Kabal is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
Mortal Kombat 3[]
For many years, Kabal was a loyal member of the Black Dragon clan, until one day Shao Kahn broke the sacred rules of Mortal Kombat to instigate an invasion and took Earthrealm by force. When Kahn began stealing souls, Kabal was spared from this gruesome fate because he was one of Earthrealm's chosen warriors, destined to fight against Shao Kahn.
Seeing all chosen warriors as a threat to his dominance, Shao Kahn ordered his extermination squads to annihilate him. Kabal managed to escape, but his face was left forever scarred, irreparably mutilated, and forced to rely on a respirator due to his windpipe being slit. The events of Shao Kahn's invasion had profoundly changed Kabal; he left behind his life of crime with the Black Dragon and vowed to become a force for good.
Between the events of Mortal Kombat 3 and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Kabal was wounded severely in battle by Mavado, a leading member of the Red Dragon, who hoped to wipe out the Black Dragon. Mavado then took Kabal's trademark Hookswords as a trophy.
Mortal Kombat: Deception[]
At the brink of death Kabal met Havik, who restored him and saved his life, and then instructed him to bring back the Black Dragon as a force of anarchy and decay. In spite of his previous experiences fighting alongside his Earthrealm comrades against Shao Kahn's hordes and his vow to help put an end to crime and injustice, he followed Havik's instructions seemingly without hesitation.
Later on, Kabal travelled back to Earthrealm where he confronted Mavado once more and regained his Hookswords. In Earthrealm he recruited two more members for the Black Dragon, Kira and Kobra. The three of them joined Havik in Outworld for the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception.
While his reason for recruiting Kira and Kobra as the newest members of the Black Dragon was basically to fill the void left behind by his apparently deceased comrades, Kabal had ulterior motives. Seeing as how the complacency of the former members led to the demise of his clan, Kabal wanted to ensure that his newest recruits were truly worthy of the Black Dragon. He tested their prowess in battle against the enemies of the Dragon King.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon[]
Kabal confronted Taven after the latter had defeated Kobra and several other Black Dragon thugs in the Botan Jungle. He offered Taven a chance to join the clan, but he refused, which led to a fight between them, from which Taven emerged victorious.
Later on, Kabal joined the Forces of Darkness in the battle of Armageddon. He can be seen trying to stop Stryker from climbing the Pyramid of Argus, however, it backfires, and Kabal was thrown off of the pyramid. Along with most of the kombatants, he was killed.
Mortal Kombat 9[]
Kabal is a reformed ex-criminal turned police officer and is Kurtis Stryker's partner. Kabal is burned alive by Kintaro during the Earthrealm invasion. Whilst Stryker had been thrown into the subway by Ermac after dealing with Kintaro, Kabal had been carried away by Outworld forces, leaving behind only a scorched imprint of himself on the pavement. Kabal had been dragged into Outworld, where he was healed and given his respirator by Shang Tsung's magic and Kano´s technology.
He defeats Kano in a fight after the latter openly admits that he is the one responsible for Outworld´s firepower. He plans on visiting Shao Kahn, but realizes he can't get near Kahn, as he is the Emperor. So, Kabal forces Kano to come with him, as Kano is an ally of Shao Kahn. Kano leads him to Shao Kahn's throne room, where he witnesses him murdering Shang Tsung to empower the corrupted and resurrected Sindel. Kano mocks Kabal about Shao Kahn being too powerful, but before finishing the sentence gets knocked unconscious by Kabal, stating that he is able to take down the Emperor.
While making his way towards Shao Kahn, Mileena and Noob Saibot catch sight of him and challenge him but are both defeated. Shao Khan quickly demands Quan Chi to close a nearby portal which leads to Earthrealm, but Kabal unconsciously uses his superhuman speed to jump into the portal in time. In Earthrealm again, Kabal reaches the conclusion his super speed is a residual effect of Outworld´s magic. He is then attacked by Cyber Sub-Zero for not being authorized for portal use but defeats him.
Sheeva then starts a conflict with Kabal after witnessing him defeat the cyborg. Because he isn't recognizable with the mask and his half-melted skin, Sheeva mistook him for a Lin Kuei cyborg. Kabal tells her that he is human and to "not let the mask fool you". He defeats Sheeva, and Raiden, alongside Smoke, appear and welcome Kabal to join the Earthrealm warriors, while they take Cyber Sub-Zero in an effort to save him. He is later killed by Sindel when she stomps on him but is resurrected by Quan Chi to serve him. On Quan Chi's orders, the undead Kabal attacks Raiden, but is defeated.
Mortal Kombat X[]
The undead Kabal once again battled Raiden during Shinnok's invasion of Earthrealm, participating in the assault on Raiden's Sky Temple. Just outside the Jinsei Chamber, Kabal managed to injure Raiden with his hook swords, but was defeated when Raiden channeled lighting back through them.
25 years later, Kabal's second and last appearance was with his master Quan Chi, and the rest of his Revenants as they rode off to Quan Chi's Fortress to retrieve Shinnok's Amulet from D'Vorah. However, the group was ambushed by Earthrealm forces led by Kenshi and Jax after they were informed of Quan Chi's movement from Sareena. The forces managed to cripple their means of transportation and Kabal swordfights with Kenshi. The outcome of the fight is never seen; however, Kenshi is seen again later. Kabal is not seen at the Sky Temple with the other Revenant, leaving his whereabouts unknown.
Mortal Kombat 11[]
Part 1: Mortal Kombat 11[]
When Raiden and the Special Forces infiltrate the Netherrealm, Kabal and Jade are seen bowing to Shinnok's head. Once the Special Forces take control of the cathedral, they both fight Cassie Cage, but are defeated. When Kronika manipulates time in order to prepare for the New Era, Kabal's past self, still loyal to the Black Dragon participates in the ambush on the Special Forces Desert Command base and eventual capture of the past Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade.
At the Black Dragon Fight Club, the present Kano lies to the past Kabal about his future self's burns by telling him that Kabal was tortured by Sonya for information on the Black Dragon. In a fit of misplaced aggression, he attacks the past Sonya in order to get "pre-emptive vengeance" before being defeated by the lieutenant.
The Revenant versions of Kabal and Jade returns to ambush Jacqui and younger Jax in the ruins of Shang Tsung's Island, but the Briggs easily defeated them. What happens to Kabal after is unknown, as he is not seen again during the Outworld and Earthrealm invasion of Kronika's Keep.
Part 2: Aftermath[]
Kabal is seen riding on a Netherrealm horse with Jade. Later with Shang Tsung, Fujin, Nightwolf, and Sindel arriving on the former's island, Kronika sends him and Jade to ambush them, but Kabal was defeated by Fujin. What happens to Kabal after is unknown as he once again is not seen again during the invasion of Kronika's Keep.
Theme songs[]
Theme song: Kabal's Theme (Defenders of the Realm)
Fanmade theme song: Noise of Pain - Paul Unfaces | Mortal Kombat 2 OST (2023)
Kabal Theme | Dark Noise 2022 - Paul Unfaces
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Part II[]
Kabal found Stryker and Kano at the abandoned subway tunnels in New York, and he noticed the scrimmage. The cop was thankful for his aid, and he was too agile for Kano's lethal knives and cannonball maneuvers. He couldn't wait to put an end to the Black Dragons once and for all, especially since he needed to redeem himself from them. Kabal was able to finish Kano off by removing his respiratory mask, screech, and cause his skeleton to be torn from his body, run, and shatter onto the pavement after tripping! Stryker was thankful of Kabal's help and when Kahn challenged the duo, he was earnest; however, Kabal stated they must seek allies first.
Kabal led Stryker thru the abandoned subway tunnels, and he can tell who's down there based on their grunts, how they walked, and even their scent as his respirator mask worked wonders! They soon heard a group of metallic clomps coming from a distance, and Kabal identified them belonging to robots, and not humans. Stryker led the charge and Kabal followed up to the barren streets, where there'd be prone to Kahn's extermination squads, according to Kabal. They spotted the Lin Kuei assassins, Cyrax and Sektor, who split in the crossroads, and the cop gave chase onto Mustard stopping nearby the Bank! He was subdued by the killer, then Kabal took matters into his own hands, as his swords were able to cut thru the lethal nets, he fired distant plasma orbs countering the bot's bombs, and was very keen and speedy putting Mustard at a disadvantage. He was forced thru the roof, but was able to win over Cyrax, even forcing him off the roof!
He then confronted Sektor, but he was proven to be a more deadlier opponent! Smoke came to his aid matching his skills, though since he was still human, he was losing until Aiko and Sub-Zero disabled him! Smoke won over Sektor, but the ambush of Shadow Priests caught them off guard! Kabal was one of the unfortunate heroes being electrified directly on his respirator mask, though he still hung in there as Smoke was decapacitated and taken to Kahn's Fortress.
Kabal was still beneath the streets with the team, and he was willing to take on the fight against Shao Kahn and save the two realms. He was also amazed to see Sonya again and he noticed the group was finally getting back together. He too was seen in Aiko's heart meld that Kabal had fallen with several other Kombatants by Sindel and thusly became one of several Revenants serving Quan Chi and Shinnok.
He assisted the heroes on breaking thru the defense lines of Kahn's Fortress in his Skeletal Rhino Animality. He arrived inside with the group as Nightwolf and Sheeva conjured a curse over Motaro and witnessed the demise of the Fortress after Liu Kang won over the Emperor!
Stryker just simply resumed his normal duties as a Riot Control Officer in the New York streets, while a certain mysterious warrior stayed within the deserted subway tunnels, waiting for every chance to redeem himself, like the night owl against crime.
Mortal Kombat: Vengeance[]
Kabal wound up in critical condition after a lethal scrimmage with Hsu Hao! Stryker informed Sonya he was there, and he kept worrying about his welfare despite his incinerated face. Kabal rested within a hospital in New York and Stryker refused to leave him. Fujin, as a result, didn't recruit the doomed duo, and he vowed to put a stop to Hsu Hao, Mavado, the Red Dragons as well as the Deadly Alliance.
Kabal's condition was upgraded from critical to stable, moments before Sonya decided to call Stryker in the hospital. The team was successful on eliminating the aforementioned enemies, and Stryker announced he'd be grateful to have his enhanced Hookswords back, even though he still had his preexisting condition wearing the mask.
Final Kombat[]
Stryker was reluctant in preparing for the Battle of Armageddon, but Kabal was able to convince him otherwise, despite the former having a girlfriend. The cop was hesitant on being dragged into another invasion since Kahn's wrath several years ago. Fortunately, Kabal and the Special Forces gave him the comfort and willingness he needed for the sake to defend all of existence.
Kabal still stuck with Stryker as they rode the Netherwing to the southern crater and he pretty much fought in the background until he assisted the military as they were stunned by Hsu Hao's laser eye assault. With his enhanced hook swords, he was proven to be a match for him. It was likely he would've perished from the firestorm on account of his severe injuries, but due to Cetrion's rainfall, he was revived. He's still an ally to Earthrealm with the Black Dragons nonexistent.
Trivia[]
- Kabal was an easy choice for a VA in Ikran's fic, the legendary actor from Defenders of the Realm, Kevin Michael Richardson!
Gallery[]
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Skins[]
