Who Is Cole Young in ‘Mortal Kombat?’ Here’s Everything We Know so Far

Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is a new character to the franchise, but director Simon McQuoid ties him into the mythology of the series with ease. Cole’s powers (in the Mortal Kombat world, known as “arcana”) include body armor and a pair of wicked blades, one for each arm. 

Actor Lewis Tan discusses how Cole’s arcana is tied strongly to his family, who are attacked by Sub-Zero in the film.

Lewis said to Polygon, “[Cole’s arcana was] described to me by [director Simon McQuoid] as a protection over the heritage that runs through the bloodline of Cole Young.” He adds, “In the beginning of the movie, if you look carefully at the basket that his great-great-great grandmother was placed in, you can see though the same webbing/cross-hatching that’s on [Cole’s] suit is the same thing that was on that basket. It’s the same design.”

Cole’s character is also connected to that of Scorpion.

“On top of that, he has a blade, similar to the kunai that [Scorpion] has, that can come out of his arm. And he can use that blade and he can swing it around … His arcana is his family, his bloodline, and his identity,” Lewis adds. “And the whole film, he’s searching for that. So when he finally finds it, not only is it the thing that saves his life and his family, but it’s also deeply connected to his heritage and who he is.”