Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)

Scorpion is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. An undead ninja, he is principally defined by his quest to avenge the deaths of himself, his family, and his clan. His primary weapon is a kunai spear, which he uses to harpoon opponents, while his trademark fatality is the "Fire Breath" in which he removes his mask to reveal a skull right before immolating his opponent.

Debuting in the original 1992 game, Scorpion has appeared in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995). The character's backstory establishes him as Hanzo Hasashi (Japanese: 波佐志 半蔵), a warrior from the fictional Shirai Ryu clan who was killed by the elder Sub-Zero (Bi-Han) of the rival Lin Kuei clan. Subsequent games reveal that his family and clan were murdered by the sorcerer Quan Chi, who becomes Scorpion's primary target for vengeance. Depicted as a neutral party in most games, Scorpion generally forgoes the franchise's main conflicts to pursue his personal missions, which sometimes results in him taking the side that will help his objective. Scorpion is also both a rival and ally of the younger Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang).

Scorpion has received critical acclaim since his debut and frequently appears in media outside of the games. He is regarded as Mortal Kombat's most iconic fighter; series co-creator Ed Boon cites Scorpion as his favorite character.