For many years, Kabal was a loyal member of the Black Dragon clan, until Shao Kahn broke the sacred rules of Mortal Kombat to instigate an invasion and took Earthrealm by storm, When Kahn began stealing souls, Kabal was spared from this gruesome fate because he was one of Earthrealm's chosen warriors, destined to fight against Shao Kahn. Seeing all chosen warriors as a threat to his dominance, he ordered his extermination squads to annihillate him. Kabal managed to escape, but his face was left forever scarred, irreperably mutilated, and forced to rely on a resperator due to his windpipe being slit. The events of Shao Kahn's invasion had profoundly changed Kabal; he left behind his life of crime with the Black Dragon and vowed to become a force for good; at least for a time.
Between the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Kabal was wounded severely in battle by Mavado, a leading member of the Red Dragon hoping to wipe out the Black Dragon. Mavado then took Kabal's trademark hookswords as a trophy.
Havik visited Kabal at the brink of death and restored him, and then instructed him to bring back the Black Dragon as a force of anarchy and decay. In spite of his previous experiences fighting alongside his Earthrealm comrades against Shao Kahn's hordes and his vow to help put an end to crime and injustice, he followed Havik's instructions seemingly without hesitation. It is believed he trained with Havik for some years, before going back to Earthrealm and killing Mavado, taking back his hookswords. He then also recruited Kira and Kobra. The three of them joined Havik on Outworld for the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception. While his reason for recruiting Kira and Kobra as the newest members of the Black Dragon was basically to fill the void left behind by his apparently deceased comrades, Kabal had ulterior motives. Seeing as how the complacency of the former members led to the demise of his clan, Kabal wanted to ensure that his newest recruits were truly worthy of the Black Dragon. He tested their prowess in battle against the enemies of the Dragon King.
In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's Konquest mode, Kabal confronts the protagonist Taven after Taven had defeated Kobra and several other Black Dragon thugs. Kabal offers him a chance to join the clan, but Taven refuses. They fight, and Taven manages to defeat Kabal, although he doesn't actually kill him.
In Kabal's Armageddon ending, he is able to vanquish Blaze, causing his hookswords to become enchanted with power. He challenges his nemesis Mavado to Mortal Kombat. Kabal overpowers and defeats him easily. Mavado commits hara-kiri and Kabal holds his severed head high atop the pyramid to show the Black Dragon's superiority.
, MK:A) 
