Liu Kang
The current Mortal Kombat champion. Raised as a Shaolin Monk, Liu is one of the most memorable characters in the franchise's history and deserves this thread.
Of course, my only pet peeve is that he gets killed in Deadly Alliance, then renaimated as a zombie. Other than that, Liu Kang is one of the better videogame homages to the late Bruce Lee.
Age: 24 (Mortal Kombat); 34 (Deadly Alliance, at time of death)
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 185
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Family: Lee and Lin Kang, parents (both deceased); Chow Kang, brother (whereabouts unknown)
Birthplace: Honan Province, People's Republic of China
Occupation: Former Shaolin Monk, Fisherman, current Mortal Kombat champion
Romantic Interest: Princess Kitana
Fighting Styles: Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do (Deception, Armageddon and Shaolin Monks), Pao Chui (Deception), Choy Lay Fut (Shaolin Monks), Monkey (Shaolin Monks), Dragon (Shaolin Monks)
Portrayed by: Ho Sung Pak (Mortal Kombats 1 and 2), Eddie Wong (Mortal Kombat 3, Ultimate and Trilogy), Robin Shou (both films), Brian Tochi (voice, Defenders of the Realm)
Trivia: Liu Kang is Chinese, but Ho Sung Pak, who portrays him in the first to games, is actually Korean.
The wrestler Human Tornado uses a move he calls the Liu Kang Kick in homage to the character's classic Cartwheel Kick.
In the Deadly Alliance intro, Liu Kang is shown fighting Shang Tsung using Jeet Kune Do. Considering he's based on Bruce Lee in ways, it's fitting.
Liu Kang's turkey vocals are courtesy of Ed Boon.
Bio:
[Mortal Kombat]
Once a member of the super-secret White Lotus Society, Liu Kang left the organization in order to represent all Shaolin temples at the tournament. Through his entire life he has heard stories and rumors about Shang Tsung's martial arts tournament. He is well aware of the evil behind it, and has entered the tournament expressly to defeat Shang Tsung and return the tournament to its noble origins.
[Mortal Kombat II]
After winning the Shaolin tournament from Shang Tsung's twisted clutches and returning him to the Outworld in disgrace, Kang returns to his temples. He discovers his sacred home in ruins, his Shaolin brothers killed in a vicious battle with a horde of Outworld warriors, a parting salvo from Tsung and his minions. Now he travels into the dark realm to seek revenge.
[Mortal Kombat Trilogy]
After the Outworld invasion, Liu Kang finds himself the prime target of Kahn's extermination squads. He is the Shaolin champion and has thwarted Kahn's schemes in the past. Of all the humans, Kang poses the greatest threat to Shao Kahn's rule.
[Mortal Kombat Gold]
Still the immortal champion of Mortal Kombat, Liu Kang ventures into Edenia to rescue Princess Kitana from the vile clutches of Quan Chi. Unsuccessful, Liu Kang returns to Earth and mounts an effort to bring together Earth's gratest warriors. He does it this time not only to free Kitana's home world, but also to assist his mentor--and Earth's protector--Rayden.
[Mortal Kombat Deception]
The sorcerer Shang Tsung had killed me and consumed my soul. I remained trapped within his being, tormented by his evil, along with many other victims of his vampiric soul drain. Through Shang Tsung's eyes, we witnessed the battle with Raiden, who sacrificed himself to stop Onaga. Raiden's blast destroyed Shang Tsung, and our souls were free to asend into the heavens. I remained in Outworld, however, to aid my friends in the fight against the Dragon King.
Why someone would desecrate my grave and reanimate my body, I cannot say. Somehow my corpse retains my knowledge of martial arts and has killed many innocents. Though I am not the perpetrator of these crimes, I cannot help but feel responsible for the brutality committed by my corporal form. The battle between mind and body has begun.