Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Trailer Explained
It's almost time again to test your might in the battle for Earthrealm, as a trailer for the first Mortal Kombat 11 story DLC has dropped. It's called Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath and there's a lot to unpack here. Let's take a look at what the trailer shows us.
It appears as though Aftermath will begin right where the events of the base game left off. Liu Kang has once again emerged victorious, having defeated the time-bending goddess Kronika. Though Liu Kang and Raiden planned to use Kronika's magical hourglass to fix history, they are interrupted by the arrival of Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, and Fujin.
It appears as though the use of the hourglass could cause untold damage. In order to use it properly, Liu Kang needs the fallen Kronika's crown, which was destroyed during the events of Mortal Kombat 11. With that, Liu Kang sets off with his new uneasy companions on a journey back in time. They have to steal Kronika's crown from the past in order to use the hourglass and save all of their fallen friends.
As we soon learn, however, there may be much more to Shang Tsung's plan than meets the eye. As is usually the case with the wicked soul-stealing wizard, everyone seems ready for a double cross. Even a version of Kronika (presumably from earlier in time) is suspicious of Tsung's motives. However, as Shang Tsung explains to Liu Kang and Raiden, he knows plenty about Kronika. After all, he served as her lackey in the previous battle. Like it or not, he may be their best chance at getting the crown back.
We see a few new Stage Fatalities, including one that lowers unfortunate fighters into a pool of acid. According to a blog post from voice director Dominic Cianciolo, we can expect to see plenty of surprises like this. "Our environment team got to build a bevy of new stages," explained Cianciolo. "They outdid themselves with fresh takes on the Klassic Dead Pool and Soul Chamber arenas ... Somehow, our artists also found time to revive Stage Fatalities. They're not in every stage, so which arenas have Fatalities remains a secret, for now. We hope you have fun discovering them."
Another unexpected twist is the revival of Sindel. It's unclear why she has been chosen to join the fight, but it appears that Shang Tsung has plenty of surprises in store for his companions.
We also get to see two returning MK characters in action. Joining in this DLC is Sheeva, Sindel's deadly four-armed servant. She seems to be conflicted by the decision to involve Sindel in the fight against Kronika. Fujin also makes a return from his apparent off-screen death in Mortal Kombat 11.
The final moments of the trailer feature a few fantastic reveals for fans. Shang Tsung tells his allies, "No one can predict what happens next," and he couldn't be more correct.
The game then cuts to a police officer calling for backup. Boy, does he get it. At that moment, none other than Robocop arrives on the scene. He pulls his gun on an unseen assailant and tells them, "You are under arrest, dirtbag."
Even better, actor Peter Weller has returned to portray Robocop for the first time since 1990's Robocop 2. As explained by Dominic Cianciolo, "I don't think any of us thought we would get a chance to expand his lore or work with the great Peter Weller to bring his RoboCop back to fans. Once we had that chance, we were determined to make the most of it." In other words, we should get ready to see plenty of Robocop action and dialogue when Aftermath drops.
But the surprises aren't over yet. Although the trailer cuts to a title screen after the Robocop reveal, fans who stick around just a little bit longer are in for a treat. We see Scorpion performing his iconic harpoon attack and pull something to him. If you were expecting a teddy bear (and how could you?), you're in luck. Scorpion hugs the fluffiest looking stuffed animal of all time as the trailer confirms that Friendships are back. These are cutesy replacements for the gorier Fatalities, and it's been a while since we've seen them in the series.
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath hits digital storefronts on May 26. Until then, we have plenty of time to pore over this trailer for every little detail.