Stepping fresh into a new Mortal Kombat game can exist a confusing experience. There are ninjas, cyber ninjas, undead, and whatever Goro is. As well Freddy Krueger was there once. The upcoming Mortal Kombat 11looks really absurd, but it too confuses things farther by mixing the current story with the archetype versions of the characters popularized in the '90s. To get you set up for the crisscrossed timelines of MK11, here's a refresher on all the important stuff.

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2011'south Mortal Kombat Was A Reboot

via Taringa.net

2011's Mortal Kombatwas the 9th game in the primary serial, merely took things back to the showtime. That's because the practiced guys lost the Boxing of Armageddon, the fight to determine the fate of all realms. Raiden is the just force of good left, and he faces Shao Kahn. Kahn is powered up, leaving Raiden outmatched. The only hope he has is to send a message to his by cocky. He does, bringing us players back to the first game's Mortal Kombat tournament.

The original Mortal Kombat starts off much like the offset. Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade all end up allying with Raiden to defeat the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung. However, Raiden is now driven by a dissimilar goal every bit his future self sent him the warning that "he must win." This causes him to put more faith in Liu Kang, who is is the final Earthrealm participant left in the tournament. It also causes Raiden to try to put a stop to the diverse rivalries among the kombatants, such as Sub-Zero and Scorpion, but he often fails.

Liu Kang wins the tournament as he did in the original timeline, and this is where things starting time to diverge. Shang Tsung returns afterward his defeat, proposing one last tournament to end information technology all. Whichever side wins volition win forever, putting an end to the regular cycle of Mortal Kombat tournaments that endanger the Earthrealm. Raiden has a problem with this, every bit his visions of a doomed future are still happening. He concludes that Liu Kang is not the "he" that must win, and so leaves him behind. He takes Johnny Muzzle and Jax to Outworld to represent World in the new tournament.

Everybody Dies

via: danbury.com

The events of the 2nd Mortal Kombat game play out fairly normally here, with Kitana irresolute sides and becoming fond of Liu Kang. Raiden's squad likewise adds Smoke and Sub-Zero to its ranks. Information technology all culminates in a final battle against Shao Kahn. The big alter here is that Raiden's insistence that Liu Kang isn't "the one" causes Kang to doubtfulness his role in the boxing. He chooses to rescue a captured Kitana, letting Kung Lao take his place as Shao Kahn'south challenger. Kung Lao is killed in this battle. In a fit of rage, Liu Kang kills Shao Kahn in retaliation.

Except Shao Kahn is non really dead. Thirsty for revenge but unable to hold another Mortal Kombat tournament due to the previous agreement, he instead plots a full scale invasion of Earthrealm. The ensuing battles kill pretty much everyone, leaving Raiden desperate and Liu Kang losing religion in the thunder god.

Things get fifty-fifty more than heated when Raiden learns the truth behind his prophecy. The "he" who must win is really Shao Kahn. If Shao Kahn is allowed to take Earthrealm forcefully without winning a Mortal Kombat, he would bring downwardly the punishment of the Elder Gods. Liu Kang cannot take this outcome and fights Raiden. A combination of Liu Kang'south fire and Raiden's lightning accidentally kills Liu Kang, and Raiden surrenders to the might of Kahn.

At the last moment, the Elderberry Gods infuse Raiden with their powers, using him to punish Kahn for violating the rules. The powered-up Raiden defeats and destroys Kahn. Earthrealm is saved, but at the cost of well-nigh of its champions. Unfortunately, we learn that this was all orchestrated by Shinnok, a fallen Elder God. Since this new timeline has both Earthrealm and Outrealm losing its greatest fighters, it becomes a prime target for this new evil...

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25 Years Later

via ign.com

That leads us to Mortal Kombat X,which picks upwards 25 years after. Shinnok'southward attack fails spectacularly due to Johnny Muzzle possessing some weird energy that makes him immune to Shinnok'southward magic. Cage brutally beats Shinnok and Raiden traps the evil god in an amulet. Fast forrard, and Johnny is commanding his own daughter, Cassie Muzzle, who lacks this power, on a mission to maintain the truce Earth brokered with the Outrealm.

While the new emperor, Kotal Kahn, is willing to proceed the peace, a group of rebels led by Mileena is trying to overthrow him. It as well turns out that Mileena stole the amulet in which Shinook is trapped and is cartoon upon his ability. This threat causes the emperor to team upwardly with Cassie Cage'southward group to put a terminate to Mileena.

Unfortunately, Kotal betrays Cassie's team. This setup allows a servant of Quan Chi, a sorcerer who worked in the shadows during Shao Kahn'southward attack, to make a play for Shinnok's amulet. Quan Chi specializes in creating revenants, undead soldiers that use the souls of the deceased. Among these undead are Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Nonetheless, Sonya Blade is able to capture Quan Chi and brings him to Raiden to hopefully have the revenant procedure undone. The plan backfires and brings about the resurrection of Shinnok.

The hero turns out to be Cassie Cage in the end, using the same energy as her father to dispel Shinnok'southward magic and defeat him. But, as seems to be a theme with Mortal Kombat,in that location is a toll to this victory.

Those Who Didn't Die Went Bad

via: Netherrealm

Raiden was able to weaken Shinnok past drawing abroad his dark energy, simply it corrupted him. The epilogue sees him in a darker grade. He says that Earthrealm has been weak in the past, merely that it will now seek vengeance whenever it is attacked. To emphasize the point, he tosses Shinnok's severed caput on the flooring equally an example.

With Shinnok dead, his Netherrealm is now ruled past the undead couple of Kitana and Liu Kang. Johnny Cage was last seen severely injured, suggesting Cassie will take his place as the hero of Earthrealm. They'll demand her in MK11, because as nosotros've seen, the heroes of this rebooted timeline have a habit of condign expressionless or corrupted.

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About The Author

Sergio Solorzano (1436 Articles Published)

Sergio is the Lead News Editor for TheGamer. Only usually he asks people to call him "Serg" because he wants to audio cool like the guy from System of a Down. He began as a convention reporter for FLiP Mag and Albany Radio'due south The Shaw Report to become free badges to Comic-Con. Eventually he realized he liked talking to game developers and discovering weird new indie games. At present he brings that love of weird games to TheGamer, where he tries to talk virtually them in clickable ways and so you abound to love them too. When he'south not stressing over how to do that, he's a DM, Cleric of Bahamut, cosplay boyfriend, and occasional thespian.

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