Highlights
- Reptile's new look in Mortal Kombat 1 is a departure from previous versions, featuring a shapeshifter who can transform between a lizard and human ninja form.
- The new design seemingly draws inspiration from the recent Mortal Kombat film, with both versions showcasing distinct lizard-like traits and a more bestial appearance.
- The film's adaptation influencing the character's new design in-game is an unusual occurrence if true, but either way, it adds a fresh and unique element to the Mortal Kombat universe.
When Mortal Kombat 1 was revealed, it wasn't entirely clear which characters would appear in Liu Kang's new timeline. Reptile was revealed for Mortal Kombat 1 earlier this month along with several other characters with brand-new designs and it appears that his new look may have taken inspiration from an unlikely source.
Reptile's new look in Mortal Kombat 1 is considered an improvement by some as it is a complete departure from previous versions. This time around, the character is a shapeshifter who can transform back and forth from a lizard to a human ninja form. His lizard form also looks more like an anthropomorphic lizard whereas in other games he looked like a human with reptilian characteristics. While the versions are not exactly the same, Reptile's new look seems to have taken some inspiration from the recent Mortal Kombat film.
Reptile's Look in Previous Mortal Kombat Games
Reptile's history in the Mortal Kombat franchise is surprisingly long and more involved than some might suspect. The character first appeared in the original Mortal Kombat game as a secret boss fight who was incredibly difficult to unlock. Reptile would become a playable character in Mortal Kombat 2 where the developer would begin to flesh out his story, which detailed his race, loyalties, and motivations. His original look was effectively a green pallet swap of the ninja design the developer used for Scorpion and Sub-Zero but with lizard-themed abilities.
This look for Reptile would continue until the release of Mortal Kombat 4 when the developer began to experiment with the character's design. He would keep a primarily humanoid ninja design but would have more reptilian features such as scales, a tail, and a more lizard-like face. How lizard-like he would be would change from installment to installment with his appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance being the most distinct. The character's new design marks a radical departure from all of that, by drawing a firm line between his human ninja form and his reptilian form.
How Reptile In Mortal Kombat 1 is Similar to Syzoth in the Film
The Mortal Kombat film changed a lot from the video games and Reptile was a prime example of this. In the film, the character functioned as something more akin to an animal that Shang Tsung sent to kill the film's protagonists before they could participate in any tournament. In the movie, he had camouflage and acid-spitting abilities which were not unlike what he had in the games. The character would use all of these abilities to attack Kano, Sonya, and Cole Young. The three were ultimately able to kill the creature before the story moved on.
In the film, the character did not have a humanoid appearance and looked like a giant Monitor Lizard or Komodo dragon. Reptile's alternate form in Mortal Kombat 1 may not be exactly the same, but there are some similarities. Both forms have more distinct lizard-like traits and are more bestial in their overall design and presentation. The primary difference is that the game's version seems to mainly walk upright while the film's version crawled more often than stood and was overall leaner.
While the film was divisive for critics, the Mortal Kombat reboot was considered to be a success and a sequel is being made. It's not uncommon for a successful film to affect the source material if said source material is telling an ongoing story, but an adaptation influencing the source material is where this inspiration becomes unorthodox. It's not uncommon for a comic book, for example, to tell a story that is similar to whatever a recent film adaptation is doing, and it's possible something similar happened with Reptile. While this has not been confirmed by anyone involved with the project, taken at face value, it seems that the character's new design could have been inspired by the movie's depiction.
Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
