Absolutely the worst character in the entire series. so not only I say yes but I say HELL YES!!

I agree. I could say that about every MK character as well.

I think he definitely has some interesting possibilities. I also agree they should really embrace the SF parody angle. A Shoryuken and a variation of a Tatsu could work for him. And that Windmill Kick could be a monster overhead.

But I don't think he should appear in MK10. So no.

I have to say no to Kobra, but I do think that like Hsu Hao, he could be much more interesting from a gameplay perspective.

You guys clearly do not understand the stipulation at hand with putting Kobra in the game. He'll make a perfect practice dummy for fatality demonstrations. DO IT NOW BUSHY BROWS!!!!

If we see Quan Chi in the next game, he can be used as that perfect dummy.

Kobra is on my top 3 worst characters of MK just because he's just such an uninspired ripoff of Ken Masters or a "generic karate guy". Despite my disdain, I'm voting NO because Kobra doesn't particular fit in the whole Netherrealm uprising Shinnok plot.

Heh, I second this.

And I third the motion.

Have you seen Karate Kid?

It's an 80's classic.

No to Kobra. Leave the Karate characters to Street Fighter.

As much as I respect the schlock inspired characters that inspired the origins of MK, I like that the series has "grown up" to an extent. So yeah, while on one hand a 80's / 90`s Cobra Kai-esque character is kinda awesome, I just think he's too campy and vanilla. He's a one note joke character kinda like Dan from Street Fighter.

I'd like to see Kobra be a bigger deal. Possibly even a boss level character.
Especially if we ever get back to defending the earth in a tournament.


It's such a no brainer. Who better to be one of the lead antagonists in a Mortal Kombat game than a Street Fighter character? Perrrrrfect!

These are old ideas of mine for Kobra.

Back when MKD was in development, his name was apparently Ben. I'd like that to be his real name, a name he absolutely hates, and that the announcer refers to him as. His victory pose would be him throwing a tantrum by spinning, stomping the ground and screaming "Kobra! Kobra Kobra Kobra!!!"

The generic nature of his character should be his defining trait. His design should be used for generic foes you'd fight in a beat'em up game (like Special Forces HD, if it was real), and story modes could treat him as an unremarkable NPC, despite him being playable (then again, is it necessary?), that you'd fight repeatedly. In short, Kobra is the one character who deserves to be jobbed out the most, while superior henchmen like Baraka and Reptile are fought sparingly.

They should give him the Link treatment. You know how nearly every "Legend of Zelda" games feature a different Link as the protagonist? Something similar should be done with Kobra. He gets killed, and a new character with the exact same name, mannerisms and special moves replaces him, and none of the other characters even notice (as in, they "no-sell" it, to use wrestling terms). This could happen several times within the same story mode. He is generic, after all. Though there could be small ackowledgements such as a character saying "Didn't I already deal with you five minutes ago?"

Each new Kobras could differ from the previous ones in small ways, like one being a redneck and another an actor who views Johnny Cage as a rival, and who joins the villains after his acting career fails spectacularly while Johnny's still going. But despite those small differences, Kobras are always losers. Some could actually fight alongside the heroes, but they'd be cannon fodder for the villains.

Quoted for truth.

So, basically, you want him to be a joke character?

He's already much of a joke, being terribly generic with medicore moves and a poorly thought out backstory. The last thing we need is to make all of this intentional.

What's wrong with making him an intentional joke character? He doesn't deserve to be treated as a legitimate character, so to me, making a joke out of him sorts of redeem him. Treating him as a illegitimate character legitimizes him (heh). What you say about his generic moves is precisely why he'd make a great generic foe.

Anyway, two more ideas for Kobra. One, female Kobras, which are really just Kobra in drag that the male versions (as well as any homophobic macho male characters, if we had any) hang out with, and who are treated as if they were actual women, in that the male Kobras don't even know they're not women. Kobra would work as an homophobic, sexist loser, perhaps racist too. "Female" Kobras wouldn't be fought, they'd just appear in cutscenes alongside the males, and they wouldn't even be called Kobras. Basically, I'm mocking machismo, by making a macho prick bang other guys (and not just any guys, but himself) which only the audience can see. But a gay relationship between say, Stryker and Kabal, shouldn't be treated as a joke, however. Nor should any other crossdressing male characters (and female ones, for that matter), if we ended up getting any. Just thought I should specify that.

The second idea involves Kira, if she also returned. They should have a relationship that parodies the implied one between Sonya and Johnny, by being a completely mismatched and hopeless version of it. Whereas Johnny was chasing Sonya and annoyed her before saving her and earning her respect, Kobra acts like a puerile teenager around Kira. He can't have her, no matter what.

Kira always besting and humiliating Kobra is just so entertaining. Killing him in her MKD ending, ditching him while he's fighting Taven, and screwing him in his own MKA ending (though sadly, he returns the favor in her ending). Maybe it shouldn't be overdone, but I could see it remaining enjoyable for a while.

All of those ideas about Kobra are predicated on the notion that MK being more ridiculous and corny is somehow a positive thing. I assure you, it's not.

The only humor Mortal Kombat needs is Johnny Cage.

Cage's humor is satirical and provides comic relief in melodramatic situations. That is all it needs, not some off-beat, slapstick comedy bit. Mortal Kombat is a highly dramatic series, in case you've forgotten.

What I don't get about the whole "he dies and is replaced every game" idea is why would other people choose to call themselves "Kobra"? Is he starting his own gang? Why would anyone join it?
I get that it's a parody of how in Double Dragon, all the street thugs are named Williams...but Double Dragon doesn't try to make sense, lol. MK does.

Well that's not entirely true.

MK is well known for it's over the top violence. As well as turning opponents into babies, turning into animals, having 8 rib cages, friendships, etc. You get the point. For being a dramatic series MK sure loves to fiddle with humor aside from JC.

But I agree Kobra shouldn't be turned into a full Dan Hibiki. Where he's a shit character and an even shitter fighter. Kobra should totally parody SF's Ken, but not to the point where he can't be taken seriously.

To be fair, MK3 was the only time they went that far with the goofball finishers, 'cause they were the most unpopular part of the game.

Mortal Kombat 2 started it

Having Friendships and Babalities was never the problem.

It was the Animalities, "too many feet and ribs" explosions, and dumb Fatalities like Jax and Kabal's that crossed the line.

The whole thing about multiple Kobras is meant to mock his generic nature. They're all a bunch of insecure losers with a "unmanly" name (Ben) who choose a more "badass" one (Kobra). But only the audience will recognize Kobra. All the other MK characters are completely oblivious to him. As far as they're concerned, Kobras are just similar-looking individuals. You could, in the same day, come across to two or three people who look and act similarly. Yet that doesn't automathically mean they're the same person, or that they're even connected. That's how other MK characters would react when encountering more than one Kobra.

Here's another way I can explain it. You know these body-swapping stories where the actors are still portraying their own characters (like the X-Files two-parter "Dreamland" or the Supernatural episode "Swap Meat"), and yet other people in their surroundings act if they're someone else (since they're inhabiting another person's body)? It's a bit similar for Kobra. Everyone's completely oblivious to these all blonde guys who name themselves Kobra. Even the Kobras themselves. To emphasize how unremarkable he is. New Kobras aren't meant to be Kobra himself, it's purely metaphorical.

But if you want it to make more sense, just imagine that bits of a loser's soul end up in some unfortunate unborn babies, as a result of said loser, not achieving anything in life, using a magical spell to reincarnate as himself after death. But it backfired, as his reincarnations (including the one we met in MKD) are all doomed to be failures, forever. The spell prevents people from remembering him well, even when encountering more than one Kobra.

Sorry bro, still doesn't make sense to me.