These are the events that took place during the timeframe of Mortal Kombat 3,
the third MK fighting game, as well as the two upgraded versions of the game:
Ultimate MK3 and MK Trilogy (both of which provide extra elaborations on what
happen in the latter part of the MK3 storyline.) While the majority of it is
from those three games themselves, some of it was contributed by elaborations
in later games making references to what is supposed to have happened during
it.
3-1-1. Shinnok was nearly finished with the process of Sindel's resurrection.
Once Sindel is resurrected, she will have no memory of her true history with
Shao Kahn (0-4-2a), and will be awakened with evil intent as part of the deal
with Shinnok (0-6-4). With so many of the Earth's warriors still in the
Outworld, Shao Kahn decided it was time to enact his true intentions: his
long-planned invasion of the Earth realm (0-6-4). In response, the elder gods
chose a lineup of Earth's warriors to defend the Earth realm. Upon the
invasion, the elder gods could protect their souls from Kahn, but not their
lives.
3-1-1a. Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs and Lt. Sonya Blade urgently
returned to the United States and reported the recent events to the American
government. After supplying them with details on the Outworld emporer's plans
to invade the Earth, the two were thought to have gone insane. They were left
with no choice but to prepare independently for the invasion. Jax equipped
himself with bionic arms.
3-1-1b. Liu Kang returned to the Earth realm with Johnny Cage and Kung Lao.
Together, they prepared to defend their home against the coming invasion.
3-1-1c. Sub-Zero and Smoke returned to Lin Kuei headquarters and found that
other members of the clan were being automated. The Lin Kuei were building
cybernetic Ninja warriors to take the place of their human services. The first
units to be finished were "Cyrax" (Unit LK-4D4) and
"Sektor" (Unit LK-9T9). Sub-Zero and Smoke, however, refused to be
automated. They attempted escape and at least Sub-Zero succeeded, but Smoke was
captured by the clan and turned into a cybernetic assassin with only a fraction
of his true self left in him. Sub-Zero went on to prepare for the coming
invasion. He removed his mask to signify that he had quit the Lin Kuei clan,
and he joined the other defenders of Earth realm. The Lin Kuei sent both Cyrax
and Sektor on a mission to assassinate Sub-Zero.
3-1-2. A large portal opened in the Earth's sky and panic filled the streets.
Shao Kahn entered the Earth realm, merged it with the Outworld, and took the
souls of Earth's inhabitants. Earth was slowly turning into a part of the
Outworld. Aware that chosen warriors would survive the initial attack (3-1-1),
Kahn proceeded to send out extermination squads to eliminate the survivors.
3-1-2a. Motaro, a member of the Centaur race (0-1-4b), was assigned to lead the
extermination squads. Johnny Cage was one of their many victims.
3-1-2b. Shang Tsung remained in his position as Kahn's lead sorcerer and
continued to aid his emporer.
3-1-2c. Kano, having escaped capture by Sonya and Jax again (2-1-2b), remained
in the Outworld and struck a deal with Shao Kahn: in exchange for sparing his
life, Kano would teach the emperor's forces to use Earth weapons.
3-1-2d. Sheeva, a female member of the Shokan race (0-1-4a), was appointed to
serve as the resurrected Queen Sindel's personal protector. Motaro's position
as leader of the attack, however, caused Sheeva to grow suspicious of Kahn's
loyalty toward her race.
3-1-3. After the attacks of the extermination squads, only eight chosen warriors
remained: Sub-Zero, Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs, Lt. Sonya Blade, Liu
Kang, Kung Lao, as well as three fighters who were not involved in the events
prior to the invasion: Curtis Stryker, Kabal, and Nightwolf.
3-1-3a. Curtis Stryker was an American riot cop who was working on the night of
the invasion.
3-1-3b. Kabal, once a member of the Black Dragon (0-5-4), suffered severe
beatings by the extermination squads and survived only with the aid of an
artificial respirator.
3-1-3c. Nightwolf was a Native American historian, and preserver of his people's
traditions. He used the magic of his shaman to protect his tribe's sacred land
during the invasion.
