they do kill each other in the games,but no one really stays dead in MK

so shang tsung has been resurected 3 times?

Some People die, and some people don't. MK1 is the only game that was a true tournament, and in it, it is assumed none of the MK fighters, excepting Sub-Zero and Scorpion, met in Mortal Kombat, since an 7-person tournament would really be a really anti-climatic way to decide the fate of the earth.
Other than that, there are certain canon fights that have occurred, most of them not to the death.
Characters who have, officially died:
Johnny Cage: All the damn time.
Liu Kang: Was killed by Shang Tsung. May be alive again, may not.
Kintaro: Killed by Raiden.
Sheeva: Killed by Motaro.
Shang Tsung: Killed by Raiden's supernova-type-attack.
Quan Chi: Ditto.
Reptile: Probably dead since the Onaga is now dead. Maybe not, though.
Kano: Either dead or on the brink of death several times. Really dead, now.
Goro: Ditto.
Hsu Hsao: Jax'd.
Movado: Kabal'd.
Kobra: Kira'd.
Hotaru: Dead, I think.
Shao Kahn: May be alive now, or may not be.

THEY DIDN'T STICK TO GAMES

Please refrain from posting your replies all in caps. Thanks. tgrant