Kung Lao

"For the Shaolin!"

- Kung Lao in MK9

Kung Chung Lao was a member of the White Lotus society, a former Shaolin monk and a former hero from the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games.

Story
Trained in the ways of the Order of Light, Kung Lao is the last known descendant of the Great Kung Lao, a former Champion of Mortal Kombat Tournament, who lost the title to Goro 50 years previously, resulting in Lao's death at Goro's hands and the start of Shang Tsung's rule over the tournament. Like his friend Liu Kang, Kung is also a member of the White Lotus. Kung Lao was originally the one to represent the Shaolin in the Mortal Kombat tournament but he declined, knowing the consequences of becoming champion. As a result, Liu Kang was chosen and emerged as the winner.

When the Shaolin temples were attacked by Baraka and his Tarkatan soldiers, Liu Kang and Kung Lao resolved to travel through a portal to Outworld and avenge their fallen brothers. Although he joined his friend in his furious quest, Kung's ultimate goal was to rebuild the White Lotus at the Wu Shi Academy, in order to train a new generation of warriors for the coming ages. He, along with Liu, ventured into Outworld to do battle with Outworld's forces in a new tournament. Following Shao Kahn's defeat at Liu Kang's hand, the monks returned to Earth and began training the next generation of Shaolin warriors.

When Shao's invasion of Earth came, he had to temporarily scrap his plans for reforming the Lotus. Eventually, Kung faced Shao; the Emperor of Outworld blasted Kung Lao with a powerful spell and injured him so badly that he was believed to have died. Hearing of Kung Lao's apparent death enraged Liu Kang, as he challenged Shao Kahn and successfully defeated him for the second time.

With Outworld driven back, Kung Lao decided not to return to the Shaolin temples, instead allowing everyone to believe that he was dead and went on to live a life of peace in respect to the beliefs of his ancestors. This would not last long however, as he was drawn away from his newfound peace to help fight against Shinnok's forces, when word reached him that Goro, the Shokan warrior who had killed the Great Kung Lao decades ago, was still alive. After Shinnok's defeat, Kung attacked Goro, who had signed a peace treaty with the centaurs under the convincing ways of Princess Kitana. Instead of being an attempted assassination, however, the blow was a ceremonial strike of vengeance for the Great Kung Lao's death. With this act, the two warriors shook hands, their feud over.

The next years were peaceful. This ended on a brutal note at the time of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, when the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung united and murdered Liu Kang in a vicious attack (Shang Tsung posing as Kung Lao to get close to the champion and Chi assisting). Kung Lao found the body of his longtime friend, and was told immediately by Raiden that Shang was the assassin, who had formed the Deadly Alliance with Quan Chi. Enraged, Kung Lao vowed revenge upon the sorcerers, and once again abandoned his pacifist Shaolin beliefs. He believed his current skills were insufficient to defeat Shang Tsung. So after meeting with the other Earth warriors and travelling to Outworld, Kung Lao sough the advice of the drunk martial arts teacher Bo' Rai Cho. Bo' trained Kung Lao for a short time, teaching him the 'Whirlwind Kick' maneuver. Together, they joined the other warriors in an assault against the two wicked sorcerers. Kung Lao would not rest until Liu Kang was avenged and Shang Tsung paid with his life. He then invited Bo' Rai Cho to join him in going back to Earth and train more warriors at the Wu Shi Academy.

The assault against the sorcerers did not end well. With Liu Kang dead, Raiden and his companions were fighting a losing battle. Kung Lao and Kitana challenged the Deadly Alliance, with Kung Lao battling Shang Tsung one on one. Despite his improved skills, Lao's strength was inadequate in comparison to Tsung's, which resulted in his death. Furthermore, Kitana died at the hands of Quan Chi, leaving Raiden alone to battle the Deadly Alliance. However, Kung Lao was revived by Onaga as his servant during the events of Mortal Kombat: Return of The Dragon King. Ermac's Return of The Dragon King ending shows him and Liu's spirit being successful in rescuing the enslaved Earth warriors, and is generally accepted as the possible explanation of how Kung Lao was freed from Onaga's spell.

Fujin's bio for Mortal Kombat: Armageddon describes Kung Lao as having joined forces with the Wind God to bring their former comrades Raiden and Liu Kang under control, with the God of Thunder becoming "as ruthless as Shao Kahn" and Liu Kang's corpse selectively slaying various people. Fujin then goes on to state in his bio that if no way was found to revert the two corrupted warriors back to normal, both he and Kung Lao would be forced to finish them.

During the final battle, Kung Lao apparently kills Baraka, but is later killed by Shinnok.

Alternative Timeline
This time, the Shaolin had chosen Liu Kang to represent them in the Mortal Kombat Tournament, but Kung, believing that he was Liu Kang's equal, entered the tournament disguised as one of Shang Tsung's guards. He remained hidden until the introduction of Scorpion in one of the tournament matches, at that time Raiden received a vision which told him of the masked guard's true identity. While Shang Tsung asked the crowd of combatants who wished to challenge Scorpion, Raiden approached Kung Lao and told him that the Shaolin had already chosen Liu Kang and, furthermore, that he was not Liu Kang's equal. Determined to prove Raiden otherwise, Kung Lao discarded his disguise and challenged Scorpion, surprising Liu Kang and seemingly Shang Tsung.

Kung Lao was defeated. He was forced to watch for the remainder of the tournament and give his support to Liu Kang as punishment for his indulgence. After Liu Kang's victory over Shang Tsung, who granted Earth the tournament victory and freedom, Kung Lao joined Sonya Blade, Jax and Johnny Cage to watch Liu Kang being awarded a medal for his victory at a ceremony held at the Wu Shi Academy.

The celebration was short-lived as Sektor came to the Wu Shi Academy later that night to propose a tournament to Raiden that would be held in Outworld. Raiden rejected Sektor's proposal which caused the robot to summon a Tarkatan horde which destroyed the Wu Shi academy and kidnapped Sonya. After defeating the Tarkatan horde, Raiden received a vision of Liu Kang defeating Shao Kahn at the Outworld tournament. Raiden accepted the tournament challenge but believed that he had to change the outcome of this vision, in order to prevent Armageddon in the future.

Kung Lao and Liu Kang were sent by Raiden to free their Shaolin masters while Raiden, Cage and Jax went to meet Shao Kahn and Sektor. Later on, Kung Lao and Liu Kang met up with Raiden, Cage and Smoke. They went to the wastelands where they were informed by Jade of Kitana's pending execution and that she was being held captive in the tower near Shao Kahn's Castle.

Kung Lao and Liu Kang went to the Evil Tower to rescue Kitana, leaving the others to go to the Coliseum to take part in the tournament. Unable to find Kitana at the Tower, Kung Lao and Liu Kang were confronted by Sheeva and Noob Sailbot, who told them that Kitana had been relocated. Kung Lao fought and defeated Noob. After defeating the wraith, Kung noticed a familiar presence within Noob (possibly assuming Sub-Zero). Afterwards, he watched as Liu Kang fought Sheeva, stating that: "four arms against two was hardly a fair fight." and asked if Liu Kang needed any help. Liu Kang rejected his help, however. At the next moment Goro arrived, wanting revenge against Liu Kang. Kung Lao challenged him, defeated Goro and demanded Kitana's location and Goro answered that she was taken to the Coliseum were she had no doubt already been executed. The Shaolin monks went to the coliseum, where they saw Kitana chained up.

Liu Kang went to Kitana's aid, not willing to take part in the tournament due to Raiden thinking Liu Kang was not the one who was supposed to defeat Shao. With Smoke and Cage defeated in the tournament and Sonya and Jax no longer in Outworld, Raiden believed that Kung Lao could be the one who should win the tournament and sent him to fight.

Kung Lao went up against the combined might of Sektor and Quan Chi and defeated them, fighting Kintaro afterwards. Hearing the boos of the crowd, he took off his hat and gave a few bows, celebrating his victory until Shao Kahn killed him by snapping his neck from behind, enraging Liu Kang, who seemingly killed Shao Kahn.

Later on, Kung Lao was resurrected by Quan along with the other fallen warriors, as their souls belonged to the sorcerer as payment by Shao Kahn for the Never Never Land's allegiance. When Raiden went to Hell for Quan Chi's assistance to defeat the Outworld invasion, Quan Chi sent Kung Lao along with others to kill him, but Raiden defeated them.

Kung Lao returns in Mortal Kombat X. His first appearance chronologically in the story mode is twenty-five years ago before Shao Kahn's second tournament during the time both he and Liu Kang were still alive. After the raid of the Wu Shi academy, Kung Lao travels with both Liu Kang and Raiden to free the Shaolin monks who were captured by Baraka's tarkatan hordes. Kung Lao is angered by the raid and the death of master Wen the Older, but Raiden tells him that there are boundaries not meant to be crossed. As Raiden goes to fight Baraka and D'Vorah, Kung Lao and Liu Kang fight off the Tarkatan hordes along the way. Raven defeats both Baraka and D'Vorah, and leaves Kung Lao and Liu Kang to deal with rescuing the monks, but tells them both to join him in the tournament later.

Twenty-five years after his death at the hands of Shao Kahn, Kung Lao now serves as a revenant of Quan Chi. He is seen with the revenant versions of Liu Kang, Sindel, and Kitana escorting Quan Chi to his fortress to await for D'vorah with Shinnok's Amulet. On the way, they are ambushed by the Special Forces consisting of Jax and Kenshi while being aided by Quan Chi's former servant Sereena. While Liu Kang escorts Quan Chi, Kung Lao faces Jax. He tells Jax to go back, but does not comply. The two of the them fight, but Jax emerges as the victor.

He is present at Shinnok's release alongside Liu Kang, Kitana, Sindel, and Smoke. He along with the other revenants pledge their allegiance to Shinnok.

Kung Lao appears at the Sky Temple where Shinnok goes to corrupt the Jinsei. Raiden attempts to stop him, but is surrounded by his revenant servants. They tease him at first, but Raiden proceeds to fight them off. Raiden is temporarily overpowered by them, but manages to shock them all away, but Kung Lao escapes. Raiden orders Kung Lao to stop, but the latter tells Raiden that he serves Shinnok and the Never Never Land. Raiden recalls that he only serves him because of his death by Shao Kahn's hands. Kung Lao responds by saying Raiden allowed his death, and that he will "not be so passive in his (Raiden's) demise." Kung Lao proceeds to fight Raiden, only to be defeated by his former mentor.

As Cassie Cage and her team arrive at the Sky Temple, Kung Lao is seen with Smoke talking to Liu Kang. Kung Lao claims to have found Raiden's portal to the Heavens, but is blocked by protective wards. Kitana says that the seal must break, and he with Liu Kang and Smoke go to Raiden's portal to destroy the wards. The three of them return later only to find Kitana and Sindel attacked by Cassie's team. Jacqui and Takeda Takahashi offer to stay behind to hold off the undead revenants.

After Shinnok is defeated, Kung Lao along with the other revenants retreat to Hell. It is unknown as to what happened to him after, but it is likely that he continues to be a revenant, serving under Clurkicus and Adolf Ackermann.

Powers and abilities
Kung Lao is an excellent fighter and is similar to Liu Kang in terms of strength, agility, and martial arts skills. However, his preferred weapon is his razor-bladed hat, which he can throw at the opponents and also uses it to deliver the finishing blows to his opponents. Lao seems to be able to control the hat in midair, since it can move in circular patterns as opposed to straight ahead and it seems magical in nature, since it will always re-materialise back on his head after he throws it, much like a boomerang.

Lao's moves include teleporting by disappearing into the ground then popping up behind his opponent, flying towards his opponent, spinning like a tornado to kick them multiple times or to knock them into air, and diving down from the air to kick his opponent. As his alternate weapon fighting style, Lao wields a Chinese broadsword.

Journal Entry
Kung Lao trained with the Shaolin monks to become one of Earth's most skilled defenders. But his immaturity and impetuousness prevented him from being taken as seriously as his friend Liu Kang. Despite Lao's shortcomings, he was able to defeat both Shang Tsung and Quan Chi in Mortal Kombat. But his life was cut short when Shao Kahn brutally murdered him. In death, Kung Lao's soul was collected by Quan Chi, who used it to create an evil revenant version of himself. He now serves Ackermann and the Never Never Land.

Trivia

 * Kung Lao appears in the intro to Armageddon, fighting Baraka, before they take the fight to midair, where he battles against his arm blades with his broadsword. He stabbed the Tarkatan in the chest before being blasted away by his spark attack.