Kenshi

## How Kenshi joined the Tourney

A born fighter, Kenshi wandered Earthrealm in search of worthy competition. Every time he found an opponent, he would defeat him just to boost his pride, but one day, Kenshi encountered a man named Song, who convinced Kenshi that a great warrior needed a great sword. Song led Kenshi to the location of an ancient and powerful sword, and he claimed that the sword would befit Kenshi's power, but as Kenshi unsealed the well wherein the sword supposedly lay, he was overwhelmed by souls trapped within and permanently blinded. Song revealed himself to be none other than the vile sorcerer Shang Tsung and proceeded to absorb the released souls and left Kenshi to die within the tomb. However, the sword, which actually did exist, attracted Kenshi and spoke to him, leading him from the tomb and revealed to him his origin.

The sword originally belonged to a long line of great swordsmen from whom Kenshi descended; the well where the sword lay was also the sacred resting place of the souls of Kenshi's ancestors, souls that were stolen by Shang Tsung.

In between the events of Mortal Kombat X, Kenshi helped Scorpion overcome his darkness and joined the Special Forces before being assigned the task of infiltrating the Red Dragon. Kenshi was hoping to track down Daegon but his cover was blown and was forced on the run.

He was later told by Sonya Blade of the existence of his son, Takeda Takahashi, and that the Red Dragon were threatening his life, as well as the life of his mother, Suchin. Knowing the boy was indeed his, Kenshi made for Lampang, Thailand where the boy and his mother were but arrived too late. Suchin was dead, as well as the Red Dragon mercenaries sent to kill her, but Kenshi was able to find his son with the help of Suchin's mother.

On the run with the boy, Kenshi headed for Shirai Ryu territory in the hopes of luring the pursuing Red Dragons into a trap. Kenshi managed to just make it when Takeda warned him of an attack. Despite using his telekinesis and Sento to block the majority of the arrows, he was struck in the leg by one and forced to make a last stand. Ordering Takeda to run, Kenshi faced the Red Dragon commander Hsu Hao, but was beaten due to his sheer exhaustion taking its toll.

While Hsu Hao mocked Kenshi for running, Kenshi clarified he was trespassing and Hsu Hao was swiftly killed by Scorpion and the Red Dragon's were forced to retreat.

Later, at the Shirai Ryu temple, Kenshi is amazed at the size of Scorpion's revived clan before explaining his story as well as Takeda's connection to him.

That night, as he's putting Takeda to bed, Kenshi tries to sooth his son's worries and fears towards Scorpion away but the boy makes it clear he doesn't trust his father before asking if his mother is ever coming back. Kenshi sadly tells his son she is not.

Later, Kenshi speaks with Scorpion about finishing his mission to find Daegon before asking his ally to watch over Takeda and guide him off the path of vengeance. Though Scorpion tells Kenshi lying to his son will make him hate him, Kenshi asks Scorpion to give him discipline before departing the next morning.

Still pursued by the Red Dragon, as well as several local terrorist cells they paid, Kenshi calls in for an extraction from Sonya Blade, and she meets up with him in Northern Pakistan, helping him fight the Red Dragon mercenaries. Kenshi would escape Pakistan with Sonya and continue his war against the Red Dragon. Briefly, he journeyed to the Kang Shaolin Temple to contemplate his choice of leaving Takeda with the Shirai Ryu, meeting with Shujinko. Ultimately, Kenshi chose to continue his war with Daegon and resumed his mission to kill him.

In Takeda's chapter, he appears five years before the game's present, after Takeda's training with Hanzo Hasashi as he congratulates his son into becoming a chujin in record time. However, Takeda is angered by his father's presence and fights him. After the fight, Kenshi reveals to Takeda the truth behind his mother Suchin's death at the hand of the Red Dragon. Takeda is angered by this, but Kenshi replies that he could not risk Takeda going against his mother's killers fully unprepared. He then reveals to Takeda his ability of telepathy. Kenshi tells Takeda that Hanzo Hasashi had perfected his fighting skills and that he had come to complete his training and that he and Takeda would hunt down the Red Dragon together.

After Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda Takahashi, and Kung Jin return from the Lin Kuei Temple, he talks with his son Takeda telepathically and tells him to not worry so much with his recent encounter with the Lin Kuei.

Kenshi is later on seen in the Netherrealm along with Jax and Sareena to help hunt down and capture Quan Chi. The special forces ambush Quan Chi and his revenant servants but suffer casualties. Kenshi fights off Kabal while Jax deals with Kung Lao, Sindel, and Kitana. Afterwards he is injured, and Jax insists that he will capture Quan Chi himself. Kenshi and Sareena are against it, but Jax goes regardless and is successful.

After Quan Chi is captured, Kenshi and Johnny lock him up while discussing about D'vorah's whereabouts, they are brought about by Hanzo Hasashi's sudden arrival, surprising Kenshi. Hanzo demands that the Special Forces hand him Quan Chi. When Sonya Blade refuses, Hanzo orders the Shirai Ryu to attack. As Hanzo goes to Quan Chi, Kenshi stops him temporarily with his telepathy, but is then overrun by the Shirai Ryu. Kenshi tries to reason with Hanzo to not kill Quan Chi, but fails and is captured alongside Sonya and Johnny. After Quan Chi is dead, he witnesses Shinnok's release. Kenshi, Sonya, and Johnny try to stop him, but is quickly knocked out and Shinnok leaving for the Sky Temple with Johnny Cage. Kenshi does not make another appearance and does not appear at the end of the story mode.

After Shinnok's defeat, Kenshi continued his search for Suchin's killers. He learns the Red Dragon has hired a spy-ssassin, Dominique.

## Character Select Screen Animation

### When highlighted

Kenshi holds his sword Sento as it glows with energy.

### After the announcer calls his name

Kenshi telekinetically swings Sento as the camera zooms and says "Appalling lack of manners..."

## Special Moves

### Tele-Push (Neutral)

Kenshi holds his hand in front of his opponent and telekinetically pushes them backwards.

### Tele-Toss (Side)

Kenshi telekinetically lifts the opponent to move them over his head and slam them on the floor behind him.

### Rising Sword (Up)

Kenshi uppercuts the opponent with Sento. In midair, he flies upwards doing the Sento uppercut.

### Tele-Flurry (Down)

Kenshi summons his telekinetic projection to slice the opponent three times, with the third one knocking them back.

### Scatterbrained (Hyper Smash)

Based on his first Mortal Kombat 2011 Fatality. Kenshi slams the opponent a few times on the camera, a final smash removes the victim's eye from its socket and it slides down the screen. He then finishes it off with a clean slice across the chest diagonally with Sento.

### My Puppet (Final Smash)

Based on his second Mortal Kombat X Fatality. Kenshi telekinetically pushes his opponents ribcage out of the opponents back. Then he telekinetically moves the ribcage upwards while the veins attached to it are ripped out of the opponent's arms and legs as the opponent is being held up by the veins like a marionette puppet as he/she screams in agony. Then Kenshi proceeds to throw Sento to cut the veins and the opponent falls dead.

## Victory Animations

1. Kenshi pulls out Sento and circles the sword around before pointing it upward and saying "You show little promise."
2. Kenshi telekinetically holds Sento before himself then circles it and plants it in the ground and saying "You need a moment?"
	* Kenshi telekinetically holds Sento before himself then circles it and plants it in the ground and saying "Third best fighter in your family." (Johnny Cage victories only)
3. Kenshi pulls out Sento and does two strikes then says "How could I say no to that?"

## On-Screen Appearance

Kenshi floats down and says "Will you yield?"

### Special Quotes

* Is what true? (When fighting Johnny Cage)
* I'll take my chances. (When fighting Kano)
* You cannot have it! (When fighting Raiden)
* A sword must remain sharp. (When fighting Liu Kang)
* In the name of my family, begone! (When fighting Scorpion)
* Whom do you pursue? (When fighting Sub-Zero)
* Sonya, can I trust you? (When fighting Sonya)
* If I did, they're dead. (When fighting Reptile)
* My ancestors convey their respect. (When fighting Goro)
* As have you. (When fighting Kung Lao)
* My warrior ancestors. (When fighting Kitana)
* I do enjoy our sparring matches. (When fighting Jax)
* All will once I cut it off! (When fighting Mileena)
* My warrior ancestors. (When fighting Ermac)
* Powerful enough to slay an Elder God. (When fighting Shinnok or Palutena)
* May I help you? (When fighting Tanya or Katt)
* Even more so. (When fighting Quan Chi)
* I'm afraid I've stopped listening. (When fighting Tremor)
* We're merely training! (When fighting Cassie Cage)
* Your mind is a chorus of evil... (When fighting D'Vorah or Petrine)
* No downside occurs to me. (When fighting Erorn Black)
* Your voice is somewhat annoying. (When fighting Ferra and Torr or Wei Yan)
* I'm just as formidable as Mr. Cage. (When fighting Jacqui)
* My secrets are my own. (When fighting Kotal Kahn)
* Pride is your weakness. (When fighting Kung Jin)
* Let us see what you have learned! (When fighting Takeda)

## Trivia

* Kenshi's rival is a spy-ssassin named Dominique.
* Kenshi shares his English voice actor with Sektor and Goro.
* Kenshi shares his Japanese voice actor with Cao Cao, Kanden, Yaridovich, I.M. Eddie, Silver Samurai, Aerodactyl and Eyrie.
* Kenshi shares his French voice actor with Natsu Dragneel, Takayuki Furuichi and Lloyd Irving.
* Kenshi shares his German voice actor with Crocodile, Dr. Ian Malcolm, Billy Kane and Harry Callahan.
* Kenshi shares his Arabic voice actor with Sceptile.
* Kenshi shares his Mandarin Chinese voice actor with Kudgel.