Blaze and Hornbuckle is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.
Appearances
In the background of The Pit II stage in Mortal Kombat II, there is a character commonly known by fans as '''Hornbuckle''' fighting with another character that appeared to be on fire. The flaming fighter was called "Torch" by fans of the game. In the production of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, it was decided that "Torch" could be made to fit the storyline, and thus became Blaze.
About "Hornbuckle" and Blaze
In Mortal Kombat II, Hornbuckle is the name fans have given to the Liu Kang sprite in the background of The Pit II stage, wearing green pants, opposite the flaming character Blaze. The name 'Hornbuckle' comes from the hints that Jade and Smoke, two secret characters in MKII, would randomly give before matches. One of Jade's hints on the SNES home version was 'Hornbuckle Who'?, and fans took this as the name of the Liu Kang sprite.
The actual meaning to Jade's hint was a reference to someone named 'Leanne Hornbuckle', which appeared in the MKII SNES credits. When asked about the identities of the characters in an online chat, Ed Boon, MK frontman, replied "Liu Kang and Torch." This was before the first playable appearance of Blaze in MKDA, allowing for an official name change from "Torch" into Blaze" later on, but after the Hornbuckle rumors had been established.It is hard to say wether or not this super secret character is in the game. There is no proof he is and I have never got him. So why do I have him up. Well he was in Mortal Kombat II there fore he should be in Mortal Kombat Trilogy.However I do beleive he is in the game, somewhere baried deep beneath the snow.
Blaze's story states that he was ambushed on a bridge by a band of holy men awaiting Onaga's return, and they forced him to guard the last great dragon egg. It was assumed that the "Hornbuckle"/Liu Kang sprite may be one of these holy men, as the situation in the background is similar. However, The Pit II scenario more than likely merely served as inspiration for his backstory. The appearance of the green pants-wearing Liu Kang can be likened to Cyrax's appearance in the Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 desert background - simply an interesting detail with storyline connections (backgrounds in the Mortal Kombat series cannot truly be considered to have actual events taking place as part of the game's plot; Cyrax couldn't very well be in stuck in the desert and fight an enemy in the foreground at the same time).
Blaze himself is an elemental of Outworld (not to be confused with the gods) that embarked on a mysterious quest. The details of Blaze's quest are unknown to date. As his name and appearance suggest, Blaze has some control over fire, though the extent of his abilities remains a mystery. In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Blaze is one of the "Super Unlockables," along with Mokap.
Story
While on a quest in Outworld, Blaze was found by holy men that held loyalty to Onaga. Plans had been made to make Onaga immortal with the use of the last dragon egg, but due to his death (presumably at the hands of Shao Kahn), the egg was kept in incubation until he could be resurrected. The holy men captured Blaze and forced him to guard the egg. However, during the course of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, the chamber of the egg was infiltrated by Cyrax, Nitara, and Reptile. Nitara used Cyrax to reach the chamber, where she separated the vampire realm from Outworld before leaving. Reptile, however, came seeking revenge, and found only the dragon egg. At this, it hatched, sending the essence of Onaga into Reptile, making him the vessel of the returning Dragon King. Thus, Blaze was released from the orders of the holy men and continues on his quest.
Blaze's fate is unknown in Mortal Kombat: Deception. He has since lost his memory and appears only as a non-playable character in Konquest Mode. Blaze technically appeares in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks in the background of the 5th Smoke mission, in which takes place at Pit II.
Fighting styles
Trivia
- Midway could not use the name Torch, because it was already a registered trademark for a character from X-Men.
- Blaze, along with Mokap, was a "Super Unlockable" character in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. He could only be unlocked after completed the lengthy Konquest Mode. To fight as him, you have to hold down and the start button while selecting Raiden.
- Because of his lack of a Fatality, no weapon fighting style, and a poor storyline, Blaze has been considered to be somewhat disappointing and a mid-tier character.