Smoke



See also: Human Smoke

"Where there is Smoke, there is fire!"

- Smoke's Battle Cry from Mortal Kombat (2011)

Smoke is a ninja assassin who was turned from a human into a cyborg in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II as an unplayable secret character in human form, and first became playable in Mortal Kombat 3 in a cyborg form. He appears in the reboot to the franchise, now retaining his human form in canon for the first time in almost two decades.

About Smoke
Smoke debuted in Mortal Kombat II as a hidden character to fight against. He was often spotted in the Living Forest stage in which he (along with Jade) peeked out of the trees. Like Reptile when he made his first appearance, he was simply a palette-swap of Scorpion with puffs of smoke surrounding him, but would move extremely fast. He would appear randomly before matches, offering clues that would enable the player to fight him, as Reptile had in the original Mortal Kombat.

Smoke would not have his own storyline until he was featured in Mortal Kombat 3, where he was once again a hidden character, but accessible to players with the use of a code. In this appearance, he would be a tortured, human soul trapped in the body of a cyborg. His most defining feature is the fact that he constantly seems to emit a smoke or vapor. This, combined with his power to teleport and turn invisible, once made him one of the Lin Kuei's top assassins.

In Mortal Kombat (2011), its revealed that he has long, flowing, ghostly white hair, which, while blown back in renders and artwork, covers his face in game.

Combat characteristics
Of all the three cyborg ninjas, Smoke appears to specialize in stealth and speed. His powers as a human were unknown for the most part, but in both forms, his body emits a constant smoky fume, probably to confuse his opponents on the whereabouts of his location. In MKII, he was depicted as moving at extremely high speeds. In Mortal Kombat: Deception onward, Smoke is seen using smoke-related attacks such as causing his opponent to cough as well as teleporting. Due to Smoke's 'upgrades', his body appears to be made out of smoke, or at least nanomachines emulating the sensation of smoke. Whatever the case, due to Noob Saibot's modifications made on his body, he has become a demon nonetheless. In Armageddon, he is seen able to mind control other people by inserting his gaseous mist into others. In Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Smoke is armed with rockets, similar to Sektor, and has the ability to transform himself into smoke in order to ambush his enemies.

In MK 2011, Smoke remains in his human form and his abilities are explored deeper. It is revealed in his ending that he is in fact an enenra, a demonic creature composed entirely of smoke and vapor. As such, he is able to not only actively utilize his namesake as an extensive weapon, but he is also able to morph his entire body into a cloud of vapor, allowing him to move swiftly around his opponent as well as escape from enemies or potential captors.

Signature moves

 * Spear: In MKII, Smoke would send out a rope tipped with a Kunai at the end to impale the victim and pull them through the air towards him for a free hit and would cause minor damage, identical to Scorpion. In his cyborg form, Smoke would catapult a trident-like spear from his chest rather than his arm. Smoke uses the spear in his secret fight in MK 2011. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011)
 * Smokeycut: Smoke would go underground and then reappear under the opponent's chin, hitting them on the way. This attack was borrowed from Sektor (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A)
 * Air Throw: While in the air, Smoke could grab the opponent and throw them back on the ground. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011)
 * Invisibility: Smoke disappears while a puff of smoke helps him become invisible. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Vanish and it turns him completely invisible, like Reptile.
 * Smoke Away/Smoke Towards: Smoke turns into a cloud of smoke and dashes forwards or backwards. (MK 2011)
 * The enhanced versions are Phase Away and Phase Towards and allows you to dash at a longer distance.
 * Teleport: Smoke disappears, then reappears punching the opponent in the back and in front of them. This is done similarly to Kobra´s Tele-Punch. (MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Smokeport. In addition to the two hits, Smoke will jump down from above and attack the opponent.
 * Screenlg7.jpgSmoke Cloud: Smoke throws a smoke projectile at his opponent. If it connects, they are teleported up into the air and closer to Smoke, where they are vulnerable to attack, similar to Noob Saibot's Black Hole. (MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Smoke Bomb. The smoke column goes higher and can trap mid-air opponents.
 * Shake: Smoke stands in place and surrounds himself with smoke, if a projectile touches him, Smoke will counter attack. This can be charged. (MK 2011)
 * The enhanced version is called Vibration and counters every attack, including throws. It can also be charged.
 * X-Ray Move - Burn Out: Smoke teleport-punches his opponent, then runs behind them and delivers a German Suplex which slams the opponent's head onto the ground, breaking their skull and neck. Then while they are trying to get up, Smoke kicks them in the face, breaking the skull even more. (MK 2011)

Fatalities

 * Smoke Bomb: Smoke shoves an explosive bomb in his opponent's mouth in which detonates and explodes, ripping his opponent's body apart in the process. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
 * Armageddon: A series of time bombs spews out of his stomach, which results in Earth's destruction at their (implied) explosion. A "glitch" would occur when used in an Outworld or Edenia arena, as the Earth would blow up, even though this is in another realm. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
 * Killer Harpoon: In the Game Boy version, a giant spear shoots out from Smoke's chest armor, impales his opponent, and proceeds to shake them around. (MK3)
 * Invisible Decapitation: Smoke disappears into thin air, after which he hits his enemy in the face. He then tears off their arms and head before becoming visible once more. (MK:D)
 * Smoked Out: Smoke jams his fingers into the opponent's skull and injects smoke into them. As he lets go, the extreme heat starts to sear the opponent's body from the inside. The excess heat begins to percolate from the opponent's body, they gush blood, and their flesh melts off. (MK 2011)
 * Tremor: Smoke does his "Smoke Towards" move, and goes through the opponent. When he reappears, the opponent begins to internally combust, then falls to pieces from the endothermic heat starting with the top of the skull separating from the mandible and the rest of the body from key joints of the body. (MK 2011)

Other finishers

 * Friendship: A huge horn comes out of the chest and sounds off like a loud siren. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
 * Animality: Bull Chase: After turning into a bull, he charges and rams his opponent off screen. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
 * Hara Kiri: Self Destruction: In a move similar to Cyrax's Fatality in MK3, Smoke presses the self-destruct mechanism on his arm console and explodes. (MK:D)
 * Babality: He turns side ways and farts, then falls on his bottom and cries.

Movie appearance
In the movie Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Smoke appears in his cyborg form to find Liu Kang and to capture Princess Kitana, in order to keep her apart from Sindel. However, Smoke is stopped by Sub-Zero, who reveals that Smoke was originally after him before being reprogrammed by Shao Kahn. Sub-Zero does not state anything else of their past connections if they existed in the movie storyline.

Curiously, Smoke was basically a silver-colored (rather than violet blue-colored unlike his MK3 appearance) version of Sektor in the film, as he was able to shoot missiles from his chest. Smoke's arsenal in the games included a three-pronged harpoon that shot from his chest, but no missiles. He did, however, exhibit one ability unique to his movie incarnation - being able to disintegrate into a moving cloud of smoke and re-form at will - which he used in a successful sneak attack on Liu Kang and Kitana. This was given to his game counterpart in MK 2011.

TV appearance

 * Smoke mkdotr.jpg the animated series, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, Smoke appeared in one episode (titled "Old Friends Never Die"), serving Shao Kahn and seeking Sub-Zero. He is briefly seen in human form in a flashback scene before becoming automated. In the end, Smoke's human soul was able to overpower his programming and he stood to the vow of friendship between him and Sub-Zero. Many fans consider it to be the best episode in the short-lived series.


 * Smoke makes a brief appearance in his human form during the ending of one Mortal Kombat: Conquest episode, following Sub-Zero's betrayal of the Lin Kuei. Smoke is called upon by the clan as the next warrior to be sent to hunt and kill the traitor, at which point he emerges from a mist as a faint, grey figure with glowing red eyes. However, his appearance was not further elaborated on in later episodes as the series was canceled soon after. His appearance was elaborated in the fiction "Mortal Kombat Conquest Aftermaths Part 1", where he faces Sub-Zero in a battle.

Stage Relationships

 * Goro's Lair: The Earthrealm dungeon of Goro. Smoke will challenge anyone who enters through an Outworld portal. (MK2, MKT, MKA)
 * Lin Kuei Palace: Smoke and Noob Saibot invade the new Lin Kuei only to be driven off by Taven and Sub-Zero. (MKA)
 * Living Forest: Smoke would hide behind the trees, keeping an eye on his comrade Sub-Zero. He would also make this his area for Smoke Missions in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKD, MK 2011)

Trivia
In General Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat 3/Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat: Deception Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Mortal Kombat (2011)
 * Human_Smoke.jpg was the first character in the series to become unlockable to the player in contrast to the other hidden kombatants who could only be fought against.
 * As a cyborg, Smoke's color scheme in Mortal Kombat 3 involves a violet shade of blue (preferably periwinkle and/or indigo) rather than grey. Fans speculated that Smoke is a robotic Sub-Zero because of their similar color schemes.
 * In Mortal Kombat II, Smoke is excessively fast compared to the other characters. This opened him up for sudden attacks if the player was fast enough to stop him.
 * Of the three cyborgs, he was the first that managed to regain his soul after his automation.
 * Although Sektor and Cyrax volunteered to become cyborgs, Smoke was forced to be a cyborg.
 * Smoke's destiny appears permanently tied to the two Sub-Zero brothers. He accompanies the younger to the Outworld in MKII, hunts for him in MK3, and is restored to life but bound to servitude by the elder Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
 * In Mortal Kombat: Deception, his alternate costume shows his body as being fully composed of smoke (in effect, living up to his name). It sparked debate as to whether this outfit was actually Smoke in his human form, or a cybernetic demon form. Information provided on production art from Deception seems to suggest that it is human; both of Noob-Smoke's appearances are depicted, with the comment that both Ninja Smoke and Robot Smoke have a lot of fans. From a storyline perspective however, it is more likely that this is Smoke's form as a cyber-demon; as Noob-Smoke's alternate bio described Smoke's body being 'reshaped' by his nano-technology.
 * Strangely, Noob-Smoke's primary costume in Deception was actually their alternate costume. This was fixed in Armageddon.
 * In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Smoke (still in his human form, the game having been intended to take place during the first two tournaments) challenges the player to complete 5 missions. Doing so will unlock Mortal Kombat II. (Ironically, much to the great ire of fans, this version of the game was the same as the one present in Midway Arcade Treasures 2, where due to a control mapping issue it was impossible to fight Smoke, as hitting Start would only pause the game.)
 * His appearance in Malibu Comics' non-canon Mortal Kombat series was something a source of amusement for fans, as he would randomly shout "Toasty!" while speaking, a reference to Mortal Kombat II's means to fight him.
 * Smoke has made two appearances in the cartoon, Robot Chicken: once, as a sparring partner to Joey Fatone, and another fighting Sub-Zero. Erroneously, Smoke was shown using fire as his main technique. His fatality against Sub-Zero was to tear his heart out, kick his body away, set the organ on the ground, pull out a hockey stick, and smack the heart off screen, parodying Mortal Kombat's needlessly long and gory fatalities, specifically the ones that relate nothing to the character performing them.
 * Smoke is so far the only other ninja, aside from Noob Saibot, that doesn't have a playable Klassic Costume in MK 2011.
 * In a Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Smoke was placed at #5 of the Mortal Kombat Characters in the Mortal Kombat Series.
 * A secret unplayable character of the game. To fight him, you must fight in the portal stage and perform a uppercut on your opponent until Dan Forden pops up at the bottom right corner and says Toasty. By pressing down & Start, the player would receive a message, and then be transported to Goro's Lair to fight with Smoke. In the Sega Genesis version of the game, you would be transported to a variation of the Portal stage, only it is blue.
 * Has the same special moves as Scorpion.
 * Appears to have the same fighting stance as Reptile as shown on top.
 * He occasionally peeks out from behind the trees in the Living Forest stage along with Jade.
 * A secret playable character of MK3.
 * While doing his Armageddon Fatality in any Outworld Arena, the screen still shows Planet Earth exploding.
 * A sub-boss of the game.
 * The first game that Smoke has his own Special moves.
 * His render from the Bio Kard is different from his final costume in the game.
 * When Sektor is knocked out, he gets back up the same way as Smoke. Although Smoke does not do that for this game but only does that in Deception.
 * He uses the Judo fighting style, the same fighting that Jax had in Deadly Alliance and Kenshi had in Deception.
 * During the Finish Him bit if you use the stinky fingers move the opponent will not fall down
 * Smoke, along with Onaga, Moloch, Motaro, Mokap, and Blaze, is the only character without a weapon style.
 * This game marks Smoke's first appearance in his human form for nearly two decades.
 * When Cyber Sub-Zero looks at Smoke, his reading says that Smoke's special ability is teleportation.
 * In the Story Mode many ninjas appear in the background during the tournaments, wearing what appears to be Smoke's Klassic outfit.
 * When Smoke does his Smoked Out Fatality, he hits the brain instead of the eyes.
 * When Smoke performs his Smoked Out Fatality on Kratos, his Blades of Exile fade away with him.
 * Also, when Smoke performs his Tremor Fatality on Kratos, his mouth will stay closed, but smoke will still come out of his mouth.
 * Along with Noob Saibot, Smoke will receive a Klassic Costume in July through DLC.