Johnny Cage

Origin

During the tournament, he found himself fighting along-side Kano and Sonya against Goro. The island started to crumble after Liu Kang defeated Shang Tsung, but Johnny Cage managed to escape and headed back to America where he was held by Jax Briggs demanding to know what he knew of Sonya’s disappearance. Johnny told him but Jax didn’t believe him, after he was released he started work on his newest film… “Mortal Kombat,” starring himself of course.

While filming his movie, he was attacked by some of Shao Kahn‘s warriors, luckily Jax was there to help and they joined Earth’s other warriors to go to Outworld. Once Shao Kahn’s ruse was discovered, he went back with the others to the Earthrealm but was killed by one of Shao Kahn’s extermination squads. Since the Earth and Outworld were merging, his soul couldn’t pass on and he found himself alive again trying to help his friends. Later after Shao Kahn’s defeat, he fought again to stop Shinnok.

Some time later he lost creative control over his “Mortal Kombat” films and the producers kept killing him off and bringing him back in the movies. He felt humiliated but couldn’t get out of his contract. Raiden then apepared to him, but he didn’t initially realize it was THE Raiden and instead confused him with the actor playing Raiden in his movies. Raiden warned Johnny Cage about the Deadly Alliance and set off to help stop them. He was killed by their Tarkatan army but was brought back by Onaga as his servant, later to be freed by Liu Kang and Ermac.

In Armageddon, Cage had a vision of the apocalypse that shows the end of all the realms. He later witnessed the Fallen Elder Shinnok preparing an assault on the heroes. Johnny attacked Shinnok and “pummeled him” and hit him with a Shadow kick to the chest but Shinnok escaped through a portal. Johnny realising a war was coming assembled the heroes including the blind warrior Kenshi, the Wind lord Fujin, the princess Kitana and others. He told them of the coming danger and they are preparing for the final battle between the Forces of Light and the Forces of Darkness.

Mortal Kombat (2011): “There is no greater martial arts movie star than Johnny Cage. Films such as “Dragon Fist”, “Time Smashers” and “Citizen Cage” have made him one of the most highly paid actors in Hollywood. But there is more to Johnny than even he knows. He is a descendant of an ancient Mediterranean cult who bred warriors for the gods — warriors who possessed power beyond that of mortals. This legacy has made Johnny Cage a star. More important, it will aid him in the battle to come.”

Characteristics

  • Height: 6′
  • Weight: 190 lbs
  • Nationality: American
  • Martial Art: Shorin Ryu, Shinto Ryu, Karate, Jeet Kune Do
  • Weapons: Nunchaku, Bowie knife, Pistols.

Combat characteristics

Powers and abilities

Despite having the behavior of a comedian, Johnny Cage is a strong and agile warrior, showing an excellent fighting technique during a battle. Due to long periods of training with various masters of martial arts, Cage himself has acquired mastery of several fighting styles, such as the famous Karate.

Although Johnny Cage is a human being, he possesses superhuman powers. One of these is the ability to propel himself forward and increase the strength of his blows. When Cage uses this power, afterimages of a green color are produced. Cage can augment the power of these shadow attacks, which are represented by afterimages of a red color. In addition to these physical shadow abilities, Cage also has the ability to launch blasts of energy .

Signature moves

  • Shadow Kick: Cage slides across the floor with one foot at a steady speed and connects with a kick to the torso of his opponent with the other one. (MK)
  • Green Shadow Kick: Improving on the speed of his Shadow Kick, Cage kicks his opponent at an increased speed. This version produces a green-colored afterimage. In MK 2011 the move is once again called Shadow Kick, however, he keeps the green trail. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM, MK:DA, MK:A, MK 2011)
  • Red Shadow Kick: The most powerful incarnation of the Shadow Kick, which leaves a red trail. This is the enhanced version of the Shadow Kick in MK 2011 and is called Eclipse Kick, the range and damage of this technique is augmented, and Johnny Cage is armored while performing the kick. After the move is done, Johnny sometimes says “You got Caged!” or “Watch This!” (MKT, MK4, MKG, MK 2011)
  • Green Bolt: His original fireball traveled straight across the screen. (MK)
  • Plasmic Fireball: This fireball curved upwards, and would remain Cage’s standard projectile. In Deadly Alliance the screen shakes if the projectile hit the opponent, while in Armageddon the screen will not shake. In MK 2011 this is called a Forceball and can have a high arc or low arc. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011)
    • The enhanced versions are Double Low ball and Double High ball. On either one of these, Johnny fires a second ball in a straight direction at his opponent.
  • High Green Orb: A higher version of the curved fireball. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK 2011)
  • Triple Green Orb: Johnny shoots 3 low green orbs one after another. (MK:SM)
  • Split Punch: One of Cage’s most memorable moves where he does a split and punches the opponent in the groin. This previously only worked on male fighters. Available in both Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks and Mortal Kombat (2011), it can be performed on both male fighters and female fighters. In MK 2011 it is called Nut Punch. (MK, MKII, MK4, MKG, MK:SM, MK 2011)
    • The enhanced version is called Nutcracker and turns Cage’s fist green with energy.
  • Green Shadow Uppercut: Cage would leap into the air and deliver an uppercut with his elbow which launched his foe into the air, leaving a green trail. In MK 2011 Cage uses this move as his Breaker attack. (MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK 2011)
  • Red Shadow Uppercut: A faster version of the move, which leaves a red trail. In MK 2011, this move is done after the Ultra Flipkick and after performing this move he will say “Johnny Cage!”. (MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM, MK 2011).
  • Sliding Uppercut: A new move given to Cage had him do the split and rise up in the air delivering an uppercut to the opponent (this may resemble the “Shadow Uppercut” and the “Split Punch” combined). (MK:DA, MK:A)
  • Flipkick: Cage does a somersault kick that launches his foe into the air, leaving a green trail. (MK 2011)
    • The enhanced version is called Ultra Flipkick and leaves red trail, as well as following up with a Red Shadow Uppercut.
  • X-Ray Move – Ball Buster: Cage taunts his opponent. If, during this time, they attack him, he parries them and performs a triple Split Punch in the opponent’s groin area. As they double up, he jumps and then slams his elbow on their back, dealing damage to their spine. There was a glitch that allowed him to do this over and over again without any energy in the super meter by staying crouched while holding down the block button, but the glitch has since been patched. (MK 2011)

Fatalities

  • Deadly Uppercut: Johnny Cage delivers a bloody and savage uppercut that tears his opponent’s head off. A glitch allowed the fatality to be performed multiple times in MK. (MK, MKII, MKT, MK4, MKG, MK:SM)
  • Torso Rip: Johnny Cage grabs his enemy around the torso and rips their torso off, and throws it to the ground. (MKII, MK4, MKG, MK:SM)
  • Triple Punch Decapitation: A bizarre fatality in which Cage performs his uppercut fatality, only instead of one head, Cage knocks off three. Most likely done in parody of a glitch discovered in the first Mortal Kombat game, where Johnny Cage could knock off multiple heads in his fatality. (MKII, MKT)
  • Torso Kick: Johnny Cage begins to smoke, right before he performs a Shadow Kick that tears a portion of the opponent’s torso off. The remaining portion then falls on what remains of the enemy. (MKT N64)
  • Backbuster: Cage would lift his opponent over his head and then bend them over his shoulders causing the opponent to explode into pieces. Only available in the CD versions of the game. (MKT)
  • Brain Rip: Cage thrusts his hand through the enemy’s head and pulls out their brain. (MK:DA)
  • Forceful Shadow Kick: Cage performs a Shadow Kick strong enough for his foot to penetrate the enemy’s flesh. Only available in the SNES version of Mortal Kombat. (MK, MK:SM)
  • Super Split Punch: Cage performs his groin strike move, only takes it a step further by continuing to assault his opponent’s genitals with a series of punches until with one final blow, he punches the enemy in half. (MK:SM)
  • Heads Up: This fatality is a combination of the Deadly Uppercut and the Torso Rip fatalities. Cage uppercuts his opponent’s head off, then he finishes by ripping off their torso and throwing it to the ground as the head bounces up. He then catches the head and holds it up. (MK 2011)
  • And The Winner Is…: Johnny Cage karate chops the opponent’s head in half and takes out a trophy. He then says, “And the award goes to…” and plants the trophy in between the two chopped halves of the opponent’s head. Then while the announcer says “Johnny Cage Wins.” Johnny pushes the opponent, making them fall to the ground. For unknown reasons, Johnny does not plant the trophy in Kratos’ head, as Kratos simply falls backwards when he gets his head split. (MK 2011)

Other finishers

  • Friendship: Autograph: Johnny Cage signs a photo of himself stating: “To My Greatest Fan! Cage” (MKII, MKT)
  • Animality: Hyper Kangaroo Kick: Cage turns into a kangaroo and kicks his opponent off screen. (MKT)
  • Babality: Johnny Cage takes a pencil and paper and draws on it. The wind then blows the paper, making it land on the screen with the paper having a horribly drawn picture of himself and a few words saying, “To My Best Fan! Johnny Cage.” which is most likely a homage to his Friendship in earlier games, see above. (MK 2011)

Appearances

  • Mortal Kombat
  • Mortal Kombat II
    Mortal Kombat Trilogy
    Mortal Kombat 4
    Mortal Kombat Gold
    Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
    Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
    MK: Deception (cameo)
    Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
    Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
    Mortal Kombat (2011)

Other Media

Film and Animation

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