Mortal Kombat 11 is an amazing game full of incredible combos, brutal fatalities, and a pretty impressive roster. But, what makes Mortal Kombat truly shine, more than anything else, is the depth of its characters. Fighting games aren’t exactly known for great storylines, but Mortal Kombat has managed to weave a compelling tale of alliances, power, and corruption. 

Look, I’m not here to say that the MK story is the greatest we have ever seen, but for any gamer who has followed many of these characters from the very beginning, observing how they turned out is very satisfying indeed. 

The original Mortal Kombat game had a pretty small cast of characters— ten to be exact, and only seven of them were playable. Now, almost 30 years later, these characters have all grown and evolved in one way or another. With that said, I want to take a look at how this evolution happened to each character and how they are doing now in the current timeline. 

NB: I’ll be examining the history from the original timeline, I know there’s a reboot, but it doesn’t make what came before any less canon.

Liu Kang

How it started

Everyone knows about good ol’ Liu Kang, the protagonist of the first couple of Mortal Kombat games and everyone’s favorite tragic character. Liu Kang started out as an orphaned child who was left with a monastery to grow and learn. As he grew physically, his fighting skills also became apparent. So, when Thunder god Raiden was looking for Earthrealm warriors to compete in the first Mortal Kombat, Liu Kang was his man, and boy, he did not disappoint. Liu Kang was an impressive fighter who was able to defeat the reigning champion of the tournament, Goro, and even the competition’s convener, the sorcerer, Shang Tsung. 

How it’s going

Liu Kang has...err...had a pretty torrid time of it (he even died!), but by the end of MK11, he had absorbed Raiden’s power and had become a god. Also, Liu Kang grew from being a simple ‘chosen one’ character to a nuanced person with real flaws and relatable emotions. He had been to the dark side and back, found a woman he loves, and had defended Earthrealm again and again. With all things considered, I think we could say it’s going okay for Liu Kang.

Johnny Cage

How it started

Johnny Cage was a famous (or kinda famous depending on which timeline you’re going with) Hollywood actor who was looking for validation as a martial artist. Johnny entered into the Mortal Kombat tournament, not knowing what was at stake and simply thinking everyone was a little way into their characters. That said, he gave a good account of himself and turned out to be a valuable fighter for Earthrealm. At the end of the first Mortal Kombat tournament, he did battle with Goro with Sonya Blade at his side and when the island got destroyed, he was able to make it out alive. 

How it’s going

Johnny Cage started out as a cocky, egotistical actor who was way in over his head, but as the years went by, he matured immeasurably. What’s more, it turns out that his constant hitting on Sonya Blade worked out, and the two had a daughter together, Cassie. Also, Johnny became a dependable leader who was instrumental in raising the new generation of Mortal Kombat characters. That said, he’s still cocky and annoying, but that side of him only makes him more realistic. It was interesting to see his ending in Mortal Kombat 11 as it shows how important the family he was able to build is to him. 

Kano

How it started

Kano was a career criminal who was only interested in how things favored him. He was also the leader of the Black Dragon clan, a criminal organization that was the target of law enforcement for a very long time. Kano found himself in the Mortal Kombat tournament believing that he could secure a huge score on Shang Tsung’s island. He soon realized that this was not to be, and he fought simply to try and secure the best outcome for himself. It was later revealed that he lost his eye to Jaxx Briggs and gave Sub-Zero his iconic scar. He finished the first MK tournament trapped on a perishing island. 

How it’s going

Kano is one of the easiest characters to understand in the Mortal Kombat universe. Even after the reboot and all the events that happened (it basically involved double-crossing and triple-crossing everyone), Kano more or less remained the same. He didn’t really experience any character growth, but, to be honest, I never expected anything different. For Kano, life was simple: if it favored him, then he was in. 

Raiden

How it started

Raiden is the resident thunder god of the Mortal Kombat franchise. Immensely powerful and deeply flawed, Raiden is easily one of the most interesting characters you could come across. Apart from being a god, he was also the designated protector of Earthrealm, a role which he took very seriously indeed. He oversaw the growth and training of Liu Kang, and by the time Shang Tsung had set his plot in motion, Raiden was ready to deploy earth’s mightiest heroes in a bid to stop the sorcerer. Raiden entered the first MK tournament with a view to win and ensure Earthrealm didn’t fall into the hands of Outworld. With his guidance, Liu Kang was able to secure the W for team Earthrealm and destroy Shang Tsung’s plans (at first).

How it’s going

Raiden would give up his godly powers for Liu Kang in the hopes that the latter would reset the timeline and bring about peace. But before that, he had suffered corruption and had made a slew of high-profile errors that had cost the lives of many of the game’s heroes, including Liu Kang. As the games went on, we realized that Raiden wasn’t this all-wise and knowing being who had answers for everything, but rather an imperfect god who wanted the best for the people he was protecting but didn’t always make the best moves. His relationship with Liu Kang was very interesting, and their falling out was painful to see, even if somewhat necessary. Raiden might be immortal, but he sure learned a lot over the past several years 

Scorpion 

How it started

Everyone’s favorite vengeful ninja got his start as an assassin for the Shirai Ryu, an organization that his father did not want him to join. During a mission to retrieve a map, Scorpion runs into his biggest rival, Sub-Zero. The two get into a fight, and Scorpion is killed. When he arrives in Netherrealm, he is deceived into thinking that Sub-Zero killed his clan and murdered his wife and son. Therefore, Scorpion was brought back to life as a vengeful wraith bent on revenge against the cryomancer. In the first Mortal Kombat, he goes after Sub-Zero relentlessly and is finally able to kill him, but as we all know, there was another Sub-Zero, who was also on a quest for revenge. 

How it’s going

After realizing the truth of his clan’s death and destruction (they were killed by Quan-chi, who promptly framed Sub-Zero for the murders), his target of revenge changed to Quan-chi. He was once again able to get his revenge and is currently on Earthrealm’s side, helping them out in their battle to rebuff Outworld's advances. Scorpion is one of the most intriguing characters in the Mortal Kombat universe. First typecast as this vengeful villain who had no other qualities, Scorpion has evolved into a sympathetic hero who generally allies with the side of good. In fact, people know him better as Hanzo Hasashi, which is incredible seeing that he has somehow been able to get past his ‘Scorpion’ persona. 

Sonya Blade

How it started

Sonya was a member of the US special forces and has been in hot pursuit of the leader of the Black Dragon, Kano. Sonya had extra motivation to take Kano down as the criminal leader was responsible for the death of her former partner. Her pursuit of Kano led her to enter into the first Mortal Kombat tournament where she first met Johnny Cage. By the end of the tournament, she got a chance to face off against her partner’s murderer but was soon forced to help him as she, Kano, and Johnny were pitted against Goro. When Shang Tsung’s island started to fall apart, Sonya tried to escape but could not, later getting captured along with Kano by Shao Kahn.

How it’s going

Sonya remains a driven character bent on protecting Earthrealm and its inhabitants. She and Johnny have a daughter called Cassie, and by the end of MKX, the family experienced something of a revival as she and Johnny seem to have mended fences. In terms of character development, Sonya Blade has become more complex over the years as her role has grown. No longer the damsel in distress, she has gone on to become one of the most recognizable female protagonists in the MK-verse. 

Sub-Zero

How it started

As we all know, there are two Sub-Zeros: the original, Bi-Han, and his younger brother, and the main cryomancer fans are familiar with, Kuai Liang. As mentioned when talking about Scorpion, Sub-Zero was on a mission to retrieve a map when he first met Scorpion. The two being from rival assassin clans faced off against each other, with Sub-Zero coming off as the victor. The Grandmaster chose Sub-Zero for the first Mortal Kombat to represent the Lin Kuei, and he went for the tournament in the hopes of completing a contract to kill Shang Tsung. He was unsuccessful since Liu Kang was the victor of the competition and took our Shang Tsung. As if that was not bad enough, at the end of the tournament, he was confronted by Scorpion, and this time, he lost to the vengeful wraith and was killed. 

How it’s going

Sub-Zero (or Kuai Liang) has now established himself as a force for good and even became the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. He uncovered the truth of his brother’s death and even made peace with his bitter rival, Hanzo Hasashi. It was really interesting to see the differences between Bi-Han and Kuai Liang, with the latter experiencing some pretty significant growth. Bi-Han would go on to become Noob Saibot and delve deeper into his evil ways, while Kuai Liang would become a noble warrior for the Lin Kuei and a character who sought to think for himself rather than just doing what he is told. 

Goro

How it started

Goro is a Shokan prince who was allied with Shao Kahn. He was also a great warrior who won 9 consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, including his debut win where he killed the great Kung Lao. He was one of the main antagonists of the first Mortal Kombat game, where he aimed to win his 10th Mortal Kombat, which would, in turn, allow for the invasion of Earthrealm by Outworld. Unfortunately, he lost out to Liu Kang and was probably never the same again. 

How it’s going

Well, Goro is not a playable character in MK11 and doesn’t have much to do with the storyline in the game. He did appear in MKX as a sub-boss (he makes a great right-hand man) but doesn’t do much in the story. There is a lot more content about him in the MK comics where he lost all his arms and is on a quest to get them back and become stronger. That said, there's a nice little Easter egg in the Krypt as you can find Goro's body in his lair which was a nice little nod to the crazy Shokan.

Reptile

How it started

Reptile belongs to an ancient race called the Saurians, who went into exile after the battle involving the elder gods nearly destroyed them. They escaped to a realm known as Zaterra, where they were promptly invaded by Shao Kahn. Reptile became his underling and served both the emperor and Shang Tsung. Reptile is a hidden character in the first game and was there simply to observe the tournament and ensure that Shang Tsung remained on the straight and narrow. 

How it’s going

Reptile also doesn’t appear in MK11 and isn’t as pivotal to the story as it moves along. But it was interesting to see how he evolved from a faceless underling into a tragic character suffering from mental illness and predisposed to serving one master or the other. Unfortunately, he has so far been unable to restore Zaterra to its former glory instead content to act as a pawn for the side of evil. Just like Goro, he can also be found in the Krypt, but unlike the 6 limbed fighter, he is alive and when hit with Shao Kahn's hammer, gives up a lot of loot!

Shang Tsung

How it started

The main antagonist of the first Mortal Kombat game, Shang Tsung, is a member of Earthrealm who decided to side with Outworld and its evil ruler Shao Kahn. he was a former winner of Mortal Kombat, but his mischief was so great that the elder gods decided to curse him, the result of which causes him to age rapidly. In an attempt to help Shao Kahn invade Earthrealm, Shang Tsung found a perfect champion for Mortal Kombat— Goro, with whom he hoped to win 10 Mortal Kombat tournaments. He came really close, winning nine with Goro, but Liu Kang caused the mother of upsets when he defeated not only Goro but Shang Tsung as well. 

How it’s going

Shang Tsung managed to escape death a few times after his first failure and even formed a deadly alliance with Quan-chi. But ultimately, he failed and was eventually killed. He was brought back by Kronica but was imprisoned as the keeper of time did not trust the evil sorcerer. However, after her defeat at the hands of Liu Kang, Shang Tsung was freed from Kronika’s prison and ready to wreak havoc. With Liu Kang and Kitana creating a new timeline, it is hard to say what role Shang Tsung will play moving forward. The sorcerer isn’t particularly developed as a character as he is typically always defined by his quest for power and control.

And that’s it. Who’s character evolution did you enjoy experiencing the most in the Mortal Kombat franchise? For me, I will have to go for Scorpion as it was truly amazing to see him turn from a faceless ninja of revenge to a sympathetic character who simply wants to do right by his clan and family.