Kuai Liang/Current Timeline

"Earthrealm's fate lies with you."

- Sub-Zero

Biography

 * Mortal Kombat (2011): "An assassin of the Lin Kuei clan, Kuai Liang commands the power of ice and cold. Unlike other members of his clan, he and his older brother, Bi-Han, were abducted as children by the Lin Kuei and trained in the techniques of assassination throughout their lives. Though his codename is Tundra, he has now assumed the mantle of Sub-Zero to honor his brother after Bi-Han's mysterious death. With the help of his fellow Lin Kuei Smoke, Sub-Zero tirelessly hunts the one who killed his brother."
 * Mortal Kombat X: "Kuai Liang and his older brother, Bi-Han, served the Lin Kuei assasin clan faithfully until the first Mortal Kombat tournament. There Bi-Han, codename Sub-Zero, was killed by the demon Scorpion. Kuai Liang assumed the Sub-Zero name and went to Outworld to find his brother's killer. Meanwhile, the leadership of the Lin Kuei embarked on the Cyber Initiative, converting its members to cybernetic ninjas to increase their efficiency and remove their human imperfections. Kuai Liang was captured and converted. Eventually, Raiden and the defenders of Earthrealm restored his soul, and he joined their cause. He was later killed in the Outworld invasion, his soul claimed by the Netherrealm sorcerer Quan Chi. Sub-Zero served the demon realm during its subsequent war with Earthrealm. Returned to humanity by Raiden in the aftermath, Sub-Zero rebuilt the Lin Kuei--this time as a benevolent organization dedicated to the protection of Earthrealm."

Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)
During the first tournament, Bi-Han (elder Sub-Zero) is slain by Scorpion, despite Raiden's efforts to change Scorpion's mind. Before the events of the first tournament, Bi-Han's younger brother, Kuai Liang, was known as Tundra. During the second tournament, Tundra assumes the identity as Sub-Zero to honor his brother's death. Sub-Zero is seen with Smoke as they attempt to gather information on Bi-Han's disappearance. The two split and Sub-Zero then heads off to investigate something, when he is confronted by Cyrax. Cyrax tells him he has to come with him so he can become a cyborg, but Sub-Zero tells him that he will never comply. They fight and Sub-Zero wins.

Sub-Zero allows Cyrax to escape, intending to finish his task. He is then met by Sonya and Jax who were following Cyrax. Upon seeing him, they are confused and say that he is dead. Sub-Zero explains to them he is Bi-Han's younger brother and inquires what they know about his death. Sonya tells him he was killed by Scorpion and to check the coliseum. They are then confronted by Ermac, who causes Jax's arms to explode. After his victory, Sub-Zero tells Sonya he must go the coliseum, and directs her to a nearby portal back to Earthrealm.

Sub-Zero goes to the coliseum and demands that Shao Kahn let him fight Scorpion. Shang Tsung, however, makes him fight Reptile. Sub-Zero defeats him, and eventually, Quan Chi summons Scorpion. Sub-Zero defeats Scorpion, but before he can kill him, Lin Kuei cyborgs, led by Cyrax and Sektor, capture him. Cyrax and Sektor swear alliegence to Shao Kahn in exchange for Sub-Zero. Shao Kahn agrees and Sub-Zero is taken back to the Lin Kuei Temple to be automated.

During the Earthrealm invasion, Sub-Zero appears once more, now in his automated form as Cyber Sub-Zero. He attacks Kabal but is defeated. At Smoke's request, he is brought to Jax, who removes the slaving protocols in his CPU, giving him his free will back. He regrets all the things he did for Shao Kahn, so he joins the Earthrealm warriors, and goes to spy on Outworld. After a brief discussion, Sektor orders Sub-Zero to go on a mission with him. He informs Sub-Zero that he scanned his neural net, and knows he has been reprogrammed. Sektor ordered him to open his access panel, but he attacks him instead, starting a fight between the two, which Sektor loses.

By searching in the defeated Sektor's data banks, he discovers the location of Kano, Kintaro, and Goro. He finds the three of them in the Bell Tower torturing soldiers. After a failed attempt to get information, he freezes the three of them, and frees the soldiers. After they escape, Kintaro and Goro break free of the ice they were trapped in, leaving Sub-Zero to fight both. He does so, and emerges victorious. The freed soldiers are then pushed back by Ermac. Sub-Zero warns them to stay back, then fights and defeats him. After asking the soldiers their next location, he goes to the graveyard. The soldiers wish him good luck, another jokingly saying he didn't need it.

In the graveyard, Sub-Zero comes across Quan Chi and Noob Saibot as Chi conjures up a spell to create a Soulnado. When he confronts Noob, he discovers that Noob is his older brother. After Noob relinquishes any family ties with him, they fight, with Sub-Zero emerging victorious and claiming that he was right: they are no longer brothers. At Nightwolf's advice, he reports back to Raiden. When Raiden leaves with Liu Kang to try to talk to the Elder Gods, he is left under Nightwolf's command. Some seconds later, he detects the Lin Kuei Cyborgs, and they are ambushed. After they dispatch the Cyborgs, Sindel appears and states that she "will finish what the Lin Kuei did not". The Earthrealm warriors engage her in battle, and he, along with most of them, is killed when Sindel destroys his circuits. He is later resurrected by Quan Chi to serve him in the Netherrealm. Smoke, Jade and Cyber Sub- Zero prepare to fight Raiden, but then Raiden leaves to deal with the Emperor Shao Kahn.

Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)
In the past, Kuai Liang took on his brother's colors and codename, Sub-Zero, and fought his killer, Scorpion, in Shao Kahn's tournament in Outworld. Sub-Zero defeated Scorpion and was ordered by Shao Kahn to finish him. Kuai made it clear he would not kill for him, but for his brother and prepared to finish Scorpion when a group of cyborg Lin Kuei appeared around him. Sub-Zero screamed in defiance that he would not be turned but was captured and put through the cyborg process.

Kuai eventually regained control of himself but was shortly killed there after by Sindel. When he next regained consciousness, he was in the Netherrealm before the arch sorcerer Quan Chi. Sub-Zero was confused by the fact his friend Smoke was restraining him along with Jax Briggs and Quan Chi explained their souls belonged to the Netherrealm, as Kuai's now did as well. Quan Chi told Kuai his army needed resilient souls for the coming war, and while Kuai defiantly declared he would not be his slave, Quan Chi retorted he would be his puppet and used his magic to lift Kuai into the air before destroying his cyborg body, freeing what little remained of his organic body.

Quan Chi then used his dark sorcery to regrow Kuai's human body, reviving him as one of his revenants and forcing him to serve the Netherrealm.

In the final hours of the Netherrealm War, Sub-Zero fought alongside fellow revenants Scorpion and Jax Briggs against a squad of Special Forces soldiers in Quan Chi's fortress. Sub-Zero was ordered by Scorpion to protect Quan Chi but was too late as Sonya Blade defeated the sorcerer, allowing Raiden to finish his incantation, knocking Kuai unconscious.

Kuai would awaken months later, confused and believing himself in another hell. When a voice called out him, Kuai lashed out in anger with an ice blast, but Raiden easily deflected it, telling Kuai he was safe in the Sky Temple. Kuai was confused about being truly alive again and Raiden explained his restoration to life was due to his power combining with Quan Chi's and the thunder god welcomes Kuai back. Kuai expresses his deep remorse over the actions he committed under Quan Chi's control, asking Raiden how he could live with himself.

Raiden told him to make amends and explained Earthrealm needed his help. The thunder god then assigned Sub-Zero to retrieve one of the Kamidogu, the dagger having been stolen by the Red Dragon clan.

Sub-Zero attacks the temple in Linxia, China, where the dagger is held in a vault, slaughtering the Red Dragon soldiers inside with ease. Holding the last one hostage with an ice knife at the soldier's throat, Sub-Zero makes it clear he is no longer in Quan Chi's service and demands the door to the vault be opened. When the soldier refuses, Sub-Zero simply throws him through the doors, breaking them open.

Inside the chamber, Sub-Zero sees the dagger is gone and demands to know who has it. Kuai is then attacked from behind, a lazer beam knocking his mask off, before the Black Dragon mercenary Kano gets him in a headlock, dragging the Kamidogu over Kuai's eye, scarring him. Kuai tries to tell Kano the dagger is cursed as his eyes turn red, but Kano retorts that Raiden lied to him and prepares to tell the cryomancer the truth behind the Kamidogu.

Sub-Zero manages to escape Kano's grasp by slamming him into a nearby pillar, but Kano is able to stab him in the shoulder with the dagger, wounding him. As Sub-Zero collapses to his knees, Kano reveals that those cut by the Kamidogus become possessed, and only death can free them. Refusing to die again, Sub-Zero freezes and smashes Kano's optic implant, bringing the mercenary to his knees. While Kano curses at him, Kuai Liang collects the dagger and escapes.

In Raiden's vision, Sub-Zero is seen fighting the automated Lin Kuei.

Sub-Zero's whereabouts are revealed, having been on the run with the Kamidogu dagger he recovered years ago. In Bukittinggi, Indonesia, Sub-Zero attempts to flee from automated Lin Kuei cyborgs, who unsuccessfully attempt to convince him to return and be converted, proclaiming it removes all weaknesses. Telling the cyborgs that they are not Lin Kuei and declaring he has no weaknesses, Sub-Zero draws the Kamidogu and offers it his blood, invoking the Blood Code.

Using his enhanced power, Sub-Zero freezes the squad of Lin Kuei, as well as the entire building they were standing on and part of the city. Possessed by the dagger, Sub-Zero admires it as the voice of the demon dwelling within it proclaims the time of the Blood God is near.

Kuai froze the entire city of Kahishari, Japan and more Lin Kuei cyborgs that had been pursuing him, killing thousands of innocent people in the process. Resting at a frozen temple, Kuai hears the voice of the demon as Hanzo Hassashi and his apprentice Takeda Takahashi approach, the demon reminding him of Hanzo's role in Bi-Han's death and warning him that Takeda is not to be trusted, proclaiming that both have defied the Blood Code before ordering Kuai to remove their spines.

Kuai greets Hanzo, saying he did not recognize him without the fire in his eyes before demolishing the frozen temple with a single punch. Hanzo declares that while killing Kuai won't bring back the people he killed, it will stop him from hurting anyone else. The demon takes full control of Kuai as he draws the Kamidogu, spikes of ice emerging along Kuai's back, arms and shoulders, and speaks through him to mock Hanzo as his Scorpion persona takes over, much to the demon's joy, forcing the rematch between Scorpion and Sub-Zero to begin.

Before the battle begins, Scorpion demands to know if he is speaking with Kuai Liang or the demon within the Kamidogu. The possessed Sub-Zero mockingly asks if Raiden had not explained that the dagger is a key, not a vessel, and declares that the real power is in the blood as he cuts his wrist with the dagger to further empower himself with Blood Magik. Sub-Zero points to Takeda as the demon reminds him of when he executed his friend Fox.

Scorpion holds his student back before launching his first attack, throwing both of his spears to impale Kuai before igniting them with hellfire and dragging the cryomancer towards him. Sub-Zero recovers and grabs the chains, freezing them solid and extinguishing the hellfire before shattering them. Sub-Zero throws an ice blast at Scorpion, but he teleports to dodge the attack. The possessed Kuai demands Scorpion stop dodging and "Get over here!"

When Scorpion reappears behind Sub-Zero, Kuai causes the spikes along his body to turn into deadly glacier spears that impale Scorpion. Sub-Zero flips Scorpion over him while mocking him for going through the motions, claiming he is a wraith and that the man is a lie before sliding into Scorpion to knock him over. Kuai then kicks Scorpion into a glacier, shattering it, all the while the demon continues to speak through him, claiming Hanzo Hassashi is a weak impostor and that when he is destroyed, the real Scorpion will rise.

The possessed Kuai suddenly realizes his Kamidogu is gone and sees Takeda absconding with the dagger. Amused, the demon uses the last of the Magik in Sub-Zero's blood to 'freeze a moment in time' and uses Kuai's enhanced power to unleashes a massive blast of ice that traps Takeda and Scorpion in ice, freeing Kuai from the possession as the Blood Magik is used up. A wounded and bleeding Kuai is shocked and confused, looking around the destroyed city and wondering how he did all the damage. When he sees Hanzo frozen in a glacier, Sub-Zero reacts in time to summon two Kori Blades to parry Scorpion as the Shirai Ryu breaks free with his sword drawn.

As Sub-Zero clashes his Kori Blades with Scorpion's hellfire coated Mugai Ryu, Kuai pleads his innocence to Hanzo in desperation but Scorpion refuses to listen, only kicking Sub-Zero back while following up with his swords, all the while mocking Kuai for blaming his actions on the Kamidogu before shattering his kori blades. Kuai declares that the dagger possessed him while firing an ice blast at Scorpion and kicking him over with a slide.

Kuai promises to return with Scorpion to Raiden to explain his actions but Scorpion only rages about how Kuai's brother denied the Lin Kuei's involvement with the destruction of the Shirai Ryu. Angered by Hanzo's inability to let go of the past, Kuai shouts at him to move on and proclaims that there are no more Lin Kuei, revealing the cyborgs killed all those who would not convert, with Kuai claiming he is all that is left of his clan.

Scorpion summons two demonic minions to hold an off-guard Sub-Zero in place, declaring they will finish their feud before impaling Kuai Liang with both of his swords. Spitting blood, Kuai weakly tells Hanzo he is not a monster and pleads with him to remember the horrible things they both did in Quan Chi's service and asks him to remember the agony of being controlled by an evil spirit.

Scorpion denies ever being controlled, and removes his mask to reveal his burning skull before unleashing a breath of hellire on a screaming Kuai. Sub-Zero is spared from death when Scorpion's student Takeda manages to escape the ice and reason with his master. Hanzo then dismisses his demonic minions and removes his swords, telling a burned Kuai he may live, not for long, but long enough to reflect on his misdeeds. Kuai then collapses in a pool of his own blood as Hanzo and Takeda depart, leaving Sub-Zero in the ruins of the city he froze and destroyed.

Left for dead by Hanzo, Kuai futilely tried to struggle to his feet when a voice called out to him, telling him to stop or he would bleed out faster while telling him to ask himself what his life has meant up to this point. The stranger then treats Kuai's wounds as Kuai explains his story up to that point, and tells the man who saved his life, Bo' Rai Cho, that he will never be free, saying he will always be forced to kneel before sorcerers and demigods. As Bo' Rai Cho helps Sub-Zero up, the cryomancer contemplates hara-kiri, but Bo' Rai Cho laughs this off and tells him Raiden owes him a favor, which confuses Kuai.

Mortal Kombat X (2015 video game)
Kuai Liang, who has taken the role of grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, invites Hanzo Hasashi at the Lin Kuei temple to make amends. Hanzo thinks it is a ruse to completely exterminate the Shirai Ryu from existence, because for the longest time, he thought the Lin Kuei was responsible for the extinction of his clan. Kuai Liang explains that the Lin Kuei's honor was already blemished even before the Cyber Initiative. All of a sudden, Frost appears to attack the former Scorpion, making Hanzo believe Kuai Liang did want to kill him and fights him. About to kill Kuai Liang, Frost prepares for another sneak attack, but she is intercepted by Kuai Liang, encasing her in ice. To prove his sincerity, Kuai presents Hanzo Sektor's severed head, and shows him the cyborg's preserved memories. It is revealed that it was actually Quan Chi, the very person Scorpion served as a revenant, who was responsible for the murder of the Shirai Ryu, Hanzo's wife Harumi and their son Satoshi. With the truth finally revealed to him, Hanzo and Kuai Liang have become allies.

Five years later, Kuai Liang is met by Cassie Cage and her team under orders from Cassie's father Johnny. Not wanting to converse with them, he and his fellow ninja engages them in battle. Defeating Cassie and her team, Kuai reveals that the encounter is a test set up by him and Johnny, chastising Cassie's teams' lack of unity.

Sub-Zero eventually witnesses the corruption of Earthrealm's Jinsei. Later when Cassie Cage and her team were about to be destroyed by Kotal Kahn and his forces, Sub-Zero appeared along with his Lin Kuei warriors and said he would drive Kotal Kahn and his forces back to Outworld. What becomes of Sub-Zero after the battle is currently unknown.

Ending (Sub-Zero)

 * Sub-Zero_Mortal_Kombat_2011_Ending_VideoMortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical): "After the victory over Shao Kahn, Sub-Zero learned from Raiden the truth, that the Lin Kuei were ultimately responsible for the deaths of Sub-Zero's and Scorpion's families. Enraged, Sub-Zero offered Scorpion a chance to share in his quest for vengeance. With the might of fire and ice combined, they were a storm of vengeful fury as they cut down their foes. Once justice had been done, Sub-Zero and Scorpion disappeared into legend, emerging from obscurity only to avenge the innocent. The Forces of Darkness will never stop this Deadly Alliance."
 * Mortal Kombat X: "Grandmaster Sub-Zero knew his Lin Kuei clan would need more than martial arts to stave off future threats to Earthrealm. In the frozen reaches of Outworld, he found the answer; a female frost dragon with a clutch of eggs. With his ability to freeze, Sub-Zero hatched the dragon-lings. They accepted their Lin Kuei masters and their training as kombat mounts. With a force of dragon riders, the Lin Kuei's ferocity became legend. None dared risk konflict with Earthrealm."

Ending (Cyber Sub-Zero)

 * Mortal Kombat 9 (2011) Cyber Sub-Zero EndingMortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical): "Although Sub-Zero's ending has no dialogue, it shows that after he defeats Shao Kahn he feels a certain rush overcome him. Shao Kahn's soul tortures his mind from the afterlife and inhabits his body. He upgrades his armour with motifs similar to those of the defeated emperor's. Shao Kahn lives."

Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)

 * Younger brother of the elder Sub-Zero, Bi-Han.
 * Childhood friend of Smoke.
 * He and his brother were abducted by the Lin Kuei when they were children and they were raised to serve them.
 * Sought to find Shang Tsung to learn of his brother's fate.
 * Defeated Cyrax who tried to capture him and turn him into a cyborg.
 * Informed by Sonya that Scorpion killed his brother.
 * Defeated Ermac who ripped off Jax's arms using his powers during his Mortal Kombat II story chapter, and defeated him again during his rescue plan in his Mortal Kombat III story chapter.
 * Informed Sonya on how to get Jax back to Earthrealm.
 * Demanded Shao Kahn to let him face his brother's killer, Scorpion, only to face Reptile.
 * Defeated Reptile, and then fought and defeated Scorpion, but before he could finish him off, Lin Kuei cyborgs led by Cyrax and Sektor interrupted and took him away.
 * Was automated into Cyber Sub-Zero.
 * Defeated by Kabal.
 * Regained his humanity after reprogramming by the Earthrealm warriors.
 * Worked as an undercover spy for the Earthrealm warriors.
 * Defeated Sektor after he realized Sub-Zero's soul had been restored.
 * Froze Kano, Goro, and Kintaro but later, the two Shokan broke free and challenged Sub-Zero, with him defeating them both.
 * Encountered Bi-Han, now Noob Saibot, and defeated him in combat.
 * Defeated the Lin Kuei cyborgs along with the Earthrealm warriors.
 * Killed by Sindel.
 * Resurrected by Quan Chi to serve him.

Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)

 * Fought Scorpion in Shao Kahn's coliseum.
 * Kidnapped and forcefully turned into a cyborg by the Lin Kuei.
 * Consciousness was restored until death at Sindel's hands.
 * Revived in the Netherrealm by Quan Chi who destroyed his cyborg body.
 * Human body revived as a revenant for the Netherrealm War.
 * Restored by Raiden at the end of the Netherrealm War.
 * Assigned by Raiden to retrieve a Kamidogu in possession of the Red Dragon.
 * Killed Red Dragon soldiers in temple where dagger was held.
 * Was attacked by Kano in the temple, receiving a scar over his right eye from the Kamidogu.
 * Became possessed by the demon corrupting the daggers.
 * Destroyed Kano's optic implant before fleeing with the dagger.
 * On the run for years under the Kamidogu's influence.
 * Fled from cyborg Lin Kuei before using Blood Magik to enhance his powers and kill all of them.
 * Massacred the Japanese city of Kahishari while under the influence of the Kamidogu.

Mortal Kombat X (2015 video game)

 * Encountered by Cassie Cage, Takeda Takahashi, Jacqui Briggs and Kung Jin at the Lin Kuei Temple.
 * Defeated Cassie Cage.
 * Defeated Takeda Takahashi.
 * Defeated Jacqui Briggs.
 * Defeated Kung Jin.
 * Informed Cassie, Takeda, Jacqui and Kung Jin that there encounter was a test set up by Johnny Cage.
 * Came to the rescue of Cassie and her team, with his fellow Lin Kuei warriors, to hold back the forces of Kotal Kahn and send them back to Outworld.