Mortal Kombat 2’s Returning Characters Reveal The Sequel’s Biggest Advantage Over Other Franchises

Warning: This article contains information about the Mortal Kombat games that could spoil elements of Mortal Kombat 2.Mortal Kombat 2 will feature old faces and new ones, and the casting decisions for the upcoming sequel are evidence of the franchise’s huge advantage when compared to others. Scorpion actor Hiroyuki Sanada’s Mortal Kombat 2 preview has offered some insight into what the lineup for the new movie will look like. In short, it’s safe to say that his words confirm the property’s upper hand over its competitors. While details regarding the Mortal Kombat 2 story are still scarce, the first movie ended with an undeniable connection to the incoming Johnny Cage, who will be played by Karl Urban.

The Mortal Kombat movies are based on a long-running video game series of the same name. While there were two live-action Mortal Kombat movies made in the 1990s, 2021’s film and its upcoming sequel are part of a series reboot, and therefore unrelated to the previous two. The games are famous for their gory gameplay and brutal finishing moves, which have translated well to the big screen. There’s no shortage of playable characters in the Mortal Kombat games, so the Mortal Kombat 2 cast could grow even more due to the copious amounts of source material.

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Mortal Kombat 2 Will Feature Many Returning Characters (Including Dead Ones)

Scorpion isn’t the only Mortal Kombat character who can come back from the dead

Speaking with Screen Rant, Sanada spoke of Mortal Kombat 2 and stated: “Most of the characters from the first one [are] coming back, plus great new characters.” There are plenty of characters who survived the events of 2021’s Mortal Kombat, such as Lewis Tan’s Cole Young. As an original character created specifically for the movies, Cole Young’s true identity has been a topic of debate, but his story should continue in the next film. However, it isn’t just Cole and his fellow survivors who will be returning – even the fallen characters like Sub-Zero will come back.

Hiroyuki Sanada also stated in the interview that he had, “Finished shooting in Australia before Christmas,” so it would seem he will reprise his role of Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 2. The fact that Sanada’s character is technically dead didn’t prevent him from intervening during the final fight sequence in the first movie. Scorpion’s return from the depths of hell implies that anyone who met their end in Mortal Kombat can easily return for the follow-up.

The Mortal Kombat Universe Is Very Flexible When It Comes To Deaths

Fatalities are often temporary in Mortal Kombat canon

Hanzo Hashashi’s transition into Scorpion, heralded by many as one of the best Mortal Kombat characters, is proof that death doesn’t hold the same level of finality in the Mortal Kombat universe as it does in the real world. In fact, death appears to have certain advantages if correctly navigated. While Hanzo Hashashi is undeniably a more-than-capable fighter in the first movie’s opening sequence, how Scorpion returns from the dead is the reason he gains his new abilities and finally takes down Sub-Zero.

Scorpion isn’t the only Mortal Kombat character to benefit from the canon’s loose interpretation of what it means to die. Mehcad Brook’s Jax somehow survives a brutal skirmish with Sub-Zero early on in the movie. Not only does Jax lose both of his arms due to Sub-Zero’s immense ice powers, but he also falls from a great height and sustains a severe blow to the head on the way down.

While it’s borderline believable that the ice cauterized Jax’s wounds, as mentioned in the movie, it seems unlikely that providing him with mechanical replacement limbs would bypass his head trauma. However, that’s just how the lore functions in the Mortal Kombat universe. In addition, the illogical survival of Jax by real-world standards only reinforces the fluidity of death for the franchise’s other characters.

The Mortal Kombat Movies Can Keep Bringing Characters Back (& That’s Good)

The roster of champions should continue to grow in future Mortal Kombat movies

Mortal Kombat‘s unapologetic character resurrections work hugely in its favor, and they should continue. There are many movie characters that keep dying and coming back, but other franchises often have to get creative with their writing – and it isn’t always pulled off very well. The very heart of the Mortal Kombat movies, as well as the original games, is about the lineup of champions. So, the more characters present, the greater the excitement. The rules of the movie franchise surrounding death have made it very likely that the roster will only expand, and any absences will only be temporary.

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How & Why Scorpion Can Return In Mortal Kombat 2

Death hasn’t prevented Scorpion from appearing at the end of Mortal Kombat, hence why it’s unlikely to stop the fighter from returning in the sequel.

Bringing Mortal Kombat characters back from the dead can actually make them more intriguing figures, as proven by Scorpion. Bi-Han’s death as Sub-Zero in 2021’s Mortal Kombat movie may be the end of his using the Sub-Zero moniker, but the source material has him return under the name of Noob Saibot. The introduction of Noob Saitbot wouldn’t be possible without Mortal Kombat‘s attitude toward death. Death also transforms Liu Kang in a similar way in the games, so the concept allows existing characters to transform as well as return to be part of the Mortal Kombat 2 lineup.