Bio:
- Name: Reptile
- Height: 6′
- Weight: 195 lbs
- Species: Saurian
- Resides: Outworld
- Eye Color: light green, reptile pupils
- Status: Enforcer
- Alignment: Neutral
- Age: Unknown
Reptile is a green garbed, humanoid reptilian creature that embodies the archetype of the unhappy underling. Said to be physically hideous and repulsive, he is renowned for his great stealth and unquestioning loyalty. Unlike many other henchmen, Reptile does not strive for power. He is caught up in a delusional state of mind. The lone Zaterrian is obsessed with finding the last remaining member of his race, or freeing his home world of Zaterra from Outworld’s grasp. Thus, he always remains loyal to Shao Kahn, only obeying other masters to survive and reach his goal of returning Zaterra to its former glory. While well meaning and sincere, his obsession is so important to him that it causes him temporary fits of insanity.
It is not quite clear how old Reptile is. Estimates run in the tens of thousands of years or even millions. What is known, however, is that the Earthrealm was nearly destroyed by a battle between the gods millions of years ago. Reptile’s race of raptors, or Saurians, escaped to another realm, Zaterra, where it was then invaded and annexed by Shao Kahn. As was the usual process for Kahn conquering another world, most of the Zaterrans were killed in the ensuing battles, only leaving a handful of people left. Among those, or among those descended from these survivors, was Reptile. Unlike the others of his kind, who were forced into slavery, Reptile was trained to be a servant of both Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung.
Mortal Kombat
Reptile faithfully served as Shang Tsung’s protector in the first tournament. Being a master of stealth, he stayed hidden and constantly watched over Shang Tsung, staying true to his duty. He rarely fought, but was a very skilled fighter. He utilized many special abilities, which added to his fighting skills to make him a force to be reckoned with.
Mortal Kombat II
He protected his master from harm, and then went on to receive special missions from Shao Kahn himself. The emperor had promised to release the remaining members of his race from slavery if he would unquestioningly do his bidding.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Such an opportunity arose when Kitana had escaped into the unknown regions of Earthrealm during Kahn’s invasion of that world. Reptile was sent by Shao Kahn, who promised Reptile to resurrect his race if he succeeded with an assignment. The Zaterran and Jade were to find and, if necessary, kill Kitana. He did not succeed as Jade betrayed him to help Kitana.
After the war was over, with Kahn defeated and both Earth and Edenia free, Reptile was brought back as a prisoner to Edenia. He was tried for genocide, a bitter irony since his own race once was the victim of the very same act. Reptile was then exiled to the Netherrealm.
Mortal Kombat 4/Mortal Kombat Gold
When the fallen Elder God Shinnok invaded Edenia, Reptile grasped the opportunity to join Shinnok’s Army of Darkness as a commander. He hoped to convince Shinnok to revive his near extinct race. After being on the losing side once more, he escaped into Outworld again and rejoined his old masters. In spite of the fact that neither had ever kept their promises towards him.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Because of his state of separation from the other members of his race, and especially his matriarch, Reptile had begun to show signs of devolution. Where he used to mask his appearance by posing as a human, this proved to be no longer possible. Reptile had nearly gone insane and had significantly changed in appearance, including a tail.
With the armies of Edenia and Outworld locked in combat, Shao Kahn requested the services of the sorcerer Shang Tsung. Reptile was sent to tell Tsung of the emperor’s request. Upon reaching Tsung’s new place of residence since being released from prison, Reptile overheard Tsung and Quan Chi forming them plotting to kill Shao Kahn. On his way back to inform his master, he was distracted by Nitara, who revealed to him knowledge of his lost civilization. She gave him the Kirehashi blade, which was an artifact of the Zaterran civilization, as proof and revealed to Reptile the location of Kitana’s forces. Reptile knowing how this knowledge would greatly aid his master in the war with Edenia raced back to tell the emperor. He was unfortunately too late; Shao Kahn lay slain on the floor.
Mortal Kombat: Deception
The desperate and purposeless Reptile wandered Outworld aimlessly until he came across Nitara yet again. Desperate for a new master Reptile declared his loyalties to Nitara. Unknown to Reptile, he had always been merely a pawn in Nitara’s plan to free her people’s realm from Outworld. The first step had been to distract Reptile long enough for the Deadly Alliance to kill Shao Kahn unhindered. The vampires now needed to manipulate Reptile and the cyber ninja Cyrax into battle. Reptile damaged Cyrax, ensuring the cyber-ninja would later help Nitara in her quest for the portal sphere. Eventually, Reptile came to realize that Nitara had fooled him, and that her plan had lead to the death of his master Shao Kahn. Enraged, Reptile tracked the vampire and Cyrax to the Lava Chamber, but he was too late. The portal sphere had been destroyed, and of Nitara and Cyrax there was no sign. All that remained was the almost fully incubated dragon egg of Onaga the Dragon King. The egg hatched, a beam of light struck Reptile and Reptile’s body became the vessel for the reincarnated Onaga.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Reptile’s separation from Onaga occurred when Nightwolf bound Onaga’s soul to the Netherrealm. He is encountered by Taven in the lair of the Red Dragon clan. Though no explanation is offered as to why he is there, it’s possible that Reptile’s DNA was also being used. Daegon was seemingly attempting to create human-reptilian hybrids. Since the Red Dragon Hybrids do bear some resemblance to Reptile and can also spit acid, one could see the resemblance. This might have been another way, in his eyes, to get his Saurian race to be restored. Taven defeated Reptile in a fight and released Caro.
Reptile later joins the Forces of Darkness and is killed during the final battle.
Mortal Kombat 9
Reptile fights for Outworld against Earthrealm in the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament. He battles Johnny Cage during the first match of the tournament, but is defeated. After the end of the tournament, Reptile, Baraka, and Kitana bring Shang Tsung to Shao Kahn, the Emperor of Outworld, to stand trial for his failure to merge the realms. Reptile makes another appearance during the second Mortal Kombat tournament, whispering to Shang Tsung something inaudible, which pleases the sorcerer.
Reptile is next seen in the Living Forest. While Kano and Shang Tsung prepare to make a deal over the Black Dragon firearms, Smoke interrupts. After Smoke defeats Kano, Shang Tsung morphs into the elder Sub-Zero and teams up with Reptile to face Smoke. Reptile and Shang Tsung are both defeated.
When the younger Sub-Zero demands to face Scorpion, he is instead forced into a duel with Reptile. The reptilian ninja losing once more. Reptile participates in the Earthrealm invasion. He scales the building which police officers Kurtis Stryker and Kabal are on top of. Reptile dodges all of the bullets fired at him, and spits acid at Kabal, incapacitating him. Stryker then battles Reptile and defeats him. After losing to Stryker, he is not seen again.
Mortal Kombat X
Five years before the story, Reptile seems to be the first ally to Kotal Kahn. The two approach D’Vorah asking her to assist them in overthrowing the Empress Mileena. Moments later, Mileena, Ermac, Baraka and several Tarkatan soldiers enter the room and confront the trio. The accuse them of treason and sedition. Reptile then reveals to the room that he saw how Mileena was constructed in Shang Tsung’s Flesh Pits and is not actually Shao Kahn’s daughter. Outraged by Reptile’s outburst, Mileena orders her men to kill the usurpers. However, Ermac soon betrays Mileena and joins the usurpers. After D’Vorah kills Baraka and the rest defeat the other Tarkatans, Kotal orders Mileena to be locked up..
Reptile, along with Erron Black and Ermac, are sent out to investigate the bodies left by D’Vorah after she betrayed Outworld. Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda Takahashi, and Kung Jin escaped captivity but are quickly located by Reptile’s superior smelling senses. The Earthrealmers begin an ambush, with Takeda and Reptile ending up battling one another. Reptile and his comrades are then incapacitated by the Earthrealmers. The three go to Kotal Kahn and report that D’Vorah is gone with the amulet and they believe that she is also working with Earthrealm. Furious with this news, Kahn declares war on Earthrealm and tells his men to ready the army.
Kotal Kahn, Reptile, Ermac, Ferra/Torr, and Erron Black then lead dozens of soldiers through a portal to Earthrealm. They meet up with the four Earthrealmers who happened to crash land in that area. The Earthrealmers run away from the army and ambush the Outworld Army.
Reptile quickly dodges most of the attacks and climbs the trees and pounces on Jacqui. Takeda attempts to stop him, but Reptile ends up spitting his acid in his face, temporarily blinding him. Jacqui breaks free of Reptile’s grasp and defeats him. However the Earthrealmers are overrun by the superior number of the Outworld army. Kotal Kahn announces that he shall have their heads as a peace treaty for Shinnok to spare Outworld. All of a sudden, the Lin Kuei led by Sub-Zero attack the army, allowing the four teammates to escape. The fate of Reptile and the rest of his companions is unknown after this, but it is likely that they escaped back to Outworld.
Powers and abilities
However, like Scorpion, the mask and the skin behind it are merely a thorough guise to his true lizard form . However, he appears to remove his mask more often than Scorpion. His saliva is composed of powerful, corrosive fluids that can easily burn right through steel, much like acid. He also can fire concussive blasts of homing energy.
Reptile’s distinguishing trait is his ability to render himself completely invisible. A Saurian’s appearance is human-like for the most part. However, the longer they are separated from one another, the more their human guises degrade and vanish over time until their true forms are revealed. The change is more than skin deep as it also can affect the mind as well. Saurians who lose their disguises completely will begin to regress into primal fits of blind rage, attacking both friend and foe.
Reptile exhales a green poisonous gas from his body, which damages the opponent if him/her simply stands close to him. He has the ability to move and attack at incredibly fast speeds, much like some sorts of lizards.