Mortal Kombat 1 New Tradition: Scorpion & Sub-Zero’s New Era

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the upcoming Mortal Kombat 1, and the anticipation was finally satisfied with the release of a cinematic trailer. The trailer provides a unique look into the world of Mortal Kombat, with its intense visuals and signature violence. Contrary to popular belief, it was revealed that the title would not be “Mortal Kombat 12” as some had assumed. This game seems to be straying away from the traditional conventions of the series, as evidenced by the updated versions of the two beloved ninjas.

Scorpion and Sub-Zero have been enemies since the beginning, and their fights have always been pretty intense. But it was when Mortal Kombat 9 came out in 2011 that their rivalry blew up. In all the promotional material, it was all Scorpion and Sub-Zero, battling it out in epic ninja fights. This was really what got the fans so pumped up and made them think of these two as mortal enemies, and it carried on all the way to Mortal Kombat X. Their fights have been the highlight of the series, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be stopping anytime soon.

Mortal Kombat 1: New Brotherhood on the Horizon

In 2019, the release of Mortal Kombat 11 came as a surprise and completed the Mortal Kombat 9 saga. This game was praised for its attention to character development, particularly of Scorpion who underwent a significant change. While the game was mostly similar to the previous instalments, it did feature a unique element of time travel, which allowed for the inclusion of past versions of characters. In contrast, Mortal Kombat 1 appears less risk-averse.

The cinematic trailer boldly signifies the series’ forward progression, showcasing Liu Kang as the fire god and overseer of this new universe. This development directly follows the events of Mortal Kombat 11’s Aftermath DLC, positioning Mortal Kombat 1 as a subversive “requel.” Continuing this trend, young versions of Scorpion and Sub-Zero are depicted donning nearly identical attire, explicitly acknowledging their shared roots. However, their roles as rivals seem to have dissipated entirely. The two now stand together as allies, referred to as “united as brothers” by the narrator.

Scorpion and Sub-Zero are now United as Brothers

Mortal Kombat 1 clearly wants to switch things up from the usual franchise, even though fans still love the classic rivalry between Sub-Zero and Scorpion. NetherRealm Studios is probably trying to create a powerful enemy that’ll make everyone unite. They’ve also flipped the script by not having Kitana and Mileena go at it in the trailer. We don’t know why Scorpion and Sub-Zero are now similar, down to their haircuts and clothing. As more info comes out, we know Liu Kang’s new world will shock us and keep us guessing.

The release of the next instalment of Mortal Kombat is almost here, and it looks like the announcement trailer could be hiding even more than we think. Liu Kang might have created harmony, but Shang Tsung’s got other plans and Liu Kang is still out for revenge. It seems like this new version of MK could really switch things up and keep us on our toes as more characters, changes and details are revealed.

Mortal Kombat 1 is set to launch on September 19 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X.

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