While Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Sonya and Liu Kang make the Mortal Kombat franchise memorable, the series has a lot more to offer with its roster. Each fighter has unique stories, movesets, and gory Fatalities to offer. Sadly, some Kombatants just didn't have enough appeal to make it through other entries in the franchise.

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Some characters in the MK cast have more to offer despite being relegated into the background. In fact, given the chance, they may be able to make a larger impact in the Mortal Kombat Tournament than fans might realize.

10 Tanya

Tanya - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Tanya replaced Kitana as one of the female characters in MK 4. In both the original and current timelines, she's the daughter of an Edenian ambassador. This upbringing raised Tanya to only choose options fit for her survival. Tanya frequently betrayed Edenia out of her own self-interest, and is known as Mileena's close confidant. Ironically, Tanya is considered a rival of Jade, the confidant of Mileena's sister Kitana.

Tanya doesn't boast much in terms of fighting abilities, as she only specializes in agility mixed in with Pyrokinetic magic. However, Tanya's importance in the franchise goes beyond her fighting prowess. She's one of the few Kombatants who prove that navigating through the harsh politics of the Realms can aid in survival. Her perspective can help showcase this more subtle part of the lore.

9 Bo' Rai Cho

Bo Rai Cho - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Bo' Rai Cho arrived in Mortal Kombat when Ed Boon wanted a "slobby" character that also served as a teacher. Lore has it that Bo' Rai Cho not only trained Liu Kang and Kung Lao, but also Shujinko and even historical figures such as Muso Gonnosuke. Despite his stocky appearance, Bo' Rai Cho is a skilled fighter. He originated the Drunken Fist style, causing tremors with body slams or trapping opponents with vomit attacks. However, beneath his drunken personality is a hidden tactician.

Bo' Rai Cho is one of the few natives of Outworld who showed distaste over Shao Kahn. Sadly, Bo' Rai Cho cannot partake in Mortal Kombat, as his victories would go towards Outworld. Therefore, he trained Liu Kang and Kung Lao to give Earthrealm a chance.

8 Frost

Frost - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Frost fulfills the "ambitious student" archetype. Her pride in her skill proved to become her ultimate downfall. As a member of the Lin Kuei, Frost has the same cryokinetic powers as her master and other notable members such as Noob Saibot. Frost freezes the ground in front of her to open chances of slide attacks, teleport strikes, and ice projectiles. Her ambitions encouraged her to become cyberized. She gained internal freezing weapons, and detachable weaponized limbs.

Despite her eventual failure, Frost demonstrates enough skill and prowess to prove her leadership capabilities. In her MK 11 ending, Frost leads her own Time Warriors to stop any threats from rising against her. This level of mercilessness and calculated pragmatism is something Frost can demonstrate in future titles, given the chance.

7 Rain

Rain - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Rain would soon learn that his real father is Argus, the Edenian God who also served as its guardian. In both timelines, Rain betrays Edenia out of ambition. Learning his true heritage only cemented Rain's belief in attaining power higher than himself. As a demigod, Rain proved to be no pushover. He incorporated his control over lightning and water into fighting techniques including liquefaction, lightning blasts, and trapping enemies in water.

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Due to the vagueness within Mortal Kombat's deities, it makes sense to assume that Rain has more to unlock in terms of his potential. And Rain may have just the drive to amass enough forces to reclaim his birthright.

6 Skarlet

Skarlet - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Ed Boon originally dismissed rumors regarding Skarlet, but fulfilled the character concept anyway. In turn, players got a genetic experiment from Shao Kahn himself. She's an assassin with an unnatural thirst, fascination, and control over blood. With Blood Magik, Skarlet can transform herself and blood from anywhere into projectiles and weapons. She can even steal blood from enemies and use it against them.

Despite her nature as a new character, Skarlet has potential to change the dynamic of Shao Kahn's forces. If she maximizes her arsenal to the fullest, Skarlet can decimate enemies before they even make a move against her.

5 Sheeva

Sheeva - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Sheeva made MK history as the first female Shokan warrior. Since her first appearance in MK 3, Sheeva proved to possess the same level of strength as Goro and Kintaro. In the lore, Sheeva pledged her loyalty to Shao Kahn's Queen Sindel. However, she is perhaps more prominent as the Queen of the Shokan. Sheeva proved to prioritize only the Shokan cause, making her more of a neutral faction despite her Outworld origins.

As a result, Queen Shiva – alongside Baraka of the Tarkatans – can introduce a more unique outlook into the political spheres of Outworld. After all, in the current timeline, Kitana Kahn has Sheeva and Baraka retain jurisdiction over their respective races under her leadership. Hopefully, future games could show Sheeva's prowess as a leader as well.

4 Fujin

Fujin - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Fujin is the God of Wind, dominating all its aspects. At first glance, Fujin seems to serve as nothing but Raiden's more optimistic younger brother. However, whereas Raiden is Earthrealm's wizened protector, Fujin has become representative of Earthrealm's hopeful nature.

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In combat, Fujin has complete domination over the winds. He can strike opponents from safe distances, courtesy of small tornadoes — or even manifest as a tornado himself. While Raiden thinks Fujin's sentimentality can make him weaker, Fujin's sentimentality over the Earthrealmers has given him strength. It's interesting to explore Fujin's emotional state as a deeper look at the Gods, in contrast to Raiden's naturally cold self.

3 Geras

Geras - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Geras is the faithful servant of Kronika, the Keeper of the Time. Created as a "fixed point in time," Geras is an immortal and artificial construct that shares the same affinity with time as his master. He's most notable for his nigh-invulnerability — he can recover from wounds in a matter of minutes. In fact, Raiden only managed to subdue him by having an anchor drag him into the infinite Sea of Blood.

Geras can stop, reverse, and forward the flow of time. He can rewind time to dodge attacks or to switch strategies when opponents hit him. As an immortal, Geras witnessed centuries' worth of events that granted him knowledge over things that happened across the Realms. However, should Geras have chosen to exert his own will, he could effectively use the Sands of Time against Kronika and rule the realms for himself.

2 Ermac

Ermac - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Ermac remains an enigmatic figure. Before his appearance, "Ermac" was a strange term that appeared in the arcade versions of the original game. While Ed Boon confirmed Ermac simply stood for "error macro," Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 gifted players with a warrior encompassing thousands of other souls.

Ermac has developed telekinesis, a limited degree of telepathy, and soul energy manipulation. With an army of souls, Ermac is also immune to telepathy. In both timelines they gain a will of their own, and almost always join the side that will bring Outworld a great ruler. Despite their relegation in the sidelines, Ermac can tip the scales to any side. Should Ermac become evil, their soul absorption can transform them into a powerful warrior. As a force for good, their knowledge of soul absorption can become a bane to Shang Tsung.

1 Havik

Havik - Mortal Kombat Underrated Characters

Havik is an infamous Cleric of Chaos. Instead of serving good or evil, Havik wishes to spread chaos wherever he goes. He relishes in confusing and surprising attacks that involve contorting his body. Instead of feeling pain, he feels pleasure in breaking his bones to fight his opponents. Moreover, he seems to possess some power in sorcery. Havik can heal from the most grievous of wounds, and his dark magic can corrupt tools such as the Kamidogu, bringing even the likes of gods to his chaotic whims.

Despite being a side character, Havik's presence cannot bring any good wherever he goes. He pairs his penchant for anarchy with cunning and an eye for strategy. Should Havik put himself up to it, he can create a force of chaos to rival both the sides of light and darkness.

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