Highlights
Mortal Kombat 1 is keeping its story and major villains a mystery, even just weeks before release, adding excitement and anticipation for fans.
The rebooted universe in the game brings about distinctive character transformations and exciting variations on familiar characters. This can potentially completely alter the power dynamics between heroes and villains.
One particularly intriguing aspect is the possibility of Sub-Zero, who has traditionally been portrayed as a heroic character, taking on the role of a primary antagonist in Mortal Kombat 1. This unexpected twist adds an exhilarating element to the game and presents a challenge to the established tropes of the classic MK franchise.
In this era of modern gaming, it is uncommon for a game to be so close to its release date and still have a majority of its storyline shrouded in mystery. However, Mortal Kombat 1 has managed to achieve just that. While 21 out of the 24 Kombatants have been unveiled, and the overarching plot has been extensively discussed, along with the confirmation of additional game modes, Mortal Kombat 1 still holds some surprises in store for its release day. One of the biggest enigmas revolves around the opponents that Earthrealm's champions will face this time.
Throughout the past three decades, the Mortal Kombat franchise has introduced a variety of villains, some more iconic than others. However, despite the return of Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat 1, it seems neither of them will be the primary antagonist of the story. With NetherRealm dropping hints and the nature of Mortal Kombat 1's premise promoting unforeseen twists and turns, fans can only hope that one of these surprises will subvert the series' typical portrayal of villains.
Mortal Kombat 1's Villains Could Flip The Series On Its Head
Mortal Kombat 1 is undergoing a reboot, signaling a significant shift in the universe. In the aftermath of Mortal Kombat 11, Liu Kang, the Fire God, has taken charge and decided to reset the timeline himself. His aim is to shape the origins of certain characters in order to establish a future of peace and prosperity. These alterations, ranging from subtle adjustments like Johnny Cage losing his magical abilities to more substantial changes like Scorpion and Sub-Zero being revealed as biological brothers, promise to make Mortal Kombat 1 appealing to both newcomers and long-time fans. As new character biographies are unveiled, the universe of Mortal Kombat 1 grows increasingly distinctive, setting the stage for unexpected and thrilling twists, especially regarding the game's villains.
Currently, there hasn't been any confirmation on the official antagonist for Mortal Kombat 1. The closest hint fans have received is a glimpse of Kronika's potential return. This was revealed in the opening act of the game's story mode on YouTube. However, this tease merely suggests that there is more to come and that there are additional villainous surprises in store. The supposed return of Kronika in Mortal Kombat 1 may be more intricate than initially perceived, potentially causing significant shifts in the dynamic of iconic MK characters.
Fans would be truly surprised if Mortal Kombat 1 transformed some of the usual protagonists into antagonists. The most probable candidate for this twist is Sub-Zero. Throughout various continuities, Sub-Zero has consistently protected Earthrealm. Although he retains this role in Mortal Kombat 1, the story trailers released so far indicate that his dedication to Earthrealm seems somewhat diminished, with a greater focus on the prosperity of the Lin Kuei.
There's a strong chance that Sub-Zero could betray Liu Kang and the other Earthrealm champions in favor of advancing his own clan's success. This potential villainous transformation is suggested in pre-match voice lines between Liu Kang and Sub-Zero in the beta version of Mortal Kombat 1. This game is already showing signs of deviating from traditional Mortal Kombat tropes, and having Sub-Zero as a main antagonist would undoubtedly bring an exciting twist to the story. Mark your calendars for September 19th when Mortal Kombat 1 will be available on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.