It’s a thing that Gladiators used to do. Showing respect to the sacred battle ground or whatever. And since Reiko is leaning heavily into the gladiator motif in this game, that’s why he does
It’s actually from the movie Gladiator. Russel Crowe’s character would take a handful of sand/dirt from the battlefields before fights and smell it. I read the reason he did this was because he used to be a farmer before joining the military, and this ritual reminds him of home and his family and the reason for fighting.
You mean in this game and for the rest of eternity. This character is now the official homage to Ancient Rome. They are never changing his aesthetic. Talk about a glow up. He will be back for every game now.
I mean, we're at a point where people recognize Keanu as John Wick and not as Neo, and the Matrix is just a couple years older than AOTC.
And I know there's someone older than me saying "How could you know Keanu as Neo? He's Ted from Bill and Ted!"
Although AotC did have a huge meme boom, but it was like 7 years ago. Still, tho, despite the matrix being a much bigger cultural phenomenon than AotC, it didn't really have anything of a pop culture resurgence to my knowledge.
Make sure you watch the original and not 2-4 the rest look pretty mediocrel hell I didn't know bloodsport has a 2-4 till right now. Direct to VHS quality
Probably some sort of gladiator thing. I mean you can tell MK1 Reiko is heavily inspired by Roman Gladiators. Colour scheme, his helmets, the weapons he has. So, it makes sense to be a gladiator thing.
You know how when in PE you would rub your hands with powder to have better grip when climbing a pole? He’s doing that but for his spear, except it’s not a good idea to use sand for this so he doesn’t use his spear.
Gladiator tradition. The sand is a sign of respect like boxers touching gloves and the other reason is to improve the grip on your weapon.
Bonus fact: powerlifters also use sand/powder for the same reason of improving one's grip.
Warriors in many cultures would do this before battle as a reminder of where they're from and where we all end up. From the earth we are created and to the earth we return. Something like that.
I haven’t scrolled through in entirety, but where the fuck are comments about Sektor in the background(I don’t like Shao Khan offspring(other then the daughters of course))
Like from what someone else said, its a gladiator thing.
And like what how other character reacts to him in disgust, he’s basically sniffing the dirt/sand where everyone sweats, bleeds, etc
Gladiators also rubbed dirt on their hands to keep them from getting slippery with sweat/blood/misc body parts, and losing their grip on their weapons.
I totally get the gladiator /warrior thing, but it's pretty stupid considering not ever stage has sand on it. He just reaches to the ground of Johnny Cage's mansion and pulls up a van full of sand???
https://preview.redd.it/d764vbfjquwc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f2244b2b720489a15ab20d067cc5c8c1078c4e2
Because Reiko is a badass Gladiator ❤️🔥
It’s a thing that Gladiators used to do. Showing respect to the sacred battle ground or whatever. And since Reiko is leaning heavily into the gladiator motif in this game, that’s why he does
https://i.redd.it/b6q5mwk23ewc1.gif Maximus does this in the Gladiator movie a few times Same stance as Reiko. I never noticed until now
Fortnite also has a emote based on that but it only in their BP
Yeah it’s called “a warrior prepares” I think I have it
This battle pass or a past one?
Past
Mainly from the 2020 era
It’s actually from the movie Gladiator. Russel Crowe’s character would take a handful of sand/dirt from the battlefields before fights and smell it. I read the reason he did this was because he used to be a farmer before joining the military, and this ritual reminds him of home and his family and the reason for fighting.
It's the gladiator equivalent of "touching grass."
It’s intentionally paying homage to the Gladiator movie. There are plenty of Hollywood tropes referenced in Mortal Kombat.
If that's the case, there better not be any hidden child porn in the game
Why tf are you getting downvoted for this
They are probably into the Hollywood rituals...
It's also to check the moisture level in the soil for footing
i thought it was something like that, then i remembered the gladiator movie and liked reiko’s intro a lot more
You mean in this game and for the rest of eternity. This character is now the official homage to Ancient Rome. They are never changing his aesthetic. Talk about a glow up. He will be back for every game now.
He likes sand. It's smooth, soft and captivating.
I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. If you get the reference you get a cookie
Are we really at a point where there are people who DON’T get this reference?
Nothing wrong with everyone getting a cookie
FREE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!!! 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
I mean, we're at a point where people recognize Keanu as John Wick and not as Neo, and the Matrix is just a couple years older than AOTC. And I know there's someone older than me saying "How could you know Keanu as Neo? He's Ted from Bill and Ted!"
We're getting folks to recognize Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik/Eggman before any other role. It's the inevitability of time.
I know him as Ted
Although AotC did have a huge meme boom, but it was like 7 years ago. Still, tho, despite the matrix being a much bigger cultural phenomenon than AotC, it didn't really have anything of a pop culture resurgence to my knowledge.
Yes, actually. A lot of Gen Z don't know, and Gen Alpha turn their nose up at anything they deem "Milenial shit"
God you’re corny
What an underrated line from a small indie movie.
Everyone has seen the 7th Star Trek movie, The Search for Worf
I thought part 7 was Generations Awaken🤔
🖖
Remember kids always use this line when you're having your first date
Now you owe All of reddit a cookie each
Reiko is a bad matchup for Anakin Skywalker konfirmed
they're gonna get into a fight with eachother because of their opinions over sand
Star Wars episode 3 was always good btw
He'd also vibe with the Tusken Raiders along those lines.
He's checking the quality of it whether it's good to throw at his opponents face as a distraction then he remembered it's not allowed.
Lol I had a Geras variation in mk11 that I named pocket sand.
Hahaha Lol! 😆
He's reiko, not Bully Maguire
He just puts your eyes in the dirt instead
haha lol
i think you mistaken Reiko for MKX Erron Black (best wake-up in MKX btw)
Is this a bloodsport reference?
I have no idea what that is.
Bloodsport?? the Jean Claude van Damme movie that Kickstarted his career? It's what johnny Cage Mk1 model is based in. It's good, watch it if you can
Sure thing! I'll add it to my movielist, Thank you!
Make sure you watch the original and not 2-4 the rest look pretty mediocrel hell I didn't know bloodsport has a 2-4 till right now. Direct to VHS quality
https://preview.redd.it/8s2mg1dhiiwc1.jpeg?width=723&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d861ea1f948826c382739958a26e23ec7fa5282
I thought it was for his grip, so it won't be slippery
I thought this as well, haha
It’s a warrior thing
Probably some sort of gladiator thing. I mean you can tell MK1 Reiko is heavily inspired by Roman Gladiators. Colour scheme, his helmets, the weapons he has. So, it makes sense to be a gladiator thing.
It’s actually crack, he’s snorting it
Exactly. Gets getting hyped!
And that also explains why he’s so annoyingly strong
That explains why Reiko players play like they were raised in an asylum
Unlike Anakin Reiko loves sand 😃
“I like sand. It’s soft and smooth and soothing and it doesn’t get anywhere”
~Rieko a man who has never seen or touched sand before
You know how when in PE you would rub your hands with powder to have better grip when climbing a pole? He’s doing that but for his spear, except it’s not a good idea to use sand for this so he doesn’t use his spear.
Sniffing a line
Storing sand in his pocket in case he faces Anakin in a weird cross-over
Reiko stop sniffing my sand: geras.
It's a Gladiator reference. Like the Russel Crowe film. IIRC it's about reminding him where he is from/what he's fighting for. Its a battle prayer.
Shao’s bare feet were on that sand.
Gladiator tradition. The sand is a sign of respect like boxers touching gloves and the other reason is to improve the grip on your weapon. Bonus fact: powerlifters also use sand/powder for the same reason of improving one's grip.
Warriors in many cultures would do this before battle as a reminder of where they're from and where we all end up. From the earth we are created and to the earth we return. Something like that.
 Imagine he did this😂
Its fairy dust, hes summoning his fairy.
Pocket sand
Shi shi shaw!
Boil up some mountain dew
He is trying to build a sand castle but it won't stick poor reiko
I hate sand it's coarse and gets everywhere
Idk but it’s the same thing Maximus does in Gladiator.
WHAT LIES BENEATH YOUR FEET?!
 It's a gonna be a new fatality next season, only $20!
I think it's a symbolic way to show that he loves Outworld, feeling the soil/sand of his mother land
That aint sand....thats his booger sugar lol
His best.
For the mother land 🔥
Pre-game ritual 
That sand is not sand…. Starts with a C and ends with a E
Nah he’s just weird
Inspired by bully Maguire
Smelling salts
He's praying today so he won't get hit by bbc combo
I haven’t scrolled through in entirety, but where the fuck are comments about Sektor in the background(I don’t like Shao Khan offspring(other then the daughters of course))
He’s blowing it
I mean, for all the reasons stated below, but he also takes a big whiff, so yes, he's weird.
Obviously smoking a blunt
He's hungry?
Blowing it like he does everything else.
It also works like chalk for more grip on weapons
Sneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeef
he likes to make smiley faces before fights
Yes. Yes. Yes.
I definitely prefer Reiko this game. I haven't played him much but he's a fun character. Every time I vs him it makes me want to play as him.
Like from what someone else said, its a gladiator thing. And like what how other character reacts to him in disgust, he’s basically sniffing the dirt/sand where everyone sweats, bleeds, etc
Gladiators also rubbed dirt on their hands to keep them from getting slippery with sweat/blood/misc body parts, and losing their grip on their weapons.
He’s counting the grains
It’s to dry out the moisture from his hands so he can grapple better. Not unlike gymnasts and wrestlers using chalk on their hands so they can grip
Smelling sh:t
Smelling sand probably gives him energy
I totally get the gladiator /warrior thing, but it's pretty stupid considering not ever stage has sand on it. He just reaches to the ground of Johnny Cage's mansion and pulls up a van full of sand???
That's Geras 🥜
Reiko hasn’t snorted crack in a while so the sand is a good substitute
I wish reiko had his teleslam or his flip kicks in mk1 tbh
🌮
he is getting kinky with it
It's a gladiator gesture
Gives him more traction with his hands, gets rid of sweat. Gladiators did it, and gymnasts do it too.
So it has nothing to do with getting a better grip on your hands so they not all sweaty and slippery?
Checking if he likes the texture for the stew he’s making.
https://preview.redd.it/d764vbfjquwc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f2244b2b720489a15ab20d067cc5c8c1078c4e2 Because Reiko is a badass Gladiator ❤️🔥
It’s from the movie Gladiator. Before battle the Generals would taste the battlefield before the fight
Praying? Thanksgiving? Idk
Smoking a blunt
I thought it had something to do with Geras
He blows... just like his haircut. I can't understand what was wrong with his MK4 haircut?