Jasco Games, the game publishing and design company who created the Universal Fighting System (UFS) Collectible Card Game, has offically announced that it will release a series of Mortal Kombat X cards! They have released this announcement trailer:
Not only does has the Mortal Kombat fighting game experience been faithfully translated to a 2-player card game, but in addition, the game is fully compatible with all other licensed cards that are part of the UFS, such as Street Fighter, DarkStalkers, Dragon Ball Z, and others. Here is a small preview of some of the upcoming cards (though the final design may be subject to change):
There are also upcoming pre-release and release tournaments, and entrants will receive enough booster packs to assemble a card deck. Winners will receive limited edition Mortal Kombat X themed playmats. For dull details, check out:
In honor of the World Cup, the developers of Mortal Kombat X Mobile have developed special Kombat Cup themed skins for two characters: Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade! NetherRealm Studios released this trailer across various social media outlets:
It can be seen in the trailer that the soccer theme is not merely a visual, as evidenced by the NetherRealm-themed jerseys, but is incorporated in the fighters' special moves as well. Johnny uses the soccer ball as a weapon, and Sonya uses a referee whistle whilst using her abilities!
Some astute fans may have noticed that the character models have been slightly altered, possibly to resemble real-life soccer players. For a closer look, MK Online user judgmentfist has provided us with the following pictures that she created after extracting the textures (including a side-by-side comparison with the default MKX costumes used):
Got thoughts on the latest soccer-themed skins for MKX Mobile? You can continue the discussion by registering an account and heading over to the forums!
Looks like Mortal Kombat 11 was a giant bomb at this year's E3 show. For night 2 of their E3 coverage, Giant Bomb hosts Jeff Gerstmann and Dan Ryckert had a sit-down meeting hosted a panel with several developers, including Ed Boon of NetherRealm Studios, Jacob Mikkelson and Sven Liebold of IO Interactive, and Eric Pope of Ubisoft.
The relevant portion of the video begins in the embedded clip, below:
Of particular interest to Mortal Kombat fans, who may feel disappointed at the news, may be the distinct lack of a Mortal Kombat 11 announcement. This is covered in the beginning of the segment:
Jeff Gerstmann: Ed, no game! What’s going on?
Ed Boon: Well, we’ve had E3s where there’s no game before, in the past.
JG: Definitely.
EB: There’s definitely like a pattern we’ve been following that we’ve kind of broken out of. And I’m surprised how many people know about that pattern. I didn’t think that many people were taking notes—writing it down. But it’s certainly something that we’re changing around. And I wish I could—I’m chomping at the bit to talk about stuff—but at the moment, we have nothing that we’re announcing.
JG [stage whisper] All right, just tell me—is Stryker in it, or what? What are we doing? [normal voice] I mean, that was the cadence for a while. Talk about the game at E3, ship in April type thing—and I feel like Injustice 2, when I started thinking about it, when I started maybe piecing some things together to go, “I don’t think they’re gonna have a game there.” At first I was like, “Aw, man. E3 is cancelled.”
EB: In the past, we’ve released some kind of an announcement trailer right before E3. So when we didn’t do something like that, the death threats started.
In other portions of the discussion, they cover topics like their thoughts on DLC (in both Mortal Kombat X and the Injustice series, as well as games by other publishers entirely, such as Rainbow Six) as well as the challenges of developers responding to feedback by gamers and implementing balance patches and other updates. In addition, they discuss how in times past, the surprise short film/teaser Mortal Kombat: Rebirth impacted their announcement for the Mortal Kombat (2011) reboot, how the Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe crossover laid the groundwork for later MK and Injustice games, the cancelled Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks sequel, Fire and Ice, and they even discussed fan projects such as Pong Kombat. There’s also a bit of a foray into the theoretical crossovers that we’d all love to see—but probably won’t—such as Marvel vs. DC and Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter.
Although some fans may be a bit let down that Mortal Kombat 11 is not ready to be revealed at this time, the unstructured nature of discussion makes it entertaining to watch as they cover a variety of topics related to MK’s past, present, and future as well as the occasional drift into other topics entirely. Babalities in For Honor?
Although MK11 may be further behind in the development cycle, the conversation never stops! Register an account and share your thoughts on the forum.
Is it a figurine, is it a pin? FiGPiN specialize in collectibles that are a little bit of both. Their zinc alloy & enamel pins are already emblazoned with some of pop cultures biggest icons - and the first from Mortal Kombat is on its way soon! Read on for more details:
Scorpion leads the way for the Mortal Kombat license in his MKX design, joining a range that includes other major properties, such as: DC Comics, World Wrestling Entertainment, Marvel's Avengers, Assassin's Creed and more! Click the thumbnails below to check out characters from other NetherRealm Studios games: Aquaman, The Undertaker, and Mortal Kombat guest Kratos!
Heading to the video game section of Target stores: the Scorpion FiGPiN is 3" tall (76.2mm) and 3/32" thick (2.0mm), encased in what the company describes as "museum-quality, clear poly-carbonate display box with a black ABS plastic base."
The larger than average FiGPiNs can be worn -- or displayed on a patent-pending soft rubber backer. Each collectible pin is engraved with a unique code signifying its limited status! Other characters retail at around $13.99, which should be rough indication of what you can expect.
Update: Scorpion and an Injustice 2 Harley Quinn can be seen displayed in the NetherRealm Studios headquarters in a recent tweet from Ed Boon! The Creative Director's verdict: "They look great!"
Want to see more Mortal Kombat characters in the range? Register to share your comments on the Merchandise & Media forum! Pin your pride digitally by sharing this story via Twitter and Facebook!
Kung Lao has been showing his age in recent years, but he's fresh as a lotus flower in the latest Mortal Kombat X Mobile challenge! Kung Lao's klassic Shaolin Fist is yours to control if your kung fu is good enough!
To master this kung fu you must complete five tiers of pre-set challenges! Each tier consists of 12 battles, with the exception of the final 15-fight challenge! Tier 1 is a novice round of all Bronze Kards, Tier 2 a mix of Bronze & Silver, and Tier 3 is an escalation to Silver Kards only. Only Martial Arts characters can defeat Tier 4, before Tier 5 demands the Shaolin mastery of Liu Kang!
You can begin your training by downloading Mortal Kombat X Mobile free-to-play from Apple Store, Google Play & Amazon Games! The MKX Mobile game continues to update, offering new and klassic kombatants with the Summer 2018 Update!
Do you have the discipline and skill to master the Shaolin Fist? Register to share your kung fu exploits on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Support the kommunity by spreading these teachings by liking & sharing via Twiter and Facebook!
Mortal Kombat X notably introduced a new generation of fighters to the long running series -- but it also executed more than a dozen klassic kombatants! Many prominent franchise icons were added to a death toll begun with the 2011 reboot -- but will they remain dead?
For every revenant that returned to life, NetherRealm put two more in the morgue! As we begin to think about what's next, we're revisiting the major fatalities that occurred in the Mortal Kombat X Story Mode - and its tie-in comic books! Read on and join the speculation about each kombatant's fate on the forums!
Shinnok Shinnok received a memorable design upgrade in 2006's Armageddon, but he was arguably done most justice as the big bad of Mortal Kombat X!
A hellacious final boss transformation took the seed of an idea introduced by MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero -- and made it worthy of a fallen Elder God! A version of his MK4 defeat was revisited in backstory, but in the future present of MKX, Shinnok actually succeeded in reaching and corrupting Earthrealm's Jinsei spirit!
Despite nearly achieving his dastardly plan; Shinnok ultimately had victory snatched from his fingertips when Cassie Cage delivered a whooping as only her bloodline can! Raiden used his own aura to reverse Shinnok's corrupting influence, but emerged from the Jinsei a darkened version of himself. Shinnok's severed head was carried into the Netherrealm away from prying eyes, where Raiden's darkness lay bare.
Shinnok's status as a former Elder God means his demise is actually a little murky. After a strong showing in MKX, there doesn't seem to be any great demand to see Shinnok return in the immediate future, but the door is ever-so ajar, if the need should arise. Fighting game series notoriously struggle to move on from past arch-villains, and as much as we'd hate to say a permanent goodbye to a devil of MK's own making, it may be the best way to serve his legend. With prospective threats looming from Raiden and Kotal Kahn - the series seems ready to move on.
Quan Chi There was no denying the instant appeal of Quan Chi! The volley of his first appearances in MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero, MK4, and the Defenders of the Realm cartoon instantly cemented him as the series' strongest addition since Shao Kahn! When the series rebooted in 2011; Quan Chi's machinations were sewn deeper into the series' most iconic mythology, inscribing him as a grand manipulator who was pulling more strings than we can keep up with!
As a subverting influence working on Shinnok's behalf, Quan Chi had a lot of great moments, but his omnipresence clearly started to wear thin with many fans. That may give the ghastly necromancer's death more traction than it would otherwise have. The honor of the kill went to Scorpion, whose entire existence as a ninja spectre could be owed to Quan Chi's manipulations. Scorpion was more closely controlled by Quan Chi in the new timeline. Armed with that knowledge, he nearly damned the entire world in his pursuit of vengeance. He got it with a simple swing of the blade - decapitating Quan Chi as he unleashed Shinnok.
When the wicked die in Mortal Kombat their tainted souls are banished to the Netherrealm, but if that's where Quan Chi comes from -- what happens next? The new timeline has put Quan Chi's fingers in so many pies, we're all ready to take a break from his vast scheming. It's hard to imagine MK without one of its most successful post-Trilogy icons, but there is other terrain to explore in the immediate future.
Mileena With Shao Kahn and Kitana dead; Mileena rose to new heights in Mortal Kombat X as one of the main fighters vying for the Outworld throne. She was outmatched by a more qualified opponent, relying on the raw firepower of Shinnok's Amulet to counteract Kotal Kahn and his united forces. The threat of the wielding the amulet's power was known to Mileena's own allies, with the likes of Rain conspiring to seize power for himself. Her rule - always a tenuous one.
Mileena was ultimately undone by the work of the Special Forces, whose intel led to her capture and execution by D'Vorah. Consumed by insects, Mileena suffered a brutal death -- but what does such a demise mean to a clone? As a creation of Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits; Mileena was reintroduced to the rebooted timeline as one of several experimental clones, created from the fusion of Kitana and Tarkatan DNA.
To witness a return in a future installment, we need only learn of another clone's survival! Which is exactly what was alluded to in Mileena's MKX ending, which proposed the emergence of entire army of Mileena! It's always more satisfying when character development can be hung on a central avatar, but the spread of Mileena could be a fresh concept for the series to explore!
Baraka With his introduction in Mortal Kombat II, Baraka helped define the bizarre and dangerous identity of Shao Kahn's Outworld. Bladed arms and a wicked grin made him an instantly iconic kombatant, but inconsistent appearances, and a string of minor roles of servitude, have gradually eroded Baraka's status from would-be King of Mutants - to lowly minion.
In Mortal Kombat X, Baraka's loyalty remained to the half-Tarkatan daughter of Shao Kahn. He made multiple appearances in story mode, but was relegated to non-playable status while serving Mileena, even after post-release downloadable content!
An MK infused Xenomorph from the Alien franchise was his spiritual successor, adapting blades from the genetic transfer of gestation. Baraka met his official demise as a victim of the Outworld civil war, eviscerated viciously by D'Vorah and her insectoid limbs!
Baraka always seems to find his way back to life. In MK Gold, he was memorably stapled back together after being sliced down the middle by Kung Lao. The only problem with resurrecting Baraka is that he's effectively one of a horde of Tarkatan warriors. The more we've seen of his people, the more their similarity has been reinforced. For death to have value in fiction, it needs to be a threat of consequence. It would be sad to have MK without Baraka, but there are other Tarkatans who could fill that void and honor his legacy.
Sektor We were shown Sektor's disembodied head when it was data-mined by Sub-Zero during the Mortal Kombat X story mode. It wasn't until the tail end of the tie-in comic book series, however, that we learned how the Lin Kuei came to be reformed by Kuai Liang -- and the final fate of the cyber-assassins!
While the younger Sub-Zero toiled in the Netherealm as a revenant under Quan Chi's control; Sektor assumed command over the Lin Kuei, and completed their automation. When Sub-Zero was resurrected, he set about unraveling Sektor's plans by infecting the Lin Kuei cybers with a virus, and attacking their fortress. After freeing Cyrax from the control protocols, Sub-Zero removed Sektor's head by force!
Exactly how much humanity remains after the Lin Kuei's conversion process is unclear, but it would seem a version of Sektor could make a comeback any time. The concept of downloadable personality files was introduced with Triborg, recalling Sektor's role in the original timeline as leader of an inhuman horde known as the Tekunin. Sektor's move to Japan and mechanized Tekunin clan was one of the more interesting concepts explored in Armageddon. Theirs would be a welcome return with Sektor forsaking his humanity for a bizarre robotic upgrade.
Cyrax With Sektor destroyed - the automated Lin Kuei were programmed to identify Cyrax as their new leader. Liberated from his programming by Sub-Zero, it seemed Cyrax would be a good choice to redeem the clan, but the warrior beneath the steel felt otherwise! In an effort to grant the Lin Kuei a fresh start, he initiated his self-destruct sequence, taking the rest of the automated cyber-warriors with him.
MK4 introduced the concept of restoring humanity to Cyrax, which was followed-up in Deadly Alliance with Cyrax serving as member of the Special Forces. The unusual combination added colour to the Special Forces ranks and lent development to Cyrax as a character. It's another of the regrettable losses of the 2011 reboot, but in Triborg's MKXL ending, he downloaded a database to the Special Forces that alludes to a means to bring Cyrax back.
Jade Jade was one of the many casualties incurred at the end of the Mortal Kombat 2011 reboot. An empowered Queen Sindel decimated the heroic forces, allowing Quan Chi to control them as revenant slaves. Most of the revenants returned in Mortal Kombat X as part of the Netherrealm army storming Earth's Sky Temple -- but a choice few warriors were ressurrected thanks to the intervention of Raiden.
For reasons we still don't know: Jade was the only revenant who didn't return under Quan Chi's command. Even more perplexing; Kitana acquired Jade's staff and glaive weapons as part of her Mournful variation -- even though she never appeared to return to life. Are we to take it Hell's revenants get sentimental from time to time? Kitana's update for MKX was a very welcome one, but design and concept clearly weren't well supported.
Kitana's MKX ending teased fans with a vision based on the klassic timeline -- and also taunted them with the spirit of Jade. Though popular with a notably male contingent; Jade has struggled to cement a lasting, meaningful place on the MK roster. We've seen spirits in MK before, but as long as other characters utilize the staff or glaive, Jade seems a non-essential return.
Reiko The General of Shinnok's armies made waves throughout fandom when he donned Shao Kahn's helmet in one of MK4's best remembered ending sequences. Many wondered if he was the Outworld Emperor himself, but it was all for naught. Reiko's ambitions were further established in Deception and Armageddon, but it wasn't until the Mortal Kombat X tie-in comics that fans got to see his cunning fully executed.
For much of the twelve issue maxi-series, Reiko appeared to be pulling the strings as he manipulated Mileena and her forces amidst an Outworld civil war. His ultimate allegiance was to the cleric of chaos, Havik, who promised to imbue him with god-like powers through the mysterious Kamidogu Daggers. In truth, Havik was out for himself, hatching an elaborate plot with Quan Chi, that ended with Reiko's body tearing itself apart as Shinnok's Amulet was manifested inside his brain!
Usually it's tough to come back from your bones bursting through melted skin -- especially when your brain's been squished! Even so, the comic was tremendously successful at demonstrating the virtues that always set Reiko apart from the overshadowing Shao Kahn. Demand for the character in MKX was significant, but all fans got was a reference to his political maneuverings: "The Reiko Accords". Reiko could still be an interesting character, putting a scaled down, balanced version of the Shao Kahn playstyle in the hands of players. Fatalities may be a trademark of the games, but in a written format, this was a regrettable death.
Havik 2004's Deception touched upon the intriguing concept of One Being, and the fragile balance sustained by realms beyond the established Earth, Edenia, Outworld, and Netherrealm. Ideologically opposed realms of Order and Chaos were tangents that could've sustained themselves, but sat awkwardly beside the rest of series lore. Despite that, the temptation of chaos made Havik an unlikely cult favourite, even though his gameplay and schemes usually conformed to the ordered constraints of the game.
What began as a re-purposed design scrap for Ermac became a featured villain in Mortal Kombat X comic books! Once again showing tendencies towards meticulous order; Havik pulled the strings of warriors throughout the entire series as he exploited the magic of Kamidogu Daggers in order to acquire Shinnok's Amulet. After being decapitated by Scorpion, his still animated head was thrown to the Netherrealm, where it was shattered beneath the heel of one of his hidden co-conspirators: Quan Chi!
In a world of competitively balanced fighting games: true chaos will always elude Havik. As a non-playable boss, he could break all the rules, and subvert the playable experience itself, but the character doesn't seem to warrant that level of treatment. If MK ever returns to the realm of action-adventure, Havik could be a fun distraction, but in a fighting game sequel, the best he might achieve is some wacky limb gimmicks. Death is apparently especially meaningless in Chaosrealm, but even with his cult status, this resurrection might not be worth it.
Kintaro After a climactic battle on Shang Tsung's island; Havik managed to enslave the majority of Earthrealm and Outworld's best warriors in the Mortal Kombat X comic. When Queen Sheeva led a depleted Shokan army by sea, Havik used Shinnok's Amulet to destroy their ships. Kintaro nearly perished then, but narrowly avoided drowning -- only to have his head ripped off by a possessed Sonya during a later melee!
As MKII's successor to Goro: Kintaro made an immediate impression as he commanded Kahn's Koliseum in the penultimate fight! He was a bigger, badder sub-boss in almost every respect, best identified for his large size and tiger stripes. In the modern era, the two Shokan males have become less distinguished, with Goro clearly benefiting from seniority. Despite that, Kintaro was arguably the biggest scalp claimed by the Mortal Kombat X tie-in series!
Kintaro's prominence only makes us question how lasting the comic book's consequences will be. Though inevitably compared with Goro; Kintaro remains a recurring stalwart of the much-loved arcade era. It seems inconceivable that we'd never see Kintaro again. As much as we wish death could have more meaning in a narrative context, we're sure Kintaro will be back in some form, at some point.
Moloch What's the deal with Quan Chi and decapitated heads? He crushed Havik's, appeared to wear someone's skull on his chest in Mortal Kombat X, and displayed the severed head of Moloch in fight intros! As the comic book showed us, Moloch's death was actually attributed to the revenant Kitana. Acting under order of Quan Chi, she used one of her fans to decapitate the oni for failing to capture Scorpion.
Debuting in Deadly Alliance: Moloch was the first of a new generation of monstrous, roaring bosses. As the final stop before the titular twosome; Moloch introduced a demonic style the series hadn't seen before. Similar oni were a fun continuation in Shaolin Monks, but Moloch lost his luster as the series found other focal points, and re-purposed assets for other behemoths.
Blue skin and glowing eyes still stand out from the rest of kombat's demons, but Moloch's ball and chain might be a metaphor for his chances of resurrection. Despite their invasion of Earthrealm in Mortal Kombat X, the native forces of Netherrealm never seem to number more than a few. Moloch could've been a nice addition to the infernal army, but at this point, it might as well be a new demon of a similar type. The Orochi Hellbeast doesn't seem to be busy.
Drahmin If they'd been focal enough to warrant action figures: Drahmin and Moloch might've been sold as a two-pack. That's certainly how they died. In the Mortal Kombat X comic, Drahmin was executed almost immediately after Moloch, when Quan Chi consumed his soul for failing to bring Scorpion back to Hell.
In Deadly Alliance, Drahmin & Moloch were the new oni on the block keeping Scorpion busy while Quan Chi ran away, and got up to no good. Drahmin didn't have the premium of being an unplayable sub-boss, but his colourful Face of Kun-Lo mask, and asymmetrical clubbed-hand, went a long way to announcing the exciting new engine and aesthetic of MKDA!
Unfortunately, that same iron club meant Drahmin required additional programming for the left hand to know what the right was doing. His moves emphasized the unique appendage, but weren't visceral enough to make a lasting impression. Jason Voorhees and Hellboy have shown advancements in weapon-wielding, and asymmetrical fighters, which might at least give Drahmin some slight chance of an update, even if he missed Netherrealm's invasion in MKX.
Hsu Hao When Deadly Alliance was still in development, Hsu Hao was briefly known to fans as "Khan". The codename sparked a whirlwind of speculation that had many wondering about his true purpose. When the game debuted, he was a cybernetically enhanced double-agent embedded within the Special Forces by the Red Dragon. Despite the intrigue of his duplicity, a simplistic design and playstyle left many underwhelmed.
Hsu Hao has become one of the series' least loved characters, making it no surprise when he was the first casualty of the Mortal Kombat X tie-in comics! His pursuit of Kenshi through The Himalaya was swiftly ended by Scorpion when the ninja threw his ropedart spear through Hsu Hao's cyborg heart -- and then fire-punched straight through his skull!
With so few fans: Hsu Hao is a character of infinite possibility! Having his head exploded kinda limits the potential for a return, but his cyborg nature is there to be exploited! MK has introduced many enhanced and converted cyborg warriors, but never the in the mould of Mary Shelly's classic Frankenstein's Monster! The Red Dragon clan callously experimented on Kano in Armageddon. Perhaps it's time they put Hsu Hao back together again! A cyborg, patchwork man ready to be stitched up and rebuilt after every death!
Mavado Mavado debuted in Deadly Alliance with a target on his back. Utilizing the hooksword weapon style made famous by MK3's Kabal -- he was immediately a second class citizen of Kombat. The struggle to make a lasting impression continued as a Spanish knight concept was eclipsed by overalls that just weren't hip hop. Elasticated finishing moves failed to bring the whole thing together.
Ripe for the dead pool; Mavado was another fatality suffered by the Red Dragon clan in the MKX comic book. Working for would-be Empress Mileena and Reiko, Mavado spearheaded an attempt to kidnap Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs, who were already taken by members of the rival Black Dragon. A skirmish wtih Kano set Mavado up for later disembowelment, when Cassie Cage dragged his own sword through his torso, while Jacqui held him in place!
Though relatively unpopular, Mavado never received the vitriol reserved for Hsu Hao. An in-built rivalry with Kabal, and at least a glimmer of measured cool, have helped keep Mavado in the good graces of a cult fanbase. There isn't a lot to demand a resurrection, but if Daegon returns in future comic books, perhaps there'll be a reprieve.
Will each kombatant remain dead - or is resurrection in their future? Register to share your theories and join the speculation on the Future MK and Mortal Kombat X forums! Vote for your favourites daily in the 2018 Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion tournament! Help spread the word by liking & sharing stories via Twitter and Facebook!
Shinnok received a memorable design upgrade in 2006's Armageddon, but he was arguably done most justice as the big bad of Mortal Kombat X!
There was no denying the instant appeal of Quan Chi! The volley of his first appearances in MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero, MK4, and the Defenders of the Realm cartoon instantly cemented him as the series' strongest addition since Shao Kahn! When the series rebooted in 2011; Quan Chi's machinations were sewn deeper into the series' most iconic mythology, inscribing him as a grand manipulator who was pulling more strings than we can keep up with!
With Shao Kahn and Kitana dead; Mileena rose to new heights in Mortal Kombat X as one of the main fighters vying for the Outworld throne. She was outmatched by a more qualified opponent, relying on the raw firepower of Shinnok's Amulet to counteract Kotal Kahn and his united forces. The threat of the wielding the amulet's power was known to Mileena's own allies, with the likes of Rain conspiring to seize power for himself. Her rule - always a tenuous one.
With his introduction in Mortal Kombat II, Baraka helped define the bizarre and dangerous identity of Shao Kahn's Outworld. Bladed arms and a wicked grin made him an instantly iconic kombatant, but inconsistent appearances, and a string of minor roles of servitude, have gradually eroded Baraka's status from would-be King of Mutants - to lowly minion.
We were shown Sektor's disembodied head when it was data-mined by Sub-Zero during the Mortal Kombat X story mode. It wasn't until the tail end of the tie-in comic book series, however, that we learned how the Lin Kuei came to be reformed by Kuai Liang -- and the final fate of the cyber-assassins!
With Sektor destroyed - the automated Lin Kuei were programmed to identify Cyrax as their new leader. Liberated from his programming by Sub-Zero, it seemed Cyrax would be a good choice to redeem the clan, but the warrior beneath the steel felt otherwise! In an effort to grant the Lin Kuei a fresh start, he initiated his self-destruct sequence, taking the rest of the automated cyber-warriors with him.
Jade was one of the many casualties incurred at the end of the Mortal Kombat 2011 reboot. An empowered Queen Sindel decimated the heroic forces, allowing Quan Chi to control them as revenant slaves. Most of the revenants returned in Mortal Kombat X as part of the Netherrealm army storming Earth's Sky Temple -- but a choice few warriors were ressurrected thanks to the intervention of Raiden.
The General of Shinnok's armies made waves throughout fandom when he donned Shao Kahn's helmet in one of MK4's best remembered ending sequences. Many wondered if he was the Outworld Emperor himself, but it was all for naught. Reiko's ambitions were further established in Deception and Armageddon, but it wasn't until the Mortal Kombat X tie-in comics that fans got to see his cunning fully executed.
2004's Deception touched upon the intriguing concept of One Being, and the fragile balance sustained by realms beyond the established Earth, Edenia, Outworld, and Netherrealm. Ideologically opposed realms of Order and Chaos were tangents that could've sustained themselves, but sat awkwardly beside the rest of series lore. Despite that, the temptation of chaos made Havik an unlikely cult favourite, even though his gameplay and schemes usually conformed to the ordered constraints of the game.
After a climactic battle on Shang Tsung's island; Havik managed to enslave the majority of Earthrealm and Outworld's best warriors in the Mortal Kombat X comic. When Queen Sheeva led a depleted Shokan army by sea, Havik used Shinnok's Amulet to destroy their ships. Kintaro nearly perished then, but narrowly avoided drowning -- only to have his head ripped off by a possessed Sonya during a later melee!
What's the deal with Quan Chi and decapitated heads? He crushed Havik's, appeared to wear someone's skull on his chest in Mortal Kombat X, and displayed the severed head of Moloch in fight intros! As the comic book showed us, Moloch's death was actually attributed to the revenant Kitana. Acting under order of Quan Chi, she used one of her fans to decapitate the oni for failing to capture Scorpion.
If they'd been focal enough to warrant action figures: Drahmin and Moloch might've been sold as a two-pack. That's certainly how they died. In the Mortal Kombat X comic, Drahmin was executed almost immediately after Moloch, when Quan Chi consumed his soul for failing to bring Scorpion back to Hell.
When Deadly Alliance was still in development, Hsu Hao was briefly known to fans as "Khan". The codename sparked a whirlwind of speculation that had many wondering about his true purpose. When the game debuted, he was a cybernetically enhanced double-agent embedded within the Special Forces by the Red Dragon. Despite the intrigue of his duplicity, a simplistic design and playstyle left many underwhelmed.
Mavado debuted in Deadly Alliance with a target on his back. Utilizing the hooksword weapon style made famous by MK3's Kabal -- he was immediately a second class citizen of Kombat. The struggle to make a lasting impression continued as a Spanish knight concept was eclipsed by overalls that just weren't hip hop. Elasticated finishing moves failed to bring the whole thing together.