Stay but only if his boss dies. And if he doesn't die just keep him in the background until he succeeds khan!

Uhh...you know Kahn's like 8 feet tall and has pointed ears, sharp teeth, and claws growing out of his forehead, right? There's no way he's the same race as any other character unless the clues in Deception that he used to be a god like Raiden are canon.

And his moves are probably green because his power comes from souls.

I'm not a Reiko hater. Not a massive fan, but not a hater at all. I think it's good to see a "servant" character. I don't think he was fully developed, so I'd like to see him come back. Maybe not for the next game, but I don't want him gone forever.

Meh.

I've never been able to see him as anything more than a joke that went on too long with a look highly derivative of the ninja archeype. Although I'd be mildly interested in exploring his backstory, like RazorsEdge suggested, I'm not at all into him. He seems to me just the type of unnecessary extra MKA was supposed to kill off.

GONE.

I seem to be getting somewhat of a neutral vibe where it comes to Reiko, but I never really saw that much potential in him. The whole "General" storyline with him didn't really do much to differentiate him from other characters.

It didn't help that he looked exactly like Johnny Cage only with white eyes and that "Touch of Gray" Mens hair coloring stuff. The fact that his outfit looked VERY inspired by Sub Zero's MK4 outfit, again, didn't do much to scream "new/original" to me. At the time, his ending seemed cool to me but now I guess it's just irrelevant.

His Armageddon look just seemed like a ripoff of Shao Khan, his alt was, again, an MK4 Subzero ripoff and his ending, well... Yeah.

I also never really liked his moves. Throwing stars? This guy is a freakin GENERAL and he's dressed like a ninja and throws stars?? WTF. His flip kick looks like some sort of strange glitch, his teleport move is dull... Honestly there just wasn't much for me to like about him.

I didn't hate him, but I honestly just never saw the need for him to exist. He was just another General, had weak moves, a weak (albeit woefully underexplored) story and a weak look.

I hate to bag on a character that much, but when you take him apart and look at each aspect individually, there just isn't that much to like. I didn't mind playing as him, but in terms of being a good MK character with fun moves, a cool story and cool look? Reiko's nowhere near the top of that list.

Sure, his lack of development probably makes him more maleable and capable of changing but what's the point? I'd rather have a new character than some sort of redo of Reiko. Would I hate it if they brought him back? Perhaps not, if they did a good job, but that's hardly enough praise to put him on my "must see again" list.

VERDICT: GONE.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gone: 31, saved: 16

Saved thus far: Baraka, Drahmin, Ermac, Fujin, Hotaru, Kabal, Kai, Kano, Kenshi, Kira, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Nitara, Noob and Rayden.

Agreed with everything Baraka just said. Reiko is just dead weight that needs to be dropped.

GONE.

Never liked Reiko really, kinda sucked in MKA too.

GONE

I agree with Baraka also...Gone.

Seriously y'all! Reiko has tons of potential. I want to see him takeover outworld. And take that helmet too! He is a much more honorable villain. And MK has No honorable villains. That's why I say stay!

I get the honor aspect and why that makes him unique among villains, but it's not like he owns that trait. It's not as if the MK team couldn't create a character with a better look, better moves and a better background story that's ALSO an honorable villain.

I understand why that's a positive trait for him, but given all the negatives associated with this various looks, his story etc... To me it just seems like too much to fix.

That said, I do like your idea about what Reiko could be going forward. Taking over as the ruler of Outworld, it might be interesting to see what kind of a leader that once sided with Khan and Shinnok, yet still has a sense of honor might bring to the table. It would certainly make for a less predictable evil character that would seem to have a vast amount of power.

Again though, I just can't get around the fact that it's Reiko, though. I'd still rather see a new character with a better look, better moves etc fall in to this role. I see why Reiko would work here, but again, he just has a lot working against him. I see now that he could be fixed to an extent, but I'd still rather see a new character that doesn't come with all the baggage instead.

Good ideas though!!

I used to consider Reiko one of my favorites. The thing that made me interested in him at all was his hinted connection to Sareena, but a lot of what made him a favorite of mine was largely due to the fact that 99% of his character was made up in my own head (anybody who's read my Reiko/Sareena fan fic knows: my Reiko was bad ass).
I also really liked using him...but considering it was MK4, that's not saying much.

Unfortunately, they dropped his Sareena connection for the nonsensical and random decision to tie him to Shao Kahn for no apparent reason. I was always kind of torn on wanting him back...knowing they'd most likely play up his Kahn-wannabe aspects and thus destroy the vision of Reiko that I built up in my mind.

To be honest, now that I think about it, how Reiko wound up character-wise in Armageddon isn't too far off from the vision of Reiko I made up....except in my fantasy world, his ties to Sareena were emphasized and he didn't talk.

But having said all that, I'm not really interested in seeing him continue. To be honest, I'm not really interested in seeing another Emperor of Outworld period...even if they do play up how Reiko is NOT like Kahn. I'd rather see the realm in disarray following everything that's happened.
Not to say that angle couldn't work...I'm just not that interested in it.

I'm going to say GO.

There can't just be NO one trying to rule Outworld in the future. That's just not how power vacuums work.

And frankly, the "hinted connection" with Sareena was never anything more than her, Kia, and Jataaka's names on a list of allies. They're all in the Brotherhood of the Shadow. They've all got the requisite white streak and face tattoos. Big deal.

That's kind of like saying revealing Shao Kahn was once like Raiden in the very same game Raiden is going "dark" is just a coincidence.

MK4 picked up directly from Mythologies, and Sareena was one of the loose ends. And Reiko bore a rather strong resemblance to her in particular. His facial tattoos look like hers. Kia had all black hair and Jataaka had all white hair....Reiko & Sareena both share black and white.

Even though they obviously didn't follow up on it, that's too much of a coincidence to just ignore.

I've never liked Reiko at all. His look, story, or anything.

I always wanted him to be a non-cannon character because Imo he's complete cheese. Apart from the whole ties with Kahn ordeal (which drove me nuts), I didn't like his affiliation with the brothers or his boss speculation hype. I just always felt he had nothing going for him and was just a wannabe bad guy. Infact, he should've been killed in MK4, the same time he was brought into his first game.

GONE!

I'm not seein' how it's anything like that.

In the Reiko/Sareena case, we're literally talking about nothing more than an allies list.

Like the ones in those trading card videos nobody pays any attention to...except this one was on a website that hasn't even been online for years.

Don't care. If he's in, great. If he's not, whatever.

I prefer Reiko than Sonya, Rayden, Kano, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Kitana, Mileena and many more.

maybe, but you could say that about everybody that isn't a main character. Kill off/erase one guy, replace him with another guy that has his traits. Then you get into the territory of why you should salvage anybody who isn't 100% necessary to attracting buys. And besides, Reiko is one of the few decent black fighters left in MK. After they bastardized Jax and made Cyrax a full robot again

... Reiko isn't black.

In Armageddon he is.

Look at him, how could he not be black?

Just because he's not from Earth doesn't mean he isn't black.

His skin isn't dark in MKA, what are you talking about?

That right there is a caucasian color.

Picture proves everything, and it's time to discuss a new character.

Reptile

Hidden in the first, he came out as a playable character in MK2.

He’s Shang Tsung’s personal protector, lurking in the shadows stopping all those who would do his master harm. His human form is believed to disguise a horrid reptilian creature whose race was thought extinct millions of years ago.

Reptile has always loyally served as Shang’s protector, while maintaining a very low profile in the first tournament. He discovered the plot to force the remaining members of his near extinct race into slavery under Kahn’s rule. Reptile creates a plan of his own. Entering the tournament, he defeats Kahn and turns against Shang. Ending his master’s scheme, now his race can live on their own peaceful existence.

Always a reliable servant to Kahn, he is chosen to assist Jade in the capture of Kitana. In contrast to Jade’s instructions, Reptile is ordered to stop the renegade princes at all costs.

He is ordered by Kahn to find and kill Kitana. He is successful in completing is task, but upon returning, finds himself shunned by Kahn that he promised Reptile that if he was successful that he would resurrect Reptile’s race. Kahn never had any intention on fulfilling his promise. Enraged, Reptile turns against his master and defeats him in battle but killing his master, he destroys the once chance to ever know his true race.

A general in Shinnok’s army of darkness. Reptile once belong to an extinct race of reptilian creaturs. He was banished to the Netherealm for committing genocide against several species. Responsible for the death of millions, Reptile is a dangerous allu to the forces of evil.

Of course, he makes a deal with Shinnok, and Shinnok doesn’t keep it, so he dies in his ending.

Reptile has discovered the plot devised by Shang Tsung and Quan Chi to assassinate Kahn. But on his way to inform is master, he was distracted by a vampire, Nitara. She led him to the hidden base camp of Kitana’s forces. Knowing the location of the base would be a great help to the Emperor in the war against Edenia and the Shokan. Eagar to relay all that he had learned, Reptile raced back to Kahn’s fortress, only to discover him ling dead on the floor.

Reptile’s detour to Kitana’s base camp had delayed him just long enough for Shang and Quan Chi to spring their attack on Kahn. Reptile was devastated that he had failed his master and wandered the Outworld wastelands aimlessly until his once again cross paths with Nitara. Desperately in need of a master, he offered his loyalty to her. Her first command to him was to attack the invader, Cyrax. She explained that he must first destroy his arm panel in order to weaken the outsider.

With the strong sulphurous stench that filled the chamber, Reptile could smell that Nitara and Cyrax had been there recently. There was no sign of them, except for scattered glass shards and a residual trace of strong magical energies. His revenge would have to wait. Suddenly, an expectant hush filled the chamber as energy cascaded around what appeared to be a dragon embryo. The tiny dragon stretched the egg cracked. A beam of energy ripped out from inside and lanced into Reptile. He world was filled with roaring power. The ancient prophecy has been fulfilled: the Dragon King has returned.


We finally get to see Reptile on his own, as a different character. What bothers me mostly is that from the second game to the third, he has completely forgotten the fact that Kahn doesn’t want to help him resurrect his race. Right there shows a lack of creativity with Reptile, as game after game, he has made deals with masters asking if they could resurrect his race, and every time he gets screwed over. Maybe here’s a thing they could do for him in the next game, make it to where Reptile is actually a cool character. Because reading all his bios, he’s a horrible character. He’s too dependant on people to be their masters, why? Why does this character need a master? If he’s dangerous enough to be banished to the Netherealm, there’s no way that Reptile needs to be ruled by someone who’s bound to screw him over in his ending. No, Reptile needs a new story immediately, otherwise there’s no point in saving him.

His appearance should be something similar to either MK4 or Shaolin Monks. Of course I hated what they did to him in Deadly Alliance... MK4 made him look officially like a reptilian creature, but then they went too far with it and gave him a dinosaur look. Yeah, he looks like one in MK2, but hey, that was the 90s, this was the 00’s. Things back then looks way cooler, and Reptile was such a great character. Now, he’s horrible, yeah, I’m shunning down a fan favorite here, he’s horrible!

The moves I wouldn’t change, keep the ones that actually makes him feel like a reptilian creature, so this is the only thing I wouldn’t change... But I do want his “Find Me” move again... I always liked that.

So basically it’s down to this, change his story to where he doesn’t rely on ANY other person but himself, make it to where he doesn’t look like a dinosaur, and we’ll be fine with this character. Of course he’s a fan favorite and he was greatly missed in MKDC. I’m going to say stay because I know that there is something to do with this character, he’s a fan fave, but if there’s nothing going to happen, then you should go.

So, let’s debate. Should Reptile stay or leave?

I thought his MK4 look was by far the best one, while his MKDA by far the worst one. He was alright in MKSM.

But anyway, I never cared much for the character and he's had his run so therefore finally I can say GONE, after quite some time...

... ... ...

My verdicts so far:

STAY: 26

GONE: 22