Hanzo Hasashi, better known as Scorpion, is a major character in the Mortal Kombat video game series and the animated film series Mortal Kombat Legends. Once a member of the Shirai Ryu ninja clan, he became an infernal spectre after his murder. Returning to Earth after rising out of the fiery depths of the Netherrealm, he seeks vengeance against those responsible for the slaughter of his family and clan. Scorpion is voiced by Patrick Seitz, who also voiced the character in the video games Mortal Kombat (2011) and Mortal Kombat X.
History[]
Scorpion's Revenge[]
Hanzo Hasashi was a member of the Shirai Ryu, a ninja clan based in a rural part of Japan. Though a mercenary and assassin, he was also an honourable warrior as well as a loving husband and father. However, one fateful day, the Shirai Ryu were attacked and slaughtered by their long-time rivals from China, the Lin Kuei. Enraged by seeing so many of his clansmen murdered, Hanzo flew into a vengeful fury, cutting down every Lin Kuei in sight until confronted by Sub-Zero, who held Hanzo's son Satoshi hostage. Hanzo got on his knees in surrender, but Sub-Zero still killed Satoshi after encasing Hanzo in ice up to his neck. The cryomancer then murdered the immobile Hanzo by thrusting an icicle through his mouth and out the back of his head.
After his death, Hanzo found himself waking up in a nightmarish realm, about to be tortured by demons. Through sheer force of will, he pulled away from the blades piercing his arms and legs and rushed towards an isle suspended in mid-air, fighting his way through a horde of demons to get there. Upon the isle, he met with the sorcerer Quan Chi, demanding to be sent back to the mortal plane. Quan Chi stated that he would send Hanzo back if he agreed to fight in the Mortal Kombat tournament and steal a magical artifact held in the treasury of Shang Tsung. Hanzo agreed, denouncing his original name and taking on the monniker Scorpion.
Scorpion travelled to Shang Tsung's island where he attempted to steal the mystical key from Shang Tsung's treasury. However, the thunder god Raiden appeared before him and tried to persuade him not to go through with the theft, stating that Quan Chi was keeping something from him. Later, Scorpion finally had the chance to take his revenge on Sub-Zero. Their battle ended with both ninja plunging into a spike-filled pit; Sub-Zero died from the impalement, but Scorpion, being undead, was able to survive.
As Scorpion lay upon the spike, Quan Chi appeared and expressed his disappointment in the spectre. The demonic sorcerer also took the time to gloat about how he was actually responsible for leading the Lin Kuei's attack against the Shirai Ryu, having used his magic to disguise himself as Sub-Zero. Quan Chi then left Scorpion, but the infernal ninja pulled himself off the spike with renewed fury, determined to make the sorcerer pay both for killing him and using him.
During the climax of the tournament, Scorpion interrupted Liu Kang's battle with Goro and killed the Shokan warrior before taking Shang Tsung hostage, forfeiting his status as a fighter in the tournament. By forfeiting, Scorpion secured Liu Kang's victory in the tournament. Shang Tsung escaped Scorpion's grasp and retreated back to Outworld. As soon as the sorcerer was gone, the island began to collapse and the Earthrealm warriors made their escape. Scorpion, meanwhile, battled against Quan Chi inside the crumbling palace.
Though he possessed powerful magic and significant skill in battle, Quan Chi was ultimately overwhelmed by Scorpion's onslaught. The spectre brutally killed Quan Chi, thereby avenging himself and the murder of his wife and son. His revenge complete, Scorpion stood solemnly as Shang Tsung's palace collapsed upon him.
Battle of the Realms[]
Following the collapse of Shang Tsung's island, Scorpion once again found himself in the blasted pits of the Netherrealm. There, he was greeted by the Netherrealm's ruler, the evil god known as Shinnok. Shinnok ordered Scorpion to return to Earthrealm and travel to the Temple of Elements where the Earth Kamidogu was being held. The key that Quan Chi had originally sent Scorpion to obtain had become entwined with the spectre's soul and was now a part of him, so his very presence would open the temple gates. Scorpion refused to be Shinnok's lackey and fled through a portal, but the Mad God was non-plussed as he already had agents in Earthrealm ready to track the revenant down.
Upon returning to Earthrealm, Scorpion travelled to the Wu Shi Academy where he met with Raiden. He asked the thunder god to remove the mystical key bound to his soul, but Raiden could no longer perform such a feat as he had sacrificed his godhood so that he could participate in a new Mortal Kombat tournament being held in Outworld. Scorpion became frustrated, but Raiden advised him that he had walked the line between good and evil for a long time and that soon he would have to choose a side. Following his meeting with Raiden, Scorpion found himself being pursued by the Lin Kuei, whose members had now been transformed into cybernetic killing machines. Sektor, Cyrax and Smoke attempted to capture Scorpion, but their efforts were interrupted by Kuai Liang, the new Sub-Zero, who wanted to kill Scorpion so that he could avenge his brother, Bi-Han. Feeling guilty over killing Bi-Han, Scorpion admitted his actions to Kuai Liang and was willing to submit himself to Liang's judgement, but requested that the ice ninja first help him in preventing his former comrades from obtaining the Kamidogu. Blinded by rage, Sub-Zero refused to listen and attacked Scorpion, but was forced to contend with the cyber-ninjas as well.
Scorpion would manage to escape from the Lin Kuei for a time, but he would ultimately be captured and used to unlock the Temple of Elements. With the temple opened, the cyber-ninjas prepared to terminate Scorpion, but Sub-Zero intervened and froze the cyborgs in place. Scorpion once again tried to convince Sub-Zero to help him in keeping the Kamidogu safe and Sub-Zero reluctantly agreed, though he stated that he would never forgive Scorpion and swore to kill him once their mission was complete.
When the cyber-ninjas broke free of the ice, they followed Scorpion and Sub-Zero into the temple. The two ninja warriors fought valiantly, but Sektor, Cyrax and Smoke ultimately overpowered them and acquired the Kamidogu. They returned to the Grandmaster with their prize as well as the captive Sub-Zero and Scorpion. They then delivered the Kamidogu to Shinnok, unaware of their client's identity until he revealed his plan to resurrect the One Being. The fallen Elder God summoned a horde of demons to slaughter the Lin Kuei, but Scorpion and Sub-Zero broke free of their bonds and fought off the beasts. However, they were too late to stop Shinnok from carrying out the incantation needed to unite the Kamidogu and the One Being was restored, using Shinnok's body as its vessel.
Once fully formed, the One Being began fusing all the realms of reality into one in preparation for absorbing them all into itself. As the merger began, Scorpion and Sub-Zero teleported away and joined Liu Kang and the other heroes of Earthrealm at Shao Kahn's fortress, informing them of what was happening. The Elder Gods appeared and blessed Liu Kang with their power, transforming him into a divine dragon capable of battling the One Being. While Kang fought the One Being in his dragon form, Scorpion and the others went about trying to protect the lives of the various innocent bystanders caught up in the chaos of the merger. In the end, the One Being was defeated and the merger was reversed, with Scorpion finding himself in Outworld standing among the other heroes following their victory.