This article's content is marked as Mature Baraka contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature articles are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older.
If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page.
NOTE: This page focuses on Baraka from the timeline created by Liu Kang as Baraka from other continuities are not heroes.
I was doing well, trading goods up and down the Fartakh coast. My family was comfortable, happy. (dejected sigh) Then Tarkat came. It took my wife, then my children. Cruelly, it lets me live for now. I think it enjoys ravaging my body more slowly.
„
~ Baraka explaining to Kenshi his origin story.
Baraka is one of the main protagonists in Mortal Kombat 1. Unlike the villainous other versions of him, in Liu Kang's New Era, this version of Baraka has never worked for Shao Kahn (General Shao), nor Shang Tsung (albeit unwittingly). He was a leader of Daybreak Legion and a successful merchant before he got infected by Tarkat and exiled along with the other infectees.
He is voiced by Steve Blum, reprising his role from Mortal Kombat 11.
In The New Era, Baraka is a muscular, Tarkatan humanoid. He had a bald scar on his head, his fangs, pointy ears, and even his red eyes due to disease. His body had spikes over his shoulders, arms, and a tattoo over his chest. His hands have the Nosferatu-looking fingernails, & having a blade within his arms.
Personality[]
Baraka was a proud Edenian Tribune and a merchant until the Tarkat Virus infected him & took his family's lives. After that, he became a depressed man seeking death to join his family, until the other Tarkat infectees were exiled by the Edenian rulers. Despite being a Tarkat infectee, which could make him an unstable & ravenous monster, Baraka is a kind man at heart and sympathizes with others like Reptile, whom Shang Tsung had killed his family long ago, before Reptile finds out.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Baraka was born an Edenian, becoming a highly accomplished soldier within Outworld's army before retiring to become a very prosperous merchant living comfortably with his wife and children. All was well in Baraka's life until he and his family became victims of the Tarkat plague, which mutated and disfigured them into savage monsters. Becoming incredibly ill, Baraka was banished from Outworld's society. He would outlive his wife and children, losing them to the disease. Baraka would become the defender of his fellow Tarkatans.
Mortal Kombat 1[]
Chapter 4: Secrets and Lies[]
During Liu Kang's mission for Kung Lao, Kenshi and Johnny to capture Shang Tsung, they found Baraka in the Tarkatan Colony. Baraka was captured and demanded that the soldiers and the sorcerer release him. One of the soldiers kicks Baraka's leg to hold him down as Shang Tsung injects him to get his blood sample while Baraka screams in pain. Then, after Baraka breaks the chains, killing two soldiers in retaliation, he goes after Shang Tsung until Kenshi stops him from killing him, giving Shang Tsung an opportunity by using shape-shifting power as a Tarkat infectee to escape. Baraka was angry at Kenshi for letting Shang Tsung escape, believing that he was one of his minions and tried to kill him before he lost to the swordsman. After losing said fight, Kenshi assured Baraka that neither he, Johnny, nor Kung Lao was working for Shang Tsung and were sent by Liu Kang to capture him for questioning.
Kenshi tried to give a handshake, but Baraka, being a Tarkat infectee, doesn't shake hands, as Baraka tells them they are victims of Tarkat, so they slowly turn into monsters whom Shang comes here each month to harvest. To find Shang Tsung, Kenshi asks him to release them & he promises that he will never come here again. On that, he agrees to this, and he'll take them to where Shang Tsung's laboratory is. As the heroes found Shang Tsung's Lab, Baraka was assigned to stay to watch over Shang Tsung's henchmen until he got captured and jailed, sharing the room with Kenshi, Johnny Cage, and Kung Lao.
Chapter 5:Weird Science[]
In the cell, Baraka was banging on the cell bars for over an hour, when Kenshin asked him more of his stories to keep his mind off his eyes. He was going; his business was successful, and even he was happy and comfortable. Until tragedy, fate, the Trakat virus infection killed him, killing his wife and his children (his deep, sad sigh, he really missed them) cruelly ravaging his body slowly. Johnny wakes up, and he sees a horror survivor, Baraka, telling him this is the real Shang Tsung laboratory, while the one they encountered was a false one.
Reptile enters the cell checking the inmates He asks them if Kenshin's eyes are not good, and he gives a medicine for eye pain. He explained to them that if he refused he would kill them. Baraka demands to know why he picked him, the reason why to learn shape-shifting, but he is only a human, and his true form is from the Zaterran race, but only he can change from it.
Shang Tsung arrived ready for their vivisection. They're harvested, building his creation, he ordered Syzoth while he was gone. Baraka is trying to reason with him, but he has no other choice. He opened the gate, clones Tarkata put them in chambers. When the gate opened, they won't go down without a fight. They battle it out, but Johnny Cage and Kenshi take in the chambers, only Baraka and Kung Lao standing, fighting clones. Tarkata defeated them. Next, one of the monster Tarkata was beaten. Baraka had enough distractions, and he goes to rescue Cage and Kenshi because of that, the Syzoth family will torture Shang Tsung for his failure in he battle, and he wins. After fighting Reptile, ask Baraka to kill him if he dies; his family will be spared. He refused to kill him; he only wanted to protect his family, and he would do the same thing.
Shang Tsung sees clones of Tarkata die, and he is disappointed in Syzoth for his failure. He created toxic gas before he went. He told Syzoth his family was already dead, and, horrified, Shang left. Try to escape, but the door seal due to gas released up to Baraka to bust the door with his strength, and they escaped and left the laboratory. After escaping, they moved forward without being captured. The only way to the gate of City Baraka is known, but Tarkatans are forbidden inside. Reptile led them to want to make amends.
They arrived at the Living Forest that houses the souls of the Dead, but don't be alarmed, they are good ones, but they had no Zaterrans; they keep themselves by living underground. Kung Loa wants to know how he met Shang Tsung. Before he met him, Reptile took a human from his people because he was an exile. After exile, he was starving, begged, and even joined the carnival due to his "gift." He met Shang Tsung and saw that he can do what he wants to study him. He declined. Shang Tsung took his family hostage, and no other choice but to be his slave. Also telling him he's not alone, along with General Shao and Rain, planning something big.
When suddenly distant Roaring Baraka and Reptile go there, checking it out, they stopped Ashrah killing two demons. After killing them, she sees them think Quan Chi sends Baraka after her, trying to explain to her, but she refuses and has no other choice but to fight her. After that, Baraka told her they were not demons; she found out they were from Outworlders, and she apologized to them. She introduced them as Ashrah from Netherrealm. Due to her human-like appearance, she purged the evil from her soul, her last vestiges of demonic fate away. She had to find Quan Chi to plan a building device to steal souls and harness power by aiding sorcerer Shang Tsung. Their mission is to find Quan Chi to stop him.
Chapter 6:Upward Climb[]
They find Quan Chi uses devices to make Soulnado to create Ermac, they battle him and prove to be too strong for him until Kenshi and Ashrah beat him. After they got Quan Chi, they got to the city to find the gate of Earthrealm, which means Baraka goes part away while Syzoth and Ashrah will be welcomed by Fire God Liu Kang.
Baraka would later take part in the battle against the Deadly Alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, which later gave way to the Battle of Armageddon against their Titan counterparts. Baraka is a playable character in the game's final chapter, Armageddon, and if selected as the Final Warrior, he fights his way up the pyramid and aids Liu Kang in defeating the Titan Deadly Alliance. In any case, after the Battle, Baraka learns of Mileena's Tarkat affliction and requests Syzoth, now an ambassador, to meet her. He has the newly-appointed Empress visit the Tarkatan colony. Mileena was appalled by the conditions, leading her to publicly reveal her Tarkat affliction to Outworld. The revelation and resulting scandal paved the way for Tarkatans to receive better treatment in Outworld society, no longer making them pariahs.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
Edenian/Tarkatan Mutation Physiology: Baraka was a regular Edenian soldier and later merchant until he contracted Tarkat disease, which mutated him into a Tarkatan. His affliction has further enhanced his physical attributes like strength, speed, and durability.
Superhuman Strength: Baraka possesses supernatural strength due to being Edenian, and his strength is now further enhanced after becoming Tarkatan. He is strong enough to rip off arms and legs, tear off the steel bars on the vivisection chambers, and destroy doors that appear lethal.
Superhuman Durability: Baraka possesses durability that he uses to withstand a lot of physical pain. He remained unfazed after being punched in the face by one of Shang Tsung's experiments.
Superhuman Speed: As an Edenian and Tarkatan, Baraka possesses incredible speed to take on very fast species like Zaterrans, Demons, and Seidans.
Superhuman Reflexes: Baraka also possesses very fast reflexes.
Superhuman Agility: Baraka possesses supernatural agility and is further enhanced after becoming Tarkatan.
Superhuman Stamina: Baraka can fight for long periods of time without showing any signs of fatigue.
Retractable Arm Blades: In Mutated Tarkata Baraka gives the ability to regrow his arm blades quick, strong swipe at the opponent with his blade.
Longevity: Since Edenians are touched by the divine power of the Elder Gods, Baraka can live for thousands of years.
Abilities[]
Master Martial Artist: Baraka used to serve the Daybreak Legion as a soldier. With his many years of training, he became one of Outworld's best fighters. Baraka's martial arts skills had helped him fight against fighters like Shang Tsung, Reptile, Ashrah, Havik, and even Shang Tsung's experiments. His fighting style is a mix of Silat and Hun Gar. Baraka also mentioned to Kuai Liang that one of the martial arts styles he uses is the "Way of the Asgaarth," which is a fictional fighting style.
Expert Acrobat: Baraka has shown a great performance of acrobatic skills like being able to flip continuously while using his arm blades.
Leadership: After Tarkatans are banished to the wastes, Baraka has shown to be a great leader as well as caring for his people.
Indomitable Will: After Baraka lost his family to Tarkat, he was left empty and broken. As more Tarkatans were banished to the wastes, Baraka showed compassion to his fellow Outworlders and swore to make sure they are taken care of. After being captured by Shang Tsung and General Shao, Baraka was thrown into the dungeon, but he would not let anything stop him from finding a way to escape. Baraka's force of will had allowed him to convince Syzoth to side with him and return to the colony to take care of his fellow Tarkatans.
Quote[]
“
Let me go! You can't do this!
„
~ Baraka.
“
I would've killed him but for you!
„
~ Baraka.
“
You're one of his minions! You'll die in his place!
„
~ Baraka.
“
Our Kind do not shake hands.
„
~ Baraka.
“
We are victims of Tarkat. The disease is not easily gotten, but you can't risk more close exposure. It disfigures, then debilitates. In time it will turn us all into blood-thirsty monsters.
„
~ Baraka.
“
I was once a rich merchant. But when I became ill I was banished. Now I run this colony.
„
~ Baraka.
“
If could see, you'd know why.
„
~ Baraka.
“
You're Zaterran Your race can shape shift.
„
~ Baraka.
“
You don't have to do this.
„
~ Baraka.
“
You were protecting your family. I would've done the same.
„
~ Baraka to Syzoth.
“
This is the Living Forest.
„
~ Baraka.
“
Wait! We're not—
„
~ Baraka.
“
He's Zaterran. I am Edenian. Or I was before my Tarkat affliction.
„
~ Baraka.
“
While the regime had changed, little else had. My people still suffered in silence, ignored by the rest of Outworld. Though now I knew Empress Mileena's secret: that she was also afflicted with Tarkat. If anyone would help, it would be her. But how to get an audience? Syzoth. He was the Empress's new emissary to the Zaterrans. I asked him to introduce us. At great personal risk, he agreed. And as I'd prayed, the Empress was willing to meet. Even better, she would visit the colony. She was shocked to see how we lived. She moved quickly to provide for our care and comfort. Thanks to the Empress and Syzoth, we Tarkatans are no longer pariahs. Until our disease can be cured, that will do.
