Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang)

Kuai Liang, also known as Sub-Zero, Absolute Zero, Grandmaster, Tundra and LK-52O, is a character from the Mortal Kombat series.
== Charactah Account ==
The sixth member of his family to bear the mantle of Sub-Zero, the warrior has become an active defender of Earthrealm from the forces of Outworld. A powerful cryomancer able to create and manipulate ice at will, Sub-Zero became the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, aiming to rebuild it as a force for good in the world. His real name is Kuai Liang. Taking the name Sub-Zero after the death of his elder brother Bi-Han, the Lin Kuei sent him and fellow warrior Smoke into to Outworld during the second tournament. Their mission was the same as his fallen elder brother's, to assassinate Shang Tsung. He soon learned of Scorpion's grudge against the recently "revived" Sub-Zero. But when he showed mercy to a defeated foe, Scorpion eventually realized he was in fact his younger brother and spared him his elder's fate. Unable to kill their target but aiding the Earthrealm warriors against Shao Kahn, the duo returned home empty handed.
Being descended from a race of Outworld inhabitants known as Cryomancers, Kuai Liang has the innate ability to control ice in many forms. Throughout the span of the series, Sub-Zero's powers have continued to evolve. His deadly ability to freeze comes from the process of him absorbing the air around him and storing it before releasing it as a cold substance or simply lowering the temperature of the surrounding air to create ice constructs. He is naturally used to the cold temperatures of his turf and is able to resist other Cryomancers' freezing abilities as shown in the Mortal Kombat X comic series where Frost fails to freeze Sub-Zero's arms. His ability to freeze is strong enough to turn the body's water content, flesh and bone into brittle ice with just a single tap of his fingers. He has even surpassed his (late) brother Bi-Han's freezing ability, whose ice can reach temperatures up to -500° Fahrenheit which is way below absolute zero. 
== Appearance ==
=== Cartoons ===
* Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
=== Comics ===
* Mortal Kombat
* Mortal Kombat 4
* Mortal Kombat Collector's Edition
* Mortal Kombat Deception Special Edition
* Mortal Kombat II Collector's Edition
* Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe
* Mortal Kombat X
* Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties
* Mortal Kombat: Baraka
* Mortal Kombat: Battlewave
* Mortal Kombat: Kung Lao
* Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
* Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition II
* Nintendo Power
=== Video Games ===
* Mortal Kombat (2011)
* Mortal Kombat 3
* Mortal Kombat 4
* Mortal Kombat 11
* Mortal Kombat Advance
* Mortal Kombat Gold
* Mortal Kombat II
* Mortal Kombat Mobile
* Mortal Kombat Trilogy
* Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
* Mortal Kombat X
* Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
* Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
* Mortal Kombat: Deception
* Mortal Kombat: Onslaught
* Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
* Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
* Mortal Kombat: Unchained
* Ultimate Mortal Kombat
* Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
== Trivia ==
* The localized Chinese name of Sub-Zero, going by the first name-last name standard (the second character represents the person's first name), can be translated as "Liáng Kuí", Liáng ("good") is a rare surname in the Sinophone region.
** The alternative Chinese characters for his name Kuai Liang are (WG: K'uai Liang; PY: Kuài Liáng), literally meaning "Fast and cool"; additionally means "cool".
* In Defenders of the Realm, Sub-Zero is shown to grow weak and debilitated in hot environments. It is unknown if this applies to other depictions.
* In an episode of Malcolm in the Middle, Reese mentions the fact that nobody believes that he beat the last level of Mortal Kombat, to which Hal responds "Because that's just ridiculous; no one beats Sub-Zero."
* Sub-Zero inspired the professional wrestling character known as Glacier in World Championship Wrestling. Ray Lloyd, a regional Karate champion, played the role for several years.
* Despite not being a playable character in MK:TE, he is still involved in Sareena's ending.
* Ed Boon stated that Sub-Zero was originally going to be called "Tundra", which canonically was Sub-Zero's original codename before changing it to Sub-Zero, honoring his fallen brother.
* The game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks has a small Easter egg when two players select Sub-Zero in versus mode; his player 2 outfit is recolored black and resembles Noob Saibot.
* In a Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Sub-Zero was placed at #2 of the Mortal Kombat Characters in the Mortal Kombat Series.
** In another Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Sub-Zero was placed at #5 of the ninja characters in the video games.
** In another Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Sub-Zero's Spine Rip Fatality was placed at #1 of the top Mortal Kombat Fatalities.
* According to John Vogel, the Sub-Zero who taught Shujinko is an ancestor of the current Sub-Zero. As the event happened decades ago, this Sub-Zero should be Bi-Han and Kuai-Liang's grandfather.
* Machinima held a V.S. video featuring Scorpion and Sub-Zero where fans could vote on who would win. Sub-Zero received 5,728 votes, but Scorpion won with 6,262 votes.
* A parody character called Absolute Zero appears in the game Adventure Quest Worlds.
* Kuai Liang's older brother Bi-Han had a weapon called the Troll Hammer in MK Armageddon, Kuai Liang has similar weapon in Mortal Kombat X, made out of ice.
* Fans of the Saudi Arabian soccer team known as Al-Hilal have payed tribute to Sub-Zero & the Mortal Kombat series before their club's matches first by showing Sub-Zero's face and then showing the words: "Finish 'em."
* Sub-Zero is similar to Taven in the regard that they both have a brother (Noob Saibot/Daegon) that became corrupted (Noob's descent into darkness/Daegon's influence from Shinnok) and both have tried to kill them (Noob in Deception/Daegon in Armageddon).
* The League of Legends character Shen has two alternate skins that reference both Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
* Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Jax and Sindel are currently the only characters who have returned to Human form from being Revenants.
** Sub-Zero is currently the only character to change from two different Revenant forms before returning to Human form.
*** This is because he was transformed into a Revenant as a Cyborg in MK 2011 then changed into the Revenant form seen in the Story Mode of Mortal Kombat X before being returned to Human form.
== Gallery ==
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 01.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 02.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 03.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 04.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 05.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 06.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Render 07.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Fan Art 01.png
File:Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) Wallpaper 01.png
== External Links ==
* Sub-Zero at Mortal Kombat Wiki
Category:Characters
Category:Males
Category:Mortal Kombat