Few video game franchises have creators as actively involved with their communities as NetherRealm Studios' Ed Boon is with the fighting game staple Mortal Kombat and its latest entry Mortal Kombat 11. Whether it be teasing upcoming DLC characters or promoting Mortal Kombat memes involving Bernie Sanders' mittens, Boon can often be found talking to fans on social media.
Earlier this week, Boon brought attention to one fan's video recreating the Fatal Blow and Fatality for Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat 11. The 17-year-old Nigerian indie filmmaker and self-proclaimed "real life game character" Ayo The Creator uploaded a video of their "zero budget" recreation to Twitter on January 29, and Boon reposted it later that day.
The video's low budget adds to its charm, with Jax' metal arms being replaced by chalky dust during the Fatal Blow and his explosive device being replaced by a can of Pringles during the Fatality - which caught Boon's attention in particular. Most of the animations that involve characters cartoonishly flying away or being punched in half are replicated with Photoshop editing, and all of the blood one might expect from Mortal Kombat 11 has been swapped out for water effects.
Ayo The Creator responded to Boon on Twitter with a quote tweet thanking him and saying, "More parodies coming UP." Though the filmmaker's take on Mortal Kombat 11 received extra attention thanks to the series' co-creator, they have also posted parodies for games like FIFA and Grand Theft Auto in the past, and one low-budget parody uploaded to YouTube last August also tackles the 1994 Jet Li martial arts film Fist of Legend.
A recent video put out by Mortal Kombat developers shows that Jax is not one of the most-used characters in Mortal Kombat 11, but he does have a fan-favorite Friendship. This non-violent finisher has Jax serenading his opponent with a take on the Mortal Kombat theme played via saxophone, and was one of the moves used to advertise the free update adding Frindships during its official trailer from May 18, 2020.
Fans create their own takes on popular video games and other cultural icons all the time, though the practice is not limited to just fans. After the "Lamar Roasts Franklin" scene from Grand Theft Auto 5 became a popular meme, the original actors recreated Lamar Roasts Franklin in real life. Ayo The Creator's work stands out for its creativity and accuracy, however, so it should be worth watching out for more content in the future.
Mortal Kombat 11 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: YouTube