Fans of Mortal Kombat will fondly remember its roster of lethal assassins, ranging from the shinobi-inspired Scorpion of the Shirai Ryu, to the Chinese assassin-inspired Sub-Zero of the Lin Kuei. Alongside these iconic warriors is fan favorite Noob Saibot, the black-garbed wraith with a penchant for edge.
Those aware of MK lore know that Noob Saibot was once Bi-Han, the original Sub-Zero and brother to the current bearer of the name. However, it seems Noob has more to offer than just his signature one-liners and devastating finishers. If there's anything these pieces of trivia prove, it's that Bi-Han is nothing like his brother.
10 Originally Just A Secret Character
In Noob Saibot's original appearance in MK2, he was both unplayable and hidden – more of an Easter Egg. Back then, players could only fight Noob Saibot after winning 50 consecutive matches. In terms of appearance, MK2 Noob Saibot is just a solid black version of Sub-Zero's silhouette. Noob remains a secret character in MK3, albeit this time as Kano's palette swap.
However, he does make his official appearance in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. In this appearance, he's one of the 10 palette-swap ninjas in the game.
9 The Name Of Many Meanings
Of all characters in Mortal Kombat, Noob Saibot has perhaps the complicated naming scheme. Fans of the franchise know that Noob Saibot comes from the co-creators of MK; namely, Ed Boon (Noob) and John Tobias (Saibot). However, in early concepts, Noob Saibot would have been known by the alias "Tundra." Funnily enough, this became Sub-Zero's codename while being chased by the Lin Kuei.
Moreover, Bi-Han, Noob Saibot's mortal name, can also mean "escape cold" or "cold wall" in Chinese. Bi-Han escapes his identification with Sub-Zero by the time he dies and becomes a wraith. Moreover, a huge aspect of his story is tied to the Sub-Zero legacy, and his insistence that he is better than his brother.
8 A Wraith, Evil Incarnate
Noob Saibot's inclination towards a darker color scheme compared to Scorpion's yellow garb indicates his nature. After Scorpion killed Bi-Han for killing his family, Quan Chi resurrected him as Noob Saibot. While this transformation rid Noob Saibot of his emotions, his innate self-interest remained. Despite his services to the likes of Shinnok and Quan Chi, Noob wished to rule Netherrealm.
Whereas Bi-Han tenure as Sub-Zero allowed him to control ice, his transformation into Noob Saibot gave him control over shadows. Along with his power over darkness, Noob can create weapon constructs, turn invisible, and even teleport. Moreover, his form as a wraith grants him a limited degree of immortality. In the story, Noob persisted even after Shang Tsung's Soulnado captured his soul.
7 He's Always Had A Shadow
One of Noob Saibot's most distinguished traits is his attacks that rely on summoning a shadow clone. In the lore, such a clone meant Noob always had a numerical advantage in any situation. In the games, it's always a spectacle to see a dark shade attack an enemy at Noob's command.
Interestingly, the shadow clone gets temporarily replaced with Cyber Smoke in Deception. In the game's story, Noob Saibot discovers a hidden Cyber Smoke and reprograms him to follow his bidding. Thanks to this slight modification, Noob's moveset still comprises his shadow-themed attacks, but Smoke serves as his "clone." This is an interesting take, given Smoke's powers that allow him to control smoke.
6 Scorpion's Hate, Bonded By Death
While players know that Scorpion "hates" Sub-Zero in general, specific interactions indicate that Scorpion has animosity towards Noob Saibot instead of the younger Kuai Liang. It seems Scorpion doesn't just share the Shirai Ryu rivalry with the Lin Kuei. Rather, he also harbors hatred for Noob after he claimed responsibility for killing Scorpion's family.
However, it's noted that both Scorpion and Noob Saibot have both served as wraiths for Quan Chi at some point. When Noob referenced this "partnership" in MK11, Scorpion said that such a relationship ended between them after Quan Chi died.
5 He May Never See The Light
Noob Saibot does away with a recurring trend in regard to Revenants in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Whereas the Revenant or Wraith forms of protagonists such as Liu Kang, Jax, and even Scorpion can find a way to "return" to good, Noob Saibot never seized such an opportunity, and has an evil plan every time.
In the Original Timeline, his non-canonical Sub-Zero (MK1) ending had him disappear after collecting his earnings. Likewise, Noob's UMK3 ending had him kill Shao Khan to lead the way for Shinnok's invasion. In Deception, Noob Saibot wanted to use Smoke as a "template" to create cyborg demons. Meanwhile, in Armageddon, Noob Saibot battled his former self (Bi-Han), only to emerge as a different entity altogether.
In the Current Timeline, Noob Saibot's MK 2011 ending will have Havik install him as Netherrealm's ruler. Finally, in MK11, Noob Saibot's ending will have him betray Kronika, claim her power, and destroy worlds as Death himself.
4 The Shadow Has A Name
Fans of Noob Saibot will fondly recall his attacks that let him summon a shadow clone. This adds a technical flair to his abilities, as it solidifies Noob's mastery of darkness in contrast to Sub-Zero's mastery of ice. Interestingly, though, it seems Noob isn't totally in control of that shadow after all.
In a tweet, Ed Boon explained that while Noob is the character, Saibot is the name of the shadow clone. Some fans tried to compare this naming scheme with MK character Ferra & Torr. In this case, Ferra is the female rider of the hulking male brute Torr.
3 Mirroring Ice With Shadow
As though to reflect his previous tenure as Sub-Zero, Noob Saibot does have attacks similar to his brother's arsenal. This sometimes extends even to similar button combinations. For instance, Noob's Disabler has the same combination with Sub-Zero's Ice Blast. Interestingly, whereas Sub-Zero specializes with the sword, MK11 Noob Saibot uses a sickle to reference the sickle-wielding Brotherhood of Shadow.
Moreover, some of the games also nod towards Noob's status as the original Sub-Zero. In MK 2011, Noob Saibot shares the same stance as MK1 Sub-Zero. Additionally, when Sub-Zero players use the MK1 Alternate Costume, the sound files for attacks become Noob's voice without the wraith accent.
2 He Was One Of Many Sub-Zeroes
As mentioned above, both Kuai Liang and Bi-Han are Sub-Zeroes – meaning Sub-Zero is a codename within the Lin Kuei. Moreover, given Noob Saibot's disdain over Kuai Liang's "performance" as Sub-Zero, it seems Sub-Zero is more of a title than just a simple nickname.
When Noob Saibot and Sub-Zero interact pre-match, they reveal that their grandfather held the mantle before them. Interestingly enough, prior to Sub-Zero's tenure as grandmaster, the former Lin Kuei Grandmaster didn't give any hints of having possessed the Sub-Zero title. This might imply that Sub-Zero is a rank prior to the Grandmaster, a title reserved for a mighty Lin Kuei warrior, or a mantle within Bi-Han and Kuai Liang's family.
1 He Doesn't Like Being Called A "Ninja"
Noob Saibot does share a trait with Kuai Liang – they don't like people comparing them with ninjas. In Cassie Cage's interaction with Kuai Liang, the latter retorted that they are not ninjas despite the similar appearance. During Noob's time as Bi-Han Sub Zero, he didn't appreciate being called a "ninja" either. Rather, he liked to refer to himself as a Lin Kuei "warrior."
Ironically, Noob does have a penchant for using the shuriken, a type of throwing star associated with ninjas. Meta-wise, Reiko first used shuriken in MK4 – and he's the character who served as Noob Saibot's replacement in the game.