Summary
- Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks was a popular game that filled in the story between the first two MK games, but a new opportunity to revamp the concept has arisen with MK1's new Shaolin Monk order.
- A new Shaolin Monks game can expand the roster of characters by incorporating fighters from the Shirai Ryu, such as Scorpion and Smoke, allowing for more dynamic gameplay and character development.
- A Shaolin Monks reboot can elevate the underrated character Shujinko, providing him with a compelling quest to learn more about the revived Dragon King, Onaga, while also bridging the gap between the main MK games and expanding the storytelling potential.
The following contains spoilers for Mortal Kombat 1.
As much as fans know Mortal Kombat for its one-v-one fighting games, the series has been a vehicle for long-format stories prior to the new era. The likes of MKX, MK11, and now, the MK1 reboot have nuanced, amazing Story Modes but Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios tried this previously with dedicated games such as 1997's Mythologies: Sub-Zero and 2000's Special Forces. The former dealt with the ice ninja on a mystical quest at Quan Chi's behest, while the latter focused on Jax fighting the Black Dragon.
However, the most popular of the bunch is 2005's Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks from Midway Games. It filled in the story between the first two games, dissecting Liu Kang and Kung Lao navigating Outworld to stop Shang Tsung. This journey informed them of Shao Kahn's rise and made them even more important to Raiden. However, thanks to MK1's new Shaolin Monk order and the reality Liu Kang has refined, there's now an opportunity to revamp this concept into something bigger than a side quest in the main game.
Mortal Kombat 1 Has A Totally Different Monk Order
Kung Lao's ending in MK1 confirms he's training up Shujinko. He wants to ensure his student loses that ego — something Kung Lao also has to do for himself. Raiden's present as well, promising the Fire God they'll improve the White Lotus for new incursions to come. They sense that other villains like the Titan Shang Tsung will invade. MK1's mid-credits already teased Titan Havik secretly eyeing an invasion.
This paints a totally different opportunity from the Shaolin Monks who had Liu Kang and Kung Lao on a simple quest. They fought off Outworld's warriors, saved Sonya Blade from Baraka, and then sought help from the likes of Raiden and Johnny Cage. Admittedly, Shaolin Monks was fun, but it ran stale pretty quickly because the plot felt so cosmetic and light. But with a new order that has so much responsibility, the possibilities are endless.
Given Raiden's working with Scorpion as well, a new Shaolin Monks game can have fighters training with the Shirai Ryu, too. They could learn the art of hellfire from Kuai Liang, mysticism from Smoke, and even train with the budding Hanzo Hasashi. This would allow Shaolin Monks 2 to start at the base, building up and upgrading characters from scratch. It can even incorporate different spins on the "Test Your Might!" feature, showcasing how the new monks level up and evolve between clans. The point is that Raiden's team is more dynamic and has a lot more character. With so many personalities, the Shaolin Monks are now more than just Liu Kang and Kung Lao trying to find out what Shao Kahn is up to.
Shaolin Monks 2 Can Elevate MK1's Most Underrated Character
Now, the obvious choice for a warrior to be the main character would be Shujinko. He's got tremendous talent as a fighter who can copy other people's powers. He appeared in the Kameo Mode but as the old man variant. However, a Shaolin Monks reboot can use the young warrior Kung Lao's mentoring, having him rove and take on different characters to absorb their talents. It'd make him an inverted Shang Tsung. It sets up variants of the sorcerer to find out how he has these talents that Shang Tsung himself had in the past.
As for Shujinko's quest, well, it's already written in Reiko's ending. Reiko's taming the Dragon King, Onaga, to be used for war against Outworld. In the old realm, Shujinko was duped by Onaga into unleashing the Dragon King, and Shujinko vowed revenge ever since. Now, Shujinko could end up learning more about this revived Onaga, trying to stop him as he roams. Shujinko finding clues, fighting Shao Kahn's soldiers, battling Reiko himself, and picking up legends about the past would be crucial for Raiden's tribe moving forward.
It makes Shujinko important to the clan while providing the real currency of Earthrealm: knowledge. It seems there are things not even Liu Kang knows, presenting an unseen threat. Such an approach gives Shaolin Monks more depth than an existing Emperor sending lackeys after the heroes. This direction would still honor the previous game, where relics, power-ups, and other elements were picked up by Liu Kang and Kung Lao. It's a clever way of tapping into long-format stories while bridging the gap between the main games. In the process, fans would get something cinematic, akin to the God of War or Batman: Arkham Asylum games that paint a much bigger picture. Once the creative scope allows, MK can now expand its tapestry across so many realities.
Shaolin Monks 2 Can Revive Other Underused Characters
A Shaolin Monks revamp can bring back the co-op mode with Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Or it could toggle Shujinko's mission with other monks who haven't gotten much story time. Kai is a prime example. He's from the 3-D era and someone many thought would appear in MK1. As a Black monk, he'd add diversity and representation to the series, not to mention remind folks why Liu Kang held him so highly in MK4. Kung Jin is another monk who got a raw deal. MK1 omitted Special Forces, with just Takeda being in Kameo Mode.
Fans have chided NetherRealm for never following up on Kung Jin's queer arc, so these are all opportunities to at least create a cadre of new monks who can filter into the story, or even a Kameo role down the line organically. Liu Kang's new realm may even have portals that could take the monks to other worlds to meet past versions of themselves or new variants. Clearly, there's so much to explore.
Throw in components like the Kamidogu daggers in the Krypt, Blaze's pyramid, and Shinnok's amulet in all these realities, the MK-Multiverse is as open as ever for the monks. Ultimately, the MK-Multiverse needs to be explored by its heroes, not just villains seeking power. This is why Shaolin Monks 2 can be pivotal in detailing the exact nature of the landscape. And more so, what fans can expect in an MK1 sequel when the time comes.
Mortal Kombat 1 (Standard Edition) is now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.