The Void is a fictional location or realm in the Mortal Kombat series. Originally depicted as a place where the Elder Gods dwell, it is now a place outside of the timeline, where inhabitants inside can observe events going on without being affected or influencing it.
History
Original Iteration
Referenced as a mortal by-pass into the Heavens (the residence of the Elder Gods), the Void represents the "white space" of the universe, despite its actual appearance remaining unknown. Soulnados (passageways for souls of the deceased) are depicted as possible gateways into the Void, achievable through "breaking free" of the aggressive spirits within them and slipping into non-existence.
A consistent feature of the Void between the original and reboot timelines is that its inhabitants can observe events happening throughout many realms that are outside the Void. The Elder Gods were able to observe the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception including Onaga's return and the rise of Dark Raiden.
Current Iteration
In the alternate and current timelines, the Void now a realm outside of time itself. It is a place accessible to the Keeper of Time. People can be banished to the Void, thus preventing them from having an influence on the timeline, however they are not affected they The Hourglass if the Keeper decided to erase the timeline. Like in the previous iteration, people within the Void can view the inhabitants of the realms.
In Mortal Kombat 11, the Void is used to imprison Nightwolf, Fujin and Shang Tsung, all of whom refused to side with Kronika, the Keeper of Time who planned to restart the timeline due to Raiden's actions. They were freed once Liu Kang had defeated her.
In Mortal Kombat 1, the Void is not mentioned until the Khaos Reigns Story Mode Expansion, in which it is still used as a place of banishment. When Titan Havik invaded Liu Kang's timeline in an attempt to convert the multiverse into an anarchist utopia using his Kamidogu, he is defeated by a new version of Bi-Han whom he had transformed into Noob Saibot. Sustaining so much damage that his healing factor could not heal his Godly body, Liu Kang chooses to banish Titan Havik to the Void rather than kill him, as killing him would not only destroy his timeline but all timelines he had merged with it. After a disagreement with Bi-Han, Liu Kang banishes Titan Havik to the Void, stripped of his limbs and his Kamidogu, sparing his timeline and all those connected to it.
Appearance in Other Media
The original version of the Void makes an appearance in the 2021 film Mortal Kombat, Raiden transferred all the Earthrealm champions from Raiden's Temple to Void as they were under attack by Shang Tsung's Outworld forces.
Raiden mentioned the Void was a dimension between the Heaven and Earthrealm where Outworld force could not invade.
Trivia
- The Deadly Alliance once confronted representations of their greatest adversaries for right of passage across the Void so they may pass undetected into Earthrealm. For Shang Tsung, his adversary was also his partner in crime, Quan Chi. The latter also fought a representation of himself.
- Leading into the circumstances of Mortal Kombat: Deception, Scorpion was hurled into the soulnado contained within Shang Tsung's Palace by the Oni titans Drahmin and Moloch, following unsuccessful kombat. From there, he managed to escape into the Void.