Jarek
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Jarek is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.
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[edit] About Jarek
First debuting as playable character in Mortal Kombat 4, Jarek was depicted as the brutish and short-tempered second-in-command of the Black Dragon clan.[1] In the games, he initially utilized special moves and fatalities popularized by Kano, a trait later explained by stating that Jarek was once a student of his.[1][2] Jarek's lack of originality has caused him to be labelled as somewhat uninspired character by the Mortal Kombat fanbase. He would later gain his own unique moveset in Armageddon.
[edit] Storyline
Jarek made his first chronological appearance in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. Kano freed him and other Black Dragon members from a United States Special Forces detention facility. Kano had proposed to reform the Black Dragon clan, but in reality merely wished to use them to slow down any Special Forces agents who may have followed him. Jarek was stationed as head of security at a downtown office which the clan was using as a front for their activities.[2] While there, he was confronted by Major Jackson Briggs on the building's helipad. Jarek was soon defeated and brought back into custody.
Shortly before the events of Mortal Kombat 4, Jarek was able to escape to Edenia after learning of Kano's apparent death.[1] Now thought to be the last surviving member of the Black Dragon, he was pursued by Sonya Blade and Jax who were seeking to destroy the last remnants of the clan forever. However, seeing that all of humanity was faced the threat of Shinnok's invasion during this period, they decided to focus their attention on the new threat, and Jarek agreed to help his sworn enemies defeat this common foe.[3] After the destruction of Shinnok's forces, he resisted allowing himself to be turned back into the Special Forces. The encounter concluded with Jarek being dropped off a cliff by Jax.[4]
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon reveals that he survived this brush with death by driving his weapon into the ravine side, slowing down his fall enough so that he only ended up gravely injured. Using his presumed demise as a cover, Jarek went into hiding and began to master new fatality techniques in order to exact revenge on his adversaries. However, he became frustrated with the difficulties that his injuries befell him, and soon he wished to do nothing more than to kill everyone. Quan Chi found Jarek and promised him that, in return for aiding the side of the Forces of Darkness, the sorcerer would give him the ability to enhance the strength and capabilities of his fatalities, and he would be given to chance to challenge all of his foes at once. Jarek agreed and headed into Edenia to take part in the final battle.[5]
In Jarek's Armageddon ending, he defeats Blaze, and the chi from all the other warriors begins to flow through the firespawn and funnel into him. He starts to feel as if Death itself were guiding his actions. Sealing off the crater, Jarek begins to perform the other fighters' own signature fatalities on them, eventually finishing them all.[6]
[edit] Combat characteristics
[edit] Signature moves
- Tri-Blade: Jarek throws a star-shaped exotic blade at his opponent. (MK4, MKG)
- Cannonball Roll: Jarek crunches himself to a ball and hurls himself to his opponent. Jarek also had an vertical version of this attack in which he launched himself upwards. This move was borrowed from Kano. (MK4, MKG)
- Rhino Stomp: Jarek slams his body to ground, creating a small tremor and damaging the opponent. (MK4, MKG, MK:A)
- Lasso Snatch: Jarek snatches a lasso towards the enemy, and if it connects, he brings the enemy over his body and slams him down, making him bounce. (MK:A)
- Tricky Switch: Jarek attempts to grab the enemy, and if successful, he will push him to his side and then kick his back. (MK:A)
- Flying Legs: Anchoring himself to the ground with his rope, Jarek impulses himself feet-first towards his opponent. (MK:A)
[edit] Appearances in other media
[edit] Comic books
Jarek makes a small appearance in the official Mortal Kombat 4 comic that was distributed with some versions of the game. In it, Sonya had tracked him down to the city of Shanghai. After being confronted on a rooftop, Jarek is able to evade Sonya's clutches and escapes on his motorcycle.[7]
[edit] Character development
Jarek's facial appearance was based on Mortal Kombat character designer and modeler Herman Sanchez.[1] Because Jarek had the same moves as Kano, many fans angrily claimed that he is simply Kano in Mortal Kombat 4. This holds some truth since the development team began making 3D models of existing MK fighters and then decided they needed to add some new people as well. Jarek was designed to be the "Kano character."[1] This explains why he shares so many moves with him. The same holds true for Reiko (originally Noob Saibot) and Tanya (originally Kitana). However, Tanya and Reiko had their own original moves, while Jarek only had two (the Tri-Blade and the Rhino Stomp). It is also notable that Jarek is often compared with Kira. The main reason for their comparison is that both are Black Dragon clan members who used moves from Kano. Unlike Jarek, however, Kira has her own set of fatalities and shared some of Sonya's moves as well. In MK4, Jarek was assigned Kano's fatalities, but without an artificial eye like Kano's, he had no viable reason to shoot lasers from his own eyes. This was left anyway and never explained. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Jarek was finally given his own set of moves, thus making him unique from Kano.
The Krypt in Armageddon includes several pieces of concept art relating to Jarek. A sketch of his Lasso Snatch move drawn by Ed Boon reveals that this rope throw was influenced by Scorpion's spear technique.[8] Two possible weapon stances are also shown: one with Jarek holding two leaf swords[9] and the other with him holding two kick axes.[10] The leaf blades were dropped as they did not fit Jarek's unrefined look.[9] In the finished game, he only uses one kick axe.
[edit] Game information
Jarek appeared as the boss of the third level in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. He had the ability to throw blades, taunt, and fire an orb that paralyzed the player if shot. He also makes a cameo appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deception's Konquest mode. In it, Jarek can be found in the Netherealm searching for Oni teeth in order to prove his worth to the Black Dragon clan.[11] However, he simply pays the player as Shujinko to find these for him. Jarek also appear's in Armageddon's Konquest mode during the first training obelisk, representing a generic enemy that the player must fight.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Jarek's Bio Card. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Premium Edition Bonus Disc, Midway Games, 2006.
- ^ a b "Kano's student and head of security for the office building." Messages – Jarek. Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, Midway Games, 2000.
- ^ Jarek's Bio. Mortal Kombat 4, Midway Games, 1997.
- ^ Jax's Ending. Mortal Kombat 4, Midway Games, 1997.
- ^ Jarek's Armageddon bio. Official Mortal Kombat Armageddon website. Retrieved on 2007-02-26.
- ^ Jarek's Ending. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Midway Games, 2006.
- ^ Mortal Kombat 4 Limited Edition Comic Book. 1998, Midway Games.
- ^ Krypt – Jarek Moves Sketch. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Midway Games, 2006.
- ^ a b Krypt – Jarek's Holy Leaf Sketch. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Midway Games, 2006.
- ^ Krypt – Jarek's Axe Sketch. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Midway Games, 2006.
- ^ Jarek: "I'm here to prove to the Black Dragon that I'm the toughest bastard in the clan by pulling teeth out of the jaws of an Oni." Konquest mode. Mortal Kombat: Deception, Midway Games, 2004.
- ^ Argus: "You will meet many foes of great power along your journey. Test your might in Mortal Kombat." Konquest mode. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Midway Games, 2006.
