The Lin Kuei clan takes center stage in a new official Mortal Kombat 1 trailer revealing the first look at Smoke and surprise recruit Rain! Watch to learn more of their secrets and some of the Kameo allies they're bringing to the new gameplay preview:

Grandmaster Sub-Zero leads a slightly different Lin Kuei into the reality of MK1. Flanked by the burning fire of Scorpion, swirling mists of Smoke, and apparently the torrential downpour of Rain -- he has most of the elements of the covered, as well as kameo assists from classic cyber-assassins Cyrax and Sektor!

Everything old is new again as Smoke punishes opponents with quick dagger attacks and fatal explosive tech that keeps his once & future status as a cyber-assassin in mind. It's a new look, but a familiar old fighter as an MKII klassic makes his return with slick new mask, and tidy hairstyle.

If Smoke bombs aren't enough for you, Cyrax & Sektor have klassic MK3 inspired kameo assists that unleash more bombs and rockets to blow the competition away. Don't worry about the mess, though. Cleanup's a cinch with new water power blasts from Rain!

Fans might remember an old UMK3 character bio that identified Rain as a member of the Lin Kuei, but this is the first time we've known the Edenian water wielder to be among the ranks of the secretive clan. Is this still the Rain we know from previous games? Will the Lin Kuei arrive with more elemental fighters in their midst?

[Related Article: Ed Boon Talks Game Announcement, DLC & Characters in Q&A]

Catch up on the new status quo with the first official MK1 character bios and first official gameplay trailer. Are you excited to see Smoke & Rain return to the main roster? Share your reactions below and go deeper in the Mortal Kombat 1 forum!

Strange new histories unfold as reality is rewritten in the "New Era" of Mortal Kombat 1! Old threats have been neutralized by Liu Kang as he uses his knowledge of the past to restart the world with Kronika's Hourglass, but what has changed? Get a taste of the new status quo and unanticipated threats coming from official character bios and character renders!

New Mortal Kombat 1 character art and biographies have been added to the official site, revealing vague new details about each of the nine confirmed characters' pasts. This is our first clear look at Johnny Cage, whose moviestardom is on the wane, but otherwise seems familiar to past incarnations. Check out the renders below and scroll through for each character's bio:

Liu Kang (God of Fire)
Having won control of the Hourglass, Liu Kang restarted history. He neutralized the threats and dangers that had come before, crafting a New Era in which all beings would have the opportunity to find peace.

But that peace is now threatened by an enemy that Liu Kang could never have anticipated. It will take all of his wisdom and experience to save not only Earthrealm, but all of reality.

Sub-Zero (Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei)
As the Lin Kuei's Grandmaster, Sub-Zero leads his ancient warrior clan in the defense of Earthrealm from external threats. For centuries, it has been their solemn task.

But Earthrealm hasn't been threatened in generations, and Sub-Zero sees no point in limiting his clan to preparing for dangers that may never come. Under his leadership, the Lin Kuei will come out of the shadows and fight for its place as one of Earthrealm's great nations.

Scorpion (Revered Lin Kuei Warrior)
Like his cherished father, Scorpion is dedicated to the Lin Kuei and its defense of Earthrealm. When his father died, Scorpion was bereft. Though he took pride in knowing that his brother, Sub-Zero, would succeed their father as the Lin Kuei's Grandmaster.

But Sub-Zero's unprecedented moves to cast off the Lin Kuei's traditional duties have frozen Scorpion's enthusiasm. He fears that he may one day have to battle his brother for control of the Lin Kuei's legacy.

Kitana (Princess of Outworld)
Kitana has one purpose in life: to aid and protect her older sister, Mileena, as she prepares to rule Outworld one day.

The steady-handed Kitana ignores the calls of those who advocate that she should replace her impulsive sister as heir. Instead, Kitana will defend the realm by fighting to make Mileena the best Empress possible. She will also fight to hide the dark secret that could end her sister's reign before it begins.

Johnny Cage (21st Century Action Hero)
Like many stars before him, Johnny became addicted to his fame. He came to measure his self-worth by his fans' adoration and their praise of him on social media.

But with his star now fading, Johnny is fighting an uphill battle to remain relevant. He joins Liu Kang's Earthrealm champions hoping that it will provide his career and his fame a desperately needed boost.

Kenshi Takahashi (Restorer of His Family's Name)
Once one of ancient Japan's most honored families, the Takahashis were decimated in battle. They lost everything, including emblem of their power: the revered sword, Sento. Those who survived joined the Bakuto, a predecessor of the Yakuza, for its protection.

Five centuries later, Kenshi is raised on the stories of his ancient family's exploits. Detesting his corrupt Yakuza life, he pines to free the Takahashis from the Yakuza's grasp and restore their name.

But for his family to follow him, Kenshi must first fight to prove that he can lead. His first battle is to find and retrieve Sento.

Kung Lao (Youthful Warrior with Dreams of Glory)
Born and raised in the village of Fengjian, Kung Lao has spent his life toiling in the fields. It has been an honorable life, if not a glorious one.

Kung Lao's greatest fear is that his life will amount to nothing. He prays fervently that he will be called to do something bigger.

His prayers are answered when he is asked to join the champions of Earthrealm. As a warrior fighting for its honor, Kung Lao knows that his victories will be long remembered.

Mileena (Heir to Outworld's Throne)
Born mere seconds ahead of her twin sister, Mileena is the rightful heir to Outworld's throne. But even so, there are those who distrust Mileena's impulsiveness. They whisper that Kitana, with her steadier hand, should replace Mileena as heir to the throne.

As Mileena fights for legitimacy, she hides a horrible secret: she is infected with the dreaded and lethal Tarkat disease. Were her affliction found out, Mileena would be forced into battle to save her throne.

Raiden (Champion of Earthrealm)
In the village of Fengjian, Raiden was known for his kindness and his charity. He was happy to spend his days tending to the fields, as well as to his friends and family.

So when he is asked to leave Fengjian and become one of Earthrealm's champions, Raiden hesitates. But he soon realizes that to best serve his village, he must join them.

As threats to Earthrealm mount, Raiden must mature into the great warrior that Liu Kang knows he can be.

A lot of this basic information was conveyed through the official announcement trailer and story mode sequences seen in the summer gameplay trailer, but there are some interesting, and curious details, not the least of which is an "an enemy that Liu Kang could never have anticipated" threatening reality itself!

Despite Liu Kang neutralizing known threats from the previous timeline, it seems the realm of Outworld continues to retain merged aspects of other worlds, most notably Edenia. In this reality Mileena rules Outworld as the elder sister to Kitana, afflicted with a "Tarkat disease". A reversal of roles with perhaps a little pandemic-era influence working its way into the developers' work?

The curious case of brotherhood between Sub-Zero, already confirmed to be Bi-Han by intros, and the fighter called Scorpion, continues to dwell in ambiguities. Exactly how Liu Kang's goal to give beings "the opportunity to find peace" has rewritten Hanzo Hasashi's blood soaked past with the Shira-Ryu remains to be seen, as does the fate of Sub-Zero's younger brother, Kuai Liang.

[Related Article: Ed Boon Plays Truth or Troll with Ten Mortal Kombat 1 Facts]

What do you think of the New Era? Which details do you find the most interesting? Share your thoughts & theories with us in the comments below and go deeper into news & speculation in the Mortal Kombat 1 forum! Some or all of these characters will be on show when a public playable demo hits Evo next month! Save the date with the MKO App by downloading via App Store or Google Play!

Between the official announce trailer & gameplay trailers, we've already seen plenty of thought-provoking things, but there's still much to be learned in the months leading up to Mortal Kombat 1. While players await invitations to the MK1 Online Stress Test, NetherRealm Studios' Chief Creative Officer has used social media to tide fans over with ten tidbits in a game of Truth or Troll. Read on for details:

Ed Boon has enjoyed playing puzzling head-games with fans ever since he programmed a taunting green ninja into the very first Mortal Kombat. When he isn't giving us mind-bending clues for his next game, he's often polling fans on Twitter for their opinions -- and this time he's doing both!

Ten polls pose possible details from MK1 and fans can vote Truth or Troll in this sick game of testing just how much we really know about the September release. Let's run down the ten possibilities.

1. There Will Be a New Color Ninja Introduced in MK1
A small army of palette swapped "ninja" characters expanded the hidden and playable roster in the klassic arcade series, but could we be in store for a new colour in the spectrum? There was yellow, blue, green, grey, black, purple, and red -- and that's just the fellas!

Kitana, Mileena, Jade, and Skarlet could be considered part of the bunch. Cassie Cage introduced a pink-ish magenta kosplay version in Mortal Kombat XL -- not to mention all the customizable options in Mortal Kombat 11! Even Tremor finally went from yellowish to brown in his Mortal Kombat PlayStation Vita comeback, but we bet there are a few more hues & tones still available to give this one a hint of truth.

The announce trailer showed us dressing alike is certainly back in vogue in Mortal Kombat 1. Scorpion and Sub-Zero share similar styles as part of their newfound brotherhood, and since we already know it's the elder Bi-Han beneath the blue smock, we could hazard a guess that Kuai Liang might be in the market for some new duds -- perhaps a fine white to compliment the moniker of Tundra, introduced through backstory in the previous 2011 franchise reboot.

2. Shujinko Will Be One of the Kameo Fighters
Shujinko has gone pretty unloved since his last playable appearance in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. It was only his second game after being introduced as the ill-fated brand new protagonist of Mortal Kombat: Deception and its in-depth Konquest mode.

It's pretty much been the cameo lifestyle for the befuddled old master ever since. He was guardian of the Chaosrealm Kamidogu dagger in the Mortal Kombat X tie-in comic, which saw him dwelling in a Kang Temple before falling under the thrall of Havik. The wizened fighter was also mistaken for Shang Tsung in Cassie Cage's MKX arcade ending, coming off second best against the young fighter.

Shujinko has always been brimming with potential and with Ed Boon consistently talking up representation for the so-called "3D era" of games -- he seems like a no-brainer. The only question is if this long-lived would-be hero is merely a Kameo kombatant, or a full-fledged playable character stepping out of MK's rewritten history.

3. Animalities are Returning in MK1
Animalities were one of the more unlikely finishing moves to come from the various versions of Mortal Kombat 3, allowing players to transform into a wild animal to finish their opponent off in some zoological fashion.

Some of the transformations were downright perplexing, which might be one of the reasons we haven't seen it reprised very often throughout the series. Some characters have incorporated animalistic transformations into their basic movesets with more intuitive results, and although Mortal Kombat X arenas got us wondering if local fauna might provide an interesting take on the idea, this one seems a little less likely.

4. Lou Ferrigno Will be Making an Appearance in MK1
MK has taken to incorporating the likenesses of musclemen from action movie's past, featuring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in MK11, Carl Weathers in MKX, and even Jean-Claude Van Damme as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 1.

A former IFBB Mr. Universe bodybuilding champion, and training partner for Schwarzenegger; Lou Ferrigno is best remembered for his role as the green-skinned rampaging Incredible Hulk on nineteen-seventies syndicated television, and a short-lived theatrical Hercules. He is a merchandising brand unto himself, available in statuette form and more, but with a passing resemblance to Ed Boon himself, we think this one might be a troll -- but stranger things have happened.

5. Meat is One of the Stronger Kameo Fighters
A product of economical Mortal Kombat 4 resource exploitation, and experimentation by Shang Tsung according to his Armageddon appearance; Meat is one of the most dubious characters in the expansive Mortal Kombat canon.

A skinless being of muscle and sinew, he's described by some as "a fun character who assists Shinnok", but will he be assisting anybody in MK1? We have our doubts. With so many fighters fans are eager to see, this one might be amusing, but sounds more troll than truth. During interviews, Boon even poked fun at the absurdity of such an expectation, so whether Meat even makes the cut is highly debatable.

6. Kameo Fighters will have Brutalities
Brutalities have come a long way since the feverish combos that exploded opponents into blood & bones at the end of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3's fights. These days they're an intriguing crescendo to the final round of battle.

We've already seen Kameo Fighters getting into the murderous mayhem of Mortal Kombat 1 special moves and finishers, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to expect that the right combination will bring your Kameo Fighter into the arena to complete a chain combo, or Mortal Kombat 11 style coup de grace.

7. MK1 Story Mode Will Have a Post-Credit Scene
The introduction of theatrical style storytelling modes in Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and Mortal Kombat (2011) took the saga of the series to a whole new level. Cliffhanger plotlines and even an outright epilogue has been part of the fun, with MK2011 setting up Shinnok's return in Mortal Kombat X, and MK11 ending with Fire God Liu Kang visiting the distant past.

Like the 2011 reboot; Mortal Kombat 1 is taking us back to the beginning yet again, rewriting the entire series canon from the perspective of the ascended Liu Kang. Post-credits scenes have become a cliche of the superhero movie industry, but is it unreasonable to expect something extra pointing us in the direction of the future in MK1? It's certainly not out of the question and could be part of a fun new trend!

8. MK1 Puzzle Kombat Will be Returning in MK1
When Ed Boon polled fans on returning game modes, Puzzle Kombat finished dead last with a meager 6.5% of the four option vote. It never stood a chance against the fully-fleshed out open world of the Konquest Mode, but even then, it's probably one of the less beloved distractions from past installments.

Borrowing liberal inspiration from Capcom's Puzzle Fighter for a bonus mini-game in MK Deception; Puzzle Kombat was quite a bit of fun, utilizing MK's characters and environments for block-dropping, chibi-chomping fun. It's the kind of thing that might make a good Mortal Kombat app, but will it find its way into MK1? We think this could be more of a troll, but you never know.

9. There are No 4-legged Fighters in MK1
Fighters who demand a unique physiology, or irregular orientation, have become a bit of a lost art for Mortal Kombat. Even the likes of Ferra/Torr and Drahmin have struggled to get a second look after introducing unusual presentation quirks to the fighting game engine.

MK3 sub-boss Motaro is clearly the four-legged fighter we all know and love, but in his last appearance in Armageddon, he had to forego two of his legs just to make the cut. On the subject Boon has previously noted, "... if [we] had the big centaur half horse guy that filled half the screen it would not work. I don't think people think it through and just say "I want to play as Motaro!" You really don't!"

There are balancing challenges to a character like Motaro, but there's no reason he couldn't exist as a unique circumstance, either as an imposing set piece special fight or boss, or in the case of MK1, as a Kameo Fighter whose only requirement is to entry the fray and deliver devastating injuries to an opponent. We don't really know how it will happen, but this one seems like it could at long last be true.

10. MK1 Will Feature the Return of TEST YOUR SIGHT
Before you write it off on name alone, you'll want to remember that Test Your Sight began as an amusing mini-game in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, before becoming part of the 2011 reboot game's Challenge Tower.

A variation on the cup & ball game, it requires a simple mastery of attention and observation -- assuming its as we know it. We know Kenshi will once again lose his sight over the course of the game, perhaps introducing potential for a new twist on the Test Your Sight concept as part of other modes. Either way, what we'd really like to see is the klassic Test Your Might mini-game. This one could go either way.

[Related Article: Ed Boon Hypes Returning Characters & Moves in Mortal Kombat 1]

Which way did you vote? What's the truth and what's a troll? Share your thoughts in the comments below and go deeper into speculation & discussion in the Mortal Kombat 1!

He might be mad at me for doing this, but I wanted to take an opportunity to let everyone know that our dear friend and colleague, DArqueBishop, is retiring this week after more than 20 years of being a staff member and SysAdmin of Mortal Kombat Online!

For those that don’t know him, D’Arque Bishop joined the staff of our website, then known as MK5.org, back in 2002. We as fans were all eagerly awaiting the release of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.

MK5.org had been invited by Midway Games to attend E3 that year to cover the first playable demo of the game. I was a senior in high school at the time and I was unable to attend due to final exams and graduation coming up. With my co-founder and I both not able to attend, I was desperate to find a couple of people I could trust to cover the event in our name. I was first introduced to D’Arque Bishop as a member of the alt.games.mk newsgroup but got to know him better as he frequently visited our original IRC channel. I offered both him and tabmok99 our two passes to E3 and staff positions on the website if they would attend. As Bishop would describe it to me later, I don’t think either of us expected he would become such a central figure of our website or that we’d still be doing this in any capacity all these years later.

Bishop was our website’s second webmaster after I stepped down from the role when I was married, and later became our System Administrator. We have had incredible experiences over the last couple of decades and I’m saddened to see him go. Bishop has been an integral part of our website for so many years and has kept our website running smoothly for almost its entirety. We will miss his constant maintenance pings, his love of sci-fi and Dr. Who, and just his overall great personality. MKO still exists today in its 25th year in part because of his dedication to our website and the Mortal Kombat community as whole.

Thank you for taking a chance on us when we needed your help, for your dedication, and most importantly for being one of my best friends. I appreciate all your hard work and wish you and your family all the best in this new stage of life!

The Mortal Kombat sequel film has fleshed out its growing cast with four additions in key roles familiar from the games. The rumored drama of Edenia's conquest is in the frame with a larger than life Shao Kahn leading the news. Read on for details:

Six foot seven British MMA fighter & fitness influencer Martyn Ford will bring the towering terror of Emperor Shao Kahn to life in a sequel beginning production in Australia this month. Ford has been seen in various screen roles, including as Koshmar in 2016 martial arts sequel Boyka: Undisputed, as well as F9: The Fast Saga, The Sandman, Accident Man, and most recently in The Machine.

According to a report by Deadline, the story of Shao Kahn & Outworld's conquest of the realm of Edenia will be told with relative newcomer, Ana Thu Nguyen (The Spy Who Never Dies) as Queen Sindel, and fellow Australian Desmond Chaim (Falcon and The Winter Soldier) as the ill fated King Jerrod. Adeline Rudolph was previously cast as their daughter Kitana, with Tatiana Gabrielle to play Jade.

Martyn Ford towers over the fighting ring in Boyka: Undisputed

Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) will also step in front of the camera, returning to the franchise as Quan Chi, having previously made an impression as the voice of Kabal in the first film. The Netherrealm necromancer resurrected a deceased Sindel in plotlines introduced during the Mortal Kombat (2011) reboot. Details about the upcoming film adaptation remain unknown.

Simon McQuoid will again assume the director's chair, with a returning cast of Lewis Tan (Cole Young), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion), Tadanobu Asano (Raiden), Mehcad Brooks (Jax), Josh Lawson (Kano), Max Huang (Kung Lao), and Joe Taslim (Bi-Han). Karl Urban Is reportedly signed on to play Johnny Cage.

[Related Article: Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match Cast Announced]

The sequel aims to embrace the "weird" universe of MK. What do you think about the new casting choices? Share your thoughts in the comments below and find & discuss more stories in the Media & Merchandise forum! Thanks to MKO user Baraka_MK for submitting material for this story.