A symbol of the Tiger Spirit in Jago's Instinct Mode.
The Tiger Spirit is a mystical deity worshipped by Jago and the clan of monks he belongs to.
Description[]
The Tiger Spirit is worshipped by a group of monks residing in the mountains of Tibet. By tapping into the powers of the Tiger Spirit, these monks are capable of superhuman feats such as pyrokinesis and healing wounds.
In the reboot, Jago resides in the abandoned Tiger's Lair, a former temple, to do his meditation and soul-searching after being possessed by Gargos' herald, Omen. Jago also has a design resembling the Tiger Spirit tattooed onto his left arm and torso, showing his dedication to the deity.
History[]
Killer Instinct / Killer Instinct 2[]
The Tiger Spirit is briefly mentioned in Jago's backstory in the original two games. It urges Jago to join the first Killer Instinct tournament as a crucible to root out evil, both from Jago's heart and from Ultratech's machinations. It appears to be the source of his supernatural powers, such as his Endokuken.
However, after the defeat of Eyedol and the subsequent time rift to the past, Jago learns that the Tiger Spirit was actually Gargos. Gargos had impersonated Jago's deity in order to get him to fight Eyedol for him (though Orchid ended up dealing the final blow). Enraged, Jago uses this betrayal as motivation to face the other warriors for the right to battle Gargos.
Killer Instinct (2013)[]
The Tiger Spirit is changed little in the rebooted universe. It remains Jago's cherished deity and source of power, and he seeks comfort in its guidance after being possessed by Gargos and becoming Shadow Jago. A symbol representing it appears behind Jago when he activates his Instinct Mode.
Trivia[]
- In both timelines, Gargos was said to have impersonated the Tiger Spirit in order to exploit Jago. While it is never outright stated, it can be assumed that Gargos did not directly harm the Tiger Spirit in any way during this process, since Jago is still able to perform Endokukens and other techniques after he realizes Gargos' deception. It's more likely that Gargos somehow blocked the Tiger Spirit's communication or sealed it away so that he could manipulate Jago without interference.
- Due to unclear messages, it is sometimes misconstrued that the Tiger Spirit was Gargos all along. However, Jago continues to access the powers of pyrokinesis and healing while fighting Gargos, not to mention that the Tiger Spirit appears separate from Gargos in the Dynamite Enterainment Comics series. This confirms that the two are indeed separate entities (at least in the rebooted timeline).