Mortal Kombat 1: Can It Justify Its Story After MK11's Ending?

Mortal Kombat 1's storyline presents a compelling premise, but it must effectively convey its direction to justify its approach. The trailer effectively builds anticipation by showcasing the game's updated graphics and offering glimpses of the new world. However, there are still numerous unanswered questions, particularly regarding the plot. As with previous Mortal Kombat games, battles are motivated by the tournaments and Shao Kahn's schemes. Mortal Kombat 1 must provide its own rationale for these confrontations.

Following the events of Mortal Kombat 11, Fire God Liu Kang utilizes his newfound power to create a new timeline, one that seeks to undo the damage caused by the likes of Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, and Kronika. His intention is to create a world where evil cannot succeed and the atrocities of the past never come to fruition. It is this timeline that serves as the backdrop for Mortal Kombat 1.

However, the new world is not as peaceful as it initially appears, leaving fans with many questions and a need for further explanation.

While Liu Kang's vision of a peaceful world may have seemed possible with the coexistence of notorious rivals like Sub-Zero and Scorpion, and Kitana and Mileena, the trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 shows that the fighting has resumed. The level of violence in the trailer is typical of the Mortal Kombat franchise, and even Liu Kang himself is seen executing brutal violence. This raises the question of how such a gory turn of events could have happened in the new timeline that Liu Kang had created.

It is clear that something has gone wrong if the returning combatants are fighting again despite Liu Kang's intentions to create a peaceful world. The lack of information about the actual story leaves much to the imagination, but it is evident that Liu Kang's new world was far from perfect.

The reintroduction of strife and cruelty has restarted the cycle of violence in Mortal Kombat 1's timeline. Despite Liu Kang's creation of a new timeline, other unknown forces may be at play. With numerous gods in Mortal Kombat's vast character roster, it's plausible that one of them brought back the corruption that leads people to become villains, plunging the world into chaos once again.

Furthermore, characters like Shang Tsung and Quan Chi could have reverted to their deceitful ways, provoking Liu Kang's fury. Regardless of the cause, Mortal Kombat 1 must provide a clear explanation for the state of its timeline.

As the next installment in the series, Mortal Kombat 1 must deliver a satisfying story. While it has already piqued our interest, following up on Kronika's plans from Mortal Kombat 11 will be a daunting task. There is still much about the timeline that requires clarification. Will old rivalries be reignited, or will they remain dormant? Will the worlds once again be engulfed in war? These are crucial questions that the story of Mortal Kombat 1 must address and answer.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.