Kabal

Origin

For many years, Kabal was a loyal member of the Black Dragon clan, until Shao Kahn broke the sacred rules of Mortal Kombat to instigate an invasion and took Earthrealm by storm. When Kahn began stealing souls, Kabal was spared from this gruesome fate because he was one of Earthrealm’s chosen warriors, destined to fight against Shao Kahn. Seeing all chosen warriors as a threat to his dominance, he ordered his extermination squads to annihilate him. Kabal managed to escape, but his face was left forever scarred, irreparably mutilated, and forced to rely on a respirator due to his windpipe being slit. The events of Shao Kahn’s invasion had profoundly changed Kabal; he left behind his life of crime with the Black Dragon and vowed to become a force for good; at least for a time.

Mortal Kombat (2011): “Once a member of the Black Dragon clan, Kabal gave up his life of crime and put his fighting skills to more positive uses. He joined the New York City police force to kombat the underworld element he once served. This transition helped ease the pain of dark memories. But when New York was invaded he underwent another transformation–one that would afflict him physically. Severely injured in battle, he is doomed to wear a life support system forever.”

After Sindel unexpectedly attacked the Earth Realm warriors after being corrupted by Shao Kahn, Kabal died at the hands of her along with most of his allies. He was the first to die in Sindel’s gruesome attack by being forcefully stepped on, on his throat. He is later revealed to be one of Quan-Chi’s mindless puppets after being resurrected in order to defeat and stop Raiden.

Characteristics

• Height: 6’2″
• Weight: 175 lbs
• Age: 35
• Nationality: Earthrealm
• Martial Art: Sun Bin, Goju Ryu

Appearances

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

Combat characteristics

Powers and abilities

Being a Black Dragon warrior, Kabal is a ruthless but level-headed kombatant. His weapon of choice is a pair of Hookswords, which he can use to eviscerate his enemies with ease. After being ambushed by Shao Kahn’s extermination squads, he is forced to wear a respirator system to keep himself alive, and wears a mask to hide his hideous deformity, which is apparently so revolting that other kombatants would cower in fear because of it (strangely though, in Mortal Kombat 2011, the kombatants are oblivious to his face).

Kabal’s other defining trait is his superhuman speed. He is able to move at such blinding speeds he appears as a blur, making him the fastest character in the series. His speed has even been compared to the Flash from the DC Universe.

Signature moves

• Raging Flash: Kabal runs forward at a very fast speed past his opponent, leaving them spinning into a dizzy state. In MK 2011 this is called Nomad Dash. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is called Nomad Charge. This increases the speed of Kabal’s start up.
• Gas Blast: Kabal fires a purple projectile from his mask. He can do this both on the ground and in the air. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is called Vapor Blast. This makes the projectile larger in size and increases damage.
• Sawblades: Kabal summons sawblades from the ground, cutting the opponent. In MK 2011 this is called Buzzsaw. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is called Saw Blades and sends two blades instead of one.
• Nomad’s Touch: Kabal thrusts out his hands towards the opponent, and – if they are in range – will be caught in an odd field that draws them in to collide with Kabal, though only the opponent gets hurt when they make contact. (MK:D, MK:A)
• Tornado Slam: Kabal takes both hookswords and slashes in front of him, if the opponent is in range, they will be hooked. He then spins the hookswords, spins the opponent around, and slams them on the ground. This move was once his grab move. (MK 2011)
  • The enhanced version is called Cyclone Slam. Kabal will spin the opponent around twice before slamming them.
• X-Ray Move – Kabal’s Deep: Kabal first uses his Raging Flash to daze his opponent before sliding in to break both of their shins. Afterwards, he runs up behind them and slashes the opponent’s back with his hook swords, causing damage to the shoulder blades, ribs, and spine before slamming the opponent to the ground. (MK 2011)

Fatalities

• Head Inflation: Kabal uses his respirator and inflates the opponent’s head like a balloon. The opponent floats on top of the screen. An explosion is heard as their blood, bones and organs rain down. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
• Freaky Face: Kabal removes his mask and reveals a horribly disfigured face. He screams at the screen as his hair rises before doing this to the opponent, which literally scares the soul out of them. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
• Hook Up: Kabal kicks his foe into the air and slices them in half with his hooksword. In MK 2011, the Fatality has him slicing the opponent vertically, with their head impaled on the hooksword upon impact. (MKD, MK 2011)
• Tornado Cut: Kabal kicks the opponent to make them start spinning, then pulls out a hooksword and slices the opponent into different pieces. (MKD)
• It Takes Guts: Kabal stabs his hookswords into his opponent’s intestines and rips them out. Then as they fall to the ground, he puts his swords on the ground with the blades above and the opponent falls into the swords, stabbing both shoulder blades. (MK 2011)

Other finishers

• Friendship: True Camper: Kabal roasts a marshmallow on one of his hookswords. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
• Animality: Rhino Charge: Kabal transforms into a skeletal rhino and rams the opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
• Hara-Kiri: Hooksword Surgery: Kabal drives a hooksword into his face and collapses on the floor. (MK:D)
• Babality: Kabal attempts to do a Raging Flash (crawling as he’s a baby), but fails and he ends up falling face first into the ground. He starts crying and a puddle of tears forms around him. (MK 2011)

Appearances in other media

Film

Kabal is mentioned along with Stryker in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation as warriors having been captured by the Edenian general Rain, but they do not actually appear in the movie.

Television

Kabal made one appearance in the cartoon series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, in which he betrayed Kano and the Black Dragon and befriended Sonya, after she expressed disgust over the prejudice he faced due to his disfigurement. Kabal is shown without disfigured features.