Mortal Kombat 1: A Reboot that Unveils Intriguing Lore Details
Mortal Kombat 1 knows more about the MK universe than ever before. Following the fighting game’s first weekend of testing, it is clear that developer High Voltage Studios is pulling no punches when it comes to dropping lore teasers. Some of these relate to the gameplay shown in the MK1 gameplay preview, but just as many are story details that clamour for explanation.
We have known for a while that MK1 is meant to be a reboot, as evidenced by Dablion’s absence from overworld art and the avatars used in place of the Jade Dragon. However, the first weekend of gameplay testing confirms that everything known from the Mortal Kombat franchise is now canon – even the weirdest spin-off movie.
In-game conversations between characters include references to basically every surviving spin-off movie except for the two Super Unlimiteds movies. This impressive feat includes Shang Tsung’s Island, Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, Mortal Kombat: Reflections, Mortal Kombat: Unleashed, and Dragon King. The characters involved sometimes even reference the divisive Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and Legacy Films’ unfinished produced follow-up, Mortal Kombat: Bloodline.
One particular thing that has brought the community together is the exchanges during the pre-fight phase, with videos showcasing character interactions featured in the first weekend’s streams, such as Kenshi meeting Lin Kuei Noob, or Kollector chatting with Smoke. A personal favourite was Kenshi alluding to Onaga, the undead Dragon King who debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception, only for another character to casually reply, “Oh yeah, I know him.”
Delving deeper into the lore is remarkable in itself, but High Voltage isn’t finished yet. For the first time ever, an animated film is referenced in the game. During a Kenshi mirror match, one character asks if Liu Kang is also a god in their universe, to which Kenshi cheekily replies, “We don’t ask that here. We don’t ask many things.” Interestingly, it’s not the only time Liu Kang is referenced during the pre-fight banter.
A separate Kenshi and Kitana battle shows that one Kitana warns her MK1 counterpart that her “sister” isn’t all that she seems. Although this could be referring to Mileena, it’s worth noting that there was never a canonical clone of Kitana implemented into the first game – sticking to lore, only Mileena ever got that honor. Could this hint at the inclusion of a previously unseen Kitana clone?
The stress test was far from a complete experience – only four characters were playable – but it was rich with content nonetheless. Most of these details look to build toward more story teasers as we approach the launch of MK1 on September 19, 2023. For now, it’s enough to say that everything is canon.
