NetherRealm Studios truly went all out when they crafted the new paradigm shift for Mortal Kombat 1. As has been noted, the game focuses on a new world/timeline that Fire God Liu Kang created after getting the powerful hourglass from Kronika in the last game. He spent a long time trying to figure out how to make a world where everything and everyone could be peaceful and have better lives than before. Naturally, it won’t work out as he thinks, but A for Effort, Liu Kang. Due to his changes, many characters have been reborn anew or given entirely new backstories.
One of the earliest ones we learned about was with the characters Scorpion and Sub-Zero. Throughout the game’s history, they were enemies turned allies as the truth about their backstories became known. However, in the new game, it appeared to many that they were true brothers now, but not in the figurative sense, but a literal one. NetherRealm Studios basically confirmed that Scorpion is now Kuai Liang, whereas Sub-Zero is now Bi-Han. That is quite a change from the previous lore, yet it sets up many new stories to be told.
However, if Kuai Liang is Scorpion, where is the OG Scorpion, Hanzo Hasashi? According to one leaker, who has been very accurate with their predictions so far, the game will address his location:
While we can’t say for certain what will and won’t happen, it’s not hard to guess what Liu Kang might have done.
Remember that Hanzo only became Scorpion after he lost his family and died himself at the hands of “Sub-Zero.” Through a deal with Quan Chi, he gained the powers of the NetherRealm and was granted vengeance in exchange for serving Outworld in the Mortal Kombat tournament.
As you all likely know, it was all a lie, and Quan Chi set up Scorpion and Sub-Zero so they could be put against each other and Scorpion could become his pawn. So given all of that, it’s entirely possible that Hanzo Hasashi is living happily with his family and never had those faithful encounters that turned him into the phantom of the NetherRealm.
Again, we can’t say that for certain, but given the other changes to characters like Smoke, Reptile, Katana, Mileena, and more, it would feel like a scenario that Liu Kang would craft.
More changes will come in Mortal Kombat 1, and we’ll only have to wait a little longer to hear them all, as the game arrives September 19th.
