Kahn

Kahn is the title given to the ruler of Outworld's empire, functioning the same as an emperor. While the Dragon King Onaga wasn't called much by this title, every inheritor of the throne afterward starting with Shao Kahn was. The Kahn of Outworld reigns over the entirety of the realm, all who inhabit it, and every realm that is assimilated into it.

List of Kahns

In order of chronological inheritance and claim:

• Onaga, the earliest known ruler of Outworld. He was known for his fearsome army who was said to be unbeatable due to its leader healing capabilities. He was poisoned by his advisor, Shao Kahn. After his death, he was mummified and buried in an ancient tomb.

• Shao Kahn, the most well-known and infamous emperor of Outworld, who ruled with a firm, iron, and brutal fist over its inhabitants, demanding absolute submission and suffering no tolerance from defiance from his subjects or failure from his subordinates. He stole Outworld's throne after poisoning Onaga, killing the Dragon King, and reigned for over ten thousand millennia. Under Shao Kahn's rule, Outworld expanded its realm and empire vastly through conquest of realm after realm by winning numerous Mortal Kombat tournaments. It was not until Shao Kahn turned his sights to Earthrealm did his expansion efforts finally end with his death.

• Mileena Kahnum, following Shao Kahn's death at the hands of Raiden and the Elder Gods, Mileena inherited the throne by Shao Kahn's decree, though her rule was even more brutal and twisted than her father's, partly due to her unbalanced mind and relatively young life compared to the long-lived inhabitants of the realm, leading the Osh-Tekk Koa'tal to usurp her with aid from rebellious followers, Reptile and D'Vorah (later including Ermac). Mileena attempted to wrest the throne back from Kotal Kahn with aid from the Tarkata hordes and the traitor Edenians, Rain and Tanya, but was eventually killed by D'Vorah.

• Kotal Kahn, the Osh-Tekk general Koa'tal would usurp control of Outworld's throne from Mileena, Kotal Kahn brought much needed stability to Outworld's citizens by ceasing the expansion efforts and brutal regime preceded by Shao Kahn and Mileena before him. Kotal's rule was however, extremely turbulent, due to near-constant battle to hold it from the likes of Mileena, Rain, Reiko, and King Gorbak of the Shokan. Though Kotal was popular and fair to Outworlders, his rule created tension with Tarkata, Edenians, and the Shokan in particular due to his killing of their king, Gorbak, and maiming of their prince, Goro. Kotal Kahn would cede the throne and title of Kahn to Kitana after his crippling at the hands of a time displaced Shao Kahn.

• Kitana Kahn, the last known inheritor of the title of Kahn for Outworld, Kitana was given the throne from Kotal Kahn after successfully killing her adopted father in combat and saving Koa’tal. Though Kitana's reign was short, she united the Tarkatans and Queen Sheeva's Shokans under her banner, something Kotal Kahn was reluctant to do. However due to Kronika resetting time, it is unknown who would be the next Kahn especially since in one of the endings Kitana and Liu Kang are shown to be reshaping the timeline.