Finest moments in the history of Mortal Kombat 1

Mortal Kombat. The series responsible for setting our expectations for storytelling in fighting games. Sure, these games always had narratives, but the cinematic storytelling began here. And now, Mortal Kombat 1 brings us a soft reboot, with a recently completed trilogy that also works well as a continuation. If you're playing for the story, we recommend playing the previous installments.

Regardless, you have probably already finished the game since we will be discussing the plot and our favorite moments here. From returning villains to heartwarming family scenes and reunions, there are several highlights to talk about.

Spoilers ahead

10 Lin Kuei Introduction

It's simply beautiful to see our ninjas return. The Lin Kuei appear as supposed antagonists right at the beginning of the game, playing with our knowledge of Bi-Han and his personality. With Smoke, Scorpion, and Grandmaster Sub-Zero attacking Madame Bo's location, they essentially act like a criminal family.

Of course, that was a test conducted by Fire God Liu Kang to see if Kung Lao and Raiden were ready for the tournament - hence the false antagonists - but it was still a beautiful moment and an entertaining way to introduce the characters.

9 Raiden As The Chosen One

With Liu Kang as the protector of Earthrealm, they had to fully embrace the role reversal, right? And although the tournament itself doesn't last long and is relatively tame compared to previous versions - as one would expect from a dimension created by Liu Kang - it was an entertaining experience to have Raiden as the chosen one.

We experience many interesting moments, such as Raiden's pure personality, his powers finally manifesting thanks to his amulet, and many character reunions that make his entire chapter one of the best.

8 Mileena's First Turn

Is it wrong to say that it was a fantastic moment when Kenshi had his eyes pierced? The first transformation of Mileena - a 'gift' from her Tarkatan disease - was an exciting moment in the story. Not only do we see her fangs for the first time, but the fight against her and the damage she inflicts are brutal.

And as mentioned before, this culminates in her using her Kunai and blinding Kenshi, ultimately turning him into the blind swordsman we know - another great moment in the game that we will soon discuss.

7 Baraka's Reintroduction

Baraka has been part of the series for almost its entirety and is one of the true classic members of the roster and one of the most recognizable faces. However, he has never been much more than a henchman for the villains, someone to fight before reaching the likes of Goro and Shao Kahn. Well, that has changed now.

With Tarkat, this game gave Baraka much-needed depth to his character and a rather tragic situation as a trader who has lost his family and now awaits death. Additionally, it was great to see him helping the good guys and dedicating a chapter to him, showcasing his strength and honorable personality in an impressive way.

6 Reptile's Reintroduction

Reptile also received much better treatment here. Not only through a change in his background story, portraying him as a shape-shifting reptilian, but also the way he is introduced - as a villain serving Shang Tsung, hoping to save his already deceased family - is simply tragic.

His misguided actions, coupled with the realization of his family's death, created a great moment for him and between him and Baraka, who understood him and decided to accept him. It's a shame that they are not as relevant anymore after their respective chapters.

5 Kenshi Gets His Blade

In general, the buddy relationship between Johnny and Kenshi is a highlight, as the interactions between these characters are quite impressive. However, their back-and-forth regarding Sento, Kenshi's legendary sword currently in Johnny's possession, showcases where they are in their personal character development.

Thus, with Kenshi willingly risking himself to save his friend - at the cost of losing his eyesight - and Johnny ultimately handing over Kenshi's sword to him, only for Kenshi's ancestors to come to his aid when he feels powerless, one of the best moments in the game is created. Our great blind swordsman is finally born.

4 Scorpion Vs. Sub-Zero

Predictable? Yes. But just because something is expected doesn't mean it's bad. After all, these two characters were always destined to battle each other - Bi-Han simply isn't a good person, and Kuai Liang wouldn't accept his betrayal anyway.

And so, the great enmity between them begins, as Kuai Liang pursues his vision to serve and protect Earthrealm, while Bi-Han strives to rule it. We can't wait to see how this battle intensifies in future sequels.

3 Jerrod As Ermac

Now let's talk about a less predictable moment. For those who have been following the series for a while, Jerrod is not a new character at all. He was an essential part of Edenia's lore as well as the backstories of Sindel and Kitana. But apart from arcade endings, he never really showed his face. And technically, he still hasn't, as he appeared as a soul within Ermac.

Nonetheless, it was a real highlight to have Jerrod in the story, assisting his family with his new Ermac powers. Even as Sindel dies, he preserves her soul alongside his own and remains to aid his daughters, which means we will see more of him in the future. And we will also get more of Sindel as Ermac - most likely.

2 The Second Timeline Revealed

With such an intriguing new timeline ahead of us, it wasn't as entertaining to deal with all the "time shenanigans" - especially towards the end with the whole Crisis of Infinite Earths - but a few highlights emerged from this multiversal battle. The first one is the confirmation that both endings of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath were canonical, and we had a distorted timeline where Shang Tsung was its creator.

With stakes so high that even our versions of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi become allies, things spiral out of control afterward, with some intense moments following this revelation, such as the aforementioned death of our Empress Sindel.

1 Liu Kang And Kitana's Reunion

Another magnificent moment from all the multiversal collisions is the reunion of our characters' old versions, which resonates even more powerfully if one has played the previous games. After aeons, Liu Kang gets to see his friends, those with whom he has fought alongside (and against) Shao Kahn, Shinnok, and Kronika. The reunion with the old Raiden is also a significant highlight in this regard.

Nevertheless, as enthusiasts of romance, it was a stroke of fortune for us that Liu Kang was reunited with Kitana - the one he had fallen in love with. It was a beautiful, tender moment amidst the entire battle, creating a delightful interlude of joy before he had to face Shang Tsung once again.