Mortal Kombat 1 features a surprising reference to Mortal Kombat: Conquest

The unveiling trailer of Nitara in Mortal Kombat 1 includes a surprising reference to a part of MK history that many people may no longer recall - Mortal Kombat: Conquest.

We are just a short week away from the long-awaited release of Mortal Kombat 1, and although the game is so close that we can practically smell Scorpion's flaming head, NetherRealm has surprisingly not officially unveiled every character yet. However, the penultimate revealed character was truly sensational, as not only is Nitara from Deadly Alliance making her return after 17 years, but she will also be portrayed by Megan Fox this time.

Nitara's unveiling trailer convinces for numerous reasons, but there is a small moment within it that contains a reference which may have escaped the notice of some fans. However, I wouldn't blame you if that were the case, as the reference alludes to something that many series enthusiasts might not even be aware of - Mortal Kombat: Conquest.

At one point in the trailer, we witness Nitara on the verge of confronting Kung Lao, triggering a dialogue between the two prior to their battle. Kung Lao asks Nitara, "What have you done with Jen's body?", to which Nitara replies, "Poor Kung Lao, you will never see her again." It is quite dark, yet it constitutes a multi-layered and intriguing reference.

Let's start with the obvious - yes, this is quite clearly a reference to "Jennifer's Body," a horror film from 2009 in which Megan Fox portrays a high school student possessed by demons. It's a fitting inside joke, as Megan Fox embodies Nitara here and shares a similar bloodthirst, but for fans of the series, there is an even more intriguing aspect to it.

While one could interpret it as a reference to Fox's Jennifer Check (whose name I absolutely did not have to Google, I swear), the use of the name "Jen" can also be understood as an allusion to Genevieve "Jen" Reyland from Mortal Kombat: Conquest, a short-lived series from 1998 that served as a prequel to the games, following the life of the Great Kung Lao instead of the one we know and love from the games.

Before you start panicking and think that this means the Kung Lao we see in Mortal Kombat 1 is the "Great" Kung Lao, that has already been contradicted by introductory dialogues between him and Liu Kang. It is possible that Jen Reyland has been reimagined as a love interest for Kung Lao in this timeline, but it is more likely that NetherRealm is seizing the opportunity to incorporate an entertaining reference to a Megan Fox film and some Mortal Kombat history.