New information about several keyMortal Kombat 1characters has just been revealed on the game’s official website. The upcomingMortal Kombat 1will serve as a continuity rebootfor the long-running fighting game franchise, with the freshly minted Fire God Liu Kang using Kronika’s hourglass to reset the universe at the end ofMortal Kombat 11’sAftermathDLC. In its place stands a brand-new timeline, one where the lives of Liu Kang’s allies have seemingly been altered for the better - at least until the dastardly Shang Tsung returns from oblivion seeking revenge.
Mortal Kombat 1’s pre-launch trailers have given fans plenty of insight into how different the warriors of Earthrealm will be in this new timeline. Scorpion and Sub-Zero are no longer the bitter enemies they were forthe bulk of theMortal Kombatseries, but rather brothers and comrades in the Lin Kuei clan. Likewise, Kitana and Mileena are coexisting as princesses of Outworld, though the latter still seems to retain her mutant appearance and feelings of resentment toward her sister. Fans have also been crafting their own theories about where other majorMortal Kombatcharacters like Johnny Cage stand in this newly rebooted universe during the build-up toMK 1’s release this fall.
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More details about the newMortal Kombattimeline and the characters within it have been unveiled on the officialMortal Kombat 1website, which features updated bios on many of the fighters players will be controlling. The first is Liu Kang, and while his bio doesn’t reveal much that fans don’t already know, it does imply the presence of a greater threat aside from Shang Tsung on the horizon. Sub-Zero’s bio states that he is already the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. His brother Scorpion is a revered warrior of the Lin Kuei, but his bio implies that he may one day do battle against Sub-Zero after all.
Next comes Kitana, though her bio doesn’t reveal anything new aside from clarifying thatshe and Mileena are heirs to Outworld’s throne. The bombastic Johnny Cage is finally shown in his defaultMortal Kombat 1outfit, with his bio describing him as looking to revitalize his career by fighting for real - just as he did in the originalMKtimeline. In contrast, Kenshi is currently part of a Yakuza-style criminal organization, though he aims to bring his family to justice and forge his own path. Liu Kang’s longtime best friend Kung Lao is now a simple farmer who yearns for a greater path as a protector of Earthrealm.
One of the more interestingMortal Kombat 1character bios is Mileena’s, which notes that she is the rightful heir of Outworld but is suffering from a rare disease that is slowly killing her - and could force her into battle against Kitana if it is found out. This sickness is called Tarkat, a nod to her origins as a hybrid member of the Tarkatan race in the oldMKtimeline. Finally, Raiden’s bio reveals that he has been chosen by Liu Kang as the champion of Earthrealm, though he is still miles away from the wizened warrior he once was.
Overall,Mortal Kombat 1’s character bios show that NetherRealm is looking to putnew spins onMK 1’sfightersin this rebooted timeline, though there are hints that some dynamics will eventually resemble those from the old continuity asMK 1’s story goes on. More details will likely surface asMortal Kombat 1nears its launch date, but so far things are looking pretty interesting for the warriors of Earthrelam.
Mortal Kombat 1will be released on July 14, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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