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Mortal Kombat Fighters
Fighter ID:
Password
Fighting Style(s)
Snake, Crane
Fighting Style(s)
Mantis
Occupation
Sorcerer
Species
Demon
Weapon(s)
Straight Sword

Games
Mortal Kombat
Arcade
Mortal Kombat 2 / Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat II: Kyūkyoku Shinken
Arcade
Mortal Kombat 3
Arcade
Unavailable in R-Zone, GameBoy, Game Gear, and Master System versions.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Arcade
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Playstation
Unavailable in R-Zone, Game.com, and Tiger LCD versions.
Mortal Kombat Advance
Game Boy Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Playstation 2
Unlockable via coffin in GameBoy Advance version.
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
Game Boy Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Playstation 2
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Playstation 2
Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Playstation Portable
Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe
PlayStation 3
Mortal Kombat (2011) / Mortal Kombat 9 (fan name)
Xbox 360
Also a boss character in Ladder Mode with additional morphs.
Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat 1
Final boss of Story Mode and Towers. Made playable via pre-order bonus or DLC.

Storyline
Mortal Kombat 1
Scheming Sorcerer
Shang Tsung grew up in Outworld’s backwaters. Too lazy for hard labor and too shifty for honest work, he eked out a living selling quack cures and fake magic. Though his wares were useless, Shang Tsung’s easy charm always closed the deal.
Shang Tsung was resigned to this hardscrabble life. But then one day a mysterious stranger came, promising to make Shang Tsung a powerful sorcerer. Though suspicious of the offer, it was one he couldn’t refuse.
Mortal Kombat
Influence
Soul Sorcerer and historic host of the Mortal Kombat. Born in Earthrealm, Shang Tsung’s relentless pursuit of powerful magic led him to Outworld, where Shao Kahn offered him a dark power that no sorcerer on Earthrealm could. Shang Tsung pledged his eternal loyalty to Shao Kahn in exchange for this evil magic, but he is no faithful servant. He dreams of the day his sorcery will overtake Shao Kahn’s, and he’ll pay any price to get there.
Kombat Rebooted
A treacherous sorcerer who consumes the souls of his victims, Shang Tsung has played host to the last nine Mortal Kombat tournaments in Earthrealm, stacking the odds in favor of his master. Originally from Earthrealm, Shang Tsung's magical abilities led him to discover the realm of Outworld. There he fell in league with its ruler, Shao Kahn, and pledged his life to him in return for enhanced power. He is now bound to the emperor by powerful dark magic. For centuries he has submissively done Shao Kahn's bidding. Should he fail in his mission to secure Earthrealm, he will suffer the emperor's wrath.
Kombat Begins
Over 500 years ago, Shang Tsung, a young martial arts warrior, became Grand Champion of the prestigious Shaolin Tournament. Cursed by the gods, Shang was compelled to take not only the lives of all his opponents, but their souls as well.
Liu Kang
Defeated By
Characters fought to a clear and definitive victory.
The Wrath of Kahn
Tsung is Shao Kahn's lead sorceror. He once fell out of favor with his emperor after failing to win the Earth realm through tournament battle. But the ever scheming Shang Tsung is instrumental in Kahn's conquest of Earth. He has now been granted more power than ever.
MK Trilogy Endings
When Shao Kahn overtakes the Earth he needs Shang Tsung to help locate the surviving humans. Granted new powers he soon discovers his dark emperor's true plan: as soon as the remaining warriors are disposed of, Kahn will take Tsung's own soul. After learning of this, Tsung turns on his master. He catches Motaro off guard and then defeats Shao Kahn. But before the Earth can return to normal Tsung takes all of the souls as his own. He will forever rule Earth with his own brand of evil.
Deadly Alliance
The sorceror Shang Tsung was imprisoned in the depths of Shao Kahn's fortress, punished for failing to win the Mortal Kombat tournament in Earthrealm. Periodically he was released to perform tasks for the emperor, until he eventually regained Shao Kahn's favor and was given his freedom. He remained in Outworld, risking his life to drain the souls of kombatants in order to sustain his youth. All this changed the day the sorceror Quan Chi returned from the Netherrealm.

Quan Chi proposed an alliance that would prove to be mutually beneficial. He offered Shang Tsung immortality by unlocking a portal linked to the Heavens. Shang Tsung would therefore have an unlimited number of souls to preserve his youth. In return, all Quan Chi required was Shang Tsung's assistance in transplanting warrior souls into the mummified remains of the Dragon King's undefeatable army. Shang Tsung accepted the offer and the Deadly Alliance was formed.
Return of the Dragon King
Centuries ago, he stole the Mortal Kombat tournament from the Shaolin in an attempt to win Earthrealm for Shao Kahn, the Emperor. Eventually he killed Shao Kahn and allied himself with the sorcerer Quan Chi.
The Battle of Armageddon
"In an instant, Raiden's blast destroyed us all! Our souls intertwined, we did battle in the ether. But I was drawn away by a magic more powerful than death. My essence returned to Outworld, where I found myself face to face with Shao Kahn!

He was alive! Quan Chi and I had slain him in his fortress -- or so we thought. Yet here he stood. At his side was the Shokan prince, Goro! My ghostly visage startled them at first, but Shao Kahn knew what had transpired.

Long ago I had pledged my soul to the emperor. That pledge was binding even beyond death. But if he were to die, so too would those who served him. At the time I believed it to be merely another empty vow, yet here I am. My soul has returned from beyond to rejoin Shao Kahn.

He had need of me. But I required a host body in which my soul could reside. At the flesh pits, he forged for me a new body. It was weak and grotesque to behold, but it functioned well enough. I craved mortal souls to heal and fortify my new flesh. I found more than enough at a place all too familiar to me: the village where Li Mei was born. I consumed each peasant's life force as Shao Kahn and Goro slew them one by one. I was renewed!

Shao Kahn then commanded me to aid him in an assault on occupying Edenian forces, in an effort to retake his stronghold. United once more, Shao Kahn, Goro and I laid waste to all who stood in our way! In a flurry of brute strength and magic, we forced our way up to the throne room. The door was reinforced by some magical spell, but it was no match for our combined might. With a final swing of Shao Kahn's hammer, the door was breached, and Shao Kahn was Emperor of Outworld once more.

Though I am bound to him eternally, an opportunity has arisen that might give me the means to free myself. It seems Quan Chi has also survived death, and he has brought word from Shinnok of a plan to take a mighty power for the Forces of Darkness. If I claim that prize for myself, I could sever my bond with Shao Kahn! Until that time, I will continue to play my role as his servant and redirect any suspicions he may have of betrayal to others within our new dark alliance. Once I have the power and I am free of Shao Kahn, I will finish him and finally take the throne of Outworld for myself!" -Shang Tsung
MK Armageddon Endings
Empowered by the godlike energy he received from Blaze, Shang Tsung found that he could alter the forms of others.

Enraged that he was denied the prize, Shao Kahn charged the sorcerer. With a gesture of his hand, Shang Tsung transformed his former master into a centaur slave.

Shang Tsung had become the ruler of Outworld at last.
Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe Endings
Impressed with Captain Marvel's fighting ability but angered by his defeat at the hero's hands, Shang Tsung sought to create a race of super-warriors. They would have Captain Marvel's abilities, but would be a perversion of the hero's image.

Through sorcery he combined blood from a torn piece of Captain Marvel's cape with the flesh of a Tarkatan corpse. Never before had his flesh pits echoed with the roar of such a monstrosity. With an army of Super-Tarkatans, Shang Tsung will be invincible!
Worlds Collide
A sorcerer who consumes the souls of his victims, Shang Tsung played host to the Mortal Kombat tournament in Earthrealm, stacking the odds in favor of the emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn. He was finally defeated by the Shaolin monk Liu Kang and has sought to regain the favor of his master, Shao Kahn, ever since. His hatred of Liu Kang runs deep, and he would desire nothing more than to consume the soul of the one warrior who denied him victory.

Fun Facts
The Killing Joke
While the Joker himself could not return in the series M-Rated follow up to MK vs DC, his infamously censored Fatality (Bang, Bang) did. Referred to as "a trick he picked up from previous opponents", Shang Tsung can morph into a very Joker-like clown and recreate the comedic execution verbatim, complete with win pose.