Ermac

Origin

Ermac is an entity composed of legions of dead souls created by Shao Kahn, most likely out of souls he had previously taken. On one mission for Shao Kahn in the Netherealm, Ermac became acquainted with Shujinko. He was also assaulted by Ashrah, who believed him to be a demon.

Ermac served as one of Shao Kahn’s greatest warriors, participating in the invasion of Earthrealm. However, after Shao Kahn’s defeat and subsequent loss of power, Ermac remained under Kahn’s control and wandered Outworld without instructions. During the events of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, the wandering Ermac was found by Kenshi and was freed from Kahn’s control. To show his gratitude, Ermac taught Kenshi the art of telekinesis.

Ermac’s newfound freedom meant he was also free to chose his own destiny. He dicided to repent for his earlier ways and became a force for good. After making this decision, he met a warrior soul who, like Kenshi, understood suffering. This warrior soul was that of Liu Kang, who was not only in need of another ally, but also assistance in freeing his enslaved comrades. Seizing the opportunity to atone for the evil he had committed in Kahn’s name, Ermac decided to help Liu Kang, and the pair successfully freed Liu’s allies from Onaga‘s control. In his Mortal Kombat: Deception ending, he is described by Shujinko as being capable of battling all five by himself with relative ease.

In Ermac’s Mortal Kombat: Armagedon ending, it is said that after Blaze, the many souls contained within Ermac are released and form new bodies. They are all connected to each other mentally in a collective conscience, now making Ermac no longer just a fusion of souls, but an army.

Ermac also appeared in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, in which one”game over” message reads, “Ask” Ermac for Help.” This is designed as a hint to the player of how to encounter the hidden boss fight with Ermac at the Warrior Shrine. He brings a statue of Cage to life to aid him in his fight against Kung Lao and Liu Kang.

Ermac features on multiple occasions as a subservient to Shao Kahn throughout the Mortal Kombat 9 reboot. In this altered timeline he is revealed to be the cause of Jax’s mechanical arms, tearing off both organic ones with his telekinesis when Jax, Sonya Blade and the younger Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang/Tundra) disturb his regeneration process. His arcade ending reads as follows:

“With Shao Kahn dead, Ermac was no longer bound to him. Anarchy erupted within Ermac as the many warrior souls that comprised his being struggled for dominance. Only one had the strength of will to quiet the chaos. The conflict resovled, Ermac returned to Outworld, determined to reunite with his past. Queen Sindel and Princess Kitana were shocked to learn the truth, that trapped among the many spirits within Ermac was their husband and father, King Jerrod. Though he would never be the Jerrod they once knew, Ermac would forever serve and protect his queen and the Edenian people.“

Characteristics

• Height: 5’8″
• Weight: 180 lbs
• Age: Less than a year
• Nationality: Outworlder
• Martial Art: Choy Lay Fut, Hua Chuan
• Preferred Weapon: Single Bladed Axe

Appearances:

• Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
• Mortal Kombat Trilogy
• Mortal Kombat Advance
• Mortal Kombat: Deception
• Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
• Mortal Kombat: Unchained
• Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat
• Mortal Kombat (2011)
• Mortal Kombat (glitch)

Combat characteristics

Powers and Abilities

As mentioned above, Ermac is not one person, but an entire collection of warriors brought together in physical form through magic, courtesy of Shao Kahn and thus, refers to himself as a group instead of a singular. Because of this, Ermac possesses powers related to the souls, mostly used in the form of telekinesis, which allows him to manipulate every aspect of living and non-living objects with his mind. In addition, he is able to manipulate soul energy because of his composition, which he uses in the form of both levitation and firing projectile attacks. Ermac’s one weakness is the Netherrealm itself. Since he is a being created by magic, his powers would decrease over time the longer he stays in that realm, weakening the bond holding the souls together and threatening his very existence.

Signature moves

• Teleport Punch: Just like Scorpion, Ermac vanishes in a cloud of fire and reappears behind his opponent punching them. This move can also be performed in the air. In MK 2011 he vanishes and reappears through green energy, and the move is named Force Port. (UMK3, MKT, MK:SM, MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is named Teleport. Ermac connects with the first punch and hits them with his elbow to knock the opponent down to the ground.
• Telekinetic Slam: Using his telekinetic powers, Ermac lifts his opponent and slams them hard on the ground allowing for a combo. In MK 2011 this is named Force Lift. (UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is named Telelift. Ermac lifts the opponent and slams them an additional time behind him, before the initial slam.
• Hado-Energy: Ermac sends a green zig-zag beam slithering at his opponent. This is named Force Ball in MK 2011 and can be done in the air, which is named Airblast. (UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is named Focus Ball, and the enhanced air attack is named Force Blast. The energy produced is larger.
• Mystic Float: Ermac uses his telekinesis to propel himself into the air for a few seconds. (MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
  • Mystic Bomb: After performing Mystic Float, Ermac slams his back down onto the ground, creating a small shock wave. In MK 2011 Ermac does this automatically after a few seconds in the air and is named Hover Slam. The player can delay the slam for a few more seconds as well. Also, while Ermac is in the air, you can cancel into either a Force Port or an Air-blast. (MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
    • The enhanced version is named Levitate Smash and can also be delayed for a short time.
  • Dive Kick: After performing “Mystic Float”, Ermac dives forward with an aerial kick. (MK:D, MK:A)
• Telekinetic Throw: Ermac telekinetically tosses his opponent across the arena behind him. (MK:D, MK:A)
• Low Telekinetic Toss: Ermac does almost the same as in Telekinetic Throw, but he tosses an enemy making him touch the ground. This move is followed by an uppercut. (MK:SM)
• Telekinetic Air Strike: Ermac makes air pressure much higher so it hits an opponent. Works only while in the air. (MK:SM)
• Telekinetic Tornado: Ermac makes a shield around himself then a lot of small hado-energy projectiles rise up striking the opponent if he is close to Ermac. He uses this move only in the final part of his boss battle. (MK:SM)
• Force Push: Ermac lifts his opponent via telekinesis, floating them backwards helplessly until he strikes them with a telekinetic blast. (MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is named Telepush. Instead of striking them with another telekinetic blast, Ermac flips the opponent upside down and slams them down face first.
• X-Ray Move – Cannonball Slam: Ermac lifts up his opponent with his telekinetic powers and slamsthem into the ground headfirst, breaking the skull, spine and neck. Ermac then hovers above his enemy with his Mystic Float and does an elbow drop to the opponent’s back, crushing their spine and ribs. (MK 2011)

Fatalities

• Telekinetic Slams: Ermac repeatedly slams the opponent with his telekinetic powers until they explode. In MK:D he yells “YES!” after the opponent explodes. (UMK3, MKT, MK:D)
• Uppercut Explosion: Ermac uppercuts an opponent which explodes on contact. (MKADV)
• Uppercut from Hell: Ermac unleashes a devastating uppercut that decapitates the opponent (UMK3, MKT)
• Telekinetic Tear: Ermac lifts the victim into the air with his telekinetic powers. With both hands, he brings them together as the opponent’s body is suddenly forced into a fetal-like position before spreading the opponent out and rips them in half. (MK:D)
• Boss Fatality: Ermac makes three telekinetic slams then he rises up an enemy and two stones. Then he powerfully strikes an enemy with these stones. (MK:SM)
• Mind Over Splatter: Ermac lifts his opponent in the air with his powers, then rips off their arms and legs. He then smashes them headfirst into the ground causing their head to collapse. (MK 2011)
• Pest Control: Ermac shrinks the opponent with his powers. The opponent starts running around in fear, then Ermac stomps on them. He then cleans his boot off on the ground. (MK 2011)

Other Finishers

• Friendship: Rabbit Transformation: Ermac levitates the opponent, makes them disappear, then makes them reappear as a rabbit. (UMK3, MKT)
• Friendship # 2: PC-in-the-Box: Ermac winds up a box and a computer erupts out of the box at a dizzied opponent. (MKADV)
• Animality: Frog With The Mouth: Ermac turns into a frog. It then opens its mouth at the feet of the opponent and then eats him/her alive. (UMK3, MKT)
• Hara-Kiri – Head Slams: Ermac smashes his own head to the floor until it explodes. (MK:D)
• Babality: Ermac tries to perform a Mystic Float, but ends up just getting stuck in the air. Then “they” start crying. (MK 2011)

Film

Ermac appeared in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and was played by John Medlen. He served as one of Shao Kahn’s generals, though he was never identified by name. Noob Saibot spawned from Ermac’s body during the latter’s fight with Sonya Blade near the end of the film.

Television

Ermac appeared in the last two episodes of the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. In the twelfth episode, he and his army attempted to use a non-canon female ninja, Ruby, to defeat Jax and to lure the other warriors to their doom.

Ruby proved to be true to her friends on the side of good, however, and Ermac’s forces were defeated. He returned in the series finale as part of an attempt to stop Kitana‘s overthrow of Kahn from the Outworld throne. Ermac;s appearance in both episode was a normal human who had an allegiance to Kahn. He revealed a goatee and receding hairline when he unmasked, with his only inhuman feature being his solid white eyes.