Top 10 Most Evil Mortal Kombat Fighters

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Evil Mortal Kombat Characters.

For this list, we’ll be looking at those demons, humans, and emperors in “Mortal Kombat” who are evil incarnate. We won’t be including guest characters.

Who is your favorite villain in “Mortal Kombat?” Let us know in the comments below!

Introduced in "Mortal Kombat 11" as another one of Shao Kahn's subordinates, the Kollector is driven by financial gain and power. Considering the Naknadas’ history as slaves and the Kollector's own past in poverty, this fighter does have some sympathetic qualities, at least when it comes to his backstory. In action, the Kollector used his association with Kahn to steal from Outworld's people, an act fueled by personal gain rather than a sense of duty to his master. Ultimately, the Kollector seems to use his species' history as a justification for his acts of cruelty, not that he cares much what anyone else thinks.

Created to be the evil version of Kitana, Mileena has certainly lived up to her reputation. When she is not trying to take down Kitana, which is about 99% of the time, Mileena can be found eyeing Outworld's throne, a feat she accomplished in the aftermath of 2011's "Mortal Kombat." The brutal warrior's lust for power is only superseded by Mileena's drive for self-preservation, a motive that ensures any allies are only temporary. While Mileena's reign as Outworld's Empress was even less popular than Shao Kahn's, the character did grow a bit following her fall from the throne.

An insatiable thirst for conquest defines one of "Mortal Kombat's" most iconic villains, a tyrant who has been almost a constant presence since the second game. Shao Kahn's brutality and ambition have proven time and again to be a disastrous combination, and many of the worst tragedies in the franchise's history can be traced to the Emperor. Shao Kahn has invaded Earthrealm in an attempt to rule all the realms, leaving devastation in his wake. On a more personal level, Kahn manipulated Kitana for most of her life, hiding the fact that he’s responsible for her real father’s death.

The original Sub-Zero, Noob Saibot met a fiery end at the hands of Scorpion after the original Mortal Kombat tournament. Death proved to be just a minor inconvenience for Bi-Han, who was revived as a Wraith by Quan Chi. Before his demise, Bi-Han was a ruthless assassin with buckets of blood on his hand and very little morals, a life that made him susceptible to complete corruption in death. Aligning himself with the worst of the worst, Noob Saibot has shown little indication that he's capable of even the slightest act of kindness.

Before Shao Kahn ruled Outworld, the throne belonged to the Dragon King, Onaga. A powerful being with a feared army, Onaga sought immortality, a dream that might have been realized if not for Shao Kahn. A lack of screentime means only snippets of the Dragon King's personality have been explored, but Onaga does come across as a big bad who seeks total power. In "Deception's" non-canon ending, Onaga basically consumes everything that exists in "Mortal Kombat's" universe. Onaga is also a master manipulator who made the most out of Shujinko's naivety.

While there are plenty of more powerful and dangerous villains in "Mortal Kombat," perhaps none are as hatable as Kano. The Black Dragon's leader, Kano has yet to find a back that could not be improved with a knife in it, particularly if riches are to be gained from the betrayal. Devoid of anything resembling ethics, Kano delights in being the most detestable person in any given room, and the mercenary is smart enough to play nice with the biggest of bads. Kano fights dirty, lives cruelly, and relishes embracing both.

A fallen Elder God turned ruler of Netherrealm, Shinnok yearns to control Earthrealm and take down those who banished him. A pure evil being known to pull the strings of war from behind-the-scenes, Shinnok matches an overwhelming amount of power with terrifying cunning and a massive army. After being banished to Netherrealm, Shinnok seized control of this space by usurping Lucifer, cementing himself as the head honcho of demons and monsters. Shinnok is a corruptive force with no semblance of decency and has the resolve to bring an end to all of reality.

Trusting this demon is ill-advised at the best of times. Despite typically being presented as a secondary antagonist, Quan Chi tends to play a major part in most threats, be it inspiring Shao Kahn to invade Earthrealm or awakening Onaga's forces. Subservient to Shinnok, the sorcerer was directly responsible for freeing the fallen Elder God from his Netherrealm prison, although Quan Chi's loyalty is to nobody but himself. In the neverending pursuit for power, Quan Chi has twisted many warriors to his will, with Scorpion and Bi-Han being used as pawns by the sorcerer.

Back in the days of Midway, Sindel led a sad existence as a queen forced to marry her kingdom's conqueror. Shao Kahn brainwashed Sindel into aiding him, but the Edenian ruler eventually broke free and returned to the side of good. NetherRealm's games initially repeated this formula, at least until "Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath" revealed that Sindel willingly joined Shao Kahn's ranks and personally took out her husband and Edenia's former king. Sindel betrayed her kingdom, lying to her subjects and her daughter, Kitana, in the process. In the original timeline, Sindel was a hero who looked like a villain; following "Aftermath," Sindel is a pure villain who masqueraded as a tragic hero.

Whether staging tournaments or working in his Flesh Pits, Shang Tsung can be consistently relied upon to be the absolute worst. Despite being a human, Shang Tsung worked for Shao Kahn, helping the Emperor in his quest to conquer Earthrealm. Although far from weak, the sorcerer's intelligence is his most terrifying strength. Tsung has a history of manipulating heroes like Kenshi and played a major part in Sindel's original brainwashing. Tsung even temporarily formed a deadly alliance with Quan Chi that saw them seemingly finish Shao Kahn, as there's no such thing as loyalty in Outworld.