Shao Kahn, a known Immortal
Immortals are beings in the Mortal Kombat universe. While not on the same level as Demi-Gods, Gods, Elder Gods or Titans, Immortals share similar traits to such beings such as their longevity and unkillable nature.
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About Immortals
Immortals are beings below the level of Gods and Titans but share traits with them such as their longevity and unkillable nature. These beings are known to live for thousands, if not millions of years and are unfazed by the ravages of time. Additionally, their undying nature allows them to live through the harshest of battles and remain alive through whatever injury they may encounter. However, despite this, Immortals can actually die, however extreme measures are required to kill them.
Elder Gods are the most notable Immortals, as beings of Elder God ranking can not die by normal means. This is noted by the defeat of the Fallen Elder God Shinnok, who was decapitated by the Thunder God Raiden, yet his disembodied head was still alive.
Titans, being known to have created Elder Gods, also share this trait.
The former Emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn, is the latest of Immortals to appear in the current timeline. Little is known of his origins but he is a well known tyrant of the Outworld throne to have lived for thousands of years. In the original timeline, he was to believed to be an opposite counterpart to Raiden's role as the Protector of Earthrealm, in Shao Kahn's case being the Protector of Outworld during the rule of his master and Outworld's ruler at the time, Onaga. After winning Armageddon and obtaining Blaze's powers and killing Raiden, he is the only remaining survivor of the original timeline. In the current timeline, due to Raiden altering the timeline as seen in MK 2011, Shao Kahn now exhibits his now Immortal traits, most notably his frequent undying nature and formidable nature. Additionally, despite being sliced in the stomach and face by the past version of Kitana, and being presumed dead by those in the Koliseum, it is revealed that Shao Kahn was not killed by the new Kahnum. It should also be noted that the present version of Shao Kahn was severely wounded, but not killed, by Liu Kang despite being impaled through the stomach by his fist and that it took the power of the Elder Gods to finally kill Shao Kahn in the current timeline. Additionally, his younger self was killed by Shang Tsung, however this was from Shang Tsung increasing his power exponentially due to wielding Kronika's Crown and partially absorbing Raiden and Fujin's souls.
Noob Saibot heavily implies that he, and possibly his fellow Revenants, are Immortal due to them already being dead. This could also be supported by the fact that Noob Saibot survived his entire body being destroyed by a Soulnado. He can also pull an entire sickle from his chest completely unscathed and keep it in his shoulder, however this may just be a result of his undead nature rather than Immortality. This statement was later proven false due to the deaths of the Revenant versions of Nightwolf, Jade, Kitana and Kung Lao at the hands of Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn and a revived Sindel, however it is unknown whether or not Noob can die like them.
The artificial construct Geras also proves his Immortality by his manipulation of time, being able to revert time to before his demise. Additionally, he states he grows stronger with each resurrection from his previous death.
Kharon states his Immortality when being tortured and incapacitated by D'Vorah, being an Immortal resident of the Netherrealm.
A trait shown in Mortal Kombat 11 reveals that some Immortals are immune to Kronika's manipulation of time. This is shown with the younger version of Raiden who is still an Immortal God while his counterpart of the current timeline, Dark Raiden, was merely a Demi-God, causing Dark Raiden to be erased from the timeline completely. Once the younger Raiden merged himself with Revenant Liu Kang, his Immortality was transferred to Liu Kang, granting Liu Kang immunity to when Kronika rewound time before his assault on the Hourglass and when she had restarted the timeline completely. Due to Cetrion's status as an Elder God, she also has this immunity and due to Geras' ability to manipulate time on a smaller scale like his creator Kronika, he too is unaffected.
Non-canon guest characters Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees also show signs of Immortality. Freddy's appearance in the dreams of his victims renders him impervious to any form of damage to his actual being, as his power allows him to manipulate the events of the dream to his own. Jason Voorhees shows signs of Immortality by his inability to die, "dying" countless times and returning to kill again and again. Fellow guest character Spawn also has a form of Immortality with his abilities as a Hellspawn, but a complete drainage of his Necroplasm powers can remove his Immortality and ultimately kill him.
List of Known Immortals
- Raiden - (Formerly God of Thunder, currently Mortal)
- Shao Kahn - (Currently, formerly believed to be God in 1st Timeline)
- Shinnok - (Fallen Elder God of Death, Corruption and Darkness)
- Cetrion - (Fallen Elder Goddess of Life, Virtue and Light)
- Geras - (Artificial Construct)
- Kronika - (Titaness, formerly the Keeper of Time)
- Kharon
- Fujin - (God of Wind)
Possible/Unknown
- Noob Saibot - (Formerly Human/Cryomancer in both Timelines, currently Wraith)
Determinant
- Liu Kang - (Formerly Human/Revenant in the 2nd Timeline, currently Fire/Thunder God)
- Shang Tsung
Non-Canon
- Freddy Krueger - (Guest Character, Dream Demon)
- Jason Voorhees - (Guest Character, Revenant)
- Spawn - (Guest Character, Hellspawn)
- Kenshi - (Elder God of the Blade - depicted in Mortal Kombat Mobile)
- Omegis
Death of an Immortal
Due to their durability, Immortals are known to be impossible to kill, however extreme measures are needed in order to actually kill them. These methods have varied but have proven possible on successfully defeating and killing an Immortal.
Known Defeated/Killed Immortals
- Shinnok - Killed in the Battle of Armageddon in the original Timeline
- Fujin - Killed in the Battle of Armageddon in the original Timeline
- Raiden - Killed by Shao Kahn who was empowered with Blaze's power in the 1st Timeline during Armageddon
- Shao Kahn -
- Present version was killed by the combined efforts of the Elder Gods empowering Raiden in the 2nd Timeline
- Past version was killed by Shang Tsung after completely draining his soul along side Sindel's
- Cetrion - Sacrificed herself and transferred essence to empower her mother, Kronika, in the new Timeline
- Kronika -
Determinant
- Liu Kang - Killed by Shang Tsung after he acquired Kronika's Crown and absorbed her powers
- Shang Tsung - After ascending to Keeper of Time, he is defeated by Fire God Liu Kang and erased from the timeline as a result
Non-Canon
- Freddy Krueger - Immortal in the dreams of his victims, but becomes mortal when brought to the real world
- Jason Voorhees - When his entire body is destroyed, however, despite this, this does not actually mean Jason is dead
- Liu Kang - After ascending to Fire/Thunder God, if he loses two rounds to Kronika, she decapitates him and finalizes the New Era
- Spawn - Decapitating Spawn or removing K7-Leetha from his being, which will also kill the parasite
Trivia
- Raiden, Shao Kahn, Cetrion, and Kronika are the only Immortals in the series that have died in one way or another.
- Raiden, Shao Kahn and Kronika are the only ones that were killed by a fighter being assisted by an outside source, with Raiden it was with Shao Kahn being empowered by Blaze, with Shao Kahn it was from Raiden being empowered by the Elder Gods and with Kronika it was Raiden merging with Liu Kang.
- Cetrion is the only Immortal, and so far the only Elder Gods, to actually die by killing themselves.
- Raiden, Shao Kahn and Kronika are the only ones that were killed by a fighter being assisted by an outside source, with Raiden it was with Shao Kahn being empowered by Blaze, with Shao Kahn it was from Raiden being empowered by the Elder Gods and with Kronika it was Raiden merging with Liu Kang.
- Despite other characters and Shinnok himself stating that Elder Gods cannot die, they never directly state the Elder Gods as Immortals despite them being unkillable.
- Raiden's past self states he is Immortal in MK11, however he is not of Elder God status during that time.
- Kronika also supports this by stating Raiden's past self is still an Immortal as the reason why his present self was able to be erased from the timeline, Dark Raiden being merely a Demi-God.
- Raiden's past self states he is Immortal in MK11, however he is not of Elder God status during that time.
- Kharon is the first character to actually say they are Immortal and not from a Godly origin, as he says this to D'Vorah that he can not die in her attempts to incapacitate him and torture him.
- Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and Spawn are the only non-canon Immortals featured in the series as playable characters.
- Due to his status as the new Keeper of Time, Liu Kang gains Immortality with his manipulation of the timelines just like Kronika had.
- Geras is the only Immortal whose immortality comes from reverting time.
- Jason Voorhees and Kharon are the only pure Immortals in the series.
- Both are unkillable beings not stemming from the Heavens or any God-like species or status, however Jason is non-canon.
