Raiden (also known as Lord Raiden, and sometimes spelled Rayden) is a video game character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series by Midway Games. Making his official debut as one of the original seven playable characters in 1992's Mortal Kombat, he is one of the central characters of the franchise. Based on the Japanese thunder god Raijin, and portrayed in the series canon as the thunder god and appointed protector of Earth, Raiden defends the planet from myriad otherworldly threats alongside his handpicked warriors. He commands many supernatural abilities such as teleportation, flight, and control of the elements.