Summaries

Synopsis

Picking up where the previous film left off, the warriors of Earthrealm (Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Princess Kitana, and Rayden) return to the Temple of Light following Liu Kang's victory over Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat and subsequent thwarting of the Emperor's attempt to take over Earthrealm. The celebrations are short lived, however, as a portal to Outworld appears over the temple and unleashes a hoard of warriors. This army is led by Shao Kahn and his generals (Ermac, Shiva, Motaro, and the newly resurrected Queen Sindel), who explain that in 6 days the two realms will merge and Kahn will lay claim to both.

Rayden challenges Kahn to combat, however during the ensuing fight Kahn manages to subdue and murder Johnny Cage. The Earthrealm fighters retreat as the temple falls to Kahns forces, with Rayden explaining that Kahn must have found a way to invade without the Elder Gods' knowledge. The Earthrealm fighters devise a plan to bolster their numbers over the coming 6 days and wage an all out attack against Kahn and his forces before the merger is complete. Using a series of subterranean tunnels harnessing the heat from the planet's core, the teams travel to opposite ends of the globe to find their allies.

Arriving at a deserted military research outpost, Sonya comes across fellow special forces agent Jackson "Jax" Briggs. Jax has undergone a procedure to have bionic muscle enhancers grafted onto his arms, greatly improving his fighting capabilities. As Sonya informs Jax about Kahn's invasion and their ticking clock, the pair are set upon by one of Kahn's extermination squads led by the Lin Kuei assassin-turned-cyborg Cyrax. As the battle rages on, the research center is set ablaze and, blowing a handful of chemical powder through the flames, Sonya manages to ignite Cyrax and burn him alive. The two agents flee as the research center erupts in flames.

Meanwhile, Liu Kang and Princess Kitana head to find the shaman warrior Nightwolf. Traveling through dilapidated ruins, the two are ambushed by another Lin Kuei cyborg, the ethereal ninja Smoke. Smoke proves too much for the duo, and prepares to launch a chest-missile before being suddenly frozen and kicked into a ravine by Sub-Zero. A confused Liu Kang states he had killed Sub-Zero in the previous tournament, and it is revealed that this Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang) is the younger brother of the original (Bi Han) that was killed, and harbors no ill will as he intends to assist the Earthrealm fighters.

After Sub-Zero creates an ice bridge to replace the one previously destroyed in the Smoke fight, the trio is suddenly attacked by the hell spawn Scorpion. A vicious battle ensues between Scorpion and Sub-Zero, culminating in Scorpion kidnapping Kitana and teleporting to Kahn's lair. Liu Kang, determined to find Nightwolf and rescue Kitana, sets out to continue searching for the shaman.

Rayden travels to the realm of the Elder Gods to seek answers as to how Kahn is able to invade without their interference. While one of the Elder Gods explains that only by reuniting Kitana with her resurrected mother Sindel will Kahn be thwarted, another claims that the invasion can only be halted with the defeat of Kahn. Noting that as a god, Rayden is unable to assist Earthrealm in combat, the Elder Gods question his commitment to the Earthrealm heroes and what he is willing to sacrifice in order to help them defend their home.

Wandering through the wilderness, Liu Kang finally comes face to face with Nightwolf, and is told that in order to defeat Shao Kahn he must master the art of Animality which will be earned through three tests. The first is a test of his own self-worth and courage. The second comes in the form of Jade, a green clad warrior who attempts to seduce Liu Kang. Her charms prove futile, and she instead offers her assistance in rescuing Kitana, and the two venture to the temple of the Elder Gods to reconvene with Rayden and the others.

Following a brief skirmish between Jax, Sonya, and the mysterious assassin Mileena (who, under Kahn's orders, attempts to slay the two but is handily defeated by Sonya and eaten by a living statue), the Earthrealm heroes meet at the temple of the Elder Gods and are met by a newly mortal Rayden who gave up his godhood in order to fight alongside them. The reunion is cut short, as Kahn and his army arrive and destroy the temple.

The Earthrealm fighters travel to Outworld where Liu Kang goes to save Kitana while the others attempt to find and subdue Sindel in the hopes of reuniting her with Kitana and breaking the hold Kahn has over her. Liu finds Kitana caged, and battles against a Tarkatan warrior named Baraka. Liu is able to defeat Baraka and, using the falling cage, quickly dispatches Shiva as well. The rest of the fighters do battle with Sindel but ultimately lost her as she escapes during the fight along with Jade, who is later revealed to be an agent for Kahn before being killed for failing to stop the rescue of Kitana.

Rayden relents and reveals that he and Kahn are actually brothers, sons of the disgraced former Elder God Shinnok. With their plan to free Sindel's soul no longer viable, the group resolves to set out for one last stand against Kahn and his remaining generals. The two factions meet, with Shinnok demanding Rayden abandon Earthrealm and rejoin his family. When he refuses, Kahn kills him and the two groups battle with Jax, Sonya, and Kitana all emerging victorious.

Liu Kang and Shao Kahn battle, with Liu finally unlocking his Animality to transform into a large dragon, only to be met by Shao Kahn's Animality (a multi-headed serpent creature). The two struggle and, upon seeing a cut left on Kahn, it is revealed that Kahn is now left mortal by the Elder Gods as a result of his actions despite the outcome of the tournament. Shinnok prepares to murder Liu Kang himself, when the Elder Gods intervene and state that the fate of Earthrealm shall be decided as it has always been: in Mortal Kombat.

Liu and Kahn face off one last time, and upon Kahn's defeat the Elder Gods banish Shinnok to the Netherrealm and resurrect Rayden, granting him the title of Elder God previously held by his father. The Earthrealm is freed from the merger, and Sindel's soul is freed from Kahn's power and thus she is reunited with her daughter. With the world saved, Rayden embarks on his new role as Elder God, but not before advising the Earthrealm fighters to continue to fight for good and to look after one another.