Not much is known about the Dragons of Mortal Kombat. They are seldom mentioned, and there are only three possible known members of the race. There appears to be different races of dragons. The only two known are the ones Onaga, Orin and Caro belong to.
Dragons are believed to have originated from Outworld. While in that realm, they were even a powerful and forgotten group of creatures belonged to that same species called the Great Dragons, which was the origin of the Great Dragon Egg. As there is little other trace of any other Dragons in the Mortal Kombat universe, it is possible that most of them were wiped out.
Onaga was proclaimed the Dragon King, although it is unknown whether he was given this title by his elusive brethren or whether it is self-proclaimed, though it may have been a description, meaning he was a king who was also a dragon, not the king of dragons. Onaga possess some similar physical characteristics to his possible brethren, such as having scales. Similarly to Orin and Caro, Onaga can breath fire. Onaga is able to raise the dead with a power given to him by his heart, and has made his army allegedly undefeatable, because he continuously revives them when they are slain. This army was later uncovered by Quan Chi, and was used as the ultimate weapon for the Deadly Alliance.
In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, there are two dragons named Orin and Caro, who resemble East Asian Dragons, with the ability to breathe fire and open portals to other realms. These dragons guard and aid the game's protagonist and antagonist, Taven and Daegon. Other than than the ability to breath fire, there is very little similarities to these dragons and Onaga, and it is unknown how these two species of dragon are related.
- Main article: Shokan
A sub-species of Dragons in the series are the Shokan, a race of half-dragon, half-humans with four-armed. The most notable Shokan in the series is Prince Goro, his father King Gorbak, and Queen Sheeva, who becomes the Shokan's Queen in the alternate timeline. Kintaro is also a notable Shokan as he is not part of the same linage of the latter three, with him being a part of the Tigrar class, replacing the dragon-like appearance with more feline attributes like whiskers, claws and striped fur.
With his updated appearance in Mortal Kombat 11, as well as his expanded backstory in the new timeline, Shao Kahn shows signs of draconic linage, with spikes and scales protruding from his body. In Mortal Kombat 1, he now has horns, similar to Onaga's. This draconic linage is also supported in Reiko's Arcade ending, where Onaga is defeated by Shao's ancestors, all baring the same draconic appearance as this new iteration of Shao, as well as Onaga.
Trivia[]
- Liu Kang is synonymous with dragon motifs, even transforming or summoning a flaming dragon when attacking his opponents.
- Additionally, overtime, his Fireball attacks take the shape of a dragon as it flies at the opponent.
- The Elder Gods are said to appear as dragons in their true forms. The dragons resemble those seen on the Mortal Kombat dragon symbol, and that is likely why the symbol is so prevalent throughout the series. Images of the Elder Gods as dragons can be seen in Onaga's unused Deception ending, the archway of a temple in Armageddon's Konquest mode, Captain Marvel's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe ending, and the climax of Mortal Kombat (2011)'s Story Mode.
- In Mortal Kombat (2011), dragons are seen as a part of Shao Kahn's invasion force during the attack on Earthrealm.
- In Sub-Zero's Arcade ending in Mortal Kombat X, the Lin Kuei discover a nest of Frost Dragon eggs in Outworld, after which they raise the dragon hatchlings in order to used them to protect Earthrealm.