Two of Mortal Kombat's most iconic finishers are Sub-Zero's Head Rip and Scorpion's Toasty.
But, which of these is more prolific? Which one has appeared in the most games? Let's
go back to the beginning and find out. And it's important to address up front that Head
Rip is also known as Spine Rip, but there's about as much consistency there as there is
in the face button used for Sub-Zero's Ice Ball in the modern games, so I'll be sticking
with "Head Rip" as the terminology, since that makes the most sense to me.
Now, our criteria for what counts as each is simple: Toasty is fire breath that kills,
or would kill, the opponent; Head Rip is a removal of the head with a tug, that pulls
the spinal column along with it. If the fire is non-lethal or comes from another source,
it doesn't count. If there's no spine, or another form of decapitation is used, it does
not count.
Of course, both moves made their debuts in MK1, so that's a point each. And no, Head
Rip being absent in certain ports will not count against it here.
In MK2, Head Rip was the only fatality of a returning character to not be brought back.
Presumably, this was to hint at this not being the same Sub-Zero. So, Toasty pulls ahead.
Scorpion sat out MK3 entirely, marking the only time in mainline MK that this happened.
Sub-Zero did not capitalise on this to equalise, however. In Ultimate MK3, Toasty returned,
alongside a censored version of Head Rip for Classic Sub-Zero. One point for each.
MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero had Head Rip as the only Fatality to appear in the game, being
Bi-Han's signature finisher that will result in an option boss fight if used on Scorpion
in the opening stage. It seems the team were insistent on Head Rip being a Bi-Han-exclusive
finisher.
At least, until MK4 brought back both finishers, albeit with Toasty not reducing the opponent
to a skeleton anymore. RIP.
Both finishers would sit out Deadly Alliance, while Deception would bring back Head Rip...
as one of Scorpion's Fatalities. He even performed it on the Comedy Central show Drawn Together.
You had one job, Hanzo. Hotaru also uses it as his Hara-Kiri.
Shaolin Monks brought both back for the correct character. But like most finishers in this
game, Toasty now makes the opponent fall apart like those action figures that lose limbs
when you press a button. Strange decision, that one.
Armageddon had Kreate-A-Fatality, which had Head Rip as one of is closing moves, while
Toasty was totally absent.
Scorpion got his chance to pull back in MK vs DCU, where a the T rating allowed Toasty
to return, but not Head Rip.
In MK2011, both returned as classic finishers. Toasty was given the distinction of having
its most violent incarnation to date, and also being used canonically in the story mode,
albeit offscreen (but Raiden's vision suggests it was supposed to be Head Rip). And he uses
it in his ending to burn off Quan Chi's dick, which I guess is why Netherrealm stopped sucking
it after this.
MKX brought both back as well, but in a more classic form.
Injustice 2 utilised Head Rip as Sub-Zero's victory pose, seeing the move from the cameraman's
perspective to keep the T rating.
MK11 turned Toasty into a Brutality coming off of Demon Breath, while Head Rip was left
out. The latter's influence is felt, however, in Sub-Zero's Frozen in Time Fatality, Sheeva's
Spinal Tap Fatality, the The Klassic Brutality, and Sub-Zero's Trophy Hunter intro. But I
don't consider any of these to be true examples of Head Rip.
And now, let's look at the adaptations.
While Head Rip was too violent for the PG-13 1995 movie, Toasty was something they could
have Scorpion try, even if it fails. That's one.
Likewise, the Malibu Comics had Toasty be used, while Head Rip was not. Bonus points
that don't actually count for anything for it being Bi-Han who is killed by the move.
Neither move was used in Annihilation, Conquest, or Defenders of the Realm.
The aforementioned Drawn Together gives Head Rip a point here.
In MK Legacy, Scorpion avenges himself by Head Ripping Bi-Han in Season 2.
The MKX Comic has Scorpion use Toasty on Forest Fox, and on Bi-Han in a flashback. Kuai Liang
does Head Rip on Sektor and Bi-Han uses it on Scorpion in a flashback.
Scorpion's Revenge has him use both as part of his total massacre of Quan Chi.
And finally, 2021 has Scorpion use Toasty to kill Bi-Han in the film's climax.
I'm not sure about the Jeff Rovin novel, but I do know that Scorpion was disembowelled
by Sub-Zero, not decapitated, so as far as I know, neither appears in that.
So, what is our takeaway?
First, the stats: In the games, the score is 10-9 for Head Rip. In other media, it's
5-4 for Toasty. All together, it's 14-all.
Toasty was the first one used in other media.
1995 has the distinction of having the first live action Toasty. 2021 has the first to
be successful. Legacy has the first live action Head Rip. All performed by Scorpion, so there's
still room for another adaptation to get the distinction of having the first first true
live action Head Rip.
Toasty's advantage is its cleanness. Aside from 2011 making the opponent's flesh melt,
the move is a goreless finisher, making it free to use in media with lower age ratings.
It also had an early advantage as the team kept Head Rip as an exclusively Bi-Han move
until they wanted to depict the iconic finisher in full 3D. Head Rip, meanwhile, is a more
generic finisher, allowing characters other than the Sub-Zeroes to use it as well.
So, which is your favourite depiction of each of these finishers, be it in the games or
other media? Which do you think is the weakest? What other finishers do you want to see utilised
outside of the games?
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Today's recommended video is Could You Rip Out A Spine? by Vsauce. I mean, do I need
to explain what it's about?