Noob Saibot

Noob Saibot is a fictional character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by NetherRealm Studios and Midway Games. Initially introduced as a black silhouette of 1993's Mortal Kombat II's other male ninja characters sharing their special moves, he would be given his own unique moveset and appearance in later games, while his backstory would be greatly extended upon. His name consists of the surnames of Mortal Kombat creators Ed Boon and John Tobias spelled backwards.

Noob Saibot
Mortal Kombat character
Noob Saibot in Mortal Kombat 11 (2019); main form on the left, shadow clone on the right.
First appearanceMortal Kombat (1992; retcon, as original Sub-Zero)
Mortal Kombat II (1993; as Noob Saibot)
Created byEd Boon
John Tobias
Designed byJohn Tobias (MKII–MK4)
Steve Beran (MK:D, MK:A)
Atomhawk Design (MK2011)
Portrayed byJ.J. Perry (film)
Kimball Uddin (television)
Voiced byEd Boon (MK:D)
Jamieson Price (MK2011)
Sean Chiplock (MK11)
Motion captureDaniel Pesina (MKII)
Richard Divizio (MK3)
John Turk (UMK3, MKT)
Lawrence Kern (MK2011)
In-universe information
AliasBi-Han (birth name)
Sub-Zero
WeaponScythe (MK4, MKG)
Sickle (MK11)
Ninja Sword (MK:TE)
Troll Hammer (MK:A)
FamilySub-Zero (Kuai Liang; brother)
OriginNetherrealm
Fighting stylesHapkido (MK:TE)
Pi Gua (MK:TE)
Monkey (MK:D, MK:A)

Noob Saibot debuted as an unplayable hidden character in Mortal Kombat II and became a playable character for the first time in the console versions of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. He is initially established as an undead wraith and member of the Brotherhood of the Shadow cult, which places him in the service of many of the series' villains. His backstory was further expanded in Mortal Kombat: Deception, in which he is retcon as the original Sub-Zero from the original 1992 game, who was killed by Scorpion following the events of the game and then resurrected by the evil sorcerer Quan Chi; Noob Saibot's younger brother took on the mantle of Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat II onwards. In the reboot continuity started in the 2011 Mortal Kombat game, his birth name is revealed to be Bi-Han.

General and critical reception to the character has been mainly positive, particularly in regard to his Fatality finishing moves. His popularity has led him to be a playable character in most main installments of the franchise following Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

Design and gameplay

The character's name comes from the last names of the creators of the Mortal Kombat franchise, Ed Boon and John Tobias, spelled backwards.[1] During his first appearances, Noob Saibot's design was focused around an all-black exterior, with the staff stating "that's what he's all about". They found difficulties in making some versions, without him appearing to look into bondage.[2] For Mortal Kombat: Deception, Noob Saibot was the first character drawn and designed by Steve Beran.[3] Beran attempted to make him a more distinctive character, focusing less on his all-black exterior. One design depicted him with a hood, but the idea was later moved to the new character Havik.[2] An early alternate outfit depicted Noob Saibot in a black, red and blue outfit with a Japanese translation of "darkness" on the front flap. He was also shown unmasked, but this design ended up being used as Havik's alternate outfit.[4] The use of a two-on-two combat was meant to be introduced in this game as well, but was only used with Noob Saibot and Smoke. Both characters were models for the use of such a concept and were intended to work together in the player's Fatality finishing move.[5]

Noob Saibot was first introduced in 1993's Mortal Kombat II as a hidden nonplayable opponent whom players fought in a secret battle in the "Goro's Lair" stage from the first game after winning fifty consecutive matches. He was a solid black palette swap of Sub-Zero who fought with increased speed and Scorpion's spear.[6] He returned as a secret character in Mortal Kombat 3 with the same attributes, but was instead a silhouette of Kano, since there were no human ninjas in the game, and in the Sega Game Gear port, he additionally had Kano's special moves and his "Eye Laser" Fatality. Upon being made playable in the console versions of UMK3 and the 1996 compilation title Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Noob Saibot returned as a palette-swap ninja, and one of ten human ninja swaps in the game overall.[7] Although early versions of Mortal Kombat 4 featured him as a playable character, he was changed back to being hidden in the final arcade release.

Noob Saibot is playable in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks in the "Versus" mode if both players select Sub-Zero; the last player to select him will play as a variation of Noob Saibot. He is colored black but he has Sub-Zero's frozen forearms and retains the latter's moves and Fatalities.

Prima Games considered Noob Saibot to be one of the most "overpowered" Mortal Kombat characters; they state "he had an unblockable projectile attack, fought side-by-side with Smoke and even had ridiculous zoning in MK9."[8]

Appearances

In video games

Noob Saibot allies with evil Outworld emperor Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat 3 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, but secretly observes the emperor at the behest of the Brotherhood of the Shadow. In Mortal Kombat 4, he serves the fallen Elder God Shinnok. Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition features Noob Saibot once again as a playable character, this time in the service of Kahn. He leads an offensive against the forces of good and mortally wounds the Shokan prince Goro.

In Mortal Kombat: Deception, Noob Saibot discovers the deactivated cyborg ninja Smoke deep within Shao Kahn's palace. He reactivates and enslaves him, intending to use his body as the basis for his personal undead cyborg army. In his ending, he is revealed as the resurrected form of Bi-Han,[9] which would carry over to subsequent releases and the 2011 reboot of the continuity of the first three games.[10] Bi-Han was the elder Sub-Zero in the 1992 original game and the 1997 prequel Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.

In the 2005 beat 'em up title Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Shaolin warriors Kung Lao and Liu Kang discover Noob Saibot being pursued by his brother Sub-Zero in the bowels of the Netherrealm.

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006) featured Noob Saibot as a playable character. In the game's story mode, he and Smoke invade the Lin Kuei ninja clan's castle and assimilate most of the defending ninja into their own subordinate warriors. They are eventually defeated by the warrior Taven, and Noob Saibot is left in the castle unconscious. Raiden also tries to force him to recall his past identity, but to no avail.

In the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, which serves as an alternate timeline retelling of the first three games, Raiden receives visions from his future counterpart while attending the Mortal Kombat tournament. After one of the visions reveals Bi-Han's transformation into Noob Saibot, he tries to prevent Scorpion from murdering the first Sub-Zero by offering to ask the Elder Gods to resurrect the Shirai Ryu. This fails when the sorcerer Quan Chi manipulates Scorpion with a vision of Bi-Han murdering his family. After his death, Bi-Han is subsequently resurrected by Quan Chi to serve as one of his undead revenant enforcers.[11] He supports Quan Chi and Shao Kahn, while also keeping in touch with the Cyber Lin Kuei, who had joined the latter's forces as well. Although he first appears during the second Mortal Kombat tournament, he does not receive a significant role until Outworld invades Earthrealm. He is sent to defend Quan Chi's Soulnado from Earthrealm's protectors. Before the Soulnado ritual started, Kano warned Noob that the newly-cyberized Sub-Zero had broken free from the cyborg Sektor's control. During the ritual itself, Noob confronts and disowns his younger brother, claiming "We share blood. We are not brothers," only to be defeated. Soon after, He engages Earthrealm warrior Nightwolf, but is overpowered and launched into the Soulnado, dispelling the storm and seemingly killing Noob.[12]

Noob Saibot returns in Mortal Kombat 11, having mysteriously survived the Soulnado and acquired amplified powers. Hiding in the shadows for years, Quan Chi's death in Mortal Kombat X freed Noob from enslavement.[13] After the keeper of time Kronika, merged the past and present timelines, Noob pledged his allegiance to her in return for a dark clan of his own. He assisted a time-displaced Sektor and a cyberized Frost in kidnapping Lin Kuei clansmen and converting them into cyborg warriors before attempting to stop the newly-allied Scorpion and Sub-Zero from foiling their plans, only to be defeated and forced to retreat with Sektor’s deactivated body.[14] He reappears on Shang Tsung's island to stop Jax and Jacqui Briggs from retrieving Kronika's crown, but is defeated once again.[15] As revealed in Sub-Zero’s ending, Sektor corrupted Bi-Han before he became Noob Saibot.

In other media

Noob Saibot (played by Kimball Uddin) made one appearance in the 1998 television series Mortal Kombat: Konquest as an imprisoned Outworld warrior mistakenly released by Siro and Taja and then recruited by a sorceress to assassinate Kung Lao. He was completely covered in black oil and wielded an Escrima stick.

Noob Saibot appeared in the 1997 film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, as a warrior who emerged from Ermac during the latter's fight against Sonya, and was played by stunt performer J.J. Perry, who additionally portrayed Cyrax and Scorpion in the film. He and Ermac team up to assault Sonya with repeated kicks and punches until Jax comes to her aid and kills Noob Saibot with a fatal punch that he lands offscreen. Noob Saibot is uncredited and unidentified in the film, but is mentioned by name in the shooting script and film novelization.[16]

Reception

Noob Saibot was ranked twelfth in UGO Networks' 2012 ranking of the top fifty series characters. "Mortal Kombat is all about the secrets and hidden characters—starting with Reptile and continuing with Smoke ... our favorite is the ludicrously-named Noob Saibot."[17] Den of Geek placed him eighth in their 2015 ranking of the series' 73 playable characters. "Noob Saibot represents the dark sickness that comes from the cycle of violence. As explained in the reboot, by giving into his thirst for vengeance, Scorpion unleashed something horrible onto the world."[18] Dustin Thomas of Destructoid rated him as the fifth-best series character for his role in Mortal Kombat: Deception, in particular his ending. "This was such an awesome revelation for MK fans."[19] Complex listed him as the fifth-most underrated series character in 2012. "MK is known for having some of the best secrets to ever be hidden in a videogame."[20]

Noob Saibot joined the series' other male ninjas in being ranked third on GamePro's 2009 list of the best palette-swapped video game characters,[21] but Game Informer, in 2010, was not high on seeing these same characters, aside from Scorpion and Sub-Zero, in any future series installments.[22] The Trilogy version of the character was included in GameSpy's 2009 selection of unbalanced fighting game characters. "Noob Saibot has the 'Disabler.' It's a fireball ... which stuns you, which is as broken as it's possible for a fighting move to get without becoming allergic to electricity."[23] 4thletter.net ranked his Deception ending 38th in their 2013 list of the top 200 fighting game endings,[24] and rated his storyline therein fourth in its selection of "The Top 15 Best Fighting Game Storylines" the previous year.[25]

Noob Saibot's "Make a Wish" Fatality from the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, in which he and a shadow clone of himself rip their defeated opponent in half from the crotch upward by pulling their legs apart, received much critical attention due to its graphic content. In July 2011, Jon Stewart of The Daily Show played a video of the finisher while he explained the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the ESRB could regulate video games without government intervention.[26] Kirk Hamilton of Paste commented, "Not only did [Stewart] pick a scene from what is arguably the most ridiculously violent game on the market, he also picked the most gory and painful-looking fatality."[26] Complex ranked the Fatality as the series' best in 2013.[27] Kotaku's Michael McWhertor called it a "highlight" of the game,[28] and though the finisher was not included in the site's 2013 feature "The Most Gruesome Video Game Deaths," it served as its introduction. "It’s so ridiculous it stands out despite Mortal Kombat‘s already high level of gore."[29] Gameranx rated it as the fifth-top "Holy Shit Gaming Moment" of 2011. "Noob Saibot's Fatality move in particular teaches us the value of sharing."[30] We Got This Covered, in 2011, included it among the reboot's nine best finishers. "The bones popping and skin tearing is agonizing to listen to and just sounds horrific enough."[31] Robert Workman of Prima Games ranked it ninth in his 2014 countdown of the Mortal Kombat series' top fifty Fatalities.[32] CJ Smillie of Game Rant named it the top Fatality of the reboot in 2011. "When I first saw this Fatality, my jaw dropped at just how incredibly brutal and disgusting it was. It was incredibly simple ... yet also very effective in its execution."[33] FHM included it among the reboot's nine "most brutal" finishers.[34] Cameron Koch of TechTimes ranked it fourth in his 2015 selection of "The 10 Best Finishers in the Franchise's History," calling it "one of the most gruesome fatalities" of MK2011.[35]

gollark: https://minecraft.curseforge.com/projects/nuclearcraft-mod/images
gollark: Er, fusion.
gollark: Oh, THIS is why my fission reactors always exploded, really should have read the manual!
gollark: I use NuclearCraft!Also, this is creative mode.
gollark: *unfortunately, the existing reactor can't actually power a big enough shield without draining the battery array*

References
  1. Mike Fahey (May 10, 2011). "In Which Noob Saibot Lives Up to His Name". Kotaku. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  2. Midway (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway. Level/area: Kontent: Noob Concepts.
  3. Midway (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway. Level/area: Kontent: Noob Saibot Demo.
  4. Midway (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway. Level/area: Kontent: Noob Demo Version.
  5. Midway (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway. Level/area: Kontent: Double Character Concept.
  6. Lewis, Ed (2004-09-14). "Treasure of the Day: Mortal Kombat 2". IGN. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  7. "History of Mortal Kombat Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 21, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  8. "Cheapest Characters in Mortal Kombat History: Part 2". Prima Games. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  9. Tyrant-Cenobite (Tony Searle) (2010-11-11). "Netherrealm Studios Releases Sub-Zero Vignette!". Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  10. Midway (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway. Level/area: Noob-Smoke ending. After resurrection, Noob Saibot was surprised to see how much stronger his younger brother, the new Sub-Zero, had become. If he were still Lin Kuei, still human, he would probably have shown some degree of pride in his brother's achievements. However, as Raiden had revealed during the ordeal with Shinnok's amulet, his soul had been tainted when he had died at the hand of Scorpion
  11. Netherealm Studios (2011). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway. Level/area: Chapter 14: Cyber Sub-Zero. Sub-Zero: Bi-Han?! / Noob Saibot: Yes Kuai Lang. It is I. Quan Chi restored me.
  12. Netherealm Studios (2011). Mortal Kombat. Midway. Level/area: Chapter 15: Nightwolf.
  13. GameSpot (2019-03-22), Mortal Kombat 11 - Official Noob Saibot Reveal Trailer, retrieved 2019-03-23
  14. NetherRealm Studios (2019). Mortal Kombat 11. Warner Bros. Level/area: Chapter 4: Fire & Ice (Sub-Zero & Scorpion).
  15. NetherRealm Studios (2019). Mortal Kombat 11. Warner Bros. Level/area: Chapter 9: All in the Family (Jacqui & Jax).
  16. Mortal Kombat Novels - Trivia. Webs.com. Retrieved on 2010-02-20
  17. UGO Staff (February 28, 2012). "Noob Saibot - Top 50 Mortal Kombat Characters". UGO.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2013.
  18. Jasper, Gavin (January 30, 2015). "Mortal Kombat: Ranking All the Characters". Den of Geek. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  19. Thomas, Dustin (September 14, 2014). "Weekly Top 5: Best Mortal Kombat Characters". dustinthomas.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  20. "5. Noob Saibot — Your Favorite Fighter's Favorite Fighter: The 10 Most Underrated "Mortal Kombat" Kombatants". Complex. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  21. Koehn, Aaron (2009-01-13). "Palette Swapping: 17 Games that Did it Right". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2009-12-08. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  22. Ryckert, Dan (June 21, 2010). "Who We Want (And Don't Want) In The New Mortal Kombat". Game Informer. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  23. McKinney, Luke (December 9, 2009). "Lame Fighter 2: The World's Worst Warriors!". GameSpy. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  24. 4thletter.net (June 12, 2013). "The Top 200 Fighting Game Endings: Part Nine". Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  25. "The Top 15 Best Fighting Game Storylines: Part 3". 4thletter.net. March 12, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  26. Hamilton, Kirk (July 1, 2011). "Jon Stewart Talks Videogames: Funny, If A Bit Unfair". Paste. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  27. "1. Make A Wish — The Best "Mortal Kombat" Finishing Moves in Video Game History". Complex. 2013-10-01. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  28. McWhertor, Michael (2011-04-29). "The New Mortal Kombat Does More Than Just Gore In Its Killer Celebration Of The Franchise". Kotaku. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  29. Vas, Gergo (May 9, 2013). "The Most Gruesome Video Game Deaths [NSFW]". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  30. Cheong, Ian Miles (2011-12-25). "Top 10 Holy Shit Gaming Moments of 2011". Gameranx.com. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  31. Colautti, Benjo (April 20, 2011). "Mortal Kombat's Best Fatalities". We Got This Covered. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  32. Workman, Robert (April 2014). "The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 10-1". Prima Games. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  33. Smillie, CJ (2011). "Top 10 Fatalities of Mortal Kombat 9". Game Rant. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  34. Gonzales, Gelo (April 28, 2011). "9 Most Brutal Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 9". FHM Philippines. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  35. Koch, Cameron (April 10, 2015). ""Mortal Kombat" Fatalities: The 10 Best Finishers in the Franchise's History". TechTimes.com. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
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