Kung Lao is one of the most iconic characters in the Mortal Kombat series. A former member of the White Lotus Society, Kung Lao is Liu Kang’s friend, who’s the protagonist of the series.

Fans may know this character from his iconic hat, which he also uses as a weapon.

If Kung Lao is your favorite character, be sure to check out these fun facts about Kung Lao from Mortal Kombat that you probably didn’t know. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

1. His Hat Was Inspired by a James Bond Character

As mentioned by one of the creators, John Tobias, Kung Lao’s hat was actually inspired by one of the characters in the James Bond movie, Goldfinger. 

Oddjob is the lackey of the titular villain Auric Goldfinger. The character was portrayed by the Japanese-American wrestler, Harold Sakata, who has also made some appearances in many James Bond video games and has been one of the most popular characters in the 007 series.

Just like Kung Lao, his weapon of choice is his hat. His derby hat has sharp rims, which Oddjob throws to slice his opponents.

2. His Hat Always Sticks to His Head

Kung Lao’s hat works like a boomerang. No matter how far he throws it to slice his opponent, it always comes back to him. 

His hat is basically a part of his body, because, even in Fatality scenes, his hat will always stick to his head even though his head gets split in two.

In this situation, his hat will also split in half and stick to both halves of his head. However, during certain X-Ray moves (a super move introduced in 2011 Mortal Kombat that shows enemy bones being crushed in an X-ray sequence), his hat will fall off.

3. His Costume Is Featured In Saints Row

In the action-adventure crime game, Saints Row IV, there is a subtle Kung Lao easter egg. In several bonus scenes, Pierce Washington is dressed as Kung Lao in his super form at the dance party at the end of the game.

However, it's a brighter and more playful version of the costume and the hat with a more purplish hue.

4. His and Liu Kang’s Names May Be Mistranslated

Kung Lao and Liu Kang are siblings, but their names seem to be mistranslated. In the game, both of them share the same ancestor, which means they should share the same surname.

However, Kung Lao seems to be a name that fits the Cantonese pronunciation, whereas Liu Kang seems to be of Mandarin origin.

This means that the two characters may even share the same name but are in two different pronunciations.

5. His Ancestor Was The First Earthrealm Grand Champion

Kung Lao's ability as a fighter is irrefutable. He truly deserved to be the champion for Earthrealm. However, his ancestor not only also was a champion for Earthrealm, but actually managed to win the tournament.

This victory also prevented Earthrealm from being invaded by Outworld, the powerful realm ruled by Shao Kahn.

This champion was named Great Kung Lao. Kung Lao has constantly lived under the shadow of his great ancestor; however, it was also a name he wears with great pride.

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6. Kung Lao Sought for Peace

In the game, Kung Lao doesn't share much in common with his ancestor. Even though they are both powerful fighters, Kung Lao never aimed to be a champion. He only wanted to live in peace.

However, this character's motivation changed in Mortal Kombat (2011). In this version, Kung Lao is now eager to make a name for himself. He even displays a selfish personality. However, he maintains a somewhat pacifist perspective.

7. He Practices Wing Chun

Mortal Kombat characters use a variety of fighting styles and stances. In Kung Lao's case, at least in Mortal Kombat 11, he uses Wing Chun.

Kung Lao's moves and attacks are more similar to the Wing Chun moves shown in the movie Ip Man, which follows the story of the real-life Wing Chun grandmaster. He is portrayed in the film by Donnie Yen, a Wing Chun practitioner.

8. Has a Unique Fatality

Using Fatality moves is a satisfying way to end a fight in Mortal Kombat. One of Kung Lao's fatalities in Mortal Kombat II has a unique feature that doesn't exist in other games.

Kung Lao's hat fatality in Mortal Kombat II requires the player to actually aim the hat at the opponent. Whereas the other fatalities in the game are instantaneous.

9. Has A Parody Version Called Kung Pao

In 2013, a 2D competitive fighting game called Divekick debuted. It's a hilarious parody of the popular fighting games like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat, and is played using only two buttons, Dive (which is used to jump) or Kick.

There is a female character named Kung Pao, which is a parody of Kung Lao. She even wears his hat, yet she moves more like Kitana Kahn.

10. His Relation With Liu Kang

Kung Lao doesn't just have one relative who later became the Grand Champion of Mortal Kombat. The first one is his ancestor, Great Kung Lao, and the second is Liu Kang.

Whether Kung Lao and Liu Kang are related has been a long-running debate within the fanbase. However, there is one clear evidence that the two are related.

They're both descendants of the Great Kung Lao. The 2021 Mortal Kombat film also supports this by depicting the two characters as cousins.

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