Move over Shang Tsung, because Reiko is Shao’s right hand man now! Since Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Reiko has only made cameo appearances in games and fans were wondering if he would ever make a return as a playable character. 

But our prayers were answered when Reiko was confirmed to be on Mortal Kombat 1’s roster and he has returned as General Shao’s second-in-command, fighting against Liu Kang and his champions for his general. Not only that, but it seems that Reiko has also gained his adoptive father’s sense of style.

#1: Born of Bloodshed

Ooooooo, how scary

Born of Bloodshed in action:

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As much as I hate that he follows General Shao, I do understand why Reiko is so loyal to the guy. Born of Bloodshed, an uncommon New Era skin for Reiko, has a palette that contains red, yellow, and black. To unlock Born of Bloodshed, you have to level up your Character Mastery.

When Reiko was a child, he and his family were captured during the Kafallah War, and sadly, he was the only one in his family to survive. But Reiko was saved after months of being a prisoner by General Shao and the boy immediately took revenge on his captors when given the chance. That act of violence impressed the general and he took Reiko under his wing, forging the boy into the soldier he is today.

#2: Kareer Soldier

There just had to be a “K”, huh?

Kareer Soldier in action:

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Well, Reiko was adopted into a military family, so becoming a soldier was kind of inevitable, especially with General Shao as his mentor. Kareer Soldier is an epic New Era skin and cyan, gray, and black are in the skin’s palette. There are no specific requirements needed to obtain Kareer Soldier as you can get it from the Shrine or purchase it from the store. 

The moment Shao took him in, the general began to teach Reiko about the ways of war and Reiko soon became an ideal soldier much like his mentor. As Shao’s second-in-command, this soldier’s loyalty to the general is total, and he’s probably one of the few characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise that actually stayed loyal to Shao. I wonder if that’ll change in the future or not.

#3: Shao’s Right Hand

And Shao’s left hand is his battle axe

Shao’s Right Hand in action:

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As the general’s right hand man, Reiko will do anything to make sure General Shao reaches his goals, even if it means risking his life to tame the freaking DRAGON KING! Shao’s Right Hand is also the name of the uncommon skin shown above and it has a palette containing purple, red, and gold. To unlock Shao’s Right Hand, you have to level up your Character Mastery.

Between Shang Tsung and Reiko, I at least know that Reiko is loyal and won’t stab me in the back the first chance he gets. It’s crazy to say, but it’s kinda refreshing seeing that kind of loyalty in Mortal Kombat, even from the villains of the series. I mean, you’re gonna need allies in a game where everyone and everything will kill you without hesitation!

#4: Bloodstained Centurion

Where’s the blood, Reiko? WHERE’S THE BLOOD!?

Bloodstained Centurion in action:

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I can imagine General Shao gifting Reiko with his own 100-man unit for his birthday…either that, or a slave (don’t act like Shao wouldn’t!). Bloodstained Centurion is a common New Era skin with a palette of red and black. There are no specific requirements needed to obtain Bloodstained Centurion as you can get it from the Shrine or purchase it from the store. 

A centurion is a commanding officer of a century in an ancient Roman army. Reiko is a commanding officer in Shao’s army, so that means he has some authority over the other soldiers. Although, considering how brutal Reiko can be, I’d rather have Jax as my CO.

#5: Running Konflict

Reiko is the physical manifestation of conflict

Running Konflict in action:

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I can’t be friends with Reiko, because I know he’s going to stir something up only because he can. Running Konflict is a legendary New Era skin and the skin’s palette has colors like silver and gold. To unlock Running Konflict, you have to level up your Character Mastery.

Mortal Kombat is a franchise that thrives on conflict, whether it be physical or internal. The conflicts that occur around Reiko stem mostly from his relationship with General Shao. If the general had not raised Reiko, I wonder what kind of life the lieutenant would have lived.

#6: Night Watch

Oh, say hi to Batman for me!

Night Watch in action:

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I’m not sure if I’d be comforted or scared if Reiko is on the night watch. Night Watch is a common Union of Light skin with a palette that contains blue, purple, and brown. To unlock Night Watch, you have to level up your Character Mastery.

Honestly, I just really liked the different shades of blue used in the Night Watch skin. Being a skin with that name, blue is the most reasonable color when you think about the sky itself, which is a simple light blue during the day and dark blue at night. While blue does look good on Reiko, I do think that him wearing such a calming color seriously contradicts his actual personality.

#7: Standing Ground

Yeah, I mean…that’s what you do…you stand on the ground

Standing Ground in action:

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Gotta admit, Reiko has some serious balls going against the Forces of Light with a literal fire god as their leader! Standing Ground is another common Union of Light skin for Reiko and the skin’s palette has purple and black. To unlock Standing Ground, you have to level up your Character Mastery.

A person who stands their ground no matter what is someone who should be admired. But even though Reiko does have many great traits, such as being strong, determined, and loyal, he is on the side of EVIL! All those qualities are just going to waste!

#8: Reign of Terror

General Shao, this man craves violence

Reign of Terror in action:

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If General Shao takes Outworld’s throne, Reiko will be by his side helping him rule the realm with fear. Reign of Terror is a common Union of Light skin with red, yellow, and orange in its palette. There are no specific requirements needed to obtain Reign of Terror as you can get it from the Shrine or purchase it from the store. 

You know, The Reign of Terror was an actual event in history that took place during the French Revolution. France’s government ordered for there to be mass executions, which led to the deaths of thousands of people. Jeez, now that I think about it, Shao made that the norm in Outworld in past timelines with people dying over small stuff like stealing some bread!

#9: Battle Cry

Why don’t you try “Cowabunga!” or “By the Power of Grayskull!”?

Battle Cry in action:

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Every good warrior needs their own unique battle cry! Battle Cry is a legendary Union of Light skin with a palette of gold and silver. To unlock Battle Cry, you have to level up your Character Mastery.

For most of the characters in Mortal Kombat, they have a very cool and unforgettable battle cry. Smoke has “Where there is smoke, there is fire”, Shang Tsung has “Your soul is mine”, and Stryker has “Police brutality, coming up!” (which really is fun to say). Oh, and let’s not forget Shao Kahn’s, “It’s official, you SUCK!”.

#10: Search and Destroy

What are you, the freaking Terminator!?

Search and Destroy in action:

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More like search and completely obliterate the existence of anything and anyone that has the misfortune of being in your line of sight. Search and Destroy is the last skin on this list and the palette for this common Union of Light skin contains red and black. There are no specific requirements needed to obtain Search and Destroy as you can get it from the Shrine or purchase it from the store. 

A search and destroy mission involves troops being sent out to locate an enemy, eliminate them, and quickly fall back like nothing happened. I have joked about Reiko and Shao being people who seem to shoot first and ask questions later, but that’s really not the case. General Shao is an amazing great tactician when it comes to the battle and now that he’s passed his strategic knowledge to Reiko, they are a duo to be reckoned with.

Don’t look over Reiko just because he isn’t as big of a villain as Shao or even Shang Tsung. Reiko is still someone to be feared, especially because everything he learned was taught to him by the former Emperor of Outworld himself. And Reiko’s MK1 skins are cool, that’s the important thing here. So, get these awesome skins for Reiko now!

You may also be interested in:

• Best Mortal Kombat Villains (and Their Arch Enemies)
• Top 10 Mortal Kombat 1 Best Beginner Characters
• Top 10 Mortal Kombat 1 Best Fatalities