Down and out Liu Kang gets into a drunken fight in a seedy Macau bar with the local gangsters. Liu Kang is not happy when Kung Lao comes to his rescue and the two have a tumultuous reunion.
Ten years ago, Lui Kang sees his fiancée gunned down right in front of him. In the present day, Kung Lao leaves his Macao monastery and, like several other participants, approaches the portal to the Mortal Kombat tournament.
The Earthrealm and Outworld warriors appear at the Mortal Kombat tournament island. Raiden greets the Earthrealm warriors. In a flashback, the warrior Kenshi sets out to find a mythical sword guarded by the demon Ermac.
Kenshi's origin story is continued in feudal Japan where he is blinded in his first fight with Ermac. In the present, Kenshi has the chance to battle Ermac once again in the tournament.
Kitana and Mileena, having received orders to enter the tournament, argue as they track Johnny Cage through the forest. They surprise him and chase him down.
After being recruited by Raiden from a jail cell, Johnny Cage is in the tournament as well. Now, Johnny fights for his life against Mileena and Kitana. He is only able to escape when the sisters turn on one another.
Back in feudal Japan, Scorpion and Sub-Zero are childhood friends until Sub-Zero's father insists that he cannot be friends with a member of the Shirai Ryu clan. Twenty years later, Scorpion is challenged by Sub-Zero's brother.
In a flashback, Scorpion's family is seemingly murdered by Sub-Zero and his clan. In the present, Scorpion searches the tournament field for Sub-Zero and exacts his revenge.
Liu Kang has become a hitman and murders Russian mobsters. He is then visited by Shang Tsung, who recruits him to join the tournament - however this time, he'll fight on the dark side of the Outworld warriors.
In the present, Stryker treats Johnny Cage's wounds when Liu Kang comes upon them and fights them both. Kung Lao appears, shocked that his old friend is here and that he is fighting with the warriors of Outworld.
