Mortal Kombat 1 promises to usher in a new age for the series' narrative. Following the events of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, Fire God Liu Kang has created a new timeline in which he hopes to avoid the last timeline's violent and time-shattering conflict. Developer NetherRealm Studios is known for creating deep and cinematic narratives for its premiere fighting properties. However, the most recent entries in each have featured multiple endings, though one is always clearly the canon choice. In Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm should avoid this strategy, as the series timeline reboot should focus on a clear and effective story on which later entries can continue to build.
Mortal Kombat 1 debuted its first trailer in May. The title had been teased for quite some time, with various leaks revealing fighters, modes, and a potential release date. While the trailer didn't feature any gameplay, it provided fans with a lengthy glimpse into Fire God Liu Kang's new timeline. But what starts as a series of scenes depicting the peaceful lives of classic characters quickly devolves into chaos, as Shang Tsung appears through a dimensional rift. Much of the narrative is still under wraps, but the trailer did confirm which of Mortal Kombat 11's endings is officially canon.
Mortal Kombat 11's Multiple Endings Were Unnecessary
The base release of Mortal Kombat 11 featured three different endings, two in which Liu Kang gains god-like powers and chooses an advisor, and one in which the title's antagonist, Kronika, kills Liu Kang. Of those endings, it's obvious that the ending in which Liu Kang wins and chooses Raiden as his advisor is the canon ending, as the other two simply don't follow the series' long-running narrative.
Injustice 2 also featured multiple endings. That said, Injustice 2's narrative created a clear path for either to be considered canon. Unlike Mortal Kombat 11, Injustice 2's world makes room for either Batman's or Superman's story to realistically occur. Players are left to choose who they wish to side with, and then take part in a slew of fights that allow that character's plan to come to fruition. The title has yet to receive a story follow-up of any kind, and, as it stands, both endings bring the two-game narrative to an extremely effective conclusion.
Mortal Kombat 1 Needs A Definitive Ending
Mortal Kombat 11 can teach Mortal Kombat 1 various lessons, one of which being that multiple endings can diminish the efficacy of some true endings. While a bad ending makes sense with failure, a slightly different good ending adds nothing but confusion to a title. There is nothing wrong if a narrative's ending leaves fans with a few lingering questions, as this can build anticipation for a future entry.
Rather, the ending itself should not be left to question until years later when a new title is released. Mortal Kombat 11 did this twice in one title, with Aftermath confirming MK11's canon ending, before offering players an Injustice 2-like choice between letting good or evil prevail.
Mortal Kombat 1 is the start of a new era for the series and needs to create a definitive story from which all future entries can effectively build upon. The title would do well to avoid NetherRealm's modern strategy of including additional endings, leaving its sequel to confirm the obvious. By offering a deep and focused narrative with one definitive ending, Mortal Kombat 1 can mark this new era with a renewed commitment to depth and character development. If done properly, Mortal Kombat 1's timeline could usher in the best iteration of the series' universe to date.
Mortal Kombat 1 is set to release on September 19, 2023, for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.