Board Thread:Mortal Kombat X/@comment-10957038-20150417233526/@comment-6754514-20150422201851

VagrantKnight wrote: Don't get me wrong about what I'm about to write. I really like (almost) everything about a new generation of characters taking the place of old characters, but if I learnt something about the way Netherrealm Studio (Midway back then) treats the story progression of Mortal Kombat is that they are really incapable of leaving characters and old concepts behind. Absolutely incapable, and that pisses me off.

Noob Saibot turned to be a returned elder Sub-Zero. Smoke came back as a Cyborg. Scorpion kept coming back for revenge even when it was known he was fooled by Quan Chi. Even Liu Kang came back (sigh) as a zombie under the dark Raiden's will.

Back on 2011 they released Mortal Kombat and said "We're starting over again! From the start! Let's change Mortal Kombat story and make it fresh and new" And they tried. Just tried. Because today Sub-Zero is back again as a human ninja (not that cyber Sub-Zero was really a clever move, but still), Raiden is angry and in a "dark" mood again, some endings flirt with the idea of Shang Tsung coming back to life just by his own hand, Mileena beign just one clone of many (so they can use here again in Mortal Kombat +, or whatever is next MK game), and many other things that point out that they're still toying with old ideas and old characters, instead of saying "This is Mortal Kombat, if someone dies, remains dead." and making room for new characters.

I really miss (at least) 4 new characters more, and really feel like there are 4 (again, at least) returning characters that shouldn't be in the roster. And, in my opinion, I can name Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Kitana and Jax. The first three because their role in story mode is limited to mere revenant bullies, without trace of their true personalities, and a mere excuse to place them in the roster; while Jax pressence only serves to keep Jacqui under his shadow.

Without Jax, Jacqui would really have sense, and without the four of them, it would really feel like a new generation of kombatants has come, because half the original roster would be new fresh blood.

But people want Mileena, Baraka, Kang, Lao, Jax, Daddy Cage, Mommy Cage, Scorpion, Jade... everyone. Public demands it, and don't mind the next generation, don't you dare to make a Mortal Kombat without the players' favourites or the marketing guys will really sell your soul to the Netherrealm and burn it forever.

Really sad. But I don't think there will ever be a "next generation". Like I said, the old people are in this game because the new ones are training to replace them. The revenants that weren't changed back are (un)dead for good, and now they presumably have free will, but since there's no way they could live normal lives as ghosties they'll likely stay in the Netherrealm, like Liu Kang and Kitana are doing. And of course Scorpion and Sub-Zero are still around because they're the mascots of the series; it'd be like a Street Fighter game that doesn't include Ryu, Ken, or M. Bison in any way.

I also just found out that Shang Tsung's ending in the last game says that he steals Shao Kahn's soul and Bo' Rai Cho teaches him to use his new power to defeat Liu Kang, who's become a god. As far as I know Shang Tsung's presence in this game is that he's one of the souls inside Ermac, which means somehow he moved from Sindel to Ermac. Quan Chi was in control of Sindel's revenant form, so maybe he was still secretly planning the Deadly Alliance; of course, now half of the alliance is gone (although so are the two people they worked together to kill).

My point is, "next generation" doesn't mean "every single character dies and gets replaced by new people," it means "the previous characters need to retire, eventually." In fact, in Kano's ending he has a son that he's training to replace him, so even some of the villains (including Shinnok) may be replaced.

Of course, no one can know what will REALLY happen for another few years, and in fact the next game may take place just a few years after X, starring most of the same characters but introducing even more new ones. Oh, and one more thing, Jade doesn't count as "returned." Someone is possessing her.

(I feel like that was an unnecessarily large wall of text but I love talking about stories as awesome as Mortal Kombat's, so whateverrr)