Mortal Kombat 1 is only months away, and with its reboot scenario there is much speculation about the direction that the roster will take. Although it's only confirmed to feature classic characters so far, Mortal Kombat 1 is likely to continue a series staple of bringing surprising fighters back to the roster. There have technically been over 60 playable fighters that have appeared in the history of Mortal Kombat, but some stick out as truly memorable among fans for better or for worse. A prime example of this dynamic is a classic kombatant like Stryker, a realistic police officer who finds himself between ironically unique and straight up controversial.
Kurtis Stryker, better known as just Stryker, is a character introduced all the way back in 1995’s Mortal Kombat 3. In a game of magical ninja warriors and special forces, Stryker was just a simple New York City riot cop fighting back against Shao Kahn’s invasion in the wake of the disaster it had caused. Due to his relatively plain design, he earned his status as one of the most controversial characters in the history of the series. While his mere presence outlined the absurdity of the whole concept of Mortal Kombat, the simple plainness of his fighting style has been considered underwhelming to many fans.
Stryker has Always had an Ironic Appeal
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon’s inclusion of every character ever at that point led to an update for Stryker that didn’t add much to him, a trend that has continued for the police officer fighter. Mortal Kombat 2011’s reboot approach would only serve to bring Stryker’s average theming to a new era, even though he was even more unique from his peers as the series had become darker. On a fundamental level he generally lacks the complexity of popular characters like the iconic Scorpion due to his straight edge moral code, leading to his narratives having been rather forgettable throughout the years. Despite his underwhelming concept, however, Stryker has still maintained fans who appreciate his ironic nature and would enjoy his return.
The social and political landscape of the world has also shifted since Stryker last appeared back in Mortal Kombat’s 2011 reboot, so his reappearance in the franchise would likely need to be handled tastefully in order to avoid controversy. While Mortal Kombat is not meant to be taken seriously at its core, and Stryker was conceived as a noble character, the series’ deep association with violence could lead to a distasteful portrayal of the actions of a police officer being a part of the gameplay. If Mortal Kombat 1’s guest character leaks turn out to be true in the end, DC’s Peacemaker could be the compromise that keeps Stryker’s style in the series while moving on from the city cop.
Stryker in Mortal Kombat 1 Would Need to Mind the Cultural Climate
The only tasteful way for Stryker to make it into the next game would be a brand-new take on the character that successfully sheds his past. NetherRealm Studios would have to leave behind Stryker’s obnoxious references to police brutality and violent police antics if it intends on continuing to depict him as some sort of hero cop in a dark world. This kind of character change might have been seen as over-the-top several years ago, but the recent developments leading to Mortal Kombat 1’s reboot setting have shown that anything is possible for these characters under this new vision.
Existing as both a favorite and least favorite of many fans, Stryker’s status as a controversial character has allowed him to stand out throughout the history of Mortal Kombat. Considering he hasn’t been playable in over a decade, his presence would be sure to shock fans for better or for worse. With the new Kameo Fighters mechanic set to allow many minor characters from past games to return in a smaller capacity, there is still hope for Stryker to find a place in the new roster even if he doesn’t become a main fighter. While it could finally be Stryker’s time to return again, it remains to be seen if NetherRealm will give the risky character a shot in Mortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat 1 is currently in development.
