General/Other - Liu Kang Injustice towards Liu Kang's character

[GreatKungLao]

First of all I would like to say that I'm a huge fanboy of heroic characters, always was and always will be, so I get really frustrated and sometimes even pissed off when they start being treated badly and made into villains or any sort of negative type of characters at all. I call this plot "twist" massive bullshit.

Original timeline Liu Kang was the best. He was the hero that Mortal Kombat needed, with such bunch of anti-heroes, assholes, comedian and evil characters there had to be The Chosen One that takes his duty seriously and wholeheartedly and Liu Kang was that guy. He saved the world 4 times and even after being killed by Deadly Alliance, the death didn't stopped him from wanting and actually helping others, saving his friends and a loved one.

Liu Kang never expected anything in return for his actions, he simply did good things because he feels that this is the right thing to do for lives around. He was THE Hero whom even death couldn't stop from helping others. He also treated others in a much better regards. When Shujinko was decieved by Onaga to bring all Kamidogu, Liu Kang did not judged Shujinko as if like he was the one responsible, but actually understood the poor man who believed that he was acting for the greater good through Dragon King's deception, so Liu Kang taught Shujinko with shaolin martial arts skills for the old man to fix his mistakes. Original timeline Liu Kang believed in second chances.

What NRS is doing with Liu Kang today is injustice. I feared that it will happen after Injustice: GAU where they fucked up the world wide Hero of all time - Superman. But at least this game had a canonically good Superman who did the job of stopping an evil one (not a freaking Batman again).

Why is this happening? Why media enjoys so much making former heroes into someone they are originally not? It's not like the franchises where this is happening has already a great amount of villains (Darkseid for Injustice anyone? Instead of an actual hero?). Why making Liu Kang into a potential main villain of future MK games? This is unfair. Why can't they let him be the way he always was?

Without original Liu Kang Mortal Kombat doesn't have true boyscout heroe anymore and this makes me really sad. Liu Kang was the Superman of this universe, a savior and a really good person who was not mean even the slightest.

In Mortal Kombat X even in his human form his intro dialogues are a pain to listen in 99% of the time, because NRS really made him sound too much negative, arrogant and assholish which absolutely doesn't suits him. I would understand if those were specific lines for his revenant form, because revenants are controlled by dark magic and they are evil unwillingly. Not to mention that his default skin looks older, which means that he has to be wiser as a true kung-fu master and not sound like a spoiled brat.

There was a time when NRS staff had a much better vision of Liu Kang's character and even in MKvsDCU he still remained his original characteristics. Maybe his body did became an evil zombie, but his spirit still remained to be boyscout Shaolin super hero of Mortal Kombat.

I still live in hope that Emperor Liu Kang will be redeemed, like Darth Vader once was. Liu Kang doesn't deserve to be a main villain, but a main hero only. There are some things in the universe that shouldn't be changed and heroes are one of those, they should never be changed into something they are not, because no matter how hard the life goes on them, they always overcome and become stronger, but never succumbing to the other side.

Hopefully there are more Liu Kang players who misses him as a Hero and doesn't like the way he is right now as a character.

 

[Parasurama]

Brother, I enjoyed the old universe Liu Kang character, but actually enjoy the dark turn in this current universe. The dark turn would be incomplete if there is no redemption in the future however, like Darth Vader as you said. I think it makes his character deeper, not that him as a true hero does not do it, but it shows his humanity which I can relate to. I liked the one dialogue with him and Jacqui where he talks like a mentor. I also enjoy his dialogues with Kitana. I expected him to have more friendly dialogues with Kung Lao and I think he would be more accepting of Kung Jin. I see that there will actually be 2 Liu Kangs in the future games. He deserved his own story section (As well as Erron Black and Kung Lao).
They really need to make a new Shaolin Monks game, perhaps an RPG where they can choose the dark or light side.

 

[EMPR_MURK]

I personally think evil liu is a beast in his own way. Its actually good imo.

 

[SneakyTortoise]

What the...

 

[9_Lives]

I relate to him easier when he has more human characteristics. I am flawed all over the place, and while true I would like to be perfect, I don't believe a perfect human exists. So when I see a perfect human in any game or story that always does the right thing no questions asked, nothing in return, I just can't empathize with them as much and it draws my interest away to someone I can understand better. They did a similar overhaul with a lot of characters, giving many a personality flaw of some kind that made them all a little less 2 dimensional.

For instance in MK9, right before he fights Shao Kahn when Kung Lao is first chosen to fight...Liu Kang clearly appears dejected by Raiden after being passed over when the amulet continued to crack. Liu is just trying to do the right thing, but even when he wins, he loses, and his frustration really starts to appear in this moment for me. This shows envy and pride, both things I am guilty of from time to time. Eventually he went on to get more and more doubtful of Raiden's theory about merging the realms, but this isn't just because it hasn't worked so far, but it seems to me that it's because he secretly wants the plan to fail so he can have his shot to beat Shao Kahn and get that honor he's looking for back. I myself have pursued similar courses of action for similar reasons, so I find myself more vested in his fate than before.

Before he was just that Chinese guy who always does the right thing for some reason, and I think NRS was looking to rub out any characters in the story who came out like that. (for instance instead of being the yellow ninja, scorpion is a rage driven hellfire phantom bent on vengeance against a sorceror.) I think that's what it comes down to for me. Why does he care about what happens to Earth Realm in the original story? Is it because he loves everything for no reason, and if so, why would he place Earth Realm's stake over Outworld's or all of the other realms? Does he just do everything he's told by Bo'Rai'Cho and Raiden?

I dunno, LK before was cool as a concept and all when he was perfect, but I feel like this is better story telling overall. I'm sure they could've written a good story while keeping his moral integrity 100% intact, but I like things the way they've fallen into place at this point. I wouldn't even care if they decided not to pursue the cliche of a Darth Vader-esque redemption for him because I want to see how they elaborate on his motives in the next game especially with his interaction with Dark Raiden after the credits there.

 

[PapaRegadetho]

I miss good old Liu Kang. MKvsDCU showed his true character in the story mode, right at the moment Raiden was ready to finish off Shang Tsung, Liu stopped him. And to other people who say that Liu Kang is too perfect to be relatable, he was in one point driven by vengeance in MK2, he was pissed when he found out his fellow Shaolin were slain by the forces of Outworld.

 

[FrankOceansWaifu]

I still think it's badass to make Liu evil. It gives a sense of despair like "wow we're boned, they got Liu Kang on their side, he's a beast." However he definitely didn't feel like a force to be reckoned with in MKX (I can understand Jax holding his own against Kang, but Takeda and Jacqui? Really?)

 

[EntropicByDesign]

Interesting thread.

I don't follow the lore like some or take it as seriously but I did find LK a little 'off' with his dialogue.

I dunno, I'm that wretched, cynical type that believes everyone is self serving. If you do good its because it makes you feel better than doing bad, and that feeling outweighs the negative feeling + benefit of doing wrong.

I genuinely believe people choose the lesser evil almost all the time. What we define as evil and what we define as lesser or greater is on a per-person basis, but the principals remain roughly the same.

This world.view lets me accept anyone. From the a sociopathic monster, to a boy-scout do-gooder, on equal footing. I then apply my own set of morals and opinions and prejudices and such to each situation to arrive at my own, personal conclusion and decide how I proceed. This proces is repeated from something as simple as buying milk to deciding if I should hurt someone.

So, LK as a boy-scout never bothered me, becauae he's no more or less self-serving than Quan or Shinnok or Jax or one of my cats. LK simply has a different self to serve.

To me, true evil and true good doesn't exist, its all our own mortality and opinions, superimposed over a situation, then interpreted by each of us as individuals.

I say all so I can now say this:

I liked LK better as a boy-scout.

 

[GreatKungLao]

I think he would be more accepting of Kung Jin.

That kind of homophobic intro dialogue was really out of place, Liu Kang as a Shaolin monk whose teachings are all about acceptance, forgiveness and harmony would never say such a thing, at least Liu Kang from original timeline. In MKX there is just a very few dialogues where Liu Kang is acting as himself.

I miss good old Liu Kang. MKvsDCU showed his true character in the story mode, right at the moment Raiden was ready to finish off Shang Tsung, Liu stopped him. And to other people who say that Liu Kang is too perfect to be relatable, he was in one point driven by vengeance in MK2, he was pissed when he found out his fellow Shaolin were slain by the forces of Outworld.

Yes, he was enraged both in MK2 and MK3. First time it was because of Outworld attacking Wu Shi Academy and second is when Kung Lao was assumed to be killed by Shao Kahn. But both of these events did not made him to change at 180 degrees.

I seriously can't relate to a character, who is a grown up man with well-established world view (not to mention a Shaolin monk) to change everything about himself so drastically just because of an accident, like Superman in Injustice did (seriously though?). He was taught from the beginning to overcome evil around him and inside of himself, I just can't understand how a character like that can't see himself from other perspective and not be disgusted by what he became and instead accepting what atrocity he is right now.

Why does he care about what happens to Earth Realm in the original story? Is it because he loves everything for no reason, and if so, why would he place Earth Realm's stake over Outworld's or all of the other realms? Does he just do everything he's told by Bo'Rai'Cho and Raiden?

Well, actually Liu Kang helped to save Edenia in MK4 and in MK Deception his spirit helped Bo' Rai Cho to win in Outworld's civil war against Onaga's army. He cared far beyond Earthrealm, after all he was raised by a God, taught by master from another realm and fell in love with a woman of a different species. I think it tells a lot about how wide his view of the world is and it is not limited by Earth alone.

 

[Solignac]

I still think it's badass to make Liu evil. It gives a sense of despair like "wow we're boned, they got Liu Kang on their side, he's a beast." However he definitely didn't feel like a force to be reckoned with in MKX (I can understand Jax holding his own against Kang, but Takeda and Jacqui? Really?)

It took Raiden asking the Elder Gods for power to defeat Shao Kahn. In MKX, Kung Jin kicks the shit out of Kotal Kahn, the emperor of outworld off the bat. It's safe to say there were some inconsistencies in the storyline for sure.

 

[HuttonMD]

I still think it's badass to make Liu evil. It gives a sense of despair like "wow we're boned, they got Liu Kang on their side, he's a beast." However he definitely didn't feel like a force to be reckoned with in MKX (I can understand Jax holding his own against Kang, but Takeda and Jacqui? Really?)

A lot of characters become jobbers in story.

Kotal the emperor of out world who was raised his whole life fighting was beat by kung jin

 

[HuttonMD]

Lol @Solignac you beat me to it. Kung jin beating kotal was kinda a let down. I wouldn't mind if story mode they made me loose just to go with story

 

[GreatKungLao]

I liked LK better as a boy-scout.

Thought I would never hear this, because in current time I've noticed that people embrace darkness (in fiction) with much pleasure, especially if it is a heroic character that was consumed by the dark side. And it really makes me sad when people are more hype about Regime Superman, rather than a classic one, because he was never a Regime in the first place. There are villains of their own in Superman's universe, why making him one of them just doesn't makes sense to me as well as making Liu Kang into someone he was fighting against in the first place.

What is more bs to me is when heroic character is made into a villain and then writers are trying to replace him with other character, giving him a leading role and letting him defeat a former hero. Story writing like that is just so... ugh.

 

[PapaRegadetho]

That kind of homophobic intro dialogue was really out of place, Liu Kang as a Shaolin monk whose teachings are all about acceptance, forgiveness and harmony would never say such a thing, at least Liu Kang from original timeline. In MKX there is just a very few dialogues where Liu Kang is acting as himself.

That dialogue is not about Liu not accepting Jin's homosexuality, its rather that Liu knows what Jin was before he joined the Shaolin. A common thief. Alot of people misunderstood that part of the dialogue.

 

[EntropicByDesign]

The issue is the assumption by writers that making a character less 'pure' makes them more unique and interesting, when its the dead oppsite.

Every thing ever has the good guy go bad. Or struggling to.be good. A pure ass boy-scout is far more rare, and interesting to write. Try to rationalize, and keepnot belelievable to the reader, that your boy-scout is SSTILL a boy-scout after a lifetime of atrocities.

It's a writers easy way to build drama and plot elements and puke. It's this shit that chased me away from writing as a profession.

 

[PapaRegadetho]

It took Raiden asking the Elder Gods for power to defeat Shao Kahn. In MKX, Kung Jin kicks the shit out of Kotal Kahn, the emperor of outworld off the bat. It's safe to say there were some inconsistencies in the storyline for sure.

MKs storyline became a clusterf*ck of inconsistencies after the departure of John Tobias..

 

[trufenix]

I thought we were done with "they should've rebooted everything except MY character" threads.

"Old" Liu Kang was always on the winning team. Of course he was selfless. Heroism without adversity is fisher price writing. "New" Liu Kang not only lost everything, he was failed if not outright betrayed by mentor and god. He is a far more interesting character.

You really expect him to be all sunshine and rainbows about his "replacements" after twenty years of being bitter and oh yeah, dead?

 

[trufenix]

MKs storyline became a clusterf*ck of inconsistencies after the departure of John Tobias..

Omg, John Tobias wrote the same story three times in a row and people called it gold because nobody had ever seen a kung fu movie before. Please tell me what legendary writing took place in MK1 - 3?

 

[PapaRegadetho]

Omg, John Tobias wrote the same story three times in a row and people called it gold because nobody had ever seen a kung fu movie before. Please tell me what legendary writing took place in MK1 - 3?

Its nothing special and original, true. Given the limitations and how stories were not that important back in the day,Since mostly Kang's endings were cannon, it was far more consistent.

 

[Dankster Morgan]

Liu Kang is an injustice to interesting characters.

 

[9_Lives]

I don't think they're planning redemption for Liu Kang. I think most of the characters minus Raiden are about where they are going to stay. It looks to me like they are going to have Raiden get carried away with his rant at the end of MKX and then he full on invades another realm in retaliation to some minor skirmish. Which I imagine will create some injustice-esque divide in the earth realm characters on "is this okay?" I think they're going to keep Liu where he's at and jobber him off as a revelation for one of the new characters they want to do something with. I believe that is their intent with Kang, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Diego de Souza Costa]

?????

Spoiler

 

[Kickbykick]

Bruh, y do people like long texts. I hate reading

 

[Dankster Morgan]

I doubt Liu kang will be restored. Al lot of the endings are similar in nature, so it could signal how the next games plot will go. Raiden and the Shirai Ryu will invade outworld. Lao will be restored by Jin. Kenshi and Takeda will hunt the Red Dragon. Sub-Zero will bolster the Lin Kuei to defend earthrealm.

 

[Parasurama]

I want Liu Kang's redemption eventually, it does not even have to be in the next game. The last story concentrated too much on the new characters. LK needs some story parts to explore this aspect as well. I would like him and Kitana to cease being revenant, thereby having more personality than just being evil, but to continue to rule Netherealm.