The Unexpected Plot Twists that Redefine Mortal Kombat 1's Sindel

Highlights

Mortal Kombat 1 aims to make the franchise more accessible by going back to the beginning with fresh twists on familiar plot beats.

Sindel's return in Mortal Kombat 1 implies that she will likely not undergo significant plot twists in this installment.

Although there is a possibility for Sindel to become a villain, she appears to mostly align herself with the forces of good in Mortal Kombat 1. She honors Liu Kang's arrangement with her deceased husband Jerrod to organize a Mortal Kombat tournament.

The Mortal Kombat franchise can be challenging for newcomers due to its complex storylines and numerous characters. However, Mortal Kombat 1 aims to address this issue by introducing fresh twists to familiar plot elements. In the previous installment, Mortal Kombat 11, Liu Kang, now the Fire God, resets the universe using Kronika's Hourglass. The events of Mortal Kombat 1 take place immediately after this reset, immersing players in a new era. Through its trailers, Mortal Kombat 1 has revealed the return of many familiar characters, each with modified backgrounds and motivations. One such character, Sindel, is confirmed to make a comeback, and while she has a history of plot twists, it seems unlikely that she will turn into a villain in Mortal Kombat 1, given her controversial past twist.

Mortal Kombat's Sindel Hasn't Had the Best History With Plot Twists

Sindel's fate takes a dark turn after falling to Nightwolf in the 2011 edition of Mortal Kombat. Throughout NetherRealm's ongoing story, she remains a lifeless Revenant until the release of Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath DLC. Following her resurrection, Sindel reconnects with her daughter Kitana and discloses her past as a captive to Shao Kahn. In the original Mortal Kombat storyline, Sindel was Queen through her marriage to King Jerrod prior to Shao Kahn's invasion of Edenia. Tragically, Shao Kahn slays the King and abducts Sindel, eventually using Quan Chi's magic to manipulate her into an adversary for the heroes of Earthrealm.

In the established Mortal Kombat narrative, it is consistently portrayed that Sindel is a victim of mind control. However, towards the conclusion of Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath DLC, Sindel shocks everyone by revealing her voluntary collaboration with Shao Kahn, confessing her own role in the death of King Jerrod. According to Mortal Kombat 11, Sindel has never been a mere victim and has always been responsible for her own malevolent actions.

The plot twist in Mortal Kombat 11 was widely disliked by long-time fans due to its implications on the continuity of NetherRealm's storyline. One major inconsistency was the off-screen death of Sindel in Mortal Kombat 2011, which previously implied her sacrifice to protect Earthrealm. However, this twist reveals that she had been evil all along, contradicting her previous characterization established since her debut in Mortal Kombat 3 in 1995.

Based on the recent Mortal Kombat 1 trailer, it appears that Sindel's character will not undergo any significant plot twists in the upcoming game. Instead, she is portrayed as Outworld's Empress in Liu Kang's new universe. Although exhibiting brutality in the trailer, Sindel aligns herself with good by honoring Liu Kang's agreement with her late husband, Jerrod, to host a Mortal Kombat tournament and prevent invasions from other realms. It is still possible for Mortal Kombat 1's Sindel to become a villain, with Shao Kahn as her general, but hopefully, this storyline will be better justified.

Mortal Kombat 1 releases on September 19 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.