.:KANO:.
Undisciplined and dangerous, Kano is a thug for hire. From weapons dealing to cold-blooded murder, his military training has made him the go-to man for the Black Dragon. But when an operation went to hell and his face horribly mutilated, Kano's crime spree was almost ended. Ever the survivor, he used his underworld connections to find a cyberneticist capable of repairing the damage. Kano was fitted with several high-tech enhancements, most notably his eye laser. With these new weapons, Kano's reign of terror has only just begun.
Ending:
Kano made a fortune selling arms to Shao Kahn and used the profits to upgrade his cybernetics.
The added connectivity of his eye implant gave him unparalleled access to global communications. Using his mind, he navigated the databases of banks, law enforcement agencies and other networks. But his activities left him vulnerable to hackers. Jax infiltrated Kano’s mind and trapped his consciousness in the Special Forces mainframe. It wasn’t long, however, until Kano managed to free himself. His consciousness spread like a virus throughout the Special Forces network of automated weaponry. Kano has become a one-man army.
.:KINTARO:.
Like Goro and Sheeva, Kintaro is of the four-armed Shokan race. Unlike his aristocratic comrades, however, he is of lower-class Tigrar lineage. As is customary when recruiting Shokan and Centaur into Shao Kahn's service, one of each race must face each other in bloody kombat. Kintaro killed his opponent and, in an unprecedented act of bravado, roared for more Centaur blood. Centaurs leapt furiously into the ring to their demise. This savagery led Shao Kahn to appoint Kintaro his personal bodyguard.
Ending:
Kintaro's meteoric rise to glory in the service of Shao Kahn had inflated his ego and his hunger for exaltation.
But his position as the emperor's bodyguard had stifled any opportunity for further achievement or recognition--save one. After killing Shao Kahn, the most powerful being in Outworld, Kintaro's fame had grown indeed. He had achieved the notoriety of a traitor. Now hunted by the Centaur, Tarkatan and Shokan, Kintaro lives a life of exile, a victim of his own infamy.
.:KITANA:.
Over 10,000 years old, Princess Kitana remembers little of her early years. Her mother, Queen Sindel, died mysteriously ages ago in Earthrealm. Most of her life she has loyally served her father, Shao Kahn, in his unending quest to conquer the realms. With her closest friend, Jade, Kitana enforces his brutal will. But there is a feeling tugging at her... a feeling that the life she has known is a deception. For the moment, Kitana dutifully works to ensure Outworld's victory in this latest Mortal Kombat tournament. If she were to lower her guard, however, she might discover that her Earthrealm opponents can lead her to answers.
Ending:
Kitana had ended Shao Kahn’s life for his betrayal. She had discovered the truth about Mileena...
... but rather than slay her as well, she took pity on her half-sister. She offered Mileena a home within the Edenian aristocracy. She was, after all, of royal blood. Mileena cautiously accepted her sister’s invitation. With Mileena and Jade at her side, Kitana formed a fighting force dedicated to bringing justice to the realms. Never again would a warlord arise to create such terror.
.:KRATOS:.
Ancient Greece knew no more bloodthirsty a warrior than Kratos, who for a time was the God of War. Mortal once more, Kratos withdrew from the ages-old clash between men and gods. But his solitude was broken when he was ripped through space and time. As the madness subsided, Kratos found himself in present-day Outworld, kneeling before Shao Kahn. To ensure his victory in Mortal Kombat, the emperor had invoked an ancient ritual, sacrificing the souls of his vanguard to summon and enslave the most powerful warrior of all time. But the spell alone could not contain Kratos, who soon regained his free will. Enraged by Shao Kahn's arrogance, Kratos vowed to rip the warlord's spine from his body. The God of War had returned to battle.
Ending:
Shao Kahn was dead. The God of War had prevailed. The spell that had summoned him began to reverse itself.
As he slowly faded from this place and time, Kratos was approached by Raiden and Fujin. Though he did not count them among his enemies, Kratos had never been beloved by these gods. He prepared for kombat.
To his surprise, they bowed to him, a show of respect he had not seen from an immortal in many an age. Raiden explained that though his motives were not pure, Kratos had saved Earthrealm. He was owed a debt of gratitude. As he returned to his own world, Kratos nodded silently.
Their change of heart would perhaps prove useful one day. A debt of gratitude is often dearly paid.
.:KUNG LAO:.
Kung Lao's ancestor was defeated by Goro 500 years ago in the pivotal match that saw Shang Tsung attain control of the Mortal Kombat tournament. To him this contest is about more than Earthrealm's freedom. His life's goal has been to slay Goro and win the tournament, thus restoring his family's honor. After being defeated by Liu Kang in a qualifying bout, he disguised himself as one of Shang Tsung's guards to gain admittance. Kung Lao believes he is ready for the challenge. The time to avenge his ancestor is at hand.
Ending:
Kung Lao had avenged his ancestor’s death and saved Earthrealm from Shao Kahn’s brutality.
In quiet reflection with Raiden at the grave of the Great Kung Lao, he touched the modest stone marker. Images of past events, moments of someone else’s life, flashed through his mind, concluding with a lost battle against Goro. Raiden theorized that Kung Lao had unlocked memories of his past life. The Kung Lao that stood before Raiden was in fact the reincarnation of the Great Kung Lao, who had been defeated by Goro 500 years ago. He had accomplished in the present what he could not in the past.
.:LIU KANG:.
Orphaned at a very young age, Liu Kang was raised by Shaolin monks, who taught him the way of the spiritual warrior. They soon recognized his potential as a contender for the Mortal Kombat tournament and rigorously trained him for this task. Raiden, too, understood that Liu Kang was Earthrealm's best hope for freedom and introduced him to Master Bo' Rai Cho to further his development. Once fully trained, Liu Kang bested all challengers and earned the high honor of representing the Shaolin in the Mortal Kombat tournament. He and Raiden then embarked on their fateful journey to Shang Tsung's island to compete in this pivotal kontest.
Ending:
Having defeated Shao Kahn, Liu Kang believed he was the only one capable of defending Earthrealm against outside threats.
During the invasion Raiden had been more burden than ally. Brazenly he demanded the Elder Gods grant him the thunder god’s status. In a one-match Mortal Kombat tournament, Liu Kang defeated his former friend and mentor. Liu Kang's request was granted. He was made a god–the new Protector of Earthrealm.
.:MILEENA:.
Shang Tsung has created many abominable creatures in his Flesh Pits, but none so twisted as Mileena. A fusion of Edenian flesh and Tarkatan blood, Mileena is both beauty and beast. This dichotomy has made her mind unstable; she is prone to fits of madness and savagery. Though she has the appearance of a mature woman, she is more child than adult--a blank slate conformed to Shao Kahn's will. Devoid of conscience or remorse, Mileena will butcher anyone to appease her beloved father.
Ending:
Mileena killed the emperor in a fit of deranged fury. But she was unaware that her victory resulted from Shang Tsung's designs.
He had imbued Mileena with the ability to drain Shao Kahn's dark magic, rendering him vulnerable. Now Shang Tsung was ready to execute the next phase of his plan: murder Mileena and take Shao Kahn's power for himself. But Mileena instinctively wielded her new dark power against the sorcerer. Shang Tsung's end came quickly. Mileena absorbed his soul, multiplying her strength. She then set out to claim an even bigger prize: the soul of a thunder god.
.:NIGHTWOLF:.
Nightwolf is one of few Earthrealm mortals with a strong connection to the spirit world. A powerful Native American shaman, he is guided by the empyrean forces and communes with divine beings such as Haokah, known to the East as Raiden. Nightwolf's devotion allows the Spirits to work through him, granting him unnatural long life and ethereal weapons to kombat the darkness that threatens mortalkind. In the coming crisis, however, it is not Nightwolf's arsenal that will alter fate. His faith in the Spirits will inspire those who have lost hope.
Ending:
It took all of Nightwolf's power to destroy Shao Kahn. His spirit guide, the wolf, had aided him in the battle, but in the aftermath its presence was no longer felt.
Nightwolf returned to his home, seeking the elders' help in reconnecting to the spirit world. During their ritual, his wolf returned to him--changed. Shao Kahn had tethered his soul to the wolf spirit in order to cheat death. Now corrupted with Shao Kahn's evil, Nightwolf has transformed into his Animality, his bite converting his victims into subservient lycanthropes. Through Nightwolf, Shao Kahn will conquer Earthrealm one mortal at a time.
