Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat 11 has finally revealed its lore, and with it come some fascinating ideas about the future of the fighting game‘s world. However, with a number of changes that deviate from the series’ canon, we’ve got some questions about the new fighting game, as well as some hopes for certain characters.
The Mortal Kombat 11 story trailer gives us the general idea of what’s happening in the game’s universe, as well as some of its key characters. The most striking change to the lore is that of the Edenian sisters, Mileena and Kitana. Not only have they been revealed to be biological sisters, but Mileena has also been made into a clone of Kitana. This is a big deviation from the series’ lore, which has always maintained that Mileena was originally meant to be the next in line to rule Edenia, but was turned into a fighter by the Outworld emperor Shao Kahn.
The trailer shows Mileena and Kitana talking about their parents, with Kitana saying that she “can’t imagine” what it must have been like for her to lose them. We then see a flashback of Jerrod, Kitana’s father and former ruler of Edenia, being attacked by a masked assailant. He collapses, and blood is shown running into a river. As Kitana and Mileena are shown talking, we can see the river, with a boat sailing by Jerrod’s body.
The boat is visible for only a moment, but its design is consistent with that of the one used by Li Mei, the character who protected Jerrod and is responsible for the death of his assassin. Li Mei appears at the end of the trailer and is seen being apprehended by guards, indicating that she is returning to Edenia to face the consequences of her failure.
Jerrod’s death is an integral part of Li Mei’s backstory, and she is mentioned indirectly in the trailers. She is seen in the background of the second and third trailers standing at the top of a mountain, with a river running behind her. The river is the same one shown in the flashback with Kitana and Mileena, indicating that this is the moment that Jerrod is assassinated. The fact that Li Mei was protecting him is also important, because it contradicts the popular fan theory that Shao Kahn is the father being referred to in the official trailer.
As Li Mei is the only person who should know about Jerrod’s death, it makes sense that she is featured in the trailers in some way. However, it is still unclear whether she is a playable character. She is seen with Mileena in one of the character select screen videos, indicating that she may be part of the Empress’ story. Her background as a protector of Edenia would also make her a good fit for a potential Ermac DLC pack, which is rumoured to involve the soul of an Edenian prince.
On the other hand, it is clear that Jerrod’s off-screen assassination is consistent with his character’s history. Jerrod was a warrior and leader who was slain while defending his people – a motif that is referenced in Li Mei’s background, as she was responsible for his death.
Li Mei’s return also brings up the possibility that Jerrod could potentially make a comeback. If the above-mentioned Ermac DLC pack does end up happening, it would be fitting for Jerrod to be included as a fighter in it. This would be a good way to bring him back in a non-canonical capacity, as he could then be a playable character in the game’s story mode.
Mileena’s storyline revolves around her illness and her attempt to maintain the throne, with Tanya’s support. Tanya is another character who rarely wins, so her role in the main campaign is uncertain. However, as Tanya is a member of Mileena’s Royal Guard, it’s likely that she will be a playable character. Other members of the Royal Guard are also featured in the character select screen videos, so it’s possible that they will also be playable.
As for Kitana, she is shown in the trailer fighting Kotal Khan, and from what we can see she appears to be victorious. Kotal Khan has previously been shown to be working with Mileena, so it’s possible that this particular fight takes place before Mileena’s illness is made public.
