NetherRealm Studios has been doing an incredible job building up the hype for Mortal Kombat 1. Between the character trailers that highlight who is Koming and what changes they have and the Kombat Kasts that break down the fighter’s abilities, fans are getting hyped with virtually every week that passes. One recent announcement was the new trailer that heralded the return of Reptile, Ashrah, and Havik. These characters were both fan requests and ones that haven’t been around in a long time. As such, many wondered how the new game would affect their backstories in the new world that Liu Kang had created.
Fans have gotten that answer as the game’s official Twitter handle has dropped info on the three new fighters, highlighting subtle changes to their lore. First up is Reptile:
As some have noted, the race that Reptile belongs to has been renamed, and the race no longer lives in a different world but instead resides in Outworld. These small changes will clearly have an impact on what’s to come.
Next up is Ashrah:
While Ashrah’s “demon hunter” storyline seems intact, other details stand out. In her original appearance, she and her sisters served Quan Chi, and they betrayed her after she questioned his orders. Furthermore, her desire to “enter the light” seems fresh. But she still has her Kriss, so that’s familiar.
Finally, we have Havik, who definitely has the biggest physical and backstory change of the three:
Originally, Havik was from ChaosRealm, which helped fuel his anarchist backstory. But this time, he’s from OrderRealm and has been oppressed by the governing body’s system for a long time. In a way, this makes Havik a bit more sympathetic and has him with relatable goals of trying to “stop corruption,” albeit in his own chaotic way.
These changes reflect many of the ones we’ve already seen with characters like Scorpion, Smoke, Mileena, Katana, Rain, and more. Liu Kang has carefully crafted their upbringings and realities to make a better world; however, as his “old friend” Geras noted in another trailer, that might not be possible, as cracks in his vision have already formed.
Speaking of Geras, the Twitter handle also revealed a new Kombat Kast will arrive tomorrow. It’ll break down the powers and abilities of Smoke, Ashrah, and Geras.
So prepare to see more gameplay footage tomorrow, and then get ready for the release of Mortal Kombat 1 on September 19th.
