Timeline C doesn't have to be exactly the same as either previous past.

At this point I really don't care what characters they keep and don't keep around. Just, move the damn narrative forward already. It's really not as hard as they think it is.

Btw, as you touched on it, the Moloch corpse is another little tidbit suggesting this stage doesn't depict Goro B. As we know Moloch was decapitated elsewhere in Timeline B and... and that Moloch still has a head.

Assuming they actually put that amount of thought into it. Which I... kinda doubt.

I do think it's entirely possible we could see Kronika dicking around with the past, creating branching timelines. But as you said, that effectively creates a third timeline anyway. Theoretically every point of divergence Kronika potentially creates is another timeline, and I honestly don't think they're going to explore the nooks and crannies of each possible past present or future depicted in the game... that would be crazy, and I don't think NRS has a track-record for going that indepth, or keeping that many ducks in a row. I just hope that wherever the narrative ENDS... we get a relatively buttoned up conclusion free of loose ends and plot holes. Even if they have to Deus Ex Machina the piss out of things.

And as a few people have said now: Move the narrative forward from there.

As I mentioned, I don't really care about this Goro corpse, because it doesn't matter what wacky screwed up timelines Marty McFly visits along the journey, so long as he ends up back in Hilly Valley, 1985 when he gets back and things are relatively status quo. Though maybe due to a bit of meddling Baraka works for his dad now, and waxes the car in his driveway.

I'll say one thing, sorting out the character pages on the MK Wiki is going to be hell for someone after this game, lol.

The narrative was already moved ahead in MKX.

And dead Goro could be from the new alternative past.

It was

Y'know, until Kronika decided NOPE and decided to take us back to the past

And still is.

Exactly. And MKX was nothing but a re-telling of MK4 anyway. So no,, we haven't truly progressed.

As I said before, every thing keeps leading us back to MK1 or Armageddon. I want a brand new story that isn't about timelines or previous games and hopefully MK12 can offer that.

I look forward to playing story mode 3 or 4 times just to slightly understand what the hell is going on, lol. Despite the fact that this is another step back, or at the very least, a side step, I’m really excited to see how the story unfolds.

I meeeean. The first 10 minutes, sure... but after that it took a 20 year time jump forward into a completely new narrative where Shinnok just happened to still be the main antagonist. That's like like saying MK3 was a rehash of MK2 just because the bad guy was still Kahn.

And we don't REALLY know diddly squat about 11 yet, nor how many steps back it will take for each step forward.

It's gonna be a wild ride regardless, I'm sure. I'm just gonna destroy all expectations like Mortal Kombat Annihilation told me to.

And yet this is a discussion board for speculation, is it not? I don't need to know the entirety of MK11's story mode before sharing my thoughts, feelings, and concerns about said topic.

What I'm saying is- I'm ready for a fresh new story. Something that DOESN'T rely on nor have roots in past narratives. I have no issues with the plot for MK11- but I prefer if MK12 can do away completely with timelines and revisiting the past which this game is going to be dealing with- obviously.

If I feel like MKX was too redundant- then that's my opinion and it's not for you to be a condescending twit and tell me what I think is wrong. I don't know why you are trying to turn my opinion into a debate.

I didn't feel like MKX broke any substantial new ground. End of story.

Bingo.

Merge the timelines, have the Kombat Kids run around with their parents' younger selves, whatever they wanna do. I can live with that. Just commit to it and move the story into the future and stop hitting the reset button every 2 games.

I’m not sure the fan base will let them move things forward. MK has one of the most annoyingly/frustratingly obstinate fan bases in any fighting game.

Sad but true.

Anyway, boy, Goro's Lair has really seen better days. And that's really saying something.

So they reveal Goro's Lair, but folks are more kurious about the Goro Slayer...

Ka-Tra

Reeeeally love the look of this stage. Plenty of atmosphere, nice use of lighting and color, and like every other stage we’ve seen so far, the level of detail and just... The little things... It all feels very well done. There’s an almost haunting, foreboding feeling in a lot of stages. A sense of destroyed beauty mixed in with death and decay.

The stages in this game feel like SUCH a step up over MKX, which felt like a bit of weak point to me. MK11 doesn’t just have places, these stages have a soul to them. They have an aura. They give off a vibe. Really dig what I’ve seen so far and this is a great interpretation of a stage I’ve always liked but never thought was among the best by any means.

Did I say, "So shut up dipshit" at the end of my last post and forget or something?

Yes. A discussion forum. You introduced a point, I introduced a counterpoint. That's a discussion. I then pointed out that we don't yet know much about MK11's narrative, nor can we predict where it's headed, and moved on without insult or attack. At no point did I criticize your opinions. Please point to the section of my post where I stated, "You're wrong and your opinions are wrong."

Oh... look... I didn't.

If we're looking for someone being a condescending twit for the sake of starting a needless debate, I'd be happy to hold up a mirror for you. I mean you're the one kicking off the name calling here.

You said MKX was, and I quote, "Nothing but a re-telling of MK4" I pointed out that while the first 10 minutes were a re-telling of MK4... the entire remainder of the game, apart from sharing 4's antagonist, was a completely new narrative that took place 20 years later. That observation is not based in either of our opinions... it's a fact. You are perfectly within rights to say you'd prefer a story without any roots in a past narrative, roots which indeed MKX does have... but you didn't make that point until after my response. In the post to which I responded, you said MKX was, "Nothing but a re-telling of MK4" which is patently untrue. There are plenty of things going on in MKX that make it more than a re-telling of MK4. And as these games are, after all, at the end of the day sequels... it's going to be a pretty tall order if 10 minutes of prologue recanting the synopsis of a past game is enough to put you off a plot that's otherwise an entirely new story.

You don't feel MKX broke substantial new ground? You're entitled to that opinion. Your opinion isn't necessarily wrong, nor did I say it was.

But whether you think it substantial or not, it treaded plenty of ground not covered by MK4. Sure, it featured the rise and fall of 4's same antagonist, but to reduce it to JUST that is grossly over-simplifying. MKX introduced no less than 8 new characters (more if you count Triborg), including a new lead protagonist, and a new secondary antagonist and ruler of Outworld, along with a heretofore completely unseen subplot about civil war in that realm, which re-shuffled the allegiances and motives of pretty much all Outworld characters involved. On the flipside, it did not feature several characters who were (at the time) newly introduced in Mortal Kombat 4. It killed off no less than 3 characters including Quan Chi, who as it happens was previously the only character introduced in 4 who then made the transition to the game directly following it. And while many people expected the game to resurrect all of MK9's dead heroes, returning status quo to ho-hum business as usual (due in no small part to the deliberate red herring setup by their default costumes), in a relatively unpredicted swerve MKX actually kept Liu Kang & Kitana dead, and the guy who's arguably this franchise's top protagonist (and btw, also the lead protagonist of MK4) was setup as one of its next major villains.

You're free to call none of that substantial, but it's all stuff that happened in MKX which didn't happen in MK4 nonetheless.

But OKAY... lets entertain the idea for the sake of argument that JUST because Shinnok was the badguy X was JUST a re-telling of 4. We're NOW... moving into a game with an entirely NEW antagonist, never before seen in this franchise. So if we're going on the premise that the same badguy was enough to write off MKX as treading no new ground, why in Elder God's name are we writing off a game with a completely NEW antagonist before any of us have even seen the plot

...

You're completely entitled to your opinions, and no one's opinion is necessarily wrong, but just because someone challenges the basis for those opinions, that doesn't mean that person is looking to pick on you or insult you.

But if you're that bloody sensitive, please, forgive me for all this discussion, in what you've astutely pointed out is a discussion forum.

You really can't control yourself, can you? I tell you that I'm not interested in turning my opinion into a debate and you then go ahead and write a bible of babble. We're right back where we started- MKX was redundant to me and broke no substantial new ground. You can't change my opinion on that- nor do I personally care about yours. There's nothing wrong with discussion and there's nothing wrong with debate, but I've noticed you're the type of person who enjoys splitting hairs and taking the most minute generalizations and spinning it into some argument in an embarrassing attempt to make yourself look intelligent. It's not working.

Of course there are MAJOR differences between MK4 and MKX, OF COURSE MKX offers several different story beats and characters than that of MK4- That's something I obviously noticed by, ya know, being a lifelong fan and actually playing both games- that's not something I need some random goober on the internet to break down for me like I'm a child. That still doesn't change the fact that I still felt it was largely redundant and failed to go anywhere truly interesting. You're not going to change my mind. And I've already said I have no issues with the story of MK11 thus far, I just want this timeline business settled by MK12. No where in any of my posts did I bash MK11's story OR write it off. Are you ok? This seems mighty personal to you.

Now go ahead and have the last word.

Well said. These are some of the best stages we've had in a long time.

I like to think Bob's just happy to finally have a normal human being to debate with after spending days arguing with a goob who thinks they're a freaking demon horse.

Hey! Common ground! I do that to people too...

It's a tactical way, when someone isn't backing down from calling you out on a silly internet debate, of setting up a no win situation for the person you're arguing with no matter how they respond next.

If I say something (anything in point of fact) you've preemptively undercut the validity of any further point I might make regarding the topic at hand by making it appear as though I'm simply being petty. As though I'm merely going in for the final say, rather than an honest rebuttal to the flaws in your argument. Furthermore you get to walk away with the satisfaction of knowing I played right into your hand by taking the bait you so clearly laid before me.

If I say nothing, it looks like you've shut me down so thoroughly that I have no further rebuttal, and essentially creates the perception you've won the argument, because at that point I stopped talking and you got the last word. Furthermore you get to walk away with the satisfaction of having heard no more response on my part.

So, damned if I do and damned if I don't, I guess I've gone with Option A in this instance. Maybe it's because when I used this tactic on a guy on reddit last week, he walked away, which left me feeling satisfied I'd finally shut him up. And fresh off the heels, I don't want to give you that same satisfaction I recently enjoyed. But then again, that's the dilemma of the situation isn't it? While I've robbed you of the joy of shutting me up, I've granted you the satisfaction of saying, "Ha! I knew he'd need the last word. So so predictable..." and stroking your own ego at a hand well played.

I can only hope that perhaps in calling you on it... maybe I've sidestepped your sidestep and robbed you of that joy. I dunno. *Shrug*

I guess we'll never know, because I got the last word. Right?

All the needless sass to and from Ahnka aside, this man speaks true.

You've been a fine human being and an upstanding dispenser of concise wisdom these past few days Spider. *Thumbs up*

Can we get back to the Lair and drop the back and forth? We all like and value both of you and as entertaining as it may be, its more embarrassing than anything. Lol

Goro's Lair looks phenomenal and Jade looks fantastic all is right in the world at the moment, looking forward to further reveals!