Shang Tsung - Blog Posts

How Syzoth & Ashrah’s Relationship Grew

I believe that Syzoth and Ashrah built a quick connection with their experiences being Shang Tsung and Quan Chi’s slaves. To cope with it, they would discuss what they went through and comfort each other. Syzoth would talk about his immense guilt for being a part of Shang Tsung’s diabolical experiments and his belief of being a bad person, Ashrah would remind him of his good heart and desire to protect his family. Syzoth would cry and this would be the first time Ashrah hugs him. He would also disclose his admiration for her being so strong to defect from Quan-Chi. Ashrah doesn’t believe that and thinks she was a coward for not taking Sareena with her. She feels pressure to complete her absolution so leaving Sareena had some warrant. Syzoth makes helping her one of his goals.

Both of them would travel between Earthrealm and Outworld to see each other and talk about what has occurred. Syzoth would help Ashrah train when she was determined to prove herself while Ashrah aided him in finding clues on the slayings happening in Zaterra. They would end their time with a hug, which Ashrah usually initiates. During those hugs, she accidentally commented how his cooler skin soothed her burning temperature. She was embarrassed but he responded by hugging her tighter and telling Ashrah that her hot body heat made him feel warm.

After a year of being friends, Syzoth realizes that he’s falling in love with her and is terrified because he felt like he was moving on from his family too soon. In response, he would try to lessen his time with Ashrah to extinguish these feelings. Ashrah knew she was in love months before him, but tried hiding it because she believed her demon origins made her unworthy of love.

For a few months, there would be awkwardness between the two and each would blame themselves for it. Things come ahead when Johnny jokes multiple times about Syzoth and Ashrah being a couple, making them flustered and causing Syzoth to leave. When they meet again in Wu Shi Academy, all of their feelings come out. They are shocked by the revelation. Syzoth assures Ashrah that being a demon doesn’t mean she’s incapable of love and gives her examples like her love for Sareena and Earthrealm. Ashrah tells Syzoth that she doesn’t intend to replace his family and will wait for him when he’s ready to begin a relationship. They hug and resume their friendship with this new information in mind.

Syzoth decides he’s ready and makes Ashrah’s favorite Earthrealm snacks to surprise her with a picnic. He opens his heart to her, saying how much he appreciates her being there for him when grieving his family and supporting him through his journey being the Empress’s emissary. He also thanks her for waiting until he is ready. Syzoth vows to take care of her and make her happy. Ashrah cries from the overwhelming love and happiness she feels in her heart. She launches herself into Syzoth’s arms and they fall to the ground. She also promises to make him happy as much as he does her. They have a short, chaste kiss under the stars.

MK1 Characters Ages Headcanon

Vaeternus: 1 year = 6k years

Edenian: 1 year = 400 years

Draconian: 1 year = 250 years 

*For Vaeternus, I made these calculations based on a Nitara intro. I believe Kung Lao asks her how old she is and Nitara says that she was a little girl when humans discovered fire. There were many differing accounts on when that happened but I decided to pick the one that said fire was a widespread, controlled source 125,000 years ago. It was the second most recent account- first being 12,000 years ago. I chose 125k since I assume the intro I mentioned is meant to hint how much older Vaeternus is than most races.  

*Since the story confirmed that Kitana and Mileena were 10,000 years old, I used the number to find an estimated number of Edenian years that equals a single human year. I considered Kitana and Mileena to be 25 in human years since it divides 10,000 evenly and the sisters look close to that age- dividing those numbers equaled to 400 years. So, 400 Edenian years is equal to 1 human year. 

*In the story, Sindel confronted Shao and mentioned how she remembered the sickly boy he was. This is evidence that Sindel is older than Shao by a few years- ten years at minimum; however, in my opinion, Shao looks older than Sindel so I believe the Draconian species have a shorter life span than Edenians, but they are still much larger than human’s. Unlike with the Edenians, I decided to have 250 Draconian years be equivalent to one human year because of an idea of an estimated range.  

*Liu Kang is slightly older than the Big Bang in the New Era. I couldn’t calculate Geras’ age since he’s experienced a ginormous amount of timelines. Calculations over a trillion is too difficult for any calculator to compute. 

Ashrah: 29 (human years) 

Baraka: 22k (Edenian years), 55 (human years) 

General Shao: 12,500 (Draconian years), 50 (human years) 

Geras: Can’t Calculate

Havik: 27 (human years) 

Johnny Cage: 28 

Kenshi Takahashi: 28 

Kitana: 10k (Edenian years; canon), 25 (human years) 

Kung Lao: 24 

Jerrod: 20k (Edenian years), 50 (human years)  [If he were alive]

Li Mei: 18,400 (Edenian years), 46 (human years)

Liu Kang: 13.8 billion 

Mileena: 10k (Edenian years; canon), 25 (human years) 

Nitara: 150k (Vaeternus years) or 12k (Vaeternus years), 25 (human years) 

Raiden: 24 

Rain: 10,400 (Edenian years), 26 (human years)

Reiko: 26 (human years) 

Reptile: 29 (human years) 

Kuai Liang/Scorpion: 26 

Sindel: 19,200 (Edenian years), 48 (human years) 

Shang Tsung: 27 (human years) 

Tomas Vrbada/Smoke: 25 

Bi-Han/Sub-Zero: 28 

Tanya: 9,600 (Edenian years), 24 (human years)

I forgot to say in my last reblog that I don’t think Liu Kang was at fault for everything that had gone wrong. Though he’s a god, Liu Kang is capable of making mistakes like a human. I do believe that there are events that can’t be changed such as the clans fighting, Tarkatans, etc. I actually wrote a theory post a while back on why I think Tarkatans couldn’t be erased. Basically, I believe Liu Kang tried getting rid of Tarkatans but couldn’t due to Time Keeper rules. So, he changed it into a disease that is pretty hard to contract. I think that Liu made a bad call giving Shang Tsung and Quan-Chi meaningless lives (as he put it in the story mode). I wish he specified his intentions with Shang and Quan-Chi’s life. It’s hard to tell if he gave them hard lives in hopes they’ll grow kinder or he gave them average lives and, unfortunately, he had no control with their lives getting worse (Quan-Chi being in the mines and Shang having a hard time making a living). Liu Kang definitely didn’t have a hand on Bi-Han’s betrayal because he didn’t expect the cyromancer to betray his brothers for his own interest. General Shao’s arrogance returned because of Shang’s manipulation. 

I’m the type of fan who sometimes overanalyzes things, especially when things aren’t explicitly explained. Because of this, I question which occurrences in the New Era are due to Liu’s interference or if it's meant to happen (a canon event). For example, Liu Kang interfered in Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn and Quan-Chi’s lives to make sure they didn't become their previous selves. He made sure Mileena was Kitana’s blood sister and not a clone. He also had the Lin-Kuei act as Earthrealm’s defense instead of continuing their assassination system that was for their own interest. That’s Liu interference. A mix of Liu’s ability to manipulate outcomes and his cryptidness definitely leads to questioning what else he’s done, at least for me. Time is a very complex matter so it leads to more questions than answers. I hope in the next story there will be an explanation on Liu Kang’s limits and what he specifically did to create the timeline. 

I don’t think I explained my reasoning on why I think having Kuai and Harumi together makes me feel like Kuai is kind of like “Hanzo with a different name” very well. 

My main reason for saying this is because they got together during a Tower Ending instead of the story. It feels rushed to add this relationship in 90 seconds so it feels like the writers did this to fulfill a checklist (have a Scorpion and Harumi together). I think I would like this relationship if the expansion story focused on them and I see why and what made Harumi and Kuai love each other. They could be in the beginning of their relationship and seeing their dynamic would be enough. But they are married so it wouldn’t happen exactly like that. I guess I’m the type of person who only really feels for a ship if I see their growth. From what I remember, all that has been mentioned about their relationship is that they are childhood friends and have mutual respect for each other, which is a good starting point though not enough for me to feel anything other than neutral. I’m very for the “Show don’t Tell” idea of storytelling.

I am looking forward to seeing Harumi in the story and what you listed about her makes me interested in her as a character. I hope she’s a badass who will be added to the main roster in future games. We need more female fighters.

I see your points on why you think Hanzo is an adult, but I still think Hanzo is underage. Not by a lot though, I think he’s at least 16-17. 

His arms are bigger than most teens but he’s been training and before that he had the minimum amount of skill to steal. Smoke stopped him because he’s trained longer but I am certain an average person would not defend themselves as well. In the image I added, you can see his muscles are smaller compared to the images you included. This shows that training and eating more (like you said Hanzo was starving before joining the Shirai-Ryu) were major reasons his muscles are larger, not age. What I’m trying to say is that it’s possible for a slightly underage guy to look like an adult due to physical fitness and eating right (I expect the Shirai-Ryu to have a healthy regiment). I think a time skip happened between my image and yours, but they are probably at least a few months to a year apart since Bi-Han doesn’t seem like the person who would wait very long. After all, he hunted Kuai and Tomas after Titan Shang Tsung was defeated.

Also we have to consider some things. Compared to a front view, a side view of muscles will look larger because of perspective (the second image you added proves it since his arms are slightly slimmer compared to the first image). Hanzo is flexing as well which makes muscles look larger. I also searched up what muscular guys (16-17 years old) look like and they look very close to Hanzo’s physique. 

With his voice, I agree that it’s deep though guys in my high school sounded very similar when they were 16-17 because of puberty. A deep voice doesn’t always equal being an adult. Also, it hasn’t been confirmed if the voice actor that did those grunts will be Hanzo’s in future appearances. They could’ve been another va who’s voicing another character that did those grunts because NRS didn’t want to hire a new va just for grunts. I’m going to wait for the voice actor hired for Hanzo’s official appearance in the games to see if Hanzo is a late teen or adult. 

I agree with you about adults being born shorts. Everyone grows at different rates and it doesn’t physically show someone’s maturity. I still somewhat considered it (though not as much as other points I mentioned) because the media usually use height to show age, especially in animated projects. Short adults or tall teens/kids are rarely shown unless for comedic reasons. I’m not saying Mortal Kombat is like that but I still keep it in mind in case they do use height = age formula. 

Although I see your points on why you think Hanzo is an adult, I’m going to assume he’s underage until the game confirms his age or at least gives strong enough hints to make an educated guess. 

Thank you for replying back to me! I appreciate your pov because it evolves mine at the same time. I enjoy our conversations. I apologize for taking the expected, life got a little hectic. Sorry for going into crazy specifics near the end. It was the only way I could think of to better explain my points. Also, I noticed in your tags that you don’t like being a Liu Kang apologist or something along those lines. I’m curious as to why. 

My Thoughts on MK1 Hanzo

(Spoiler Warning: Smoke’s Tower Ending is discussed)

I saw Smoke’s tower ending and was surprised to see Hanzo in the new timeline, let alone as a child. Although I’m open to how the writers will handle his character, I’m kind of disappointed that they went this route. When I learned that Kuai Liang would be Scorpion in the new timeline, I expected Hanzo to either not even exist or live a nice life with Harumi and their son. Instead, Kuai Liang is married to Harumi and Hanzo is much younger than them, which is so weird. I really hoped Hanzo would have a happy life and only be involved in the games through mentions at least.  Also, this decision paints Liu Kang in a bad light. It’s no secret Liu Kang made sure his allies had a good life while making some of his enemies’ lives (Shang Tsung and Quan Chi) insignificant to prevent them from turning into their past counterparts. So, it makes me wonder why Liu Kang didn’t think to give Hanzo a good life or at least watch over him. It’s shown that Hanzo is a starving orphan forced to steal for essentials. I have no doubt Liu Kang knows about Hanzo’s past since he met the older and kinder Scorpion in MK11 and Raiden has disclosed Hanzo’s past in MK 9. Plus when Liu Kang fused with the Hourglass, he most likely became aware of what happened in MK9 and MKX. He gave Shao Kahn the chance to be a better man by being the Kingdom’s general- a risk that didn’t pay off, yet didn’t give Hanzo what he always desired- his wife, son, and the Shirai-Ryu. It feels so out of character for Liu Kang to not make sure Hanzo had a good chance at life. 

If I had the opportunity to write Hanzo’s character, it would’ve been very different. I would’ve made him a former Lin Kuei member(he would be 5 or more years older than Bi-Han) who held the Scorpion title until he retired to Japan- where met Harumi and had their son. Hanzo would’ve also been the one to train Kuai Liang in his fire powers in the latter’s childhood. In his honor, Kuai would take the Scorpion mantle after Hanzo retires. Hanzo could also help Kuai and Smoke form the Shirai-Ryu but Harumi helps in recruiting and training while he takes care of their young son. 

Though, I still hold some faith that NRS will write the new Hanzo well. I guess I’m just disappointed because I wanted Hanzo to finally live a happy life where his family stays alive. He was one of my favorites in the MK9-MK11 era so I can’t help but feel a connection towards him.

MK1 Rain Theory/Idea

I have a theory/idea that Rain was a god but was cast down by his parents and became a mortal. Because I hoped for demigod Rain to be explored in this timeline, I don’t like the idea of Rain being a sorcerer. It’s not the worst decision since Rain can still be a well-written character, though I was still disappointed. 

This idea came to me randomly so it’ll most likely be disjointed which I apologize for. I was inspired by Greek mythology. There is a story of Zeus stripping his children, specifically Apollo, of their powers and making them mortals so they learn a lesson. 

Here is my theory/idea:

Born the youngest son of the gods Argus and Delia, Rain was a powerful god of water. He had a happy life with his parents and brothers- Taven and Daegon, but grew to be arrogant and believing mortals were lesser than him. This attitude led to his downfall. Alongside his brothers, Rain threatened to harm a country due to them not worshiping his family to his satisfaction. Disgusted by their children’s behavior, Argus and Delia stopped their children and planned to punish their children accordingly. With the help of Liu Kang, Argus and Delia decided to strip their sons’ godhood and have them reborn in the mortal realm- Outworld- so they learn to appreciate and care for mortals. Rain- regressed to a baby- would be raised as Zeffeero by a woman called Amara. He would grow to be kinder and ambitious, leading him to learn sorcery and become the kingdom’s high mage; I headcanon that Rain used his water magic to heal people as well. He’d live his life on the right path until Shang Tsung manipulated him and unleashed his darker impulses. His actions in the game would still be the same, including his sort of redemption in his tower ending. 

In a future game, the Taven/Daegon plot could return though, instead of their quest is to prevent Armageddon, Rain, Taven, and Daegon would race to their family’s original temple (through memories and clues left by their parents) for the chance to regain their godhood as long as they are deemed worthy. Other characters can be involved by the villains learning this and trying to achieve godhood while the heroes try to stop them. This gives NRS the opportunity to bring back Taven, Daegon, Argus, Delia, and Blaze into the New Era. Rain’s story could end either with him being a god again but with a better understanding and care for mortals or he decides to stay mortal. 

I don’t think this will happen in the game since I think the canon reason why Rain is not a god/demigod is because Liu Kang didn’t want to risk him becoming the arrogant, power-hungry person he was in previous timelines. Also, the Armageddon tower was already referenced in MK1 so it'll most likely not come back.

Thank you for adding your thoughts to my post. One of my favorite things to do in fandoms is to discuss with other fans about the story, characters, etc.

I see your point about Liu Kang and his abilities but I think Liu Kang had a hand at Smoke being orphaned. In one of his intros with Liu Kang, Smoke asks him if he intended for his family to die. Here’s a link to the video: https://youtu.be/z-r4UecW7PM?si=sHMb4gmKGddNA9oY&t=485 (The intro is at 8:05). Liu Kang’s reply was a bit cryptic and can be interpreted in different ways but I believe it alludes to Liu having to make a hard decision to make sure the timeline went accordingly, such as Smoke joining the Lin-Kuei and befriending the brothers. Also, Liu made plans for Shang Tsung and Quan-Chi to live meaningless lives. I don’t think he would’ve risked letting them live freely without careful planning to make sure the plan kept its course, so I believe Liu Kang is capable of planning people’s lives but in varying degrees. Unfortunately, the game wasn't very clear on Liu Kang’s capabilities and restrictions so most fans have different interpretations of Liu Kang's involvement in how the new timeline turned out the way it is. I do give Liu Kang some slack since he gave up his powers decades (most likely centuries) before Hanzo was born.

Anyways, I should’ve been clear when I said Hanzo’s life seems bleak. I meant before being taken in by Smoke. I don’t think Hanzo not being the leader of the Shirai-Ryu is a bad life. My critique was about how Liu Kang made sure Shao Kahn didn’t have extensive capabilities to become emperor and have Mileena, who was his enemy in the old timeline, be Kitana’s blood sister- a change he must have done before relinquishing his powers- while Hanzo’s life before the Shirai-Ryu was hard. I had that expectation that Liu Kang would give Hanzo what he truly desired- his family- since he did that for Mileena- her MK11 ending hinted at her wanting to be a part of a family. I’m fine with Kuai having the Scorpion mantle because it gives the Scorpion/Sub-Zero a bit more depth and new intrigue. Right now, I’m neutral with MK1 Hanzo. There isn’t anything to go by about his character so I’ll be waiting until future installments to give my full thoughts. I do have some faith that NRS will write MK1 Hanzo well. All I hope is they don’t kill off Kuai Liang only to make Hanzo Scorpion again. It would make the change kind of pointless.

I wanted to be clearer on why I don't like Harumi and Kuai together so far. It's not because I see Harumi as only Hanzo's life. I've grown to like Kuai being Scorpion since it gives the Sub-Zero/Scorpion rivalry more depth, and he still feels like Kuai Liang but with a different title. Going as far as to have Harumi and Kuai get married feels like a tamper to that balance. With that decision, he feels like Hanzo but with a different name right now. I'm still open to changing my mind once new story content is released.

Sort of a side note, but I don't think is a young adult (I searched online and a young adult is usually a range between 18 and 25 years old). Based on his height and appearance, I think he is 14-15 years old (adolescent/early teens range). It is possible for 18-year-olds and above to be short but, in MK1, most male characters are around the same height. If NRS wanted Hanzo to be in the same age range, they would've made him closer to Kuai and Tomas' heights. However, I could be wrong since I'm basing this on the tower ending's art style instead of the game's 3D modeling.

Thank you for reblogging my post and adding your opinion. My favorite part about fandoms is to see fans’ different perspectives on story elements. I enjoyed reading your post. Btw, your art is really good! Your Scorpion Harumi’s design is my favorite.

My Thoughts on MK1 Hanzo

(Spoiler Warning: Smoke’s Tower Ending is discussed)

I saw Smoke’s tower ending and was surprised to see Hanzo in the new timeline, let alone as a child. Although I’m open to how the writers will handle his character, I’m kind of disappointed that they went this route. When I learned that Kuai Liang would be Scorpion in the new timeline, I expected Hanzo to either not even exist or live a nice life with Harumi and their son. Instead, Kuai Liang is married to Harumi and Hanzo is much younger than them, which is so weird. I really hoped Hanzo would have a happy life and only be involved in the games through mentions at least.  Also, this decision paints Liu Kang in a bad light. It’s no secret Liu Kang made sure his allies had a good life while making some of his enemies’ lives (Shang Tsung and Quan Chi) insignificant to prevent them from turning into their past counterparts. So, it makes me wonder why Liu Kang didn’t think to give Hanzo a good life or at least watch over him. It’s shown that Hanzo is a starving orphan forced to steal for essentials. I have no doubt Liu Kang knows about Hanzo’s past since he met the older and kinder Scorpion in MK11 and Raiden has disclosed Hanzo’s past in MK 9. Plus when Liu Kang fused with the Hourglass, he most likely became aware of what happened in MK9 and MKX. He gave Shao Kahn the chance to be a better man by being the Kingdom’s general- a risk that didn’t pay off, yet didn’t give Hanzo what he always desired- his wife, son, and the Shirai-Ryu. It feels so out of character for Liu Kang to not make sure Hanzo had a good chance at life. 

If I had the opportunity to write Hanzo’s character, it would’ve been very different. I would’ve made him a former Lin Kuei member(he would be 5 or more years older than Bi-Han) who held the Scorpion title until he retired to Japan- where met Harumi and had their son. Hanzo would’ve also been the one to train Kuai Liang in his fire powers in the latter’s childhood. In his honor, Kuai would take the Scorpion mantle after Hanzo retires. Hanzo could also help Kuai and Smoke form the Shirai-Ryu but Harumi helps in recruiting and training while he takes care of their young son. 

Though, I still hold some faith that NRS will write the new Hanzo well. I guess I’m just disappointed because I wanted Hanzo to finally live a happy life where his family stays alive. He was one of my favorites in the MK9-MK11 era so I can’t help but feel a connection towards him.

My Thoughts on MK1 Hanzo

(Spoiler Warning: Smoke’s Tower Ending is discussed)

I saw Smoke’s tower ending and was surprised to see Hanzo in the new timeline, let alone as a child. Although I’m open to how the writers will handle his character, I’m kind of disappointed that they went this route. When I learned that Kuai Liang would be Scorpion in the new timeline, I expected Hanzo to either not even exist or live a nice life with Harumi and their son. Instead, Kuai Liang is married to Harumi and Hanzo is much younger than them, which is so weird. I really hoped Hanzo would have a happy life and only be involved in the games through mentions at least.  Also, this decision paints Liu Kang in a bad light. It’s no secret Liu Kang made sure his allies had a good life while making some of his enemies’ lives (Shang Tsung and Quan Chi) insignificant to prevent them from turning into their past counterparts. So, it makes me wonder why Liu Kang didn’t think to give Hanzo a good life or at least watch over him. It’s shown that Hanzo is a starving orphan forced to steal for essentials. I have no doubt Liu Kang knows about Hanzo’s past since he met the older and kinder Scorpion in MK11 and Raiden has disclosed Hanzo’s past in MK 9. Plus when Liu Kang fused with the Hourglass, he most likely became aware of what happened in MK9 and MKX. He gave Shao Kahn the chance to be a better man by being the Kingdom’s general- a risk that didn’t pay off, yet didn’t give Hanzo what he always desired- his wife, son, and the Shirai-Ryu. It feels so out of character for Liu Kang to not make sure Hanzo had a good chance at life. 

If I had the opportunity to write Hanzo’s character, it would’ve been very different. I would’ve made him a former Lin Kuei member(he would be 5 or more years older than Bi-Han) who held the Scorpion title until he retired to Japan- where met Harumi and had their son. Hanzo would’ve also been the one to train Kuai Liang in his fire powers in the latter’s childhood. In his honor, Kuai would take the Scorpion mantle after Hanzo retires. Hanzo could also help Kuai and Smoke form the Shirai-Ryu but Harumi helps in recruiting and training while he takes care of their young son. 

Though, I still hold some faith that NRS will write the new Hanzo well. I guess I’m just disappointed because I wanted Hanzo to finally live a happy life where his family stays alive. He was one of my favorites in the MK9-MK11 era so I can’t help but feel a connection towards him.

My MK1 Fatalities Tier List (Main Roster)

Note: The placements are based on the average rating of both fatalities. For example, if I gave a character an S and a B then they would go to an A rank since that would be the average. Also, if rankings are next to each other then I will round up to the higher rank. For instance, I gave Li Mei an S and an A for her fatalities so she would go to the S rank since I'm rounding the overall rating to the higher one.

Here's a more detailed ranking (where I add + and -) if you are curious:

Ashrah

Fatality 1- B+

Fatality 2- B

Baraka

Fatality 1: B-

Fatality 2: S

General Shao

Fatality 1: C

Fatality 2: B-

Geras

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: S

Havik

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: B+

Johnny Cage

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: A

Kitana

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: A-

Kenshi

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: A

Kung Lao

Fatality 1: C+

Fatality 2: A

Li Mei

Fatality 1: S

Fatality 2: A+

Liu Kang

Fatality 1: S

Fatality 2: S+

Mileena

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: C+

Nitara

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: C+

Raiden

Fatality 1: B

Fatality 2: A

Rain

Fatality 1: A-

Fatality 2: B-

Reiko

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: A

Reptile

Fatality 1: S

Fatality 2: B

Scorpion

Fatality 1: B

Fatality 2: A+

Shang Tsung

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: S

Sindel

Fatality 1: A

Fatality 2: B+

Smoke

Fatality 1: C

Fatality 2: C-

Sub-Zero

Fatality 1: B+

Fatality 2: B

Tanya

Fatality 1: B

Fatality 2: B+

Kameos (Bonus):

Cyrax: S

Darrius: C-

Frost: C

Goro: A

Jax: B

Kano: C

Kung Lao: C

Motaro: C+

Sareena: A

Scorpion: B

Sektor: B+

Shujinko: A

Sonya: C

Stryker: C+

Sub-Zero: B

How I Would Write Kronika As MK1's Villain?

During the period when the first 20 minutes of gameplay came out, I thought Kronika might be the villain. I was mixed about the idea because I was nervous that the writers might fumble her writing like in MK11, but I had some hope that she could improve. Plus, her new design is a massive improvement compared to her previous one and it kind of sucks that her character is just a disguise. I really wanted MK to have a well-written female main villain.

Overall, I enjoyed the ending we got but the multiverse idea seems a bit too much. I would've preferred Liu Kang's and Shang Tsung's timelines to be the only ones that exist since, in canon, they were in Titan status in MK11 Aftermath. But, MK1's ending does not make me hate the game or the franchise. I'm still invested in it.

Anyway, this is my idea: (I really like the setup/base of the story so most of my changes are minor except for the final battle.)

Instead of MK11 Shang Tsung disguising as Kronika, Kronika would disguise herself as a high priest called Damashi, who is connected to Outworld's royal family. She plots with Shang Tsung and Quan Chi on how to overthrow the kingdom and rule the realms (a lie). To keep Geras convinced that Kronika is dead, Kronika wiped the knowledge of her having a failsafe plan to become a mortal if she is near death. As Damashi, I’d have her appear throughout the story but in the background and for only a few moments, watching the events unfold, to hint that something is wrong. Shang Tsung is still very manipulated and is the cause of General Shao, Rain, and Reiko betraying the royal family.

When Shang Tsung introduces “Damashi,” it will be Kronika in her true form instead of Titan Shang Tsung. She would berate Liu Kang and his timeline, saying that balance is the true way to create a timeline. Liu Kang argues that giving people free will to be good instead of taking away that choice is the right thing to do. Kronika then reveals that she created another failsafe within Geras- if she ever loses her Titan powers then she can steal Geras’. She extracts his powers, reverting him back to his MK 11 self. Geras' corruption causes the Hourglass to break, slowly destroying Liu Kang's timeline. Some of the characters start dissolving/disappearing so this leaves Liu Kang on his own. He travels to the Hourglass and the final fight starts with Kronika as the main fighter and Geras as her Kameo. If Liu Kang does damage to Kronika, it causes her life bar to steadily increase. Instead, Liu Kang would have to hit Geras, who is much weaker since Kronika absorbed most of his powers. The player would have to wait for Geras to appear on stage while avoiding Kronika's attacks. Kronika is defeated and Geras is healed. Out of wanting to properly protect the timeline, Liu Kang decides to reabsorb his Titan powers.

I intended this to be a parallel/comparison between Liu Kang and Kronika’s ideals on how a timeline should be and their treatment of Geras. While Kronika believes balance is the best way to handle a timeline and treats Geras like a servant/tool, Liu Kang believes people are more capable of good and sees Geras as a friend.

I really wanted MK1 to focus more on Liu Kang's struggles with being a Titan and Earthrealm's protector, such as making sure the timeline gives all or at least most people the free will to choose their destiny, his melancholy with not being with his friends like in previous timelines, and seeing them die in the future.

I just finished watching MK1 story

🎀"MISTRESS OF MAGIC"🎀

mortal kombat men & zatanna! reader intros | sfw

characters - liu kang , shang tsung , johnny cage

cw! mk1 styled intros, gn! reader, could be seen as either platonic or romantic

part 2

LIU KANG

You: God and Keeper Of Time? Talk about powerful.

Liu Kang: No need to flatter me.

-

Liu Kang: I look forward to your magic show.

You: I know you will! Johnny and I worked hard on it.

-

You: Belief is a rather fragile thing...

Liu Kang: You would know that better than anyone.

-

Liu Kang: You're father's fate was hardest thing to softened.

You: Is that so, then thank you for trying.

SHANG TSUNG

You: Rather egotistical man you are?

Shang Tsung: You're too polite, my dear.

-

Shang Tsung: Such a waste of power.

You: Thank the gods it never laid itself in your hands.

-

You: In another world your a good sorcerer.

Shang Tsung: Considering your supreme belief I'm almost inclined to believe you.

-

Shang Tsung: The battle of sorcerers begins today.

You: You lost this battle the moment you started using your gift for evil.

JOHNNY CAGE

Johnny Cage : Think about it, Johnny Cage and the Mistress of Magic!?

You: I quite like that idea, Cage.

-

You: With my magic anything is possible.

Johhny Cage: Not as powerful as movie magic.

-

Johnny Cage: is it true your a descendent of Leonardo Da Vinci

You: The one and only, Johnny Cage.

-

You: Would you help me show Outworld the wonders of showtime?

Johnny Cage: Say no more dollface.

Mk1 Incorrect Quotes pt. 9:

God Liu Kang: “You’re not ascending to godhood, you’re just dehydrated!”

Shang Tsung: “Outta my way, gayboy! I’m about to liberate my divine self from this mortal shell!”

Shang Tsung, later, laying on the ground on Yamcha position: “hopital”

I can totally see Shang Tsung (the MK1 one, not Evil!Titan Tsung) doing this to Liu Kang the moment he finds out about him and Titan Kitana. Not because he’s gay, not because he definitely did not want to kiss the God of Fire, but simply to annoy him.

To leave him questioning every single time that he’s with Titan Kitana if she’s just Shang Tsung in disguise. And slowly seeing Liu Kang loose his mind whenever he starts overthinking every single of Kitana’s actions.

I really like this one actually

I made fake screenshot with my oc. Icon from mortal kombat 9

Dear follovers, today I offer you Shang Tsung. Tomorrow? Who knows...

Husbaaaaaand 😔😔😔🛐🛐🛐🛐

I love him so much 🙏🖤

Он в сериале прекрасен, Бож, я не понимаю, почему о нём почти не говорят, он так в душу запал, что я не могу 😩😩 (и сериал тоже)

(здесь можно-ли как-то эту автокоррекцию выключить, а то качество бьёт вообще по всем глазам...)

!NOT RELIGIOUS ART!

"You were beautiful like Jesus

In masterpieces of art

I thought I would ascend

From your beauty or from feelings"

Ленинград - I_$uss

(На ручки не смотрим, на косяки тоже не смотрим, это кусочек будущей работы по Шаоцунгам. Решила сейчас залить, чтобы голову отвлечь)

"𝓐𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓽𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓲𝓭...𝓪 𝓫𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰"

I was inspired by the @Blackrubus_ art long ago and I can't stop thinking about the short story I came up with. Story about the life together of Oni and Kitsune.

Someday...maybe I'll write it (I'm not sure)

(АКТУАЛЬНО ВСЕГДА!)

Я тут подумала... Может кто-нибудь хочет ролочку по мк?

Мини требования: Слэш пейринги, быть хотя бы среднестрочником (я сама им являюсь, но могу и в пять/шесть вордовских страниц отписать)))

Насчёт пейрингов я не принципиальна, люблю большую часть, как привычные всем, так и очень необычные, так что открыта для всего ;)

(В приоритете пейринги с участием Шана, но не coldsoul, а вот ЛюШаны, РейдШаны, ШаоШаны, КуанЦунги, всё за милую душу. КаноКейджи? Было бы очень славно 👉👈 Что-то с Рейном тоже было бы прекрасно, да и много всего, впрочем, Виндвульфы)

Общение вне ролки тоже приветствуется!

По сюжету можем взять что-то лёгкое, может немного закрученное, а вот насчёт действительно продуманной и тяжёлой истории я сомневаюсь, одну такую десять месяцев отраливала, да так и не вытянула 🥲 но если будет интересно, то я в деле.

Отпишитесь в лс или комменты сюда 🌟

Жду, люблю, целую, обнимаю. Я добрая, не кусаюсь, надеюсь кому-нибудь будет интересно 💗

Yatin with dad ♡

Fuck knows, I'm in Hawaii

Развлекаемся на работе как можем.

It was vital for me to do this.

Inspired by: https://pin.it/3uofB6xDl

All the images taken for the collage are not mine, I took them from Pinterest.

I have a couple of crooked sketches with mini Mileena

Another old piece with her and dad Shang

I love her so much 🥺💗💫

I literally cry when I draw this baby...

Глупый быстрый вброс, которых будет ещё много, но мне не куда это девать, а пропадать ему жалко.

Хэдканоню, что у Шанг Цунга была прекрасная семья. Они жили в Земном царстве: он, отец и мать, которые любили и были преданы друг другу.

Отец был не самый порядочный, наглый, грубый, но в отношении своей родни - весёлый, любящий, не жалеющий своих сил, лишь бы семья была счастлива. Свою жену он любил, а сына хотел воспитать человеком прилежным, сильным и умным, чтобы не повторял ошибок его.

Мать же была ласковой, очень нежной и умной, упорной, стойкой. За своего ребёнка и мужа она была готова порвать в прямом и переносном смысле.

Жили скромно, в небольшом домике в какой-нибудь китайской деревушке на отшибе, где обитало много змей. Гнездо, в том числе, находилось и под их домом, а самих Цунгов в обществе не очень-то и любили за дурную репутацию должника-отца и матери-беженки. В деревне их называли змеями, чего маленький Шанг никогда не понимал, от того и спрашивал у матери, почему про них так говорят, а та становилась перед сыном на колени, брала его маленькие ручки в свои и любящим бархатным тихим голосом, говорила:

"Это не потому что они нас не любят, а потому что боятся, не знают нас, не доверяют. Змеи нам не враги, сынок, они нас охраняют, наш дом и тебя, люди это знают, боятся ещё больше, от того и говорят такие вещи".

Улыбалась, целовала сына в лоб и продолжала заниматься своими делами, надеялась, что маленькая ложь не сильно навредит мальчишке, который ещё не готов столкнуться со всей жестокостью этого мира. Вот так, казалось, едкое и жестокое оскорбление стало для Шанг Цунга некой гордостью. В последствии он не раз сравнивал себя с этими животными; свой характер, поступки, мелочность и превосходство, зависело от ситуации, в которой тот находился. Змеи его действительно никогда не трогали, несмотря на то, что дед по материнской линии в моëм хэде умер именно от укуса ядовитой змеи.

Отец Шанг Цунга задолжал большим шишкам большие деньги, а за неимением возможности их вернуть был убит, напоследок отправив жену с сыном во Внешний мир, надеясь, что до них добраться не смогут, да вот всё же добрались и мать Шанга была убита (скорее всего именно у него на глазах). Сиротой мальчишка стал в очень раннем возрасте (лет 7-8).

Лю Кана мужчина винит не только за свою судьбу тошную, но и за смерть родителей, по крайней мере, матери, что была ни в чëм не виновна. Его желание - заполучить их души. Хранить частичку в себе, не только в памяти, но и у самого сердца.

Кстати, образ отца в голове у меня полностью скопирован с внешности Таданобу из "Затойчи" (не смотрела, но если гугл мне не врёт, то да), а веснушки мальчишка получил именно от матери, как и еë густые, длинные тëмные волосы, любовь к разного рода украшениям, изящество и грацию.

Я всё понимаю, просить о таком некультурно, но... МНЕ НУЖНЫ ЛЮЦУНГИ ИЗ МК11 (да хоть из фильма 95 года, лишь бы была эта динамика хитрого деда и его молодого амбициозного парня)

Они всем нужны

Больше, чем вы можете себе представить

Даже подумать не могла о том, что по ним вообще не было контента до недавнего времени. Это довольно странно, если считать то, что троп от врагов к возлюбленным очень популярен.

Они так красиво смотрятся вместе, это нечто особенное, ничуть не хуже, чем в перезапуске и в общем...

Я буду целовать ноги и боготворить того, кто всё же когда-нибудь сделает по ним хоть немного контента. Этакий реквест в никуда, мало ли, вдруг кого-то натолкнëт

Но всё же, они просто чудесны вместе 💘

(Думаю, может снова самой фанфик по ним написать? Надо бы подумать над идеей, а там может и отцовская аушка с Милиной)

under different circumstances

i kept thinking what if bi-han didn’t actually betrayed the others and instead pretended to go along with shang tsung’s plans. then waited for the chance to get rid of shang…

My favorite guys! 👆🫶

(And their obsessor’s on the right🧯) ⤴️

🔥+🐍

🏦+🚁

💪🏻+🕶

🦾+🧣

🪂+🔪

Shang Tsung angrily calls Liu Kang’s name for 26 seconds

сфоткай типа добрый