The Mortal Kombat X plot picks up where MK9 left off and continues 25 years into the future. Characters have been slowly revealed since that time, including Kitana and Kung Lao, who both died during the MK9 story mode. With at least two dead characters coming back, how important is death in Mortal Kombat X? Let’s take a look at who died and a few ways they may return to the long-running tournament.
Who Died in MK9?
Jade, Jax, Kabal, Kitana, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Nightwolf, Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, Sindel, Smoke (Human), Stryker and Sub-Zero all died during the Mortal Kombat 9 story mode. Many of them were killed by Sindel, who was killed by Nightwolf when he took his own life. Raiden killed Lui Kang and Shao Kahn, and Shao Kahn killed Kung Lao and Shang Tsung. That doesn’t leave a lot of people left alive, which is one of the reasons there are so many new characters in Mortal Kombat X.
What About Previous MK Games?
While death has been a constant in the Mortal Kombat series, few characters have remained dead. Sub-Zero from the first game resurfaced as Noob Saibot in the second. The Great Kung Lao was killed by Goro before the first game, then Shang Tsung took his soul. The current version of Kung Lao featured in every MK title is the reincarnation of the Great Kung Lao. We don’t even need to mention Liu Kang and Johnny Cage.
As you can see, many characters already died and came back in the Mortal Kombat series. In fact, at the end of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, everyone dies except for Shao Kahn. This is the reason why Raiden sent his past self a message at the beginning of Mortal Kombat 9. That message is meant to warn himself of the death to come in the hope that he can somehow prevent it.
What About Mortal Kombat X?
The story mode in Mortal Kombat X picks up right after the events of Mortal Kombat 9. In the general MK timeline that means MKX picks up roughly after Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. We know Kung Lao and Kitana are back, but in the case of Kung Lao it could simply be another reincarnation. We also know that Sub-Zero is back, despite the fact that he became Cyber Sub-Zero (and died) in MK9. In the most recent gameplay trailer, it appears as though Quan Chi is holding Moloch’s severed head, but that could simply be another member of Moloch’s race and not the actual character.
Mortal Kombat is filled with death and characters always tend to come back. However, with Mortal Kombat X taking place over the 25 years that follow MK9, a lot of things have changed. We know that Kotal Kahn rises to power in Outworld after the death of Shao Kahn. We also know that he eventually falls from power during the 25-year period.
We also know that MK is filled with sorcerers and Elder Gods. Quan Chi resurrected several dead characters during the Mortal Kombat 9 storyline, and we know he’s alive and well in MKX. While the characters he resurrected were under his control, that could easily change if Raiden uses his powers or the Elder Gods step in to fix that little problem.
It should also be noted that the story mode in Mortal Kombat X jumps around quite a bit. It’s not like the story mode in MK9 that followed a set path from start to finish. The first scene in MKX might take place right after the events of MK9, followed immediately by a scene that takes place 20 years later. You won’t play through the story mode in chronological order, which means that a character you meet at one point in the story could easily be dead during another scene. This character would still be included in the game, despite their death.
Any way you wish to examine the situation, Mortal Kombat has proven time and time again that death doesn’t mean anything. Almost every character who died in the MK timeline came back to life in some way, shape or form. That logic holds true with Mortal Kombat X, so if your favorite character died in MK9 or any of the previous games, that doesn’t mean you won’t see him, her or it appear as a playable character in Mortal Kombat X.
Stick with Prima Games as we continue to cover Mortal Kombat X as we approach the April 14 release date.
