Every Character and Video Game Cameo in Mortal Kombat II: Complete List

So, after a not-so-short wait and a pretty underwhelming first film, 'Mortal Kombat II' is finally out and—surprise—it actually goes big and weird in all the ways a movie based on those gloriously over-the-top games probably should. The critics? Mostly into it. The box office? Also solid. If you felt burned by the first one being a little shy about the nutty MK lore (no proper tournament? come on!), MK II makes up for that—taking things off Earth, unzipping the multicolored jumpsuit of nonsense, and finally unleashing a real tournament.

The movie is basically a parade of classic game fighters and a few new faces crammed in to give fans the wildest match-ups they could hope for. Some characters get major arcs, others are just around as cannon fodder, and—of course—there’s a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo for the most hardcore fans. If you love Mortal Kombat lore, there’s a lot to chew on (and argue about on the internet).

Major Players: Fan Favorites and Fatalities

• Johnny Cage (Karl Urban): The dude’s finally here after being teased last time. Karl Urban goes full meta as the washed-up action star, splitting lead duties with Kitana. He’s all reluctant hero arc, wisecracks, and, yes, he actually grows a real backbone by the end.
• Kitana (Adeline Rudolph): Opening flashback? It is all about Kitana’s traumatic childhood, forced adoption by Shao Kahn (after he murders her actual dad on screen—MK does not mess around). She goes undercover, backs Earthrealm in the end, and gets to take down Kahn for a surprisingly satisfying finale, ending up the new boss in Edenia.
• Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee): Sonya returns, powers unlocked post-Kano kill. She’s less central this time but is key in convincing Cage he’s not just a joke and gets to absolutely obliterate Sindel in one memorable first-round fatality. She also takes on Shao Kahn and survives—impressive body count for someone not the main focus.
• Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford): No more shadowy references—Kahn is in your face from the start as the big bad. Not content to just rule from the back, he kills several major characters, including Cole Young and Jax, and even takes Liu Kang out of commission (sort of—more on that). He’s powered up thanks to Raiden’s nicked powers and fits the “cheating, monstrous villain” bill perfectly.
• Liu Kang (Ludi Lin): MK's perennial golden boy doesn’t actually win the tournament here but carries a lot of the coolest fights, even taking down his buddy Kung Lao. After getting mortally wrecked by Kahn, he bursts into flames and... floats off? Status: “comic book dead” (i.e., don’t count him out for part three).
• Jax (Mehcad Brooks): Here for the robot arms flex (literally). Wins against Jade, lets her live as payback for Kitana’s mercy on Cage. Jax spends the rest of his time trying to help restore Raiden’s power and, in the grand tradition, nobly dies while the rest make a break for Kahn’s all-important amulet.
• Jade (Tati Gabrielle): Fiercely loyal to Shao Kahn at first, Jade gets her face bashed in by Jax but pulls an assist for the heroes later, trekking to the Netherrealm to help shatter Kahn’s amulet. She and Kitana’s frenemy energy is straight from the games.
• Kung Lao (Max Huang): Dead last film? No worries—this is Mortal Kombat. Necromancer Quan Chi brings him back. Bad news: He’s on Team Outworld this time and is a menace until Liu Kang takes him out in what’s probably the film’s most choreographed, geek-out moment. Dies again, promises to haunt your dreams (or, you know, get resurrected for the inevitable next round).
• Quan Chi (Damon Herriman): Sorcerer, necromancer, general pain in the butt for the good guys. He resurrects baddies (including Kano and Kung Lao), tips the plot with Kahn and Shang Tsung, but doesn’t throw a punch. By end, he’s Earthrealm’s prisoner—and then snatched by Kano, because these movies love a long game.
• Shang Tsung (Chin Han): Used to be Top Villain; now he’s doing side-villain busywork for Kahn while still low-key scheming to get all the power for himself. He’s the reason Raiden loses his powers (seals them in Kahn’s magic bling), and gets his comeuppance courtesy of one last lightning jolt from a freshly powered-up Raiden.
• Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano): Big on pep talks, short on screen time in fights (what else is new), but plays a major role in the plot. He loses his powers for most of the movie but gets a little action versus Shang Tsung. Movie ends hinting Raiden might just step into the fighting ring next time—about time.
• Kano (Josh Lawson): Comedy MVP. Previously killed, now resurrected for amulet-grabbing duties by Quan Chi. Flips sides often enough to give you whiplash—teams up with Cage in the Netherrealm, helps kidnap Quan Chi in the end. Not a tournament fighter, just the chaos agent who steals most scenes.
• Bi-Han/Noob Saibot (Joe Taslim): Here’s the deep cut: Sub-Zero’s revived body returns, and while they only call him Bi-Han (never “Noob Saibot”), the shadows powers and costuming leave no doubt what’s up. MK nerds will know it’s a nod to how the game coded his secret character—Ed Boon and John Tobias mashed their names together for “Noob Saibot.” The movie keeps it subtle.
• Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada): Scorpion’s not around much (again), but when he does show up, it’s dramatic: guiding Cage and Kano through the Netherrealm, throwing down with Bi-Han/Sub-Zero (their rivalry is the one constant). Over in a flash, but classic Sanada energy.
• Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen): Rather than going full villain as in the games, Sindel’s portrayed here as a broken puppet of Kahn—captive and forced to fight. Limited screen time but delivers in a nasty round against Sonya. Does not die (technically), just gets patched up and dangled as a threat to Kitana.
• Baraka (CJ Bloomfield): This one’s a weird highlight—Outworld’s sword-faced lunatic Baraka is played as straight man/comic foil to Johnny Cage. After duking it out, he basically decides Cage is his new best buddy. Helps the Earth gang sneak into Edenia for the big amulet caper.
• Ed Boon (Cameo): Not a fighter—just a hilarious mid-movie cameo for the MK co-creator, as a grumpy bartender named ‘Ed’ who ribs Johnny Cage for being less 'animated' these days. In-joke for diehards, and a nice touch.

Other Stuff You Should Know

A couple quick things before you fire up Reddit. The film is absolutely crammed with game nods—sometimes at the expense of, you know, pacing or character depth—but if you’re here for the faithful “Mortal Kombat” experience, it finally kind of delivers. There’s actually a tournament! Edenia and Outworld get full treatment. The roster is huge, and the kills are creative.

In case you missed the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bit: Cole Young (Lewis Tan), who was the first movie’s original “chosen one,” doesn’t even make the MK II character list. The movie is pretty clear about whose lore matters this time—big wins for old school fans, less so for anyone invested in the Tanverse.

And, yes, if you’re the type to stick around for teasers, there’s a hint at Raiden getting a bigger chunk of action in a third film. Because when do these movies ever really end?