Top 10 Worst Mortal Kombat Characters Ever

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

For this list, we’ll be looking at those “Mortal Kombat” characters who are the epitome of boring or awful.

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

Drunken boxing can make for a unique warrior, as shown by Jackie Chan in the "Drunken Master" films and Shun Di in the "Virtua Fighter" games. "Mortal Kombat's" Bo' Rai Cho pulls from the same martial arts world, but the character comes across as almost a parody. Introduced in "Deadly Alliance" and featured sporadically ever since, Bo' Rai Cho's most famous move involves him puking on the floor. When that doesn't work, the martial artist can also unleash a potent fart. As a supposedly martial arts master, Bo' Rai Cho leaves a lot to be desired.

A stopgap character introduced in "Mortal Kombat 4" as a replacement for Noob Saibot, Reiko has been – at best – an afterthought in the games. "Armageddon" revamped the character's look and set Reiko up as an Outworlder general interested in usurping Shao Kahn, but this plot thread ultimately didn't lead anywhere worthwhile. Despite being pretty interesting in the "Mortal Kombat X" comics, Reiko has been largely ignored by the games of the current timeline, dooming the general to a legacy of being a bit-part player in some of the less celebrated entries in the series.

Introduced in the second game to fill its Goro-shaped hole, Kintaro was always destined to exist in the shadow of his predecessor. As a Shokan who belongs to a lower-class clan, Kintaro has the basis for a potentially fascinating character, unfortunately, "Mortal Kombat" has yet to do anything of note with this idea. Although Kintaro's design is rather neat, the Shokan is the definition of a forgettable boss who primarily exists to kill time before the real baddies show up. Kintaro serves his purpose without leaving much of a lasting impression.

During the late '90s and early 2000s, "Mortal Kombat" was throwing out new characters like they were going out of fashion, with many getting lost in the shuffle. Tanya has proven to have more staying power than most, but the Edenian has largely been relegated to the role of henchwomen with a fondness for stabbing people in the back. Despite being a playable character in three games over the span of a decade, Tanya was a nothing character who seemed to exist just to give characters like Jade and Kitana a rival. To her credit, Tanya has improved a bit in NetherRealm's recent games.

This walking torch has had quite the career. First, Blaze showed up as a background character in "Mortal Kombat II," but he would not make his playable debut until "Deadly Alliance." After that, Blaze somehow became the final boss of "Mortal Kombat's" 3D era and one of this universe's strongest characters, a claim he could not quite live up to as an opponent. One of the worst final enemies in the main games, Blaze has the personality of a block of wood and feels like a plot device rather than a fully fleshed-out character.

As a "Mortal Kombat" and "Street Fighter" crossover will probably never happen, Kobra can be seen as something of a middle-ground. Blonde and obsessed with fighting, Kobra's look is inescapably similar to "Street Fighter's" Ken, but that is far from his biggest problem. Kobra brings nothing worthwhile to the games, with a serviceable backstory being undermined by the character's non-existent personality and bland presentation. Kobra might have fared better if he debuted during a time when "Mortal Kombat" was a bit more selective with its roster, but the martial artist represents a creative low for the series.

Among the various derivative new characters introduced in "Mortal Kombat 4," none were quite so blatantly unoriginal as Jarek. Not only was he Kano's underling in the Black Dragon Clan, but Jarek also used most of the same moves as the villain. While "Armageddon" would rectify this, the damage had already been done as Jarek would become the poster boy of uninspired fighters who only exist to fill an arbitrary "new character" quota. Jarek does have a memorable ending in "Mortal Kombat 4," although it doesn't exactly paint the Black Dragon in the best of lights.

Midway introduced two Oni characters in "Deadly Alliance." While Drahmin at least has a somewhat different look, Moloch just comes across as the bog-standard brawny demon who would be a throwaway enemy in something like "Warcraft." Moloch was fine as a sub-boss, but the games seemed mostly uninterested in elevating the character to a role more substantial than hired muscle. With an uninspired design, a bland backstory, and mediocre gameplay, Moloch desperately needed something to help him stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, the Oni never really found his one defining feature.

The butt of many jokes, Hsu Hao strives for mediocrity and still manages to fall short. Hated by his creators, Hsu Hao has one of the worst designs in "Mortal Kombat" history, and the Red Dragon member cannot even claim to be a fascinating type of bad. Although meant to be a rather strong character in-universe, Hsu Hao rarely comes across as competent, something reflected by his dull and unoriginal moveset. This is a character who seems to exist just because Jax needed someone to hate during "Deadly Alliance," and Hsu Hao was even awful as a throwaway villain.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

Because Lore’s No Replacement for a Cool Design or Personality

Because This Experiment Should Have Remained in Shang Tsung’s Flesh Pits

Because “Mortal Kombat” Has Yet to Do Anything Remotely Interesting With This Ninja

Because This Warrior Came and Went and Barely Anybody Noticed

The ultimate meta character, Mokap is the living embodiment of "Mortal Kombat's" behind-the-scenes process and a tribute to the actor Carlos Pesina. Introduced as a secret character in "Deadly Alliance," Mokap shows up covered in balls and with barely any unique moves. There is a time and place for comedy characters, but Mokap came across as another half-hearted attempt at a new fighter in a game that already had too many. As a joke, Mokap is not particularly funny; as a legitimate fighter, Mokap is shallow and underdeveloped. Combine those two and the result is a character who has no reason to exist.