A final crisis may be brewing in the DC multiverse, but after last week, fans of the company learnt a new threat will attack in the unlikely medium of video games! Worlds collide as Midway and DC confirmed what the gamers were waiting for; their joint venture: Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe!The confirmed cast of characters was recenly been bumped up from four, to six: Batman, Sub-Zero, Superman, Scorpion, Flash, and Sonya Blade, all confirmed to be on the frontline of this inter-dimensional battle royale!
The big news this week comes from confirmation that; despite a T rating, corporate characters, and early interview bytes contrary to the face; Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe will include fatalities!
Series co-creator, [Ed] Boon, confirmed characters deemed appropriate will retain T-rated versions of the series trademark finisher system.
For those with a higher moral code, such as Superman and Batman, non-lethal options will be available. As yet we don't know what that might entail, but even for the technological obstacles, I can't help but imagine Superman's opponents getting folded up in a two-dimensional diamond, to be whisked away to the inescapable depths of the Phantom Zone!
#2 Flash (100%)
#3 Flash (30%)
#4 Aquaman (55%)
#5 Robin (50%)
#6 The Spectre (60%)
#7 Green Lantern (65%)
#8 Green Lantern (65%)
#9 Dr. Light (55%)
#10 Atom (40%)
#11 Guy Gardner (45%)
#12 Brainwave (20%)
#13 Powergirl (60%)
#14 Stargirl (30%)
#15 Lethal (02%)
#16 Black Mask (15%)
#17 Soldier (05%)
#18 Bizarro (60%)
#19 Atom Smasher (40%)
#20 Phantom Stranger (25%)
#21 Dr. Fate (30%)
#22 Deadman (45%)
#23 Zauriel (40%)
#24 Dr. Occult (25%)
#25 Access (???)If you're just joining us -- way to leave it to the last second, ya lousy bum! With a foot in each camp, the Infinite Wars has spent the last ten weeks serving as mediator for the two camps, introducing both sides through a list of fantasy fights featuring over one hundred characters from both sides! To the left; just some of the DC characters not featured.
Weeks one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine are all still waiting to be discovered! Before you scroll onward to the most expected (and anticipated) pairings of the bunch, you might like to take a tour through the obscure in our previous entries!
I have to admit my initial reactions to the announcement of the game were in the same vein as most fans. The DC Universe was never the realm I expected to see the Earthrealm defenders battling, but walking through both universes in these entries has been a very pacifying experience. It reminds me just how vague each world can be, and how much common ground exists if one is willing to find it.
We've explored some of the thematic common ground that exists between characters in each world, but there's much more to be appreciated. Mortal Kombat has (almost) always held an admirable sense of regard for it's story, and it's here that MKvsDC has the potential to do some very special things. There's no reason to expect anything but an A-grade effort from a team that's had the good sense to call upon established DC talents, Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, in an interest, presumably, to hone a well considered story, as much as any basic fact-checking, and/or consultation.
Announcements; particularly an appearance by Ed Boon and Jimmy Palmiotti at the upcoming San Diego International Comic-Con [July 24-27]; lend even greater hope to those who might have been inclined to write this one off as an irrelevant exercise in promotional crossover -- a glorified waste of time.
Between Comic-Con and the E3 gaming conference [July 15-17] there should be an influx of new information. An estimated guess might even suggest Comic-Con will garner information regarding that much anticipated comic book that, as yet, has not been announced.
The Infinite Wars will continue to watch very closely, and while this is the final round of our Fantasy Fights, you should stay tuned for plenty more MKvsDC materials yet to come! There'll be more as soon as next week, as well as the [semi-]usual content that continues to reference the game, and maybe even something a little bit special down the road. For now: we take a look at some of the most anticipated battles that might emerge, and anticipate what's to come!
GORO
RANKING: [#27]
ODDS: [75%]
Shokan EmpireGORO versus SUPERMAN
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Superman 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Goro 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)
The Battle...
"Iconic" is a word that's been thrown around a lot since an interview reference described the characters as such. For Mortal Kombat franchise players, like Sub-Zero and Scorpion, are among the most recognised icons in the crop, but once upon a time there was a silhouette as important as the MK dragon: the four-armed shadow of Goro!
I'm really more of a Kintaro man myself, but the importance of the four-armed strongman to MK's iconography is undeniable. He remains one of the best associated trademarks outside the series, equally recognised in an instant in the arena of feature film promotion, as much as he is in parody.
Around the announcement of the game we talked a little bit about what makes a good Superman villain [Target: Superman #1], and while his impressive strengths probably don't match-up with the cosmic prowess of the superhero world, I tend to think Goro fits the mould. More than capable of giving Superman a bit of a run; Goro's exactly the kind of combative alien interloper that's occupied the man of steel for decades. A powerful champion from another world, looking to tempt his fate in battle with Earth's champion, and the last son of Krypton!
Working against Goro is his inadvertent tendency to 'flip-flop' on key issues.
He's the Prince of the Shokan empire, and I'd have to imagine if I were challenging his rule, I'd hone straight in on his shifting allegiance.
Goro's original appearance;as the reigning Mortal Kombat champion in 1992's series-beginner; put him firmly in the services of evil (Shao Kahn). His story goes on then to flow like something very much out of a comic book: apparent death, return as henchman for Shinnok, sign treaty with good guys, fight the Centaurians, apparent death, team-up with Shao Kahn again, hang out on balcony and ponder next apparent death. You know how it is! Just the usual!
Superman, of course, is a much simpler character. Sure, he's had his share of apparent deaths, but when it comes to allegiance; barring any unforseen manipulation, or dystopian futures; he's pretty much a predictable boyscout!
Much ado has been made about Superman's strength and how it infringes on the logics of a Mortal Kombat video game. One need only look to Raiden, Shinnok, or various other godly characters to understand the disconnect between gameplay and status. When it comes to playing a game like this, I think you've just got to submit to the flow, because if you start talking about Kryptonite in Outworld, or the abstract over exaggeration of magic as a rule-breaking "weakness", it all gets sillier than it already was!
Conceptually, sure. The inevitable scuffle quickly gives way to a super-powered mismatch which ends with Superman comfortably winning. In-game, it needn't be such a clearcut story, because balanced gameplay creates certain concessions.
As a potential sub-boss, Goro could be a lot of fun, particularly if it's the result of some sort of interdimensional alliance of evil, giving way to a DC counterpart to combat the MK characters [Doomsday? Mongul? Grundy? Pants?].
Superman offers fairly obvious options for the games, and will really only be limited by redundancy and bredth of imagination. Chances are we won't see miniature Superman sprouting to do his bidding, but super-breath stuns, heat-vision projectiles, speed based charge attacks, super-strength pile drivers, flying whips, and various other versions are in the air. This fan hopes we don't see time manipulation kisses, freeze-breath, or inexplicable rainbows.
The Math: Superman Our Winner: Superman
SUB-ZERO
RANKING: [NR]
ODDS: [100%]
Lin KueiSUB-ZERO versus BATMAN
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Batman 4 (Arsenal)
The Battle...
Two-and-a-half years later, the Infinite Wars has racked up a bit of credibility when it comes to assessing combat in fiction. The site may be dedicated to review and discussion, but there were multiple underlying objectives from the start: one of which was to test the theory that Batman is the most unstoppable hero in superhero fiction.
That probably sets the tone for those of you expecting to see ice blasts overrun the dark knight detective. Allow me to be swift in putting you down. Batman is the consumate strategist, capable not only of anticipating opponents, but expertly executing his counter strategies. If the Batman has any reason to expect to run-up against certain obstacles - even those that aren't necessarily a part of his daily Gotham routine - then chances are he's got a strategy to beat it!
Ice-wielding villains aren't at all uncommon in the DC world.
Batman's most personal encounters are with Victor "Mister Freeze" Fries whose unruly demeanor and powersuit makes him one of Batman's most physically powerful foes. That said; Bats is also well equipped, as a senior member of the JLA, to tackle everyone from Captain Cold, to Killer Frost.
Sub-Zero differentiates from his brother mostly by his characterization as a noble and well meaning warrior. This means ambush attacks are unlikely, not that such a scenario seems terribly plausible, given that Batman's "superpower" is essentially being impossibly aware, prepared, and elusive. Counter measures for Mr. Freeze no doubt offer some assemblance of nullification for Sub-Zero's powers, and if you remove the surprise attack, it comes down to a one-on-one.
The edge of each character's fighting skill is obscured from view by fog on the horizon. Mortal Kombat's traditional struggle to depict believable and involving fighting styles means, while there's a strong argument to suggest Sub-Zero is one of the most impressive fighters in that universe, it's hard to really set in concrete how proficient he is. Likewise; Batman, as with many DC characters, has a tendency to be vaguely ranked against the measure of other fighters, of which Batman often is the platinum standard. He's an exceptional fighter, but he's also a human character, and that means when a story calls for it, he's plausible vulnerable to certain opponents and attacks. So, while ranked among the greatest fighters in his universe, it's hard to say just how good Batman is.
Your Liu Kangs and your Supermans may carry the burden of the spotlight, but for those preferred franchise heroes, victory is typically on a silver platter. Batman and Sub-Zero are the heroes many look to as favourites. With that in mind, I'm well aware that someone walks away from this with some very disgruntled fans.
At the end of the day, those unexposed can forget Adam West, Michael Keaton, and even elements of the nineties animated series.It is perhaps strategy and preperation that are Batman's greatest ally! One need only reference the thirty-something battles in the Secret Archives to start to recognise just how versatile Batman is! Sub-Zero is going to be a real challenge, but even a lifetime of ice-warrior skills struggles to break the interpolation of Batman's fierce dedication, expert training, and most of all, keen mind.
Key to hyping fans and entrenching the match-up of Sub-Zero and Batman in the minds of MK fans - a face-to-face showdown in pre-release trailers.
I don't know how compelling the similarities between the characters are. Movie-goers are going to overestimate the context of ninja-esque qualities in Batman, not that Sub-Zero is technically a ninja, anyway. Likewise, their tactics typically differ, and while both have been able to open their wings to initiate subordinates into their fold, it's Sub-Zero who is the more deliberatley approachable, smashing poorly conceived, but enthusiastic theories, that they share a similar demeanor.
The Math: Batman Our Winner: Batman
KITANA
RANKING: [NR]
ODDS: [85%]
Edenian EmpireKITANA versus WONDER WOMAN
Strength: Wonder Woman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Wonder Woman 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Kitana 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Wonder Woman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Kitana 2 (Projectile)
The Battle...
It seems balancing the genders in beat 'em up video games is a struggle that male makers may never overcome. Tecmo may have found franchise gold with deviant marketing for the femme fatales of Dead or Alive, but it was on the heels of Chun-Li that Mortal Kombat made it's own well grounded submissions; first Sonya Blade, but then, perhaps the true first lady of the MK universe: Princess Kitana!
Canonized by her appearance in the feature films (as played by Talisa Soto); Kitana now ranks among the most popular lead protagonists in the series. Her role as the fighting heir to the fallen realm of Edenia has made her not only intrinsic to MK's heroic plotlines, but also one of the few characters able to share the spotlight with franchise golden boy, Liu Kang.
Of course, over fifty years before Kitana's debut in Mortal Kombat II; Wonder Woman entered the stage as the first major headlining female superhero!
Decades before the plight of the feminist was to be fought in the arena of interactive video games, Wonder Woman got rough and ready with the men during World War II. Granted, these pioneering steps perpetrated by Dr. William Moulton Marston may have secured one of the biggest female icons in the world, they weren't without their sordid details.
The polygamist inventor of the lie-detector may have contributed iconic keynotes to his character; like the truth-detecting golden lasso; but he did so with an underlying penchant for bondage, and female domination. This meant the heroic lead had a nasty habit of finding herself helplessly tied-up - sometimes with her own lasso! Fortunatley these details were eventually bred out of the character as DC continued to honor a rare contractual obligation to publish a monthly Wonder Woman title in order to maintain rights to the character. Since, she has become an Amazonian warrior able to rival even the might of Superman!
Many of you are going to associate the character with the famous Linda Carter series, or incarnations that have been likewise tainted by the memorable performance, but as you'll hopefully have gathered, Wonder Woman has had a long life before and after the 1970s series!
Unfortunately, this boils down to yet another grosse mismatch, and that's why it's so much more interesting to dwell on factoids. In quashing the stereotypes of bland secondary female characters, both have had successes to varying degrees.
Kitana has been able to escape the stain of sharing a colour-swapped sprite with three counterparts to develop a visual identity perhaps even better than the likes of Sub-Zero and Scorpion. While her story of liberating Edenia from the merged Outworld, consolidating the allegiance of the Shokan, and defeating Shao Kahn haven't always taken precedent, she's become a crucial figure in the series iconography. She is undenied as a strong leader and skilled fighter.
As one of the affectionately dubbed "trinity", with Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman is one of the most definitive heroes in the DC Universe.
They are the keepers of the Justice League and the senior-most figures, to which the other heroes all aspire. While this hasn't always been well translated to other mediums, Wonder Woman enters MKvsDC as another powerhouse in a realm of martial artists, demons, and mystics.
Our fighting statistics have been the subject of debate, and I can at least clarify now that they are always subject to interpretation. Wonder Woman is traditionally not shown to be the most delicate or refined of fighters, but her history as an Amazon and Justice Leaguer has her versed in some of the world's most prominent fighting styles, complimented by a warrior's spirit. Hers is a combative strength of aggression and power more than the technical prowess of most characters.
In-game, one can only hope Wonder Woman can escape anything danty, or reminiscent of the sometimes pedestrian Linda Carter version. This is a character more than capable of taking the fight to the most powerful of opponents and tackling it with an intimidating and forceful presence that transcends pressure points and flowery acrobatics. Raw power gives her the undeniable edge over Kitana, but also at the ready is expertise with a broadsword, shield, and variety of other Amazonian warrior weapons. Hawkman she ain't, but if you've crossed certain lines, expect to get something cut, or snapped!
This brings us to the point of fatalities, which have since been confirmed to appear in some fashion for some characters. If criteria is simply willingness then Wonder Woman has to be one of the most prominent DC heroes in the realm of possibility, having very publicly snapped the neck of turncoat former JLA-er, Maxwell Lord, during the Infinite Crisis saga.
It's my hope Wonder Woman can defy the stereotypes and continue to be a powerful and well rounded character. I almost hope the MK team can forego the standard of glamorized bikinis to deck Wonder Woman out in her very familiar warrior dress, something very reminiscent of the classic flag-waving iconography, but built out with a very respectful armor plated skirt, body, and tiara-helmet.
The Math: Wonder Woman Our Winner: Wonder Woman
DARKSEID
[#181] :RANKING
[75%] :ODDS
Darkseid Elite
SHINNOK
RANKING: [NR]
ODDS: [60%]
NetherealmSHINNOK versus DARKSEID
Strength: Darkseid 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 5 (Professor)
Speed: Shinnok 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Darkseid 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Shinnok 2 (Average)
Fighting: Darkseid 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Darkseid 6 (Mass Destruction)
The Battle...
You know who's bad news? These dudes!
In an analagous meeting of the two worlds, the majority safe bet is probably going to be joint conquests by Shao Kahn and Darkseid. Fair enough, but it's worth remembering that we're supposed to be using poor excuses for themes to tour the universes, and with that in mind, I've got to go with Shinnok.
Darkseid is the premiere villain for peril in the universe. Everything from Legends to Final Crisis offers evidence of the kind of lengths Darkseid is willing to go to to claim the Earth as the birthplace of the Fifth World. Of course, when one Earth proves to be more trouble than it's worth, why not settle for an alternate plane where the only obstacles are martial artists, ninjas, and gods sword to indifference?
It makes a lot of sense that Shao Kahn might think it a good idea to pool his efforts with the evil New God, but anyone who teams with Darkseid is going to get more than they bargained for. Chances are there's not going to be much left to merge with, making it an unattractive prospect for Shao Kahn, who may even be forced to turn ally should he find himself making a deal with the Darkseid!
Of course, if mutual acceptance of death and destruction is going to be up anyone's alley, it's probably Shinnok's. After he slaughtered a bunch of gods he was vanquished to the Netherealm after being stripped of his status as an all-powerful Elder God. In the Netherealm he quickly usurped the infernal throne from Lucifer, and established himself as a growing power in the tumultuous realm of evil dead.The nature of Shinnok's power is difficult to gauge, particularly given the distraction of his exceptionally weak in-game performances. As the playable boss of Mortal Kombat 4, Shinnok quickly entered the annals of infamy for his borrowed moveset and utter simplicity as an opponent. Still, he's a former Elder God, and as a ruler of Hell he may be inclined to see others do his bidding, but I think there's enough evidence to suggest he's still an intimidating power.
More to the point; as the ruler of the Netherealm, Shinnok's interests in Earth are relatively brief, and the extinction of that particular universe would be a fitting blow to his arch-nemesis and Earth's guardian - Raiden.
Assuming he needs a guide, Darkseid might even tempt Shinnok with the promise of New Godly power should he help him raize the Earth, but then, we all know what happens to people who deal with devils!
In-game; Darkseid makes a lot of sense as an over-sized final boss for the characters of the game. The tradition of dishing high damage to players, whilst taking very little in turn, seems pretty well justified with Darkseid. Couple this theory with moves like his patented Omega Beams -- disinterating energy rays capable of honing in on an opponent at impossible angles -- makes Darkseid one of the most intimidating and cheap bosses on the table! It also makes him a physically dominating opponent for Shinnok, a god destined to be replaced by a New God!
The Math: Darskeid Our Winner: Darkseid
GENERAL ZOD
[#134] :RANKING
[35%] :ODDS
SHAO KAHN
RANKING: [NR]
ODDS: [70%]
Outworld ArmySHAO KAHN versus GENERAL ZOD
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Zod 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Zod 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Shao Kahn 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Zod 5 (Lasers)
The Battle...
The thought occurs that most of these final fights were already put together by people in the months since the game's announcement. I'd like to think pairing up two seasoned generals of war is sound enough a concept, but obscured enough by Darkseid, that you might even be a little surprised by it.
If you go by Jim Lee's rendition of the character (RE: our mugshot) then you'll find a Zod who has suffered the trials of the Phantom Zone, and come out the end a very different character. An armor plated dark reflection of Superman intent on exacting revenge no longer on a forgotten ally - Jor-El - but rather a personal satisfaction against his sworn enemy, Kal-El.
The biggest difference between Zod and Shao Kahn is success-rate.
They each share a zealous, unfulfilled desire to see their enemies destroyed. Enemies to which they are the dark shadow, constantly scheming to undermine the virtues their heroic counterparts stand for. For both, depending on your timing, the entire Earth is the prize they seek, but it would be a vocational joy to the visceral pleasure they would take from beating their nemesis'.
Shao Kahn has always been the master to the sub-boss apprentice of Kintaro, (or Goro). If you were anything like me in 1993, you might have somehow mistaken Shao Kahn for a noble conqueror, whose praise of "outstanding" came even when inflicted upon himself! Alas; over the years Shao Kahn has become an increasingly weasly dictator, stripped of much of his mystery and magnificence. His schemes have devolved into lowly manipulations, and his conquests have come under heavy doubt as further treacheries were uncovered, like poisoning Outworld's previous ruler, The Dragon King.
Looking closer, one tends to wonder if the excess of Shao Kahn's deterioration might not be a symptom of the already well documented lax characterisation in MK's writing. Ham-fisted attempts to build on the evils of Kahn may have inadvertently undermined his presence as a powerful evil, which, to reiterate, has always been portrayed as senior to the Shokan Generals of his endless armies.
If Goro is comparable to the Massacres or Doomsdays of Superman's intergalactic gladiatorial challengers; Shao Kahn is much the same as Darkseid. The rules of the Elder Gods have very specifically held Shao Kahn in bondage, forcing him to envy his opponents from afar, sending minions to do his bidding in much the same way Darkseid manipulates from the dark planet, Apokolips.
For the sake of fantasy housekeeping, this is going to be an epic battle.
I think I've already mentioned that usually I'm not terribly inclined to specify either way, but it stands to reason that this is an exception worth noting. Shao Kahn and Zod are both exceptionally powerful battle hardened warriors capable of superhuman feats. As the senior counterpart of Zod, I want to say he might, depending on which version you draw upon, fall a little short of his Kryptonian junior. Somewhere in that arena I feel the immortal youth of Shao Kahn might provide the edge, but really, I'm wishing I could just call a draw right now!
As a Kryptonian enhanced by Earth's yellow sun, Zod is capable of much the same as his counterparts, Superman or Supergirl. This redundancy ultimately makes him a fairly unattractive prospect for a game that allows you to pit Superman against villain and hero. Should the MK team opt to include alternate skins to expand their roster - Zod seems like a fairly obvious choice. As a fan of minutia, however, I'd be reluctant to concede space to that kind of laziness.
Sorry, Zod. Kneel before Kahn!
The Math: Zod Our Winner: Shao Kahn
ERMAC
RANKING: [NR]
ODDS: [55%]ERMAC versus GREEN LANTERN
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Green Lantern 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Ermac 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Ermac 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Ermac 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic)
The Battle...
Alright, I can breathe a sigh of relief. A week late, we're finally to the last battle, and fortunately for me, it's a relatively interesting pairing!
There are certain standards of the Justice League that make them a reliable bunch. Nine times out of ten, if you're putting together a definitive version of the team, you're going to include a Flash (already confirmed), and you're going to include a Green Lantern. For those who don't know; these are superhero mantles that have been upheld by many different characters, which means there's a bit of a selection on offer, particularly when you talk about Green Lantern, who represents an intergalactic corps of space-cops!
I've been a little tricky here, and opted for the original Green Lantern!
Created by Bill Finger in 1940; Alan Scott possesses neither a power ring of the Oan Guardians of the Universe, nor the high chances of appearing in this game.
If you asked me to put forward my most likely choice, it'd be a successive list beginning with Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Guy Gardner bringing up the rear as an outsider chance. Alan Scott (or G'nort), not so much.
What some video game fans will struggle to appreciate is the long association with many DC comics characters. As evidenced by the recent leak of Catwoman; there's a strong precedent for history and design from the 1930's and 40's, where superhero comics get their origins from their pulp predecessors.
While reinvention has been the key to longevity for many of these licenses, comics very rarely discard of anything for long. The heroes of the 40's (the golden age) are enjoying career highs in the spotlight of titles like Justice Socitety of America where savvy comic fans are able to enjoy the historic value of retro-modern classics.
The 1940s were an era of accidental icons.
Batman creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger each drew heavily on influences of the time; such as, Zorro, the Shadow, and the Phantom. Even with elements bordering on plagiarism, a character like Batman was able to thrive, developing into his own prominent icon! It was accidental process like this that led to the development of Ermac; the once red ninja swap!
Ermac sightings began as early as the original Mortal Kombat, but the character would remain the stuff of arcade legend until officially making his debut in 1995's revisionist release, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. It was a red miscoloured version of the classic Scorpion/Sub-Zero ninja sprite that resulted in the legend, a symptom of early errors in MK builds, (the name standing for "Error Macro").
Ermac has since developed into one of the most interesting and unique fighters in the Mortal Kombat arena. A legion being made up of countless souls; Ermac possesses an eerie green aura that signifies the use of his telepathic and telekinetic abilities inherent to his status as a soul creature. In this respect, there's a graphic similarity to the Green Lantern, whose use of the Starheart manifests in bright green energy and constructs.
Decades of experience, training, and the near limitless powers of the Starheart, make me inclined to imagine Green Lantern has the tools necessary to resist the telekinetic persuasions of Ermac. Ermac is not without his own arsenal, but again, a sense of vulnerability and weakness that has characterized Ermac's earliest incarnations, makes it difficult to recognise the character at his fullest potential.
Further adding to the thematic similarities was the brief theory that the WWII era hero had long since passed, replaced by a sentient doppelganger composed completely of the Starheart energy. In this respect, Alan Scott's existence became that of a ghost, reminiscent of Ermac's own tangible unreality.
As interesting as Alan Scott is as an Elderstatesman in the DC Universe, he functions much the same as any of the more recognisable post-Silver Age characters. In fact, a weakness to wood, of all things, maybe makes him a little bit hokey for the Mortal Kombat universe. Still, I think I consider him my favourite incarnation of the character, and a worthy addition to our tour through both the Mortal Kombat and DC Universes.
I hope you have had the opportunity to scour both the Infinite Wars, and other resources, to better familiarize yourself with some of the names we've run through. There are still a great many DC characters suitable for appearance in Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe, and I look forward to continuing discussions about those, and the characters revealed, in the coming weeks!
The Math: Draw Our Winner: Green Lantern
Remember: Stay tuned, folks! There's plenty more Mortal Kombat (and more) to come from the Infintie Wars! Subscribe to the RSS, add the site to your bookmarks, or just keep visiting regularly! And if you didn't see your favourite characters mentioned in the Fantasy Fights, drop a name in the comments!
4 comments:
Shame that this is the last of the amtches. You missed out a few characters (Tanya, Kira, Kobra, Hsu Hao, Mokap) as well as a few big nams on the DC side (Poison Ivy for example).
@anonymous: I'm sure most won't be surprised by the six-or-so omissions from the MK cast of characters. A necessary casualty for the sake of my own sanity, and maybe even the credibility of the list. :-p
Poison Ivy is far from a "big name," but she might yet rear her flowery head sometime in the coming weeks.
In a list of thematic pairings of fighting characters, Ivy has a funny way of taking a very low priority for most, bar the slash-fictioners.
Cheers!
Dont get me wrong, Im not that big a fan of most of those omitted but come on, they are main characters, just as other lesser liiked characters you included (Kai, Jarek, Sheeva Rain), but they were left out, Yet you included nobodies like No-Face and Tremor.
I know Ivy isnt much of a fighter, but I think she might be a good character to put Tanya or Kira against. (HarleyQuin, PowerGirl, Raven or Crimson Fox would be good ideas for other to face these two). Tanya to me seems like she'd rather win things through tactics and cunning rather than flat-out fighting, similar to Ivy. Also people such as Robin, The Riddler, Catman or Flash might be good for the rest.
@anonymous: Naming everybody was never the name of the game, but at least you've brought those few to the attentions of anybody reading!
Poison Ivy really doesn't get much of a look in, as far as I'm concerned. However, you'll probably see her in that context, along with a lot of other DC names you mentioned, popping up in another MKvsDC-related update coming some time soon (for Mon).
Cheers!
Post a Comment