The camera cuts to a close up of Kotal.
KOTAL KAHN: For years you escaped my justice. Sucked dry the
bounty of Outworld’s people. Today, your debt is paid.
KOLLECTOR: Kill me, Kotal, and you lose profit.
KOTAL KAHN: You mistake me for Shao Kahn.
He rises from his throne and walks toward the captive.
KOTAL KAHN: I do not inflict bandits upon the poor.
KOLLECTOR: Shao Kahn approved! His word was law!
Kotal gestures to his left. The soldier standing there immediately
brings him his blade. Kotal holds it in both hands, preparing a
killing strike.
KOTAL KAHN: Your master is dead, and so is his “law”. Never again
will Outworld suffer from his corruption.
Kotal lifts his blade above his head as the crowd grow more wild.
Before he can deliver the fatal blow, an earthquake begins to
erupt around the Koliseum. The stone statues bearing Kotal’s
likeness break apart and fall to the ground. Rips in time begin to
tear into the structure itself.
Back in Earthrealm, Cassie is sleeping on a makeshift bed in
the medical room of the Special Forces base. She suddenly awakens
as the room’s walls begin to distort with the time rips. She,
Johnny, Jacqui and Raiden all look around in horror, and a
sandstorm begins to form inside the room.
In Kronika’s keep, Liu Kang and Kitana can barely keep on their
feet as Kronika manipulates the sands in her hourglass through
the magic generated from her hands. The sand in the glass begins
to flow upward in reverse.
The sandstorm has now almost completely engulfed the medical room,
and even Raiden is having trouble standing straight. The storm
eventually turns into three tornados, and Johnny squints as he
tries to look into them. His eyes widen in shock as he sees three
figures begin to emerge from the tornadoes.
One of those figures is himself, looking 25 years younger.
Another is Jax, also younger.
The third is Sonya, and she looks just as youthful as the other
two.
The tornadoes die down once the figures are fully formed, and
the sandstorm subsides as well. Young Johnny and Old Johnny walk
up to each other, as Cassie walks up to Sonya and Jax to Jacqui.
Everyone is in such disbelief that they can’t find the words to
speak.
RAIDEN: By the Elder Gods!
As everyone turns in Raiden’s direction, a tornado of sand
gathers around the Thunder God, but unlike the others, this one
is reducing him to dust. The process is over in seconds, and
Raiden fades out of existence before he can say anything else.
Only Shinnok’s amulet remains, and it clatters to the floor.
Back in Outworld, a sandstorm has erupted in the Koliseum,
sending the crowd and even some soldiers into a panic. Kotal Kahn
is distracted by the spectacle, but Kollector keeps calm. He
notices that one of the soldiers pinning him in place has taken
his grip off the pole he was holding.
Without hesitation, Kollector seizes the chance given to him.
He ducks low and swipes to his left, both unbalancing the other
soldiers and striking them with their own poles. They are all
sent sprawling to the ground. Kollector focuses on one of them
and impales the poor man straight through the chest with one of
the sharpened poles. As the soldier screams in agony, Kollector
pivots the pole upwards, dragging the soldier down it and right
into Kollector’s hands.
Grinning sadistically, Kollector takes the keys to the neck brace
from the soldier’s belt and undoes the lock keeping the brace
together. He shakes it off as the now-dead soldier crumples to
the ground, still impaled on the pole.
Several tornadoes have sprouted up in the Koliseum, and much
like they did on Earthrealm, they dispel people from them:
the blood mage Skarlet, a younger Erron Black, the savage Tarkatan
known as Baraka, a young and bald-shaven Kano and most tellingly,
Outworld’s previous Emperor – Shao Kahn.
But the remaining tornadoes in the Koliseum bring forth other
people instead – Liu Kang, Kitana, Kung Lao and Jade – not the
dead revenants of the current era, but fully alive. Out of the
final tornado steps Raiden – not his dark counterpart, but the
Raiden of yesteryear, who summons his signature blue lightning as
the tornado dies down.
The tornadoes have also brought in numerous Outworld soldiers –
loyal minions of Shao Kahn, who stand close by their Emperor.
For long moments, the crowd remains silent, taking in the
spectacle before them. Kotal looks around as well, pausing to
note that the statues that once bore his likeness have now
been replaced by those of Shao Kahn. He approaches the new
arrivals.
KOTAL KAHN: Raiden? Shao Kahn?
SHAO KAHN: General Kotal?
The two Kahns step toward one another.
KOTAL KAHN: Kotal Kahn.
SHAO KAHN: Kahn? Pathetic fool. You pretend to my throne!
KOTAL KAHN: It is mine, by right and deed. You were killed, long
ago, as was your repugnant spawn, Mileena.
RAIDEN: We were at the Mortal Kombat tournament. Kung Lao had
just defeated Shang Tsung and Quan Chi.
KOTAL KAHN: We are decades beyond those events.
RAIDEN: For us, they happened only moments ago.
SHAO KAHN: What game are you playing, Raiden? What magic powers
this delusion?
RAIDEN: If it is a delusion, it is one we all share. Is it
possible that the past and future are colliding?
Kotal looks around at the newcomers.
KOTAL KAHN: Kitana, Baraka, Skarlet – all Outworld champions long
since gone. If you have all returned, has–
Jade suddenly steps forward, clear joy in her eyes.
JADE: I am here, Kotal.
Kotal’s eyes are wide open in disbelief.
KOTAL KAHN: Jade…
The moment is ruined as Shao Kahn shoves Jade aside to face Kotal
down. The current Kahn of Outworld keeps his composure. Behind
him, his soldiers and those of Shao Kahn have readied their
weapons.
KOTAL KAHN: Osh-Tekk custom requires all refugees be offered
assistance. I offer it to you, Shao Kahn.
SHAO KAHN: I am no refugee! I am Kahn of Outworld! Vacate my
throne–
He points toward the throne, then at Kotal.
SHAO KAHN: –or I’ll soak these sands with your blood!
With a gesture, Shao Kahn magically summons his warhammer and
charges at Kotal, who parries the blow with a swing of his sword.
He parries another, but Shao shoulder checks Kotal while he’s off
balance. Kotal recovers quickly though and slams his blade through
Shao’s left shoulder, drawing blood. The former Emperor roars in
anger and pushes to his feet, driving Kotal back. He swings his
hammer down, forcing Kotal to block again. This time, the two
weapons grind against one another as both kombatants attempt to
overpower the other.
Shao wins the exchange by shoving Kotal’s sword down into the
sands beneath them. He follows through by smacking Kotal in the
face with the hilt of his warhammer, drawing blood, before kicking
him into a pillar. Shao Kahn roars once more and charges, his
warhammer raised high above his head. At the last moment, Kotal
ducks to the side and narrowly misses having his head smashed into
chunks of meat, but Shao keeps swinging the hammer, destroying the
pillar base as Kotal desperately tries to crawl away.
Eventually, Shao Kahn stops his attack, but the damage to the
pillar causes it to collapse… right on Kotal, burying him under
a mound of broken rubble.
The crowd of the Koliseum cheer and applaud the spectacle, not
caring in the slightest about who wins but loving the carnage laid
before them. Chaos has broken out among Kotal and Shao Kahn’s
supporters, with each fighting the other. Only Raiden and Liu Kang
are not currently in kombat, instead observing the melee around
them.
LIU KANG: Lord Raiden… what do we do?
RAIDEN: I have not met Kotal, but he is reputed to be a man of
honor.
Jade runs up to both men while Raiden is speaking.
JADE: It’s true. I know him well.
RAIDEN: Then we must navigate this crisis by aiding him.
Liu Kang and Jade nod in agreement. As Kotal tries to stand from
his earlier predicament, Shao Kahn crushes his hand underneath
his boot. But as he raises his warhammer for the finishing blow,
Liu Kang jumps into the fray with his bicycle kick, striking Shao
in the chest multiple times and forcing him back.
The former Emperor takes a few moments to recover before charging
once more, screaming with rage. He swings his warhammer twice,
with Liu Kang evading the blows with ease. Shao changes his
strategy and tries to stab Liu Kang with the blade on the top of
his weapon, but Kang leans backwards – and in slow motion, just
barely avoids having the blade tip driven through his face. Shao
Kahn is then blasted from behind with a surge of lightning,
courtesy of Raiden.
In another part of the Koliseum grounds, a Kotal loyalist charges
Baraka. The Tarkatan swipes his arm-blade through the soldier’s
stomach and eviscerates him without breaking stride. Another
soldier charges in, but Baraka swipes his arm-blade across the
man’s cheek before stabbing him clean through the head. As
Baraka pulls his blade from the dead man’s skull, a female
soldier tries her luck, but Baraka bats her sword from her hands
and plunges an arm-blade through the side of her chest. He turns
and catches another female charging him with a killing stab
directly into her chest. He withdraws the blade and finds himself
face to face with a recovering Kotal.
BARAKA: Stupid Osh-Tekk. Destroying your future, crossing Shao
Kahn.
KOTAL KAHN: It is you with no future, Baraka. Your Tarkatans are
dead.
BARAKA: Impossible!
KOTAL KAHN: They allied with Mileena against me. Persist, and YOU
will die again!
They fight. Baraka’s savagery was more than enough for Kotal’s
soldiers, but the Emperor himself proves to be a different foe
entirely. Kotal has Baraka beaten in strength, size and skill and
he soon presses these advantages against the Tarkatan. After a
brief struggle, Baraka is beaten to the ground.
KOTAL KAHN: Filthy Tarkatan.
Kotal strides past Kung Lao and Kano, who are both fighting each
other. A Shao Kahn loyalist charges Kotal with his sword raised,
but Kotal punches him in the face twice and drills him into the
ground by his neck. Another soldier charges in with a high kick,
to which Kotal grabs his leg, lifts him off his feet and slams
him to the floor. A third soldier charging in gets a punch to
the jaw, and Kotal grabs him by the waist and spins around,
smashing him in the same manner as his compatriots.
Kotal spots Jade getting the worse of an exchange with Kollector.
As he runs to help, he is stopped short by the sight of a corpse
of an Outworld tiger – long dead after being impaled by two swords
sticking out of its body – being suddenly covered by a mass of
blood.
The blood springs off the body of the tiger, attacking Kotal and
throwing him into an open trap door leading to the dungeons below
the Koliseum. Kotal can do nothing but scream in terror as he is
unceremoniously dropped onto the ground below. As he picks himself
off the floor, the blood congeals and turns into a human form –
Shao Kahn’s enigmatic servant, Skarlet.
KOTAL KAHN: The orphan turned assassin.
SKARLET: Better to thrive in Shao Kahn’s court than starve in the
streets. You Osh-Tekk may practice blood magic, Kotal, but I am
the master.
They fight. Skarlet shows that her mastery of blood magic is not
just boasting, but Kotal knows other magic as well and brings his
decades of fighting experience to the forefront. After a fierce
battle, Kotal eventually leaves the witch beaten at his feet.
KOTAL KAHN: Pride will be your downfall.
Behind Kotal, the door to the dungeon is suddenly opened.
JADE: Kotal!
Jade runs up to Kotal and kisses him on the lips. After a moment,
she lets go, but the two hold each other in their arms.
JADE: I thought you were dead!
She places her hands on Kotal’s cheeks.
JADE: What happened to you?
KOTAL KAHN: Shao Kahn betrayed me. Ambushed my legion. I was kept
alive for Shang Tsung’s experiments. Only when he died was I
freed.
JADE: Seeing you again makes it worth living this… nightmare.
KOTAL KAHN: I will not lose you twice.
The tender moment is interrupted by the doors on the opposite side
of the dungeon being forced open. This time, the intruder is Erron
Black – the younger version, spawned by the timequake. He sets his
eyes on Jade and Kotal, and Kotal looks to Jade.
KOTAL KAHN: Go help the Earthrealmers. I will deal with this.
As Jade exits, Kotal walks toward the approaching mercenary.
KOTAL KAHN: Your future self is ally, not enemy, Erron Black.
ERRON: To hell with the future. I live in the moment.
KOTAL KAHN: Given who you become, I would not have thought you so
reckless.
They fight. Erron Black fights with deadly precision and with no
honour, but his tactics are ones that Kotal is well taught in and
he overcomes them with his strength and magical prowess. After a
brief melee, Black is soon left down and out.
Allowing himself a smirk of accomplishment, Kotal Kahn walks up
the staircase leading back into the Koliseum. The crowd are still
raucously cheering the spectacle of kombat before them. Kotal
walks past Liu Kang beating the tar out of a Shao Kahn loyalist
and Kung Lao still fighting Kano. His walk turns into a run as he
spots Jade being thrown to the ground by Shao Kahn. The current
Emperor of Outworld faces down the former Emperor.
SHAO KAHN: I will have my throne!
Kotal gets into a fighting stance.
KOTAL KAHN: Outworld rejected your pointless wars!
SHAO KAHN: Empires must expand or die!
He roars in rage and charges. Both Kahns collide and grapple with
each other. Initially Kotal gets the advantage and pushes Shao
backwards, but Shao shifts his body and switches positions. Now
it is Shao who pushes Kotal toward a cage housing an Outworld
beast. He slams Kotal against the cage bars as the beast roars and
tries to attack the closest person – in this case, Kotal.
Kotal tries to push back but Shao Kahn is relentless. He presses
Kotal’s face against the bars, and the beast remains inches away
from mauling Kotal, restrained only because its jaw is too big to
get past the iron bars. In desperation, Kotal bites down hard on
Shao’s hand, stunning him long enough for Kotal to throw him away.
With some momentum back in his corner, Kotal charges Shao again
and grapples him. Shao tries to throw him down a pit, but Kotal
avoids it and lands on his feet. The two Kahns face one another
down, and Kotal points a finger at Shao while the latter summons
his warhammer.
KOTAL KAHN: Your conquests served you alone, not Outworld’s
people!
They fight. The battle is long and hard, as both Kotal Kahn and
Shao Kahn are matched evenly in strength, skill and magical
ability. But in the end, Shao Kahn’s fury cannot match Kotal
Kahn’s determination and pursuit of justice, and it is the New
Emperor of Outworld that defeats the Old Emperor.
KOTAL KAHN: You are Kahn no more.
Before Kotal can finish his opponent though, a plague of insects
swarms into the Koliseum. Kotal looks into the sky and realises
at once who it is.
KOTAL KAHN: D’Vorah.
The insects swarm around Kotal, forcing him to shield his face.
Across the Koliseum, the insects have swarmed every other
kombatant as well, incapacitating all of them. As Shao Kahn rises
to his knees, a sand portal opens behind him. He turns to find the
Kytinn herself emerging from the portal.
D’VORAH: Shao Kahn! To me!
Without hesitation, Shao Kahn runs into the portal. Skarlet,
Kano, the younger Erron Black, Baraka and Kollector all follow
right after him. D’Vorah pauses only long enough to hiss
contemptuously at Kotal before stepping into the sand portal,
which closes after her.
KOTAL KAHN: I have not known stranger days.
A voice catches Kotal’s attention. He turns to see Raiden approach
him, alongside Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana and Jade.
RAIDEN: Kotal Kahn. I am Raiden, Protector of Earthrealm.
KOTAL KAHN: I know you.
RAIDEN: We are acquainted in your era?
KOTAL KAHN: We were allies who became enemies.
RAIDEN: I am surprised, given our shared antipathy toward Shao
Kahn.
KOTAL KAHN: Everything changed after your defeat of Shinnok.
LIU KANG: Shinnok’s defeated?
KOTAL KAHN: Our realms joined to fight him. But in victory, you
were hardened. To protect Earthrealm, you lashed out at all realms
you deemed threats.
Raiden looks downcast as this revelation.
RAIDEN: That… cannot be.
KOTAL KAHN: My Raiden wears Shinnok’s amulet as a symbol of his
fury.
RAIDEN: Be assured, Kotal Kahn, I am not that Raiden. We have
common cause. Both in solving this temporal crisis and in
defeating Shao Kahn.
KOTAL KAHN: Agreed.
RAIDEN: Liu Kang, Kung Lao and I will return to Earthrealm and
learn what temporal anomalies have occurred there. We must better
understand the phenomenon we are experiencing.
KOTAL KAHN: I will have my scouts track Shao Kahn.
While they are speaking, Liu Kang walks over to Kitana.
LIU KANG: So, this is goodbye.
KITANA: Only goodbye for now. I can’t leave while Shao Kahn
threatens Outworld. I must seek justice for what he did to my
family and to all Edenia.
LIU KANG: I will come back for you– to aid you, Princess.
He bows his head to her. Kitana smiles in response and throws her
arms around his neck in a hug. Liu Kang almost reciprocates, but
settles for clenching his fist in triumph. As she lets go, he bows
once again and walks back toward Raiden and Kung Lao with a huge
smile on his face. Raiden lifts his hand to the sky and teleports
himself and the Shaolin monks back to Earthrealm with a flash of
lightning.
The scene cuts to D’Vorah’s Lost Hive, hidden underground in an
unknown section of Outworld. Shao Kahn faces the Kytinn herself,
with Kollector, Skarlet, Erron Black, Kano and Baraka waiting in
the background.
SHAO KAHN: You evade my questions, D’Vorah. I routed your people.
Burned this hive. Let you aid me.
Behind Shao Kahn, Kollector has donned some more fancier clothing,
including a hood that covers his head. He approaches the former
Emperor from behind.
KOLLECTOR: We can’t trust her, Excellency. Kotal Kahn did, and
she betrayed him to Shinnok.
SHAO KAHN: Kotal Kahn…
He spits out the word “Kahn” with as much contempt as he can
muster.
SHAO KAHN: How is it I’m dead and he sits on my throne?
KOLLECTOR: You tried merging Earthrealm into Outworld. The Elder
Gods intervened and Raiden killed you. That’s when Mileena became
Kahn.
D’VORAH: After This One killed your daughter, Kotal claimed the
throne.
D’Vorah’s statement whips Shao Kahn into a frenzy.
SHAO KAHN: You killed Mileena?! If this is true, YOU WILL DIE!
As Shao Kahn raises his fist to attack, D’Vorah sprouts her
stingers from her back. They are both interrupted before coming to
blows by a sandstorm that dies down as quickly as it was formed.
Emerging from that storm is Kronika, alongside two minions of
hers. One is a woman clothed in a long hooded garment that
conceals everything except the blue mask on the lower half on her
face. The second is what appears to be a large dark skinned man,
but upon closer inspection is an artificial construct in the form
of a human being. The three of them approach Shao Kahn and D’Vorah.
KRONIKA: D’Vorah is under my protection, Shao Kahn. As are you. I
am Kronika.
SHAO KAHN: …The legends are true?
KRONIKA: I am displeased with how history has unfolded.
SHAO KAHN: So you broke time?
KRONIKA: I stopped time. I enlist all those who disdain the
current course of history. By merging past and present, we may
draw upon allies from both eras.
SHAO KAHN: How will fighting your battles benefit me?
KRONIKA: I offer a greater empire in the New Era, Shao Kahn.
Raiden will not exist to thwart you.
SHAO KAHN: You can wipe Raiden from history?
KRONIKA: It is an immense task, requiring great power and effort.
My hourglass requires protection while I work. Will your Outworld
armies defend it?
SHAO KAHN: They shall.
Back in the Special Forces command center in Earthrealm, the older
Johnny Cage is leaning over his younger counterpart, who has his
feet up on a workstation and his hands behind his head.
O. JOHNNY: I swear to God, I’m losing it. Can’t someone – anyone –
explain to me what the hell is going on?!
Y. JOHNNY: Right? I’ve been in the future for a whole hour and I
haven’t seen one jetpack. Not one!
Older Johnny closes his eyes and purses his lips together, trying
to keep his anger in check. Raiden walks into the command centre
alongside Cassie Cage.
RAIDEN: So it is true. I walked a darker path.
CASSIE: After Shinnok went down, you became a different person.
Red lightning, black clothes. Authoritarian attitude adjustment.
O. JOHNNY: Yeah, about that; what happened to “Dark” you, hmm? How
come you’re an only child and I’ve got an evil twin?
Younger Johnny spreads his arms out in agitation.
RAIDEN: As an immortal, I exist outside the normal laws of time.
That could explain why I am affected differently.
In another part of the command centre, Jax offers Sonya a cup of
coffee.
SONYA: Thanks.
JAX: Weird, isn’t it? Not being in charge.
SONYA: That’s what’s weird?
JAX: That, and having daughters our age.
They look over at Cassie speaking with Raiden.
SONYA: Look at her. How do I have a kid… with him?
Behind Cassie, the younger Johnny is checking his fingernails.
JAX: Huh. At least she’s not an actress.
Both Johnnys walk past Sonya and Jax as they are speaking, with
Older Johnny clearly not wanting to hear anything from his
younger self.
Y. JOHNNY: C’mon, at least think about it. We each get points off
the gross. Coming this summmer… Johnny Cage AND Johnny Cage!
In “Timequake”!
As they walk out of the command centre, Jacqui walks in with Liu
Kang and Kung Lao. They walk up to Raiden and Cassie, who are now
next to the holographic table projector seen earlier.
CASSIE: Any thoughts on what to do next?
RAIDEN: For months, I have been receiving vague premonitions of
the future. But none of them foretold this. I must confer with the
Elder Gods.
He looks over to the new arrivals.
RAIDEN: Liu Kang, Kung Lao. Please assist the Special Forces while
I am gone.
LIU KANG: Yes, Lord Raiden.
JACQUI: Follow me.
As Jacqui walks the monks over to get briefed, Sonya approaches
Cassie.
SONYA: Commander?
CASSIE: Yes, Mom– I mean, General! I mean…
She breaks off, unable to finish.
SONYA: This is strange for me too.
CASSIE: You have no idea.
Something about her tone puts Sonya on edge.
SONYA: What?
CASSIE: Ugh, how do I say this…? This morning, “we” were on a
mission… and you gave your life to save it.
Cassie nearly breaks down at her words. Sonya recoils in shock
and sits down on a nearby chair.
SONYA: Son of a bitch. Seriously?
CASSIE: Yeah. And now here you are. Young enough to be my sister.
JACQUI: Cass, you need to see this!
Steeling herself, Commander Cage walks over to Jacqui, who points
to an alert on the nearby computer screen.
JACQUI: Sat feeds show a Netherrealm incursion at the Wu Shi
Academy.
CASSIE: Netherrealm? Taking out Shinnok’s Temple was supposed to
stop them.
JACQUI: It’s gotta be the time anomaly.
LIU KANG: We must help our Shaolin masters.
Kung Lao nods in agreement.
JAX: Why would the Netherrealm want to bust up your alma mater,
Liu Kang?
LIU KANG: The Dragon Grotto. It’s underneath the Academy.
Earthrealm’s Jinsei energy bubbles up in its springs.
CASSIE: That’s no good. We’ve seen firsthand what happens when the
Netherrealm screws with Earthrealm’s life force.
KUNG LAO: They will not reach the Grotto. It is protected by
powerful magic. The deadliest traps. I am sure our counterparts
from your era are already dealing with them.
Jacqui cringes at the words and looks to Cassie.
CASSIE: Kung Lao, Liu Kang… you might wanna sit down.
The Shaolin monks frown at her statement and glance at one
another.
The scene cuts to the Wu Shi Academy. Liu Kang and Kung Lao have
walked through the massive gateway and are heading down a path to
the Academy itself.