Amphibious
New member
One of the issues I have with the storyline of MK2011 is the numerous inconsistencies with previously established facts from the past that could not be the result of Raiden's tampering with the timeline (since they took place before the events of MK1, when Raiden received the future visions). I know a lot of this could be simply chalked up to retcons, but it seems like a lot of that would be necessary to make it all work out perfectly. It’s for this reason that I wonder if the events shown in the past take place in an alternate universe/timeline instead of the past of the “prime” universe.
Here are the major inconsistencies I found that would have to be outright retcons:
-In MK1 Sub-Zero was hired to assassinate Shang Tsung. At the end of MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero Shang Tsung hires Sub-Zero to compete in the tournament, but that doesn't mean someone else didn't pay him to assassinate Tsung, as was stated in Sub-Zero’s MK1/MK2 bios and endings. In MK2011 however Sub-Zero (along with Sektor and Cyrax; since when were they at the tournament?) is hired to fight on the side of Outworld and kill Earthrealm warriors.
-In MK1 Scorpion came back to avenge his own death. Presumably he did not learn from Quan Chi about the death of his family and clan until after the events of MK3, which is what prompted Scorpion to go after Sub-Zero once again in MK4 (despite having previously sworn to protect him as penance for killing his older brother in MK2/MK3). In MK2011 however Quan Chi revives Scorpion back in the original MK1 tournament and has already informed him of the death of his family and clan.
-Kitana and Mileena's MK2 bios and endings suggest that Mileena was around for a long time, as everyone thought she was Kitana's twin sister (including Kitana) Yet in MK2011 she was only recently created and revealed during the events of the Outworld Tournament.
-MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero and MK3 make it clear that prior to the MK1 tournament Shang Tsung bargained with Quan Chi before to corrupt Sindel's soul so that upon her revival she would be loyal to Shao Kahn. After the Outworld Tournament of MK2 Shang Tsung revives Sindel and allows Kahn to step through the dimensional barriers and invade Earthrealm. In MK2011 however the whole plan to revive Sindel in Earthrealm, allowing Kahn to invade, is proposed entirely by Quan Chi, and is done only after the events of MK2.
There are other inconsistencies but they're minor, and a lot of them can be explained by changes in the timeline. Just as an example though:
-In Liu Kang's MK2 bio and ending it says he returns home only to find his shaolin temples already in ruins. But in MK2011 (like in MK Shaolin Monks) everyone returns home and the shaolin temples are attacked by the Tarkata.
The whole Sindel thing is the biggest issue since it's a pretty major change and the events took place before the time when Raiden started changing history. All of this leads me to believe that MK2011 fits one of two scenarios:
1.) The entirety of MK2011, including the MK Armageddon parts at the beginning, takes place in an alternate universe (different from the previous seven games). Although events in this universe were similar to the events of the other (“prime”) universe (represented in the first seven games). This would explain why Shao Kahn was the one to defeat Blaze, which is contrary to the fact that in MKA’s intro the Dragon King flew off with him, and it was Taven who defeated Blaze according to the game's Konquest Mode. It would also explain why the characters looked different.
2.) Raiden sends a message himself from an alternate universe/timeline. This would explain the inconsistencies in the timeline I pointed out above without them needing to be retcons (though it wouldn’t explain how Kahn ended up defeating Blaze).
What do you guys think? Discuss.
Here are the major inconsistencies I found that would have to be outright retcons:
-In MK1 Sub-Zero was hired to assassinate Shang Tsung. At the end of MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero Shang Tsung hires Sub-Zero to compete in the tournament, but that doesn't mean someone else didn't pay him to assassinate Tsung, as was stated in Sub-Zero’s MK1/MK2 bios and endings. In MK2011 however Sub-Zero (along with Sektor and Cyrax; since when were they at the tournament?) is hired to fight on the side of Outworld and kill Earthrealm warriors.
-In MK1 Scorpion came back to avenge his own death. Presumably he did not learn from Quan Chi about the death of his family and clan until after the events of MK3, which is what prompted Scorpion to go after Sub-Zero once again in MK4 (despite having previously sworn to protect him as penance for killing his older brother in MK2/MK3). In MK2011 however Quan Chi revives Scorpion back in the original MK1 tournament and has already informed him of the death of his family and clan.
-Kitana and Mileena's MK2 bios and endings suggest that Mileena was around for a long time, as everyone thought she was Kitana's twin sister (including Kitana) Yet in MK2011 she was only recently created and revealed during the events of the Outworld Tournament.
-MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero and MK3 make it clear that prior to the MK1 tournament Shang Tsung bargained with Quan Chi before to corrupt Sindel's soul so that upon her revival she would be loyal to Shao Kahn. After the Outworld Tournament of MK2 Shang Tsung revives Sindel and allows Kahn to step through the dimensional barriers and invade Earthrealm. In MK2011 however the whole plan to revive Sindel in Earthrealm, allowing Kahn to invade, is proposed entirely by Quan Chi, and is done only after the events of MK2.
There are other inconsistencies but they're minor, and a lot of them can be explained by changes in the timeline. Just as an example though:
-In Liu Kang's MK2 bio and ending it says he returns home only to find his shaolin temples already in ruins. But in MK2011 (like in MK Shaolin Monks) everyone returns home and the shaolin temples are attacked by the Tarkata.
The whole Sindel thing is the biggest issue since it's a pretty major change and the events took place before the time when Raiden started changing history. All of this leads me to believe that MK2011 fits one of two scenarios:
1.) The entirety of MK2011, including the MK Armageddon parts at the beginning, takes place in an alternate universe (different from the previous seven games). Although events in this universe were similar to the events of the other (“prime”) universe (represented in the first seven games). This would explain why Shao Kahn was the one to defeat Blaze, which is contrary to the fact that in MKA’s intro the Dragon King flew off with him, and it was Taven who defeated Blaze according to the game's Konquest Mode. It would also explain why the characters looked different.
2.) Raiden sends a message himself from an alternate universe/timeline. This would explain the inconsistencies in the timeline I pointed out above without them needing to be retcons (though it wouldn’t explain how Kahn ended up defeating Blaze).
What do you guys think? Discuss.
