Biographies
- Mortal Kombat: "A Mercenary, Thug, Extortionist Thief - Kano lives a life of crime and injustice. He is a devoted member of the Black Dragon, a dangerous group of Cut-Throat Madmen feared and respected throughout all of crime's Inner Circles."
- Mortal Kombat 3: "Kano was thought to have been killed in the first tournament. Instead he's found alive in the Outworld where he once again escapes capture by Sonya. Before the actual Outworld invasion, Kano convinces Kahn to spare his soul. Kahn needs someone to teach his warriors how to use Earth's weapons. Kano is the man to do it."
- Deadly Alliance: "Kano had been defeated in a battle with the Special Forces agent Sonya Blade during Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm. Shao Kahn incarcerated Kano for his failure, but later hastily promoted him to General when he prevented the Emperor's assassination at the hands of the Shokan warrior known as Sheeva. With the merging of Earthrealm and Outworld not yet complete, Shao Kahn ordered Kano to portal back to the last remnants of Outworld to gather more troops for the final push against the Earthrealm opposition. Kano had remained in Outworld and served as General of Shao Kahn's military after the retreat from Earthrealm. For years he enjoyed the power of commanding the greatest army in Outworld. But Shao Kahn's power was fading and there was a chance that Kitana's forces might spell the Emperor's undoing. When the sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi confronted Shao Kahn in a surprise attack, Kano decided not to interfere and remained hidden in the shadows to ally with the winning side. Once Shao Kahn was defeated, Kano offered his allegiance to the Deadly Alliance."
- Armageddon Bio Kard: "A Black Dragon member, Kano has made many allies as enemies. Though his nemesis Sonya Blade, has pursued him throughout the realms, he has always managed to escape capture. He thought to be the last remaining member of his clan, until the return of Kabal."
- MK vs. DCU: "An undisciplined but deadly thug, Kano is a killer for hire. His allegiance to the Black Dragon clan has been profitable, though dangerous--exactly the way he likes it. Kano joined Shao Kahn's ranks during the invasion of Earthrealm, forsaking his own realm for personal gain. For his crimes, he is constantly hunted by the Special Forces agent Sonya Blade. Though he enjoys the chase, he knows that one day he will finish her in Mortal Kombat. That day might soon be at hand."
Storyline
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
Kano is the leader of the Black Dragon organization, a criminal empire of cut-throat madmen. Making his first chronological appearance in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, he freed fellow Black Dragon cohorts No Face, Tasia, Jarek and Tremor from a U.S. Special Forces security facility, under the pretense that they would reform the Black Dragon organization. In reality, he intended to use them as pawns to slow down any Special Forces agents who might pursue him. Annihilating an entire squad at the site of the prison break, he and his cohorts escaped.
With his Black Dragon associates given their assigned tasks, Kano headed to Outworld where he recovered the Eye of Chitian, an artifact through which he would acquire incredible power. Unfortunately for him, however, Major Jackson Briggs had overcome his accomplices and caught up to him. The two fought, and Kano was defeated. Jax used the Eye to transport them back to Earthrealm, and proceeded to bring Kano into custody, though Kano escaped soon after.
Mortal Kombat
Kano entered Shang Tsung's Mortal Kombat tournament after hearing rumors that Tsung's palace was filled with gold and other riches: Kano intended to steal them for the Black Dragon. At that time, the Black Dragon was the primary target of the U.S. Special Forces and would remain so for a number of years. He was pursued by Lt. Sonya Blade, who held a personal grudge against Kano because he had killed her former partner. While Kano was free to take part in the tournament of his own accord, Sonya and her unit were captured by Shang Tsung's minions. Tsung offered Sonya an ultimatum: compete in Mortal Kombat, or she and her unit would be executed. If she won, they would all be free to go. Sonya and Kano survived the tournament but many others died, including Sonya's men. After the final battle between Shang Tsung and Liu Kang, Kano teamed up with Sonya and Johnny Cage to fight Goro. During the battle, Shang Tsung's Island began to crumble because of Shang Tsung's defeat and before they knew it, Kano and Sonya found themselves in a forest in Outworld. They were found and captured by Shang Tsung.
Mortal Kombat II
Kano and Sonya both spent the duration of the second tournament chained up on display in Shao Kahn's arena, where they were forced to observe the battles that took place. Eventually, they are freed by Jax, who then takes advantage of the opportunity to arrest Kano. As they cross the portal back to Earthrealm, Kano escapes and runs back into Outworld.
Mortal Kombat 3/Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Although most Earthrealm warriors assumed Kano to be dead, he instead managed to save his own life by convincing Shao Kahn to accept him as a weapons instructor for his armies. As a man with knowledge of Earthrealm weaponry, he was the most suitable candidate. Later, during the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Sonya tossed Kano to his surmised death from the roof of a high building, but he was found by Motaro, who healed and imprisoned him. After Motaro was attacked and killed by Sheeva, Kano was freed from his prison. He and Sheeva hatched a plan to murder Shao Kahn, but Kano turned on Sheeva in the decisive moments and Sheeva was left at the mercy of the emperor. Due to this Kano was then hastily promoted to general of Outworld's rapidly shrinking army.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Eventually Kahn's forces were defeated. Earthrealm was free, and so was Edenia. Shao Kahn's act of promoting Kano, however, proved to be a lucky shot, as Kano was a very competent general. Even in the face of overwhelming odds and the tactical mastership of Princess Kitana and her Edenian-Shokan army, Kano stood ground and eventually managed to repel the invading army. He returned to Shao Kahn's palace just in time to watch from the shadows as Shang Tsung and Quan Chi sprung their attack on the weakened emperor. As soon as the battle was finished, Kano declared his allegiance to the new rulers of Outworld, the Deadly Alliance. The two had Kano oversee the enslavement of a small village, who would construct a temple over Onaga's tomb to house the Soulnado. During its construction, Kano was personally assaulted by Li Mei, but Quan Chi intervened.
His intervention was due in no part for any particular affinity for the criminal, however. The Alliance had made a deal with the Red Dragon member Mavado; he would eliminate the swordsman Kenshi in exchange for the opportunity to fight and defeat Kano. Mavado attacked and left Kenshi for dead, earning his battle.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
It would seem that Mavado won the fight, as in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Kano is found by Taven to have been held prisoner by the Red Dragon Clan for quite some time. Before escaping their facilities, Kano explains to Taven that the Red Dragon had been experimenting on him, as well as their own clan members, in an effort to create real-life genetically engineered Dragons and Human-Dragon Hybrids, Kano mentions that they were trying "something new" on him, although he leaves before he elaborates on what that "something" is.
Kano the joins the Forces of Darkness during the Battle of Armageddon and is later seen climbing the Pyramid of Argus where he strikes down Stryker and stabs Bo' Rai Cho before falling down. He attempts to climb back up but is one of the many characters knocked off the Pyramid by Shao Kahn.
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe
Kano first appears in The Flash's story, where he attempts to steal a jewel already stolen by Catwoman, though she manages to retrieve it and escape through a nearby portal. Kano battles the Flash after becoming annoyed by the hero's aggressive attitude, but his eye lasers are dodged by the Scarlet Speedster and he's defeated in battle. He's almost killed by the Kombat Rage infected Flash but Batman prevents him from fulfilling the deed, sparing Kano's life.
Much later, Kano and Sonya are teamed up to investigate the world's merging and the two get in a fight with the The Joker and Deathstroke at the Graveyard, only to be teleported to Oa. Kano fights with Deathstroke, who compliments his skill. After Joker defeats Sonya, he shoves Deathstroke aside and defeats Kano, humiliating him.
When the two return to Raiden's Temple to report their findings, Kano becomes infected by the Rage after being mocked by Shang Tsung for losing to a clown, snapping at Liu Kang for trying to defend him and battles the sorcerer, but is once more defeated. Kano is almost killed by Tsung, but Sonya intervenes, reluctantly, sparing his life. Kano then participates in the final battle against the DC Universe heroes and villains, facing the Joker once again, but he is knocked out, only to revive later after Dark Kahn's destruction and witnesses the restoration of the realms.
Endings
- Mortal Kombat (Non-Canonical): "With the defeat of Goro and Shang Tsung, Kano will bring his own brand of treachery to the Tournament. His Black Dragon organization forms a monopoly over the contest that brings Shame and Torment to all those involved. Their reign will end in anarchy and death. It will result in the final dismantling of the Tournament and the Battle of the Sans."
- Mortal Kombat 3 (Non-Canonical): "When Shao Kahn lets Kano live he fails to recognize the resourcefulness of the scheming human. Kano lures Kahn's armies away on a false mission: then nukes them using a stolen weapon. He fights the remaining warriors and finally defeats Kahn himself. Kano's true intention is to take over the souls which Kahn once possessed. But Kano is unable to control the spirits as they escape and attack him. Rumored to have suffered a violent death, Kano was ignorant of the fact that he saved the world that he tried to conquer."
- Deadly Alliance (Non-Canonical): "Kano and Sonya had fought before. Although Kano was humiliated by his defeat at her hands so many years ago, this time the outcome would be different... Kano had stolen Quan Chi's amulet at the request of Shang Tsung. With the amulet in his possession, Kano came to the realization that he was now in total control of the revived undefeatable army. Rather than hand the amulet and the army over to Shang Tsung, Kano kept them for himself, and used the army to ambush Sonya, ending their long rivalry once and for all."
- Armageddon (Non-Canonical): "For months the Red Dragon had kept Kano hidden in their mountain stronghold, an unwilling test subject for a new process designed to transform humans into dragons. Kano escaped, however, before they could finish. Infused with godlike energy from Blaze, the process was rejuvenated; Kano was transformed into a black dragon-human hybrid."
- MK vs DCU (Non-Canonical): "Though the Kombat Rage completely disappeared once Dark Kahn was defeated, it drove Kano irreversibly mad. Turning on friend and foe alike, he became an outcast. Kano's appearance changed as well. He has painted his face to further express his seething anger. Alone, in the depths of insanity, Kano endlessly repeats, "Death to Shang Tsung... Death to Shang Tsung... DEATH TO SHANG TSUNG!""