Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie.
The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie established Sub-Zero as a powerful and dangerous combatant, yet it said almost nothing about his background, training, and the source of his fantastic power over the cold. This is strange given how much of the film is devoted to the origin and powers of Sub-Zero's nemesis Scorpion.
Despite being the main villain of the film in many ways, Mortal Kombat reveals surprisingly little about the history of Bi-Han, the man who would become known as Sub-Zero. What little is certain is tied to the opening sequence, in which Bi-Han led several members of his clan, the Lin Kuei, on a mission to kill the ninja Hanzo Hasashi and all of his line. This sets up the infamous rivalry between Sub-Zero and Hanzo Hasashi, whose rage at the death of his family allowed him to harness the fires of Hell, transforming him into Scorpion. However, the circumstances are still somewhat different from the games, where the Lin Kuei were the sworn enemies of Hanzo Hasashi's clan, the Shirai Ryu, and the deaths of Scorpion's family was brought about because of that rivalry rather than a prophecy that the bloodline of Hanzo Hasashi would one day unite the champions of Earth against the invaders from Outworld. This is an important distinction, however, as the source of Sub-Zero's power is tied into the origins of both the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu clans, the latter of which was founded by a rogue member of the Lin Kuei.
In the mythology of the games, the ice powers of the Lin Kuei can be traced back to a race of interdimensional beings known simply as the Cryomancers. Originally native to the paradise realm of Edenia, the Cryomancers were banished to Outworld by Queen Sindel, for reasons that have been lost to time. Whatever their sins and the justification for their banishment, the Cryomancers were largely exterminated during the early days of Shao Khan's reign as Emperor of Outworld. What few Cryomancers remained after this genocide survived only by going into hiding or escaping to other realms, such as Earth, where they interbred with other humanoid species.
The 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot implied that the Lin Kuei's long association with the power of cryomancy stems from their being descended from a Cryomancer who fled to Earth. However, earlier games said that the Lin Kuei reserved the power of cryomancy for only the greatest warriors of their clan. This included Bi-Han, his younger brother, Kuai Liang, and their father, who was known by the codename Hydro. This implies that the ice magic employed by the Lin Kuei is a teachable skill, although it may be one for which their bloodline has a unique affinity. This point was seemingly confirmed by the existence of Frost, the protégé of Kuai Liang, who was recruited into the Lin Kuei and taught the art of cryomancy after she won a tournament held by Kuai Liang after he became the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. However, there's also nothing to rule out Frost having Cryomancer ancestry and her winning the right to be trained in Cryomancy being a happy coincidence.
Given the mythology of the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie and the idea that only chosen champions can manifest supernatural powers while fighting, it is entirely possible that the movie Sub-Zero only has ice powers because of his Arcana, much as the monk Liu Kang was granted a similar mastery over fire by his Arcana. It's also possible that Sub Zero's powers are a result of his connection to Outworld and his pledging himself to the service of Shang Tsung. Hopefully, the question will be answered for certain in a Mortal Kombat sequel, which could introduce Kuai Liang as the heroic Sub-Zero and definitively establish the source of his powers.
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