The fifth Sub-Zero (the older of the fourth Sub-Zero's two sons) learned of his ability to harness the element of cold as a young adult. The Lin Kuei's grandmasters saw that his skill would develop much faster than those of other Lin Kuei clan members. On one of his first missions as a Lin Kuei warrior, Sub-Zero was to steal the sacred Map of Elements from the Shaolin Temples in the heart of China. Quan Chi realized that Sub-Zero's ice powers gave him an edge, making him one of the only humans with the ability to defeat the elements.

Takeda managed to elude assassination by the Lin Kuei until his elder years, when his life came to an end, not from a vicious battle, but from poison slipped into his tea. A modern member of the Shirai Ryu named Hanzo Hasashi (code name Scorpion) was sent on the same mission as well.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion arrived at the Shaolin temples, and Sub-Zero killed Scorpion in the battle that ensued upon their meeting. He returned to the Lin Kuei headquarters with the sacred Map of Elements, suspicious of Quan Chi for retaining the services of a Shirai Ryu ninja.

Quan Chi supplied the skeleton of Takeda, and the grandmaster was pleased. Sub-Zero then went on a mission through the temple that housed the amulet. Scorpion was given a chance by his demons to return to life to avenge his death, but in doing so, he would lose his memory of his wife and child forever. He chose to return, bent on revenge against Sub-Zero.

Sub-Zero managed to defeat the elements just as Quan Chi had foreseen. Quan Chi then received the amulet from his pawn, and Raiden was enraged. He sent Sub-Zero back into the Netherealm to regain the amulet before Shinnok used it to enter the Earth realm. Sub-Zero managed to get the amulet back into the hands of Raiden. By doing so, he prevented the destructive battles between Shinnok and Raiden from being fought, at least for the time being.

Arriving back in Lin Kuei headquarters, Sub-Zero was assigned to compete in Mortal Kombat. He boarded the boat to Shang Tsung's uncharted island. Scorpion, in the form of a reincarnated specter, soon learned of Sub-Zero's intentions and followed the Lin Kuei warrior onto the boat.