Overview
Reptile's semi-reptilian appearance in Mortal Kombat: Shoalin MonksReptile, later known by his real name "Syzoth", is a green-clad warrior in the Mortal Kombat series. Originally a secret opponent in later revisions of the original Mortal Kombat game as a simple palette swap of the ninjas Scorpion and Sub-Zero (sharing both of their abilities), Reptile's appearance, backstory, and special moves have evolved over the course of the franchise, portraying him less of a typical ninja and more of a reptilian humanoid.
He is often aligned with the series's antagonists (namely Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn) and is often portrayed as their bodyguard, spy, or assistant, usually to aid his efforts to restore his reptilian race from the conquered realm of Zaterra (known in some earlier parts of the series as the "Saurians"). In the original timeline, he had his body unwillingly transformed into the Dragon King Onaga (the main antagonist of Mortal Kombat: Deception). In the New Era timeline, he became a reluctant antagonist, only to quickly do a heel-face turn.
He is known for his ability to shapeshift between his human and reptilian forms, camouflage himself, and spit acidic projectiles. In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, he also fights with his heirloom blade (known as Kirehashi) and multiple martial arts styles (Hung Ga Kuen and Crab in Deadly Alliance, Pào Chuí in Armageddon).
As he shares the costume with the other masked ninjas in earlier games in the franchise, Reptile is played by Daniel Pesina in Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II and by John Turk in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. He also appears as a secret character in early arcade versions of NBA Jam: Tournament Edition along with Raiden, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero.
Story
Bodyguard and Servant
Reptile's original ninja appearance.In the game's original and alternate timelines, Reptile belongs to a member of a near-extinct reptilian race from the realm of Zaterra. Prior to the first Mortal Kombat game, Reptile swore his loyalty to Outworld emperor Shao Kahn, as he was promised that doing so would restore his race.
In the original Mortal Kombat tournament, Reptile kept a low profile as the hidden bodyguard of the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung. It was later revealed that he was ordered to do so by Shao Kahn to spy on the sorcerer. During the Outworld tournament, he had a more active role as one of Shao Kahn's henchmen.
Original Timeline
During Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, he promised Reptile that he would restore his race and release Zaterra from Outworld control if he could accept a special assignment. Reptile accepted, and was dispatched (along with the mysterious female ninja Jade) to find and kill the rogue princess Kitana. Jade, however, betrays Reptile and assists Kitana (along with the warriors of Earthrealm) in Shao Kahn's defeat. Reptile was captured and exiled to the Netherrealm.
Reptile's appearance in Mortal Kombat 4.Long-time separation from his race caused Reptile to start reverting to a reptilian appearance. Escaping from the Netherrealm and losing his mind, Reptile begins committing genocide against several species in the realms. He was then recruited by the rogue Elder God Shinnok in his war against Raiden's forces of Light. After Shinnok's defeat, Reptile (along with spectre Noob Saibot) learned that Shao Kahn was still alive and returns to his service.
With the forces of Edenia (led by Kitana and Goro) waging war with the forces of Outworld, Shao Kahn sent Reptile to enlist the help of Shang Tsung. However, Reptile overhears the sorcerors Shang Tsung and Quan Chi plotting to assassinate Shao Kahn. As he rushed to warn his master, he was approached by the vampire Nitara, who revealed knowledge of Reptile's race, showed Reptile the location of Kitana's secret base, and offered him an ancient artifact of his people, the Kirehashi Blade. This, however, turned out to be a distraction, as Reptile returns to Shao Kahn's palace to find what he believed to be Kahn's corpse.
Reptile's appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.Reptile, having no master, wandered the Outworld wastelands directionless until he encounters Nitara a second time. He swears his allegiance to her, unaware that he was being manipulated into her plan to free her realm from Outworld's domination. She tricks him into damaging the device that allowed Cyrax to travel between realms, leaving the cyborg dependent on her. After realizing after some time that Nitara distracted him from Shao Kahn's assassination, Reptile went to confront Nitara and Cyrax, but found only the incubating egg of the Dragon King Onaga. The embryo pulses and fires a beam of white light at Reptile, transforming him to a hulkish beast while replacing his soul with Onaga's.
After Onaga's defeat, a humanoid form of Reptile myseriously appears with Reptile's soul. He allies himself with the Red Dragon clan, posibly seeing this alliance as an opportunity to clone and repopulate his race. However, he is defeated by Taven and is later killed in the Battle of Armageddon.
Alternate Timeline
After Shao Kahn's destruction in the timeline influenced by Raiden's visions, Reptile ended up being an underling to Kotal Kahn and helps him usurp Mileena to become the new emperor of Outworld.
New Era Timeline
In Liu Kang's reforged timeline, the Zaterrans are no longer near-extinct due to their realm no longer being conquered. Thus, Reptile was not planned to be an underling to an evil force. However, his unique ability to shapeshift between his human and reptilian form makes him an outcast among his people, and he leaves to search for a better life elsewhere on Outworld. He joins a traveling circus, but later becomes an unwilling servant for Shang Tsung, who took his family hostage.
When a trio of Earthrealm's champions, along with the Tarkatan Baraka, became jailed within Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits, Reptile was revealed to be their jailer. Baraka breaks out and defeats Reptile, but spares him. Reptile then joins the troupe after Shang Tsung reveals that he killed Reptile's family long ago. He uses his stealth to help them escape capture by General Shao's forces.
He later becomes Emperess Mileena's emissary to the Zaterrans, and discovers through official records that his unique shapeshifting mutation was actually common, but those who had it were killed by the Zaterran government in a barbaric policy to keep it from spreading.
Endings (non-canon)
After stumbling upon a plot of his former master Shang Tsung's plot to enslave his race, Reptile enters the tournament and defeats Shao Kahn. He then kills Shang Tsung, ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity for his race.
Reptile finds and successfully kills the renegade princess Kitana. But upon his return, Shao Kahn tells him that he never had any intention of fulfilling his promise to resurrect Reptile's race. Reptile attacks Shao Kahn and kills him, severing any chance of ever learning about his fallen race.
After serving Shinnok and destroying Raiden's forces, Reptile kneels before Quan Chi and requests that Shinnok ressurect his race. Quan Chi scoffs, saying Shinnok's time is far too valuable to waste. Reptile becomes enraged and threatens Quan Chi, only for Shinnok to appear and tell Reptile that he's unworthy of such a reward (before killing him).
Reptile could tell that he'd only recently missed Nitara and Cyrax in the lava chamber. However, as he approaches an incubating egg in the center of the room. The embryo pulses and beams a white light at Reptile, transforming him into the Dragon King Onaga.
As the pyramid crumbles in the wake of Blaze's defeat, a sarcophagus is revealed. Cracking it open, Reptile discovers a female Zaterran with whom he can restore the glory of his race.
After defeating Shao Kahn everyone in the realms feared Reptile, he forces Shang Tsung to regenerate his the Reptor race. After many months the process is a success and Shang Tsung has unwittingly created an army of warriors to serve Reptile, they storm the realm and kill all that oppose them. Reptile is home once more.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Special Attacks / Enhanced
- Acid Spit
- Camouflage
- Elbow Dash
- Force Ball (Fast)
- Force Ball (Slow)
- Slide
X-Ray
Reptile uses his sharp fingers to viciously gouge the eyes of his opponent. As the victim stumbles around blindly, Reptile grabs his foe's head and twists it violently, snapping the neck in several places. Lastly, he kicks the wounded enemy in the chest breaking several ribs.
Fatalities
- Acid Yak - Reptile grabs his enemy's jaw and vomits acid into their mouth. As the victim stumbles around in agony, Reptile puts them out of their misery by clawing into their abdomen and removing their stomach. Reptile holds the stomach, including length of intestine still attached, over his head in victory.
- Weight Loss - Reptile turns invisible and slits the opponent's throat and stomach, causing blood to spew out. He then plants an acid force ball deep into the gap of the opponent's stomach, causing their upper body to explode in a few seconds. He then hisses in delight.
- Yummy! (Klassic DLC) - Reptile removes his mask, revealing his reptile face. He then lashes out his tongue and grabs his opponent by the neck with it. He then rips their head off with his tongue and pulls the head into his mouth, eating it whole.
Alternate Attire
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