There has been alot of discussion on the topic of the returning characters with the news that the deadly alliance basically prevailed, the bodies on the steps of the palace in the video and such. Well it very well could be that many of the earth realm warriors did die. But here's a new angle that can use. If Shang Quan and raiden did survive the blast, perhaps shang tsung revived the earth realm warriors by restoring their soul or something. It's an easy way for the MK to bascially add anyone into the game. And the explination would be that the new "alliance" banded together and taht Shang tsung new only the combined might of the earth champions and his own minnions could take down the dragon king.

Also possibly this is how lui kang comes back... figuring he is the only one who has stopped shang, shinnok, and shao kahn besides raiden maybe he holds a key to defeating the dragon king... I dunno just a thought.