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[[File:Mortal_Kombat_Defenders_of_the_realm.png|thumb|right|214px]] |
[[File:Mortal_Kombat_Defenders_of_the_realm.png|thumb|right|214px]] |
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'''''Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm''''' (also known as '''''Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series''''') is an animated series based on the popular ''[[Mortal Kombat series|Mortal Kombat]]'' fighting game series. It aired on the USA Network's "USA Cartoon Express" animation block for one season of 13 episodes from September to December of 1996. |
'''''Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm''''' (also known as '''''Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series''''') is an animated series based on the popular ''[[Mortal Kombat series|Mortal Kombat]]'' fighting game series. It aired on the USA Network's "USA Cartoon Express" animation block for one season of 13 episodes from September to December of 1996. |
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==Storyline== |
==Storyline== |
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| − | The characters and their back-stories are mostly continuous with the |
+ | The characters and their back-stories are mostly continuous with the movie ''[[Mortal_Kombat_(film)|Mortal Kombat]]'' albeit with some minor differences. The characters’ designs are modeled after how they looked in ''[[Mortal_Kombat_3|Mortal Kombat 3]]'' the Arcade game. The series takes place in Earthrealm, Outworld, and various other realms after the events of the first movie and the plot has very little to do with the plot of any of the games. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the show was that it provided the debut appearance of [[Quan Chi]], who became a key character in the ''MK'' series, namely in ''[[Mortal Kombat 4]]'' and ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]]''. |
| − | The show was focused on a group of warriors assembled by [[Raiden]] to defend Earthrealm from invaders of various other dimensions that entered through portals. The assembled warriors included [[Liu Kang]], [[Kurtis Stryker]], [[Sonya Blade]], [[Jax Briggs]], [[Kitana]], and the younger |
+ | The show was focused on a group of warriors assembled by [[Raiden]] to defend Earthrealm from invaders of various other dimensions that entered through portals. The assembled warriors included [[Liu Kang]], [[Kurtis Stryker]], [[Sonya Blade]], [[Jax Briggs]], [[Kitana]], and [[Kuai Liang|the younger Sub-Zero]], with [[Nightwolf]] functioning mostly as tech support. The warriors operated out of a hidden base from where Nightwolf and Raiden monitored portal openings; the warriors would fly dragon-shaped jets to deal with disturbances. [[Shao Kahn]] was something of an arc villain throughout the series, being responsible for allowing other realms to invade Earthrealm. The finale involved Kitana leading a rebellion from Outworld against her stepfather, [[Shao Kahn]].[[File:MK_Defenders_Of_The_Realm.jpg|thumb|250px|The defenders of Earthrealm]] |
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| + | ==Cast== |
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| + | *[[Jack Angel]] - [[Oniro]], Computer |
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| + | ==Gallery== |
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| + | <gallery> |
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| + | MK Defenders of the Realm - Intro Storyboard.jpg|Opening title storyboard by Michael Goguen |
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| + | </gallery> |
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==Trivia== |
==Trivia== |
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| − | *''Defenders'' was produced by [[Threshold Entertainment]], who also worked on the first two movies. Therefore, elements of the first Mortal Kombat movie were used in flashback scenes, such as Sub-Zero's defeat at the hands of Liu Kang (seen in |
+ | *''Defenders'' was produced by [[Threshold Entertainment]], who also worked on the first two movies. Therefore, elements of the first ''Mortal Kombat'' movie were used in flashback scenes, such as [[Bi-Han|the elder Sub-Zero's]] defeat at the hands of Liu Kang (seen in "Kombat Begins Again"), Liu Kang's victory over [[Shang Tsung]] (seen in "Skin Deep"), and Sonya defeating [[Kano]] (seen in "Familiar Red"), though all of them are toned down in comparison to the movie. The [[Bi-Han|elder Sub-Zero]] is not impaled by a water-turned-to-ice stake; he is merely frozen by water that Liu Kang throws on him. Additionally, Shang Tsung falls onto flat ground instead of spikes, and Kano is arrested rather than killed. |
| − | *This series marked [[Quan Chi]]'s debut in ''MK''. |
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*USA Network aired episodes of ''Defenders'' back-to-back with those of the ''Street Fighter'' animated series. Twice the amount of episodes (26) were produced for ''Street Fighter''. |
*USA Network aired episodes of ''Defenders'' back-to-back with those of the ''Street Fighter'' animated series. Twice the amount of episodes (26) were produced for ''Street Fighter''. |
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| + | *In Episode One: ''Kombat Begins Again'', the Cybernetic Units (also known as 'Cybers', that was first coined by [[Nightwolf]], and 'Ninja Gizmos' by [[Sonya Blade]]) led by Sektor and Cyrax are actually Robots/Robotic as when they are destroyed, there are broken wires that fizzle electricity instead of Bones, Organs, and Blood, since the TV Show was Kid-Friendly, however, the Cybernetic Units do Grunt and Moan when they get destroyed, as well as shout a battle cry and speak words when charging in mass numbers (in one scene, after Kitana and Liu Kang came face to face with each other, and Kitana said "Great Form Liu Kang.".), which shows that the Cybernetic Units have Voice Boxes. |
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| + | **There are two support structures that make up the Mid-Section of each Cybernetic Unit (although there is a massive gap in the canter of both support structures), a square-shaped hole at the front of the chest of each Cybernetic Unit that doesn't close at all (even before, during, and after firing a missile), and both hands of each Cybernetic Unit have three digits (two fingers and one thumb) instead of five digits (four fingers and one thumb), that make them entirely different to both Sektor and Cyrax, however, the Cybernetic Units have the same red colored eyes as Sektor and Cyrax, even though Sektor generally has Blue Eyes, and Cyrax generally has Green Eyes. |
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| + | **The Cybernetic Units are commanded by Sektor and Cyrax by Mind Control, since [[Kurtis Stryker]] called them "Mindless Cybernetics" in one scene, and Cyrax said "Annihilate Them!" whilst pointing with his right hand, to which all the Cybernetic Units obeyed him like Mindless Drones, and this implies that the Cybernetic Units have a CPU brain instead of a human brain. |
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| + | **On occasion, the Cybernetic Units act much like the SWATBots from the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' television series. |
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| + | **In one ''[[Mortal Kombat 11]]'' intro, [[Kano]] asks [[The Terminator]] "You got Electronets or Rocket Launchers?", to which The Terminator replies with "No.", before Kano concludes with "Ain't much of a Cyber then.", and even though Kano might be referring to Cyrax and Sektor, he used the word 'Cyber' which was the Nickname Nightwolf called the Cybernetic Units in DotR Episode One: ''Kombat Begins Again''. |
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*Jax actually removes his metal implants in one episode ("Acid Tongue"), thus dispelling the notion for many fans that they were permanently attached. |
*Jax actually removes his metal implants in one episode ("Acid Tongue"), thus dispelling the notion for many fans that they were permanently attached. |
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| − | *[[Cyrax]], [[Sektor]], [[Smoke]], [[Rain]], |
+ | *[[Cyrax]], [[Sektor]], [[Smoke]], [[Rain]], and [[Ermac]] all appear unmasked in different episodes, but their human descriptions therein. |
| + | *[[Kabal]]'s unmasked face is based on his "Freaky Face" Fatality. Additionally, his pre-disfigured face is also shown in the show. |
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*In the games, Cyrax is African-American and Sektor is Asian. In the show, their ethnicities are switched. |
*In the games, Cyrax is African-American and Sektor is Asian. In the show, their ethnicities are switched. |
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*The series also featured the debut of the newly retconned Kano. His nationality was changed from American-Japanese to Australian following actor [[Trevor Goddard]]'s performance in the first movie. |
*The series also featured the debut of the newly retconned Kano. His nationality was changed from American-Japanese to Australian following actor [[Trevor Goddard]]'s performance in the first movie. |
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| ⚫ | *[[Kung Lao]], [[Johnny Cage]], [[Mileena]], [[Jade]], [[Sindel]], [[Bi-Han|Noob Saibot]], [[Goro]], [[Khameleon]], [[Chameleon]] and [[Kintaro]] were not featured or referenced in the show at all, although Noob does make a brief appearance as the Elder Sub-Zero in a flashback. Also [[Baraka]] and [[Reptile]] are not mentioned, but two similar characters appear as replacements. <!--Do not include MK4 characters, as the animated series was from 1996 and MK4 was released in 1997. !--> |
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| − | *Although the video game series is mostly M-rated, the animated show toned down the violence to accommodate a younger audience. For example, the [[Noob Saibot|elder Sub-Zero]] is immediately frozen by the water thrown by Liu Kang during a flashback; in the corresponding scene from the movie, the elder Sub-Zero is impaled by a water-turned-to-ice stake. Another example is the flashback in which, during the final battle between Liu Kang and Shang Tsung, the latter falls onto flat ground instead of spikes. |
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| + | **[[Tarkata|Tarkatan]] warriors are referred as "Nomads" in the show and they are led by [[Karbrac]]. |
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| ⚫ | *[[Kung Lao]], [[Johnny Cage]], [[Mileena]], [[Jade]], [[Sindel]], [[Noob Saibot]], [[Goro]], [[Khameleon]], [[Chameleon]] and [[Kintaro]] were not featured or referenced in the show at all, although Noob does make a brief appearance as the Elder Sub-Zero in a flashback. Also [[Baraka]] and [[Reptile]] are not mentioned, but two similar characters appear as replacements. <!--Do not include MK4 characters, as the animated series was from 1996 and MK4 was released in 1997. !--> |
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| − | *Although [[Baraka]] makes no appearance throughout the series, several [[Tarkata|Tarkatan]] warriors (called in the show Nomads) appear in the first episode led by someone Jax refers to as [[Karbrac]]. This was probably intended to sound like a phonetic anagram of Baraka's name. |
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*Smoke appeared in the episode "Old Friends Never Die", serving Shao Kahn and seeking Sub-Zero. He is briefly seen in human form in a flashback scene before becoming automated. In the end, Smoke's human soul was able to overpower his programming and he stood to the vow of friendship between him and Sub-Zero. Many fans consider it to be the best episode in the short-lived series. |
*Smoke appeared in the episode "Old Friends Never Die", serving Shao Kahn and seeking Sub-Zero. He is briefly seen in human form in a flashback scene before becoming automated. In the end, Smoke's human soul was able to overpower his programming and he stood to the vow of friendship between him and Sub-Zero. Many fans consider it to be the best episode in the short-lived series. |
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| + | *The animated show does not depict any Fatalities due to being aimed at a younger audience, but there are still a few deaths, albeit bloodless. Sub-Zero kills a Kahn Guard and a Tarkatan (in two different episodes) by freezing them and then breaking their ice-covered bodies. Another death was Jax lifting a Guard up by his head and then (offscreen) smashing him into pieces on the ground, after which he says "Rest in Peace. Or should I say, Pieces!" |
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| − | *Being made for a younger audience, there are no fatalities in the series. |
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| − | **However, in the final episode, Sub-Zero freezes a Tarkatan, then breaks the ice, killing the Tarkatan. |
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| − | **He did the same to a Kahn Guard in the second episode. |
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| − | **In the 2nd episode, Jax lifts a Guard up his head, then smashes them in pieces on the ground. The Guard is not seen being smashed in pieces, but Jax afterwards says: "Rest in Peace. Or should I say, Pieces!" |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Navigation== |
| + | {{Mortal Kombat series}} |
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| − | * [[File:MK_Defenders_Of_The_Realm.jpg|thumb|250px|The defenders of Earthrealm]][[Jack Angel]] - [[Oniro]], Computer |
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| − | ==See also== |
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| − | *[[List of Mortal Kombat Defenders of the Realm Episodes]] |
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{{enWP|{{PAGENAME}}}} |
{{enWP|{{PAGENAME}}}} |
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| + | [[es:Mortal Kombat:Defensores del Reino]] |
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[[pt:Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm]] |
[[pt:Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm]] |
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| + | [[pt-br:Mortal Kombat: Os Defensores da Terra]] |
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| + | [[zh:真人快打：世界守护者]] |
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[[Category:Mortal Kombat]] |
[[Category:Mortal Kombat]] |
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| − | [[Category:Series]] |
+ | [[Category:Series|Defenders of the Realms]] |
[[Category:Non-canon Content]] |
[[Category:Non-canon Content]] |
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Latest revision as of 07:20, 27 November 2023
| Overview |
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (also known as Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series) is an animated series based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series. It aired on the USA Network's "USA Cartoon Express" animation block for one season of 13 episodes from September to December of 1996.
Storyline
The characters and their back-stories are mostly continuous with the movie Mortal Kombat albeit with some minor differences. The characters’ designs are modeled after how they looked in Mortal Kombat 3 the Arcade game. The series takes place in Earthrealm, Outworld, and various other realms after the events of the first movie and the plot has very little to do with the plot of any of the games. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the show was that it provided the debut appearance of Quan Chi, who became a key character in the MK series, namely in Mortal Kombat 4 and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
The show was focused on a group of warriors assembled by Raiden to defend Earthrealm from invaders of various other dimensions that entered through portals. The assembled warriors included Liu Kang, Kurtis Stryker, Sonya Blade, Jax Briggs, Kitana, and the younger Sub-Zero, with Nightwolf functioning mostly as tech support. The warriors operated out of a hidden base from where Nightwolf and Raiden monitored portal openings; the warriors would fly dragon-shaped jets to deal with disturbances. Shao Kahn was something of an arc villain throughout the series, being responsible for allowing other realms to invade Earthrealm. The finale involved Kitana leading a rebellion from Outworld against her stepfather, Shao Kahn.
The defenders of Earthrealm
Cast
- Jack Angel - Oniro, Computer
- Michael Des Barres - Kano, Shao Kahn (normal voice), Captain
- Josh Blyden - Komodai
- Clancy Brown - Raiden
- Nick Chinlund - Quan Chi
- Olivia d'Abo - Sonya Blade
- John Garry - Zenkaro
- Dorian Harewood - Jax Briggs, Sektor
- Dawnn Lewis - Sheeva
- Nancy Linari - Zara
- Ron Perlman - Kurtis Stryker, Scorpion
- Luke Perry - Sub-Zero
- Brock Peters - Ramath
- Jeremy Ratchford - Smoke
- Peter Renaday - Shadow Priests
- John Rhys-Davies - Asgaarth
- Kevin Michael Richardson - Ermac, Kabal, Black Dragon Thug
- Rino Romano - Rain
- Neil Ross - Shang Tsung, Motaro
- Cree Summer - Princess Kitana, Ruby, Computer
- Tod Thawley - Nightwolf
- Brian Tochi - Liu Kang
- John Vernon - Shao Kahn (normal voice)
- Frank Welker - Six-headed Creature, Energy Creature
Gallery
Opening title storyboard by Michael Goguen
Trivia
- Defenders was produced by Threshold Entertainment, who also worked on the first two movies. Therefore, elements of the first Mortal Kombat movie were used in flashback scenes, such as the elder Sub-Zero's defeat at the hands of Liu Kang (seen in "Kombat Begins Again"), Liu Kang's victory over Shang Tsung (seen in "Skin Deep"), and Sonya defeating Kano (seen in "Familiar Red"), though all of them are toned down in comparison to the movie. The elder Sub-Zero is not impaled by a water-turned-to-ice stake; he is merely frozen by water that Liu Kang throws on him. Additionally, Shang Tsung falls onto flat ground instead of spikes, and Kano is arrested rather than killed.
- USA Network aired episodes of Defenders back-to-back with those of the Street Fighter animated series. Twice the amount of episodes (26) were produced for Street Fighter.
- In Episode One: Kombat Begins Again, the Cybernetic Units (also known as 'Cybers', that was first coined by Nightwolf, and 'Ninja Gizmos' by Sonya Blade) led by Sektor and Cyrax are actually Robots/Robotic as when they are destroyed, there are broken wires that fizzle electricity instead of Bones, Organs, and Blood, since the TV Show was Kid-Friendly, however, the Cybernetic Units do Grunt and Moan when they get destroyed, as well as shout a battle cry and speak words when charging in mass numbers (in one scene, after Kitana and Liu Kang came face to face with each other, and Kitana said "Great Form Liu Kang.".), which shows that the Cybernetic Units have Voice Boxes.
- There are two support structures that make up the Mid-Section of each Cybernetic Unit (although there is a massive gap in the canter of both support structures), a square-shaped hole at the front of the chest of each Cybernetic Unit that doesn't close at all (even before, during, and after firing a missile), and both hands of each Cybernetic Unit have three digits (two fingers and one thumb) instead of five digits (four fingers and one thumb), that make them entirely different to both Sektor and Cyrax, however, the Cybernetic Units have the same red colored eyes as Sektor and Cyrax, even though Sektor generally has Blue Eyes, and Cyrax generally has Green Eyes.
- The Cybernetic Units are commanded by Sektor and Cyrax by Mind Control, since Kurtis Stryker called them "Mindless Cybernetics" in one scene, and Cyrax said "Annihilate Them!" whilst pointing with his right hand, to which all the Cybernetic Units obeyed him like Mindless Drones, and this implies that the Cybernetic Units have a CPU brain instead of a human brain.
- On occasion, the Cybernetic Units act much like the SWATBots from the Sonic the Hedgehog television series.
- In one Mortal Kombat 11 intro, Kano asks The Terminator "You got Electronets or Rocket Launchers?", to which The Terminator replies with "No.", before Kano concludes with "Ain't much of a Cyber then.", and even though Kano might be referring to Cyrax and Sektor, he used the word 'Cyber' which was the Nickname Nightwolf called the Cybernetic Units in DotR Episode One: Kombat Begins Again.
- Jax actually removes his metal implants in one episode ("Acid Tongue"), thus dispelling the notion for many fans that they were permanently attached.
- Cyrax, Sektor, Smoke, Rain, and Ermac all appear unmasked in different episodes, but their human descriptions therein.
- Kabal's unmasked face is based on his "Freaky Face" Fatality. Additionally, his pre-disfigured face is also shown in the show.
- In the games, Cyrax is African-American and Sektor is Asian. In the show, their ethnicities are switched.
- The series also featured the debut of the newly retconned Kano. His nationality was changed from American-Japanese to Australian following actor Trevor Goddard's performance in the first movie.
- Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Mileena, Jade, Sindel, Noob Saibot, Goro, Khameleon, Chameleon and Kintaro were not featured or referenced in the show at all, although Noob does make a brief appearance as the Elder Sub-Zero in a flashback. Also Baraka and Reptile are not mentioned, but two similar characters appear as replacements.
- Tarkatan warriors are referred as "Nomads" in the show and they are led by Karbrac.
- In the episode "Acid Tongue", none of the Reptilian warriors is explicitly referred to as Reptile, though all of them share the same looks (moreover the green ninja uniforms). Their apparent leader is called Komodai.
- Smoke appeared in the episode "Old Friends Never Die", serving Shao Kahn and seeking Sub-Zero. He is briefly seen in human form in a flashback scene before becoming automated. In the end, Smoke's human soul was able to overpower his programming and he stood to the vow of friendship between him and Sub-Zero. Many fans consider it to be the best episode in the short-lived series.
- The animated show does not depict any Fatalities due to being aimed at a younger audience, but there are still a few deaths, albeit bloodless. Sub-Zero kills a Kahn Guard and a Tarkatan (in two different episodes) by freezing them and then breaking their ice-covered bodies. Another death was Jax lifting a Guard up by his head and then (offscreen) smashing him into pieces on the ground, after which he says "Rest in Peace. Or should I say, Pieces!"
