Summary
For one of the greatest fighting game series of all time,Mortal Kombatstill seems to top itself with each release. Though the narrative choices usually have the fandom split, the fighting game aspect always has people coming back for more and the latest is no different.
Mortal Kombat 1 is one of the biggest story changes in a Mortal Kombat game yet, going in the direction of a soft reboot after Lui Kang reset the universe. Not every character managed to make an impact on their narrative reintroduction in the new game, but the ones that did make the story mode much more enjoyable.
10Geras
Geras was a brand-new character in Mortal Kombat 11and was an immortal antagonist, slave to Kronika and her demands. Each time he died, he’d come back stronger like Doomsday and, because of his immortality, Lui Kang decided to rehabilitate him after taking over the power of the hourglass.
In Mortal Kombat 1, Lui Kang and Geras are close friends, with Lui Kang treating Geras as an equal, instead of as a slave. In one of the arcade endings, Lui Kang demonstrates his confidence in Geras’s intentions after considering him as his heir after he dies, so that Geras becomes the keeper of time, showing just how far he’d come.
9Havik
Havik was last seen in Mortal Kombat Armageddon as an agent of chaosand a morally gray anarchist. His ambitions in the previous games were only to spread chaos by any means necessary, allying himself with whoever would further that goal.
In Lui Kang’s new design, instead of being from Chaosrealm, he resides in Orderrealm and his ambition is to create an anarchist state there, toppling its regime and freeing everyone from its rules. He allies himself with the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung to further these goals, adding much needed character depth to what was once a seemingly one-dimensional character.
8Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero is one of the most iconic characters in Mortal Kombatand his reintroduction was only slightly different to his main story. Originally, Bi-Han was an assassin for the Lin Kuei and had a bitter rivalry with Scorpion after Bi-Han supposedly murdered his family. The title of Sub-Zero was then passed to Bi-Han’s little brother, Kuai Liang.
In this rebooted universe, things are a bit different. Bi-Han is the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei and his evil is much more subtle. He takes Shang Tsung’s offer and goes against his father’s wishes, as well as his brothers, Scorpion and Smoke. The character feels much more rounded off in this game than previous ones where Bi-Han only existed to be killed by Scorpion.
7Raiden
Raiden went from Thunder God to Elder Godto a lowly farmer in Lui Kang’s new design. He crafted Raiden’s destiny in accordance with the pre-rebooted wishes of Raiden, who just wanted to live a normal life after dedicating so much of his time to protecting Earthrealm.
Now that Lui Kang took over this role, he could be free to live life as he sees fit, without God powers or immortality. The story picks up when he engages in a bar fight where he meets Lui Kang for the first time and eventually becomes Earthrealms champion, switching the roles of both characters in this new game.
6Scorpion
Scorpion also underwent a major character change, he’s no longer Hanzo Hasashi, driven by vengeance against Sub-Zero, but Bi-Han’s little brother, Kuai Liang. Hanzo has not yet been introduced in the new universe, but Kuai Liang fits his shoes nicely and his Scorpion powers are much more cinematic than any previous game.
Scorpion’s motives are now to restore the Lin Kuei to its former glory, since Bi-Han’s betrayal against his principles hurt him deeply. He learned that Bi-Han let their father die, so he could become the Grandmaster, which made Scorpion split off from the Lin Kuei and create his own clan, the Shirai Ryu.
5Sindel
A character who is no stranger to retcons, Sindel was frequently changed and her biggest change before Mortal Kombat 1 was in Mortal Kombat 11’s Aftermath DLC, which is considered the most controversial story decision ever in the series.
Thankfully,with the new game they finally got her right, as instead of a villain who clings to power every chance she gets, she is now an Empress of Outworld that is loved by her subjects. She is a good mother and serves her people well, eventually even aiding Lui Kang against Titan Shang Tsung.
4Mileena
Mileena has come a long way, from being an experimental cloneof Kitana, brought to life by Shang Tsung to the heiress of Outworld and the eldest daughter of Sindel. In the new timeline, Mileena is no longer a clone of Kitana mixed with Tarkatan blood, instead being a normal person that has a future ruling Outworld.
Kitana and Mileena’s relationship as sisters is much healthier than in previous games where they were rivals who fought for Shao Khan’s approval. Though her iconic Tarkatan smile still sometimes makes a comeback, since Tarkat is now a disease instead of an entire race of people.
3General Shao
Shao Khan went from the big bad villain in the past few gamesand the ultimate final boss to Sindel’s loyal general under her command. General Shao is much less evil compared to his pre-reboot counterpart, credit to Lui Kang for giving him a father figure to look up to in the new timeline.
However, he isn’t a nice guy and even betrays Sindel and sides with Shang Tsung in the later parts of the story, showing that even the interference of Divine Beings can’t change the fundamental nature of a person in the Mortal Kombat universe completely.
2Reptile
Reptile is another villain who managed to switch sidesand become a good guy with much more character depth. The original version was iconic, but always felt too linear, being evil and serving his ambitions only. The reintroduction shows him as a vulnerable lackey of Shang Tsung who is being forced to do his bidding with his family taken hostage.
His intentions are good, but he cares about his family too much to question Shang Tsung. After Shang Tsung reveals that he killed his family a long time ago, Scyzoth (Reptile) immediately goes against him and escapes with Johnny Cage and Kung Lao to Earthrealm.
1Baraka
Baraka looks the same in the new universe, but underneath he has changed a lot. Where once there was an unquestioning bloodthirsty minion, Shao Khan is now a man who was shunned and cast out by his people for contracting a disease he had no control over.
He has lost everything, including his family and home, and the only thing that keeps him going is the will to save his people. Now that’s a proper reintroduction to a character we have long known as a villain.
