When Scorpion killed the older Sub-Zero, he was satisfied. However, he eventually learned of Sub-Zero's return and was able to leave the Netherrealm again to find and take down Sub-Zero once and for all. Unfortunately, Scorpion was never successful in finding and/or defeating Sub-Zero until MK4.

The way I remember, he would be allowed to pass on to Heaven (or equivalent) if he were able to hunt down the man who killed his family and clan - who we all knew was Sub-Zero.

He killed him, and nothing happened, so he figured Sub-Zero had survived. Then he finds out it's actually his brother, so he's confused, and figures he'll help the kid out.

Then some other stuff happens until MK4, and he finds out Quan Chi killed his family. So... the deal isn't complete, and his presence remains accounted for until Quan Chi dies.

THAT is beside the point, though.

Would the franchise have thrived without Scorpion?
You know what? I think it probably would've... but it's strange to imagine. I think characters like Sub-Zero had a big enough fanbase for them to replace Scorpion as the poster boy for MK, but... wow, it's just really tough to imagine!

"Get over here" was part of the public vernacular for a while there. I mean, of that right age, who doesn't know the Scorpion yellow look, and the spear move? EVEN girls know it! And you'd have to imagine they just plain aren't the target demographic.

MK's success still fascinates me, PARTICULARLY outside the United States. I mean, compared to it's Japanese bretheren... until circa Deadly Alliance, I just don't think it measured up at all.

It's a really interesting story!
I wish some of the extras on the Deadly Alliance game could've gone deeper into the Mortal Kombat mythology, and evolution.

Heaven was never an option for Scorpion. He was merely offered a chance to avenge his death, most likely by Quan Chi and Shinnok, nothing more. After killing Sub-Zero, he went back to the Netherealm.

Back on topic, pre-retcon Scorpion had a pleasent role as the sort of anti-hero of Mortal Kombat. A neutral loner who was only out for himself and din't care about anyone. But when it mattered he'd end up doing something good or somewhat noble.
Not necessarily an important or crucial role, but it was something.

Post-retcon Scorpion is pretty useless and has no real role or purpose in the storyline. He's there merely because he's the "icon."

Least that's how I see it.

Are you sure he didn't get a chance to pass on?
The way I remember it, at least in the beginning, the whole premise of his return was that he would have to earn his peace. I like that better, too.
The whole... come back to get your honor... eh...

What retcon?

Scorpion is, IMO, one of those characters with loads of potential, a true classic......

But yes, he has been practically useless after Mk1, an overrated character that seemed to have no real purpose but to please fans and his creator by escaping hell, being a wild card, dying, and going back to hell again in practically all games.

I liked the story twist they did with Quan Chi (in the end of Mk4), but instead of making the story interesting in MKDA, it was just the typical cliché and mission he had in Mk1.

And finally, they gave him a NEW role and purpose in MKD (about time!)....but it was (IMO) a lame attempt to make him interesting that revolved around a predictable stale storyline that failed to impress (this bit is of course, just my opinion).

However, I think that they will make him worth staying after seeing the way his story is going in MKD. As much as I dislike it, I think its at least more important then what he has been doing ever since Mk1.

Far as I know, Scorpion having a chance to pass on is never mentioned. In MK: Mythologies, it's heavily implied that Scorpion is stuck in the Netherealm for eternity and it was Quan Chi and Shinnok who allowed him to avenge his death.



That Scorpion actually didn't vow to protect the younger Sub-Zero and that he's been trying to kill him...and failing...the whole time.

I'm not 100% certain if this retcon is truth, but supposedly John Tobias confirmed it and Scorpion's MK:DA bio alludes to it.

Because of the confusion, I usually refer to the Scorpion who vowed to protect Sub-Zero as "Pre-retcon Scorpion" and the one who didn't as "Post-retcon Scorpion."

For further info you should click the Scorpion link in my sig. It might answer whatever other questions you have and pretty much sums up my thoughts on the situation.

Was Shinnok ruler of the Netherrealm during Mythologies? Mythologies is my major blindspot. It's the only MK game I haven't ever played.

I think it's fair enough to reason that Scorpion has to cut a deal with someone in the Netherrealm (the ruler) to come back, but I thought I remembered the story in the first MK being that he gets to pass on. He comes back because his death was dishonorable, and he's trapped on Earth (or as we know now, the Netherrealm).

I don't remember anything that contradicts his passage to heaven (other than the fact that Quan Chi's dead, and he's still around. Which like I said, is accounted for by the Elder Gods' making him their champion.)

What about Scorpion's DA ending alludes to him chasing the new Sub-Zero?
As far as I can see, it's sort of been... ignored, but I don't see anything that specifically denies his helping him.

Yeah, Shinnok has been the ruler of the Netherealm up until MK4. So, yeah, during MKM:SZ he is still the ruler.

Scorpion is nothing more than a Jason Voorhees wannabe after an all night paint chip eating binge. He doesn't have any importance. He's just kind of there.

Good points, though the MKD story isn't a new direction for him. It's just a stall attempt to delay his reveneg story just so they have an excuse to put him back in another game. No mention of Quan Chi was made within his story and since when is Scorpion the type to just go around wdoing someone elses bidding? The sooner he gets his revenge the better. He has nothing outside of that story as a character until they can give him something much better and develop his character beyond the supposed badass spectre image.

I've kinda said it ad nauseum, but anyway... if Quan Chi's dead, there's noone left to get revenge against (at least until he discovers Noob Saibot's former identity).

He could easily torment Quan Chi after death within the hell region. Or given the story, Quan Chi will be ressurected. but then who is to say he's dead? We do not know for certain that he is. Exactly why does Scorpion need to bother about Sub-Zero/Noob Saibot when Quan Chi killed his family? I'm probably forgetting or missing something here.

Yeah, if Quan Chi is dead, then he has nothing to deal with.

The premise was always regarding the death of Scorpion's family AND clan. Sub-Zero killed his clan, and therefore bares half the burden of Scorpion's revenge.

Sub-Zero never had the power to kill the Shirai-ryu and he never did. quan Chi was the one who exterminated the complete clan.

This is what I thought, though I thought the whole revenge thing was just for his family as it has been made out in the games, so I assumed all his vendetta was against Quan Chi. I'll have to look into it as I'd have thought he'd have been leaving Sub-Zero alone.

Killing the original Sub-Zero was about avenging his own death. Killing Quan Chi is about avenging the death of his family and clan.

Back to Noob and Scorpion, I think Scorpion will find himself involved with Noob Saibot's storyline.
Ideally, what I think they should do is have Noob Saibot make the first move against Scorpion...whether he is holding a grudge or feels grateful.
Scorpion's reaction shuld be "What the hell does Noob Saibot want with me?" which would then lead to him finding out Noob's true identity.
Hopefully, Scorpion will take a moment to reflect on the consequences of his actions since he is in a way responsible for Noob Saibot's "birth." I think he'd then make it his mission to stop the evil he helped create.

That's how I think it should go....but knowing Midway it won't. If anything, they'll have him look at Noob Saibot and go "Grrrr...I still hate you for killing me! Die....again!"

Actually, Quan Chi framed the older Sub-Zero for killing Scorpion's family and clan so that kind of adds to the confusion of things. To me, Scorpion should've been after the older Sub-Zero solely for the reason that he killed him in cold blood while in MK4, Scorpion is after younger Sub-Zero, thinking that he killed his family and clan.

Well, I don't think it's that confusing.

I just had a quick look at MK4 to make sure I had my specifics straight.
The big reveal in MK4 is of course that Quan Chi was responsible for killing Scorpion's family. Like I said earlier, not at all erroneously, is that Scorpion's curse was relevent to both the deaths of his family, and clan.

I think we can assume the death of his family probably had more weight, like a lot of people suggested, but it was only part of the equation. The death of his clan was as much a part of it as well. If it needs justifying, just think of it in terms of losing EVERYONE close to him all at once.

Scorpion kills Sub-Zero in the first tournament (Mortal Kombat), sending him to the Netherrealm where at some point Shinnok revamps him as Noob Saibot, a prized member of the Brothers of the Shadow.

Scorpion remains in the Earthrealm, and when Sub-Zero emerges in MKII, he assumes he didn't finish the job properly, and comes back to do so. This is, of course, where he discovers that Sub-Zero is the brother of the man he had to kill.

So, Scorpion may or may not have agreed to befriend the brother, but we know for certain that he must have become disillusioned. Despite killing the man he was bound to, he received no reward (or satisfaction, as some believe).

In MK3 Scorpion was probably suitably absent, but for the sake of UMK3/MKT he finds opportunity to stroll from the Netherrealm without any
real reason.
Shao Kahn tries to recruit him, but ultimately he sides with the Earthrealm fighters. You'll see here that in trying to streamline the events of Mortal Kombat, I propose the interpretation that he changes sides because of the Sub-Zero brother.
In the games I don't believe we're given any specific example like that, so that shouldn't be perceived as canonical, it's just an interpretation.

Moving back to fact - Scorpion, as was the case from MKII onward, still remains unfulfilled, despite having killed his nemesis - Sub-Zero.
He is then easy manipulated by Quan Chi/Shinnok into believing the new Sub-Zero was also responsible for his plight, and therefore he renews his pursuit.

It's not until later that Quan Chi then reveals that Sub-Zero (with the Lin Kuei, for those taking issue with strength of Shirai Ryu number) killed Scorpion's clan, but it was in fact Quan Chi that had killed his family.
By extrapolation you could assume that it was an orchestrated plan, Quan Chi assuring the unrest of a powerful warrior, and giving Shinnok an opportunity to resurrect him as a Spectre with only knowledge of Sub-Zero's responsibility.

Thus providing a pawn to be manipulated when Shinnok finally sprung his attack.

Which finally means until Quan Chi ALSO dies, Scorpion's quest is only half fulfilled, with the MK1 Sub-Zero being dead.

Whether or not the sequence of events were written this way, they can certainly very easily be interpreted that way. Without specifically referring to EVERY past event, MK4 answers all the questions.

Quan Chi is trapped in the Netherrealm by way of the MK4 ending where Scorpion takes Quan Chi with him back to the Netherrealm. Then we open on Deadly Alliance, where he's still chasing him.
Quan Chi wasn't killed, he was transported. Which is why Scorpion remained.

And of course, as I've mentioned in various posts, assuming Quan Chi DID die in the Deception ending - Scorpion now remains by way of the Elder Gods, as their chosen champion.
It's a very clean solve for keeping an icon in the video game.

Thanks, XiahouDun84 for clearing that up. So I was kind of right in what I was thinking.

Now did the original Sub-Zero actually kill his clan? Or was that Quan Chi again? If not, then it would seem Scorpion needn't have killed Sub-Zero in the first place.

He said Scorpion killing Sub-Zero was about avenging his own death, not his family or clan.

Quan Chi killed Scorpion's family.
Sub-Zero (presumably leading other Lin Kuei), killed Scorpion and his clan.

No. Mick-Lucifer, I know you said you never played Mythologies, but you should at least learn the storlyine. Lot of crucial info was in that game.

The original Sub-Zero was hired by Quan Chi to steal the Map of the Elements. On this mission, Sub-Zero bumped into Scorpion who was also hired to steal the Map. They fought, Sub-Zero won, Scorpion asked for mercy, Sub-Zero ripped his head off.

Sub-Zero returned to the Lin Kuei HQ to deliver the Map and demanded to know why Quan Chi hired Scorpion. Quan Chi claimed it was a "contingincy" in case Sub-Zero failed.
As payment to the Lin Kuei for stealing the Map, Quan Chi slaughtered the Shirai Ryu and their families. He specifically said "I have seen to it every last trace of the Shirai Ryu is gone...forever."

In the Netherealm, Quan Chi told Scorpion that the Lin Kuei was responsible for the massacre.

Like Special Forces and Shaolin Monks, I think I'd much rather disregard that, since it directly contradicts explanations explicity given in the main games.

Not really. Mythologies actually fit with the games very well.
What contradictions do you mean?
EDIT:
Only one I can really think of is Shang Tsung invites Sub-Zero to the Mortal Kombat tournament as opposed to Sub-Zero being hired to assassinate him. And that can be explained fairly easily.