With Dominic's recent interview revealing the obvious that Shao Kahn is no longer immortal nor a god I got inspired to re-write Shao Kahn's backstory, involving Ermac, Skarlet, Mileena, Reiko, Kotal and what happened in Mk9, MKX and the comics. Here is the part that people might have missed:
Shao Kahn, once considered an immortal with the aid of sorcerer Shang Tsung, has been defeated by Raiden and meant to suffer the punishment by the Elder Gods. They condemn him to become part of the entity known as Ermac where thousands of souls who fell during the Outworld wars are awaiting to torture him. The Shadow Priests preserved Shao Kahn's body through mummification and in their allegiance sought out Ermac and used their sorcery so Shao Kahn could take possession of the entity. With the new found knowledge in possession of the fallen souls of Outworld and its merged realms, there was only one creature believed to be immortal aside from the Gods and that was the Dragon King. The only known dragon creatures left were the Shokan. Shao Kahn sent the Shadow Priests to Kuatan to investigate. Shao Kahn was in turn advised by the Shadow Priests to go the Evil Tower as they reveal it holds a large tomb underneath that holds many ancient scriptures, which was unbeknownst to even the Kahn. Shao Kahn did not trust anyone besides his own creations: Skarlet and Mileena.
With Mileena now heir to the throne, he decided to take Skarlet with him to help him with the search for anything to help him in his quest for power. As they went down the tombs, they stumbled upon a third ally: Reiko, who looked besides himself after he had been sent off on a mission during Mortal Kombat. He was looking for clues to the prophecy made by the goddess he had encountered that his blood will reign. Skarlet convinced Reiko that Ermac was indeed in Shao Kahn's control. Upon sharing what had happened, Shao Kahn decided that Skarlet would stay down there with Reiko and look for anything related to the prophecy and immortality, but also to make sure he stays sane in the process. Shao Kahn would take on the role of adviser to the Empress. With Shao Kahn's defeat to Earthrealm's forces, he wanted to make sure Mileena refused allying with Earthrealm at all cost. Any doubt about Mileena's rule where soon taken away as she proved even more ruthless than Shao himself.
Years passed with Outworld's people living in fear while streets roamed with Tarkatans. In the meantime former general of Shao Kahn called Kotal had lived in exile. He had found his way to Earthrealm and learned Blood Magik from a Aztec civilzation who worshipped him as a God. This allowed Kotal to gain enormous power through the Sun and master the Art of War. He had returned to Outworld once he felt powerful enough, and roamed the realm in secret while looking for allies. He found one in Reptile who like Kotal saw his people slaughtered and realm become part of Outworld and the only living Kytinn called D'Vorah. Reptile told Kotal Kahn of Shao Kahn's demise and Mileena's claim to the throne, which he did not recognise. D'Vorah wanted revenge as Mileena forced her to kneel before getting kicked in the face as Mileena demanded D'vorah to kiss her boots. They waited for the right moment to challenge Mileena, which came once she incurred the wrath of Raiden and Earthrealm for not allying with them to attack the Netherrealm. As Kotal stepped to Mileena, Shao Kahn shrewdly turned on Mileena and caused her to be deposed. This caused Kotal to accept Ermac as his sorcerer and adviser. Shao Kahn plotted to kill Kotal and reclaim Outworld, but not before finding out about the source of his powers.
Mileena was aware of Shao Kahn's plot, but still could not accept seeing her close friend Baraka murdered and her throne taken so she vowed to reclaim it as soon as possible. She unleashed war upon Outworld with the aid of Tanya, Rain and Reiko after they broke her out. Skarlet had allowed Reiko to continue scouring the ancient scriptures, but for fear of him finding something in the scriptures he would keep too himself and becoming too ambitious in his desire to rule once he found what he was looking for, she sent him on a mission to find allies to break out Mileena once she got captured. As a loyal soldier, he did what he was told. While being close to Kotal, Shao Kahn learned the secrets of Blood Magik and once war broke out, he took advantage and stole sacred Aztec artifacts to use Blood Magik for himself. As Reiko had been the general who orchestrated the release of Mileena and failed to protect her, Shao Kahn blamed him for her disappearance and alleged death, he was out for execution. Skarlet reminded Shao Kahn of the prophecy and how Reiko had seemed obsessed with it, so she suggested to experiment on Reiko for the Blood Magik rituals.
After Skarlet added her own blood infused powers to the Aztec rituals and used Reiko as a vessel, they saw how strong he could be and killed him before he got too strong. They knew with this power they could easily destroy Kotal and had gained the upper hand, but what about the quest for immortality? The Shadow Priests had found out that there was once an incarnation of the Dragon King in the form of Onaga who had resided in the Dragon Mountains. They went there and found some dragon shells which they took back with them to show to Shao Kahn. Through careful examination of ancient scriptures, the Dragon King in the form of Onaga was not the pure incarnate as he was awakened through a Saurian vessel, not a Dragon. The key was to find a Dragon vessel to truly awaken the One Being and the most powerful being in the realms. Shao Kahn was not satisfied with this answer since he wanted that power for himself.
Shao Kahn thought he had an answer to the Dragon problem, since he is now part of all the lost souls in Outworld, including fallen Shokan warriors and Onaga himself that could be transferred to his preserved body. With this in mind, the Shadow Priests prepared his body and performed the necessary rituals to ensure not just Shao Kahn's soul, but also those of the fallen Shokan and Onaga were transferred alongside. Shao Kahn was revived, started to grow scales and was on his way to become the Dragon King and crush Kotal. It was only then that Kronika intervened as he would be perfect to restore balance that was lost with the beheading of Shinnok and him and Skarlet were transferred to the Koliseum where she trusted Shao Kahn would make her proud.
Tell me what you think. I know it is not 100% in line with what happened in 11, but I think I managed quite well in keeping in line with most of what happened in all 3 NRS era games, the new timeline and the comics.
Just to clarify, I think Shao Kahn being immortal being retconned is not at all surprising nor an issue given what happened in MK9 and 11. Him being some mysterious immortal being was fine in the early days, but the mystery has died and with much more powerful beings in the MK universe, it makes sense he's brought down a level. So here's my story, let me know what you all think:
Shao Kahn, once considered an immortal with the aid of sorcerer Shang Tsung, has been defeated by Raiden and meant to suffer the punishment by the Elder Gods. They condemn him to become part of the entity known as Ermac where thousands of souls who fell during the Outworld wars are awaiting to torture him. The Shadow Priests preserved Shao Kahn's body through mummification and in their allegiance sought out Ermac and used their sorcery so Shao Kahn could take possession of the entity. With the new found knowledge in possession of the fallen souls of Outworld and its merged realms, there was only one creature believed to be immortal aside from the Gods and that was the Dragon King. The only known dragon creatures left were the Shokan. Shao Kahn sent the Shadow Priests to Kuatan to investigate. Shao Kahn was in turn advised by the Shadow Priests to go the Evil Tower as they reveal it holds a large tomb underneath that holds many ancient scriptures, which was unbeknownst to even the Kahn. Shao Kahn did not trust anyone besides his own creations: Skarlet and Mileena.
With Mileena now heir to the throne, he decided to take Skarlet with him to help him with the search for anything to help him in his quest for power. As they went down the tombs, they stumbled upon a third ally: Reiko, who looked besides himself after he had been sent off on a mission during Mortal Kombat. He was looking for clues to the prophecy made by the goddess he had encountered that his blood will reign. Skarlet convinced Reiko that Ermac was indeed in Shao Kahn's control. Upon sharing what had happened, Shao Kahn decided that Skarlet would stay down there with Reiko and look for anything related to the prophecy and immortality, but also to make sure he stays sane in the process. Shao Kahn would take on the role of adviser to the Empress. With Shao Kahn's defeat to Earthrealm's forces, he wanted to make sure Mileena refused allying with Earthrealm at all cost. Any doubt about Mileena's rule where soon taken away as she proved even more ruthless than Shao himself.
Years passed with Outworld's people living in fear while streets roamed with Tarkatans. In the meantime former general of Shao Kahn called Kotal had lived in exile. He had found his way to Earthrealm and learned Blood Magik from a Aztec civilzation who worshipped him as a God. This allowed Kotal to gain enormous power through the Sun and master the Art of War. He had returned to Outworld once he felt powerful enough, and roamed the realm in secret while looking for allies. He found one in Reptile who like Kotal saw his people slaughtered and realm become part of Outworld and the only living Kytinn called D'Vorah. Reptile told Kotal Kahn of Shao Kahn's demise and Mileena's claim to the throne, which he did not recognise. D'Vorah wanted revenge as Mileena forced her to kneel before getting kicked in the face as Mileena demanded D'vorah to kiss her boots. They waited for the right moment to challenge Mileena, which came once she incurred the wrath of Raiden and Earthrealm for not allying with them to attack the Netherrealm. As Kotal stepped to Mileena, Shao Kahn shrewdly turned on Mileena and caused her to be deposed. This caused Kotal to accept Ermac as his sorcerer and adviser. Shao Kahn plotted to kill Kotal and reclaim Outworld, but not before finding out about the source of his powers.
Mileena was aware of Shao Kahn's plot, but still could not accept seeing her close friend Baraka murdered and her throne taken so she vowed to reclaim it as soon as possible. She unleashed war upon Outworld with the aid of Tanya, Rain and Reiko after they broke her out. Skarlet had allowed Reiko to continue scouring the ancient scriptures, but for fear of him finding something in the scriptures he would keep too himself and becoming too ambitious in his desire to rule once he found what he was looking for, she sent him on a mission to find allies to break out Mileena once she got captured. As a loyal soldier, he did what he was told. While being close to Kotal, Shao Kahn learned the secrets of Blood Magik and once war broke out, he took advantage and stole sacred Aztec artifacts to use Blood Magik for himself. As Reiko had been the general who orchestrated the release of Mileena and failed to protect her, Shao Kahn blamed him for her disappearance and alleged death, he was out for execution. Skarlet reminded Shao Kahn of the prophecy and how Reiko had seemed obsessed with it, so she suggested to experiment on Reiko for the Blood Magik rituals.
After Skarlet added her own blood infused powers to the Aztec rituals and used Reiko as a vessel, they saw how strong he could be and killed him before he got too strong. They knew with this power they could easily destroy Kotal and had gained the upper hand, but what about the quest for immortality? The Shadow Priests had found out that there was once an incarnation of the Dragon King in the form of Onaga who had resided in the Dragon Mountains. They went there and found some dragon shells which they took back with them to show to Shao Kahn. Through careful examination of ancient scriptures, the Dragon King in the form of Onaga was not the pure incarnate as he was awakened through a Saurian vessel, not a Dragon. The key was to find a Dragon vessel to truly awaken the One Being and the most powerful being in the realms. Shao Kahn was not satisfied with this answer since he wanted that power for himself.
Shao Kahn thought he had an answer to the Dragon problem, since he is now part of all the lost souls in Outworld, including fallen Shokan warriors and Onaga himself that could be transferred to his preserved body. With this in mind, the Shadow Priests prepared his body and performed the necessary rituals to ensure not just Shao Kahn's soul, but also those of the fallen Shokan and Onaga were transferred alongside. Shao Kahn was revived, started to grow scales and was on his way to become the Dragon King and crush Kotal. It was only then that Kronika intervened as he would be perfect to restore balance that was lost with the beheading of Shinnok and him and Skarlet were transferred to the Koliseum where she trusted Shao Kahn would make her proud.
Tell me what you think. I know it is not 100% in line with what happened in 11, but I think I managed quite well in keeping in line with most of what happened in all 3 NRS era games, the new timeline and the comics.
