Mortal Kombat 1's new timeline is a second chance for a lot of characters, but for Johnny Cage, it may be a chance to lose everything. As one of the most iconic fighters in the series, Johnny Cage was an obvious pick as a part of the cast for the upcoming reboot. Even so, with a new set of storylines about to begin, Johnny may not be as lucky in the universe's new iteration as he was in the past. Depending on how the events of Mortal Kombat 1 play out, fans could see a very different Johnny emerge.
Johnny Cage is one of Mortal Kombat's most foundational characters, even though he may not be as instantly recognizable as Scorpion or Sub-Zero. As a famous actor, he seems a bit out of place compared to the martial artists and supernatural warriors that populate most of Mortal Kombat's rosters. However, Johnny has his own set of martial arts skills, and the later games effectively play on his fish-out-of-water status for laughs. Johnny is Mortal Kombat's go-to comic relief character and is almost always quick with a joke, especially in pre-fight exchanges. This characterization has made him one of the series' most agreeable characters, especially his older and wiser incarnation.
Mortal Kombat 1's Johnny Cage May Not Become the Johnny Cage of MK11
An unexpected side effect of the time-travel storyline in Mortal Kombat 11 was the depiction of how much Johnny has grown over the course of the series. Due to Kronika's time-manipulation powers, many cast members met their past selves, and Johnny was one of them. While both Johnnys were quite snarky, the older Johnny was relatively mature and laid-back, while still able to take a situation seriously.
By comparison, his younger self was more brash, egotistical, and obnoxious, to the point that Johnny himself was annoyed by him. While their dynamic was funny, it showed Johnny to be one of the series' most developed characters. Now, all of that development for Johnny could be in jeopardy in Mortal Kombat 1's new timeline.
Since the new game is largely taking things back to the beginning, that means that every character is starting more or less from scratch. That means that Johnny will be back to his younger self, although what exactly that entails has yet to be seen. After all, Johnny wasn't even highlighted in the reveal trailer, although his appearance in the game is confirmed regardless. There's a chance that Johnny could be back to his old arrogant ways since his previous character development never took place, at least not yet
Mortal Kombat 1's premise could have major consequences for Johnny's future going forward. While Mortal Kombat 1 can redeem past villains, Johnny could be a character who ends up going the other way. While even Johnny at his worst wasn't a character that could be considered evil, he would never have been able to become a reliable ally to the heroes if he didn't grow up a little. By Mortal Kombat 11, he was not only the Champion of Earthrealm, but a genuinely devoted father as well. The reason he grew was because of everything he went through, both good and bad.
Although Mortal Kombat 1 is bringing back Johnny Cage, he may not be the same man that fans saw in the last game. Mortal Kombat 1 confirming Mortal Kombat 11's ending as canon means that the slate is largely being wiped clean. For characters like Scorpion and Mileena, it is a chance to avoid the mistakes of the past. However, Johnny's situation is the opposite, with his previous self being arguably the best man that he could become. Therefore, he may not turn out the same in this timeline.
Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
