%% Due to the length of this, some rules have to be put. Read them before entry-pimping, please:
%% * Character-specific stuff go in the respective character sheets.
%% * YMMV and Trivia stuff belongs in the YMMV and Trivia tabs.
%% * Story mode stuff has it's own section. Everything else go in the other section.
%% * Please don't add natter, Justifying Edits, "Complaining About Games You Don't Like" and Word Cruft.
[[caption-width-right:296:[[ContinuityReboot ROUND TWO! FIGHT!]]]]

-> ''"Our story has ended. Centuries of battle, meaningless. Shao Kahn has consumed Earthrealm. His victory must be undone. Armageddon, aborted. We will strike where he's vulnerable: the past.\\
The cost will be high. The sacrifices, unthinkable. Many will fall. Our tale must be retold."''
-->-- '''Intro movie, as told by Raiden.'''

'''''[[RecycledTitle Mortal Kombat]]''''' is the eighth canonical installment of the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' [[FightingGame fighting game]] series.[[note]]Although it is counted as the ninth game by [=NetherRealm Studios=], due to the inclusion of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe]]''.[[/note]] It was released in 2011 for the {{PlayStation 3}} and {{Xbox 360}}, and a port for the {{PlayStation Vita}} was released in 2012. While the game was released in North America, Australia didn't get a chance to play it, due to the game's extreme violence and gore. But now, thanks to a new R18+ rating for Australian video game classification that was announced in early 2013, Aussies finally got their hands on this game (with all of the extra DLC, to boot) on the Xbox 360, [=PlayStation 3=] and [=PlayStation Vita=] on May 2013. It is the first Mortal Kombat game to be released under the ''Creator/NetherrealmStudios'' banner, a subsidiary of ''WB Games'' who picked up the franchise after ''Creator/MidwayGames'' shut down.

A PC port of ''Komplete Edition'' was confirmed for release in Summer 2013, and was released on {{Steam}} on July 3rd.

The game's story begins at the end of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]]'': Shao Kahn -- who now rules over all realms -- prepares to kill Raiden, the last remaining survivor of the apocalyptic battle. Before Kahn's finishing strike occurs, Raiden manages to send a cryptic message -- "[[ArcWords He must win]]" -- to [[VideoGame/MortalKombat his past self]], who now finds himself responsibile for [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong preventing Shao Kahn's ultimate victory]].

The game's playable characters include:
* From ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'': [[FakeUltimateHero Johnny Cage]], [[KnifeNut Kano]], [[TheHero Liu Kang]], [[ShockAndAwe Raiden]], [[LizardFolk Reptile]], [[PlayingWithFire Scorpion]], [[EvilSorcerer Shang Tsung]], [[ActionGirl Sonya Blade]], [[LegacyCharacter Sub-Zero]]
* From ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat2 Mortal Kombat II]]'': [[BladeBelowTheShoulder Baraka]], [[SimpleStaff Jade]], [[ColonelBadass Jax]], [[BadassPrincess Kitana]], [[NiceHat Kung Lao]], [[DarkActionGirl Mileena]], [[CastingAShadow Noob Saibot]] (Bi-Han, the elder [[AnIcePerson Sub-Zero]]), [[SuperSmoke Smoke]], [[AnIcePerson Sub-Zero]] (Kuai Liang, the younger brother)
* From ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'': [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul Cyrax]], [[MindOverMatter Ermac]], [[GasMaskLongcoat Kabal]], [[BadassNative Nightwolf]], [[KillItWithWater Rain]] ([[DownloadableContent DLC]]), [[AIIsACrapshoot Sektor]], [[{{Beastess}} Sheeva]], [[TheHighQueen Sindel]], [[SuperCop Stryker]]
* From ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero]]'': [[EvilSorcerer Quan Chi]]
* From ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]]'': [[BlindWeaponmaster Kenshi]] ([[DownloadableContent DLC]])
* Introduced in this game: [[ForWantOfANail Cyber Sub-Zero]], [[BloodyMurder Skarlet]] ([[DownloadableContent DLC]])
* {{Guest fighter}}s: [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] ([[{{PlayStation3}} PS3]]/[[{{PlayStation Vita}} PS Vita]] exclusive), [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]] ([[DownloadableContent DLC]])

These characters are CPU-only bosses:
* From ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'': [[MultiArmedAndDangerous Goro]] (MidBoss)
* From ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat2 Mortal Kombat II]]'': [[BeastMan Kintaro]] (MidBoss), [[BigBad Shao Kahn]] (FinalBoss)

''Mortal Kombat'' retells the events of the first three games of the franchise, but thanks to Raiden's timeline alterations, events occur much differently than before. The game also serves as a return to the series' roots (as a 2.5D fighter) while including numerous modern-day touches; new gameplay mechanics include the chance to use enhanced versions of special moves, {{Combo Breaker}}s, and a highly-damaging [[LimitBreak X-Ray Move]] (which briefly shows the target's skeleton and other innards during impact). [[ButWaitTheresMore On top of that]], the [[LudicrousGibs ludicrously]] [[BloodierAndGorier bloody]] [[FinishingMove Fatalities]] (and [[EverythingTryingToKillYou Stage Fatalities]]) make their return -- and they're all gorier than ever before.

''Mortal Kombat'' also includes a tag team mode, a Challenge Tower (where players must complete certain tasks in order to advance), and an online King of the Hill Mode akin to ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV Super Street Fighter IV]]''[='s=] Endless Battle mode.

As Creator/JJAbrams did with the 2009 film ''Film/StarTrek'', this game opens an AlternateTimeline in the ''Mortal Kombat'' franchise. The franchise's next installment, ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', takes place in it.

[[folder: ''Mortal Kombat'' in general]]
* AdultFear: Stryker and Jade's Babalities tread rather close to this line, as Stryker's involves playing with a loaded gun, and Jade gets smacked on the head by her sharp-edged boomerang.
* AffablyEvil: Quan Chi.
* AndYourRewardIsClothes: Finishing arcade mode with the standard cast unlocks each character's alternate outfit (but you may also find them in the Krypt). Yout reward for finishing the challenge tower is [[spoiler: Mileena's {{Stripperiffic}} Flesh Pits outfit]].
* AngelsPose: Kitana's ending. Silhouettes and all.
* BarbieDollAnatomy: In spite of all the detail put into the characters' models, X-Ray Moves take this approach to the pelvic region.
* BeatStillMyHeart: The fatalities of several characters involve punching into the opponent and ripping out their heart.
* BloodierAndGorier: The goriest and bloodiest game in the series so far. [[UpToEleven And that's saying something.]]
* BonusBoss: Yep, they're back after a long hiatus. They even have similar requirements for facing them.
** Klassic Reptile: Practically the same as ''[=MK1=]''. Be on The Pit, get a Double Flawless and perform a Fatality. Oh, and [[LuckBasedMission a shadow has to fly by the moon]].
** Klassic Smoke: If you see him poking his head out from behind a tree in the Living Forest, hit Down and Select/Back Button.
** Klassic Noob Saibot: Win a match without blocking in the Temple stage if you see Noob in the background.
** Klassic Jade: Get to Shang Tsung without losing a single round and beat him with a double flawless and kill him with a Fatality.
* TheCameo: Many characters from the series' entire (former) timeline can be spotted in the background of stages.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Rain]] can be seen looking over [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Meat]] in The Cathedral.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Rain]] and [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Reiko]]'s statues can be spotted in Shang Tsung's Gardens.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Sareena]], [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Reiko]], [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Kenshi, Frost,]] or [[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon Daegon]] can be seen fighting in the background of The Pit.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Tanya]], [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Li Mei]], [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Kira]] or [[EarlyBirdCameo Skarlet]] (and sometimes Kitana too, if she's not fighting) can be seen chained in Shao Kahn's arena, like Sonya and Kano were in ''Mortal Kombat II''.
** Bo Rai Cho from Deadly Alliance and Deception, and Havik from Deception, apppear in endings.
* CameraAbuse: Several characters' victory poses have them attack the camera. Some fatalities too.
* CanonName: The bios and vignettes reveal at least three of the Lin Kuei's real names: Bi-Han (Sub-Zero the elder/Noob Saibot), Kuai Liang (Tundra/Sub-Zero the younger), and Tomas Vrbada (Smoke).
* CombatStilettos: All of the ladies, barring Sheeva, who goes for DoesNotLikeShoes instead.
* ComboBreaker: You have to burn two bars from your super bar to use it, though.
* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: A given for the [[Franchise/MortalKombat franchise]] that [[TropeCodifier codified]] {{perfect play AI}}s.
** Double fights in story mode. Not only do you have to deal with enemies that each have a health bar equal to your own, they can do considerable damage upon switching in. Plus, since they will take more damage, their SuperBar will fill up faster.
** SNKBoss: The three bosses (Goro, Kintaro, and Shao Kahn) have SuperArmor while attacking, and a damage reduction (Goro and Kintaro only take two-thirds of the damage they should have, Shao Kahn takes 1/2). That said, [[AttackAttackAttack they're aggressive to the point of stupidity]], and if you only attack after successfully blocking something, you can typically put them on ice pretty quickly.
** Unlike previous games, however, the AI will curb its aggression and cheating tactics upon successive continues, eventually easing up to the point of being passive.
* ContinuityNod:
** Several missions in the Challenge Tower are essentially a repeat of the plot of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatShaolinMonks Shaolin Monks]]''.
** The BonusBoss versions of Jade, Reptile, Noob Saibot and Smoke from ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' and ''Mortal Kombat II'' all have similar bonus boss encounters in ''[=MK9=]'''s arcade mode.
** The downloadable klassic skins for Scorpion, Reptile and Sub-Zero all give the characters klassic fatalities.
* ConvectionSchmonvection: The hell stage has lava which has no effect on the fighters until someone performs its stage fatality.
* CoupDeGraceCutscene: Defeating Shao Kahn in Arcade Mode earns you a victory cutscene of your character landing a series of relatively satisfying blows on the emperor before he explodes into chunks.
* CreatorCameo:
** The Subway is called Boon-Beran station. Ed Boon and Steve Beran are two of [=NetherRealm=] Studios' members, also former Midway Games' developers.[[note]]Doubles as a CallBack and MythologyGag in one; the station used to be [=Boon/Tobias=] station back in ''Mortal Kombat 3'', when John Tobias worked for Midway.[[/note]]
** Dan [[EasterEgg "Toasty"]] Forden is back. Complete with a shirt [[VisualPun with a slice of buttered toast]] on it.
** [=NetherRealm=] Studios's logo is spotted in the Subway and Rooftop stages.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: Check [[TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything/MortalKombat9 the page]].
* DownloadableContent: In the form of extra characters, fatalities, and costumes.
* DummiedOut: Goro and Kintaro both have data for their arcade endings in the code, but neither is a playable character in the finished game.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: Of a sorts. Kratos' reactions to certain fatalities are different from others in that he doesn't panic or he tries to futilely fight back. According to an interview with Ed Boon, this was requested by Sony Computer Entertainment America in order to retain Kratos' tough, Spartan personality (he certainly takes fatal injuries in [[VideoGame/GodOfWar in his own home series]] with little reaction at least).
* FanDisservice: The game certainly is HotterAndSexier, but usually by the end of a match, your character will be covered in their opponent's blood, along with any horrific injuries they may have picked up during the fight.
* FreezeFrameBonus: A couple. One at the start of Stryker's Chapter in Story Mode reveals that Kabal has an engagement ring on his finger. The other? Take a good look at the figures in the tubes when Kitana confronts Mileena. The scary demon that [[JumpScare occasionally pops up]] in the Krypt? Turns out it's ''one of the rejected clones.''
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The billboard for Johnny Cage's ''Ninja Mime'' in the city stages ("He's silent, but deadly").
** The cameos fighting on The Pit and Shang Tsung's Garden.
** The newspapers that fly when a train passes by in the Subway are a Funny ''Foreground'' Event: if you pause the game at the right time, you can see the headline is about Shao Kahn's invasion, and it reads "WE ARE SCREWED."
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: All of the DLC characters have their own Arcade Ladder endings, but aren't actually involved in the story. A few of them cameo at best.
** Some character arcade endings have them interacting with other characters in the game, despite the possibility that you fought and killed them during the ladder. A specially obvious case of this is Baraka's ending [[spoiler: where it's revealed that the Shao Kahn he killed was actually Shang Tsung transformed, despite Shang Tsung being the eight battle at all times]].
* {{Gorn}}: It ''is'' ''Mortal Kombat'' after all.
** There's even an achievement that says "It's Not Mortal Kombat Without Blood!" (which is actually the RecursiveTranslation of the Brazilian Portuguese name of the "There Will Be Blood!" achievement).
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Averted with on Kitana's battle-damaged models. The concept art showed, among the usual lacerations and bruises, a bloody handprint on her rear. Apparently, that was too much, as said handprint doesn't appear in-game.
* GrievousHarmWithABody: Several fatalities feature this.
* GroinAttack: Not just Johnny Cage this time. Striking the groin is also a part of some characters' X-Ray moves (like Sindel's and Jade's). Sonya also kicks the opponent between the legs as part of her throw.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Various fatalities, again.
* HammeredIntoTheGround: One of Jax's fatalities involve this being employed before he punts his opponent's head off.
* HighPressureBlood: In glorious ''Mortal Kombat'' tradition. To drive the point home, there is actually an achievement/trophy for spilling 10,000 pints of blood. You will earn it ''quickly''.
* HotterAndSexier: You could say Netherealm Studios took (ahem) ''advantage'' of the more powerful graphics engines on 7th generation consoles, as more boobage and less clothing was the order of the day for all the female characters. Not to mention a majority of the male characters saw major musculature increase and are [[WalkingShirtlessScene Walking Shirtless Scenes]]. Interestingly, this game's immediate successor (''Videogame/MortalKombatX'') toned the Fanservice way down.
* HowMuchMoreCanHeTake: Since the character models have been designed with painstaking detail to show the damage inflicted on their bodies, both external ''and'' internal, expect to see a lot of fighters look like they've packed up for a trip to the morgue ''before the end of the first round''. Particularly nasty are the characters who lose an eyelid when busted up. Yes, their eye is just barely hanging there completely exposed.
* IdleAnimation: In contrast to the older games, the fighters will now do something when standing still long enough, usually stretching a body part to keep from stiffening up, such as Scorpion punching the air with both arms, Ermac who will move his arms back and forth and rotate his wrists, or interestingly, Skarlet who will do a sexy hip swing if she stands still too long.
* InterfaceScrew: The [=PlayStation Vita=] port includes a mode where blood will obscure the player's view unless they wipe it off via touchscreen.
** Some of the Test Your Luck effects do this, from the most simple (like removing the health or Super bars so you can't tell how much you have on each) to things like Dark Kombat (the screen goes pitch-black for a second from time to time) and Psychosis (where everything is upside-down, including your directional inputs).
* JigglePhysics: [[DownplayedTrope Used subtly]], almost in spite of itself. A few of the ladies, like Mileena, have a move set which makes them more prone to it.
* JumpScare: There are screamers in the Krypt menu.
* LegCling: When Shao Kahn wins a match, one of his slave girls crawls up and clings to his leg.
* LimitBreak: This game has a "super meter" which fills by doing damage, taking damage, and using specials. Once it's 1/3 of the way filled, you can enhance a special to make it do more damage, give it a bigger hitbox, etc., or, in a 2v2 battle, you can bring your ally in to do a Tag Special (switching them in is optional). Once it's 2/3 filled, you can do a ComboBreaker. Completely filling it up lets you use a devastating X-Ray attack that does around 30-40% damage and shows the internal damage you do to your opponent.
* LuckBasedMission: The aptly-titled "Test Your Luck" minigame: [[BettingMiniGame slot machine reels]] determine what rules are added to the match, from silly stuff like rainbow blood and zombie mode to major changes like armless combat, magnetic floors, disabled super meters, and so on.
* MadeOfIron[=/=]MadeOfPlasticine: In gameplay, the combatants can fight unhindered even with shattered skulls, broken ribs, or (in extreme cases) after having major organs frozen and shattered ''while they're still inside of them''. Once you hear the good old "Finish Him!" command, though, all it takes is one good punch to knock their head clean off. Of course, they're already beaten to the point of shattering to bits by then.
* MythologyGag: As it's a reboot, there are lots of references towards not only the non-official material, but also the previous continuity as well, as shown on [[MythologyGag/MortalKombat9 its own MG page]].
* NostalgiaLevel: Many of the game's arenas. Two of them, The Pit and Shang Tsung's Garden, even shows various post-''[=MK3=]'' fighters duking it out in the background, much more dynamically than Blaze and "Hornbuckle" did in ''[=MK2=]''.
* OnlyAFleshWound: The X-Ray attacks make surviving a battle in this game more unfathomable than in any other game in the 'Mortal Kombat'' franchise. Characters getting broken spines, eyes stabbed out or destroyed internal organs are a slap on the wrist.
** The most notable one probably being Baraka's X-Ray, in which he impales his opponent through the neck and spine with his arm-blade, and then again through the eye and straight through the skull and brain, before simply kicking them off his blade. Assuming they have health left, they'll get up as if nothing particularly injurious happened. Freddy Krueger's is also certainly fatal, but slightly less obvious, as his first attack during it jams his blades in-between his opponent's ribs and impales their internal organs; his second attack, which would typically be unnecessary at that point, is literally nothing more than a slap to the face with his right glove, but does identical damage.
* OrangeBlueContrast: The box art (pictured above) shows Scorpion wielding orange flames on the left and Sub-Zero wielding blue ice on the right.
* OverdrawnAtTheBloodBank
* RuleOfFun: Some portions of the Challenge Mode can be this. For example, [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily Mileena]] trying to give a Teddy Bear to Scorpion. Your goal - "Defend your right to hate Teddy Bears!" Interspersed with text of Mileena trying to talk Scorpion into accepting it.
* RubberBandAI: Opponents in both Ladder and Story will ease up on repeated tries, even bosses. If you can't beat Shao Kahn on Medium, he'll eventually reduce himself to doing a lot of taunts around the 4th attempt.
* SecretAIMoves: Shang Tsung can morph into everyone in the game, but not in the player's hands. The closest thing would be when Tsung morphs into his opponent upon hitting them with Soul Steal.
** Also, when you fight him in the Arcade Ladder, he can morph into two other characters at random, in addition to your own. This is because the game's engine does not support more than four different fighters for each battle.
* ShoutOut: Check [[ShoutOut/MortalKombat the page]].
* ShownTheirWork: A subtle example comes up late in the game's story: [[spoiler:As the Earthrealm warriors discuss the veracity of Raiden's visions, Jax wonders if he was ever supposed to lose his limbs. Indeed, in the previous timeline, Jax never lost his arms: he simply had cybernetic enhancements added to them.]]
* ShowsDamage: definitely. The one exception are the X-Ray moves, where bones heal between blows. (This is easily verified by using Kitana's, which involves shattering her opponent's skull twice. [[WatsonianVersusDoylist Programmer oversight]] or GenreSavvy character?)
* {{Stripperiffic}}: All of the female characters in this game wear outfits that are so sheer that you can't help but wonder how their boobs don't fall out. At one point in the campaign, [[spoiler:Mileena (when she's introduced in the story) fights wearing nothing but bandages that barely cover her crotch and her nipples. She also fights wearing them in the final Tower Challenge and, if you beat this challenge, you will unlock this outfit for her.]]
* TeleportSpam: Many of the faster-teleporting characters can do this, but Smoke is the most popular example. This is also the recommended method to beating the bosses. The AI is so prone to abusing teleport moves on any character that has it (which is most of them) that it will probably teleport more times than it jumps in any given fight.
* TournamentPlay: This is the first game in the series to be deemed tournament-worthy by EVO standards.
* UpdatedRerelease: The [=PS Vita=] port, in addition to touchscreen functionality, assigns missions to the previously-DLC fighters, includes a few more alternate costumes ([[MythologyGag including MK2 and 3 iterations for Skarlet]]), and allows them to be shown in the Coliseum with biographies and casual ending access.
* VictoryPose: All characters have three different types, depending on the context. Between rounds, after a victory, they'll either do something short and sweet (like Jax kissing his biceps, Cyrax adjusting a bomb in his chest, and so on) or, if they're too close to the fallen opponent, they'll perform a show-off action that puts them back at a fair distance from the recovering opponent (the cyborgs like to hover on jets from their hands back to a safe distance, Baraka does a SwordDrag, Smoke smokes away, and so on). In non-Story Mode battles, finishing off an opponent without using a Fatality has them do some other unique pose or action.
* VideoGameRemake: The game was approached in this fashion with regards to ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy]]'', since it reunites everybody from the first three games, except Motaro, who is relegated to a cameo appearance.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: Noob Saibot's X-Ray Move finishes with a side kick to the victim's stomach, rewarding him with a gush of olive-drab spew. Even if the victim is wearing a mask. Or is a robot. Or Reptile.
** [[{{Squick}} And the puke stays on his leg.]]
* WhenTreesAttack: The Living Forest returns, and yes, there ''is'' a Fatality where you feed your defeated opponent to the trees.
* WorldOfBuxom: See HotterAndSexier above.

[[folder: Tropes related with the Story mode]]
* AdaptationDistillation: The story mode is basically the plot of the first three games condensed into one, while cutting the fat away. While there are changes (some quite major) because of the TimeyWimeyBall, most of the stuff that happened in the old games still happens in this one.
* AdaptationExpansion: Some characters get the most character development they've ever had in this game. The Lin Kuei who are not Sub-Zero in particular (Smoke, Cyrax, and Sektor) get a lot of development that fleshes out their characters much more than the barely-there story they had before.
* AllMythsAreTrue: Or, at least, some of them. Nightwolf, one of the few spiritually aware denizens of Earthrealm, identifies Raiden as Haokah, the spirit of thunder and lightning in Lakota mythology. He explicitly calls him such a few times during the course of the story, and Raiden responds to him without hesitation.
* AnyoneCanDie: If a sequel is made, it'll be an achievement to fill up the character select screen.
* ArcWords: "He must win."
* BackToBackBadasses: [[spoiler:Liu Kang and Kung Lao]] when taking down [[spoiler:Sheeva and Noob]] in Story Mode.
* BadassCreed: The Lin Kuei gets one. Becomes ironic when you consider their status as [[HighlyVisibleNinja technicolor]] {{McNinja}}s.
-->'''Sub-Zero'''[[note]]Kuai Liang[[/note]]: ''Be stealthful as the night...''\\
'''Smoke''': ''... and deadly as the dawn.''\\
'''Sektor''': ''We are the Lin Kuei, more stealthy than the night, more deadly than the dawn!''
** This possibly also serves as a dialogue-related version of a DarkReprise; Smoke and Sub-Zero, who are shown reciting the creed, are human. Later, Sektor gives the modified version after [[spoiler:becoming a cyborg]].
* [[spoiler:TheBadGuyWins: Played with. Toward the end of the game, Raiden realizes that the message his future self sent is referring to '''Shao Kahn'''. He lets Kahn merge Earthrealm with Outworld, only for the Elder Gods to punish Kahn, since he broke the rules of Mortal Kombat. Played straight since all of this was planned by Shinnok and Quan Chi from the start to make Earth Realm and Outworld vulnerable to invasion from the Nether Realm.]]
* BigGood: Raiden.
* BigScrewedUpFamily: [[BadassFamily As badass as they may be]], we see some ''serious'' family issues between [[spoiler:Younger Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot]] and [[spoiler:Kitana and Sindel]]. Both involve [[KickTheDog extensive amounts of puppy-kicking]] from Person B, and the latter example [[spoiler:actually culminates with the ''death'' of Person A.]]
* BittersweetEnding: Yay! [[spoiler:Armageddon was prevented]]! The BigBad is dead! [[PyrrhicVictory Yet]], [[spoiler:most of the main cast in the good guys' side]] were killed in the process, several of them meaninglessly and senselessly. [[spoiler:Liu Kang, practically a MessianicArchetype]], dies cursing [[spoiler:Raiden]]'s name, [[FaithHeelTurn completely disillusioned]]. [[FromBadToWorse And not long after]] the BigBad's defeat, [[spoiler:Shinnok]]'s forces are poised to strike both Earthrealm and Outworld, armed with the enslaved souls of the dead good guys and probably other demons and people, while Earthrealm's forces are only composed of [[spoiler:three able but battered warriors]].
* BloodlessCarnage: During most of the Story Mode, despite still suffering the horrifying effects of the various X-Ray attacks, none of the fighters show any physical damage during the fights. Fatalities are also a no-no, though the reasons for this should be obvious; Shang Tsung does call out the trademark "[[FinishHim FINISH HIM]]!!" in a few cinematics (when Johnny Cage defeats Baraka and when Cyrax beats Johnny), however no one complies.
* BookEnds: [[spoiler:Subverted.]] The intro cutscene and the cutscene right before the final boss show [[spoiler:Shao Kahn tossing Raiden around]] in the same fashion and with the same dialogue. Said cutscene even flashes back to the intro cutscene at certain points. [[spoiler:The subversion comes when Shao Kahn is ready to strike the final blow. The Elder Gods stop their lazy attitude and empower Raiden in order to allow him to finish Shao Kahn. Once he's done with that, the cracks in his amulet heal, indicating Armageddon has been prevented.]]
** The ''[=MK3=]'' arc itself also applies somewhat; it ends on a rooftop in a devastated city--the same rooftop where, in the beginning of the arc, Stryker and his partner [[spoiler:Kabal]] were helping fight off the Outworld invasion earlier in the day.
* CallBack: The one-on-two tag battles in Story mode can be seen as a throwback to the endurance matches from the original game.
* CallForward: Mixed in with a MythologyGag. When Kung Lao faces Shang Tsung and Quan-Chi in a two-on-one match in his story mode chapter, Quan Chi remarks that Kung Lao won't be able to stop "this [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]]."
* TheCameo:
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Bo' Rai Cho]] is mentioned a few times in the story.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Bo' Rai Cho, Kenshi, Li Mei]], and [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Hotaru]] can be spotted in the opening sequence.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Onaga]] and [[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon Taven]] appear in the intro cutscene during Raiden's first flashbacks.
** Skarlet and what appears to be Khameleon (in her original ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy]]'' attire) can be spotted among the lineup of fighters in both tournaments during Story Mode.
** [[FreezeFrameBonus If you look closely while Sub-Zero is conversing with Sonya in his chapter]], you can see that the person [[spoiler:he froze in a block of ice]] is none other than [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] himself (at least in the [=PS3=] version; [[spoiler:the block is empty]] for 360 players).
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Kenshi]] and [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Reiko]] [[spoiler:are called to fight]] at the end of Sub-Zero's chapter.
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Motaro]] is not playable, but appears in a handful of cutscenes throughout the story, such as the beginning of [[spoiler:Stryker]]'s chapter where [[spoiler:he is killed]].
** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Shinnok]] appears briefly at the end of the story.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: As shown with Raiden. Back in the classic timeline, in the first game's timeline, he's the essential [[JerkassGods Jerkass God]] that only fought to show that Gods are more powerful and would cause Armageddon ''faster''. In here, Raiden is already taking the wise, revered mentor role ever since the beginning.
* CosmicRetcon: Raiden telling his past self the story's ArcWords is the cause of any changes in this particular timeline.
* CreatorCameo: Ed Boon, Steve Beran, and John Vogel are mentioned in [[spoiler:Cyber]] Sub-Zero's chapter, when [[spoiler:he's trying to get information from Sektor]], and we see a map with the Subway station, (Boon-Beran) and an university called Vogel.
* CueTheSun: After Shao Kahn is destroyed for [[spoiler:not adhering to the rules of Mortal Kombat]]. It really drives home the BittersweetEnding.
* CutscenePowerToTheMax: Happens with [[spoiler:Sindel's mass slaughter of the heroes]] at the end of Chapter 15.
** Also, [[spoiler:Kabal is permanently scarred and needs a respirator mask after getting hit with Kintaro's fire breath]], which usually just takes off a chunk of your life meter.
* DeadpanSnarker: Most of the heroes get their turn to snark at the situation, their enemies and even each other with Johnny Cage being the main instigator/target for it.
* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler:Raiden]] tries to make one with [[spoiler:Quan Chi]] to help turn the tide against Shao Kahn after Sindel's massacre; [[spoiler:the souls of all those killed in the battle for Netherrealm's aid]]. Unfortunately, Kahn [[spoiler:had already sold all the souls to Quan Chi]].
* DeusExitMachina: [[spoiler:The battle against Sindel might have gone a bit more smoothly had not Raiden and Liu Kang conveniently been away at that moment.]]
* DemotedToExtra: Motaro is the only character from ''Mortal Kombat 3'' who is not a fighter in this game. [[spoiler:[[PlotlineDeath He is killed by Raiden in a cut-scene and later appears as a dead body]].]]
* DiabolusExMachina: Near the end of the ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'' retelling, things are looking bad for Earthrealm, but on the whole the new timeline isn't much worse than the original one, save for [[spoiler:the death of Kung Lao]]. And ''immediately'' after the heroes defeated [[spoiler:the Cyber Lin Kuei]] and after [[spoiler:Nightwolf saved the souls of Earthrealm by destroying the Soulnado Quan Chi created]], [[spoiler:Sindel, empowered by the soul of Shang Tsung]], decides to pay the heroes [[CurbStompBattle a visit]].
* DownerBeginning: Remember the intro cinematic to ''Armageddon'', with the battle royale between the Forces of Light and the Forces of Darkness? We're treated to an eerily silent battlefield here, [[KillEmAll with corpses of all the combatants littering the Edenian southlands around Argus' pyramid]]. The only two fighters let alive at the time are Raiden and Shao Kahn, the latter of whom has the upper hand by a substantial margin.
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: Near the end of Chapter 11, Shao Kahn just walks behind Kung Lao and snaps his neck with no effort at all]].
** [[spoiler:Chapter 15 has ''nearly every hero'' getting killed by Sindel in a very abrupt and annoying way. It's actually pathetic to see someone like ''Cyber Sub-Zero'' die because he got punched in the face three times]]. Overall, virtually every character who dies in Story mode dies unceremoniously.
* FlexibleTourneyRules: Not only can Shang Tsung declare a fight is 2 v. 1 on a whim, he can call a challenge as soon as fighters say harsh words to each other, and when the MKII part rolls around, he can declare that there will be another tournament.
* ForWantOfANail: Two major examples:
** In the original timeline, when the Lin Kuei set about [[UnwillingRoboticization turning their assassins into cyborgs]], Sub-Zero escaped while Smoke was forced to become a cyborg. In this new timeline, [[spoiler:Raiden saves Smoke from being captured, only for Sub-Zero to be roboticized in his place.]] It also has the unfortunate side effect of the Lin Kuei [[spoiler:pledging loyalty to Kahn in exchange for allowing them to take Sub-Zero]].
** In the original timeline, Motaro served as one of Shao Kahn's best soldiers and leader of the extermination squads that overran Earth during his invasion. In the new timeline, [[spoiler:Raiden kills Motaro, preventing Johnny Cage's original death]]. This has the side effect of [[spoiler:Shao Kahn deciding to sacrifice Shang Tsung to empower Sindel, who then slaughters her way through the majority of the heroes]].
* FreezeFrameBonus: Cameos aside, meticulous examination of scenes reveals a few noteworthy tidbits about some of the characters.
** This trope also reveals the individual fates of some characters the aftermath of the Battle of Armageddon. Most of the deaths seen in ''Armageddon'''s intro did indeed happen. Additionally, a long chain of deaths involves [[spoiler:Noob Saibot being killed by Scorpion who was killed by Sub-Zero who was killed by Baraka who was killed by Kung Lao who was killed by Shinnok's clone.]]
* FromBadToWorse: The storyline in a nutshell.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: As mentioned elsewhere, the broken bones and destroyed organs detailed in various X-Ray moves don't seem to impair anyone at all. This is particularly interesting in that there's not even a FadeToBlack or {{Wipe}} between rounds; the defeated [[InsistentTerminology kombatant]] just gets right back up, the life bars refill, and we're back at it.
** To a lesser extent, Kenshi lost his invulnerability to Sonya's Kiss of Death move which he had in ''Deadly Alliance'' onwards. Likewise, he's affected by Stryker's X-Ray, which can only be {{handwave}}d by assuming the flashlight is physically burning him by being a very high wattage bulb.
* GodzillaThreshold: Essentially the crux of [[spoiler:Raiden]]'s plan at the end of the game; letting the BigBad win finally caused [[spoiler:the Elder Gods]] to get off their asses and help.
** [[spoiler:Raiden's killing of Motaro]] served as this for Shao Kahn. Up until that point, things had been progressing mostly the same, barring [[spoiler:Sub-Zero becoming a cyborg instead of Smoke, and Kung Lao's death]]. Once [[spoiler:Motaro's body]] is brought in front of him, Kahn decides to [[spoiler:[[YourSoulIsMine sacrifice Shang Tsung]] to empower Sindel, giving her enough power to murder most of the heroes]].
* GoodCostumeSwitch: Kitana and Jade wear their default outfits when they fight for Outworld, but after they defect to the heroes' side, they start wearing their alternate outfits.
* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: Subverted at the last second; Baraka almost gets a faceful of buckshot from an overeager minion, but quickly snatches the gun out of the minion's hand.
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Sure, Shao Kahn bites it in the end, but some of the bad guys under his employ leave the story unscathed once they're no longer relevant to the plot. Namely: Kano, Reptile, Mileena, Baraka, Sheeva, Ermac, Goro and Kintaro.]]
** [[spoiler:Cyrax and Sektor are also nowhere to be seen after Sindel comes in to slaughter the heroes.]]
* LaResistance: Raiden, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Sonya, Sub-Zero, Smoke, Jax, Stryker, Nightwolf, Kabal, Kitana, and Jade.
* LazyArtist: While all of the character models here are new, the intro depicts the ([[KillEmAll very bloody]]) aftermath of ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'' (as well as a hyper-accelerated flashback of several key events leading up to ''[=MKA=]''). Most of the characters shown are in their new outfits, instead of wearing their ''actual'' attire from those games.
* LetsYouAndHimFight:
** '''The entire story''', thanks to [[spoiler:Shinnok and Quan Chi]]'s machinations. With most of Earthrealm and Outworld's warriors [[spoiler:dead]], [[spoiler:the Netherrealm]] is now in perfect position to conquer both.
* [[spoiler:MauveShirt]]: Nearly ''every'' hero is turned into this by endgame.
* [[spoiler:MutualKill]]: The aftermath of [[spoiler:Nightwolf]] vs. [[spoiler:Sindel]].
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The new game's story mode covers the events of the first three ''Mortal Kombat'' games, but changed slightly due to Raiden receiving incomplete visions of the future. [[spoiler:Almost everything he does as a reaction to those visions only seems to make things ''worse'']].
** Also, Nightwolf in [[spoiler:Freddy's]] Arcade Ladder ending. All Nightwolf accomplished was [[spoiler:returning Freddy to the place where he was always the biggest threat, the Dream Realm.]]
* NoCampaignForTheWicked: Averted; Scorpion does have a chapter in Story Mode, though he is more a neutral. Cyrax also receives his own chapter, and begins to gravitate towards Raiden's side, [[spoiler:only to be captured offscreen and roboticized]].
* OminousMessageFromTheFuture: Raiden sends a message to himself in the past: "He must win." It's not until towards the end that he realizes he has to invoke [[spoiler:TheBadGuyWins so that the [[TheGodsMustBeLazy The Gods Who Don't Do Anything]] will actually do something]].
* PlotlineDeath: See DroppedABridgeOnHim. All the characters will survive the brutal X-ray moves and only get a few scratches, but if someone tries to kill them in a cutscene, they're screwed.
* PoorCommunicationKills: [[KillEmAll Does it ever]]. Future!Raiden clarifying "he (who) must win" might have made a world of difference.
* ProphecyTwist: "He must win" [[spoiler: is referring to Shao Kahn, who has to succeed in his invasion of Earthrealm to get the Elder Gods to finally pay attention and get rid of him]]. The prophecy would not have to be a twist though, if it was less vague.
* RedHerringShirt: [[spoiler:Johnny Cage]] lives. If you know anything about him in the original timeline, this can be a bit of a shocker.
* ResetButton: This game is a BroadStrokes approach to the original trilogy; since Raiden has knowledge of the future, some things are going to change.
* {{Retcon}}: The whole idea of retelling the events of the first three games while ''[=MK1=]''!Raiden [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong tries to revert or fix every mistake made until now]]. It also serves to finally establish several {{retcon}}s and {{ret canon}}s as canon stuff.
** ContinuityReboot: '''Very''' ingeniously {{subverted|Trope}}. At the end of ''Armageddon'', during his final moments at the hands of Shao Kahn, Raiden manages to perform one last act of godhood: he sends messages to his past self during the events of the first three games, in an attempt to avoid the horrifying future he's currently in. This results in Past!Raiden changing events to avoid Armageddon, hence how the game happens in the timeline of the classic games but is still a proper sequel and does not discard the story of the previous ones.
** AlternateContinuity: The original universe still exists, and most of the basic backstories are still intact, but it's now the BadFuture of this game, akin to ''[[ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse The Age of Apocalypse]]'' or how they [[Film/StarTrek rebooted]] ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** One particular plot point that was retconned involved the resurrection of Sindel during MK3's story. Originally, according to MK3's prologue screens, Shao Kahn had devised the plan himself ten thousand years ago, to resurrect Sindel (with Shang Tsung's help) on Earthrealm soil so Kahn would have the power needed to breach the dimesional gates and conquer Earth, the plan itself being enacted in full once Kahn became frustrated with Earth's warriors repeatedly foiling his earlier takeover attempts. ''Trilogy'' slightly retconned this point so that he carries it out while the heroes are distracted with the events of MKII. In '''9''''s story mode, however, the plan is now thought of on-the-spot by Quan Chi, with neither Shao Kahn or Shang Tsung having any part in the actual resurrection itself.
** Scorpion's backstory: On the original game, he wanted revenge on the elder Sub-Zero for killing him. He also turned into the younger Sub-Zero's mentor in Mortal Kombat 2 as an apology for killing his brother. His family and clan being assassinated and blamed upon the ''younger'' Sub-Zero happened in Mortal Kombat 4. This version blames it all upon the elder Sub-Zero and makes the younger one Scorpion's enemy from the start.
** Kitana's backstory: On the original game, she and Mileena grew up together as Shao Kahn's assassins, with Kitana believing Mileena was her twin sister. Way before Mortal Kombat 2's events, Kitana had found out all by herself her real father has been killed by Shao Kahn and her sister was a clone. She kept this in secret until the right opportunity came to her, the tournament in Mortal Kombat 2. This version has Kitana only finding out all of this when Mortal Kombat 2's tournament had started and when Raiden spoke to her.
* RippleEffectIndicator: Raiden's medallion.
* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:Several of the heroes]] play a large part of the overall story, only to be KilledOffForReal near the end to show how truly catastrophic the changes to the timeline has become.
* SequelHook: [[spoiler:Shinnok is next.]]
** Even though the Arcade Ladder endings clash with Story Mode's ending, [[spoiler:Jade]]'s ending looks like another very possible hook.
** Same goes for Raiden's ending. The events detailed in that ending closely follows what happened in Story Mode, and two of the four figures shown being empowered by Raiden's soul heavily resemble [[spoiler:Johnny and Sonya, the only two remaining Earthrealm heroes besides Raiden himself]].
** [[spoiler: Honestly, a large amount of the endings of the characters who weren't confirmed to die at any point in MK9's story mode have at least one part of them that can be followed up on in future game. Johnny Cage's ending has him train in Seido after his powers get out of control. Sektor's ending has him kill his father, take the Dragon Medallion, and seize control of the Lin Kuei (something that happened in the original timeline as well, minus having the Dragon Medallion). And so on.]]
* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: Raiden at the time of ''Armageddon'' sent a message to himself as of the original ''Mortal Kombat'', attempting to avert Shao Kahn's victory.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: Every other game in the franchise (barring ''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero'' and, possibly, ''VideoGame/MortalKombatSpecialForces'', for being prequels to [[VideoGame/MortalKombat the first game]]) compose the ShaggyDogStory [[BoomHeadshot shot in the head]] by this game.
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:Nightwolf]] makes a last stand against [[spoiler:Sindel]]. [[spoiler:This kills them both.]]
* TemptingFate: Jax's [[spoiler: last words]] were [[LeeroyJenkins "Let's Do This"]]
* TitleDrop: Liu Kang delivers one during his pre-fight speech to Shang Tsung prior to their battle from the first tournament. The trope's {{Justified|Trope}}, since the story retells events from the first three games, which featured a Mortal Kombat tournament and [[spoiler:an attempt to merge Outworld and Earthrealm together whilst ignoring the rules of Mortal Kombat]].
--> '''Liu Kang:''' ''"Face me in Mortal Kombat."''
:: Other drops happen during the course of the story, which goes without saying.
* TookALevelInBadass: A number of lesser characters on both sides managed to take a level in this game -- which also means some of the more imposing villains suffer from TheWorfEffect on occasion.
** Sindel took a level in '''[[spoiler:mass murder]]'''.
** Stryker, Kabal, Smoke, and [[spoiler:Cyber]] Sub-Zero (once [[spoiler:he regains his free will]]) serve as more traditional examples.
** Nightwolf became one of the game's bigger badasses: he manages to land the role of Raiden's deputy, and when The God of Thunder's not around to directly lead the Earthrealm warriors, he leads the group into battle.
** Ermac originally existed as an AscendedGlitch whose telekinesis served as his only claim to fame; in the original timeline, Kenshi helped him undergo a HeelFaceTurn around the time of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]]''/''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Deception]]'', where he [[AscendedExtra began to play cleanup]] and [[RedemptionPromotion started to shine]]. In this game, Ermac serves as a formidable enforcer of Shao Kahn, and he proves he should ''not'' be taken lightly. [[spoiler:Just ask Jax.]]
* TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty: In both the MK and Outworld tournaments, Shang Tsung ([[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem the tournament Grandmaster]]) often forces one of the Earthrealm combatants to fight two combatants from Outworld, either in succession or simultaneously. Oddly, nobody from Earthrealm questions the fairness of this move.
** On top of that, he also thins out the Earthrealm combatants outside the usual tournament schedule at every opportunity, either by declaring a casual argument-turned-scuffle between Earthrealmers to be an official challenge (and thus elimination), or by [[CripplingTheCompetition sending minions to off them during downtime]].
* WhamEpisode: [[spoiler:Near the end, Sindel singlehandedly kills almost all of the heroes]].
** The game's a reboot of the original plot, so it's going to stick to that original plot, right? They won't do anything ''too'' major, right? They especially won't drastically change one of the most popular characters in the entire series... ''right?'' [[spoiler:Yeah, uh... Cyber Sub-Zero says "Hi there."]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Most of the villains apparently make it out unharmed:
** [[spoiler:Mileena]] gets shocked by Raiden, but it's not that big.
** [[spoiler:Reptile and Baraka]] are beaten but spared.
** [[spoiler:Goro, Kintaro, and Sheeva]] are just knocked out.
** [[spoiler:Kano]] is last seen frozen by [[spoiler:Cyber]] Sub-Zero, but not shattered. He just disappears from the scenes, although apparently [[spoiler:he did warn Noob Saibot of Cyber Sub-Zero]].
** [[spoiler:Cyrax and Sektor]] may or may not be dead.
*** The fact that most of these characters don't seem to be dead could be very important considering they may be needed to fight [[spoiler:Shinnok]] in the next game.
** Also, Raiden mentions that [[spoiler:he sent Liu Kang and Kung Lao to rescue their Shaolin Masters]] near the beginning of the ''[=MK2=]'' part of the story. It's never mentioned if they succeeded or not.
*** [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX The sequel]] finally reveals the answer with a flashback in Raiden's chapter to the period directly preceding Shao Kahn's Outworld tournament. [[spoiler:Raiden is present and aids in the battle as Liu and Lao capture a ship at the docks holding their imprisoned masters and then departs as the monks go off to find the location of a second vessel which has already departed, telling them to join him as soon as they able so as to not be late for the tournament. Presumably, they succeeded in this endeavor as well.]]
* TheWorfEffect:
** In Smoke's chapter of Story Mode, he faces off Kitana and Sektor and triumphs without much difficulty. When they meet again (Kitana and Nightwolf's chapters, respectively), [[spoiler:Kitana beats him alongside Cage]], and [[spoiler:Sektor treats Smoke like a ragdoll, with Smoke being unable to successfully land a blow before Sektor gets him into a chokehold and Nightwolf has to intervene]].
** If the Story Mode is any indication, Sub-Zero punked [[spoiler:'''Kratos''' (PS3 version only)]] offscreen and put him on ice.
*** It's a running gag that Sub-Zero is by far the strongest character when he's offscreen, having previously done the same thing to Superman in ''vs. DCU''.
** [[spoiler:Sindel, empowered by Shang Tsung's soul/essence]], attacks the heroes after [[spoiler:the automated Lin Kuei warriors fail to kill them]]. The battle quickly escalates into a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown like no other; [[spoiler:Nightwolf, Kitana, Sonya, and Cage]] are the ''only'' immediate survivors -- and of those survivors, one later dies of their wounds, and another pulls a HeroicSacrifice to stop [[spoiler:Sindel]].
** Particularly egregious is [[spoiler:Cyber Sub-Zero]], who is a cyborgized [[spoiler:Sub-Zero the Younger]] and had not been long having defeated [[spoiler:Kintaro and Goro]] in a handicap match. He got killed with '''three punches'''.
* YourSoulIsMine: Late in the game, Quan Chi begins creating a "Soulnado," a green vortex designed to suck out the souls of every living person in Earthrealm. It ends up being destroyed thanks to sucking up a HumanoidAbomination.
* WolverinePublicity: Scorpion and Sub-Zero are both in the game cover, title screen and most commercials with the former even being part of Netherealm's logo even though they are supporting characters in the story mode.