Mortal Kombat X
Click here to edit subtitle
Script 3: MORTAL KOMBAT ON EARTH
This is a prequel to Mortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat 1, the Game, has technically been split into 3 stories.
1 - 500 years ago, monk Kung Lao fought in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Shang Tsung was the final challenge, but Kung Lao never made it there, as he was killed by Goro first, having made it all the way through the earlier challenges. Thus, the tournament was lost by Earth, and won by Outworld.
2 - Raiden is told by the Elder Gods that he must locate his warriors for the upcoming 10th tournament, so he flies around and looks for people. After seeing a day in the life of Liu Kang, we see him invited by Raiden to the tournament. The same formula goes on for Johnny Cage, Sonya, Sub-Zero, Sing and Sang, and Kenshi, while Shang Tsung is off recruiting an equal number of contestants to fight for Outworld.
3 - The 10th tournament commences.
So I merged 1 and 2 into a single story, telling the entire tale of the first of ten Earth tournaments, quickly summarizing 2 through 9 (with Outworld always in the lead), and showing Raiden meeting the folks who will fight in the 10th. The story ends with all the contestants getting on the boat that will take them there.
Basically, at first my plan was to tell the story of Mortal Kombat 1, split into 2 - Raiden gathers his warriors, then the tournament commences. I wanted to tell these 2 stories since 2002. It would be kind of like what they later did with MK: Legacy, a whole season about meeting and inviting the warriors, a whole season about the tournament (but my version would have more emphasis on meeting Raiden and being invited).
One day I suddenly thought about it. Instead of remaking Mortal Kombat, along the lines of the way the Dark Knight remade Batman . . . what if someone came along with a version like 2001 Planet of the Apes, a remake called Mortal Kombat that looks so different it's not even funny? Well, I guess MK: Rebirth, the movie-that-exists-only-in-trailer, that preceded MK: Legacy, I guess is kind of like that. Sonya was going to be an FBI agent, instead of Special Forces. Interesting. In the end, she, Jax, and Stryker are all police. Also interesting! Stryker becomes more included as one of 3 good guys (Stryker, Sonya, and Jax all derive from the same character - MK1's deleted character, black guy Stryker).
So check out this action figure I passed by one day at Toys R' Us. Never mind what I was doing at Toys R' Us. Actually, that's the only place where I can seem to find Simpsons comics, and it's also the place where I discovered that there are cloth bags with fictional characters intended to get younger people into going green, leading me to try to pitch to the folks in charge of MK the idea of making Mortal Kombat Kloth Bags. Lots of people would, in time, convert from not caring to getting into it.
Anyway, check out this Raiden action figure I passed by one day . . .
Lightning Fury Raiden
What the?? So you mean my shock and sadness about "Mortal Kombat being a dead series" from 1998 through 2001 was now replaced by Mortal Kombat having reached a higher level than EVER? And to think, those of us who saw the times before, during, and after various trends - video-games that imitated Doom, video-games that imitated Mortal Kombat, the era where Halo was the one on top, the era where Tekken and Dead or Alive 3 had overtaken the top spot in fighting games, the eras of Black Ops and Call of Duty . . . people who have been gaming since the 90's or before spent 2000 and 2001 believing that Mortal Kombat was kind of a thing of the 90's and yet the 2000's belonged to changed trends. Ninja Turtles did not look like it would ever come back.
But, as time goes on, either people do nothing, and the series remains dead, or someone comes back with a unique vision to bring things back better than ever. So now Mortal Kombat, once a low-budget project with a small crew of people in 1992, boomeranged back with Deadly Alliance, and established Mortal Kombat as the #1 On Top again. The competition Mortal Kombat has is, even still, Street Fighter games, which usually stick to classic 2-D and revolve around how things worked in Street Fighter II.
Similarly, from 1998 to 2001, I would have placed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the category of the past. But they made a comeback, on one hand with the original comics creator coming writing new TMNT comics in 2000, but otherwise with a 2003 cartoon also sticking to the original comic book source, starting off with the same moments as the first couple pages of the first TMNT comic book.
Now look. There's a 2007 CGI movie, 2012 cartoon, 2014 movie, and the rights to TMNT were sold by the original creator for $60 million. So what is really "gone"? Sonic the Hedgehog still has comic books, Power Rangers actually never stopped, at some point all the Red Rangers over 10 years all had a crossover and met each other . . . things do come back.
Anyway, that Raiden action figure really got me thinking. It looks like no Raiden costume before, except maybe for the white teleport move, where he looks like that for just a second. Spider-Man had an action figure in the 90's just for his "spider-sense" costume, a differently-colored appearance that lasted for several seconds during spider-sense, only in the 90's cartoon. So maybe this toy is simply the Raiden teleport move?
Nah. It's a 2001 Planet of the Apes approach to Mortal Kombat, is what it is. Something drastically different, boldly new and creative. It was strange how much that action figure in the aisle seemed to catch my attention. Apparently, Mortal Kombat is entirely different looking now.
Jax and Reptile, I see.
Who thought of this?? . . . Well anyway, it's interesting! At the least, it gets you thinking. Some of these features ought to be permanent, like Reptile's bare feet, except I'd like my Reptile better in green than gray. Then again, that doesn't mean there can't be SOME gray reptilians.
This is some sort of X-Ray action figure? I think? Intended to deliver 2011 MK's X-ray move? Remember, my comic strip had an x-ray skull back in 2006.
Well the fact is I got wondering what if someone remade Mortal Kombat, not just like the Dark Knight, where it's still Bruce Wayne and Batman and the Joker and Commissioner Gordon, but a whole other level of re-inventing. I thought, for a short time, what if I were to forget my entire remake of MK, and start over with something DRASTICALLY different?
What could it be? Raiden as pure energy was interesting already. Reptile having green skin but wearing black would be a manageable idea. Everyone would have to come back COMPLETELY different. My remake I'd been working on since 2002 had intended to stick to the core story of the games, but remade. In 2013 I began to "see" it in my head for a while, this insane vision of an entirely different-looking Mortal Kombat, more comparable to Stan Lee's Just Imagine! series, where he remade many DC Comics characters.
Then I learned about the Mortal Kombat 1 cutting room floor. Black guy Stryker was planned for Mortal Kombat. He became Sonya instead, but her backstory came from Stryker's. So we had Sonya in Mortal Kombat 1 - named after Ed Boon's sister - and then Jax surfaced in Mortal Kombat 2 as a way of un-deleting that Stryker character. Though he no longer had a fiancee killed by Kano, he was paired together with Sonya forever. But the NAME, Stryker, was still not used, so he became a third character in MK3, who is more closely tied with Sonya and Jax in MK: Legacy. But stop for one second. Imagine Mortal Kombat 1, but it's simply called Mortal Kombat, and Stryker is a black guy. And that was how Mortal Kombat was set to look back in 1991.
When I learned about John Tobias' 1991 Mortal Kombat artwork, from before MK's release in 1992, I was thrilled to see the sketches of everything that, in 1991, appeared to be the vision of Mortal Kombat. Minamoto, Lin Kuei, Stryker, Kitsune, Rukoro . . . it was a whole other story.
Minamoto. That was supposed to be the name of the main character. Minamoto. Mortal Kombat almost had a Minamoto. All these years, I could have seen Mortal Kombat's Minamoto character in games, on TV, in movies, in comic books . . . but no, instead it was Liu Kang these past 20 years. What if 1991 had gone a little differently? What if they had run with the name Minamoto instead? A message back in time to 1991, saying "He must win", might help them to put Minamoto back into Mortal Kombat 1. This 1991 version of Mortal Kombat, where Kitsune is the daughter of villain Shang Lao, seemed to perfectly fit my need for a drastically-different re-imagining of MK.
So imagine a Mortal Kombat story where it's Yoshitsune Minamoto up against Shang Lao, whose daughter is Kitsune, while Stryker is also going to the tournament.
Well, I ended up mixing that with the concept that, if there are only 10 tournaments held on Earth total in my version of the story, then Tournament 1 of 10 involved Kung Lao, invited by Raiden, to end up losing to Goro. But who else was there besides Kung Lao, Goro, and Shang Tsung? How about the whole roster from 1991? Rukoro (he became Gon-goro, then Goro), looking the same as the nameless black guy that Liu Kang fights in MK: the Movie. Maybe the movie character was based on Rukoro, maybe not, but either way the two characters are connected now as one. Rukoro is his name, his appearance is based on the first guy Movie Liu Kang fights, and he is fighting for Earth, way before Liu Kang's time.
Kitsune became Kitana. Kitsune would have had the fans in MK1. This became difficult. How would they BOTH have fans? Only Kitana. So none for Kitsune? I make Kitsune a princess in China, not in Outworld.
I say, why not have Kitana fight Kitsune, unarmed, and end up TAKING the fans from her? That would make sense to me.
So this "drastically different re-imagining" instead became mixed with the Kung Lao tournament from long ago, and is connected to the rest of the canon of my reboot after all. Stryker is not found in this story. However, later, when we get to the 10th tournament, Jax is invited, and he declines. Like Hydro, he is one of the people who said NO to Raiden's invitation to Mortal Kombat. After all, if Jax is a great warrior, qualified to fight in MK2, why would Raiden not have sought him for MK1? So I say he declined. This gives Jax some presence in MK1, like the deleted Stryker character. I guess his role in MK1 would be about the same as it was in the first movie.
However, Shang Tsung is still the villain, and Kitsune is not his daughter. Kitsune is the daughter of Shang Lao, who is separate. He is never seen, but Kitsune's character always seems to revolve around her father's wishes in my version. Pret-ty clever, huh?
It takes me years to get my story expanded this far. I am glad that now some story exists staying true to the 1991 vision of Mortal Kombat. It was the last part of the story I came up with, in 2013, after having worked on all the rest since 2002 (with some years off). So it was actually Part 3 of 8, and would be followed by a 2-part telling of the 10th tournament. But I decided that Parts 3 and 4 could become joined together, making things simpler. I also show the in-between, the outcomes of Tournaments 2 through 9.
Yeah, we all basically know that 9 tournaments were lost to Outworld, in the canon of the MK games. Only 5 lost in my Ultimate Marvel like version. But why not really show the losing tournaments from Raiden's viewpoint? The journey of Raiden is to watch enough time pass that he outlives all the mortals on Earth. But more specifically, he watches all the people he personally invited lose to Outworld.
There are also two other deleted characters from between 1998 to 2002: Belokk and Baphomet.
Belokk - Mortal Kombat Gold (1999)
Baphomet - MK: Deadly Alliance (2002)
I also am pretty sure Eurocom was the source of the character Belokk. They started to program him in, but did not have time to finish him. Maybe they went with the name Baphomet to avoid using a character made by Eurocom.
I keep Baphomet's appearance the same in my version as it looks in that concept art drawing, but instead of being an Elder Demon, he is the master and owner of the NetherЯealm, formerly a God of Darkness who stood up against the Elder Gods and tried to overthrow them before being banished. You know. King of Hell figure.
Belokk, now the name of a red genie, is from Ar'qun, a province of Outworld, once a realm of desert, men, and djinn - genies. Mortal Kombat has never before had genies, or a desert realm called Ar'qun. Belokk is owned by a woman named Shadia, also a new character.
The fisherman is also a new character.
Chan, Liu Kang's brother, comes from the first MK movie. Now he doesn't die.
Bo Rai Cho comes from MK: Deadly Alliance.
The 90's comics were responsible for Hydro (a Lin Kuei assassin wearing light blue), Sing and Sang (Twin Fighting Monks), and Grum (six-armed Shokan). Maybe I could elaborate that Grum's body has an extra layer of brown and red circles over him, like the remake action figures from the 90's. You see, they made MK action figures based on the games, then remade them with movie versions after the movie, and Goro was updated with an extra layer of brown and red circles over his body. It was kinda cool looking.
At the end, both sides of the battle take a boat ride to the island to fight at the 10th tournament. The boat ride was shown in the movie, and in the Animated Video, MK: the Journey Begins (a 30-minute cartoon video, contradictory to the 13-episode cartoon show). My version, however, involves two boats, carrying two teams, just as it involves both Raiden and Shang Tsung inviting two sets of people. Also from the Animated Video: Duroc, younger brother of Goro.
Duroc, Baphomet, Minamoto, Kung Lao. So many different sources of characters! Duroc, from the Animated Video. Baphomet, deleted character. Minamoto, from an early draft of MK1. Kung Lao, from MK1's backstory. All compiled into one gigantic saga of everything that ever happened in Mortal Kombat ever.
Oh, right. And my way of making the long-ago Kung Lao different, brought back with a twist, is that he remains silent all the time, like some monks in real life.
Mirror Match
Working backwards, I wrote the Mirror Match into Script 4, which is based on MK1 the Game, then wrote the Kung Lao/Minamoto tournament last. Technically, this is how the Kung Lao tournament went. I feel great that I was able to, on one hand, diagram out everyone who went to the tournament, who lost their lives, and make use of many Mortal Kombat characters who otherwise had been given no use in this story. The first guy Liu Kang fights in the movie, now named Rukoro. Duroc, from the Animated Movie. Sing and Sang, from the comics - interacting with Bo Rai Cho. Their relationship? Bo Rai Cho LOVES Sing and Sang, but HATES Liu Kang. Well, okay. Hate is too strong a word. But he can't STAND Liu Kang, compared to Sing and Sang, who he loves (think of Tikki-Tikki-Tembo, and then Chang, who people can't stand).
The boat ride, at the end, was missing from BOTH of 2011's Mortal Kombat remakes, the game, and the show. The boat ride was one way of making my story different.
FADE IN:
INT. SPACE - LOOKING AT EARTH
Planet Earth slowly rotates in space.
INT. EARTH - THERMOSPHERE
Stars twinkle against dark blue and purple space.
Everything is visible from the thermosphere, the
second-highest of the five layers of atmosphere.
Down below, in the troposphere: many layers of clouds.
Raiden, God of Thunder, slowly rises up
from the clouds, flying upward into the
stratosphere, the mesosphere, and the
thermosphere, where he stops. Beyond
that, nothing but the very thin exosphere,
and the rest of the solar system.
RAIDEN
I am here!
The six Elder Gods take form, made of blue
energy, in the thermosphere above him.
ELDER GOD 1
Hello, Raiden. As the protector of Earth realm,
you must know that your half-brother, Shao Kahn,
intends to take over ownership of your realm.
ELDER GOD 2
Shao Kahn wants to claim Earth realm in the name
of his Outworld. Earth would become the 10th realm
to become fused into Outworld as a new province,
which he would rule forever.
ELDER GOD 3
If this happens, you will lose your title of
guardian of Earth, as that role will go to him.
RAIDEN
Shao Kahn is a power-mad tyrant, no better
than the worst corners of human history.
He has NO right to claim Earth realm his own!!
ELDER GOD 4
No matter which way you feel about it,
Raiden . . . Shao Kahn is half-mortal,
but also half-Elder God . . .
ELDER GOD 5
. . . and his rights to claim do exceed your own.
An upset feeling overtakes Raiden.
ELDER GOD 6
The trials of Mortal Kombat will settle the matter
once and for all.
ELDER GOD 1
Shao Kahn will only win Earth realm if his
side wins the majority of 10 tournaments.
But if your side, Earth, wins the majority,
then you win, and he must leave for all time.
ELDER GOD 2
If there is a stalemate, and you have each won
5 of 10, then we will look to the winner of the
10th and final tournament to make our decision.
ELDER GOD 3
These are the rules of the tournament.
Do you understand them?
RAIDEN
Yes.
ELDER GOD 4
As the protector God of Earth, you must
invite mortal men and women to fight in the
10 Mortal Kombat tournaments of Earth realm.
ELDER GOD 5
If you wish, you may also participate as a fighter,
yourself, using a mortal avatar body.
RAIDEN
I will fight with my every last breath to stop
Shao Kahn from claiming Earth realm in
the name of his Outworld.
ELDER GOD 4
It may indeed come to that. Now go!
Invite mortal men and women to the
first Mortal Kombat tournament of Earth.
RAIDEN
I will not fail you, Elders.
The 6 Elder Gods fly away through outer space.
Raiden falls back down to planet Earth,
back toward the clouds below.
Once he has reached the clouds, he
flies away through them, in the form of
electricity.
KOWWW!! Lightning strikes from the clouds
to the ocean.
KOWWW!! Lightning strikes again,
once more in the water.
PULL BACK to reveal the edge of the land,
where a Chinese fisherman sits at the edge,
fishing in the rain. Dangling his legs, he is
forever happy fishing in the rain.
PULL BACK further to reveal the long stretch
of hill, next to which his small home is located.
KOWWW!! Lightning strikes the ground again,
and Raiden’s body is reformed on the ground,
still wearing all white cloth.
RAIDEN'S NARRATION
This avatar body of flesh and blood - it's
difficult not to focus on how inferior it feels.
The fisherman runs toward Raiden.
FISHERMAN
I could have had a heart attack when
that lightning struck the land!! How
on Earth did YOU survive??
RAIDEN
I am Raiden. God of Thunder, Lightning,
and Storms. Protector of Earth realm.
FISHERMAN
Oh, you're crazy.
Raiden aims his arms at a tree.
FISHERMAN
How could you be a God of Thunder
and Lightning? You look like a regular
human to me.
Lightning blasts from his hand to
the ground near the tree.
The fisherman throws both hands up in the air.
FISHERMAN
All right! All right! I believe you!
. . . What do you want, Thunder God, Raiden?
RAIDEN
I need to find six mortals to compete in
the Mortal Kombat tournament. Will you
fight for Earth realm at the tournament?
FISHERMAN
Fight for Earth realm? Oh, I'm no fighter.
I'm a fisherman!
He hands Raiden his straw hat.
FISHERMAN
Here! Take this, for the rain.
Raiden touches the straw hat
with his hands, putting it on his
own head.
RAIDEN
I appreciate your offering.
Raiden breaks apart into electric energy,
and is gone from sight - straw hat and all.
TITLE SHOT:
MORTAL KOMBAT
ON EARTH.
We stay on this title shot for a moment,
and then the backdrop behind the text
FADES TO the hills of bright green grass
against the blue sky. The text FADES AWAY.
EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLES - HONAN PROVINCE OF CHINA
"180 Years Ago"
We fly through the outdoor landscape in
the Honan province of China, a land that
stays true to the ways of old.
CUT TO a statue of Buddha.
30 Shaolin monks are bowing their heads,
wearing orange sashes over their chests
and matching orange pants. The monks
are all bald, and are seated in rows and columns.
INT. CHINESE HILLSIDE - LATER
One monk is looking out into the water.
RAIDEN
Kung Lao.
The man turns his head.
RAIDEN
I know you have been sworn to silence.
But I also know that you are a monk in
the Shaolin . . . a band of mortals that,
since the beginning of your species,
has helped aid me. I am here to invite
you to participate in a tournament
called Mortal Kombat.
He hands Kung Lao a scroll,
of a black symbol of a dragon.
RAIDEN
Mortal Kombat: the martial arts tournament
that will determine our world's defense
against Shao Kahn, the Emperor of Outworld,
who wishes to take Earth.
If you don't wish to speak, you don't have to.
But that scroll contains the location of where
to find the tournament.
Kung Lao still does not talk.
He looks again at the scroll.
He looks at Raiden.
Raiden's body breaks apart into electric energy.
Kung Lao is shocked, but he still does not speak.
INT. JAPANESE VILLAGE - SOON
Raiden is talking to a Japanese man,
who wears the black and yellow outfit
of the Shirai Ryu ninja.
RAIDEN
Yoshitsune Minamoto. You have been chosen -
invited to a tournament called Mortal Kombat.
I chose you because, as a ninja in the Shirai
Ryu, you are devoted to your cause.
INT. CHINESE VILLAGE - SOON
In the snowy outdoor headquarters of
the Lin Kuei clan, Raiden speaks to a
ninja-like assassin who wears all black.
RAIDEN
Lin Kuei. Though you don't want your real name
known to anyone, know that you have been invited
to Mortal Kombat.
INT. LONDON, ENGLAND - INT. STAGE THEATER - SOON
In the 1830's decade, in London,
William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer
Night's Dream" is performed. Currently,
they are at Act 1, Scene 5.
An audience of men and women sits in
their seats and watches attentively.
PYRAMUS (played by MICHAEL GRIMM)
Yes, do you see?
How can it be?
O dainty duck! O dear!
Thy mantle good,
What, stained with blood?
Approach, ye Furies fell!
O Fates, come, come,
Cut thread and thrum.
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!
INT. STAGE THEATER - DRESSING ROOM
Actor Michael Grimm walks back into the dressing
room, now lit by oil lamps, and removes the Pyramus
attire from his head.
Raiden materializes from lightning.
MICHAEL
Wahh!! Gahhh!
RAIDEN
Michael Grimm.
MICHAEL
How do you know my name??
RAIDEN
You are an actor. An expert in stage theater.
You have been invited to a tournament.
MICHAEL
What, stranger, are you talking about?
EXT. CHINESE WATERFALL HILLSIDE - DAYTIME
Kitsune sits on the grass,
looking out at the waterfall.
From a frontal angle of Kitsune, we
slowly ROTATE AROUND her body.
Her skin is very pale. She remains quiet
and still as she looks out into the water.
She uses an enormous fan to create a
gentle breeze for herself.
Thunder booms overhead, and lightning
strikes the ground, causing Raiden to form.
Raiden holds his right hand outstretched
toward the sky, while holding a wooden staff
in that hand.
KITSUNE
Heavens!! Are you . . . Lord Raiden,
God of Thunder, Lightning, and Storms?
RAIDEN
Yes, Princess Kitsune . . . I am Raiden.
KITSUNE
What do you want with me, a princess?
RAIDEN
Without considering your position as a princess
. . . you are an expert martial artist. You were
provided the finest training by your father,
Shang Lao.
KITSUNE
Yes. He is the reason I’m involved in
martial arts. But, still - what do you
want with me?
RAIDEN
I am asking if you would participate
in the Mortal Kombat tournament
that soon approaches.
KITSUNE
Mortal Kombat? Oh, those tournaments
don’t really exist. They’re just stories
. . . fairy tales.
RAIDEN
I assure you, Mortal Kombat is just as real
as I, the Thunder God, am, standing before
you right now.
Kitsune takes a moment to consider
the seriousness of Raiden’s words.
RAIDEN
Will you fight in Mortal Kombat, for
Earth realm, against Outworld?
KITSUNE
Yes. I will do it.
INT. KENYA - OUTDOOR FIELDS - MORNING
“Kenya”
A lion and a human being are wrestling.
The human, who struggles in his fight,
manages to gain the upper hand, and
beat the lion in the fight.
Lightning strikes the ground,
and Raiden forms.
RAIDEN
Rukoro.
RUKORO
How do you know my name??
RAIDEN
I know much about you. I am here to ask
you if you would willingly participate in a
tournament called Mortal Kombat.
INT. HONG KONG - PIERS - NIGHT
An enormous wooden boat is anchored
to a pier in the waters of Hong Kong.
A Shaolin monk, wearing all orange, removes the
anchor. With the boat unanchored, it naturally
begins to drift on into the sea.
Another Shaolin monk, also wearing all orange,
unanchors the second wooden boat.
INT. BOAT - NIGHT
Raiden stands on the boat, holding a wooden
staff to the ground. Slowly, the mortals begin
to approach him.
RAIDEN
You have all been invited to the Mortal Kombat
tournament . . . a very rare and prestigious
invitation, by mortal measurements.
Six mortals stand side-by-side.
RAIDEN
Kung Lao. Yoshitsune Minamoto. Lin Kuei.
Michael Grimm. Kitsune. Rukoro.
I invited each and every one of you because you
are all excellent in your fields.
Raiden begins to pace around the six
warriors, talking to them as they remain silent.
RAIDEN
Kung Lao. You remain silent, but I know you
don’t stop listening. You have trained all your life
in sparring and martial arts. But know that, here,
you face more than just human beings.
Minamoto . . . you have a bad history of
assassination, in your Shirai Ryu ninja clan.
You must use this only against your opponents.
Michael Grimm. You’re accustomed to stage
theater, but you don’t yet realize that nothing
you are about to see will be staged.
Lin Kuei . . . you refuse to give your real name,
and so I will call you the name of your clan.
I sense that there is much potential in you. But
you must learn to overcome your own inner anger.
Kitsune . . . remember that there is more to this
tournament than your own father’s wishes for
what you will do.
Rukoro . . . you are the leader of your tribe in Kenya.
Here you will not be leading, but surviving. Remember
not to fall into the trap of too much pride.
I am glad that each and every one of you has
volunteered to come to this tournament. We
must defend our world, Earth, from Outworld.
INT. OCEAN
Our angle is FROZEN STILL as the boat carrying Raiden
continues to be driven off into the ocean, steered by
Shaolin monks.
Eventually, a second boat drifts on into the waters.
INT. SECOND BOAT
Shang Tsung stands on the second boat,
hands behind his back, proud and smiling.
SHANG TSUNG
You all have the prestigious honor of fighting
in this Mortal Kombat tournament, fighting for
the rule of Outworld. You are all exceptional
in different ways. Kitana. Mileena. Ermac.
Rain. Duroc. Baphomet. You are all fighting
for the overtake of Earth realm by Outworld.
Remember that, in the past, 9 realms have been
challenged to Mortal Kombat - and all 9 have ended
up taken by Outworld. All 9. Also remember that
this is the final tournament to be held, of 10 in
Earth, and so far, we are in the lead.
A Masked Guard, the kind from Shao Kahn's castle,
steers the boat's wheel.
SHANG TSUNG
If you win these important battles, the magnificent
Emperor of Outworld will become the Emperor of Earth.
And we will raise the flag of Outworld on Earth grounds!
Duroc and Goro, the two Shokan on the boat,
exchange a high-five.
INT. PACIFIC OCEAN - NIGHT
The two boats travel on across the water.
INT. EARTH BOAT - SOON
The FULL MOON shines brightly
over the night sky.
Kung Lao stands at the edge of the boat,
looking out, contemplating everything.
Our angle becomes STILL, while the rest
of the boat travels on.
INT. EARTH BOAT - THE NEXT MORNING
A Shaolin monk throws an anchor overboard.
INT. OUTWORLD BOAT - RIGHT THEN
Shang Tsung throws the anchor overboard.
We FOLLOW THE ANCHOR as it travels,
falling off the boat, landing in the water, and
plunging downward until it reaches the ground.
The anchor lands in the ground at last.
INT. SHIMURAI ISLAND - BEACH AND SHORES
One wooden boat lands on shore.
The other boat is still a short distance behind.
"Shimurai Island"
Seven Masked Guards approach the boat
as it comes to land.
A ladder of ropes is thrown from the edge of
the Outworld boat. Kitana and Mileena are the
first to begin the downward climb to land.
INT. SHIMURAI ISLAND - THE TREES - SOON
We MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH a maze of trees.
Eventually, we get to one perfectly-carved
courtyard, an outdoor arena, surrounded by trees.
SHANG TSUNG
Let Mortal Kombat . . . begin!
A Masked Guard sounds a gong,
marking the start of the tournament.
SHANG TSUNG
For the first match . . . Kung Lao will fight Rain.
Kung Lao, still bald, shirtless, and completely
silent, walks slowly into the courtyard arena.
SHANG TSUNG
Representing Earth realm, and the
Order of Light . . . Kung Lao.
Rain enters, without the purple robe, wearing
a Cryomancer outfit in purple, lined with gold.
SHANG TSUNG
Representing Outworld, the martial artist
formerly known as the prince of Edenia . . . Rain!
Rain gets himself ready to fight,
in the Zi Ran Men fighting style.
SHANG TSUNG
Round One. Fight!
Kung Lao and Rain slowly advance toward each other.
They both swing attacks at each other,
but both manage to dodge the other.
Shang Tsung, sitting on a golden throne,
watches, displeased.
TWO MINUTES LATER - Kung Lao executes
the last few attacks to knock Rain to the ground,
beaten.
SHANG TSUNG
Mmmm. Come on, Rain! Get up! Get up!
. . . Very well. Kung Lao wins.
There is much talking and murmuring between
the monks who are watching the fight.
Rain stands back up to his feet.
SHANG TSUNG
Round Two. Fight!
The two begin the second match.
Rain has both hands outstretched toward
the sky, both hands glowing blue.
He remains this way for a short while.
Finally, when the blue glow stops,
he lowers his hands.
RAIN
I can make it rain. What do you say to that?
The rainfall begins to come down lightly.
Kung Lao, fighting in the Mantis style,
sways his upper body around while keeping
his lower body all still. Then he runs forward
while throwing a nonstop string of attacks.
He begins to catch Rain in the combo
string of attacks, and the former prince
seems to be losing the fight.
Rain delivers a powerful roundhouse kick
that knocks Kung Lao away.
SHAO KAHN'S VOICE
Ha ha ha ha haaaaa!
Rain runs at Kung Lao. The monk rises to
his feet, but only in time to be struck again
repeatedly by the man in purple.
Shang Tsung is pleased.
SOON - Rain delivers the final few blows to win
the fight. Kung Lao collapses to the ground.
SHANG TSUNG
Rain wins.
Kung Lao rolls over, brings his knees to his chest,
and kicks his way back up to a standing position.
SHANG TSUNG
Round Three. Fight!
The stalemate will be broken by this third and final
round. Kung Lao walks slowly toward Rain.
Rain uses both hands to gather together a waterball.
Rain throws the waterball at Kung Lao.
It strikes him, then falls apart as water.
Kung Lao is paralyzed. Then, Rain raises his right hand,
and the blue glow builds up again. Kung Lao rises up
into the air, his feet leaving the ground, leaving gravity.
He immediately begins to rotate around in place.
Rain uses his new control of Kung Lao to man-
euver him in a circular motion going clockwise.
Bringing Kung Lao right to himself,
Rain delivers a roundhouse kick that
knocks Kung Lao away.
SHAO KAHN'S VOICE
Excellent!
Rain runs at Kung Lao again.
The rainfall is coming down more heavily.
Rain raises his right hand again, and now
lightning strikes the ground.
Kung Lao runs away, just in time to
avoid Rain's lightning.
Then Kung Lao delivers a string of
Mantis style attacks to Rain. Kung Lao
turns the tables, and begins to gain the
upper hand in the fight.
SHANG TSUNG
Grrr . . . Kung Lao wins.
Very well. Finish him!
Kung Lao remains still and silent.
He will not kill Rain, who expects death, but instead receives a helping hand up to his feet.
Minamoto fights Duroc.
Lin Kuei fights Ermac. Ermac wins.
Kitsune fights Kitana.
Kitana takes the two fans from Kitsune.
Michael Grimm fights Mileena, and is killed.
Raiden fights Baphomet, and loses.
In a puff of orange flame, Baphomet appears.
Once formed, he stands still, on the ground.
In the opposite corner of the arena, lightning
strikes, and Raiden's body forms. At first, he
is just white energy. In a few seconds, the white
light dies down, and his avatar body looks human.
BAPHOMET
Hello again, Thunder God.
RAIDEN
Hello, Baphomet.
A fast-moving arrangement of orange
Hellfire surrounds Baphomet.
INT. COURTYARD
Kung Lao and Minamoto stand side-by-side.
MINAMOTO
Wow. How about that! Everybody lost, except us!
Raiden appears, in a strike of lightning.
MINAMOTO
Raiden! I thought you lost to Baphomet.
RAIDEN
I did. I am thus disqualified from further
fighting in this tournament. I can, however,
remain as your guide, and giver of advice.
MINAMOTO
Well, me and Kung Lao won our fights.
What happens next?
RAIDEN
Next, you must face the Mirror Match.
After that: the Endurance Round.
After that: the reigning champion - Goro.
If you can get past Goro, the final challenge
of the tournament is Shang Tsung himself.
MINAMOTO
We are the only two left.
RAIDEN
I know. So you will have to have enough
strength and courage for everyone.
Minamoto smiles.
MINAMOTO
I like that!
RAIDEN
Remember. In this tournament, you must face
your enemy. You must face your worst fear.
And you must face yourself.
Raiden disappears with another strike of lightning.
MINAMOTO
We can do this, Kung Lao. I know we can.
Hmm. You don't talk much, do you?
Oh well. I think I understand . . . it's . . .
one of those Shaolin monk things, right?
Two new contestants are entering
the Warrior Shrine: Dark Kung Lao,
and Dark Minamoto.
MINAMOTO
What?? What on Earth? This is the Mirror Match?
Kung Lao gets himself ready to fight.
His doppelganger gets ready to fight
in the exact same style of Mantis.
MINAMOTO
How are there copies of us??
Minamoto looks around. On the opposite side
of the Warrior Shrine, he finds Ermac, Kitana,
Mileena, and Baphomet, up against their own
doppelgangers.
Back to the issue at hand - Kung Lao and Minamoto
are now standing together against their own doubles.
MINAMOTO
Let's go!
Minamoto runs forth, to attack his double.
Kung Lao attempts to footsweep Dark Kung Lao,
but the dark one leaps up into the air to miss the attack.
Meanwhile, Baphomet is fighting his own doppelganger,
and he quickly devastates his opponent.
Mileena throws one of her two sais right into
the face of her own double. The sai lands,
and the double, making not a sound, staggers
backward. Blood is let out, and the fatal blow
has been struck, but the Mileena double is not
dead yet.
BACK TO Kung Lao and Minamoto -
still fighting their doppelgangers.
The Endurance Round, where five people fight five statues.
The next day, Goro's Lair.
Minamoto fights Goro, and is killed.
Kung Lao fights Goro, and is killed.
The tournament was won by Outworld.
SHAO KAHN
Haaaaa ha ha haa haaa! I told you from
the beginning that this was what would happen,
Raiden. But you refused to hear me!
Shao Kahn points at Raiden, and starts laughing.
INT. EARTH - ATMOSPHERE
Raiden is back to the sky, communicating
with the 6 Elder Gods.
RAIDEN
I have lost each and every one of my fighters.
They all lost their lives at the tournament!
ELDER GOD 1
You knew that these humans were mortal, Raiden.
You knew they would not live forever.
RAIDEN
But they did not deserve to lose their lives
ahead of time to Shao Kahn!
ELDER GOD 2
The Mortal Kombat tournaments only involve
volunteers. The people were there of their own
choice.
RAIDEN
Still. I don't want to see even one more human
killed by Shao Kahn! Even one!
ELDER GOD 3
If you want to stop Shao Kahn, you know what
you must do! You must win through Mortal Kombat!
RAIDEN
You are the Elder Gods! You should be telling
Shao Kahn that he must not kill even one more
human life!
ELDER GOD 4
YOU ARE NOT THE ELDER GODS, RAIDEN!
Raiden falls silent.
ELDER GOD 1
If you ever become an Elder God yourself,
then you may cast your vote. Until then:
know your place as a Thunder God - and
nothing more.
ELDER GOD 2
The next Mortal Kombat tournament will
take place in 20 Earth-years. At that time,
you will be tasked with recruiting more mortals.
RAIDEN
Then I must fight harder and better next time.
INT. EARTH - SHIMURAI ISLAND - GROUND-LEVEL
Raiden and Shao Kahn circle each other.
SHAO KAHN
What's the matter, Raiden? Are you mad that I won?
Are you mad that I can keep killing these mortals, who
you care so much about, as much as I like, and
nothing can stop me?
RAIDEN
You have no place in the Earth realm, Kahn.
SHAO KAHN
I was born in Earth. I was born to rule.
Raiden: I have one last offer of peace to make.
RAIDEN
An offer of peace?
SHAO KAHN
Surrender now. Forfeit the tournament, and
Outworld will win by default. Then, I will not have
to kill the next 9 tournaments of people.
RAIDEN
You want me to forfeit the tournament?
SHAO KAHN
Yes! Say the words. Say: "Shao Kahn, I forfeit
this tournament, and hand control of Earth to you."
Say it, exactly like that!
RAIDEN
Never!
SHAO KAHN
Then . . . you’re saying you will willingly
let the next 9 tournaments of people die?
RAIDEN
I will fight against you as long as I can last.
SHAO KAHN
I have heard those words before - from countless
others, who fell. 9 realms have fallen to Outworld.
What makes you think your Earth realm won't?
RAIDEN
Because Earth's people are resilient.
They will find a way to stop you.
SHAO KAHN
You're both crazy and foolish, Raiden.
You will end up losing. And deep inside
. . . you know I'm right.
Raiden clenches his jaws to not talk.
SHAO KAHN
It upsets you that I will win?
RAIDEN
It upsets me that we're supposed to be brothers.
SHAO KAHN
We'll still be brothers.
Shao Kahn walks away.
SHAO KAHN
But I will rule the Earth . . . and with far greater
strength and leadership than YOU ever had.
Raiden clenches his eyes angrily,
but does not fight Shao Kahn right now.
A faded paper scroll FADES IN over the
right half of our view, and it unravels, slowly
traveling from down-to-up. The scroll marks
the outcome of all 10 Mortal Kombat tournaments.
MKI - Outworld
MKII - Outworld
MKIII - Outworld
NARRATION
Outworld won the first 3 Earth tournaments,
and the situation began to look hopeless
for Raiden.
MKIV - Earth
MKV - Outworld
MKVI - Earth
MKVII - Earth
MKVIII - Outworld
MKIX - Earth
MKX - ???
NARRATION
By the end of the 9th tournament,
Outworld had won 5 times, and Earth
had won 4. Outworld was still in the
lead, but Earth still had one hope of
winning - by being the winner of the 10th
and final tournament.
FADE TO: BLACK.
INT. EARTH - THERMOSPHERE - NIGHT
Again, Raiden is floating in Earth's thermosphere,
talking to the six Elder Gods.
ELDER GOD 1
The 10th and final Mortal Kombat tournament
will soon be here. With it, there will come the close
of the trials of Mortal Kombat for Earth realm.
ELDER GOD 2
After this tournament, we will know, once and for all, who
shall rule Earth realm, between Raiden and Shao Kahn.
ELDER GOD 3
Go, Raiden! You must find mortal men and
women to compete in the final tournament.
RAIDEN
Yes, Elders!
Raiden does a bow before the Elder Gods.
They disappear back into space as Raiden
flies away, down to the clouds below.
INT. CHINESE HILLSIDE - EVENING
Raiden talks to two mortal men, both 29 years old.
They are Chinese identical twins Sing and Sang.
Wearing yellow and green, they are Shaolin monks,
in the same monastery that once housed Kung Lao.
RAIDEN
Sing and Sang: indeed, every 20 Earth-years,
I am in need of mortal men and women to fight
in the Mortal Kombat tournaments. You
have been offered to me . . . and I accept
your participation.
SING
Thank you, Lord Raiden.
SANG
We will not fail. We don’t know
the meaning of fail!
RAIDEN
This will be the 10th and final Mortal Kombat
tournament. After this, no more tournaments
will be held. Based on this tournament’s outcome,
Earth will either continue to be protected by me
. . . or it will be owned by Shao Kahn for all time.
SANG
We won’t let that happen.
SING
Yeah. Not us!
RAIDEN
This remains yet to be shaped. Very well!
The tournament begins in 30 days.
Lightning strikes Raiden again, and
he de-materializes in a spectacular
flash of white light.
Then, he is gone, and it’s back to the nature.
SING & SANG
That was awesome!
INT. CHINA - HONAN PROVINCE - VILLAGE
A middle-aged Chinese woman is walking
through the village, toward the outdoor
park, holding her baby while her 4-year-
old son walks next to her.
"20 Years Ago"
LOCAL MOTHER
Your baby is so CUTE!
MOTHER
Thank you!
LOCAL MOTHER
How old are they?
MOTHER
My small baby is only 2 months old.
Liu Kang is 4 years old.
LOCAL MOTHER
Awww. I have one baby. (to Chan) Hi!
As the three make their way toward the park,
teenagers practicing martial arts sparring
pass them by.
TEENAGE BOY 1
You know the 9th Mortal Kombat tournament is
happening next Monday?
TEENAGE BOY 2
I know. They’re calling it Mortal Monday.
TEENAGE BOY 1
Kung Lao went to the tournament. I bet
he could beat up ANYone going to that
tournament today!
4-YEAR-OLD LIU KANG
(to his mother) I WANNA GO TO THE
MORTAL KOMBAT!!
MOTHER
Will you stop? I thought I told you
yesterday never to talk about the Mortal
Kombat tournaments like that again.
LIU KANG
But I wanna go to the Mortal Kombat!!
MOTHER
You cannot. You are just a little boy.
Only grown adults go the Mortal Kombat
tournament. Besides. Anybody that goes
there is just going out to get themselves
killed. It’s stupid. It’s pointless. It doesn’t
accomplish anything.
LIU KANG
But - but Kung Lao -
MOTHER
Kung Lao was your ancestor, and mine as
well, Liu Kang. I do not like it when his name
is overspoken. He died at the Mortal Kombat
tournament. You will never go to such a horrible,
horrible thing.
Liu Kang is depressed.
LIU KANG
But I wanna fight for Earth. Like Kung Lao.
MOTHER
Focus on something more significant.
Your father is providing opportunities
for your education.
LIU KANG
One day . . . when I grow up . . .
and I’m big enough . . . I’m gonna go
to the Mortal Kombat tour’ment.
FADE TO:
EXT. WU SHI ACADEMY - OUTDOOR ENTRANCE
Enormous stone statues supported by
ropes line the outside landscape of the
Wu Shi Academy.
“Wu Shi Academy”
“10 Years Ago”
INT. WU SHI ACADEMY - EARLY MORNING
Liu Kang stands perfectly still
in his cat-stance pose.
Bo Rai Cho, Liu’s mentor, stands
before him, holding both hands
together, looking at him disapprovingly.
BO RAI CHO
Show me square-horse-stance.
Liu Kang changes his position to
the square-horse stance.
BO RAI CHO
Too low. Straighten back.
Liu Kang straightens his back.
BO RAI CHO
Too low.
Liu Kang raises his pose a little,
while keeping perfectly still.
BO RAI CHO
Good. Good. Now . . . show me bo stance.
Liu Kang assumes the bo stance,
again keeping himself still.
Keeping still is more difficult than
Liu Kang thought. It’s a struggle,
but he keeps it up.
Bo Rai Cho slowly walks up to him,
to correct him.
BO RAI CHO
This is a test of your might, Liu Kang:
how long you can stay still. Now.
Let me see. See. Straighten your arm.
Keep it straight! Keep it straight!
. . . Now. Hold for five seconds . . . all
right . . . good. Now. Back to cat-stance.
Bo Rai Cho works 14-year-old
Liu Kang like a dog.
BO RAI CHO
Cat-stance. Square horse stance. Bo stance.
STRAIGHTEN! Straighten yourself, Liu Kang!
Stop slouching!
Cat-stance. Square horse stance. Bo stance.
CAT-STANCE! SQUARE HORSE STANCE!
BO STANCE!
Bo Rai Cho smiles.
BO RAI CHO
Goooood. You are getting better, Liu Kang!
Liu Kang, already wiped out and exhausted,
takes a second to smile.
Bo Rai Cho drinks some water.
EXT. WU SHI ACADEMY - TRAINING HOUSE - EVENING
Liu Kang and Chan, now 10 years old,
sit together on the wooden steps in
front of Bo Rai Cho’s dojo.
CHAN
How was Master Cho today?
LIU KANG
Brutally exhausting. Wait until YOU get
started with this! I bet YOU couldn’t
handle a day with Master Cho!
CHAN
Y-you mean I’ll have to train too,
when I get old enough??
LIU KANG
(grinning) You’ll have to train, when you
get old enough. So far I’m learning the
stances. After enough months, I’ll learn how
to start going from stances into basic
punch attacks. But I’m not quite there yet.
CHAN
Mom says it’s a great privilege to get to
train with Bo Rai Cho. She says it’s
“exclusive”. That not just any person
can just ask for Bo Rai Cho and have him.
LIU KANG
Yeah - I guess I should feel real special.
CHAN
Mom says it’s a great opportunity.
LIU KANG
This academy once trained Kung Lao, you know.
CHAN
I know. You’ve said it before.
LIU KANG
I remember, when I was a little kid, I used to
always say, the NEXT Mortal Kombat tournament,
when I’m all grown up, you know, bigger, older
. . . I’m gonna be there. I’m gonna go out there,
and fight for Earth at the NEXT Mortal Kombat.
CHAN
That stupid tournament isn’t for another 10 years.
LIU KANG
Well . . . I’m ready.
Wait. Not yet. I’m not ready yet.
I’m only 14. I have so much still to learn.
But when that next tournament gets
here . . . then I’ll be ready.
FADE TO:
INT. CHINESE VILLAGE - ANOTHER 10 YEARS LATER
“Now”
The Sun begins to set for the day
across the village, and dozens of
men and women begin to close down
their outdoor shops for the day.
INT. LIU KANG’S HOME - EVENING
Liu Kang, Chan, and their cousin
are eating dinner together.
Neither of the three will talk while
eating the food.
Once Liu Kang is done with his food,
and with wiping his face, he talks.
LIU KANG
20 years ago, a Mortal Kombat tournament
was held. We were all babies then. Now it
will be held again.
COUSIN
I knew it. Liu Kang, this was why I wanted
to come here. You still have this foolish,
arrogant idea in your head to go to the
tournament.
LIU KANG
You should be glad that I would fight
for Earth. And to represent the Shaolin.
COUSIN
We need no representation. We need
no fame and attention. Liu Kang . . .
did you forget that our ancestor, Kung Lao
- the man I was named after - went to such
a tournament, and was killed by Goro?
LIU KANG
I know. I’ve been told this part.
COUSIN
Goro is still alive. He will be there
at this tournament.
LIU KANG
What are you saying? That I should be
a coward, and stay here, afraid?
COUSIN
No. I’m saying that if you leave this place,
there is no chance you will come back alive.
It’s a guarantee that Goro would beat you.
Knowing this . . . if you do go out there,
then you intend to die.
Finished talking, Kung Lao remains silent.
LIU KANG
Is that what you came here to say?
Kung Lao, finished with his food, rises up.
COUSIN
Cousin: I pray this is not the last time
we ever talk. I pray you decide not to
go to the tournament.
Liu Kang’s cousin leaves, leaving the
two brothers to contemplate the thought.
Kung Lao slides the house’s door open,
leaves, and slides it closed behind him.
CHAN
Are you still going to go?
LIU KANG
I’m really not sure. He was right.
There’s no way I would beat Goro.
Only if I would like to die.
INT. LIU KANG’S HOME - LATER - NIGHT
Total darkness inside the house.
Out the windows, we can see
the dark blue sky as it storms.
INT. LIU KANG’S HOME - THE NEXT MORNING
Liu Kang removes his bicycle from the
wall, and, using both hands, he seamlessly
brings it to a position to ride it outside.
INT. CHINESE VILLAGE - HONAN PROVINCE
Liu Kang rides his bicycle through the
village. Now 24 years old, he is miles
ahead of the student he was before.
We FOLLOW HIS BIKE as he rides
throughout the village, down a dirt road.
BUTCHER
Hello, Liu Kang!
LIU KANG
Hello!
He passes, a little more slowly, by
the lady who sells fruit.
LIU KANG
How are you today?
FRUIT LADY
Ha ha! Hi! I am good!
Liu Kang, smiling, rides on.
BARBER
You! Haircut? Need a haircut?
LIU KANG
Ha ha! No thanks!
While riding the bike, Liu Kang takes
a quick glance at his compass.
EAST. That’s what his compass indicates.
He nods his head, and continues riding.
Liu Kang rides on, East,
and takes a left turn, North.
INT. CHINESE VILLAGE - SOON
Two guards stand firmly at the walls
of the village. After Sundown, nobody
may leave during the night time.
Liu Kang hops off his bicycle and
walks with it to the outside of Bo Rai
Cho’s dojo, still the same as it ever was.
No locks are necessary as he leaves
it by the dojo’s wall.
He slides open the door with one hand and enters.
INT. TRAINING HOUSE - SOON
Bo Rai Cho is growing more gray-haired.
He drinks from a flask of alcohol.
BO RAI CHO
Ohh! Liu Kang!
Bo Rai Cho lets out gas.
BO RAI CHO
Ohhh . . . excuse me. What
brings you here today?
LIU KANG
I wanted to talk to you . . . about the
tournament that’s coming up.
BO RAI CHO
. . . I somehow should have known.
LIU KANG
I understand the Order of Light is looking
to send one person to the next and final
Mortal Kombat tournament. One man,
they say, is qualified.
I believe the man is me. I want to
fight for Earth, and represent the
Order of Light, at the tournament.
BO RAI CHO
Oh, ho, ho! I always knew this day
would come. I always knew we
would some day have this conversation.
Liu Kang . . . I’m afraid you don’t under-
stand. It’s not so simple.
LIU KANG
What is not so simple?
BO RAI CHO
You are a good student, Liu Kang, yes.
You have overcome much in your 10
years of training. But that still does not
mean that you are ready.
LIU KANG
How am I not ready?? This tournament
is only coming once. I don’t have the
option! To . . . to wait another 10 years,
until I’m ready, until a different tournament
happens . . . this is the last one there
will ever be!
BO RAI CHO
I UNDERSTAND this, Liu Kang. In my old
wisdom, and in your youth, there is nothing
new you will teach me that I have not already
thought of and considered.
Bo Rai Cho looks saddened.
BO RAI CHO
I wanted to be able to say yes, Liu Kang.
I wanted to. But you are not ready yet!
LIU KANG
I am ready. I’ve spent my whole life preparing
for that tournament! My entire reason for BEING
here was . . . the future, of when the 10th -
BO RAI CHO
I’m sorry, Liu Kang . . . but my decision
is final. I'm already sending Sing and Sang
to the Mortal Kombat tournament.
LIU KANG
What?? How could you do this? You
knew this was always my dream. Since
I was a little boy! They - they don’t even
CARE about the tournament!
BO RAI CHO
There is more to life than what we want,
Liu Kang. There is even more to life than
our own boyhood dreams. As much as you
would enjoy fighting at the tournament, that
does not make you ready for it. Sing and
Sang are ready. They’re just more well-built
than you. Although they’ve trained here for a
couple years less than you, they have far
exceeded you in many areas. Additionally,
Sing and Sang are older than you, Liu Kang,
by 5 years.
LIU KANG
So what? So what about the 5 years?
We’re not kids anymore.
BO RAI CHO
I’m sorry, but you will not change my mind,
or my ruling. Now, if you don’t mind. I would
like to go back to my silence.
Liu Kang is crushed.
LIU KANG
You can’t mean this.
BO RAI CHO
Good-bye, Liu Kang.
Liu Kang shakes his head.
LIU KANG
How could you do this?
. . . Please tell me! Please!
All I ask is that you tell me why!
BO RAI CHO
GOOD-BYE, LIU KANG!
Liu Kang walks away, and closes the
sliding door behind himself.
INT. CHINESE VILLAGE - EVENING
Gone is all joy or happiness as Liu Kang
climbs back onto his bicycle and rides away.
As he pedals on, a storm begins to build
up in the sky overhead.
LIU KANG
Of course. It would start storming on me.
It would storm on me in a desert!
Liu Kang rides on, past the many men
and women in his village.
An old lady is frantically grabbing her
laundry, hung up on a clothesline,
back into her hands before it storms.
OLD LADY
I hate the weather! I bet many
women are forgetting their
laundry right now!
LIU KANG
Ohhh. That poor lady.
As Liu Kang rides on, the people are
beginning to leave, due to the rain.
Soon enough, Liu Kang finds himself all
alone in one corner of town.
LIU KANG
I shouldn’t mind a little rain.
KRA-KOOOM!! Lightning strikes the water
. . . yet energy leaps from the lightning to
land, and Raiden’s body is formed.
Liu Kang tries to stop his bicycle, but
he can’t. He almost crashes, but instead
hops off the bike and seamlessly transitions
the fall into a walk.
Raiden floats up in the air, and toward Liu
Kang, who stops moving, awe-stricken.
Liu Kang looks around.
LIU KANG
Do you all not see this??
Nobody is there.
LIU KANG
Does nobody else see this??
RAIDEN
Do not be afraid, Liu Kang.
LIU KANG
How did you know my name?
. . . Are you really . . . Raiden . . .
God of Thunder, Lightning, and Storms?
No answer. Raiden is silent.
KOWW!!! He casts lightning out
with one hand with barely any effort.
LIU KANG
Okay. You are Raiden. What
do you want from me?
RAIDEN
I am in need of mortal men and women
to compete in the Mortal Kombat
tournament.
LIU KANG
Sing and Sang have already been chosen.
RAIDEN
This is true. They were chosen by
your mentor, Master Cho. But even
your Master Cho is not the final
authority. I am Raiden, God of Thunder.
Protector of Earth realm. And though
the mortal monks are sending Sing and
Sang, and I am glad to have them . . .
I am asking you if you would fight for
Earth or not.
Liu Kang smiles.
LIU KANG
I’ve waited a lifetime. Yes, Raiden.
I will fight for Earth.
RAIDEN
You will go willingly?
LIU KANG
I will go willingly. Wait! What
about my brother? I have a
brother. Chan. Could he also enter?
RAIDEN
I know who Chan is You are more driven to
fight in this tournament. Not everyone in
this world is.
Liu Kang nods his head.
RAIDEN
The tournament will happen in 30
days! Prepare yourself.
Raiden disappears again, dispersing his
avatar body into electric energy, and taking
off back into the clouds. In mere seconds,
he is gone from the ground.
LIU KANG
I’m not prepared enough.
There is still a light sprinkling of rain
coming down, but now it’s beginning
to dry up to nothing.
Liu Kang looks at his bicycle. Soaking wet.
He goes back to riding it anyway.
He says not a word as he rides on through
the village. No matter what anybody thinks
of him, now he knows his role in things.
INT. EARTH - THERMOSPHERE
Raiden returns to the thermosphere,
to talk to the Elder Gods.
RAIDEN
I have invited 2 warriors to Mortal Kombat.
ELDER GOD 1
The rest of the mortals must be located.
ELDER GOD 2
Very little time is left.
RAIDEN
I will have it done in time.
Outworld has already won too
much. I will NOT let it win Earth.
The enormous blue Elder Gods FADE AWAY,
and Raiden sees outer space again.
Raiden quickly lets go of his flight, falling
back down to the Earth below. He rotates
his body so that he is falling headfirst.
KOWWWWW!!
INT. TV SHOW - FULL-SCREEN VIEW
“Famous Actors: Where Are They Now?”
ANNOUNCER
Number Four in “Where Are They Now?”:
JOHNNY CAGE.
Many quick clips from various Johnny Cage
movies are spliced into the video.
1 - Johnny Cage leaping out of a helicopter,
in slow-motion, while firing a machine-gun.
2 - Johnny Cage hanging from a street light,
high above the streets of the city. At one
precise second, he lets go of the street light
and lands on a passing garbage truck, and rolls
over a little before landing safely.
3 - Johnny Cage fighting kick-boxing
champion Nimbus Terrafaux.
NIMBUS
Come on, boy. Come on at me! Come at me!
Johnny Cage readies himself to fight.
ANNOUNCER
Real name John Carlton, Johnny “Cage”
made a name for himself in movies like
“Dragon Fist”, “Dragon Fist II”, and the
Oscar-winning “Sudden Violence”.
“Dragon Fist” is the caption that plays
over the clips of Johnny Cage and his
sidekick dressed in karate training outfits,
Cage’s in green and his sidekick’s in blue, walking
down the street, beating up teenage enemies.
“Dragon Fist II” - Cage and his sidekick
use extensive martial arts against an
oncoming mob of zombies.
“Sudden Violence” - Johnny fights
four men in black-and-white suits.
ANNOUNCER
In the award-winning “Sudden Violence”, Johnny Cage
plays Johnny Lann, standing up against the deadly crime
syndicate Nimbus Terrafaux to rescue kidnapped Leslie
and shut the whole organization down. Finally, he takes
on the kick-boxing champion head of the syndicate,
Nimbus Terrafaux himself.
In another video clip, Nimbus gets his hands
to the ground and attacks Johnny with his feet.
Johnny is up against a villain whose
attacks primarily come from his
up-side down kicks.
Johnny executes a quick foot-sweep that
trips Nimbus to the ground.
JOHNNY
Hi-yaaaah!
Johnny quickly gets his right foot to a
position pinning Nimbus to the floor.
JOHNNY
Now you hand Leslie over. And maybe.
Just maybe, I might let you live.
FREEZE-FRAME.
ANNOUNCER
Sounds pretty badass, in ’95. But where is
he now, as we reach the 20-year anniversary?
We SWIVEL our view a few times.
Otherwise, his movies were a hit or miss. Sometimes he reached critical success, sometimes the movie sucked. The Gist of my Fist. Ninja Mime. Iron Claw.
Johnny Cage was trained by martial arts experts for different movies. He was even trained to use nunchucks for the clown scene in Ninja Mime. Johnny Cage did all his own stunts. Nothing was done with green-screen, or blue-screen. He really did all those stunts.
But it’s 20 years after his heyday, and he feels like he’s nothing now. Everything he had was short-lived. He seemed to remain at the top of his game for years, only to suddenly disappear from the public eye in one night.
Now Raiden invites Johnny Cage to compete in the tournament. This may be the comeback he’s been looking for!
INT. EARTH - SKY
RAIDEN
There are others.
Looking at the clouds, he sees
a reflection of Sonya Blade.
RAIDEN
I must find them.
Raiden flies away.
Next, it’s time for Sonya Blade. Raiden has his eyes on her. A quick Sonya story. She joined in the Army. She did push-ups in the mud. She gave up, only to be told that there is no giving up. She must keep going until she gets it, end of story. So she kept pushing herself until she made it. The graduation ceremony. One day, she was asked:
CORPORAL HICKS
How would you like to join the Special Forces?
SONYA
Sorry. Army.
CORPORAL HICKS
Everyone in the Special Forces is former Army,
Navy . . . you could be joining it yourself.
SONYA
Now why would I do that?
CORPORAL HICKS
We’re in need of individuals with specialized skills.
You would be perfect for it.
SONYA
Do you really think so?
CORPORAL HICKS
I know so. I’ve seen it. And here in the
military, we don’t give idle compliments
because we expect a dinner date out of it.
SONYA
Join the Special Forces. I don’t know.
I’d have to think about it.
So she joined the Special Forces.
Agent Beran has metal arms.
MAGOR JACKSON BRIGGS
As you can see, everyone here has some sort
of unique quality or character trait. For
example, we might . . . go after the Black Dragon
gang, using the help of a girl who has a photographic
memory. Speaking of which, the Black Dragon gang
is one of our large priorities right now. The FBI has
their Most Wanted list of men? They’re too much
narrowed down to individuals. We go after entire
organizations.
JACKSON BRIGGS
Kano. Current leader of the Black Dragon gang.
SONYA
Wait a second. The Black Dragon? I thought they were
a gang of high-schoolers spray-painting their graffitti over
brick walls.
MAJOR JACKSON BRIGGS
It seems that way. But the Black Dragon was brought to
America from other countries.
SONYA
Why should I go to this stupid tournament?
RAIDEN
Kano will be there. He has been invited
by the tournament’s host, Shang Tsung.
SONYA
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
What did you just say?
RAIDEN
Kano will be there. He has been invited
by the tournament’s host, Shang Tsung.
SONYA
. . . Are you lying to me?
RAIDEN
I never lie.
SONYA
Show me proof.
RAIDEN
For the moment, you will just have
to trust that I am not deceiving you.
SONYA
. . . Very well. But if I find out
you’re lying . . .
The FBI is tracking down phone calls exchanged between Kano and Kira.
FBI AGENT MOLLOY
Kano is going to this Shimmery Island,
or whatever, to go to the Mortal Kombat
tournament.
FBI AGENT WILSON
That’s where we’ll find him,
and make our arrest.
A flashback to Shang Tsung inviting Kano.
KANO
A tournament, eh? A prestigious invitation
for only the best fighters, huh? I dunno.
Time is money. You understand that. I spend
enough time on this tournament, it’s business
lost - money lost. You understand that.
SHANG TSUNG
Riches and treasures await you on the island
which will be more than enough to reward you
for your service.
JACKSON BRIGGS
Major Briggs. That’s Jackson Briggs.
I go by Jax.
SONYA
Is that . . . Jax with one X, or two?
JAX
One X.
SONYA
Oh. Huh . . . I’ve been spelling it with two.
JAX
Are you going to the tournament?
SONYA
No. Of course not. But. That man, Raiden.
He said . . . Kano will be there, at the tournament.
He gave me a time and a place.
JAX
So. Let me get this straight.
He SAYS it. And it HAS to be true.
SONYA
Just . . . let me try this. Remember the man
who stopped three feet short of gold.
JAX
Yes, that whole story again.
Raiden invites Jax. He declines.
Raiden goes back to the atmosphere.
ELDER GODS
You still have two mortals left to recruit.
Raiden looks down at the clouds.
In the clouds, he can see a transluscent
image of Sub-Zero.
INT. CHINA - ICY, SNOWY MOUNTAINSIDE
From over 100 feet up in the air, we look at a
snow-covered mountain. Near its bottom is a
village living in the snow.
“Lin Kuei Headquarters”
Two men are sparring in the martial arts form
of choy lay fut. We slowly COME CLOSER to
the two men sparring. One is wearing light-blue,
and the other is wearing red.
The man in light-blue tries to attack the man
in red, but can’t seem to get him at first, until he
goes in for a lower punch to catch him by surprise.
GRANDMASTER
Enough!
The two men stop, and look at the
Lin Kuei’s Grandmaster, who wears
a robe in all red.
GRANDMASTER
Hydro. You have done well. But next time,
try to be a little more quick. Sektor, you were
too slow to react.
SEKTOR
(bowing his head) Yes, Grandmaster.
The Grandmaster rises up from his throne.
He takes several steps into the snowy ground.
Thus commences his one-man solo demonstration.
He is one of the most highly-skilled Grandmasters
on Earth.
Thus the Sub-Zero and Scorpion story. Ending with both being invited to the tournament.
Kano and Scorpion are both recruited to fight for Outworld.
There is also Reptile. A flashback to how they met, in the wastelands of Outworld. Reptile was alone. He did not know his name. Shang Tsung made him a bargain. Fight in Mortal Kombat, and Shang Tsung will look into Reptile's soul and tell the amnesiac reptile who he was. Back to the present, and Ermac and Rain are also invited to the tournament. Finally, Belokk and Shadia are the final two chosen to fight for Outworld.
Next, Raiden gathers Kenshi. A blind swordsman, Kenshi is lethal with his other senses.
They are all gathered together for the 10th tournament. Liu Kang shows up first. Johnny Cage and Sonya show up next. Sing, Sang, Sub-Zero, and Kenshi all show up, invited by Raiden.
They all get together at the same boat. Raiden tells the 7 mortals that, once they get on this boat, they will be going to the Mortal Kombat tournament. This is the 10th and final Mortal Kombat tournament of Earth realm.
So they all get on the boat.