After thirty years of wondrously gory action, Mortal Kombat 1 is taking the franchise in one of its most experimental directions yet. The timeline that started with 2011's Mortal Kombat is being wiped clean, and in its place is Fire God Liu Kang's new era following the events of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. The realms are supposed to be at peace, but as is the case with most entries, Mortal Kombat 1's new canon doesn't seem to be staying peaceful for long. Though the story may be changing, developer NetherRealm Studios is wasting no time to throw a wrench into Fire God Liu Kang's plans.
Many of Mortal Kombat's most iconic names are appearing in Mortal Kombat 1, with Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Johnny Cage making up just some of the revealed roster. There are just as many fan-favorites, however, who have yet to appear in any of the game's trailers, leaving many to wonder if they'll be featured at all. Some of these missing kombatants include Baraka and Noob Saibot, staples of the franchise with backstories that may not fit into Fire God Liu Kang's idyllic new era. One character who fits in the same category is Ermac, the famed red ninja who uses telekinesis to take down those who oppose him.
Ermac's Mortal Kombat History Explained
Ermac's role in Mortal Kombat goes all the way back to the very first game, when he was believed to be a secret character by fans who witnessed a visual glitch that turned one of the game's ninjas red. He was officially introduced as a kombatant in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and since then he's been a regular fixture of the franchise. Out of Mortal Kombat's many ninjas, Ermac has always had one of the more unique move sets. Instead of focusing on elemental moves, Ermac's fighting style centers around telekinetic powers that make him an excellent zoner, and one of the more visually compelling fighters in MK's history.
Ermac's origins stray even further from that of the other ninjas, as he is the physical embodiment of the souls lost in Outworld's wars. He was created by Shao Kahn as a sort of lackey to the MK villain, and he rarely rises above his station to try and take any amount of control. After Shao Kahn is defeated in the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, Ermac moves from one ruler of Outworld to another in MKX, serving Mileena during her time as empress and then supporting Kotal Kahn when he overthrows Mileena. Now that MK1 is rebooting the MK timeline, however, it's unclear if Ermac will have any rulers to kneel to at all.
How Ermac Could Appear In Mortal Kombat 1
Ermac is one of many MK fighters who have an unclear path towards inclusion in Mortal Kombat 1. The most likely scenario for Ermac to show up would likely depend on Shang Tsung. The evil sorcerer has always shown an affinity for manipulating souls, and if he's going to be Mortal Kombat 1's main antagonist as the game's reveal trailer seemed to suggest, then he could create Ermac in Fire God Liu Kang's new era. Ermac's powers and characterization would likely remain identical to previous games, but it would nonetheless give players an opportunity to pick up the iconic ninja for the first time in almost ten years.
NetherRealm Studios is pulling no punches when it comes to shaking up the Mortal Kombat franchise with Mortal Kombat 1. In addition to its lore reset, MK1's Kameo fighters look like they could be one of the most dynamic features in an MK game yet. They also open up opportunities for beloved kombatants to make an appearance in some capacity, even if it isn't as a proper playable character. It's entirely likely that Ermac could be among MK1's Kameo fighters, but it would probably make many fans of the telekinetic ninja happier if he returned as a proper kombatant.
Mortal Kombat 1 releases September 19 on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
