Key Highlights:
- The Banished trailer confirms Reptile, Ashrah and Havik as playable Main Fighters in Mortal Kombat 1.
- Reptile can shift between human and reptilian forms, while Ashrah and Havik return with rewritten New Era roles.
- Sareena also appears as a Kameo Fighter, expanding MK1’s separate support roster.
NetherRealm Studios has confirmed Reptile, Ashrah and Havik as playable Main Fighters in Mortal Kombat 1 through the new Banished trailer.
The footage debuted during EVO 2023 and also revealed Sareena as a Kameo Fighter.
Reptile’s confirmation resolves the earlier speculation surrounding his return, which intensified after Warner Bros. Games community manager Cory Taylor described an upcoming trailer as something that would “melt faces”.
The returning fighter is once again known as Syzoth, but Mortal Kombat 1 gives his shapeshifting ability greater prominence. He can appear human before transforming into a larger reptilian form during attacks.
The trailer presents Reptile as an outsider whose unusual ability has separated him from other Zaterrans. Rather than immediately positioning him as an enemy of Earthrealm, the footage shows him travelling alongside Liu Kang and his allies.
I think that is the most significant change to Reptile so far. His acid attacks and reptilian transformations remain recognisable, but his place in the story appears considerably more sympathetic than in many previous timelines.
Ashrah also returns after a long absence from the main series.
She remains a demon from the Netherrealm who has rejected evil and seeks purification. Ashrah fights with an enchanted Kriss dagger, continuing the redemption theme established when she debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Havik completes the three Main Fighter reveals.
The Banished trailer introduces him as an anarchist rebel from Seido, a realm defined by oppressive order. His gameplay reflects that identity through attacks that involve tearing apart and manipulating his own body.
Reptile, Ashrah and Havik continue Mortal Kombat 1’s pattern of giving returning fighters rewritten character histories within Liu Kang’s New Era.
Sareena appears separately as a Kameo Fighter, assisting Havik during combat rather than joining the Main Fighter roster. Her appearance further expands the separate partner-character system introduced alongside Mortal Kombat 1.
The four reveals also broaden the range of Mortal Kombat eras represented in the game. Reptile dates back to the original arcade era, while Ashrah and Havik are both strongly associated with Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Their inclusion gives the Banished trailer a clear focus on fighters who have spent significant time away from the main playable roster.
Reptile, Ashrah and Havik now become part of the growing Main Fighter roster, with additional identities still to be revealed before launch.
