Bi-Han - also known as Sub-Zero - is a supporting character in the 2021 martial arts movie Mortal Kombat. Initially an assassin for the Lin Kuei clan, he was recruited by the sorcerer Shang Tsung to fight on behalf of Outworld in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Fearless, ruthless and possessing the power to conjure and manipulate ice, Sub-Zero is a force to be reckoned with.
History[]
Bi-Han was born in the late 14th century and came to become a master assassin after joining the Lin Kuei. In 1617, he led his clan in the extermination of their long-time enemies, the ninja clan of Shirai Ryu. Using his power of cryomancy, Bi-Han personally killed the wife and eldest son of Hanzo Hasashi. When Hanzo confronted him, Bi-Han killed him using his own kunai. However, Bi-Han was unaware that Hanzo had a remaining heir, an infant daughter that his wife had hidden in a secret compartment beneath the floorboards of their home. The thunder god, Lord Raiden, would take the child and hide her away where the Lin Kuei would not find her.
Through unknown means, most likely dark Outworld magic, Bi-Han would live well beyond a normal human lifespan. Discarding his birth name, he would become known as Sub-Zero and ally himself with the sorcerer Shang Tsung, who would assemble many warriors over the centuries to compete in Mortal Kombat. By the modern era, Outworld had secured nine successive victories in the tournament, needing only one more in order to be allowed to invade and conquer Earthrealm. Not one to play by the rules, Tsung sent Sub-Zero to hunt down Cole Young, an MMA fighter who had been prophecized to thwart Outworld's victory.
Sub-Zero would track down Cole while he was dining out with his wife Allison and their daughter Emily. As he attacked, he was interrupted by the intervention of the Special Forces officer Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs. Jax drove the Youngs to what he thought was a safe location, but Sub-Zero was able to follow them using magical portals. While Cole and his family drove towards a safehouse, Jax confronted Sub-Zero inside an abandoned building. The fight did not go well for Jax as Sub-Zero used his power to freeze and sever the Major's arms, crippling him. The cryomancer left Jax for dead, but the Major would survive after being rescued by Raiden's monks, who took him to the thunder god's temple to heal him.
After Earthrealm's champions had assembled at Raiden's temple, Sub-Zero joined Shang Tsung and Mileena in invading the temple. Before a fight could break out, Raiden created a barrier around the temple that prevented anyone from entering. This wouldn't stop the Outworlders indefinitely as Kabal later returned in order to sway Kano into siding with Shang Tsung. Easily convinced with promises of power and money, Kano destroyed Raiden's lightning staff, neutralizing the shield surrounding the temple and allowing the Outworlders to enter.
In the ensuing battle, the vampire Nitara was slain by Kung Lao, though Lao, in turn, had his soul devoured by Shang Tsung. The other Earthrealm fighters were brought into the Void by Raiden and together they formulated a battle plan, deciding to each strike at a different Outworld kombatant. Cole would battle against Mileena, Sonya would face Kano, Jax would battle Reiko and Liu Kang would face Kabal. Their strategy proved to be successful as each of the Outworlders were killed. However, while the champions had been busy fighting, Sub-Zero had been sent to abduct Cole's wife and daughter. Appearing through a cloudy portal in the middle of the temple, Sub-Zero showed Cole the strength bracelet Emily had been wearing, freezing it in his hand and crushing it to pieces. An enraged Cole then ran towards Sub-Zero, who stepped into the murky portal cloud and vanished.
Final Showdown[]
When Cole followed Sub-Zero through the portal, he emerged inside the gymnasium where he had fought his last MMA match. The venue had been completely frozen over by Sub-Zero's power, with Allison and Emily being held within the fighting cage, ice formations holding them against the mesh. Cole attacked Sub-Zero, but the Lin Kuei warrior proved to be too strong for him. As Sub-Zero held Cole in place, he noticed that Cole was holding the kunai once wielded by Hanzo Hasashi, still covered in his blood. As Cole gripped the kunai, it cut into his hand and his blood covered the worn blade. This, along with Cole's unlocked arcana, conjured the spectre of Hanzo back from the Netherrealm.
Taking back his kunai, Scorpion aided Cole in fighting Sub-Zero. While the ninja spectre fought his killer, Cole tried to free Emily and Allison from their icy bonds, but returned to Scorpion's side when he saw that Sub-Zero was winning. Giving everything they had, the two backed Sub-Zero into a corner and he removed some of his armour in order to gain more mobility. He managed to immobilize Scorpion, leaving Cole to fight him one-on-one, but Cole managed to down him on his own. Scorpion then demonstrated a new-found power to conjure hellfire, freeing both himself and Cole's wife and daughter.
Sub-Zero, badly bloodied, completely removed his helmet, showing the face of Bi-Han once more. Scorpion, however, downed him with chains, leaving him even worse off than before. He told Cole to leave the cryomancer to him and though Cole did not understand his words, his meaning was clear. Scorpion once more removed his mask, saying that he anticipated that his adversary hoped he would burn in the fires of Hell, but instead he learned to control them. He then let out a stream of hellfire from his mouth which engulfed Sub-Zero and incinerated him.