Ermac: Difference between revisions

Ermac
Ermac
Mortal Kombat character
	Ermac in Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)
First appearance	Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)
Created by	Ed Boon; John Tobias
Designed by	John Tobias (UMK3); Steve Beran (MKD); Cy Mandua (MK2011); Justin Murray (MKX)
Portrayed by	John Medlen (film); Kim Do Nguyen (web series)
Voiced by	Michael McConnohie (MK2011); Jamieson Price (2015-present)
Motion capture	John Turk (UMK3)
In-universe information
Species	Fusion of souls
Origin	Outworld

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Ermac is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Debuting as an unlockable character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), he is an amalgam of the souls of deceased warriors and possesses telekinetic abilities.

The character originated from rumors alleging he appeared in the original 1992 game as a glitch, which were perpetuated by video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM). His name was derived from a diagnostics menu in the first game that displayed the text "error macro" as ERMACS. Although the rumors were false, growing interest led to him becoming an official playable character.

Ermac has additionally appeared in alternate series media including the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. He has received positive reception for his special abilities, character development, and Fatality finishing moves, while his origins are considered among the most memorable legends of video gaming.

History and conception

In the diagnostics menu of the 1992 original Mortal Kombat game, an audits screen^{[note 1]} displayed a macro created by Mortal Kombat co-creator and programmer Ed Boon in order to log coding errors.^[11] This practice was employed by series developer Midway Games since their 1990 arcade release Smash TV.^[12] It was spelled as ERMACS—a pluralized contraction of error macro—as in the number of times the program would execute.^[13] In early revisions of the game, it appeared on the audits screen beneath the counter "Shang Tsung Beaten" (in reference to the game's final boss fight). However, after Boon added the hidden character Reptile to the third revision,^[14] ERMACS was now listed below the counters "Reptile Appearances" and "Reptile Battles", which provoked players into searching for a second secret character called Ermac.^[11]

Midway removed the ERMACS listing from the game's fifth and final update in March 1993, but speculation about the character intensified after Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) published a submitted screenshot from the game and a letter from "Tony Casey" that claimed he had played against a red ninja named Ermac and taken a Polaroid of the screen as evidence.^[15] Unbeknownst to the magazine, the photo was a doctored image of yellow ninja character Scorpion in the "Warrior Shrine" stage from the Super Nintendo version of the game that was tinted red with the added caption "Ermac Wins".^[15] Reader responses contained varied complex instructions for accessing the character.^[16] With the still-nonexistent Ermac now visualized as a red ninja, players then claimed sightings of a random glitch that would cause the game's ninja characters' graphics to flash red, with "Error Macro" or "Ermac" replacing their name in their energy bar,^[17] but such an occurrence was not possible as the macro counter could not increase in the event of a genuine glitch while no red palette for the character existed.^[17]

A scrambled message was included in the ending of the 1993 sequel Mortal Kombat II that read "Ermac does not exist",^[6] but neither Boon nor Midway marketing director Roger Sharpe denied outright the character's presence in the game.^[18] In October 1995, two years after the EGM incident, Ermac was added to the selectable roster of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (an expansion of Mortal Kombat 3), as the developers felt that he had transformed from myth to urban legend and therefore warranted his inclusion in the series.^[13] In 2011, Boon clarified the rumors on Twitter,^[19]^[20] and said he had kept the meaning of the ERMACS listing secret in hopes of stirring up fan speculation about the character.^[17]

Midway inserted allusions to the rumors and EGM hoax in subsequent Mortal Kombat games and related media. Ermac appeared on one panel in a Mortal Kombat II comic book prequel that was written and illustrated by series co-creator John Tobias.^[21]^[22] Mortal Kombat: Deception's training mode contained a message that read, "It is a little-known fact that 'Ermac' is short for 'Error Macro'",^[23] an homage to his origins that was revived in Mortal Kombat X for a pre-match introduction sequence between Ermac and series newcomer Takeda.^[24] He was an Easter egg boss hidden at the Warrior Shrine level in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, a 2005 beat 'em up spinoff title that spans the events of Mortal Kombat II.^[25] Skarlet, a nonexistent female ninja character from MKII with a similar background, was included by NetherRealm Studios (formerly Midway Games) as a playable character in the 2011 reboot game in what the company considered a second instance of turning fan rumors into reality.^[26]

Design and portrayal

Debuting in *Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3* as a palette swap of Scorpion, Ermac received his own unique redesign for *Mortal Kombat: Deception* following an eight-year absence from the series

Ermac was played by actor John Turk in the digitized games Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and the 1996 compilation title Mortal Kombat Trilogy.^[10] As a palette-swapped character, he was physically identical to the Mortal Kombat games' other male ninjas, save for his red coloring and darker skin tone.^[10] For Mortal Kombat: Deception, which marked Ermac's return to the series as a playable character after an eight-year absence, he was given a distinct redesign by Steve Beran, the series' lead character designer and art director.^[3] Beran explained that his objective of remaking old characters was to greatly differentiate them from their previous incarnations.^[3] His Deception design was maintained for the 2011 reboot game, but with an increased black palette.^[27]

For Mortal Kombat X, Ermac was designed with a more emaciated appearance with his mask exposing more of his face and revealing decaying skin as the result of his losing control of the souls inside his body,^[28] with a metal talisman modeled after his chest design from Deception affixed to his chest in order to keep his physical form intact.^[29]^{[note 2]} The talisman initially covered his face, "securely nailed deep into the skull", in concept artwork by character artist Justin Murray.^[29] Early designs by Murray had Ermac unmasked with a stockier figure and solid black palette.^[30] Ermac's "Inner Workings" Fatality (a finishing move that executes defeated opponents) in the game has him levitate his opponent, break their spine in midair, and then telekinetically pull their gastrointestinal tract out from their mouth.^[31] The finisher was conceived by lead game designer John Edwards: "I remember sitting in the pitch meeting for it. People were like, 'That's hilarious and disgusting.' I'm pretty proud of it."^[31] The sound effects used to depict the graphic violence of his finishers were created with slime and a plunger.^[32]

Ermac first appears in Mortal Kombat 1 as a nonplayable character in the story mode and part of a "Kombat Pack" of six downloadable player characters that was first announced by NetherRealm Studios in July 2023,^[33] with him released to players in April 2024.^[34] His new design retains his black-and-red palette and ashen skin complexion from MKX but with minimal armor,^[35] and while Ermac was unmasked throughout the story mode,^[36] a trailer for his playable release featured him with a mask.^[34]

Gameplay

Ermac was one of three hidden unlockable characters in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and was the only player character who had not appeared in any previous series installments.^[37] As a palette swap, he had a standard projectile attack while sharing a teleport punch and uppercut-decapitation Fatality used by other characters.^[37] His signature special move is the "Telekinetic Slam" (later renamed "Force Lift"),^[38] which has him levitate his opponents and then throw them onto the ground.^[39] Ed Boon considered Ermac one of the strongest characters in UMK3 based on the maneuver,^[40] and GamePro opined that it was best used on downed opponents.^[41] The staff of BradyGames considered Ermac a "great choice for the advanced player" in MK Trilogy, but felt his offense was ineffective in close range and easily nullified with the block button.^[42]

His main fighting style in the three-dimensional games is Choy Lay Fut, a martial art that specializes, as depicted in his Deception ending,^[43] in warding off multiple attackers.^[44] GameSpy considered his combo (a timed succession of attacks) abilities "strong" in Deception, but his special moves less effective individually.^[45] In Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Ermac is an unplayable boss hidden inside a statue at the Warrior Shrine level.^[25] GameFront's Mitchell Saltzman described Ermac in the 2011 series reboot as a novice-friendly character that experts could use to inflict heavy-damage combos.^[46] In Mortal Kombat X, Ermac's play style is split into three fighting variations like those of the game's other playable characters,^[38] and Bryan Dawson of Prima Games wrote that he was ideal for distance fighting and pressuring downed opponents.^[38]

Appearances

*Mortal Kombat* games featuring Ermac
1997
1995	Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
1996	Mortal Kombat Trilogy
1998
1999
2000
2001	Mortal Kombat Advance
2002	Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
2003
2004	Mortal Kombat: Deception
2005	Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
2006	Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011	Mortal Kombat 9
2012
2013
2014
2015	Mortal Kombat X
2015	Mortal Kombat Mobile
2016
2017
2018
2019	Mortal Kombat 11
2020
2021
2022
2023	Mortal Kombat 1 (reboot)

In Mortal Kombat games

Introduced in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Ermac was created to serve as an enforcer for Shao Kahn, the tyrannical ruler of the otherworldly dimension of Outworld. Ermac, a hybrid entity created from the souls of many deceased warriors, possesses telekinesis and uses plural pronouns.^[47]^[48] Following his creation, he takes part in Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm and the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament.^[1]

In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), following Shao Kahn's apparent death at the hands of the titular alliance of evil sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi,^[49] Ermac aimlessly wanders Outworld without orders until he encounters the blind swordsman Kenshi who frees Ermac from Kahn's control, and Ermac hones Kenshi's telekinetic power in return.^[50] In Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004), Ermac reforms to atone for his work with Kahn by aiding the spirit of the deceased Liu Kang in successfully freeing the latter's friends from their enslavement by the Dragon King Onaga.^[6] In the opening of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), Ermac joins Earthrealm's warriors in participating in a battle to claim the elemental Blaze's godlike power.^[51]

After Earthrealm defender Raiden alters the timeline to avert the events of Armageddon in the reboot title Mortal Kombat (2011), Ermac returns to being Shao Kahn's enforcer,^[6] and is defeated in the first Mortal Kombat tournament by eventual champion Liu Kang.^[6] He obliterates Jax's arms, causing Jax to receive bionic implants.^[6] His ending reveals that one of the souls trapped inside his being is that of King Jerrod, Kitana's father and former ruler of Edenia.^[6] In Mortal Kombat X (2015), following Shao Kahn's death, Ermac initially serves the former's successor, Mileena, before defecting to Kotal Kahn due to Mileena not being Shao Kahn's biological daughter.^[52] He joins Reptile, Erron Black, and Ferra/Torr in serving Kotal Kahn as they conflict with Cassie Cage's Special Forces unit in their attempt to protect Outworld from Shinnok's forces.^[53]

In the rebooted storyline of Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), Ermac is again an assimilation of souls, now created by Quan Chi.^[36] He overpowers a group of Earthrealm defenders upon his completion but is weakened after Kenshi absorbs several of the souls into his sword to unleash its power, leading to his defeat by Ashrah.^[36] His later defeat in combat by Mileena enables Jerrod's soul to assume control of Ermac's body, and he reunites with his former queen Sindel and family before joining the fight to protect Earthrealm and Outworld. After Sindel is slain during battle with Shang Tsung's forces, Jerrod absorbs her soul and appoints his daughter Mileena as the new Outworld empress.^[54]

Other appearances

Kim Do Nguyen portrayed Ermac in the 2013 second season of *Mortal Kombat: Legacy*, which made significant changes to the character's in-game designs

Ermac appeared in two episodes of the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm.^[55] He has a minor role as one of Shao Kahn’s henchmen in the 1997 feature film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, played by assistant stunt coordinator John Medlen and identified only in the closing credits,^[56] and though the script and print media publications mentioned his telekinetic powers,^[57]^[58]^[59] they were omitted from the film.^[56]

His association with Kenshi in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was loosely adapted for the 2013 second season of the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, in which he is a decaying, hooded demon who guards the "sword of Sento" under Shao Kahn's orders and strikes Kenshi blind as the latter takes the sword. Ermac then battles Kenshi in the Mortal Kombat tournament in an attempt to repossess the sword before Kenshi kills him with it.^[60] He was played by stuntman and martial artist Kim Do Nguyen,^[7] with his makeup designed by Christien Tinsley.^[60]

Ermac appears in the Mortal Kombat Annihilation novelization,^[61] and plays a supporting role in DC Comics' 2015 Mortal Kombat X comic miniseries that is set before the events of the game.^[62] The character has been licensed for action figures,^[63]^[64] a life-sized standee,^[65] and an eighteen-inch limited-edition polystone statue.^[66]

Reception

Ermac's origins as a glitch and rumored character are considered among the most memorable urban legends in video games.^[67]^[68]^[69]^[70] GamesRadar+ executive editor Eric Bratcher credited the Electronic Gaming Monthly hoax with Ermac's addition to the Mortal Kombat series,^[71] while Rudie Obias of Mental Floss and Yannick LeJacq of Kotaku considered it the result of fans' enthusiasm for the character.^[72]^[73] Steve Watts of 1Up.com wrote in 2011 that supposed video game glitches like Ermac "go on to live as legends until the creators have no choice but to make it a reality."^[74] The staff of GameTrailers unsuccessfully attempted to access Ermac in the first game, per the reader instructions published in EGM, in an episode of their PopFiction web series that premiered at PAX Prime 2012.^[17] In his 2019 study Immersion and Worldbuilding in Videogames, Edin Omeragiċ of the University of Osijek stated that Ermac's inclusion was "especially immersive for the way it includes end users into the process, with developers seemingly relinquishing control over their world for a moment and making their fans feel as if they also had a hand in its creation."^[75]

Reception to his designs and gameplay have varied over the course of his series appearances. Though he and Mortal Kombat's other male ninjas made GamePro's 2009 list of the seventeen best palette-swapped video game characters,^[76] Dan Ryckert of Game Informer wrote in 2010 that he did not want these characters, aside from Scorpion and Sub-Zero, in future series installments,^[77] while Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot felt the unlocking of Ermac in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was "a hassle".^[78] In his 2022 book Mortal Kombat: Games of Death, David Church remarked that when Ermac and other hidden characters became playable in "completist" titles like UMK3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, "their gameplay abilities were often poorly balanced and their backstories seem[ed] tacked onto the increasingly sprawling story world."^[79] Following his redesigns and roles in Deception and thereafter, Ermac received positive reception for his development,^{[note 3]} and was rated by gaming media outlets among the top series characters.^{[note 4]} GamesRadar+ commented in 2014: "This red-clad ninja might not be as iconic as Sub-Zero or Scorpion, but it's hard not to love Ermac for his ... supernatural, Sith-like powers of telekinesis."^[89] Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek, in 2015, noted the character's transformation from "just an altered Scorpion/Sub-Zero sprite with a lazily-animated psychic attack" to "a floating phantom, surrounded by souls and completely unpredictable. It just goes to show that even the lamest character can be fixed with a good hook." He additionally commented on Ermac's growth in Deception, "where he broke the bonds of [Shao] Kahn ... They [Midway] also made him powerful enough to take on Kung Lao, Kitana, Jax, Sonya, and Johnny Cage all by himself."^[86] In 2019, sociology professor Ricardo Cortez Lopes published a study that analyzed the modifications of the Deception version of Ermac in player-created Mugen game adaptations, and theorized that they influenced NetherRealm Studios' future iterations of the character.^[90] Ermac's initial Mortal Kombat 1 design revealed in July 2023 received heavy fan criticism due to the omission of his mask,^[34]^[91] which resulted in NetherRealm adding it to his redesign for his April 2024 playable release.^[34]

Ermac's finishing moves have met with critical praise,^[92]^[93]^[94] particularly his "Pest Control" Fatality from the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, in which he shrinks his opponent and crushes them underfoot.^[95]^[96]^[97]^[98] When NetherRealm Studios posted a trailer of the "Inner Workings" Fatality from Mortal Kombat X on YouTube in March 2015, it accumulated over 850,000 views in less than a month,^[31] and garnered attention for its graphic content.^{[note 5]} Chicago Reader spotlighted the finisher in an April 2015 article titled "Has Mortal Kombat Finally Gone Too Far?", describing it as "an act of medieval torture as imagined by Tolkien."^[31] Justin Clark of GameSpot wrote in 2022 that the Fatality "might actually be the most shocking, gory, and disgusting act of surreal horror to ever happen in a video game, let alone the Mortal Kombat series".^[103]

Response to his alternate-media incarnations has been negative.^[104]^[105] Nathan Birch of Uproxx described him in Mortal Kombat Annihilation as a "forgettable red Scorpion clone" and his fight scene with Sonya in the film as "nondescript".^[106] Carl Lyon of Fearnet censured the character's design in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and his role therein as having "little development outside of an opponent ... that gets quickly dispatched",^[107] and while Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek noted Ermac's "pretty sweet fight scene" with Kenshi, he was also critical of his role in the storyline.^[6]

Notes

^ A screen that displays game statistics and is used to assess a machine's performance.
^ "Shao Kahn's living prison, Ermac, represents what remains of his master's legacy in MKX. The construct's form is not holding up well under the current of time. We wanted to show signs of rot, of a loosening grip on the contained souls. ... [His] costume was designed to showcase an imperial authority, while hearkening back to his appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deception, showcasing their chest design from that game now bolted into the chest, holding the construct together."^[29]
^ See: ^[6]^[80]^[81]^[82]^[83]
^ See: ^[84]^[85]^[86]^[87]^[88]
^ See: ^[81]^[99]^[100]^[101]^[102]

References

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[11] A screen that displays game statistics and is used to assess a machine's performance.

[31] "Shao Kahn's living prison, Ermac, represents what remains of his master's legacy in MKX. The construct's form is not holding up well under the current of time. We wanted to show signs of rot, of a loosening grip on the contained souls. ... [His] costume was designed to showcase an imperial authority, while hearkening back to his appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deception, showcasing their chest design from that game now bolted into the chest, holding the construct together."^[29]

[86] See: ^[6]^[80]^[81]^[82]^[83]

[92] See: ^[84]^[85]^[86]^[87]^[88]

[107] See: ^[81]^[99]^[100]^[101]^[102]

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[94] Cortez Lopes, Ricardo (2019). "Resignificações do Videogame Mortal Kombat no Software Mugen" [Resignifications of the Mortal Kombat Video Game in Mugen Software] (in Portuguese). Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.(subscription required)

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[106] Francis, Laura (April 24, 2021). "The most gruesome fatalities in Mortal Kombat history". TechRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on October 22, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2022.

[gamespot-108] Clark, Justin (October 11, 2022). "30 Years Of Mortal Kombat's Best And Worst Fatalities". GameSpot. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.

[109] Stewart, Marcus (April 24, 2021). "Ranking Mortal Kombat's On-Screen Adaptations". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.

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[111] Birch, Nathan (August 20, 2015). "The Definitive Ranking Of Every Fight Scene From The '90s 'Mortal Kombat' Movies". Uproxx. Warner Music Group. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2015.

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@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==Design and portrayal==
 [[File:ErmacMKDeception.png|thumb|left|upright|Debuting in ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]'' as a palette swap of [[Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]], Ermac received his own unique redesign for ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deception]]'' following an eight-year absence from the series]]
 Ermac was played by actor John Turk in the digitized games ''Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3'' and the 1996 compilation title ''[[Mortal Kombat Trilogy]]''.<ref name="UMK3credits">{{cite video game|title=[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]|level=Closing credits|date=1995|developer=[[Midway Games]]|publisher=Midway Games}}</ref> As a [[Glossary of video game terms#P|palette-swapped]] character, he was physically identical to the ''Mortal Kombat'' games' other male ninjas, save for his red coloring and darker skin tone.<ref name="UMK3credits"/> For ''Mortal Kombat: Deception'', which marked Ermac's return to the series as a playable character after an eight-year absence, he was given a distinct redesign by Steve Beran, the series' lead character designer and art director.<ref name="beran"/> Beran explained that his objective of remaking old characters was to greatly differentiate them from their previous incarnations.<ref name="beran">{{cite web|url=http://www.kamidogu.com/features/steve-beran-interview/|title=Steve Beran Interview|first1=Steve|last1=Beran|first2=Christopher|last2=Veljanovski|work=Kamidogu|date=March 28, 2006|access-date=June 4, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810005813/http://www.kamidogu.com/features/steve-beran-interview/|archive-date=August 10, 2014}}</ref> His ''Deception'' design was maintained for the 2011 reboot game, but with an increased black palette.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]|date=2011|developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]]|publisher= [[Warner Bros. Games]]}}</ref>
-For ''Mortal Kombat X'', Ermac was designed with a slimmer figure and his mask exposing more of his face, revealing [[Decomposition|decay]]ing skin.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat X]]|date=2015|developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]]|publisher=[[Warner Bros. Games]]|level=Ermac biography}}</ref> NetherRealm Studios explained his emaciated appearance as the result of his losing control of the souls inside his body, with a metal [[talisman]] modeled after his chest design from ''Deception'' affixed to his chest in order to keep his physical form intact.<ref name="krypt">{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X|developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2015 |level=The Krypt: Ermac concept art}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|"Shao Kahn's living prison, Ermac, represents what remains of his master's legacy in ''MKX''. The construct's form is not holding up well under the current of time. We wanted to show signs of rot, of a loosening grip on the contained souls. ... [His] costume was designed to showcase an imperial authority, while hearkening back to his appearance in ''Mortal Kombat: Deception'', showcasing their chest design from that game now bolted into the chest, holding the construct together."<ref name="krypt"/>|group="note"}} The talisman initially covered his face, "securely nailed deep into the skull", in concept artwork by character artist Justin Murray.<ref name="krypt"/> Early designs by Murray had Ermac unmasked with a stockier figure and solid black palette.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shoryuken.com/2015/05/13/mortal-kombat-x-artist-shares-early-ermac-concepts/|title=''Mortal Kombat X'' Artist Shares Early Ermac Concepts|first=Franz|last=Co|work=Shoryuken|date=May 13, 2015|access-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215193746/http://shoryuken.com/2015/05/13/mortal-kombat-x-artist-shares-early-ermac-concepts/|archive-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref>  Ermac's "Inner Workings" [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Fatality]] (a finishing move that executes defeated opponents) in the game has him levitate his opponent, break their spine in midair, and then telekinetically pull their [[Digestion|gastrointestinal tract]] out from their mouth.<ref name="chicagoreader"/> The finisher was conceived by lead game designer John Edwards: "I remember sitting in the pitch meeting for it. People were like, 'That's hilarious and disgusting.' I'm pretty proud of it."<ref name="chicagoreader">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mortal-kombat-netherrealm-ed-boon-john-tobias/Content?oid=17244090|title=Has ''Mortal Kombat'' finally gone too far?|first=Ryan|last=Smith|work=[[Chicago Reader]]|date=April 9, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409162110/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mortal-kombat-netherrealm-ed-boon-john-tobias/Content?oid=17244090|archive-date=April 9, 2015}}</ref> The sound effects used to depict the graphic violence of his finishers were created with [[Borax slime|slime]] and a [[plunger]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/here-s-how-they-get-the-gross-mortal-kombat-x-fatality-sounds-3415010|title=Here's how they get the gross ''Mortal Kombat X'' Fatality sounds|first=Tatiana|last=Morris|work=GameZone|date=April 1, 2015|access-date=October 15, 2017|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723180255/https://www.gamezone.com/news/here-s-how-they-get-the-gross-mortal-kombat-x-fatality-sounds-3415010/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+For ''Mortal Kombat X'', Ermac was designed with a more emaciated appearance with his mask exposing more of his face and revealing [[Decomposition|decay]]ing skin as the result of his losing control of the souls inside his body,<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat X]]|date=2015|developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]]|publisher=[[Warner Bros. Games]]|level=Ermac biography}}</ref> with a metal [[talisman]] modeled after his chest design from ''Deception'' affixed to his chest in order to keep his physical form intact.<ref name="krypt">{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X|developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2015 |level=The Krypt: Ermac concept art}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|"Shao Kahn's living prison, Ermac, represents what remains of his master's legacy in ''MKX''. The construct's form is not holding up well under the current of time. We wanted to show signs of rot, of a loosening grip on the contained souls. ... [His] costume was designed to showcase an imperial authority, while hearkening back to his appearance in ''Mortal Kombat: Deception'', showcasing their chest design from that game now bolted into the chest, holding the construct together."<ref name="krypt"/>|group="note"}} The talisman initially covered his face, "securely nailed deep into the skull", in concept artwork by character artist Justin Murray.<ref name="krypt"/> Early designs by Murray had Ermac unmasked with a stockier figure and solid black palette.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shoryuken.com/2015/05/13/mortal-kombat-x-artist-shares-early-ermac-concepts/|title=''Mortal Kombat X'' Artist Shares Early Ermac Concepts|first=Franz|last=Co|work=Shoryuken|date=May 13, 2015|access-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215193746/http://shoryuken.com/2015/05/13/mortal-kombat-x-artist-shares-early-ermac-concepts/|archive-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref>  Ermac's "Inner Workings" [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Fatality]] (a finishing move that executes defeated opponents) in the game has him levitate his opponent, break their spine in midair, and then telekinetically pull their [[Digestion|gastrointestinal tract]] out from their mouth.<ref name="chicagoreader"/> The finisher was conceived by lead game designer John Edwards: "I remember sitting in the pitch meeting for it. People were like, 'That's hilarious and disgusting.' I'm pretty proud of it."<ref name="chicagoreader">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mortal-kombat-netherrealm-ed-boon-john-tobias/Content?oid=17244090|title=Has ''Mortal Kombat'' finally gone too far?|first=Ryan|last=Smith|work=[[Chicago Reader]]|date=April 9, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409162110/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mortal-kombat-netherrealm-ed-boon-john-tobias/Content?oid=17244090|archive-date=April 9, 2015}}</ref> The sound effects used to depict the graphic violence of his finishers were created with [[Borax slime|slime]] and a [[plunger]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/here-s-how-they-get-the-gross-mortal-kombat-x-fatality-sounds-3415010|title=Here's how they get the gross ''Mortal Kombat X'' Fatality sounds|first=Tatiana|last=Morris|work=GameZone|date=April 1, 2015|access-date=October 15, 2017|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723180255/https://www.gamezone.com/news/here-s-how-they-get-the-gross-mortal-kombat-x-fatality-sounds-3415010/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-Ermac first appeared in ''[[Mortal Kombat 1]]'' as a nonplayable character in the story mode and as part of a "Kombat Pack" of six downloadable player characters that was first announced by NetherRealm Studios in July 2023,<ref name="bleedingcool">{{cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/mortal-kombat-1-reveals-first-good-look-at-invincibles-omni-man/|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Reveals First Good Look At Invincible's Omni-Man|first=Gavin|last=Sheehan|work=[[Bleeding Cool]]|publisher=[[Avatar Press]]|date=October 14, 2023|accessdate=October 17, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017190217/https://bleedingcool.com/games/mortal-kombat-1-reveals-first-good-look-at-invincibles-omni-man/|archivedate=October 17, 2023}}</ref> with him released to players in April 2024.<ref name=Mk1redesign/> His new design retains his black-and-red palette and ashen skin complexion from ''MKX'' but with minimal armor,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/23803708/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-pack-homelander-peacemaker-dlc|title=Here's a first look at Homelander and Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=Vox Media|date=July 21, 2023|accessdate=July 21, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805002153/https://www.polygon.com/23803708/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-pack-homelander-peacemaker-dlc|archivedate=August 5, 2023}}</ref> and while Ermac was unmasked throughout the story mode,<ref name="mk1chapter6"/> a trailer for his playable release featured him with a mask.<ref name=Mk1redesign/>
+Ermac first appears in ''[[Mortal Kombat 1]]'' as a nonplayable character in the story mode and part of a "Kombat Pack" of six downloadable player characters that was first announced by NetherRealm Studios in July 2023,<ref name="bleedingcool">{{cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/mortal-kombat-1-reveals-first-good-look-at-invincibles-omni-man/|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Reveals First Good Look At Invincible's Omni-Man|first=Gavin|last=Sheehan|work=[[Bleeding Cool]]|publisher=[[Avatar Press]]|date=October 14, 2023|accessdate=October 17, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017190217/https://bleedingcool.com/games/mortal-kombat-1-reveals-first-good-look-at-invincibles-omni-man/|archivedate=October 17, 2023}}</ref> with him released to players in April 2024.<ref name=Mk1redesign/> His new design retains his black-and-red palette and ashen skin complexion from ''MKX'' but with minimal armor,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/23803708/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-pack-homelander-peacemaker-dlc|title=Here's a first look at Homelander and Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=Vox Media|date=July 21, 2023|accessdate=July 21, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805002153/https://www.polygon.com/23803708/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-pack-homelander-peacemaker-dlc|archivedate=August 5, 2023}}</ref> and while Ermac was unmasked throughout the story mode,<ref name="mk1chapter6"/> a trailer for his playable release featured him with a mask.<ref name=Mk1redesign/>
 ===Gameplay===
@@ Line 64: / Line 63: @@
 |2019 = ''[[Mortal Kombat 11]]''
 |2023 = ''[[Mortal Kombat 1]]'' (reboot)}}
-===In ''Mortal Kombat'' series===
+===In ''Mortal Kombat'' games===
 Introduced in ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]'' (1995), Ermac was created to serve as an enforcer for [[Shao Kahn]], the tyrannical ruler of the otherworldly [[Fictional universe|dimension]] of Outworld. Ermac, a hybrid entity created from the souls of many deceased warriors, possesses [[Psychokinesis|telekinesis]] and uses [[Plural#Plural forms of other parts of speech|plural pronouns]].<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]|date=1995|level=Ermac biography|developer=[[Midway Games]]|publisher=Midway Games}}</ref><ref name="deceptionbio">{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Deception]]|level=Ermac biography|date=2004|developer=[[Midway Games]]|publisher=Midway Games}}</ref> Following his creation, he takes part in Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm and the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament.<ref name="umk3">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p10.html |title=The History of Mortal Kombat: The Beginning of the End |work=[[GameSpot]]|author1=Jeff Greeson |author2=Cliff O'Neill |date=October 21, 2007 |access-date=December 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020220040632/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p10.html |archive-date=February 20, 2002}}</ref>
-In ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]]'' (2002), following Shao Kahn's apparent death at the hands of the titular alliance of evil sorcerers [[Shang Tsung]] and [[Quan Chi]],<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]] |developer=[[Midway Games]] |date=2002|level=Opening cinematic sequence}}</ref> Ermac aimlessly wanders Outworld without orders until he encounters the blind swordsman [[Kenshi (Mortal Kombat)|Kenshi]] who frees Ermac from Kahn's control, and Ermac hones Kenshi's telekinetic power in return.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]] |developer=[[Midway Games]] |date=2002 |level=Training mode sequence}}</ref> In ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deception]]'' (2004), Ermac reforms to atone for his work with Kahn by aiding the spirit of the deceased [[Liu Kang]] in freeing the latter's friends from their enslavement by the Dragon King [[Onaga (Mortal Kombat)|Onaga]].<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> In the opening of ''[[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]]'' (2006), Ermac joins Earthrealm's warriors in participating in a battle to claim the elemental [[Blaze (character)|Blaze]]'s godlike power.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]] |developer=Midway Games |date=2006 |level=Opening cinematic sequence}}</ref>
+In ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]]'' (2002), following Shao Kahn's apparent death at the hands of the titular alliance of evil sorcerers [[Shang Tsung]] and [[Quan Chi]],<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]] |developer=[[Midway Games]] |date=2002|level=Opening cinematic sequence}}</ref> Ermac aimlessly wanders Outworld without orders until he encounters the blind swordsman [[Kenshi (Mortal Kombat)|Kenshi]] who frees Ermac from Kahn's control, and Ermac hones Kenshi's telekinetic power in return.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]] |developer=[[Midway Games]] |date=2002 |level=Training mode sequence}}</ref> In ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deception]]'' (2004), Ermac reforms to atone for his work with Kahn by aiding the spirit of the deceased [[Liu Kang]] in successfully freeing the latter's friends from their enslavement by the Dragon King [[Onaga (Mortal Kombat)|Onaga]].<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> In the opening of ''[[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]]'' (2006), Ermac joins Earthrealm's warriors in participating in a battle to claim the elemental [[Blaze (character)|Blaze]]'s godlike power.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]] |developer=Midway Games |date=2006 |level=Opening cinematic sequence}}</ref>
-After Earthrealm defender [[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Raiden]] alters the timeline to avert the events of ''Armageddon'' in the reboot title ''[[Mortal Kombat (2011)|Mortal Kombat]]'' (2011), Ermac returns to being Shao Kahn's enforcer,<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> and is defeated in the first Mortal Kombat tournament by eventual champion Liu Kang.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> He obliterates [[Jax (Mortal Kombat)|Jax]]'s arms, causing Jax to receive bionic implants.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> His ending reveals that one of the souls trapped inside his being is that of King Jerrod, Kitana's father and former ruler of Edenia.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> In ''[[Mortal Kombat X]]'' (2015), following Shao Kahn's death, Ermac initially serves the former's successor, [[Mileena]], before defecting to [[Kotal Kahn]] due to Mileena not being Shao Kahn's biological daughter.<ref>{{cite video game|title=''[[Mortal Kombat X]]'' |developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]] |publisher= [[Warner Bros. Games]]|date=2015 |level=Chapter 6: D'Vorah}}</ref> He joins [[Reptile (Mortal Kombat)|Reptile]], [[Erron Black]], and [[Ferra/Torr]] in serving Kahn as they conflict with [[Cassie Cage]]'s Special Forces unit in their attempt to protect Outworld from [[Shinnok]]'s forces.<ref>{{cite video game|title=''[[Mortal Kombat X]]'' |developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]] |publisher= [[Warner Bros. Games]]|date=2015 |level=Chapter 11: Jacqui Briggs}}</ref>
+After Earthrealm defender [[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Raiden]] alters the timeline to avert the events of ''Armageddon'' in the reboot title ''[[Mortal Kombat (2011)|Mortal Kombat]]'' (2011), Ermac returns to being Shao Kahn's enforcer,<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> and is defeated in the first Mortal Kombat tournament by eventual champion Liu Kang.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> He obliterates [[Jax (Mortal Kombat)|Jax]]'s arms, causing Jax to receive bionic implants.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> His ending reveals that one of the souls trapped inside his being is that of King Jerrod, Kitana's father and former ruler of Edenia.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/> In ''[[Mortal Kombat X]]'' (2015), following Shao Kahn's death, Ermac initially serves the former's successor, [[Mileena]], before defecting to [[Kotal Kahn]] due to Mileena not being Shao Kahn's biological daughter.<ref>{{cite video game|title=''[[Mortal Kombat X]]'' |developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]] |publisher= [[Warner Bros. Games]]|date=2015 |level=Chapter 6: D'Vorah}}</ref> He joins [[Reptile (Mortal Kombat)|Reptile]], [[Erron Black]], and [[Ferra/Torr]] in serving Kotal Kahn as they conflict with [[Cassie Cage]]'s Special Forces unit in their attempt to protect Outworld from [[Shinnok]]'s forces.<ref>{{cite video game|title=''[[Mortal Kombat X]]'' |developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]] |publisher= [[Warner Bros. Games]]|date=2015 |level=Chapter 11: Jacqui Briggs}}</ref>
 In the rebooted storyline of ''[[Mortal Kombat 1]]'' (2023), Ermac is again an assimilation of souls, now created by Quan Chi.<ref name="mk1chapter6">{{cite video game|title=[[Mortal Kombat 1]] |developer=[[NetherRealm Studios]] |publisher= [[Warner Bros. Games]]|date=2023 |level=Chapter 6: Upward Climb (Ashrah)}}</ref> He overpowers a group of Earthrealm defenders upon his completion but is weakened after Kenshi absorbs several of the souls into his sword to unleash its power, leading to his defeat by [[Ashrah]].<ref name="mk1chapter6"/> His later defeat in combat by Mileena enables Jerrod's soul to assume control of Ermac's body, and he reunites with his former queen [[Characters of the Mortal Kombat series#Sindel|Sindel]] and family before joining the fight to protect Earthrealm and Outworld. After Sindel is slain during battle with Shang Tsung's forces, Jerrod absorbs her soul and appoints his daughter Mileena as the new Outworld empress.<ref name="mk1chapter12">{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat 1 |developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2023 |level=Chapter 12: Queen’s Gambit (Mileena)}}</ref>
@@ Line 78: / Line 77: @@
 Ermac appeared in two episodes of the 1996 animated series ''[[Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm]] |date=1996|publisher=[[Threshold Entertainment]] and [[Film Roman]]|medium=Animated series}} (Episodes 12 & 13: "Abandoned" and "Overthrown")</ref><!--Do not list Clancy Brown as the voice actor unless there is a source confirming this. There currently is not.--> He has a minor role as one of Shao Kahn’s henchmen in the 1997 feature film ''[[Mortal Kombat Annihilation]]'', played by assistant [[stunt coordinator]] John Medlen and identified only in the closing credits,<ref name="annihilation">{{cite AV media|title=[[Mortal Kombat Annihilation]]|publisher=[[New Line Cinema]] and [[Threshold Entertainment]]|date=1997|medium=Motion picture|people=[[John R. Leonetti]] (director)}}</ref> and though the script and print media publications mentioned his telekinetic powers,<ref>Brent V. Friedman and [[Bryce Zabel]], ''Mortal Kombat Annihilation,'' first draft (May 22, 1996), p. 1.</ref><ref name="blackbelt">{{cite magazine|last=Reid|first= Dr. Craig R.|title= ''Mortal Kombat Annihilation:'' Behind the Scenes at the New Hollywood Blockbuster|magazine=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]]|volume= 36|issue= 1|page=83|date=January 1998}}</ref><ref name="scifimag">{{cite web|url=http://www.craphound.com/nonfic/mkii.html|title=Immortal Kombat|first=Cory|last=Doctorow|author-link=Cory Doctorow|work=[[Sci Fi magazine]]|publisher=Craphound|date=December 1997|access-date=December 14, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722173001/http://craphound.com/nonfic/mkii.html|archive-date=July 22, 2015}}</ref> they were omitted from the film.<ref name="annihilation"/>
-His association with [[Kenshi (Mortal Kombat)|Kenshi]] in ''Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance'' was loosely adapted for the 2013 second season of the web series ''[[Mortal Kombat: Legacy]]''. He is a decaying, hooded demon who guards the "sword of Sento" under Shao Kahn's orders and strikes Kenshi blind when the latter takes the sword. Ermac then battles Kenshi in the Mortal Kombat tournament in an attempt to repossess the sword before Kenshi kills him with it.<ref name="MKlegacy">{{cite AV media|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Legacy|Mortal Kombat Legacy II]]|date=2013|medium=Web series|number= 3-4|people=[[Kevin Tancharoen]] (director)|publisher=[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]]}} (Episodes 4 & 5: "Kenshi's Origin" and "Kenshi Encounters Ermac")</ref> He was played by stuntman and martial artist Kim Do Nguyen,<ref name="MTV">{{cite web|url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/09/26/interview-director-kevin-tancharoen-gives-us-something-new-with-mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2/|title=Interview: Director Kevin Tancharoen Gives Us Something New with ''Mortal Kombat: Legacy'' Season 2|first=Charles|last=Webb|work=[[MTV|MTV Multiplayer]]|publisher=[[Paramount Global]]|date=September 26, 2013|access-date=June 6, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407183932/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/09/26/interview-director-kevin-tancharoen-gives-us-something-new-with-mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2/|archive-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> with his makeup designed by [[Christien Tinsley]].<ref name="MKlegacy"/>
+His association with [[Kenshi (Mortal Kombat)|Kenshi]] in ''Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance'' was loosely adapted for the 2013 second season of the web series ''[[Mortal Kombat: Legacy]]'', in which he is a decaying, hooded demon who guards the "sword of Sento" under Shao Kahn's orders and strikes Kenshi blind as the latter takes the sword. Ermac then battles Kenshi in the Mortal Kombat tournament in an attempt to repossess the sword before Kenshi kills him with it.<ref name="MKlegacy">{{cite AV media|title=[[Mortal Kombat: Legacy|Mortal Kombat Legacy II]]|date=2013|medium=Web series|number= 3-4|people=[[Kevin Tancharoen]] (director)|publisher=[[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]]}} (Episodes 4 & 5: "Kenshi's Origin" and "Kenshi Encounters Ermac")</ref> He was played by stuntman and martial artist Kim Do Nguyen,<ref name="MTV">{{cite web|url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/09/26/interview-director-kevin-tancharoen-gives-us-something-new-with-mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2/|title=Interview: Director Kevin Tancharoen Gives Us Something New with ''Mortal Kombat: Legacy'' Season 2|first=Charles|last=Webb|work=[[MTV|MTV Multiplayer]]|publisher=[[Paramount Global]]|date=September 26, 2013|access-date=June 6, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407183932/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/09/26/interview-director-kevin-tancharoen-gives-us-something-new-with-mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2/|archive-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> with his makeup designed by [[Christien Tinsley]].<ref name="MKlegacy"/>
 Ermac appears in the ''Mortal Kombat Annihilation'' [[Movie novelization|novelization]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Mortal Kombat; Annihilation|first=Jerome|last=Preisler|year=1997|publisher=Tor Books|isbn=0812539338}}</ref> and plays a supporting role in [[DC Comics]]' 2015 ''Mortal Kombat X'' comic miniseries that is set before the events of the game.<ref>{{cite comic|title=[[Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties]]|writer=Shawn Kittelsen |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=April 14, 2015 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |id={{ISBN|1401257089}}}}</ref> The character has been licensed for [[action figure]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/cyborgs-ninjas-dominate-jazwares-new-mortal-kombat-toys/|title=Cyborgs, ninjas dominate Jazware's new Mortal Kombat toys|first=Nick|last=Chester|work=[[Destructoid]]|publisher=[[Gamurs]]|date=2011|accessdate=October 25, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025222108/https://www.destructoid.com/cyborgs-ninjas-dominate-jazwares-new-mortal-kombat-toys/|archivedate=October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://toynewsi.com/431-31217|title=2018 SDCC Storm Collectibles 1:12 Mortal Kombat Ermac Figure Preview|first=Jay|last=Cochran|work=Toy News International|date=June 11, 2018|accessdate=April 12, 2024|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517134343/https://toynewsi.com/431-31217|archivedate=May 17, 2022}}</ref> a life-sized [[standee]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://advancedgraphics.com/product/ermac/|title=Ermac 70" cardboard cutout|work=Advanced Graphics|date=2011|access-date=December 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222051042/http://advancedgraphics.com/product/ermac/|archive-date=February 22, 2014}}</ref> and an eighteen-inch limited-edition [[Artificial stone|polystone]] statue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/06/mortal-kombats-deadly-statues|title=Mortal Kombat's Deadly Statues|first=David|last=McCutcheon|work=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=December 6, 2011|access-date=February 25, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320044833/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/06/mortal-kombats-deadly-statues|archive-date=March 20, 2014}}</ref>
@@ Line 87: / Line 86: @@
 Reception to his designs and gameplay have varied over the course of his series appearances. Though he and ''Mortal Kombat's'' other male ninjas made ''GamePro''{{'}}s 2009 list of the seventeen best palette-swapped video game characters,<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Aaron |last=Koehn |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/208570/17-best-palette-swapped-characters/ |title=Palette Swapping: 17 Games that Did it Right |magazine=[[GamePro]]|publisher=[[IDG]]|date=January 13, 2009 |accessdate= January 28, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208102954/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/208570/17-best-palette-swapped-characters/|archivedate=December 8, 2009}}</ref> Dan Ryckert of ''[[Game Informer]]'' wrote in 2010 that he did not want these characters, aside from Scorpion and Sub-Zero, in future series installments,<ref name="game informer">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/06/21/who-we-want-and-dont-want-in-the-new-mortal-kombat.aspx?PostPageIndex=2&PageIndex=4|title=Who We Want (And Don't Want) In The New Mortal Kombat|first=Dan|last=Ryckert|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|publisher=[[GameStop]]|date=June 21, 2010|accessdate=February 4, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107094027/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/06/21/who-we-want-and-dont-want-in-the-new-mortal-kombat.aspx?PostPageIndex=2&PageIndex=4|archive-date=November 7, 2013}}</ref> while [[Jeff Gerstmann]] of ''[[GameSpot]]'' felt the unlocking of Ermac in ''Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3'' was "a hassle".<ref name="hiddenreview">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3-review/1900-6160351/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616084502/http://www.gamespot.com/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3/reviews/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3-review-6160351 |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |title= Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Review|first=Jeff|last=Gerstmann|authorlink=Jeff Gerstmann|work=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|date=October 23, 2006 |access-date=July 6, 2014}}</ref> In his 2022 book ''Mortal Kombat: Games of Death'', David Church remarked that when Ermac and other hidden characters became playable in "completist" titles like ''UMK3'' and ''Mortal Kombat Trilogy'', "their gameplay abilities were often poorly balanced and their backstories seem[ed] tacked onto the increasingly sprawling story world."<ref name="church">{{cite book|title=Mortal Kombat: Games of Death|first=David|last=Church|publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]]|date=2022|isbn=9780472902620 |page=31}}</ref> Following his redesigns and roles in ''Deception'' and thereafter, Ermac received positive reception for his development,{{NoteTag|See: <ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/review-mortal-kombat-x-290360.phtml|title=Review: ''Mortal Kombat X'': Still not ready for a series Fatality|first=Chris|last=Carter|work=[[Destructoid]]|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=October 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330010243/http://www.destructoid.com/review-mortal-kombat-x-290360.phtml|archive-date=March 30, 2016}}</ref><ref name="miller">{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-every-ninja-ranked-worst-best/|title=Mortal Kombat: Every Ninja Ranked From Worst To Best|first=Leon|last=Miller|work=[[Screen Rant]]|publisher=Valnet Inc.|date=October 6, 2017|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022175735/https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-every-ninja-ranked-worst-best/|archive-date=October 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-ermac-villain-to-anti-hero/|title=Mortal Kombat: Ermac's Journey From Villain To Anti-Hero|first=Nicholas|last=Brooks|work=[[Comic Book Resources]]|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=April 12, 2021|accessdate=September 20, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920230433/https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-ermac-villain-to-anti-hero/|archivedate=September 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/23/the-ultimate-scientific-ranking-of-every-playable-mortal-kombat-character|title=The Ultimate Scientific Ranking Of Every Playable Mortal Kombat Character|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|publisher=[[GameStop]]|date=April 23, 2021|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031191903/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/23/the-ultimate-scientific-ranking-of-every-playable-mortal-kombat-character|archivedate=October 31, 2022}}</ref>}} and was rated by gaming media outlets among the top series characters.{{NoteTag|See: <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/top-10-old-school-mortal-kombat-characters/1 |title=Top 10 Old School Mortal Kombat Characters |first=Anthony |last=Severino |work=[[Game Revolution]]|publisher=[[Mandatory (company)|Mandatory]]|date=February 3, 2011|access-date=December 19, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211073634/http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/top-10-old-school-mortal-kombat-characters/1 |archive-date=February 11, 2015}}</ref><ref name="UGO">{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/mortal-kombat-characters-ermac |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929142713/http://www.ugo.com/games/mortal-kombat-characters-ermac |title= #11: Ermac - Top 50 Mortal Kombat Characters|author = |work=[[UGO Networks]]|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=February 28, 2012 |archive-date=September 29, 2012}}</ref><ref name="DoG">{{cite web|url=http://www.denofgeek.us/games/mortal-kombat/243041/mortal-kombat-ranking-all-the-characters/page/0/5|title=Mortal Kombat: Ranking All the Characters|first=Gavin|last=Jasper|work=[[Den of Geek]]|publisher=DoG Tech LLC|date=July 30, 2019|access-date=February 4, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118065811/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/mortal-kombat-characters-ranked/|archive-date=January 18, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/feature/a663360/the-20-best-mortal-kombat-characters-ranked-but-who-scores-a-flawless-victory/|title=The 20 best Mortal Kombat characters ranked – but who scores a flawless victory?|first=Liam|last=Martin|work=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hearst Communications]]|date=January 2, 2017|access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923102700/http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/feature/a663360/the-20-best-mortal-kombat-characters-ranked-but-who-scores-a-flawless-victory/|archive-date=September 23, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamepressure.com/editorials/mortal-kombat-characters-ranked/zd4cf|title=Mortal Kombat Characters Ranked - Finish Him with Style!|first=Michael|last=Grygorcewicz|work=Gamepressure|date=November 17, 2021|accessdate=April 26, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20211118092918/https://www.gamepressure.com/editorials/mortal-kombat-characters-ranked/zd4cf|archivedate=November 18, 2021}}</ref>}} ''GamesRadar+'' commented in 2014: "This red-clad ninja might not be as iconic as Sub-Zero or Scorpion, but it's hard not to love Ermac for his ... supernatural, [[Sith]]-like powers of telekinesis."<ref name="gamesradarX">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-x-roster/|title=Mortal Kombat X roster|author=|work=[[GamesRadar+]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|date=July 14, 2014|access-date=September 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004105105/http://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-x-roster/|archive-date=October 4, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Gavin Jasper of ''Den of Geek'', in 2015, noted the character's transformation from "just an altered Scorpion/[[Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)|Sub-Zero]] sprite with a lazily-animated psychic attack" to "a floating phantom, surrounded by souls and completely unpredictable. It just goes to show that even the lamest character can be fixed with a good hook." He additionally commented on Ermac's growth in ''Deception'', "where he broke the bonds of [Shao] Kahn ... They [Midway] also made him powerful enough to take on Kung Lao, Kitana, Jax, Sonya, and Johnny Cage all by himself."<ref name="DoG"/> In 2019, [[sociology]] professor Ricardo Cortez Lopes published a study that analyzed the modifications of the ''Deception'' version of Ermac in player-created ''[[Mugen (game engine)|Mugen]]'' game adaptations, and theorized that they influenced [[NetherRealm Studios]]' future iterations of the character.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/41844267/RESSIGNIFICA%C3%87%C3%95ES_DO_VIDEOGAME_MORTAL_KOMBAT_NO_SOFTWARE_MUGEN?sm=b|first=Ricardo|last=Cortez Lopes|title=Resignificações do Videogame Mortal Kombat no Software Mugen|trans-title=Resignifications of the Mortal Kombat Video Game in ''Mugen'' Software|location=[[Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul]]|lang=pt|date=2019|accessdate=October 3, 2023|archive-date=November 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108045911/https://www.academia.edu/41844267/RESSIGNIFICA%C3%87%C3%95ES_DO_VIDEOGAME_MORTAL_KOMBAT_NO_SOFTWARE_MUGEN?sm=b|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref> Ermac's initial ''Mortal Kombat 1'' design revealed in July 2023 received heavy fan criticism due to the omission of his mask,<ref name=Mk1redesign>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/mortal-kombat-1-ermac-gameplay-reveals-character-redesign-following-community-backlash|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Ermac Gameplay Reveals Character Redesign Following Community Backlash|first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole|work=[[IGN]]|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=April 9, 2024|accessdate=April 9, 2024|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409170716/https://www.ign.com/articles/mortal-kombat-1-ermac-gameplay-reveals-character-redesign-following-community-backlash|archivedate=April 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-fans-hate-ermac-design-mk1/|title=Mortal Kombat Fans Hate Ermac's Design In MK1|first=George|last=Foster|work=TheGamer|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=July 22, 2023|accessdate=August 1, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723042618/https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-fans-hate-ermac-design-mk1/|archivedate=July 23, 2023}}</ref> which resulted in NetherRealm adding it to his redesign for his April 2024 playable release.<ref name=Mk1redesign/>
-Ermac's finishing moves have met with critical praise,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jogos.uol.com.br/album/2013/03/26/os-50-melhores-fatalities-de-mortal-kombat.htm|title=Os 50 melhores Fatalities de "Mortal Kombat"|trans-title=Mortal Kombat's top 50 Fatalities|language=pt|work=UGO Jogos|publisher=[[Universo Online]]|date=March 26, 2013|access-date=May 15, 2015|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518100714/http://jogos.uol.com.br/album/2013/03/26/os-50-melhores-fatalities-de-mortal-kombat.htm#fotoNav=31|archive-date=May 18, 2015}} ("#31: In '[[Mortal Kombat: Deception|MK Deception]]', Ermac applies a curious [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)#Hara-Kiri|Hara-Kiri]]: he violently beats his own head against the ground until it explodes.")</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://primagames.com/featured/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-10-1|title=The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 10-1|first=Robert|last=Workman|work=[[Prima Games]]|publisher=[[Gamurs]]|date= April 30, 2014|accessdate=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022185334/https://primagames.com/featured/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-10-1|archivedate=October 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/89071/finish-him-a-mortal-kombat-fatality-retrospective-part-1|title=Finish Him! A Mortal Kombat Fatality retrospective (part 1)|first=Ozzie|last=Meija|work=[[Shacknews]]|publisher=Gamerhub|date=April 13, 2015|accessdate=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022184650/https://www.shacknews.com/article/89071/finish-him-a-mortal-kombat-fatality-retrospective-part-1|archivedate=October 22, 2022}}</ref> particularly his "Pest Control" Fatality from the 2011 ''Mortal Kombat'' reboot, in which he shrinks his opponent and crushes them underfoot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/best-mortal-kombat-finishing-moves-video-game-history/ermac|title=The Best ''Mortal Kombat'' Finishing Moves in Video Game History|first=Kevin|last=Wong|work=[[Complex Networks|Complex]]|publisher=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=December 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007140247/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/best-mortal-kombat-finishing-moves-video-game-history/ermac|archive-date=October 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/04/best-fatalities-from-mortal-kombat-1-and-9.html?p=2|title=The 17 Best Fatalities from ''Mortal Kombat'' 1 & 9|work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|publisher=Wolfgang's Vault|first=Nathan|last=Spicer|date=April 23, 2011|access-date=December 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220102358/http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/04/best-fatalities-from-mortal-kombat-1-and-9.html?p=2|archive-date=December 20, 2013}}</ref><ref name="primagames1">{{cite web|url=http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat/feature/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-50-41|title=The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 50-41|first=Robert|last=Workman|work=[[Prima Games]]|publisher=[[Gamurs]]|date=April 2014|access-date=May 30, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105547/http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat/feature/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-50-41|archive-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamingbolt.com/the-most-brutal-mortal-kombat-fatalities-of-all-time/18|title=The Most Brutal Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time|first=Rohan|last=Philip|work=GamingBolt|date=October 26, 2014|access-date=April 8, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802113908/http://gamingbolt.com/the-most-brutal-mortal-kombat-fatalities-of-all-time/18|archive-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref>  When NetherRealm Studios posted a trailer of the "Inner Workings" Fatality from ''Mortal Kombat X'' on [[YouTube]] in March 2015, it accumulated over 850,000 views in less than a month,<ref name="chicagoreader"/> and has garnered attention for its graphic content.{{NoteTag|See: <ref name="miller"/><ref name="destructoid">{{cite web|url=http://www.destructoid.com/uh-ew-ermac-s-mortal-kombat-fataility-is-disgusting-and-visceral-289136.phtml|title=Uh, ew: Ermac's ''Mortal Kombat X'' Fatality is disgusting and visceral|first=Steven|last=Hansen|work=[[Destructoid]]|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416162402/http://www.destructoid.com/uh-ew-ermac-s-mortal-kombat-fataility-is-disgusting-and-visceral-289136.phtml|archive-date=April 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/16/8227649/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-fatality|title=Watch Ermac's new super gross fatality in ''Mortal Kombat X''|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|date=March 15, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407062915/http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/16/8227649/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-fatality|archive-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=|url=https://archive.org/details/Play_Issue_257_2015_06_Imagine_Publishing_GB_a/page/23/mode/1up|title=Finish Him: Mortal Kombat X Guide|magazine=[[Play (UK magazine)|Play]]|publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]]|date=June 2015|issue=257|page=23 |accessdate=April 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-gruesome-fatalities-in-mortal-kombat-history|title=The most gruesome fatalities in Mortal Kombat history|first=Laura|last=Francis|work=[[TechRadar]]|publisher=[[Future plc]] |date=April 24, 2021|accessdate=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022191313/https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-gruesome-fatalities-in-mortal-kombat-history|archivedate=October 22, 2022}}</ref>}} ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' spotlighted the finisher in an April 2015 article titled "Has ''Mortal Kombat'' Finally Gone Too Far?", describing it as "an act of medieval torture as imagined by [[J. R. R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]."<ref name="chicagoreader"/> Justin Clark of ''GameSpot'' wrote in 2022 that the Fatality "might actually be the most shocking, gory, and disgusting act of surreal horror to ever happen in a video game, let alone the ''Mortal Kombat'' series".<ref name="gamespot">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-years-of-mortal-kombats-best-and-worst-fatalities/2900-4371/#14|title=30 Years Of Mortal Kombat's Best And Worst Fatalities|first=Justin|last=Clark|work=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[Fandom, Inc.]]|date=October 11, 2022|accessdate=October 24, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024185747/https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-years-of-mortal-kombats-best-and-worst-fatalities/2900-4371/|archivedate=October 24, 2022}}</ref>
+Ermac's finishing moves have met with critical praise,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jogos.uol.com.br/album/2013/03/26/os-50-melhores-fatalities-de-mortal-kombat.htm|title=Os 50 melhores Fatalities de "Mortal Kombat"|trans-title=Mortal Kombat's top 50 Fatalities|language=pt|work=UGO Jogos|publisher=[[Universo Online]]|date=March 26, 2013|access-date=May 15, 2015|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518100714/http://jogos.uol.com.br/album/2013/03/26/os-50-melhores-fatalities-de-mortal-kombat.htm#fotoNav=31|archive-date=May 18, 2015}} ("#31: In '[[Mortal Kombat: Deception|MK Deception]]', Ermac applies a curious [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)#Hara-Kiri|Hara-Kiri]]: he violently beats his own head against the ground until it explodes.")</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://primagames.com/featured/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-10-1|title=The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 10-1|first=Robert|last=Workman|work=[[Prima Games]]|publisher=[[Gamurs]]|date= April 30, 2014|accessdate=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022185334/https://primagames.com/featured/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-10-1|archivedate=October 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/89071/finish-him-a-mortal-kombat-fatality-retrospective-part-1|title=Finish Him! A Mortal Kombat Fatality retrospective (part 1)|first=Ozzie|last=Meija|work=[[Shacknews]]|publisher=Gamerhub|date=April 13, 2015|accessdate=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022184650/https://www.shacknews.com/article/89071/finish-him-a-mortal-kombat-fatality-retrospective-part-1|archivedate=October 22, 2022}}</ref> particularly his "Pest Control" Fatality from the 2011 ''Mortal Kombat'' reboot, in which he shrinks his opponent and crushes them underfoot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/best-mortal-kombat-finishing-moves-video-game-history/ermac|title=The Best ''Mortal Kombat'' Finishing Moves in Video Game History|first=Kevin|last=Wong|work=[[Complex Networks|Complex]]|publisher=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=December 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007140247/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/best-mortal-kombat-finishing-moves-video-game-history/ermac|archive-date=October 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/04/best-fatalities-from-mortal-kombat-1-and-9.html?p=2|title=The 17 Best Fatalities from ''Mortal Kombat'' 1 & 9|work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|publisher=Wolfgang's Vault|first=Nathan|last=Spicer|date=April 23, 2011|access-date=December 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220102358/http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/04/best-fatalities-from-mortal-kombat-1-and-9.html?p=2|archive-date=December 20, 2013}}</ref><ref name="primagames1">{{cite web|url=http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat/feature/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-50-41|title=The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 50-41|first=Robert|last=Workman|work=[[Prima Games]]|publisher=[[Gamurs]]|date=April 2014|access-date=May 30, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105547/http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat/feature/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-50-41|archive-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamingbolt.com/the-most-brutal-mortal-kombat-fatalities-of-all-time/18|title=The Most Brutal Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time|first=Rohan|last=Philip|work=GamingBolt|date=October 26, 2014|access-date=April 8, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802113908/http://gamingbolt.com/the-most-brutal-mortal-kombat-fatalities-of-all-time/18|archive-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref>  When NetherRealm Studios posted a trailer of the "Inner Workings" Fatality from ''Mortal Kombat X'' on [[YouTube]] in March 2015, it accumulated over 850,000 views in less than a month,<ref name="chicagoreader"/> and garnered attention for its graphic content.{{NoteTag|See: <ref name="miller"/><ref name="destructoid">{{cite web|url=http://www.destructoid.com/uh-ew-ermac-s-mortal-kombat-fataility-is-disgusting-and-visceral-289136.phtml|title=Uh, ew: Ermac's ''Mortal Kombat X'' Fatality is disgusting and visceral|first=Steven|last=Hansen|work=[[Destructoid]]|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416162402/http://www.destructoid.com/uh-ew-ermac-s-mortal-kombat-fataility-is-disgusting-and-visceral-289136.phtml|archive-date=April 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/16/8227649/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-fatality|title=Watch Ermac's new super gross fatality in ''Mortal Kombat X''|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|date=March 15, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407062915/http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/16/8227649/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-fatality|archive-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=|url=https://archive.org/details/Play_Issue_257_2015_06_Imagine_Publishing_GB_a/page/23/mode/1up|title=Finish Him: Mortal Kombat X Guide|magazine=[[Play (UK magazine)|Play]]|publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]]|date=June 2015|issue=257|page=23 |accessdate=April 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-gruesome-fatalities-in-mortal-kombat-history|title=The most gruesome fatalities in Mortal Kombat history|first=Laura|last=Francis|work=[[TechRadar]]|publisher=[[Future plc]] |date=April 24, 2021|accessdate=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022191313/https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-gruesome-fatalities-in-mortal-kombat-history|archivedate=October 22, 2022}}</ref>}} ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' spotlighted the finisher in an April 2015 article titled "Has ''Mortal Kombat'' Finally Gone Too Far?", describing it as "an act of medieval torture as imagined by [[J. R. R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]."<ref name="chicagoreader"/> Justin Clark of ''GameSpot'' wrote in 2022 that the Fatality "might actually be the most shocking, gory, and disgusting act of surreal horror to ever happen in a video game, let alone the ''Mortal Kombat'' series".<ref name="gamespot">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-years-of-mortal-kombats-best-and-worst-fatalities/2900-4371/#14|title=30 Years Of Mortal Kombat's Best And Worst Fatalities|first=Justin|last=Clark|work=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[Fandom, Inc.]]|date=October 11, 2022|accessdate=October 24, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024185747/https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-years-of-mortal-kombats-best-and-worst-fatalities/2900-4371/|archivedate=October 24, 2022}}</ref>
-Response to his alternate-media incarnations have been negative.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/24/ranking-mortal-kombats-on-screen-adaptations|title=Ranking Mortal Kombat's On-Screen Adaptations|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|date=April 24, 2021|accessdate=April 11, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127032323/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/24/ranking-mortal-kombats-on-screen-adaptations|archivedate=January 27, 2022}}</ref><ref name="newsarama">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/5350-the-all-time-best-and-worst-video-game-movies.html|title=The All-Time Best and Worst VIDEO GAME Movies|first=Seth|last=Robison|work=[[Newsarama]]|publisher=[[Future US]]|date=May 27, 2010|access-date=December 20, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221170557/http://www.newsarama.com/5350-the-all-time-best-and-worst-video-game-movies.html|archive-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> Nathan Birch of ''[[Uproxx]]'' described him in ''Mortal Kombat Annihilation'' as a "forgettable red Scorpion clone" and his fight scene with Sonya in the film as "nondescript".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2015/08/ranking-every-fight-mortal-kombat-movies/|title=The Definitive Ranking Of Every Fight Scene From The '90s 'Mortal Kombat' Movies|first=Nathan|last=Birch|work=[[Uproxx]]|publisher=[[Warner Music Group]]|date=August 20, 2015|access-date=August 25, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822180841/http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2015/08/ranking-every-fight-mortal-kombat-movies/|archive-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref> Carl Lyon of [[Fearnet]] censured the character's design in ''Mortal Kombat: Legacy'' and his role therein as having "little development outside of an opponent ... that gets quickly dispatched",<ref name="fearnet">{{cite web|url=http://www.fearnet.com/news/review/series-review-‘mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2’#sthash.N3zVN42f.dpuf|first=Carl|last=Lyon|work=[[Fearnet]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]|title=Series Review: 'Mortal Kombat Legacy Season 2'|date=October 9, 2013|access-date=December 20, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131221040509/http://www.fearnet.com/news/review/series-review-%E2%80%98mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2%E2%80%99|archive-date=December 21, 2013}}</ref> and while Gavin Jasper of ''Den of Geek'' noted Ermac's "pretty sweet fight scene" with Kenshi, he was also critical of his role in the storyline.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/>
+Response to his alternate-media incarnations has been negative.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/24/ranking-mortal-kombats-on-screen-adaptations|title=Ranking Mortal Kombat's On-Screen Adaptations|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|date=April 24, 2021|accessdate=April 11, 2023|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127032323/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/24/ranking-mortal-kombats-on-screen-adaptations|archivedate=January 27, 2022}}</ref><ref name="newsarama">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/5350-the-all-time-best-and-worst-video-game-movies.html|title=The All-Time Best and Worst VIDEO GAME Movies|first=Seth|last=Robison|work=[[Newsarama]]|publisher=[[Future US]]|date=May 27, 2010|access-date=December 20, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221170557/http://www.newsarama.com/5350-the-all-time-best-and-worst-video-game-movies.html|archive-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> Nathan Birch of ''[[Uproxx]]'' described him in ''Mortal Kombat Annihilation'' as a "forgettable red Scorpion clone" and his fight scene with Sonya in the film as "nondescript".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2015/08/ranking-every-fight-mortal-kombat-movies/|title=The Definitive Ranking Of Every Fight Scene From The '90s 'Mortal Kombat' Movies|first=Nathan|last=Birch|work=[[Uproxx]]|publisher=[[Warner Music Group]]|date=August 20, 2015|access-date=August 25, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822180841/http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2015/08/ranking-every-fight-mortal-kombat-movies/|archive-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref> Carl Lyon of [[Fearnet]] censured the character's design in ''Mortal Kombat: Legacy'' and his role therein as having "little development outside of an opponent ... that gets quickly dispatched",<ref name="fearnet">{{cite web|url=http://www.fearnet.com/news/review/series-review-‘mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2’#sthash.N3zVN42f.dpuf|first=Carl|last=Lyon|work=[[Fearnet]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]|title=Series Review: 'Mortal Kombat Legacy Season 2'|date=October 9, 2013|access-date=December 20, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131221040509/http://www.fearnet.com/news/review/series-review-%E2%80%98mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2%E2%80%99|archive-date=December 21, 2013}}</ref> and while Gavin Jasper of ''Den of Geek'' noted Ermac's "pretty sweet fight scene" with Kenshi, he was also critical of his role in the storyline.<ref name="ermacdenofgeek"/>
 ==See also==