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Kung Lao

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Overview

Kung Lao is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. A Shaolin monk, he debuted in Mortal Kombat II (1993). He is depicted as a primary hero in the series, including as one of the protagonists of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005). The character is also a descendant of the Great Kung Lao, the first Earthrealm champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament. His main weapon is a metal hat, which he uses for both melee and projectile attacks. Outside of the games, Kung Lao has appeared in various related media. Reception to the character has been generally positive, particularly in respect to his appearance, special abilities, and Fatality finishing moves. Character design and gameplay As stated in Kung Lao's bio card that after the first Mortal Kombat game, the creators wanted a monk character other than Liu Kang. According to Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias, Kung Lao's hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger, in which a villain Oddjob threw his special derby hat as a deadly weapon. Kung Lao was portrayed by Anthony Marquez in Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3; Ed Boon said Marquez was ”one of the best martial artists we worked with." Liu and Kung Lao were meant to compliment each other. One as the present day chosen one and the other as a reflection of a failed past, yet it was their sense of righteous purpose that bonded their friendship. The 1995 Mortal Kombat film producers chose to combine Liu and Kung Lao's characters, making Liu the descendant of The Great Kung Lao in the films, and causing confusion in our games for years to follow. Any mention of Liu Kang as descendent of The Great Kung Lao in the games was a mistake. According to Tobias, there have been deviations in different media to serve their purposes, but the truth of Liu's hero's journey and the root of the character’s inspiration usually seemed to find their way. Kung Lao can be seen in Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, and Shaolin Monks wearing the Chinese character 武 which means military/wu shu/martial arts. However, when asked about this character, John Tobias stated that it is Chinese for "war".

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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Overview

Kung Lao is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. A Shaolin monk, he debuted in Mortal Kombat II (1993). He is depicted as a primary hero in the series, including as one of the protagonists of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005). The character is also a descendant of the Great Kung Lao, the first Earthrealm champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament. His main weapon is a metal hat, which he uses for both melee and projectile attacks. Outside of the games, Kung Lao has appeared in various related media. Reception to the character has been generally positive, particularly in respect to his appearance, special abilities, and Fatality finishing moves. Character design and gameplay As stated in Kung Lao's bio card that after the first Mortal Kombat game, the creators wanted a monk character other than Liu Kang. According to Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias, Kung Lao's hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger, in which a villain Oddjob threw his special derby hat as a deadly weapon. Kung Lao was portrayed by Anthony Marquez in Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3; Ed Boon said Marquez was ”one of the best martial artists we worked with." Liu and Kung Lao were meant to compliment each other. One as the present day chosen one and the other as a reflection of a failed past, yet it was their sense of righteous purpose that bonded their friendship. The 1995 Mortal Kombat film producers chose to combine Liu and Kung Lao's characters, making Liu the descendant of The Great Kung Lao in the films, and causing confusion in our games for years to follow. Any mention of Liu Kang as descendent of The Great Kung Lao in the games was a mistake. According to Tobias, there have been deviations in different media to serve their purposes, but the truth of Liu's hero's journey and the root of the character’s inspiration usually seemed to find their way. Kung Lao can be seen in Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, and Shaolin Monks wearing the Chinese character 武 which means military/wu shu/martial arts. However, when asked about this character, John Tobias stated that it is Chinese for "war".

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).