How Mortal Kombat 1 Sets Up For A Sequel

Mortal Kombat 1's story mode is filled with twists and turns, action and tragedy, and a ton of drama that sets up another game-changing chapter.

As Mortal Kombat 1's story mode unfolds, it's perfectly clear this isn't the MK of old. Apart from Liu Kang tinkering with the main timeline, somewhat improving what Raiden attempted in the past, the franchise drops a massive bombshell regarding the Multiverse. The victory over Kronika in MK11 actually spawned infinite realities where other Titans and Time Gods emerged apart from Liu Kang.

It's what drives Shang Tsung, who won in an alternate MK11 reality, to seek out and crush all timelines, beginning with this one. Luckily, Liu Kang becomes the Fire God and Keeper of Time once more, seeking out allies from other worlds to create a Multiversal alliance. But while he stops Shang Tsung, or at least this version of the shape-shifting sorcerer, MK1 sets up quite a few paths for a sequel.

Mortal Kombat 2 Sets Up a Bloody Ninja War

MK1 teased a civil war within the Lin Kuei, and like clockwork, it erupted. Bi-Han breaks away from being Earthrealm's protector, wanting his clan to take power. This Sub-Zero has an ending where he's making cyborgs with Sektor, so he'll clearly be upgrading with tech to make the Lin Kuei stronger. Liu Kang, though, is anticipating the next strike and is working with the brothers Bi-Han betrayed: Smoke and the new Scorpion in Kuai Liang.

They've formed a new clan, the Shirai Ryu, to counter Bi-Han, which remixes the war of old. Kuai is actually married to Harumi, naming the clan after her, while Smoke has adopted Hanzo Hasashi as a protégé. It flips the old era where Hanzo and Harumi were married before the Lin Kuei killed Hanzo's family and drove him to become Scorpion. It teases a more personal feud linked in blood and love than before. Seeing as Liu Kang helped evolve the Shaolin order so the new Raiden could become his Champion, MK2 could well see a more powerful, mystical Shirai Ryu emerge with the Fire God's help. What's for sure is Kuai will have to kill Bi-Han, scrubbing their old arc of mind control and Quan Chi meddling with Bi-Han's agency. In this case, Kuai hates how Bi-Han let their father die, confirming it's going to be a more nuanced rivalry when they eventually meet one-on-one. The stakes are super-high, with family and the fate of Earthrealm at hand.

Mortal Kombat 2 Will Need More Earthrealm Defenders

Liu Kang is seeking out new champions and defenders outside the Shirai Ryu. He warned Raiden and Kung Lao to keep improving with the Order, waiting for the next battle. Raiden's ending has him working with Kuai Liang to improve, while Kung Lao is training up Shujinko and trying to fix his own ego. Johnny Cage is off making movies, but he's proven himself worthy. Kenshi is off rescuing his clan from the Yakuza but also forming an Outworld investigative task force with Jax.

This opens the door for new versions of Sonya and Stryker to join Jax as secret agents or for new iterations of the young blood like Takeda, Kung Jun, Cassie Cage, and Jacqui Briggs to enlist. Seeing as MK is now neck-deep in variants and new spins on characters, it teases infinite possibilities, evolution, and a shift in the status quo when it comes to who fights for Earthrealm.

Mortal Kombat 2 Has to Steel Up Outworld

Outworld ends on a happy note, becoming a partner to Earth once more. This fortifies Earthrealm, with Mileena taking the throne after Sindel's death. She does have a resurrected King Jerrod to advise, but seeing as he's in Ermac's body and fighting a maelstrom of evil souls within that vessel, it's uncertain if he will continue in an altruistic light or end up being corrupted. He does have Sindel's soul inside him, too, so maybe Mileena will try to bring her mom back as well to add a warrior and advisor back to the palace.

Royal drama aside, Kitana replaced General Shao and is on the lookout for new soldiers. Baraka and his Tarkatan people could train to join the army. Kitana can reform the likes of Goro and Motaro to get more Shokan and Centaurians in, respectively. Kintaro and Sheeva organically fit this new movement, while Kotal Khan's tribe can enter the fray after briefly being mentioned. Of course, these folks could end up being rebels, but MK is keen on painting Outworld as heroic. It further sets up Reptile and his Zaterran clan to join Kitana's crew officially after centuries of being shunned. Either way, this creates a different version of Kitana, away from love drama with Liu Kang and more into the military and politics.

Mortal Kombat 2 Teases More Nuanced Villains

MK1 ends with the main timeline's Shang Tsung, General Shao, Reiko, and all other dissidents imprisoned. Their endings, though, confirm they'll escape and keep trying to build a rebellion to take Outworld and Earth. This can result in them partnering with more variants and alternate realities if Liu Kang can't fix the fabric of space and time and keep all worlds separate. The door's open as well for Onaga (who was discovered by Reiko) and fan-favorite villains like Blaze to return. Seeing as Geras came back to help Liu Kang, all this time-tampering could even revive Kronika to try to patch the fraying MK-verse in her own way.

Lastly, a path is paved for Liu Kang to become a villain like the Dark Raiden of old. He has to make tough decisions, including culling evil worlds. Plus, there's no telling how the Hourglass and Sands of Time will affect his mind again. He might end up understanding he'll have to become as cruel and harsh as Kronika if he's to protect the Multiverse. This repeats the mistakes of old and can once more have heroes from other worlds standing up to him, not wanting to cross ethical and moral lines. Ultimately, it'd remind gamers how Liu Kang, like Raiden and Kronika, just can't escape this fate and that to truly exercise control, one has to become the very monster they hated.