Somewhere deep in these threads I incorrectly stated there were 9 MKs before the first MK game became the 10th.
That's not entirely accurate.
Here is the correct response as well as the core lore to MK:
Every generation warriors/champions from Outworld and Earth fight in a tournament for the fate of the Earth. By decree of the Elder Gods, if one side wins ten straight victories, Earth falls into the realm of the winning realm. As of the first game in 1992, Outworld had won nine straight victories.
Yup. That was used in Conquest too.
So there was the original tournament, Outworld was losing so Kahn seduced Shang Tsung to the dark arts. Tsung killed one of the original masters and came back.
Outworld won 9.. Kung Lao defeated Tsung but didn't kill him.
Reset.
Tsung returns with Goro - after a week long battle Goro kills Original Kung Lao then goes undefeated for the next 8 tournaments until MK1.
This is speculative? Or do you know for sure The Great Kung lao defeated but didn't kill Tsung that reset the whole Nine victories deal until Goro shows up to claim the next 9 victories...
Yup. That was used in Conquest too.
So there was the original tournament, Outworld was losing so Kahn seduced Shang Tsung to the dark arts. Tsung killed one of the original masters and came back.
Outworld won 9.. Kung Lao defeated Tsung but didn't kill him.
Reset.
Tsung returns with Goro - after a week long battle Goro kills Original Kung Lao then goes undefeated for the next 8 tournaments until MK1.
I'm going by Episode 1 of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, also in the Animated Movie - which given it is The Threshold product says maybe it's canon. Think it could have been in the comics too.
Great Kung Lao is a former MK Champion, so he won by defeating Tsung. Outworld have to win 10 tournaments in a row (i'm pretty sure it was consecutive wins - although I read that in the 1990s). Problem is, the games have stopped focusing on the past and the rules, so it hasn't been brought up since 1995's MK3?
Win ten straight victories in a row is the same as saying consecutive.
I'm going by Episode 1 of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, also in the Animated Movie - which given it is The Threshold product says maybe it's canon. Think it could have been in the comics too.
Great Kung Lao is a former MK Champion, so he won by defeating Tsung. Outworld have to win 10 tournaments in a row (i'm pretty sure it was consecutive wins - although I read that in the 1990s). Problem is, the games have stopped focusing on the past and the rules, so it hasn't been brought up since 1995's MK3?
Ah of course.. Raiden on the boat in MK movie