Key Highlights:
- Stress test footage suggests Shang Tsung may not be the main antagonist, with dialogue hinting at other threats.
- Character dialogue references the Dragon King ruling in alternate timelines, sparking fan theories about his comeback.
- Shao Khan, Quan Chi, and other franchise villains remain possibilities for the primary antagonist role.
Newly unveiled footage from Mortal Kombat 1 has got the fans in a right tizzy, suggesting that the arch-nemesis Shang Tsung might not be the big bad we’re all bracing ourselves for. Instead, it seems a much-loved character might be poised for a rather grand comeback in this inaugural reboot.
Shang Tsung, the soul-stealing sorcerer, is undeniably a fan favourite when it comes to villains in Mortal Kombat. His debut as the unbeatable, unplayable final boss in the original arcade version of Mortal Kombat, and subsequent roles in MK2 and others, had us all captivated.
And though he’s as evil as they come, fans have developed a peculiar fondness for him, partly thanks to his transition into a somewhat grey character in later instalments.
Mortal Kombat 1’s creators have already given us the joyous news that Shang Tsung is a playable character this time around. However, they’ve kept silent about whether he’s also the principal antagonist of the narrative.
Then came a stress test clip of Mortal Kombat 1 posted on X/Twitter, teasing a potential clue about the actual villain. In this intriguing snippet, two Liu Kang players square off on the character selection screen. One Kang inquires if Onaga exists in the other’s timeline. The response is a corker – Onaga is not just existing, but ruling.
Onaga, the notorious Dragon King, once wore the crown of Outworld. His terrifying villainy first reared its head in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, and he made a comeback as a playable character in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon and MK Deception.
Even after his demise, he remains a beloved entity in the MK cosmos, with fans rating him as one of the most formidable characters in the franchise. So, the mere hint of his return in MK1 is likely to have fans biting their nails in anticipation.
Of course, one shouldn’t put all their Kombat coins in one basket just yet. This revealing footage doesn’t serve as a definitive proof of Onaga’s comeback. The exchange between the Liu Kang players could simply be a cheeky nod to the deceased Dragon King, and nothing more.
The crown of villainy in this new instalment is up for grabs. Mortal Kombat 1 harks back to the series roots, where Shang Tsung was the prime antagonist, and so it would be fitting for him to reprise that role.
Lets not forget the iconic Shao Khan either, as he is one of the most famous villains in the franchises entire existence!
A case can also be made for Quan Chi, another sorcerer who’s extremely devious and even joined Shang Tsung to take down the whole roster in the previously mentioned Deception and Deadly Alliance.
However, to inject a rejuvenating essence into the latest entry, they might just bestow the mantle on a fresher villain, perhaps someone like Onaga.
The finished story ultimately revealed that the speculation was partly right for an unexpected reason. Shang Tsung was central to Mortal Kombat 1’s villainous plot, but the true overarching antagonist was Titan Shang Tsung, an alternate version who defeated Liu Kang in another timeline.
The New Era’s Shang Tsung initially believed he was working for the mysterious Damashi alongside Quan Chi and General Shao. Damashi was eventually exposed as Titan Shang Tsung, who had manipulated them while planning to destroy Liu Kang’s timeline.
Shao Kahn was reimagined as General Shao, Outworld’s military commander rather than its emperor. He conspired with Shang Tsung and Quan Chi against Empress Sindel before becoming one of Liu Kang’s major enemies.
The Dragon King theory was not completely misplaced either. Onaga exists in Liu Kang’s New Era, but he was not Mortal Kombat 1’s main antagonist. Reiko’s ending revealed that General Shao’s ancestors had imprisoned Onaga beneath Mount Tsaagan, with Shao later sending Reiko to tame the Dragon King as a weapon against Outworld’s royal family.
Looking back at the completed story, I think the stress-test dialogue was more significant than it first appeared. It correctly established that Onaga existed somewhere within Mortal Kombat 1’s rewritten history, but the game saved that thread for General Shao and Reiko rather than making the Dragon King the central villain.
