#sorry liu kang/kitana fans i just don't vibe with them

[rachelfoleyisntdead]

Jade would make such good high femme sapphic rep, now that I'm thinking about it. I mean,it's been a pretty long -running theory in the fandom that Jade could be a lesbian(and it's probably why that whole thing with Kotal in MK11 happened), but I don't trust NRS to write that well.

I mean, I don't mind Liu x Kitana, but it always felt like they were.....thrown together?.......because they're both the main faces of the franchise(besides Sub-Zero and Scorpion). I don't see the chemistry people say they have, but that's moreso just questionable writing because why does Kitana and Jade's bond feel more legit than those they have with their romantic partners? Like, you're not helping by fuelling the queer allegations more.

Yeah. Liu Kang and Kitana has always felt forced. Zero chemistry. They keep telling us these two people are in love, they are red string of fate destined soulmates but like. ok. sure. It's your game nrs, if you say so. It does not help that Liu Kang and Kitana are kiiiiiinda flat themselves. They're boring. Sorry. (So is Sonya but this is an actual feature of her character not a bug so it's good.) There's a reason why the series shifted to Johnny, Scorpion and Sub-Zero as the main characters. You can see them struggling with Liu Kang and Kitana throughout the games, trying to find some way to make them as cool and interesting as the rest of the cast.

I actually did think Kotal and Jade had some chemistry. There was something a little softer and more tender between them. I could see it, and maybe if Kotal Khan hadn't come outta nowhere so late in the OG timeline and just loredumped all this shit that supposedly happened... might have worked. Kitana/Jade feels more valid because it was there from the start, we didn't suddenly hear about it at literally the eleventh hour.

Liu Kang and Kitana are a bit better in MK1 but they are not the star-crossed lovers that nrs is trying to say they are. That's Bi-Han and Sareena. nrs will say any other pairing is starcrossed and a tragedy and so sad how they have been separated BUT them when it's them and it's always been them.

#kitana x jade #jade mk #jade x kotal #bireena #kitana #bi han #sareena #sorry liu kang/kitana fans i just don't vibe with them #i need the ship to have chemistry and it just doesn't

[rachelfoleyisntdead]

Thoughts on MK1

I'm going to try to go in chronological order, and I might miss something and make another post about it later but let's gooooo (obviously spoilers below).

I think the first half of the story is really good. Yes, it relies very heavily on tropes, but they serve the story well and work.

I love that Outworld is a matriarchal society and that Sindel is the ruling Empress, not the Emperor's consort. Not a huge fan that everything is also based on nepotism/everyone inheriting their position from their family. Apparently meritocracy does not exist in Outworld and I get the vibe that this is in fact by Liu Kang's design.

I don't like what a hypocrite Liu Kang is. He says everyone is 'free to choose peace' but literally all of the characters have had their lives manipulated in an attempt to force this 'peace'. But we're supposed to condemn anyone who doesn't like that. Yeah, honestly--Shang Tsung and Bi-Han are valid, I'll say it.

Which brings us to Bi-Han. Oh, Bi-Han. I really want to give him a cough drop, his throat must be so sore from gargling gravel all day (I say this lovingly). I actually don't hate Bi-Han's heel turn, I just think it needed more build up. It could've worked really well if we had spent more time with Bi-Han first. I'm probably going to make a longer post about this.

I do like the new Syzoth a lot… but he's a bit much. He's really on the edge of being a Wattpad OC with how tragic and pretty he is, his whole 'saddest boy in the world' thing. Immediately offering to just die made me cringe. But, you know, hopefully he'll have fun in Earthrealm with Ashrah and Kung Lao and chill out a bit.

Baraka's whole story slaps. It's easily the best part. It is tragic, but not overdone, it's over all really great. No complaints about that at all, I just wish there was more. But maybe we'll get a Baraka expansion where they do more about the Tarkat.

Ashrah is… not as good as she could be. I love her design, love her fighting style, love her story in general and LOVE that she's here. But uh… are we not gonna talk about how she thinks killing other demons to purify herself is fine? This feels like a bug when it should be a feature. I really want them to explore this, there's so much potential here. This will also be a longer post at some point.

Shang Tsung is that bitch. Love him. 11/10 SLAY FACTOR off the charts. NRS gave the people what they want. So glad he's our villain and not Kronika. God, that smirk. What a guy.

Megan's delivery is bad, but I don't think it's entirely her fault. People should've told her. And they shouldn't have given her a character that was so serious. She works very well with a sort of dry humor, they should've played to her strengths instead of… just letting that situation happen. Cut her some slack.

Why are Liu Kang/Kitana and Hanzo/Harumi being pushed as the 'tragic lovers separated in every timeline' when that's Bi-Han and Sareena??? Like. yeah. I'm biased. But Harumi was not even a character, and Liu Kang and Kitana were not tragically separated, they were together all the time??? They ruled the Netherrealm together??? I don't get it.

I really like how story mode acts as an origin story for some of the characters and you 'unlock' their powers. I also LOVE how they used it to tease new cosmetics.

Love it when they said the thing. "mortal kombat", "deadly alliance", "armageddon" yes yes yes.

Also loved when Johnny made call backs to the OG timelines, ie "the flesh pits". Johnny really is perfect for that.

Johnny and Kung Lao are perfect.

Kuai Liang and Tomas are such daddy's boys and I hate it for them. This will probably be expanded on in the Bi-Han post but shut. the fuck. up. about. your. dad. I hope Kuai Liang never becomes grand master. I'm so sorry Kuai Liang fans, but this version of him is NOT it.

Smoke using his power to levitate up the wall was unintentionally hilarious. Especially since he didn't use it to break his fall. Bro???

Everyone in the game kinda easy to lie to/convince, but this might be a feature. Liu Kang sorta 'raised' everyone to be guileless and kneecapped the development of anyone who might be manipulative. I'll let it pass but honestly, I don't think Liu Kang needed to provide 'proof' of anything.

The entire royal family needs to apologize to Li Mei right fucking now, I am so serious. They continually did her dirty when she was nothing but loyal, and questioned her even when she was saying shit Kitana already knew (that the thing with Earthrealm was a misunderstanding). Apology, or Li Mei enters her villain era. Fuck y'all.

Basically, Li Mei, Shang Tsung, Bi-Han and Baraka get to do whatever they want as far as I'm concerned. Everyone else, I'm keeping an eye on. Oh wait, no. Kung Lao can have rights too, bc he's hilarious. Yall stop sleeping on him.

Anyway, that's my takes, I'm sure I'll have more thoughts. Overall, story mode was actually great, and I think there's a lot they can build on for DLC or even course correct, so I'm excited to see where that goes. If yall want to know my thoughts on a specific plot point or character, feel free to hit up my asks, love to make long posts about this stuff.

#mk1 #mk1 spoilers #bi han #li mei #shang tsung #kung lao #baraka #yeah i'm only tagging the ones that I said have rights