Kung Lao
Encyclopedia
Kung Lao is a player character
in the Mortal Kombat
fighting game
series.
Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a former member of the White Lotus Society
. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would rather live a life of peace. He is close friends to the Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang
as well, he has sought counsel from master Bo' Rai Cho. He has since left the sanctuary of the White Lotus Society. His trademark is his razor-rimmed hat, which he can employ in combat.
, Kung Lao's hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond
movie Goldfinger
, in which a villain Oddjob threw his special derby hat as a deadly weapon. Kung Lao was portrayed by Anthony Marquez in Mortal Kombat II
and Mortal Kombat 3
and Ed Boon
said Marquez was as "one of the best martial artists we worked with." Kung Lao is read in Chinese as 公老 (Gōng lǎo) and is roughly translated as "Old Man".
's rule over the tournament. Kung Lao was originally the one to represent the Shaolin in the Mortal Kombat tournament but he declined, knowing of the consequences of becoming champion. As a result, Liu Kang was chosen and emerged as the winner.
When the Shaolin temple was attacked by Baraka and his Tarkatan soldiers, Liu Kang and Kung Lao resolved to travel through the portal to the Outworld and avenge their fallen Shaolin brothers. Kung Lao's ultimate goal was however to rebuild the White Lotus Society at the Wu Shi Academy in order to train a new generation of warriors for the coming ages. Following Shao Kahn's defeat at Liu Kang's hand, the monks returned to Earth and began training the next generation of Shaolin warriors. (Kung Lao's character bio was not included in the arcade version of Mortal Kombat 3
, but was later made available for the home versions.)
invaded Earthrealm, Kung Lao had to temporarily scrap his plans for reforming the Society. Eventually, he faced Shao Kahn. The Emperor of Outworld defeated Kung Lao and injured him so badly that he was believed to have died. Hearing of Kung Lao's apparent death enraged Liu Kang, who challenged Shao Kahn and successfully defeated him for the second time.
. 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, ending their conflict.
, when the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung united and murdered Liu Kang in a vicious attack. Kung Lao found his body and was told by Raiden
that Tsung was the assassin, who had formed the Deadly Alliance with Quan Chi. Enraged, Kung Lao vowed revenge upon the sorcerer, 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 Earthrealm warriors and traveling to Outworld. Kung Lao informed Kitana of Liu Kang's death and she tagged along with Kung Lao and sought the advice of the martial arts teacher Bo' Rai Cho, who trained Kung Lao for a short time. Together, they joined the other warriors in the assault against the two sorcerers.
. He and the rest of his brainwashed allies were later released from Onaga's spell by the spirit of Liu Kang after being defeated by Ermac. After being released from the spell, he and everyone else embraced Liu Kang as they celebrate their short lived defeat.
describes Kung Lao as having joined forces with him 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 course of the game, Kung Lao successfully kills Baraka in battle, but is eventually slain by Shinnok's clone.
, an alternate depiction of the events between the first and second Mortal Kombat games, Kung Lao's character was explored to a greater degree than had been shown in previous titles. Kung Lao is portrayed in this game as feeling almost resentful of Liu Kang's victory in the Shaolin tournament. Although he and Liu Kang are shown to be friends - much of the time - he constantly baits his fellow Shaolin monk, especially regarding Princess Kitana, and the tournament that "Raiden" (in reality, a disguised Shang Tsung) has sent them to compete in. A rivalry between the two Shaolin monks was hence established for the first time in Shaolin Monks. As the two fighters defeated Shang Tsung's warriors, they gained victories in Mortal Kombat, forming a race of sorts to become the Champion of Mortal Kombat. Kung Lao, especially, is seen gloating to Liu Kang that he will win this tournament. This rivalry escalates until the two warriors are convinced that the other has been corrupted by the Outworld.
Despite Tsung having the advantage of winning nine consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, Kung Lao defeated him and became Grand Champion, saving Earthrealm in the process. While it is common for the victor to take his opponent's life, Kung Lao spared the sorcerer. As champion, Lao could not age. Fifty years later, he was defeated in Mortal Kombat by Goro, the Shokan prince. Afterwards, Kung Lao's soul was taken by Tsung, the now old man he spared half a century before. In Deception his soul is presumed freed after Shang Tsung is killed by Raiden's failed attempt to destroy the Dragon King, giving his soul peace after more than five centuries of torment.
as the main protagonist and was portrayed by Paolo Montalbán
. He is the great great great grandfather of Kung Lao and Liu Kang, who follow his teachings.
After becoming Grand Champion, the thunder god Raiden tells him that, because he was the last defending warrior of Earthrealm, Lao is now destined to train new warriors to compete against Kahn's forces for the next Mortal Kombat. He initially rejects this responsibility because he desired to marry his girlfriend Jen, despite her father's refusal.
While this took place, Shang Tsung, who was now imprisoned in the Cobalt Mines by Shao Kahn after he failed to beat Kung Lao, sought his revenge and sends the undead warrior Scorpion
to kill Kung Lao. Scorpion fails to defeat Kung Lao, but manages to kill Jen during the battle. After losing her, Kung Lao commits to training new warriors to defend Earthrealm and fight in Mortal Kombat when the time comes. He is joined by Jen’s bodyguard Siro and by Taja, a thief who (with Raiden's persuasion) saved Kung Lao's life from Jen’s father. Kung Lao is killed by the Shadow Priests along with Taja and Siro in the final episode of Konquest.
' Mortal Kombat
comic series. His story is slightly altered, stating he is an exile in Outworld due to the failure of his ancestor, and the fall of his lineage. During the comics, he shares a very close relation with Kitana. During the "Blood & Thunder" miniseries he has a minor participation rescuing a near-death Liu Kang after he was stabbed by Kano. In the "Battlewave" miniseries, he joins with Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero in an attempt to ovethrow the Emperor Shao Kahn. He was also featured in his own one-shot issue from Malibu Comics in the summer of 1995. The comic, entitled "Rising Son", showed his struggle against Shang Tsung and his shapeshifting mind tricks, using his friends' forms (Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero) as well as his ancestor's form to kill him.
Kung Lao is also mentioned by name in the first Mortal Kombat film
. When Liu Kang challenges Shang Tsung to Mortal Kombat, he calls himself a "descendant of Kung Lao."
The Great Kung Lao briefly appeared in the animated film Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins during a flashback sequence detailing his battle with Goro and ultimate defeat at the hands of the Shokan warrior.
Kung Lao was also the centerpiece of Jeff Rovin's novelization of the first Mortal Kombat game, but his description therein completely differed from that of the games; he was depicted as being tall, bald save for a queue of long black hair (similar to Goro's), barefoot, and wearing a long white robe.
Gore Special episode, which was voted #4 with a comment saying "No Top 10 will be complete without a death move from Mortal Kombat, but with so many to choose from, we ended up with a split decision." Mortal Kombat co-creator, Ed Boon commented in a Xbox World 360 interview that Kung Lao's "'buzzsaw on the ground'" was "the most painful Fatality ever made." IGN
listed him as a character they would like to see as downloadable content
for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
, noting him to be a fan favorite character and praising his appearance and his decapitating moves made with his hat. While IGN mistakenly noted Kung Lao as Liu Kang's brother and even mistakenly noted that he died early in the film, even though this character was Chan Kang, they did mention that Liu Kang and Kung Lao make the franchise at its best when they join forces. GamePro
listed his hat as the 9th best piece of headwear in their "Video Game Hats: The 17 Best Pieces of Headwear in Gaming" list. Kung Lao's hat splice fatality ranked at #35 on UGO Networks' list of "The Most Gruesome Finishing Moves Ever" and complimented him for splitting his opponent down the middle.
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
in the Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat (series)
Mortal Kombat, commonly abbreviated MK, is a science fantasy series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The first four renditions and their updates were developed by Midway Games and initially released on arcade machines. The arcade titles were later picked up by Acclaim...
fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
series.
Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a former member of the White Lotus Society
White Lotus Society
The White Lotus Society primarily refers to White Lotus, originally a Buddhist sect, later a secret society.Fictional organizations very loosely based on the historical organization include:...
. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would rather live a life of peace. He is close friends to the Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang
Liu Kang
Liu Kang is a video game character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. First appearing in the series' first title, Liu Kang is portrayed as a Shaolin monk who enters the Mortal Kombat tournament to save his world, Earthrealm, from being destroyed due to having lost nine consecutive...
as well, he has sought counsel from master Bo' Rai Cho. He has since left the sanctuary of the White Lotus Society. His trademark is his razor-rimmed hat, which he can employ in combat.
Character design
As stated in Kung Lao's bio card that after the first Mortal Kombat game, the creators wanted a monk character other than Liu Kang. According to Mortal Kombat co-creator John TobiasJohn Tobias
John Tobias is an American comic book artist, graphic designer and video game designer. Along with Ed Boon he is one of the creators of the groundbreaking Mortal Kombat fighting game series....
, Kung Lao's hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie Goldfinger
Goldfinger (film)
Goldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1964, it is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title...
, in which a villain Oddjob threw his special derby hat as a deadly weapon. Kung Lao was portrayed by Anthony Marquez in Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II is a competitive fighting game originally produced by Midway Games for the arcades in . It is the second game in the Mortal Kombat series. Like its predecessor, various home versions were produced...
and Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed by Midway and released in 1995, first as an arcade game. It is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series...
and Ed Boon
Ed Boon
Edward J. Boon is an American video game programmer who had been employed for over 15 years at Midway. He now works for Warner Bros...
said Marquez was as "one of the best martial artists we worked with." Kung Lao is read in Chinese as 公老 (Gōng lǎo) and is roughly translated as "Old Man".
Mortal Kombat II
Kung Lao is possibly (next to Liu Kang) the last known descendant of the Great Kung Lao, a former Champion of Mortal Kombat, who lost the title and his life to Goro 500 years previously, resulting in the start of Shang TsungShang Tsung
Shang Tsung is a boss and player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. A powerful and deadly sorcerer and a primary antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of those he slays in order to maintain his youth and power...
's rule over the tournament. Kung Lao was originally the one to represent the Shaolin in the Mortal Kombat tournament but he declined, knowing of the consequences of becoming champion. As a result, Liu Kang was chosen and emerged as the winner.
When the Shaolin temple was attacked by Baraka and his Tarkatan soldiers, Liu Kang and Kung Lao resolved to travel through the portal to the Outworld and avenge their fallen Shaolin brothers. Kung Lao's ultimate goal was however to rebuild the White Lotus Society at the Wu Shi Academy in order to train a new generation of warriors for the coming ages. Following Shao Kahn's defeat at Liu Kang's hand, the monks returned to Earth and began training the next generation of Shaolin warriors. (Kung Lao's character bio was not included in the arcade version of Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed by Midway and released in 1995, first as an arcade game. It is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series...
, but was later made available for the home versions.)
Mortal Kombat 3
When Shao KahnShao Kahn
Shao Kahn is a boss, announcer and recurring playable character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The main antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shao Kahn is the Emperor of Outworld known for his godlike strength, extreme brutality and knowledge of black magic...
invaded Earthrealm, Kung Lao had to temporarily scrap his plans for reforming the Society. Eventually, he faced Shao Kahn. The Emperor of Outworld defeated Kung Lao and injured him so badly that he was believed to have died. Hearing of Kung Lao's apparent death enraged Liu Kang, who challenged Shao Kahn and successfully defeated him for the second time.
Mortal Kombat Gold
With Outworld driven back, Kung Lao decided not to return to Shaolin, 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 was still alive. After Shinnok's defeat, Kung Lao attacked Goro, who had signed a peace treaty with the Centaurs under the mediation of KitanaKitana (Mortal Kombat)
Kitana is a recurring player and a one-time boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. One of the lead characters of the Mortal Kombat saga, Kitana is the princess of the otherdimensional realm of Edenia and the daughter of Queen Sindel...
. 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, ending their conflict.
Deadly Alliance
The next years were peaceful. This ended on a brutal note at the time of Mortal Kombat: Deadly AllianceMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, originally known as Mortal Kombat V: Vengeance or simply Mortal Kombat 5, is a fighting game developed and published by Midway for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance...
, when the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung united and murdered Liu Kang in a vicious attack. Kung Lao found his body and was told by Raiden
Raiden (Mortal Kombat)
Raiden is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. Raiden, also known as Lord Raiden, is a thunder god of the Mortal Kombat universe and protector of Earthrealm. He commands many supernatural abilities such as the ability to teleport, control over lightning, and flight...
that Tsung was the assassin, who had formed the Deadly Alliance with Quan Chi. Enraged, Kung Lao vowed revenge upon the sorcerer, 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 Earthrealm warriors and traveling to Outworld. Kung Lao informed Kitana of Liu Kang's death and she tagged along with Kung Lao and sought the advice of the martial arts teacher Bo' Rai Cho, who trained Kung Lao for a short time. Together, they joined the other warriors in the assault against the two sorcerers.
Deception
But the assault did not end well and, with Liu Kang dead, Raiden and his companions were fighting a losing battle. Kung Lao and Kitana challenged the Deadly Alliance. Kitana would fall against Quan Chi and Kung Lao would fall to the hands of Shang Tsung, leaving only Raiden to battle the Deadly Alliance. However, Kung Lao was then revived by Onaga, the Dragon King, as a slave during the events of Mortal Kombat: DeceptionMortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception is a fighting game developed and published by Midway as the sixth installment for the Mortal Kombat series. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in October 2004, while a Nintendo GameCube version was published in March 2005. Mortal Kombat: Deception follows the...
. He and the rest of his brainwashed allies were later released from Onaga's spell by the spirit of Liu Kang after being defeated by Ermac. After being released from the spell, he and everyone else embraced Liu Kang as they celebrate their short lived defeat.
Armageddon
The God of Wind Fujin's bio for Mortal Kombat: ArmageddonMortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is the seventh game in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The PlayStation 2 version was released in stores on October 11, 2006 while the Xbox version was released on the October 16, with a Wii version released on May 29, 2007 in North America.The game was not released...
describes Kung Lao as having joined forces with him 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 course of the game, Kung Lao successfully kills Baraka in battle, but is eventually slain by Shinnok's clone.
Shaolin Monks
In the adventure game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin MonksMortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an action/beat-em-up video game based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games. Shaolin Monks was developed by Midway LA and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox...
, an alternate depiction of the events between the first and second Mortal Kombat games, Kung Lao's character was explored to a greater degree than had been shown in previous titles. Kung Lao is portrayed in this game as feeling almost resentful of Liu Kang's victory in the Shaolin tournament. Although he and Liu Kang are shown to be friends - much of the time - he constantly baits his fellow Shaolin monk, especially regarding Princess Kitana, and the tournament that "Raiden" (in reality, a disguised Shang Tsung) has sent them to compete in. A rivalry between the two Shaolin monks was hence established for the first time in Shaolin Monks. As the two fighters defeated Shang Tsung's warriors, they gained victories in Mortal Kombat, forming a race of sorts to become the Champion of Mortal Kombat. Kung Lao, especially, is seen gloating to Liu Kang that he will win this tournament. This rivalry escalates until the two warriors are convinced that the other has been corrupted by the Outworld.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
During the in-game story, Raiden has been given foreboding visions from his future self, and begins to try and change the events that will lead to Armageddon. He allows Kung Lao to fight and defeat Kintaro, however, Lao is then killed by Shao Kahn. This enrages Liu Kang who avenges his friend's death, apparently killing Kahn. Kung Lao's ending after defeating Shao Kahn show him at his ancestor's burial site with Raiden, where he is a given a vision of the past. Because of this vision it is discovered that Kung Lao is in fact the reincarnation of the Great Kung Lao.Great Kung Lao
Great Kung Lao was raised in the Order of Light, a monastery of Shaolin monks. While he lived happily with his family and friends, Kung Lao prepared for his entire life to fight in Mortal Kombat. He was trained thoroughly under the monastery’s phenomenal martial artists, teaching him moves many would think impossible. All of Kung Lao's training made him undeniably the monastery’s best fighter. Being the first person on Earthrealm to represent the Order of Light, he would do battle with the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung, 500 years before Liu Kang would do the same.Despite Tsung having the advantage of winning nine consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, Kung Lao defeated him and became Grand Champion, saving Earthrealm in the process. While it is common for the victor to take his opponent's life, Kung Lao spared the sorcerer. As champion, Lao could not age. Fifty years later, he was defeated in Mortal Kombat by Goro, the Shokan prince. Afterwards, Kung Lao's soul was taken by Tsung, the now old man he spared half a century before. In Deception his soul is presumed freed after Shang Tsung is killed by Raiden's failed attempt to destroy the Dragon King, giving his soul peace after more than five centuries of torment.
Mortal Kombat: Konquest
The Great Kung Lao was featured in the television show Mortal Kombat: KonquestMortal Kombat: Konquest
Mortal Kombat: Konquest is an American martial arts television series that aired for one season from 1998 to 1999, and was based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The program was filmed at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.-Storyline:"In each of us there burns a soul...
as the main protagonist and was portrayed by Paolo Montalbán
Paolo Montalbán
Paolo Montalban is a Filipino-American actor and singer best known for his performance in ABC/Disney's telepic of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella as Prince Christopher, opposite Brandy as Cinderella....
. He is the great great great grandfather of Kung Lao and Liu Kang, who follow his teachings.
After becoming Grand Champion, the thunder god Raiden tells him that, because he was the last defending warrior of Earthrealm, Lao is now destined to train new warriors to compete against Kahn's forces for the next Mortal Kombat. He initially rejects this responsibility because he desired to marry his girlfriend Jen, despite her father's refusal.
While this took place, Shang Tsung, who was now imprisoned in the Cobalt Mines by Shao Kahn after he failed to beat Kung Lao, sought his revenge and sends the undead warrior Scorpion
Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
to kill Kung Lao. Scorpion fails to defeat Kung Lao, but manages to kill Jen during the battle. After losing her, Kung Lao commits to training new warriors to defend Earthrealm and fight in Mortal Kombat when the time comes. He is joined by Jen’s bodyguard Siro and by Taja, a thief who (with Raiden's persuasion) saved Kung Lao's life from Jen’s father. Kung Lao is killed by the Shadow Priests along with Taja and Siro in the final episode of Konquest.
In other media
Kung Lao made several appearances in Malibu'sMalibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
' Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat comic books
The Mortal Kombat comic books series included the official comics by Midway and a licensed adaptation series by Malibu Comics, published between October 1994 and August 1995...
comic series. His story is slightly altered, stating he is an exile in Outworld due to the failure of his ancestor, and the fall of his lineage. During the comics, he shares a very close relation with Kitana. During the "Blood & Thunder" miniseries he has a minor participation rescuing a near-death Liu Kang after he was stabbed by Kano. In the "Battlewave" miniseries, he joins with Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero in an attempt to ovethrow the Emperor Shao Kahn. He was also featured in his own one-shot issue from Malibu Comics in the summer of 1995. The comic, entitled "Rising Son", showed his struggle against Shang Tsung and his shapeshifting mind tricks, using his friends' forms (Kitana, Baraka and Sub-Zero) as well as his ancestor's form to kill him.
Kung Lao is also mentioned by name in the first Mortal Kombat film
Mortal Kombat (film)
Mortal Kombat is a 1995 American action and adventure film directed by Paul Anderson. Based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, the film was the first part of the Mortal Kombat film series...
. When Liu Kang challenges Shang Tsung to Mortal Kombat, he calls himself a "descendant of Kung Lao."
The Great Kung Lao briefly appeared in the animated film Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins during a flashback sequence detailing his battle with Goro and ultimate defeat at the hands of the Shokan warrior.
Kung Lao was also the centerpiece of Jeff Rovin's novelization of the first Mortal Kombat game, but his description therein completely differed from that of the games; he was depicted as being tall, bald save for a queue of long black hair (similar to Goro's), barefoot, and wearing a long white robe.
Gameplay
Kung Lao's attacks are based upon wind-type moves. His most notable attack is the Hat Toss, which could be directed in Mortal Kombat II. beginning in Mortal Kombat Gold his hat could not be directed. Many of his fatalities involve the use of his hat to some extent. Kung Lao can be seen in Mortal Kombat II, 3, and Shaolin Monks wearing the Chinese character 武 which means military/wu shu/martial arts.Reception
Despite being stated as a fan favorite, he has been referred to as an obscure character. Along with Liu Kang, Kung Lao has been regarded as one of the fan favorites in the Mortal Kombat series. In a CNET review, it was stated that Kung Lao's body-dividing Fatality "...simply doesn't get old." This same Fatality of Kung Lao's was the only death move from the Mortal Kombat series added to the "Top 10 Death Moves" segment of the GamesMasterGamesMaster
GamesMaster was a British television show, screened on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998, and was the first ever UK television show dedicated to computer and video games.-Origins:...
Gore Special episode, which was voted #4 with a comment saying "No Top 10 will be complete without a death move from Mortal Kombat, but with so many to choose from, we ended up with a split decision." Mortal Kombat co-creator, Ed Boon commented in a Xbox World 360 interview that Kung Lao's "'buzzsaw on the ground'" was "the most painful Fatality ever made." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
listed him as a character they would like to see as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a crossover fighting game from Midway Games and Warner Bros. Games. The eighth game in the Mortal Kombat series, MK vs. DC was released on November 16, . MK vs. DC contains characters from both the Mortal Kombat franchise and the DC Universe...
, noting him to be a fan favorite character and praising his appearance and his decapitating moves made with his hat. While IGN mistakenly noted Kung Lao as Liu Kang's brother and even mistakenly noted that he died early in the film, even though this character was Chan Kang, they did mention that Liu Kang and Kung Lao make the franchise at its best when they join forces. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
listed his hat as the 9th best piece of headwear in their "Video Game Hats: The 17 Best Pieces of Headwear in Gaming" list. Kung Lao's hat splice fatality ranked at #35 on UGO Networks' list of "The Most Gruesome Finishing Moves Ever" and complimented him for splitting his opponent down the middle.