Name: Kano
Likelihood to Return: 10%
Most Probable Path: Enraged Side-Villain

Everyone's saying the same thing and everyone's most likely right: Kano's chances of returning are reaching a critical level. Kano has had one sole purpose throughout all the MKs: being a pain in the ass and a cronie. His storylines have always either revolved around him pissing Sonya off, or him allying himself with the next big threat to the realms.


===============================================

~ Storyline ~


It's really very difficult to think of a way to sort of "revive" Kano for next-gen. I know that, first off, he would need to be changed a lot personality-wise. If Kano was to return, he'd have to stop offering his help to whoever the next main villain is and start working for himself, fighting for himself and his own goals. I see Kano wanting to return to the Black Dragon, most likely following Kabal's death. His main rival would be Mavado or Daegon, whichever one returns as the bigger power of the Red Dragon. I think we can do without both of them, but if I was to choose, I'd have to say I'd prefer Daegon coming back, just because he seems a lot more dominant than Mavado, and has a cooler background story.

But I fear that's not enough to make Kano acceptable as a returning character. Maybe we can draw something from his Armageddon storyline: being captured by the Red Dragon and serving as a guinea pig for their "dragon hybrid" experiment. Let's say they began experimenting on Kano, but he managed to escape before they could cause any major modifications. He thought he was alright, and he looked alright, but soon enough, his body started changing.

He eventually started attaining features of a dragon: forearms grew scales, nails replaced by claws, all that jazz. So he becomes kind of a half-way hybrid, more human than dragon. This could give him new abilities and enhanced strength overall.

Let's go with the idea that Kabal wanted Kira in charge of the Black Dragon should anything happen to him. Kira would probably put Kano through some sort of test so that he could prove his worth to her and earn a position in the renewed Black Dragon, regardless of the fact that he was once its leader. Kano would be sent to track down Daegon and bring Kira his head. Kano would accept, enjoying the chance to kill a member of a rival clan, and planning on finishing Kira off following his success, usurping her spot of leadership. We're starting to go somewhere with this, lol.



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~ Opening Sequence ~

IMAGE #1:
Kano is in the center of the screen. He has a look of agony in his face, his hands reaching for his head as though suffering from a splitting headache. A translucent image of Kano can be seen outlining the real Kano: his translucent image, however, has scaly forearms, long black claws, and fangs in the place of teeth. In the background we see some sort of scientific facility. Background Kano is locked by his hands and knees to a large, rectangular, steel platform. Mavado and Daegon stand over him.

"Mavado had refused to kill me when he had the chance. Instead, he took me hostage to a Red Dragon base. The reason why soon became clear: he and his leader were planning a sickening transformation of their members; turning the strongest of their ranks into actual dragon hybrids. I was to be the guinea pig for their experiment. If anything were to go wrong, I'd be the one to suffer the consequences. They ran many tests on me, constantly injecting me with a strange liquid while I was helpless to attack. I couldn't take it anymore. When I was being brought for further experimentation one morning, I mustered enough strength to knock down the two Red Dragons who had taken me. I ran for it. By the time I escaped the base, I was exhausted both from racing through the endless structure and fighting my way through their guards. I was free, but the little they did to me was enough to alter my form... slowly, I began to shift into what they wished to mold me."

IMAGE #2:
Kano is in a large, dimly-lit room, heading through a doorway. Fighters with the Black Dragon logo on their attire can be seen at almost every corner of the room. Kira in the far background, standing on a lofty platform, pointing to Kano as he leaves, one hand at her side. Kano looks back with an expression filled with obvious rage.

"The Red Dragon scum would come for me again. I needed further protection. I had heard that the Black Dragon had not only regrouped, but had begun to grow in numbers more than ever before. I seeked out the new leader of what was once MY criminal organization. She goes by the name of "Kira", and claims to have been left her position of power following Kabal's death. I demanded that she allow me back into the Black Dragon, but my orders fell on deaf ears. Now I must prove my worth to the people I once led by tracking down the very person whom I've been avoiding all this time and slaying him.

Daegon must die."

IMAGE #3:
Kano's claws slash the torso of a Red Dragon member. Two others stand behind him, and four others lie on the floor in a pool of blood. An image of Daegon is in the background.

"I raided the base I was taken captive into, and was surprised at my newfound strength. I single-handedly defeated the Red Dragons who instantly sought to apprehend me once more. I questioned them about Daegon's whereabouts. I was told he was no longer at the base, but that he had traveled to Edenia for unknown reasons. I was unable to draw further information from the weaklings, as the base was soon after attacked by Special Forces. Sonya and her underlings could never discover that I still lived, and I escaped at once. My goal is clear enough for now: I must find a way to travel into Edenia by any means necessary. Daegon will regret what he's done to me. And when his blood is spilled, Kira's final hours begin a countdown.



===============================================
~ Ending ~

Obviously, Kano's "What If" ending would involve him slaying Daegon. He'd bring his head to the Black Dragon base as promised, and once alone with Kira, he'd let her ass have it as well, becoming the new leader of the Black Dragon and paving the way for the organization to take over the underworld once more.

But if Kano indeed was not slaughtered by Sonya in Armageddon and he does come back with a similar storyline as this, then MK: 8 will most likely be his true end, as I see no other possible paths for him in the following games. He'd most likely be killed by Daegon in Mortal Kombat, or defeated and slain (if he actually manages to kill Daegon) by Kira.



===============================================
~ Moves ~

I'm not used to playing with Kano a lot, but the little I did play with shows that he's a pretty good character. His eye laser is lightning-fast, almost unpredictable, and his cannonball (though not as effective) is equally speedy. The new moves he got in Armageddon didn't do much for him, though.

Given that Kano returns in MK: 8, he should retain very little of what he has now. His new moves should be a mixture of his old, trademark ones, and new ones learned after his transformation.

Old ones that should return, updated, of course:

Eye Laser: A swirling red beam juts from Kano's cybernatic eye, reaching his opponent in a split second and setting them on fire temporarily while pushing them back.

Cannonball: Kano curls up and flies into his opponent. The wind whipping past his body as a result of his momentum turns bright red until he either crashes into his target or lands back on his feet.

And his new ones:

Dragon Charge: Kano quickly slides forward with a snarl, uppercutting his opponent with open hands so that his claws slash at the victim, popping him/her up.

Angry Spit: Kano spits a mid-sized fireball at the ground near his opponent, flaming the area it touches for two seconds. He can also perform his move while in the air. The distance in which it is shot is similar to Hotaru's projectile.

Throw - Fatal Fling: Kano digs his claws into his opponent's torso, then hurls him/her over his head to the opposite side of the arena.

SPECIAL MOVE:
Sharp Burst Kano flings his Butterfly Knives at his opponent, simultaneously spitting fire onto both of them and setting them in flames, during which time the other player can evade damage. If the victim was unsuccessful, the Butterfly Knives dig into his/her shoulders, slowly transfering the flames to their body while they shout out in pain. Kano then charges at the victim and performs his "Dragon Charge", shooting him/her into the air. The flames gradually die out just before the poor guy or gal collides head-first with the floor. If the other player successfully executed the evasion sequence, his/her character will jump up as Kano's Butterfly Knives are coming, then kick both back at their owner. Kano yelps, startled, but manages to catch the knives. He shoots his opponent a furious glare, and the fight resumes.



===============================================
~ Fatalities ~

Sloppy Eater: Kano buries his right hand into the victim's chest, then withdraws the heart. He shoves the heart into his mouth and chews it, barring his fangs as blood flies from his frightening mouth. The victim lets out one final scream of horror and falls back. Kano looks at the screen and growls triumphantly, blood dripping profusively.

Endless Mutilation: Kano kicks the victim's legs so that the latter stumbles and falls on his/her knees, then drives one of his Butterfly Knives through his/her head. He now goes on to continuously claw at the Butterfly Knive's handle, causing it to very slowly travel down the victim's body with each slashing motion. After three of them, the Buttlerfly Knife has completely cut the victim vertically in half. Kano retakes his weapon and the two "sides" of the victim fall to the floor. Ew, I regret coming up with this... ='(

Hara-Kiri: Kano shoves his right claws into his left upper arm, and his left claws into his right upper arm. He struggles, but eventually manages to rip both arms off at the same time. Screaming in agony, he falls on his back, dead, as his arms flip in the air a few times before falling on top of him.



===============================================

So my final word is: Kano shouldn't and probably will not return. The ideas above are just a few concepts that might make him an acceptable next-gen character, but even so, I think they wear out very quickly, and he'd have to meet his demise by the end of MK: 8 either way. Just let Kira handle the Black Dragon and piss Sonya off from now on, Kano. Go rest.

Sub-Zero is returning no doubt. The question for him is will he finally step into that leadership role we all think he'll take, or will he be a supporting character again. With Noob possibly stepping up as a more prominent threat, Sub-Zero could also step up into the role of hero. Infact, I'd be shocked if they didn't give Sub-Zero a more important story. Ever since MKDA, I feel as though the MK team has been slowly evolving Sub-Zero from a supporting character to the main character. There are so many characters Sub-Zero could have involvement with, but I'll list the most prominent.

Noob Saibot - Since I think Noob will also be in MK8, I'm sure Sub-Zero's story will be about him trying to stop Noob, unless he's more involved with the main villain. Noob could take a game off, and then return as the main villain in MK9, automatically making Sub-Zero the protagonist. Whatever the case, Sub-Zero's gonna have a hand in getting rid of Noob.

Smoke - If Smoke lives, I'm sure one of Sub-Zero's incentives will be to help him. Everyone expects Smoke to inevitably turn on Noob, and so do I. However they could easily just make him Armageddon-fodder and give Noob a new ally.

Sareena - The big question surrounding Sareena is which one of the Sub-Zeros will she side with. I still think she'll side against Noob and continue to be allies with the current Sub-Zero. I don't think Sub-Zero needs another enemy, but you never know what the MK team has planned for her.

Scorpion - A possible alliance? If done correctly, it could revive Scorpion's dead storyline.

Raiden - If Noob doesn't immediately return, I expect stopping Raiden to be Sub-Zero's storyline for MK8. Regardless of Noob's involvement, I expect Subby to encounter Raiden at least once.

Fujin, Kung Lao, Sonya, Johnny Cage - If they go with the Raiden storyline for him, I expect Sub-Zero to have more involvement with these characters than he has in the past.

Onaga - Was it just me, or was Subby's MKD ending a little too ominous? I felt like his armor and the Dragon King were connected and I wouldn't mind Onaga and Sub-Zero's stories being intertwined somehow.

Sektor - I wouldn't rule out Sektor as a threat just yet. And I'm sure he would want revenge on Sub-Zero.

Frost - *see Sektor*

Hotaru - *see Sektor*

Baraka - *see Sektor*

There are others who Subby has interacted with in the past: Kenshi, Quan Chi, Liu Kang, Kitana, Shinnok, Cyrax, Taven, and Mavado. Still, I'd say they won't encounter Sub-Zero again.

So, Sub-Zero's story in the future should be heavily involved with Noob, and some of the others I mentioned. I really hope that all of the development they've been giving to Sub-Zero leads up to something worthwhile.

No answer, SZ is gonna return, but we don't know if it is another one, or the current one.

Sub-Zero's chances of returning are pretty much like Scorpion's, which is 100% or 95% at least. Like Sonya and Raiden, he's another fan favorite and I suppose he could be considered one of MK's iconic characters. Obviously, he's my favorite character so I most certainly want him back.

Look-wise, I want them to give his costumes a very Chinese feel and to have that strong Chinese influence as opposed to Japanese. Although, I think he should pretty much always have his ancestral armor costume from MKD. I hope they make his skin tone like the way it was in MKDA instead of the pale, bluish skin that he has in MKD. Also, they need to have the scar back and to not have him with the bald/ponytail hairstyle. I didn't much like that and prefer his MKDA hairstyle. I kind of think of him as kind of the Batman of MK in some aspects and his MKDA primary look sort of had the 50ish Bruce Wayne look to him, which I liked.

Gameplay-wise, I want him to be well-rounded and rather versatile but leaning a bit more towards the defensive side. If the styles and weapons return, I hope he can use Dragon style instead of Shotokan and maybe with a bit of a different stance. I like Dragon better on him even though its gameplay in MKD and MKA wasn't as good as Shotokan's was. For his Kori Blade, I think the style itself in terms of moves should be a mixture of a Chinese Straight Sword (Jian) and a Bastard Sword, having him with poking, thrusting, and stabbing moves as well as slashing and cutting moves.

For his special moves, I'd like them to make the Freeze the way it was in MK4 and maybe have a charge to it. His Ice Clone is another must have, and I'd like it to be the way it was in the older MKs in terms of animation. His Cold Shoulder was an ok move, one of his more aggressive moves, I suppose. There could be a delay option with it to trick the opponent. If they spice the move up a bit, I wouldn't mind seeing it return. His Ice Shaker was kind of cool, but it's kind of unnecessary due to the Ice Clone. Maybe if it can track, have a charge to spread it out (think older Sub-Zero's ice dome thing from the MK movie), and have a cancel to it, then it'd be good to have. His Icy Slide would be kind of neat to have and would be good to mix up with the Cold Shoulder, but I doubt they are going to give it to him given the way he no longer uses "amateur moves" or whatever. And as for his Icy Pillar, it was an ok move and good to use when combined with the Ice Clone. It doesn't need to return, but if it does, the recovery time should be shorter. I'm not sure about new specials for him. Maybe he could have some icy spikes or have his Icy Puddle return or something.

Story-wise, he has one of the deepest and most solid stories in MK and that's part of why I like him a lot. He's a stoic and noble character who has a sense of honor and compassion. With the way his story has been built up, I hope they will let some things unfold and let him step up further. I want to know more about the Cryomancers and the armor that Sub-Zero wears, especially if something related to them is going to be involved in Sub-Zero's future story.

However, we will most likely have Sub-Zero's story focus on trying to save his brother, Noob Saibot. Part of me feels that him still wanting to show him is a sign of his patience and perseverance, which is something I like about him. However, another part of me feels that during and after Armageddon, he should realize that his brother is gone and that he should destroy him to put his soul to rest. If Noob Saibot doesn't return after Armageddon, I definitely want to see more on him stepping up into a more prominent role as well as learn more about the Cryomancers and the whole armor thing.

If Smoke returns, well, his story can go in different directions. I could see him being 2nd in command of the Lin Kuei or something if he were to regain his free will. He could still be an unwilling enemy to Sub-Zero. Or maybe Smoke will have a different story altogether, one that doesn't involve Sub-Zero or Noob Saibot. Maybe if Sektor returns, Smoke will have his story more involved with him.

I hope Sareena returns and will stick by Sub-Zero. She could have some struggles with loyalty, but overall, I definitely want her to still be loyal to him. I would like to explore their interaction and relationship some more. If both Sareena and Noob Saibot return, she definitely needs to be involved in his story, imo.

Sub-Zero could potentially step up as the new main hero and try to help take down Raiden. Sub-Zero has been getting more powerful, so maybe his power and abilities can rival that of a lesser god's.

If characters like Sektor and Frost return, I imagine them trying to destroy Sub-Zero. Maybe there could be an alliance between Sektor and Noob Saibot or Frost and Noob Saibot, possibly one between Frost and Sektor. The first two sound more appealing to me.

If Noob Saibot returns, maybe we can have something going on with Sub-Zero and Scorpion, forming an alliance to take him down.

I want to see how Sub-Zero interacts with Fujin and the others. I see him as someone who has kind of that aloofness to him and doesn't say much to the others.

Overall, I hope that they can do a lot of justice with Sub-Zero. If they have a new Sub-Zero instead, I'm going to be rather disappointed. A character like that could possibly come on much later in the story or in a generation after the next one.

To Stalagmite: I think some people read too deeply into Sub-Zero's MKD ending, thinking that the dying Tarkatan's words had some connection to Sub-Zero and his armor. However, I think it's simply that the Tarkatan was expressing his never-ending loyalty to Onaga and that his words informed Sub-Zero about the new power taking hold in Outworld. After Sub-Zero attacks and defeats the Tarkata, he soon encounters Hotaru and after defeating him, Sub-Zero later finds Kenshi and heals him.

I don't really imagine Hotaru or Baraka having much to do with Sub-Zero anymore, especially Baraka, who may get killed off. And even if he does return, I imagine his story revolving more around characters like Mileena.

Understood completely. I didn't think the ending meant anything more either, but I listed it as a possibility anyway.

Here is what I think.

Taven being the new protecter of Edenia and being granted god like powers from Blaze may be used to undo severe events.

I think both Noob and Subby's endings will follow.

Sub Zero - wanted by the elder gods, so I expect him to lay low. And anyway this guy has been in pretty much every game apart from MK1, being a ninja he was even in MK3 unmasked. I think he should step down.. but read below.

Noob - Back as the old Sub Zero, some of us want this some of us don't. But Havik was originally going to be a costume for Noob and the Deception Krpyt shows Noob as a skeleton. I think he should be this skeleton with ice powers, but neutral not evil. Therefore they can make a new character without having to really abandon an old style.

Noob as been an easter egg secret and a main villian while younger Subby as been included too many times, it's time for things to change.

Holy Jesus will they exploit the Grand Master already?

Oddly, I don't really like Sub-Zero for his story....his story for me is like a cool perk. I like Sub-Zero because he is an elemental character. Let's see...

O.k. look. Regular moves for a "Grand Master" of any element should be ape shit crazy! haha.. I thought up a concept some time ago where in Szs' regular combos he would freeze you as-he-goes. Maybe every couple hits within his longest combo you get this freezing affect where, he freezes the limb he hits//touches. Could be systemized by what action you made him do...like "low kick, then he freezes a leg or foot or something. Hp? your hand, arm or shoulder freezes, seemingly allowing Sz a free "chance" to continue this really long combo.

No doubt, there should be opportunities for the opponent to cancel or parry or reverse, but it should be a real treat to see the whole thing performed. The end of this combo might end with a round-house, or some equally powerful "bang", shattering all the freezes that happened during the combo.

What kind of touched on this that I appreciated seeing, is how they sorta did this in MkA with his freeze throw. It was right on par for what i'm talking about. Just imagine that in a long, fluid combo, then bang!!, the ice shatters all over the place at the end.

----

By now, I think Sz should be the guy who controls more of the element of freeze too. I think they should give him moves that resemble ices' source, "water". As a Grand Master, I feel like they haven't shown the wisdom he has, at least through his moves. Sz should have more than a freeze ball, he should also have little icicles that he shoots or spits at you. Maybe something like "icy breathe" where it freezes your facial expression somehow, allowing him some kind of free hit. This could very well be a Fatality too, now that I give it thought....And he could just..."break your face" or something. Like fleshs' reaction to Nitrous Oxide.

He could also have something called "snow flakes"...which could either act like little ninja stars, or like a big temporary shield for Sz.
___

It should be a bitch fighting against this guy, and if he had is way with you the entire bout.....you wouldn't move a muscle. Sz should have moves that set you up to get frozen...(yea I know he does, but even more-so.). Like, clone, freeze ball, icicles, freeze the ground, start the freeze combo, and if you manage to get out of that situation, there's a freeze throw or frozen breathe he could employ.

The type of character I find him to be in these latest games is a
"Passive Aggressor" no matter who I'm playing against that plays with him.
I feel like Sz, since he's a grand master, could even go beyond visually "freezing" his opponent into things like parallelization through the pressure points. That's a different interpretation of "freezing" isn't it? Unable to use....yourself. Cryomancy after all is an art of the "inanimate".

Yea, Sz would be one, if not THE one "beast" on the roster....and not just an "okay" equipped figure-head for Mk.

My point is, that he's a damn Grand Master now...he should know//be showing us all these "neat little tricks". He should be the guy would almost kills the match "before it starts" cuz he's that good.

Since he's pretty much a shoe in for this next game, I wanna see the clone move happen....but give us the option to kick that m-fer at our opponent(HA!). If they don't move...they get frozen....

Further?.....the "Masters" on the roster shouldn't "summon" their power so much anymore unless it's for a fatality. For Sz, he shouldn't "kneel" or whatever when he shoots is ice ball at you, he should just throw a quick, but unique punch. Same for say...Raiden, Fujin, Shinnok, Shang Tsung, and the rest of the "big" or "really old" characters on the roster. These guys know what they know, and they're supposed to be far beyond excellent at it. Show it to me.

---------

For at least one of Szs' fatalities, I want to see that move he never got to finish in the first movie. Every time I see that move interrupted like it was it pisses me off to no end(heheh). And too, like I was saying, it's the only time we should eversee a character like Sz "concentrate" and "summon" energies.

On another note too, Sz should be like, the only guy on the roster that easily breaks bones and so on. On top of that, he should do so in such a way that is unconventional. Maybe when he does one of his throws, he grabs your arm, creates a small pillar in his hand, and punches it through your elbow before he throws the remainder of your body or something...

Anyway, I could go on and on about guys like Sz and Raiden....So, in a sort of closing I guess, my main issue with a character like Sz is never seeing what he really can do. I don't know about fighting styles or weapons for him, but I know for a fact Sz is a character that if exploited, shouldn't even need it. Because he has order over a weapon that is of the natural Earth.....and that is far more than enough. If they do it right anyway.

hmhmhm...I love elementals.

Name: Sub-Zero
Likelihood to Return: 95-100%
Most Probable Path: Main Hero

When it comes to Sub-Zero, it's not a question of whether or not he will or should come back; it's just a question of where he will go from where he is now.

So let's analyze: right now, Sub-Zero is one of MK's "heroes" (I hate using that word). He is one of the most powerful characters according to his storyline so far, and there have been recent and many hints that his power will only grow in the future. So what can we draw from this in terms of Sub-Zero's future? I think it's very safe to say that he's been built up for a leading role in the next MKs. His power has increased exponentially since he was first introduced, and his storyline has become increasingly more engaging, meaning the MK Team has always given Subby particular interest. Therefore, it's only natural that MK: 8 Sub-Zero takes the place of Liu Kang's dead ass.


===============================================

~ Storyline ~

Sub-Zero's primary concern in MK: 8 should be the defeat of the main villain. We've seen in MK: DA that Sub-Zero is always willing to take the chance to prove his worth to himself and to those around him. This is a characteristic of Sub that should be explored further, and the only way to do so is place him in a starring role against the main villain, so that he can really show us how capable he really is of stepping up into a protagonist spot.

Like I mentioned before, I don't see Noob Saibot being the MAIN threat, but a prominent one nonetheless. Let's continue betting on the idea that Noob successfully constructs a demon/cyborg army and releases them upon the Earth to prepare it for his coming dominance. Sub-Zero would certainly want him stopped, but I see him pitting his allies against Noob while he goes after the bigger meat. Doing this gives a strong storyline to characters like Sareena and Smoke, and allows Sub-Zero to still become a protagonist despite the threat Noob poses.



A great idea, Sub-Zero_7th. I think that delving further into Sub-Zero's heritage and ancestral armor can only add to his future story, as well as to how interesting Sub-Zero becomes as a next-gen character. I was very intrigued when he came across the ruins of the Cryomancer civilization, and even more when he found that mysterious artifact that seemed to influence and actually speak with him (from this Deception ending). Just as Sub-Zero's increasing power is a hint for his future leadership in MK, I think the introduction of his new armor is a hint of a new aspect to his character.

I think Sub-Zero should carefully study the ancient suit or armor and discover that is has astonishing abilities that he did not yet tap into. The armor should have been worn by the leader of the Cryomancers when he and his people were still alive. How come the Lin Kuei has had ties to Cryomancers, yet the actual civilization was in Outworld? Well, I say that as the Leader of the Cryomancers, this ancestor of Sub-Zero's harnessed the power to travel between the realms of Earth and Outworld as a way to add to the superiority of his people. Sub-Zero becomes drawn to the armor like never before, but knows that the only way he can truly discover the powers within it is to return to that ancient ruin.

His desire to travel to Outworld soon becomes a necessity as Shao Khan chooses Earthrealm as the source of his renewed army of fighters, as well as the target to be submitted into allegiance.



===============================================


~ Opening Sequence ~

IMAGE #1:
Sub-Zero is unmasked and alone in a room of the Lin Kuei temple. He stands beside a lengthy surface on which lies the ancient armor he had discovered while in Outworld. He has an inquisitive look on his face as he gapes at it. In the fading background we see a reformed version of the ruins he'd encountered, teeming with Cryomancers, all of which seem to be mesmerized by the sight of one wearing the armor.

"As I fought in the chaotic battle of the recent past, I willingly accepted the possibility of death. I knew that I would be facing mortal enemies of past and present who desired nothing more than to step over my corpse, making my defeat almost a certainty. That is why I was stunned at my own skill as I fought my way past them all without falling. Where had I acquired such power that even I was astounded at its intensity? I knew the answer was the armor of my ancestors. Never would I have thought myself so agile before wearing it. My first act following the grueling battle was to further study the armor and discover the source, and length, of its powers. I was in shock to realize that there was a link between it and its home in Outworld: a link that could manifest itself physically."

IMAGE #2:
Outside the Lin Kuei Temple. Sub-Zero has countless Lin Kuei warriors behind him. He is standing before none other than Mileena, who has as back-up a small army of fighters with the Outworld tattoo on their faces. Mileena is touching Sub-Zero's chest with her index finger suggestively, while Sub-Zero has his fists ready to attack.

"My studies and the peace that had befallen my people were soon interrupted when one of Shao Khan's generals unexpectedly appeared before my temple. She and her fighters did not attack my warriors, but instead requested to speak with their leader with a claim of peace. I accepted, though wary. Mileena spoke of the inevitable war that would soon befall Outworld between Shao Khan and Onaga. She stated that Khan had presented me with the choice to fight for him or die during a pending invasion of Earth, made possible through the barries the epic battle had severely weakened. I was ready to take her life as a direct blow to Khan. How dare he soil the ground of the Lin Kuei with his bestial allies and this filthy message. One thing was for sure, despite his audacity: if the war between he and Onaga was to spill onto Earth as he intended, our realm would be in lethal danger once more."

IMAGE #3:
Sub-Zero and Sonya stand in the ruins of the Cryomancers. They are in a dimly-lit room. In its icy walls are innumerable frozen bodies. Sub-Zero appears to be conjuring a blue mass of energy while Sonya looks on in surprise, a stack of parchments in bad shape in her hands.

"My deductions were right. I soon found myself, accompanied by Sonya, back in Outworld with surprising ease after properly harnessing the obscure abilities of the armor. We were brought directly to the ruins of my ancestors. Sonya agreed to stay before planning any sort of downfall for Khan once I stated my certainty that, within these walls, there lied hidden powers unheard of. We soon discovered a room filled with the frozen bodies of warriors whom I immediately recognized as Cryomancers. Sonya herself had previously uncovered a rare artifact: a selection of parchment onto which were inscribed clear instructions for a difficult ritual. This ritual could only be performed by the Cryomancer's appointed leader, and would bring back life into the bodies of a select number of powerful fighters whose bodies were frozen before old age. I have the armor... I alone can perform this rite... and then I will be able to lead this unearthed group of Cryomancers. If their powers are as great as these words promise, our combined might would be more than enough to bring down Khan. Perhaps even enough to put my brother to rest before his ascension."



===============================================
~ Ending ~

I don't have something concrete for Sub-Zero's ending in MK:8, particularly because there are many different ways he could go given the type of storyline I hope he will have.

I do want him to survive. He should utilize the full power of his armor and, wielding the hidden soldiers of the Cryomancers, bring down Khan or at least weaken him enough to eliminate his control over Earth and stop him from going through with his threat. Many of the soldiers aiding him should fall in battle (we don't want a bunch of Cryomancers running around MK), and the survivors could return with him to the Lin Kuei Temple, or remain in Outworld to perhaps restart their civilization.

Subby should then return to Earthrealm a bit too late: Noob has already ascended. Now either his allies may have been successful in defeating him (in which case Noob would be sent back into the Netherrealm), or the MK Team can have Noob survive and have his goals come to fruition, at least partially. It all depends on whether or not they want to keep going with his "villain streak".




===============================================
~ Moves ~

Sub-Zero never disappoints gameplay-wise. He's always had great specials, and his ice projectile never loses its usefulness.

For MK:8, Boon and his guys ought to make his moves more "flashy", to really show how much power he has attained from his armor.

Returning moves:

Iceball: He's never gonna lose this move, lol. In an updated version, Sub-Zero extends his arms and open hands. The air around him turns to ice and flies toward his hands, joining together to form a large orb. He releases it horizontally. The orb flies with a sort of ice "tail", kind of like leaving a track wherever it flies. If the opponent jumps over this projectile, there is a chance they may come into contact with the "tail" and still freeze for a free hit.

Ice Clone: Though slightly less memorable than his IceBall, the Ice Clone is another move that isn't going anywhere, IMO.



Good idea, Pred, but I think it needs something to differentiate it from his Iceball (cuz the way you suggested it kind of gives it the same purpose). Let's have Sub-Zero be able to send it hurling toward his opponent, but in different ways depending on what move he lands on it. For example, he can land a simple punch to send it sliding forward at a slower speed, or he can uppercut it or roundhouse it or perform a charge move on it to send it extra-fast. But we don't want (or it seems only I don't) him turning into an almost-impossible-to-defeat character, so let him get hit by a projectile from the opponent if he/she can quickly shoot it once he misses them with the Ice Clone. This all adds more strategy to the move and makes it more unique next to the Iceball.

And new ones:

Bitter Lance: Sub-Zero quickly summons a large ice spike in his hands. He then charges at his opponent while rapidly spinning (melted ice forms under his feet to give him extra capacity for motion). The wind around Subby's spike turns to thin ice that sort of whips around and follows him. This means that his opponent can either can knocked down by his twirling spike, or he can get slashed and stunned by the shield-like, icy wind for lesser damage (remember that wind in the bitter cold can very well cut like a knife).

Sprinkler: Like his Ice Shower move, Sub-Zero shoots his ice straight overhead. The ice then rises beneath his opponent's feet in a swirling motion, simultaneously releasing bits of water around it which fall to the floor in the form of small ice puddles. The opponent may lifted into the air and frozen by the ice, or slip for a free hit if he/she walks over one of the puddles.

Throw - Cold Shoulder: Bring a spin-off of the Cold Shoulder back as the throw. Sub-Zero pushes his opponent, freezing them at the same time, then performs a speedy Could Shoulder to knock him/her down.

SPECIAL MOVE:



O_O !!!!!! That sounds too cool. Sorry Pred, but I'm gonna have to steal it and modify it a bit to use as his "Special Move" idea!

Immobilization Sub-Zero quickly summons ice around his fists, eventually forming an icy glove around them (the time he takes to do this gives the other player the time to evade damage). He charges at his opponent and lands a two-handed punch to his/her torso, freezing it. Subby now lands two mid kicks and one spinning kick to the frozen torso until the ice breaks, following it up with a punch to the arms. He sends two potent jumping kicks to the opponent's shoulders, breaking the ice around the arms. Sub-Zero crouches and swipes at his opponent's legs, freezing them. He performs his old Ice Slide, popping the victim over his head. Just as the other character's frozen feet land on the floor and the ice shatters, Sub-Zero spins around skillfully and claps his hands on the sides of his opponent's face, freezing the head. The Special Move ends as Subby musters up all of his strength for a painful-looking, flashy flying-spinning kick that sends the unfortunate guy/gal sliding across the arena. If the other player successfully evaded damage, Sub's adversary would hop back to evade the first charge, then smack Sub's arms with his/her forearms, forcing his hands to touch his face and freeze it. Sub's opponent uppercuts Sub-Zero away, ice shattering.



===============================================
~ Fatalities ~

Early Winter: Sub-Zero manipulates the air around him, lowering its temperature critically and, thus, acquiring enough power over it to send it continuously at the victim. The victim shouts in agony as he/she slowly slides backward, ice-cold wind whipping past and cutting his skin. The victim's left and right arms are eventually sliced enough to the point where the forearms and hands are severed. Finally, their entire (remaining) body freezes. Sub-Zero runs at the victim and actually dives into him/her, shattering the body into countless pieces and performing a cocky landing.

Slow End: Sub-Zero jams his right hand into the back of the victim's neck. Suddenly, the victim yells in pain as ice emerges from within his/her body, knocking out of it the heart and few other organs before freezing the whole thing from inside-out. Sub-Zero now rips out the head with the spine still attached and uses it as a baseball bat by smashing the remainders of the victim into scattered limbs littering the arena floor. He raises the head+spine triumphantly.

Hara-Kiri: Sub-Zero freezes himself from the foot to the head, but sparing his arms. We then see him lift his arms and rip off his own head. His frozen body falls to the ground, crashing into separated, frozen limbs. The head lands neatly on top of the stomach.


===============================================

There we go. Subby is returning, I just hope he takes on the role of protagonist and becomes that much more important to MK. It's the only way he'll continue to be a huge fan-favorite, all while exploring his own newly-discovered powers to their full extent.

Moving on (because Leo said so).

GORO

I think that Goro's chances of returning are very slim. Although he's an iconic character in MK, he's had his run, and I still feel that his story should've ended with his death between MK4 and MKDA. If he does return, I'm not sure what they could really do with him.

Goro should not return. Plain and simple. He should've been left dead after Noob attacked him. I hate characters that die and then come back and I hate characters that change their alignment more than once. Goro's both of those. I think the MK team is also sick of him and I doubt he returns. Of course, he is one of the most iconic characters, so he still has a chance. If he does return, I guess he should continue being Shao Kahn's second-in-command. It's too late for him to turn good again. Here's who else he might interact with:

Shao Kahn - He should be loyal to Kahn and lead the Shokan army against Kahn's enemies. Goro should also make sure that Kahn still favors the Shokans over the Centaurs.

Kitana - This shouldn't happen at all, but a possible non-canon ending for Goro would be for him to kidnap Kitana for Kahn. Then the heroes would try to rescue her and end up being ambushed. It would be a slap in the face to Kitana fans for her to actually lose to Goro though, so that's why I said non-canon.

Kintaro/Sheeva - A possible Shokan alliance? I'm surprised Goro has never interacted with either of them. Of course, I don't expect any of them to live past Armageddon.

Motaro - Shokan vs. Centaur war blah blah blah.

Johnny Cage - If anyone kills Goro, I expect it to be Cage. And no, it's not just because of the movie, but also because I believe the MK team views them as rivals. (Cage killing him in MKSM and the two of them being one of the rival loading screens in MKA) Cage needs an arch-enemy anyway.

Kung Lao - A less likely end to Goro might come form Kung. They were enemies in MKG and only MKG. So I think Cage is more likely, but Kung Lao might kill Goro.

Yeah that's pretty much it. Goro's a boring character now and shouldn't live past Armageddon. If they need a Shokan, which they won't, they should use Kintaro instead, since he's less developed.

I was thinking the same thing. He shouldn't have come back.

I really hope that Johnny Cage won't be the one to kill Goro if he were to die. It would be utter Johnny Cage fanboy bullshit that would piss on Kung Lao a bit.

I've never really liked Goro to be honest, i always thought Kintaro was better in every way. Still, i guess he was a great sub-boss in MK1.

Story:

He's never really had a storyline that's been super interesting, so he's failing in this section. If he comes back,(which he shouldn't), give him a decent storyline.

I don't want his storyline to be,"Me No like Scorpion, me kill Scorpion." Okay, his storyline's not that bad, but you get my point; give him a halfway decent storyline, or don't bring him back!


Gameplay:

Never really liked him in this aspect either. He was soo cheap in the old mk's, he would do that spinning move soo much against me in MK1.

Anyways, he was decent in MKA, but the funny thing is is that he's not a hugely powerful character in MKA; in fact, he seems to do better from far away! Quite a bit of irony there.

If he returns in MK8, i don't know what his fighting styles should be. A good weapon for him IMO would be either small daggers ala Sheeva, or claws.

All in all, I never want Goro back; he should just die off.

OK, new character.

SHANG TSUNG

Name: Goro
Likelihood to Return: 5%
Most Probable Path: Khan's Bitch

Goro is not a very good choice to bring back.

He's changed too much in the past, and there are two consequences to that: One, it leaves very little they can do to revamp him as a character and renew the interest in him. Two, it has caused many people to lose faith in Goro as a "worthy" next-gen character. Personally, his repetetive change of alliance makes me feel as though the MK Team has nothing else to do with Goro, and are going to (and should) drop him in Armageddon.

I'm gonna make this post smaller and much less detailed than my other ones just because of how little there is for Goro next-gen. I'll talk about what I think is the best they can do if he was to return, and that isn't much.


===============================================

~ Storyline ~

With Goro's constant past changes in personality and alignment, it's obvious they can't do the same thing again. So the only option is for Goro to remain in his current alignment, which is beside Shao Khan.



Yes, isn't that all Goro's probably gonna be good for? LoL. Shokans could become one of Khan's most hopeful weapons against Onaga in the war for Outworld. In turn, Onaga could exploit the animosity the centaurs will have against Khan (for favoring the Shokans) and draw them to his side. Centaurs Vs. Shokan in an all-out battle would be an explosive scene, and the best thing Goro could shoot for in MK:8. No Kintaro and no Sheeva, though: we can't afford to have more than one Shokan in the next-gen game, IMO.

But this isn't enough. For Goro to reach "Acceptable" level in MK:8, he needs a more developped goal. Hmmm... an enemy! Someone whom he wants to see dead personally, on top of the final battle between Shokans and Centaurs! I want to see him with a personal score to settle against another character who perhaps betrayed Khan to join Onaga, or even the forces of Earth who refuse to serve him. Kitana is a good candidate! No, it doesn't need to be Goro VS. Kitana for MK:8. I don't want Kitana's main concern to be Goro, and neither do I want the shokan as her new rival. That's a pretty depressive idea. But Goro needs something to do more than Kitana.

Perhaps Kitana has gone into hiding and is laying low as Onaga begins converting Edenia's fighters to his side, secretly planning a strategy to drive the Dragon King and his followers from her realm before they lose all of their allies. Khan is bothered by the fact that Onaga may capture Kitana and force her to fight for him: he believes that Kitana wouldn't think twice about a chance to finish Khan off, shooting down one target while leaving Onaga to be dealt with afterward. Maybe Onaga might even promise Kitana to leave Edenia in her hands if she will destroy Khan? Or (more likely), Khan knows of Onaga's ability to control the mind, and knows that if found, Kitana would have to fight for him regardless of her desires. There are many thoughts that could rush through Khan's head that would get him worried about Kitana turning on him. He knows that if Kitana is a powerful fighter, and on top of that, would draw her skillful allies to Onaga's side as well.

He could sneak Goro and another one of his other allies into Edenia with the task to bring back Kitana to his Fortress alive, before Onaga could directly attack him.

That's all I can think of for Goro. At least a storyline such as this would mean he'd have a mission for the duration of MK: 8, as well as an cool enough ending.


===============================================


~ Opening Sequence ~

IMAGE #1:
Goro stands on the balcony of Khan's Fortress. An army of Shokans are on the yard below, their arms raised into the air as they exalt their leader.

"The best choice I ever made was to return to Shao Khan's side once more. I served him well during the events of the epic battle, slaying those who dared draw too close to the emperor. I was generously rewarded once we returned to Outworld. My race has deservingly gained Khan's full favor, and will roam the future Outworld in a position of undeniable power over its citizens. All that stands in our way is the Dragon King, who refuses to let go of his insatiable desire for the throne. His thirst for dominance has reached a breaking point, and he must be wiped off the face of OUR world for the rest of eternity. The time has come for the Shokan to go down in history as the slayers of the feared Ex-Emperor."

IMAGE #2:
In Shao Khan's Throne Room. We see Shang Tsung in the center, summoning a portal. Goro and Reiko watch from the back.

"Onaga has beaten Shao Khan to Edenia. The Dragon King has filled the realm with his enforcers and is slowly gathering followers, while placing the unwilling warriors under his control. Khan fears that his step daughter, the princess Kitana, may be put under his control and turned against him, along with her countless allies who have all dangerously opposed him in the past. He knows how foolish it would be to attack Onaga and his forces in Edenia, and so has entrusted Reiko and myself with the mission to secretly journey into the realm and find Kitana before Onaga does. Once she is before him, alive, he will give her and her fighters in hiding the choice to join the mighty emperor or die."





===============================================
~ Ending ~

Goro fits the mold of Kano when it comes to MK:8 and after. There's nothing that could make him an interesting enough character to remain past the first next-gen game. So he also needs to be killed off in MK:8 if he does return.

I think that Goro should locate Kitana. Once there, Reiko turns against him and forms a temporary alliance with the princess: he has been planning on killing Goro all this time and instead aid Kitana and driving out the Dragon King and then slaying Khan, hoping to take his place. Reiko and Kitana could be the ones to finish the shokan off.

Or, he may never find Kitana, and she could eventually do something that severely hurts Khan's chances of winning the war. This would piss the emperor off to the point where he would kill Goro out of pure spite.

Of course, there's always the possibility that he is simply killed off during the final battle with the Centaurs.




===============================================
~ Moves ~

Meh, I don't play with any of the Shokans, really.

When I did try Goro out in MK:A, he seemd awfully slow when it came to the basics like kicking and punching. His specials were pretty nice, but his lack of speed in his movement and his normal attacks (together with his inability to jump well) made him an easy target if your opponent was too close.

Goro's next-gen moves, given he comes back, should continue to be fast as well as more destructive. I think people would like him more if they really got the sense that he's a powerhouse, and not just a tall fighter.

Spinning Slaps: The Spinning Slaps is Goro's best and most widely-recognized moves, IMO, and should return with him. The flames could play a bigger part in the visual effects of this special, however. Have the flames encircle the areas in which Goro's arms spin, forming a set of two untouchable, flaming circles for the duration of the move.

That's pretty much it. His other moves are too "impressive", so he should be given new ones.

Voice Of Fear: Goro utters an earth-shattering, animalistic roar. If his opponent is caught in his gaze, he/she will fly backwards as if hit by a Charge attack. In order to balance out this move, however, have Goro briefly hint at the fact that he's about to perform it: he takes a deep breath and bends his torso back before letting it out, giving the other player a very small amount of time to escape if quick enough.

Destructive Path: Goro takes off after his opponent with thunderous steps. If he reaches the other character, Goro lands two bone-breaking punches to the stomach and a final strike from his two right arms that pop the victim up. His adversary can sidestep his run to avoid being hit and land a counterattack to his back.

Dragon Hammer: Goro leaps into the air, his hands on fire. He plummets onto his opponent and clouts the ground with every one of his hands; the flames fly into the air in four symmetrical lines. This means that his opponent may get hit by not moving quick enough once the special begins, and is unable to land any flying attack due to the rising flames: Goro can only be counterstruck by a low move.

Throw - Gut-Buster: Goro grabs his opponent with three arms. He them powers up his free fist by drawing it back, and finally SLAMMING it with all he's got on the victim's gut. His foe flies into the air. If the arena has a roof, he/she simply slams into it for small extra damage, then crashes onto the floor. If the arena does not have a roof, he/she will fly off-screen before falling back, giving Goro a chance to land an extra attack.

SPECIAL MOVE:
The Breakdown: Goro starts running forward, gaining momentum, giving the other player time to evade damage. The Shokan then leaps like a leapord on its prey and grabs a hold of his opponent's waist with his lower arms. Goro a devastating left hook to the face, followed by an equally-forceful right one, ending with a two-fist clap to both sides of the face (we hear a sickening CRUNCH). He then holds his opponent's arms with his upper ones, proceeding to punish the victim's stomach with uppercuts from his lower ones. Finally, Goro chucks his opponent into the air, summons flames on his four fists, and lets the guy/gal have it by slamming all of them onto the body. The monster's beaten rival slides across the arena, destroying its flooring partially. If the other player evaded damange, the other character will rolls on the ground and beneath Goro's legs as he reaches them, then flip back and nail the Shokan in the jaw with both feet, causing him to stagger backwards a safe distance away for the fight to resume.



===============================================
~ Fatalities ~

Fatal Stretch: Goro places the victim's arms on his upper hand's clutches, then does the same with the legs and his lower hands. He bends his body back slightly so that the victim is higher in the air. Goro begins pulling back his arms, stretching the victim's arms and legs while they scream in agony. Finally, Goro bows his head and slams it into the victim's stomach, causing the torso to fly off the other limbs and zip past the screen. Goro allows the showering blood from the arms and legs still in his hands to fall on his colossal body, growling in enjoyment. Finally, he throws the limbs to the floor. This fatality adds more "terror" to Goro, which is something he's seriously lacking right now.

Bloody Choke: Goro grabs the victim's sides with his lower hands, then rips off the legs with his upper ones. He then begins to continuously beat the victim's neck with the legs: he slams the left leg on the left side of the neck, and the right leg on the right side. On the fourth hit, the victim's neck separates from the head and torso and tumbles to the ground in a bloody mass, while a deafening CHOKING sound escapes from Goro's suffering enemy. The head falls on the opening the neck left. Goro hurls the body across the arena, head flying one way, legs flying the other, and torso flying the other. Another gory-ass fatality I regret ='( ...

Hara-Kiri: Goro withdraws his daggers, points them at himself, and crosses all four of his arms. He then quickly swipes the daggers across his torso, forming a huge gash across his chest and stomach. Blood and a few organs fly out, a few landing on the screen just before Goro falls face-first into a pool of blood.

-_-' I need to stop coming up with fatalities and Hara-Kiris, I'm scaring myself.


===============================================


You know what? I really think that this storyline I suggested for Goro should be given to a brand-new character: a FEMALE character that can be introduced as Shao Khan's SPY!. This is the perfect role for a new female fighter, because she'll be a warrior with a skill not yet seen in the past games, AND this gives her the chance to be Kitana's new enemy, allowing Mileena to focus on bigger and better things. So I say destroy Goro in Armageddon and use some variation of this storyline for a new bad-ass.

EDIT: Dammit! Why didn't you wait for me before starting a new character! I didn't even see that you put Shang up! -_-' ... all my creativity, wasted ... I'll come up with something for Shang later, I'm exhausted from writing.

I think Shang Tsung's chances of returning are perhaps around 40%. Personally, I would rather have Shang Tsung be killed off even though I like him. This is due to the fear of his story being dragged out. I think it'll be better if his story were to have closure with MKA, being killed by Kung Lao and/or Kenshi or something like that.

If he does return, he needs to break away from Shao Kahn, and maybe we can get a bit of exploration on Shang Tsung's past and perhaps have a character tied to his past, sort of like Omegis from MK: Conquest.

In terms of costumes, I love his MKDA/MKA primary costume and that needs to be kept, imo. His victory pose could be the Snake victory pose from MKDA or his victory pose from MKA.

For his gameplay, he should have his Skull Fireball moves, Erupting Fireballs, Soul Drain, 3D Fireballs, and maybe his Mysterious Magic. For his styles, he should definitely keep Snake style Kung Fu and his Straight Sword, but his Straight Sword should be the Snake shaped Straight Sword, which looks like this.

Overall, he's a character that really stepped up and improved a lot in MKDA. Like I said, it's better that he doesn't return.

One thing that I'd like to see if Shang makes his way back is to take him back to his roots as a shapeshifter. I mean, that was one of his major traits in the beginning of MK, and after we got to 3D it was left by the wayside in gameplay. Now, I have no idea as to how hard this would be to implement, but I do think that it is an integral part of his character. If I can't see Shang Tsung transform during the middle of a fight, I'd rather not see him come back.

And now, like the old Character Discussion thread, we'll discuss all of the MK1 characters for a few days.

Liu Kang

I really hope he's not in the next game; at least not as the hero. I'm tired of the fate of MK being thrust upon his shoulders, when there's plenty of others who could've done just as good. I'm also tired of him being more important in the storyline than Kung Lao, that's one of the main reasons why I loved MKDA soo much; Kang was dead, and Kung was one of the main heros.

Still, he probably will return, as it seems like Dark Raiden will have control over him; Raiden will use him as his minion in his quests.

Gameplay wise he's been pretty good, always been IMO a ranged character. Loved all his special moves, and his dragon fatality was great. I hate the Aracde MK3 fatality.

Sonya

I'm kind of split between wanting Sonya to stay, or her not to stay. I love Sonya, but I'm not sure i like the road she's going down storyline wise. Also, i really hope she dosen't get married to Cage, because it's soo underdeveloped and cheesy.

Her look has always been good, and she is good gameplay wise. In MK3 she was one of my favorites to use. I wish they would have brought back the ring move, loved it. Her fatalites have been decent, but the kiss thing is too similar to Kitana's.

Johnny Cage

I think Johnny Cage will be in Mk8, his story is the best it's ever been IMO. Sure, he was horrible IMO story wise in every other game, but in MKA he seems to be taking over a possible main hero role, although i hope that actually goes to Kung Lao. Finally, i always thought he was funny as a comic relief character, but he got annoying after a while.

His gameplay has always been his strongpoint, and his specials are very cool. My favorite look for Cage is his MKDA primary costume. His fatalites suck IMO.

Sub-Zero

I'm almost sure Sub-zero will stay, hell Boon even hinted about him being in MK8. I think he could a hero, but i doubt him being the main hero; that dosen't really suit him IMO. I also hope he continues on being the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, i really liked him being a master. I also think he should have a showdown with Frost.

Gameplay wise he's been weak in MKA, but if you know how to use him he's deadly. Love his specials(Ice Ball FTW!), and his spine rip fatality is awesome. My favorite look for Subby is his MKDA alt.

Scorpion

I'm also highly sure Scorpion will return in MK8, as he was hinted about being in MK8 as well. Although he's probably in MK8, i really hope he isn't. I'm tired of all the revenge shit, it's getting really stale and repetitive. He needs to either kill Quan Chi, or forget about revenge, for me to want him in MK8.

Gameplay wise he rocks. I love his specials, and his fatalites are some of my favorites in all of MK.

Kano

I really hate Kano, one of my least characters in MK. I also don't see him staying in MK8. His storyline is boring, and i've never really been fond of him.

Gameplay wise he's decent, i like his knive throw. His heart rip is awesome, but he's still boring.

Raiden

I'm pretty sure that Raiden will be in MK8, he seems like a perfect villain. I love his new outlook on life, keep Earthrealm safe at any cost. I also like him being evil, keeps his storyline interesting.

Gameplay wise he's my favorite character. His electric specials own, and his fatalites are awesome as well.

Liu Kang: I hope Liu Kang doesn't return. He's had his run, and I still feel he should've stayed dead. To me, the best way to deal with his story is to give it closure by having his body destroyed and his spirit finally ascend to and rest in the Heavens.

Johnny Cage: Despite Johnny Cage's new story direction, I think that his story should be wrapped up in MKA, with him either dying a noble hero's death or surviving and giving up his superficial lifestyle. I would like to see the latter happen though.

Sonya: Out of what some call the "trio", I think Sonya has the highest chance to return. If so, she really needs good character development and an interesting new story direction along with it. If she doesn't return, I would like her to live at least. I'm personally hoping for something with Kira if they both come back. If developed properly, it could be pretty interesting.

Sub-Zero: Sub-Zero is definitely coming back, in one form or another. I hope it's the current Sub-Zero that returns and not a new Sub-Zero. I feel he still has more to be explored in his story, especially with his ancestors.

Shinnok-fan64: Not trying to sound biased here, but Sub-Zero is hardly weak in MKA. In fact, he's one of the top tier characters. In MKDA, he kind of sucks though, but I still like to play as him nonetheless.

Scorpion: Like Sub-Zero, Scorpion will be back for sure. I just want him to be fixed in several areas, not just storyline and gameplay. For fucks sake, actually give him styles and weapons that were used by historical Ninja or better yet, reconstruct the Taijutsu of Shirai Ryu, drawing influence from the remaining martial traditions associated with the Ninja (e.g. Koto Ryu, Togakure Ryu, etc.). The same goes for his weapon, which should not be a fucking straight-bladed sword with a square hand guard. He also needs to ditch stupid costumes like his MKA primary and go for some more armored looks. Overall, he needs a lot of fixing.

Kano: I'm sick and tired of Kano, and we'll likely not see him return. He's had his run, not much else to say...

Raiden: I like Raiden's new story direction, and I hope that they bring him back in the next-gen story and develop him further into more of that Magneto-ish anti-villain character.

Goro: He's had his run, and I think he should've stayed dead before. I want him to die at the hands of Kung Lao and not Johnny Cage as the supposed rivalry between the two is bullshit.

Shang Tsung: I like Shang Tsung, and he's a kickass villain, but I feel that he's better off dying so that his story won't be in danger of becoming stale and so that room can be made for new major villains.

Liu Kang - As many of stated, I too think Liu Kang should throw in the towel as his time is up. Like Sub-Zero_7th said, a good way to wrap up his story is to have his spirit finally ascend and rest in the Heavens.

Johnny Cage - I don't think Johnny Cage should return, as his story is boring and stale. He's never done anything significant in the storyline because he doesn't seem to play an important role. I know they tried to fix him up in Mka, but since everything is starting fresh it won't matter anymore. I'd rather have a brand new character.

Sub-Zero - I'm curious as to what will happen with Sub-Zero's storyline. There's no doubt that he'll play an important role most likely as a hero, but I'd like to hear more about his origins and such. Also, I hope to see some kind of closure with him and his brother, possibly an epic battle in the Netherealm to save Smoke and stop the Cyber Demons from domination. I've always wanted the Sektor/Sub-Zero fued to be expanded on but seeing as how they will be killing off most characters, I don't think Sektors chances are very high, unless they make it some sort of side-story. Anyways, Sub-Zero's storyline has alot of possibilities for directions. He might have a new costume in MK8, but hopefully its something similar to his MKDA regular, with Shredder as an alternate.

Scorpion - Like Sub-Zero, he's obviously coming back. The good thing about him returning is that he might just lose his garbage story from the past and start a new exciting one - if they don't go with that horrible undead clan idea. I couldn't really think of a story for him at the top of my head, but I hope Scorpion continues to play the loner role and distant himself away from the other characters while trying to accomplish his own goals. If Raidens corruption continues to a point where he's a threat, I think Scorpion should take the role and fight to save himself and existence. No matter what though, I'd like to see Scorpion end his rivalry with Noob Saibot in a big showdown, similar to Sub-Zero. As a matter of fact, the 2 of them could work together to destroy Noob but after that I think they should seperate themselves as I don't see them working together all the time. Another idea I had was for Scorpion to take revenge against the Elder gods for their betrayal; seeing as the Elder Gods have never been involved deep in the story before, this would be a good way to shed more light on them and change the direction for Scorpion.

Kano - Even though I always felt it would be cool to have some sort of confrontation between him and Kabal for control over the Black Dragon, I think his time is up. He should be killed by either Dragon clan or be captured and defeated by the Special Forces.

Raiden - Like alot others, I want Raiden to be set up for the next villian in MK8, or possibly even Sub-Boss. Even though Raiden is not necessarily evil perse, his patience should eventually fade off to the point where he's a pure corrupted god who wants to destroy everything in order to remake the realms the way he sees it. This way, he could be the next Shao Kahn, but I've still always wanted the One Being's essence to somehow have a major effect on his change. Imo, Raiden turning evil would be a good route to take, with alot of twists and turns. It would be a nice change for once.....to see the good guys face off against one of their own. I'd like to see, especially, how this would effect Scorpion and Sub-Zero.

Goro - Goro should've died a long time ago. I like Kintaro much more anyways, and I'd rather have him alive than Goro anyday. I don't have much to say about Goro since I know his chances of returning are very slim. If he does return though, I see him either still being on Shao Kahns side trying to over throw Onaga, or help Kitana and Sindel protect Edenia and destroy Kahn.

Shang Tsung - I like Shang Tsung, but I think he should call it quits and retire. A main hero should finish him off, and then we'll make room for a new powerful villian to take his place.

Reptile - I like Reptile alot too, but his chances of returning are probably low. I have the impression that him and Khameleon will somehow revive their race and live happily ever after. If not, he could return with a different story as long as he's not serving anyone anymore.

Sonya - She's most likely going to return, being the "original" chick and whatnot, but like Johnny Cage, she's still boring nonetheless and needs major improvement. Sonya has never really been an important character in the storyline so I could care less for her, but my bet is that she'll still be with Earths good guys trying to stop evil.

The concept of MK1 and the tournament should return.

They can do this in two ways.

Taven could revert time and repeat MK1 and the whole series to give reality a second chance.

Or.... they could just miss out 50 years of the MK universe between MK7-MK8. This would be interesting because it would be a good reason to leave out all the characters and start new, of course Subby and Scorpy will be there no doubt. It could be a world ruled by someone badass and evil (i'm thinking Dark Overlord Raiden here) for 50 years, all or most of the warriors have been killed or inprisoned and the realms have been consumed by total darkness. This will work extremeley well for the apparent new 'GOTH/DARK' theme.

Earthrealm, Outworld, Edenia, Chaosrealm, Netherrealm and Orderrealm have all become one realm maybe, but their are other realms they apparently need to be conquered for the One Being to return... who is working through Raiden, extreme Order.

The Elder Gods make these new realms attempt to invade this new epic realm (in a nice way lmao) in Mortal Kombat, for the next generation of the Mortal Kombat Tournament.... the next tournament,

Comments on this?

For the first idea, I'd rather not go with the time reverting concept, namely because it's kind of silly, and it doesn't really bring in much newness in terms of characters.

For the second idea, well, the rules of the tournament have been thrown out the window, and over 10 years has passed since MK1, so I guess technically, you'd just have to have 40 years to pass. I personally feel that is far too long of a time gap. I'd rather just have it be a few years or so.

For Earthrealm, Outworld, Edenia, Chaosrealm, Orderrealm, and the Netherrealm to have become one realm would endanger the existence of Reality even more, namely because the more the realms are merged together, the more pieces of the One Being's consciousness come together.

The realms themselves are created from the One Being's consciousness, so I don't know if the Elder Gods can really just create new realms like that. With the corruption of the Mortal Kombat tournament, I don't think the Elder Gods would personally rely on that as a means of keeping things rather safe in the realms.