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Lin Kuei


















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Lin Kuei
Origin
China, Earthrealm
Established
Pre-Mortal Kombat
Status
Active
Leader
Kuai Liang
Members
Lin Kuei Grandmaster
Bi-Han
Kuai Liang
Smoke
Sektor
Cyrax
Frost
Alignment
Good
Objective
Assassination
Protecting Earthrealm
Allies
Raiden
Special Forces
White Lotus Society
Shirai Ryu



“
We are the Lin Kuei, more stealthful than the night, more deadly than the dawn!
„


—Sektor

The Lin Kuei (Chinese language: 林鬼; pinyin: Lín Guǐ; literally "Forest Demons") is a faction from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The clan includes assassins such as the Elder Sub-Zero, the Younger Sub-Zero, Cyrax, Sektor, Smoke, and Frost.
Contents[show]
About the Lin KueiEdit

“
No one leaves the Lin Kuei...
„


—Sektor

The Lin Kuei are based loosely on the ancient Chinese clan of the same name, much like the infamous Black Dragon Society (Kokuryūkai) of Japan was used for Kano's Black Dragon clan. They have become one of the most prominent and well-known factions within the Mortal Kombat universe, and they have played a major role throughout the history of the series. Though it has gradually shifted from being a sinister force into a friendly power, it has always remained very reclusive. To gamers, its history has always been intertwined with the adventures of both Sub-Zero brothers. According to one episode of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, friendship is forbidden in the Lin Kuei, as they consider it a warrior's flaw, and thus trust is only given to the group. Also in that same series, wanting to leave the clan is equivalent to treason and is punishable by death.

Somewhere in the northern most parts of Asia, there exists a secret clan of assassins and thieves known as the Lin Kuei. This group has existed for centuries and thrives on the evil intention of the people who pay for their services. Its warriors are chosen at birth to be raised apart from the workings of day to day civilization and are stripped of their former lives. Only the clan knows their existence. Each of them posses certain skills and abilities that set them apart from normal men. These abilities are passed on from generation to generation and honed throughout the experiences of life. Certain Lin Kuei warriors possess supernatural abilities including those that commune with nature.

They had rivals of smaller assassin clans in the icy lands of Arctika called the Tengu clan and Snow Ninja.
History Edit
The Defeat of the Shirai Ryu Edit

It is unknown when the Lin Kuei were founded, but their earliest chronological appearance in the Mortal Kombat games begins with Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, where the elder Sub-Zero, a Lin Kuei clansman, was its title character. In the game bearing his name, the sorcerer Quan Chi hired the Lin Kuei to find an ancient amulet, and Sub-Zero was sent to find the map leading to its location. He did not know that Quan Chi had hired a Japanese ninja, Scorpion, for the same task in case Sub-Zero would fail. Scorpion and Sub-Zero encountered each other in the map room, where Sub-Zero killed him in cold blood. After Sub-Zero delivered the map, Quan Chi made good on a promise to the Lin Kuei Grandmaster; the rival clan, the Shirai Ryu, was wiped out. The Shirai Ryu was a clan founded by a breakaway member of the Lin Kuei years earlier.
Amulet of Shinnok Edit

The Lin Kuei demonstrated their mercenary nature here when they inadvertently placed the Earthrealm in danger for personal gain. After retrieving the map, Sub-Zero was hired again for another mission. This time, he was to follow the directions on the map to the hidden Temple of Elements, wherein an amulet (supposedly Quan Chi's) was kept. Defeating the four elemental god-guardians in the temple, he found the amulet. Quan Chi took the amulet, revealing that it is actually Shinnok's amulet, capable of freeing the fallen Elder God from the Netherrealm and allowing him to take over all realms. Raiden, who had placed the amulet in the temple in the first place to protect it from the likes of Quan Chi, appeared and ordered Sub-Zero to rectify his mistake. Sub-Zero reluctantly agreed and was transported to the Netherrealm. There, he tracked down Quan Chi, and, with the help of the demon Sareena, he was able to steal the amulet back from Shinnok before he could use it. He then escaped to Earth via Raiden's portal. It is later revealed that Quan Chi had never given the amulet to Shinnok; instead, he had crafted a fake and kept the original for himself. This was crucial to the events of Mortal Kombat 4 and its sequels.
The Elder Sub-Zero's Last Mission Edit

Immediately after returning from his mission, Sub-Zero was hired by Shang Tsung to compete in his Mortal Kombat tournament. This takes place during the first game. Though the Lin Kuei agreed to this, someone else paid the Lin Kuei to assassinate Shang Tsung, to which they also agreed. Sub-Zero was unsuccessful as evidenced by Liu Kang's victory in the tournament for Earthrealm, and Tsung's survival. During this tournament, he was killed by Scorpion in retribution for his own murder. Sub-Zero's soul descended into the Netherrealm, where he was stripped of his humanity and became Noob Saibot. This was only revealed years later in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
The Younger Sub-Zero and Smoke Edit

Despite losing, Shang Tsung survived the first tournament and organized a second tournament in Outworld as a trap for the Earthrealm warriors. Once again, Sub-Zero was sent to kill him, but this time, it was actually Sub-Zero's younger brother who was sent as a replacement and assumed the same code-name to honor his brother. Presumably, this also explains Smoke's presence in the tournament. He was a friend and close ally of the younger Sub-Zero. Shang Tsung survived again, and Sub-Zero and Smoke returned home empty-handed.

In Mortal Kombat 3 and its follow-ups, the Lin Kuei have a much greater role. In the events leading up to Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, the Lin Kuei have begun a program of turning their clansmen into cyborgs. The first to volunteer for this program was Sektor, also referred to as LK-9T9. He is notable for being the only one of the cyborgs to be consistently described as soulless for the rest of the series. Second was Cyrax, also known as unit LK-4D4. The younger Sub-Zero and Smoke were in-line as well to be converted. Likely considering this a fate worse than death, the two fled their clan, an act equivalent to treason. Sektor and Cyrax were sent to capture them and return them to headquarters. While Sub-Zero escaped, Smoke was recaptured and transformed into the third (and last) cybernetic warrior: Unit LK-7T2.
Rogues Edit

Shortly thereafter, Shao Kahn began his invasion of Earthrealm. Sub-Zero and Smoke had been previously marked as chosen warriors of Raiden, and their souls were spared. Sektor had no soul to take and generally stays true to his original mission of killing Sub-Zero, but fails. Cyrax ends the game trapped in a desert. Smoke is later shown to have been captured by Shao Kahn at some point, later revealed in Mortal Kombat: Deception. Noob Saibot also appears on Shao Kahn's side, at least initially. In Mortal Kombat Trilogy, he is mentioned as serving under Shinnok in the Netherrealm for the first time. The rest of the Lin Kuei are assumed to have their souls taken by Shao Kahn, but later restored along with the rest of the world's souls when Kahn is defeated.

Most likely due to Sub-Zero's successful escape from the clan following the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, the Lin Kuei lost many of its members before Mortal Kombat 4, and is initially even described as "disbanded". Perhaps it explains their attempts to have Sub-Zero killed, because they blamed him for their troubles. Cyrax, whose soul had begun to reassert itself, was recovered from the desert by the Lin Kuei to give him another chance to hunt Sub-Zero under the surveillance of Sektor, but instead sought out the help of Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs (both from the Outer World Investigation Agency), who helped restore his memories and former self.

Sub-Zero was confronted by Scorpion. In Scorpion's ending, confirmed by the background of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, shows that, after finally defeating Sub-Zero, Quan Chi reveals that he was the one truly responsible for the death of Scorpion's family and clan, while also indirectly responsible for Scorpion's own death. Scorpion responded by taking Quan Chi with him to the Netherrealm.
Reformation Edit

The storyline between MK4 and Deadly Alliance revealed some significant changes to the Lin Kuei and their history. During the events of Mortal Kombat Gold, Sektor's programming became corrupt and he attacked and killed the Lin Kuei Grandmaster. Sektor attempted to turn himself Grandmaster by taking possession of a hitherto unmentioned Dragon Medallion, whose possession determines the leadership of the Lin Kuei, as well as increase its wearer's powers. However, Sektor was prevented from taking the Medallion by a returning Sub-Zero, who fought him over the clan's leadership and won. Sektor fled to Japan, and Sub-Zero assumed the title of Grandmaster himself.

Sub-Zero implemented a number of changes to the clan. He moved the Lin Kuei headquarters from its original secretive location in China to an ancient temple he had discovered buried in the icy region of Arctika. He also changed the mission of the Lin Kuei, making it a force for the side of good for the first time. He began recruiting new warriors to replenish the Lin Kuei's depleted ranks. Among these efforts was a tournament, the winner of which would be introduced into the cl