Storyline

Pre-Mortal Kombat

The Beginning: The Elder Gods VS The One Being

The One Being.

Long ago at the beginning of time, there existed only the Elder Gods and the One Being.The One Being gained his power by draining it from the Elder Gods. Eventually the Elder Gods set aside their differences and launched their attack on the One Being to save themselves. In the end, the Elder Gods created six weapons called the Kamidogu. When they used the weapons, the One Being split into many pieces, although its consciousness survived. The Kamidogu became lost in six different pieces of the One Being. Eventually, these pieces became the realms, and life began to grow inside them. There were six main realms: Earthrealm, Netherrealm, Outworld, Orderrealm (Seido), Chaosrealm, and Edenia, each with a representative Kamidogu which held the essence of each realm. In addition to these, several other more minor realms were created as well.

The Ruling Reign of Onaga

Onaga, The Dragon King.

At some unknown point in history, long after the creation of the realms, there ruled an emperor in the realm of Outworld called the Dragon King, Onaga.

The Great Dragon Egg.

The Dragon King's undefeatable army.

Onaga soon began to conquer other realms, merging them to add that realm's power to Outworld and expand his ever-growing empire. Onaga's secret to victory was his undefeatable and seemingly invincible army. Onaga's heart gave him the ability to raise the dead, allowing him to revive his dead soldiers continuously. However, Onaga wished to live forever; using the last dragon egg, his followers formed a spell that would transfer his body into the tiny dragon inside and with it, be granted eternal life.

Shao Kahn kills Onaga.

It was at this point, a strike plan(coup) was in effect, orchestrated by Onaga's trusted advisor, Shao Kahn. However, Kahn, who did not like sharing power, but knew that he would lose if he fought Onaga directly, so instead usurped Onaga by poisoning him, and took control of Outworld for himself. Unlike Onaga before, he was not able to rule his domain as a united realm.

The Prophecies of the Future

Argus and his wife, Delia.

Sometime after Onaga's death, as Shao Kahn now commanded the armies of Outworld and carried the legacy of attacking other realms, the Edenian protector-God, Argus, and his sorceress-wife, Delia, had two children: Taven and Daegon. They fought alongside their father and the dragons Orin and Caro, repelling an attempted invasion by Shao Kahn. At the time, there were two prophecies of the future which Delia frequently had visions and premonitions of the future.

One of the events was The Prophecy of Armageddon. She predicted that the Mortal Kombat warriors would one day grow too powerful and numerous and if left unchecked, their intensifying Kombat would bring upon the destruction of all the realms, bringing about the Apocalypse. The Elder Gods demanded that a safeguard be put in place in order to prevent this from happening, one that would make use of the kombatants' insatiable blood lust. Like moths to a flame, they would be drawn there to battle. They left this task to Argus and his wife. Delia predicted that the climax would take place at a crater within the Edenian Southlands. For this reason, Argus had a pyramid constructed underground at this crater, while Delia created a Fire-Spawn known as Blaze. Blaze would contain the power needed to stop the Mortal Kombat warriors.

Blaze, the safeguard against Armageddon.

While Argus wanted all of the warriors destroyed, Delia wished a more merciful approach; stripping the warriors of their powers. They decided that they would put their two children in competition, and whichever one defeated Blaze would be gifted with the power to become the new protector of Edenia. On their way to confronting Blaze, each brother would have to retrieve a sword from one of their father's temples, and a suit of armor from one of their mother's temples, both in Earthrealm. One suit of armor would mean that all of the Mortal Kombat warriors were destroyed, the other would mean that they were stripped of their power. In effect, this would be like a coin toss between Argus and Delia, to decide which outcome would be achieved.

Argus initiated the plan to save the realms is to have the two brothers to be summoned to Argus' temple in Edenia, where they were ambushed and placed in stasis. They were both placed within the mountains somewhere in Earthrealm, with a Dragon to watch over them. The Golden Dragon, Orin, watched over Taven, whilst the Red Dragon Caro watched over Daegon. When Blaze gave the signal, the Dragons would wake their protectee from stasis to begin the quest.

Shinnok's rebellion against the Elder Gods and attacking Earthrealm

The Fallen Elder God, Shinnok.

As the Elder Gods watched over the realms, governing the realms with untold wisdom; one such Elder God, known as Shinnok, gave into greed and illusion of ultimate power and wanted the realm of Earth for himself; however, the Elder Gods had appointed the God of Thunder known as Raiden to protect Earth.

Daegon attacks and murders his parents under Shinnok's orders.

Having profited of Blaze's enslaving by the holy men who remained faithful to Onaga, Shinnok masterfully tricked the dragon Caro into thinking the signal had been sounded and convinced the awoken Daegon that his parents (Argus and Delia) were against him. Once he found out what he needed, Daegon attacked and killed his parents, which allowed Shao Kahn to invade it without a Protector God opposing him.

Shinnok turns against his fellow Elder Gods.

Raiden battles Shinnok.

Shinnok then turned his attention towards Earthrealm, whose Jinsei could grant him the power to become invincible. The battle between Shinnok and Raiden was fierce, sending Earth to its near destruction and plunging it into centuries of darkness, but Raiden discovered that Shinnok's power was linked to his mystical amulet. It allowed him to weaken the borders of a realm and therefore enter the realm without challenge and keeping the Elder Gods at bay.

Shinnok is banished to the Netherrealm.

Raiden, given the choice whether to destroy the allied Saurian civilization or risk handing over Earthrealm to Shinnok, chose the former and stripped Shinnok of the amulet before, with the aid of Elder Gods, banishing the fallen Elder God to the Netherrealm. There, Shinnok met the mysterious, wandering sorcerer Quan Chi and the two overthrew the damned realm and took over. Shinnok spent endless years biding his time so that he could return and get his revenge.

Also, the battle of the gods was so severe that it tore apart the planet and caused rifts in reality. The Saurians, a race of people evolved from dinosaurs (ie. Reptile), escaped through portals to find a safer home in the world of Zaterra.

The Terror Reign of Shao Kahn

Shao Khan, one of Onaga's advisors, becoming Emperor of Outworld.

Much like Onaga before him, Shao Khan sought to expand his empire and his power through conquests of other realms. He attacked and conquered many smaller realms, slowly building up power over thousands of years. Khan went on a tear, conquering as many realms as he could, including Zaterra.

His first target was the lush and fertile realm of Edenia. To take over that realm, Kahn had to win the sacred tournament established by the Elder Gods themselves once held every generation known as Mortal Kombat. If he succeeded, it allowed him to merge the two realms.

Shao Kahn invading Edenia.

Edenia invaded by Outworld.

Despite the Edenian warriors' best efforts, Outworld won 10 consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments and Edenia's blue skies were ripped apart as the portals began to open. Shao Kahn's invasion force entered the realm, merging it with Outworld. Kahn annihilated the ruler of Edenia, King Jerrod, took his wife Sindel as his queen, and adopted her daughter Kitana as his own. The queen Sindel took her own life rather than be with Kahn. Kahn decided to raise the child Kitana and trained her to be the ultimate assassin.

Shao Kahn’s reign of terror took him to conquering the warrior people known as the Osh-Tekk. Although their king Kotal K’etz surrendered to Shao Kahn, he secretly sent his young son to do a walkabout through Earthrealm. It was there that Kotal’s son stumbled upon the Mayan civilization and became a god to them. They worshipped him as “Buluc” the god of war and sacrifice. Eventually, his people died out and he returned to Outworld.

Shang Tsung's reign of the Mortal Kombat Tournament

Shang Tsung beginning his reign of the tournament.

A few millennia had passed, now with Edenia conquered and other various realms added to the Outworld empire, Shao Kahn turned his attention to the conquest of Earthrealm, in which many considered to be a jewel. Shao Kahn sent Shang Tsung to establish the sacred tournament as a competition between his armies and Earthrealm. The prize for the winner of Mortal Kombat would be that the champion would not age for 50 years until the next tournament. Kahn would only be allowed to take Earthrealm if he won ten of these tournaments in a row. To help prevent Outworld from taking over Earthrealm, Raiden started a sect of Shaolin monks called the White Lotus Society, based specifically on training warriors to fight for Earthrealm in Mortal Kombat.

The Great Kung Lao defeating Shang Tsung.

At one point, Outworld was on the verge of ultimate victory, as their champion, the demon-sorceror Shang Tsung, had won nine victories in a row. At the tenth tournament, however, he was bested by a Shaolin Monk named Kung Lao. The Great Kung Lao was heralded as Earthrealm's greatest hero and the new Champion of Mortal Kombat, but at the next tournament, Shang Tsung returned.

The death of the Great Kung Lao.

When one of the tournament's grandmasters died mysteriously, the now elderly Tsung was permitted to take his place. Tsung then introduced his new pupil and Outworld's champion, a four armed Shokan named Goro. Kung Lao's subsequent defeat and death at Goro's hands marked the end of the Shaolin's control of the tournament, as Tsung would take over completely soon after, moving the competition to his private island in the Lost Sea (a Bermuda Triangle-like location existing between Earth and Outworld) and corrupting the rules, allowing competitors to kill each other for his amusement. For the next 500 years, Goro has amassed nine victories in a row since that time. This generation's tournament would be the tenth he and Tsung need for the Elder Gods to allow their emperor to step foot on the realm of Earth and claim it as his own.

The Quest for the Kamidogu

Shujinko beginning his journey.

Imprisoned in death for centuries after his betrayal by Shao Kahn, the angered Dragon King learned of Shao Kahn's treachery, infuriating him, so then he secretly worked to revive his physical body. By transferring his essence into an apparition, he appeared to Shujinko, a very promising warrior who was set to be the chosen Earthrealm kombatant in an upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament. Claiming to be an emissary of the Elder Gods named Damashi , he tricked Shujinko into embarking on a quest to obtain the Kamidogu from the various realms and placing them in the Nexus, a special location created between the realms to ease the travel of the Champion of the Elder Gods.

Sub-Zero's Journey to the Netherrealm

Sub-Zero claimg the Map of Elements.

Two years before the tournament, he was contracted by a sorceror named Quan Chi to steal the Map of Elements, which lead to the location of an ancient amulet. He did not know that Quan Chi had hired a Japanese ninja named Scorpion for the same task as insurance. Sub-Zero encountered and killed Hanzo Hasashi, and after delivering the map, Quan Chi wiped out Scorpion's clan, who were the Lin Kuei's archrivals, as payment.

Sub-Zero claimg the Map of Elements.

Quan Chi then instructed Sub-Zero to follow the map to a temple in the Himilayas where the amulet was guarded by the Gods of Wind, Earth, Water, and Fire. Sub-Zero succeeded in the amazing task of defeating the four dieties and delivered the amulet to Quan Chi. Immediately afterward, he discovered that Chi acted in the service of the fallen Elder God and ruler of the Netherealm, Shinnok, and the amulet was the key to Shinnok's lost omnipotence.

Raiden forced Sub-Zero to follow Quan Chi into Hell itself, to regain the amulet before Shinnok could launch an assault on Earth. While in the Netherealm, Quan Chi warned him that he was only able to travel there because he had a tainted, evil soul, and extended an offer to join Shinnok's cult, the Brotherhood of the Shadow, which the ice ninja flatly refused before succeeding in regaining the amulet with the help of one of Chi's own servants, a demon woman named Sareena.

After his return to Earth, Sub-Zero was invited to the Mortal Kombat tournament by Shang Tsung himself. He only accepts the invitation as a means to get closer to Tsung, after a wealthy and mysterious enemy of Tsung's offers him a large sum of money to assassinate the sorceror.

• Original Timeline
• Alternative Timeline

The Tenth Mortal Kombat Tournament

The seven warriors of Mortal Kombat.

Earthrealm’s last chance was held on Shang Tsung’s mysterious island. Fighters came from all over. Liu Kang from the White Lotus Society. Johnny Cage, the actor who wanted to prove to the world that his skills were not just special effects and good editing. Sonya Blade, a Special Forces member searching for Kano. Sub-Zero, sent on a mission to assassinate Shang Tsung. Scorpion, back from the grave, under the guidance of Quan Chi, out to get revenge on Sub-Zero. Raiden was more of a guide to Earthrealm's defenders and was not allowed to compete.

During the tournament, Scorpion got his revenge on Sub-Zero and killed him. Sub-Zero was reborn in the Netherrealm as a being much like Scorpion, only more sinister, named Noob Saibot. He became Quan Chi’s soldier without Scorpion knowing.

Liu Kang was attacked by Ermac, but rather effortlessly fought him off. He eventually spared his life and told him that his destiny was his to decide. Meanwhile, Kung Lao, the descendant of the former Mortal Kombat champion, tried to sneak into the tournament under the guise of a guard, believing to be the Chosen One.

Liu Kang defeats Shang Tsung.

Regardless, Liu Kang rose through the ranks and defeated both Goro and Shang Tsung. Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade and Kano were to hold off an enraged Goro and Shang Tsung retreated back into Outworld leaving the island to explode, while Liu Kang escaped with the help of Kung Lao. Goro, Sonya Blade and Kano fell to their apparent deaths when the island collapsed and Johnny Cage was rescued by Raiden.

The Outworld Tournament

Shao Khan gives Shang Tsung a second chance.

Despite Shang Tsung being unable to deal with his failure in the last Mortal Kombat Tournament, Shao Kahn ordered the Tarkatan horde to attack the Wu Shi Academy. The Tarkatan horde raided and killed most of Liu Kang's fellow monks, including his Shaolin Masters. This enraged Liu Kang enough to follow them into Outworld.

He was not alone. Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, and Major Jackson Briggs, who was in search of his missing subordinate, Sonya Blade, were also following right behind Liu Kang into the realm seeking revenge, and to compete in the next Mortal Kombat tournament at the same time.

Liu Kang defeats Shao Khan.

But unbeknownst to Raiden and the Earthrealm warriors, the tournament in Outworld was a diversionary trap set by the Emperor in an attempt to break the rules set forth by the Elder Gods themselves. Once again, Liu Kang won the tournament for Earthrealm by defeating Shang Tsung, Kintaro, and Shao Kahn. He ended it by punching a hole through Shao Kahn’s chest. In rescuing Sonya, Shao Kahn's scheme was thwarted and the Earthrealm warriors prevailed.

The Outworld Invasion

Shao Khan decides to enact a 10,000 year-old plan.

Shao Kahn, fed up with continuous losses in tournament battle, enacts a 10,000 year-old plan. In addition, Quan Chi was able to help Shao Kahn invade Earthrealm by resurrecting Queen Sindel on Earthrealm and brainwashing her for good measure.

Shao Khan and Sindel are able to size Earthrealm.

The Invasion of Earthrealm begins.

When Sindel was reincarnated in Earthrealm, Shao Kahn was able to reach across the dimensions to reclaim her. As a consequence of this action, the Earthrealm becomes a part of the Outworld, instantly stripping billions of their souls. Kahn’s forces began rampaging through Earthrealm with Raiden finding a select collection of heroes to help him. This included police officer Kurtis Stryker and his partner Kabal, who was a former Black Dragon member who went straight.

During the chaos, Shao Kahn ordered his extermination squads to annihilate Kabal. Kabal managed to escape, but his face was left forever scarred, irreparably mutilated, and forced to rely on a respirator due to his windpipe being slit. Another victim of the invasion was Johnny Cage, murdered by the centaur Motaro. The unpredictable magic of the realms merging allowed Johnny to return to life, though only temporarily.

Raiden warns the Earthrealm warriors.

The chosen warriors of Earthrealm.

Raiden told the Earthrealm warriors that Shao Kahn must be stopped, but that he cannot interfere; due to his status as protector of Earthrealm, he has no power in Outworld, and Earthrealm is now partially merged with Outworld. Shao Kahn had unleashed extermination squads to roam throughout the Earthrealm and kill any survivors. In addition, Raiden's protection only extends to the soul, not to the body, so his chosen warriors have to fight the extermination squads and repel Shao Kahn.

Sub-Zero discarded his ninja appearance out of his disgust with the Lin Kuei’s practices. While helping the other heroes, he was pursued by robotic versions of Sektor, Cyrax, and Smoke. Sub-Zero was able to get through to Smoke, who helped him fight off the other cyborgs.

During the battle, Kitana was able to bring Sindel back to her senses and onto her side. Similarly, Kitana’s longtime friend and fellow assassin Jade was tasked with tracking down and killing Kitana alongside Reptile, but chose to defend her instead. Near the end of the battle, Kung Lao was seemingly killed by Shao Kahn. This gave Liu Kang the extra edge needed to defeat Kahn and send him back where he came from. Earthrealm was saved once again.

The Netherrealm Invasion

Shinnok begins his invasion of Edenia.

During his time in the Netherrealm, Shinnok rallied an army of allies to help him avenge his losses. With the help of his disguises and his allies in Earthrealm (Noob Saibot) and Outworld/Edenia (Tanya), Shinnok escaped to the newly restored Edenia, eventually returning to the heavens. Shinnok proceeded to kidnap Queen Sindel and Princess Kitana in the process of Ruling with an Iron Fist as much as he could in his takeover of Edenia for the second time, (the first time was Shao Kahn) as part of his scheme to launch his attack on the Heavens as an audacious act of vengeance, including murdering several of the Elder Gods and many of the lesser gods for his suffering in the Netherrealm for millions of years and finally finish the war. Shinnok's plan involved the Jinsei.

The Earthrealm Warriors during the Netherrealm Invasion.

Fujin and Raiden escaped to Earthrealm, where they rallied the Earthrealm warriors. But unlike the last one against Shao Kahn, this time, they are up against Shinnok and his minions. During the battle, Shinnok faced against Raiden and defeated him, trapping him inside the Pyramid of Shinnok. Despite this, Liu Kang was able to save Raiden and faced the Fallen Elder God himself.

Shinnok is banished to the Netherralm.

After a long and arduous battle between the Fallen Elder God and Earthrealm's champion of Mortal Kombat, Liu Kang prevailed once again, defeating Shinnok, and emerging victorious in saving both Earthrealm and Edenia, Thus Shinnok was re-banished to the Netherrealm by Raiden, along with the sorcerer Quan Chi when he was about to do the same to Scorpion where he was believed to have been killed.

Scorpion takes Quan Chi to the Netherrealm with him.

Fujin is appointed as Earthrealm's protector by Raiden.

However, It was revealed to Scorpion by Sub-Zero, that it was the sorcerer who was the true mastermind, hiring the Lin Kuei, behind the death of his family and clan the whole time. Scorpion was sent to the Netherrealm along with him, and thus the ninja spectre was on a manhunt for the sorcerer. This time he is out for vengeance, and in which he vowed not only to protect the Future Lin Kuei Warrior of Good as atonement for killing his brother once more, but vowed to kill Quan Chi for the death of his family and his clan. After the defeat of Shinnok, the Elder Gods appointed Raiden an Elder God. Raiden then appointed Fujin as the new protector of Earthrealm.

The Deadly Alliance

Quan Chi vs Scorpion in the Netherrealm.

During the years that Quan Chi spent trapped in the fifth plane of the Netherrealm, he would be chased, brutalized, and tortured by Scorpion. Quan Chi had little chance of escape, as his powers were weakened while he was in the Netherrealm, and Scorpion's power and strength conversely increased. Quan Chi eventually struck a deal with the two Oni, Drahmin and Moloch, who fought off Scorpion for him.

After escaping from the Netherrealm, Quan Chi discovers much information about the past, via unlocking the secret of the ancient runestone, including the existence of the Dragon King's seemingly immortal army. As Quan Chi journeyed to Shang Tsung's palace, Scorpion had pursued him into Outworld, and they fought, gaining the attention of Shang Tsung.

The Deadly Alliance is formed.

Upon defeating Scorpion, Quan Chi approached Shang Tsung with an offer to join forces, Thus forming The Deadly Alliance. Quan Chi established a Soulnado in Shang Tsung's fortress with the agreement that Shang Tsung would use some of the souls to animate the army. Together with their combined strengths, they planned to overpower their two foes who could one day prevent their total domination of ruling the realms.

Shao Kahn is "killed".

Their first target, was Shao Kahn. Previously, Shao Kahn was humiliated of his consecutive defeats at Outworld, with most of his subordinates abandoning him. This only made him easier to take out. They first approached in a feigning allegiance to the Emperor and attacked him, seemingly killing him in his weakened state. However, unbeknownst to the Deadly Alliance, the Shao Kahn they killed was a clone, and the real Shao Kahn had escaped death once again and would begin scheming to retake his throne.

At the same time, Noob Saibot attacked and mortally wounded Prince Goro at a command of Quan Chi, during an important battle between the armies of Edenia and Outworld. Due to Goro's demise, the forces of Edenia were forced to retreat. In reality, he was stolen away and revived by Shao Kahn.

The death of Liu Kang.

Afterwards, the Deadly Alliance traveled to Earthrealm via a mystical portal to double-team and kill their next target, the only one who could possibly stop them, Earthrealm's Mightiest Warrior and Champion of Mortal Kombat, Liu Kang. With Quan Chi's help, Shang Tsung was able to kill Liu Kang. With their enemies out of the way, Quan Chi used his amulet to open the Soulnado, a portal to the Heavens through which Shang Tsung summoned the souls of countless warriors to animate the army of the Dragon King. They planned to invade Earthrealm with the army and they had employed Mavado, Kano, Tanya and Salazar.

In order to protect Earthrealm once again, Raiden forfeited his seat as an Elder God and rallied the Earthrealm soldiers to stop this impending threat, so he put together a team to fight the sorcerers, save the world, and avenge Liu Kang’s death: Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Sonya, Jax, Kitana, Sub-Zero, and Frost.

Also included in the battle were newcomers Li Mei and Nitara. Nitara's realm, Vaeternus , had been merged into Outworld against her will, whereas Li Mei was trying to free her land from The Deadly Alliance. Others joined the fight as well, including the newly restored Cyrax (now working for the U.S. Special Forces Unit with Jax and Sonya), as well as Kenshi, a warrior who had been blinded by Shang Tsung's treachery and who sought revenge.

Raiden's Earthrealm champions traveled to Outworld to stop the Deadly Allince from succeeding their plan. However, their attack against both sorcerers failed. Jax, Johnny Cage and Sonya were killed by the Tarkatan army, while Kung Lao and Kitana were killed by the Deadly Alliance. Kenshi was badly wounded by Mavado, who later defeated Kano, Scorpion was defeated and thrown into the Soulnado by Moloch and Drahmin and Sub-Zero was betrayed by his own disciple, Frost, although this wasn't the doing of the Deadly Alliance. With all heroes from Earth caught up, wounded or dead, Raiden took on the Deadly Alliance himself.

The Rise of the Dragon King

The Hatching of the Dragon Egg.

It had taken Shujinko years to complete the quest Damashi had given to him but finally Shujinko had collected the sixth and final Kamidogu from Edenia. Shujinko placed the Edenian Kamidogu on the altar in the Nexus with the other five. After the Kamidogu had been collected, the egg Onaga was imprisoned in hatched; the Dragon King resumed his physical form by merging with the ninja Reptile. Back in the Nexus, Shujinko began to wonder why the six Kamidogu were not transported to the Elder Gods as he had been told, it is then Onaga emerged in the Nexus to confront Shujinko revealing him to be the avatar Damashi all along. Onaga reveals his true plan of obtaining ultimate control over all that exists once he claims Shinnok's amulet, currently in possession of the sorcerer Quan Chi, while using Damashi to manipulate him 41 years ago. Shujinko escapes from Onaga into the Earthrealm portal.

Meanwhile, Raiden, faced the Deadly Alliance on his own. Despite managing to hold his own for a time, he was ultimately defeated by their combined power. With their victory in hand, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi quickly turned on each other, each looking to grab all the power for themselves mainly for the reason that Tsung wanted Chi's amulet. Quan Chi emerged victorious, but the Sorcerer's victory was short lived, as the Dragon King returned to Outworld, vying to retrieve Shinnok's amulet.

Quan Chi proceeded to try to stop him, and the quickly recovering Shang Tsung and Raiden aided as well, forming an impromptu alliance against the greater threat. This attack was successful in the short run, but wuickly the Dragon King quickly was making his advance towards them. Realizing that they were unable to defeat the Dragon King even with their combined power, Raiden released all of his godly essence to a practiclally nuke like explosion, destroying the temple and its surroundings, sacrificing his life. Unfortuantely this sacrifice was in vain as the explosion had little to no effect on the revived former ruler of Outworld who was now in possession of Shinnok's amulet which had been held by Quan Chi. With the Deadly Alliance gone, Tanya and Erron Black vanished and went on their separate ways.

Raiden's essence, now corrupted from his encounter with Onaga and tainted with Onaga's dark magic, gathered again in the Earthrealm. He had now became furious with the way Earthrealm's inhabitants had treated their own realm, almost always taking their protection for granted. Upon learning that Shujinko had foolishly unleashed the Dragon King by attaining the Kamidogu of various realms for him, Raiden decided he was going to punish those who placed Earthrealm in harm's way, starting with Shujinko. He tried to brutally slay him for his errors, but Shujinko was able to survive and defeat him, Raiden then turned his attention towards Liu Kang's corpse.

Onaga revived the previously deceased Earth warriors as his pawns and used them and a newly-forged alliance with the Tarkatan horde preventing Edenia's army from interfering with his plans while he searched for the spells that would allow him to fuse the Kamidogu together and grant him supreme power. Also joining him was the Guardian of Seido, Hotaru, and Tanya. Li Mei, Sub-Zero, Ermac, Kenshi, Bo' Rai Cho and Fujin joined Shujinko in his quest to destroy Onaga. Raiden resurrected Liu Kang's body and made him his enforcer of his will, sending it on a rampage. The spirit of Liu Kang joined Ermac to help him save his friends. Menawhile, the Elder Gods saved Scorpion from the Soulnado and gave him a new mission: save reality from Onaga as the Champion of the Elder Gods and in return they would resurrect his clan.

Eventually, Ermac and Liu Kang's spirit were successful in rescuing Liu Kang's friends and freeing them from Onaga's control. Scorpion failed in his mission and was defeated by Shujinko. Shujinko rallied the remaining warriors against him and in a moment absorbed their combined fighting power. Empowered beyond the Dragon King's own expectations, Shujinko shattered each of the six Kamidogu, the source of his invulnerability. Weakened and in defeat Onaga attempted to retreat only to vanish into thin air.

Nightwolf carried, ventured, and absorbed all the sins and traveled deep within the Netherrealm itself. Using a method of knowledge passed down to him by his forefathers called the 'Sin Eater', Nightwolf drew a binding symbol on the ground and chanted the ancient words that drew the spirit of the Dragon King. When the spirit of the Dragon King appeared before him, knowing that he had carried the burden long enough, Nightwolf released all the sins of his people into the mystic symbol, and their weight bound Onaga to the Netherrealm.

Afterwards, Blaze appeared before Kitana and told her that she needed to gather every hero together to take on the banded forces of evil. Kitana collapsed in frustration over how she’ll never see an end to war, but Blaze promised that if her side won, it could very well bring everlasting peace.

Battle of Armageddon

Blaze, the safeguard against Armageddon.

It was during the time of the Dragon King's conquest of the realm, The Prophecy predicted by Delia was fulfilled. However, as Caro mistook the loss of Blaze's contact (possibly when he was kidnapped in order to watch over the Dragon King's eggs) as the signal to begin the race, Daegon had mistakenly been awakened centuries early.

He discovered what the aim of the quest was, and became obsessed with the power which would be granted to him. Daegon set up the Red Dragon clan, which consisted of Mavado and Erron Black, and enslaved Caro in order to use him to create portals.

Raiden makes a deal with Shang Tsung, Shao Khan, Quan Chi & Onaga.

Taven finally awoke from his slumber, only to discover that his intended contest against Daegon had gone completely wrong and that Daegon was a megalomaniac mass-murderer. Eventually, Taven made his way to his father's temple, only to find the weapon that was meant to be there had been stolen. As he finally made his way to his mother's temple, which was now occupied by the Lin Kuei, he managed to find the suit of armour that had been placed for him. During this time, Quan Chi assembled the other Evil warlords, including Shao Kahn, Shinnok, Onaga and Shang Tsung.

Quan Chi had managed to find out about the power that Blaze contained, and the power that would be passed as a gift to the one who defeated him. In the process of discovering this, Quan Chi killed Orin, Taven's protector Dragon. The Forces of Darkness united in order to claim this power, whilst the Forces of Light united in order to either stop evil, or claim the power for themselves for their own ends, thus culminated in The Battle of Armageddon.

Just as Delia had predicted, at the crater within the Edenian ruins, The defining prophesized conflict came to a head. As Taven made his way to these ruins, he encountered Blaze who revealed the true nature of this quest: to either use the power to destroy all of the Mortal Kombat warriors, or simply strip them of their power. Daegon not only revealed that it was he who had killed their parents over the prize, with the very weapons their father Argus created to be used to fight against Blaze (as it became apparent that Daegon was the one who had stolen Taven's sword), he also told Taven that Shinnok warned him that their parents made the decision to assist Taven and not Daegon, in which he was envious of. As the Sons of Argus fought within the ruins with tremendous ferocity, Taven was victorious at a huge terrible cost.

The Forces of Light and The Forces of Dark during the Battle of Armageddon.

As this happened, the warriors clashing within the crater were suddenly stopped as the huge pyramid placed by Argus millennia earlier rose from the ground, with Blaze, now empowered and huge in size, waiting at the top. The warriors began to make their way to the top, fighting amongst themselves and turning on one another in order to claim the prize for themselves. With Daegon punished for his misdeeds, Taven took his sword and made his way into the crater himself, in order to defeat Blaze.

Raiden is defeated by Shao Khan.

Taven finally completed the quest by slaying Blaze at the Pyramid of Argus, the godlike energy passed through him, transforming him into a full god. The surge of power then passed through the armor given to Taven by his mother, the sorceress Delia, and was dispersed into every kombatant within the Edenian Crater. Though this energy was to have one of two effects on them, death or annulment of their powers, it instead made them stronger than before and nearly all of the kombatants ended up killing each other.

Taven would also be killed by Shao Kahn, who managed to kill Onaga and return to the pyramid. After killing Taven, Shao Kahn engaged in a fight with Raiden where he easily gains the upper hand and taunts the Thunder God. Realizing there is nothing more he can do to stop Shao Kahn, Raiden looked at Taven's body one last time and prepared to meet his fate before Shao Kahn landed the final blow and killed him. Witnessing these events, The Mysterious Woman sent a message to Liu Kang's past self to prevent Armageddon

Shao Khan's Downfall

Kitana kills Shao Khan, ending his reign once and for all.

Victorious and overflowing with power, Shao Kahn was driven to madness from having nothing left to conquer. He ended up destroying Earthrealm completely. Unbeknownst to him, Kitana survived the Battle of Armageddon, recovered, and worked on a counterattack.

Kitana created an alliance between all the surviving realms and together they were able to defeat Kahn. Kitana faced Shao Khan for the last time and killed him for good. Kitana then became the Queen of Edenia, following her mother's footsteps, and brought everlasting peace, just like Blaze told her. However, this outcome was undone when the flow of time was changed.

Return to the Past

The Mysterious Woman's message, along with a series of mental images, were sent to Liu Kang's past self before the first tournament. The young Liu Kang was meditating when he received his visions. He had no idea what just happened, nor the meaning of the things he just saw. Upon reecovering, he noticed his fellow monks and masters gathering up for the upcoming qualifying bout against Kung Lao.