4. Noob Saibot. Mortal Kombat Characters Ranked

Not everyone knows that in the Mortal Kombat series, we have had to deal with two different characters called Sub-Zero. Since the second game, the ice ninja is a member of the Lin Kuei clan, while in the first part of the series and in the spin-off called Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, we played his older brother Bi-Han. In the original tournament, he was killed by Scorpion. However, Bi-Han remained with the series for many years, except that they didn't find out about it until 2004.

One of the hidden characters in Mortal Kombat 2 was Noob Saibot – a ninja dressed from head to toe in black, whose great strength and mysterious appearance won the sympathy of fans. His name consisted of the names of the two main creators of Mortal Kombat, Ed Boon and John Tobias, spelled backwards, the discovery of which gave a lot of satisfaction to the biggest fans of the dragon series. Noob was promoted to playable character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and would return in subsequent Mortal Kombat installments, including 2004's Deception, where one of the biggest plot twists of the entire series happened – he was actually Bi-Han, raised from the dead.

The thing about mysterious characters is that they're fun until you know their secret – when that secret's out, the magic usually wears off. In the case of Noob Saibot, it was different – learning his true identity not only didn't nullify his charm, but actually made him even more interesting by writing his past tragedy and conflict with his younger brother into his story.

3. Shao Kahn

The Mortal Kombat series has had quite a large gallery of bosses over the years. One of them, while not at all the most powerful, inspired the most awe among fans since the debut. Shao Kahn, compared to the likes of Shinnok, Kronika, Blaze, or Dragon King, can't boast divine lineage, control over an indestructible army of the dead, or the ability to destroy the world with a single nod. He is "merely" an exceptionally powerful warrior who, through brute force, treachery, and a good sense of politics, first ascended the throne of the Otherworld (having poisoned the previous ruler Onaga, one of the few beings he could not face in open combat) and then conquered countless hosts of races, tribes, and dimensions, cementing his undisputed position as Emperor.

Shao Kahn owes his position to hard work and has fully earned his pride and arrogance – which makes him a much more interesting opponent than gods and other omnipotent beings. And he can show his pride like few others, regularly sneering in the middle of battle and touting those brave enough to face him with his mighty hammer. Shao Kahn's appearance is also commendable – the powerful musculature and gladiator-like clothing makes it clear that this is the type of leader who doesn't shy away from a fight.