Boomstick: Clearly, he never met these two four-armed fighters with four forearms!
Wiz: Goro, the half-dragon prince of Mortal Kombat.
Boomstick: And Machamp, the fighting-type Pokémon from the Kanto region.
Season seven's sixth outing is also the show's 125th episode. Draconic power, drawing strength from weakness, multiple styles of combat, all of these are factors to consider when these polybrachial bruisers from fantasy video games match muscles and martial prowess in a death battle.
The first of the two combatants featured is Goro, warrior prince of the Shokan. Born to this race of draconic humanoid hybrids, Shokan are known for their overwhelming physical stature and four arms; Goro is no exception. The prince of the Shokan has over two millennia of experience to draw from, ranging from conflicts with other species to civil war amongst the Shokan and the interdimensional Mortal Kombat tournament. Mortal Kombat, in particular, gave Goro five centuries worth of time to hone and display his might; warriors from numerous dimensions have partaken in the slaughter celebrated by Mortal Kombat, and in that time, none bested the Shokan prince. Many kombatants, in fact, hesitated to face him out of fear of losing in a brutal, gruesome manner. Serving as champion to the Outworld emperor Shao Kahn, Goro was so proficient as a fighter that he had already won nine consecutive tournaments by the time of the first Mortal Kombat. Though he lost in the tenth to the warrior monk Liu Kang, Goro remained undeterred. The Shokan prince instead used his wounded pride as an excuse to return to the ring of Mortal Kombat and seek revenge upon the Earthrealm hero who defeated him.
Through the storied history of the Shokan prince, there have been several opportunities for him to demonstrate his craft. Goro fights primarily using a martial art named after his people, which puts emphasis on using the species' extra limbs; he also specializes in kuatan, a variant thereof which focuses on more traditional methods of combat. Supplementing these martial arts, Goro has a number of specialized attacks to highlight both the Shokan's physical might and unorthodox lineage. Diving stomps and energy blasts are amongst some of these special moves, as are breathing fire and multi-armed grappling holds. As should be expected from a formidable fighter such as him, Goro is also skilled in more brutal methods of attack; he is no stranger to crushing bone and tearing off the limbs of a vulnerable foe, especially as means of finishing them off. In comparison to all his brawn and mysticism, the kombatant has little in the way of equipment, only possessing bladed gauntlets known as dragon fangs.
Several figures have entered the Mortal Kombat tournament, but few can compare to Goro. If anything, they merely provide the Shokan prince a chance to demonstrate his strength, speed, and durability. Several of these warriors can shatter diamond, and the Elder God Raiden, specifically, has demonstrated he can destroy entire temples through magic lightning charged with the equivalent of 270 tons of TNT. Kabal, meanwhile, can move at three times the speed of sound, easily reacting to automatic gunfire. A fellow Shokan, Kintaro, can survive explosions worth 25 tons of TNT; the fact that Goro can at least match all these fighters on equal ground and is explicitly stated to be a superior fighter than Kintaro, speaks volumes to his merit as a martial artist. Goro is even able to survive having his arms ripped off and can still handle other kombatants with little, if any, difficulty. In short, the fact that Goro can push through defeat and dismemberment alike and continue finding a reason to fight should be seen as a point of pride for the Shokan people and all they embody from their greatest fighter.
From Goro, the episode moves on to his opponent; Machamp, merely one of the countless creatures that inhabit the world of Pokémon, though found primarily in the region of Kanto. From the moment they are born as sprightly Machop, their lives are dedicated to learning and practicing every martial art in the world. They dwell in the mountains and train their bodies for hours on end without any sign of fatigue. Through enough training and experience, Machop evolve into a burlier species known as Machoke. Their strength grows mightier still, being able to lift multiple tons of weight, but they continue to push their bodies even at this point. Through enough training and effort, Machoke finally evolve one more time and attain the power of a Machamp. With four arms and an even more muscular physique, Machamp adheres to the regimen that brought out its full potential, perhaps even moreso. They continue to hone their bodies, but also use their strength alongside humanity, finding occupations as storage movers and security guards. The most common likelihood for a Machamp to find itself, however, is in the sport of fighting other Pokémon. Held in high esteem not just in Kanto, but the world over, several prestigious trainers rely on the immense might of Machamp when assembling a Pokémon team.
Several elements go into the reputation that the Machop line has developed. Every Pokémon can be organized into a select few out of eighteen types that embody their biological and elemental affiliation. Machamp is classified as a pure Fighting-type by this system, a Pokémon whose being is focused on its martial prowess. With brawn befitting a frame such as theirs, Machamp are capable of utilizing it in battle through moves, Fighting-type and otherwise, with a number of effects; said effects include increasing their physical strength and stamina, disarming foes of their weapons, and tossing them into orbit. Pokémon also have inherent natural abilities that can provide them with advantages under certain situations. The most common of these abilities a Machamp can have, and consequently, the one used to represent the line for the episode, is labeled Guts. When afflicted with a debilitating ailment, such as paralysis or severe burn, Guts amplifies a Machamp's physical strength, and with it, the potency of any attacking moves it knows.
Machamp are respected and relied upon with regularity, and numerous feats support such a reputation. The Pokédex, primary encyclopedia of the Pokémon world, claims that Machamp can throw a thousand punches with all four arms in a matter of seconds and use just one to push mountains. While the veracity of the Pokédex can sometimes be doubtful, numerous Pokémon works support its claims in the case of Machamp. With this in mind, these feats show that Machamp can react and move at speeds faster than sound, while each arm has a strength of almost 30 kilotons. More impressively, hurtling foes into the horizon through its iconic Seismic Toss move gives its arms an upper limit of 133 kilotons. Their defensive capabilities, while more poorly documented, are also of an impressive scale in theory; the Machop line live in herds and train by sparring with one another with their tireless brawn. While Machamp may struggle against any attacks or beings that can be considered as Flying-, Psychic-, or Fairy-types, this is the only real weakness of the species. With such an impressive résumé and little against them, there seems to be a place in the world for every Machamp, bred for battle and the never-ending pursuit of physical perfection.
- Machamp: (roars before preparing to body slam a Conkeldurr, Ursaring, and Hawlucha)
Study has finished for the two brawlers and little remains before the bloodshed. One advertisement for Hims hair loss treatment later, and now, it's time for a death battle!
In a cavern deep within Outworld, Goro, warrior prince of the Shokan, polishes his collection of trophies. A moment's admiration on his part is interrupted by a figure crashing in through the cavern rooftops. Hastily slamming the trophy shelf shut, the Shokan turns to confront his opponent, a Machamp. Goro demands the Superpower Pokémon take its leave from the cave, but the Machamp closes both of its right fists shut in defiance. Goro, seeing this for the challenge it is, storms forward and charges at the Fighting-type.
FIGHT!
The Machamp meets Goro's approach with one of its own, rushing at the Shokan until they meet in the center of the cave. Eight palms are locked in a grapple as the brawlers push against one another; as it skids backward, the Machamp flips around and slams Goro against the subterranean floor. The kombatant recovers only to be met with another tackle from the Pokémon that pins Goro down. Goro briefly struggles before pushing the Machamp away and drawing his dragon fangs from a nearby stalagmite. As the Machamp touches back onto the ground, it sees standing before him, his arms now clad in a quarter of bladed gauntlets. Goro immediately pushes the attack, closing the distance and attempting to hit the Machamp with fist and knife alike. Warily backing away from each move only delays the next for so long until Goro lands a slash across one of the Machamp's biceps. Flicking blood off the wound in a sweeping gesture of its arms, the Fighting-type readies itself to parry another approach from Goro. The Knock Off that follows strips Goro of the dragon fangs. The Shokan's surprise is brief, but costly, as the Pokémon shoves him back in a four-armed push. An annoyed groan is the only sign of Goro's growing impatience with the intruder, running headlong back into the fray. Machamp's own shock gives Goro the opportunity to throw a wild haymaker that sends the Superpower Pokémon soaring through the cave.
Leaping into the air, the demi-dragon cocks all four fists back, but the Machamp comes to its senses and sees its airborne foe. The Pokémon waits until Goro is close enough to launch itself at the Shokan, intercepting his leaping stomp. The Fighting-type grips onto Goro with a firm hold while their ascent continues, Goro's agonized yelling echoing behind them. Silhouetted against the full moon, Machamp completes the Seismic Toss by flipping upside down and driving Goro back into the tunnel floor; the Pokémon itself lands upright and takes a second to indulge in some showboating while the demi-dragon is prone. The Machamp hoists Goro into the air and grips him in another hold. Straining against the muscular arms, the Shokan prince headbutts the Machamp backwards. What follows is a display of might on the kombatant's behalf, Goro hammering the Machamp with numerous punches. After a series of alternating hooks, the Fighting-type ends the assault by slamming its upper arms against the Mortal Kombat champion. The Superpower Pokémon's advantage is short-lived as Goro pushes it back once more, and in the moments that follow, the two combatants collide. Their arms braced and pushing against their foe, the two have words with one another; Goro more concerned with his own worth than what little the Pokémon has to offer. The Machamp breaks Goro's defenses and follows up with a pair of fists to the Shokan's back. Swerving to the prince's front, the Pokémon pummels Goro briefly before he darts out the way.
A shoulder tackle knockes the Machamp aside, but this fails to deter it. It lunges back into action and throws a pair of punches with left arms, then its right. Left to right, left to right, the pattern continues as the pace of Machamp's punches grows with intensity; Goro is only able to shield himself against the onslaught, pinned against the trophy shelf. The flurry of fists striking Goro reaches a crescendo until the warrior prince sees an opening in between the Machamp's attacks. Goro shoves a palm against the Machamp's face and squeezes tight, shattering the Pokémon's skull. Tossing his foe against the cave floor, Goro chortles as he takes hold of the Machamp. A swinging forearm disorients Goro, but also fails to loosen his hold on the Machamp. The Shokan, having had enough of the Pokémon, twirls about before throwing it through the cave. Bruised but still standing, Goro prepares to move on from the encounter when a dull thud echoes across the cave. Machamp breaks through the door adjacent to its exit, running straight towards the Shokan. With a grunt of effort, the champion of Mortal Kombat unleashes a stream of fire upon the Machamp; it immediately shields itself with two arms as it struggles to back away. Trapped in the inferno, the Machamp develops a scorching burn across its body, but its Guts soon kicks in. A second wind accompanies the red aura surrounding the Pokémon as it slaps Goro aside and flexes its four muscles.
Infuriated, the champion of Shao Kahn envelops his four fists with green energy and rushes towards the Pokémon for the final clash of fists. The exchange is suitably intense and brutal; for every blow one fighters lands, the other delivers in equal measure. Blood flies from each brawler as their match becomes a rapid-fire parrying of knuckles. The Machamp lands several sweeping hits that breaks the stalemate, and for its trouble, is met with an uppercut that sends it skidding backward. The Superpower Pokémon merely rips chunks of earth out the cave floor and crosses its lower arms. It then leaps towards the Shokan prince, tackling him with its crossed arms and dazing him further with the boulders. As Goro recovers, his attempts to punch back are caught within the sturdy palms of the Machamp. The Fighting-type pushes back, freeing up all of Goro's arms but one; in another jerk of its shoulders, that arm is ripped out the socket. The kombatant stares at the wound for a second before tearing loose one of the Machamp's arms in turn and battering it with its own limb. Just like Goro, the Pokémon stares at the empty space where an arm once was before pushing the attack. In quick succession, the Pokémon catches every one of Goro's remaining fists and rips the entire arm off, forcing the Shokan back. The Fighting-type primes its remaining fists for the final assault as it strikes Goro with a barrage of punches. With a final uppercut, the once-proud prince is punched into pieces soaring into the cold horizon. The Machamp prepares to celebrates its victory, but even while running off of Guts, the burn injuries soon take their toll on the Pokémon; the Machamp can only realize this before passing out.
K.O.!
While Boomstick complains about the match's ending, his co-host begins to lay down the key elements behind Goro's defeat. The Shokan had a number of advantages; the Shokan fighting style would let him keep pace with Machamp and had a physical advantage in range and height, being three feet taller than the average Machamp. In addition, Goro is three times faster through scaling to Kabal than even Machamp's thousand punches. However, speed and experience were outmatched by virtually everything else. The best strength feat that Goro can directly scale to is Shao Kahn's successor, Kotal Kahn, destroying a Spanish galleon in a blast equivalent to three-quarters of a ton. Meanwhile, the average Seismic Toss from a Machamp is 170,000 times greater than this. The sheer diversity of Machamp also proved to be a crucial factor; the move Knock Off would keep Goro from using his weapons, and the Guts ability would boost Machamp's attack instead of hinder it. Even in the way of durability did Goro come up short; the Machop line practices by sparring against other members of its kin, meaning the same power put into its attacks is something they can survive through as well as dish out. Goro had skill, this much is certain, but against a foe with the strength and versatility like the Superpower Pokémon, skill alone could only take him so far in this match.
- Boomstick: Unfortunately, this foe was forced to forfeit his four fists. Fitting that his final fate would be so freakin' Go-ry.
Wiz: The winner is...
Machamp: Machamp!
Goro vs. Machamp contains examples of:
- An Arm and a Leg: Once the fighting gets particularly brutal, Goro and Machamp both start to dismember each other, though Goro suffers it the worst; he loses all four of his arms to Machamp whille Machamp loses only one of his.
- Art Evolution: This is the first Death Battle featuring a Mortal Kombat character to use 3D animation instead of sprites.
- Call-Back:
- Raiden's temple-destroying feat was scaled to earlier when Johnny Cage appeared on the show. Similarly, Goro being similar in speed to Kabal uses the same footage as when it appeared in Sindel's fight against Black Canary.
- The dubiousness of Pokémon and humans being treated as equals, a factor in Red's loss to Tai and Agumon, is brought up again.
- Cerebus Retcon: Remember Boomstick's ex-wife? Who he made all those cruel jokes about? Apparently, she left him for a four-armed man before they even reached the wedding reception, and Boomstick's still heartbroken about it.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: While Machamp proved to be the stronger fighter, Goro was able to smash his skullnote , tear one of his arms off and burn him alive before his demise.
- Easter Egg: Goro VS Machamp continues the theme of references to past 3D fights with two heads seen in the background when Machamp tackled Goro after throwing him; The heads of past 3D combatants, Dragonzord and All Might.
- Multi-Armed and Dangerous: The main connections between the two fighters of this battle are their extra arms and Super-Strength.
- Musical Nod: The fight music for the episode, Four Fist Death Punch
, uses the main riff of the Mortal Kombat theme and the opening of the Pokémon theme throughout. - Mythology Gag:
- Goro being fed up with Machamp's Pokémon Speak has a hint of hypocrisy to it: in one of Cassie Cage's fatalities in Mortal Kombat X, she posts a selfie of herself and her dead opponent on a Facebook knock-off; all of Goro's comments are just him saying his own name like a Pokémon.
- Likewise, Goro getting his arms ripped off might be a reference to what happened to him in the tie-in comics.
- At one point, Machamp rips a pair of small boulders out of the ground and breaks them against Goro's body; this is how Charizard and Empoleon use Rock Smash in Super Smash Bros. and Pokkén Tournament, respectively.
- Non-Lethal K.O.: Not the battle itself, Goro dies proper, but Machamp faints shortly afterward due to damage from the burn it sustained during the battle.
- Running Gag: Boomstick continually moping over the four-armed man that he lost an ex to; similarly, Wiz's decreasing amounts of sympathy for him over the course of the episode.
- Shout-Out:
- In a two-fer example, Boomstick gets interested in a threeway cripple deathmatch and pitches it as a match between Professor X, Kenshi and a limbless Goro.
- After mentioning Machamp's thousand punch feat, a clip of the Mythbusters is shown, hinting at the Rare Candy Treatment comic that shows Adam and Jamie debunking the aforementioned claim.
- When Boomstick mentions cookie dough in Machamp's analysis, it shows a clip from Binging with Babish. Specifically, the chocolate chip cookie episode (obviously).
- Sliding Scale of Silliness vs. Seriousness: The fight contains a serious character from the brutal, gory Mortal Kombat series and a sillier character from the lighthearted and hilarious Pokémon series. Naturally, it also contains a fair share of brutal and hilarious moments. The silly combatant wins this round, thanks to its sheer ludicrous power, subsequent defense and attack diversity allowing it to overpower the other's speed and experience.
- Sudden Video-Game Moment: Two examples of Pokémon game references, and from opposite ends of the franchise at that.
- When Machamp gets burned by Goro's fire breath, its Guts ability activates and the "Pokémon's ability activated" tab from Sword/Shield pops in from the right.
- After the end of the fight, the burned Machamp flexes in victory, only for the "hurt by its burn!" popup from Red/Blue to appear, and it faints.
- The World Is Just Awesome: Boomstick and Wiz discuss what sort of things a Pokémon Trainer might run into while they're out and about; Wiz concludes that "the Pokémon world is wild".
