User blog comment:Long hoang/MK10 story designer/@comment-2195697-20110819012023/@comment-422853-20110819022743

Oh, I see. Well when you put it that way, it makes the idea of him dying (even if it's for the upteenth time) much more noble...

And Who knows? Maybe Johnny will get that strange feeling after Shao Kahn's death in MK10 and begin that transformation we saw him go through in MK9's ending. Probably just wishful thinking though, in which case, they should go with what you suggested.