A lot of people really don't like how vague the line is, especially since its vagueness had killed off half of the roster. And I get where they're coming from. But I'm questioning what the alternatives could've possibly been.

Should he have said something along the lines of "Shao Kahn must win" to his past self from the first tournament, what exactly do you think that would be communicating? Past Raiden could very easily mistake that for "let Shao Kahn win this tournament", which would obviously be counterproductive. And it doesn't help that that's where his mind immediately leapt to. Even if he were to say something like "Shao Kahn must invade", then while it's technically more specific, it's still way too fucking vague, and in an even worse way than "He must win" is, and would assuredly have very similar results, if not totally identical.

And worse, it's straddling on being too verbose, which wouldn't be great given that he has to say it on the spot. Sure, he probably could've come up with something more accurate to his meaning while taking the same amount of time to say; provided he had the time to do that, and still have enough time to actually say it. But somehow, I doubt he had been planning for that moment beforehand.

So what else could Raiden have said that would satisfy the following criteria:

• Is accurate to the intended outcome (i.e. Shao Kahn invades Earthrealm without the right of Mortal Kombat)
• Is concise enough to be spoken within a 3-second timeframe (this isn't JJBA; talking isn't a free action here)
• Could be formulated within a 18-second timeframe whilst reciting a spell (presumably from memory, and is one that he probably doesn't use often enough to come to him naturally enough to say with a clear mind), and while one's body is in severe pain
• Could be gotten to quickly and easily from the place of "He Must Win" as a starting point, within that same 18-second timeframe, maybe minus a second
• Is intended for First Tournament Raiden, and thus has the real possibility of being applied to it

I just feel like what he did say may very well have been the best thing he could've said given the circumstances. Yeah, it's a shitty situation. That's the point.

With all this in mind, let's also remember that this isn't the "I must consult the Elder Gods" Raiden we're all used to. This is Dark Raiden, who is more ruthless, and more willing to let good people die to get a desired result. And would he have approved of the results that came of "He must win" moreso than his past self? (I say probably; Shao Kahn dies, after all.)