History Characters / MortalKombatShaoKahn

* LackOfEmpathy: Especially in ''11''. Would you expect empathy from Shao at this point? Lampshaded by Kitana.

'''Kitana:''' You have ALWAYS lacked empathy.
* LameComeback: This gem with Liu King in the eleventh game

'''Liu Kang:''' It's done so twice before.\\
'''Shao Kahn:''' [[SoreLoser Quiet, Earthrealmer.]]

* LackOfEmpathy: Especially in ''11''. Would you expect empathy from Shao at this point?

--> '''Shao Kahn:''' Your power won't stop me, Liu Kang.

'''Shao Kahn:''' [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial Quiet, Earthrealmer.]]\\

* ButtMonkey: [[Downplayed. DownplayedTrope]] In the alternate continuity of versus matches, Shao Kahn is not [[spoiler: killed by Kitana]] and reduced to a wanderer as the new Kahn rules. Many characters like to make fun of him for this, but he remains calm and determined to reclaim his throne.

* AssholeVictim: Given heavy emphasis in Mortal Kombat 11. [[spoiler: He is betrayed by almost all his closest allies and ultimately killed by one of his most personal victims, Kitana, in single kombat.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Played with and cruelly [[SubvertedTrope subverted.]] He is furious D'Vorah killed Mileena, but this has little to do with him loving her as seeing her as a valuable tool. He later admits to Kitana in their confrontation that had she shown the ruthless resolve now under him before, he would have had no use for Mileena.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Shockingly, yes. When he hears that D'Vorah killed Mileena, he is enraged and about to kill her in retaliation.

* FashionableAsymmetry: Kahn's default outfit in ''11'' has him wear mismatching and shiny armor, most notably an uncovered left arm.

-->'''Baraka''': So, Shao Kahn has replaced me?\\
'''Skarlet''': He can count on my loyalty.\\
'''Baraka''': But he'll not repay it.

--->'''Shao Kahn''': You ''burn'' with guilt, don't you?\\
'''Raiden''': For the pain I have caused others, yes.\\
'''Shao Kahn''': Compassion is for fools!

* {{Stripperiffic}}: A very rare male version of this. Just look at his costume! Likely enforced down the ranks as well, judging by how all his minions dress. Downplayed in his alt in ''Deception'' and ''Armageddon'', as well as at least one in ''11'', which give him pants.

* WeaponOfChoice: His infamous hammer.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: A very rare male version of this. Just look at his costume! Likely enforced down the ranks as well, judging by how all his minions dress. Downplayed in his alts in ''Deception'' and ''Armageddon'', which give him pants.

-> '''Non-game appearances''': ''Film/MortalKombat'' (Frank Welker, cameo), ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' (Brian Thompson), ''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm'' (John Vernon, and later Michael des Barres), ''Series/MortalKombatConquest'' (Jeffrey Meek), ''WebVideo/MortalKombatLegacy'' (Aleks Paunovic)

** Outright ''confirmed'' by his very first revealed intro dialogue. Upon seeing his adopted daughter, Shao Kahn wastes no time with expressing his fatherly pride towards her. He simply wants her ''to die''. Unsurprisingly, Kitana has mutual feelings.

* ArchnemesisDad: Gives this vibe to Kitana in ''MK11''.
-->'''Shao Kahn:''' It's time you die, daughter.
-->'''Kitana:''' The feeling's mutual, Father.
-->'''Shao Kahn:''' Then let us begin...

* GutturalGrowler: Has a very deep and raspy voice in ''MK11'', courtesy of Ike Amadi.

** Outright ''confirmed'' in his very first revealed intro dialogue. Upon seeing his adopted daughter, Shao Kahn wastes no time with expressing his feelings towards her. He simply wants her ''to die''. Unsurprisingly, Kitana has mutual feelings.

-> '''Other appearances''': ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'' (Brian Glynn/Steve Ritchie), ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception'' (Gamecube version only), ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'', ''VideoGame/MortalKombatShaolinMonks'', ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse'' (Creator/PatrickSeitz), ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' (Bob Carter), ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' (?, English; Roberto Mendiola, Latin American Spanish)

* TheSociopath: Can be mostly seen with his treatment of Sindel and Kitana, who all have been anything but tools to him so far. Baraka of all people wised up to this in ''11''.

** Time will tell if Kahn's personal dialogues will indicate this.

-> '''Other appearances''': ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'' (Brian Glynn/Steve Ritchie), ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception'' (Gamecube version only), ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'', ''VideoGame/MortalKombatShaolinMonks'', ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse'' (Creator/PatrickSeitz), ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' (Bob Carter), ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11''

-> The supreme ruler of Outworld and one of the biggest threats facing Earthrealm, Shao Kahn is one of the most powerful forces in all the realms. The emperor has long been obsessed with the conquest of earth.

-> Shao Kahn was once The Dragon King Onaga's advisor. Before the Dragon King could obtain immortality, Kahn poisoned him and took his former master's throne. Eventualy going on to conquer countless lesser realms through brute force and Mortal Kombat, he consumed untold souls in his neverending quest for power.

-> When he took Edenia, a milestone in his campaign, he murdered King Jerrod in battle and took his wife Sindel as his bride. He then raised Jerrod's daughter Kitana as his own and trained her to be his personal bodyguard. Sindel eventually killed herself rather than be his slave but even death would not free her of Shao Kahn; he trapped her soul in Outworld denying her the afterlife. His next target was Earthrealm. He sent Shang Tsung and then Goro to gain enough victories in Mortal Kombat to allow him to freely invade. Despite a 500 year winning streak, Goro was denied the vital tenth victory by Liu Kang, a descendant of the very man who had put an end to Shang Tsung's dominance of the tournament centuries ago. Enraged, Kahn brought Tsung before him to punish him personally. However the sorcerer begged him for another chance, one that the emperor believed might hold the key to undoing five centuries of wasted plans. The plan was to draw Liu Kang and his allies into an Outworld tournament where they would surely die. However, the champion of Mortal Kombat proved too great even for the emperor himself, defeating him personally. Unwilling to accept this, Kahn ordered his forces to kill the Earthrealm force but they managed to escape.

-> Shao Kahn had one last plan up his sleeve however. Ordering Shang Tsung to complete a plan 10,000 years in the making, his long dead wife Sindel was resurrected, not on Outworld but on Earthrealm. This allowed Kahn to step through the realms to claim her and undermine the safeguards of Mortal Kombat, where he then launched a full invasion of Earth. Consuming countless millions of souls upon entering the realm he sent extermination squads to destroy those possessing souls he could not steal. The chosen few eventually defeated Outworld's forces, with the emperor falling once again to the might of Liu Kang. Shao Kahn was greatly weakened by this defeat and Earthrealm was restored. Many of his so-called loyal soldiers had abandoned him, and Kitana had turned Sindel to her side, restoring Edenia as an independent realm. To make matters worse for Kahn, the Shokan had joined them. When Shang Tsung and Quan Chi came before him to pledge allegiance, it soon became an assassination attempt and seemingly his reign had finally come to a violent end. However ''Deception'' revealed the emperor had planted a clone in his stead and restored the mortally wounded Goro with his remaining power regaining the Shokans as allies.

-> In in the events of ''Armageddon'' he would go on to form an uneasy alliance with Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, and Onaga in the hopes of preventing the forces of good from defeating Blaze and then seizing his own opportunity to strike when it came. He eventually succeeds and take's Blaze's power, pretty much killing Raiden.

-> Avoiding Shao Kahn's causing of Armageddon is the basis of the entire storyline of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', in which the original canon's Shao Kahn is about to kill Raiden and overthrow all the realms. Kahn's role in ''9'' is mostly reflective of the role he played in the original canon, being the main threat to Earthrealm in the eyes of Raiden. Things proceed mostly the same for Kahn with some minor exceptions ([[spoiler:such as the murder of Kung Lao, who had won the Outworld tournament instead of Liu Kang]]) until near the end, where Raiden's communication from the future finally becomes clear: [[spoiler:since Kahn's invasion is considered an unlawful breach of the rules of Mortal Kombat, he must be allowed to overthrow Earthrealm so the Elder Gods can punish him. In doing so, Shao Kahn is finally defeated once and for all]].

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Normally, he looks like a monster under his helmet (see ButterFace below). In ''Annihilation'' he looks like a regular human being. In ''Legacy'', he's even got a good head of hair!

* AndThenWhat: In his ending for Armageddon, Kahn achieves the power of Blaze and finally conquers all known realms. Unfortunately with no worlds left to conquor, he winds up going mad.
* TheAnnouncer: In ''MKII'' and ''[=MK3=]'', to the point that if he wins a round in the latter, he says, "''I'' win."

* AxCrazy: He acts more composed than other characters, but you'll never know when he will drop his hammer to kill you.

* TheBadGuyWins: He ultimately wins after the events of ''Armageddon''; surviving the ascent up the pyramid and follows that by attempting to kill Raiden. This prompts the thunder god to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] the TimeyWimeyBall and telepathically send a message to his younger self from the time of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'', warning him of the events to come, before Kahn can strike the killing blow. [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}} in ''9'', where this trope actually proves to be the key to Shao Kahn's defeat and the prevention of Armageddon. Raiden's words to his past self ("He must win") actually refer to ''Shao Kahn''; Earthrealm must ''[[SheatheYourSword let]]'' Shao Kahn win and merge Outworld with Earthrealm so that the Elder Gods will then punish the emperor for his treachery.]]

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: His ending in ''Armageddon'' sees him attain all ultimate power and conquer all of the realms...and then go mad from ''boredom'' because he has nothing else to conquer. ''9'' makes this ending ''canon'' due to Raiden invoking the TimeyWimeyBall, so if the canon timeline still exists and wasn't simply erased, the canon version of Shao Kahn basically defeated himself by getting exactly what he wanted.

* BlackMagic: He isn't only a melee fighter. He is also a very skilled sorcerer, perhaps even more talented than Shang Tsung, whose restored youth was Kahn's doing.
* BloodKnight: It is clear that he loves to fight and kill. In his ''Armageddon'' ending, [[spoiler: he went mad because there were no more realms to conquer.]]

** Meta-wise, he got demoted [[VideoGame/MortalKombat11 from the boss status to simple downloadable fighter]].
* ButterFace: Below the neck: musclebound shirtless hunk. Above the neck: [[https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/mkwikia/images/5/5b/Shao_Kahn_comic.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20060613183106 what looks like a cross between]] [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Maul]] and [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings an orc]]. Thank goodness for the helmet. This is downplayed in his default design in ''11'', where his skin has a rather monstrous quality to it and he has claws on his hands and feet, in addition to spikes coming out of his bare left arm.
* TheCaligula: He didn't manage to make things any better for Outworld than Onaga. He is, at the end, a bloodthirsty warlord who doesn't care for the well being of his subjects.

* CombatPragmatist: He tries to bum rush you even before the announcer reaches the "Fight" signal when you face him. Course considering he ''is'' the announcer.
* CoolHelmet: And as seen in ''[=MK9=]'', [[RuleOfCool it got cooler]] as time went on.

* DeathByIrony: Prior to his final fight with Raiden in ''Mortal Kombat 9''[='s=] story, he says the Elder Gods "masquerade as dragons but are mere toothless worms." How is he defeated? [[spoiler:The power of the Elder Gods take the form of golden ''dragons'', ''bite him'', and drag him up to the heavens!]]

* DropTheHammer: It was his most feared special in ''[=MK3=]'' and later became his weapon style in the [=GameCube=] version of ''Deception''. Raiden had one too (a War Hammer) for ''[=MK4=]'', before it was placed on the top of the Sky Temple. (His favoured weapon's a Staff, which he uses in ''Deadly Alliance'' onward even though he supposedly gave it to Kai, canonically.)

* TheEmperor: As noted many times in the series, he is the Emperor of Outworld.

* EvilIsHammy: Probably the hammiest MK villain, which is saying something.

* EvilLaugh: He's always had some epic ones.

* EvilSorceror: He uses his magic to restore Shang Tsung's youth, hold Sindel's soul in Outworld so she wouldn't find peace in the afterlife, among others.

* FashionableAsymmetry: His default outfit in ''11'' has him wear mismatching armor, most notably an uncovered left arm.
* FatalFlaw: His biggest flaw is [[SmugSnake overconfidence]] and arrogance, as he has often underestimated mankind, and therefore tried to conquer Earthrealm many times to no success. He's also a BloodKnight, as that can sometimes overwhelm his better judgment, allowing him to be manipulated by the likes of Shang Tsung or Quan Chi, who are cunning enough to exploit this weakness.
* FinalBoss: Shao Kahn is the last enemy faced in several games starting with ''Mortal Kombat II''.
* GeniusBruiser: [[DownplayedTrope Emphasis on "bruiser"]], but while Shao Kahn might be an AxCrazy hothead with a HairTriggerTemper, that does not mean he is stupid by any means. He has a mastery of black magic to rival any sorcerer, and he gained the throne of Outworld through manipulation and treachery rather than brute force. He also managed to fool Shang Tsung and Quan Chi with a [[ActuallyADoombot magical clone]] when they tried to assassinate him rather than pointlessly risk his life against the two sorcerers. When he wants to be, Kahn can be exceptionally devious and difficult to outsmart.

* GoGoEnslavement: His victory pose in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' features such a slave crawling up to and embracing his leg. The female characters who are seen chained in the Kahn's Coliseum arena are wearing barely-there bikinis, and given how female Edenian warriors (even ones who are loyal to him) tend to dress, this sort of thing may well be a law he is enforcing. (In fact, when Kitana is officially working on the heroes' side, her outfit is a lot more modest.)

* GreaterScopeVillain: He's introduced as this to the first game. BigBad Shang Tsung and [[TheDragon Dragon]] Goro were actually CoDragons to Shao Kahn, who was all too ready to execute the former [[YouHaveFailedMe for not winning the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament in a row]] before being convinced to give him another chance.
* {{Hammerspace}}: Literally in his case. Look closely at the sprites for his hammer attack in ''[=MK3=]'' and the move in ''[=MK9=]'' and it appears to materialize out of thin air.
* HeroKiller: What he's meant to be seen as, although he only successfully kills Kung Lao in the style of one (in ''9''). He does sic Sindel on the heroes' hideout, though, and that proves very effective (although that really makes her the HeroKiller).
* IAmNotYourFather: He eventually reveals to Kitana that he is not her father, and that he murdered her true father, king Jerrod, long ago.
* IShallTauntYou: Subverted. He just taunts you because you fight against him in Outworld and you were supposedly stupid enough to want a fight with the big cheese around here. So he assumes that some casual gloating here and there won't hurt since, in his mind, he could swat you away with his index finger. However, in reality, there's nothing calculated behind these taunts and in doing so, he's unable to move or react so he's completely vulnerable to a big combo (this is a major part of beating him in ''II'' and ''9''). [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration This even leads to his ultimate downfall in the new continuity's storyline]]: in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', Shao Khan comes out on top in the events of ''Armageddon'', with literally no one left but him and Raiden (who is exhausted and on the verge of death). Khan takes the opportunity to taunt Raiden about this, which gives Raiden enough time to send a message to his past self, which ultimately averts this outcome and destroy Khan before ''Armageddon'' ever comes to pass.

* KlingonPromotion: He obtained the throne of Outworld by killing the previous Emperor Onaga by poisoning him.

* LargeAndInCharge: Is depicted as being around the size of Goro and Kintaro; only Onaga is bigger than him.
* LargeHam: The all-time king in ''MK''. In some games, he takes time during the fight to [[YouFightLikeACow personally insult you]], [[EnemyPosturing leaving himself completely open in the process]]. His verbal barbs include, but are not limited to:

** In the second film, he borders on HamAndCheese.

* MadeOfIron: In ''9'' Liu Kang punches right through his heart in what would be the ending of the second game, he survived without much explanation aside just being that hard to kill.

* MrFanservice: The main reason of his armor seems to accentuate his physique. Delves into FanDisservice when you unmask him, though. Even less applicable in his ''11'' design, where the rest of his body seems just as monstrous, including spikes coming out of his left arm.
* MultiversalConqueror: Conquering Outworld wasn't enough for him. He's out for Earthrealm as well, and has taken Edenia during his campaigns. [[spoiler: His ''Armageddon'' ending has him succeeding in taking over all realms... [[AndThenWhat and going mad for having nothing else to conquer]].]]

* NeckSnap: Delivers one to [[spoiler:Kung Lao]] in ''9'' to show that AnyoneCanDie. [[spoiler:Liu Kang]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge was most displeased]].

* ObviouslyEvil: Back in the intro of ''II'', you first see him as a tall silhouette pointing down at Shang Tsung and stated to have Tsung executed for his failure at the tournament. Then, the next scene is a glorious picture of him standing confident with his arms on his waist, red eyes, skull helmet and spiked shoulders on a red background, with a text stating that the kombatants can meet certain death at his hands. [[SarcasmMode Of course he's a good guy.]]

** [[spoiler:In his ''Armageddon'' arcade mode ending, he ultimately wins after the events of Armageddon by surviving the ascent up the pyramid and follows that by killing Raiden, but loses his own sanity for having nothing else to conquer.]]

** [[spoiler:''[=MK9=]'' concludes with Shao Khan '''finally''' succeeding in conquering Earth - only for the Elder Gods to utterly destroy him moments later in response]]

** Back with a vengeance in ''[=MK9=]'', thanks to most of his moves being armored (one of which is an unblockable projectile that stuns the player), twice as much health as any other character, and '''extremely''' damaging attacks. True to form of the title of SNKBoss, he is very susceptible to a simplistic attack pattern (he's [[AttackAttackAttack aggressive to a fault]], attacking as much as possible and leaving himself open to being jumped over; plus he doesn't have any armor ''between'' attacks).
* TheSociopath: Can be mostly seem with his treatment of Sindel and Kitana, who have been but tools to him so far. Baraka of all people wised up to this in ''11''.

Non-videogame: [[Characters/MortalKombatConquest Conquest]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm Defenders of the Realm]]\\

!![[center: Main series: [=MK1=] ([[Characters/MortalKombat1Part1 Part 1]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat1Part2 Part 2]]) | [[Characters/MortalKombat2 MK2]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat3 MK3]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat4 MK4]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatDeception Deception]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatArmageddon Armageddon]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse MK vs. DC Universe]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat9 MK9]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatX MKX]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat11 MK11]]\\

Individual Characters: [[Characters/MortalKombatHanzoHasashi Scorpion]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatLiuKang Liu Kang]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatRaiden Raiden]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKuaiLiang Sub-Zero II]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShaoKahn Shao Kahn]]-]]]

* TheSociopath: Can be mostly seem with his treatment of Sindel and Kitana, who have been but tools to him so far.

** In Shang Tsung's arcade ending in Armageddon, Shao Khan is reduced to a Centaur slave by Shang, who used Blazes's power to alter Khan's form and seize Outworld for himself.

* YouHaveFailedMe: He would have Shang Tsung executed in ''II'' for failing at the tournament. He almost did it again to him in ''9''.

Non-videogame: [[Characters/MortalKombatConquest Conquest]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm Defenders of the Realm]]-] ]]