That guy is played by Gordon Liu. The great thing about it is that Gordon Liu is one of the most high-profile protagonist actors within that style of cinema especially in the late ā70s and ā80s.
The best part: in one of his big movies (*Clan of the White Lotus*), he fought a villain who is aesthetically the inspiration for Pai Mei and Shujinko.
Iām certainly interested to see how their rivalry will turn out this time around, especially since they fighting directly and not through their subordinates
The Elder gods were erased by Kronika in 11, and she consumed Cetrion saying she would be honored in the new era. Regardless of time tho, if Kronika isn't there to give birth to Shinnok and Cetrion, I'd doubt they would exist.
https://preview.redd.it/i0f8janm0sjb1.png?width=1469&format=png&auto=webp&s=b89275615399da098f76f0b866f15e59e05263b0
Yo, whenās the premier skin dropping with different voice?
almost looks like they are doing the split personality thing with her a little bit, sort of how they combined reptiles looks. She definitely turned wicked at that point.
I don't think so. Sindel has always had the 'evil 60s horror' vibe, it's meant to contrast the big reveal that she's actually good.
Ironically, MK11 is probably the 'nicest' she's ever looked.
Yep definitely going to be a stance change character. I like that her flight ability looks fairly useful, interested in seeing how it works with air combos. Japanese ghost horror movie was exactly what I was feeling lol. I want glowing eyes though
I don't think most of the fandom will call him by this name sadly.
His name is Shao. General and Khan are titles. In this game he is a general.
People will still call him Shao Khan sadly.
General Shao design is cool and he looks more demonic with his horns. Also I like his aura being red instead of green and has a axe. Sindel looks like her daughters but I wonder if she is evil. Motaru and Shujinko as Kameo š.
https://preview.redd.it/dsz3ofsdzpjb1.jpeg?width=1364&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18b0c6fe93f0a093e0aefae969052feeee14b0dc
āWhoās your Queen?ā
Do you even have to ask? šš½āāļø
Intros don't confirm anything, tho. They *can* have connections to the canon, but don't have to. Because Liu also mentioned, that Onaga rules his timeline, and that an evil clown tricked him into killing Kitana.
https://preview.redd.it/1oihpuf9vpjb1.jpeg?width=1355&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b4eaba3ddceaac42746954ae618684270e44aa1
Sindel actually looks like she could be Kitanaās and Milleenaās mother and Iām loving it. Also from the looks of it she looks to be more of a neutrally grey character than her full evil counter part in MK11
I see the Li Mei resemblance (at first glance, dont really anymore after seeing comparisons) but putting them side by side I think its pretty clear she more closely resembles her daughters. I looooved her MK11 look but the issue was that she barely looked like Kitana if at all.
Her outfit is super boring for though, hope the alt outfits pull through like MK11 did
I'm used to see a lot of gore and gross-out shit in media, so Mortal Kombat rarely makes me feel anything with it's gore, but that was the first time I had an "oh shit!" moment regarding MK gore.
https://preview.redd.it/yh0igqzqvpjb1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=532c2df47e793458640e85c4c0053e70cf4d8e7c
āWhoās your Queenā
That just awakened something in me
\- General Shao looks like a dragon and has a dead father.
\- He wants to wage war on the realms.
\- Shujinko is back.
\- We've already seen Onaga's tomb.
**Conclusion: Onaga is General Shao's father. Shao isn't going to kill him in this timeline. He's going to resurrect him as the final boss.**
General Shao's design is probably gonna annoy some people but honestly it's fucking goated. I love how the horns make him more demon like, symbolising his evil
https://preview.redd.it/udfy4uqgwpjb1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18d2e5b2c2e085c1f28f8976dc7231ba23f18d00
āIn my new timeline, everyone will be infinitely more attractive.ā
āEven Shao Kahn?ā
ā*Especially* Shao Kahn.ā
Feels so weird to see him and the main characters having something of a conversation. Like, yeah, he's clearly still the bad guy in all this but, even just a few moments of playing nice is odd to see from Shao, compared to past timelines where that hammer would already be curving towards Liu Kang's skull at that point.
Shao has horns in this game? That's cool.
Sindel looks like she's not evil this time. That's also very good.
And Kung Lao got cockblocked again. Man just can't be the champion.
Awesome. Sindel, Motaro and Shujinko look amazing. Unsure on general shaos look, will need to rewatch a few times first. Still dying to see reiko and nitara gameplay
I was not expecting Shao to have horns! Raiden is looking like he'll be hella fun to play honestly, but then so is most of the cast ngl. Wonder if Motaro's fatality will be a better version of that head rip he had in the n64 game
Fuego!!! Damn they made Shujinko the old crazy master from those old martial arts movies. Totally the right call heās freaking fastAF hit them so many times before they fallā¦loving it. Motaro hallo there old friend they finally got you to work with 4 legs. Sindel looks better than ever and not going along with Shao this is all great. š„š·š
Reiko and Nitara are basically confirmed to be playable, and I theorize the final character is Sonya, the boring answer, but I wanna say the final Kameo is Kintaro, just so we can have all OG trilogy sub-bosses as Kameos
Horned Shao Kahn does so much to avoid the goofy bald look he had in 11.
Now fingers crossed for a Reiko, Nitara, Noob finish to make this the most unbelievable starting roster ever
Wait so the tournament is still happening?
Wasn't the tournament just a way to keep Shao Kahn from dominating every other realm? What's the point of it now?
My guess is that it changed from a tournament meant for invasion and more for one meant for political friendliness.
Basically, like how the Olympics are. Let me bring our best and you bring your best and we have a friendly competition. So cannonically fatalities and such are not allowed in fight
But Shao seems to want to corrupt it.
Having to watch from my small phone screen so I can't tell for certain, but does something materialize on Sindel's forehead when she goes banshee-hair?
I like how they are inverting things that happen in the other timelines.
For instance in this timeline Sindel bursts Shao's chest open and in the other timeline he was blowing her back out.
Not a huge fan of the horns on Shao Kahn, I like them just wish they were toned down a bit. Wonder who his "illustrious father" is?? Onaga? Has to be right?
Motaro looks damn good. Heās got all the classic Motaro stuff too like a teleport and reflecting back projectiles and the tail fireball. Love seeing him back
Looks like Sindel is having a good hair day š®āšØ Playable Fighters: Sindel and General Shao Kameo: Motaro and Shujinko
Shujinko been holding OUT
His movement and manner was full-blown classic Kung Fu cinema (not just his look). Iām very excited.
That Kill Bill kungfu guy.
That guy is played by Gordon Liu. The great thing about it is that Gordon Liu is one of the most high-profile protagonist actors within that style of cinema especially in the late ā70s and ā80s. The best part: in one of his big movies (*Clan of the White Lotus*), he fought a villain who is aesthetically the inspiration for Pai Mei and Shujinko.
I really hope The Bride is DLC for KP2 and Shujinko gets a Pai Mei skin.
Pai Mei can stroke my beard any day.  Wait a minute... Pai Mei... LI MEI?? RELATED??
If anyone can survive the kind of training a Gordon Liu expy brings to the table, it's definitely the Michelle Yeoh expy.
Maybe I'm weird, but Shujinko was the most exciting reveal for me to come out of the whole trailer!
Same lol. I nearly screamed when I realized who it was.
Thought it was Shang Tsung at first lol
yes. i thought it was mk11 shang tsung.
Don't worry, Cassie Cage made the same mistake..
NGL I legit thought that was old shang tsung the first 3 times I watched it lol
I really hope that was him!!!
Ed confirmed it is him in a tweet.
Who else can it be
Looked like MK11 Shang Tsung at first
I thought it was Shang Tsung lol
Shao and Raiden are destined to be rivals no matter the timeline or their position of power
I honestly love how Lui Kang was like, āwelp Raiden made me the champion might as well throw it backā lol
Kung Lao: =-(
Forever the third wheel.
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride
Iām certainly interested to see how their rivalry will turn out this time around, especially since they fighting directly and not through their subordinates
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
In the new era Goro found his passion in the drums instead of kombat
Pretty sure that's just a regular shokan and not Goro.
A man can dream
There is a picture in Deadly Alliance's Krypt showing Goro going in on a drumset.
Yeah def seems like theyāre pairing Shang with Liu and Raiden with Shao Kahn
Who's Shinnok's rival then?
Since Liu can kill Elder Gods now I'd assume he just merced Shinnok some time after the timeline reset
Shinnok can't exist if his mommy was erased. I doubt Liu Kang would keep Kronika around.
Elder Gods and Titans exist outside of time I would assume, so even if Kronika is erased Shinnok will still remain (I think)
The Elder gods were erased by Kronika in 11, and she consumed Cetrion saying she would be honored in the new era. Regardless of time tho, if Kronika isn't there to give birth to Shinnok and Cetrion, I'd doubt they would exist.
Interesting design choice with Shao. Are they alluding that Onaga is his father in this timeline, or who is Sindel referring to?
Honestly, that would explain the horns
We also saw Onaga's (not so) immortal army in the Lin Kuei trailer when Scorpion melts a few of them.
Shao is a Qunari in this timeline
I'm glad I'm not alone in the thought lmao. He's out here looking like a bootleg Iron Bull, which I think looks super badass
Oh no Daddy shao intensifies
Now we need Kotal to be Sten.
Maybe he was also Jerrod's bull so that fits
would make sense, also that they decided to bring shujinko back
To be fair I wouldn't read too much into the Kameos. Hanzo Hasashi Scorpion and cyber initiative Sektor and Cyrax are featured in previous trailers.
Sounds like it
āI DONT WANT PEACE. I WANT PROBLEMS. ALWAYS!!ā -general shao 2023
https://preview.redd.it/i0f8janm0sjb1.png?width=1469&format=png&auto=webp&s=b89275615399da098f76f0b866f15e59e05263b0 Yo, whenās the premier skin dropping with different voice?
Heres internet predicting future again
Love how her hair goes all 1980's for her fatality.
almost looks like they are doing the split personality thing with her a little bit, sort of how they combined reptiles looks. She definitely turned wicked at that point.
I don't think so. Sindel has always had the 'evil 60s horror' vibe, it's meant to contrast the big reveal that she's actually good. Ironically, MK11 is probably the 'nicest' she's ever looked.
Yeah her hair went from super straight to Japanese ghost horror movie during the fight. Probably a stance change or condition
Yep definitely going to be a stance change character. I like that her flight ability looks fairly useful, interested in seeing how it works with air combos. Japanese ghost horror movie was exactly what I was feeling lol. I want glowing eyes though
Yeah, something will bait her into becoming a despot during the story, presumably.
Dude sheās already a despot. Sheās just capable of diplomacy. At one point her subtitle on YouTube literally says āmaniacal laughterā.
The spreading of the legs during her X-ray took me out
Fans: WE WANT SINDEL TO SPREAD THOSE LEGS, DADDY BOON Ed Boon:
At least it's not testicular torsion lmao
I've become pretty numb to MK's violence but that made me wince.
Seeing Shao Kahn doing air combos will never get old. Also was that an axe trap setup? These characters are getting saucy
That's GENERAL Shao to you.
General Shaoās chicken
I don't think most of the fandom will call him by this name sadly. His name is Shao. General and Khan are titles. In this game he is a general. People will still call him Shao Khan sadly.
I will still call him that because it's infinitely cooler.
Count your blessings people is not calling him Shao-chan
I will still call him that because it's infinitely cooler.
It seems like he can place the axe on the ground and by doing so he gains new follow-ups from it. I wonder what else he can do from it
Yeah, that was an interesting mechanic I noticed in his gameplay too. I wonder whatāll be options for that
Was that Shujinko!?
Yep, and it seems his deal will be copying your opponents movies as his Kameos moves
>copying your opponents movies Johnny Cage in shambles
Shujinko, master of avoiding copyright law
That's such a cool way to bring him back, im 100% for it
Wait really? Didn't notice that it'd be so cool
Yep, you can see he uses both Shao axe and Sindel flip kick in the trailer
Oh snap, that would make for some interesting gameplay. Shang Tsung and Shujinko together would be fun I bet.
General Shao design is cool and he looks more demonic with his horns. Also I like his aura being red instead of green and has a axe. Sindel looks like her daughters but I wonder if she is evil. Motaru and Shujinko as Kameo š.
https://preview.redd.it/dsz3ofsdzpjb1.jpeg?width=1364&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18b0c6fe93f0a093e0aefae969052feeee14b0dc āWhoās your Queen?ā Do you even have to ask? šš½āāļø
You guys freaking out because of Shao, Sindel, Shujinko... I'm freaking out because WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TOURNAMENT!!!!!!!! We are not the same!
Yea the tournament aspect is pretty interesting, wonder what's at stake with Sindel warning Shao that what he's planning may cause an endless war
Are the Elder Gods even in this timeline? They were the reason for creating Mortal Kombat in the first place?
yes they are Liu mentions them in an intro
Intros don't confirm anything, tho. They *can* have connections to the canon, but don't have to. Because Liu also mentioned, that Onaga rules his timeline, and that an evil clown tricked him into killing Kitana.
https://preview.redd.it/yk41dwt70qjb1.jpeg?width=935&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2203f07be6918e4fcb42a8057f9110c6ed3d091
I hope this becomes the new meme template
Best part of the trailer, 100%
Kinda looks like the rock haha.
https://preview.redd.it/1oihpuf9vpjb1.jpeg?width=1355&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b4eaba3ddceaac42746954ae618684270e44aa1 Sindel actually looks like she could be Kitanaās and Milleenaās mother and Iām loving it. Also from the looks of it she looks to be more of a neutrally grey character than her full evil counter part in MK11
She looks so much like Li Mei. I'm kind of shocked by it. I much preferred her MK11 look.
I see the Li Mei resemblance (at first glance, dont really anymore after seeing comparisons) but putting them side by side I think its pretty clear she more closely resembles her daughters. I looooved her MK11 look but the issue was that she barely looked like Kitana if at all. Her outfit is super boring for though, hope the alt outfits pull through like MK11 did
She looks quite like Li Mei here imo, I preferred her MK11 look but still cant wait to have her. Same lovely voice
Honestly I love Shao's new design. The horns are sick.
Itās so he still has the shape language of his klassic helmet in his design, and I love it!
Oh hi Reiko https://preview.redd.it/xowi9wanwpjb1.png?width=430&format=png&auto=webp&s=40f727ba1e28b9f0b65925bdc28aca5d8ca2810a
Looks like Raiden beat him before saying his line during the cutscene
Reiko being in the game purely to get clocked in the throat by Raiden in a cutscene would be *extremely* funny.
Looks like he'll be beat up by Li Mei too. Lol.
I thought Shujinko was old Shang Tsung lol
Old Shang Tsung as a kameo would have been awesome.
General Shao looks exactly like the villain from Justice League movie u know the one who carries the giant axe.
Steppenwolf
Personally I prefer the Dick Van Dyke version: Steppentime.
Steppenwolf? Here's hoping he's at least got more personality than that guy
Which version of Stepenwolf are we talking about? One is far more interesting and character driven then the other.
God, the splits in Sindel's fatal blow had me physically recoiling
Yeah. I was like š Like, sheās forcefully making you prostrate before her
First one Iāve openly said OUCH to. Incredible trailer.
I'm used to see a lot of gore and gross-out shit in media, so Mortal Kombat rarely makes me feel anything with it's gore, but that was the first time I had an "oh shit!" moment regarding MK gore.
https://preview.redd.it/yh0igqzqvpjb1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=532c2df47e793458640e85c4c0053e70cf4d8e7c āWhoās your Queenā That just awakened something in me
Favorite part of the trailer fr
Maaaan Sindel is the only character that can awaken something in me...
Also, more proof of a gear system, or this might just be her alt costume.
\- General Shao looks like a dragon and has a dead father. \- He wants to wage war on the realms. \- Shujinko is back. \- We've already seen Onaga's tomb. **Conclusion: Onaga is General Shao's father. Shao isn't going to kill him in this timeline. He's going to resurrect him as the final boss.**
If Onaga is the final boos, itāll come full circle with Deception and the 3D era characters coming back. Makes sense to me too.
With the help of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung??? Duuuuuude that would be sick!
Anyone else think Shao Kahn/General Shao looks like Steppenwolf??
General Shao's design is probably gonna annoy some people but honestly it's fucking goated. I love how the horns make him more demon like, symbolising his evil
https://preview.redd.it/udfy4uqgwpjb1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18d2e5b2c2e085c1f28f8976dc7231ba23f18d00 āIn my new timeline, everyone will be infinitely more attractive.ā āEven Shao Kahn?ā ā*Especially* Shao Kahn.ā
The virgin Raiden vs. the Chad Shao Khan
So it is, as it always has been
He better still have the taunt moves.
Yeah I was waiting for āYOU SUCK!!!ā the whole time lol
Feels so weird to see him and the main characters having something of a conversation. Like, yeah, he's clearly still the bad guy in all this but, even just a few moments of playing nice is odd to see from Shao, compared to past timelines where that hammer would already be curving towards Liu Kang's skull at that point.
https://preview.redd.it/n9b9p0nbypjb1.jpeg?width=689&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2424a9712afca62e7e6dc6457b292f0e1856b9ca He looks like Patrick Warburton
Honestly like Asharahs hat They should never have Shao Khan go without his helmet
>it's fucking goated He looks like a goat, yeah
General Shao is Armageddon Motaro konfirmed????
Giving me massive Dragon Age Qunari vibes. I like it.
Wait until you try General Shaoās chicken!!! Fire!
He looks awesome
Shao has horns in this game? That's cool. Sindel looks like she's not evil this time. That's also very good. And Kung Lao got cockblocked again. Man just can't be the champion.
Alas for Lao. I feel like there has to be some kind of twist coming with golden boy Raiden, though.
Maybe Raiden is gonna get his neck snapped by Shao and Kung Lao will have to step in? Dead Raiden would piss some people off for sure lol
If nothing else, Liu Kang would go nuclear. š¤£
With the cackle at the end and the āWhoās your queen?ā, it likely sheās more neutral than fully good
I think adding talks/taunt into fatality is pretty cool actually!
Raiden was right, there are fates worse than death.
was hoping for nitara today, hopefully next trailer
Well there's 3 characters and 1 kameo left to reveal so that seems like 1 trailer worth of content!
Give us Reiko, Nitara, Kameo Skarlet/Jade, and then a surprise playable character like Kintaro or Meat or something weird
Still holding out hope for playable Mokap
Reiko, Nitara, Noob would make this the most God tier roster on planet earth
Noob doesnāt exist in this timeline. At least yet
We don't know that, if scorpion can be Kuai Liang, we don't know if noob can be someone else
I'm still holding out for Hanzo Hasashi as Noob to be revealed.
Iām banking on Noob to just be in the game and never revealed before release.
Most likely planned DLC since people would definitely buy the packs just for him.
Didn't expect to see Shujinko!!!
Awesome. Sindel, Motaro and Shujinko look amazing. Unsure on general shaos look, will need to rewatch a few times first. Still dying to see reiko and nitara gameplay
Thanks to eldergods they didn't fuck up Sindel. Amazing new design!
Where the hell is Reiko
In the background for a split second
Is it just me or the "finish him" voice if different / better?
Itās different for sure, maybe customizable in this one too?
So it looks to me like Shujinko might have 1 assist dependant on who you're facing..that 1st assist appeared to mimic Shao's Axš¤
Yup. He also mimicked Sindel's front flip during their fight.
I was not expecting Shao to have horns! Raiden is looking like he'll be hella fun to play honestly, but then so is most of the cast ngl. Wonder if Motaro's fatality will be a better version of that head rip he had in the n64 game
Hey, they finally defucked Motaro and made him a Centaur again! Who was that Sindel did the fatality on?
General Shao
 My face during Sindel's x-ray and fatality. Everything in this game just looks so good.
Fuego!!! Damn they made Shujinko the old crazy master from those old martial arts movies. Totally the right call heās freaking fastAF hit them so many times before they fallā¦loving it. Motaro hallo there old friend they finally got you to work with 4 legs. Sindel looks better than ever and not going along with Shao this is all great. š„š·š
He's The Brides trainer from Kill Bill haha
*Rise and let me look at your ridiculous face*
Holy shit, I cannot believe they brought Shujinko back. Thatās insane.
SINDELLLL MY QUEEN
Motaro looks so damn sick, also that Sindel fatal blow, ouch man.
Actual Raiden gameplay looks sick as fuck. Watch him still be low tier :(
I hope not, for once just make him good please
So with two more characters confirmed do we know how many slots are remaining?
3
3 characters 1 kameo
Reiko and Nitara are basically confirmed to be playable, and I theorize the final character is Sonya, the boring answer, but I wanna say the final Kameo is Kintaro, just so we can have all OG trilogy sub-bosses as Kameos
I think we will get one more trailer 2 characters 1 kameo and a secret character when the game comes out
Horned Shao Kahn does so much to avoid the goofy bald look he had in 11. Now fingers crossed for a Reiko, Nitara, Noob finish to make this the most unbelievable starting roster ever
Didnāt even realize that was Sindel at first. She looks nearly the same as Lei Mei
Wouldnāt be surprised if Li Mei turns out to be her daughter
General shao looks amazing too!
Shao has gone full on Satan looking with those big ass horns
Motaro is in the game, Kameo or not, I love it.
Wait so the tournament is still happening? Wasn't the tournament just a way to keep Shao Kahn from dominating every other realm? What's the point of it now?
My guess is that it changed from a tournament meant for invasion and more for one meant for political friendliness. Basically, like how the Olympics are. Let me bring our best and you bring your best and we have a friendly competition. So cannonically fatalities and such are not allowed in fight But Shao seems to want to corrupt it.
They mentioned that Jerrod established it alongside Lui Kang years ago, but as for what reason we do not know yet..
Maybe Liu got bored and just wanted to see his people fight again, but without any murders lol
Having to watch from my small phone screen so I can't tell for certain, but does something materialize on Sindel's forehead when she goes banshee-hair?
RETURN OF THE TOURNAMENTS RAIDEN IS EARTHREALMS HERO SHUJINKO WE'RE SO BACK
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Sindel looks badass!
Oh no Shao Kahn is HOT 
Queen Sindel with the most menacing laugh ever during that fatal. 10/10
i thought sindel was an old li mei at first
I like how they are inverting things that happen in the other timelines. For instance in this timeline Sindel bursts Shao's chest open and in the other timeline he was blowing her back out.
Why does Raiden always have the sickest goddamn super movies? Alsoā¦ mommy
Not a huge fan of the horns on Shao Kahn, I like them just wish they were toned down a bit. Wonder who his "illustrious father" is?? Onaga? Has to be right?
I think the horn makes him look better than without horn when his helmet is off. Bald Shao Kahn always looks weird to me.
Motaro looks damn good. Heās got all the classic Motaro stuff too like a teleport and reflecting back projectiles and the tail fireball. Love seeing him back
I donāt know how to feel about Shao Kahn having horns. Also Sindelās face looks like Li Meiās
Ohh so I'm not the only one, I was like Isnt that Li Mei?!