The Mortal Kombat series has built up mountains of lore and intricate storytelling in its long history. From the humble beginnings of the first Mortal Kombat to the rebooted narrative that started with 2011's Mortal Kombat, the minds behind the popular fighting series have crafted some of the deepest lore in all gaming. Mortal Kombat 1 is the franchise at its most experimental in years, as the canon has been refreshed once again. Now, Fire God Liu Kang has crafted a new era of his own design, meant to encourage peace between the realms. In Mortal Kombat 1, however, peace isn't an option for long.

Mortal Kombat 1's campaign features a long list of twists and turns, with both familiar story beats and shocking surprises. Fighters like Shang Tsung and General Shao repeat history, while others like Mileena and Baraka follow a new trajectory unlike anything fans have seen before. By the time everything wraps up, it's clear that MK1 is only the beginning of what could be another round of exciting stories from NetherRealm Studios. Players are also left with more than a few questions when the credits roll, some of which could have significant effects on Fire God Liu Kang's new era moving forward.

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How Will Fire God Liu Kang Handle Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, and General Shao?

One of Fire God Liu Kang's top priorities when creating his new timeline was ensuring previous MK villains couldn't harm the realms again. This involved de-powering Shang Tsung and Quan Chi and demoting Shao Kahn to a general in Outworld's army. These antagonists unfortunately regain all of their malice in MK1, and by the time the campaign is finished, it's clear they'll continue to be a threat in the future. Fire God Liu Kang will likely have his hands full the next time they try to make a coordinated attack on Outworld, and how he handles such a thing will likely determine just how successful he was in forging a new timeline.

Where Is Shinnok?

Shinnok has been a frequent antagonist in Mortal Kombat, last making an appearance as the primary villain in Mortal Kombat X. The Elder God isn't present in MK1, but one of his most powerful tools shows up briefly in the tail end of the campaign. As General Shao and company confront Fire God Liu Kang, Sindel, and the queen's daughters, Shao reveals he is in possession of Shinnok's amulet. While he was gifted the evil medallion by a mysterious benefactor, it still begs the question of where Shinnok is in the new canon. If his amulet now exists, for example, he could potentially regain his power just as Shang Tsung and Quan Chi have.

How Long Can Mileena Fight Off Her Tarkat?

Liu Kang's new era attempts to give Mileena a new lease on life, and for the most part, it succeeds. Instead of being a monstrous creation of Shang Tsung, Mileena is the eldest daughter of Sindel and heiress to Outworld's throne. History finds a way of repeating itself, though, and Mileena becomes afflicted with Tarkat which transforms her into her usual toothy self. She does find a way to control it thanks to Shang Tsung, but with the sorcerer's true self made clear, it's unclear how long Mileena can fight her disease. Considering she becomes empress at the end of MK1's story, this uncertainty could have major implications for the future of Outworld.

By the time the credits roll on Mortal Kombat 1, it's clear this is very different from what MK fans are used to seeing. Some characters seem familiar while others couldn't be more different, and heavy doses of foreshadowing seem to lead fans in all sorts of directions. Whether NetherRealm pursues MK1 story DLC or waits for a sequel, there are many loose threads just waiting to be tied up.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available now on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.

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