Shang Tsung/Current Timeline

"You participate in the most important Mortal Kombat in history. This tournament, the tenth after nine Outworld victories, will determine Earthrealm's fate. If you defeat all of your opponents, you will face one final challenge... me."

- Shang Tsung speaking at the beginning of the first Mortal Kombat tournament

Biography

 * Mortal Kombat (2011): "A treacherous sorcerer who consumes the souls of his victims, Shang Tsung has played host to the last nine Mortal Kombat tournaments in Earthrealm, stacking the odds in favor of his master. Originally from Earthrealm, Shang Tsung's magical abilities led him to discover the realm of Outworld. There he fell in league with its ruler, Shao Kahn, and pledged his life to him in return for enhanced power. He is now bound to the emperor by powerful dark magic. For centuries he has submissively done Shao Kahn's bidding. Should he fail in his mission to secure Earthrealm, he will suffer the emperor's wrath."

Storyline
Shang Tsung hosts the first Mortal Kombat tournament in his elderly form. He decided who face who for each match, as well as preventing Sonya and Jax from leaving by having their rescue helicopter shot down. When the final Earthrealm competitor, Liu Kang, remains, Shang Tsung attempts to stack the deck against him. Each attempt, however, fails, as Liu Kang defeats all of his challengers, including Goro. Shang Tsung is the final opponent for Liu Kang, and is ultimately defeated, sparing Earthrealm from being merged into Outworld.

When Shang Tsung returns to Shao Kahn, he is nearly executed for his failure. However, Shang Tsung proposes a new idea for a single tournament to be held in Outworld. Shao Kahn agrees to the concept, and rejuvenates Shang Tsung. As Shang Tsung goes to the Wu Shi Academy to tell Raiden of the latest tournament, Tarkatans attack the academy. Raiden engages Shang Tsung in kombat, with the latter managing to escape back to Outworld. During the attack, Sonya is captured by Shang Tsung, forcing Raiden to accept the latest rules and start the second tournament.

At one point during the tournament, Shang Tsung is seen in the Living Forest striking a deal to buy Black Dragon weaponry from Kano. They are interrupted by Smoke. After Kano fails to defeat Smoke, Shang Tsung morphs into the elder Sub-Zero and partners with Reptile in an attempt to defeat Smoke, but they ultimately fail. Sektor then appears and attacks Smoke, allowing Shang Tsung to escape.

After Kitana defeats Mileena in Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits, Shang Tsung appears and is also defeated by Kitana. When Kitana brings Shang Tsung to Shao Kahn for punishment for his experiments, she is shocked when Shao Kahn thanks him instead. As a result, Kitana is imprisoned while Shang Tsung is released. Later on, Shao Kahn has Shang Tsung team with Quan Chi to face Kung Lao. Kung Lao proves victorious over both sorcerers.

After Shao Kahn's defeat by Liu Kang, Shang Tsung is among the Outworlders deciding who should replace Shao Kahn as emperor. When Mileena is suggested, Shang Tsung states that Mileena only exists as a result of his sorcery - implying that he should be the new emperor. Shao Kahn emerges, however, and thus Shang Tsung's apparent quest to become emperor is quickly ended. Shao Kahn is unsurprisingly furious with Shang Tsung, as now Outworld can no longer absorb Earthrealm. Quan Chi, however, suggests that Outworld simply invade Earthrealm, convincing the Emperor that the Elder Gods are too weak to stop him.

During the invasion, Kabal, a former friend of Kano, is badly burned by Kintaro. Kano brings Kabal back to Outworld, where Shang Tsung uses his magic to heal some of Kabal's injuries. When Motaro is killed by Raiden during the Earthrealm invasion, the recently revived Sindel states that she will finish what Motaro has started. To ensure her success, Shao Kahn drains the souls from Shang Tsung's body and transfers them into Sindel, killing Shang Tsung in the process. However, when Raiden asks Quan Chi for assistance in the Netherrealm, Shang Tsung is not among the resurrected souls. It is possible that Quan Chi did not resurrect him purposely, since Shao Kahn allegedly only granted Quan Chi the souls of the fallen Earthrealm warriors for his service but not those of his own willing servants (hence explaining why Sindel was amongst those Quan Chi resurrected but Shang Tsung and Motaro were not).

Ending

 * thumb|200px|rightMortal Kombat (2011): "Shang Tsung voraciously consumed Shao Kahn’s soul, absorbing his immense power. Overwhelmed by his newfound sorcery, he fled to Outworld. Moments before suicide, Shang Tsung was visited by Bo’ Rai Cho. The mentor of warriors offered to teach him to control the dark magic, but for a special purpose: Liu Kang had become a god. The power had corrupted him, transforming him into a tyrant. He needed to be stopped. After rigorous training, Shang Tsung mastered the one technique that could finish Liu Kang. Vengeance would finally be his."

Character Relationships

 * Invited all the Kombatants to challenge each other in Mortal Kombat.
 * Fought with Liu Kang in the final stage of the tournament but was defeated.
 * Was to be killed by Shao Kahn for failing to prevent Earthrealm from winning the first Mortal Kombat tournament, but spared him due to Shang Tsung's offer.
 * Rejuvenated by Shao Kahn and retained his youth.
 * Attacked the Wu Shi Academy to make sure Raiden's forces attended the next Mortal Kombat tournament.
 * Briefly fought with Raiden.
 * Captured Sonya and Liu Kang's Shaolin masters.
 * While making a deal with the Black Dragon, he, Kano, and Reptile were attacked and defeated by Smoke.
 * Attacked and defeated by Kitana after she learned he was creating Mileena.
 * Congratulated by Shao Kahn after being brought on trial before him by Kitana.
 * Teamed with Quan Chi but both were ultimately defeated by Kung Lao.
 * Attempted to seize power for himself after Shao Kahn's apparent death, but stopped when Kahn appeared alive.
 * Healed some of Kabal's injuries.
 * Sacrificed by Shao Kahn, who transferred the souls from within Shang Tsung into Sindel.