HSU HAO versus KENSHI
Blood Ties: Prelude (DC)
Where: Mortal Kombat X #1 When: March 2015
Why: Shawn Kittelsen How: Dexter Soy
The Story So Far...
While under deep cover with the Red Dragon clan, Special Forces agent Kenshi learned of the existence of a son living in Thailand. Abandoning his post, and the search for cultist Daegon, he raced to Lampang, where he arrived to find a bloodbath and the boy's dead mother: Suchin.
Finding his son in the next town, Kenshi must take the boy on the run as the Red Dragon pursue the double agent across Asia. The chase takes them to the wilderness of The Himalaya, where Hsu Hao leads a search right on his tail! With arrows soaring above, the fight is on!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hsu Hao 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Kenshi 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Kenshi 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Kenshi 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Kenshi 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Kenshi 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Hsu Hao 5 (Lasers)
Total: Kenshi 24 (Champion)
Most MK fans will tell you the writing's on the wall for this one...
Hsu Hao remains one of the great unloved characters from the series' 27 year history! If you're looking for him in the latest game, you'll only find a billboard reference to Hsu Hao watches, and Erron Black carrying his decapitated head!
The meta-text spells swift death for Hsu Hao, but in the arena of kombat he isn't necessarily a slouch! He's a physically powerful grappler, balancing his preference for close-quarters hand-to-hand fighting with a cybernetic heart capable of firing deadly energy beams. Think Bane with a touch of classic Metallo and you've got a rough idea of what this guy can do.
In his original video game appearance Hsu Hao was accomplished enough to infiltrate the Special Forces of the Outer-world Investigation Agency. In truth, he was a member of the ancient Red Dragon clan -- rival criminal organization to the better known Black Dragon. He was supposedly killed on debut once discovered by Jax, but Mortal Kombat is now existing in a new, rebooted timeline. So here he is -- for the first time all over again!
Blind sword saint Kenshi is undoubtedly a more skilled fighter than Hsu Hao, but faces overwhelming odds against the Red Dragon's innumerable foot soldiers. He's on the run - having spent time undercover with the clan in a reversal of roles with Hsu Hao. The necessary abruptness of his exit means he's burdened with the safety of a young son: Takeda. That could slow him down.
The once arrogant Kenshi wandered Japan, challenging warriors to prove his superiority as a swordsman. He was blinded when Shang Tsung tricked him into breaching the tomb seal of his warrior king ancestors. From this adversity, Kenshi learned to see with his mind's eye, mastering telekinesis and intuition that allows him to commune with the spirits of his ancient ancestors.
Hsu Hao missed the all-in melee of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's opening sequence, but Kenshi featured, going 1-from-2 in fatal encounters with Sheeva, and Quan Chi. The intro offered a brief showcase of his swordsmanship.
Kenshi should be the favourite, but he enters the battle already under attack from overwhelming numbers, and fatigued from being on the run. His friends in the Special Forces won't be here to save him. Let's see what happens...
The Tape: Kenshi Ranking: Kenshi (#355)
What Went Down...
In the wilderness of the Himalayan ranges, Kenshi dashes across the grass with his son on his back. The small boy notices a volley of arrows, calling his fathers attention to the incoming threat. With a simple gesture, Kenshi cuts the arrows out of the air with his telekinetically guided sword!
The leaping sword saint lands heavy -- one arrow found its way into his leg!
He orders his son to run as Red Dragon soldiers arrive upon them on motorcycles. Hsu Hao leads, gloating that even the impressive mind of Kenshi fatigues when he's been running all night. They trade threats. Kenshi strikes!
Once again Kenshi's sword takes flight, but before it can pierce the cold heart of Hsu Hao its blasted out of the air by his cybernetic laser!
Somewhere nearby, Kenshi's son runs afoul a wayward member of the Red Dragon. Looming over the child, the foot soldier points to a scar he received from the boy's father. He contemplates selling Takeda into Outworld slavery -- only to be punished for his wicked words when a chain and kunai suddenly explode through his throat!
Where: Mortal Kombat X #1 When: March 2015
Why: Shawn Kittelsen How: Dexter Soy
The Story So Far...
While under deep cover with the Red Dragon clan, Special Forces agent Kenshi learned of the existence of a son living in Thailand. Abandoning his post, and the search for cultist Daegon, he raced to Lampang, where he arrived to find a bloodbath and the boy's dead mother: Suchin.
Finding his son in the next town, Kenshi must take the boy on the run as the Red Dragon pursue the double agent across Asia. The chase takes them to the wilderness of The Himalaya, where Hsu Hao leads a search right on his tail! With arrows soaring above, the fight is on!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hsu Hao 4 (Enhanced)Intelligence: Kenshi 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Kenshi 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Kenshi 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Kenshi 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Kenshi 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Hsu Hao 5 (Lasers)
Total: Kenshi 24 (Champion)
Most MK fans will tell you the writing's on the wall for this one...
Hsu Hao remains one of the great unloved characters from the series' 27 year history! If you're looking for him in the latest game, you'll only find a billboard reference to Hsu Hao watches, and Erron Black carrying his decapitated head!
The meta-text spells swift death for Hsu Hao, but in the arena of kombat he isn't necessarily a slouch! He's a physically powerful grappler, balancing his preference for close-quarters hand-to-hand fighting with a cybernetic heart capable of firing deadly energy beams. Think Bane with a touch of classic Metallo and you've got a rough idea of what this guy can do.
In his original video game appearance Hsu Hao was accomplished enough to infiltrate the Special Forces of the Outer-world Investigation Agency. In truth, he was a member of the ancient Red Dragon clan -- rival criminal organization to the better known Black Dragon. He was supposedly killed on debut once discovered by Jax, but Mortal Kombat is now existing in a new, rebooted timeline. So here he is -- for the first time all over again!
Blind sword saint Kenshi is undoubtedly a more skilled fighter than Hsu Hao, but faces overwhelming odds against the Red Dragon's innumerable foot soldiers. He's on the run - having spent time undercover with the clan in a reversal of roles with Hsu Hao. The necessary abruptness of his exit means he's burdened with the safety of a young son: Takeda. That could slow him down.
The once arrogant Kenshi wandered Japan, challenging warriors to prove his superiority as a swordsman. He was blinded when Shang Tsung tricked him into breaching the tomb seal of his warrior king ancestors. From this adversity, Kenshi learned to see with his mind's eye, mastering telekinesis and intuition that allows him to commune with the spirits of his ancient ancestors.
Hsu Hao missed the all-in melee of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's opening sequence, but Kenshi featured, going 1-from-2 in fatal encounters with Sheeva, and Quan Chi. The intro offered a brief showcase of his swordsmanship.
Kenshi should be the favourite, but he enters the battle already under attack from overwhelming numbers, and fatigued from being on the run. His friends in the Special Forces won't be here to save him. Let's see what happens...
The Tape: Kenshi Ranking: Kenshi (#355)
What Went Down...
In the wilderness of the Himalayan ranges, Kenshi dashes across the grass with his son on his back. The small boy notices a volley of arrows, calling his fathers attention to the incoming threat. With a simple gesture, Kenshi cuts the arrows out of the air with his telekinetically guided sword!
The leaping sword saint lands heavy -- one arrow found its way into his leg!
He orders his son to run as Red Dragon soldiers arrive upon them on motorcycles. Hsu Hao leads, gloating that even the impressive mind of Kenshi fatigues when he's been running all night. They trade threats. Kenshi strikes!
Once again Kenshi's sword takes flight, but before it can pierce the cold heart of Hsu Hao its blasted out of the air by his cybernetic laser!
Somewhere nearby, Kenshi's son runs afoul a wayward member of the Red Dragon. Looming over the child, the foot soldier points to a scar he received from the boy's father. He contemplates selling Takeda into Outworld slavery -- only to be punished for his wicked words when a chain and kunai suddenly explode through his throat!
Hsu Hao is unaware of his minion's fate as he stands over Kenshi with blood running from his fists. He mocks the sword saint for failing to kill them, for hiding instead of fighting. Almost too beaten to speak, Kenshi croaks an ominous correction: "Not... hiding... Trespassing."
Again the mysterious kunai on a chain flies out of nowhere -- smashing through the lens of Hsu Hao's cybernetic enhancement! The spear-like weapon catches inside, launching Hsu Hao off his feet as its master pulls it back!
The flaming fist of Scorpion greets Hsu Hao with deadly accuracy! The force of the blow drives his fist straight through Hsu Hao's head -- spraying blood across the battlefield! The ninja barks a familiar command: "GET OUT OF HERE!"
A Red Dragon archer challenges the lone ninja, positing even he couldn't defeat them all. The point is rendered moot as a group of Shirai-Ryu ninja emerge from the surrounding wood behind their master. Scorpion wins!
The Hammer...
A dangerous plan plays out as Kenshi lures the Red Dragon into a Scorpion victory! Had the ninja arrived a second later - it would've been a very different result! Still a reasonably impressive showing for the losers, particularly considering Hsu Hao's notorious infamy!The fight comprises the opening five pages of Mortal Kombat X #1, and was used to promote the launch of the series in digital and print formats. It ticks the boxes in terms of action, but had me feeling trepidatious upon first impression.
The importance of blood & guts to Mortal Kombat has always been exaggerated. Kung fu standards and character-driven finishing moves are a fun trademark of the games, but within a narrative setting it just wouldn't be satisfying to see all the characters killed. That isn't what makes Mortal Kombat worth following.
I say that knowing full well that the series has made a habit of temporarily killing off a chunk of its cast, particularly in the most recent installments.
Indeed, much of Mortal Kombat X deals with the fallout from 2011's Mortal Kombat, which retold and rewrote elements of the original canon, most notably concluding with the mass deaths of a majority of original trilogy heroes.
Liu Kang, Kitana, and all the iconic favourites were immediately restored, and made playable in MKX as revenants serving Quan Chi. A dubious solution that quickly stripped any dramatic tension from the threat of death, and weakened the unique status of characters like Scorpion and Noob Saibot by also redefining all fighters returned from the Netherrealm as "revenants".
Long time fans will remember Scorpion as a "spectre" whose personal tragedy drove him to return from Hell to seek vengeance against his killer. His Ghost Rider-like flaming skull, and lust to avenge the murder of his family & clan, gave meaning and distinction to what a spectre's curse could be. Even the revelation that his murdered nemesis, Sub-Zero, had returned as Noob Saibot, contributed something new and unique to the mythology: a rare example of a "wraith".
Case in point: I'm not strictly opposed to characters escaping death, but you can only play that card so many times before you kill the gimmick. It should be an exception to prove the rule, used as scarcely as death itself.
Notoriously unpopular Hsu Hao seems like a perfect candidate for permanent execution, but I'm reminded of Mysterio's demise in Daredevil #7, where the choice to knock-off an unfashionable villain nixed potential for a strong rethink.
I've long thought Mortal Kombat could gain something much more valuable by leaning in to Hsu Hao's bitter unpopularity, repurposing him as Frankenstein's Monster meets Kenny from South Park. A character comically destroyed each game, who returns stitched together with new Red Dragon tech and magic.
MK's checked a lot of boxes when it comes to movie references and archetypes, but there hasn't really been a Frankenstein type. I think Hsu Hao could suit that niche quite nicely, and become a more beloved character in the process.
After today's battle it seemed quite impossible. It's kind of hard to rebuild a guy once his head's been completely exploded. However, the tenuous premise that MKX comics would be tie-ins that actually matter has pretty much gone out the window. Hsu Hao makes a cameo in Mortal Kombat 11 as a very much intact, but decapitated head, during one of Erron Black's fight intros.
Hope springs eternal that Hsu Hao might get a second shot, but the series has come a long way since Daedly Alliance, and Mortal Kombat always has a tendency to relive material from the seminal titles of the early nineties. The next opportunity might not present itself for quite a while.
In fact, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge will take the series back to the tournament of the first game when the animated feature streams next week - April 12th! A home release follows later in the month, which you can order below using the Amazon link provided.
You can also find today's featured fight collected in Mortal Kombat X Vol. 1: Blood Ties. Using Amazon purchase links provided will not only get you a good deal - it helps support the site at no extra cost. So get over here!!
You can find more Mortal Kombat by following links throughout this post, or by diving into the Secret Archive where every featured fight is indexed by publisher and series. Scroll past the DC and Marvel lists to find more from MK!
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Winner: Scorpion (w/ Kenshi & Takeda)
#140 (+274) Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi) [+2 kills]
#346 (+9) Kenshi [+1 assist]
#581 (new) Takahashi Takeda [+1 assist]
#909 (new) Hsu Hao
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