Zuko

"I used to think this scar marked me the mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

- Zuko

Zuko was born into the royal family of the Fire Nation as prince. Even though he would be crown prince, his father and grandfather preffered his much more skilled and cunning sister to him, since he had no other friends he only had his mother for support, who one day disapeared.

When he attended the war council for the first time Zuko spoke out of turn against a general who wanted to use a group of soldiers as bait. Since he spoke out of turn in his father's room, his father took it as an insult and demanded that Zuko partook in a firebending duel. Unaware that his opponent was going to be his own father he accepted. When he realized that he was to fight his own father during the duel, Zuko dropped to his knees and refused to fight his father, who in turn scarred his face and banished him to look for and capture the Avatar to restore his honor.

Battle vs. Shang Tsung (by JWarrior89)
Zuko is riding his Ostrich horse through the mountains. He knows the Avatar is somewhere nearby; he saw his flying bison heading in this direction. Rounding a corner, he sees a large palace off in the distance. Thinking the Avatar might be hiding inside, he urges his mount forward. Upon reaching the entrance to the palace, Zuko dismounts his Ostrich horse and approaches the large front doors. With great effort, he forces them open and heads inside. As he explores the palace halls, he notices something strange; the place seems deserted, yet lit torches adorn the walls. Somebody has to be here... but who?

As he enters the throne room, a voice calls out,

"Enjoying your little tour, boy?"

Zuko stops dead; sitting on the throne is a muscular man with dark hair.

"Who are you?" Zuko asks.

"I am Shang Tsung, and you are trespassing in my palace." the man replies, rising to his feet.

"Sorry," Zuko says, "I meant no disrespect. I was looking for someone. I'll leave now."

He turns to leave, but a noise causes him to look back. With a yell, he ducks to avoid a fireball that just misses his head.

"You're not going anywhere," Shang Tsung says, "I challenge you to Mortal Kombat!"

"Look, buddy," Zuko growls, "I don't know what this so-called Mortal Kombat is, but I don't have time for this!"

"Fight!" Shang Tsung yells, shooting another fireball. Zuko blocks the fireball, extinguishing it. Shang Tsung looks mildly suprised. Zuko runs forward and leaps into the air, performing a spinning kick. A stream of fire shoots out from his foot and flies toward Shang Tsung, who leaps over the flame arc and shoots two fireballs out to either side. The two fireballs form a ring as they curve in midair and fly at Zuko from both sides. Zuko leaps out of the way as the fireballs collide.

Zuko unleashes a flurry of fire blasts from his fists, but Shang Tsung dodges most of them, and blasts the rest in midair with his own fireballs. Zuko draws his dual dao swords, while Shang Tsung draws his straight sword. The two charge each other and engage in a brutal sword battle. Neither opponent can seem to gain an edge, Shang Tsung's experience matched by Zuko's additional blade.

Shang Tsung goes for a downward slash, but Zuko catches the blade with his own swords and kicks Shang Tsung in the stomach, causing him to fall backward and disarming him of his sword. Shang Tsung quickly leaps to his feet. Zuko moves forward, but suddenly Shang Tsung transforms into Kano!

Zuko stops dead, stunned. Shang Tsung/Kano fires his eyebeam, but Zuko is able to roll out of the way. He deflects a second eyebeam blast with his swords and does a sweeping kick, sending another stream of fire at Shang Tsung.

Shang Tsung leaps over the fire again and transforms into Sub-Zero. He fires an ice blast that freezes Zuko solid. He lets out a laugh in victory, but Zuko uses his firebending to melt the ice and free himself.

Frusturated, Shang Tsung transforms again, this time into Scorpion.

"Get over here!" he yells, launching his spear at Zuko, catching him and pulling him forward. Shang Tsung/Scorpion then proceeds to deliver a series of brutal punches and kicks to Zuko's face and chest. Zuko stumbles backward, and Shang Tsung/Scorpion delivers a final uppercut to his chin, launching him into the air and sending him crashing to the floor.

Shang Tsung changes back into his original form and approaches Zuko, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck.

"Your soul is mine!" he says, and holds his other hand above Zuko's chest. His hand starts glowing green, and Zuko can feel his life force being drained away. Suddenly, a noise makes Shang Tsung look up.

"Who are you!?" he says. Without warning, a blast of air blows him back; Zuko falls backward and blacks out.

Zuko wakes up in a cave, sunlight pouring in through the entrance. He tries to get up, but a sharp pain in his chest forces him to lie back down.

"You'd better rest," a young voice says, "you took quite a beating back there."

Zuko looks over; a young boy, looking no older than 12, wearing orange monk robes and completely bald, is watching him from the other wall.

"The Avatar!" Zuko growls, and tries to move again, but the pain once again forces him to lie down.

"I have to get back to my friends, but I'll send someone to help you." Aang says, walking to the cave entrance. He stops, turning to Zuko.

"We don't have to be enemies, you know."

With that, he activates his glider and flies away.

WINNER: SHANG TSUNG

Expert's Opinion
While Zuko was skilled, he was still in his teens. Despite having seen a lot more action than a lot of adults, this was still not comparable to the amount of combat experience Shang Tsung had. Zuko was a powerful fire bender as well, but Shang had collected the souls of almost all of his fallen opponents, and was able to use their magical abilities to his advantage. That, along with his transformation which would really catch Zuko off guard, won him the day.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Hawke (by Goddess of Despair)
Hawke was approaching Gamelan’s house and hears a scream. Hawke sprints to Gamelan’s house and finds Gamelan’s corpse next to the door. She then heard chuckling. She turned to see Shang standing in Gamelan’s house. She drew her staff but before she could cast a spell, Shang launched a flaming skull from his hands, knocking Hawke down the stairs that led to the house. Shang walked casually down the steps and said “Your relative’s soul is more pathetic then I thought.” Hawke used stone fist which Shang dodged and continued talking. “Lets see if the champion of Kirkwall is as powerful as the rumors say.” Hawke used spirit bolt and Shang countered with a flaming skull, which hit the spirit bolt and the skull instantly crumbled to the ground. Shang launched an up skull and transformed into Scorpion. Hawke used haste and before she could launch any projectiles, the up skull crashed onto her leg she was in too much pain to dodge the chain spear hurling towards her, it impaled her chest and Shang yanked her towards him. Shang lifted Hawke by the throat and then stole part of her soul but Hawke kneed his balls causing Shang to drop her. Hawke quickly healed herself as Shang recovered. “You would have gotten far in the mortal kombat tournament, but kicking a man in the balls is a cowards tactic.” Hawke stood and used barrier and rock armor as Shang launched a barrage of flaming skulls at Hawke. Hawke’s defense managed to keep her alive and she laughed at the sorcerer. “You really tried hard to learn how to do that didn’t you?” Shang laughed at Hawke and said “I will show you my real talents.” A ground skull knocked Hawke in the air who prepared to heal herself when she could and before she hit the ground, another ground skull kept her in the air till she was close to Shang. Hawke managed to get to her feet and received a stab to the arm with the jian.? Shang stole another part of Hawke’s soul and shoved her back. Hawke healed herself and said “You will need to do better than that to kill me.” Shang smiled and said “I accept your challenge.” He then transformed into Hawke. Hawke confused at her duplicate. Shang said in a voice identical to hers “How can you beat me if you can’t beat yourself?” Hawke launched a stone fist at Shang who launched a stone fist back at Hawke. The two duplicated one another’s spells back and forth until Hawke used rock armor and charged at Shang with her staff ready. Shang readied barrier and used his replica of Hawke’s staff and the two fought. The two were evenly matched until Hawke used dispel magic which caused Shang to instantly became himself. Shang looked at himself confused and with that time he was thinking Hawke used winter’s grasp and froze most of Shang’s body except his throat and head. Hawke looked at the defenseless sorcerer and asked “Who is your master?” Shang replied “Let me walk and I will introduce you two.” Hawke smashed the ice surrounding Shang’s legs. Shang then walked towards a portal and said “This portal leads to Outworld were Shao Kahn rules.” Winner:Hawke

Epilogue

Hawke kicked Shang into the portal and then entered it herself. She then appeared in in Outworld next to Shang who motioned to a palace. “There is Shao Kahn’s palace, challenge him to mortal kombat if you wish but I promise you his powers are far more powerful than the both of us.” Hawke freed Shang of the ice that bounded him and said “Take me to him.” Shang took Hawke to the palace and said to Shao Kahn “Emperor you have a challenger.” Shao Kahn looked at Shang and said “You failed to bring me her soul, so now I will have yours!” Shao Kahn took all the souls Shang had absorbed and looked at Hawke and said “I am Shao Kahn conquer of worlds, you will taste no victory.”? Hawke readied her staff and prepared to fight.

Expert's Opinion
The voters decided that Hawke won this battle because of her superior and more versatile arsenal of magic spells.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.