The 2021 mainstream film reboot of Mortal Kombat served as a worthy one for fans of the iconic game it's based on. In some ways, it had to be, given how notoriously bad the first two live-action films were back in the '90s. In comparison to those torrid renditions, the new film provided a far better script, effects, and a plot that, for the most part, stuck to classical aspects of the video game's more popular backstories.
Other points in its favor were R-rated gore and violence enough to satisfy the bloodlust of even the most ardent fans of the games. There was also having a producer like James Wan, who could be trusted by fans with their beloved franchise, given his stellar reputation for creating amazing franchise films.
However, that all being said, the film wasn't perfect. It still has room for much more improvement that could yet elevate the new Mortal Kombat film universe into the stratosphere for fans. In anticipation, here's a list of the traditional storylines and famous characters fans hope to see in the upcoming sequel and any subsequent films that may come after it.
World Building
Mortal Kombat has been an icon of video games since its first iteration. The Mortal Kombat arcade game was released by Midway Games in 1992. The game's original creators, programmer Ed Boon and lead artist John Tobias, have since become icons themselves as the game's popularity soon made it a worldwide franchise that has grown into a full-on cultural phenomenon.
The game and all its sequels feature a storyline that revolves around an ancient martial arts tournament. It is fought between proponents of Hades-like fictional regions of the Mortal Kombat universe known as Netherrealm and Outworld, and the champions of Earthrealm, who are generally the good guys. The supernatural side of the game created a great platform to create an ensemble cast of characters with awesome backstories, insane powers, and a variety of scary, weird, and wonderful physical appearances.
With so much source material to work with, the films have the potential to build an entire universe and produce a new mega-film franchise if they can carefully bring in other awesome elements, storylines, and characters from the games. One misstep already puts it all in jeopardy since the first film chose to ignore many popular characters. Instead, they developed a surrogate character who doesn't feature in the games to center the main plot around.
Expansion on the Sub-Zero vs. Scorpion Plot
Since the original game, the Mortal Kombat universe has grown to encompass more than 70 playable characters. Since the first game, however, most fans have naturally gravitated toward the two main original ninja characters, Scorpion and Sub-Zero. Mortal Kombat (2021) thankfully cottoned on to this fact, in contrast to the '90s films which treated these two iconic characters more like side-show parodies of who they were actually meant to be.
The film corrected much of this atrocity by centering its main plot around Scorpion and Sub-Zero, even delving into the past to provide viewers with some insights into how the famous pair became such intense rivals in the game. While we saw some classical storyline features like Bi-Han (Sub-Zero) creating the rivalry by killing Hanzo Hasashi's (Scorpion's) entire family, the full story behind them goes a lot deeper than depicted.
By only portraying Scorpion as the tragic hero and Sub-Zero as an irredeemably evil aggressor, the first film so far ignores other nuances of their backstory. To this end, the two characters do famously come from rival clans; namely the Chinese Lin Kuei clan (Sub-Zero) and the Japanese Shirai Ryu clan (Scorpion). However, what wasn't shown was that both characters start off being inherently good, and even have an uneasy respect for each other despite the feudal history of their clans.
Antagonists from Netherrealm attempt to get them to fight for Netherrealm. When they refuse, another major character not shown in the first film, Quan Chi, a powerful demonic necromancer and sorcerer from Netherreaalm, hatches a diabolical plan to pit them against each other. What isn't shown is that it was actually Quan Chi (who can shapeshift) who took on Bi-Han's appearance and powers and used them to kill Hanzo Hasashi's family — sparking off the legendary rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
Kuai Liang and Noob Saibot
Depending on how far the second film would be willing to delve into the traditional backstory of Scorpion and Sub-Zero, there's potential to rope in two other characters. However, both of them are essentially also Sub-Zero. The reason is that one of the game's famous plot lines later expands the story to one where Sub-Zero's brother Kuai Liang, distraught at Bi-Han being wrongfully killed, takes up the mantle of the character itself, wearing his costume, and becomes the new Sub-Zero.
Meanwhile, Scorpion who's been condemned to a form of purgatory, is approached by Quan Chi and given the chance to avenge his family. When the original Scorpion comes across Kuai Liang, he believes him to be the original Sub-Zero resurrected, and the rivalry goes on. However, Quan Chi's evil schemes don't end there. Since Kuai Liang is happy to take on Scorpion to avenge Bi-Han's death, Quan Chi throws another spanner in the works by resurrecting the original Sub-Zero (Bi-Han) as a demonic shadow of himself, a new ninja character named Noob Saibot.
Noob Saibot makes for one cool character since he's essentially the darker version of Sub-Zero. The producers of Mortal Kombat 2 have already confirmed that Noob Saibot will appear in the second film. However, how much of the original source material they choose to integrate into the plot remains to be seen. If anything close to the original plot is used, this should mean that Quan Chi will also be introduced as a character in the sequel. A fun fact about Noob Saibot is that his name was created by game creators Ed Boon and John Tobias inverting their own last names — Boon backward spells Noob, while Tobias backward spells Saibot.
The Introduction of Shao Khan
While Tsang Tsung, who was in the first film, was the original main antagonist character from the first game, even back then, it alluded that he was nothing more than a powerful ally and henchman of the true Emperor of Outworld. Shao Khan is an immensely powerful God-like figure who commands a virtual army of evil characters.
His only realistic match to the protagonist characters is Raiden, who is the God of Thunder and has already been introduced in the first film. Shao Khan will inevitably show up in the films, but it's uncertain how long the franchise will take to build up to his arrival since he's generally known as the main boss in the games.
A Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade Love Interest
Johnny Cage is another major character from the original game and a notable omission in the film. Usually depicted as an arrogant movie star martial artist, Cage was actually inspired by Ed Boon and John Tobias's affinity for martial artist and actor, Jean-Claude Van Damme. The character also usually shares some romantic interest with Sonya Blade, the beautiful but deadly female combatant who fights for Earth Realm.
She usually can't stand Johnny Cage's constant passes at her, but later comes to care for him. The pair later marry and have a child in some of the game timelines. Sonya was already introduced in the first film, together with her classical rivalry with the character, Kano. With Sonya (Jessica McNamee) already confirmed to return, Johnny Cage is slated to be in the second film, but only time will tell how close he and Sonya will get.
Kitana and Mileena
Scorpion and Sub-Zero are usually the most popular characters for the duality of their having such distinct similarities and contrasts. One is yellow, one is blue, one's power is fire, and the other's is ice, and they often switch roles between one being seen as good and the other as evil. These traits often distinguish them as the most interesting characters for the way they both parallel and subvert each other.
On the other end of the spectrum, aside from Sonya, two of the traditionally most-loved female characters are Kitana and Mileena. Like their male counterparts, they also mirror and contrast each other in compelling ways. When both have their traditional garb on — matching, and very revealing, costumes that are completed with masks that cover the lower half of their faces, and differ only by color (Kitana's is blue and Mileena's is pink).
Other Famous Female Characters
While Kitana is a captured Princess, they once both served as assassins of Shao Khan but develop a rivalry since Mileena becomes jealous of Khan's preference for Kitana. Both were meant to be equally beautiful. Mileena is actually Kitana's evil clone but was spliced with a monstrous race of creatures known as Tarkatans. This causes her to differ from Kitana only by her horribly deformed face in contrast to Kitana's beautiful features. However, one problem is that Mileena was used in the first film, and was already killed in it.
There are other cool female ninja characters available to use. One is Jade, who's basically a green-costumed version of Kitana and Mileena, and was a bodyguard and close ally to Kitana. Lastly, there's Sindel, the older but evil and deadly mother of Kitana. She's later also killed and resurrected by the evil necromancer, Quan Chi.
Other Awesome Ninja Characters
There are also a host of other cool ninja characters in the game who look like Scorpion and Sub-Zero but have their own unique colors and stories. These include Reptile, a reptilian-humanoid who can blend into the background and camouflage himself.
In costume, Reptile traditionally looks like a green version of Scorpion and Sub-Zero. Ermac is also a ninja character who was created as an amalgamation of the souls of other defeated warriors. In costume, he's traditionally the orange version of the other ninjas.
Robot Characters
By the third Mortal Kombat game, the storyline produced three awesome new characters based on the concept of Sub-Zero's Lin Kuei clan creating cybernetic ninjas to strengthen their clan. Cold, unfeeling, but still capable of snazzy fighting moves, these robotic characters augment their fighting skills with everything from explosives and missiles to the ability to teleport.
The three main cybernetic ninja characters from the games are called Sektor, Cyrax, and Smoke. While the first two look like red and yellow versions of the same robotic ninjas, Smoke was first a hidden human character, and later emerged as a cyborg. He traditionally looks like a black version of Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
Other Monsters Like Goro
In the first and most iconic Mortal Kombat game, Goro was a monstrous, four-armed beast of a character that preceded the main boss. He was notoriously difficult to beat and through his backstory, was said to be a grand champion of Mortal Kombat and held this title for 500 years before the new crop of combatants from Earthrealm arrive to challenge him.
He was underutilized in the first film and has already been killed in it. However, the games have many more awesome monster-type characters like Goro who can still be used. Among them is Baraka, a Tarkatan like Mileena who's as violent and unpredictable as her, has a set of long slashing blades on his arms, and looks as monstrous as Mileena does without her mask.
Another great monster character is Kintaro, who resembles Goro and is known as a Shokan warrior — basically a four-armed giant. If Shokans are your thing, Sheeva is the female version of these monstrous creatures and would be cool as a movie character. There's also Motaro, a four-legged Centaur-type of a beast who is an enforcer in Shao Khan's army. Lastly, there's Shinnok, who is also one of the main bosses in the games. Banished as an Elder-god, he later returns to annex a kingdom known as Edenia (where Kitana was a Princess) and declares war on the other Elder-Gods.
With so many amazing characters and plot lines to choose from, the possibilities for an amazing new film franchise are there. However, only time will tell how these will be utilized. One thing's for certain: with so many millions of hardcore Mortal Kombat fans out there, the film's developers will likely find it difficult to please everyone. Here's hoping they at least choose to stick to conventional characters, without creating too many unnecessary new ones who don't exist in the games.
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