WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for Mortal Kombat 1's Story Mode. Proceed at your own risk.
Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 11's Sindel retcon was disliked as it changed her character to be just as evil as Shao Kahn, overshadowing her return.
- In Mortal Kombat 1's new timeline, Sindel returns to her original characterization as a serious and benevolent ruler.
- The surprise return of MK11's Sindel in Mortal Kombat 1 led to revulsion from the fighters, highlighting the preference for the benevolent Sindel.
Sindel returns in Mortal Kombat 1, and her role in the new game is one that could enthuse fans of the character. With the universal reset that Mortal Kombat 1 brought to the series, the status of a lot of characters was up in the air. Whether they were series mainstays or characters who hadn't shown up in years, the game was designed to shake Mortal Kombat's status quo. As it turns out, a lot of things are different in Liu Kang's new universe, and among the many changes are new developments for the Queen of Outworld, Sindel.
As far as story developments went, Mortal Kombat 11's controversial Sindel retcon was one of the more disliked decisions. While Sindel had historically been the more benevolent of Outworld's rulers, Mortal Kombat 11 revealed her to be just as evil as Shao Kahn. While Sindel still had the same fighting style and supernatural scream powers, her character had changed completely, and not for the better. Sindel's new characterization was widely rejected, despite her fans having been eager to play her again after she was left out of the fight in Mortal Kombat X. The whole situation cast an unfortunate shadow over her return to the series.
Mortal Kombat 1's Sindel is a Much-Appreciated Return To Form
When Sindel returned once more in Mortal Kombat 1's new timeline, she had more or less returned to her original characterization. She was a serious and stern, but reasonable and benevolent ruler for Outworld. She was no less competent than her previous incarnations either, with her lethal scream, hair whips, and supernatural powers perfectly intact. She is quickly established as a ruler who is determined to do right by her people, and is willing to fight against any odds for the sake of her daughters, even if they clash at times. Mortal Kombat 1's Sindel is certainly a far cry from her monstrous MK11 incarnation.
A bigger shock for players to find in Mortal Kombat 1's Story Mode is the surprise return of Mortal Kombat 11's Sindel, summoned from her timeline to fight the heroes. The reaction to her from the fighters present can best be described as revulsion, with Liu Kang openly stating that he was glad the new universe's Sindel was nothing like the old timeline's. To drive the point home further, Mileena ends up slaying MK 11's Sindel, violently refusing to consider her anything like her own mother. There is no ambiguity that, in-universe, the benevolent Sindel is vastly preferred over her evil counterpart.
Unfortunately, Sindel's role leads to a tragedy that will be a challenge for the next Mortal Kombat to follow, as she perished in combat with her evil self. However, her story did not end there. As it turns out, the amalgamation of souls that is Ermac was being piloted by the soul of her deceased lover, Jerrod, and after Sindel's death, her soul joins the collective. Although Sindel loses her physical body, she is able to reunite with her lost love. While these events leave her future prospects in the timeline a mystery for the time being, she gets a relatively decent ending.
Sindel needed something special to recover from her Mortal Kombat 11 iteration, and Mortal Kombat 1's new take on canon proved to be exactly what she needed. Her original self is back in full force, and she's still a fun fighter to play as, so fans aren't missing out on anything. Her MK11 counterpart being thoroughly rebuked can also be seen as a bonus, even though her appearance also resulted in the new Sindel's death. Following Mortal Kombat 1, fans of Sindel can be relieved that her original character has been salvaged.
Mortal Kombat 1 is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
