Bio:
- Goro
- Height: 8’2
- Weight: 550 lbs
- Species: Shokan
- Resides: Outworld
- Eye Color: Red
- Status: Prince
- Alignment: Neutral
- Age: 2000
Goro is one of the original characters debuting in the first Mortal Kombat tournament. A four-armed Shokan warrior who had been the champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament for nine generations, remaining undefeated for five hundred years. Goro is among Shao Kahn’s favorite warriors and is well known for his power and brutality. Goro helped the emperor grow closer to dominating Earthrealm, but he lost at the tenth while fighting against Liu Kang.
Mortal Kombat
A member of the four-armed Shokan race, Goro became the Grand Champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament after defeating the Great Kung Lao. For 500 years, he remained undefeated and helped Shang Tsung grow ever closer to achieving Shao Kahn’s goal of domination over Earthrealm. In his tenth title defense, however, he faced Liu Kang, a shaolin monk chosen by the White Lotus Society to represent them. Kang pushed him to his limits and finally defeated the mighty Shokan warrior. In the tournament’s aftermath he went missing after a battle where he fought Kano, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, and was believed to be dead.
Mortal Kombat 4
After Shao Kahn’s defeat Goro reappeared. He challenged Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat, but lost again to the Shaolin Monk. Despite having the intent to avenge his losses at the hands of Liu Kang, Goro began to take an interest in the matters of his own race. He joined his fellow Shokan in the war against the Centaurians. Kitana intervened and negotiated both races an uneasy truce and peace accord. During the negotiations Kung Lao appeared and challenged Goro. He wanted to kill Goro for vanquishing his ancestor, the Great Kung Lao.
Kung Lao slashed Goro’s chest leaving a scar on it. Since it was a ceremonial blow, Kung Lao considered the score settled and the two shook hands. When Shinnok and his legion were defeated and Edenia was once again free, Goro and the Shokan race decided to ally with the Edenians. As a condition in their partnership, Goro signed a peace treaty with the Centaurians.
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Years later, during the time of The Deadly Alliance, the united Edenians and Shokans marched on Shao Kahn’s weakened army. Goro was exhausted from battle and was struck from behind by Noob Saibot. He was mortally wounded, apparently dying from the injury. Princess Kitana held a royal funeral for her former ally. Goro was able to survive however, being saved from death by Shao Kahn himself. The Emperor promised to return the Shokans to their former glory and the banish the Centaurians in exchange for his allegiance. Agreeing to these terms, Goro placed his royal seal on a nearby fallen disfigured Shokan and resumed his place at Shao Kahn’s side.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Goro helped Shao Kahn to become the Emperor of Outworld again. Along with Shang Tsung, he aided Shao Kahn in reclaiming his stronghold, which was occupied by the Edenian forces led by Mileena. The three crushed all who defended the stronghold, and with their combined might destroyed the reinforced door that guarded the throne room. Mileena then surrendered, and Shao Kahn became Emperor once more.
Goro was confronted by Taven in Shao Kahn’s Fortress. The Edenian demigod wished to kill Quan Chi but in order to do so he had to get through Goro first, fighting him on the Balcony. Taven eventually defeated Goro, who stormed off, telling Taven that if they were to meet on the battle field he would not be so lucky. Goro then joins the Forces of Darkness where he was killed somewhere in the middle of the Battle of Armageddon.
Mortal Kombat 9
Goro celebrated nine consecutive victories in Mortal Kombat and brought more honor to the Shokan race with each victory. He entered the Mortal Kombat tournament to fight for Outworld and to help the emperor, Shao Kahn, achieve his goal of conquering Earthrealm. Goro would confront the last remaining Earthrealm warrior, Liu Kang. Although the shokan prince was considered a mighty warrior and had experience on his side, he was defeated by Liu Kang.
Goro is with Sheeva at the beginning of the second tournament in Shao Kahn’s throne room. He offers Shao Kahn a Ying Yang seal. Kahn inspects the seal, then hands it back to Goro. The significance of the Yin Yang seal is never explained. Goro would find Liu Kang in the Tower searching for Kitana later on. He tried to challenge Liu Kang, but ended up fighting Kung Lao instead. The Shaolin Monk was victorious, avenging the death of his ancestor, the Great Kung Lao. After defeating Goro, Kung Lao demanded the location of Kitana, Goro told them that she was to be found in the Coliseum. The prince had no doubt she was going to be executed. Enraged by Goro’s words, Liu Kang knocked him unconscious.
Goro would be tasked with guarding Earthrealm prisoners alongside Kintaro and Kano, but was frozen by Cyber Sub-Zero. Both Goro and Kintaro broke free of the ice and faced the former Lin-Kuei in a two-on-one match, but the two Shokan ended up losing to the cyborg.
Powers and abilities
Goro is one of the most powerful warriors in the history of Mortal Kombat, being able to win 9 consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, as well as defeating the Great Kung Lao in his first tournament, which Shang Tsung, in his younger form failed to do. He also served as commander of Outworld’s armies, crushing rebellions and aiding in the conquer of many new realms for the Emperor.
Goro’s fighting style always revolved around taking advantage of his brute strength and surprising agility. In the early games, Goro was an imbalanced character. All of his moves did far more damage than all of the other characters, and because of that, he was notoriously difficult to defeat in the first game. In the 3D games, he was toned down to make him more balanced. His current depiction is being powerful, but slow. Goro is associated with the element of Fire. Like Kintaro, he could either project fireballs either from his mouth or his hands. In Shaolin Monks, he was able to shoot one fireball from each hand. He could also manipulate fire in his hands if he needed to attack using them.