—Kenshi to Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat X Story Mode. |
Biographies
- Mortal Kombat (2011): "For years the swordsman Kenshi traveled the world in search of worthy opponents. When a mysterious elderly man named Song offered to show him the location of Sento, an ancient sword worthy of his abilities, Kenshi succumbed to pride. He followed Song to a tomb wherein lay the Well of Souls. When Kenshi retrieved the sword, spirits of ancient warriors spewed forth, blinding him. Song then revealed himself to be Shang Tsung. He consumed the souls, leaving Kenshi in the dark labyrinth to die. But Sento called to Kenshi. It led him out of the tomb and revealed his lost heritage as a descendant of the warriors who had been buried there. Kenshi vowed to slay Shang Tsung and free the souls of his ancestors."
- Mortal Kombat X: "The swordsman Takahashi Kenshi spent his early adulthood searching the world for worthy opponents. When the sorcerer Shang Tsung duped him into retrieving the enchanted sword Sento from the Well of Souls, the result left Kenshi sightless. Humbled but with a new sense of purpose, Kenshi vowed to rid the realms of despicable creatures like Shang. He served Earthrealm admirably in its conflict with Netherrealm. In his post-war travels he met and fell in love with a young Thai-American woman. Eventually, Kenshi's wanderlust returned and he departed. Years later he learned the woman had been murdered--leaving their eight-year-old son in Kenshi's care. The boy's mother's murder led Kenshi to entrust his son to Hanzo Hasashi, the former Scorpion, to raise as a warrior. Kenshi promised Hanzo he would return one day to reclaim Takeda. Together father and son would hunt down the boy's mother's murder. Meanwhile, Kenshi continues his itinerant ways, occasionally helping out his friend General Blade as a consultant to the Special Forces."
Storyline
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kenshi was mentioned as a representative of Earthrealm in Shao Kahn's tournament in Outworld. His only known fight was against Reiko. The winner of this battle remains unknown, though neither fighter was killed.
Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)
In between the events of the game and comic, Kenshi helped Scorpion overcome his darkness and joined the Special Forces before being assigned the task of infiltrating the Red Dragon. Kenshi was hoping to track down Daegon but his cover was blown and was forced on the run.
He was later told by Sonya Blade of the existence of his son, Takeda Takahashi, and that the Red Dragon were threatening his life, as well as the life of his mother, Suchin. Knowing the boy was indeed his, Kenshi made for Lampang, Thailand where the boy and his mother were but arrived too late. Suchin was dead, as well as the Red Dragon mercenaries sent to kill her, but Kenshi was able to find his son with the help of Suchin's mother.
On the run with the boy, Kenshi headed for Shirai Ryu territory in the hopes of luring the pursuing Red Dragons into a trap. Kenshi managed to just make it when Takeda warned him of an attack. Despite using his telekinesis and Sento to block the majority of the arrows, he was struck in the leg by one and forced to make a last stand. Ordering Takeda to run, Kenshi faced the Red Dragon commander Hsu Hao, but was beaten due to his sheer exhaustion taking its toll.
While Hsu Hao mocked Kenshi for running, Kenshi clarified he was trespassing and Hsu Hao was swiftly killed by Scorpion and the Red Dragon's were forced to retreat.
Later, at the Shirai Ryu temple, Kenshi is amazed at the size of Scorpion's revived clan before explaining his story as well as Takeda's connection to him.
That night, as he's putting Takeda to bed, Kenshi tries to soothe his son's worries and fears towards Scorpion away but the boy makes it clear he doesn't trust his father before asking if his mother is ever coming back. Kenshi sadly tells his son she is not.
Later, Kenshi speaks with Scorpion about finishing his mission to find Daegon before asking his ally to watch over Takeda and guide him off the path of vengeance. Though Scorpion tells Kenshi lying to his son will make Takeda hate him, Kenshi asks Scorpion to give him discipline before departing the next morning.
Still pursued by the Red Dragon, as well as several local terrorist cells they paid, Kenshi calls in for an extraction from Sonya Blade, and she meets up with him in Northern Pakistan, helping him fight the Red Dragon mercenaries. Kenshi would escape Pakistan with Sonya and continue his war against the Red Dragon. Briefly, he journeyed to the Kang Shaolin Temple to contemplate his choice of leaving Takeda with the Shirai Ryu, meeting with Shujinko. Ultimately, Kenshi chose to continue his war with Daegon and resumed his mission to kill him.
Years later, Kenshi was confronted by and defeated by the crippled Shokan prince Goro, his body dragged before Daegon at the base of his Red Dragon clan in the Krimson Forest, with Goro offering Kenshi to Daegon in exchange for help in regaining his lost arms.
Mortal Kombat X
Kenshi first appears in the story mode of Mortal Kombat X. In Johnny Cage's chapter, he is seen alongside both Johnny and Sonya as they make their way to the Sky Temple in order to stop Shinnok on helicopter. On their way, they are ambushed by Scorpion who attempts to impede their progress. Kenshi pushes Scorpion out of the chopper along with himself. He manages to push Sub Zero out of the helicopter with his telekinesis, but both he and Sonya are injured by the crashing helicopter. After Johnny defeats both Scorpion and Sub-Zero, he along with Sonya and Johnny make their way to the Sky Temple.
Kenshi and the others then run into the undead revenant versions of Jax and Smoke. After being caught by Nightwolf Kenshi goes off to fight the demons with a Special Forces squad while Johnny and Sonya fight Smoke and Jax. Victorious they then make their way into the cavern, where Kenshi's sword Sento helps him find the portal needed to enter the Sky Temple. Kenshi, Johnny, and Sonya arrive just in time to help both Raiden and Fujin, but is knocked out by Shinnok along with Sonya and Fujin, leaving Johnny to fight Shinnok alone. After Shinnok is defeated, he notices Johnny smiling despite Quan Chi's escape and asks why (To which Johnny replied, "She called me Johnny").
In Takeda's chapter, he appears five years before the game's present, after Takeda's training with Hanzo Hasashi as he congratulates his son into becoming a chujin in record time. However, Takeda is angered by his father's presence and fights him. After the fight, Kenshi reveals to Takeda the truth behind his mother Suchin's death at the hand of the Red Dragon. Takeda is angered by this, but Kenshi replies that he could not risk Takeda going against his mother's killers fully unprepared. He then reveals to Takeda his ability of telepathy. Kenshi tells Takeda that Hanzo Hasashi had perfected his fighting skills and that he had come to complete his training and that he and Takeda would hunt down the Red Dragon together.
After Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda Takahashi, and Kung Jin return from the Lin Kuei Temple, he talks with his son Takeda telepathically and tells him to not worry so much with his recent encounter with the Lin Kuei.
Kenshi is later on seen in the Netherrealm along with Jax and Sareena to help hunt down and capture Quan Chi. The special forces ambush Quan Chi and his revenant servants but suffer casualties. Kenshi fights off Kabal while Jax deals with Kung Lao, Sindel, and Kitana. Afterwards, he is injured, and Jax insists that he will capture Quan Chi himself. Kenshi and Sareena are against it, but Jax goes regardless and is successful.
After Quan Chi is captured, Kenshi and Johnny lock him up while discussing D'vorah's whereabouts, they are brought about by Hanzo Hasashi's sudden arrival, surprising Kenshi. Hanzo demands that the Special Forces hand him Quan Chi. When Sonya Blade refuses, Hanzo orders the Shirai Ryu to attack. As Hanzo goes to Quan Chi, Kenshi stops him temporarily with his telepathy, but is then overrun by the Shirai Ryu. Kenshi tries to reason with Hanzo to not kill Quan Chi, but fails and is captured alongside Sonya and Johnny. After Quan Chi is dead, he witnesses Shinnok's release. Kenshi, Sonya, and Johnny try to stop him, but is quickly knocked out and Shinnok leaving for the Sky Temple with Johnny Cage. Kenshi does not make another appearance and does not appear at the end of the story mode.
Endings
- Mortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical): "Guided by Sento, his ancestral sword, Kenshi destroyed Shao Kahn and saved Earthrealm from Armageddon. But he had not yet exacted revenge on Shang Tsung. The elusive sorcerer had hidden somewhere in Outworld. Jax allowed Kenshi access to a newly developed portal that permitted travel among realms. In return, Kenshi agreed to serve the fledgling Outerworld Investigation Agency. After countless missions, he finally located Shang Tsung. With a roar, Kenshi plunged Sento through Shang Tsung's chest. The magical sword drew the souls of Kenshi's ancestors into itself, leaving Shang Tsung a withered husk. His vendetta fulfilled, Kenshi left Shang Tsung to die alone and powerless."
- Mortal Kombat X (Non-Canonical): "Having defeated Shinnok, Kenshi joined Takeda on his quest to avenge his mother's Suchin's murder. Their travels took them to a cave where he and Takeda freed a man, Taven, encased in a stalagmite. Kenshi told Taven that his brother, Daegon, was the founder of the Red Dragon assassin clan. Daegon had not only murdered Suchin, but his and Taven's parents as well. Together, Kenshi, Takeda, and Taven laid siege to the Red Dragon base. Daegon fell victim to Kenshi's rage. Suchin's murder had been avenged."