You’ve all been enthusiastic in your reactions to these Mortal Kombat test shots, so here’s another one from 1994. It’s Sub-Zero. Or Scorpion, or Reptile, or Smoke. But probably Sub-Zero. Turns out they were all the same mold, with some color difference.
Interestingly, this test shot has a Cobra tampo on it. Here’s a close-up:
Sub-Zero’s arms come from another G.I. Joe figure, the 1992 ninja codenamed “Dice.” Sub-Zero isn’t a Cobra agent, and the Mortal Kombat toy line bore no “G.I. Joe” logos, names, or insignia. Adding a tampo is an extra step, so looking at this figure I thought that this test shot in fact had a set of production Dice arms on it, that someone at the factory in China pulled them off a “regular” Dice figure. But Dice has two colors on his gauntlets, black with purple details, so these are not production arms. I suppose the process of running off test shots for these arms included the Cobra tampo, even though production samples of Sub-Zero/Scorpion/Reptile/Smoke would have no such printing.
So this is a bit of a puzzle to me. Nothing epic, just a small head-scratcher. Perhaps you know, and can tell me in the comments. Also, please continue to school me in Mortal Kombat lore, as I never played the game and only saw the first film. Oh, as with the Kano test shot, this villain’s special feature, the “Spring Action Flying Dragon,” works.
A Real American Book! 
I read a rumor that at one point Mortal Kombat was considered to be placed under the G.I.*JOE banner like some of the Street Fighter figures but either the game or movie companies caused a stink over the idea.
According to “Toy Wars,” it was the head of Hasbro who didn’t want the MK toys labeled as “G.I. Joe.”
The arms are from the 1993 Red Ninja figure that was basically a Dice figure repainted. The gauntlets are blueish colored like the ones pictured above. The arms are exactly the same color including skin color.
Thanks for the info!