Raiden/Current Timeline

"Despite my efforts, my vision has come to pass."

- Raiden about Sub-Zero's death.

Biography

 * Mortal Kombat (2011): "Raiden is the God of Thunder and Protector of Earthrealm. Ageless and wise beyond measure, he leads Earthrealm's mortals in the endless battle against the forces of darkness. When Shao Kahn, Emperor of Outworld, threatened to merge his realm with Earthrealm, an overwhelmed Raiden implored the Elder Gods to give Earthrealm a fighting chance. Thus the Mortal Kombat tournament was created. For millennia Shao Kahn has been kept at bay, but nine consecutive losses to Goro have eroded hope that Earthrealm can be saved. Determined to prevent Armageddon, Raiden tirelessly quests to find a champion worthy of Mortal Kombat."
 * Mortal Kombat X: "Raiden, God of Thunder, is the Protector of Earthrealm. He and the Elder Gods defeated Shinnok millennia ago when the latter sought dominion over the realms. More recently, Raiden thwarted Outworld's attempts to merge Earthrealm, first through the Mortal Kombat tournaments, then via invasion. Victory came at great cost, however, as many of Raiden's closest allies were killed in the battle. Raiden's strenght was further tested when an escaped Shinnok led a Netherrealm assault on an Earthrealm weakened by war. Ultimately, Raiden imprisoned Shinnok again--this time in Shinnok's own amulet. But rumors have reached Raiden that the Amulet, thought to be secured in an Earthrealm vault for decades, might have been stolen."

Mortal Kombat (2011)
Raiden of the past receives the first fragments of the message in a series of disjointed images, at the opening ceremony of the first Mortal Kombat tournament on Shang Tsung's island. He attempts to use these memory flashes to influence events and prevent Armageddon, although his interventions prove to have unexpected and nearly disastrous consequences. Examples of this include provoking Kung Lao to participate in the tournament much earlier than originally, resulting in his defeat at the hands of Scorpion (with his rivalry with Baraka never happening); saving the Lin Kuei ninja Smoke from capture and automation, only for the younger Sub-Zero to instead suffer the same fate (with the Lin Kuei pledging their loyalty to Shao Kahn in exchange for extraditing Sub-Zero); persuading Kitana to rebel against Shao Kahn, resulting in her being captured and nearly executed; encouraging Kung Lao to fight and defeat Shao Kahn's generals at the end of the second tournament in Outworld, only for Shao Kahn to kill Kung Lao in cold blood; and killing Motaro to save Johnny Cage, only for Shao Kahn to imbue Sindel with Shang Tsung's souls, giving her the power to attack and kill Kabal, Stryker, Cyber Sub-Zero, Jax, Smoke, Jade, and Kitana before Nightwolf finally sacrifices himself to destroy her.

When the Elder Gods refuse to stop Shao Kahn's invasion, Raiden travels to the Netherrealm to bargain with Quan Chi for help. He offers Quan Chi the souls of Earthrealm warriors who fall in battle as well as his own soul in the event that he himself is killed. Quan Chi gloatingly reveals that the souls of Earthrealm's fallen already belong to him as part of Shao Kahn's agreement for the Netherrealm's assistance. Raiden is forced to fight off undead versions of his former comrades in order to escape the Netherrealm.

Raiden's most fateful intervention in previously-established events came at the apex of Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, where he came to realize that 'he must win' in fact relates to Shao Kahn - he actually has to be allowed to merge the two realms, as only then can the Elder Gods intervene. This puts Raiden in direct confrontation with Liu Kang, who has become disillusioned with the mounting body count as a direct result of Raiden's actions. Raiden is forced to defeat Liu Kang in combat to prevent him from interfering, causing Liu Kang to get severly wounded when Raiden's electricity reacts with Liu Kang's fireball and incinerates him.

Shao Kahn is allowed to enter Earthrealm, and an emotionally shattered Raiden concedes ultimate defeat, as Kahn proceeds to dominate Raiden in almost exactly the same manner as the Armageddon aftermath. Only this time, the Elder Gods finally intervene and restore Raiden's strength. He and Shao Kahn engage in a final battle, with Raiden emerging victorious and Shao Kahn destroyed by the Elder Gods. Raiden, however, is deeply saddened by the cost in lives, and blames himself for their loss. Together with the surviving Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, Raiden leaves to tend to the fallen warriors and help rebuild Earthrealm. Unknown to him is that all these events were orchestrated by Quan Chi as part of Shinnok's plan to take Earthrealm and Outworld for himself.

Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)
After Shinnok's forces lost the Netherrealm War and the fallen Elder God was banished again, Raiden appeared before the Elder Gods, demanding that Shinnok's Amulet be destroyed to prevent his return yet again. The Elder Gods refused, explaining that the amulet, while imprisoning Shinnok, would release him once again if it were destroyed. Accepting this, Raiden asked that the amulet then be safeguarded, locked away within a dark dimension where no one could find it and release Shinnok.

The Elder Gods agreed, but proclaimed a lock was only as safe as its key, and summoned the Kamidogu daggers to encircle Raiden. The Elder Gods explained that the Kamidogu daggers had tasted the blood of the One Being, and while no single dagger could contain Shinnok alone, Raiden understood that united they could. The Elder Gods agreed, and Raiden allowed each Kamidogu to impale him, tasting his blood and locking Shinnok's Amulet away.

Raiden would then entrust each dagger to a powerful champion to protect them from those who would seek the daggers out, either for the power of Blood Magik or to release Shinnok from his prison.

Though unseen, Raiden sent Sub-Zero to retrieve one of the Kamidogu in possession of the Red Dragon in China, the dagger having been stolen before hand. At some point, Raiden entrusted one of the Kamidogu to Scorpion for safeguarding.

The god of thunder appears before Hanzo Hassashi in the Shirai Ryu temple. Raiden apologizes for his intrusion before noting that Scorpion has safeguarded the dagger well, which pleases him. When Hanzo demands to know why he is there, Raiden reveals that the Netherrealm invasion weakened Earthrealm's cosmic barrier, allowing a powerful demon to invade before Raiden could repair the damage.

Raiden warns Scorpion that the demon will target the few remaining Earthrealm warriors. When Scorpion cruelly reminds Raiden of his own hand in that, the god of thunder takes his leave to warn the others, but not before warning Scorpion, "Beware the one who walks in silence."

Raiden is seen again in his Sky Temple alongside fellow god, Fujin. Frustrated by his inability to locate the demon in Earthrealm, Raiden turns to another of the Kamidogu already in his possession, hoping to invoke Blood Magik as a means to locate the demon. Fujin warns him that the price is too high but Raiden reminds him that humans consider it an honor to give blood.

Taking the dagger, Raiden cuts his forearm to offer it blood and is besieged by visions of various Kombatants across the realms and realizes in horror that he is too late. "It has begun!" the thunder god cries in horror as his body is consumed by the Blood Magik. Raiden collapses to his knees as the Blood Magik dissipates, his temple damaged and Fujin wounded. Raiden heals Fujin while warning his friend that they are short on time. When Fujin sees Raiden's own wounded arm but Raiden reveals it will not heal for some time due to invoking blood magic. Raiden then tells Fujin that Earthrealm and Outworld will fall into chaos, and the that bloodshed could begin with Cassie Cage.

Raiden appears in the Special Forces base in a display of lightning, bolts of electricity striking the warring Outworld warriors and Special Forces soldiers as the thunder god declares, "Enough." Kotal Kahn warns Raiden that Outworld's pain will be Earthrealm's before creating a portal with his Portal Stone. Raiden reminds Kotal that he promised him he would not use that anymore but Kotal retorts that after the Netherrealm War he promised their worlds would cooperate before departing. Sonya Blade is annoyed by Raiden's intervention but the thunder god only asks her where her daughter is.

After a long absence, Raiden returns, seemingly possessed by the demonic force infesting the Kamidogu. The thunder god attacks Scorpion and Takeda in their camp outside the Sky Temple, Kamidogu dagger in one hand while grabbing Scorpion by the neck with the other and roaring that the ninja should not have come to his home.

Soon the extent of Raiden's possession. Now believing the demon has come to set them free through the Blood Code, Raiden brutally battles with Hanzo, dominating the Shirai Ryu easily with his lightning. Raiden grabs Hanzo by the neck again, but Hanzo's student, Takeda, manages to sneak up behind the thunder god and impale him with a sword. Unfazed, Raiden bids Takeda to suffer the consequences of his foolish actions and calls down lightning to electrify the youth.

Scorpion saves his student using his teleport and flees with Takeda. Raiden warns Hanzo that he cannot run from a god. As he rips the sword out from his abdomen, Raiden proclaims that chaos is coming to Earthrealm and that he will be its herald, when Scorpion returns, trying to take the Kamidogu dagger from Raiden's hand. Raiden mockingly questions how much hellfire Scorpion has left after all his teleporting, but the Shirai Ryu declares he has enough for a lifetime before landing a powerful punch across the thunder god's face.

Scorpion gains the upper hand over the possessed Raiden, stabbing him with his kunai and choking the thunder god with his chain, all the while raging at Raiden for giving him the Kamidogu dagger that resulted in second destruction of his clan and for seemingly killing Takeda with his lightning. Brought to his knees by the enraged Shirai Ryu, Raiden is saved from death when Scorpion sees that Takeda is still alive and rushes to his student's side. Raiden is then able to come to his senses, his blood purged of the demon's corruption.

Calling to Hanzo, Raiden apologizes to the distrustful ninja and tells him he can save Takeda if they act quickly by taking him to the Jinsei Chamber, where Earthrealm's lifeforce will heal both Raiden and Takeda. Raiden heals his injuries from his fight with Scorpion, and while it at first appears Takeda is not recovering, Raiden reveals to Hanzo that his apprentice's soul is fighting against the Netherrealm's reach for him, and compliments Hanzo for teaching Takeda well. Takeda quickly awakens, feeling invincible after bathing in the Jinsei's light, with Raiden saying it is an effect.

Raiden apologizes to Scorpion and Takeda before explaining the truth behind the Kamidogu's role in keeping Shinnok bound. The thunder god reveals that he could not keep each dagger in the same location, which is why he entrusted one to Scorpion for safe-guarding. Raiden then seals the dagger he entrusted Hanzo in a vault in his Sky Temple and apologizes to Hanzo for not telling him the dagger was more than a sacred relic and admits that he did not foresee a demon corrupting their power.

When Scorpion asks if Quan Chi is the culprit, Raiden disagrees but reveals Fujin is investigating the Netherrealm for his involvement. Hanzo asks who else has the daggers, and Raiden tells him each dagger is accounted for, save one. Raiden tells Hanzo of the mission he gave Sub-Zero to retrieve a stolen Kamidogu, but the cryomancer never returned. Knowing whoever is after the daggers seeks to unseal Shinnok's Amulet, Raiden asks Scorpion to save Sub-Zero from the demon corrupting him. At his student's urging, Hanzo agrees to the thunder god's request, vowing to bring Sub-Zero back dead or alive.

Mortal Kombat X
Raiden is confirmed to return in Mortal Kombat X. After the events of the story, Raiden attempts to restore the Jinsei after Shinnok's defeat and as a result becomes corrupt as he was in the original timeline, declaring to the revenant Liu Kang and Kitana that he will destroy all who threaten Earthrealm.

Ending

 * Mortal_Kombat_Raiden_Ending_VideoMortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical): "Shao Kahn was gone, but the scars of the merging of realms remained. Remnants of the invasion force roamed freely and had to be dealt with. But Earthrealm is vast and Raiden is but one being. He recruited four warriors, one for each direction of the wind, and divided his soul, placing one part in each of them. Through these new heroes Raiden can kombat the forces of darkness in four places at once."

Character Relationships

 * Is Liu Kang's friend and mentor.
 * Received the message from his future self and attempts to change the course of action.
 * Fought Sonya as a distraction and aided her in freeing Jax.
 * Healed Jax's wounds.
 * Tried to convince Scorpion to spare the elder Sub-Zero's life, but failed.
 * Successfully convinced Cyrax to spare Johnny Cage's life after Cyrax defeated him in a match.
 * Fought Shang Tsung during the Tarkatan Invasion of the Wu Shi Academy.
 * Battled and defeated Sheeva's guards along with Johnny Cage in order to rescue Sonya.
 * Signed in Earthrealm to fight in the second tournament.
 * Saved Smoke from the Lin Kuei, but failed to save Sub-Zero.
 * Recruited Smoke, Kitana and Jade.
 * Shocked Mileena unconscious during the Earthrealm invasion.
 * Killed Motaro, in order to prevent the death of Johnny Cage.
 * Recruited Stryker and Kabal to join the Earthrealm warriors.
 * Along with Liu Kang, he confronted the Elder Gods over Shao Kahn's invasion but received no help.
 * Travels to the Netherrealm to enlist Quan Chi's help.
 * Defeated Scorpion in the Netherrealm.
 * Defeated Jax, Stryker, Kabal, Kitana, Nightwolf, and Kung Lao, who were under Quan Chi's control.
 * He discovered that "he must win" referred to Shao Kahn.
 * Defeated Liu Kang who tried to interfere between him and Shao Kahn.
 * Severely wounded Liu Kang by accidentally burning him with electricity in self defense.
 * He, along with the Elder Gods, defeated Shao Kahn, and prevented the reality of a future Armageddon.
 * Along with Sonya and Johnny Cage, assisted in the reconstruction of Earthrealm.