Ermac

In the diagnostics menu of the 1992 original Mortal Kombat game, an audits screen{{#tag:ref|A screen that displays game statistics and is used to assess a machine's performance.|group="note"}} displayed a macro created by Mortal Kombat co-creator and programmer Ed Boon in order to log coding errors. This practice was employed by series developer Midway Games since their 1990 arcade release Smash TV.{{cite web|url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10255&letter=U|title=Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 - Videogame by Midway Games|work=The International Arcade Museum|publisher=WebMagic Ventures|access-date=May 30, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923173041/http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10255&letter=U|url-status=live}} It was spelled as ERMACS—a pluralized contraction of error macro—as in the number of times the program would execute.{{cite web|url=http://gameological.com/2012/10/interview-mortal-kombat-cocreator-ed-boon|work=The Gameological Society|first=Roger|last=Riddell|title=Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat co-creator|date=October 15, 2012|access-date=November 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706050953/http://gameological.com/2012/10/interview-mortal-kombat-cocreator-ed-boon/|archive-date=July 6, 2015}} In early revisions of the game, it appeared on the audits screen beneath the counter "Shang Tsung Beaten" (in reference to the game's final boss fight). After Boon added the hidden character Reptile to the third revision,{{cite web|url= http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p13.html |title=The History of Mortal Kombat - Mortal Kombat (1992)|work=GameSpot|first1=Jeff|first2=Cliff|last1=Greeson|last2=O'Neill|access-date=December 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021084618/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p13.html|archive-date=2007-10-21}} ERMACS was now listed below the counters "Reptile Appearances" and "Reptile Battles", which provoked players into searching for a second secret character called Ermac.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-creator-explains-how-error-message-spawned-a-new-character/1100-6522474/|title=Mortal Kombat Creator Explains How Error Message Spawned A New Character|first=Jason|last=Fanelli|work=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom, Inc.|date= April 8, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412060827/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-creator-explains-how-error-message-spawned-a-new-character/1100-6522474/|archive-date=April 12, 2024}}

Midway removed the ERMACS listing from the game's fifth and final update in March 1993, but speculation about the character intensified after Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) published a submitted screenshot from the game and a letter from "Tony Casey" that claimed he had played against a red ninja named Ermac and taken a Polaroid of the screen as evidence.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20051%20%28October%201993%29/page/n99/mode/1up?view=theater|title=Tricks of the Trade: Most Wanted Trick|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=EGM Media, LLC|issue=51|date=October 1993|page=98|access-date=November 22, 2013}} Unbeknownst to the magazine, the photo was a doctored image of yellow ninja character Scorpion in the "Warrior Shrine" stage from the Super Nintendo version of the game that was tinted red with the added caption "Ermac Wins". Reader responses contained varied complex instructions for accessing the character.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20053%20%28December%201993%29/page/n150/mode/1up?view=theater|title=EGM Cheat Sheet: Most Wanted Trick Answers|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=EGM Media, LLC|issue=53|date=December 1993|page=142-146|access-date=November 22, 2013}} With the still-nonexistent Ermac now visualized as a red ninja, players then claimed sightings of a random glitch that would cause the game's ninja characters' graphics to flash red, with "Error Macro" or "Ermac" replacing their name in their energy bar,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bROKVBAwRYw|title=PopFiction Episode 26: I AM ERMAC|work=GameTrailers|publisher=IGN|date=September 1, 2012|access-date=October 31, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110011024/http://www.gametrailers.com/full-episodes/xwhtg7/pop-fiction-episode-26--i-am-ermac|archive-date=November 10, 2013|via=YouTube}} but such an occurrence was not possible as the macro counter could not increase in the event of a genuine glitch while no red palette for the character existed.

A scrambled message was included in the ending of the 1993 sequel Mortal Kombat II that read "Ermac does not exist", but neither Boon nor Midway marketing director Roger Sharpe denied outright the character's presence in the game.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/game-pro-issue-54-january-1994/page/n37/mode/1up?view=theater|title=Hot at the Arcades Special: Mortal Kombat II Interview|first=Manny|last=LaMancha|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG, Inc.|issue=54|volume=4|date=January 1994|page=34}} In October 1995, two years after the EGM incident, Ermac was added to the selectable roster of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (an expansion of Mortal Kombat 3), as the developers felt that he had transformed from myth to urban legend and therefore warranted his inclusion in the series. In 2011, Boon clarified the rumors on Twitter,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/noobde/status/24679866951536640|title=Cuz he wasn't a character he was a macro I wrote for catching code errors/traps.|author=Ed Boon (@noobde)|publisher=Twitter|date=January 10, 2011|access-date=November 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304200007/https://twitter.com/noobde/status/24679866951536640 |archive-date=March 4, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://twitpic.com/68jc1m |title=The TRUE origin of Ermac|author=Ed Boon (@noobde)|publisher=Twitter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222163735/http://twitpic.com/68jc1m|archive-date=February 22, 2014|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=December 15, 2013}} and said he had kept the meaning of the ERMACS listing secret in hopes of stirring up fan speculation about the character.

Midway alluded to the rumors and EGM hoax in subsequent Mortal Kombat games and related media. Ermac appeared on one panel in a Mortal Kombat II comic book prequel that was written and illustrated by series co-creator John Tobias.{{cite book|title=Mortal Kombat II Kollector's Edition Comic Book |page=21|first=John|last=Tobias|author-link=John Tobias|publisher=Midway Games|date=1994}}{{cite tweet|user=therealsaibot|first=John|last=Tobias|number= 126157779026194432 |title=The red LinKuei in the MK2comic is Ermac b4 he existed in game|date=October 17, 2011|access-date=December 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304200009/https://twitter.com/therealsaibot/status/126157779026194432 |archive-date=March 4, 2014}} Mortal Kombat: Deception's training mode contained a message that read, "It is a little-known fact that 'Ermac' is short for 'Error Macro'",{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat: Deception |developer=Midway Games |publisher= Midway Games|date=2004|level=Training mode}} an homage to his origins that was revived in Mortal Kombat X for a pre-match introduction sequence between Ermac and series newcomer Takeda.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X|developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher=Warner Bros. Games|date=2015|level=Ermac–Takeda match introduction}} (Takeda: "Error Macro." / Ermac: "We are Ermac." / Takeda: "We're not impressed.") He was an Easter egg boss hidden at the Warrior Shrine level in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, a 2005 beat 'em up spinoff title that spans the events of Mortal Kombat II.{{Harvnb|Bell|Van Stone|2005}} Skarlet, a nonexistent female ninja character from MKII with a similar background, was included by NetherRealm Studios (formerly Midway Games) as a playable character in the 2011 reboot game in what the company considered a second instance of turning fan rumors into reality.{{cite web|url=http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/07/22/ed-boon-talks-freddy-krueger-in-mortal-kombat-secret-origins-of-dlc-characters/|title=Ed Boon Talks Freddy Krueger in Mortal Kombat, Secret Origins of DLC Characters|first=Sid|last=Shulman|work=PlayStation.Blog|date=July 22, 2011|access-date=February 9, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331130449/http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/07/22/ed-boon-talks-freddy-krueger-in-mortal-kombat-secret-origins-of-dlc-characters/|archive-date=March 31, 2014}} In 2024, following Ermac's playable release for Mortal Kombat 1, Boon commented, "We never would have guessed this red ninja with a ridiculous name would end up such a big part of Mortal Kombat{{'}}s history and still be kicking over 30 years later ... he has a full story [and] history and is part of the MK lore."

Ermac debuted in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 as one of three hidden unlockable characters, and was the only character who had not appeared in any previous series games.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/game-informer-issue-37-may-1996/page/n46/mode/1up|title=Ultimate MK3 on Sega Saturn|volume=6|journal=Game Informer|publisher=Sunrise Publications|date=May 1996|issue=37|page=45|access-date=February 12, 2025}} As a palette-swapped character, he was physically identical to the game's other male ninjas save for his red coloring and darker skin tone,{{cite video game|title=Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3|level=Closing credits|date=1995|developer=Midway Games|publisher=Midway Games}} while he shared their special moves and in-game poses. For his return in the three-dimensional title Mortal Kombat: Deception, Ermac was given a distinct redesign by Steve Beran, the series' lead character designer and art director.{{cite web|url=http://www.kamidogu.com/features/steve-beran-interview/|title=Steve Beran Interview|first1=Steve|last1=Beran|first2=Christopher|last2=Veljanovski|work=Kamidogu|date=March 28, 2006|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810005813/http://www.kamidogu.com/features/steve-beran-interview/|archive-date=August 10, 2014}} Beran explained that the "challenge" of revamping old characters was to give them a fresh look from their previous incarnations while retaining elements that still made them recognizable to players. Ermac's main fighting style in MK: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is Choy Lay Fut,{{cite web|url=http://cube.gamespy.com/gamecube/mortal-kombat-deception/guide/page_12.html|title=Mortal Kombat: Deception Walkthrough & Strategy Guide|work=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|date=January 20, 2005|access-date=January 21, 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925045645/http://cube.gamespy.com/gamecube/mortal-kombat-deception/guide/page_12.html |archive-date=September 25, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/mortal-kombat-armageddon-tba/guide/page_10.html#ermac|title=Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Walkthrough & Strategy Guide|work=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|date=January 7, 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016210440/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/mortal-kombat-armageddon-tba/guide/page_10.html|archive-date=October 16, 2015|access-date=January 21, 2025}} a martial art that specializes, as depicted in his Deception ending, in warding off multiple attackers.{{harvnb|Wong Kiew-kit|1996}} His Deception design was maintained for the 2011 reboot game but with an increased black palette.

For Mortal Kombat X, Ermac was designed with a more emaciated appearance with his mask exposing more of his face and revealing decaying skin as the result of his losing control of the souls inside his body, with a metal talisman modeled after his Deception design affixed to his chest in order to keep his physical form intact.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X|developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2015 |level=The Krypt: Ermac concept art}}{{#tag:ref|"Shao Kahn's living prison, Ermac, represents what remains of his master's legacy in MKX. The construct's form is not holding up well under the current of time. We wanted to show signs of rot, of a loosening grip on the contained souls. ... [His] costume was designed to showcase an imperial authority, while hearkening back to his appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deception, showcasing their chest design from that game now bolted into the chest, holding the construct together."|group="note"}} The talisman initially covered his face, "securely nailed deep into the skull", in concept artwork by character artist Justin Murray. Early designs by Murray had Ermac unmasked with a stockier figure and solid black palette.{{cite web|url=http://shoryuken.com/2015/05/13/mortal-kombat-x-artist-shares-early-ermac-concepts/|title=Mortal Kombat X Artist Shares Early Ermac Concepts|first=Franz|last=Co|work=Shoryuken|date=May 13, 2015|access-date=October 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215193746/http://shoryuken.com/2015/05/13/mortal-kombat-x-artist-shares-early-ermac-concepts/|archive-date=February 15, 2018}} His play style was split into three fighting variations along with the game's other playable characters.{{cite web|url=http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat-x/tips/mortal-kombat-x-how-play-ermac-combos-and-strategies|title=Mortal Kombat X—How to Play Ermac: Combos and Strategies|first=Bryan|last=Dawson|work=Prima Games|publisher=Gamurs|date=April 29, 2015|access-date=May 19, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520072304/http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat-x/tips/mortal-kombat-x-how-play-ermac-combos-and-strategies|archive-date=May 20, 2015}} His "Inner Workings" Fatality (a finishing move that executes defeated opponents) in the game has him levitate his opponent, break their spine in midair, and then extract their gastrointestinal tract from their mouth. The finisher was conceived by lead game designer John Edwards: "People were like, 'That's hilarious and disgusting.' I'm pretty proud of it."{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mortal-kombat-netherrealm-ed-boon-john-tobias/Content?oid=17244090|title=Has Mortal Kombat finally gone too far?|first=Ryan|last=Smith|work=Chicago Reader|date=April 9, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409162110/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mortal-kombat-netherrealm-ed-boon-john-tobias/Content?oid=17244090|archive-date=April 9, 2015}} The sound effects used to depict the graphic violence of his finishers were created with slime and a plunger.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/here-s-how-they-get-the-gross-mortal-kombat-x-fatality-sounds-3415010|title=Here's how they get the gross Mortal Kombat X Fatality sounds|first=Tatiana|last=Morris|work=GameZone|date=April 1, 2015|access-date=October 15, 2017|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723180255/https://www.gamezone.com/news/here-s-how-they-get-the-gross-mortal-kombat-x-fatality-sounds-3415010/|url-status=live}} Ermac first appeared in Mortal Kombat 1 as a non-playable character in the game's story mode upon its September 2023 release, and then made available to players in April 2024 as part of a "Kombat Pack" of downloadable characters.{{cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/mortal-kombat-1-reveals-first-good-look-at-invincibles-omni-man/|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Reveals First Good Look At Invincible's Omni-Man|first=Gavin|last=Sheehan|work=Bleeding Cool|publisher=Avatar Press|date=October 14, 2023|access-date=October 17, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017190217/https://bleedingcool.com/games/mortal-kombat-1-reveals-first-good-look-at-invincibles-omni-man/|archive-date=October 17, 2023}} His design retained his black-and-red palette and ashen skin complexion from MKX, but with minimal armor and no mask,{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/23803708/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-pack-homelander-peacemaker-dlc|title=Here's a first look at Homelander and Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media|date=July 21, 2023|access-date=July 21, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805002153/https://www.polygon.com/23803708/mortal-kombat-1-kombat-pack-homelander-peacemaker-dlc|archive-date=August 5, 2023}} while he was unmasked throughout the story mode. A mask and other costume enhancements were added to his design for his playable release.

Ermac's signature gameplay attribute throughout his series tenure is his telekinesis, which is visualized onscreen through his spiritual powers.{{cite web|url=https://www.vg247.com/2015/01/29/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-announced/|title=Ermac joins Mortal Kombat X cast|first=Brenna|last=Hillier|work=VG247|publisher=Videogaming247 Ltd.|date=January 29, 2015|access-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012212257/https://www.vg247.com/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-announced|archive-date=October 12, 2022}} The "Telekinetic Slam" (later renamed "Force Lift") has him levitate his opponents and then throw them onto the ground. Ed Boon considered Ermac one of the strongest characters in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 based on the move, which he considered one of his overall favorites in the series.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_CQDj3hxJQ|author=Ed Boon|author-link=Ed Boon|display-authors=etal|title=Mortal Kombat Biography Card: Ermac|work=Mortal Kombat: Armageddon|publisher=Midway Games|date=2006|access-date=December 31, 2024|via=YouTube}} In a feature published on Xbox Wire, NetherRealm Studios design manager Nick Nicastro said that the improved software capabilities available for Mortal Kombat 1 since Ermac's last appearance in Mortal Kombat X enabled the developers to enhance the visual effects of his soul powers and special moves, which he described as "leaning heavily into certain horror inspirations" in that the character "has been haunted by unique souls he has captured throughout his existence".{{cite web|url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/04/16/how-ermac-made-his-grand-return-in-mortal-kombat-1/|title=How the Legendary Kombatant Ermac Made His Grand Return in Mortal Kombat 1|first=Nick|last=Nicastro|work=Xbox Wire|publisher=Microsoft Gaming|date=April 15, 2024|access-date=July 8, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417020228/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/04/16/how-ermac-made-his-grand-return-in-mortal-kombat-1/|archive-date=April 17, 2024}}

Ermac was played by actor John Turk in the digitized games Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and the 1996 compilation title Mortal Kombat Trilogy. He was voiced by Michael McConnohie in the 2011 reboot, and by Jamieson Price in Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 1.

Introduced in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Ermac was created to serve as an enforcer for Shao Kahn, the tyrannical ruler of the otherworldly dimension of Outworld. A hybrid entity created from the souls of deceased warriors, he possesses telekinesis and uses plural pronouns.{{cite video game|title=Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3|date=1995|level=Ermac biography|developer=Midway Games|publisher=Midway Games}}{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat: Deception|level=Ermac biography|date=2004|developer=Midway Games|publisher=Midway Games}} Following his creation, he takes part in Shao Kahn's invasion of Earth and the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p10.html |title=The History of Mortal Kombat: The Beginning of the End |work=GameSpot|first=Jeff|last1=Greeson |first2=Cliff|last2=O'Neill |date=October 21, 2007 |access-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020220040632/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p10.html |archive-date=February 20, 2002}}

In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), following Shao Kahn's apparent death at the hands of the titular alliance of evil sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, Ermac aimlessly wanders Outworld without orders until he encounters the blind swordsman Kenshi, who frees Ermac from Kahn's control, and Ermac hones Kenshi's telekinetic power in return.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance |developer=Midway Games |date=November 22, 2002|level=Training mode sequence}} ("Kenshi sympathized with the plight of the enigmatic kombatant, Ermac. The Outworld warrior spirits that had manifested themselves in the form of a ninja had been violated by Shao Kahn in much the same way that Kenshi's ancestors had been enslaved by Shang Tsung. Kenshi was taught the Telekinetic Slam by Ermac in return for freeing him from the control of the emperor.") In Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004), Ermac reforms to atone for his work with Kahn by aiding the spirit of the deceased Liu Kang in successfully freeing the latter's friends from their enslavement by the Dragon King Onaga. He is not in the storyline of the compilation title Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), but in the game's opening sequence, he joins Earth's warriors in participating in a battle to claim the elemental Blaze's godlike power.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat: Armageddon |developer=Midway Games|date=October 9, 2006|level=Opening cinematic sequence}}

After Earth defender Raiden alters the timeline to avert the events of Armageddon in the reboot title Mortal Kombat (2011), Ermac returns to being Shao Kahn's enforcer,{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X|date=2015|developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher=Warner Bros. Games|level=Ermac biography}} and is defeated in the first Mortal Kombat tournament by eventual champion Liu Kang. He obliterates Jax's arms, causing Jax to receive bionic implants. His ending reveals that one of the souls trapped inside his being is that of King Jerrod, Kitana's father and former ruler of Edenia. In Mortal Kombat X (2015), following Shao Kahn's death, Ermac initially serves the former's successor, Mileena, before defecting to Kotal Kahn due to Mileena not being Shao Kahn's biological daughter.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X |developer=NetherRealm Studios |publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2015 |level=Chapter 6: D'Vorah}} He joins Reptile, Erron Black, and Ferra/Torr in serving Kotal Kahn as they conflict with Cassie Cage's Special Forces unit in their attempt to protect their home realm of Outworld from Shinnok's forces.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat X |developer=NetherRealm Studios |publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2015 |level=Chapter 11: Jacqui Briggs}} Ermac was omitted from Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), but makes a brief appearance in the game's "Krypt" feature.

In the rebooted storyline of Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), Ermac is again an assimilation of souls, now created by Quan Chi.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/mortal-kombat-1-shows-off-soul-powered-dlc-fighter-ermac-in-new-gameplay-trailer|title= Mortal Kombat 1 shows off soul-powered DLC fighter Ermac in new trailer|first=Matt|last=Wales|work=Eurogamer| publisher=Gamer Network|date=April 9, 2024|access-date=January 7, 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409215044/https://www.eurogamer.net/mortal-kombat-1-shows-off-soul-powered-dlc-fighter-ermac-in-new-gameplay-trailer|archive-date=April 9, 2024}} He overpowers a group of Earth defenders upon his completion but is weakened after Kenshi absorbs several of the souls into his sword to unleash its power, leading to his defeat by Ashrah.{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat 1 |developer=NetherRealm Studios |publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2023 |level=Chapter 6: Upward Climb (Ashrah)}} His later defeat in combat by Mileena enables Jerrod's soul to assume control of Ermac's body, and he reunites with his former queen Sindel and family before joining the fight to protect Earth and Outworld. After Sindel is slain during battle with Shang Tsung's forces,{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat 1 |developer=NetherRealm Studios|publisher= Warner Bros. Games|date=2023 |level=Chapter 12: Queen's Gambit (Mileena)}} Jerrod absorbs her soul and appoints his daughter Mileena as the new Outworld empress.

File:ErmacMKLegacy2.jpg, which made significant changes to the character's in-game designs]]

Ermac appeared in two episodes of the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm.{{cite AV media|title=Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm |date=1996|publisher=Threshold Entertainment and Film Roman|medium=Animated series}} (Episodes 12 & 13: "Abandoned" and "Overthrown") He has a minor role as one of Shao Kahn's henchmen in the 1997 feature film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, played by assistant stunt coordinator John Medlen and identified only in the closing credits.{{cite AV media|title=Mortal Kombat Annihilation|publisher=New Line Cinema and Threshold Entertainment|date=1997|medium=Motion picture|people=John R. Leonetti (director)}} Although the script and print media publications mentioned his telekinetic powers,Brent V. Friedman and Bryce Zabel, Mortal Kombat Annihilation, first draft (May 22, 1996), p. 1.{{cite magazine|last=Reid|first= Dr. Craig R.|title= Mortal Kombat Annihilation: Behind the Scenes at the New Hollywood Blockbuster|magazine=Black Belt|volume= 36|issue= 1|page=83|date=January 1998}}{{cite web|url=http://www.craphound.com/nonfic/mkii.html|title=Immortal Kombat|first=Cory|last=Doctorow|author-link=Cory Doctorow|work=Sci Fi magazine|via=Craphound.com|date=December 1997|access-date=December 14, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722173001/http://craphound.com/nonfic/mkii.html|archive-date=July 22, 2015}} they were omitted from the film.

His association with Kenshi in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was loosely adapted for the 2013 second season of the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, in which he is a decaying, hooded demon who guards the "sword of Sento" under Shao Kahn's orders and strikes Kenshi blind as the latter takes the sword. Ermac then battles Kenshi in the Mortal Kombat tournament in an attempt to repossess the sword before Kenshi kills him with it.{{cite AV media|title=Mortal Kombat Legacy II|date=2013|medium=Web series|number= 3-4|people=Kevin Tancharoen (director)|publisher=Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment}} (Episodes 4 & 5: "Kenshi's Origin" and "Kenshi Encounters Ermac") He was played by stuntman and martial artist Kim Do Nguyen,{{cite web|url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/09/26/interview-director-kevin-tancharoen-gives-us-something-new-with-mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2/|title=Interview: Director Kevin Tancharoen Gives Us Something New with Mortal Kombat: Legacy Season 2|first=Charles|last=Webb|work=MTV Multiplayer|publisher=Paramount Global|date=September 26, 2013|access-date=June 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407183932/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/09/26/interview-director-kevin-tancharoen-gives-us-something-new-with-mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2/|archive-date=April 7, 2015}} with his makeup designed by Christien Tinsley.

Ermac appears in the Mortal Kombat Annihilation novelization,{{harvnb|Preisler|1997}} and in DC Comics' 2015 Mortal Kombat X prequel comic miniseries.{{cite comic|title=Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties|writer=Shawn Kittelsen |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=April 14, 2015 |publisher=DC Comics |id={{ISBN|1-4012-5708-9}}}} The character has been licensed for action figures,{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/cyborgs-ninjas-dominate-jazwares-new-mortal-kombat-toys/|title=Cyborgs, ninjas dominate Jazware's new Mortal Kombat toys|first=Nick|last=Chester|work=Destructoid|publisher=Gamurs|date=2011|access-date=October 25, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025222108/https://www.destructoid.com/cyborgs-ninjas-dominate-jazwares-new-mortal-kombat-toys/|archive-date=October 25, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://toynewsi.com/431-31217|title=2018 SDCC Storm Collectibles 1:12 Mortal Kombat Ermac Figure Preview|first=Jay|last=Cochran|work=Toy News International|date=June 11, 2018|access-date=April 12, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517134343/https://toynewsi.com/431-31217|archive-date=May 17, 2022}} a life-sized standee,{{cite web|url=http://advancedgraphics.com/product/ermac/|title=Ermac 70" cardboard cutout|work=Advanced Graphics|date=2011|access-date=December 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222051042/http://advancedgraphics.com/product/ermac/|archive-date=February 22, 2014}} and an eighteen-inch limited-edition polystone statue.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/06/mortal-kombats-deadly-statues|title=Mortal Kombat's Deadly Statues|first=David|last=McCutcheon|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=December 6, 2011|access-date=February 25, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320044833/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/06/mortal-kombats-deadly-statues|archive-date=March 20, 2014}}

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Ermac's origins as a glitch and rumored character are considered a memorable urban legend in video games.{{NoteTag|Sources: {{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/originals/112-top-10-old-school-mortal-kombat-characters|title=Top 10 Old School Mortal Kombat Characters |first=Anthony |last=Severino |work=Game Revolution|publisher=Mandatory|date=February 3, 2011|access-date=December 19, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211073634/http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/top-10-old-school-mortal-kombat-characters/1 |archive-date=February 11, 2015}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_289/8550-Digital-Serendipity.2|title=Digital Serendipity|first=William|last=Bloodworth|magazine=The Escapist|publisher=Defy Media|date=April 18, 2011|access-date=May 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518094532/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_289/8550-Digital-Serendipity.2|archive-date=May 18, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/sports/kofi-kingston-talks-his-10-favorite-video-games-plus-his-pick-for-a-movie-version-of-master-chief/|title=Kofi Kingston Talks His 10 Favorite Video Games (Plus His Pick for a Movie Version of Master Chief)|first=Reyan|last=Ali|work=Uproxx|publisher=Warner Music Group|date=April 4, 2013|access-date=November 7, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412043856/https://uproxx.com/sports/kofi-kingston-talks-his-10-favorite-video-games-plus-his-pick-for-a-movie-version-of-master-chief/|archive-date=April 12, 2021}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/massappeal40/page/19/mode/1up|title=Best Arcade Fighting Games|first=Annmarie|last=Donnegan|magazine=Mass Appeal Magazine|publisher=Mass Appeal|issue=40|date=2006|page=19}}{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a812083/biggest-game-myths-busted/|title=10 biggest game myths BUSTED, from Bigfoot to brainwashing|first=Sam|last=Loveridge|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Communications|date=October 26, 2016|access-date=November 7, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428073549/https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a812083/biggest-game-myths-busted/|archive-date=April 28, 2023}}}} GamesRadar+ executive editor Eric Bratcher credited the Electronic Gaming Monthly hoax with Ermac's addition to the Mortal Kombat series.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/egm-gone-but-not-forgotten/|title=EGM: Gone but not forgotten|work=GamesRadar+|publisher=Future plc|first=Eric|last=Bratcher|date=June 23, 2012|access-date=December 18, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306093036/http://www.gamesradar.com/egm-gone-but-not-forgotten/|archive-date=March 6, 2014}} Rudie Obias of Mental Floss and Yannick LeJacq of Kotaku considered it the result of fans' enthusiasm for the character.{{cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/53601/8-video-game-hoaxes-debunked|title=8 Video Game Hoaxes, Debunked|first=Rudie|last=Obias|work=Mental Floss|publisher=Dennis Publishing|date=November 13, 2013|access-date=September 4, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906065934/http://mentalfloss.com/article/53601/8-video-game-hoaxes-debunked|archive-date=September 6, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/five-gaming-rumors-that-were-too-good-to-stay-fake-1656825450|title=Five Gaming Rumors That Were Too Good to Stay Fake|first=Yannick|last=LeJacq|work=Kotaku|publisher=G/O Media|date=November 10, 2014|access-date=October 31, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124132955/https://kotaku.com/five-gaming-rumors-that-were-too-good-to-stay-fake-1656825450|archive-date=January 24, 2022}} Steve Watts of 1Up.com commented that supposed video-game glitches like Ermac "go on to live as legends until the creators have no choice but to make it a reality."{{cite web|url=https://www.1up.com/features/best-video-game-glitches?pager.offset=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140205033707/http://www.1up.com/features/best-video-game-glitches?pager.offset=1|archive-date=February 5, 2014 |title=The Top 10 Iconic Glitches|work=1UP.com|publisher=IGN|first=Steve |last=Watts |date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=December 13, 2013 }} The staff of GameTrailers unsuccessfully attempted to access Ermac in the first game, per the reader instructions published in EGM, in an episode of their PopFiction web series that premiered at PAX Prime 2012. In his study Immersion and Worldbuilding in Videogames, Edin Omeragiċ of the University of Osijek stated that Ermac's inclusion was "especially immersive for the way it includes end users into the process, with developers seemingly relinquishing control over their world for a moment and making their fans feel as if they also had a hand in its creation."{{harvnb|Omeragiċ|2019}}

Critical reaction to Ermac's series debut was negative.{{cite web|url=http://www.denofgeek.us/games/mortal-kombat/243041/mortal-kombat-ranking-all-the-characters/page/0/5|title=Mortal Kombat: Ranking All the Characters|first=Gavin|last=Jasper|work=Den of Geek|publisher=DoG Tech LLC|date=July 30, 2019|access-date=February 4, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118065811/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/mortal-kombat-characters-ranked/|archive-date=January 18, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/01/what-we-want-in-mortal-kombat|title=What We Want in Mortal Kombat|first1=Phil|first2=Jesse|last1=Pirrello|last2=Schedeen|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=September 30, 2011|access-date=January 6, 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106073109/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/01/what-we-want-in-mortal-kombat|archive-date=November 6, 2012}} While he and Mortal Kombat's digitized ninjas made GamePro{{'}}s selection of the best palette-swapped video game characters,{{cite magazine |first=Aaron |last=Koehn |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/208570/17-best-palette-swapped-characters/ |title=Palette Swapping: 17 Games that Did it Right |magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG|date=January 13, 2009 |access-date= January 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208102954/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/208570/17-best-palette-swapped-characters/|archive-date=December 8, 2009}} Game Informer{{'}}s Dan Ryckert stated that he did not want these characters, aside from Scorpion and Sub-Zero, in future series installments.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/06/21/who-we-want-and-dont-want-in-the-new-mortal-kombat.aspx?PostPageIndex=2&PageIndex=4|title=Who We Want (And Don't Want) In The New Mortal Kombat|first=Dan|last=Ryckert|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|date=June 21, 2010|access-date=February 4, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304234940/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/06/21/who-we-want-and-dont-want-in-the-new-mortal-kombat.aspx?PostPageIndex=2&PageIndex=4|archive-date=March 4, 2016}} Journalist Jeff Gerstmann called the unlocking of Ermac in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 "a hassle".{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3-review/1900-6160351/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616084502/http://www.gamespot.com/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3/reviews/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3-review-6160351 |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |title= Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Review|first=Jeff|last=Gerstmann|author-link=Jeff Gerstmann|work=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=October 23, 2006 |access-date=July 6, 2014}} Author David Church noted the "poorly balanced" gameplay of Ermac and other hidden characters who became playable in "completist" titles like UMK3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, while "their backstories seem[ed] tacked onto the increasingly sprawling story world."{{harvnb|Church|page=31|2022}}

Following his redesigns and roles in Mortal Kombat: Deception and thereafter, Ermac received positive reception for his development,{{NoteTag|Sources: {{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/review-mortal-kombat-x-290360.phtml|title=Review: Mortal Kombat X: Still not ready for a series Fatality|first=Chris|last=Carter|work=Destructoid|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=October 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330010243/http://www.destructoid.com/review-mortal-kombat-x-290360.phtml|archive-date=March 30, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-every-ninja-ranked-worst-best/|title=Mortal Kombat: Every Ninja Ranked From Worst To Best|first=Leon|last=Miller|work=Screen Rant|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=October 6, 2017|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022175735/https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-every-ninja-ranked-worst-best/|archive-date=October 22, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-ermac-villain-to-anti-hero/|title=Mortal Kombat: Ermac's Journey From Villain To Anti-Hero|first=Nicholas|last=Brooks|work=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=April 12, 2021|access-date=September 20, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920230433/https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-ermac-villain-to-anti-hero/|archive-date=September 20, 2022}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/23/the-ultimate-scientific-ranking-of-every-playable-mortal-kombat-character|title=The Ultimate Scientific Ranking Of Every Playable Mortal Kombat Character|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|date=April 23, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031191903/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/23/the-ultimate-scientific-ranking-of-every-playable-mortal-kombat-character|archive-date=October 31, 2022}}}} and was rated by gaming media outlets among the top series characters.{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/mortal-kombat-characters-ermac |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929142713/http://www.ugo.com/games/mortal-kombat-characters-ermac |title= #11: Ermac - Top 50 Mortal Kombat Characters|author = |work=UGO Networks|publisher=IGN|date=February 28, 2012 |archive-date=September 29, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/feature/a663360/the-20-best-mortal-kombat-characters-ranked-but-who-scores-a-flawless-victory/|title=The 20 best Mortal Kombat characters ranked – but who scores a flawless victory?|first=Liam|last=Martin|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Communications|date=January 2, 2017|access-date=October 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923102700/http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/feature/a663360/the-20-best-mortal-kombat-characters-ranked-but-who-scores-a-flawless-victory/|archive-date=September 23, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamepressure.com/editorials/mortal-kombat-characters-ranked/zd4cf|title=Mortal Kombat Characters Ranked - Finish Him with Style!|first=Michael|last=Grygorcewicz|work=Gamepressure|date=November 17, 2021|access-date=April 26, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211118092918/https://www.gamepressure.com/editorials/mortal-kombat-characters-ranked/zd4cf|archive-date=November 18, 2021}} GamesRadar+ commented, "This red-clad ninja might not be as iconic as Sub-Zero or Scorpion, but it's hard not to love Ermac for his ... supernatural, Sith-like powers of telekinesis."{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-x-roster/|title=Mortal Kombat X roster|author=|work=GamesRadar+|publisher=Future plc|date=July 14, 2014|access-date=September 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004105105/http://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-x-roster/|archive-date=October 4, 2014}} Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek noted the character's transformation from "just an altered Scorpion/Sub-Zero sprite" to "a floating phantom, surrounded by souls and completely unpredictable." Jasper additionally commented on Ermac's growth in Deception, "where he broke the bonds of [Shao] Kahn" and successfully battled multiple characters in his ending. Sociology professor Ricardo Cortez Lopes studied the modifications of Ermac's Deception design in player-created Mugen game adaptations, theorizing that they influenced NetherRealm Studios' future iterations of the character.{{Harvnb|Cortez Lopes|2019}}

Ermac's initial Mortal Kombat 1 design received heavy fan criticism for the omission of his mask,{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/mortal-kombat-1-ermac-gameplay-reveals-character-redesign-following-community-backlash|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Ermac Gameplay Reveals Character Redesign Following Community Backlash|first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=April 9, 2024|access-date=April 9, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409170716/https://www.ign.com/articles/mortal-kombat-1-ermac-gameplay-reveals-character-redesign-following-community-backlash|archive-date=April 9, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-fans-hate-ermac-design-mk1/|title=Mortal Kombat Fans Hate Ermac's Design In MK1|first=George|last=Foster|work=TheGamer|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=July 22, 2023|access-date=August 1, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723042618/https://www.thegamer.com/mortal-kombat-fans-hate-ermac-design-mk1/|archive-date=July 23, 2023}} which resulted in NetherRealm adding it to his redesign for his playable release. Game Rant{{'}}s Joseph Andress praised the subplot therein of Jerrod controlling Ermac's body as "humaniz[ing] the character like never before."{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/mortal-kombat-1-ermac-jerrod-fate-answer/|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Definitely Answers One Ermac Question|first=Joseph|last=Andress|work=Game Rant|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=September 22, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925165500/https://gamerant.com/mortal-kombat-1-ermac-jerrod-fate-answer/|archive-date=September 25, 2023}} Renaldo Matadeen of Comic Book Resources commented that it opened up future storyline possibilities "that will add nuance, depth, and intricate layers to someone who was just another ninja palette".{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-1-changed-jerrod-ermac/|title=How Mortal Kombat 1 Changed Ermac Thanks to Kitana's Family Tree|first=Renaldo|last=Matadeen|work=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=July 19, 2024|access-date=December 25, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225205021/https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-1-changed-jerrod-ermac/|archive-date=December 25, 2024}} However, GameSpot{{'}}s Jason Fanelli felt the "head scratcher" subplot occurred "out of nowhere with little explanation" and "erases everything that was cool about him".{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mortal-kombat-1-review-new-era-familiar-kombat/1900-6418115/|title=Mortal Kombat 1 Review - New Era, Familiar Kombat|first=Jason|last=Fanelli|work=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom, Inc. |date=September 19, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921070906/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mortal-kombat-1-review-new-era-familiar-kombat/1900-6418115/|archive-date=September 21, 2023}}

His finishing moves have met with critical praise,{{cite web|url=http://jogos.uol.com.br/album/2013/03/26/os-50-melhores-fatalities-de-mortal-kombat.htm|title=Os 50 melhores Fatalities de "Mortal Kombat"|trans-title=Mortal Kombat's top 50 Fatalities|language=pt-br|work=UGO Jogos|publisher=Universo Online|date=March 26, 2013|access-date=May 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518100714/http://jogos.uol.com.br/album/2013/03/26/os-50-melhores-fatalities-de-mortal-kombat.htm#fotoNav=31|archive-date=May 18, 2015}} ("#31: In 'MK Deception', Ermac applies a curious Hara-Kiri: he violently beats his own head against the ground until it explodes."){{cite web|url=https://primagames.com/featured/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-10-1|title=The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 10-1|first=Robert|last=Workman|work=Prima Games|publisher=Gamurs|date= April 30, 2014|access-date=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022185334/https://primagames.com/featured/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-10-1|archive-date=October 22, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/89071/finish-him-a-mortal-kombat-fatality-retrospective-part-1|title=Finish Him! A Mortal Kombat Fatality retrospective (part 1)|first=Ozzie|last=Meija|work=Shacknews|publisher=Gamerhub|date=April 13, 2015|access-date=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022184650/https://www.shacknews.com/article/89071/finish-him-a-mortal-kombat-fatality-retrospective-part-1|archive-date=October 22, 2022}} particularly his "Pest Control" Fatality from the 2011 reboot game, in which he shrinks his opponent and crushes them underfoot.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/best-mortal-kombat-finishing-moves-video-game-history/ermac|title=The Best Mortal Kombat Finishing Moves in Video Game History|first=Kevin|last=Wong|work=Complex|publisher=BuzzFeed|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=December 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007140247/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/best-mortal-kombat-finishing-moves-video-game-history/ermac|archive-date=October 7, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/04/best-fatalities-from-mortal-kombat-1-and-9.html?p=2|title=The 17 Best Fatalities from Mortal Kombat 1 & 9|work=Paste|publisher=Paste Media Group|first=Nathan|last=Spicer|date=April 23, 2011|access-date=December 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220102358/http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/04/best-fatalities-from-mortal-kombat-1-and-9.html?p=2|archive-date=December 20, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat/feature/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-50-41|title=The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 50-41|first=Robert|last=Workman|work=Prima Games|publisher=Gamurs|date=April 2014|access-date=May 30, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105547/http://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat/feature/top-50-mortal-kombat-fatalities-all-time-50-41|archive-date=May 31, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://gamingbolt.com/the-most-brutal-mortal-kombat-fatalities-of-all-time/18|title=The Most Brutal Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time|first=Rohan|last=Philip|work=GamingBolt|date=October 26, 2014|access-date=April 8, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802113908/http://gamingbolt.com/the-most-brutal-mortal-kombat-fatalities-of-all-time/18|archive-date=August 2, 2017}} When NetherRealm Studios posted a trailer of "Inner Workings" from Mortal Kombat X on YouTube in March 2015, it accumulated over 850,000 views in less than a month, and was noted for its graphic content.{{NoteTag|Sources: {{cite web|url=http://www.destructoid.com/uh-ew-ermac-s-mortal-kombat-fataility-is-disgusting-and-visceral-289136.phtml|title=Uh, ew: Ermac's Mortal Kombat X Fatality is disgusting and visceral|first=Steven|last=Hansen|work=Destructoid|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416162402/http://www.destructoid.com/uh-ew-ermac-s-mortal-kombat-fataility-is-disgusting-and-visceral-289136.phtml|archive-date=April 16, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/16/8227649/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-fatality|title=Watch Ermac's new super gross fatality in Mortal Kombat X|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media|date=March 15, 2015|access-date=April 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407062915/http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/16/8227649/mortal-kombat-x-ermac-fatality|archive-date=April 7, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.techtudo.com.br/noticias/2015/03/mortal-kombat-x-divulga-novo-e-violento-fatality-de-ermac.ghtml|title=Mortal Kombat X divulga novo e violento Fatality de Ermac|trans-title=Mortal Kombat X releases new violent Ermac Fatality|work=TechTudo|publisher=Grupo Globo|lang=pt-br|date=March 17, 2015|access-date=January 27, 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250127201228/https://www.techtudo.com.br/noticias/2015/03/mortal-kombat-x-divulga-novo-e-violento-fatality-de-ermac.ghtml|archive-date=January 27, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/has-video-game-gore-gone-too-far/|title=Has Video Game Gore Gone Too Far?|first=Aaron|last=Birch|work=Den of Geek|publisher=DoG Tech LLC|date=May 1, 2015|access-date=November 11, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706215158/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/has-video-game-gore-gone-too-far/|archive-date=July 6, 2022}}{{cite magazine |author=|url=https://archive.org/details/Play_Issue_257_2015_06_Imagine_Publishing_GB_a/page/23/mode/1up|title=Finish Him: Mortal Kombat X Guide|magazine=Play|publisher=Imagine Publishing|date=June 2015|issue=257|page=23 |access-date=April 8, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-gruesome-fatalities-in-mortal-kombat-history|title=The most gruesome fatalities in Mortal Kombat history|first=Laura|last=Francis|work=TechRadar|publisher=Future plc |date=April 24, 2021|access-date=October 22, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022191313/https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-gruesome-fatalities-in-mortal-kombat-history|archive-date=October 22, 2022}}}} Chicago Reader spotlighted it in an article titled "Has Mortal Kombat Finally Gone Too Far?", describing it as "an act of medieval torture as imagined by Tolkien." Justin Clark of GameSpot remarked that the finisher "might actually be the most shocking, gory, and disgusting act of surreal horror to ever happen in a video game, let alone the Mortal Kombat series".{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-years-of-mortal-kombats-best-and-worst-fatalities/2900-4371/#14|title=30 Years Of Mortal Kombat's Best And Worst Fatalities|first=Justin|last=Clark|work=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom, Inc.|date=October 11, 2022|access-date=October 24, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024185747/https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/30-years-of-mortal-kombats-best-and-worst-fatalities/2900-4371/|archive-date=October 24, 2022}}

Response to Ermac's alternate-media incarnations has been negative.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/24/ranking-mortal-kombats-on-screen-adaptations|title=Ranking Mortal Kombat's On-Screen Adaptations|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|date=April 24, 2021|access-date=April 11, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127032323/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/24/ranking-mortal-kombats-on-screen-adaptations|archive-date=January 27, 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/5350-the-all-time-best-and-worst-video-game-movies.html|title=The All-Time Best and Worst VIDEO GAME Movies|first=Seth|last=Robison|work=Newsarama|publisher=Future US|date=May 27, 2010|access-date=December 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221170557/http://www.newsarama.com/5350-the-all-time-best-and-worst-video-game-movies.html|archive-date=February 21, 2014}} Nathan Birch of Uproxx described him in Mortal Kombat Annihilation as a "forgettable red Scorpion clone" and his fight scene with Sonya in the film as "nondescript".{{cite web|url=http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2015/08/ranking-every-fight-mortal-kombat-movies/|title=The Definitive Ranking Of Every Fight Scene From The '90s 'Mortal Kombat' Movies|first=Nathan|last=Birch|work=Uproxx|publisher=Warner Music Group|date=August 20, 2015|access-date=August 25, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822180841/http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2015/08/ranking-every-fight-mortal-kombat-movies/|archive-date=August 22, 2015}} In his review of Mortal Kombat: Legacy II, Carl Lyon of Fearnet censured Ermac's design and what he believed was the character's poorly developed role of an opponent to be quickly killed off.{{cite web|url=http://www.fearnet.com/news/review/series-review-'mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2'#sthash.N3zVN42f.dpuf|first=Carl|last=Lyon|work=Fearnet|publisher=NBCUniversal|title=Series Review: 'Mortal Kombat Legacy Season 2'|date=October 9, 2013|access-date=December 20, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131221040509/http://www.fearnet.com/news/review/series-review-%E2%80%98mortal-kombat-legacy-season-2%E2%80%99|archive-date=December 21, 2013}} Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek praised his fight scene with Kenshi but was also critical of his role in the story.

• Sheng Long, a character from the Street Fighter series that originated as an EGM April Fools joke
• Cow level, a secret level from the Diablo series originating as a hoax
• Characters of the Mortal Kombat series

{{Reflist|group="note"}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin|30em}}

• {{cite book|first1=Joseph Grant|last1=Bell|first2=Matt|last2=Van Stone|title=Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks - Prima Games Official Game Guide|date=2005|page=102|publisher=Random House|isbn=0-7615-5219-7}}
• {{cite book|author= Wong Kiew-kit|title=The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu: The Secrets of Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Health, and Enlightenment|url=https://archive.org/details/artofshaolinkung0000wong|url-access=registration|publisher=Element Books|date=1996|isbn=1-85230-789-7|page=40}}
• {{cite book|title=Mortal Kombat Annihilation|first=Jerome|last=Preisler|year=1997|publisher=Tor Books|isbn=0-8125-3933-8}}
• {{cite thesis|first=Edin|last=Omeragiċ|title=Immersion and Worldbuilding in Videogames|url=https://repozitorij.ffos.hr/islandora/object/ffos:4751|page=45|location=University of Osijek|degree=Master's|year=2019|access-date=August 8, 2023|archive-date=September 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922151630/https://repozitorij.ffos.hr/islandora/object/ffos:4751|url-status=live}}
• {{cite book|title=Mortal Kombat: Games of Death|first=David|last=Church|publisher=University of Michigan Press|date=2022|isbn=978-0-472-90262-0 |page=31}}
• {{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/41844267|first=Ricardo|last=Cortez Lopes|title=Resignifications of the Mortal Kombat Video Game in Mugen Software|location=Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul|lang=pt|date=2019|access-date=October 3, 2023|archive-date=November 8, 2023|via=Academia.edu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108045911/https://www.academia.edu/41844267/RESSIGNIFICA%C3%87%C3%95ES_DO_VIDEOGAME_MORTAL_KOMBAT_NO_SOFTWARE_MUGEN?sm=b|url-status=live}} {{subscription required}}

{{refend}}

{{Mortal Kombat}}

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