Raiden/Rayden
Respect the Thunder God! Who in here doesn't like Rayden? I want names. I'll hunt them down like rabbits.
Anyway, as I was saying Rayden was always one of my favorite MK characters. In fact, he was the first person I played with when I got into the game.
[Rayden's Stats]
Age: Eternal. He's a god, remember?
Height: 7'. He loses 4 inches around Deadly Alliance
Weight: 350 pounds. He loses 120 pounds by the time of Deadly Alliance
Hair: Black originally, now White
Eyes: was White, but now Red
Legal Status: Mystic - does not apply
Family: None
Fighting Styles: Jujitsu (he knows all 750 variations of the style), Nan Chuan
Primary Weapon: Staff
Allies: Liu Kang, anyone who fights for Earthrealm
Enemies: Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, anyone who puts Earthrealm in danger
Occupation: Thunder God, (former) Elder God, Earthrealm Protectorate
Potrayed By: Carlos Pesina (Mortal Kombats 1, 2 and Trilogy), Sal DiVita (Trilogy vs screen), Michael Garvey (Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Subzero) Christopher Lambert (first film), James Remar, Ray Park (second film), Jeff Meek (Conquest), Clancy Brown (voice, Defenders of the Realm)
Trivia: Rayden witnessed the climatic battle between Subzero and Scorpion at the conclusion of the first tournament. As everyone knows, Scorpion barbecues Subzero and fades to ash.
As mentioned above, Rayden is an expert at over 700 variants of Jiujitsu.
Contrary to Popular Belief, Rayden fought Kintaro and won.
Bio
Mortal Kombat Bio and Ending
The name Rayden is actually that of a mystical warrior who lives among the thunder clouds. It is rumored that he recieved a personal invitation from Shang Tsung himself and took the form of a human to compete in the tournament. His elemental powers make him a dangerous foe from both the land and the air.
Ending: Raiden's victory comes as no surprise to him. He was never impressed by Shang Tsung's inferior sorcery, Goro's brute force, or the challenge of the other contestants. He quickly becomes bored with his mortal competition and soon invites other gods to participate in the contest. The ensuing battles rage on for years, and the wars result in our world's final destruction. Have a nice day.
Mortal Kombat II Bio and Ending
Watching events unfold from high above, the thunder god realizes the grim intentions of Shao Kahn. After warning the remaining members of the Shaolin tournament, Raiden soon disappears. He is believed to have ventured into the Outworld alone.
Ending: Familiar with Shang Tsung's lies and Shao Kahn's brutality, Raiden accepts their challenge to compete in an Outworld tournament. He is well aware of their scheme to unbalance the furies and invade the Earth realm. Raiden vows to use all his might to end their treachery. Winning the tournament Raiden destroys Shao Kahn and all his minions. He also destroys the dimensional gates which would have been their passageway to the Earth realm.
Opening Dialogue for Mortal Kombat 3
You have been chosen to represent Earth in Mortal Kombat. Be warned. For lthough your souls are protected against Shao Kahn evil: Your lives are not. I cannot interfere any longer as your Earth is now ruled by the Outworld gods.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy Bio and Ending
As Earth's sworn protector, Rayden finds himself banished in the merger between Earth and Outworld. When the Elder Gods refuse to assist him in aiding the Earth, he is forced to take matters into his own hands. He transforms himself lf into a mortal warrior to fight alongside his human comrades - this time risking his place in the pantheon of gods and giving up his own immortality.
Ending: When Outworld and Earth merge, Rayden finds himself battling Shao Kahn without the assistance of the Elder Gods. The Thunder God must transform into a mortal in order to exist in the combined realms. When he does this, he puts his own
immortality at risk. But Rayden has always found ways of fouling Kahn's plots. He guides the chosen Earth warriors into a battle against the Outworld emperor’s armies, then finally faces Kahn himself. The powerful beings fight until the very core of the Earth is shaken and Rayden emerges victorious.
Mortal Kombat 4 Bio and Ending
The God of thunder returns to Earth after the defeat of Shao Kahn, but finds a new threat when Shinnok’s forces led by Quan Chi attack the Elder Gods. With the heavens in disarray, Rayden exists as one of the last gods of Earth. He must come to the aid of his Elders and put an end to the villainous reign of his ancient enemy.
Ending: The Elder Gods offer Raiden the position of Elder God and asks who Raiden will chose as his successor as Earthrealm's protector. Raiden chooses Fujin.
Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance Bio and Ending
The Elder Gods were fully aware of the potential damage the alliance between Quan Chi and Shang Tsung posed to the stability of the realms. Yet even with this foresight, they all stood firm on their decision not to interfere. All, that is, except for one…Raiden. The former God of Thunder pleaded with his fellow Elder Gods to take action, but they refused. Disgusted, Raiden relinquished his Elder God status and returned to Earthrealm to gather support against the coming storm. Raiden returned to Earthrealm to reunite with his
comrades and inform them of the impending threat from the Deadly Alliance. Those that accepted his call to arms were instructed to meet him on Shang Tsung’s old island fortress, located in the Lost Sea. Once there, Raiden explained in detail the dire situation that faced not only Outworld, but Earthrealm as well. He then summoned Shang Tsung’s Nethership from the ocean depths and with it transported them all to a celestial portal known only to sorcerers and deities. They emerged in Outworld ready for battle.
Ending: Once again, the threat to Earthrealm has been vanquished. The Deadly Alliance is no more. What dangers lie in the future, I can no longer foresee. Perhaps the Dragon King will, in fact, return. Perhaps the depths of the Netherrealm will spew forth a legion of Oni. Even the vampire people pose a threat to peace now that Outworld is in chaos. But one thing is certain… Earthrealm must be protected. I have abandoned my status as Elder God to aid these mortals, an act
defiant of the Heavens. I will instead remain here on Earth...as GOD OF THUNDER.
Mortal Kombat Deception Bio and Ending
I was well aware of Onaga, the former ruler of Outworld. Shao Kahn had been his advisor until he poisoned the Dragon King and stole Outworld for himself. But Onaga had somehow returned, more powerful than before. His powers seemed augmented by a force previously exhibited only by the Elder Gods. Even the might of the Deadly Alliance combined with my own could not defeat him. I did
the only thing I could: I released my godlike essence in an attempt to destroy them all. By the time my energies reformed in Earthrealm, I was aware of all that had transpired. I became disgusted with the doings of mortals. It was Shujinko’s vanity and desire for glory that had led to the return of the Dragon King. I will no longer allow the will of men to determine the fate of this realm. They will fight for it, or I will destroy them. All will fear the new God of Thunder.
Ending: My patience for mortals has worn thin. If I am to protect Earthrealm, I must punish those who would threaten it. The fool Shujinko had let himself be deceived into believing that he worked for a greater good. He was in fact an unknowing tool of a greater evil, one that had almost caused the destruction of Earthrealm. That Shujinko undid his mistake and destroyed the Dragon King is of
no importance. Those who place Earthrealm in harm’s way will pay with their lives.
Mortal Kombat Armageddon Bio and Ending
No longer will I entrust the safety of Earthrealm to the free will of mankind. The time has come to take matters into my own hands. Centuries ago I defeated an ancient sect of necromancers, the Houan. Though their members subsequently were scattered to the winds, their ancient underground temple still existed, abandoned and unused for ages. On the stone walls within were etched enchantments that would revive the dead. Strewn about were the enchanted chains of binding the Houan would use to control their undead. I laid the corpse of Liu Kang on a ceremonial altar and bound it with the shackles. Reciting the unholy enchantments, I brought to life the body of my former ally and infused it with a thunderclap of lightning. The corpse of Liu Kang would be no mere zombie; it would serve as my ultimate enforcer. Satisfied, I then set free this abomination to wreak havoc on those who have done harm to Earthrealm. Though I
tried to conceal my activities, my use of the dark energies did not go
unnoticed. Shinnok appeared before me and proposed an alliance. He would help secure the protection of Earthrealm in return for my aid in some undisclosed plot. I am no fool. I know well the treachery of this former Elder God. I accepted his offer and will complete this task, but only to discover his true objective. Until then, I will use Shinnok to serve my own ends.
Ending: The thunder god, Raiden, overpowered Blaze and absorbed the energy intended to transform the sons of Argus. His strength enhanced beyond that of other gods, Raiden became a deity of unimaginable power. Releasing his fury upon the realms, he destroyed them all. None would threaten Earthrealm again.