The Great Kung Lao (孔老) is a character occasionally referenced in the game series and featured in the television show Mortal Kombat: Conquest as the show’s protagonist. He is the ancestor of the present-day Kung Lao and Kung Jin.
Being the first person on Earthrealm to represent the Order of Light in Mortal Kombat, he would do battle with the evil sorcerer and shapeshifter Shang Tsung (500 years before Liu Kang would do the same). As champion, Lao could not age.
Despite Tsung having the advantage of winning nine consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, The Great Kung Lao defeated him and became Grand Champion, saving Earthrealm in the process. While it is common for the victor to take his opponent's life, Kung Lao spared the sorcerer.
Fifty years later, Shang Tsung, the now-old man he spared half a century before, had corrupted the tournament. Kung Lao was defeated by Goro, the Shokan prince. Afterwards, his soul was taken by Tsung, an event that would lead up to the events of the first arcade game.
In Mortal Kombat: Deception, his soul was freed after Shang Tsung was killed by Raiden's failed attempt to destroy the Dragon King, finally giving his soul peace after over five centuries of torment.
Kung Lao's ending in Mortal Kombat (2011) states that he is the reincarnation of the Great Kung Lao. He learns this after touching his "ancestor's" tombstone and being filled with his memories. He was reincarnated so that he could avenge his failings. As this has never been brought up in the main storyline, it is unknown whether or not it is canon.
The Great Kung Lao appeared in Fire God Liu Kang's ending of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, where he was seen at the forge at the Wu Shi Academy, when he was greeted by Liu Kang, who chose him as his next champion.
Theme song[]
Great Kung Lao & Jen theme (Mortal Kombat: Conquest)
The Escape of Kung Lao (Mortal Kombat: Conquest)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Part II[]
It was applied by Raiden that Kung Lao and Liu Kang freed their ancestors after defeating Shang Tsung, Kintaro and Shao Kahn at his arena. At first a soul hologram shown him and another monk who betrayed him inside the Soul Tombs after Baraka was slain, though he seemed to be put to rest after his descendant achieved his destiny. It was also said by Lao, in his dying breath at the hands of Motaro, he wishes to ascend instead of being imprisoned in the Soul Chamber and reunite with him. Didn't necessarily happen as of yet since he was revived once Earthrealm was spared.
A Date and a Destiny[]
The Great Kung Lao, along with his lover Jen Reyland, were mentioned in a flashback as Raiden recollected his relationship to Aiko. After Kung Lao planned their date, he summarized their unfortunate fates. Great Kung Lao was setup since the beginning, when he met Jen and her father, Baron, refused her to join him due to Baron's fears on marrying a rich man and being his property. To Takeda being possessed by Scorpion along with other monks at the Temple of Light as Lao attempted and failed to protect Jen. The current Kung Lao couldn't help but go over his past angsts, but Raiden was a lot more hopeful.
Shinnok's Uprising[]
He wasn't mentioned much but it was said by Kitana that he was involved with several scrimmages with Quan Chi. The sorcerer was intrigued of the Champion and wanted his soul for himself, so being he can't interfere with Earth directly, he used his necromancy and hired three women to eliminate him; luckily Lao was always thwarting his plans till his soul was taken by Shang at the deadly hands of Goro. Kung Lao was astonished his ancestor also encountered Quan Chi and he believed everything was always being connected with him and Shinnok, as his nightmares were a sort of forewarning.
MK: Vengeance[]
Fujin stated after 500 years since the Great Kung Lao defeated the Unholy Alliance, it has been reformed as the Deadly Alliance.
Kontentment[]
Feeling jovial and confident after Liu settled with Kitana, he sped up time to 1442 when he met and trained the Great Kung Lao. Aiko was thrilled, although Caro was bummed that while the skilled monk defeated Shang, after 50 years while he lost Jennifer to natural causes and was mentored by the greatest Champion, he succumbed to his severe wounds at the four hands of Goro even though he won over him... Unable to revive him with the Jinsei, since Lao requested to move onto the afterlife where Jennifer was instead of going thru more misery, Liu was in so much pain that he restarted all of history! His victories were erased and due to Liu no longer being involved, he lost to Goro, and his fate was repeated.
Trivia[]
- Ikran was thrown for a loop, since Liu Kang in the 1995 movie stated he's the descendant of Kung Lao before the final battle against Shang Tsung. At first, she thought it was the current monk Kung Lao, till she discovered the featured man here.
- Contrary to the mainline games, Kung Lao's soul was freed at the events of Shaolin Monks, after Liu Kang and Kung Lao decimated him, Kintaro, and Kahn in the latter's arena. His soul was released in the year 1992 in Ikran's Khronology.
Gallery[]
