Great Kung Lao

Great Kung Lao

The Great Kung Lao is a character occasionally referenced in the game series and featured in the television show Mortal Kombat: Conquest. He is the ancestor of the present-day Kung Lao and Liu Kang.

About the Great Kung Lao

Being the first person on Earthrealm to represent the Order of Light in Mortal Kombat, he would do battle with the evil sorcerer and shapeshifter Shang Tsung (500 years before Liu Kang would do the same).

Despite Tsung having the advantage of winning nine consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, Kung Lao defeated him and became Grand Champion, saving Earthrealm in the process. While it is common for the victor to take his opponent's life, Kung Lao spared the sorcerer. As champion, Lao could not age.

The Great Kung Lao defeating Shang Tsung

Fifty years later, Tsung, the now old man he spared half a century before, had corrupted the tournament. Kung Lao was defeated by Goro, the Shokan prince. Afterwards, his soul was taken by Tsung, an event that would lead up to the events of the first arcade game.

In Mortal Kombat: Deception, his soul was freed after Shang Tsung was killed by Raiden's failed attempt to destroy the Dragon King, finally giving his soul peace after over five centuries of torment.

It is revealed in Kung Lao's ending in Mortal Kombat (2011) that he is in fact the reincarnation of the Great Kung Lao. He learns this after touching his "ancestor's" tombstone and being filled with his memories. He was reincarnated so that he could avenge his failings.

Mortal Kombat Conquest

In Mortal Kombat: Conquest, the Great Kung Lao is portrayed by Paolo Montalban. While Conquest was not part of the canon storyline the Mortal Kombat games follow, it nevertheless was immensely popular among the fan community, as he was mentioned in the first movie.

Paolo Montalban as Kung Lao

Kung Lao was raised in the Order of Light, a monastery of Shaolin Monks. While he lived happily with his family and friends, Kung Lao prepared for his entire life to fight in Mortal Kombat. He was trained thoroughly under the monastery's phenomenal martial artists, teaching him moves many would think impossible. All of Kung Lao's training made him undeniably the monastery's best fighter.

After leaving the monastery, Kung Lao established himself in the trading post of Zhu Zin, that was owned by the Reylands. Living with him were two other strong fighters, Jen's former bodyguard Siro, and the former thief Taja. Kung Lao made his living by fighting against the Outworld murderers and all those who threatened those he cared about. But every day, he also lived with two big regrets: the untimely death of his beloved Jen, and the mercy he showed to the miserable sorcerer Shang Tsung.

Personality

Kung Lao is a troubled young warrior from the Order of Light Temple. He is a skilled Mortal Kombat fighter with incomparable focus and strength.

Kung Lao was raised alongside other children from the temple and trained from birth to fight in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Having grown up in this environment, Mortal Kombat is deeply entrenched in Kung Lao's character and belief system.

The Great Kung Lao defeated by Goro

He is an amazing warrior who is skilled in nearly every form of martial arts. Being the best of the trainees, Kung Lao rightfully earned the honor of defending Earthrealm.

After winning the tournament, Kung Lao believed his duty was fulfilled. He is ready to live a much easier and more peaceful life, hopefully with his love, Jen. However, with new found power comes responsibility. Kung Lao is not aging like his friends and he is plagued by visions of his own death: he too, one day, will lose in Mortal Kombat. He tries to ignore these visions and create a life with Jen, but this action results in her death, for which Kung Lao will never forgive himself. Through this process he has become introspective, confused and guilt ridden. Kung Lao no longer wholly believes in himself.

Taking up the duty of Mortal Kombat, Kung Lao now carries a great burden. The responsibility for the fate of the Earth combined with the overwhelming sense of an impending failure motivates him yet torments his soul. He must wander the Earth in search of other warriors to help balance a future he can't control. In this mission, Kung Lao is in way over his head. He knows a true champion comes from inner self and from his job of identifying and enlisting these warriors he does not quite understand, nor does he know how to do.

Abilities

A master of martial arts from the Order of Light, Kung Lao's fighting prowess is unmatched by Earthrealm's inhabitants.

Character Relationships

• Defeated Shang Tsung to become Champion of Mortal Kombat.
• 50 years later, he was defeated and killed by Goro, and Shang Tsung took his soul.
• His soul was freed after the death of Shang Tsung in the fight against Onaga, the Dragon King.
• He was reincarnated in the present day Kung Lao.

Trivia

Paolo Montalban as the original Kung Lao (the Great Kung Lao)

• In Conquest, in the first episode of the series he is seen wearing his descendant's MK3 costume.
• His appearance in Mortal Kombat (2011) is nearly identical to his appearance in the Mortal Kombat comics drawn by John Tobias.