Nightwolf

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Nightwolf
Mortal Kombat character
Nightwolf in Mortal Kombat 11 (2019)
First appearanceMortal Kombat 3 (1995)
Created byEd Boon
John Tobias
Designed byJohn Tobias (MK3)
Portrayed byLitefoot (film)
Voiced by
List
  • Elias Figueroa (MK:D)
  • Larry Omaha (MK9)
  • Daniel Luján (MK11)[1]
  • Tod Thawley (animated series)
Motion captureSal Divita (MK3, UMK3, MKA)
Stephan Scalabrino (MK9)
In-universe information
SpeciesHuman/Revenant
Origin 
American

Nightwolf is a fictional character in the

Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) as a Native American shaman
selected to help defend Earthrealm against invading forces from Outworld. In addition to his fighting prowess, Nightwolf possesses magical abilities that allow him to enhance his strength and create weapons.

The character has appeared in various media outside of the games, including as one of the central heroes in the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (1996), and a supporting character in the film Mortal Kombat Annihilation. While his portrayal in the franchise has been criticized as a stereotype of Native Americans, his depiction in the rebooted games has received a more mixed reception.

Appearances

Mortal Kombat games

Nightwolf is introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 as a historian and shaman whose patch of tribal land provides a vital protective area for Raiden's chosen Earthrealm defenders during Shao Kahn's invasion. As his homeland was protected by shamanic magic, Nightwolf would soon be joined by the other chosen warriors.

Nightwolf returned during the events of

Onaga's resurrection. Despite knowing a new threat was coming, he was unable to stop his nightmares from coming true when Reptile transformed into Onaga. His forefathers handed down the means with which he could defeat Onaga, by becoming a "Sin Eater', absorbing the sins of his tribe. He traveled to the Netherrealm, drew Onaga's soul to him, and released his ancestors' absorbed sins to remove Onaga from Reptile and bind the former to the Netherrealm.[2]

In

Blaze
and absorbs his power. As a result, he is sent to the spirit world and becomes the ultimate shaman. He finds Liu Kang's spirit and guides it back to the physical world, making him human once more.

In the

Quan Chi
to claim his soul and turn him into one of his underlings.

While Nightwolf as a revenant is present during the events of Mortal Kombat X, he is a non-playable character with no lines and a minor role in the story.

Nightwolf returns in

Kronika's Crown of Souls and help Liu Kang restore history.[4] While battling his revenant counterpart during a mission to capture Sindel's revenant and revive her, Shang Tsung drained revenant Nightwolf's soul in retaliation for wounding him.[5] Despite securing the Crown and taking part in assaulting Kronika's keep, Nightwolf and his allies were betrayed by Shang Tsung and Sindel.[6][7]

Character design

During early development of

tomahawk and a bow and arrow) in battle. Nightwolf was portrayed by Midway Games artist Sal DiVita in the game.[9] DiVita said about his casting: "I was just walking around and John [Tobias] said, 'Hey, man, you've got some arms; hey, got a big chest. You want to be a character?' I'm like, 'Sure!' And that's how it happened."[10]

Gameplay

According to guides by both

Mean Machines Sega and SuperGamePower, the best part about him in the original MK3 was his then-unique ability to deflect any projectile back towards an opponent.[11][12] Total 64 opined that, once mastered, Nightwolf "is one of the brightest stars" of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, as "none of his moves are seemingly useful at the start, but stick[ing] with him [might] get some great results."[13]

Prima Games' official guide for Armageddon gave Nightwolf a poor overall rating of 4/10, stating that the character, "while being a solid punisher character, has a difficult time inflicting heavy damage on opponents."[14] In Prima Games' official guide for the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, Nightwolf was judged to be a much-improved character due to his "shoulder and power charge moves [used] to knock down" opponents and his uppercut being "an excellent move to counter jumpers."[15]

Other media and merchandise

Nightwolf is a major character in the 1996 cartoon series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, voiced by Tod Thawley. He serves to offer spiritual and technical help to the Earthrealm warriors and is depicted as having expertise in computer technology. He has a pet wolf named Kiva who could merge with Nightwolf to increase his power.[16]

Nightwolf briefly appeared in the 1997 film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, and was played by Native American rapper and actor Litefoot. He also briefly appears in a flashback as a revenant in the 2022 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind.

An action figure of Nightwolf was released by Jazwares in July 2012. It came in two versions, 4-inch[17] and 6-inch.[18] In July 2022, a figure based on his Mortal Kombat 11 appearance was released by MacFarlane Toys.[19]

Reception

Ethnic representation

Nightwolf is often unfavorably discussed in the context of the portrayal of Native Americans in video games.[20] Boon's description of the character in the April 1995 issue of VideoGames & Computer Entertainment provoked a comment from the magazine three issues later: "For a character who has been described as a 'nontraditional Indian,' he certainly has all the trappings of one. Let's see, he wears feathers and war paint, swings a hatchet, shoots arrows...could there be a 'Scalp' Fatality?"[21] In a 2008 feature on Native American stereotyping in video games, GamesRadar+ designated Nightwolf as the "warrior" trope: "[W]hile this pro-Indian sentiment is certainly heartwarming, much of Nightwolf’s character is wide of the mark." The site added that the act of "sin-eating" (his role in MK Deception) was actually European in origin.[22] The same year, Rob Bricken of Topless Robot said that "Nightwolf’s design and backstory [in MK3] are standard-issue for Native American characters in fighting games", while censuring the game itself as "where the designers were free to throw [in] any horrible, out-of-place idea".[23] Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 said, "In the mid-'90s, it was practically an unwritten law that every fighting game had to have either a Bruce Lee clone, [or] a Native American ... Nightwolf takes up the latter slot,"[24] a belief that was shared by Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek.[25] Complex deemed Nightwolf the top stereotypical character in video games in 2012, describing him as "the epitome of every red-skinned, feather-wearing sports mascot and old cowboy movie serial ... [he] has warpaint on his face, a feather in his hair and the sleeveless vest as if Geronimo himself just gave it up."[26]

In the 2018 study Representation of Native Americans: From Literature to Video Games, Samuel Martínez Linares stated, "Although Nightwolf is in fact provided with a real tribal background, his Apache heritage seems to be mixed up with other cultural religious practices that are not related whatsoever to Native American ones." Linares noted his "rhino charge" special move in the series as "outdated", as the

Kotal Kahn: "Why, in a game where men with four arms, necromancers, and people with all kinds of cybernetic enhancements exist, did the only two Native characters still exclusively wear feathers and animal skin and either perform as the noble savage, communing with the spirits and sacrificing themselves for the “greater good” or, the bloodthirsty warrior, sacrificing humans to an unmerciful deity?"[29]

Nightwolf's Mortal Kombat 11 incarnation has received a more mixed reception. Tuscarora Haud of

Chief Thunder."[33]

Other reception

Complex ranked Nightwolf among the most underrated characters in the series, stating that "the fact that he can transform into a wolf and maul you to death should tell you he's nothing to play with."[34] IGN praised his "versatile playstyle" in MK11 in that "NetherRealm did a great job of making Nightwolf’s moveset feel unique and fun, despite the fact that many of his signature moves are actually kind of plain."[32]

As was the case with most of the character portrayals in Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Nightwolf's appearance was critically panned. Alasdair Wilkins of

ComicBook.com listed Nightwolf as one of the characters they want to see in the sequel to the 2021 live-action film, reasoning "Nightwolf is a noble hero and could replace the stoic nature of Kung Lao, providing a perfect foil for Johnny Cage's nonsense."[37]

References

  1. ^ Cianciolo, Dominic [@domcianciolo] (August 1, 2019). "@Iamdaniellujan !" (Tweet). Retrieved August 1, 2019 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "Who Actually Won Mortal Kombat? - Features". www.GameInformer.com. February 1, 2012. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  3. ^ Nightwolf's Armageddon bio Archived January 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Official Mortal Kombat Armageddon website. Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
  4. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2019). Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. Warner Bros. Level/area: introduction sequence.
  5. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2019). Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. Warner Bros. Level/area: Chapter 13: Time's Arrow (Nightwolf).
  6. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2019). Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. Warner Bros. Level/area: Chapter 15: Winds of Change (Fujin).
  7. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2019). Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. Warner Bros. Level/area: Chapter 17: Checkmate (Shang Tsung).
  8. ^ VideoGames: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine #75 (April 1995), page 48.
  9. ^ "'WWE All Stars' to feature larger than life action - ESPN". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "Exclusive arcade feature: WWF Wrestlemania". Tips & Tricks. 9: 20. November 1995.
  11. ^ "Mean Machines Sega Magazine Issue 37". November 1995. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  12. ^ "SuperGamePower Especial - No. 01 (1996-12)". December 1996. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  13. ^ Total 64 2/97, page 60.
  14. ^ Bryan Dawson, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Prima Official Game Guide), Prima Games 2006 (p. 221–224).
  15. ^ Jason Wilson, Adam Hernandez, Mortal Kombat: Prima Official Game Guide, Prima Games 2011 (p. 165).
  16. ^ Tobias, John (June 7, 2016). "Found a handpainted cel sheet from the 90s MK cartoon". @therealsaibot. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  17. ^ "Mortal Kombat 9 4-Inch Nightwolf Action Figure : Toys & Games". Amazon. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  18. ^ "Nightwolf Mortal Kombat 9 6-Inch Action Figure : Toy Figures : Toys & Games". Amazon. February 12, 2014. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  19. ^ Fallon, Sean (April 22, 2022). "New Mortal Kombat 11 Figure Pre-Orders: Commando Spawn, Nightwolf, Baraka". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  20. ^ LaVigne, Chris. "Native Resolution". The Escapist. Gamurs. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  21. ^ Staff (June 1995). "Mortal Kombat 3: The Mayhem Kontinues". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment. No. 77. LFP, Inc. p. 40.
  22. ^ McNeilly, Joe (November 24, 2008). "The Top 7… Native American stereotypes". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  23. ^ Bricken, Rob (April 30, 2008). "The 10 Most Ridiculously Stereotyped Fighting Game Characters". Topless Robot. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on October 5, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  24. ^ Naytor, Robert (March 2013). "Hardcore Gaming 101: Mortal Kombat—Characters". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  25. ^ Jasper, Gavin (January 30, 2015). "Mortal Kombat: Ranking All the Characters". Den of Geek. DoG Tech LLC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  26. ^ Hunter, Chad (May 9, 2010). "The 15 Most Stereotypical Characters In Video Games". Complex. BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  27. ^ a b Samuel Martínez Linares (2018). Representation of Native Americans: From Literature to Video Games (MA thesis). National University of Distance Education. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  28. ^ Maize Longboat (2019). Terra Nova: Enacting Videogame Development through Indigenous-Led Creation (MA thesis). Concordia University. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  29. ^ Ashlee Bird (October 21, 2022). "How Indigenous Designers are Changingt he Landscape of Video Games". ETC Press - Carnegie Mellon University. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  30. ^ Haud, Tuscarora (October 1, 2019). "Oregon Trail to Assassin's Creed: Right and wrong Native American portrayals in video games". Indian Country Today. IndiJ Public Media. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  31. ^ Budnik, Eugènie (March 2, 2022). "The mostly harmful history of Native representation in popular video games". The Daily Aztec. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  32. ^ a b Saltzman, Mitchell (March 29, 2022). "Mortal Kombat 11: Nightwolf DLC Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  33. ^ Teuton, Christopher (August 3, 2019). "MK11 Unveils Nightwolf Gameplay Trailer Ahead of DLC Release". Screen Rant. Valnet, Inc. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  34. ^ The 10 Most Underrated "Mortal Kombat" Kombatants Archived April 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Complex.com, Apr 12, 2012
  35. ^ Wilkins, Alasdair (May 19, 2011). "These clips prove Mortal Kombat Annihilation is the singularity of stupid". io9. G/O Media. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  36. ^ Willaert, Kate (January 5, 2013). "31/31: The Movie Part 5: Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997)". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  37. ^ Ridgely, Charlie (April 27, 2021). "10 Mortal Kombat Characters We Need to See in the Sequel". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
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