Highlights

  • Homelander's arrival in Mortal Kombat 1 may feel jarring following Ermac's fast-paced fighting style.
  • Speculation suggests Homelander will be a zoner, best suited for keeping opponents at a distance in combat.
  • The sharp contrast between Homelander's expected playstyle and Ermac's moveset might make the new DLC feel like a big transition.

There are now only a few short days left until Homelander makes his way into Mortal Kombat 1 and cements himself in the franchise. As one of the main antagonists in The Boys, Homelander is Mortal Kombat 1's third major comic book crossover, but the game may have decided to bring on the character at the wrong time.

Since it was announced that Homelander would be coming to Mortal Kombat 1, the character's arrival has been one of the game's most anticipated updates. The game's Omni-Man and Peacemaker additions have been incredibly fun to play, with Mortal Kombat 1 nailing the personalities of both characters while giving them attacks and fatalities that really showcase their abilities. As Homelander's June 11 launch draws closer, it will be exciting to finally see how the character plays, but adding him after Ermac may have been the wrong move.

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Homelander Arriving After Ermac Might Be Jarring

The most recent fighter to be added to Mortal Kombat 1's growing roster is Ermac. The fighter is best known as being made up of a variety of souls from many powerful fighters, making him incredibly versatile and deadly as a character. Ermac's fighting style is very quick and is useful in close-quarters combat. Although Homelander himself is incredibly powerful, his fighting style may prove to be the opposite of Ermac's.

Homelander is Likely a Zoner

There has been a lot of speculation about how Homelander will fit into Mortal Kombat 1, and one thing about the character seems to be quite clear: Homelander will likely be a zoner. For those unfamiliar with the term, zoners are fighters who are best suited for keeping opponents at a distance, and based on Homelander's official reveal trailer, the character seems best suited for this type of fighting style.

Between Homelander's flying abilities and laser vision, it seems almost certain that he will be utilized in this way. Zoners can be incredibly powerful fighters, but arriving after Ermac and his quick fighting mechanics, a zoner character may feel jarring in comparison. This hopefully won't be the case, but Ermac and Homelander could prove to be total opposites when it comes to mechanics. This could be a good thing in the long run, but it could also be disappointing for those who really want to feel as powerful as possible when playing Homelander.

Homelander's High Expectations in MK1

Since Omni-Man and Peacemaker's additions to the game have brought some fantastic crossovers to Mortal Kombat 1, Homelander being the next in line creates some big expectations that may be hard to meet after Ermac. Of course, the follow-up to Ermac doesn't need to have the exact same fighting style, but for Homelander to be such an anticipated character, his place in the game as a full-on zoner may be too much of a difference too soon.

Homelander will make a great addition to the game, but Ermac's fast-paced and exciting fighting mechanics hopefully won't get in the way of the former's arrival. The future of Mortal Kombat 1 will likely bring even more great crossover characters to the game's roster, but Homelander is one of the biggest features so far. The Boys TV series has proven to be an incredibly successful adaptation of the comics, and Homelander is a character that is hard not to be fascinated by. Although there is the issue of introducing him as a zoner after such an action-heavy character, there is hope that Mortal Kombat 1 will do the character justice.