direction. (MK11)
 * If the opponent is under the effects of Ridicule or Humiliate, the combo will be turned into a Krushing Blow, with the final hit shattering both the opponent's spine and back ribcage. The damage dealt varies on which effect is present upon connecting the combo, with Ridicule dealing almost double the original damage, and Humiliate dealing over double the original damage.

Fatalities

 * Head Crusher: Shao Kahn hammers his opponent into the ground leaving only their lost consciousness. (MK3) (GameBoy version only)
 * Shao Kahn hammers his opponent into the ground leaving only their head sticking out. He then laughs before hammering his opponent into a bloody explosion. (MKT) (N64 version only)
 * Home Run: Shao Kahn uppercuts his opponent into the air, and smashes them to pieces with his hammer as they fall. In MK 2011, he grabs the opponent by the neck and flips them in the air before delivering the killing blow. (MK:D, MK:U, MK 2011)
 * Fore: Shao Kahn hammers his opponent into the ground and then, when they are buried up to their torso, smashes their head off with a golf swing. (MK:D, MK:U)
 * Emperor's Bash: Shao Kahn boasts out to the crowd then pounds his opponent with his hammer several times, eventually breaking their neck. (MK:SM)
 * Double Down: Shao Kahn jabs his hands into the middle of his foe's torso and slowly rips their body in half down the middle. (MK 2011)
 * Back Blown Out: Shao Kahn hits the opponent in the stomach with his hammer, then smashes them over the back of their head, bringing them down on all fours. Finally Shao Kahn delivers a golf swing with his hammer, crushing the opponent's head inward with it flying through and out of the back with their entrails of their downed body with the spine attached due to the force of the blow delivered. (MK11)
 * Kahn-Sequences: Shao Kahn slams his hammer over the opponent's head, crushing their neck inward and forcing the opponent to their knees. He then replaces his hammer with his spear, stabbing the opponent in the stomach and lifting them up into the air. Shao Kahn slams their body on the ground, cutting the opponent vertically in half with his spear, with their head falling through their severed body into a pile of their organs underneath their upright but collapsing body. (MK11)

Brutalities

 * The Klassic: Shao Kahn performs an uppercut, decapitating the opponent with their spine still attached. This brutality is shared will every character. (MK11)
 * Must not block for the entirety of the final round.
 * A button must be held.
 * Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
 * Obliterated: Shao Kahn performs a Hammer Lunge, causing the opponent to completely explode due to the impact of his hammer. (MK11)
 * The opponent must be blocking.
 * Any version of Hammer Lunge can trigger the finisher, with the exception of the attack being amplified.
 * Spiraling Out: Shao Kahn performs an amplified Annihilation, where when he delivers the spinning hammer strike after impaling the opponent, their upper body is cut horizontally in half and launched into the air spinning around before falling to the ground. The opponent's legs stay upright for a brief moment before falling to the side. (MK11)
 * Shao Kahn must perform a Mercy during the match.
 * Charging Through: Shao Kahn performs a Shoulder Charger, charging through the opponent, cutting them in half vertically from the head down. (MK11)
 * Requires Shao Kahn to be at a certain health level.
 * A button must be held.
 * Can not be performed on a juggled opponent.
 * Going Ham.....mer: Shao Kahn performs a Throw (Backward), only this time, he mercilessly beats the opponent to death with his Wrath Hammer, striking them five consecutive times with the final blow destroying the opponent's spine and causing one of their legs and their head to pop off with the spine still attached. (MK11)
 * A number of Ridicules or Humiliates must be performed during the match.
 * A combination of both abilities counts towards this.
 * Kahn Croquet: Shao Kahn performs his Throw (Forward) with the final swing decapitating the opponent and sending their head flying upward. (MK11)
 * A button must be pressed repeatedly during the start of Throw (Forward).
 * Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
 * Head Kabob: Shao Kahn performs his DIE combo, only this time instead of kicking the opponent away, he impales them two more times before stabbing and picking them up with his spear and planting it in the ground, ripping the opponent's head off upon planting while the body remains on the spear. (MK11)
 * Must land the first hit of the match.
 * A button must be held.
 * Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.

Other finishers

 * Hara-Kiri: Hammer Throw: Shao Kahn launches his hammer into the air, and it comes back down and crushes his head. (MK:D, MK:U)
 * Babality: Shao Kahn is turned into a baby and still standing on his feet, points at the opponent and says "You suck!" (in a high-pitched voice). He then starts to laugh (in baby giggles) in his laughing taunt pose. (MK 2011)
 * Culling The Weak: Once per match, Shao Kahn performs his Emperor's Bash Special 2, only this time, he crushes the opponent's head with his hammer instead. The opponent's body disappears shortly after, with Shao Kahn either taunting them if the match continues or laughing at them if he has won the match. (MK Mobile)
 * This requires the opponent to be at a certain health level, otherwise Shao Kahn will swing his hammer as normal and the finisher will not be performed.

Mortal Kombat
Shao Kahn appears in both Mortal Kombat movies. In the first movie, Kahn's appearance is only as a special effect at the end of the film (though he is referred to throughout the movie only as "the Emperor"). His voice is provided by an uncredited Frank Welker (who also did vocals for Goro in the movie).

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
In the second movie, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Kahn is played by Brian Thompson and is the main antagonist; he is ultimately defeated and killed by Liu Kang in the final battle.

In Annihilation, as an attempt to shock the viewer, Raiden announced that Shao Kahn was his brother and Shinnok their father. He bore the same tattoo on his right shoulder as a sign of their family that Raiden wore. This has never been made official in MK canon, and most fans have dismissed this as another example of how far removed from the games Annihilation was.

In 2008, eleven years after Annihilation, Shao Kahn's relationship with Raiden was mentioned in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, with Raiden's profile stating that the two are brothers. Given the game's non-canonical status, it has caused many to again disregard this information.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Aleks Paunovic portrays Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat: Legacy.

His motives and history are mostly kept intact from the games though he so far lacks his distinct war helmet and Wrath Hammer, and his relationship with Sindel is slightly changed.

First seen in episode four in flashbacks, Shao Kahn's realm of Outworld won ten Mortal Kombat tournaments, allowing him to merge Edenia with his realm and conquer it. He participated in the slaughtering of the Edenians, observing his brutal Tarkatan hordes kill every man and woman they came across. When Shao Kahn's forces claimed the capital and the castle, he personally prevented Sindel and her child Kitana from escaping, and revealed to her that the man she thought was her husband Jerrod, was in truth nothing but a decoy after his general Baraka slew him before her very eyes and contemptuously told her king had already fled.

Having claimed Edenia for himself, Shao Kahn took Sindel as his wife and Kitana as his own daughter. Shao Kahn grew to have genuine feelings for Sindel, even love her, but she only showed contempt and disgust at his advances. Fearing Kitana would grow to hate him from Sindel's influences, Shao Kahn tasked the sorcerer Shang Tsung to create a clone of Kitana but with Tarkatan blood, a true daughter of his own, and named her Mileena. This proved to be too much for Sindel, and she took her own life, leaving Kahn to raise the girls himself.

Shao Kahn raised the two, and after realizing their exceptional skills for combat, began training them as his personal assassins. He also manipulated their maturing emotions in their adolescence, particularly Mileena's by showing more affection for Kitana, to ensure that they remained loyal only to him. As the two grew older, he eventually assigned them the task of hunting down the remainder of Jerrod's impersonators before finally ordering them to kill the former king himself, though he warned them of grave consequences should they fail.

Though they succeeded, with Mileena having personally struck Jerrod down herself, Shao Kahn was unaware Kitana had learned of her true origins. When he next brought Kitana and Mileena before him, Shao Kahn began to discuss his new plans for merging Earthrealm to theirs, and though not stated on screen, his desire for them to enter the Mortal Kombat tournament.

Though mentioned by Mileena and Kitana in season two, Shao Kahn does not physically appear, as Shang Tsung commands his chosen fighters while in Earthrealm.

TV appearances
Shao Kahn appears in Mortal Kombat: Conquest, played by Jeff Meek. Despite having lost much of his physical stature from the games and movies, he has a much more threatening disposition, though he rarely interacts with the heroes of the series (due to his inability to travel to Earth). However, he does have a romantic side (as he seduces and charms several women in the series, including two of Quan Chi's undead female slaves) and shows a fatherly, caring relationship with Kitana despite the fact that she is covertly working against him. Jeff Meek's role is more interesting when one considers that he played Raiden on the same show, occasionally opposite himself. In episode 21 Stolen Lies, he deceives a society of people called the Shaakans into believing that he is their god; every aspect of their culture (Farland = Outworld, children pretending to steal souls, a six-armed Shokan warrior and Kahn's henchmen on the scarf, a skull on the head of a Shaakan warrior) reflects this blind worship of the Outworld emperor.

Shao Kahn also appeared in several episodes of the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm as the main villain. He still seeks to conquer Earthrealm and have it as another addition to his collection of enslaved realms that he had merged with Outworld.

Comic book appearances
Shao Kahn makes his first appearance during the Battlewave series of Malibu Comics, though he already was present during the first, Blood & Thunder. Shao Kahn remained mostly faithful to his game counterpart, being the Emperor of Outworld and attempting to take Earthrealm for himself. During the two series, he never appears wielding his trademark helmet, instead always shown with his visible face and design taken from the official Mortal Kombat II comic written by John Tobias. However, in Kitana & Mileena, a comic about Kitana's past, Shao Kahn does appear wearing his helmet.

Shao Kahn appeared during Blood & Thunder while communicating with Shang Tsung by means of a big purple orb. He became disgusted by Shang Tsung's hold of the tournament, so he used his powers to bring all the kombatants into Shang Tsung's palace, triggering the big fight shown in the Tournament Edition final issue.

In Battlewave, Shao Kahn would arrange a different plan to open the portals. He kidnaps Sonya and, by means of hypnosis and brainwashing, convinces her to marry him. The marriage would weaken the barriers between realms enough to allow Shao Kahn to seize Earth easily (and make Sonya the queen of both realms and his wife). During the wedding ceremony held, however, the wedding would be crashed and he would be stopped by the Earthrealm warriors' interruption, ending with Sonya becoming free from Kahn's influence. In the comic, he claims to not be the romantic type, but he also states that Sonya is very beautiful as his bride. However, he soon comes to realize that both Outworld and Earth would be in turmoil as a result of the wedding, questioning his own plan and effectively calling off the ceremony.

Shao Kahn then would devise a tournament of sorts: a race to reach a medallion high into a frozen cliff. Two teams were arranged, with the ultimate victor being Sub-Zero for Earthrealm.

Mortal Kombat (film)

 * "You weak pathetic fools, I've come for your souls!"

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

 * "You insult me, flea. I am Shao Kahn. I will be your death!" (to Liu Kang and Kung Lao, after blasting Raiden)
 * "Follow if you want to defeat Shang Tsung. Follow me if you want to die at my hands!" (to Liu Kang and Kung Lao)
 * "Silence! Your presence here is unwanted! Uninvited!"
 * "But like all who come to this realm, you serve me, whether you are aware of it or not."
 * "Ah, your master. You know his voice so well, yet know him almost not at all. Your master is here. He wants to see you. He has another lesson for you!"
 * "Don't fail me again, Shang Tsung!"
 * "Your soul will soon suffer."
 * "As I said, all within this realm serve my will, even those that seek to betray me."
 * "Shang Tsung impersonated your master Raiden, and led you on a quest for power. The more you killed, the more powerful he became. He meant to use this power against me to become supreme ruler of Outworld."
 * "Now... what am I to do with you?"
 * "My people have spoken! And a king must, if only once every millennium or so, listen to the will of his people." (as he brings Kintaro out to fight)
 * "Finish him, Kintaro!"
 * "You disappoint me!"
 * "How pathetic!"
 * "Crush him!"
 * "Rip him apart!"
 * "There is something in you... that makes me feel like a conqueror again!"
 * "You can earn their freedom! If you defeat me, they will be freed!" (referring to Kitana, Johnny Cage, and Raiden)
 * "Earthrealm will be mine! It will fall as easily as Kung Lao!" (after he catches Kung Lao by the neck and casually tosses him aside)

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

 * "Hold your tongue, sorcerer."
 * "Raiden..."
 * "Quan Chi! Traitor!"
 * "What have you done?!"
 * "I am Shao Kahn! And you will bow to me!"
 * "What?"

Mortal Kombat (2011)

 * "Where are the Elder Gods, Raiden?" (in the intro)
 * "Their pathetic Mortal Kombat shackles me no longer."
 * "They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms."
 * "My venom spreads. It is the end of all things. Armageddon."
 * "It is done."
 * "Your time has passed."
 * "Ages wasted in foolish resistance."
 * "Now is the dawn of my rule."
 * "Yes. Pray to the worms, Raiden."
 * "As your world ends." (preparing to kill the Future Raiden)
 * "You failed me! Five hundred years I have waited! Now I must wait five hundred more!" (to Shang Tsung)
 * "Curse the Elder Gods and their tournaments. I should have taken Earthrealm by force!"
 * "Kill him." (Ordering Shang Tsung's execution)
 * "Kitana! Continue." (Ordering Kitana to stop and then telling Tsung to continue his proposition.)
 * "The tournament will begin!"
 * "And you shall." (in response to the younger Sub Zero's demand to fight Scorpion)
 * "And what do I gain from granting this bold request?" (to Sektor and Cyrax)
 * "Very well. He is yours." (allowing Sektor and Cyrax to take Sub-Zero)
 * "Kitana! ...How is it that Earthrealm ninjas brazenly appear before me when my daughter, Princess of Outworld, was sent to intercept them?!"
 * "Well done, sorcerer." (to Shang Tsung)
 * "I am your emperor! Your father was a weakling Edenian king. I annihilated him while merging his realm with Outworld and took his queen as my wife. If only I had not allowed Sindel to convince me of your worth... But now I have a true daughter!" (revealing the truth to Kitana)
 * "Return to the Flesh Pits. Bring me my daughter. Mileena." (to Shang Tsung)
 * "Raiden! Put forth a worthy champion... if you can."
 * "You will face Shang Tsung. And Quan Chi." (to Kung Lao)
 * "Witless boy. Do you know who I am?" (to Liu Kang)
 * "I am Shao Kahn! Konqueror of Worlds! You will taste no victory." (to Liu Kang)
 * "And you breathe because I restrain mine."
 * "I am not so easily killed. Quan Chi accelerated my recovery." (unexpectedly appearing before his lieutenants)
 * "Not. One. Word. Because of you, Outworld can no longer merge with Earthrealm!" (to Shang Tsung)
 * "Do you mock me? Sindel's Ward prevents me from setting foot in Earthrealm." (to Quan Chi)
 * "Of course. But even after millennia, her motives are a mystery" (About Sindel, to Quan Chi)
 * "I am weary of sorcerers, Quan Chi. Prove your worth. Bring her to me."
 * "Shang Tsung... The empress requires something of you." (just before sacrificing Shang Tsung to empower Sindel)
 * "Ah, Raiden. You have come to your senses." (when Raiden bows to him)
 * "All these ages you have fought me. You denied me my rightful claim. Not this time." (to Raiden)
 * "The Elder Gods fear me, now."
 * "I have won." 
 * "Now, Raiden. Your world ends."
 * "An anemic effort from ineffectual deities. Today, I become THE Elder God!" (when the Elder Gods attack him through Raiden)

Mortal Kombat Mobile (Feats of Strength)

 * "Death becomes you!"
 * "Kneel before Shao Kahn!"
 * "Ha ha ha!"

Mortal Kombat 11

 * "General Kotal?" (To Kotal Kahn, surprised he is alive)
 * "Kahn? Pathetic fool. You pretend to my throne!" (To Kotal Kahn, when he realized that Kotal is the current Emperor)
 * "What game are you playing, Raiden? What magic powers this delusion?" (To past Raiden, thinking everything is just a delusion)
 * "I am no refugee! I am Kahn of Outworld. Vacate my throne. Or I'll soak these sands with your blood!" (To Kotal Kahn, prior to a duel in favor of the throne of the ruler of Outworld)
 * "I will have my throne!"
 * "Empires must expand or die!"
 * "You evade my questions, D'Vorah."
 * "I routed your people. Burned this hive. Yet you aided me."
 * "Kotal "Kahn". How is it I'm dead and he sits on my throne?" (Questions Kollector about his death and Kotal's rise to Outworld's throne)
 * "You killed Mileena?! If this is true, you will die!" (To D'Vorah)
 * "The legends are true?"
 * "So you broke time?"
 * "How will fighting your battles benefit me?"
 * "You can wipe Raiden from history?"
 * "They shall." (Pledging his allegiance to Kronika with his Outworld army)
 * "Soon. It will be mine once Kotal is killed."
 * "Surrender, on the brink of victory? You're as feeble-minded as Jerrod."
 * "I wanted Jerrod's wife, not his heir. I kept you only to appease your mother."
 * "Do not expect mercy this time."

Gameplay Taunts

 * "Bow to me!"
 * "Feel the wrath of Shao Kahn!"
 * "Feel the power of Shao Kahn!"
 * "Don't make me laugh." (Also in MK Mobile through Feats of Strength, in MK11 after winning a round)
 * "You will never win!"
 * "You will die, mortal!"
 * "Prepare to die!"
 * "You are pathetic!"
 * "Is that your best?"
 * "That was pathetic!"
 * "You weak, pathetic fool!" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "You are nothing!"
 * "You suck!" (Also in MK Mobile through gameplay and Feats of Strength)
 * "It's official! You suck!" (In MK11, he says this after performing a Brutality)
 * "You're still trying to win?" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
 * "I rule this world!" (MKII and MK Mobile from Culling the Weak passive)
 * "No, no! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (MKII death)
 * "Outworld will rule!" (MK11)
 * "Worthless and weak!" (MK11)
 * "Disappointing." (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "It's better to die than kneel?" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "Death becomes you!" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "Kneel before Shao Kahn!" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "You will taste no victory!" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "I am a Konqueror!" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "Ha ha ha! You're nothing!" (MK11 after winning a round)
 * "Are you not entertained?!" (MK11 after winning a round)

Trivia

 * Kahn started out unmasked and with large gnashing teeth similar to Baraka, since everyone from Outworld was originally to be of Baraka's race. The idea of all inhabitants of Outworld being Tarkatans was later dropped.
 * In MKII, Kahn was digitally re-sized to a taller height to make him tower over the playable characters. Ironically, the actor who played him, bodybuilder Brian Glynn, was not nearly as imposing in comparison; a photograph published in GamePro magazine of Glynn and Ed Boon standing side-by-side, which was snapped during production of the game, showed that Boon was taller.
 * In many official depictions of Shao Kahn made by Midway, he is shown wearing a cape, which he takes off before starting a fight. Mortal Kombat: Deception was the first game in which he wore the cape in-game.
 * In Mortal Kombat: Deception, in Konquest Mode, his costume is based on his MKII appearance.
 * Kahn was never seen unmasked in a game until Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, where once he loses half his health, a scene plays in which he pulls out a hammer and throws it at the player, which the player throws back at him and smashes the mask to pieces. His face is based on the MKII comic depiction.
 * This would later be changed in MK11 where he is given sharp teeth and a large nose, which also marks the first time Shao Kahn can be seen helmetless in a mainline canonical game.
 * His height changes considerably between depictions. In the 2D games, he was scaled to be even taller than the Shokan Goro and Kintaro, yet he was depicted as only half a head taller than the regular characters in Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, he appeared to stand around seven-and-a-half feet, with Liu Kang and Kung Lao only coming up to his chest, but he was not quite as tall as either Shokan character. He appears to be around the same height in Mortal Kombat (2011) as he was in the 2D game, about a head taller than the playable characters, but Goro and Kintaro are again taller than him.
 * Shao Kahn's voice is an ever present sound in the Mortal Kombat games. Even when he isn't present, he can be heard in the form of an announcer with phrases such as "Outstanding", "Well Done", "Incredible", "Superb" and "Excellent". He also orders you to finish your opponent at the end of a match (supporting his character type). His voice can be heard in Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict, which featured Mortal Kombat themes. Starting in Mortal Kombat II, he narrates the match. He would often laugh when a kombatant was low on health. He was the announcer for all games from MKII until MK4, where Quan Chi was the announcer. Kahn resumed being an announcer afterward, even when you fight and kill him as an opponent.
 * A 1993 UK-published strategy guide for Mortal Kombat II described Kahn as being "dressed like a '70s disco queen."
 * Kahn's name was accidentally hyphenated in the closing credits of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation ("Shao-Kahn").
 * Though Kahn has no official Animality in the games, in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Kahn is given the Animality of a Five-Headed Hydra.
 * Though Shao Kahn was initially shown to be well over 10,000 years old, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon places him as being even older. Shao Kahn was shown to be highly infamous before Taven and Daegon were sealed, which happened before Shinnok's fall from grace. In Shinnok's ending in Mortal Kombat 4, he states that Raiden had imprisoned him for "millions of years." Contrarily, Raiden states in the intro of the game that it was only some thousands of years ago. The fact that Shinnok's ending is non-canon may mean that it was in fact not millions and only an exaggeration. This also indicates that Shao Kahn had been attempting to conquer Edenia for a very long time, since Taven stated that Shao Kahn had launched an unsuccessful invasion before he (Taven) was sealed.
 * Although Shao Kahn holds a staff in Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, he has never been seen using it.
 * It makes a reappearance in MK11 as a Kollector trade item known as Blood Scepter in the Krypt.
 * In UMK3, Shao Kahn is the only character who bleeds from Robot Smoke's teleport.
 * Shao Kahn's "mask" or "Skull mask" is actually a Kabuto, a Japanese Samurai helmet with a Menpō, a face mask commonly worn with the Kabuto.
 * Despite being the "announcer" for most games, Shao Kahn will have a different voice actor in-game then when commentating.
 * In MK 2011, when he is performing his Ridicule, some of the classic taunts throughout the game returned, such as "It's official, you suck!", "Don't make me laugh!", and "Prepare to Die!".
 * This is also the same in MK11, however he is given new taunts while some of his classic taunts will be spoken after he wins a round or when he performs a Brutality.
 * In an MK 2011 trailer, Shao Kahn uses his Double Down Fatality on Raiden.
 * Shao Kahn has been the final boss in more Mortal Kombat games than any other character (MKII, MK3/UMK3/MKT, MK:SM, and MK 2011).
 * In his MK 2011 victory pose, a slave girl is shown crawling to and hugging his thigh as he proudly stands. This could imply that he has female slaves of his own.
 * Both their poses are reminiscent of pulp Conan the Barbarian artwork. In particular, a certain piece by Frank Frazetta.
 * This can be further shown in MK11, where he, in an interaction with Cassie Cage, states that Cage would be his new concubine. Kahn goes even further by saying that he likes women with "fire."
 * In Mortal Kombat (2011), Shao Kahn's Hammer Throw can be avoided by any female character by simply crouching while the male characters cannot do this. This is due to the hitbox being smaller for female characters in comparison to the male characters.
 * In MK Mobile, the attack can also be dodged by Assassin characters and Relentless Jason due to both Jason and Jade's passive.
 * In a Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Shao Kahn was placed at #4 of the best Mortal Kombat Characters in the Mortal Kombat Series.
 * In the start of MK 2011 ' s story mode, Shao Kahn appears in his MK vs DCU costume, but is not present in the game. As his MK vs DCU outfit is similar to what he wore during the last leg of the 1st timeline, it was possibly a deliberate decision on the development team's part.
 * In the Parody fighting game "Divekick", In Kung Pao's story; she's the daughter of Theodore Khan and he's an evil dictator. Theodore Khan is likely to be a parody of Shao Kahn.
 * In Mortal Kombat X, Ermac may say one of Shao Kahn's taunts, saying "Feel the Wrath of Shao Kahn!" during an interaction.
 * He is a playable character in the mobile version of Mortal Kombat. He is a Diamond character given by completing the Relic Hunt, unlike the other Diamond cards who are Elite Pack exclusives.
 * Shao Kahn is one of two Diamond characters not obtainable through the Elite Pack, as he is obtainable through Relic Hunt. The second is Klassic Reptile, who is obtainable through the Quest Mode.
 * Shao Kahn is the only character in the mobile game with two equipment cards, the items being his Wrath Hammer and later added was his Helmet.
 * His Helmet is the only equipment that gives the exclusive character a bar of Super Meter.
 * Originally the Helmet gave Shao Kahn two bars of Super Meter, but this was later changed shortly after the character and item were released.
 * It is also the third of three items that give Super Meter to the holder, the first being his Hammer, the second being the Bloody Tomahawk.
 * Shao Kahn's Helmet is also the only Armor equipment card in the mobile game that grants Critical Chance to the wearer.
 * It is also grants the highest bonus of Critical Chance at 40%.
 * This was originally 75% before it was patched along with the original 2 bar of Super Meter bonus.
 * Shao Kahn is the only character in the mobile game that can acquire 4 bars of Super Meter. This can only be achieved if both his Helmet and Wrath Hammer are equipped to his card.
 * The fourth bar is not an extra ability, rather just extra Super Meter. It has no symbol for an attack and nothing will happen when the player clicks on it.
 * In addition, it requires the same amount of hits needed to fill the first bar of Super Meter.
 * Shao Kahn is the only character in the mobile game that can actually kill his opponent. This will not work on Challenge Bosses, as of an update.
 * This is unique as it overrides any passive bonuses or Talent Tree perks that prevent the opponent from being defeated.
 * Ex. Jason Voorhees' Slasher card resurrects twice, but Shao Kahn can prevent him from resurrecting completely by killing him.
 * Another example is that he can override the Revenant and Bone Shield Talent Tree bonuses that prevent a character from being defeated and prevents damage from special attacks, respectively.
 * Shao Kahn is one of six characters with a revamped X-Ray move for the mobile game. The others are Freddy Krueger, Takeda, Kung Jin, Jade and Kintaro.
 * Shao Kahn and Freddy are two of three exclusive characters from MK 2011 with very different X-Rays than their originals. The other is Kintaro who uses Goro's X-Ray from MKX.
 * Shao Kahn gains a new startup with a spine and rip shatter at the beginning.
 * Freddy gains a jaw-breaking punch in the middle.
 * Kintaro borrows Goro's entire X-Ray.
 * Shao Kahn originally was the only Diamond character card in the mobile game with a Stun for his Special 1.
 * As of Update 2.0, Kold War and Spec Ops Scorpion are now Diamond characters, giving them this trait.
 * Shao Kahn is one of two characters in the mobile game to give tagging in support to his teammates. The first was Erron Black's Bounty Hunter card.
 * However, Shao Kahn only supports Outworld teammates, whereas Erron Black supports any character tagging in.
 * Shao Kahn is one of the few characters in the mobile game to tag-in with a special attack.
 * While these characters uses attacking special attacks, Shao Kahn points at the opponent and taunts them when tagging in.
 * Shao Kahn is one of the few characters with a completely unavoidable special attack in the mobile game.
 * Revenant Jax and Injustice 2 Raiden are the only characters in the mobile game with every special attack being unavoidable, as all their special attack break block on the starting hit.
 * Shao Kahn's Hammer and armor can both be seen in Quan Chi's Fortress in Mortal Kombat X.
 * His Hammer can also be used as an interactable and a Stage Brutality.
 * When performing the Brutality and using the hammer in general, a green aura will surround the area the hammer slams down on, much like when Shao Kahn used it.
 * Additionally, using a mod to inspect Shao Kahn's armor in Quan Chi's Fortress shows the armor is damaged, particularly his helmet.
 * When inspecting the helmet, it looks just like his helmet at the end of Mortal Kombat (2011) after he was killed by the Elder Gods.
 * Shao Kahn does not appear in Mortal Kombat X but only in cameos in character endings, a statue in the Story Mode and the Emperor's Courtyard Stage, and a crumbling statue in the opening credits. He is mentioned by many characters in interactions and by a few in the Story Mode.
 * Shao Kahn does not make a physical appearance in the game.
 * Shao Kahn also cameos in player card backgrounds and icons.
 * In the DC fighting game Injustice 2, although he is not mentioned by Sub-Zero or Raiden who are featured as playable guest characters, Shao Kahn's name appears on multiple pieces of Raiden's gear.
 * Sub-Zero and Raiden will mention Dark Kahn during interactions and clashes, however.
 * Shao Kahn makes a cameo appearance during Scorpion's intro in Injustice: Gods Among Us.
 * The way Brainiac sits in his ship and watches the fight in his arena in the DC fighting game Injustice 2 is very similar to how Shao Kahn sits in his thrones in MK 2011, the stages being Shao Kahn's Throne Room and Kahn's Arena.
 * Shao Kahn returns in Mortal Kombat 11, becoming the second character in Mortal Kombat history after Goro to be a pre-order bonus character.
 * As revealed in the Story Mode trailer, Shao Kahn appears in the Story Mode, making him one of four characters to appear in a game's Story Mode before being playable as DLC. The other three are Skarlet, Tanya and Bo' Rai Cho.
 * However Shao Kahn was announced as a pre-order bonus before his appearance in the Story Mode was confirmed.
 * This also makes Shao Kahn the first pre-order bonus character to actually have a role in the Story Mode of the game he is a pre-order for, as Goro had nothing to do with and was not present whatsoever in the MKX Story Mode.
 * Goro was, however, the sub-boss in the game's arcade tower.
 * Shao Kahn is one of the few characters in MK11 with a different voice actor from his last appearance.
 * For his appearance in MK Mobile, his only audio is his reused taunts from MK 2011. Additionally, he only has three lines used for his Feats of Strength, which are performed by his current voice actor. (See Above.)
 * Shao Kahn is one of two original final bosses in the series that appear as playable characters in MK11. The other is Shang Tsung.
 * Coincidentally, both are DLC characters for the game, however Shao Kahn is a pre-order bonus character.
 * Shao Kahn is one of two Kahns playable in MK11, the other is Kotal Kahn, the current Emperor of Outworld in the Current Timeline.
 * In MK11, Shao Kahn reacts with rage upon learning of Mileena's death. Additionally, he gets angry when his opponent mocks her during interactions. This is more than likely due to her strong loyalty to Shao Kahn as both an Emperor and father and that Shao Kahn himself cared more about Mileena than he did Kitana as his "daughter".
 * This is also supported by Shao Kahn hating the idea of Kitana as Kahn of Outworld and stating Mileena is an "improvement over the original".
 * Upon delivering a Brutality in MK11, Shao Kahn will deliver one of his classic taunts (such as "It's official: You suck!").
 * Additionally, after performing certain combos and winning a round, Shao Kahn may deliver one of his many classic taunts at random.
 * In MK11, many of Shao Kahn's classic taunts are used as names for his combos.
 * In MK11, Shao Kahn can not be played without his mask on. However, when a Fatal Blow, Krushing Blow, or fatality are performed on him, his helmet is removed.
 * In MK11, some of Shao Kahn's intro and outros feature him entering and exiting the fight through a giant green portal similar to the ones in MK 2011.
 * Shawn Kittelsen confirmed on Twitter that Shao Kahn was not killed in MK11 's Story Mode, but was simply blinded by Kitana.
 * Shao Kahn is one of three announcers for Mortal Kombat 11 and one of two unlockable announcers. The other is Kronika.
 * In MK11, after winning a round, Shao Kahn might turn away from his opponent with his hand raised shouting "Are you not entertain?!". This is a reference to the Ridley Scott film Gladiator where Russell Crowe's character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, shouts the phrase at the crowd after killing many opponents in the arena.

Errors

 * Although, during Shao Kahn's X-Ray, the combo announcement says it does 52% damage, it does more damage, about 60%. This is because the first part, Shao Kahn's hammer slam, is not counted into the combo.
 * In the mobile version of MK, when Shao Kahn uses his Emperor's Bash Special 2 attack, his hands are incorrectly placed on his hammer during the mini-game.
 * In the mobile version of MK, Shao Kahn's X-Ray shows it applies the Curse debuff when inspecting the character card. However, during an actual match, he incorrectly gains a Shield instead.
 * In MK11, during one of Shao Kahn's intros where he steps on a pile of skulls, after the opponent speaks, Shao Kahn points at the opponent before delivering his line. If his default appearance is selected, one can see the claw from his thumb clips throw his fingers and he points at the opponent.
 * In MK11, his hands completely change positions from the start of his Back Blown Out fatality, as his hands are positioned near the head of the hammer as he pulls up on the swing, then appear at the end of the handle when the camera zooms in on the same position when it starts.
 * Additionally, as the fatality starts, the handle for his hammer phases through his hand at the end of the handle.
 * In MK11, in the Kustomization, the note for his Charging Through brutality is incorrect, as it calls his Shoulder Charger, "Shoulder Charge". This error is also present when looking at the finisher during gameplay.
 * Additionally, one of his End of Round Taunts is spelled incorrectly, "Your'e Weak". This spelling error has been corrected as of an update.
 * Many of Shao Kahn's helmets in MK11 will clip through his armor and shoulder pads during gameplay, interactions, and when inspecting the items and armor in the Kollection.
 * As stated above in the Signature Moves, in MK11, it does not give the actions in his combo list for Up Wrath Hammer given the attack can be used with different ranges.
 * As of an update, this has been corrected, and the far version of the attack was removed and the close version is now listed in the Special Moves.
 * When Shao Kahn preforms the Krushing Blow version of his Last Breath combo, the opponent's body will incorrectly switch sides for the spine shatter, despite the opponent not facing that way then they're crushed over Shao Kahn's head.
 * Additionally, when this happens, one can see that Shao Kahn's hands also become misplaced during the cinematic of the spine shatter, with Shao Kahn holding, lifting and pulling on nothing as the spine shatters.
 * In MK11, the amplified version of Ground Shatter is listed as a Mid in the combo list, however performing the attack in a match, the amplified version is registered as a Low during gameplay. This has been corrected.
 * In MK11, if Shao Kahn is equipped with an armor Kosmetic that lacks shoulder plates, whenever he wins a match via Brutality, one can see the hammer floats in mid air above his shoulder. This is also the same for his intro Call to Arms, and his outros Skull and Bones and Quitting Time.
 * In MK11, when selecting Shao Kahn for a fight, depending on what armor is selected, Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer's handle will clip through his shoulder pads while it rest on his shoulder.
 * Additionally, like with the above Error before, if Shao Kahn is selected in this way with an armor set that lacks shoulder pads, the hammer floats above his shoulders.
 * Additionally during this, when Shao Kahn clutches his fist at the opponent, depending on the armor, his arm will clip through his shoulder pad.

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