I sort of see Sub-Zero and Scorpion as the Ryu and Ken character in relation to Street Fighter. Neither Ryu nor Ken have really had that much direct involvement in the plot, and it's still heavily speculated that the true "champion" of Street Fighter II was Guile or Chun-li and that the champion of Street Fighter III was Alex.
But, here's my list of nominations from the current roster anyway:
Kung Lao - Definitely a front-liner. He really stepped up to the plate in MK:DA and even made me not care that Liu Kang was dead because he was so much cooler. He basically was given Liu Kang's "avenge my brother" role and was built up to be the hero... except, in a rather good twist, he didn't win and instead wound up, along with most everyone else, defeated and killed and then resurrected. He's been a non-player ever since. Give him a solid story and I can see his fate changing for the better.
Shujinko - Yes, Shujinko was a rather flat, one-dimension character. The fact that he was, storywise, a bit of an idiot, and that his moves were "stolen", certainly didn't endear him to the fans. I'm sure I wasn't the only one going, "he's the one chosen to save us all? ... we are so boned." But, despite his trouble introduction, he's not quite the old fool he once was, and while he may not be the "next generation Liu Kang", he'd probably be good for training the next generation hero, whoever he or she may be.
Taven - Taven wasn't a bad main character. He was certainly much more interesting, talented, and charismatic than Shujinko. But it would be hard to see him as a genuine "hero" in something other than a pre-determined quest ordained by his father. He doesn't seem like someone who holds any particular affinity towards the other fighters, or their realms. He might make a good replacement for now-insane Raiden though.
Sub-Zero - Sub-Zero was the first character to get his own game, and while the game may have sucked, the storyline did more for the MK universe than any other game before it. Sub-Zero, more than any other character, is the nexus of the MK universe, like Goku is in Dragon Ball Z. Nearly every character has some sort of connection with Sub-Zero. He's got a laundry list of personal rivalries with Frost, Sektor, Quan Chi, Scorpion, Noob Saibot, Smoke (kinda), Hotaru, Baraka, and others, and has developed strong friendships with nearly all of the Earthrealm heroes, along with Sareena, Kenshi, and Taven. But I think of Sub-Zero not so much as a mainstream hero but as a powerful behind-the-scenes force, much like Ryu Hayabusa in Dead or Alive. Personally, I think Sub-Zero is more suited to having his OWN game (like Ryu Hayabusa); he's too much of a loner, yet has far too much influence and power to be anything other than an A-lister.
Liu Kang - Technically, Liu Kang is back. Technically, he's a zombie. Technically, he's disaqualified. Technically, I stopped caring.
Now for my other suggestions:
- Have a new champion. Someone completely fresh and new. And make that champion a woman. *gasp!* What? Am I mad? Hardly. While MK is hardly sexist (okay, maybe Mileena's alt might be), MK's "champions" are always expected to be big, burly manly men. I think it would be refreshing to have a strong woman lead step up to the mantle. I don't see anyone questioning Chun-li's aptitude of dispensing kick-ass, nor much of the Dead or Alive girls (Ayane, Kasumi, and Cristie are as deadly as they come). While I do struggle to see Kitana or Sonya stepping up to the plate and becoming the main character, I never-the-less wouldn't mind a strong female lead. Are there no female elder gods? Perhaps an unlikely heroine, such as Li Mei or even Sareena? Anyway, I'm all for mixing things up, and I think that would be interesting to say the least.
- Have NO champions. From what I viewed of much of the MK universe, rarely does the final battle exist as a entirely one-on-one fight. Armageddon was a veritable orgy of destruction and violence. Perhaps there really is nothing to "win" at all. I recall a saying, "In war there are no winners, just survivors." I think that phrase could certainly work for a darker, grittier Mortal Kombat. There is no "champion", no "hero". There are only mortal men and women fighting for their lives on either side. Some will live, some will die. But neither side "wins".
