The final scene – partway through the credits – opens in the Netherrealm. Raiden stands in the throne room of a gigantic fortress, but it’s not the Raiden we’ve seen earlier. He wears darker attire, his skin tone is darker, his eyes glow yellow instead of blue and most tellingly of all, Shinnok’s Amulet is now worn on his chest. Who he is speaking to is not shown.
RAIDEN: Too long have I allowed Earthrealm to endure the horrors of war. Time and again we’ve defeated our enemies. But we’ve exacted no retribution. Demanded no remuneration. What have we gained for our mercy? More intrigue. More senseless violence. As the new rulers of the Netherrealm, heed me. No longer will I simply defend Earthrealm. I will seek out and destroy all who threaten it. No mercy will be shown. No quarter given.
He opens up a satchel that he has been carrying and throws out the contents. It is the severed head of Shinnok – still alive and in terrible pain.
RAIDEN: Shinnok was an Elder God. Impossible to kill. There are fates worse than death.
He teleports out of the fortress. The camera pans around the decapitated head of Shinnok to the people Raiden was speaking to – Liu Kang and Kitana, the Emperor and Empress of the Netherrealm. They both regard the head in silence.
Cut to black.