Mortal Kombat X Issue 12

Overview

Gallery

Mortal Kombat X
General Information
Game(s)	Mortal Kombat X
Title	Blood Island Part 4
Chapters	3
Release Date(s)	Thirty-Fourth Chapter: August 23, 2015 Thirty-Fifth Chapter: August 30, 2015 Thirty-Sixth Chapter: September 6, 2015 Physical Issue: November 4, 2015
Production
Art	Igor Vitorino and Daniel Sampere
Cover	Jae Lee
Publisher	DC Comics
Writer(s)	Shawn Kittelsen
Chronology
Preceded by	Blood Island Part 3
Succeeded by	N/A

Mortal Kombat X Issue 12 is the final issue of the Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series). The finale shows the fates of several prominent characters featured in the Mortal Kombat X (2015 video game) and establishes plot elements that would be featured within the game itself.

Recap

Chapter Thirty-Four: Epilogues

A week after the battle against Reiko, Jacqui Briggs has returned to her family's farm. The Cage family watches as Jacqui nervously reuintes with her mother and father. While she initially believes she is never going to be allowed to leave the farm again, Jax, after being convinced by Vera, has instead decided to teach his daughter how to properly wield a firearm.

An excited Jacqui remembers that Jax had said she could only ever hold a gun was by joining Special Forces, and while Jax admits this, he admits this was when he thought he could always protect her. Jacqui then admits to her father of her traumatic experiences during her kidnapping, but embraces Jax as she tells him that remembering his own struggles had inspired her to not give up.

From on far, a smiling Johnny Cage watches the scene with Cassie and Sonya, calling it a "Hollywood ending", with Sonya saying Jax deserves it and Cassie agreeing the Briggs do. Sonya is eager to move out, wanting to discuss with her staff on the "Reiko Accord" with Outworld, and while Johnny wants to take Cassie on a "father-daughter" trip, Cassie wants to go with Sonya and resume her training, much to Johnny's surprise and bemusement as he watches Cassie hustle on Sonya's orders.

At the Shirai Ryu temple in the Himalayas, Takeda has made memorial graves for each of his fallen clansmen. Bidding a final goodbye to Fox as he finishes hammering in his friend's grave, Takeda starts on his grandmaster's, when a portal of hellfire erupts behind him and a struggling Scorpion scrambles to pull himself out of the ground as the oni Moloch grabs him. Moloch snatches Scorpion's leg and prepares to drag him back to the Netherrealm, only to be hit by Takeda's hammer, forcing Moloch to release Hanzo just as the portal closes.

Scorpion thanks Takeda for the assist while a stunned Takeda can only sputter out how he watched his ghost take Havik's head. Hanzo only tells his student that he knows the way to hell by heart, before looking on the memorial Takeda has created. Though reminding Takeda that he is still too young and impulsive to become chujin, Hanzo calls his apprentice the pride of the shirai Ryu. Takeda thanks his master before asking what became of Havik.

In the Netherrealm, Havik's severed head rants on how the Netherrealm and all other realms are doomed to chaos when he is abruptly crushed into gore and bone under Quan Chi's boot. The sorcerer is furious that Havik refused to deliver Shinnok's amulet to him as he had promised, even after receiving Nitara's Blood Magik. Quan Chi turns his ire to Moloch and Drahmin, and has the revenant Kitana decapitate Moloch, much to Drahmin's horror.

Drahmin pleads for his life, reminding Quan Chi he is his master torturer, but Quan Chi rages that he would trade a thousand of Drahmin for one Hanzo Hasahi before killing Drahmin with his magic and crushing his bones under his heel. Stating that until Shinnok is freed, the Netherrealm cannot afford such failures, and turns to the revenants of Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Liu Kang questions Havik's failure, and Quan Chi admits that it is not a total loss, as the amulet is now exposed after being released from Raiden and the Kamidogu's lock.

Kitana suggests they go for the amulet, but Kung Lao reminds her that both Earthrealm and Outworld are now on high alert and they must rely on subterfuge. Kung Lao then suggests they engage Shinnok's newest accolyte, D'Vorah. After seeing the power of Shinnok's amulet, D'Vorah sees the imperial might Kotal Kahn wields as pathetic and is now eager to serve Shinnok.

In Pura Bratan, Bali, Master Bo' Rai Cho is meeting with the young thief Kung Jin, who has returned sooner than expected. Kung Jin presents an envelope to Bo' Rai Cho, and as Bo' Rai Cho hands over Kung Jin's payment, he tells the younger man on how he trained his uncle and offers to recommend Jin to the Shaolin Temple. Kung Jin refuses, and when Bo' Rai Cho points out that he has a warrior's heart, Jin makes it clear that Bo' Rai Cho does not know him or his heart before departing.

Sub-Zero is smashing layers of tiles with a single blow when Bo' Rai Cho returns with the envelope. When Kuai points out how fast the envelope was delivered, Bo' Rai Cho comments on Kung Jin's talent and notes to ask Raiden to keep an eye on the youth. Opening the envelope, Bo' Rai Cho is surprised to see a flashdrive with a skull and crossbones on it. Kuai Liang takes the drive and declares it is finally time to shut down the Cyber Lin Kuei.

Chapter Thirty-Five: Sub-Zero vs. Cold Steel

Near Shulianghu China, Sub-Zero and Bo' Rai Cho stand before the entrance to an old fallout shelter, with Kuai Liang identifying it as the headquarters of Sektor's Cyber Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero explains the door in front of them is the only way in or out, with Bo' Rai Cho promising to teach any machine that attempts to escape a stern lesson in Jojutsu with his staff. As Sub-Zero freezes the doors, Bo' Rai Cho asks his student if he believes the Lin Kuei are waiting for him, with Kuai replying he is counting on it.

Sub-Zero smashes the frozen door open and begins a mad dash through the fallout shelter, slaying several cyborg ninjas along the way as alarms sound. Sub-Zero manages to break into the server room and upload the virus on the flashdrive just as he is identified and orders are given for him to be recaptured for conversion. Sub-Zero escapes the server room after killing another cyborg and arrives in the main production room of the facility. Much to Kuai Liang's disgust, he sees Sektor has begun a cloning program to expand his army of cyborgs.

Leaping down from a balcony, Sub-Zero battles even more cyborg ninjas, slaying almost a dozen before he is finally overwhelmed and captured. When he demands to know where he is being taken, the cyborgs reveal they are taking him to their master. Elsewhere, Sektor is questioning Cyrax on the virus's status, and Cyrax reveals that while it has almost completely infected their systems, there is no obvious signs of damage yet, much to Sektor's worry.

Sub-Zero is brought before Sektor and Cyrax, with the red cyborg greeting the 'traitor' and welcoming him back to the Lin Kuei. When Kuai calls Sektor's Lin Kuei a "failed experiment", Sektor punches Kuai with a rocket powered fist and decides to execute Sub-Zero instead of converting him. Before this however, he asks what is the purpose of the virus he has uploaded into the Lin Kuei network.

Sub-Zero simply tells Sektor the virus is fixing their system, and freezes his restraints solid just as Sektor orders Cyrax to initiate an emergency memory dump of the system to purge the virus. Cyrax hesitates despite Sektor's orders, and this delay allows the virus to finish completely uploading itself, just as Sub-Zero escapes his bonds and freezes the two cyborgs holding him solid. Sub-Zero tells Sektor that he may be able to override someone's consciousness but he cannot delete their humanity.

In response, Sektor fires a missile from his chest that Sub-Zero blocks using the frozen body of one of the cyborgs. When the system announces that the slaving protocols have been disengaged by the virus, Sektor mocks Sub-Zero as he tells him the cloning program made the slaving protocols obsolete and that it was a mistake to believe there was anyone left that shared Kuai's morality. Declaring that the Lin Kuei have transcended humanity, Sektor fires another missile at Sub-Zero before ordering Cyrax to immobilize him.

Cyrax charges his energy net as Sub-Zero pleads with him that he doesn't have to do this. Cyrax states he is doing this for the Lin Kuei- and humanity as he fires his net at Sektor, revealing himself to be free from Sektor's control at last. Enraged at Cyrax's betrayal, Sektor dodges using his teleport to uppercut Cyrax. Sub-Zero helps Cyrax up as he welcomes him back to humanity, when Cyrax shouts a warning. Behind them, an infuriated Sektor unleashes his flamethrowers while raging that the Lin Kuei will not tolerate dissent, as more cyborg ninjas charge in to protect their master.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Fight to the Finish

Sub-Zero counters Sektor's flames with his ice, telling Cyrax that the red cyborg can't keep the level of heat he's giving off up. Cyrax counters that it will be long enough to let the endless legions of cyborg ninjas to overtake them. When Sub-Zero asks if Cyrax can shut them down, the yellow cyborg captures several clones with his energy net as he explains only Sektor can, as they can't function independently without a central master to operate them.

Sektor orders Sub-Zero to yield, still unleashing streams of fire from his gauntlets as he boasts that every clone he fought had quantified his strength and states that he can't counter the temperature output he's giving off. Sektor is caught off guard as Sub-Zero charges through the flames, protecting himself with a shield of ice while holding a Kori Blade in his other hand. Forming a second blade, Sub-Zero cuts off Sektor's arms and leaps over the stunned cyborg, tearing Sektor's head clean off while revealing he was holding back the entire time.

The cyborg clones cease their assault, shocked by the death of their master as Sektor's body collapses. Sub-Zero holds Sektor's head up and the clones search for a new master and declare Cyrax to be their new grandmaster. A stunned Cyrax asks why as the clones kneel before him, a clone explaining he is the last original cyborg. Cyrax's first order is to speak with Kuai alone, and the clones comply and leave.

Sub-Zero is hopeful for the Lin Kuei, believing that Cyrax and the clones can have their humanity restored, but Cyrax tells him only Kuai has a chance of restoring their clan's honor, while musing that fighting alongside him as a true Lin Kuei one last time was as real as it gets. When Sub-Zero questions this, saying there is hope, Cyrax agrees, but states that the Lin Kuei need a clean slate. Cyrax then initiates the self-destruct sequence and tells Sub-Zero he is the grandmaster now and to make this chance count.

Outside the base, Bo' Rai Cho is enjoying a drink, surrounded by the bodies of several clone cyborgs, when the base explodes behind him. Bo' Rai Cho is reeling in pain, his clothes on fire, while Sub-Zero calmly walks through the fire, carrying Sektor's head while surrounded by an aura of frost that protects him from the flames. Kuai Liang freezes Bo' Rai Cho to put out the flames and shatters the ice around his teacher to free him.

Bo' Rai Cho vomits as Sub-Zero apologizes for putting him on ice. The old teacher simply tells him to buy him a stiff drink to call it even. Kuai Liang agrees to a single round, before declaring his desire to be alone for a while.

A few weeks later, at a Lin Kuei temple in Arctika, Sub-Zero is meditating before a Buddhist statue when someone greets him from behind, and attempts to put a hand on his shoulder. Reacting, Sub-Zero grabs the hand and flips the intruder over. Revealed to be Frost, who is shocked at the ease Kuai subdued her, Sub-Zero demands her identity and intentions.

Frost explains that Raiden sent her to take part in the tournament to be held to join the new Lin Kuei. Frost explains they are there to audition and show off their talents, while attempting to freeze Sub-Zero's wrists. Sub-Zero ignores her attempts and is shocked when he sees Frost is not alone. Standing before a large group of warriors, Sub-Zero reluctantly agrees to see if any of them are worthy of becoming Lin Kuei, and establishes the rule of not attacking their new master, which he stresses to Frost. Leading the potentials off, Sub-Zero tells himself he has much to discuss with Raiden.

At the Red Dragon stronghold in the Krimson Forest, Goro is demanding an audience with Daegon, only to be mocked by the soldiers guarding the entrance. Upon being called the "prince of cripples", Goro kicks the offending Red Dragon soldier and stomps on him in a fury, when Daegon makes his presence known, letting Goro know he has his attention. Goro states that he has studied the lore of the Dragon King, Onaga, in the Red Dragon's possession.

Daegon understands that Goro is interested in Onaga's regenerative powers to regain his lost arms, and states that Goro believes he can help him before asking why he should. Goro responds that he has already helped Daegon and presents the beaten and unconscious body of Kenshi Takahashi. Pleased that the spy who betrayed him has been captured, Daegon calls Goro a prince and agrees to help him.

Characters

Featured

In Order of Appearance:

• Jax Briggs
• Vera Briggs
• Jacqui Briggs
• Johnny Cage
• Cassie Cage
• Sonya Blade
• Takeda Takahashi
• Scorpion
• Moloch (Death)
• Havik (Death)
• Quan Chi
• Drahmin (Death)
• Kitana (First Appearance)
• Liu Kang
• Kung Lao (First Appearance)
• D'Vorah
• Bo' Rai Cho
• Kung Jin (First Appearance)
• Sub-Zero
• Lin Kuei
• Sektor (First Appearance, Death)
• Cyrax (First Appearance, Death)
• Frost
• Goro
• Red Dragon
• Daegon (First Appearance)
• Kenshi Takahashi

Mentioned

• Reiko
• Forrest Fox
• Nitara
• Shinnok
• Raiden
• Onaga

Trivia

• The entire sequence of Sub-Zero's attack on the Cyber Lin Kuei's headquarters is an extended reference to the side-scrolling style of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
• The virus that Sub-Zero uploaded is stated to have been developed in Chicago, a reference to NRS being stationed there.