At Gamescom ONL 2023, many developers showed off their upcoming products, including NetherRealm Studios and its upcoming game, Mortal Kombat 1. For some time now, the developer has been trickling news and reveals to fans, and the latest Gamescom Mortal Kombat 1 trailer revealed more playable fighters and Kameo characters - one of which may have big implications for the game's story.

The trailer in question primarily showed the relationship between Sindel and Shao Kahn, now referred to as General Shao. It showed off gameplay with the two characters as well as establishing what the tournament will be in Liu Kang's new timeline. The trailer also revealed a pair of new Kameo fighters. One of these Mortal Kombat 1 fighters was the long-dormant character, Shujinko.

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Shujinko’s Role in the Mortal Kombat Universe

Shujinko's story in the game's universe is a little bit convoluted and, at times, doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Like Onaga, he was introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deception and hasn't really played a big role in the franchise since. His backstory states that he was contacted by Onaga from beyond the grave under the disguise of a floating ball of light named Damashi. He claimed to be an agent for the Elder Gods and sent him to collect items known as the Kamidogu that were scattered throughout the realms.

In order to collect these, Onaga granted Shujinko the ability to mimic those of other fighters and absorb their abilities. By doing this, the character inadvertently sets the stage for Onaga's resurrection. Realizing his mistake, he eventually confronted the Dragon King and defeated him. What was odd about his journey was that Shujinko's story seemed to parallel the plot of the main Mortal Kombat timeline. However, he was an old man by the time the game ended even though all the other characters didn't age by a significant amount.

He would appear once again in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon in a diminished capacity and was killed at some point during the battle at the Pyramid. The character would remain largely absent from the new timeline save for a mention in Cassie Cage's Mortal Kombat 10 ending. This will be the first time the character has had a major appearance in any game in over a decade, which means another long-dormant character could make his way to the franchise as well.

What Shujinko’s Appearance May Mean For Mortal Kombat 1

Since the game was revealed, Mortal Kombat 1 has kept its main villain a secret. The footage that has been shown for the game seems to primarily be about world-building and showing off the new status quo of Liu Kang's new timeline. While characters like Baraka and General Shao are clearly up to no good, there isn't any indication that they'll be the main big bad. The leading theory is that the main antagonist will be Onaga, the Dragon King.

The inclusion of the characters Li Mei and Tanya in Mortal Kombat 1 both point to Onaga's potential return given their history with the character. Furthermore, in Liu Kang's mirror match, both versions of the character name-drop the Dragon King before fighting. One version asks him about the character's status in the timeline while the other states that he rules it. While Shujinko's appearance in the game isn't any confirmation, it is yet another connection to Onaga that is a little difficult to ignore.

Shujinko unfortunately will not be playable in the upcoming game and, like all Kameo Fighters, he will assist other characters. It's also not entirely clear what role they will have in the story, though some have been seen in the background of the trailers. Given how Onaga remains suspiciously absent from Mortal Kombat 1, Shujinko's appearance has some big implications for the game. For the time being, he remains a character who has been on the bench too long.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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