Storied fighting game series Mortal Kombat has made sure to include stories for characters that most players may not consider picking up. One such character is the swift and deadly Kabal, who carries one of the franchise’s most in-depth and confusing origins. This unique fighter first appeared in Mortal Kombat 3, where players were able to wield his deadly speed and use his hook swords to grab and throw their opponents, but he was a character that had been envisioned for years.
While everything about the character would lead some to believe he was a villain, he has actually spent more time as a hero of Earthrealm rather than its enemy. However, he also ventured to the side of evil on more than one occasion, to the point that it has brought the character’s true motivations into question.
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When Kabal first appeared, he fought against Shao Khan as a hero who sought revenge for a grotesque disfigurement that left him badly burned and in need of a respirator. It would later be revealed that the hero endured a long journey leading to Mortal Kombat 3. Initially, he was a part of Kano’s Black Dragon clan, fighting alongside the thugs and mercenaries that joined the group. However, by MK3, he was on his own path until fate brought him back to his roots.
Kabal would return to lead a new Black Dragon clan that also signified his return to villainy. His new motivation would be the defeat of their rival clan’s leader Mavado. Kabal’s sudden turn to evil was poorly explained and stayed with the character until his return in Mortal Kombat 9. However, this particular installment was also the start of a brand new timeline born from the events of Mortal Kombat: Armaggeddon. But with new adventures, there were also new changes for Kabal.
In the reset timeline, Kabal is once again living a reformed life out of the Black Dragon as a cop alongside Kurtis Stryker. Following an Outworld attack that left him scarred, he is saved by Kano, who outfitted him with a horrifying mask and breathing apparatus that saved his life. Disfigured and furious, Kabal sought revenge, yet again, against Outworld. However, in this timeline, Kabal would be killed and later revived as an undead Revenant and slave to the sorcerer, Quan Chi. By Mortal Kombat 11, Kabal would be in league with the villainous Kronika, both as his older, scarred self and the younger, brasher Kabal, who was still embroiled in the Black Dragon’s ways.
While Kabal is an aesthetically unique-looking character with a devastating moveset, he still lacks depth. This is due largely to his constantly shifting allegiances that have kept him from growing. For now, it is hard to see what is in store for Kabal’s future. But now that time travel has been integrated into the series, and the timeline rebooted once again, Mortal Kombat’s most confusing character may get even more convoluted.
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