The Mortal Kombat franchise has seen its fair share of weird and wonderful characters we could play as. Riot cops, undead ninjas, even walking slabs of meat, we’ve all had the privilege to play as them.
Since MK9 in 2011, guest characters were introduced into the fray. From Freddy Krueger, The Predator, to even Robocop, they lent their awesome abilities to deal out gruesome fatalities to our hearts' pleasure.
But there is a world's worth of other characters we would like to see duke it out in the Mortal Kombat arena. Let’s rank them. These are 15 pop culture characters we would like to see in Mortal Kombat.
15. Afro Samurai
He makes revenge look stylish
A samurai hellbent on revenge for hs fathers murder is a man named Afro. On his quest for revenge he has fought armies to robot clones that fire lasers and has survived all of them.
He sets out on a quest for the wielder of the number one headband, which is said to give the wearer godlike powers, for revenge as the wielder of the headband named Justice is the one who murdered his father.
Seeing Afro battle it out in the MK arena would be a visual feast for us players.
If the anime is anything to go by we would see stylized blood splatters, katana flourishes, and epic one liners as Afro makes his kill. Imagine how an anime stylized fatality would look like. Pure visual splendor.
Afro Samurai - first battle (massacre)
14. Akuma - Street Fighter
He is Akuma and he will teach you the meaning of pain
Practically appearing and being recognized as canon to other fighting franchises like Tekken. Akuma is the wielder of the Satsui No Hado power which literally translates to Surge of Murderous Intent.
He is known as the antagonist to Street Fighter poster boy Ryu as he tries to convert Ryu into the dark side of the Karate force.
His tools of destruction range from a more devastating version of the hadouken to a shoryuken uppercut that can take off your head in one strike.
His most famous attack of all is the Shun Goku Satsui which literally translates again to Instant Hell Murder.
With moves like that and a ferocity such as his, it's really a mystery why he was never included in the Mortal Kombat franchise.
Practically emerging around the same time with Street Fighter, there have been zero guest characters from Street Fighter to Mortal Kombat.
In MK 12 maybe it’s time for Karate Darth Vader to make his bloody debut. A gory version of the Shun Goku Satsu as a fatality would be awesome to witness.
Akuma’s Shun Goku Satsu Evolution
13. Alisa Bosconovitch - Tekken
Hi I’m Alisa. Now you must die
Being an android with rocket boosters and chainsaw hands that fights in a worldwide fighting tournament has its perks. Alisa Bosconovitch has been in the Tekken franchise since its 6th installment and she has still yet to draw a single drop of blood in all her fights.
She has a rocket powered punch and kick, a detachable head that she uses as an explosive, and her deadliest weapon of all are two wrist mountain chainsaws to slice and dice her competition.
With an opening intro like “now you must die”, her addition to the Mortal Kombat franchise would do wonders to add to her cutesy persona but absolutely deadly fighting style.
Tekken 7/ Alisa Bosconovitch Combo Guide (Season 4)
12. Ash Williams - Evil Dead
Groovy
Another famous pop culture icon that has a chainsaw for a hand is Evil Dead’s most famous deadite killer, Ash Williams.
Ashley Joanna Williams (yes that's his real name) was thrust into the world of undead demon people and the forces of darkness when he visited a cabin in the woods that contained the necronomicon.
A book filled with demonic power that can unleash ancient evils to possess living beings and turn them into ghoulish monsters called deadites.
In his fight to survive against these demons, he lost his arm in the process. It’s not all bad though.
He stuck a chainsaw into his hand stump and so began his lifelong journey to become the world's most badass Ashley Joanna in existence.
Also equipped is a mechanized arm to switch with his chainsaw and his trademark boomstick to deal with these undead.
Now considered to be a horror movie legend alongside Jason and Freddy Krueger who he tussled with in a comic book series.
His inclusion in the Mortal Kombat franchise would be fun to see as his quick wit like Johnny Cage and his ferocity and ruthlessness like Kano no matter how awkward he may seem is still a force to be reckoned with.
He didn't survive 40 plus years if he was a slouch in the business of murder.
Best Ash Williams Moments (Evil Dead)
11. Chuck Norris
The Man. The Myth. The Legend
Legend says that one day King Arthur will once again rise from the grave to save the world once the world needs him again. This legend is no longer true because Chuck Norris has already taken up this responsibility.
Carlos Ray Norris (yes this is his real name) has built up his legend as the absolute Chad that he is over his many years of kickin ass. In his career as a karate champion.
He has racked up 183 victories, held the middleweight karate championship for 6 years, and is the first dude in the west to earn the 8th degree black belt.
In his utter badassery he invented his own martial arts called Chun Kuk Do. It is rumored that through this, he harnesses the powers of the universe to achieve superhuman feats.
In his own words his grip strength is strong enough to crush coal into a diamond. He is also fast enough to run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
The Big Bang is also measured by approximately 1 CNRK, which is an acronym for 1 Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick.
But most impressive of all that is that under his magnificent beard lies a third fist.
With powers like those and feats as impressive as Chuck has achieved, his addition to Mortal Kombat would be a no-brainer. What do interdimensional warlords, cyborg ninjas, and four-armed monsters have against the man that death itself fears.
Chuck Norris Kicks Everything
10. Deathstroke - DC
Another guest character with “terminator” as a nickname
The one man that can match Batman in hand to hand combat is the terminator of DC Comics, Deathstroke.
He wields a thundercats style sword, a straight up armory of weapons of his disposal, and a bo staff that he wields with deadly intent. He has a healing factor that brings him back from the dead and a suit that can heal itself also.
His inclusion in the Mortal Kombat franchise would be a great addition as he has starred in other Netherrealm games such as in the Injustice series and showcases how violent DC characters can be in fighting tournaments all about murder.
Batman vs. Deathstroke Fight Scene Cinematic 4k ultra HD - Batman Arkham Origins Movie Cinematics
9. Homelander - The Boys
Remember that he is not a real hero
A narcissistic and psychopathic manchild that also happens to have the same powers as Superman is a man called Homelander.
Homelander has captured the hearts of fans the world over with The Boys tv series and the comics that inspired his live action adaptation but has also made fans absolutely hate him for his guts and more.
With powers such as hypersonic flight, super strength, an impenetrable skin, and his trademark laser eyes, he has committed war crime after war crime like he was in a competition.
From bringing down a fully loaded passenger plane to killing innocent children on the battlefield, he has done it all.
His despicability and his insane power would fit well in the Mortal Kombat universe. With other superpowered D-Bags such as Quan Chi, Frost, and of course Shao Kahn.
You can only imagine the superpowered carnage he can bring to the table.
10 Minutes of Homelander Being an Absolute Psychopath/ The Boys/ Prime Video
8. Ghostface - Scream
What’s your favorite scary movie
Lots of psychopaths have taken up the mantle of Ghostface throughout the years.
From the originals like Stu Macher and Billy Loomis to more recent ones like Richie and Amber, Ghostface as a character has maintained his legend and his absolute bloodlust despite different characters playing him.
No matter the man or woman behind the mask, Ghostface always kills with his trademark bowie knife that he uses to gut, cut, and slash his victims.
With the addition of fellow horror icons such as Leatherface, Freddy, and Jason joining the MK roster, Ghostface would make a perfect addition to this always loaded cast.
A fatality such as his classic garage door kill or a simple slit and gut to his enemies would translate well in the blood and viscera that MK already provides to its dedicated fandom.
The Best Ghostface Kills
7. John Wick
The man you send to kill the f*cking boogeyman
Keanu Reeves is an all around great guy that graces this Earth. Stories of his kindness and humility are an all too welcome thing that everyone on this planet loves to see.
But his character, John Wick, is an entirely different person. John Wick is a man of passion, commitment, and sheer f*cking will.
He is the one you send to kill the boogeyman ya know.
He murdered an entire criminal empire because they murdered his dog and stole his car and in doing so started a full scale war with the criminal underground.
He is proficient with all weapons from pistols, rifles, swords, pencils, and books. A seasoned assassin like himself would be a sight to behold when he battles other assassins such as Sub Zero or Scorpion.
Fatalities that he could produce are limitless as he is deadly with anything he can lay hands on. I mean he killed a 7 foot tall man with only a book and killed several people in a club using only a pencil.
Who even does that? John Wick does.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) - Pencil Kill Scene (6/10)/ Movieclips
6. Kratos - 2018 Norse Saga Version
Gods have mercy on anything that hurts son or his friends now
I know Kratos was already in a previous Mortal Kombat game but let me explain why we want him back.
In the first time he joined Mortal Kombat he was a vengeful and young god killer that will stop at nothing and for no one that gets in his way. He would gladly murder and destroy anything if it means his quest for revenge is complete.
But the Kratos we want now is the older and wiser Kratos in God of War 2018 and God of War: Ragnarok.
We could see how he’s matured as a character as he is no longer as angry as before but calmer since he now has a son.
Despite his cooler and less angry demeanor now, he is still as deadly as ever. Now wielding the leviathan axe that holds in it frost powers and he can recall at any time, he can kill anything and anyone if it means protecting his family and his friends.
Fatalities would still be brutal (see Wulver execution), but also calculated and precise and not just punch and stab until it dies.
This new Kratos would make good company for Raiden or Fujin but his ferocity and savagery can still contend with other characters such as Baraka, Geras, or Sindel would normally have. Nothing can ever stop Kratos, not even himself.
God of War PS5 All Boss Fights/ Bosses & Ending Gameplay 4k 60fps
5. Michael Myers - Halloween
Who could’ve guessed that a killer wearing a William Shatner mask would be this scary
It’s still a mystery how Michael Myers still hasn't been featured as a playable character in the MK franchise. All of his other contemporaries have been playable as stated before with Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface.
The next logical conclusion should be Michael Myers as the next killer in the next Mortal Kombat game.
Armed with his trusty and deadly kitchen knife that he has used to murder a whole town’s worth of people throughout his rampage over the years, he will definitely be a great addition to the already deadly roster of MK.
With other powers such as super strength, physical invulnerability, and a teleport ability (yes he can teleport), his fatalities and brutalities will be sites to behold if the Halloween movies are anything to go by as reference to his bloodlust and talent for murder.
Top 10 Michael Myers Kill of All Time
4. Negan - The Walking Dead
Is it peepee pants city yet?
In my opinion, having Negan appear in Tekken 7 was a great choice but it was the wrong franchise. Negan would be the perfect addition to the Mortal Kombat universe.
We’re first introduced to his charisma and utter brutality in the 7th season of The Walking Dead by brutalizing two fan favorite characters right off the bat (get it?).
Wielding his trusty barbed wire baseball bat named Lucille as his primary tool of death but also proficient in rifles and other firearms, his methods for death will not be in short order.
We can already see it happen as he does a walking dead style fatality like the one he did on his very first scene or by hot iron and furnace incineration. Possibilities are endless with our favorite charismatic “savior”
Negan’s Best Moments
3. Shredder - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
What's a splinter to a shredder?
A warrior with a name like Shredder should also be another no-brainer addition to the Mortal Kombat roster.
The main antagonist to the teenage mutant ninja turtles and the arch-nemesis of Master Splinter, he has terrorized the turtles and the city of New York for years.
The leader of the Foot clan of assassins of ninjas, Shredder is trained in ninjutsu and the samurai way of the warrior but left this pathwhen he unknowingly murdered the love of his life in a fit of rage.
Ever since then he has set out on a path of destruction and to kill his former rival who is now Master Splinter when he was mutated into a giant rat.
He wields a literal arsenal of everything from swords, throwing knives, katanas, sais, kunai, and everything sharp you can think of. He can slice things faster than the eye can see and kills anyone without remorse.
An inclusion to the Mortal Kombat roster would be fitting. He is a megalomaniacal conquer just like Shao Kahn and has a hatred for ninjas like the Shirai Ryu would do well to satiate his quest for power and blood.
Shredder - Fight Scenes/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014
2. Sweet Tooth - Twisted Metal
Ice Cream and murder are what makes him happy
Marcus Kane was a normal ice cream salesman but inside him lay a psychopathic split personality he called Needles. He tried to hide his evil other self as much as he could but alas he could not.
Thus Needles Kane was born. He murdered his entire family, everyone at his local hospital, and basically everyone he came across. His sins eventually caught up with him. He was cursed by a man named Preacher to burn with the fires of hell for all eternity. Which means his scalp is on fire forever
He uses his serrated machete as his primary killing tool and occasionally an ice cream scooper to pick the eyeballs out of his victims.
He drives the Sweet Tooth. A modified ford step van as his means of transportation that transforms into the Sweet Bot. A giant flying robot that uses his giant slam attacks to level buildings and flatten the competition.
Need I say more why he needs to be in Mortal Kombat?
Twisted Metal (2012) - Sweet Tooth’s Story HD
1. The Fiend - WWE
Let him in
Never has a wrestling character captured the collective fear and awe since The Undertaker as The Fiend has.
The Fiend is a character created by wrestling creative genius, Bray Wyatt. Formerly, Wyatt’s character was a swamp dwelling cult leader that had a team called The Wyatt Family.
In one of his stories, he told of a monster that chased him in the swamps that had a pale white face, long flowing locks, and monstrous eyes.
As he told his encounter to his Sister Abigail, she merely told him that the monster that was following him through the swamps was his future self, haunting him as a vision of his future.
In 2019, The Fiend debuted carrying the decapitated head of his former gimmick, signifying that his old self was dead and his new persona was born.
His in-ring fighting style consists of snapping necks, choking them to unconsciousness by pushing his fist down his opponents throats, and slamming them to the mat in a violent twisting motion he dubs “Sister Abigail” in memory of his dead sister.
His inclusion into the Mortal Kombat universe will fully realize his violent and destructive potential once all restrictions are off. Snapping necks, strangulation, and slams will all be welcome once The Fiend is let in.
Fights with fellow supernatural characters such as Noob Saibot, Ermac, and Scorpion would be visual feats of brilliance if and when The Fiend is immortalized in Mortal Kombat
Bray Wyatt’s most horrifying moments: WWE Top 10, July 5, 2020
