—Jax after defeating Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat X |
Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs (U.S.A.) is a cybernetically-enhanced soldier who is the leader of the Outer World Investigation Agency (O.I.A.), Earthrealm's Special Forces unit, in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II.
About Jax
Jax made his debut in Mortal Kombat II. He is portrayed as an archetypal African American hero. In the Special Forces' chain of command, he is Sonya Blade's direct superior and the catalyzing force of Sonya's impulsiveness. Jax is clear-headed, careful and always keeping a watch on what his men are doing. When the need arises, he is a beast on the battlefield with the attitude and ferocity of a lion. He unscrupulously makes use of the most advanced technology to improve both himself and his unit. He is responsible for the crime lord Kano's disfigurement, forcing him to wear a metal plate over a portion of his face.
Jax is the father of Jacqui and was against her joining the Special Forces, believing she only joined due to his legacy. In Mortal Kombat 11, it is revealed that after his wife, Vera, had died, Jax had become a recluse and was traumatised by revisiting his memories as one of Quan Chi’s revenants. This gave Kronika the opportunity to recruit him in her goal of resetting the timeline, promising him the ability to stop Jacqui from joining the Special Forces. Whilst initially working alongside Kronika, his past self along with his daughter and Raiden were able to make him realise his mistakes, turning upon his ally and joining the fight against her.
Appearance
Jax is depicted as an African American man, having dark skin, black hair and brown eyes. Jax's most striking feature is his impressive muscular upper body build, keeping his torso bare in all but one of his appearances. In his first appearances, he wore karate pants and boots. From Mortal Kombat 3 and onwards, he wears a pair of bionic armor-plating that covers and protects both of his arms.
It is not known whether his arms were replaced or upgraded in the original storyline. However, it is possible that he may have used bionic implants until the events of Deception, where he may have willingly had his own arms removed in favor of mechanical replacements. In the alternate timeline of MK 2011, he was forced to use metallic arms in order to survive, after having his organic arms telekinetically dismembered by Ermac. In MKX, he wears a camouflage vest with his last name Briggs on his right upper vest pocket with his left upper pocket acting as a storage for his cigars and he still wears his dog tag around his neck, along with two more additional pockets near his abdomen. He has an American flag wrapped up and tied around his upper right arm and he wears green pants with some additional color of black on them and wears black army boots.
Combat characteristics
Powers and abilities
Due to his membership in the army, Jax is quite a hardened soldier on the battlefield. He is known to show incredible ferocity while staying focused at the same time. Jax's most prominent attribute is his massive upper body strength. His physique and strength are so powerful that he is able to crush human heads with ease and shake the earth with a single punch.
From Mortal Kombat 3 onwards, Jax utilizes cybernetic strength enhancers to further augment his already impressive physical power. These implants also carry portable missiles, energy enhancers, nanokinetic metalmorphation and a piston-like mechanism to increase the force of his blows. In Mortal Kombat Unchained he has long since replaced his flesh & blood extremities with fully bionic limbs that replicate all the functions of his enhancement mods. Possibly making him the physically most powerful man on Earth, if he wasn't already that strong.
Aside from his kombat skills, Jax is also a competent technician, scientist and engineer, having been in charge of the portal development technology that the Outworld Investigation Agency uses to move between realms on top of the special development of the SF's bionic enhancement program. Having utilized his smarts to restore Cyrax's free will.
Even before receiving his upgrades, Jackson Briggs muscle power was great enough for him to create purple shockwaves and launch them at the enemy.
He would often focus his dynamism into causing earthquakes by slamming his fist into the ground. After getting his arm braces, the cybernetics seem to augment his natural force output. Strengthening his tremor based abilities while also increasing his overall raw power.
In later Mortal Kombat games, the cybernetics would come with further augmentations, like a rocket-propelled punch or a plasma shell discharge which he could launch individually or consecutively from both fists.
In various Mortal Kombat games, Jax would also incorporate modern weaponry into his fighting style to compliment the cybernetic augmentations he'd received. Often times employing sub-machine guns, grenade and rocket launchers as well as RPG's along with his melee. In Mortal Kombat 11, Jax's bionic arms will heat up and glow red-hot every time Jax lands a punch, doing this will increase the damage of his punch attack and he still retains the ability to shoot projectiles from his fists.
Signature moves
- Energy Wave: Jax throws a wave of sonic energy at his opponent. In the CD versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, the "Classic" version of Jax can also throw this wave while in the air. In MKX this can be delayed. (MKII, MKT, MK:SM, MK 2011, MKX)
- Both in MK 2011 and MKX the enhanced version is called Assault Wave, which has Jax fire two waves. In MKX this can once again be delayed, with the second wave knocking the opponent down.
- Ground Pound: Jax punches the ground, shaking the arena. In MK 2011 and MKX, there are close, medium, and far versions of the move and it will send the opponent skyward. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
- In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Ground Quake. It increases the damage and affects the whole arena.
- In MKX, the enhanced version is called Ground Shake and tracks the opponent's location.
- In MK11, amplifying the move knocks the opponent off their feet.
- Ground Tremor: An alternate version of Ground Pound which shakes the whole arena, dealing unblockable damage to opponents hit by it, similarly to the version of the move found in games prior to MK 2011. This move replaces Jax's Ground Pound in the Pumped Up variation. (MKX - Pumped Up Variation)
- The enhanced version is Ground Quake, which deals increased damage and knocks down the opponent.
- Air Drill Slam: Jax drops from the air to perform the Ground Tremor. (MKX - Pumped Up Variation)
- The enhanced version, Air Drill Strike, has Jax drop from the air to perform a Ground Quake, without the increased damage, however.
- Ground Shatter: An alternate version of Ground Pound which sends the opponent high in the air for a juggle. The attack can be used at different ranges, called Close/Far/Very Far Ground Shatter, respectively. Using Very Far Ground Shatter can strike the opponent from a full-screen distance. This move replaces Ground Pound when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- In MK11, amplifying the move makes it unblockable and cover the floor completely.
- "Gotcha!" Grab: Jax grabs his opponent, says "Gotcha!", and punches them multiple times. In MK 2011, Jax only punches the opponent once and then knocks them away while saying "Oh yeah!". In MK11 he can use an array of moves before striking the opponent away. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:SM, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
- Both in MK 2011 and MKX, the enhanced version is called Gotcha Beatdown in which he punches the opponent multiple more times before knocking them away. The move also has armor in MKX.
- The attacks Jax may perform during "Gotcha!" Grab in MK11 are:
- Pound Town: Jax rapidly punches the opponent in the face. This can be repeated five times until Jax knocks the opponent away.
- Gut Buster: Jax punches the opponent in the gut while stepping forward. This can be repeated twice until Jax knocks the opponent away.
- Lay Down: Jax turns around and slams the opponent into the ground. This can be repeated twice until Jax knocks the opponent away.
- Get Outta My Face: Jax tosses the opponent away, ending the move. If performed near a wall, it gives Jax a frame advantage.
- Super Gotcha: A different version of the "Gotcha!" Grab which is interactive and can deal more damage. This move replaces Jax's Gotcha in his Pumped Up variation. (MKX - Pumped Up Variation)
- The enhanced version is called Gotcha Extreme and allows Jax to land more hits, dealing even more damage, as well as being armored.
- The attacks Jax may perform during Super Gotcha or Gotcha Extreme are:
- Face Smash: Jax does a straight punch to his opponent's face.
- Face Break: Jax punches the side of his opponent's face.
- Gut Buster: Jax strikes the opponent's gut with his fist.
- Crown Slam: Jax delivers an overhead punch to the opponent's head.
- Regardless of the combination of attacks used (or even if there are no strikes during the interaction), Jax will always finish the grab with an uppercut to the opponent's jaw to knock them away.
- Air Gotcha Grab: Jax grabs an aerial opponent by the throat, smacking them headfirst to the ground. (MK 2011)
- The enhanced version is called Air Gotcha Blast. It makes the opponent bounce upside-down after the slam before Jax grabs them by the neck and tosses them away.
- Multi-Slam: Jax slams his opponent multiple times in succession. In MK 2011 this has been downgraded to his throw, and in MKX and MK11 it's called Quad Slam. Both in MK 2011, MKX and MK11 multiple buttons must be pressed to extend it and make Jax slam the enemy more times. In MK 2011 Jax can slam the opponent up to four times in a row, and in MKX the normal version of this move has Jax slam the enemy up to two times, while in MK11 Jax has to spend bars of his Offensive meter to perform the last two follow-ups. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM, MK 2011, MKX - Wrestler Variation, MK11 - Equip Ability)
- The enhanced version in MKX, called Quad Grapple allows Jax to slam the opponent up to four times for additional damage.
- The attacks Jax may perform during Quad Slam in MK11 are:
- Power Bomb: Jax picks the opponent off the ground, turns around and powerbombs them.
- Underhook Slam: Jax picks the opponent off the ground and hooks their arms, turns around and slams them into the ground.
- Belly to Belly Suplex: Jax grabs the opponent that has bounced off the ground, brings them in closer and performs a bridging belly-to-belly suplex.
- If each of the follow-ups is performed at the last moment possible, it turns into a Krushing Blow, where when Jax performs the suplex, it shatters their ribs, dealing increased damage.
- Back Breaker: Jax grabs his opponent in mid-air and slams them on his knee down to the ground, resulting in the opponent's back-breaking. (MKII, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM, MK 2011, MKX - Wrestler Variation)
- Dash Punch: Jax moves forward at incredible speed to punch his opponent. In MKX, this can also be directed down to hit crouching opponents, which is called Downward Dash Punch. This move is no longer a special-move in MK11 but instead became part of his Get Outta Here combo move. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
- In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Dash Fist. After the punch connects, Jax grabs the opponent, throws them up, grabs them violently by their face, and then slams them down. In a variation, he will grab the opponent around the waist, turn around, and perform a spinebuster.
- In MKX, the enhanced versions, Dash Fist and Downward Dash Fist, deal more damage. Downward Dash Fist also recovers faster, allowing for a follow-up attack afterwards.
- Missile: Jax shoots a missile from his bionic arms. In MK11 this is called Heat Missile, which can only be fired if Jax's bionic arms are heated up. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK11)
- Double Missile: Jax shoots two missiles in quick succession. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK11)
- If this attack is a part of 6 or more hit-combo, it turns into a Krushing Blow, where the missile damages the opponent's internal organs, dealing increased damage.
- Plasma Ball: Jax fires a purplish projectile from one of his bionic arms. (MK4, MKG)
- Piston Punch: Jax punches his enemy multiple times. (MK:DA, MK:A)
- Machine Gun: Jax takes out his machine gun and shoots at the enemy. In MK:DA and MK:A, Jax would say "Oh yeah!" while performing the move. (MK:DA, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MKX - Heavy Weapons Variation)
- Up Machine Gun: Jax fires his machine gun upwards. (MKX - Heavy Weapons Variation)
- The enhanced versions, Machine Fire and Up Machine Fire, have Jax fire more shots with the gun for more damage.
- Blinding Light: Jax contains energy within his hands and then releases a powerful purple flash, blinding his opponent for a short time at a short-range. (MKvsDCU)
- Overhead Smash: Jax jumps into the air and brings his elbow down onto the opponent's head. (MK 2011)
- The enhanced version is called Elite Smash. After the elbow connects, Jax grabs the opponent and hits an inverted piledriver.
- Major Pain: Jax lunges into the air, uppercutting the opponent with his knee. (MKX)
- The enhanced version is called Major Muscle and adds a punch after the knee uppercut to knock the opponent away. It also has armor.
- L.A.W Rocket: Jax grabs his Rocket Launcher off his back and fires a rocket at his opponent. This replaces his Energy Wave in the Heavy Weapons variation. Jax can also delay the attack or cancel it, and aim the rocket at an airborne opponent. (MKX - Heavy Weapons Variation)
- The enhanced version is called L.A.W. Blast and has increased damage.
- Stiff Armed: Jax dashes forward and hits the opponent with his shoulder before knocking them away with a palm strike. (MK11)
- Amplifying the move has Jax grab the opponent, smack them in the head with his grenade launcher's gun stock and fires a shot in their gut.
- If only the second hit successfully lands on its own as a Kounter or a Punish, the attack is turned into a Krushing Blow, with Jax's palm shattering their ribs and dealing increased damage.
- Thumper: Jax pulls out his grenade launcher and fires a grenade in a low arc at the opponent. The grenade can also be launched in a higher arc. (MK11)
- Amplifying the move has Jax load another grenade and fire again.
- Heating Up: Jax bashes his fists against each other, heating up his arms. (MK11)
- Amplifying the move has Jax slam his fists again, gaining even more heat.
- Buckshot: Jax pulls out his shotgun and fires forward. This move replaces Thumper when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Lethal Clap: Jax claps his hands together and releases a small energy burst. He can spend some of his heat to create a fiery blast that knocks the opponent away. This move replaces "Gotcha!" Grab when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Ripped: Jax hops forward and brings his fists down in an overhead swing. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Amplifying the move has Jax follow up with an uppercut.
- Duck and Weave: Jax steps forward and crouches down, then strikes the opponent away with a spinning backfist. From here he is able to perform follow-ups. This move can be delayed. This move replaces Stiff Armed when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Amplifying the move has Jax perform an uppercut instead of a spinning backfist.
- Axe Handle: If Ripped is equipped, Jax hops forward and brings his fists down in an overhead swing.
- Rag Dollin': Jax grabs the opponent by the leg and tosses them away.
- Burning Hammer: Jax jumps up and grabs his opponent mid-air and performs a fireman's carry which drives the opponent into the ground. This can also be performed mid-air. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Amplifying the move has Jax perform a twist mid-air before slamming the opponent, dealing increased damage.
- Briggs Barricade: Jax clangs his arms against each other and goes into a blocking stance. If he gets hit with a projectile during this move, he doesn't receive any damage and gains heat. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- X-Ray Move - Briggs Bash: Jax throws his opponent into the air, then brings them down on his knee, breaking the stomach, back, and legs, and then brings them to his upper back and shoulder again, dealing damage on the higher end of the opponent's spine, heart, and ribs, causing them damage. (MK 2011)
- X-Ray Move - Bring It: Jax slams his fists down on the opponent, stunning them. He then grabs them by the midsection, leaps into the air and powerbombs them into the ground with tremendous force, smashing their ribs. He shifts his grip and delivers a wheelbarrow suplex that breaks the opponent's spine. (MKX)
- Fatal Blow - Honorable Discharge: Jax grabs his opponent and rapidly punches them five times to the face and then five times to the gut. He then claps his opponent's head and finishes it by shooting them with his grenade launcher straight to their face. (MK11)
Other moves
- Free-Fall Super Move: Jax takes out his machine gun, shoots his opponent, then performs his Blinding Light special, the flash powerful enough to ground his opponent. (MKvsDCU)
- Knee Breaker: Jax stomps his foe in the kneecap, causing them to scream with pain, stunning them briefly. (MK4, MKG)
- Hammer Punch: Jax smashes his foe in the head so hard they are left dizzy momentarily. (MKII)
- Throw: Jax grabs the opponent to punch their abdomen, head and then land a final fist to their face that tosses them away. (MKX)
- Throw (Forward): Jax grabs the opponent by the head and rams it towards his bent knee, then quickly elbows them in the back of the neck before throwing them aside. (MK11)
- If Jax's arms are fully heated up, the attack is turned into a Krushing Blow, with Jax's elbow shattering the opponent's vertebrae and dealing twice the original damage.
- Throw (Backward): Jax puts the opponent into a chokehold and, after they lose their consciousness, throws them to the other side. (MK11)
- Head Slammer: Jax winds up and brings his fist down on the opponent's head. This attack can be charged and delayed. This combo is very similar to Hammer Punch. (MK11)
- Performing the attack fully charged turns it into a Krushing Blow, where when Jax delivers the hammer blow, it shatters the entire top of the opponent's skull, dealing increased damage, and sending the opponent high in the air for a juggle.
- Expert Grappler: Jax gains the ability to perform Major Force, Standing Strong and Get Some kombos. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Major Force: Jax punches the opponent twice, then bashes them on the head several times and knocks them down to the ground.
- Standing Strong: Jax moves forward with a punch, then bashes them on the head several times and knocks them down to the ground.
- Get Some: Jax kicks forward twice, then bashes them on the head several times and knocks them down to the ground.
- If Jax's arms are fully heated up during any of these follow-ups, the attack is turned into a Krushing Blow, where the final punch shatters the back of the opponent's head, dealing increased damage. This Krushing Blow can only be triggered once during the match, and performing other follow-ups will not trigger it again.
- Enhanced Outranked: Jax gains the ability to perform the Right to Bear Arms and Armed and Dangerous kombos. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
- Right to Bear Arms: Jax punches the opponent twice in the face, then twice in the gut, follows up with a straight punch and an overhead. There's a window between every two punches when Jax can cancel into a special attack. This combo is mainly used to quickly heat up his arms.
- Armed and Dangerous: Jax punches the opponent twice in the face, then twice in the gut, follows up with a straight punch and a superman punch. There's a window between every two punches when Jax can cancel into a special attack. This combo is mainly used to quickly heat up his arms.
Fatalities
- Head Clap: Jax violently claps his hands over his opponent's head, crushing it. In Mortal Kombat 4, Jax's hands fills up with violet aura before clapping the opponent's head. In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the opponent's head is flattened in a comical fashion. It returns in Mortal Kombat 11 as a Brutality. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MKvsDCU)
- Arm Rip: Jax grabs both his opponent's arms and puts one of his feet on their torso, then proceeds to rip the arms off the opponent's body. In Mortal Kombat 4, he rips the arms off one by one. (MKII, MK4, MKG, MKX)
- Super Quad Slam: Jax, after slamming his opponent multiple times, then slams his opponent for the final time which causes them to explode. (MKII) (Game Gear and Master System versions only)
- Boot Squash: Jax comically grows in size and crushes his opponent with his boot. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
- Slice-N-Dice: Jax's metal arms turn into swords and slices his opponent into pieces. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
- Head Stomp: Jax throws his enemy on the ground, face up. He then jumps high in the air, bringing his 300+ lbs self down on the enemy's head, smashing it. (MK:DA, MK:U)
- Air Machine Gun: Jax uppercuts the foe and sprays a volley of bullets into the opponent while they're still in midair. (MKvsDCU)
- Smash And Grab: Jax crushes his opponent's head with a single clap, then rips both their arms out of the sockets. This Fatality is a combination of his Head Clap and Arm Rip Fatalities. (MK 2011)
- Three Points!: Jax bashes his opponent three times, burying them into the ground. He then kicks their head twice. The first one puts the opponent in a daze, and the second one launches the opponent's head off like a football. (MK 2011)
- T-Wrecks: Jax lifts the opponent by the arms before shoving both arms into their body, making them kneel. Afterwards, he smokes a cigar before ripping their head apart at the jawline. He then extinguishes his cigar on the opponent's tongue, leaving the head dangling. (MKX)
- Jax The Ribber: Jax lifts the opponent by the neck and thrusts his other hand into the opponent's ribcage, tearing three of them out, then stabs the opponent through the skull with said ribs. Jax then puts them onto their knees and proceeds to violently snap their neck for a complete 180 turn, killing them. Jax walks away, then the opponent collapses to the ground. (MKX)
- Coming In Hot: Jax plants a bomb on the opponent's back, before kicking him/her away. Before the bomb is armed, Jax proceeds to heat up his arms. As the bomb goes off, the opponent is launched straight towards Jax, who delivers a lariat with enough force and the help of his heated arms to bisect the opponent's torso. (MK11)
- Still Got It: Jax rips off one of the opponent's arms, then uses it as a bat to hit the head into the sky. As the head comes down, a baseball theme can be heard as Jax uses the arm to hit the head so hard the skin peels off and reveals the opponent's skull. (MK11)
Other finishers
- Friendship #1: Jax cuts out some paper dolls. (MKII)
- Friendship #2: Jax begins to jump rope. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
- Animality: Jax turns into a lion and mauls the opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
- Babality: Jax becomes a baby and begins pounding the ground in a tantrum. (MK 2011)
- Brutality #1 - Sledge Hammer: Jax performs a Dash Punch that obliterates the opponent's torso. (MKX)
- Brutality #2 - Gotcha Down: Jax does a "Gotcha" Grab and punches his opponent repeatedly until their head is obliterated with one final punch. (MKX)
- Brutality #3 - Rocket Roll: Jax aims his rocket launcher and fires it while the opponent is in midair, obliterating them. The head falls in front of Jax shorty after. (MKX - Heavy Weapons Variation)
- Brutality #4 - Ground Breaking: Jax slams the ground hard enough to create a shockwave that destroys his opponent's shins. (MKX - Pumped Up Variation)
- Brutality #5 - Ragdoll: Jax grabs the opponent and proceeds to slam them on the ground repeatedly until their arms and legs become skeletonized. (MKX - Wrestler Variation)
- Brutality #6: Jax fires his machine gun at his opponent, leaving behind multiple bullet holes as they fall dead. (MKXL - Heavy Weapons Variation - Secret)
- Brutality #7: Jax fires his machine gun at his opponent, only this time for an extended time and as they fall dead, he fires his rocket launcher at their head, blowing off their head. (MKXL - Heavy Weapons Variation - Secret)
- Has same requirements as Brutality #6, only a button combination is required to fire the rocket.
- Brutality #8 - The Klassic: Jax uppercuts the opponent's head off with their spine attached. It is available to all other characters. (MK11)
- The player mustn't block throughout the finishing round.
- A button must be held.
- Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
- Brutality #9 - Slow Clap: Jax performs a Lethal Clap, crushing the opponent's head with his fists. (MK11)
- Jax's arms must be fully heated up.
- Brutality #10 - Pounded: Jax performs Pound Town, with him squeezing the opponent's head, until their eyes pop out and their head is crushed. (MK11)
- A button must be held during the last hit.
- Brutality #11 - Awww Yeah: Jax performs a combo which ends in one of the three combos gained from Expert Grappler, ripping the opponent's legs off as they are knocked down. (MK11)
- Must not lose a round.
- A button must be held.
- Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
- Brutality #12 - Broken: Jax performs an Amplified Stiff Armed, blasting the opponent's stomach and revealing their guts. (MK11)
- Fatal Blow must not connect.
- A button must be held.
- Brutality #13 - Buck You: Jax performs Buckshot, which destroys the opponent's face, revealing their skull. (MK11)
- Requires to connect five moves involving the shotgun during the match.
- Brutality #14 - Missing Something: Jax performs Rag Dollin', ripping the opponent's leg off and leaving only a femur. (MK11)
- Requires Jax to be at a certain health level.
- A button must be held.
- Brutality #15 - I Said Sleep: Jax performs Sleep, Bitch kombo, ripping the opponent's arms off. (MK11)
- Requires Jax to be at a certain health level.
- Brutality #16 - Buffed: Jax performs a Backward Throw ripping the opponent's head off. (MK11)
- Certain buttons must be pressed repeatedly.
Movie and TV Appearance
Mortal Kombat
Jax appears briefly in the first Mortal Kombat movie, in which he accompanies Sonya on the raid on Kano's club and unsuccessfully tries to stop her from boarding Shang Tsung's boat near the beginning of the film. He was played by Gregory McKinney.
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
Jax appears in the animated TV series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, he was among the leading characters voiced by Dorian Harewood. He was always in a good mood and always ready to go into battle whenever Outworlders invade. In the episode Acid Tongue, he loses his confidence when Komodai spits acid on his cybernetic strength enhancers, and he uses his chi to fight Komodai at some ruins to rescue Sonya. Another episode, Abandoned, had him leaving the team only to be captured by Shao Kahn's forces in an attempt to get information on the location of the MK headquarters. This episode also explores the deep friendship and care between Sonya and Jax, who revealed as a child he was made fun for being fat.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Former American Gladiators actor Lynn "Red" Williams plays Jax in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. He is recruited by Sonya to join the Earthrealm warriors in their stand against Shao Kahn's forces. He fights Cyrax and later defeats the Centaurian, Motaro (played by fellow Gladiators alumnus Deron McBee). His relationship with the technological enhancements he uses is explored to a small degree.
Mortal Kombat: Rebirth
Michael Jai White plays Jax in Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. In this short film, he informs top assassin Hanzo Hasashi about serial killers in an underground tournament led by Shang Tsung. He tries to convince Hanzo to join the tournament.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Michael Jai White reprises his role as Jax in Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
In this continuity, Jax serves as a detective for the Deacon City Police, working alongside Sonya Blade and Kurtis Stryker, while maintaining his close relationship with Sonya and his intense rivalry with Kano.
In the first episode of the online series, Jax is part of a conference going over the details of Sonya's transmission that reveals the location of Kano and the Black Dragon's hideout. while Jax wants to move in immediately, Stryker urges caution and that they follow protocol and wait for Sonya to confirm the intel. Lacking patience when it comes to Sonya's safety, Jax declares, "fuck protocol. I'll go myself." Stryker reluctantly follows his example and orders their team after him.
Jax, Stryker and their team arrive at the Black Dragon's warehouse hideout, but are soon ambushed, with Jax being the first to realize this as he sees one of the S.W.A.T. officers get struck with an explosive. Jax then sees Kano arrive with a large group of Black Dragon members and a massive gunfight erupts.
Though Stryker wants to know how Kano knew they were coming, Jax says that now is not the time to ask that and tells him that he is going after Sonya while requesting cover from Stryker. Working together, the two successfully take out several Black Dragons, with Jax himself using a combination of martial arts and weapon fire to dispatch them. Jax then gets in a shootout with Kano but when both run out of ammo, Jax chases after Kano to an upper section of the warehouse.
There, the two engage in hand-to-hand, being roughly evenly matched, though after Kano deals Jax a low blow, Jax grapples with him over control of an explosive launching weapon, which fires at their feet. The two narrowly dodge the ensuing explosion.
In the next episode, Jax recovers and resumes his chase after Kano, cornering him and demanding Sonya's location. The two fight again, and Kano manages to briefly get the upper hand when he strikes Jax with a glass bottle. Kano then boasts about torturing Sonya, infuriating Jax.
In a stunning display of barely controlled rage and skill, Jax single-handedly defeats Kano, never allowing the mercenary to lay a single hit on himself, before punching Kano so hard across the face that he knocks out his right eye and collapses part of his skull. Jax then collapses to his knees, exhausted, when Sonya appears, taking out a Black Dragon who had just thrown a grenade.
As the two spot the grenade, Jax rushes over to Sonya and shields her from the ensuing explosion.
Though not seen again, Stryker reveals that Jax survived, but was badly wounded, sustaining severe injuries to his back and arms. Stryker then reveals that Jax is in surgery at the D.O.D. and assures Sonya he will be fine.
Michael Jai White did not return for Season 2, leaving Jax absent from the tournament.
Quotes
Mortal Kombat (film)
- "Trust me, Sonya."
- "Nothing says that creep at the club wasn't lying his ass off. Kano could be a thousand miles from here by now."
- "Sonya, don't get on that thing! Hey, Sonya!"
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
- "Cybernetic strength enhancers. Takes what you got, and quadruples the muscle capacity."
- "Wish I had these babies back in high-school."
- "Shao what?"
- '"I'll take homeboy."
- "Damn, you barbecued his ass."
- "Bad thing I didn't get myself some new legs."
- "Use my imagination? You keep talkin' to me like that, Sonya, and I'm gonna split, alright? Look, you drag me out the base with some lunatic killers after us. Put me in a spinning ball, take me halfway around the world. If I'm gonna die today, at least tell me why."
- "I don't know how much longer I can take all this whacked-out junk, but you do look good in mud."
- "Major Jackson Briggs. You got an incredible set of legs...for kickin', I mean."
- "Who does this dude think he is? Moses parting the Red Sea?"
- "Hey, we trusted you man and what happens? You take us on a wild goose chase."
- "Man, you got one dysfunctional family, you know that?"
- "Are we really ready to die here?"
- "Mr. Ed is mine."
- "Yeah, I'm gonna make you eat that thing!"
- "Got everything I need right here!"
- "That was the longest week of my life."
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
- "So we just leave Sonya in there? No back-up?"
- "You know what? Fuck protocol. I'll go myself."
- "I'm goin' for Sonya, you got this?"
- "Where is she, Kano!?"
Mortal Kombat 4/Gold
- Sonya, this is Major Briggs. Come in Sonya. This is Jax, are you there? (To Sonya after she fell off the cliff)
- Going somewhere, Jarek? (After grabbing Jarek)
- Thought I was what? Dead? Like my partner you just tossed off the cliff?
- Too late Jarek!
- "Wrong, Jarek. This is not a brutality. This is a fatality!" (to Jarek before throwing him off of a cliff)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
- "Sonya, what happened? What're you doing in Raiden's sky temple? When I lost contact with you I was about to--"
- "Hey, what's wrong?"
- "Kano?"
- "What're you talking about?"
- "I dunno what happened. She just attacked me."
- "Well now, this just got a whole lot more interesting."
Mortal Kombat (2011)
- "Bring it!!" (Battle Cry)
- "Get some!!" (Victory Quote)
- "How you like that?" (When performing an X-Ray Move.)
- "Run, girl, run!" (when Sonya finds him in Goro's Lair)
- "Your obsession with him is gonna get you killed." (to Sonya)
- "Oh, so you're in charge now?" (to Sonya, as she helps him walk to the evac point)
- "That's amazing!" (to Raiden, when Raiden heals his injuries)
- "Well done, kid." (to Liu Kang, upon Kang winning the Mortal Kombat tournament)
- "Ya got me. Not sure anybody could do what he did. Made Shang Tsung look like a chump." (to Raiden, about Liu Kang)
- "Anybody get the number of that -" (referring to the Tarkatan warrior that knocked him unconscious, before noticing that Sonya is missing)
- "Where's Sonya?" (to Shang Tsung)
- "She better not have a scratch on her."
- "Damn, you ugly." (to Baraka)
- "You shouldn't be running with those." (after defeating Baraka)
- "Give it a rest, will ya? Makin' my ears hurt." (to Johnny Cage, when Johnny starts talking about the Armory's resemblance to one of his movies)
- "It's not like that! I'm her C.O." (to Johnny Cage, when he inquires about Sonya)
- "You'll wanna stop talkin' now." (to Johnny Cage)
- "That's it! Time somebody shut you the hell up!" (to Johnny Cage, challenging him to a fight)
- "How you like that, Mr A-List?" (after defeating Johnny Cage)
- "Gonna have to ask nicer than that!" (to Jade, upon being told to leave the Armory)
- "Wrong place, wrong time, lady!" (after defeating Jade)
- "She's nobody's property." (to Sheeva, in the Dead Pool)
- "I guess extra arms don't make the difference." (after defeating Sheeva)
- "Ya know me, I'm a class act." (to Sonya, upon freeing her)
- "Ermac! Gotcha!" (to Ermac, before grabbing him by the throat)
- "That's it. Here goes nothin'." (reprogramming Cyber Sub-Zero)
- "Hell no! I've never done this before! Not like there's a manual." (to Smoke, when Smoke asks him if he thinks the reprogramming will work)
- "He should." (when asked by Smoke if Sub-Zero can hear him)
- "As you command, my master." (to Quan Chi, his soul enslaved after being killed by Sindel)
Mortal Kombat X
- "I still got it." (Dominating the fight)
- "So he's done his job?" (To Smoke, under Quan Chi's control)
- "This is your last mission, Sonya." (As he is about to kill her)
- "Johnny Cage. Killing you will be a pleasure." (Before he fights Johnny Cage)
- "You won't be dead for long." (To Johnny Cage)
- "Well now, who's being overprotective?" (To Jacqui)
- "I'm doing this for Sonya. She's family." (To Jacqui about Sonya Blade)
- "I'll be fine. You stay safe, y'hear?"
- "Briggs out."
- "Not sure. Maybe both."
- "Shit..."
- "Hiding... I guess I have been." (about to fight revenant Kung Lao)
- "That knocked some of my rust off..." (after defeating revenant Kung Lao)
- "I don't understand, Kitana. I mean, I hate the things I did here. But you enjoy being a revenant." (approaching Kitana)
- "Yeah, I know what you mean. But this ain't the way to assert yourself." (About to fight revenant Kitana)
- "I gotta believe there's hope to you." (After defeating revenant Kitana)
- "This hell is not my home." (To Sindel)
- "I got a family to protect..."
- "Quan Chi's not helping you." (After defeating Sindel)
- "Gonna bag me a sorcerer." (To Kenshi and Sareena)
- "Wouldn't be the first time." (To Sareena about getting killed)
- "Raiden did his best! He saved Earthrealm!" (To revenant Liu Kang)
- "That, isn't true." (Countering revenant Liu Kang's accusations on Raiden while dodging fireballs)
- "I wish I could help you, Liu Kang." (After defeating revenant Liu Kang)
- "Just stop talking." (Seconds before knocking out Quan Chi)
- "S'good to be back."
- "Kenshi, I got 'im."
- "I'm staying here. D'Vorah's on her way. You need to get Quan Chi to Sonya. She'll make him spit his guts."
Mortal Kombat 11
Jax (Past)
- "Weird, isn't it? Not being in charge."
- "That, and having daughters our age."
- "At least she's not an actress."
- "Why would the Netherrealm want to bust up your alma mater, Liu Kang?"
- "Here we go again." (Upon arriving Shang Tsung's Island)
- "Give me ten seconds with this guy." (If the player chooses him)
- "Got the wrong Jax. I haven't been a Revenant."
- "And I never will."
- "Times are changing, Kabal." (After defeating Revenant Kabal)
- "You're done messing with the Well of Souls."
- "I'll take the lady in green." (If the player chooses him)
- "Was a time when you knew who to fight for. But between Quan Chi and Kronika, your mind ain't right."
- "I'll take my chances with Raiden." (After defeating Revenant Jade)
- "This way."
- "Thankfully minus Goro. Shang Tsung kept me locked up here, back at my first tournament. Never thought I'd be back..."
- "Couldn't tell you. I was pretty beat up. It's all a bit hazy." (Told Jacqui he couldn't remember the Well of Souls)
- "That crown. Five bucks says it's Kronika's."
- "There's no way that thing's unguarded. Let's grab-and-go before whoever's on duty gets back."
- "The first Sub-Zero. Scorpion ripped out his spine. Left in a heap upstairs, in Shang Tsung's old throne room." (Replies when Jacqui ask who Noob Saibot was)
- "Hang on, Jacqui. I got this." (If the player chooses him)
- "Got that right."
- "I'm just that tough."
- "Guess Ermac's not the only one who's weak." (After defeating Noob Saibot)
- "C'mon. Let's get that thing and get outta here."
- "Mind. Blown."
- "I'll give you one guess."
- "By destroying the universe?"
- "You're talking nonsense, man. You raised a fine daughter. She's one helluva soldier."
- "Hang back, kid. I know I wouldn't wanna fight my Dad. How 'bout we keep this between me, myself, and I?"
- "Never thought I'd stoop so low."
- " I know you suffered. You still do. But you don't betray your unit, and you sure as hell don't betray your family."
- "There's gotta be a way to make this right." (After defeating his future self)
- "Trippin'. You?"
- "At least he's the devil we know."
- "Cassie beat Shinnok."
- "Maybe we have our own magic."
- "I can't let you do--" (If the player chooses Jacqui)
- "Stand back. We don't know what this thing'll do."
- "Only got to wear this thing long enough to beat you."
- "Mission accomplished." (After defeating Cetrion)
Jax (Present)
- "Jacqui, wait."
- "Giving you the life you deserve."
- "Restarting it, not destroying it."
- "Being a Revenant. The years I lost, the things I did. Your Ma held me together. But I was never the father you needed."
- "She shouldn't have been a soldier!"
- "I never wanted you out there, taking those risks. If I hadn't fall apart, you wouldn't have felt the need to enlist."
- "Please. Give that crown to me. I don't want to hurt anybody."
- "You don't know how bad it gets. Losing your arms was just the beginning."
- "I don't want to fight, but I've got to." (To Raiden)
- "For Jacqui's sake and mine."
- "But--No. She's Cetrion's mother." (After Raiden revealed the truth about Kronika)
- "Which'll only happen if the realms keep on fighting each other."
- "What have I done? I'm a fool."
- "I'm sorry, Raiden. I promise to make this right."
- "Candy ass bitch."
- "What happened to Raiden?" (To Fire God Liu Kang)
- "This means I'm sorry, Jacqui. And hell yeah I'm back." (Apologizing Jacqui Briggs)
Trivia
- His original name was going to be Kurtis Stryker. Midway later recycled that name to create a new character in Mortal Kombat 3.
- In Mortal Kombat 3, Jax adapts cybernetic prosthetics over his normal arms to increase his physical power. His normal arms are left unchanged underneath them, allowing him to remove them if necessary.
- The story behind Jax's prosthetics were to be expanded upon in the original plan for Mortal Kombat Special Forces, which chronologically predates his first appearance in Mortal Kombat 2, where he appeared without them. The exposition was one of the many ideas removed from the final version of the game, showcasing Jax using the prosthetics with no explaination for the chronological discrepency.
- In both Mortal Kombat Annihilation and Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, Jax is forced to discard his prosthetics and fight using his bare strength.
- In the new timeline, Jax instead has his arms completely destroyed by Ermac during the second tournament, necessitating complete cybernetic replacements.
- In his MK vs DCU ending, Jax sustained severe injuries after the World Merge Crisis. So to save his life, he augmented more of his body with cybernetics, becoming the Earthrealm version of DC's Cyborg.
- Jax was originally conceived as simply a kickboxer, but the idea was scrapped due to potential similarities to Balrog, Sagat and especially DeeJay from the Street Fighter series. Then he was given a yellow martial arts gi and big metal hands that clanged upon impact. However, the outfit concealed much of the impressive physique of actor/bodybuilder John Parrish, so he simply went shirtless with long black tights.
- Game footage was actually shot with Jax wearing the yellow costume. Parrish accidentally split the pants during filming.
- During photography for MK3, Parrish wore a gold chain around his neck, which was digitally edited out of all sprites made from the filming.
- Jax's body can be seen in the introduction of Mortal Kombat Deception, located on the top of the stairs leading to the Soulnado chamber.
- In Armageddon's opening scene, Jax is hit by Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer, probably hitting the back of Jax's arm because you can hear a metal-to-metal like sound.
- Before Sonya existed, Jax was originally conceived as a character and possessed her scenario for the first Mortal Kombat. However, since there were no female characters in the original roster at the time, Sonya was created and she inherited his storyline of pursuing Kano and entrapment on Shang Tsung's island.
- In the MKII comic book, he challenged Kintaro in battle.
- According to early production shots of Special Forces, Jax's code name is "Cobra."
- Hakim Alston, who portrayed Jax in Mortal Kombat: The Live Tour (1996), played an Outworld warrior who was defeated by Liu Kang (Robin Shou) in the original MK movie a year earlier. He also co-starred alongside MK game actor Ho Sung Pak in the syndicated television series WMAC Masters.
- In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, knocking Jax off of the Sky Temple will make him yell, "Oh my god! This is not happening to me!"
- Michael Jai White, who plays Jax In MK: Legacy, was originally cast to play Jax in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, but had already begun shooting Spawn instead.
- Jax's fighting stance from Mortal Kombat 3 is similar to that of the male human ninjas (minus Reptile, Rain, and unmasked Sub-Zero) from their UMK3/MKT incarnation. It also comes from the Shaolin Fist fighting style.
- He assists the player (as either Liu Kang or Kung Lao) during the boss fight with Kano in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. After Kano is killed, he and Sonya decide to leave Outworld and gives the player a health upgrade to aid in defeating Shao Kahn. He is the only CPU ally in Shaolin Monks to not be playable.
- It is stated in the Konquest mode of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance that it was Jax who caused the injury that led to Kano wearing his metal faceplate before the events of the series.
- Jax appeared in an advertisement for Chrome Bling.
- Beginning with MK 2011, Jax is frequently shown smoking cigars.
- In the track "MK3 Audio Tour" (4:11) from Mortal Kombat Musik: MK3 & MK4 Arcade Videogame Original Soundtrack, it seems like Jax had an unused fatality (in the track, Jax hits the opponent, then the latter bounce many times before exploding), although he is simply performing the Bell Tower Stage Fatality.
- Interestingly, in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Jax is never fought once in the Mortal Kombat story.
- In a MK 2011 trailer, Jax uses his Missile move, but it is not present in the game.
- In certain cutscenes and fatalities in MK 2011, Jax has a submachine gun on his back. It sometimes even disappears after the camera changes angles, hinting that the machine gun was a scrapped concept for his character.
- In the indie fighting game Skullgirls Encore, the 13th alternate color palette of the character Beowulf directly references Jax's MK3 incarnation.
- In a couple of Jax's Mortal Kombat X intros, he says "I'm too old for this shit!". This is a reference to the catchphrase of Officer Roger Murtagh from the buddy-cop action film series Lethal Weapon.
- In MKX's character select screen, when playing a match in Jax's Carl Weathers outfit and Johnny Cage's commando outfit, after selecting a stage, Johnny will say "You son of a bitch!" and shake hands with Jax. This is a recreation of the handshake scene between the characters Dillon and Dutch in the movie Predator.
- In the first Mortal Kombat film, Jax's name was misspelt 'Jaxx' on the ending credit.
- Despite killing Tremor in the original timeline, Tremor and Jax are still aware of one another and show hatred for each other in MKX.
- In MKX, Jax is one of the few characters whose fighting style is altered by the addition or removal of a weapon.
- Jax is one of five characters to have an alternate version of a Brutality. The other three are Erron Black, Predator, Tremor, and Reptile.
- Jax's rocket launcher in the Heavy Weapons variation is based on the M72 LAW, though Jax actually uses it backwards; the extending part is the exhaust of the real weapon. His SMG appears to be the same fictional (although based on the real-life MP5K) weapon he uses in MK: Special Forces.
- Jax is the only past iteration of playable characters in MK11 Story Mode, whose mirror match against his future-self is normal, despite the latter iteration had an experience as a Revenant in MKX.
- Counting Johnny Cage’s mirror match between past and future selves, Jax is the second character who has a mirror match between past and future selves who are both humans.
- Jax, Johnny Cage and Kano are the only known characters to have team-up cutscenes between their past and present selves in MK11 Story Mode.
Errors
- In Mortal Kombat 2011, Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, Jax does not possess a character-specific skeleton or cavader to showcase his mechanical arms, causing bone or muscle to appear as his arms instead should his arms be ripped off or his body stripped of its flesh.
- MK 2011, when Jax performs his X-Ray, the opponent's intestines crack, which makes no logical sense.
- In MK11, during his Fatal Blows, when Jax punches his opponent to the face and gut five times, only one of his arm will heat up, but before he claps his opponent, his other arm already heats up as Jax only used his other arm for grabbing his opponent.
- In MK11, if Kitana's Deadly Lips Brutality is performed on him, the character will explode but his mechanical arms will remain static in the air.