Despite leaking online about a month before its reveal, Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath came as a shock to many. Not only does it introduce a brand new story set after the events of the main games, it brings Kombat Pack 1 characters into the fold and even adds 3 more brand new characters. In short, many are likely excited to see what comes next.
Looking close at what has been revealed of it, though, begs a ton of questions: Why is Shang Tsung backed by Fujin and Nightwolf, how did Shang Tsung escape the Time Void, and what in Earthrealm is actually happening? The simplest answer to these is that Kronika's plan in Mortal Kombat 11 actually worked, with Aftermath being the results thereof.
Mortal Kombat 11: Kronika's Plan
As with all good villains, Kronika's plan is a bit convoluted to follow. She essentially wants to bring past and present together, for what Raiden did to her son Shinnok, and by doing so, reset the MK11 timeline. Raiden reveals she has done this time and again, aiming for perfection. Her New Era, she reveals, has to be one with no Raiden; after all, Raiden and Liu Kang's various conflicts have been of her design and have led to ruin each time. But that's the thing: Raiden could only do so because he is a god in the Mortal Kombat 11 universe.
Effectively, the end of Mortal Kombat 11 sees this realization: Raiden is mortal, he will eventually pass, and there will exist a timeline without Raiden. She dies, sure, but the time-traveling shenanigans make it clear that her past self seems to be aware of what's going on. She notes that Liu Kang, Raiden, and Shang Tsung's new allies don't realize how dangerous he is, which is the reason he exists in the first place. Kronika pushed Shang Tsung into collecting and using souls as a backup for her, while also locking Shang Tsung in a time void during the events of the game.
This begs the question as to how he gets out and how does he get to Kronika's realm at this exact time, but that in lies a possible answer: Kronika's plan is working but isn't over yet. This would make sense given the expansion title is the ambiguous Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath.
Mortal Kombat 11: Shang Tsung is Kronika's Backup
It's already established that Shang Tsung is Kronika's backup, as it's the very reason he dealt in souls to begin with. It's possible that he's not working for Kronika, per se, but it seems like that Kronika knows what he's up to. She could be manipulating him, or he could be a new, genuine threat. It remains to be seen, but with Kronika's powers, she likely foresaw this happening. This could have been part of the plan from the very beginning. The good news is that it's not a long wait to understand what's going on, as Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath's release date is right around the corner.
Mortal Kombat 11 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One.
