There is an order to the universe—laws that all of nature must obey.
-- Mortal Kombat: Deception bio
Hotaru is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
About Hotaru
The name Hotaru (ホタル?) is Japanese for "firefly". This is reflected in his outfit which has the appearance of an insect's exoskeleton. His special attacks evoke a firefly's glow and power of flight. Hotaru is a general from the realm of Seido, or Orderrealm, and devotes himself to preserving law and order at any cost. So much so that he could be described as a zealot.
Storyline
At one point, Hotaru had ventured into Outworld to confront Shao Kahn's Tarkatan armies laying siege to the city of Lei Chen. Years later, however, those same forces would be under the command of Onaga, the Dragon King. Believing that this newly resurrected ruler would bring order to the universe, he helps Onaga's hordes in their attacks and pursues those who would stand against them, such as Sub-Zero. At the time of Deception, Hotaru has set out to bring the Lin Kuei Grandmaster to justice before Onaga.
He is, however, unaware that a bounty has been placed on his own head. In the past, Hotaru had served as a guardsman for Dairou while he was incarcerated. Dairou now is under contract to murder Hotaru.
In Hotaru's Mortal Kombat: Armageddon ending, he defeats Blaze and becomes the very essence of Order. He then converts the realms into an orderly existence, making people bow to him or be transformed. He transforms Havik into his second-in-command.[1]
Combat characteristics
Powers and abilities
Hotaru has mastery over fire, as evidenced by his special attacks. He can also use this power as a means of ambushing the enemy, such as in Kenshi's Deception ending when he used a massive ball of fire to temporarily blind Sub-Zero, allowing Hotaru to move in for the kill. His own Deception ending and hara-kiri show him using a spine rip, similar to the original Sub-Zero's from the first Mortal Kombat, showcasing his impressive strength.
Signature moves
- Grasshopper: Very similar to Liu Kang's Bicycle Kick, he jumps in the air and repeatedly kicks the opponent sideways. (MK:D, MK:A)
- Lava Burst: He throws a magma ball to the ground, ascending the opponent into the air, opened for an attack. (MK:D, MK:A)
- Fury Punch and Escape: Hotaru dashes forward with a straight punch with a streak of magma trailing from his feet, then slides back to his original position. (MK:A)
- Quick Tricks: Hotaru does the same animation as the Fury Punch and Escape, only this time he slides past the opponent and appears behind them. (MK:A)
thumb|300px|right|Hotaru's fatality from MKD.
Fatalities
- Triple Neck Snap: Hotaru kicks the opponent in the thigh, causing them to kneel down as Hotaru takes his hands to the opponent and begins snapping their neck. He simply does not stop as he tries two more times, the third one strong enough to make the corpse flinch from the intensity. (MK:D)
- Body Slam: Hotaru takes his opponent's leg and begins slamming his opponent around, causing blood and guts to spill out. A third time, he slides the opponent's body and slams them, causing their entire body to explode. (MK:D)
Other finishers
- Hara-Kiri: Hotaru takes a hand to his head and promptly rips it off along with his spine as he crumples to the floor. (MK:D)
Endings
- Deception: (Non-canonical) In the words of Shujinko "In the wilds of Outworld, Hotaru captured the renegade Earthrealm warrior Sub-Zero and bought him before the Dragon King. Onaga's judgement of Sub-Zero was swift, and Hotaru was given the task of carrying out his punishment: death. His fate served as a reminder to all those who would challenge the authority of the Dragon King."
- Armageddon: (Non-canonical) "The power of Blaze transformed Hotaru into a being of pure Order. All would bow before him or be transformed by his gaze. Yet there was one whom Hotaru would see pay for his crimes against conformity: the Cleric of Chaos, Havik! The light of Hotaru poured into Havik's mind and transformed him into an agent of Order -- Hotaru's second-in-command!" ''
Trivia
- Much like Reiko's name, Hotaru is a feminine name in Japan, despite him being a male character.
References
