The prospect of new characters joining a beloved fighting game often leads to excitement and speculation. The recent rumors point towards a potential addition to the Mortal Kombat 1 roster, and it’s none other than the menacing T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, arguably the best entry in the franchise. Given the T-1000’s enduring and formidable reputation, both in the film and across various media platforms, his inclusion in a franchise known for crossovers makes the latest entry all the more interesting.
In an intriguing interview with Dan Allen Gaming, Andrew Morgado, the actor who played Reptile in the game, was the one who inadvertently revealed some classified information. Morgado was reminiscing about seeing Ronda Rousey, the voice of Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11, at Warner Brothers’ green room when he let slip that Robert Patrick was also in the recording booth to do lines for the Mortal Kombat series as the T-1000. This small revelation could have profound implications.
For those who might not recall, the T-1000 is a state-of-the-art, shapeshifting assassin android that served as the main antagonist in James Cameron’s 1991 sci-fi classic. Known for its fluid, mercury-like appearance, this liquid metal killing machine can morph into different forms and replicate the appearance and voice of other humans. This makes the T-1000 an incredibly formidable foe, capable of stealth and brutal force in equal measure. He’s like Shang Tsung except he doesn’t gloat – he just looks at you and completes his mission, as if nothing happened.
While Morgado’s mention seemed straightforward, some fans believe there might be a mix-up. The Terminator universe is expansive, with the T-800 model, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, appearing in Mortal Kombat 11. Also, the Rev-9, played by Gabriel Luna in the 2019 film, Terminator: Dark Fate, seems like a better addition if NetherRealm Studios wanted to cater to a more modern audience. But, Morgan specifically mentioned Robert Patrick, the actor who portrayed the T-1000.
Corroborating this theory, datamined voice lines for the character Peacemaker, confirmed for Mortal Kombat 1’s first Kombat Pack, allude to a figure resembling Peacemaker’s father from the show, played by Patrick. This might be a cheeky nod to the T-1000.
Interestingly enough, the T-1000 was iconic because of his lack of words, so we’re curious to see how many voice lines Patrick went ahead and recorded for the T-1000 for Mortal Kombat 1 and what he’ll say.
Fun fact though, the T-1000 didn’t speak a single word to the T-800 in the 1991 film.
While the T-1000’s legacy is vast, spanning video games, comics, TV series, and cultural references, its addition to the Mortal Kombat 1 roster would be a first. Previous Mortal Kombat games have set a precedent for including renowned figures from movies and comics. With characters like Jason Voorhees, Spawn, Joker, Omni-Man, and more gracing the Mortal Kombat universe, the T-1000 would be right at home.
Mortal Kombat has a history of surprising its fan base with unexpected guest fighters. The tradition of introducing the guest fighters started back in Mortal Kombat 9, released in 2011. Since then, characters from diverse backgrounds, from horror movie legends to comic book heroes, have been clashed with Mortal Kombat’s iconic fighters. This provides not only a fresh gameplay experience but also caters to a wider audience who enjoy seeing their favorite characters from different media take center stage in the Mortal Kombat arena.
Unfortunately, fans might have to wait for a while to get actual confirmation. The first Kombat Pack for Mortal Kombat 1 is slated to run until mid-2024 and it’s clear the T-1000 isn’t part of its line-up. Most likely, he’ll arrive in time for the second Kombat Pack, which doesn’t have a release date at the moment.
If we’re lucky, Conan the Barbarian, which was previously leaked, will be part of the incoming addition as well. This way, 90s fans can watch the T-1000 beat the crap out of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “other” iconic classic character. It wouldn’t be quite like getting his revenge on the T-800 but it’ll have to do. On that note, if Arnold Schwarzenegger does come back to play Conan the Barbarian in Mortal Kombat 1, that probably makes him the only actor to play a different guest character in subsequent Mortal Kombat entries.
Mortal Kombat 1 is enjoying a successful launch, topping the box sales charts in the United Kingdom and playing third fiddle to Starfield, overall. Its release on the Nintendo Switch wasn’t well-received, however. Still, it’s in position to take advantage of the lack of a new fighting game until Tekken 8 comes out on January 26, 2024.
