Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Mortal Kombat II!
Mortal Kombat II plunges audiences into the lore of the iconic video game series, featuring an epic tournament to determine the fate of Earthrealm. To stave off an invasion from the evil Shao Khan and his minions, the heroes of Earth must band together to defeat their enemies once and for all.
Defending Earthrealm are several iconic heroes from the original video games, including characters from the 2021 movie, as well as the brand-new addition of Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage. While each of these heroes brings something unique to the table, some are clearly more powerful than others, at least as they are portrayed in Mortal Kombat II.
Jax Briggs Manages To Keep Up With the Other Earthrealm Heroes
Mechad Brooks reprises his role as Jackson “Jax” Briggs, a former Special Forces Major who previously appeared in the 2021 Mortal Kombat film. During a fight with Sub-Zero in the first film, Jax’s arms are frozen and broken off. Upon unleashing his unique arcana, Jax develops superhuman strength and grows large, cybernetic arms that prove valuable in combat.
Jax thrives on brute strength and brawn, which serve him well in many of his battles. He even manages to defeat Jade during the tournament in Mortal Kombat II. However, brawn can only take someone so far, as Jax learns the hard way when he is brutally killed by Shao Khan later in the film. As strong as he may be, Jax is far from the most powerful Earthrealm hero.
Johnny Cage Is Still Growing Into His Role as a Hero
Karl Urban joins the Mortal Kombat franchise in the new sequel, playing fan-favorite fighter Johnny Cage. A former action movie star in the same vein as Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal, Johnny Cage has hit a rut in his career by the events of Mortal Kombat II. However, he is surprisingly chosen to join the Earthrealm warriors in the tournament, forcing him to delve back into his action-heavy past.
Johnny Cage has a lot of potential, but is still very early in his career as a defender of Earthrealm. He only just learns how to use his special abilities at the end of Mortal Kombat II, but has yet to fully master them. If a third Mortal Kombat film ever happens, Johnny Cage will hopefully get a major power-up that would move him up several places in this list. But for now, he remains in the lower echelons of Earthrealm warriors.
Sub-Zero Is Back and Ready for Revenge in Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II brings back the franchise’s most iconic villain, Sub-Zero, for a rematch with his old foe, Scorpion. After dying in the first film, Bi-Han returns as a wraith in the Netherworld, where he gets his hands on an amulet that the heroes need to defeat Shao Khan. Johnny Cage, Kano, and Scorpion must team up to vanquish the villain once again.
Sub-Zero displays several new powers in Mortal Kombat II, including the ability to create multiple shadow versions of himself to fight on different fronts simultaneously. This makes him even more dangerous than he was in the first film, though he eventually perishes once again. This almost certainly isn’t the last that audiences have seen of Sub-Zero, but he’s going to need a major power upgrade if he ever hopes to defeat Scorpion again.
Kung Lao Returns From the Dead With a Different Perspective
Despite dying in the first movie, Kung Lao returns in Mortal Kombat II thanks to a little dark magic. Under the orders of Shao Khan, Quan Chi resurrects Kung Lao and Kano to help take over the Earthrealm. Although he was once one of Earthrealm’s most devout champions, Kung Lao is corrupted by Quan Chi’s magic and chooses to fight for Shao Khan.
Even after his death and resurrection, Kung Lao is still a force to be reckoned with. While he is indeed a powerful warrior, he has his upper limits. In his battle with his cousin, Liu Kang, it quickly becomes clear that he is the less powerful of the two. Liu Kang does everything he can to avoid killing his beloved kinsman, but eventually realizes that he is beyond saving–at least in this life. Thus, Kung Lao is killed a second time.
Liu Kang Is One of Earthrealm’s Most Powerful Warriors
Liu Kang is one of the most powerful champions of Earthrealm in the Mortal Kombat universe. Played by Ludi Lin, he is one of the main heroes who return for the tournament against the forces of Shao Khan. His arcana magic involves shooting blasts of fire from his hands, which he incorporates into his intense martial arts form.
Liu Kang earns Earthrealm an early victory in the tournament against Shao Khan when he is forced to fight his resurrected cousin, Kung Lao. Although the two are equally skilled, Liu Kang’s powers are simply greater than those of his brother-in-arms, and he wins in the end. However, Liu Kang’s story doesn’t end there.
By the end of Mortal Kombat II, Liu Kang sustains a mortal wound during a fight with Shao Khan. This prompts him to realize that he has a destiny in another realm. Rather than dying as any other warrior might have in that moment, Liu Kang evaporates into fire, ascending to the realm of the dead in hopes of finding Kung Lao. Clearly, Liu Kang has more power than the previous Mortal Kombat film let on–and audiences can’t wait to see it in Mortal Kombat III.
Raiden Is the Most Powerful Defender of Earthrealm
Tadanobu Asano returns in Mortal Kombat II as Lord Raiden, the god of thunder and sworn protector of the Earthrealm. A far more weathered and experienced hero, Raiden takes it upon himself to instruct the realm’s greatest heroes to reach their full potential. Under his tutelage, each warrior unlocks his or her full potential and uses it to fight the forces of evil.
Lord Raiden is clearly one of the most powerful beings in the entire Mortal Kombat universe. He has command over lightning and thunder, using these abilities to his advantage in any hand-to-hand fight. He is also clearly skilled in martial arts, and passes his knowledge on to his students, particularly Kung Lao and Liu Kang.
Unfortunately, Lord Raiden spends most of Mortal Kombat II incapacitated after sustaining an injury during a sneak attack by Shao Khan’s forces. However, even this inconvenience proves just how powerful he is. Shao Khan understood that his best chance of taking over Earthrealm was to eliminate Raiden early. Should the god of thunder be permitted to live, he would inevitably win the day. And, as Shao Khan predicted, this was true. Raiden survives his injuries and leads the Earthrealm warriors to victory in the end.
Mortal Kombat II features many strong fighters, but only a handful emerge as the greatest of the bunch. While other warriors like Cole Young and Mileena have their merits, these six are the greatest protectors of their home realm–and they will be the distinct heroes of a third Mortal Kombat film, should there ever be one.
Mortal Kombat II is now available to buy on PVOD.