Five Kharacters I Want to See in Mortal Kombat 1

July was a great month for Mortal Kombat followers. Plenty of character reveals thus far, with Geras the newest reveal at DreamCon 2023, and we all know one thing large is coming at EVO. However that roster nonetheless has loads of area left on it, so now felt like a great time to hold forth my wishlist.

Listed below are 5 characters I need to see in Mortal Kombat 1.

5. Nitara

Technically talking, Nitara must be primary on this checklist. Nitara was my favourite character Halfway launched in Lethal Alliance. I am placing Nitara decrease on the checklist due to the Mortal Kombat 1 roster leak. Thus far, that leak has been 100% correct, and Nitara is likely one of the characters on it. Leak, do not fail me now. 

Purge your thoughts of the abomination that was the Nitara within the latest live-action Mortal Kombat film. That was Nitara in title solely. The actual Nitara is not some generic goon of Shang Tsung. The actual Nitara is a vampire from the conquered realm of Vaeternus. She’s solely all in favour of releasing Vaeternus from Outworld’s grasp. And, fittingly for a vampire, she does so from the shadows. 

After finding a mystical orb that would free Vaeternus from Outworld, Nitara finds herself unable to retrieve it because it sits beneath molten lava (A Tremor can be helpful proper about now). So, what does she do? First, she scouts out Cyrax. Cyrax being a cyborg, he would have the ability to descend beneath the lava and retrieve the orb for her. 

Realizing she’d want to offer him one thing in return for his companies, Nitara first befriends Reptile by giving him an artifact sacred to his realm Zaterra. After incomes Reptile’s loyalty, she units him on Cyrax with the precise command to assault his arm panel, the gadget that enables Cyrax to maneuver between realms. 

Reptile’s assault on Cyrax is profitable, and Nitara then instantly approaches Cyrax with a deal: retrieve the orb, and I will ship you dwelling. With no different possibility for returning dwelling, Cyrax agrees. Cyrax retrieves the orb, and Nitara sends him again to Earthrealm utilizing the magical gemstone round her neck. 

After Cyrax offers her the orb, Nitara shatters it to items and efficiently separates Vaeternus from Outworld. That is proper, girls and gents, a Mortal Kombat character that is not a hero that achieves their final purpose. 

Instantly following Nitara’s success in releasing her realm was a brand new problem: the genocide of her race. The Datusha-wielding Ashrah has been busy wiping on vampires left and proper. So, what does Nitara do? She finds Ashrah and beats her. 

This girl will get stuff achieved.

Nitara joins the Forces of Darkness within the Battle of Armageddon (Presumably since Ashrah fought for the Forces of Mild) and dies together with everybody else. And sadly, that is the place Nitara’s story ends. Nitara has made no appearances within the NRS period to this point in order that terrible movie model of the character is the one Nitara trendy Mortal Kombat followers know. 

NetherRealm, please repair that. 

4. Kabal

Kabal is likely one of the most competitively dominant characters in each eras of Mortal Kombat. MK9 Kabal was my private favourite iteration of the character. I used to be by no means a fan of Halfway Kabal going from vowing to repent for his previous prison life in MK3, to turning into blindly loyal to Havik in Deception and turning into a nasty man once more as a result of causes. 

Mortal Kombat 9 noticed Kabal as a former Black Dragon member who renounced his prison previous and have become a cop and accomplice of Stryker. We do not get a lot of Cop Kabal earlier than Kintaro burns him to a crisp. After a clutch double save by Shang Tsung and Kano, NRS Kabal gained his iconic look and superspeed. 

However after this, Kabal will get the quick finish of the stick storywise. Kabal insta dies to Sindel in MK9 and spends the remainder of MK9, MKX, and MK11 are generic Netherrealm revenant quantity 4. However MK11 does a bit extra to stain Kabal’s character. 

Kabal is likely one of the many fighters that Kronika brings to the current. However this human Kabal is completely different from the one we knew in MK9. As a substitute of being a redeemed Black Dragon member and sincere cop, this Kabal is a corrupt cop who grew to become a Black Dragon member. Who additionally already has his superspeed regardless of not having met Shang Tsung but (With Shang Tsung’s magic being the rationale NRS Kabal has superspeed). As a result of causes or one thing. 

So yeah. Kabal’s characterization wants work. His MK11 arcade ending has him settling down into suburban life with Sareena, which was completely random. NRS ought to discover a lane for this man and keep it up. Plus, as a playable character, he is at all times a welcome addition.

3. Tremor

You’d suppose a man with the powers of an Earth Elemental would have a way more outstanding function within the Mortal Kombat universe, however apparently not. As a substitute, Tremor is only a Black Dragon enforcer.

It did not assist Tremor that he made his debut within the better-off-forgotten Mortal Kombat: Particular Forces. Tremor was presupposed to debut as a playable character through the Halfway period, however it by no means occurred. 

As a “ninja” within the early years of Mortal Kombat, Tremor was fairly the bland-looking character, being nothing greater than a brown palette swap of fighters like Scorpion and Sub-Zero. NetherRealm fortunately gave the Earth Elemental a much-needed makeover. His new look emphasizes his geokinesis powers and makes him look very formidable. 

Showing within the MKX comics and making his playable debut as a DLC character in MKX, Tremor’s inclusion confused many new-generation followers, however his inclusion quickly grew to become a welcomed one. Two of Tremor’s variations comfortably sit in S-Tier in latest MKX rankings. He is confirmed his value as a playable character. All that is left is for him to get some higher writing throughout the narrative. Tremor appears too highly effective to be a mere background character. Particular Forces introduce a number of fascinating Black Dragon characters that NetherRealm might do far more with, none extra so than Tremor. 

2. Sareena

Sareena is likely one of the few vibrant spots of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. Alongside Kia and Jataaka, Sareena debuted as an enforcer of Quan Chi. Elder Sub-Zero killed Kia and Jataaka however, for some cause, spared Sareena. Out of gratitude, Sareena would seem later and help Elder Sub-Zero in defeating Quan Chi. After expressing her want to escape the Netherrealm, Shinnok seems and seemingly kills Sareena. 

Solely he did not. Sareena survived, although she spent years as a prisoner within the Netherrealm. She would finally escape by way of the identical portal Quan Chi and Scorpion use in Lethal Alliance to achieve Outworld. Quickly after, she encounters Youthful Sub-Zero, who grants her asylum throughout the Lin Kuei out of gratitude for her having helped his brother. Sareena shortly pledged herself to the Lin Kuei. 

Sareena is absent throughout Deception however seems once more in Armageddon. She saves Youthful Sub-Zero from Noob Saibot and Smoke within the Netherrealm, and helps Sub-Zero defeat them. Sadly, being again within the Netherrealm causes Sareena to revert from her human kind to her unique demon one. Sub-Zero assaults her, and Sareena flees; proper again into the clutches of Quan Chi. After some Quan Chi voodoo magic, he makes her his minion once more. Her downfall does not final lengthy, as Sareena fights alongside the Forces of Mild within the remaining battle. 

Within the NRS period, Sareena briefly seems preventing alongside Kenshi and Jax in opposition to Quan Chi’s forces, and in Kabal’s MK11 ending, as his spouse, and that is it. And that is an actual disgrace. 

Sareena has a variety of potential to be a lot extra. It is weird Halfway did not try to offer her an arc the place she tries to avoid wasting Bi-Han/Noob Saibot. NRS did not both. What was the purpose of her redemption if she by no means does something? NRS might simply give her some rapport with fellow demon Ashrah (Which might assist free Ashrah from the Datusha’s grasp and assist her understand not all demons are evil and have to die), who’s on the leaked roster. 

Her bond with Bi-Han shall be troublesome to ascertain within the New Period since this Bi-Han presumably did not undergo Mythologies. However that is the advantage of a recent timeline; it offers you room to vary and enhance a personality’s backstory. Retcons are at all times dangerous strikes, however since Halfway barely did something with Sareena, this character could be one among NRS’s safer gambles. 

For starters, they may give the redeemed Sareena an outfit that is not an identical to the one she wore as a member of the Brotherhood of Shadow.

Only a suggestion.

1. Kai

One of many largest misconceptions within the Mortal Kombat neighborhood is that followers solely criticize the NRS-era video games and never the Halfway ones. That is removed from true. Whereas I believe the Halfway video games are superior in some ways, they nonetheless had loads of unhealthy writing and missed alternatives. None extra so than Kai. Transfer apart, Kung Lao, the unique Liu Kang-lite, is right here.

Launched in Mortal Kombat 4, Kai is a White Lotus Society member, buddy, and apprentice of Liu Kang. He is distinctive in that after beating the sport with Kai, his default weapon, the Ghurka Knife, switches to Raiden’s Lighting Employees, which Raiden offers him in his Arcade ending. 

But it surely all goes downhill from there. 

Kai is bottom-tier in his personal debut sport. Within the follow-up, Mortal Kombat: Lethal Alliance, the sport that revitalized the Mortal Kombat franchise for a lot of followers, Kai will not be current. I discover that odd, provided that Shang Tsung and Quan Chi murdered his buddy and instructor Liu Kang on this sport. His MK4 ending does present Kai telling Raiden he plans on touring the world to do some soul-searching, however come on, man. I believed Liu was your buddy. 

Kai briefly seems in Deception’s Konquest Mode. After an assault on the Shaolin, a lot of the monks are lifeless, and Kung Lao requests Shujinko discover Kai in Outworld and ask him to assist rebuild the monastery. Kai declines, telling Shujinko he’d solely return to Earthrealm after he completed exploring Outworld. 

Did you or did you not simply hear that the majority your Shaolin brothers are lifeless and the monastery destroyed? Kai’s form of a jerk. 

Whereas Kai is busy exploring Outworld, Raiden has revived Liu Kang as an undead enforcer who’s busy murdering folks (Together with Shaolin monks). And as soon as once more, Kai seemingly does not care. Halfway made it arduous to love this man. 

Kai returns as a playable character in Armageddon. Shortly earlier than the battle of Armageddon, Fujin and Kung Lao redeemed Raiden and calmed down Zombie Liu Kang. The third time wasn’t the appeal right here, as Kai was once more not current in an encounter he ought to’ve been concerned in. Like all of the Forces of Mild, Kai dies within the ensuing battle. However Halfway wasn’t fairly achieved making Kai one of many worst characters within the sequence. 

Kai was unhealthy in Mortal Kombat 4. He is even worse in Armageddon. His Conflict Membership sucks. His upward and downward fireballs are horrible. His fireballs are so gradual that Kai will hardly ever land them on CPU opponents. Touchdown them in a aggressive match is principally not possible. Armageddon Kai has poor mixups, low combo potential, and his harm is a joke. In consequence, Kai is as soon as once more a bottom-tier character. 

Kai’s solely look within the NRS period was in a textual content with Cassie Cage in one among her intros with Fujin. That is it. Kai made his technique to Mortal Kombat almost three a long time in the past, and neither Halfway nor NRS has achieved him any justice. They have not even come shut. 

With Liu Kang now a God and Raiden and Kung Lao not even beginning as Shaolin monks, there’s a variety of wiggle room to fit Kai into the New Period and truly make him a personality that may stand out from his allies. Let the person stay a little bit NRS.