Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)

"GET OVER HERE!"

- Scorpion's famous line

"Vengeance will be mine!"

- Scorpion's Battle Cry in Mortal Kombat (2011).

Scorpion is a specter from the Netherrealm and an anti-hero from the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games.

Mortal Kombat Mythologies Sub-Zero
Scorpion was once the human, Hanzo Hanashi, and a member of the ninja clan, the Shirai Ryu, who were rivals with the Lin Kuei. His father forbade him to join the clan, but he wanted to provide a good life for his son and wife. At one point, Hanzo was sent on a mission to retrieve a sacred map leading to the temple containing Shinnok’s amulet after being hired by Quan Chi.

He met up with the elder Sub-Zero, who had also been hired by the sorcerer and was killed in the ensuing fight. Due to the crimes he had performed in life, Hanzo was sent to Netherrealm, where he was reborn as the specter, Scorpion. When Sub-Zero went to Netherrealm to retrieve Shinnok’s amulet for Raiden, he ran into Scorpion, who wanted vengeance on him. They fought, but the ice ninja drove him off.

Mortal Kombat
Two years later, Scorpion returned to Earth and took part in Shang Tsung’s Mortal Kombat tournament. After Liu Kang defeated Goro, the specter caught Sub-Zero off-guard and had his vengeance, incinerating his enemy and returned to Netherrealm.

Mortal Kombat 2
In the Netherrealm, Scorpion found out about the tournament held by Shao Kahn in Outworld and that Sub-Zero would be participating. The specter was shocked and infuriated that his old enemy had somehow come back and went to Outworld to take part in the tournament. But during one of Sub-Zero’s fights, Scorpion saw him spare the life of his opponent and soon found out that this one was the younger brother of the one he had killed. To atone for killing the ice ninja’s brother, he vowed to protect the new Sub-Zero, but without his knowledge.

Mortal Kombat 3
After Shao Kahn’s invasion of Earhtrealm, he attempted to unsuccessfully conquer Netherrealm as well. This released Scorpion and began walking the Earth once again, having allegiance to no one. Shao Kahn recognized his warrior skills and recruited the specter, but his allegiance with the emperor was ended when he found out that Sub-Zero was one of the warriors fighting against Shao Kahn. Scorpion joined the Chosen warriors and aided them in their final showdown with the emperor, returning to the Netherrealm after his defeat, as Earth was restored.

Mortal Kombat 4
Afterwards, Scorpion found out that his family had been slain and was told by Quan Chi that Sub-Zero was responsible. Enraged, the specter swore to slay the ice ninja and managed to hunt him down and defeat him. But Sub-Zero told Scorpion that he was not the one responsible and Quan Chi appeared, revealing that he was the one the specter sought and that he had lied so as to trick Scorpion into getting rid of Sub-Zero for him. The sorcerer attempted to send him back to the Netherrealm, but the specter grabbed onto Quan Chi at the last minute, pulling him down to the Netherrealm along with him.

Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance
Scorpion began pursuing, brutalizing, and tormenting Quan Chi, who had little chance to escape him, since his powers were weakened in the fifth plane of the Netherrealm where they were, while the specter’s increased there. But Quan Chi struck a deal with a pair of oni, Drahmin and Moloch, who protected him from Scorpion. When the sorcerer escaped from the Netherrealm, the specter pursued him, but did not end up in the same place as Quan Chi. He hounded the sorcerer until he found his way to Shang Tsung’s palace, where Drahmin and Moloch attacked him, who had escaped from Netherrealm as well. Scorpion was defeated by the two oni, who threw him into the Soulnado, believing that it would destroy him.

Mortal Kombat Deception
Scorpion managed to escape into the Void before being torn apart by the Soulnado, where he met the Elder Gods. Forever changed by this encounter, the specter watched Raiden sacrifice himself in an attempt to destroy Onaga and the Dragon King beginning his return to power. Sensing his presence, the Elder Gods enhanced Scorpion’s abilities to make him their champion and gave him a new mission, hunt down and defeat Onaga before he bonded all realms with Outworld. The specter returned from the Void and joined the battle against the Dragon King. In Konquest Mode, Scorpion went to challenge Shujinko after he retrieved the last of the Kamidogu and fought him in the name of the Elder Gods, but was defeated.

Mortal Kombat Armageddon
Scorpion had made a bargain with the Elder Gods, if he acted as their champion, they would resurrect the Shirai Ryu and his family. But while they did so, they resurrected them as specters like Scorpion, who was enraged at what he saw as a betrayal. The specter vowed to have his revenge by getting rid of Taven and Daegon, who were integral to their plans to prevent Armageddon.

While Taven was heading to the final showdown with his brother, Scorpion sent his clan to attack him and when they failed, used his powers of the nether to summon giant flaming skulls to attack the demigod. Taven defeated those as well and eventually Scorpion fought him, but was defeated. In his ending, the power of Blaze fully resurrected the Shirai Ryu along with Scorpion’s wife and son. However Quan Chi appeared and took the specter’s son, escaping into the Netherrealm and Scorpion ordered the clan to hunt him down. He would not rest until he had his son back.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
When Liu Kang and Sub-Zero where fighting each other, Scorpion appeared and battled the shaolin monk. After the fight, he switched places with the Flash and was captured by Batman. The specter escaped and brought Sub-Zero to Netherrealm, where they battled, freeing Quan Chi. The sorcerer sent the ice ninja back to warn Raiden that alliances needed to be formed to stop the universes from bonding. Scorpion was then sent to find Kitana and went to Gotham City first, where he got into a fight with the Joker. The specter went to Wonder Woman’s island next and Wonder Woman refused to let him wander around the island. Scorpion defeated her and went to Metropolis next, where he had an encounter with Superman.

Annoyed by the Man of Steel bothering him, Scorpion took him on and won rather easily thanks to his weakness to magic. Afterwards a rage consumed Kitana appeared and Scorpion was forced to beat her into unconsciousness. Quan Chi appeared and told the specter to bring her to Raiden, where she told all of the Mortal Kombat universe warriors about Dark Kahn and the fusion of the two universes. Scorpion teamed up with Sub-Zero and went to the Wu Shi Academy, where they confronted Lex Luthor and Catwoman, but Luthor defeated the two.

Afterwards, the specter accompanied the rest of the Mortal Kombat universe warriors to the fusion of Outworld and Apokolips where they faced off against the DC universe fighters. In the battle, Scorpion defeated the Flash before being beaten himself. In his ending, Dark Kahn’s consciousness found its way into Scorpion’s body, a perfect host for it. Despite his agony, the specter knew that the resulting transformation would make him the most powerful being in the universe if he survived.

Mortal Kombat (2011)
Scorpion went to the Mortal Kombat Tournament under Quan Chi's command to avenge his death. He also sought to kill the elder Sub-Zero, who Quan Chi had told him, had helped to kill his clan the Shirai Ryu. Scorpion demanded to fight Sub-Zero, but instead took on Kung Lao, who'd come to compete without permission, noting the monk would regret his impulsiveness. The specter beat him and said he was not yet a warrior, before demanding that Shang Tsung give him Sub-Zero. However, the sorcerer had Scorpion fight Nightwolf instead and the shaman told him his aggression was misplaced, that his people too had been victimized. He went on to say he did not dwell on the past, but Scorpion said that Nightwolf dishonored his kind by not seeking vengeance and he would honor the memory of his fallen comrades. After the specter won, Raiden approached him to try and sway him from slaying Sub-Zero (having seen a glimpse of the future where Scorpion killing the ice ninja created Noob Saibot).

The specter didn't listen, even when Raiden told him Sub-Zero's demise would result in a worse foe. However, the thunder god promised Scorpion that if he didn't kill the ice ninja, he would have the Elder Gods bring the Shirai Ryu back to the mortal realm. The specter agreed and later had a confrontation with the two Lin Kuei members, Sektor and Cyrax, who he fought and defeated. Scorpion declared that he would not kill Sub-Zero, but then the ice ninja appeared, asking if he would not or could not.

The specter said that Sub-Zero would suffer as his clan had, then brought the two of them to Netherrealm. The two fought and Scorpion won, but wasn't going to kill Sub-Zero until Quan Chi appeared and showed him images of the Lin Kuei slaying the Shirai Ryu with the ice ninja killing the specter's wife and child. Enraged, Scorpion incinerated Sub-Zero, despite the Lin Kuei telling him that image wasn't him. Later on, Scorpion fought Liu Kang alongside Quan Chi, but was defeated by the Shaolin monk.

During Shao Kahn's tournament in Outworld, Scorpion was summoned to fight against the younger brother of Sub-Zero, who'd assumed his brother's code name and come to avenge him. The specter was defeated, but before the ice ninja could finish him, Lin Kuei cyborgs appeared and begin transforming him, allowing Scorpion to escape. After Raiden came to Netherrealm to gain Quan Chi's help in fighting off Shao Kahn, Scorpion confronted him. The thunder god demanded to see the sorcerer, but the specter said he could address him and he'd inform his master. Raiden asked if Scorpion chose to avoid saving his family and clan to retain his place at Quan Chi's feet, but he commanded the thunder god not to talk of his family. Raiden demanded that the specter bring the sorcerer before him, but Scorpion refused and fought the thunder god, though he was defeated.

In his ending, Scorpion's defeat of Shao Khan brought him no relief from the pain of losing his kin. He somehow found himself drawn to the home of Shirai Ryu and there, he found himself visited by the spirits of his fallen clan. They revealed to Scorpion that Quan Chi was the one who masterminded their deaths and in a rage, he went to Netherealm. While his clan's spirits immobilized the sorcerer, Scorpion slew him, avenging the Shirai Ryu.

Comics
A lifetime ago, Hanzo Hasashi was the leader of the Shirai Ryu clan, husband to his beautiful wife Kana and father to his newborn child Jubei. However, his happiness was cut short when the Lin Kuei attacked his village. Hanzo fought valiantly, but he was killed by the Lin Kuei assassin Sub-Zero, his head and spine ripped from his body. The last image Hanzo saw was the frozen corpses of his wife and child.

In the Netherrealm, Hanzo was tormented and tortured every day, but he did not burn in the Netherrealm's hellfire. This intrigued the necromancer Quan Chi and he imbued Hanzo with the Netherrealm's hellfire. As he burned, Hanzo was promised by Quan Chi that he would receive vengeance and justice for his murder and the slaughter of his clan and family.

This led to the birth of the specter Scorpion, who would take his vengeance on Sub-Zero, even as the cryomancer screamed his innocence. Scorpion was hardly satisfied and chose to continue fighting for Quan Chi. However, during the final hours of the Netherrealm War, Hanzo was restored to life, with Scorpion's hellfire still remaining under his control. Feeling he was undeserving of life, Hanzo contemplated suicide, but a chance meeting with the blind warrior Kenshi convinced him otherwise.

Soon after, he re-built the Shirai Ryu, aiming to help all of those who survived tragic events from the Netherrealm War and protect Earthrealm. Saving Kenshi and his son Takeda from Hsu Hao of the Red Dragon by killing him, he took Takeda under his wing for his protection, indoctrinating him into the Shirai Ryu. During Takeda's training, Hanzo, at the behest of his student, vowed never to speak of his father Kenshi to him.

Teaching Takeda for years as well as other students such as Fox, Hanzo was eventually contacted by Raiden, who warned him of a coming demonic entity that had escaped during the outbreaks from Netherrealm, and that Hanzo had to be on the alert despite his anger with Raiden for the many lives lost in the Battle of Earthrealm. After watching a sparring match between his students and scolding Takeda for not taking his training seriously, he informs the Shirai Ryu of Raiden's warning. However, Fox is possessed that night by the demonic entity through the Kamidogu dagger, which Raiden previously entrusted Hanzo to safeguard years ago.

Fox then poisons Hanzo with one of his own mixtures and bounds him by his own spear and chain, forcing him to relive his worst moments while Fox kills a majority of the Shirai Ryu. Hanzo hallucinates of his past during the Lin Kuei's massacre of the Shirai Ryu. Though he fights through the Lin Kuei with ease, Hanzo falls to his knees in grief when he happens upon the frozen bodies of his wife Kana holding their infant son Jubei. When the elder Sub-Zero arrives and smashes the ice holding their corpses, mockingly asking Hanzo how he feels from losing everything, Hanzo realizes what is before him is not Sub-Zero, due to the fact Bi-Han and Scorpion never talked about each others feelings.

As he burns the illusion away, Takeda protects his sensei from Fox long enough so that Scorpion awakens from his delirium and escapes his bounds. Scorpion tells the possessed Fox that his clan is his family and snatches him by his neck as he unleashes a breath of hellfire upon Fox before grabbing the Kamidogu dagger from his hand as well to stab him in the heart with. Though badly burned, Fox is hardly fazed and knocks Scorpion back with a beam of red light, proclaiming he grows stronger with every drop of blood that is spilled. The demonic force mocks Scorpion for trusting Raiden and starts to state the daggers have a connection to Quan Chi before Takeda finally kills the possessed Shirai Ryu by cutting his head in half with a Katana.

Hanzo then takes the dagger from Fox's corpse and silently comforts the shocked Takeda. Later, the two burn the dead Shirai Ryu and set off, Scorpion determined to avenge his fallen clan once again, this time seeking Raiden, seeing the thunder god responsible for the deaths for entrusting the cursed dagger to Hanzo and desiring to know of its origins.

During their travels through the Himalayan mountains, Takeda expresses interest in his master's hellfire 'style' of fighting. When Takeda asks why he has never taught it to him, Hanzo makes it clear that hellfire is not a fighting style, but his curse to bear alone. After explaining his origins to Takeda, Hanzo reveals that hellfire is not his rage as Takeda believes, but a representation of the loss of his family that he can never lose.

Hanzo admits to Takeda that to wield hellfire he has to relive that moment, but if his burns for too long he risks destroying himself, every time. Takeda apologizes for bringing up Hanzo's personal past, but asks of the 'wise man' who helped him, asking why he never mentioned him before. Hanzo reveals to Takeda he never mentioned him because Takeda asked him not to, revealing it to be Kenshi.

Sometime later, Scorpion and his apprentice have made it to Raiden's Sky Temple, but Hanzo is wary of going any further and makes camp for the night. As he prepares a meal for himself and his student over their campfire, while explaining to an impatient Takeda his concerns over the fierce storm around the temple, a bolt of lightning strikes the campfire, and a furious Raiden grabs Scorpion by the neck, Kamidogu dagger in hand. Hanzo returns Raiden's rage as his kunai slips out of his gauntlet and into his hand.

Hanzo does not fare well against the possessed Raiden, despite the Shirai Ryu trying to rouse Raiden from his madness. Raiden electrifies Hanzo with a powerful stream of lightning, and while proclaiming that the demon has come to open Earthrealm to the Blood Code's power, Hanzo sees Takeda sneaking up on Raiden, armed with a sword. Hanzo weakly tries to warn Takeda away but his student impales Raiden from behind. Unfazed, the thunder god merely calls down lightning on the youth.

Teleporting in a blaze of hellfire, Hanzo saves Takeda before warping his student safely away, but Hanzo believes that Takeda died from Raiden's attack, enraging Hanzo. Scorpion reappears to face Raiden, trying to grab the dagger from Raiden's hand but teleports away again when Raiden tries to retaliate. When the thunder god mockingly asks how much fire he has left after so many teleports, Scorpion delivers a teleport punch to Raiden's jaw with such strength he partially breaks it, all the while declaring he has enough for a lifetime.

Scorpion gains the upper hand over the possessed Raiden, stabbing him with his kunai and choking the thunder god with his chain, all the while raging at Raiden for giving him the Kamidogu dagger that resulted in second destruction of his clan and for seemingly killing Takeda with his lightning. Bringing the thunder god to his knees, Scorpion prepares to kill Raiden, but stops when he sees that Takeda is still alive and rushes to his student's aid. After Raiden comes to his senses when his blood is purged of the demon's corruption, he calls to Hanzo and apologizes for his actions.

Distrustful, Hanzo tells Raiden to stay back but soon listens when the thunder god state they can save Takeda if they act quickly by taking him to the Jinsei Chamber, where Earthrealm's lifeforce will heal both Raiden and Takeda. After Hanzo does so, he watches as Raiden heals Takeda with jinsei and is complimented by Raiden for teaching Takeda well, as his apprentice's soul is fighting against the Netherrealm's reach for him. Once Takeda awakens, Hanzo immediately asks if he's alright with Takeda stating he feels invincible.

Raiden apologizes to Hanzo and Takeda before explaining that the Kamidogu daggers were the weapons used to defeat the One Being and that they are now used as keys to seal away Shinnok's Amulet. The thunder god reveals that he could not keep each dagger in the same location, which is why he entrusted one to Scorpion for safe-guarding. As Raiden seals the dagger he entrusted Hanzo in a vault in his Sky Temple, Hanzo scorns him for not telling him before and the daggers could lead to possession. Raiden apologizes to Hanzo for not telling him the dagger was more than a sacred relic and admits that he did not foresee a demon corrupting their power.

When Hanzo asks if Quan Chi is the culprit, Raiden disagrees but reveals Fujin is investigating the Netherrealm for his involvment. Hanzo asks who else has the daggers, and Raiden tells him each dagger is accounted for, save one. Raiden tells Hanzo of the mission he gave Sub-Zero to retrieve a stolen Kamidogu, but the Cryomancer never returned. Knowing whoever is after the daggers seeks to unseal Shinnok's Amulet, Raiden asks Hanzo to save Sub-Zero from the demon corrupting him. At his student's urging, Hanzo agrees to the thunder god's request, vowing to bring Sub-Zero back dead or alive.

Hanzo travels with Takeda to Kahishari, Japan, on Sub-Zero's trail. As they arrive in the city outskirts, Takeda is shocked to learn Hanzo lost to Sub-Zero in the past, though Hanzo is quick to call it a technical lost, citing that their battle was interrupted. When Takeda asks what Hanzo's plan for a rematch is, Hanzo only cryptically replies that Takeda is before noting how quiet it is. When Takeda notices a nip in the wind, Hanzo realizes Sub-Zero is close and orders Takeda to take his sword.

The two move into the city and Hanzo spots multiple Lin Kuei cyborgs. He orders Takeda to take two of them while he deals with the rest. Hanzo swiftly attacks a lone cyborg, but upon cutting its body in half, Takeda realizes all the cyborgs are frozen solid. Hanzo curses as he realizes it's not just the cyborgs but the entire city. Hanzo notes that Kuai Liang was never this powerful, even under Quan Chi's control, and Takeda suggests that the Kamidogu has already possessed Sub-Zero.

Following the ice, Hanzo orders Takeda to stay close and tells him to stick to the plan no matter what happens. As they arrive at a frozen temple, the possessed Kuai Liang greets Hanzo. Disgusted by Kuai Liang's actions, Hanzo tells him that while killing him won't bring back the people he murdered it will stop him from hurting anyone else. The possessed Kuai asks Hanzo who will stop him then, and reminds him of how much hellfire he's used to fight the Blood Code and that Scorpion is getting stronger inside him.

Infuriated, Hanzo slips into his Scorpion persona, drawing his chained kunai before warning Takeda that whoever possessed Fox and Raiden is now controlling Sub-Zero.

Scorpion asks if he is speaking with Kuai Liang or the demon dwelling in the dagger. The possessed Kuai Liang doesn't give a straight answer, only calling the Kamidogu dagger a key, not a vessel and that the real power is in the blood offered. The demon attempts to goad Takeda, but Scorpion holds his apprentice back and declares that whoever is behind this is going to burn before throwing two of his spears out and impales Kuai Liang, igniting the chains in hellfire as he drags the cryomancer over.

Sub-Zero freezes the chains and shatters them, launching an ice ball at Scorpion who teleports to dodge the attack, reappearing behind Kuai. However, Sub-Zero summons ice pillars around his body to impale Scorpion before throwing the Shirai Ryu aside. As Scorpion tries to orient himself, the demon possessing Sub-Zero mocks Scorpion for deluding himself into believing he is a man instead of a wraith, using his slide to knock Scorpion off his feet and then kick him across the frozen ground.

While Scorpion lies on the ground in a daze, the demon tells Scorpion that Hanzo Hasashi is a lie and when he dies, the real Scorpion will rise again, when the demon realizes Takeda has stolen the Kamidogu from Sub-Zero. In response, the demon uses the last of Sub-Zero's Blood Magik enhanced power to freeze another section of the city in a glacier, trapping Takeda and Scorpion in ice. Scorpion quickly recovers and breaks free from his entrapment, sword drawn, and resumes his battle with Sub-Zero.

Scorpion duels with Sub-Zero using hellfire coated Mugai Ryu, all the while refusing to heed Kuai Liang's pleads of innocence. Scorpion mocks Kuai's excuses of possession by saying Kuai took the Kamidogu for a joy ride, delivering a hellfire covered flip kick to Kuai's jaw before shattering his kori blades with his own swords. Sub-Zero momentarily gains the upper-hand and tries to reason with Scorpion by wanting to return to Raiden, but Scorpion only brings up his brother and clan's roles in the destruction of the Shirai Ryu.

When Kuai reveals he is the last of the human Lin Kuei, Scorpion declares they are both the last of their clans and decides to finish their feud. Scorpion summons two demonic minions from the ground to hold Kuai Liang in place before impaling him with both of his swords, commending Kuai's soul to the Netherrealm in the name of his fallen clan. Kuai weakly tries to remind Scorpion of their time as servants under Quan Chi, asking him if he remembers what it's like to be controlled by an evil spirit.

Scorpion disagrees and removes his mask, revealing his burning skull as he recalls the last time he held his son and the last time his wife called his name and the agony of losing them. Unleashing his hatred in a breath of hellfire, Scorpion prepares to burn Kuai alive when Takeda frees himself from the ice and calls to his master. Scorpion pauses to listen to Takeda as his student pleads with him not to give into misguided vengeance once again like the Blood Demon wants and reminds him of their plans to rebuild their clan.

Howling in fury, Scorpion dispels his hellfire and banishes his minions. Removing his swords from Kuai, Hanzo tells Sub-Zero he may not live for long, he will live long enough to reflect on his misdeeds. As he and his student begin their trek back for Raiden's Sky Temple with the Kamidogu in hand, Takeda tells his master he won the rematch but Hanzo dismisses this, saying Kuai was already injured and asks what good winning is when he is losing himself. Hanzo begins to plan for his next battle with Sub-Zero, though Takeda believes he is not coming back from his injuries. Hanzo tells his student that stranger things have happened.

Hanzo returns to Raiden's Sky Temple with Takeda, giving the thunder god the recovered Kamidogu. When Raiden commends him for sparing Sub-Zero's life, Hanzo makes it clears he was not doing him any favors, only cleaning up his latest mistake. Hanzo then asks who is next and Raiden assigns him and Takeda to go to the Kang Shaolin Temple where the Kamidogu of Chaosrealm is located.

Hanzo and Takeda arrive in the Henan Province of China where the Kang Temple is situated. When his student asks Hanzo if he ever fought Liu Kang, Hanzo admits they faced on another in the Shaolin Monk's first Mortal Kombat tournament, but when Takeda asks who won, Hanzo explains that it was not a traditional match, leading Takeda to realize Liu Kang had defeated him.

Hanzo ignores his student's awe at Liu Kang's skill to greet one of the masters of the Kang Temple, Shujinko, with a respectable bow. Shujinko reveals he knows why Hanzo has come at Raiden's request but refuses to hand over the Kamidogu of Chaosrealm. Hanzo asks why before explaining that the Kamidogu have been corrupted and recalls Fox's slaughter of his clan while under one of the dagger's possession. Hanzo asks Shujinko to consider what would happen if that power fell into the wrong hands, but Shujinko states that they already are by being in Raiden's hands and reveals who has convinced him of all this: A humble cleric named Havik.

Hanzo is shocked as the chaosrealmer greets him and his student, his eyes whiting over as his Scorpion persona begins to take control with the Shirai Ryu grandmaster recognizing Havik.

Story
In the past events of Mortal Kombat X, Scorpion was among those serving Quan Chi in the invasion of Earthrealm. When Sonya Blade and her team, along with Johnny Cage and Kenshi, attempted to fly to Raiden's Sky Temple, Scorpion and Sub-Zero attacked them, killing all the members of Sonya's team. Although he incapacitating Kenshi briefly, Scorpion was soon tackled by Johnny Cage out of the cargo helicopter before it crashed and was then defeated by the actor.

A few years later, when Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage traveled to Quan Chi's Fortress, Quan Chi intercepts them and has Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Jackson Briggs attack them. Scorpion faces against Sonya Blade and is defeated by her along with the others. After Raiden arrives to save Johnny Cage's life, Scorpion is fully resurrected to his human self along with Jax and Sub-Zero by the Thunder God when Raiden uses his and Quan Chi's magic to do so.

Five years before the game's events, Hanzo trains with Takeda and is beaten, proud of his student's success. Hanzo elevates Takeda to the rank of Chujin, but when Takeda states he looks forward to serving the Shirai Ryu, Hanzo informs him his future is not with the clan. He observes his student's reunion with his father Kenshi and tries to convince Takeda his father isn't an enemy, but Takeda refuses and rants at his father. Kenshi counters Takeda's beliefs that he abandoned him, confessing that he left him with Hanzo for training and protection.

During the same year, Hanzo travels to the Lin Kuei Palace when Kuai Liang invites him there. Kuai Liang speaks to him about how they have both reformed their clans to protect Earthrealm and that they should becomes allies. Skeptical, Hanzo asks if this means Sub-Zero will finally confess that the Lin Kuei was guilty of the first iteration of the Shirai Ryu's demise. Sub-Zero then explains how he killed Sektor for completely turning the Lin Kuei into cyborgs and that he has discovered that his clan had lost its honor far before the Cyber Initiative.

However, they are interrupted by Frost, Sub-Zero's pupil, who attacks Hanzo. Believing that Sub-Zero's invitation was an assassination attempt on himself, Hanzo defeats Frost and attacks Sub-Zero. After fighting with the Lin Kuei Grandmaster, he prepares to kill him, but stops and calms down when Sub-Zero saves him from another attack by Frost. Explaining that his intentions are true and Frost acted on her own intention, Scorpion forgives Sub-Zero. In the Lin Kuei Palace, Sub-Zero shows Sektor's memory banks, revealing that the Lin Kuei had Quan Chi eradicate Hanzo's clan and family in exchange for their service, but Sektor refused to fulfill the agreement because Quan Chi resurrected Hanzo as Scorpion.

Sub-Zero then tells Hanzo if he had known about the Lin Kuei's role in the Shirai Ryu massacre before, their relationship would have been far different. Shocked by the revelation, Hanzo confesses to Sub-Zero he only killed his brother because he believed it was Bi-Han who killed his family. Sub-Zero expresses he holds no ill will toward Hanzo, as he believes Quan Chi is responsible. Ovecoming his shock, Hanzo states their is a debt to be payed, but it will be through Quan Chi's life. He then bows to Sub-Zero, thanking him for informing him the truth, while Sub-Zero does the same.

In the present, after hearing that Quan Chi has been captured, Hanzo approaches Sonya Blade at the Refugee Kamp, demanding Quan Chi be handed over to him. When she refuses, Hanzo orders his ninjas to attack (only to wound not kill) the Special Forces. During the conflict, he defeats Sonya, Kenshi, and Johnny Cage before taking Quan Chi by force. When Quan Chi pleads for his life while calling Hanzo Scorpion, Hanzo slaps the sorcerer, declaring that he is no longer Scorpion, but Hanzo Hasashi. Enraged that Quan Chi killed his family and manipulated him to kill Bi-Han, causing him to lose the only chance to restore his family, he savagely beats Quan Chi.

Hanzo is interrupted by D'Vorah, who arrives to deliver Shinnok's amulet to Quan Chi. Scorpion attacks her when she attempts to save him, but then throws his Kunai through the sorcerer's chest. Pulling Quan Chi to him with his spear, Hanzo decapitates him, finally avenging the death of his family. However, just moments before his death, Quan Chi is able to free Shinnok. In an attempt to stop the fallen Elder God, Hanzo attacks Shinnok with Sonya, Johnny Cage, and Kenshi, but Shinnok incapacitates everyone and captures Johnny. Following Shinnok's departure with D'Vorah and the revenants of Earthrealm's former defenders, Scorpion informs Cassie Cage and her team of the god's destination.

Powers
Scorpion is an extremely strong fighter and possess command over hellfire, as well as inability to die, thanks to the vengeful bonds on his soul, that allows him to pursue his targets until their demise. Scorpion is able to teleport and his mask, as well as the flesh behind it, hides the flaming skull that is his true face, from which he can spew lethal blasts of hellfire. The strength of his power depends on how long he stays in the Netherrealm.

Scorpion's signature attack is to send out his spear, a kunai on a long rope, that can be empowered with hellfire and impale it in his foes, then pull them in with it. Scorpion can also swing the spear around to lash at his opponents, in a slightly whip like fashion. As his alternate weapon fighting style, he uses a katana called the Mugai Ryu and in Mortal Kombat 2011, he wields a pair of short swords with more jagged blades.

Trivia

 * Scorpion is one of the most popular characters in the Mortal Kombat series, partially thanks to his having the most human-like personality (along with Raiden, Sub-Zero, Cryax, Kobra and Kabal) as opposed to the all noble and good ones of the good characters and the all evil and cruel ones of the evil characters. Scorpion was even voted number 1 on Screwattacks Top 10 Mortal Kombat Kharacters list.


 * Scorpion says his catch phrases, “Get over here!” and “Come here!”, ever time he pulls someone in with his spear attack.


 * During his boss battle in Shaolin Monks, if the player dodges his spear too many times, Scorpion will scream “GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!” or “GET OVER HERE BITCH!” Also when he is dragged into lava at the end of the battle, he gives a thumbs up, a reference to Terminator 2, where the T-800 gave a thumbs up to John Connor as it submerged itself in molten metal.


 * Scorpion's fatality from Deadly Alliance, where he sent out his spear into the opponent's head then yanked it off, was listed fourth on Screwattack's list of Top 10 Mortal Kombat Fatalities.


 * Scorpion appears in every generation of Mortal Kombat games with the exception of the Game.com version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy.


 * He has the only Hara-Kiri that does not generate blood.


 * Ed Boon has admitted in various interviews that Scorpion is his favorite character and that any game without him feels incomplete. Boon also voices him.


 * His fighting stance in the earlier games is a reference to his name with his up raised arm acting as his “scorpion tail”.


 * Scorpion’s real name may be a reference to Hanzo Hattori, an actual samurai and possible ninja.
 * Scorpion appeared in the Screwattack show, Death Battle, where he was pitted against Ryu from Street Fighter. In the fight, Scorpion managed to win despite the power of Ryu's Satsui no Hado and his Power of Nothingness, mostly thanks to his bringing his opponent to the Netherrealm, which kept powering him up to allow him take the street fighter down.