The Surprising Inspiration Behind Mortal Kombat 1's Reptile Revealed!

Highlights

Reptile's new look in Mortal Kombat 1 is a departure from previous versions, featuring a shapeshifter who can transform between a lizard and human ninja form.

The character's new design in-game appears to take inspiration from the recent Mortal Kombat film. Both versions display noticeable lizard-like characteristics and a more animalistic appearance. If this influence from the film is indeed real, it brings an uncommon and refreshing element to the Mortal Kombat world.

In the unveiling of Mortal Kombat 1, the lineup of characters for Liu Kang's fresh timeline remained uncertain. Recently, Reptile was disclosed as one of the characters, sporting a revamped appearance, along with other characters who also received brand-new designs. Interestingly, it seems that his new look may have drawn inspiration from an unexpected source.

Receiving praise from some, Reptile's new appearance in Mortal Kombat 1 marks a significant departure from previous iterations. Now portrayed as a shapeshifter, this character can effortlessly alternate between a lizard and a human ninja form. Additionally, his lizard form exhibits a more anthropomorphic lizard-like appearance, distinguishing it from earlier games where he resembled a human with reptilian attributes. Although not identical, it appears that Reptile's fresh look has taken certain cues from the recent Mortal Kombat film.

Reptile's Look in Previous Mortal Kombat Games

The history of Reptile in the Mortal Kombat franchise is surprisingly extensive and contains more depth than one might expect. In the original Mortal Kombat game, Reptile made his debut as a secret boss fight, requiring a significant challenge to unlock. In Mortal Kombat 2, the developers expanded upon his story, revealing details about his race, loyalties, and motivations. Initially, Reptile shared a similar appearance to Scorpion and Sub-Zero, with a green color scheme and lizard-like abilities.

However, with the release of Mortal Kombat 4, the developers began to explore different designs for Reptile. While maintaining a primarily humanoid ninja appearance, he started to adopt more reptilian features such as scales, a tail, and a more lizard-like face. The extent of his lizard-like appearance would vary in each installment, with his portrayal in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance being the most distinctive. This new design for Reptile represents a significant departure, establishing a clear differentiation between his human ninja form and his reptilian form.

How Reptile In Mortal Kombat 1 is Similar to Syzoth in the Film

The Mortal Kombat film drastically deviated from the video games, particularly in its portrayal of the character Reptile. In the movie, Reptile took on the role of a deadly creature that Shang Tsung unleashed to eliminate the protagonists before they could enter the tournament. The film version of Reptile possessed characteristics such as camouflage and the ability to spit acid, which resembled his abilities in the games. He utilized these skills to attack Kano, Sonya, and Cole Young, but they ultimately succeeded in defeating him before the story progressed.

Unlike his humanoid appearance in the games, Reptile in the film resembled a colossal Monitor Lizard or Komodo dragon. While Reptile's alternate form in Mortal Kombat 1 differs to some extent, there are evident similarities. Both iterations feature prominent reptilian characteristics and possess a more bestial and animalistic design. The main contrast lies in how they move, as the game's version primarily walks upright while the film's iteration tended to crawl and exhibited a sleeker physique.

The Mortal Kombat reboot received mixed reviews from critics; however, it was deemed a success, resulting in a planned sequel. It is not uncommon for a successful film to impact the source material, especially if the source material is an ongoing story. However, the unique aspect of this adaptation is that it appears to have influenced the source material itself. This is not uncommon in the world of comics, where the storylines often align with recent film adaptations. Reptile's new design in the Mortal Kombat franchise could potentially be attributed to the movie's portrayal, although no official confirmation has been given. Mortal Kombat 1 is set to be released on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.