Do we like them?

Do we like Scorpion?

A character from Mortal Kombat (1992)

Our score: 6 out of 10. We'd back him with some caution: he's loyal, honorable and driven by grief, but his rage can make him a dangerous person to stand next to.

Scorpion is Hanzo Hasashi, a ninja of the Shirai Ryu clan. In the Mortal Kombat series, warriors from many realms fight in deadly tournaments that decide the fate of worlds. Scorpion enters as a restless spirit, burning with a need for vengeance over the loss of his clan and family. His catchphrase "Get over here!" comes with a chain-and-spear attack.

His appeal is that he is a tragic figure with a strict personal code. He is not out for conquest. He wants justice for the people he lost, and he is loyal to the few he trusts. He is also easily manipulated because his grief is so raw, and he can be cruel to anyone he sees as an enemy.

Across the games he is tricked by powerful schemers, who play on his anger to use him as a weapon. Later stories give him chances at redemption and show him protecting his clan. Because the sources disagree on some details, and later reboots change who carries the Scorpion name, we judge the classic Hanzo. That gives a 6 out of 10: sympathetic and honorable, but violent and easy to use.