History Characters / MortalKombatShinnok

!![[center:''Franchise/MortalKombat'' '''[[Characters/MortalKombat Main Character Index]]'''\\
Main series: [[Characters/MortalKombat1 MK1]] ([[Characters/MortalKombat1Part1 Part 1]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat1Part2 Part 2]]) | [[Characters/MortalKombat2 MK2]] ([[Characters/MortalKombat2Part1 Part 1]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat2Part2 Part 2]]) | [[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]]\\
[-Spinoffs: [[Characters/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Mythologies: Sub-Zero]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatSpecialForces Special Forces]]\\
Non-video game: [[Characters/MortalKombatTheMovie The Movie]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatConquest Conquest]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm Defenders of the Realm]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat2021 2021 Movie]]\\
Individual Characters: [[Characters/MortalKombatHanzoHasashi Scorpion]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatJohnnyCage Johnny Cage]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatLiuKang Liu Kang]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatRaiden Raiden]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShangTsung Shang Tsung]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKuaiLiang Sub-Zero II]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKitana Kitana]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatMileena Mileena]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShaoKahn Shao Kahn]] | [=Shinnok=]-]]]
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!! Spoilers for ''Mythologies'' will be unmarked

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!!Shinnok
[[quoteright:360:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7fd5f80e3972531086f0efbd65e4a1ba.png]]
[[caption-width-right:360:''"Tremble before me as I absorb Earthrealm's power!"'']]

-->'''Debut game:''' ''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero'' (Gary Wingert)
-->'''Other appearances:''' ''Mortal Kombat 4'' (Steve Beran), ''Mortal Kombat: Armageddon'' (Knute Horwitz), ''Mortal Kombat 9'' (Ken Lally, non-playable), ''Mortal Kombat X'' (Creator/TroyBaker, English; Idzi Dutkiewicz, Latin American Spanish) and ''Mortal Kombat 11'' (Creator/TroyBaker, English; Idzi Dutkiewicz, Latin American Spanish; non-playable).
-->'''Non-video game appearances:''' ''Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'' (Reiner Schöne), ''Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge'' (Creator/RobinAtkinDownes), ''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatLegendsBattleOfTheRealms'' (Creator/RobinAtkinDownes)

Shinnok is a former elder god and current ruler of the Netherrealm. Originally, he wanted to take Earthrealm for himself to gain immense power. To make sure he could freely enter Earthrealm without being detected, he created a special amulet which discreetly weakened the dimensional barriers. However, with the help of the other Elder Gods, Raiden discovers his plot and defeats him in battle, banishing him to the Netherrealm for good. There, he suffered constant torture until he met the sorcerer Quan Chi. With his help, Lucifer was dethroned and Shinnok became the new ruler with Quan Chi as his arch-sorcerer and [[TheDragon right-hand man]].

During the events of both ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Mythologies: Sub-Zero]]'' and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'', Quan Chi was working to release his master, the banished Elder God Shinnok, from his imprisonment in the Netherrealm. With the assistance of the original Sub Zero, Quan Chi managed to get the amulet and initiate Shinnok's invasion of the realms after Shao Kahn's failed attempt to conquer Earthrealm. He managed to invade Edenia and attack the heavens before Earthrealm's warriors managed to have him banished back to the Netherrealm once more by Raiden.

In ''Armageddon'', Shinnok tricked Taven into helping him, claiming that he was no longer an Elder God for getting involved with the affairs of mortals. He wished for him to defeat the demons that inhabit his throne and he would try to locate Daegon as a reward. He successfully does the task and Shinnok tells Taven that he is most likely in Earthrealm. As he leaves, it is revealed that Shinnok [[TheManBehindTheMan was helping]] Daegon who was hiding in Netherrealm. In addition, it was Shinnok who alerted the many combatants to the prize at the top of the Pyramid of Argus, telling them that whomever obtained this power would be granted godlike power. His ending reveals that Shinnok created a clone of his own self to assist Daegon in ''Armageddon''. His clone was killed off shortly after defeating Kung Lao, unable to complete his objective.

He makes a brief cameo in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', he's launched an all-out invasion of Earthrealm following the events of ''Mortal Kombat 9'' only to be defeated by Johnny Cage. The rest of the game's story revolves around a plot by Quan Chi and D'Vorah to bring him back after [[TimeSkip 20 years]]. [[spoiler: They succeed (at the cost of Chi's life) and he ends up almost winning, absorbing Earthrealm's Jin Sei and becoming a [[OneWingedAngel corrupted]] version of himself before being stopped by Cassie Cage. His [[AndIMustScream severed immortal head]] is then used by Dark Raiden as a warning to the new rulers of the Netherrealm, Liu Kang and Kitana.]]
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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: A-G]]
* ActuallyADoombot[=/=]FightingAShadow: According to both his ''Armageddon'' ending and ''9'', the Shinnok present in ''Armageddon'' was nothing more than a clone sent by the real Shinnok.
* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Though "attractive" is not the most appropriate word, it is worth noting that he had a more human-like appearance in ''Annihilation'', instead of his pallid look in the games.
* AmbiguouslyEvil: Discussed by Raiden in one of his pre-fight intros with Cetrion in ''11''. Raiden wonders if Shinnok either willingly went with Kronika's plan as an evil fallen Elder God or was compelled into being one. Regardless of his opinion on Kronika's machinations, he's still ''very'' much malicious out of his own volition, given his various KickTheDog moments and pettiness towards his enemies.
* AmbitionIsEvil: He is described more than once as having an insatiable lust for power, which is what caused his crimes against his fellow Elder Gods. Shinnok may very well be far more brutal than Shao Kahn.
* AmplifierArtifact[=/=]ImmortalityInducer: His Amulet and his Amulet Staff. Both are used to drastically increase his powers to the point of nigh-{{immortality}} (even beyond his PhysicalGod status).
** The latter comes back to bite him in ''Mortal Kombat X'', [[spoiler: where he is given an AndIMustScream fate at the hands of Raiden]].
* AndIMustScream: He views being trapped inside his amulet as this. At the end of ''X'', he is reduced to a conscious decapitated head, and in obvious pain, by Dark Raiden.
* ApocalypseHow: [[spoiler: Comes close to a ApocalypseHow/ClassZ in his ''Mortal Kombat X'' arcade ending, as he's awakening the One Being, Mortal Kombat's GreaterScopeVillain, and it results in CessationOfExistence to all.]]
* ArchEnemy: To his fellow Elder Gods and Raiden, who cast him into the Netherrealm millennia before the main series started.
** In VideoGame/MortalKombatX Johnny Cage and later Cassie Cage, as the Cage family possesses ancient magic from a mediterranian cult that allowed them to defeat the former Elder God.
* ArchnemesisDad: He is this to Raiden in ''Mortal Kombat: Annihilation''.
* ArtifactOfDoom: His amulet is among the most powerful of all mystic talismans within all the realms. Many have sought after it so they can increase their powers drastically, and serves a focal point for the plot of ''Mortal Kombat X''.
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: Reduced to a mere head by Dark Raiden at the end of ''Mortal Kombat X''. The story prologue of ''11'' shows him at his absolute lowest point: chained up within the Jinsei Chamber, forced to look upon that which he desired most but forever beyond his reach, deprived of the amulet which granted him power, and painfully tortured via electrocution by Dark Raiden before the moment he gets decapitated.]]
* AuthorAvatar / InkSuitActor: His ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'' model is based on Midway Games' developer Steve Beran, who also provided voicework for the character.
* BadBoss: He demands unwavering faith and loyalty from his followers and will not hesitate to kill anyone who dares to question him. One of his pre-fight animations in ''X'' has him casually vaporize one of his own minions for no particular reason than to intimidate. Perhaps the worst moment comes in Reptile's non-canon ending in ''4''; the Saurian pleads with Shinnok to restore his extinct race which Shinnok can very easily do as he is now master of all reality. Shinnok is angered at Reptile for having the gall to ask for a favor and kills him even though Reptile had served him loyally.
* BatmanGambit -> XanatosGambit: Pulls off a massively epic one through both ''Armageddon'' and ''[=MK9=]'' that would have made [[Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire Tywin]] [[Series/GameOfThrones Lannister]] either proud or jealous. Shinnok sets off the Battle of Armageddon by spreading word about the godlike power that could be gained from killing the elemental Blaze, then manipulated demigod brothers Taven and Daegon in their quest in order to guide them both along opposite paths so they would fight one another instead of working together. Through all this, he was even savvy enough to use a clone instead of personally risking his own neck. The resulting "final battle" between the Forces of Light and Darkness raged out of control until the only two kombatants left standing were a weakened and insane Thunder God (Raiden) and a vicious warrior king who the battle had left sans an army (Shao Kahn). Shao Kahn would go on to ultimately kill both Blaze (after Taven failed) and Raiden, to win Armageddon, presumably following up by conquering the realms and then going mad. With only Shinnok, Taven, Daegon, Shao Kahn, and the disembodied spirit of Lui Kang left alive, nothing short of a ResetButton could stop Shinnok from creating an EnemyMine to go after Shao Kahn and then picking up the scraps.\\
Miraculously, Raiden had regained some of his sanity and used his Elder God amulet to send a message to his past self from the first MK tournament before suffering the final blow at Kahn's hand, essentially pressing said button on the entire series and foiling Shinnok's plan. Except, in a move that ups the gambit level from Batman to Xanatos, ''Shinnok somehow banked on this on this by sending his disciple Quan Chi in to position himself into Shao Kahn's inner circle over the course of the first three tournaments in order to work his necromancy on fallen kombatants with impunity''. The ensuing alterations in the timeline result in the Forces of Light being almost irreparably crippled, with the three most powerful women of Edenia as well as most of Earth's champions killed and turned into wraiths and thralls for the Netherrealm, and the most powerful obstacle to Shinnok's ascension, would-be Armageddon victor / Outworld emperor / first link in an entire army's immortality chain Shao Kahn, eliminated from existence. By the end of ''[=MK9=]'', Shinnok and Quan Chi are poised to begin their invasion once he's set free, with Earthrealm and Outworld '''FAR''' more vulnerable to a hostile takeover from the Netherrealm than they were in ''Mortal Kombat 4''/''Gold'' in the original timeline. In either timeline, Shinnok finds himself literally two moves away from becoming the evil king of the universe.
* TheBadGuyWins: Zig-zagged and later on, downplayed. Despite weakening the Forces of Light, Shinnok is shown to be trapped in his own amulet by Raiden in the opening moments of ''Mortal Kombat X''. However, this was before the time-skip, and Quan Chi was still on the lam. [[spoiler:True to form, Shinnok is freed again and [[PyrrhicVillainy proceeds to corrupt the Jinsei (Earthrealm's life force), but is eventually defeated and foiled]] after one hell of a struggle. Also, according to a vision shown to Kitana, the one who would've been destined to lead the charge in knocking off Shao Kahn and take power in the fallout of Armageddon in the original timeline was not Shinnok, but Kitana herself, who then would've reigned as Queen of Edenia. But despite his defeat(s), he DOES manages to break his ArchEnemy Raiden by twisting him into something as evil as himself - the thunder god is now corrupted after purifying the Jinsei of Shinnok's taint, and vows to go on a warpath after the events of ''X'' Lampshaded in the prologue of ''11'', where he actually praises Raiden for becoming Dark Raiden and "embracing the truth he was exiled for speaking" by wearing his amulet.]]
* BigBad: Of ''Mythologies: Sub-Zero'', ''Mortal Kombat 4/Gold'', and ''Mortal Kombat X''. Next to Shao Kahn he is the second most recurring antagonist of the series.
* CainAndAbel: The Cain to his sister Cetrion's Abel although they are both villains.
* TheCameo: In the SequelHook of ''Mortal Kombat 9'', foreshadowing his role in ''X''.
* CessationOfExistence: [[spoiler: This is what happens in his non-canon ending in ''Mortal Kombat X'', which involves him awakening the One Being, allowing it to destroy all of reality and devour his fellow Elder Gods.]]
* TheChessmaster: TheManBehindTheMan to Daegon and is trusted by Taven (who is unaware that he had fallen), and pits the two against each other. He seems to have a greater awareness of what is going on than most other heroes and villans, and he chooses to use an avatar for the final battle rather than show up in person. It is revealed in ''Mortal Kombat 9'' that the entirety of that game is a result of his machinations in ''Armageddon''. Quite impressive, though he's as much of an AntiClimaxBoss as a fighter as he ever was (even if, granted, he's not technically a boss).
* ChekhovsGun: His Amulet is technically the seventh Kamidogu. If Shujinko had collected the item and placed it on the altar alongside the other relics, it would have been sent to the Elder Gods [[BlatantLies as Onaga told Shujinko originally]]. When combined with the Kamidogu, its power would have allowed Onaga to reshape the realms.
* CompleteImmortality: The best that can be done with him is imprisoning him in the Netherrealm or his amulet and hoping he doesn't escape. Or [[spoiler: as Raiden to does him at the end of ''Mortal Kombat X'' - cut off his head. He won't die, but he won't be able to do much either.]]
* CurbStompBattle: Against Raiden, Fujin, Johnny Cage, Kenshi and Sonya Blade, in the first chapter of Mortal Kombat X.
* CompositeCharacter: Shinnok is Shao Kahn's and Raiden's father in ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation''.
* TheCorrupter:
** Preys on Daegon's fears of being TheUnfavourite to get him to kill his parents. Also subtly this to Taven, desensitizing him to murder by having him kill everything in the Spire in order to "reclaim" it—complete with repeated orders to "Eliminate" and "Destroy".
** Also serves as this to Liu Kang, after the latter's FaceHeelTurn in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''.
** While only implied in ''X'', ''11'' reveals that he is this on a much grander scale than anticipated. [[spoiler: He was literally made by Kronika to be this. A being made entirely of darkness and evil who brings out the worst in people and manipulates them like puppets to balance out his sister Cetrion. Anyone who is either reborn as a Netherrealm revenant or comes into contact with his essence, be it the corrupted Jinsei or his own amulet, is twisted and warped into the darkest possible opposite of what they once were.]]
* DarkIsEvil: A pale skinned fallen Elder God of Death who uses dark energy blasts and necromancy and rules the Netherealm.
* DeadpanSnarker: Some of his pre-battle interactions with other fighters show that he has a rather dry sense of humor.
-->'''Mileena''': You will not have Outworld.\\
'''Shinnok''': Apparently, neither will ''you''.
* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: As one of the most powerful beings in the series, the very idea of defeating Shinnok is difficult to comprehend. Characters throughout ''X'' and ''11'' constantly lampshade how it's feasible [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass Johnny]] and [[LittleMissBadass Cassie Cage]] defeated him, or outright ''refusing'' to believe it happened.
-->'''Triborg''': You defeated the Elder God, Shinnok?\\
'''Johnny Cage''': ''Former'' Elder God, and yes.\\
'''Triborg''': A fool and a ''liar''.
* DefiantToTheEnd: Subverted in ''11'', where he continues to praise Raiden for his FaceHeelTurn ''while Raiden is torturing him'' after the events of ''MKX'', but his smugness disappears the instant Raiden decapitates him.
* DemBones: Shinnok is able to conjure skeletal constructs of varying sizes, from scythes to giant arms.
** MKX sees his ''Necromancer'' Variation render his forearms with nothing but bare bones up to the elbow yet still functional despite lacking any connective tissue or muscle.
* DiabolicalMastermind: As a rogue Elder God residing in the Netherrealm and using the inhabitants to carry out his orders, he has shades of this.
* DittoFighter: He could also switch between the other characters' moves with ease in ''4''. He can be this in MKX, using his ''Impostor'' variation.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Before appearing in ''4'' and ''Mythologies'', he was alluded to in various character bios and endings in ''Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3''.
* EverybodyHatesHades: The fallen Elder God who rules the Netherrealm, and is an OmnicidalManiac. [[spoiler:Just like his mother wanted him to be]].
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Like Quan Chi, he seems genuinely confused as to why some of the revived revenants fell out of his service and calls them ungrateful despite being told that he and Quan Chi [[ReforgedIntoAMinion turned them into their minions]].
* EvilCounterpart: Another one to Raiden. while Raiden uses his God powers to help the Earthrealm and spread hop, Shinnok is a fallen Elder God ManipulativeBastard who spreads fear and death, they also both have a special powerful amulet. ''MKX'' really hammers the similarities home as while Raiden takes care of [[LifeEnergy Jinsei Chamber]], Shinnok corrupts it with just his touch.
* EvilIsHammy:
** '''FEEL MY POWER!!! FEEL THE FORCES OF DARKNESS!!!''' He's certainly no slouch in ''4'' either, '''FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, I SUFFERED IN THE BOWELS OF THE NETHERREALM! YOU, THUNDER GOD, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY SUFFERING! NOW THE PITEOUS MORTALS OF EARTH WILL PAY FOR MY GRIEVANCE!'''
** Then there's this gem from ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' against Johnny Cage: '''MISERABLE WRETCH!!! INSIGNIFICANT SPECK OF FECULENT SCUM!!! HOW ''DARE'' YOU!'''
* EvilLaugh: '''MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!'''
* EvilMentor: Serves as this to Daegon and Taven in the original timeline, and to Liu Kang in the rebooted one.
* EvilOldFolks: Generally looks more aged than his fellow deities, and definitely not a nice guy.
* EvilOverlord: He is the ruler of the Netherrealm and plans to conquer other realms as part of his revenge against his fellow Elder Gods, especially Earthrealm.
* EvilSorcerer: Yet another one, like all the other villains. He can use, among other moves, shape-shifting like Shang Tsung (Mimicry) and large skeletal hands to grab and throw his opponent (Summoned Fiend).
* FallenHero: His backstory as a fallen Elder God. His lust for power is what caused the other Elder Gods to exile him to the Netherrealm.
* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler: Is reduced to a [[OffWithHisHead severed head]] by the end of MKX. Bonus points that the trope is even called word by word by Raiden.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: He's generally calm even when invading other realms, but [[BerserkButton when pissed off]] or is in VillainousBreakdown mode, he ''really'' gets nasty. And his office-like chatter towards Raiden and Fujin in ''X'' is just a veneer for the intense hatred he harbors towards his fellow Elder Gods, who exiled him to the Netherrealm for his crimes against them. When talking to Sub-Zero in ''Mythologies'' the tone of his voice is unflappably calm, even gentle.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation:
** As an Elder God, he's arguably the most powerful force of evil in the entire mythos, but he has a rather lackluster record as a gameplay character, possibly owing to the emphasis on him being a fallen Elder God. In ''4'', he simply copied his enemies' moves, a clear ripoff of Shang Tsung minus the shapeshifting and not much harder to beat than the other characters. He got a slightly more original moveset in ''Armageddon'' and ''X'', but has still yet to compare to the toughest characters in the series on his own. [[spoiler:He does powers up for the final fight in X, however, putting his boss incarnation alongside the others in the series.]]
** In ''X'', after his defeat, he gets decapitated by Dark Raiden as a warning to Revenant Liu Kang and Kitana, and his head is ''still'' alive. Fighting him in Vs. and arcade modes however, subjects him in the same brutal ways as any other character, including decapitation which would kill him.
* GodEmperor: Fallen Elder God, ruler of the Netherrealm, and plans to rule over all of existence. Although he canonically usurped the Netherrealm ''from'' Lucifer, the dynamic is still the same.
* GodOfEvil: He's a fallen Elder God and rules over the Netherrealm as one of the main antagonists in the series.
* GoneHorriblyRight: [[spoiler:Though he's reduced to a mere living head (fallen Elder God or not, Shinnok is completely immortal) in ''X'', Shinnok does manage to twist his ArchEnemy Raiden into something just as evil as he himself is.]] During the story preview for ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'', he even says this to Raiden's face as the scene takes place before [[spoiler:his beheading]], which might have been the trigger for Raiden to deliver to him his final fate.
* GotTheWholeWorldInMyHand: His victory pose in ''X''. His sister Cetrion shares a similar win pose in ''11''.
* GreaterScopeVillain: He was manipulating the events of ''Mortal Kombat 9'' from behind the scenes, through his minion Quan Chi. To a lesser extent, he was also this during the events of ''Armageddon''.
** His ''[=MKX=]'' arcade ending seems to indicate that [[spoiler:even he was [[TheManBehindTheMan being subtly manipulated by the One Being]], the overall GreaterScopeVillain of the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series, into merging the realms]].
** [[spoiler:His mother Kronika has also been making Shinnok steer the timeline in the direction she wanted.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: H-W]]
* HiddenDepths: If his interactions with each GuestFighter in ''MKX'' are not the result of possible omnipresence, Shinnok must be into Earthrealm culture to be aware of them.
* HornsOfVillainy: He wears a horned headdress.
* ILied: In Reptile's ending in ''4''. When he asks Shinnok to hold his end of the deal, the fallen Elder God responds with this:
--> '''Shinnok:''' A deal? I am not a god of my word, Reptile. All deals are off!
* InsultBackfire: In ''X''.
-->'''Takeda:''' Father of All Evil!\\
'''Shinnok:''' You flatter me.
* JerkassGod: Just like his fellow Elder Gods, Shinnok is a big douche for a god.[[spoiler: Subverted in that he may have been the sole black sheep of all Gods as of ''11''.]]
* KryptoniteFactor: The Cage family's green magic are more than just a fancy effect, it's actually a Mediterranean magic passed down made to protect and strengthen themselves against even the gods. Shinnok obviously didn't know they possessed this so he was defeated by them.
* LargeHam: It seems to be a trend among MK villains, as he is no stranger to dramatic shouting. See EvilIsHammy above.
* LeakingCanOfEvil: Implied in the ending of ''9''. He was able to communicate with Quan Chi and manipulate the events of the game to his favor but, according to him, he is not yet free. By ''X'', he bursts free, twice for good measure.
* LeanAndMean: He's very skinny compared to most of the cast and is one their nastiest villains.
* LosingYourHead: [[spoiler: A rather horrifying example. This is his fate as of ''X'', as he simply cannot die, and greatly implied by Raiden that he will remain this way.]]
* ManipulativeBastard: Pretty much his shtick in ''Mythologies'', although he's OutGambitted by [[spoiler:Quan Chi, who took the real Dragon Amulet for himself]]. Also, see ActuallyADoombot[=/=]FightingAShadow above.
** [[spoiler:It's also possible the [[GreaterScopeVillain One Being and Kronika]] were manipulating Shinnok from [[ManBehindTheMan behind the scenes]] in ''X'', just as they did with Shao Kahn and Onaga in the past.]]
* MonochromaticEyes: A staple of his appearance.
* TheMovieBuff: Bizarrely, he, of all people, comes across as one in ''MKX'' due to being the only fighter to recognize each GuestFighter. Whether he is omnipresent enough to know who they are due to being a former Elder God, [[HiddenDepths or that he has some serious explaining to do]], is up in the air.
* MusclesAreMeaningless: Possibly the skinniest male character in the franchise and one of the most powerful as a fallen Elder God.
* NeverMyFault: Blames Raiden for the suffering he endured in the Netherrealm, when his attempted invasions on Earthrealm is what caused Raiden to banish him there.
* OffWithHisHead: Decapitates his opponents in some matter during his fatalities and [[spoiler: Corrupted Shinnok's]] victory animation in ''Mortal Kombat X''. [[spoiler: He is also decapitated by Raiden at the end of the game, and is [[DecapitationPresentation shown as an example]] to the [[FallenHero new rulers of the Netherrealm]] [[FateWorseThanDeath exactly what]] [[AndIMustScream could happen]] if they threaten Earthrealm.]]
* OmnicidalManiac:
** His goal is to consume all the energies of everything. [[PetTheDog Except Quan Chi, as a reward for his services.]]
** As of Mortal Kombat X, [[spoiler: he intends to awaken the One Being by merging the realms. This process includes wiping out existence itself, including his fellow Elder Gods.]] His non-Fatality outro involves him conjuring an image of Earthrealm, grunting "Death to all!" and reducing it to a burnt crisp.
* OneWingedAngel:
** In ''Mythologies'', he transforms into a scary-ass demon... thing... as soon as Sub-Zero takes the amulet, but fighting him in this form is optional (and very difficult, though it unlocks a [[HilariousOuttakes game blooper reel]]), as a portal leading to the end of the game opens up anyway.
** [[spoiler: Said demon form returns in ''Mortal Kombat X'' when he poisons and absorbs the Jinsei's energy, and it is now officially known as "Corrupted" Shinnok.]]
* ParentalFavoritism: Annihilation shows him favoring Shao Kahn over Raiden.
* PhysicalGod: Like the other Elder Gods or realm gods, he possesses a more ethereal form, but takes a physical one to participate in mortal events. He may have lost this ability upon his fall.
* PowerFloats: In ''Mythologies'', he floats off of the ground in battle, an element not carried over into his playable appearances.
* ProphetEyes: Always has these eyes, which emphasize how soulless and evil he is.
* RageAgainstTheHeavens: This is what he intends to do against his fellow Elder Gods for banishing him to the Netherrealm. In his non-canon ending in ''Mortal Kombat X'', [[spoiler: the fallen Elder God succeeds in re-merging all the realms to reawaken the One Being, allowing it to destroy all of reality upon the One Being's revival and devour the Elder Gods.]]
* RelatedInTheAdaptation: ''Annihilation'' shows him as father to Raiden and Shao Kahn.
** Again in ''11'', where with ComicBook/Spawn arriving as a GuestFighter, he is apparently a cousin of [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Malebolgia]].
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Is not happy with his fellow Elder Gods for casting him down to the Netherrealm.
* SatanicArchetype: Although he canonically usurped the Netherrealm ''from'' Satan (well, actually Lucifer), the dynamic is still the same.
* SealedEvilInACan:
** Cast down into the Netherrealm by Raiden and his fellow Elder Gods eons before the series began, with the means of his escape (his amulet) being guarded by the four elemental gods in their Earthrealm temples. Is finally unsealed in ''4'' and in ''X''.
** In ''[=MKX=]'', he gets stuck ''inside'' his amulet as one. [[spoiler:Until he's released, of course.]]
* SinisterScythe: His ''Bone Shaper'' variation in ''MKX'' gives him a skeletal one.
* SinkOrSwimMentor: Implied to subordinates with the "honor" of being directly under his tutelage. He presents himself to Quan Chi in one intro to improve his skills but makes it clear it's a life or death course.
* TheSociopath: Has the hallmarks of one: He showed [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy or remorse]] when betraying his fellow Elder Gods, [[OmnicidalManiac wants to destroy all realms by awakening the One Being]], FAR more brutal and heartless than Shao Kahn, has some shades of a StrawNihilist, able to [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate events via proxies such as Quan Chi]], [[ItsAllAboutMe has delusions of grandeur after being cast down]] and [[BadBoss wouldn't hesitate to kill anybody if they cross or betray him]].
* SorcerousOverlord: With his sorcerous powers and Quan Chi's help, he overthrew Lucifer and became the new ruler of the Netherrealm in his backstory.
* StanceSystem:
** His only unarmed stance in ''Armageddon'' was Kuo Shou.
** In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', his variations are [[DemBones Necromancer]], [[DittoFighter Impostor]], and [[BallisticBone Bone Shaper]].
* StealthMentor[=/=]TreacherousAdvisor: To the Elder Sub-Zero in ''Mythologies'', thanks in part to a FalseInnocenceTrick (this is non-canon, though; Scorpion will fight you where you encounter Shinnok instead if you killed him back in the first stage, which is what actually happened). Pulls this again in ''Armageddon'' with Taven.
* StrawNihilist: Has shades of this as evident in [=MKX=]. To quote him: "You [Raiden] poison their hearts with hope," and "Remove the shadow from the light and the shadow grows. The legacy of life is death, Raiden".
* TearOffYourFace: One of his brutalities in X where he uses his amulet to tear off his victim's face and puts it over his own.
* TemptingFate: In the trailer for ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11', when [[spoiler:Dark Raiden]] threatens to kill him, Shinnok has this to say before [[spoiler:being decapitated and left with a FateWorseThanDeath]]:
--> '''Shinnok''': (laughs) How, [[spoiler:Raiden]]? Not even ''you'' can kill an Elder God.
* TimeAbyss: Existed before the universe was created making him older than millions-year old Raiden.
* UltimateEvil: He is the god of such in the universe and numerous characters lampshade how evil he is even compared to other villains. [[spoiler: This is because Kronika created him as a being of pure evil.]]
* UnderestimatingBadassery: His plans in X are seriously derailed [[spoiler: by Johnny Cage of all people.]] He later repeats it with [[spoiler:Cage's daughter Cassie]].
* TheUnfought: In ''Armageddon''; see ActuallyADoombot[=/=]FightingAShadow.
* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler: ''11'' reveals that he is one to his mother Kronika, the Titan of Time. He was birthed as a force of pure darkness to balance out his sister Cetrion's pure light, and was used to uphold a very twisted form of BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil under Kronika's manipulation. He and Cetrion exist so that the realms are eternally thrust into conflict via Mortal Kombat instead of achieving peace and unity. It's possible that even his desire to merge all realms into the One Being is an acceptable outcome by Kronika's standards.]]
* VillainousBreakdown: Has a mild one in his intro banter with Johnny Cage in MKX.
--> '''Shinnok''': ''I will rip your insolent tongue from-''!\\
'''Johnny Cage''': [[DeadpanSnarker Yeah, yeah]], [[ShutUpHannibal shut up]].
* VoiceOfTheLegion: His corrupted form sounds just as beastly as it looks.
* WeaponOfChoice: He had a naginata in ''4'', and a staff encrusted and empowered by his amulet in ''Armageddon''.
* WickedCultured: In contrast to all the other kharacters, Shinnok seems to be something of a movie buff if his recognition of the [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorph]], Franchise/{{Predator}}, [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]], and [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] are any indication in ''MKX''.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Best seen in his ending in ''4''. When he tells Raiden about how he will rule all eternity, Raiden says he is mad.
[[/folder]]
----

-->'''Non-video game appearances:''' ''Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'' (Reiner Schöne), ''Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge'' (Creator/RobinAtkinDownes)

* AmbiguouslyEvil: Discussed by Raiden in one of his pre-fight intros with Cetrion in ''11''. Raiden wonders if Shinnok either willingly went with Kronika's plan as an evil fallen Elder God or was compelled into being one. Regardless of his opinion on Kronika's machinations, he's still ''very'' much malicious out of his own volition, given his various KickTheDog moments and pettiness towards his enemies..

* ApocalypseHow: [[spoiler: Comes close to a ApocalypseHow/ClassZ in his ''Mortal Kombat X'' arcade ending, as he's awakening the One Being, Mortal Kombat's GreaterScopeVillain, and it results in a CessationOfExistence.]]

* OffWithHisHead: Decapitates his opponents in some matter during his fatalities and [[spoiler: Corrupted Shinnok's]] victory animation in ""Mortal Kombat X"". [[spoiler: He is also decapitated by Raiden at the end of the game, and is [[DecapitationPresentation shown as an example]] to the [[FallenHero new rulers of the Netherrealm]] [[FateWorseThanDeath exactly what]] [[AndIMustScream could happen]] if they threaten Earthrealm.]]

* OffWithHisHead: Decapitates his opponents in some matter during his fatalities and [[spoiler: Corrupted Shinnok's]] victory animation in MortalKombatX. [[spoiler: He is also decapitated by Raiden at the end of the game, and is [[DecapitationPresentation shown as an example]] to the [[FallenHero new rulers of the Netherrealm]] [[FateWorseThanDeath exactly what]] [[AndIMustScream could happen]] if they threaten Earthrealm.]]

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

->Shinnok is a former elder god and current ruler of the Netherrealm. Originally, he wanted to take Earthrealm for himself to gain immense power. To make sure he could freely enter Earthrealm without being detected, he created a special amulet which discreetly weakened the dimensional barriers. However, with the help of the other Elder Gods, Raiden discovers his plot and defeats him in battle, banishing him to the Netherrealm for good. There, he suffered constant torture until he met the sorcerer Quan Chi. With his help, Lucifer was dethroned and Shinnok became the new ruler with Quan Chi as his arch-sorcerer and [[TheDragon right-hand man]].

->During the events of both ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Mythologies: Sub-Zero]]'' and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'', Quan Chi was working to release his master, the banished Elder God Shinnok, from his imprisonment in the Netherrealm. With the assistance of the original Sub Zero, Quan Chi managed to get the amulet and initiate Shinnok's invasion of the realms after Shao Kahn's failed attempt to conquer Earthrealm. He managed to invade Edenia and attack the heavens before Earthrealm's warriors managed to have him banished back to the Netherrealm once more by Raiden.

->In ''Armageddon'', Shinnok tricked Taven into helping him, claiming that he was no longer an Elder God for getting involved with the affairs of mortals. He wished for him to defeat the demons that inhabit his throne and he would try to locate Daegon as a reward. He successfully does the task and Shinnok tells Taven that he is most likely in Earthrealm. As he leaves, it is revealed that Shinnok [[TheManBehindTheMan was helping]] Daegon who was hiding in Netherrealm. In addition, it was Shinnok who alerted the many combatants to the prize at the top of the Pyramid of Argus, telling them that whomever obtained this power would be granted godlike power. His ending reveals that Shinnok created a clone of his own self to assist Daegon in ''Armageddon''. His clone was killed off shortly after defeating Kung Lao, unable to complete his objective.

->He makes a brief cameo in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', he's launched an all out invasion of Earthrealm following the events of ''Mortal Kombat 9'' only to be defeated by Johnny Cage. The rest of the game's story revolves around a plot by Quan Chi and D'Vorah to bring him back after [[TimeSkip 20 years]]. [[spoiler: They succeed (at the cost of Chi's life) and he ends up almost winning, absorbing Earthrealm's Jin Sei and becoming a [[OneWingedAngel corrupted]] version of himself before being stopped by Cassie Cage. His [[AndIMustScream severed immortal head]] is then used by Dark Raiden as a warning to the new rulers of the Netherrealm, Liu Kang and Kitana.]]

-->'''Non-video game appearances:''' ''Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'' (Reiner Schöne) ''Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge'' (Creator/RobinAtkinDownes)

-->'''Non-video game appearances:''' ''Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge'' (Creator/RobinAtkinDownes)

Individual Characters: [[Characters/MortalKombatHanzoHasashi Scorpion]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatJohnnyCage Johnny Cage]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatLiuKang Liu Kang]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatRaiden Raiden]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShangTsung Shang Tsung]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKuaiLiang Sub-Zero II]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKitana Kitana]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShaoKahn Shao Kahn]] | [=Shinnok=]-]]]

!![[center: Main series: [[Characters/MortalKombat1 MK1]] ([[Characters/MortalKombat1Part1 Part 1]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat1Part2 Part 2]]) | [[Characters/MortalKombat2 MK2]] ([[Characters/MortalKombat2Part1 Part 1]] | [[Characters/MortalKombat2Part2 Part 2]]) | [[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]]\\

!![[center: Main series: [[Characters/MortalKombat1 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/MortalKombatJohnnyCage Johnny Cage]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatLiuKang Liu Kang]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatRaiden Raiden]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShangTsung Shang Tsung]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKuaiLiang Sub-Zero II]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShaoKahn Shao Kahn]] | [=Shinnok=]-]]]

* GotTheWholeWorldInMyHand: His victory pose in ''X''.

Individual Characters: [[Characters/MortalKombatHanzoHasashi Scorpion]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatJohnnyCage Johnny Cage]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatLiuKang Liu Kang]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatRaiden Raiden]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShangTsung Shang Tsung]] | [=Shinnok=] | [[Characters/MortalKombatKuaiLiang Sub-Zero II]] | [[Characters/MortalKombatShaoKahn Shao Kahn]]-]]]