All 16 Mortal Kombat 2021 Characters, Ranked Weakest To Strongest

Summary In the 2021 Mortal Kombat film, Scorpion is the strongest character, a powerful undead warrior with impressive combat skills and abilities. He's feared and can take down many opponents, with Sub-Zero being his closest match. Shang Tsung, a sorcerer, has different powers but isn't directly compared to Scorpion in terms of combat strength.

Mortal Kombat was able to show off a healthy roster of unique fighters, but only one can claim to be the strongest combatant in the latest fatality-ridden film. From ancient sorcerers to special agents to horrific beasts from other worlds, the Mortal Kombat universe has no shortage of fascinating fighters to show off. Among the cast of Mortal Kombat, some characters certainly enjoy a higher power level than others.

The relative strength of each character in the latest Mortal Kombat reboot can be determined by how each fighter does against one another, as well as their reputation within the universe of the films. Of course, there's a great deal of difference between the games and the Mortal Kombat movie, meaning that some amount of fan bias will have to be extracted from the equation when it comes to precisely measuring the power levels of each movie combatant. It'll also be assumed that each character can make full use of the Arcana power system introduced by the movie.

16 Nitara

Exists only to be cut in half

Partway through 2021's Mortal Kombat, the film introduces a host of new minor villains that show up to spoil the heroes' progress. Many of these, such as Nitara, are lesser-known characters without strong fanbases fit to be fodder for Mortal Kombat's brutal fatalities. Among them is Nitara, a flying, vampire-like creature who goes one-on-one with the great Kung Lao.

In the games, Nitara has a host of vampiric blood powers alongside her biological advantages of flight and razor-sharp teeth and claws, but the film seems to omit these powers. What's left is a relatively weak opponent whose only real strength is some haphazard, graceless flight, which Kung Lao uses to unceremoniously steer her into the path of his razor-sharp hat. Putting up the least of a challenge among any named character in the film, Nitara lands squarely at the bottom of the film's power rankings.

15 Reiko

A clumsy brute who is easily outmaneuvered

Another more obscure villain that steps in to harass Earthrealm's finest, Reiko's appearance in the 2021 film is quite different from his video game persona. Rather than wielding spears, ninja stars, and mysterious red energy, Reiko is more of a lumbering brute fielding a massive warhammer against his foes. Like his status in the games, however, Reiko's performance is ultimately unremarkable among Mortal Kombat's fighters.

He manages to at least outdo Nitara by giving a pre-Arcana Jax some trouble, bullying the former soldier due to his inability to fight back with weak, skeletal arms. After Jax's upgrade, the cybernetic warrior is able to make short work of Reiko, batting aside his clumsy hammer strikes before pulverizing his head into a fine red mist. The second he has to go up against an actual evenly-armed opponent, Reiko instantly crumbles.

14 Mileena

A scrappy, if untested warrior

Despite being a fairly important character in the games, Mortal Kombat relegates Mileena to being yet another of Shang Tsung's quirky minions. Unlike Nitara and Reiko, however, Mileena seems to pose at least something of a threat. With her twin sais, teleportation Arcana and vicious set of bloodthirsty teeth, Mileena manages to win out against pre-Arcana Sonya, and even gives Cole some trouble in his armor.

Like Reiko, the second she enters a re-match with her original opponent post-Arcana, she's made short work of, as Sonya Blade blasts through her midsection with a purple ring of energy, instantly killing her. It's a shame Mileena didn't get more of a chance to show off her trademark ferocity, but as it stands, she barely out-ranks fellow minions Reiko and Nitara. Considering how important Mileena is as a Kitana clone, or even sister, depending on the game continuity, she may be a good target for resurrection in Mortal Kombat 2.

13 Reptile

A surprisingly ferocious cold-blooded killer

The creature known simply as Reptile has undergone many iterations throughout Mortal Kombat history. The 2021 film presents Reptile as a completely inhuman beast who comes up against Kano, Cole Young, and Sonya Blade early in their Mortal Kombat careers, catching them off-guard. The lizard assassin sports cling pads that allow him to effortlessly scale vertical surfaces, a potent form of camouflage, and of course, serrated teeth and claws that can tear through flesh.

It's worth noting that it took an entire trio of Kano, Sonya Blade, and Cole Young to finally take down Reptile, who gave his human opponents the run around before finally falling to Kano's knife. Deadly though he may be against human opponents, Reptile is never seen going up against true Arcana users, and it's likely that any single one of the three could've made quick work of him post-Arcana awakening. He may not throw his match as hard as Nitara or Reiko, but Reptile isn't winning a Mortal Kombat tournament any time soon.

12 Goro

Doesn't live up to the hype as Outworld's champion

Just like in the games, Goro is introduced in Mortal Kombat as the reigning champion of Outworld, a fearsome melee fighter who needs no special tricks or Arcana to end his opponent's lives. As a Shokan, Goro is gifted with an immense, muscular build and four powerful arms, each of which is capable of doing irreversible damage to normal humans. Tragically, Goro is one of the most wasted characters in Mortal Kombat, and loses his only fight to Cole Young.

Being hailed as the returning champion of Outworld must count for something, even within the context of the film. Yet the fact remains that the struggling Cole Young was able to make short work of Goro after his Arcana was activated, despite being the most inexperienced fighter when it comes to life-or-death battles within the context of the film's own story. This could be argued as more of a point for Cole's strength than an argument for Goro's weakness, but his lack of clear combat feats in the movie makes him ultimately unimpressive.

11 Jax

A seasoned soldier with a brand-new upgrade

One of the most prolific characters in the Mortal Kombat games, Jackson "Jax" Briggs fulfills a similar role in the film as he does in the source material, as one of the stronger fighters produced by a traditional Earthrealm military. Granted, he doesn't get off to a strong start in the movie, having his arms frozen off by Sub-Zero and then being humiliated by Reiko with his weak replacements. But the second Jax gets to fight on an even playing field with his opponents, he shows off how brutal he can truly be.

Casually blocking the mighty blows of Reiko's hammer, Jax is strong enough to not only overpower the brute, but utterly smash his head in. It's not a stretch to imagine that, after his arm upgrades, Jax could make short work of anyone below Goro, if not the mighty Shokan warrior himself. Resilient at his weakest and deadly at his strongest, hopefully Jax's appearance in Mortal Kombat 2 will get to show off a little bit more of what he's capable of.

10 Raiden

Didn't get an impressive showing in Mortal Kombat

As the god of thunder and the divine defender of Earthrealm, it may be a literal shock to see Raiden ranked so poorly among the other combatants of Mortal Kombat. In the games, Raiden is one of the most powerful fighters on Earthrealm's side, wielding powerful lightning with impunity. The film's version of Raiden doesn't accomplish much, unfortunately, and while he might have a lofty reputation and position as the organizer of Earthrealm's forces, he doesn't get to shine in combat.

Raiden acts in more of a supportive role in Mortal Kombat, mostly using his powers to teleport the other fighters to and from where they need to be or even in the middle of battle to assist them in their own fights. But Raiden never squares up with another character himself, calling into question his abilities to defend himself or do anything else with his lightning other than move other people around. Even if he represents one of the primordial forces of nature, Raiden isn't impressing anyone with his combat record in 2021's Mortal Kombat.

9 Kung Lao

A cocky fighter with skill to back up his words

Other than absent fan-favorite Johnny Cage, Kung Lao is one of the most braggadocious fighters in Mortal Kombat history. His pride in his abilities isn't unfounded, able to easily command his signature bladed hat, out-manuever opponents in hand-to-hand combat, and utilize his teleportation Arcana to position himself advantageously on the battlefield. As far as characters in Mortal Kombat go, Kung Lao has a pretty good record.

While training, he's able to effortlessly knock Cole Young into the dirt without even using his powers, proving himself as a decorated martial artist first and foremost. In a life-or-death situation, Kung Lao is able to make short work of the winged demoness Nitara, congratulating himself on his victory while still stained in his opponent's blood. His luck runs out upon thinking he can take on the great sorcerer Shang Tsung, proving that Kung Lao's great weakness of egotism will forever undermine his abilities.

8 Kano

A dangerous sadist from down under

Few Mortal Kombat characters can claim the raw ferocity of Kano. Though he begins the film as a crude, if impactful ally for Earthrealm's defenses, Kano inevitably turns traitor, exposing his rotten core to the Mortal Kombat tournament participants. Unfortunately for them, Kano is an incredibly dangerous opponent, reveling in nasty teardown fights, and only becomes more of a threat after the activation of his laser eye.

Kano laughs with glee after tearing out Reptile's heart with a Bowie knife, proving his combat prowess early on. Despite talking a big talk, he does still get humbled by Liu Kang in training. After his Arcana awakens, he nearly manages to kill Sonya Blade, only finally dying after a surprise garden gnome to the face turns his laser eye into an empty socket. If he were a little more mentally balanced, Kano might've been the single most dangerous villain of the entire film.

7 Sonya Blade

A fierce combatant with a deadly Arcana power

One of the single most iconic female characters in Mortal Kombat history, Sonya Blade is a no-nonsense special forces powerhouse that never backs down. Despite consistently being outmatched in power, weaponry, and even skill, Sonya still maintains a persistent fighting spirit throughout the course of the film that keeps her holding her own with some heavy hitters. After Sonya Blade's Arcana awakens, she is able to truly claim to be one of the strongest Earthrealm fighters.

Holding her own against every opponent she comes across, Sonya is able to keep fighting even when unfairly pitted against the likes of Reptile's claws or Mileena's sais and teeth with nothing but her own bare hands to defend herself with. Her stamina and combat IQ are nothing to scoff at, as she's able to use the environment to her advantage against more dangerous opponents, as she demonstrates in her fight with Kano. Additionally, her Arcana ability is one of the few to straight-up one-shot another fighter with a single attack, making Sonya Blade a remarkable fighter at any range.

6 Kabal

The no-nonsense speedster that gives Liu Kang trouble

Among the last additions to Shang Tsung's forces in Mortal Kombat, Kabal is a mysterious fighter with a dizzying ability. A former colleague of Kano in the games, Kabal's power lies in his Arcana ability, which allows him to move at incredible speeds similar to comic book heroes like Quicksilver and The Flash. Combined with his rational, level-headed mindset and deadly hookswords, Kabal is an intimidating opponent for any experienced fighter.

Unfortunately for him, Kabal gets paired up against one of the foremost fighters of the Earthrealm lineup, Liu Kang. Still, he manages to give the fire-wielding ancestral warrior some pause, harrying him with super-speed while keeping his composure. In the end, Kabal is a victim of the environment, getting immobilized for Liu Kang's fearsome dragon summon to finish the job, finally losing his cool when faced with a man-eating dragon.

5 Liu Kang

The premiere martial artist of Earthrealm

Perhaps more deserving to be the star of 2021's Mortal Kombat than Cole Young, Ludi Lin's Liu Kang is undeniably one of the strongest fighters in the entire film, let alone among Earthrealm's defenders. Coming from a long line of seasoned warriors, Liu Kang has honed his combat skill over a lifetime, having already manifested one of the most powerful Arcana abilities in the entire movie with his flame control before the story even begins. It's no wonder that Liu Kang was thought to be Raiden's favorite for Earthrealm's champion.

Liu Kang doesn't thrive on his reputation alone, unlike Raiden or Goro. In Mortal Kombat, he proves his experience by cleverly out-maneuvering Kabal, whose super-speed might stump another fighter, into a trap, before unleashing the fury of his ancestral dragon on him. His martial arts skill is also able to easily humble the likes of Kano without even breaking a sweat, convincing the opportunistic villain not to attempt running his mouth again any time soon.

4 Cole Young

The impressive newcomer to the Mortal Kombat universe

An original creation of 2021's Mortal Kombat, Cole Young is a washed-up MMA fighter who quickly learns how to hold his own in life-or-death scenarios. While a seasoned combat sports veteran, Cole certainly has to take his licks over the course of the film, being humbled by several opponents before finding his footing. By the end of the film, however, Cole is able to contend with the best fighters Mortal Kombat's multiverse has to offer.

Most of Cole's strength comes from his powerful Arcana ability, which provides him a pair of magical tonfas and a suit of armor. This armor is capable of easily absorbing massive blunt force hits from Goro as well as shrugging off stabs from Mileena's sai, all the while storing up and releasing energy into powerful blasts. Though he may be a bit of a Mary Sue, Cole's ability to hold his own in a fight against Sub-Zero and his relatively easy victory over Goro puts him above all his peers on Raiden's Earthrealm team.

3 Scorpion

The series' most iconic character for good reason

Few faces are as integral to the success of any piece of Mortal Kombat media than Scorpion. While the backstory of Scorpion and Sub-Zero's feud gets a little crowded out in the busy narrative of the 2021 movie, the film is smart enough to give both characters moments to shine on the battlefield. With his signature kunai, chains, blades, and bursts of hellfire, Scorpion's strength is faithfully re-created.

Before even becoming a vengeance-fueled undead warrior, Scorpion is one of the most fearsome combatants shown on screen in Mortal Kombat, able to tear through an entire army of Lin Kuei assassins in the film's opening scene without any powers at all. By the time he becomes Scorpion in earnest, his powers have only increased exponentially, making him easy to envision taking down nearly any other member of Mortal Kombat's cast in a one-on-one fight. It's telling that he's the one to land the killing blow on Sub-Zero.

2 Sub-Zero

The cryokinetic warrior feared by all

While Sub-Zero and Scorpion are close to being evenly matched, the cold-hearted killer just barely edges out his opponent. First and foremost, Sub-Zero is a master assassin, able to infiltrate deep behind enemy lines to secure his target. He takes out an entire team of highly-trained special forces operatives, even freezing Jax's shotgun blast in midair before tearing off his arms. While he does eventually lose to his rival, it takes the combined efforts of Scorpion and Cole to finally subdue him.

What makes Sub-Zero so dangerous are his latent ninja skills paired with his precise control of ice. He's able to generate weapons, clones, and entire walls of ice at a moment's notice time and time again, displaying perhaps the single most versatile Arcana power of any Mortal Kombat fighter. If it weren't for the team-up of Scorpion and his long-lost ancestor, not to mention a powerful emotional boost from seeing Cole's frozen family, Sub-Zero very well would have been the last one standing in his final confrontation with Scorpion.

1 Shang Tsung

The terrifying villainous sorcerer

Like Raiden and Goro, Shang Tsung is preceded by his reputation as a deadly sorcerer, harboring mysterious, terrifying powers used in his bid for power within the Mortal Kombat realms. Unlike the previous two, however, Shang Tsung is able to instantly back up his bad reputation with a horrifying display of power, putting him squarely at the top of Mortal Kombat's cast of characters. That's not to mention the horrific possibility that the film hasn't even shown off the full extent of Shang Tsung's abilities.

After forcing Kung Lao's bladed hat to miss him with a mere cock of the head, Shang Tsung casually grabs the hapless warrior and drains him of his soul, killing him almost instantly. By far the quickest death in the entire film, this is indicative of Shang Tsung's terrifying magical prowess, possibly not even needing an Arcana ability to compete. If Shang Tsung's powers of manipulation and status as an expert tactician weren't scary enough, his current position as Mortal Kombat's single strongest character should.