Ok, I think Kang should

A. Retire, and marry his GF
B. Be the person to stop Raiden or
C. FUCKING DIE.

Really, he has been the hero for the first 4 MK games, and him being a zombie sucks. I think he should stop being the main hero, or at least die forever.

Noob: If he is back, then kang shouldn't get involved, that, or get his ass handed to him by Noob.

Liu Kang i'm not really sure to be honest if i'd like him to stay or not. Sure, his dying part of his storyline kept him interesting, but i really don't want him to be the hero again.


Storyline

Liu Kang has been in most games the hero, and heroes can sometimes have very boring storylines. IMO Kang had a boring storyline until MKDA, as that was when he was killed.

If he does come back, they should show some rivalry between Kang and Kung, at least more. I'd like them to become enemies, that would make his story much more interesting.

Gameplay

Liu Kang was good gameplay wise IMO in the 2d games, but he's struggled in the 3d games. His character is fast, but he's better to play from a far, not up close. His projectiles are what make him a very useful character.

I think they should keep the two dragon projectiles, they suit him and look cool. Bicyle kick and flying kick should also stay, as there his trump cards in a way. Here's a special they should add to him.......

Double Bicycle Kick- Basically the same type of kick, but instead of just hitting the opponent horizontally, if the press the button combination again, you can bicylce kick the opponent vertically when there falling to the ground.

Fatalities

I think they should give him a brutality, it suits his character.

Double Kang-Liu removes the other side of him from his body(the one that was controlling him) and that turns into a other Kang. The other Kang breaks the opponents neck so hard the head is spinning around, and then the real Kang does a flying kick to send the head in the other direction.

Hara-Kiri-He sends the other Kang out of him in a ghostlike state, when it comes back it blows him up from the inside.

Animality-The dragon one suits him fine.

Friendship-The other Kang is released, and they start having a dance-off.

I think Liu Kang should return. He's probably one of few that can stop Dark Raiden (seeing how he killed Shujinko with ease). His storyline can go though many more paths, and it's dosen't have to be a hero related story.

He could go marry Kitana and become King of Edenia, like she offered him in MK4.

He could become a teacher like Master Bo' Rai Cho and teach new Mortal Kombat warriors.

He can go back to the Shaolin Monks and retire (and help recruit new monks for the ones killed by Zombie Liu Kang).

He could defect to Dark Raiden (A twist, but possible) and become "evil" persay.

He could have Kung Lao replace him.

His MKA ending might become true and he would become the Protector of Earthrealm (and a God, making him not be able to interfere unless it's a very dangerous situation)

There are many paths that Liu Kang could take that DON'T involve him being the hero. He dosn't have to die either.

I think Liu Kang's chances of returning are rather slim. He's been worn out for so long, and I feel that his body needs to be destroyed, with his soul resting in the Heavens. If he were to return, he could be a mentor or something.



It is possible that at the end of Armageddon's story that Liu Kang defeats Raiden. However, I'd rather see Raiden continue on in the next-gen MK games to develop into a villain.

For Liu Kang to marry Kitana and become the King and Queen of Edenia would be overly sugarcoated.

If he becomes the Protector God of Earthrealm, it would seriously piss on Fujin, who btw is already the Protector God of Earthrealm.

Name: Liu Kang
Likelihood to Return: 10%
Most Probable Path: Bland "Hero"

I think that Kang is extremely unlikely to return. He has had his time as a hero already, and the MK Team killing him off only leads me to believe that they think so as well. Now that they brought him back for two games as a zombie, I think that, like me, they'll notice they've done all they can do with him. If Liu Kang DOES return (which I, to death, hope not), then Boon and his group have A LOT of work to do if they are to make Liu Kang even "passable" as a next-gen character.

Storyline

The MK Team is very likely to send Liu Kang right back to his "hero" status, IMO. It really is the only image that fits Liu Kang, and the most probable path for him once he's taken out of his Zombie Form and is returned to human form. If Liu Kang comes back as just another hero, though, it'll be a very bad move.

He'll be more stale than ever and, in the midst of so many "heroic" characters who are more likely to return, he'd be much less popular next-gen.

If he does return for MK 8 and beyond, I would like to see Liu Kang take on the role of an anti-hero. I don't want to see him go evil (because, as I said, it doesn't fit his image), but that doesn't mean he has to return to his old, kind, courageous self. I think it would be both a nice twist and a surprise that can be worked with if Liu Kang found himself tainted. As a reanimated dead, he took many lives, including that of his fellow monks. Having always been the most righteous character of MK, I can't see himself ever forgiving him for what he's done, even if it wasn't his fault directly. Though he won't be in zombie form anymore, he could still retain memories or flashbacks from when he was one. He could be plagued by nightmares where he killed those closest to him in more ways than one, and it could drive him to be a type of character who fights evil, but is a sort of rogue warrior, unable to see himself as worthy of any recognition or compensation for his deeds.

That being said, his main enemy should be Dark Raiden. He will blame Raiden for bringing him back and giving him the ability to commit all those countless murders. He will also realize that Raiden has lost every trace of who he once was, and could plunge Earthrealm into complete unhappiness with his murderous, strict ways if something is not done. Liu Kang would set out on a path to find a way to destroy Raiden once and for all, not hoping to make up for what he did, but because it is the only purpose he can find in his new, secluded life. Liu would not under any circumstances try to relocate Sonya, Johnny, Kung Lao or Kitana: on the contrary, he would do everything he could to avoid them, believing himself unworthy to be a part of their lives after everything that happened. He would go, alone, after the only way to kill Raiden: no direct allies, no one looking out for him, not one even knowing he's alive: it would just be Liu Kang and himself with a mission to accomplish.

This new storyline is the best bet for Liu Kang, IMO. He wouldn't be evil, but he WOULD be a character who is emotionless... deprived of happiness, of hopes, of love for his friends and past allies. He would, in a sense, be a shell of a person. At least for MK8, this would be a great turn of events for him. That brings me to his ending...




Ending

Liu Kang's MK8 ending would be the icing on the cake, the culmination of the after-effects of his new persona. I'd like to draw some good ideas I've read so far in order to plot his ending:



Before the end of MK: 8, Liu Kang SHOULD meet Kung Lao. I think Kung Lao (if he returned) would be after the same thing as Liu: the death of Dark Raiden, only with one difference: Kung Lao would have friends and allies on his side, particularly Fujin. This would mean that, sooner or later, Kung and Kang would run into each other as the final battle against Raiden drew closer and closer. Kung Lao would be elated that Liu Kang is still alive, and would want to join forces and defeat Dark Raiden together. Liu Kang, being the cold character that he's become, would despise the idea not because he now dislikes Kung Lao, but because he does not find himself worthy of fighting alongside Kung Lao, who he deems much more pure and kind-hearted than he. But this doesn't mean that Liu Kang would just go "I can't help you, but go ahead and finish Raiden off like you want". No way! After having been so intent on destroying Raiden, he would want to do it himself. He would not want Kung Lao to strip him of the only thing he has left in life: a goal, a single purpose. As sad as it would be, Liu Kang and Kung Lao would oppose each other. Liu Kang would be much more willing to hurt and perhaps even kill Kung Lao, since Kung Lao would still be the same person he always has been. Again, the anti-hero persona kicks in on Liu Kang.

All in all, the end of MK8 would mean the end of Liu Kang. Yes, I think there will be no other good path for Liu Kang if this one's taken, meaning he should die by the end of MK8. I don't want him to die by the hands of Kung Lao or Fujin, but by the hands of Dark Raiden. There could be one huge climatic battle: Kung Lao + Fujin VS. Liu Kang VS. Raiden. Liu Kang would be weakened by his position and state of mind during this epic fight, and would fall in battle by a fatal attack from Dark Raiden.

Finally, he'd be able to rest in peace, and would be remembered forevermore on Earth, etc., etc., etc. Maybe even name a monestary after him, lol... Ahem.





Moves

Liu Kang is alright gameplay-wise. Not EXCELLENT, but also not bad. His moves are balanced for the most part, and he has his weak and strong points.

Most of his moves have become a trademark, so they should return if Liu Kang does:

High and Low Fireballs: Bring it back, but update it. The fireballs could take take the form of a dragon's head. That would look very cool, and relate to Liu Kang perfectly.

Bycicle Kick: Add something new to it, make it look cooler than it has in the past. Like in the movie, he nails his opponent with a series of bycicle kicks, then tops it off with a two-legged kick to the chest that sends them flipping backwards.

I think if Bycicle Kick comes back, the Flying Kick shouldn't. They're too............. similar. Besides, if Liu is coming back, he needs some brand new moves:

Spirit Slide: Liu Kang raises his leg as if preparing to throw a straight kick. When he throws the kick, a translucent image of himself bursts forth from within his body and slides forward with the same kick before vanishing.

Blessed Teleport: A very cool move for him to have next-gen! Liu Kang places both of his palms against each other as if praying, and his body becomes translucent (similar to his spirit on the Spirit Slide). He then teleports to a series of spots in the arena, controlled by the player, and leaving a trail of his image that gradually disappeares wherever he goes. When the player decides to attack, he can just press whatever combination of attacks he wants, and Liu Kang will materialize in order to perform it. (P.S.: The player controls where Liu Kang reappears throughout the arena with the left analog stick, and after a limited amount of time, Liu Kang will materialize regardless of whether or not the player has entered a combination for a new attack. Liu can also be struck by his opponent when teleporting).

And finally...

SPECIAL MOVE:
Hallowed Kombo: Liu Kang charges forward, his speed increasing (while this is happening, the other player has a chance to evade damage by very quickly pressing the button combination). If the other player has failed to press the button combination in time or correctly, Liu Kang then strikes with his Bycicle Kick. Once he knocks his opponent away with the two-legged kick, he performs his old cartwheel, surpassing his flying opponent, and landing Spirit Slide to their back. Liu's opponent begins flying through the air in the opposite direction. Once again, Liu performs his cartwheel so that he surpasses his opponent, then lands an uppercut to his/her jaw. When his opponent is knocked into the air, he sends a larger-than-normal dragon projectile that meets them at the height of their ascension, exploding on impact and knocking them hard onto the ground. If the other players WAS successful in inputting the combination, he/she will leap over Liu Kang when Liu comes at them with the Bycicle Kick, then fall with both feet to Liu's stomach, smashing him into the ground and cutting his special short (again, Liu suffers no damage from this).






Fatalities

Fiery Feast: Liu Kang bows his head and spreads his arm as though meditating. Flames begin to materialize on and around his hands, until a large ball of fire is hovering in front of him. Then, in one swift move, he releases the fireball into the air. It takes the shape of a gigantic dragon's head, opens its jaws wide, and falls mouth-first onto the victim, swallowing them. When the fire-dragon disappears, Liu Kang's opponent is completely on fire. To finish it off, Liu whips out his Nun-Chucks (sp?) and swings them once at his opponent's head, torso, and legs, severing them all off the body as deteriorating pieces of singed flesh. Ew.

Last Breath: Liu Kang takes out his Nun-Chucks and wraps the chain connecting them around his victim's neck, then begins to squeeze it, choking the life out of him/her. Eventually, the Nun-Chucks dig so far into the victim's neck that his/her head suddenly pops with a sickening gush, high into the air. Liu Kang quickly leaps upward and flips his body, landing a descending bycicle kick to the head. The head is knocked back into the body the wrong way, so that its top burrows into the opening of the severed neck. The victim falls disturbingly to the floor. Ew X2.

Hara-Kiri: Liu Kang takes his Nun-Chucks in his hand and begins smashing them into his own face until it is completely bloodied up. He then summons a small dragon fire on his hands, which come into contact with his weapon, setting it (and his hands) on fire. He clouts himself one last time, knocking his flaming head off his body. As his decapitated body falls forward, his hands desintegrate.




That's what I say for Liu Kang. Again, my #1 choice is for him to not come back, and die a heroic death perhaps saving Kitana or another of his allies, or ending his own life to, in some way, destroy one of the still-standing villains. Of course:



That is also my favorite alternative to Liu Kang besides his death. Bo' Rai Cho could die, and Liu could take his place as the trainer of future MK fighers. He wouldn't have to show up or be prominently involved with the future storylines (perhaps we can borrow from the reasons I stated in his storyline to justify this), and he wouldn't have to die.

But thats my bottom line: Liu is past his prime. He served his purpose and more, and now it's time to let someone else take over and just live everyone's memories instead. But if he absolutely HAS to return, then I hope some of my ideas come true.

I really don't want Liu Kang back at all. Personally, I've wanted him gone since MK2. A dull character with virtually no real development Liu Kang always struck not so much a protagonist...but a plot device. We follow Sub-Zero, Kitana, and several other characters on their journeys....then Liu Kang saves the say at the end.

I think he really should remain dead. He had more impact dying than he ever had being "the hero." I liked what his death brought to the overall story as well as what it brought to Kung Lao and Kitana in paticular.
He most certainly should not be the "main hero" anymore. If someone is to retire and train the next generation of characters, I think it should be Kung Lao. If someone should take Raiden's place as Earth's Guardian, it should be Fujin. And I definitely DON'T want to see him come back to life and marry Kitana.

Unfrotunately, I dread the MK team might not take this approach. I do believe the "dark" Raiden story will continue on into the next generation. That he was Liu's mentor and the revelation that Raiden re-animated Liu's body strongly suggests he will play a part in it.

The only way I can see this in any way being interesting is if Liu sides with Raiden. Because if he does the straight hero thing, like he always does, it will just be a rehash of just about every other battle Liu's fought. Matter of fact, it's the same pattern of the Sub-Zero/Noob Saibot conflict.
"Someone close to hero has turned to dark side. Hero is conflicted and wants to save said loved one. Eventually realizes said loved one can't be saved and has to be put down. Hero does so and saves the day, but feels bad about it."
Whee. Sub-Zero at least is a developed and interesting character and can perhaps provide some varation on that pattern. Liu is not compelling enough as a hero to make that interesting.

I very much despise the Liu/Kung Lao rivalry. But, if Liu were to side with Raiden and Kung Lao were to refuse, it might provide an interesting conflict between the heroes. IMO, if an established character is to become the new "main hero" it should be Kung Lao and/or Sub-Zero. Maybe allow Kung Lao a chance to finally step up.

It is my opinion that should Liu and Kitana both return in the next generation, they should be kept as far away from one another as humanly possible. The only way I'd be willing to accept Kitana's involvment with this story is if she is the one to take down Liu Kang. Because otherwise, my fear is they'll reduce her into being the "Gwen Stacy" of the story. And I will vomit with rage if she's sacrificed to make Liu Kang look good.

It would just be easier if Liu stayed dead. I'd be much happier.

I also agree with the Kitana/Liu Kang love affair (forgot to talk about that). It really doesn't do much for MK overall, and they make a horrible pair IMO, lol. I share you fear of Kitana falling from the image of an actual MK fighter and into that of the princess/damsel in distress for Liu Kang. Hopefully this notion has been put to rest with MK: Armageddon.



I see what you mean about Liu Kang being a "hero" once again, and 100% agree. But I'm not sure about the "him going evil" idea.

I mean, I can see the "wow" fact behind it, and I can see why it would make him that much more interesting (it has a lot of shock value behind it), but is Liu Kang really a character who we, as the players, would respect as a vllain? I mean, here we have gone through 7+ games with Kang always being seen as good as good guys can get, as just as they can be, as "you're evil and I'm gonna kick your ass" as heroes can get. Then all of a sudden we see him turning evil. Could we really take him seriously as a baddie if he's spent so much doing good? I mean, we'd be shocked and everything, but, IMO, it wouldn't seem "believable"... do you know what I mean? Maybe that's just me, though.

Ok, who do you think is next on teh list? And yes, that Turkey Boy should get either pwnd or retire.

It would depend on how Raiden's possible villainy is portrayed. Way I see the "dark" Raiden story going is that he'll be an antagonist and villainous character...but not really "evil." I see Raiden's beliefs about how Earth should be protected and how it should be defended growing increasingly overzealous and even downright tyrannical. I don't see Raiden acting like the average evil megalomaniac that we've already seen with Shao Kahn and Shinnok and so on....but more like Magneto. A villainous character who believes that he's fighting for a good cause.

And it's that portrayal I can see Liu Kang maybe siding with Raiden. It might be difficult, since Liu will no doubt not be happy about Raiden using his dead body as a weapon...but maybe they can have it the experiences of Armageddon...his death and so on...in addition to bitterness over the sacrifices he's made as Mortal Kombat Champion leave Liu agreeing with Raiden's point of view and that the only way to truly defend Earth is to take a more aggressive stance.

I don't want to see Liu Kang in any future Mortal Kombat game. I find his story and character boring. I'm tired of him being the hero. He has had his chance in Mortal Kombat and should be put to rest, once and for all.



I wouldn't mind if he came back on the side of evil or dark Raiden though. I think that would be an interesting twist for his and Raidens story. I can see it now, Mortal Kombat's protagonist from MK 1-4 has now willingly sided with evil. And to prove that he has done so, they make him do so something dramatic, like kill his lovers mother in cold blood. Now tell me, how cool would that be.

Basically, I think Liu Kang should remain dead unless he is willingly on the side of evil. To me, bringing him back as a good guy would be a huge mistake.

-MiNe

nah. i don't personally agree with you on the whole Liu Kang should make a sudden allignment change if he comes back. I really don't want to see this character come back because he had his chance in the sun and now he should gracefully step aside for a new character to take over. He's dead... he should remain dead.

But still have characters like Kitana if she makes a return have something in her story or her ending about Liu's recent disapperance. Or if not her, at least a friend of Liu and that told everyone why MK's champion may no longer exist in this game anymore.

i mean this character had original moves like the fireball (and playing against my father with him as Liu all the time was so cheap) Sure his dragon fatalities were awesome, but sadly thanks to the second MK movie it made me very upset that the fact that a cool looking dragon move was made to look like crap in that movie and becuase of that movie as well, i started to hate liu kang (even though i had a major crush on robin shou) it was just that i was getting tired of having the same person be the hero of the game.

but if he doesn't make anymore appearances... at least we all had a great time playing as him.

Here's my perspective, before I start the next character:

Liu Kang is done.

Thank you.

Next up: RAIDEN

I think Raiden's chances of returning maybe around 60-70%. The reason why I'm saying this is because it's possible that Liu Kang might somehow defeat Raiden at the end of MKA and that he'll be eliminated. However, given how Raiden's persona change was rather recent and how he is liked by many, I think he'll more likely return. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

You know, when looking back at his story, I have grown to appreciate it a bit more. He is this character that not only serves as a mentor role, but he is eager and determined to help protect his allies and aid them against the forces of evil, which in turn has him doing some rather rebellious things in the eyes of the Elder Gods. I personally liked his change in character, and he's become an anti-villain, one that is very much like Magneto and probably even Ra's Al Ghul. I hope he'll return and develop into a worthy villain-like character but still holding on to that anti-villainish persona.

I can easily see him gaining allies such as Hotaru and Ashrah, kind of what XiahouDun84 did with his stories, and I'm not sure if that particular thing can be topped. I probably would've done the same. Afterall, Hotaru and Ashrah are very overzealous characters who are determined to get their goals accomplished, especially Hotaru, who has the whole "ends justify the means" mentality. In terms of opposition, well, you're going to have Fujin, the Earthrealm heroes, Kitana, Taven, and some other characters too. I would especially like to see an interesting dynamic between Fujin and Raiden and how Fujin will have to deal with his fellow deity.

I really would've liked to have seen a dynamic between Raiden and Shao Kahn, displaying parallels between the two. Initially, they could've been kind of like how High Father is to Darkseid. But now, Raiden seems to be somewhat in the footsteps of Shao Kahn himself or at least displaying a ferocity like his. Unfortunately, the potential for that dynamic was put to waste with the way things were in MKA. Raiden basically made his deal with Shao Kahn, which he should know that Kahn would never uphold. Then again, perhaps Raiden did have something up his sleeve. Either way, I really wanted to see the reaction of the major villains as to how Raiden has changed, especially Shao Kahn and Shinnok.

For the next-gen storyline, like I said, I hope Raiden will develop into one of the major villains. I can see him directing his anger towards the Elder Gods for their indifference. This would make sense since they refused to help him in the past (e.g. Shao Kahn's Earthrealm invasion, the Deadly Alliance). I think he could be the central villain to be most manipulated by the One Being.

When it comes to his gameplay, I definitely want to see him with a lot of different specials. He definitely needs moves like the Static Teleport, Flying Torpedo, Lightning Blast, etc. I'd also like to see some new specials, ones that really show just how powerful this guy really is.

For his styles, to me, they need to take a strong Japanese influence. Since Raiden has studied and mastered all the traditional Jujutsu styles, his unarmed style could contain a mixture of techniques from them. Another idea could be for him to use Yagyu Shingan Ryu, a Japanese martial art that contains teachings such as Taijutsu (body methods) and Bojutsu (staff methods).

The Taijutsu techniques would be his unarmed style and the Bojutsu techniques would be his weapon style. Yagyu Shingan Ryu also happens to contain Jingasajutsu (military hat methods). Why I'm bringing that up is because Raiden wears a type of Jingasa. This isn't to say that I want him to use it as a special move in the way Kung Lao does with his hat. However, there could perhaps be a couple of moves in the style itself along with combos.

Appearance-wise, I really like his new looks. They are basically the dark versions of his MKDA costume, well, much more so his alternate costume. His primary costume is actually quite different from his MKDA primary costume. A new costume could be to have a dark blue and black armored look with his classical style Jingasa, kind of like what the guy in the following video is wearing.

Yagyu Shingan Ryu Kogusoku and Jingasajutsu

Overall, Raiden is a great character and certainly one of my favorites. I do hope that they'll bring him back and correctly develop his character as well as give him fitting styles and some new specials.

I missed the talk about Liu Kang, so I'd like to throw out my two cents now. Kang is not as awful as everyone makes out, but I think he should sit out of MK8. I can see him returning in a big way for MK10, the third game of a new arc, resurrected by a villain, providing the game with the ominous presence of a former Mortal Kombat Champion. His character still have some potential, but I think it needs to stew for some time. They revived him for Deception way too early.

Raiden is another character I don't want to return for MK8. His fall into darkness was boring for me, I'm sorry. It had some interesting effects on other characters, but I get it, Raiden is insane. I don't think the character should be completely retired, though, as like Liu Kang, I think his name his synonymous enough with the series to allow for a late return to Mortal Kombat, when they need a character because they're out of new ideas.

I'd personally have Raiden fight Shinnok during Armageddon, and their battle getting so intense that they destroy each other's very essences. It's an epic way for Raiden to go out, and it also gets rid of Shinnok, who is another character that need not return (at least immediately). To bring Raiden back, just have it explained that their battle took them to another plain, and that Raiden has just found his way back. It also gives the character time to cool off, and we can have him re-enter the story either for good or evil, depending on where they decide to go with the Thunder God.

So my scorecard stands as this:

Returning:
Noob Saibot
Scorpion

Not Returning:
Liu Kang
Raiden

Raiden-Unlike Liu Kang, I find Raiden an intriguing character. If he returns, I'd suppose he'd still be "Dark Raiden". Dark Raiden was a pretty interesting change and I think there is more they can do with him. He should be tainted for at least another game. The main problem I have with Dark Raiden is his costume. As shallow as it sounds, I'd like "Light Raiden to be his alternate costume. In the next game, I see him being a threat to anyone who disagrees with his methods. I think he may even make a deal with the main villain (if it isn't him) to protect Earthrealm a la his deal with Shao Kahn in MKA. In exchange, he may attempt to kill the main villain's enemies, which could very well be his former allies-the Earthrealm heroes. Here are the characters he may interact with:

Liu Kang-If Liu does infact return, his story should revolve around Raiden. Liu may try to eliminate Raiden to protect Earth, or he may still be tainted by being resurrected by Raiden and may side with him, which could be interesting if done correctly.

Fujin-If not Liu Kang, Fujin will be Raiden's biggest opposition. As current protector of Earthrealm, Fujin will try to protect its denizens from Raiden. In the culmination of the inevitable battle with Raiden, I can predict Fujin playing a very important role.

Elder Gods-While not playable characters, I'm sure they will play a role in Raiden's story. Perhaps after refusing to help Earth so many times, Raiden will attack them in vengeance. Or a bit less likely, they may try to quell Raiden and revert him back to the way he was.

Shao Kahn-We can just see how far this little deal will go. I predict Shao Kahn will end up attacking Earth anyway, leaving Raiden ready to fight back against him.

Shinnok-I would love Raiden's story to involve Shinnok in some way. Perhaps another alliance? Or perhaps a war against them. There's a lot they can do with these two, so I hope Shinnok does return in MK8.

Kung Lao-Yeah, I'm sick of Kung Lao. But if Raiden, Liu Kang, and Fuji n all play parts in MK8, I'm sure Kung Lao will as well.

Johnny Cage, Sonya, Jax, Kitana-As Raiden's former allies, they would surely be against his transformation. However I can see them playing less of a role than Kang and Kung.

Scorpion-Like I said in my Scorpion post, if they do decide to have Scorpion yet again seek revenge against the Elder Gods, He can form a deal of some kind with Raiden.

Hotaru/Havik-Like Sub-Zero_7th said, Hotaru and Raiden do kinda want the same thing. Or maybe we're looking at it the wrong way and Havik could be a better ally to Raiden. I wouldn't mind them expanding the Chaos vs. Order storyline and including Raiden and some other characters into it.

Other possibilties include Shang Tsung, Noob Saibot, Quan Chi, Shujinko, Taven, Onaga, Sub-Zero, and Argus. However none of these are as likely as the characters I went over in detail.

Raiden's story is going to be a dramatic one no matter what. The question is, will MK8 be the finale for Raiden? Or is MKA's ending going to wrap it up? To tell the truth, I'm unsure of what I want. I wouldn't mind if he didn't return in MK8, if they give him nice closure in MKA. However, I don't want Kang or Kung to return, even though I think they will. They really are the best choices to wrap up this part of Raiden's story with.

Name: Raiden
Likelihood to Return: 60%%
Most Probable Path: Unlikely Threat

Judging by past games, I do believe Raiden is more likely to return than not. He seems to be one of those characters that the MK Team wants to constantly bring back, regardless of what changes they must apply to make it happen. And considering that Raiden's transformation into "Dark Raiden" is quite recent, it's my belief that they'll want to explore it further, and use it as a reason to bring Raiden back for yet another MK.

Storyline

If Raiden comes back, I'm 99% positive that it'll be his dark self. He will continue to believe that he and only he knows what's truly best for Earth: that only he possesses the true vision and lack of human emotions that its protector needs to have. He will begin to label anyone who is against his methods "fools" who "will bring the Earth to its destruction through their weakness". And as we've seen by his MK: D ending, he will not hesitate to kill those fools. Because of this, he will be an unexpected threat to Earth.

There is a possibility that Raiden could be the next "big bad boss" of MK8, but I don't think he should. Reason is, the final boss shoud be someone who is completely intent on obliterating an innocent world, Earth in particular. Raiden, while completely corrupted and posing a threat to his world, does not actually wish it to be destroyed, and is most likely going to do whatever he can so that it is NOT destroyed. The reason he'll pose a threat is not because Earth will be in danger because of him, but due to the fact that his unconventional methods could spell out the undoing of the other worlds.

That's why I see him being an enemy to the "heroes" of MK8, but more of a "side" one than the big one, kind of like Mileena or Tanya in MK: Deception: a prominent force that must be stopped, but just another worry beside the main threat.

Ooh, I like this one:



Yes, perfect role for Dark Raiden to undertake in MK8! This would truly show people just how f*cked up he really is in his obsession to keep Earth safe, and at the same time, would make him a bad-ass villain to be dealt with.

Whoever the main baddie is, Raiden should ally himself with him (or her O_O! probably not) in exchange for his false promise to keep Earth safe. The main villain would deem the Earthrealm fighters to be his biggest opposition, and so would request that Raiden eliminate them to ensure Earth will not be attacked/invaded. Therefore, Raiden's MK: 8 storyline would consist of him going after the Earthlings, one by one, believing that if they continue to live and fight against the main villain, Earth is doomed (he may believe the main villain is, this time, too powerful to be overcome by them).

So who can stop Dark Raiden and his scurry desire to kill the Earth fighters?

I name Fujin as his #1 rival. MK: 8 would be Fujin's chance to prove to us (the players/MK storyline lovers) that he truly does care for Earth and its dwellers, and is worthy of taking Raiden's place as Earthrealm protector (maybe he'd even gain a few of Raiden's fans for himself?). Of course, giving Fujin the chance to take Raiden's place is a tricky business, because Raiden is quite the popular character and, if not done right, this change could piss off a lot of people. Fujin would have to be renewed (costume-wise, moves-wise, AND story-wise), but more on that when we get to him. Anyway, Fujin's sole priority in MK: 8 would be to take down his former ally. A very emotional, but necessary battle for the god of wind. He would side with all the Earth fighters, of course, but would have only one as his biggest ally: that would fall between Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Honestly, I think both are tired and need to go somewhere, but since I must choose, I'd say Kung Lao. I'd be less annoyed if he returned in place of Liu Kang, so he could side with Fujin and share in his goal to wipe the dark thunder god off the face of the world. (Like I said before, if Liu does return, he could end up being more of a barrier than an ally).

In Raiden's quest to eliminate the Earth warriors, I could see a few of them possibly falling in battle against him. I wouldn't want ANY of them to die by Raiden's hand (I like most of them ;-;), but in order to make a compelling story for MK8, I can see the MK Team sacrificing at least one of them to Raiden. I wanna spend some time talking about this possibility, so I'll go ahead and introduce a new idea to my posts:

I think it would be almost as much a necessity as it is a beautiful idea to give each character an "Opening Sequence": a short movie or something along these lines that serves as the character's bio. Having this in MK: 8 would give that much depth to the characters' new storylines, and draw us into them more than ever.



Raiden's Opening Sequence

Raiden's Opening Sequence would kick off with him fighting his way into a session with the main villain (I've got a few ideas of whom it could be, but I'll save them for later after I've given it more thought). Having killed of the main villain's guards and kicked his way through a few of his allies, Raiden is finally able to speak with the main villain. He threatens the him, clearly stating that if he wishes to put Earth in harm's way, he will have to get through him first.

The two fight. The battle is one-sided, with neither one gaining the upper hand. Eventually, the main villain proposes a deal to Raiden, realizing that their confrontation will not lead them anywhere. He states that if Raiden is successful in destroying the remaining Earth Fighters (a few of whom are already contemplating the main villain's downfall), he will spare Earth and allow it to have its own government and ways of life under his new rule.

Raiden accepts, seeing just how strong his opponent really is and, as unwilling as he is to realize it, how invincible he could be. He leaves the main villain's dwelling, convinced that he must complete his task as quiclkly as possible, while Earth still has a chance.

As he leaves, Fujin and Kai unexpectedly arrive. Fujin courageously enough confronts Raiden, demanding to know what he spoke to the main villain. Raiden is unfeeling as he tells Fujin exactly what happened. Fujin becomes enraged that Raiden has become a pawn in the main villain's game, and decides there and then that there is no way back for the thunder god: he must be destroyed once and for all. Fujin and Kai attack Raiden. Raiden knocks Fujin away just long enough to send an endless mass of electricity into Kai's body. When Fujin regains his balance and bounces back into battle, Kai's body falls limply to the ground: he is dead. Fujin is furious as he states that this is the second innocent life Raiden takes, the first being Shujinko. Before he can resume his battle with the thunder god, Raiden dematerializes. His final words: "I have no time to waste with the likes of you. There are other lives that Earth must be rid of first."

~ FIN ~






"What If" Ending

Raiden's "What If" ending would be pretty much expected. He has been successful in eliminating all the Earth warriors with the unexpected aid of Shinnok. Raiden now stands as the one with sole power over Earth under the main villain's new order, and has become somewhat of a tyrannical ruler over the once-peaceful empire.

Actual Ending

Raiden's ending would be one of the most impressive ones in the game. It would all boil down to a big final battle, one worthy of the icon that is the thunder god.

I've mentioned Fujin + Kung Lao VS. Liu Kang VS. Raiden, but I'll stick to my opinion that Kang is not coming back and say it would be more like Fujin + Kung Lao + Johnny Cage VS. Raiden + Shinnok. If you're reading this you're probably , so let me make a footnote before moving on:

Johnny's MK: 8 storyline would consist of him continuing down the path set for him in MK: A: that of a brave hero who takes the first step in opposing those who threaten Earth. He would inevitably join Fujin and Kung Lao in their fight against Raiden.

As for Shinnok: it would be revealed toward the end of MK: 8 that Shinnok had eventually formed a shocking allegiance with Raiden. He has agreed to aid Raiden in picking off the Earth fighters one by one, stating revenge as his only motive (what he really wants, I'll talk about when we get to him).

So anyway, here we have Raiden's ending: this colossal final battle that promises to go down in history. Fujin takes on Raiden while Johnny and Kung Lao desperately try to bring down Shinnok. The battle rages on until two beings teleport into the location: a male and a female Elder God. They state that they have come in behalf of the remaining council to put a stop to Raiden's rampage, which is doing more damage to Earth itself than he believes. Raiden is furious that the Elder Gods could disagree with his methods, which is the only true way to protect Earth. The Elder Gods remind Raiden that his views are completely tainted; that Earth cannot be protected through sacrificing its own lifeform for any reason whatsoever. An angry Raiden then charges at the Elder Gods. Shinnok knocks down Johnny and Kung Lao, then sends a projectile from his Amulet Staff at the female Elder God; she shields herself and glides backward, Shinnok running after her. The male Elder God summons an intense light that forces Raiden away, and takes this time to summon a strange portal on the ground before him. He then tells Fujin that "they can do no more", and disappears from the spot along with his female companion.

Raiden, who is momentarily enraged by the Elder Gods' cowardly approach, now falls victim to a string of attacks from Fujin, the wind god utilizing all of his remaining energy to fight Raiden and, eventually, send him crashing through the portal summoned by the Elder God representatives.

To Fujin's surprise, Shinnok does not attempt to help Raiden, nor does he race to finish Fujin off as revenge. Instead, he holds his Amulet Staff high and, laughing triumphantly, prepares to dematerialize. Fujin shouts a warning to Kung and Cage, and the trio attacks before Shinnok can escape. Even though Shinnok has only grown in power, he is no match to the two humans combined with the might of a god. To his surprise, he soon falls at their hands and is dispatched through the strange portal as well, which vanishes moments later.

No one knows where the Elder Gods wished to send Raiden and Shinnok, but one thing soon becomes clear: Earth is finally safe from the tyranny of its former protector.






Moves

Raiden has always been a strong character moves-wise, IMO. His teleport and staff combos are so tricky and useful, they're downright annoying.

Of course, some of his classics HAVE to make a return, or he's just not Raiden:

Thunderbolt: Updated. Raiden's hand are cloaked by a luminous blue light that exude two thunderbolts, which join together and come crashing as one toward Raiden's opponent.

Dark Push: Updated. Raiden glides, hands-first, toward his opponent, his body surrounded by spiraling electrical activity. He reaches his opponent with the electricity pumping from his hands and shocks him/her while simultaneously pushing him/her into the opposite wall.

Teleport: Updated as well. A swirling bolt flies from Raiden's head to his feet, causing the fragments of Raiden's body is touches to disappear. It then shoots from the ground in his opponent's other side and, in a similar motion, brings him to materialize.

Add a new one to his arsenal:

Thunder Trap: Raiden extends his arms sideways and shoots a bolt of electricity from both. The bolts shoot forward in a semicircle (similar to Tsung's Far 3D Fireballs) and meet halfway through the arena, coming together to create a hovering, cackling portion of electricity. Raiden's opponent will be shocked temporarily if he/she comes into contact with it. Raiden can be struck if his opponent jumps over this attack and reaches him quick enough to land an attack.

And:

SPECIAL MOVE:
Thunderstorm: Raiden takes out his Staff with a tricky swing (during which time his opponent has the chance to evade damage with the button-combo input). He then raises the Staff high above his head with both hands. Lightning strikes it. Coming into contact with Raiden's staff causes the lightning strike to continuoulsy multiply itself, casting electricity at every corner of the arena. If his opponent was unsuccessful with the button combination, he/she will be struck by lightning and sent flying in a random direction only to be struck yet again (this would repeat itself for three more times, causing considerable damage). Raiden would top it all off by whipping the air before him with his staff, sending a gigantic wave of electricity to knock his opponent down for good. If Raiden's opponent was successful with his evasion, he/she will leap over the first lightning strike and send his/her trademark projectile hurtling at Raiden, catching him full in the face and knocking him backwards, ceasing his special move (no damage to Raiden).





Fatalities

Shocking Impale: Raiden drives his Staff through his opponent's torso, then holds it (as well as his victim's body) high above his head. Lightning strikes the tip of the staff, which turns it into countless, smaller electrical bolts that shoot from the tip of the staff to the victim's bleeding body. It is not long before the victim explodes, body parts flying everywhere, all with portions of electricity running through them.

Static Transfer: Raiden walks up to his victim and rips off his/her arms, then shocks both limbs so that they become ablaze with electricity. He then smacks the victim's arms on his/her sides and keeps them there, causing the powerful surge of electricity going through the arms to be transferred to the rest of the victim's body. An explosion has what remains of the victim's body flying off-screen. Raiden raises his hands (still holding the victim's arms) in a triumphant manner. He lets out one final bolt of electricity from both hands, zapping the arms off-screen as well.

Hara-Kiri: Raiden leaps high into the air. At the height of his jump, electricity emerges from every corner of the screen (including sky and ground) and fly into his hands, legs, and head, shocking them continuously. Eventually, the shocked limbs fly from the torso, which falls disturbingly to the ground below.





This came out longer than I intended, so huge thanks goes to anyone brave enough to read it all, lol.

P.S.: About the "Opening Sequence" thing: I decided to do it in the way that I did only because I don't yet have an idea of who should be the final boss in MK: 8. For future characters (IF I suggest an opening sequence for them), I'll just describe two or more images with a narration (exactly like Tekken 5's opening sequence for the characters).

So, Bottom Line: Raiden should come back if MK: A does not give him proper closure (which it probably won't). His return should mark the culmination of his new, corrupted persona, in which he pushes the limit of how far he'll go to keep Earth safe. This would, of course, eventually lead to his imminent destruction.

Okay now, Raiden.

Well, I think Raiden should return, having something like S-z7th stated(70-100%). The "reasonable doubt is what gets me about Raiden because they could take him a few different ways....Logically.

a. They could reasonably go the way of making him into some sort of complex Anti-Villain.

I feel really strongly about this pathway ending Raiden in Mortal Kombat. It's a conclusion I wouldn't be "happy" about but, if they did it efficiently , I could see myself being "satisfied".

Another point about this pathway that I disagree with is that whole "villain" application to Raiden. It just doesn't match or fit for Raiden to me at all. Never mind the dark clothes and the fact that he axed Shujinko. I don't believe taint has changed him enough to be a villain, insane, a lunatic, of any sort....
This is because he "remembers', and he "knows what he's doing". Psychologically to me, he's capable of overcoming this taint... To me, that rings more along the lines of being possessed more than anything. That, or "Not Definite".


b. Is a concept I came up with, that I think would be extremely intriguing, and a way they could keep Raiden in the game...Not to mention still having him effect the whole cast of "good guys" and "bad guys" on the roster.

I want them to demote Raiden.

Raiden should face the panel of the elder gods//gods and have his power (or god rites) stripped from him. I also think it make for a more interesting story that to simply "agree with his look", make him a villain, and eventually have him exit Mortal Kombat. He's done far too much for the Elder Gods and Earth alone to have such a simple concept applied to him. I think that would be all too easy. Plus, I think it would make far more sense, to have him "punished" for doing things "un-god-like".

Possibilities are pretty endless once you demote Raiden. Irony would be that he's be a human(remember how close Raiden has always been with humanity) . A human with alot of power in knowledge and experience mind you, but still a very powerful "person".

The angle I would love to see, is to have him demoted, and in order to reconstitute his god rites,......send him through Mortal Kombat. Duh. lol

If he "protects" Earth through true Mortal Kombat and overcomes whatever the threat is....put him back in the sky. If he doesn't, you could then logically kill him//age him out of the game. Or you could give him the role of say...Bo Rai Cho. To where, he's still a factor that contributes to the survival of Earth.....he simply maintains a "Gods curse". To live and die....or to live with the threat of death, forever. This way he "really Can't do anything more than say...train the heroes or whatever.

c. This could be a part of both "a" & "b". "Puppet Master"..

I feel like throughout the Mk series, there's been so many of the bad guys who try to manipulate other characters. I think it would be just fantastic if the main "good guy" Raiden, now tainted, be the only one ever to actually succeed at manipulating the other characters. Ha!

None of the "big badies" could do it right, so Raiden did it. lol

____________

Moves:

No matter which way they go with Raiden story, if he's in the next game and so on... we need to see how powerful this dude is....in the game//while being able to play with him.

He should have light(weak) specials like "static electricity" or "static cling".
More powerful specials could extend all the way to the effects of huge thunder claps, and manipulating the magnetic fields around him and his opponent. I mean, I don't want "Magneto" from Raiden, but I think the line should be blurred at some point. Both are atomically and cosmically capable in my opinion...I want to see them finally exploit this about Raiden.

I feel like you can't just say a character is a "God" anymore because every character has special moves. It's not enough to have his only projectile be a lightning throw. He needs to be defined by "What you saw him do"...that's a god.

Fatalities should be so crazy for Raiden. If we're talking about a "dark Raiden" in his current motivations...he still has access to realms and dimensions. Send opponents to hell, or purgatory, or some other dimension and have the minions there rip them apart. Show us how Shujinko got it from Raiden.

"Light Raiden"? He should not only have fatalities that show how brutal electric deaths should be, but he should be melting his opponents. After all, lightning is atoms moving at super hot speeds. Mortals can't safely move at light speed...show us how that would kill someone.

All I'm saying here, is that Raiden isn't limited to "electricity"...he's a god.

_____________________________________________

Looks:


If talking about a demoted, or humanized Raiden, I like these looks:

Primary: JAX007 Concept

Alt: BiggCaZ Concept

Current Raiden futher along, I really have no direct references. But dark-er in taste, more demonic looking versions of these get close:

Alternate: theswitcher concept

Another Alternate: JAX007 Concept

Maybe, longer, dirtier hair or something. Maybe blood should stain his costumes and so on. For a primary, I'd prefer to see him in a more fiercely armored costume...I don't know the history of Japanese war attire, so that's really left up to the interpretor.


One of Raidens costumes should always have hat. Again, much like S-z7th, I always wondered why they didn't have him blocking projectiles with his hat. Why they never incorporated his attire into the fighting style.

___________________________

Fighting Styles:

All I know here is that the styles Raiden posses should make him one, if not the only mast rounded fighters in Mk. Has to do with the whole "God" thing and him being around forever. To me Raiden should show us how a martial arts master is supposed to carry a fight. He should be the guy with an extremely fierce offense, but a wonderful defensive fighting game...."Old Martial Arts flicks". The masters in those movies are the Raiden I'm still waiting to see//play with.

I have to say, that story would be the best thing they could do with Raiden. And it leaves the door open for Raiden and Shinnok to return in later MKs. And Kai's dead. A perfect story.

I really like this idea, Pred: a shocking and very interesting way to bring Raiden back from his "dark" persona. It just sucks that making him into a human would probably also mean he'd be stripped of his thunder god powers.

Hmm... maybe they can just decrease the level of his power? Since most of the human characters have some kind of "extraordinary" ability, he could also be allowed his electricity-based ones, only lowered? =/



There's still the possibility that MK: 8 is yet another MK that will not revolve around a tournament, but more a struggle of opposing forces, as has been the case for quite some time now.

So instead of sending him through Mortal Kombat, they can judge whether his actions during the struggle make him worthy of reclaiming his title or not.

Personally, though, if the MK Team chose to NOT go further into the Dark Raiden idea (which they probably will, IMO), and they instead took this approach, then I'd personally like for Raiden to NOT regain his past status.



Sounds better to me. Human Raiden is a great new angle for him, and he'd make one kick-ass mentor, what with his endless years of knowledge about the human race and his renewed soul.



Thanks Stalagmite . Yeah, if they choose to keep going with the Dark Raiden thing, then I say at least go all out. If there's really no chance to bringing Raiden back to normal, then bring him to a breaking point where he's taken out of MK, at least temporarily.

Not only that, but sending him to an "unknown plane chosen by the Elder Gods" could also mean he was sent somewhere that would purify him somehow. Who knows...

New character:

JOHNNY CAGE

I'll be honest, in the 2d mks I hated Cage with a passion. He was soo dull(look at me, pay homage to me), then he could never actually be the main hero because he was more flash than substance.


Storyline

Well, I actually like Cage somewhat in the 3d mks. He's still flashy as ever, but now his story is actually becoming interesting. I like how he is becoming, from what MKA sets him up to be, the possible main hero.

Usually comic relief characters like him are boring, but since his story is more interesting now I think he's cool.

Still, do I think he should stay? Yes, suprisingly. I think he becomes the main hero he could be very cool;still, I see Ermac or Fujinn or Kung being the main hero in MK8(if they come back of course), but it'd be good for his character if he was the main hero, and not just the comic relief character who really dosen't help that much in battle.

I really hope he dosen't marry Sonya and retire, or something down that line. Him retiring is weird, because someone like his character tries to never accept defeat and fight to his dying breath, so I dobut he'd retire. I also think the him marrying Sonya is cheesy because I really don't want endings for characters(that's if he dosen't go to MK8) that are super-cheesetastic like getting married.

Gameplay

Johnny Cage has always pretty good gameplay wise, IMO the only good thing about him in the 2d mks.

I like his specials, especially his shadow kick and goo projectile.

As for fatalities, I've never been a huge fan of his. In MK1, his fatality is dorky and not very cool IMO. MKT he stupid ones as well, the only game where I like his fatalities is MKDA, as its simple but got a cool effect.

His weapon, the nun-chuck, is good, but I hope they give him a new weapon. I don't like him having the same weapon as Kang, especially since they play the same.

Fatalities

Fatality 1:
He uppercuts the victim into the air, then while the opponent is in midair he shoots the goo projectile for some added damage. Then as the opponent is falling, he does the shadow kick to get his leg stuck into the opponents abdomen region. Cage then beats the shit out of the opponents head with his nun-chucks, then releases his leg from the victim. As the opponent is standing there, he backflip kicks the now limp head off the body. Fatality.

Fatality 2:
He does the Johnny Uppercut to launch the opponent in the air, then uppercuts the opponents head off.

Hara-kiri:
Johnny says,"No one beats Cage but Cage!" He then starts to beat the crap out of himself, until he's near death. Then he breaks his own neck, hara-kiri.

Brutalities suit him, but he dosen't need one IMO.

His animality should be a lion or tiger, since there both animals with a lot of pride for themselves, or self-respect if you will.

Friendship- He takes out a movie of his, then puts it it on a projector, then it says on the projector,"To My Biggest Fan, Cage." Then Friendship pops up.

Johnny Cage is a character who is pretty much based off of Jean Claude Van Damme, almost like a parody of him. His first two or three stories were tolerable. After that, he became a worn out joke. I know he's one of the comic relief characters, but that's all he had going for him until his MKA bio came out, finally giving him some real character and story development.

As much as I'm glad about that, I think that he should live and retire, with the closure to his story being like that in his MKA ending, with him moving away from a superficial lifestyle.

I think the chances of him returning are 40-50%. Given his new story direction, he may return and become the new main hero or one of the main heroes. However, given his run and how his overall story has been rather lackluster, he may not return. I know he's a fan favorite, but he should've had development earlier on to make him solid as a character.

If he does return, he needs further development to step up as a main hero. He'll need a revamped costume design and more character development.

For his gameplay, he should be kind of fast and dynamic, with flashy movements. I think his unarmed style should be Shotokan, the style of Karate that Jean Claude Van Damme studied. It's an external style of Karate with dynamic techniques. The stance for it should be Judachi, a high, narrow mobile stance.

His weapon should still be the Nunchaku. Another unarmed style he could use can be Tang Soo Do, which apparently has some similarities to Shotokan.

He needs some of his old specials to return, such as Nut Punch and Shadow Uppercut. I would also want to see new moves for him.

Overall, he's a character that has improved a bit, but I'd rather not see him return.

I actually really like Cage. He was my favorite character at one point and is still high up on my list today. So it's obvious that I want him back. The quesion for him is, does the MK team still see potential in him? I think they might, considering the big role he plays in MKA. With Raiden and Liu Kang possibly gone, I can see him stepping up into some kind of leadership role. I believe, however that Cage's fate relies on one character and one character only. Sonya. Here are all the characters I can see him interacting with:

Sonya - Cage's re-appearance depends on Sonya. For some reason, I can't see one of them returning without the other. They've been too heavily linked together. I could see them taking up the leadership of "The Heroes" since they're technically the most experienced in Mortal Kombat. Perhaps Cage will join Sonya and Jax in the OIA. I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Jax, Kitana, Kung Lao - The other heroes. However I want to distance the latter two from the other three. If Kitana returns, she should have limited involvement with "The Heroes" unless the story revolves around Liu Kang. If the story revolves around Liu Kang, Kung Lao should probably set off by himself. I'll get to more of Kitana and Kung Lao when it's their turn.

Raiden - If Raiden's a threat now, I could see Johnny leading them against him. Perhaps under Fujin's instructions. Which brings me to Fujin...

Fujin - Something I'd like to see is Fujin appoint Johnny as leader, confusing him and the others. I'd say this would give him much needed character development and explain Johnny's sudden importance. Raiden always supported Liu Kang as the hero, and this would be an intersting change.

Liu Kang - If Liu Kang does side with Raiden, I'd think Kung Lao would be more likely to be his rival. Still, there's a chance it could be Johnny.

Kenshi - A reluctant ally perhaps? His bio seemed to give off the impression of a loner, but maybe he changes during the Armageddon. Based off of his bio, it seems Kenshi is the one to take on the leadership role. I'd hope not, as I'd like to see Johnny step up for at least one game.

Shinnok - If Shinnok's a threat, Johnny seems like the one to lead the assault against him. In fact, I'm sure that he'll play a role in getting rid of Shinnok.

After re-reading Johnny's bio, I found some interesting lines:

"In those early days Liu Kang was the point man, he was the star. The rest of us played supporting roles, clearing the way so he could take on the main threat."

If this doesn't hint to Johnny taking up a leadership role, I don't know what does.

"I used to think, 'What if there's a new threat? Who's gonna lead us?"

Once again, a hint to Johnny taking up a bigger role.

I hope these allude to Johnny as a leader, and not as just a "gatherer of the forces of Light", as Kenshi's bio alluded to. I like Kenshi, but if anyone is gonna take up the leadership role it should be Johnny, Fujin, or possibly Sub-Zero. Some have said it's too little too late for Johnny Cage. However, I don't think they've reached his full potential yet. So why get rid of a character, when there's a lot more to do with him.

actualli after Onaga's possesion in mk deception Johnny cage is a very serious character.
Less dork,less cocky,less vane but with his all good intentions.
For what i undertsand he have the greatest will strengh of all the heroes,and in some way 'cause he is a lover of coreeographics moves,so he is the most TECNICHAL hero(as Sonya is the quickest,Jax the strongest,Liu kang the most complete,Kung Lao i don't know,Kitana the most smart,etc).

I actually think that in some way(i don't know what whymtoigh) MK NEEDS Johnny cage.
He actually let the armageddon war begins;he gather all the good guys;he is one of the few that sruvives in the opening intro,and even tough all complaints he is a pretty fan favourit,not as rain,Subby,Kitana or Kung lao
but just below them.
He is not a comic relief character anymore and btw he have cool moves.
The nut punch is legendary,the shaod wkick pretty good8copied for jade in UMK3),and btw the movies:in the first movie Johnny cage-Linden Ashby was the coolest of all the three heroes.

I suggest Midway tem to bring back Johnny cage in mk8;if a good storyline isn't find for him and the fan base does not like the storyline given to Cage,i think that he can die or retire in MK8.Afdter all i don't see why he MUST die in armageddon or surivive forever.
I think that a character can die without resurrect also in a normal episode of a series(think about Michelle Rodrguez dying in Lost)..

so i think that Johnny cage is a character of vital importance in mk8,and if bring him back should be a mistake,it's not too late to crridge(killing him for example or just retire).

However Johny has to be in mk8.