—Past Jax to his present self in the Mortal Kombat 11 Story Mode. |
Biography
- Mortal Kombat (2011): "A decorated member of the U.S. Special Forces and a formidable close- kombat warrior, Major Jackson Briggs' current mission is to bring down the notorious criminal organization known as the Black Dragon. With Lieutenant Sonya Blade, he has seized many of their weapons caches. But when a trusted informant, Kano, was revealed to be a high-ranking member of the Black Dragon, Jax made Kano's capture his priority. Kano has gotten the better of Jax thus far, leading the Special Forces into numerous deadly ambushes. Jax and Sonya finally cornered Kano on an uncharted island but were overpowered by the island's inhabitants. They have now been forced into a sadistic ritual of bloody kombat."
- Mortal Kombat X: "Thirty years ago, Jax was the C.O. of a secret Special Forces unit that got caught up in the Mortal Kombat tournament and the subsequent invasion of Earthrealm by Shao Kahn and Outworld. Although Earthrealm was victorious, Jax died in the fighting. Jax's soul was confiscated by the Netherrealm sorcerer Quan Chi. Jax was recreated as a vengeful undead warrior and forced to fight against his home world when Netherrealm attacked Earthrealm. Soon after Netherrealm's defeat, Jax was freed of Quan Chi's influence and returned to life. He decided not to reactivate his military status, however, due to the trauma he suffered. Though he reluctantly serves as a consultant as a favor to his best friend, General Sonya Blade, Jax prefers the quiet life with his family. His stress has been increased in recent years due to his daughter Jacqui's enlistment in the Special Forces--and her membership on a secret team not unlike the one he himself led..."
- Mortal Kombat 11: "Cyber-enhanced officer of the Special Forces. Jax Briggs lost both arms in the line of duty, but he came back to the battlefield twice as strong thanks to cybernetic upgrades. Even with that power, Jax’s sacrifices burden him. He soldiers onward, honorbound to protect Earthrealm."
Storyline
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Jax was captured by Shang Tsung just before the beginning of the first tournament, which led Sonya to enter the tournament in an attempt to free him. When Sonya entered Goro's Lair, she found a badly injured Jax in one of the cells. Trying to free her partner, she was interrupted by Shang Tsung, who told her that he had been expecting her and that she was to face the elder Sub-Zero, of the Lin Kuei. Sonya defeated Sub-Zero and also fought Raiden, who used a flash of light from his eyes to help Sonya free Jax.
Sonya took Jax to the Courtyard, where she faced Kitana and Jade while they waited for help. Sonya defeated both women just as the rescue chopper arrived, only for it to be shot down by Shang Tsung, who remarked that Sonya had been challenged by Kano. Sonya defeated Kano, but Shang Tsung refused to let her take him prisoner. Raiden, Johnny Cage, and Liu Kang then appeared. While Johnny explained everything to Sonya, Raiden used his powers to heal Jax's wounds, and both Sonya and Jax agreed to assist the Earthrealm warriors in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Jax witnessed the death of the elder Sub-Zero at the hands of Scorpion, and later, Liu Kang's victory over Shang Tsung.
Later on, Jax attended the ceremony for Liu Kang at the Wu Shi Academy, and after the ceremony, he was talking to Raiden when a rejuvenated Shang Tsung appeared with a new offer from the emperor himself.
Shao Kahn wished to realize a single tournament that would decide Earthrealm's fate. When the Tarkatans attacked the academy, Jax attempted to save the people, but was overwhelmed by several Tarkatans and knocked unconscious. When he woke up, Raiden, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Kung Lao were watching over him, but he noticed that Sonya was missing. He was informed that she had been captured by Shang Tsung, and he immediately made it his primary objective to find her.
Jax was partnered with Raiden and Johnny Cage, while Liu Kang and Kung Lao tried to free their Shaolin masters. He was put in the first fight of the second Mortal Kombat tournament against Baraka, who he defeated. Before Shang Tsung could start the next fight, he received a message from Reptile that stopped him. Raiden, Johnny, and Jax then teleported to the Armory after one of Raiden's visions showed him Sonya sentenced to be executed. Johnny, harboring an attraction for Sonya, questioned Jax about his relationship with her, to which Jax stated that he was her commanding officer, nothing else. Jax became increasingly angered by Johnny's gloating and they got into a fight. Jax defeated Johnny, then Raiden put the fighting to an end. Jade appeared soon afterwards, and demanded that the three warriors leave. Jax fought Jade and defeated her. After rendering Jade unconscious, Jax and Johnny patched things up and the three continued their quest to find Sonya.
They finally locate Sonya by the Dead Pool, which was being guarded by Sheeva and her guards. After killing one of the attacking guards and jumping over the rest of them, Jax fought and defeated Sheeva while Johnny and Raiden dealt with the guards. He was then able to free Sonya, repaying the favor from earlier. Sometime later, during the Outworld Tournament, Jax and Sonya found Sub-Zero, to their surprise as they saw him dead in the previous tournament. Sub-Zero then reveals that he was the younger brother of the Sub-Zero they knew. Suddenly Ermac appeared, and Jax tried to attack him, but got his arms torn off by the red ninja. Sub-Zero fought and defeated Ermac, and told Sonya about a portal to go back to Earthrealm.
Later on, Jax reappeared with his mechanical arms, having reprogrammed the newly automated Cyber Sub-Zero, who regained his humanity. Jax appeared periodically with the Earthrealm warriors, and does not participate in any more fights, until they were ambushed by the Lin Kuei cyborgs and Sindel. Jax was one of the many warriors killed by Sindel, having had her heel stabbed through his throat, snapping his neck simultaneously, in the process.
Jax is one of the many heroes resurrected and enslaved by Quan Chi. He was the first Quan Chi sent to kill Raiden in the Netherrealm, but was defeated.
Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)
In the past, Jax was resurrected as a revenant in the Netherrealm after he was murdered by Sindel, his soul now enslaved to Quan Chi's will. He restrained the cyberized Sub-Zero in place along with Smoke to allow their master Quan Chi to destroy the cryomancer's cybernetic implants and restore his human body. Jax would later fight alongside the revenant Scorpion and Sub-Zero to protect Quan Chi in the last moments of the Netherrealm War before all three of them were restored to human form.
Jax is seen as a part of Raiden's visions, training his daughter Jacqui. Jax was also one of the warriors chosen by Raiden to protect one of the Kamidogu daggers, specifically Earthrealm's Kamidogu.
Jax is seen chopping firewood on his farm when he is approached by Reiko, the former general of Outworld's armies, who claims to have something he wants. Jax refuses to hear anything Reiko has to say until the Outworlder demands the Kamidogu for his daughter Jacqui's life. Enraged, Jax makes it clear no one threatens his daughter.
The fight does not go in Jax's favor, and Reiko throws the former Special Forces major through the window of his own home. As Jax struggles to get up, his wife Vera rushes to his side, refusing to leave him even when he tells her to run. When Reiko made his way through the home's wall to follow after Jax, still saying he would return Jacqui in exchange for the dagger, Jax rose to his feet and still refused, not trusting Reiko's word.
Reiko then shoulder-charged into Jax, slamming him into a wall with enough force to crack it, before snatching Vera by her neck and telling Jax he had the power to make everyone in his life suffer unless he handed over the dagger. With both his wife and daughter's lives in Reiko's hands, Jax had no choice but to give the former general Earthrealm's Kamidogu, which spared Vera's life.
Jax would take several painkillers for his injuries from the battle and pass out on his home's couch, being completely unconscious when Raiden arrives later.
A week after Reiko's death, Jax is reunited with his daughter. Though at first inclined to never let her leave home again, he is convinced otherwise by his wife and decides to teach Jacqui how to use a firearm. Jacqui is ecstatic, but confused, having believed she could only learn if she joined Special Forces, and Jax admits he did say that, he also admits that was when he thought he could protect her just himself. After admitting her mistakes and her fears during her capture and desire to quit and just give up hope, Jacqui embraces her father while promising that she will never quit, citing Jax's own struggles through hell itself. Smiling, Jax returns his daughter's hug.
Mortal Kombat X
While serving Quan Chi as an undead warrior, Jax took part in the assault of the Jinsei Chamber. Him and Smoke were confronted by Sonya, Johnny Cage, and Kenshi while guarding a group of captured Shaolin monks. Jax managed to beat Sonya down, but was stopped by Johnny before he was able to finish her. He was ultimately defeated by Johnny, who assured his former ally he would "fix him someday."
Five years later, Jax was restored as a human alongside Scorpion and Sub-Zero after Sonya Blade's temporary defeat of Quan Chi ended the Netherrealm War. Guilt-ridden by his deeds as Quan Chi's revenant, Jax retired from military duty and settled down with a woman named Vera, fathering Jacqui Briggs.
Twenty-five years later, Jax was approached by Sonya for assistance in tracking down Quan Chi. Alongside a Special Forces strike team led by Sareena and Kenshi, Jax joined the attack on Quan Chi in the Netherrealm, defeating the revenants Kung Lao, Sindel, and Kitana. He then tracked down Quan Chi and took the necromancer prisoner.
Mortal Kombat 11
Part 1: Mortal Kombat 11
Some time after Shinnok's defeat, Jax's wife Vera passed away. Her death broke Jax's spirit and he became a recluse, holing himself up in his farmhouse while Jacqui continued her service in the Special Forces. During the timequake, Kronika approached Jax and offered him a future in which he retires as a distinguished general and more importantly, in which Jacqui does not follow in his footsteps by joining the military.
A young Jax from the past appeared alongside Sonya and Johnny at the Special Forces base during Kronika's timequake. He met his future daughter Jacqui and learned of his future as Quan Chi and Shinnok's revenant. The two were sent on an intel operation to Shang Tsung's Island, where they were confronted by the revenants Kabal and Jade. The father-daughter duo overcame the revenants but were met with further resistance by Noob Saibot as they approached the Well of Souls. They defeated Noob but were again stopped when the present-day Jax entered. The older Jax, newly outfitted with upgraded arms from Kronika, explained to Jacqui the bargain he made with the time-bending Titan. The younger Jax fought his future self to stop him from retrieving Kronika's Crown and knocked him out. Young Jax and Jacqui took the crown and the older Jax to the surface to attempt their escape, but were halted by the Elder God Cetrion. The pair initially bested her by using the crown's power, but Cetrion was not so easily defeated; she split the ground in two beneath Jacqui's feet and forced the young Jax to hand over the crown to spare her life.
After the Cyber Lin Kuei and the Black Dragon's destruction of the Special Forces base, the younger Jax is among the Earthrealm warriors that took refuge in the Shirai Ryu Fire Gardens.
Later, Kharon sailed the armies of Outworld, the Shaolin order, and the Special Forces to the shores of Kronika's Keep. Kronika sent the older Jax to repel the assault; he challenged Raiden but was outmatched by the thunder god. Raiden revealed to Jax Kronika's deception: that she was in fact the mother of Shinnok and would lend his darkness equal power in her New Era. Jax apologized to Raiden for his foolishness and vowed to right the wrongs he committed. He then joined his younger self and Jacqui in the battle against Kronika's Netherrealm forces.
Part 2: Aftermath
In the caverns below Shang Tsung's Island, Jax and Noob made their way to the Well of Souls to take the crown and deliver it to Kronika, only to find Shang Tsung and Fujin. Jax took the opportunity to get payback against the sorcerer who tortured him years prior, but Shang Tsung subdued him and, in typical fashion, attempted to steal his soul. Fujin intervened, saving Jax, but the major was still mistrustful of his intentions and engaged him in kombat. Fujin defeated him and illustrated to him the true nature of Kronika's manipulation. He revealed that Kronika had sent Jacqui to the island and Jax would be forced to fight her and "even worse, break her heart." Jax is swayed by this to join the forces against Kronika.
Later, on the surface of the island, Jax was present as Nightwolf and Sindel defeated Cetrion. The younger Jax and Jacqui arrived moments later, and despite their initial shock at seeing his unlikely allies, were convinced by the older Jax to lay down their weapons.
At the battle of Kronika's keep, Jax was knocked out by Shang Tsung, who sent the gods Raiden and Fujin flying into him, leaving his fate unknown as the gods were defeated.
Endings
- Mortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical): "After the invasion was thwarted, many of Jax's allies had seemingly disappeared, leaving him to clean up the mess on his own. He searched for Shao Kahn's remaining forces utilizing a new cyber-scanner designed to remotely access worldwide databases. Navigating its virtual reality interface, Jax inadvertently accessed Kano's brain through his optical laser implant. Their minds linked, Jax virtually battled Kano. Finally he captured and quarantined Kano's consciousness within the Special Forces mainframe. A dangerous criminal had finally been neutralized."
- Mortal Kombat X (Non-Canonical): "After Shinnok's fall, the hospitalized Johnny Cage asked Jax to fill in as leader of his squad. Jax agreed. It was a chance to spend time with – and protect – Jacqui. Boarding their transport after a routine mission, Jax's greatest fears were realized, as the mercenary Erron Black sprung from the cargo bay and fired on the young heroes. Fortunately for Jacqui and company, Jax's quick reflexes and bulletproof arms deflected the assassin's rounds. Jax quickly subdued Black. Then slipped into shock as a red stain engulfed his chest."
- Mortal Kombat 11 (Non-Canonical): "All I wanted was to fix my life. Now I have the power to fix history. Raiden warns me, I can't fix everything. Change too much and I could lose Vera. Lose Jacqui. But this power's bigger than us. If I think only about helping myself, what kind of officer am I? What kind of man? I've been lucky. My family and I have lived the American Dream. But most people who look like me haven't had that chance. I owe it to them to put things right. And I'm not waiting centuries for people to get woke, when I've got the power to speed things up. I don't get it right the first time. Or the second. Or even the third. But eventually, I knock it out of the damn park. My family's back. The world's a better place for everyone. Turns out you CAN have everything. Anyone who says you can't, needs to dream bigger."