The scene fades into the desert skyline of the capital city of Z’unkahran in Outworld. It pans down to the city buildings, and finally the streets, where a battalion of Kotal Kahn’s warriors march through, along with the Outworld equivalent of oxen dragging a large carriage. Leading the march are the wandering mercenary Erron Black and the living amalgamation of souls known only as Ermac. The scene cuts to the inside of the carriage, and our first sight of Outworlds latest emperor; the Osh-Tekk warrior Kotal Kahn.
KOTAL: Twenty million.
The camera cuts to who he is speaking with; the Earthrealm mercenary Kano, leader of the Black Dragon. Sitting beside him is D’Vorah, Kotal’s lieutenant from Kytinn.
KANO: Emperor, what’s the expression? “S’ not worth the dirt on my shoe”?
D’VORAH: Kotal Kahn has always bargained with you fairly, Kano.
KANO: Sure, sure. I’m just sayin’; upgraded weapons, my intel – and poof! The long Outworld civil war – done. Might be nice to kick back a bit, eh?
KOTAL: You know Mileena’s location.
KANO: And ‘er whole rebel army. S’gotta be worth at least fifty.
KOTAL: I must attack her. Immediately. End this conflict. As you say…
Kano looks over to the rooftops through the carriage windows. He spots the former empress Mileena running over them, accompanied by the Edenian demi-god Rain.
KOTAL: …it drains us.
Kano refocuses his attention on Kotal.
KANO: Right. Do we have a deal?
The driver of Kotal’s cart suddenly calls a halt, bringing the carriage to a stop. D’Vorah immediately checks the window.
KOTAL: What is it, D’Vorah?
D’VORAH: The emperor should not be concerned. Accident ahead. This One will clear it.
As she exits the carriage, the scene cuts to the reason behind the halt.
Two massive carts of stacked crates block the roadway. Kotal’s soldiers move to heave them aside as D’Vorah walks up to them.
D’VORAH: Make way for Kotal Kahn! Move!
On the rooftops, Mileena and Rain spy on the proceedings, accompanied by the treacherous Edenian Tanya and several Tarkatans.
TANYA: The Tarkatans are in position. We await your order.
MILEENA: It is given, dearest Tanya.
Tanya sneaks off with several Tarkatans in tow.
RAIN: Stopping a carriage is nothing. Killing an emperor–
MILEENA: FALSE emperor!
RAIN: –requires power. Power you have, Mileena. And won’t use.
Mileena begrudgingly pulls out what Rain is referring to – Shinnok’s Amulet.
MILEENA: It pains me to use it, Rain. I need more time. The usurper’s excursion came too soon.
RAIN: The rain falls when it may.
MILEENA: No matter – if Kano does what I paid him to do.
Back at the cart pile up, Ermac is telekinectically moving the crates, while Kotal’s soldiers still struggle with the carts themselves.
D’VORAH: Now! Do it!
More soldiers walk over to help. Inside the carriage, Kotal Kahn waits impatiently and silently with Kano, who seems to be staring him down to pass the time. A shout outside the carriage attracts Kotal’s attention, and he turns to see an entire army of Tarkatan warriors madly rushing down a back alley directly at his forces. Outworld civilians scatter at the rush, but Kotal’s forces rush in to intercept them. At the same time, more Tarkatans rush in from an alley on the opposite side of the carriage, forcing the soldiers to divide up to fight them off.
Seeing the army approach, D’Vorah, Ermac and Erron Black charge into the foray. Ermac ducks a blade swipe from a Tarkatan, telekinetically lifts him into the air and viciously bends him backwards, snapping his spine, before blasting his corpse into another Tarkatan.
Erron Black shoots a charging Tarkatan in the face with his revolver, killing him instantly. He turns and blocks a swipe from another, before putting his gun directly into the mutant’s mouth and pulling the trigger. As that one falls dead, Erron is tackled by a third, knocking his hat off in the process.
Two of Kotal’s soldiers gang up to stab a Tarkatan to death, while another mutant slashes a soldier across the chest with his arm blades, killing him. That Tarkatan spots D’Vorah and charges her along with two more of his comrades. As they approach, D’Vorah extends two of her hidden appendages, brutally stabbing the mutants to death before they can get in range of her. She pauses to take a breath, and as she does she spots even more Tarkatans charging into the melee.
Inside the carriage, Kotal Kahn watches all of this with barely contained fury. He curses in untranslated Osh-Tekk.
[QUICK TIME CUTSCENE BEGINS]
Kano cunningly strokes his beard.
KANO: You said a mouthful…
He reaches behind him and pulls out one of his knives. He stabs downwards at Kotal, who blocks it with a forearm and punches Kano across the face. Kano tries another downward stab with both arms this time. Kotal catches his wrists and pushes them away.
Kotal pushes Kano down, grabs his cybernetic heart and lays in several measured punches, before delivering a headbutt that fractures Kano’s skull (according to the X-Ray vision that pops up).
Kano rallies and grabs Kotal by the shoulders. They struggle for a moment and Kano throws Kotal down. He tries to fry the Outworld emperor with his laser eye, but Kotal blocks the beam with a forearm and grabs Kano with his other hand, plunging his thumb directly into the mercenaries eye. Kano screams in pain, but miraculously isn’t blinded by the ordeal.
Kotal kicks him away, grabs him and throws him into the carriage side.
Kano destroys one of the carriage window frames with his face. He tries to fight back with a double axe-handle smash, but Kotal blocks it, punches him in the stomach twice, then grabs him and throws him to the other side of the carriage. This time, both Kano and Kotal crash through the carriage door to the outside.
[QUICK TIME CUTSCENE ENDS]
While on the ground, Kotal punches Kano repeatedly, but Kano catches his hand and throws Kotal aside. They both roll to their feet in fighting stances.
KOTAL: You wound me, Kano. Your offer of aid was but wind and air?!
KANO: Keep yer fifty million. Mileena’s giving me twice that to take you out!
They fight. While Kano’s fighting strength and cybernetic enhancements have only grown in the years he’s lived, Kotal Kahn’s life experiences far outshine his. The Outworld emperor lives up to his title by beating Kano into the ground.
KOTAL: You’re not worth the dirt on my shoe.
As Kano tries to struggle back to his feet, Kotal pulls out his ceremonial dagger. Pinning Kano to the ground with his boot, the Kahn plunges the spiked weapon square into Kano’s back. He withdraws it and prepares to slit Kano’s throat. Despite Kano trying to block the dagger, Kotal gradually overpowers him, but he is suddenly struck by a fireball that knocks him to the ground. The one who threw it – Tanya – leaps gracefully from the carriage she perched on and lands on the ground. The two circle each other in fighting stances.
KOTAL: You are the Edenian, Tanya.
TANYA: I’m pleased you remember me, Ko’atal.
She curtseys mockingly and throws a burst of fire. Kotal catches it in his palm and his arm begins to charge with energy.
KOTAL: I will never forget those who freed Mileena.
He throws the burst back at Tanya, forcing her to cancel her spell. She pulls out a pair of kama (miniature scythes).
TANYA: She vowed to create a free Edenia – something you refuse to do.
Kotal swings the dagger at her. She blocks it with both her kama.
KOTAL: A united Outworld stands strong against it’s enemies.
TANYA: It will never be united under your rule.
They break off their clinch.
KOTAL: Your rebellion is all that prevents it.
They fight. Tanya’s speed and magical prowess prove to be little match for the strength and power of the Osh-Tekk warrior. After a swift and fierce battle, Kotal leaves Tanya on the floor unconscious and beaten.
KOTAL: You are a fool to trust Mileena.
A Tarkatan warrior charges straight at Kotal following the battle. Kotal blocks a blade swipe, elbows the mutant in the stomach, sweeps his leg and knees him in the face, knocking him out. He grabs the arm of another Tarkatan charging him, punches him in the side and face, then sweeps his legs with his arm, taking him down. As the Kahn searches the battle, he spots Mileena on the rooftops.
KOTAL: She tasks me… for the last time.
His body glows with fire and he teleports to the roof where Mileena is. He approaches her, Rain and the three Tarkatans with them with his shoulder ornaments (a pair of hooks) drawn for kombat.
KOTAL: Mileena.
MILEENA: Kano was to kill you, miserable snake!
She barks out an untranslated order in the Tarkatan language. One of them charges and gets an arm sliced off for his efforts, followed by a slash through the heart. The second Tarkatan leaps into the fray with a kick, but Kotal grabs his foot and and slices his leg off at the knee. As he drops, the final Tarkatan rushes toward him, only to take several slashes from the hooks, dying when one is embedded into his torso, and the other into the side of his head. Kotal snaps his neck with the last strike and leaves the hooks in his corpse, kicking it away.
Mileena charges at him, screaming. She throws a spinkick that Kotal blocks, follows with several more kicks that are blocked or dodged, before landing a punch across his face. The Kahn replies with two face-punches of his own and then lifts his hand to the sky, absorbing a ray of sunlight. With an untranslated chant, he blasts Mileena with this ray, sending her crashing through the rooftop wall and down to the street below. Kotal looks over to Rain.
KOTAL: Another Edenian. The supposed half-god.
Rain replies by trapping Kotal in a water bubble, suspending him in the air.
RAIN: I am a son of Argus. I was not merely declared a god by befuddled commoners, Buluc.
Kotal glows with sunlight once more and bursts the water bubble he is in.
KOTAL: Surely Mileena suspects your true intentions, son of Argus.
He charges at Rain, who disappears in a flash of water. The Kahn stops short of the rooftop edge, but is unaware that Rain teleported behind him. Rain leaps in the air and dropkicks Kotal in the back, sending him off the rooftop to the street below. He lands hard on his front. As he struggles to his feet, Rain teleports to the street to meet him in kombat.
RAIN: My “intentions” are to teach you the difference between pretension and godhood.
They fight. In spite of being a half-god, Rain’s arrogance gets the better of him in the fight with the determined Kotal Kahn, who’s sun-based strength manages to see him through the melee. Eventually Rain is left beaten on the ground by Kotal’s hand.
KOTAL: That should silence you.
As Rain struggles to his knees, Erron Black runs up to the Outworld emperor. Kotal gives a silent nod to Erron, which is returned. Black walks up to Rain.
ERRON: You won’t touch him again.
He kicks Rain square in the face, knocking him onto his back. As Rain tries to recover, Erron puts his boot on Rain’s throat and levels his revolver square at Rain’s nose. Before he can pull the trigger, a sai flies out of nowhere and impales Black’s hand, forcing him to drop the revolver.
MILEENA: But I will.
Mileena turns to face off against Kotal. Rain teleports away while Erron backs off as well.
MILEENA: As the heir to my father Shao Kahn, I, Mileena, Kahnum of Outworld, order your execution!
They fight. As vicious and desperate of a fighter as Mileena is, not even her magic and skill is a match for the Osh-Tekk warrior known as Kotal Kahn. After a brutal fight, Mileena is knocked to the ground by the Kahn.
KOTAL: There will be an execution this day.
The Tarkatan forces have now been routed, and several of Kotal’s warriors surround Mileena, who manages to get to her feet. She tries to flee but cannot see a way out.
KOTAL: You will atone for your dissent, Mileena. Your blood will make right.
He begins to absorb more sunlight into his palm.
KOTAL: Up the stair path… to the fire’s edge!
As he shoots off a ray of sunlight, Mileena pulls out Shinnok’s Amulet and fires it off. The two rays of magic collide in midair and struggle against one another until Kotal is forced to break his attack. The trapping magic is shot off in all directions, engulfing three of his soldiers who are instantly teleported into the amulet. The effect visibly scars Mileena’s arm, and she cries out in pain as the magic halts, falling to the ground unconscious.
Rain suddenly teleports into the fray, grabs Mileena and disappears again with her in tow. Kotal remains on one knee, visibly struggling to get to his feet. D’Vorah helps him up, but he puts a hand to his head, still dizzy.
D’VORAH: What did my emperor see?
KOTAL: A mere cub… grown to be a jaguar.
He says nothing more, but looks to where Mileena was for a moment, before walking off.
The scene cuts to a shot of the Lin Kuei temple, viewed through a high tech computer monitor. Various statistics outline the screen.
CASSIE: Once we hit the drop-point, we split up.
The scene moves back into the S-F control room, with everyone seen earlier (Johnny, Cassie, Jacqui, Takeda and Kung Jin) still present.
CASSIE: Jacqui and I will come in from the south. You two from the west.
JACQUI: Rendezvous here. The north entrance.
JIN: Then what? A simple pick up and go?
CASSIE: We bag ‘im if he resists.
TAKEDA: Resistance might be more possible than you think.
CASSIE: Don’t sweat it. It comes to that, Sub-Zero won’t know what hit him.