If there’s one thing Mortal Kombat is known for besides grueling combat and grisly finishing moves, it’s a colorful assortment of ultra-marketable one-liners that practically sell themselves. Luckily, the series is absolutely stacked with them.
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Some of these quotes have fallen a bit by the wayside over the years, while others remain irrevocably bound to the series narrative with each new chapter. Either way, these popular Mortal Kombat quotes will stand the test of time, no matter what direction the story takes.
Updated on December 11, 2023, by Jason Wojnar: Even though the Mortal Kombat series started its life in arcades and is known the world over for its cartoonish, yet sometimes still unsettling, violence, the entries in the last two decades have had story modes with real attention paid to writing and character. To bring this point home, this update adds some of the more profound quotes from 2023’s Mortal Kombat 1, offering a contrast to the iconic yet simple “Get Over Here” or the clever threats.
22 “I Didn’t Marry Johnny Cage, I Married John Carlton”
-Cris (Mortal Kombat 1)
Mortal Kombat X and 11 humanize Johnny Cage through his relationship with Sonya Blade and their child Cassie. Mortal Kombat 1 does not retread the same ground and instead shows how his ego separates him from those whom he loves. It doesn’t go so far as to show his movie star persona as a shield for his insecurities, but his arc goes from him joining the tournament for himself to him doing it for the betterment of others.
He is separated from Chris, his new partner, by the end of the game, but maybe they will get back together in a sequel. Or maybe Sonya Blade will come along once again.
21 “Worry Expends Energy For No Purpose”
-Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat 1)
Who ever thought that a game whose appeal is extreme violence could give us such helpful life advice. There is a lot in life you have absolutely no control over, whether it be in your personal life or in relation to major world events. Worrying does no good, though. You have to take action.
Of course, this is not the same thing as grieving or taking the time needed to process something. Be thankful at least your worry isn’t the fate of the entire Earthrealm being down to a single hand-to-hand fight. At the same time, some real-world stresses can feel like it is the end of the world.
20 “Focus On Your Actions, Not The Outcome, It Is All You Can Control”
-Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat 1)
You could really take 80 percent of the things Liu Kang says in Mortal Kombat 1 and put them on a motivational poster to hang up in your office, bedroom, or bathroom. Everybody has goals and most people work hard to achieve them, which can be severely disappointing when the goal is not achieved.
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Sometimes, though, that failure really was out of your control and you should still take pride in the work you put in. Maybe that opponent in an online match was simply better than you, but you still put in all that effort and depleted more than half of their health bar because you focused on your moves and defense and not merely on the prospect of winning.
19 “I Am Kahn Of Outworld! Vacate My Throne, Or I’ll Soak These Sands With Your Blood!”
-Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat 11)
The powerful Shao Kahn made a reappearance in Mortal Kombat 11 after Kronika messed with the timeline, and he didn’t miss a beat when it came to establishing his dominance.
He stumbled upon Kotal Kahn sitting on his throne and was none-too-happy about it. This prompted a memorable quote by Kahn before he attacked Kotal, who was arguably a more benevolent and level-headed leader in every respect.
18 “There Are Fates Worse Than Death!”
-Raiden (Mortal Kombat 11)
Starting with the 2011 semi-reboot of Mortal Kombat, an excellent story-driven narrative has taken center stage. This was a definite change from previous games in the series which loosely followed an overall plot.
Raiden uttered this phrase in Mortal Kombat X as a haunting precursor to the story that would eventually unfold in Mortal Kombat 11. He uttered this quote after tossing Shinnok’s severed head to the ground which was still technically alive due to the Elder God’s immortality. Raiden had changed, and not for the better.
17 “Fight!”
-Referee (Whole Series)
Since the beginning of the series, the word “Fight” has been synonymous with the heat of battle. Sure, many fighting games used this word to start a match, but there was something especially ominous about the way Mortal Kombat did it.
The evil voices that shout this starting word drive home the point that a more sinister force is in charge. The same voice would make other proclamations throughout the round, such as telling players when to finish off their opponents.
16 “We Share Blood, But We Are Not Brothers.”
-Noob Cybot (Mortal Kombat 9)
This was a great line from Noob during his meeting with Cyber Sub-Zero back in Mortal Kombat 9, and the developers clearly thought it was so good that it was brought back in Mortal Kombat 11. During the rematch, Sub-Zero was the one to deliver the line, but it still kept its awesome feeling.
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In both instances, the line is used to show how disgusted the characters are at what their brother has become. It’s one of the coldest lines in the series, and that’s probably why Mortal Kombat fans won’t be forgetting about it anytime soon.
15 “Brutality!”
-Referee (Whole Series From Ultimake MK3 Onward)
For a long time, Fatalities were considered the most gruesome and controversial aspect of the Mortal Kombat series — so much so that certain home releases of the original game were washed clean to prevent parents from losing their minds.
Then came Brutalities, a new mechanic that appeared in the home console versions of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. They were on and off again for a time until they made a big comeback. Brutalities are recognizable for the fact that they can take place in the middle of a round, provided certain criteria are met, as opposed to the end of a bout. It is an excellent way to surprise unsuspecting players, feeling even more humiliating than the classic and expected Fatality.
14 “(Unintelligible)”
-Raiden (Whole Series)
This particular quote is memorable for the fact that nobody has a clue what Raiden is saying. Still, it’s one of the most popular Mortal Kombat quotes of the bunch, if one can call it that. Raiden yells variations of this quote out whenever he does his flying superman move.
It first began way back in the original Mortal Kombat game before the sound was changed in Mortal Kombat 2, which seems to be the more oft-used version of the scream. Perhaps someday you’ll get an official translation, but according to legend, it’s gibberish. Depending on the game, it is sometimes very high-pitched or a little bit more of a growl.
13 “Gotcha!”
-Jax (Whole Series)
Few moments in Mortal Kombat are more irritating than Jax grabbing you unceremoniously by the neck, hoisting you up, and delivering this popular quote before smashing your teeth down your throat.
It’s one of the cheapest moves of any MK character, but at least it made a memorable one-liner out of an all-too-obvious proclamation. In a series with dozens of creative kills, this simple beat down remains one of the most brutal moves in any character’s toolset.
12 “Wrong Jarek, This Is Not A Brutality… This Is A FATALITY!”
-Jax (Mortal Kombat 4)
We said that the story modes have good writing. Well, that certainly was not the case with the endings in Mortal Kombat 4. This Jax quote is mostly infamous among fans of the series, but being entirely infamous doesn’t mean it isn’t unforgettable. Though Mortal Kombat 4 was a huge step forward for the series, the voice acting was anything but.
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The over-the-top performances that are on display from Jarek and Jax make a moment that was probably meant to be cool feel incredibly cheesy. The on-the-nose line is sure to make your eyes roll whenever you hear it, but you’ll probably quote the ridiculous line whenever you can anyway.
11 “Babality!”
-Referee (Whole Series)
Oh, the embarrassment! There you are, seeing triple and swaying about while your opponent contemplates your fate. Rather than paint the floor with your brain matter, it’s decided that you shall get a second stab at life (no pun intended) via the dreaded Babality.
Thankfully, you’ll be better prepared to handle brussel sprouts, acne, and crushing tuition fees before re-training for that coveted spot at the top of the MK ladder.
10 “You Weak, Pathetic Fool!”
-Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat 2)
Going up against Shao Kahn in any MK game can have players screaming “Serenity now!” before throwing their controller against the wall. Does it help when he taunts you with merciless insults at the same time?
This popular quote suggests that you — yes, YOU — lack the strength to beat an egg, much less the ruler of Outworld. The only upside is that it leaves Kahn wide open for a little poetic justice in the form of a combo attack or a good old-fashioned uppercut. “Yay” for small victories!
This quote is accessible as an easter egg in the SNES version of Mortal Kombat 2 by pressing a certain set of buttons while the Akklaim logo is on the screen in the opening
9 “Meat Lost His Sense Of Identity And Disappeared Into Obscurity…”
-Narrator (Mortal Kombat: Armageddon)
There’s just something so infamous and hilarious about this narration for Meat if you are victorious in his arcade ladder in Mortal Kombat Armaggedon. While it does make about as much sense as it can in an ending for a character like Meat, it’s still become a meme in the Mortal Kombat community.
While there are hints of humor in the Mortal Kombat universe, Meat is one of the few major joke characters you can play as. The quote perfectly describes what happened to Meat considering you’ll have difficulty finding a Mortal Kombat player looking for his return.
8 “Test Your Might!”
– Referee (Whole Series)
This particular challenge mode has come and gone over the years since its first iteration in 1992, but it left us with a quote that is irrevocably tied to the MK mythos. “Test your might” is just the right bit of vocal encouragement for you to mash those buttons into a paste so your character can muster enough force to karate chop through a variety of hard materials.
Few bragging rights are as potent as cracking a block of diamonds in two, even if it means that every bone in your character’s arm would end up being pulverized beyond hope of repair. Mortal Kombat 1 creatively integrated Test Your Might Into the Story Mode.
7 “Friendship! FRIENDSHIP?”
-Referee (Whole Series)
Picture this: You’ve thrashed your opponent, left them barely able to stand, and now you’re ready to deliver that fatal blow. However, instead of succumbing to your blood-lust, you end up channeling your inner John Lennon long enough to extend an olive branch to your foe in the form of friendship.
It may not mean much to the character you just kicked the snot out of, but a little virtue signaling can go a long way in showing that deep down, you’re just a big ol’ softy! Even the announcer can’t wrap their head around this one, which is where this memorable quote comes from.
6 “Toasty!”
-Dan Forden (Whole Series)
Before memes were a thing, there was “Toasty!” Now there are…lots of “Toasty!” memes. Anyways, this particular quote broke the fourth wall in goofy fashion starting with Mortal Kombat 2, where sound designer Dan Forden’s face would leap onscreen for a quick second and deliver this popular falsetto quote before dashing off into the ether.
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Players with quick reflexes could hit Down + Start to trigger an immediate battle with the hidden character Smoke, provided they were battling in the Portal stage. It was a leg up on the secret formula for finding Reptile in the original MK, although this method was more than a little unorthodox!
5 “It’s Official, You Suck!”
-Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat 3 Onward)
This nasty little line of dialogue is one that you can hear from Shao Kahn in various Mortal Kombat games. It’s possible you were able to get the quote to play against an opponent, but it’s just as likely you got stomped by a Shao Kahn player and suffered the line yourself.
The line of dialogue accompanies a Brutality from the emperor of Outworld, acting as a bit of insult to injury. It’s so unexpected that the first time anyone hears it is sure to trigger a bit of a laughing fit.
4 “Flawless Victory!”
-Referee (Whole Series)
What’s better than dusting your opponent like a bundt cake without breaking a sweat, or taking a single hit? Having the announcer proclaim it over a loudspeaker, that’s what!
This was especially important back in the smokey arcades of the 1990s when Mortal Kombat’s notoriety was at an all-time high, and gamers would crowd around the cabinet to watch players demonstrate their fighting finesse. It was also one of the most demoralizing things to hear after you lost a round!
3 “Finish Him/Her!”
-Referee (Whole Series)
Mortal Kombat wouldn’t be Mortal Kombat without this memorable quote. It sums up everything the series was focused on – the annihilation of your foes in spectacularly gory fashion.
Although fatalities have become more creative and imaginative (to the point of comical satire) over the years, each and everyone is prefaced by this single, memorable quote from the announcer; a call for you to embrace the dark side and send your opponent off to the knacker’s yard in the most explicitly violent manner imaginable.