Mortal Kombat: The Movie (Digest Version)

“Welcome!” Shang Tsung said. “You are here to compete in Mortal Kombat, the greatest of all tournaments. You should be proud! Each of you has been chosen for your excellence, your skill, and your courage! You are the best fighters of your generation, worthy to represent the Realm of Earth, and the Realm of Outworld!

“You all are witness to a great turning point in the history of the world. Treasure these moments as if they were your last...!”

Johnny Cage, the movie star, stood on the set of his latest film. He was looking at a scroll. The scroll was small, twisted around a stick of black wood. It was decorated with a logo showing a dragon’s head in a circle.

“This is the most ancient tournament in the world,” said the man who had brought the scroll. “It’s held on an island in the South China Sea. All of the participants are sworn to secrecy. The best fighters in the world are invited. If you win the tournament, you’ll win their respect.”

“How do I get there?” Johnny asked.

“There will be a ship at Pier Forty in Hong Kong, tomorrow night. Be on it.”

Half the world away, in Hong Kong, the smoke was thick in the Techno Club.

“Are you sure she’ll follow me down here?” Kano asked. The crime boss stood in his office; watching as Sonya Blade, an American Special Forces officer, made her way across the dance floor toward him, a pistol in her hand.

“You killed her partner,” the sorcerer Shang Tsung replied. “She’ll follow you anywhere. Just make sure she gets on that ship.”

Kano turned and climbed down a ladder into a trapdoor set in the floor. Minutes later, when Sonya burst into the office, she followed him.

Liu Kang and his grandfather stood in front of the Temple of Rayden. Liu’s, Chan, had died there scarcely a day before.

“What happened?” Liu asked.

“After you left for America, he followed in your footsteps, preparing for the tournament,” Grandfather replied.

“The tournament,” Liu said. “Wasn’t it enough that you filled my head with that nonsense?”

“To save the world is not nonsense,” Grandfather said. “We all believe in it, including your brother. He trained very hard. But he could never be as good as you.”

“Grandfather,” Liu said, “I dreamed Chan’s death. And in my dream I saw his killer.”

“You saw the demon sorcerer Shang Tsung,” Grandfather replied.

Liu Kang and Grandfather went inside the Temple. Liu said to the chief priest, “I want to represent the Order of Light at the tournament.”

“For what reason?” the chief priest asked.

“The man who killed my brother will be there,” Liu replied.

“That cannot be the only reason for going,” the chief priest said, “or you will fail.”

“Oh yes, I forgot,” Liu said. “We’re fighting for the fate of the world.”

An old beggar entered the door of the temple. “Why do you want to fight?” he asked.

“Shang Tsung, the man who killed my brother, will be at that tournament,” Liu replied. “It’s my responsibility.”

“That is why you left the temple and ran away, isn’t it?” the beggar asked. “The great tournament was too much responsibility. Vengeance is so much simpler. You didn’t even believe in the tournament yesterday. So now you’re going to win?”

“Yes, I am,” Liu replied. “Who are you?”

“I am Rayden, the god of lightning. In the Great Tournament five centuries ago, your ancestor Kung Lao defeated Shang Tsung the sorcerer,” Rayden said. “You are Kung Lao’s last living descendant. But you reject all you’ve learned. You don’t believe in the teachings and you don’t believe in yourself.”

“If you are Rayden, why did you let Chan die?” Liu asked.

“The gods do not control men’s destiny,” Rayden said.

“I’ve had enough of this,” Liu said. “I’m going to find my brother’s killer at the tournament, with or without your consent!”

Liu stormed away from the temple.

“He isn’t ready, my lord,” Grandfather said.

“I know,” Rayden replied. “But there is no one else. You shouldn’t have tried to replace him with his brother. Whether any of you like it or not, Liu Kang is the chosen one.”

That night, a ghostly ship pulled into Hong Kong Harbor. Its sails were tattered and its planks were warped. Barnacles stuck to its sides. Seaweed was piled up on the deck.

Sonya saw Kano get aboard. She moved to follow him.

She ran into Johnny Cage.

“Hey, you!” Johnny shouted.

“Out of my way,” Sonya said, and boarded the ship.

Sonya went belowdecks looking for Kano, but was unable to find him. by the time she got back on deck, the ship was under way, creaking in the wind. There she met Liu, Johnny, and Rayden.

“Listen!” Rayden said. “The time for doubt is past. The time for your petty quarrels is past. You have embarked on a sacred mission. You have been chosen to defend the Realm of Earth in a tournament called Mortal Kombat!”

“Defend it from whom?” Sonya asked.

“Your world is but one of many parallel realms,” Rayden said. “One of them is a forsaken land called Outworld, ruled by an immortal who has crowned himself emperor. Now he seeks new worlds to conquer and enslave.”

“If he’s so powerful,” Johnny asked, “why doesn’t he just invade us?”

“To enter the Realm of Earth, the emperor’s demon sorcerer, Shang Tsung, and his warriors must win ten straight victories in Mortal Kombat against ten generations of Earth’s best fighters. They have won nine. This will be the tenth tournament.”

“A handful of people on a leaky boat are going to save the world?” Sonya asked.

“There is one in Outworld whom you may trust,” Rayden said. “The Princess Kitana. She is the emperor’s ward, and his most dangerous adversary. Shang will do anything to keep you from speaking with her – especially you, Liu Kang.”

The sky began to burn with multicolored lights. Weird ghostly shapes chased each other across the sky. The wind began to howl. Shang Tsung the sorcerer looked on in satisfaction.

“It has begun!” Shang said.

The ship lay at anchor near a beach at a deserted island. The island rose high above the sea, a tall spike of rock. The rock rose until it was enveloped in clouds, then rose higher still, a mile into the air. Only a narrow stairway joined the beach to the top of the island. Sonya, Liu, and Johnny, along with hundreds of other fighters, got out of the ship and began to climb.

The stairway was long and steep. At the top of the stairs was a pleasant garden, filled with blooming flowers and green grass. Amid the grass and flowers stood statues of the great champions of Mortal Kombats in the past.

A woman stood among the statues. She was dressed in red silk and surrounded by ladies in waiting. She looked at Liu as he and his companions walked past.

“When a woman looks at you like that it means something,” Johnny said.

“It means she’s a bimbo,” Sonya commented.

Johnny, Liu, and Sonya walked on in the direction of the Great Hall, a huge building with a golden roof built into the side of a mountain. No sooner had they gone out of sight than Shang Tsung appeared from behind a statue of an alien, lizard-like fighter.

The demon sorcerer spoke, although who he was speaking to wasn’t apparent.

“Princess Kitana,” Shang said. He was looking in the direction of the woman in red silk. “She is the emperor’s ward. I don’t trust her, she is our most dangerous adversary. Watch her, Reptile. She must not make contact with the others. Especially Liu Kang.”

Shang Tsung walked in the direction of the hall. A moment later, the statue under which he had stood seemed to come to life. It was the reptilian fighter, to whom Shang Tsung had spoken, so cleverly camouflaged that he seemed to be made of stone. Reptile slithered down the pedestal and ran away in the direction of the princess.

That night there was a feast in the Great Hall on the island. Drums beat fiercely.

“Welcome!” Shang said. “You are here to compete in Mortal Kombat, the greatest of all tournaments. You should be proud! Each one of you has been chosen for your excellence, your skill, and your courage! You are the best fighters of your generation, worthy to represent the Realm of Earth, and the Realm of Outworld!

“Tomorrow morning,” Shang continued, “the great tournament begins. Your opponents will be chosen by lot. The winner of each combat will progress to the next, until only one remains! Some will even have the privilege of fighting Prince Goro, the reigning champion. You are all witnesses to a great turning point in the history of the world. Treasure these moments as if they were your last. And now, a taste of things to come!”

A strange creature stalked into the hall. It was dressed in strange bionic armor which covered its entire body, while a helmet of bone covered its face and head. The Outworld warrior whirled a long spear through the air with a swishing sound. When it came to the center of the Great Hall, it gave a loud cry of defiance.

Down from the dais came a ninja dressed in black and blue. This was Sub-Zero, one of Shang Tsung’s servants.

The creature and the ninja faced one another in the center of the hall. The creature shook its lance and prepared to strike. The ninja merely stood in a defensive stance, but a faint blue light began to glow around his hands.

All at once, the creature charged Sub-Zero. The creature jumped at the ninja. Sub-Zero raised one of his hands. A blast of pure cold shot out, striking the creature in mid-air. Then the ninja stepped aside. The creature hit the floor and shattered. It broke into a thousand tiny, frozen pieces.

The demon sorcerer stood watching in silence from the high table.

“Flawless victory,” Shang said.

From his seat in the Great Hall, Johnny sat and stared. The creature had smashed to pieces right next to him.

“‘Come to a little tournament,’ the man says,” Johnny muttered. “‘Be good for the career,’ he says...”

Shang Tsung stood and walked from the hall. Two ninjas walked behind him. As soon as Shang had passed by them, Liu stood and began to follow the evil magician.

“Where are you heading?” Johnny asked. He caught Liu’s arm to stop him from going anywhere.

“I’m going after Shang Tsung,” Liu said in a reasonable tone of voice.

“You can’t,” Johnny said. “Remember what Rayden told you?”

“Rayden didn’t say anything to me,” Sonya said. She also stood and turned in the direction the sorcerer had gone.

“Shang Tsung knows where Kano’s hiding,” the young woman said, and strode out of the hall.

Johnny watched her go.

“You gotta admire her,” he said. “When she sets her mind on something...”

It’s not her mind you’re admiring,” Liu interrupted with a smile.

“I’m going to follow her,” Johnny said. “She might need help.”

Johnny started after Sonya. Liu shrugged, then hurried to catch up with the actor. Liu and Johnny left the Great Hall together.

Shang Tsung walked through the garden full of statues. This time he took a different path, one which led him to a high cliff. In the base of the cliff there was a tunnel leading into the black depths of the realm of Shokan. Torches burned on either side of the tunnel opening. Shang and his two ninjas entered the tunnel, not looking back.

Sonya was hiding near the tunnel mouth, using all of her Army skills to follow Shang Tsung without being seen. She spotted Johnny and Liu, and stopped them from entering the tunnel after Shang and the ninjas.

“What are you doing here?” Sonya asked.

“We’re helping you,” Johnny said.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Sonya hissed. “I don’t need your help. I can take care of myself.”

“We can’t help it. It’s a guy thing,” Johnny replied.

“What are you doing?” Sonya asked, turning to Liu.

“I’m following him,” Liu replied. He turned in the direction Shang had gone.

“I work alone,” Sonya said.

“Shang Tsung is mine,” Liu said. Without another word he entered the tunnel and vanished into the dark.

Sonya followed Liu in. A moment later, Johnny picked up one of the torches which burned beside the tunnel’s entrance and followed the other two.

The inside of the tunnel opened out into a wide cavern. The floor was a maze of pathways between deep cracks. The torch Johnny was carrying provided the only light for the three companions.

Suddenly, the torch began to flicker.

“How can you possibly know where you’re going?” Sonya asked Johnny. “You can’t even keep the torch lit.”

“What do you mean?” Johnny replied. “The torch is fine.”

“That torch is going to go out,” Sonya told him. The torch gave another flicker. It was burning with a low, blue flame.

“It is not going to go out,” Johnny said confidently.

“Do you want me to carry the torch?” Sonya asked.

“No, I don’t want you to carry the torch.”