I just know Quan Chi is up to something, and is more likely related to the "big bad" in this game, just not the "big bad" himself.

Or, it could be someone who didn't even show up in the trailer. Mileena as a "smoke screen" makes sense in this regard, but Shinnok's appearance in the trailer also seemed kind of blatant, even though it was a flashback.

After thinking about it, I'm slowly leaning back toward the "evil" Liu Kang (from his MK9 ending) as the Big Bad. That would be a heck of a swerve. After all, who's the one player character from the first game we've heard absolutely zip about so far from NRS?

Didn't Lansdowne or someone else at NRS say that the big bad was in this video? And he considered it obvious...

Shawn KA @Lover_of_Tacos

They didn't say the big bad would be in the video, they said who the big bad is would be obvious because of what is shown in the video.

I'm leaning towards Liu Kang because that blood cloud comes from the White Lotus temple.

he didnt say would be in the video, he said will be hinted at in the video.(which means could or couldn't be in the video)

I thought it was Mileena for the longest time, but after the comics I'm leaning toward Reiko. It makes a lot of sense and is definitely a more surprising, and interesting, choice than Evil Liu Kang or Shinnok.

While I agree entirely that it won't be Mileena, I disagree entirely that it will be Reiko. I started out reading your post thinking, "God this better not be another Reiko inflation thread" because I could see it coming. :P

I think it's far more likely that the main antagonist won't be any of the major players in the Outworld civil war, and will be someone with ties to the plot running throughout ALL the story mode chapters...

Someone with ties to the Amulet. Shinnok. The Netherealm. The Kamidogu. This Mysterious Blood God/Demon.

I doubt it will be any of the characters at the forefront of the Outworld Civil War. The Outworld Civil War seems to be there more to bridge the gap between the Netherealm War and the present day plot involving the young newbies. And round out the middle.

Which I imagine is largely why most of the Outworld War plot is being told in the Comic Book. Because it's really just going to be a backdrop for the plot ties transitioning the beginning to the end.

I'm honestly beginning to wonder if it isn't Shinnok. Seeing his demise in act 1 could just be misdirection for the fact that he has some sort of plot churning with the amulet that takes a further 25 years to come to fruition. Could also be Quan Chi, but that seems boring and predictable. Frankly, he's ALWAYS behind everything... it's getting old. Or it could be a completely different character who just has ties to those two.

But I don't think it's going to be anyone rising to power in the middle years to be the big bad in the final years. It's going to be some long brewing plot that runs throughout all 25 years, that won't become completely clear until we get closer to the end.

Reiko isn't just going to steal the Amulet halfway through the game and suddenly become the main antagonist out of left field. That would be stupid and poorly plotted.

This.....all of this.

I'm starting to embrace the idea of Mileena being the big bad but I think she will ultimately be the main henchmen, although that's not too shabby in itself. I'm still convinced pissed off Liu is the Don and Quan Chi will have something to do with it because Quan Chi is always the one who pulls the strings of the actual boss.

For the Liu Kang theory, why would Quan Chi or Shinnok serve him? If anything they could bring him back as an evil revenant, but he would ultimately be under their control. I agree that the big bad should have ties to all 3 chapters of the story and be someone with ties to Quan Chi/Shinnok's camp. Perhaps Reiko takes the throne of outworld as a service to Shinnok, who may likely be the final boss. It just seems to me that the outworld war is closely linked to the brotherhood of the shadow.

Wouldn't that be the whole point though? It's not like it would be the first time that the final boss is actually being manipulated. From the trailer, we've seen revenants (Sindel,Kitana), I wouldn't put it past Quan Chi to use Liu Kang's soul (The Earthrealm champion) and turn him into some demonic force doing his bidding. That shit would just write itself.

Where I'm puzzled though is the whole Shao Kahn ressurection plotline which directly contradicts Liu Kang being the big bad. But then maybe Quan Chi and Mileena are in a power struggle as to whom to bring back to take over Outworld.


Or maybe I'm over-thinking this......

There is no Sha Khan Ressurrect plot. Unless there's a, curve I say, Mileena is the boss. At the end.

I'm taking a guess that reiko may be big bad with sub boss team of revenant kitana/emperess mileena. Just a guess though.

Heck, Liu Kang fighting on behalf of Shang Tsung was the most interesting plot twist of the second season of Legacy, even though that's probably faint praise.

Speculation in my opinion percentage wise for main boss.
1. Goro 33%
2. Shinnok 50%
3. Rain. 33%
4. Argus. 80%
5. Raiden. 80 %
6. Quan Chi. 80%
7. Liu Kang. 50%
8. Mileena 80%
9. Daegon 50%
10. Shang Tsung 50%

Jesus, I just had the worst idea for the main bad ever...
Shang Tsung-overpowered Sindel... Do not ask NRS about it, do not give them ideas...

Blood Magik... Huge bloody cloud in the story mode trailer...

The returning character and the big bad no one saw coming is...

Just say outright who your picks are, folks. Enough with the unnecessary spoiler tags, 'cause there's nothing to be spoiled.

I was thinking the same thing. SkarLet for the win!

I've been saying it's going to be Liu Kang since June. Eight months later I still feel confident that's the case.

Mileena won't be the big bad. Reiko will probably get deuced in the comic because he's scheming way too many people. If not, he might have an off chance as DLC.

At this point I'd put my money on Shinnok or a new villain. Maybe Dark Lui Kang.

If we pay attention, the central piece of the game seems to be The Amulet.

So, who possess the Amulet, has the power.

But Raiden knows, and affirms, that this artifact can't be on the wrong hands, or we all may pay a price.

Notice that Raiden imprisions Shinnok INSIDE The Amulet.

Makes me think that who possess the Amulet, possess Shinnok.

Or someone like Mileena, who I'm pretty sure doesn't know what she is doing (really she posses one of the greatest tools in reality and she wants to reclaim the throne?). may UNLEASH SHINNOK ONCE AGAIN.

That would make, according to this analysis, the fallen Elder God as the big bad.

[...]

Ok, but let's go a little bit far?

A red cloud comes out of the Shaolin Temple. Raiden must have asked the Shaolins to guard one of the Kamidogu daggers (remember when Fox killed the Shirai Ryu and everything was colored in red like in the trailer).

So, we have KAMIDOGUS, THE AMULET and a dispute to OUTWORLD'S THRONE.

The last time I have seen these three things together, Onaga was behind everything.

Guesses: Shinnok as the very Amulet or Onaga.

My candidates:

Liu Kang- Survives at the end of MK9 and is still angry at Raiden; during MKX when Shinnok is a threat some people die, Liu flips completely and later gains possession of the amulet.

Shinnok: Is released from the amulet in the final act of the game.

Noob- His MK9 arcade ending stated him wanting to rule the Netherrealm, and the Crossroads stage in MKX looks quite similar to the Netherrealm shown in Noob's MK9 ending.

Onaga- Kamidogu sub-plot in the comics, unrest in Outworld because of the war, a character talking about their village being destroyed, a gold object that looks egg-shaped & seems to have the face of something with horns etched on its centre in the story trailer where Cassie fights Sindel, and there's Shinnok's amulet which was also something connected to Onaga & his temple in the previous timeline.

Zany guesses: Havik, Shao Kahn or Shang Tsung.

I can't imagine Kang being petty enough to turn into an asshole over the events of MK9. If he came back he'd see that Raiden did beat Kahn and prevent Armageddon, and therefore correct about letting him attempt to merge the realms and Kung Lao, Kitana, etc wind up revived anyway. Begrudgingly working with Raiden to protect Earth, sure. But evil? Nah.

If Kang is the main villain and not possessed or cursed, then that's some pretty shitty writing for the sake of a twist. They'll probably have Liu wind up as the new protector of Earthrealm and phase him out of the games slowly that way and have him as a mentor type character.


As for the villain my money's on Shinnok or any former villain that's usually been a lackey or never quite main villain material.

Good guys turning evil are the most cliche thing ever but I think people wouldn't expect them to actually make someone like Mileena or Reiko competent enough to really carry out plans that make them go up to the top of the ladder. Maybe Ermac with Kahn's soul?

Maybe Bi-Han slaps Quan Chi around and steals Shinnok's chain again.