Origin
In life he was Bi-Han, the Elder Sub-Zero.
He completed many missions, some of them required him to kill people which he did with no remorse or mercy. He would be hired by Quan-Chi, a sorcerer, to acquire Shinnok’s sacred amulet for him, an item the sorcerer could not obtain himself. Unknown to Bi-Han is that Quan Chi also also hired Scorpion from a rival ninja clan to accomplish the same task. The two ninjas were both equally skilled and fought over their prize, Bi-Han defeated Scorpion and ripped his head off. Bi-Han was puzzled by Quan Chi’s actions and he demanded answers upon delivering the amulet. Quan Chi insisted that he only wanted to ensure the retrieval of the item should Bi-Han fail. As payment, Quan Chi delivered the bones of Scorpion’s clan.
Things were not done yet as Raiden would appear before Bi-Han and tell him of his folly, saying that Quan Chi wanted to use the amulet to free his master Shinnok, a fallen Elder God from the Netherealm, and told him how he could redeem himself. Bi-Han then embarked on a mission to the Netherealm to retrieve the amulet from Quan Chi and Shinnok. His trials were pressing as he fought the minions of hell, but he succeeded in taking back the artifact and was rescued by Raiden before Shinnok could kill him. However, while there he was offered by Quan Chi to join the Brotherhood of the Shadow and worship Shinnok, to which Bi-Han refused. But more to the point, Quan Chi revealed that he could only enter the Netherealm because his soul was tainted by evil. Worried, Bi-Han asked Raiden if it was true, Raiden confirmed it but told him that he could change his fate.
Bi-Han was later hired to assassinate Shang Tsung, the host of the Mortal Kombat tournament. He then participated in the tournament in order to get close to him, but was engaged in battle with Scorpion whom was now a hell-spawned specter and killed him. Bi-Han’s tainted soul went into the Netherrealm where it would be changed forever, as the seed of evil Quan Chi and Raiden had seen would be given the chance to grow. Bi-Han, once known as the Elder Sub-Zero would now become the dark wraith known only as Noob Saibot.
In the Netherealm, Noob Saibot would become a member of the Brotherhood of the Shadow and loyal follower of Shinnok, ruler of the Netherealm. He would be sent to serve Shao Kahn as a double agent, in a plot by Shinnok and Quan Chi. After Shinnok and Quan Chi failed in their quest after Shao Kahn’s defeat, Noob Saibot would continue to feign loyalty to Shao Kahn, and mortally wounded Goro when the Shokans rebelled against Shao Kahn. Noob Saibot however would grow tired of being a servant and sought power for himself, he discovered Smoke’s inactive body and re-programmed him to serve him, and together Noob Saibot plotted to conquer the Netherealm and achieve god-like power.
The recent Mortal Kombat 9 series reboot involves an altered timeline, in which Noob’s story remains fundamentally unchanged. Towards the game climax Quan Chi performs a spell to create a soulnado, and Sub-Zero confronts Noob Saibot. It is at this point he reveals himself as the elder brother, Bi Han, whom was resurrected by Quan Chi, and swiftly severs all ties with his former kin. Sub-Zero is able to defeat him in battle, but this is but a hollow victory as he is unable to halt the conjurings of Quan Chi, which creates a soulnado. Nnightwolf arrives on scene, sensing the magical disturbance, and subdues Quan Chi. He then engages Noob Saibot who is also defeated, and kicked into the soulnado, which seemingly kills him and consequently destroys the sorcerer’s construct.
Mortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical)
“Quan Chi should never have ressurrected Noob Saibot, no should he have enhanced his power to defeat Shao Kahn. The revenant he created had broken free of his control. Noob had secretly formed and understanding with a cleric from the realm of chaos, and opened for him a portal to the Netherrealm. Shinnok, Quan Chi and the brotherhood of shadow were unprepared as the forces of chaos overwhelmed them, leaving the Underworld severely weakened. Satisfied with his work the cleric, Havik, returned to the realm of chaos. Noob Saibot remained, to seize control of the Netherrealm.”
Powers and Abilities
As Sub-Zero, Noob Saibot possessed the ability to manipulate ice and cold. As a Shadow Wraith however, his powers would change to revolve around darkness. He’s able to animate his shadow and manipulate the form which shall act as he wishes, serving as another presence in combat. He can also create portals which he can use to teleport himself or others.
He’s also able to blend in with the shadows and become nearly invisible, as well as project a ghostly ball which is able to temporarily nullify the powers of others. His body has demonstrated the ability to transform entirely into an oily liquid-shadow state.
Characteristics
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 210 lbs
- Nationality: Chinese American
Age: 32 (at Death) - Martial Art: Monkey Fist and other styles.
Appearances
As Sub-Zero
- Mortal Kombat
- Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
- Mortal Kombat Trilogy
- MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero
- Mortal Kombat (2011)
As Noob Saibot
- Mortal Kombat II (unplayable)
- Mortal Kombat 3 (unplayable)
- Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
- Mortal Kombat Trilogy
- Mortal Kombat Advance
- Mortal Kombat 4
- Mortal Kombat Gold
- MK: Tournament Edition
- MK: Deception
- MK: Shaolin Monks
- MK: Unchained
- Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
- Mortal Kombat (2011)
Saibot’s former identity of Sub-Zero appears in the first Mortal Kombat movie as one of Shang Tsung’s guardians, played by François Petit. He fought Liu Kang, and used his freezing abilities to create a force field in an attempt to draw Liu Kang in to his death, but was himself killed after Liu Kang threw a nearby wooden bucket of water (placed there by Raiden to aid Kang) towards the force field, creating an icicle, on which he was impaled. His relationship with Scorpion is all but ignored; Shang Tsung only remarks that they are the “deadliest of enemies, but slaves under my power.“
Noob Saibot (played by J. J. Perry) appears in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, emerging from Ermac’s chest to assist him in his fight with Sonya Blade. Almost successful in killing her, they are stopped by Jax Briggs who quickly slays Saibot. No reference to him originally being Sub-Zero is mentioned.
Noob Saibot, played by Master Sultan Uddin, also appeared in Mortal Kombat: Conquest. In the eponymous episode, Saibot was an imprisoned Outworld warrior mistakenly released by Siro and Taja; Saibot was then recruited by a sorceress to assassinate Kung Lao, a task at which he failed. In this incarnation, Saibot was completely covered in or made of black oil, and he wielded an Escrima stick that he could use as a striking weapon. Fire seemed to make him explode.
Sub-Zero’s older brother, the original Sub-Zero, appears briefly in the first episode of Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, in a flashback which shows him being defeated by Liu Kang like in the first movie. However, because the show was being aimed at a younger audience, instead of getting impaled by an ice stalagmite like in the movie, Sub-Zero froze himself instead.
In Mortal Kombat: Legacy, the Lin Kuei draws out a still mortal Scorpion into a fight against Bi-Han (Sub-Zero) in order to keep Scorpion from protecting his village. Bi-Han kills Scorpion’s Shogun by freezing him, and then proceeds to sneak up on Scorpion, throwing him through the Shogun’s remains. Bi-Han then stomps on the Shogun’s frozen head before conversing with his rival, basically telling him the Lin Kuei plan before they fight. Scorpion eventually manages to defeat him. When he reaches the village he witnesses his family’s frozen remains and then is himself killed by Sub-Zero from behind. At the end, Sub-Zero is revealed to be Quan Chi, who impersonated him in order to make Scorpion believe Sub-Zero murdered his family and clan, so he can gain his allegiance for the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament.