#LK-9T9 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cienie-isengardu · 1 year ago

Note

How did Cyber Initiative exactly influence Sektor's personality and character? He was not enslaved like the rest and in MK9 he already seemed cold and almost without feelings even before his transformation.

I don’t think any source explained in great detail how Cyber Initiative exactly transforms people into cyborgs, as it is strictly a technological process or if there could be some magic involved too, especially in the matter of human soul and how humanity can be erased and restored within it. Franky, the various takes on Cyber Lin Kuei make it hard to say for sure how much original body and organs (brain) is there under armor to begin with, let alone how the personality and special abilities are connected to technology that was meant to remove “human flaws”.

Keeping that in mind, my personal theory is that Cyber Initiative does not necessarily change Sektor’s personality and is more like eliminating the factors (mental limitation) that crippled his human behavior. There is little data about Sektor as a human being, but with original MK3’s Biography

"Sektor is actually the code name for unit LK-9T9. He was the first of three prototype cybernetic ninjas built by the Lin Kuei. Sektor was once a human assassin trained by the Lin Kuei. He volunteered for automation because of his loyalty for the clan. Sektor survives the Outworld invasion - he has no soul to take."

and MK9’s Bio

"The son of the Grand Master, it was never in question that Sektor would join the Lin Kuei. What pleases the Grand Master is the degree to which his son relishes the life of an assassin. The secretive clan allows Sektor to express his darker nature, using any means necessary to complete his tasks. [...]”

we can assume his upbringing led him to mental problems, which, among other things, manifested themselves in his blind obedience to the Grandmaster (father) and enjoying violence/killing. However, despite the “darker nature”, human Sektor gives the feeling of the most withdrawn Lin Kuei once compared to Bi-Han, Cyrax, Tomas or Kuai Liang. It is best seen with Bi-Han, who during MK9’s story mode barely interacts with anyone (thus creating a similar feeling of another introvert in the group) but once he walks into the room, he is hard to miss while Sektor is easily dominated by other people’s presence. He is the son of Grandmaster, yet when MK9 introduced us to the three Lin Kuei taking part in Tournament, Bi-Han is clearly in the leader position, as he takes the middle place while both Sektor and Cyrax stay a step behind Sub-Zero on his each side.

When Cyrax wanted to talk about C.I. Project, Sektor was purely on defensive and kept to the “obey Grandmaster” mindset because he had no other good argument in their discussion.

CYRAX: I understand there are benefits to the Grand Master's plan, but his plan goes against Lin Kuei principles. SEKTOR: We are Lin Kuei, Cyrax. We will obey the Grand Master's commands. CYRAX: It means giving up our free will... our souls. It will turn us into--

Once Hanzo approached them, it was Cyrax who insulted Shirai Ruy and attacked when Scorpion said his clan may walk the Earth once more. Sektor was pretty much passive and pushed into background. And it is even more ironic, because Cyber Sektor calls himself Cyrax’s superior in MK11 when he hardly presents any superior attitude (leadership) during the Tournament.

Personally, I think the difference between how human Sektor operated during MK9 and how other Lin Kuei acted comes down to the lack of emotional support. Out of the five named Lin Kuei, only two are said to join the clan on their own decision (Smoke and Cyrax). Bi-Han, Kuai Liang and Sektor had never be given a choice in that matter, the first two being kidnapped, specifically targeted for their ice-power bloodline as Sub-Zero’s mantle belonged once to their father (original timeline) or grandfather (alternative timeline), while the latter was a biological son of Grandmaster. Yet despite the ties to the leader of the clan, Sektor was not really shown as a privileged person in any meaningful way and if he was meant to inherit the Grandmaster’s title, would he be chosen to undo transformation into cyborg in the first place, if his father apparently choose to stay human? Sektor is said to have volunteered while our main Lin Kuei needed to be forced into C.I. Project which perfectly shows how Sektor’s own perception of himself was dehumanized and how deeply was installed in him the idea Grandmaster (his father)’s will override his own desires, or even human basic right. Thus I think it makes sense to assume the endured childhood(?) abuse influenced Sektor’s mental health, while the withdrawn behavior and blind obedience became the safest copy mechanism helping him survive.

(And yes, the MK9’s data presented Sektor as someone wishing to take control over Lin Kuei, however would such a person volunteer to be stripped out of his humanity and will in the first place then? The original source says he did that out of loyalty, and I think it is worth considering how much the desire to rule comes from human ambitions and how much from a cyber mind free of previously learned habits that the software simply rejected as harmful flaws?)

Now, let’s look at Kuai Liang and Bi-Han. Both are described as serving faithfully the Lin Kuei (“Mortal Kombat X: "Kuai Liang and his older brother, Bi-Han, served the Lin Kuei assassin clan faithfully until the first Mortal Kombat tournament.”) however none of them truly manifested blind loyalty to the Grandmaster, the way Sektor did. Through the various timelines, Kuai Liang outright rejected the clan's rules forbidding friendship, he ultimately destroyed the C.I. Project but also put his dedication to brother over Grandmaster’s orders ("I am his family and clan. I fight for his honour"). Though MK1 alone did a great disservice to original Bi-Han, the widely understood lore material paints a different portrayal of the older Sub-Zero. Bi-Han choose to risk his life to save Earthrealm twice (three) times, even if that meant doing Raiden’s bidding without - or even against - Grandmaster’s orders, was willing to spare his enemies (Sareena in Sub-Zero: Mythologies, frozen Johnny and Sonya in old comics) or even disturb the fight between Black Dragons and Earthrealm Protectors, stopping the dishonorable mercenary attack out of respect for the Tournament laws (Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge). Old!comics Kuai Liang described elder Sub-Zero as “stubborn in many ways” who “refused to utilize modern technology on his missions”, which strongly implies both Bi-Han’s lack interest in advanced technology and his determination to do things in his own way.

And yes, Bi-Han is quite often presented as an abrasive, cold-natured man but we could see him spending time with younger brother between missions and equipping Kuai Liang with knowledge he freshly acquired himself (Mortal Kombat 4: Special Edition comics). Thus the widely understood lore provided us with enough data to assume that whatever childhood trauma the brothers endured, they did look out for each other and provided the necessary emotional support and so both cryomancers had someone to hold on outside the harsh Lin Kuei’s norms (additionally, Kuai Liang had also Smoke, while comics!Bi-Han had Hydro).

Sektor, as far as the lore presented, may never have had anyone that supportive - his closest companion was Cyrax, but we do not know when exactly Cyrax joined Lin Kuei. For all we know, the irreversible damage was already done to Sektor’s mental health before he was paired with the other man.

This is why I don’t think Sektor was emotionless, more like traumatized and indoctrinated, way more than Bi-Han, Kuai Liang, Tomas or Cyrax were. And the mental problems that developed during his servitude to the clan most likely corrupted the process of transformation. The main purpose of Cyber Initiative was to erase human flaws, and well, the effects of trauma that kept Sektor “loyal” whatever out of love for father or fear of Grandmaster’s wrath also could easily subdued his self preservation instinct (thus volunteering into C.I.Project), self-worth (the feeling he should be perfected) and self-confidence (hence lack of dominant presence and leadership skills in MK9) - so the “defect” (trauma) easily fall under the wide term of “flaw” that programmation overriding Sektor’s humanity targeted to eliminate.

The problem is, erasing emotional reasoning removes the reason why human Sektor was loyal in the first place. Without the effect of trauma and indoctrination that dictated how he behaved, Cyber Sektor probably for the first time clearly could see what the clan did to him and concluded that eliminating Grandmaster (father) is the best course for his self-preservation and securing the future without a flawed human controlling and using him. It makes sense that Cyber Sektor was given more independence than the rest of the cyborgs, as he clearly supervised Lin Kuei activities during Outworld Invasion but that probably also gave him the opportunity to analyze his position and the best course of action. And really, if you create a deadly weapon guided solely by cold logic, then you should not be surprised if said weapon turns against you.

Which is why I think the Cyber Initiative did not change Sektor into a different character and more like freed him from the effect of trauma that kept him in check as much as limited his social and emotional capabilities. So we could say, the transformation improved his flawed old-self. At the same time, ironically, the same programming that made him turn against father and boosted his ambitions, turned his connection to Cyrax into a pathological need to keep the other man around no matter how dangerous it was to his own safety. A connection that human Sektor managed to overcome out of loyalty to Grandmaster and clan's harsh laws.

#mortal kombat #my replies #sektor #cyber initiative project #lin kuei #sektor is such a messed up person #but has interesting points compared to ice bros #especially stubborn bi han

14 notes · View notes

toomanyf4ndoms7 · 3 years ago

Text

Mortal Kombat Invasion: The Bomber’s directive.

summary: Cyrax is about to begin the Cyberisation of Smoke, but Sektor’s arrival stirs something within him.

As Sektor informed the Grandmaster of their findings, Cyrax strapped Smoke’s unconscious body on to an operating table to begin the Cyberization. Cyrax prepared to begin the process before Sektor made his way in

“LK 4D4.” Turning from the captive Smoke, Cyrax answered dutifully to his fellow cyborg. “What is it, LK-9T9?” “Sub Zero has escaped automation. And I am certain that your directive will not allow that to go unpunished.”

Cyrax placed his arm across his chest plate. “Of course. None leave the Lin Kuei.” “Excellent. I will need to search your audio banks.”

Typically, Cyrax would question such a brazen order to search through his memory, but with the Cyberization suppressing his free will he allowed it.

He made his way to a computer and plugged in a wire to his arm panel. The computer showed audio files, as Cyrax began playing the most recent recording.

The audio was quiet but not unreadable. “I will escort you to the Matokan Camp…

“We have a location. The Matokan camp in North America. There will most likely be strong warriors there. We should proceed with caution-

Cyrax was interrupted by Smoke screaming. “RELEASE ME! THIS IS MADNESS!”

His screaming was paused by the loud clang of Sektors fist colliding with Smoke’s face.

“Be quiet. Soon we will no longer have to worry about your insubordination.” Fear evident in his eyes, Smoke turned to Cyrax.

“Cyrax, please! End this madness! Your soul must be in there somewhere! Don’t let him do this-

Cyrax Injected a serum to prevent Smoke to knock him out, as well as suppress his individual thought for when the Cyberization was complete. “For the Lin Kuei.”

“THIS ISN’T FOR THE LIN KUEI! IT’S FOR YOURSELF!” Despite his best efforts to resist, his voice became strained and tired, eyes slowly closing, before the serum fully took effect. “Please…”

Smoke entered unconsciousness as the pair of Cyborgs stared with their blank helmets portraying no emotion.

Sektor turned toward the scientists in charge of the process. “Begin the Cyberization, then bring him to me.” He looked at Cyrax. “Observe the process and make sure they do it correctly.”

Despite having no practical reason, Cyrax turned away as they started sticking wires into Smoke’s skin before they start amputating the limbs to replace with prosthetics.

The Process seemed to be going well, so why did Cyrax feel something off about the scenario?

It must be an error. This is for the best.

#cyrax #sektor #smoke #tomas vrbada #mortal kombat #things i create #my writing stuff #mortal kombat 3 #the invasion #sub zero #kuai liang

5 notes · View notes