!!'''Warning: [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff Unmarked spoilers]] for ''Mortal Kombat 9''. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Read at your own risk]].'''

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mortal_kombat_x_cover_art_2081.png]]
[[caption-width-right:250:''[[{{Tagline}} Who's next?]]'']]

->''"We thought the long nightmare was over. But it turns out that Shinnok had been manipulating events: Shao Kahn's invasion... his death... all part of Shinnok's plan to escape the Netherrealm, and resume his war on the Elder Gods."''
-->-- '''Johnny Cage''', story mode opening

''Mortal Kombat X''[[note]]the X in the title is officially pronounced as [[XMakesAnythingCool the letter X]], but it has a [[DoubleMeaningTitle double meaning]], as it also serves as the tenth mainline entry of the series[[/note]] is the tenth official FightingGame entry in the ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' franchise. It was released on April 14, 2015, for the Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/XboxOne, and [[Platform/{{IBMPC}} PC]]. It's set after the events of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', and spans the course of 25 years continuing the ContinuityReboot from that game. Telling the story of what went on after Shao Kahn's defeat and the fallout of it in Outworld and how it affects both the Netherrealm and Earthrealm with newer warriors fighting for the sake of their dimensions.

At its core, ''Mortal Kombat X'' retains the gameplay mechanics featured in the 2011 game, being a TwoAndAHalfD fighter with a super bar that allows for enhanced special moves, {{Combo Breaker}}s, and [[LimitBreak X-Ray Moves]]. Additions to the formula this time around include interactive stage elements--used for both offense and mobility--in the vein of [[Creator/NetherrealmStudios NetherRealm Studios]]' [[VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs previous title]] and three variations per character, each style granting different attributes and abilities in battle, reminiscent of ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'''s Slash/Bust system, or the "isms" in ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Street Fighter Alpha 3]]'' or the Groove System in ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001]]''.

A mobile, namesake tie-in game was released on Platform/{{iOS|Games}} on April 7, 2015 and on Android on May 5, 2015. Like with the Injustice games, players assemble {{tag team}}s of 3 fighters. The fighters take the form of cards, and can be upgraded by gaining experience, equipping artifacts upon them, and teaching them new attacks. This version takes every variation and creates a new character upon each of them. With the announcement of ''11'', it's been confirmed that there won't be a tie-in game with it, and that instead this game would be upgraded with new characters and renamed ''[[RecycledTitle Mortal Kombat]]''.

An expanded edition was released in 2016 titled '''''Mortal Kombat XL''''', which contains the base game and all the downloadable content in one package.

Beginning in January of 2015, DC published a [[https://www.comixology.com/Mortal-Kombat-X-2015/comics-series/35968 weekly digital comic]] of the same name, which is set during the 25-year time gap between ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' and ''MKX''.

Followed by ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11''.
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[[folder:Roster]]
''Italics'' indicates DLC.\\\

* From '''''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1992}}''''': [[Characters/MortalKombatLiuKang Liu Kang]], [[Characters/MortalKombatHanzoHasashi Scorpion]], [[Characters/MortalKombatRaiden Raiden]], [[LastOfHisKind Reptile]], [[Characters/MortalKombatJohnnyCage Johnny Cage]], [[DrillSergeantNasty Sonya Blade]], Kano, ''[[TheDragon Goro]]''
* From '''''VideoGame/MortalKombatII''''': [[Characters/MortalKombatKuaiLiang Sub-Zero II]], [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Kung Lao]], [[Characters/MortalKombatKitana Kitana]], [[Characters/MortalKombatMileena Mileena]], [[AllAmericanFace Jax]]
* From '''''VideoGame/MortalKombat3''''': [[IAmLegion Ermac]]
* From '''''VideoGame/MortalKombat4''''': ''[[DarkActionGirl Tanya]]''
* From '''''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance''''': [[BlindWeaponmaster Kenshi]], ''[[TheAlcoholic Bo' Rai Cho]]''
* From '''''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero''''': [[Characters/MortalKombatQuanChi Quan Chi]], [[TheCorrupter Shinnok]]
* From '''''VideoGame/MortalKombatSpecialForces''''': ''[[ShockwaveStomp Tremor]]''
* New to '''''Mortal Kombat X''''': [[GunsAkimbo Cassie Cage]], [[TheSwarm D'Vorah]], [[TheDividual Ferra/Torr]], Kotal Kahn, [[DualWielding Takeda]], Kung Jin, [[ArmCannon Jacqui Briggs]], [[TheGunslinger Erron Black]], ''[[CyberNinja Triborg]]''
* {{Guest Fighter}}s: ''[[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]]'', ''Franchise/{{Predator}}'', ''[[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorph]]'', ''[[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]]''

!! Mobile-only kharacters
* From ''VideoGame/MortalKombatII'': Baraka, Jade, Shao Kahn
* Newcomers: Lin Kuei, Saurian, Shirai Ryu, Trooper, Monk, Osh-Tekk, Sergeant, Oni
* {{Guest Fighter}}s: [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]]
[[/folder]]
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!! See also
* [[DevelopersForesight/MortalKombat the franchise's Developers' Foresight page]]
* [[ShoutOut/MortalKombat the franchise's Shout Out page]]
* [[StageFatality/MortalKombat the franchise's Stage Fatality page]]
* [[ContinuityNod/MortalKombatX the Continuity Nod page]]
* [[MythologyGag/MortalKombatX the Mythology Gag page]]
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!! The game shows examples of:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Mortal Kombat X Tropes in general]]
* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: A significant amount of pre-match dialogue with Mileena has the opposing fighter point out how much Outworld does not want her rule.
* ActorAllusion:
** Besides referencing ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', Johnny Cage shouting "Game over Man!" and having additional intros with the Alien likely seems to reference Andrew Bowen being the other Darrin for Hudson in ''VideoGame/AliensColonialMarines''.
** In the Latin American Spanish version, it's not the first time Rebeca Patiño [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph has voiced a no-nonsense general]].
* AIIsACrapshoot: Triborg. A Special Forces team wanted to build a working CyberNinja they obtained from the Lin Kuei files, so they decided to use the data storage housing the physical and mental files of Sektor, Cyrax, Smoke, and Kuai Liang's combined consciousness in the test body. Upon activation, the AI suddenly became aware (possibly because the technicians used four data files instead of one, corrupting the robot and making it go unstable), killing all humans in the S-F lab after going haywire, before vowing to restore the Lin Kuei to its old glory, and developing an urge [[KillAllHumans to kill humans]]. It seems to have picked up Sektor's abrasive behavior, [[StartMyOwn forms the Tekunin (in the new timeline)]] due to Kuai Liang having sullied the Lin Kuei name, and plans to [[UnwillingRoboticization forcibly convert several kombatants into robots]].
* AllThereInTheManual: Multiple characters refer offhandedly to events that are only really explained in detail in the tie-in comics, such as Sub-Zero's defeat of the cyber-Lin Kuei and rebuilding of the order.
* AmazonChaser: Implied with Erron Black, prior to his fight against Sonya:
-->'''Erron Black''': Girls with guns... Always hot.
-->'''Sonya Blade''': I'll shove 'em up your ass and fire.
-->'''Erron Black''': ''[[VerbalBackspace Almost]]'' [[DeadpanSnarker always hot]].
* AndIMustScream: Both of Scorpion's fatalities imply that the opponent is still alive, at least for a few minutes. In his first, the larynx can be seen trying to scream while the second is a recreation of the original trailer where the [[OffWithHisHead opponent's head]] can be seen twitching and blinking.
* AntiRageQuitting: If you quit an online match, [[YourHeadAsplode your character's head explodes]] and your opponent wins with a "Quitality."
* AntiVillain: Whereas there were plenty of vile villains under Shao Kahn's rule with few exceptions, Kotal Kahn's team fulfills this, if not stepping into AntiHero territory at times. While Reptile is still Outworld's WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds ([[ThrowTheDogABone and is even improving]]), Kotal Kahn is at worse a WellIntentionedExtremist and Erron Black comes across as a NobleDemon. [[spoiler:D'Vorah]] however, is an exception.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: You can tag specific moves in your move list so they show on screen and toggle them on or off with a button press so you don't have to pause if you forgot your moves
* ApocalypseHow: [[spoiler:An Omniversal Metaphysical Annihilation in Shinnok's Arcade Ladder ending, and results in a ClassX5 or ClassZ ApocalypseHow. It involves [[OmnicidalManiac him unsealing the One Being]] [[CessationOfExistence to merge all Realms and end reality once and for all.]]]]
* ArmorPiercingResponse: the game features this exchange, courtesy of Mileena and Johnny Cage.
-->'''Mileena''': Repulsive human!\\
'''Johnny Cage''': Sleeping with Baraka's repulsive.\\
'''Mileena''': '''''WHO TOLD YOU THIS?!'''''
* ArmoredVillainsUnarmoredHeroes: The revenant skins are visibly a lot more armored than their living selves's default outfits. [[spoiler:Liu Kang and Kitana show even more armor once they become [[HellHasNewManagement the Netherrealm's]] [[DragonAscendant new rulers]]]].
* ArtisticLicenceAnatomy:
** Sort of a given for the series, but Scorpion's face-slicer fatality deserves special mention. He cuts off the victim's face, they fall over, and their brain slides out. Right, because it's not like there's a brain stem or anything in there to keep that thing in.
** One of Cassie Cage's Brutalities takes this trope to the point [[PlayedForLaughs of self-parody]]; she does a GroinAttack so lethal ''her opponent's head pops off their shoulders''.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology:
** Those... ''things'' that erupt from the victim's body in [[spoiler: Corrupted Shinnok's]] fatality.
** None of the characters suffer any ill effects from the Alien's blood spraying them as a result of attacks or fatalities, which canonically is a deadly acid, presumably for game balance reasons.
* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: Erron Black, an expert, old-west-style marksman, breaks every gun safety rule in the book, and [[RuleOfCool looks damn cool doing so]]. He [[GunTwirling twirls them on his fingers]], KICKS the hammer to load the next shot during some of his moves, and is overall far fancier than necessary as a gunslinger, much less a gunslinger from a time known for the horrid inaccuracy and impracticality of its firearms (compared to modern-day weapons).
* AutoRevive: [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] has a variation that allows him to revive himself and stay in the round if he has at least one-third of his Super meter filled. The more he has, the more health he regains. However, this ability can be disabled by holding the Right button as he falls.
* AwesomeButImpractical: The game brings back Brutalities, although they're [[InNameOnly completely different from their MK3 predecessors]]. This time, they are performed by using a specific move to take off your opponent's last bit of health. Many also require additional conditions, such as having a certain amount of health left. Since a move which can become a Brutality may not always be the best way to KO your opponent, and even if it is useful you may not meet the additional conditions, they can be almost impossible to intentionally pull off outside of low-level play.
* BadWithTheBone: [[PhysicalGod Shinnok]] can conjure skeletal constructs of varying sizes, from scythes to giant arms. The game sees his Necromancer Variation render his forearms with nothing but bare bones up to the elbow yet still functional despite lacking any connective tissue or muscle.
* BaitAndSwitch: When you defeat [[spoiler:Shinnok]] in the Arcade Ladder, the hit spark from the final blow and dramatic slow-down indicate, much like in [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 the previous game]], that you've won. Then [[spoiler:Shinnok]] absorbs power from [[spoiler:the Jinsei]] and goes OneWingedAngel.
* BattleIntro: There is a ''ton'' of pre-battle dialogue in this game. It uses a 3-part structure of "Character 1 talks, Character 2 talks, Character 1 responds", which makes the exchange more dynamic, and there are multiple conversations for ''every'' unique match-up. In addition, players can unlock alternate intro animations. This system carried over to ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11''.
* BarbieDollAnatomy: The X-Ray moves show the characters portrayed this way, continuing the trend from ''9''. An exception is for Cassie Cage's X-Ray which shows fully swinging animated ''testicles'' [[GroinAttack just for her to burst.]] The women get a vicious cameltoe instead.
* BearHug: [[PhysicalGod Shinnok]] can conjure skeletal constructs of varying sizes, from scythes to giant arms.
* BeatStillMyHeart:
** Kotal Kahn's Be Mine! Fatality involves cutting through his opponent's chest and ripping out the heart. He then ''[[BloodLust squeezes the blood from it into his mouth]]''.
** Tanya's Edenian Drill Fatality involves her bursting through her opponent's torso feet first from their backs, holding their hearts when she comes out. It then begins to beat slowly to follow its owner's death.
* BeePeople: The Kytinn are a race whose humanoid[[note]]exactly how humanoid varies somewhat depending on the skin you select[[/note]] bodies have characteristics of a variety of arthropds, including spiders, scorpions (no, not him), and beetles. They are represented in the game by D'Vorah, who does prove to be chaotic evil from the aspect of most of those outside The Hive.
* BigNo: [[spoiler:Quan Chi gives one right before Sonya crushes his testicles.]]
* BlatantItemPlacement: Many arenas have stuff that the fighters can pick up and use as weapons, such as Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer in Quan Chi's Fortress, branches in the Dead Woods, barrels in the Kove, and so on.
* BloodierAndGorier:
** Even ''more'' than ''9'', which had already set the bar high for the franchise itself. The Fatalities in particular.
** Inverted with [[ShowsDamage the damage to player's bodies during a match]]. Although it could be an attempt to more realistically depict damage during a fight compared to ''Mortal Kombat 9'' (where characters could wind up looking like they've been in a car accident after a match), it's still notably turned down here. E.g., damage progression is slowed down[[note]]to where the damage gained of a 6-Round Win limit fight matches the same rate of progression as a 2-Round Win limit fight[[/note]], and X-Ray damage doesn't compound, like it did in the last game.
* BlowYouAway: From this game onwards, Kitana can use wind-based attacks with her {{Combat Hand Fan}}s.
* BoomHeadshot: One of Cassie's brutalities, she shoots her opponent in the head with her pistol.
* BorrowingFromTheSisterSeries: The "Interactables" mechanic is brought in from Netherrealm Studios sister series ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', as well as the [[PressXToNotDie quick-time event]] feature for its story mode. In addition, the game had a series of prequel comics, a first for the series, expanding the lore and properly introducing some of the new characters, and a three-character fighting mobile game, also another first, after ''Injustice''[='=]s own game.
* BreastAttack: Kitana's ''Dark Fan-Tasy'' Fatality, when done to a woman, is an example of this. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSjn1zlUaC0 Kitana will throw one of her fan-blades in between the breasts of a female opponent and open it, splitting said opponent's breasts in half lengthwise.]]
* BubblegumPopping: Cassie does this during the pre-fight banter with other characters. She even uses bubble gum in one of her fatalities, where she shoots the opponent in the head and then places her gum over the hole. The blood spurting out blows a bubble which then pops in a shower of blood.
* CallBack:
** In TheStinger, [[spoiler:Raiden has completely lost patience with the cycle of other realms wrecking Earthrealm at will and getting away with it, as Earthrealm only seeks peace treaties once they've won rather than retribution. He pre-emptively threatens to destroy Netherrealm if they even so much as ''think'' about starting something. And his arcade ending shows him launching a surprise attack on a weakened Outworld.]] This is heavily based on Raiden's ending for ''Armageddon'', where he decided to destroy all other realms besides Earthrealm so that there would simply be no one left to make attacks in the first place.
** In the beginning of Kung Jin's chapter of Story Mode, as the next-gen kombatants are entering the Outworld Marketplace, Jacqui makes a comment about how the realm looks; she expected the sky to be purple. In Konquest Mode of [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Mortal Kombat: Deception]], the sky in the Outworld section is, in fact, purple.
* TheCameo: Several in the endings:
** Cassie Cage: [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Shujinko]]
** Ermac: Shang Tsung
** Erron Black: Shang Tsung
** Goro: Baraka
** Johnny Cage: Baraka, Shang Tsung
** Kenshi and Takeda: [[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon Taven, Daegon, Argus, Delia and Caro]]
** Kitana: Shao Kahn, Jade
** Shinnok: [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception The One Being]] and the Elder Gods
** [[spoiler:The same woman who possesses Jade in her Arcade ending in ''9'']] in Kitana's Arcade ending.
* CherryTapping:
** Erron Black can throw Caltrops on the floor, which can actually down an opponent with low-enough health. He also has Tarkatan Stab in his Outlaw variation, which lets the opponent bleed out over time, and also down them. That's right, he has ''two'' cherry-tapping moves, and you can use them at the same time (if using Outlaw variation) for ''even more'' damage.
** Kotal Kahn's Sun Ray move can be used for a humiliating finish. The Sun Ray creates a beam of light Kotal Kahn can stand in to heal a small amount of health over time, but it can also deal a small amount of damage to opponents (about .5% of a life bar per tick). Naturally, being killed by such a silly move is humbling at the best of times, but when done at the right distance, it will also trigger a brutality finisher. What a burn.
** Kotal Kahn is also capable of a rare self-inflicted cherry tap. His Blood Sacrifice move usually has him inflict a small cut across his chest with his ceremonial dagger, slightly damaging himself in exchange for powering up his next few attacks. Do it a little too close to death though, and he'll eviscerate himself on the spot, spilling his guts and ending the match.
* CombatStilettos: Averted with the female Earthrealm characters but played straight with the female Edenians and Outworlders.
* ComboBreaker: Like in ''9'', works by using two bars.
* ComedicSociopathy: Some Fatalities have the winner treat the loser's body in funny and awful ways. It's not very surprising coming from [[DeadpanSnarker Cassie Cage]] or [[LargeHam Johnny Cage]], but [[TheComicallySerious Jax]] can turn his opponent's head into an ashtray.
* CrazyPrepared: Erron Black seems to have carved bullets for each one of the characters in the roster. Including Alien and Predator, each one of the variations of Triborg, one for engaging in a MirrorMatch and even for [[DevelopersForesight non-playable characters that only appear in Story Mode and who Erron himself never fights]].
* CreatorCameo:
** Ed Boon makes a cameo in Cassie Cage's "Selfie" Fatality, under the screen name "Noobde", which is also the name of his real-life Twitter account. Dan Forden also cameos under the handle "[=DN4DN=]", with his comment being, of course, "[[CatchPhrase TOASTY!]]"
** More unknown to the general public but closer to the community are [=PakoStevens=] (Paulo Garcia, a Lead Designer at NRS also going by the name of "colt") and [=LoverOfTacos=] (another NRS employee)
* DarkerAndEdgier:
** The game takes place in an AfterTheEnd setting, long after many of the heroes of [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 the previous game]] have died. In a literal sense, the game's palette is a lot darker and [[RealIsBrown less colorful]] than before, with extra emphasis being placed on the blood and gore that occurs in a fight.
** Several stages lend credence to this: the Destroyed City level shows, well, a completely destroyed city, with crumbling buildings, abandoned vehicles, and even a crashed airplane in the background. Meanwhile, the Refugee Kamp, set in the titular area from Earthrealm, wouldn't be too out of place in a warzone. The comics also indicate that similar scenarios are taking place in Outworld, with the civil war tearing it apart.
* DeadpanSnarker: [[TheStoic Erron Black]], based on pre-fight dialogue. Some examples:
-->'''Jacqui Briggs:''' I really don't like you.
-->'''Erron Black:''' I really don't care.\\
\\
'''Kotal Kahn:''' You challenge me?!\\
'''Erron Black:''' That seems to be the case.\\
\\
'''Raiden:''' You would oppose a god?\\
'''Erron Black:''' If the money were good enough.
* DefeatedAndTrophified: When Predator wins a match and no fatality is performed, he rips off the defeated's skull and spine and puts them in a trophy room with other creatures' skulls.
* DemotedToExtra: Rain, Sindel and Baraka, who all become AI-controlled opponents exclusive to Story Mode. Tanya was originally among these characters, but DLC promoted her back to playable status.
* DependingOnTheArtist: Characters like D'Vorah and Reptile have [[AlienBlood odd-coloured blood]] in the game, but not in the comics.
* DialogueTree: Similar to some other fighting games, the dialogues prior to a fight are unique for each matchup and the characters talk back and forth to each other, as the [[Quotes/MortalKombatX Quotes page]] shows. They always follow the same structure: quip-retort-rejoinder. Unless non-speaking characters, like [[TheSpeechless Jason]] or Predator, are involved.
* DoubleMeaningTitle: The "X" in ''Mortal Kombat X'' refers to the Roman numeral (this being the tenth entry in the main series) and "next", in both the sense of the game's availability on next generation consoles and, as one of the time periods shown in the story is set in the future, the next generation of kombatants.
* DoubleTake: Johnny Cage does one while looking at his cell phone at the "character select" screen.
* DownloadableContent:
** The game has the following downloadable characters: [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Tanya]], [[VideoGame/MortalKombatSpecialForces Tremor]], [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Bo' Rai Cho]], Tri-Borg, [[Franchise/Fridaythe13th Jason Voorhees]], [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]], [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Alien/Xenomorph]], and [[Franchise/{{Predator}} Predator]].
** There are multiple costume and fatality packs.
* DramaticSpineInjury: X-Ray Moves are powerful, cinematic moves which gruesomely display the victim's internal injuries. A recurring animation involves spines being shattered, such as Kenshi doing so by stabbing his opponent with his sword, or Takeda forcefully kicking his enemy's back.
* [[invoked]]DudeNotFunny:
** Encapsulated in this interaction between Kenshi and Kano, which references him leaving Takeda.
---> '''Kenshi''': You're a scoundrel!\\
'''Kano''': Says the [[ParentalAbandonment deadbeat dad]]!\\
'''Kenshi''': Even for ''you'', that was low.
** This exchange between Kano and Raiden, considering the latter's actions in ''9''. Since it's ''[[{{Jerkass}} Kano]]'', this was likely [[IntendedAudienceReaction very intentional]].
---> '''Kano:''' Hmm, the big cheese...\\
'''Raiden:''' This day will not end well for you...\\
'''Kano:''' *spits* '''Get your crystal ball fixed!'''
** This exchange between resident {{Jerkass}} Kung Jin and Scorpion, considering the latter's history as well:
--->'''Scorpion:''' You are nothing but a thief.\\
'''Kung Jin:''' '''At least I have a family.'''\\
'''Scorpion:''' Do not provoke me!
** Kung Jin, in general, seems to revel at making light out of sensitive topics for the lulz. Notice him taunt Jacqui with "zombie dad" whenever Jax is brought up, despite the fact that it's clearly upsetting her.
* DysfunctionJunction:
** The Cages. Dear GOD the Cages. After getting together and having a daughter, Johnny and Sonya split because [[DrillSergeantNasty she was 24/7 in her military-mode]] (either out of trauma or for other reasons) and didn't show any love to him [[ParentalNeglect or their daughter Cassie]]; Sonya treats Cassie less like a daughter that needs love and more like a soldier to [[TrainingFromHell train to fit increidibly high standards]] and even Johnny isn't [[BumblingDad that great of a father/teacher to Cassie either]]. And that's just from the story mode. In kombat, both Johnny and Cassie have lots of [[HeroicComedicSociopath dark, twisted humor (if their fatalities are any indication)]]; all three members of their family are more than capable of [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beating the living tar out of each other and break each other's bones for fun or training]] or even [[MurderInTheFamily kill each other in horrifying ways]] and, if Cassie's MirrorMatch dialogue is to be believed, she actually has [[AlwaysIdenticalTwins a twin sister]] that the family's either trying to hide or that takes her place from time to time (and, you guessed it, [[EvilTwin can attack and kill her family without any remorse as well]]).
** The Briggs family isn't much better. Jax still suffers from PTSD and trauma from his DemonicPossession and [[MyGreatestFailure blames himself for that]]; Jacqui also might suffer from PTSD due to her military missions (and thinks her father rejects her) and, once again, in kombat they're more than ok with beating each other to a pulp and killing each other.
* EvenEvilHasStandards:
** Normally, characters don't have many standards, like [[SexIsViolence Mileena]] and [[GodIsEvil any of the gods, save Raiden and Fujin.]] That is, until this game where Kano finds out that [[YourSoulIsMine Shang Tsung]] had not only made many clones of [[MesACrowd Mileena,]] but also Kano himself. Kano's none too happy.
** Some of the match intro dialogues from ''X'' use this trope. D'Vorah says that she finds [[SmugSnake Kano]] 'repulsive.'
* EverybodyLives: The Multiplayer takes place in an AlternateUniverse in which everybody survived Story Mode. A few key differences separate the universes otherwise. Notably, [[spoiler:Scorpion never reconciles with Sub-Zero, Liu Kang is much less resentful towards Raiden, Goro still has his arms, [[EarnYourHappyEnding and most of the revenants have been returned to life]]]]. Moloch is still dead though.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood:
** Triborg, Shinnok and Quan Chi don't understand why Jax, Scorpion (if the player chooses the Hanzo Hasashi skin) and Sub-Zero [[spoiler:chose to embrace their humanity after being [[BackFromTheDead restored to life]].]]
** Unlike many of his fellow revenants, Kung Lao secretly hates being one and wants to find a way to get out of the Netherrealm for good, but couldn't. [[spoiler:But Kung Jin didn't give up hope, comes to his older cousin's aid, and redeems him in both of their arcade endings, enabling Kung Lao's HeroicWillpower to overcome the taint that bound him to the Netherrealm and [[BackFromTheDead escape to rejoin the]] [[HeelFaceTurn side of light]], something which neither Quan Chi nor Shinnok didn't expect. While it may be very hard for a revenant to embrace positive emotions as they were corrupted to the point of extreme hatred, it also shows that HeroicWillpower and familial bonds are things that neither Shinnok nor Quan Chi won't understand, a la [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory3 Lotso the Hugging Bear's assumptions regarding Ken and Barbie]] or [[Franchise/HarryPotter Lord Voldemort's thoughts on Harry Potter and his parents.]]]]
* EvilIsNotAToy: In Jason Voorhees' arcade ending, the revenant menace of ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' catches the attention of the Netherrealm's new ruler, Liu Kang. He offered Jason a plentiful bounty of victims in exchange for his fealty. Jason's response? [[spoiler:He doesn't like this arrangement, and simply [[HoistByHisOwnPetard disembowels Liu Kang and strangles him with his own innards]], as Jason's loyalty lies only with one person: [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas his own mother]].]]
* ExpyCoexistence: Over the course of the series, Kabal and the Cyber Lin Kuei (Cyrax, Sektor, Cyborg Smoke, and--in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''--[[spoiler:Cyber Sub-Zero]]) all drew inspiration from ''Film/ThePredator''. In this game, a Predator was added as a downloadable GuestFighter. Though Kabal only made minor cameos in that game's story (ironically, he was a playable character in the installments [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 preceding]] and [[VideoGame/MortalKombat11 following]] ''MKX''), the cyborgs were all included as playable fighters, combined into one unit named Triborg.
* EXSpecialAttack: Enhanced specials return from ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''.
* EyeScream: There are many examples, including [[KillItWithIce Sub-Zero]], whose X-Ray move and fatality involve the opponent's eyes and icicles (in the latter case, [[AndIMustScream complete with the impaled eyeball detached from the socket and looking around]]), Kung Jin, who shoots arrows in the eyes, then grabs the arrows and smashes you against the ground, and [[SirSwearsALot Cassie Cage]], who [[GroinAttack punches your opponent's nuts]] so hard they '''explode''', then {{Pistol Whip}}s them, ''then'' shoots them in the eyes for good measure. And just like he did in ''Mortal Kombat 9'', Reptile also goes for the eyes in his X-ray. After breaking his opponent's jaw, he pushes his thumbs into their eye sockets until his thumbs break into their skull.
* FastballSpecial: Unless the Lackey variation is chosen, Torr uses Ferra as a projectile in some attacks.
* FictionalSocialNetwork: As part of Cassie Cage's Selfie Fatality, she will dislodge the opponent's jaw and throat, take a picture, and then upload it to social network [[MythologyGag called]] "[[VideoGame/MortalKombatII Friend]][[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 ships]]" in which several characters and some real-life individuals (Ed Boon as "noobde" and Dan Forden as D4n 4den) [[BlackComedy will comment on her selfie pic]].
* FinishingMove: Along with the well-known Fatalities, ''Mortal Kombat X'' also includes Brutalities. They're normal moves done when the opponent is at critical health, which takes the move up to eleven (such as decapitating punches) rather than the [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown brutal beatdowns]] from ''[=UMK3=]'' or the dismemberments from ''Armageddon''.
* FiveSecondForeshadowing: The battle with Shinnok in Klassic tower is the only fight where the announcer will say Round 3 instead of Final round.
* FoodFight: In Outworld Marketplace stage, the wares from the vendor stands can be picked up and used in order to damage the enemy.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: A few arenas have some (most can be better described as "weird" than "funny"). Examples:
** In Quan Chi's Fortress, an incomplete flesh construct periodically rises in the pool of blood behind the two combatants (who are completely oblivious to it).
** Wolves can be seen running through the fog in the background in the Dead Woods.
** In the Destroyed City, refugees can be seen behind the combatants, scourging through the junk. Also, a figure in the background, dressed in a black hood, attempts to fight off vicious dogs.
** In the Refugee Camp, the refugees cheer for the two combatants. Occasionally, a Tarkatan will emerge from the portal instead of another refugee, snarl at the two soldiers guarding it, and be comically gunned down by the turret on a nearby armored vehicle. One of the guards then nonchalantly drags the body away.
* GameplayStorySegregation
** In a cutscene of Story Mode, The Doors for the Jinsei Temple close, in the Sky Temple stage of the very next fight however they are open.
** You can do Scorpion's klassic "Toasty!" fatality even when using the Hanzo Hasashi skin (which basically means Scorpion rips off his ''human'' face).
* GiantSpider: The Krypt features them. You have a split second to react before they attack in the most horribly detailed way from a first person perspective.
* GratuitousJapanese: Scorpion's intro with Takeda where he shouts the phrase "Itami wa kanjiru darou!" [[labelnote:explanation]]Roughly meaning "This may hurt!"[[/labelnote]] at him.
* GrievousHarmWithABody: You can toss several people at the opponent, including an old lady at the Outworld Marketplace, a praying monk at the Sky Temple, and numerous bobbing corpses at The Kove.
* GroinAttack: In one of the flashbacks in story mode, Sonya does this to Quan Chi after fighting him to stop him from turning Johnny Cage into a revenant. Johnny Cage's [[SignatureMove Nut Punch]] is also present, and Cassie inherits her father's penchant for low blows as well.
* GuestFighter:
** Fellow horror icon [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] appears as a DownloadableContent character. His announcement date was also fitting -- he was announced on a Friday the 13th. A second guest character in the form of ''Franchise/{{Predator}}'' also comes over as DLC.
** Two more guest fighters join ''Mortal Kombat X'' through its "Kombat Pack 2": Leatherface from ''Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'' and a Xenomorph[[note]]with Tarkatan DNA, courtesy of Baraka[[/note]] from ''Franchise/{{Alien}}''.
** Additionally, Jax has a DLC "Carl Weathers" costume based on his appearance as Dillon, Dutch's {{jerkass}} teammate from ''Film/{{Predator}}''.
* GuideDangIt:
** The {{Stage Fatalit|y}}ies Added with the XL update. Nowhere in the game are each character's inputs mentioned. You have to either guess them, or look them up online.
** The game has several secret brutalities, including Stage Brutalities, whose requirements are not hinted at. Good luck figuring them out on your own!
* {{Hammerspace}}: Zig-zagged. The game does a good job of incorporating TheLawOfConservationOfDetail-- characters generally wear whatever weapons they use on their person, and said weapons come out of their holsters in real time with certain attacks/idle animations, but items can also sometimes disappear and reappear out of necessity (for example, Jason can throw his machete, at which point it magically reappears in his hands after the move).
* HashtagForLaughs: One of Johnny Cage's battle quotes is "[=#YouSuck=]"
* HeelFaceTurn: Kung Lao and Kung Jin's Arcade endings show that [[spoiler:there is still hope for the revenants, but becoming human again is a ''very'' difficult process without Quan Chi alive]].
* HeroicWillpower: [[spoiler:This is shown to be needed for a revenant to become human again without Quan Chi]].
* HitStop: Occurs when certain environmental weapons are used.
* HotterAndSexier:
** Inverted. After the skimpiness of the female fighters' outfits were turned up to eleven in the last game, ''Mortal Kombat X'' dials it back so not all of them are as revealing. Kitana still has a rather {{Stripperific}} outfit, but no skimpier than last time. According to Kombat Kast 3, there is more of an aim towards realism this time around and the women's outfits are designed to be more believable female attire.
** Mileena's new character design gives her more human-like lips...bordered by her trademark [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily razor-sharp Tarkatan teeth]].
* ImmaturityInsult: Johnny Cage and Erron Black can have this exchange. Notably ''NOT'' PlayedForLaughs as Erron's final response is clearly meant as venomous contempt.
-->'''Erron Black''': What ill wind blew you here?
-->'''Johnny Cage''': [[HehHehYouSaidX Ha! You said blew!]]
-->'''Erron Black''': ''Child.''
* ImmuneToFlinching: [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] can grant himself temporary Super Armor with certain variations, with the catch being that he cannot jump for the duration and after a while he is left in a vulnerable state.
* IncompatibleOrientation: Kung Jin implies that one of the reasons he didn't feel like he'd measure up to the Shaolin's standards is because he's gay. This pre-fight dialogue makes it a bit more clear:
-->'''Kung Jin:''' You face a Shaolin.\\
'''Tanya:''' Quite a handsome Shaolin.\\
'''Kung Jin:''' Barking up the wrong tree, sister.
* InkSuitActor: As [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syf3xbKrvb8 shown here]], a lot of the characters resemble the voice actors portraying them.
* InsectQueen: D'Vorah, who can command all manner of creepies (like slugs and bees). She herself is part insect, as her compound eyes can attest to, and she keeps her bugs inside her stomach cavity.
* InsultBackfire: Shown in some dialogue exchanges:
-->'''Sonya:''' You're just like your father.\\
'''Cassie Cage:''' I'll take that as a compliment.\\\
'''Takeda:''' Father of All Evil!\\
'''Shinnok:''' You flatter me.
* KneelBeforeZod: One of Kotal Kahn's command throws in his Sun God variation forces the opponent to kneel, while Kahn taunts him/her with "On your knees!"
* KubrickStare: Erron Black has a [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UWHK9tTa2ag/hqdefault.jpg pretty nice one]] going on in his X-Ray attack.
* LamePunReaction:
** The game provides this interaction between Johnny Cage and Triborg.
-->'''Triborg:''' I am Triborg.\\
'''Johnny Cage:''' More like ''Fail''borg.\\
'''Triborg:''' Pun detected. ''Eradicate.''
** There is one between the cages.
-->'''Cassie Cage:''' Cage Match!\\
'''Johnny:''' You ''didn't'' just say that.\\
'''Cassie:''' [[LikeFatherLikeSon I]] ''[[LikeFatherLikeSon am]]'' [[LikeFatherLikeSon your daughter.]]
* LawyerFriendlyCameo: Despite being entitled "Kraken," the Horror Pack's skin for Reptile bears a noticeable physical similarity to the Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon[[note]]A property that Warner Bros definitely does not own.[[/note]]. The fact that Mileena and Ermac's alternate skins are [[Franchise/UniversalHorror a vampire and a mummy]], respectively, more or less confirms the homage.
* LeaveNoSurvivors:
** Predator. Even if he doesn't use a finishing move on you when he wins, he'll still rip off your skull and add it to his trophy collection.
** The Alien abducts its defeated opponents and plants a Chestburster in them.
* LetteredSequel: Played with. ''Mortal Kombat X'' is the tenth mainline game in the series, but the X is always pronounced as the letter. It was also preceded by a [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 title that wasn't numbered]].
* LikesOlderMen: Jacqui admits to finding her best friend Cassie's dad Johnny (yes, ''[[TheFightingNarcissist that]]'' Johnny) Cage attractive, much to Cassie's horror.
* LimitBreak: The super bar from ''9'' returns with the same functions (Enhanced, Breaker, X-Ray).
* LodgedBladeRemoval: One of Jason Voorhees's intros has him removing a stabbed knife out of his own neck.
* MacheteMayhem: Jason Voorhees uses a machete as his primary weapon. He even has the Slasher variation dedicated to it.
* MadeOfIron: As in ''[=MK9=]'', X-Ray attacks lean towards this with the victim receiving injuries that would leave them permanently crippled at the very least, but immediately standing back up and continuing to fight with no visible sign of said injuries as long as his/her health meter isn't completely depleted.
* MadeOfPlasticine: Fatalities lean towards this as even the slightest hit results in the victim suffering severed limbs and the like.
* MagicVersusScience: Initially absent for the {{Film/Predator}}. [[spoiler:His kind have no experience with magic, but in his arcade ending, he gladly uses Shinnok's amulet to upgrade his arsenal with {{Magitek}}]].
* MaleMightFemaleFinesse:
** Inverted with the four-person team in the next generation of fighters introduced here. The team's two female members, Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs (the daughters of the aforementioned Sonya and Jax respectively), are the more physical brawlers while their two male teammates, Takeda (a ninja personally trained by Scorpion) and Kung Jin (the successor of Liu Kang and Kung Lao as a Shaolin martial artist), rely more on speed and skill.
** This is the concept behind Ferra/Torr, two characters that fight as one. Ferra is small and fast, and Torr is huge and powerful.
* {{Mayincatec}}: One of the new characters to be featured is Kotal Kahn, who looks like a straight example of this trope at first glance, but he is an overall faithful representation of [[Myth/AztecMythology Huitzilopochtli]], and his name bears resemblance to Quetzal'''coatl'''. Although in his backstory he actually ends up [[BeenThereShapedHistory playing the role of]] the ''Mayan'' war god, Buluc Chabtan.
* MirrorMatch: Lampshaded and Discussed when they happen. The pre-battle dialogue suggests several different possibilities for the mirrored character, including alternate-universe counterparts, secret twin siblings, copies made by Shang Tsung, or Shang Tsung himself.
* NeckSnap:
** The culmination of Jax's second fatality ends with a Neck Snap... but not after he [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill already ripped out his opponent's ribs and jammed them into their temple]].
** One of the Faction Kills you can get is making the opponent gets possessed by a black cloud and snap their own neck, similar to Quan Chi did in the past game. Appropriately, you can only get this one if you're a member of the Brotherhood of Shadows.
* NeverMessWithGranny: Under the right circumstances, you can get the old lady in the Outworld Marketplace stage to ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJimx41x0c4 punch some poor bastard's face off]].''
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: The game introduced several {{Guest Fighter}}s, all represented faithfully towards their respective franchises, but [[Franchise/{{Alien}} the Xenomorph]] threw a curveball by having the playable alien be a ''Tarkatan''-based hybrid. Not only does it retain the various Xenomorph traits that made it terrifying in its franchise, it also inherits the [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily enormous teeth]] and [[BladeBelowTheShoulder retractable arm blades]] of Tarkatans (specifically [[CompositeCharacter invoking the presently absent Baraka and his moveset]]).
* NoFairCheating: When someone [[RageQuit quits a match online]], [[YourHeadASplode their character's head explodes]], and the other player wins by "Quitality."
* NostalgiaLevel: After two canonical games full of nostalgia-based arenas (a canonical DreamMatchGame and a ContinuityReboot), we finally get a game with plenty of new arenas. However, that doesn't mean that some arenas didn't return for this game, as we get [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance the Lin Kuei Palace, Quan Chi's Fortress]] and [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Raiden's Sky Temple]]. The [[DownloadableContent Kombat Pack 2]] also brings [[VideoGame/MortalKombat1992 The Pit]].
* NotSoSafeHarbor: The Kove. A lot of shipwrecks can be spotted in the background and even the waterlogged corpses are interactable. Then the stage fatality reveals that there's a ''kraken'' underneath the bridge.
* OhCrap: [[spoiler:Quan Chi's BigNo when he realizes Sonya's going to end her beatdown of him with his balls.]]
* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: Several characters are very willing to remind Raiden that under his wing, nearly all of Earthrealm's warriors were killed.
* OnlyAFleshWound: X-Rays are back, and like the fatalities, are even ''more'' devastating than in ''[=MK9=]''. But the victim still gets up like nothing's wrong after one happens to them.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Cowboy assassin Erron Black. During or before fights, he'll say things like "It's just money/business. Nothing personal," and "I'll stop if you pay me."
* PatchworkKids: Cassie Cage seems to be this to her parents, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. She combines Sonya's military training and weaponry with Cage's Hollywood attitude and flair for the dramatic. She even gets her father's GroinAttack special!
* PistolWhipping:
** Cassie's X-Ray move consists of a GroinAttack, then this trope with both her pistols to both opponents' temples, followed by firing both in his/her face.
** Erron Black has a move where, if you're holding a larger gun such as a rifle, he can use it like a bat on your opponent's face.
* PlayEveryDay: There are daily challenges you can complete for experience, and living towers which change weekly, daily, and hourly for you to fight up.
* PowerCreepPowerSeep: [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] (a fairly tough but untrained and unpowered serial killer with improvised weaponry) really shouldn't stand much of a chance against the supernaturally-skilled and powered cast. Conversely, [[Franchise/{{Alien}} the Xenomorph]]'s acid blood seems to be largely ignored, as it would make the moves in the game that involve HighPressureBlood (which is a lot of them) completely unusable.
* PressXToNotDie:
** If you fail in the QTE with the Krypt monster, he'll take some koins from you.
** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in the story mode, where failures are inconsequential but pulling them off will show very satisfying results.
* PrettyLittleHeadshots: Cassie Cage's Fatality has her draw a pistol, kneecap her enemy, and finish them off with a shot to the forehead (and then stick her chewing gum in the wound), which surprisingly for the series, leaves their head intact (if only for the aforementioned chewing-gum gag). Unsurprisingly, HighPressureBlood is still in effect with this.
* {{Pun}}: Erron Black's intro against Predator has him quip "Papers, please." [[DontExplainTheJoke Because the Predator is an alien.]] Made even more relevant by the fact that Erron Black is from a time in which no one knew about the concept of extraterrestrials.
* QuizzicalTilt: [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]], true to character, does this during one of his [[IdleAnimation idle animations]], as well as at the character select screen, between rounds, and during his Slasher-variation throw.
* RageQuit: Doing this triggers a ''"Quitality,"'' where [[YourHeadASplode your character's head explodes]] on-screen as a punishment.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Team S-F, full stop. You got two Army enlistees - one whose father was a revenant and the other whose parents are divorced, with her mom being their boss - a Shirai Ryu ninja with DaddyIssues in the past, and a gay Shaolin Archer. And to top it off, it was Johnny Cage who had put the team together.
* RapidFireFisticuffs:
** Kung Lao puts his opponent over his knee and rapidly punches their face during his throw. It can be enhanced into a Brutality, adding a few extra punches to knock the opponent's head off.
** Liu Kang's moveset contains many lightning-fast punches as well kicks.
* RejectingTheInheritance: Due to ParentalAbandonment, this is the case with father Kenshi Takahashi and son Takeda Takahashi. [[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou As Kenshi was running undercover missions for the Special Forces]], he had to protect his wife Suchin who, unbeknownst to him, gave birth to Takeda. As such, Kenshi never knew he had a son, only after his cover was blown during a covert ops mission and the Red Dragon told him of such fact, and Takeda resented him for not being there when he needed it, to the point of even rejecting the inheritance of Kenshi's telepathy.
--> '''Takeda:''' ''At least you grew up with people expecting things from you.''\\
'''Jacqui:''' ''I thought you and your dad were best friends.''\\
'''Takeda:''' ''Now. He was a no-show for a long time.''
--> (...)
--> '''Jacqui:''' ''Being the son of a telepath also has its perks.''\\
'''Takeda:''' ''I didn't used to think so.''
--> (...)
--> '''Takeda (to Kenshi):''' ''Ten years. No visits, nothing. You abandoned me... I was eight! My mother had just died! Now you come back; think you can jump right in as the proud dad?! (...) To Hell with you! I am NOT your son!.''
* RevenueEnhancingDevices: Purchases of the Blue Steel Sub-Zero and Krimson Ermac costumes go towards prize pools of [[MediaNotes/FightingGameCommunity various tournaments]] for the game.
* RevolversAreJustBetter: Erron Black wields dual revolvers across all of his variations.
* RiddledAndRattled: The Refugee Kamp's Stage Fatality has the winner uppercutting their opponent before Special Forces gun down the loser while they're held in mid-air from the barrage.
* RuleOfSymbolism: Apart from looking like [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Maleficent]], Shinnok's horned crown is likely to symbolize how he is the Mortal Kombat equivalent of Lucifer, seeing as to how they both fell from grace and banished to a hellish realm (the Netherrealm) and became its ruler (though, in Shinnok's case, he only became the ruler of the Netherrealm after overthrowing the original one, who was ironically named Lucifer).
* SayMyName: Many intros start with one character saying the name of the opponent as they lock eyes.
* SecretCharacter:
** Beating the story mode unlocks Shinnok.
** [[spoiler:You can play as Cyber Sub-Zero by selecting Triborg and quickly pressing up up Triangle/Y]].
* SequelHook: Many arcade endings hint at story possibilities:
** [[spoiler:Mileena]] awakes as several dozen copies of [[spoiler:herself]] from an unseen perpetrator, [[spoiler:who may be Shang Tsung revived.]]
** [[spoiler:Shang Tsung]] returns from the dead after his spirit drains [[spoiler:Ermac]] of his souls.
** [[spoiler:Raiden]] makes [[spoiler:Scorpion and the Shirai Ryu]] defenders of Earthrealm and preemptively attack Outworld. {{Irony}} abounds when [[spoiler:Kotal]] invokes Mortal Kombat to defend Outworld.
** A string of endings have [[spoiler:Jax]] die at [[spoiler:Erron's bullet]], while [[spoiler:Sonya]] has a dream that [[spoiler:Kano]] forced her to chose between [[spoiler:Jax and Cassie]].
** Kitana's ending has [[spoiler:Jade possessed by the spirit in her ending in ''9'' show her a vision of the unaltered timeline where she defeated Shao Kahn.]]
** Kung Lao and Kung Jin [[spoiler:meet and Jin seeks to redeem Lao in spite of his revenant state, also providing a nifty HandWave incase ''Creator/NetherrealmStudios'' decides they want to restore the revenants to human.]]
** Jacqui's ending [[spoiler: has her stealing some sort of mystical skull from Kotal Kahn and takes it to the Special Forces for study.]]
* SerialEscalation: The X-Ray attacks in''[=MK9=]'' were very brutal and many would be pretty crippling, but most could be potentially survived. in ''MKX'', many of them would be completely fatal, with a shockingly large amount involving outright stabbing or shooting the opponent in the face. But just like ''[=MK9=]'', opponents will get back up without any issue as long as the blow doesn't completely deplete their health.
* SexIsViolence: [[AxCrazy Mileena]]. When she's not laying down the threats, she's ''embracing'' them with all the gusto of a hungry she-wolf. As this lovely exchange with Sub-Zero can attest:
-->'''Subs:''' You will know the sting of winter.\\
'''Mileena:''' Come, let me [[DoubleEntendre warm]] you...
* ShipTease: Pre-match dialogue indicates that Mileena and Tanya are, if not in a relationship, then engaged in a fling with each other. Tremor even calls Tanya Mileena's concubine. Johnny Cage also implies that Mileena has had sex with Baraka.
* ShowsDamage: [[DownplayedTrope Not quite to the extent of]] ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', but still present. The battle damage is more in line to the actual damage being inflicted in terms of injury and positioning, and different stages will also leave sand, water, mud, etc. on the player models.
* ShownTheirWork: NRS did an extensive research while designing Kotal Khan, making him quite possibly the most accurate depiction of an aztec god (''[[Myth/AztecMythology Huitzilopochtli]]'') in western media to date.
* SorryImGay: The newly-introduced Kung Jin has [[ChickMagnet a surprisingly staggering amount of female admirers]], but he rejects them partly because he's a ChasteHero, partly because some of them are ''villains'', and [[IncompatibleOrientation partly because... well...]]
-->'''Kung Jin''': You face a Shaolin.\\
'''Tanya''': [[VillainousCrush Quite a]] ''[[VillainousCrush handsome]]'' [[VillainousCrush Shaolin]].\\
'''Kung Jin''': Barking up the wrong tree, sister.
* SpinOffspring: Cassie Cage, to Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, Takashi Takeda to Kenshi and Jacqui Briggs to Jax. Kung Jin is this to Kung Lao to an extent, being a descendant instead of his child.
* SquashedFlat: One of Ferra/Torr's Brutalities has Torr roll over the opponent, [[BloodyHilarious humorously]] flattening them this way.
* SuddenlyVoiced: Reptile actually speaks this time, unlike the previous game where he just grunted and/or hissed.
* SwissCheeseSecurity: Shinnok's Amulet is stated to be heavily guarded by both the Special Forces and Shaolin, and yet Mileena was somehow able to steal it and use it against Kotal Kahn without ''anyone'' in Earthrealm noticing.
* SwordAndGun: Erron Black's Outlaw variation gives him a CoolSword created from a blade ripped out of a Tarkatan's arm in addition to his revolvers.
* {{Tagline}}: "Who's next?"
* TamerAndChaster: In this game, where female characters (most notably Kitana) wear clothes that cover more that previous entries as the design team strive for outfits that were more realistic while still appealing.
* TeleportSpam:
** Raiden as par for the course. But this time, one of his three new fighting styles ("Displacer") is awesomely devoted to this trope. Also, a Brutality of his is a delayed TeleFrag on the victim.
** Scorpion also has "Teleport" in all variations, Mileena has a variation that teleports
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Fatalities in this game are often excessive and go far beyond simply just killing the enemy.
* ThirdPersonPerson: [[InsectQueen D'Vorah]] refers to herself as "This One" instead of me, I, or D'Vorah.
* TimePassageBeard: All returning human male characters, with the exceptions of Liu Kang and Johnny Cage grew beards in the time skip, or in Kano's case, grew it out longer. [[spoiler:Kung Lao's, however, is non-canon]]. [[DoubleSubversion Raiden also gets one, though only as part of his Future skin]].
* TokenWholesome: Subverted. It was assumed that Cassie Cage was going to be this after her reveal, but with the reduction of HotterAndSexier, several women wear significantly less revealing clothing. Cassie Cage, Sonya Blade, and Jacqui Briggs all wear wholesome uniforms, thus eliminating the "token" factor.
* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: In a tower with random modifiers, dragon challenges can often end up impossible to successfully do. An example is being asked to do 7 uppercuts, which becomes impossible with the "No Turtling" modifier on.
* UnskilledButStrong:
** [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]]. He doesn't have the [[ArtisticLicenseMartialArts colorful]] martial arts and [[KungFuWizard magical power]] of the other kombatants. Just simply incredible amounts of raw power and endurance. With a temporary special, he's even able to ''[[ImmuneToFlinching march]] [[TheJuggernaut through]]'' the attacks of gods and demons.
** [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]]. He is seven feet tall, [[StoutStrength freakishly strong]], and can swing a {{chainsaw|Good}} around like it's nothing. And that's pretty much what he does; few combos, just hard-hitting, wild, brutal attacks.
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight:
** Just like the background characters of ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', the people of the Outworld Marketplace seem to completely ignore the bloody brawl occuring just a few feet away, to the point where an old lady is close enough to be grabbed and thrown... again, to the complete ambivalence of the market at large. Then again, [[CrapsackWorld it is Outworld]], they're probably used to it by now.
** Zigzagged with the Refugee Kamp stage. There are some background characters who don't seem to care at all, while others are actively watching the bout and responding enthusiastically.
* VersionExclusiveContent: The mobile versions (Android and iOS) included extra characters (Baraka, Jade, Shao Kahn, and GuestFighter Freddy Krueger) not available on consoles, exclusive alternate skins, and extra playing modes.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: OK, so this is ''Mortal Kombat'' we're talking about, i.e. gruesomely killing your opponent is nothing new, but this is more present here than in any other game of the series, as you can have parents and children casually mutilating each other. And it's not like they have a dysfunctional relationship (except Takeda and Kenshi - but even this one's resolved relatively quickly - and Cassie and Sonya - who don't even hold any animosity towards each other).
* VillainTeleportation: [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] weaponizes this trope in his "Relentless" variation, disappearing in a foggy mist and reappearing behind his opponent.
* VisibleInvisibility: Reptile's "Deceptive" variation gives him the ability to go invisible, but with some distortion. However, he can use some meter to make him completely transparent.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: Bo' Rai Cho's second fatality entails him forcing his opponent to drink his GargleBlaster and making them puke their guts out...''[[LiteralMetaphor literally]]''.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: In his arcade ending: [[spoiler:Bo'Rai Cho ends his friendship with Raiden after learning about [[FallenHero the corrupted god's]] unprovoked attack on Outworld, training Outworld warriors to oppose him.]]
* WheelOfPain: Some large huminoid creatures are shown pushing a wheel of pain in the Outworld Market stage. There are even slavers cracking whips at them.
* WhipSword: Takahashi Takeda. His suit is fitted with gauntlets that house retractable bladed whips capable of severing arms in a single stroke. They can be electrified to deal further damage and also double as grappling hooks.
* AWizardDidIt: Most of the MirrorMatch banter basically says "Shang Tsung made a clone/disguise, now stop having an existential crisis and fight".
* XMakesAnythingCool: A variation. The title is not pronounced "''Mortal Kombat Ten''", but rather "''Mortal Kombat Ex''". However "X" also still means "ten" in this case.
* XRayOfPain: The X-Ray attack is a LimitBreak that is activated once the super bar is full. It shows how each key hit damages an internal organ.
* XRaySparks: Raiden's more powerful electrical attacks (and Triborg Smoke's electrical attacks) will briefly turn the opponent into a light blue glowing skeleton. Raiden's second fatality (where he jams a pole through the opponent's mouth and summons lightning to the pole) will make the opponent's bones glow from the inside, so you can very clearly see the opponent's skeleton as they wriggle before returning to normal (although they are now dead).
* XtremeKoolLetterz: As per the series norm. Initially averted with the "Cove" stage, later renamed to "Kove" in subsequent demos. "Krossroads" and "Refugee Kamp" likewise got "korrected" spelling in later builds after their initial reveals. In fact this game probably has the most indulgent use of the "k-as-a-hard-c" the series has seen in quite some time. The move lists will even make use of this trend (like calling the uppercut the "Upper-Kut").
* YouAreNotReady: Word for word one of Kung Lao's lines, in a match up against Kung Jin.
-->'''Kung Lao''': You provoke me?\\
'''Kung Jin''': Just want to test myself against you.\\
'''Kung Lao''': You are not ready.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: The game introduces Takeda, who has a variation that also plays with this trope. This is justified, as Scorpion was his adoptive father and trainer for a good chunk of his life.
* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: Sub-Zero inverts this trope in his pre-battle dialogue against Shinnok, who would rather see the former enslaved as an undead.
-->'''Shinnok:''' Humanity does not suit you.\\
'''Sub-Zero:''' I am glad you disapprove.
* YourHeadASplode: Happens to a player [[AntiRageQuitting when they quit an online match]].
--> "QUITALITY."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tropes related to the Story Mode and the prequel comics]]
* AllCrimesAreEqual: Steal food in Outworld? Execution is the punishment. Keep justice from being served to said thief? Execution is the punishment. Cassie even lampshades this.
-->'''Cassie:''' I'm sensing a theme...
* AllThereInTheManual: The prequel comic series fleshes out some of the things that happened in the 25-year interregnum between the previous game and this one, such as the Outworld Civil War and the fate of certain characters. While some chapters do have flashbacks, they only explain a few things such as [[spoiler:how Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Jax came back to life]], thus making the comics a HowWeGotHere to the game.
* AmicableExes: Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade wed some time after the ending of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''[='=]s Story Mode [[spoiler:as the only two Earthrealm warriors that survived the events of the game]] but prior to the sequel, their relationship fell apart (but not before they had a daughter named Cassie, which is why they try to stay agreeable after their falling out). They patch up their relationship by the end of the game.
* AndIMustScream: Shinnok has this view of being imprisoned in his own amulet, and he intends to return the favor to the one responsible. [[spoiler:He fails and ends up suffering an ''even worse'' case once he's at the mercy of a newly dark Raiden. Raiden uses Shinnok's severed head, clearly still alive and in agony, to make his point about not playing nice anymore.]]
* AnyoneCanDie: Between the comics and Story Mode, much like the previous game, this one isn't shy about killing characters off.
* AppealToFamilialWisdom: In issue #5, Cassie Cage is locked in a deathmatch against Frost, who dominates her. After Frost's EvilGloating, Cassie begins her HeroicSecondWind saying ''"Hate to disappoint you, [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsa]], but like my 'rich daddy' says, 'you can't fake a comeback'!"''.
* ArcVillain: Kano serves as a villain for a small portion of the story, as an ally to Mileena. He's [[LaserGuidedKarma finally arrested by the Special Forces]] before the halfway point, after serving as TheRat for Mileena's schemes.
* ArcWords: "There are fates worse than death." It comes up at the beginning, middle, and end of the story, though the first instance is slightly different, Raiden saying that the undead warriors under Quan Chi have lives worse than death.
* ArtifactOfDoom: Shinnok's prized amulet. Various groups seek to use the amulet's power for themselves, but after Shinnok is released from his amulet by Quan Chi, which he then uses it to conquer Earthrealm. [[spoiler:TheStinger of ''MKX'' reveals that after Shinnok was reduced to a mere head, a corrupted Raiden dons it on his chest as a battle trophy.]]
* AwfulTruth: In the flashback at the beginning of Chapter 7, Takeda realizes the reason of why his father Kenshi abandoned him, and left him in Hanzo's charge. It took Hanzo's intervention (and later his father's telepathy showing) to keep him in check.
* BackForTheDead: Some of the returning characters in the comic such as [[spoiler:Hsu Hao, Mavado, Havik, Reiko, and Kintaro]] would've been better served by staying offscreen. In the game itself, the trope applies to [[spoiler:Baraka, Mileena and possibly Bo' Rai Cho]].
* BackFromTheDead:
** Chapter #11 of the prequel comics and the first chapter of the story mode reveal that the Sub-Zero in the game is [[spoiler:Kuai Liang, with his cybernetics being reverted by his time in the Netherrealm]].
** Jax comes back from the dead, [[spoiler:thanks to Raiden's victory over Quan Chi, which also restored Scorpion to Hanzo Hasashi and Sub-Zero to Kuai Liang. Unlike his ex-Netherrealm companions, he]] stays human and has a daughter, Jacqui.
** Kung Lao, Kitana, and Liu Kang return to the game in playable form, [[spoiler:but unfortunately for them, before Raiden could work on anything, Scorpion killed Quan Chi, the one who could work on restoring them, thus they stuck with Shinnok's forces until Shinnok's defeat, and even then they couldn't go back to the living world, so in the end, they settled into ruling the Netherrealm with Liu Kang and Kitana as their Emperor and Empress. However, they still come]] with their human forms for casual, non-story matches, [[spoiler:so this trope can be somewhat invoked like either just an AllJustADream or a WhatIf scenario, if Raiden had enough time to free the three]].
* BattleCouple:
** Subverted with Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. While they did hook up after ''9'' (even married with a kid, as shown with Cassie), they apparently divorce sometime during the 25 years of ''MKX''.
** [[spoiler:In the stinger, it's shown that Liu Kang and Kitana rule as Emperor and Empress of Netherrealm after Shinnok's "demise". Given their garbs, it's not a stretch to think that they kick ass together.]]
* BenevolentDictator: Kotal Kahn is the new emperor of Outworld following the death of [[BigBad Shao Kahn]] and his [[DaddysLittleVillain daughter Mileena]]. Whereas Shao Kahn was an oppressive and brutal EvilOverlord indifferent to the suffering of his people and obsessed with [[EvilColonialist expanding his empire over various different realms]], Kotal prioritizes actually doing his job as a good ruler and defending Outworld's people. Yes, he's not a perfect ruler, prone to making [[FuryFueledFoolishness bad decisions when he's angry]], and he suffers from a severe case of FantasticRacism towards the Tarkatans that drives him to unfairly persecute their entire race, but Kotal is ultimately more [[NobleDemon honourable]] and [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure reasonable]] than Shao Kahn ever was, respecting the rulers of other realms, and being willing to work with them. He even treats ''[[TheChewToy Reptile]]'' kindly! Ultimately, Kotal solidly proves himself a RedeemingReplacement to Shao Kahn by [[spoiler:deciding to AbdicateTheThrone in favour of [[WarriorPrincess Kitana]], who he feels could be an ''even better ruler'' than him.]]
* BigBad: Shinnok, whose rise to power was plotted since the events of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', and now aims to take control of Earthrealm.
* BigDamnHeroes: At the end of Chapter 11, Team SF is surrounded by the outworld soldiers, including Erron Black, Reptile, Ferra/Torr, Ermac and Kotal Kahn. [[spoiler:Then Ferra and Torr and several Outworld soldiers are frozen. Cue the Lin Kuei.]]
* BittersweetEnding: Albeit not as much as the previous game.
** [[spoiler:Quan Chi]] is dead, and [[spoiler:Shinnok]] no longer poses a threat, as [[spoiler:he's been reduced to a severed head]]. However, [[spoiler:every remaining revenant is doomed to be such indefinitely]] because of [[spoiler:Quan Chi's death by Scorpion]]. Although they are now [[spoiler:no longer controlled by Shinnok or Quan Chi, they run the Netherrealm, being unable to return to Edenia or Earthrealm. And if Liu Kang's Ladder ending is to be trusted, they might become a danger to all realms, if Liu Kang really gets the idea of conquering other realms running.]]
** [[spoiler:The Jinsei]] is restored, but the process has corrupted [[spoiler:Raiden]], turning him into [[spoiler:the ruthless persona he was back in ''Deception'', although the danger presented by this Raiden could be what puts Liu Kang's possible ambition into a screeching halt.]] And while the EnemyCivilWar in Outworld is over, with [[spoiler:Mileena, Baraka, and most of the rebels]] either dead, jailed or incapacitated, [[spoiler:Earthrealm has renewed its hostility towards Outworld]], so there is a chance that [[spoiler:Dark Raiden]] will take action quickly and [[spoiler:go on the offensive against other realms (with Outworld topping the hit list), as shown in his Ladder ending. And in Quan Chi's ending, the corrupted thunder god might pose an even ''bigger'' threat to all realms, possibly far worse than the Netherrealm's new rulers Liu Kang and Kitana, if Raiden gets the idea of [[OmnicidalManiac destroying potential threats]] [[TheConqueror to Earthrealm]].]]
* BondVillainStupidity: Upon Shinnok's resurrection, he has most of the heroes unconscious and completely at his mercy, yet lets them live for no discernible reason. This allows Sonya to inform the younger fighters of Shinnok's plan to absorb the Jinsei [[spoiler:which leads to his defeat.]]
* BookEnds: Story mode begins and ends with [[spoiler:a Cage saving a loved one by conjuring green energy, then defeating Shinnok and saving the Jinsei, and Johnny saying that "(Sonya) called me 'Johnny'."]]
* BrainwashResidue: Raiden does manage to restore Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Jax [[BackFromTheDead to life]] after they were turned into minions for Shinnok and Quan Chi in the last game, but they still suffer lingering effects such as PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts of committing evil deeds for the Netherrealm.
* BrokenPedestal: Both the outcome of the previous game's story and the ones here have sapped [[spoiler:the faith Raiden had for the Elder Gods, so he begins to see them as more burden than help, considering they did nothing to stop Shao Kahn or Shinnok, both of whom regarded them as "toothless worms" and spineless cowards. This is clearly evident in TheStinger for ''MKX'', [[PayEvilUntoEvil where he decides to take matters into his own hands]] by reducing Shinnok to a mere living head and [[KnightTemplar using a more hard-line stance]] on defending Earthrealm from external threats.]]
* TheCameo:
** Hsu Hao, Jarek, Tasia, Shao Kahn, Reiko, Mavado, Havik, Kintaro and Sheeva appear in the comics. Daegon is mentioned by a Red Dragon mook in Issue #1 [[spoiler:and later appears in Issue #36]], and King Gorbak (Goro's father and the Shokan king) appears during issues #13 to #21. Gorbak had previously appeared in the [=MKII=] official comic and the Malibu comics line, so for those who don't believe the [=MKII=] comic to be canon due to some inconsistencies, this would make Gorbak a full-on CanonImmigrant to the game's universe.
** [[SuperSmoke Smoke]], [[GasMaskLongcoat Kabal]], [[BlowYouAway Fujin]], [[SuperCop Stryker]], [[LongHairIsFeminine Li Mei]], [[BadassNative Nightwolf]], [[HumanoidAbomination Sareena]], [[AnIcePerson Frost]] and [[{{Acrofatic}} Bo Rai Cho]] appear in the story mode. Additionally, Smoke executes the player's opponent for one of the Lin Kuei's Faction Kills.
** [[TheHighQueen Sindel]], [[MakingASplash Rain]] and [[BladeBelowTheShoulder Baraka]] (and Tanya, [[DownloadableContent if the player hasn't bought her]]) go a step further and are unplayable fightable characters across the Story Mode. Time will tell if they're going to be PromotedToPlayable as DLC like Tanya.
* CanonMarchesOn: This game and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' ignore the tie-in comic book series' events and characterization of the characters, leading to irreconciliable contradictions.
* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: Earthrealm's heroes manage to capture Quan Chi, TheDragon to BigBad Shinnok. However, they don't kill him because they need him to revive the revenants of those who died in the previous game and had yet to be restored. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Scorpion puts RevengeBeforeReason upon learning Quan Chi's complicity in the Shirai Ryu's destruction and kills him, dooming the remaining revenants to stay undead forever.]]
* CatchphraseInterruptus: A variation occurs in the beginning of the story. Scorpion isn't ''interrupted'' when using his old '''"Get over here!"''' catchphrase, but it's not as dramatic as he likely intended it; Johnny Cage catches the spear in mid-air and quips, "Damn, I'm good," before plowing into him.
* TheCavalry: [[spoiler:Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei swoop in just as Cassie and her friends are about to be killed by Kotal Kahn's forces.]]
* ChekhovsGun: In Chapter 1, Shinnok attempts to cast a spell at Sonya with his amulet, taunting "You'll be the first to join me!", but it hits Johnny instead [[spoiler:with no ill-effects thanks to the latter's green energy. We later hear of the amulet's power as Li Mei describes Mileena decimating entire brigades with its power, and finally see what it was meant to do when Shinnok tortures and possibly kills Bo Rai Cho during his attack on Raiden's temple.]]
* ChekhovsSkill: At the end of Chapter 1, Kung Jin mocks Cassie for not being able to summon green energy unlike her father. [[spoiler:At the end of Chapter 12, she manages to do this]].
* CListFodder: A general Rule of Thumb is that characters from Mortal Kombat games after 4 are typically killed, if not already dead, to show how different this new timeline is. Exceptions are Kenshi, who starts off as one of Earthrealm's only three heroes and goes on to have a child; Tremor who finally debuts as a proper playable character; Li Mei, who cameos as a non-kombatant; and Frost who is unplayable but survives the story. Half-averted for ''Armageddon'' kombatants Taven and Daegon, whose story mostly takes place as it did in the last timeline, though only told in Kenshi and Takeda's endings. [[spoiler:[[AccidentalPun Half]], because Daegon [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe felt Sento's bite]] in Kenshi's ending for killing Suchin.]]
* ClusterFBomb: Profanity in ''MKX'' is more common than in any other game. In fact, there's more cursing in this game than virtually the rest of the franchise ''combined''. [[SirSwearsALot Cassie Cage currently holds the honor of cursing more than everyone else]] (including saying "Fuck" more than anyone else does).
* ConspicuouslyLightPatch: A variation. Of the revenant characters, the ones that are fought [[EvilCostumeSwitch have new designs]] while non-playable ones merely have glowing eyes, tron lines and minor battle damage. Most notable in the opening where Kenshi is attacked by Nightwolf, looking almost as he did in ''[=MK9=]'' while Johnny and Sonya take on Jax, who has a whole different set of mechanical arms.
* ContinuityPorn: The comics have plenty of references to and cameos by characters aside from the ones confirmed for being in game, including relatively obscure characters like Tasia from ''Special Forces''.
* ContinuitySnarl:
** The comics show that [[spoiler:Sub-Zero actually ''survived'' Sindel's carnage, and was taken hostage by Quan Chi, where the latter completely destroys his cybernetic body as his sorcery can't affect Sub-Zero's free will as long as he's a cyborg.]] However, the ending of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' ''clearly'' shows [[spoiler: Sub-Zero as an undead revenant serving Quan Chi, in his cybernetic body, to boot.]]
** Ermac appearing in the comic as an ally of ''Mileena'' long after he turned on her in the game is a huge one.
** Tasia gets a brand new costume at the very end of Issue #20....and reverts back to her original one in the next issue after the battle.
** A flashback in the comics shows Hanzo Hasashi being present at the slaughter of the Shirai Ryu at the hands of Quan Chi masquerading as Sub-Zero/Bi-Han. However, ''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero'', which was theoretically still canon as it happened before the time travel at the beginning of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' as well as being referenced in said game, has Scorpion being murdered by the real Bi-Han in a Shaolin Temple while the Shirai Ryu are eradicated by Quan Chi separately (Scorpion even states that if Sub-Zero didn't kill him, he would have been able to protect his family and clan). There are a number of ways this could be explained, but neither the comics nor subsequent games clarify the discrepancies aside from ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' offering that ''Mythologies'' could have been a different timeline (and even then only by association, as this specific snarl isn't mentioned).
* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Shinnok, Elder God of Death who is less imposing than Shao Kahn, but is skilled in sorcery, has been manipulating events behind the scenes, and fights with giant skeletal hands and necromancy. [[spoiler:He also manages to be TheCorrupter, manipulating Raiden, Liu Kang, and Daegon into turning evil]].
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter:
** Cassie Cage from is perhaps the biggest departure in the series. For starters, she is white instead of Asian or black like most of the other protagonists. She is also the first female main protagonist of the games. Throughout story mode [[FightsLikeANormal she doesn't use any supernatural abilities]] until the climactic battle with Shinnok.
** Johnny Cage is given a greater deal of focus as a protagonist. Unlike his more straight-laced predecessors (and [[LikeFatherLikeSon like his daughter]]), he is a humorous character who likes to tell jokes, bringing levity to the otherwise grim and violent narrative of the series. He is also more of a CombatPragmatist who isn't shy about [[GroinAttack hitting below the belt]].
* CreatorCameo: In the flashback of chapter #23 of the comics, it's revealed that Johnny Cage lives in the same building as Netherrealm Studios' Ed Boon and Tyler Lansdown, among others.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder:
** Tanya is a known sufferer, who's known to either betray or intending to betray every master she works for. Tanya is a bit more committed in this game's story, and seems to be on good terms with her boss, Mileena (who is promising that once crowned empress again, she will allow Edenia to return to being a separate realm instead of being tied to Outworld). However, her usual tendencies still exist as in her Arcade Tower ending [[spoiler:she turns Rain over to Kotal Kahn in order to gain mercy and be spared, which she then uses to plot her next move whilst serving Kotal Kahn]].
** D'vorah is initially TheLancer to Outworld's new ruler, Kotal Kahn, who took over the realm after overthrowing Mileena. [[spoiler:She was actually TheMole and EvilGenius for Quan Chi, who entrusted her to get Shinnok's prized amulet, thus making her a DragonWithAnAgenda. And her arcade ending reveals that she even kills Shinnok and steals his power for her own gain by using his corpse as a living incubator for her larvae (turning them into Kytinn-God hybrids loyal to her) and elevate herself as the true queen of Kytinn, obliterating other realms in doing so. This shows that her loyalties lies to no one but herself.]]
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Well, sure, this happens in this franchise a ''lot'', but [[spoiler:Mileena's execution at D'Vorah's hands may have set a new record for sheer sadistic cruelty. (Even Cassie, who witnesses her shove thousands of insects down Mileena's throat which proceed to tear her apart from within, gets sick watching.)]] Johnny references this in the next game.
-->'''D'Vorah''': Why not come closer?\\
'''Johnny Cage''': Ugh, you are not [[spoiler:sucking my face like Mileena's.]]\\
'''D'Vorah''': Johnny Cage, afraid of [[spoiler:a ''kiss'']]?
* CycleOfRevenge: In the comics, [[spoiler:Goro]] kills [[spoiler:Kotal K'etz, Kotal Kahn's father]]. The latter used [[spoiler:a Kamidogu]] to empower himself while pleading it to give him the power to permanently disarm [[spoiler:Goro]]. The next chapter has him do exactly just that, with the added humiliation of [[spoiler:Kotal sparing the prince under Shokan tradition]]. [[spoiler:The Shokan King Gorbak]], upon seeing the state [[spoiler:his son]] is in, sent an army to attack while [[spoiler:the Osh-Tekk's power was compromised]]. By the time of Issue #22 [[spoiler:Gorbak is dead as well and Goro starts a quest for power]].
* ADayInTheLimelight: Just like in ''9'', the Story Mode deals with one character and changes each chapter:
** Chapter 1 is Johnny Cage
** Chapter 2 is Kotal Kahn
** Chapter 3 is Sub-Zero
** Chapter 4 is Kung Jin
** Chapter 5 is Sonya Blade
** Chapter 6 is D'Vorah
** Chapter 7 is Takeda
** Chapter 8 is Jax
** Chapter 9 is Scorpion
** Chapter 10 is Raiden
** Chapter 11 is Jacqui
** Chapter 12 is Cassie Cage
* DecapitationPresentation: At the end of the story, Raiden [[spoiler:after exposure to dark magic brought all of his repressed feelings of anger about Earthrealm constantly being put in danger to the surface]] approaches the new rulers of the Underworld [[spoiler:revenant Liu Kang and Kitana]] and warns them that he is going to take a more proactive approach to keep Earthrealm safe by seeking out and destroying any threat to it. He demonstrates that his threat is not an idle one by tossing [[spoiler:the head of Shinnok, who is ''still alive'' thanks to his immortality]] at their feet.
* TheDeterminator: Jax comes across as this if the player fails certain [=QTEs=] when facing revenant Liu Kang.
* DiscOneFinalBoss: Two examples; first, [[spoiler:Mileena's civil war]] is brought to a decisive halt at the end of Chapter 6 when [[spoiler:she is executed by D'Vorah.]] The plot switches over to the second example; [[spoiler:Quan Chi's]] attempts to [[spoiler:bring back Shinnok]] only extend to the end of Chapter 9, at which point [[spoiler:he is killed by Scorpion and Shinnok, the real BigBad, takes over.]]
* DressCodedForYourConvenience: EvilCostumeSwitch, UndeathlyPallor, VolcanicVeins, GlowingEyesOfDoom and RedEyesTakeWarning apply to the brainwashed revenants. [[spoiler:[[DragonAscendant After becoming the Netherrealm's new rulers]], Liu Kang and Kitana get darker outfits to reflect their role.]]
* EarnYourHappyEnding:
** The case for [[spoiler:the Cage family]]. After witnessing all the dramas they went through since the end of ''9'', [[spoiler:Johnny and Sonya get to the end of the game's events in good terms, and it's implied that Sonya is working in order to reconcile her relationship with both Cassie and Johnny]]. Furthermore, Sonya finally gets justice for [[spoiler:Kano, arresting him for the Special Forces as she had tried to for so long]].
** Also the case for [[spoiler:Cassie's team]]. After all of the events of the game and the comics, they are all safe and sound, [[spoiler:Cassie]] finally manages to get the respect of the entire team, [[spoiler:Kung Jin]] takes several levels down in jerkassness (even respecting the team's leader), and Takeda and Jacqui remain a couple throughout.
** Also the case for the comics, once [[spoiler:Scorpion disposes of Havik and everyone else is restored]] Jax teaches Jacqui how to defend herself with a weapon while the Cage family is reunited again.
* EnemyCivilWar: In the prequel comics, Kotal Kahn is in a civil war against [[spoiler:Mileena]] for Outworld's throne. Kotal Kahn's forces include Ferra, Torr, Erron Black, D'Vorah, and Reptile. [[spoiler:Mileena's forces include Baraka, Tanya and Rain. Goro originally served Kotal Kahn, betrayed him for Mileena, and Reiko speculates that he intends to backstab her to bring Outworld under Shokan rule]]. It finally comes to an end in the game with [[spoiler:Mileena biting the dust]].
--> '''Cassie:''' Why be worried about Outworld? I thought Kotal Kahn respected the Reiko Accords.
--> '''Johnny:''' He does. But he's facing a civil war. The rebels win, those Accords are history.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Mileena looks genuinely saddened as she stands vigil over [[spoiler: Rain as he recovers from being incinerated by Kotal Kahn's sunbeam.]] She even lashes out in rage when [[spoiler:Ermac]] interrupts her having a moment.
* EvilPowerVacuum:
** Several factions in Outworld are attempting to fill the void left after Shao Kahn's defeat in the previous game. Mileena was the Empress of Outworld at first, but Kotal Kahn took the throne from her. [[spoiler:The civil war ends with Mileena biting the dust.]]
** [[spoiler:The ending, along with Liu Kang's Arcade Ladder, implies that this happens to the Netherrealm once Shinnok bites it, so Liu Kang proceeds to beat the crap out of the demons inside, bring order and fill in the vacuum by becoming the ruler, solo in his Arcade end, and in-story, brings in Kitana as his Empress.]]
** [[spoiler:On a bigger note, with Shinnok and [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 Shao Kahn]] out of the picture, Raiden, who CameBackWrong after purifying the Jinsei, has emerged as a new threat to the Elder Gods, if Quan Chi's ending is to be trusted.]]
* EyeScream: [[spoiler:Kotal Kahn]] does this to [[spoiler:Kano]] in the second chapter, if the [[PressXToNotDie QTE]] is inputted.
* FaceHeelTurn:
** Raiden, having been corrupted after cleansing the Jinsei Chamber of Shinnok's influence, [[spoiler:decides to go on a warpath against those realms that have long harmed Earthrealm, using Shinnok's severed but still-alive head to make his point about not playing "Mr.Nice-Guy" anymore to the Netherrealm's new rulers - Liu Kang and Kitana. And his arcade ending indicates that he's set his sights on conquering other realms, with Outworld and the Netherrealm topping the hit list.]]
** [[spoiler:Liu Kang and Kitana also underwent one, deciding that EvilFeelsGood and assuming the Netherrealm's leadership with a glee after Shinnok's demise. Thus, this indicates any sense of the good thunder god, the virtuous Shaolin monk or the just princess of Edenia coming back is gone at this point.]]
** [[spoiler:Averted for Kung Lao. He might look like he 'enjoyed' doing that based on his eagerness to beat up Raiden beforehand, but [[BeingEvilSucks he secretly feels miserable]] if his Arcade End is to be trusted.]]
* FanDisservice: Think Mileena looks pretty with her new lips? [[spoiler:That won't last once D'Vorah [[KissOfDeath executes her]].]]
* FatalFlaw: After being freed from Quan Chi's control and restored to true life as [[spoiler:Hanzo Hasashi once more, Scorpion finally learns the truth about what happened to his clan and his family, and that Quan Chi was responsible for the deaths of the latter. But while Hanzo succeeds in ''finally'' killing Quan Chi, his need for vengeance at any cost ends up dooming everyone who wasn't brought back to stay revenants and unleashing Shinnok back upon Earthrealm again]].
* FateWorseThanDeath:
** [[spoiler:Dark Raiden]] renders [[spoiler:Shinnok to [[AndIMustScream merely a decapitated head and in VERY deep pain]] and implies that he will remain this way]]. Time will tell if this will really stick.
** [[spoiler:Raiden also says this trope word for word throughout the story. He calls the revenants and Shinnok's fate mentioned above]] this trope specifically.
* FictionalGenevaConventions: By the time the events of the story take place, something called the "Reiko Accords" have been signed. Based on the context they were mentioned, it sounds like they were the equivalent of non-aggression pacts between [=EarthRealm=] and other Realms, thus any Realm that signed the Accords agree not to invade [=EarthRealm=].
* FightingYourFriend: Due to most of the Earthrealm warriors dying in the previous game, Quan Chi turned them into [[ReforgedIntoAMinion revenants]]. [[spoiler:Liu Kang, Jax, Kabal, Kitana, Kung Lao, Nightwolf, Sindel, Smoke, Kurtis Stryker, and Sub-Zero are under Quan Chi's control (alongside Scorpion) and you fight them all eventually. Raiden does manage to restore Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Jax [[BackFromTheDead to life]], but Scorpion's RevengeBeforeReason dooms the remaining fallen heroes to stay as revenants.]]
* FinishHim: A unique case involving the potential use of a Fatality in Story Mode (which didn't happen in that of ''9'' nor does it happen in ''11''). D'Vorah is given the go ahead to kill Baraka by Kotal Kahn. While he does not shout the trope name outright, the thumbs-down motion he gives is as good as doing so, and the quick-time prompt that shows up on screen is for one of D'Vorah's in-game Fatalities. In this case, doing so is dependent on the player inputting them in time, though Baraka somehow dies either way.
* FiveRoundsRapid: Count how many times in Story Mode the [=SFs=] fire their assault rifles at evil revenants and gods of other dimensions, then count how many times said gunfire ''actually accomplishes anything''.
* ForWantOfANail: The main story altering change in the rebooted timeline turns out not so much to be Sindel's massacre in ''9'' but Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade forming a relationship, which besides from the obvious of Cassie's existence also caused [[spoiler:Shinnok to be trapped in his amulet for 25 years thanks to Johnny protecting Sonya, resurrecting Jax and the resultant (relative) peace allowed for Jacqui and Takeda to be born and for Kung Jin to be requited to the Shaolin.]]
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: As with ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', alternate costumes represent the same character in different stages, either between the past and present day or whether they're alive or revenants under Quan Chi's control. [[spoiler:Averted for Liu Kang, Kitana & Kung Lao's costumes, which have them as living and aged.]]
* GameplayAndStorySegregation:
** Jacqui Briggs can shoot long-range plasma projectiles in cutscenes, but her High Tech variation (which uses said plasma attacks) only allows for close-range bursts in gameplay.
** For the first time Johnny (and Cassie) discover their powers and how they work, establishing that [[BerserkButton they activate when a loved one is in danger]]. Those powers, however, were avaliable since [=MK9=] for Johnny and can be used whenever their users want (and [[MurderInTheFamily against whoever they want]]).
* {{Gayngst}}: In a flashback, Kung Jin suffered from severe self-loathing due to having suffered homophobia from his family and feared that the Shaolin temple would not accept him because of his sexuality. Raiden had to snap him out of it, and the Shaolin don't have a problem with it.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: In TheStinger for the story, it's revealed that [[spoiler:[[DarkActionGirl Kitana]] has chosen to become the revenant empress of the Netherrealm, co-ruling it alongside [[FallenHero Liu Kang]] after Shinnok's downfall.]]
* GratuitousJapanese: This game suddenly has Japanese phrases sprinkled throughout story mode here and there including Raiden's incantation [[spoiler:when he purifies the Jinsei at the end of story mode]] and Scorpion's call to his fellow Shirai Ryu assassins when [[spoiler:claiming Quan Chi in order to kill him]].
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler:In Shinnok's arcade ending, the One Being seems to be behind the [[FallenHero fallen]] [[OmnicidalManiac Elder God's]] ambitions to merge all the realms, just as it did with [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 Shao Kahn]] and [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Onaga]] in the past.]]
* HeelFaceDoorSlam: [[spoiler:Scorpion unwittingly does this to the revenant Earthrealmers who are still under Quan Chi's control by killing him.]]
* HeelFaceTurn: Raiden manages to free Scorpion (with a major assist from Kenshi), Sub-Zero, and Jax from Quan Chi's control, and plans to do the same for the rest of the revenant heroes. [[spoiler:However, [[RevengeBeforeReason Scorpion unwittingly dooms the remaining revenants from being revived by killing Quan Chi]], thereby denying Raiden a chance to free them from the necromancer's control.]]
* HonoraryUncle: Cassie calls Jax this way in the comics. Enforced by Sonya, who says Jax "is family". Jacqui in turn considers Sonya an "Aunt".
* HonorBeforeReason: Kotal Kahn, TheEmperor of all Outworld, permits a foreign emissary of no great importance to challenge him in TrialByCombat for the life of a petty thief. His decision to personally participate himself instead of using a champion is questionable, although it may have been a calculated risk given that he's [[RankScalesWithAsskicking an incredibly deadly warrior]]. Less forgivable is that upon losing, he insists that the winner execute him as per ancient tradition, even though he's in the midst of a SuccessionCrisis and his death would give the throne to his hated, psychotic rival. He only survives because his opponent [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou needs him on the throne]] and demands his service instead.
* AHouseDivided: This happens as often as it did in the previous game, but the bad guys are worse; the outland being in a CivilWar between the factions of Mileena and Kotal Kahn. This means two Outworld factions fighting Earthrealm and each other for most of the game.
* IgnoredEpiphany: Scorpion finally learns that Sub-Zero was never meant to be his mortal enemy, that he was framed for the death of his family and clan, and that his fits of rage were uncalled for. So that means Scorpion will finally stop making the poor revenge-driven decisions he's always been doing, right? No, he'll just switch his rage to someone else.
* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: A full battalion of Special Forces soldiers equipped with high-powered machine guns take aim at Quan Chi and his revenants, riding towards them in a straight line on horses. Hundreds of shots are fired. Approximately three hit the targets.
* IronicEcho: At the start of Kotal Kahn's chapter, Kano says that the money offered to him is "S'not worth the dirt on my shoe." After the two have a fight shortly thereafter, Kotal says that Kano isn't worth the dirt on ''his'' shoe.
* KarmaHoudini: Kotal Kahn. [[spoiler:He betrays Earthrealm during a period of cooperation and then attempts to invade Earthrealm later in order to take the amulet by force]]. However his deeds come and go without so much as an acknowledgement by the game's story. [[spoiler:[[KarmaHoudiniWarranty It's implied, however, that the now-corrupted Raiden will hunt him down, if not in retaliation, before he has the chance to strike at Earthrealm again.]]]]
* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: Three of the biggest examples of KarmaHoudini in the franchise ''finally'' expire in this game:
** At the end of Chapter 5, [[spoiler:Kano]] is behind bars, after [[spoiler:threatening Cassie in [[MamaBear Sonya]]'s presence]].
** At the end of Chapter 9, [[spoiler:Quan Chi]] is decapitated by [[spoiler:Scorpion]].
** At the end of the final chapter, [[spoiler:Shinnok is defeated by Cassie Cage, and TheStinger shows that he was decapitated by Raiden, effectively condemning him to a FateWorseThanDeath.]]
* KilledOffForReal:
** [[spoiler:Baraka and Mileena]] bite it by [[spoiler:D'Vorah]], [[spoiler:Quan Chi]] is decapitated by [[spoiler:Scorpion]]. [[spoiler:Sektor]] is killed by [[spoiler:Sub-Zero]] offscreen, though [[spoiler:his head and memories]] are left intact. Erron Black also states that he killed off [[spoiler:Kobra]] as well, in pre-match dialog against Kano.
** The comic itself is adding to this body count, by killing off [[spoiler: Hsu Hao, Mavado, King Gorbak, Reiko, Kintaro, Moloch, and Drahmin.]] The one character that seemed to avert this trope at first is [[spoiler:Havik]], who survived [[spoiler:having his head torn off by Scorpion]] and wound up as an example of AndIMustScream....[[spoiler:until Quan Chi [[YouHaveFailedMe executes him for his failure]] in the following issue.]]
** A complete list of everyone who has been killed can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OcSA-RAzOk here.]]
* LateArrivalSpoiler:
** People who didn't play [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 the past game's story mode]] should be aware that the story mode for this one spoils that [[spoiler:several characters died and became evil revenants]]. Other spoileriffic mentions are Kung Lao being murdered by Shao Kahn, Liu Kang being accidentally killed by Raiden and Jax losing his arms to Ermac.
** Also, the intro narration refers to the events which took place in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero'', the only one of the early games still deemed canon for this timeline.
* LighterAndSofter: The storyline at least, while still being BloodierAndGorier than its predecessor, Earthrealm being devastated by the Netherrealm War, and [[spoiler:Liu Kang and others are still undead]]. Jax, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero [[spoiler:are BackFromTheDead with the latter two reconciling with one another, all the remaining non-Revenant heroes survive, Quan Chi and Mileena are KilledOffForReal, [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty Kano is in Special Forces custody]], and Shinnok is decapitated yet still alive and in ''horrific'' pain.]]
* LonelyAtTheTop: General Sonya Blade commands S-F. Too bad that being MarriedToTheJob cost Sonya her ''actual'' marriage to Johnny Cage and their daughter's resentment.
* LoopholeAbuse: Quan Chi's explanation regarding how he created Scorpion from Hanzo Hasashi's soul after killing Hanzo Hasashi and the rest of the Shirai Ryu clan.
* LostMyAppetite: Cassie Cage says this after witnessing [[spoiler:Mileena's CruelAndUnusualDeath at the hands of D'Vorah]].
-->'''Cassie:''' Well, thanks for that. I know I'll never eat again...
* MarriedToTheJob: This is part of the reason why Johnny and Sonya's relationship is heavily strained. Johnny accuses Sonya of caring about her job more than her own family and how she never spends any time with him or their daughter, Cassie. Sonya retorts that she had responsibilities to uphold (both of them are in the Special Forces tasked with protecting the Earth from Outworld and Netherealm invaders) while Johnny counters that Sonya used to care about her family in the past and he leaves it at that as he walks out.
* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: During Chapter 7, Takeda grapples Ermac and tries to read his mind with his fledgling telepathic powers, only to be overwhelmed by the ManySpiritsInsideOfOne, reeling back and releasing his grip in shock.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:D'Vorah was serving Shinnok behind the scenes all along.]]
* MonsterFromBeyondTheVeil: Several of the heroes who were killed off in [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 the last game]] are brought back as "revenants": [[ReforgedIntoAMinion evil, undead servants]] of necromancer Quan Chi and fallen Elder God [[BigBad Shinnok]]. Granted, some are eventually [[BackFromTheDead restored to life]], [[spoiler:but most of them remain bound to Shinnok due to Scorpion [[KilledOffForReal killing off Quan Chi]] [[RevengeBeforeReason without understanding why he was needed]].]]
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Scorpion. [[spoiler:Hanzo's RevengeBeforeReason outlook causes him to free Quan Chi from Special Forces custody, right when D'Vorah is coming to him to deliver Shinnok's amulet. Hanzo kills Quan Chi, but not before he finishes the incantation that frees Shinnok, putting the disgruntled Elder God in a perfect position to claim all the power of Earthrealm. Also, Scorpion killing Quan Chi meant that Quan's other revenants are now forced to stay that way.]]
* NoodleIncident: In the start of Chapter 2, Cassie offhandedly mentions Darfur, Iran and Kurdistan (which is also mentioned by Jacqui in the final chapter), presumably as missions that she and the other Special Forces members took part in.
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat:
** Should the player fail specific [=QTEs=] in Chapter 1, [[spoiler:Johnny Cage gets punctured by Scorpion's spear, and later gets burned ''and'' frozen at the same time by both him and Sub-Zero]]. And there's the posterior fall from [[spoiler:the helicopter]].
** Should the player fail specific [=QTEs=] in Chapter 2, [[spoiler:Kano stabs Kotal with his knife and burns him with his EyeLaser]]. If the player succeeds in the same [=QTEs=], [[spoiler:Kotal breaks Kano's skull and pokes Kano's remaining living eye out. Of course, Kano gets up to fight afterwards with his one good eye intact.]]
** If the player succeeds with the [=QTEs=] Jax will dodge revenant Liu Kang's fireballs, but if the player fails [[spoiler:[[ImplacableMan Jax will be hit but shrug it off and keep walking forward.]]]]
* NoOntologicalInertia:
** Averted in the case of [[spoiler:Quan Chi's revenants of the dead from ''9''. The protagonists even discuss how they need Quan Chi alive to reverse the process and restore their friends, but Scorpion's need for vengeance results in him [[OffWithHisHead offing Quan Chi's head]]. With the necromancer KilledOffForReal, the revenants cannot be restored to life easily.]] Also averted with the attack on Earthrealm in general: Even two years after Shao Kahn's death, Earth is still under attack from Outworld forces.
** Possibly played straight with [[spoiler:Sindel; she no longer seems to have the incredible power granted to her by Shao Kahn that she had in ''9''.]] Justified since it's repeatedly implied that [[spoiler:Shang Tsung's spirit is alive and plotting]] as well as Quan Chi getting weaker (and by extension, his revenants) without Shinnok's aid.
* NotInThisForYourRevolution: All of Mileena's allies. Rain is just setting up a DivideAndConquer scenario, Tanya backs Mileena purely because she isn't as interested in Edenia as Kotal, Kano's in it for money as ever, and [[spoiler: on the other side, D'Vorah was never committed to Kotal's cause]].
* OfficialCoupleOrdealSyndrome: Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, who, after surviving two Mortal Kombat tournaments and Outworld's invasion to Earthrealm, after all is said and done, hook up and even have a daughter, Cassie Cage. Some time during the 20-year TimeSkip between the Story Mode's first and second chapter, they divorce due to job issues, but over the course of the following chapters they gradually reconcile.
* OffWithHisHead: The ending has Raiden present Shinnok's severed head to [[spoiler:new Netherrealm rulers Liu Kang and Kitana]]. The intro to ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' shows how that happened: after repeatedly subjecting the fallen Elder God to ElectricTorture, Raiden manifests a blade made of electricity from his fist and uses it to decapitate Shinnok.
-->'''Raiden:''' ...[[CallBack There are fates worse than death.]]
* OhCrap: Quan Chi gives out a BigNo when he realizes that Sonya intends to crush his balls.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Shinnok's demon form]] ends up being the surprise final boss.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: In TheStinger, it goes both ways. [[spoiler:Netherrealm Emperor and Empress Liu Kang and Kitana do not show any anger or blaming Raiden for their fates when they realized that he's no longer the Thunder God that accidentally got them killed and turned revenants, but instead the ruthless, darker God that is serious in trouncing them in case they do anything funny.]]
* PassingTheTorch: The story mode's theme, with new faces being more in the forefront and old faces either [[spoiler:made stuck into revenants indefinitely (Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana, the remaining [=MK9=] heroes) or killed off (Mileena, Baraka, Sektor)]]. On the whole, the atmosphere is that it is time to move forward into a [[DawnOfAnEra new era]] of kombatants on both the villainous and heroic sides. Better summed up in Johnny's words:
--> ''"You're all here because you deserve to be. You're beautiful and unique snowflakes. (...) Us older folks are gonna retire someday. So it's time for your generation to step up. Shaolin, Shirai Ryu, S-F. Together."''
* PlayTheGameSkipTheStory:
** {{Invoked|Trope}} InvertedTrope by way of an in-game option for skipping fights to progress through the story. There is a limit to how many times you can do this, based on how many "Skip Fight" tokens you have.
** The game also provides this: By default, [[spoiler:Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Kitana]] are in their human forms, with [[spoiler:the men]] getting physically older, but in story mode, they spend all their time as revenants. For those who are disturbed with [[spoiler:their revenant forms]], they can still enjoy their human forms as they play casual games [[spoiler:and treat it like Raiden saved them]] anyway.
* PraetorianGuard: The revenants serve as Quan Chi and Shinnok's EliteMooks, being that they were brainwashed to serve the Netherrealm. Liu Kang and Kitana even willingly became the CoDragons, given their immense hatred of Raiden, [[spoiler:and choosing to become the Netherrealm's new rulers after Shinnok's demise.]]
* PressXToNotDie: Subverted. QuickTimeEvents feature in cutscenes, but failing them doesn't result in a game over; instead, the fight scenes they correspond with change accordingly.
* PrizedPossessionGiveaway: Five years prior to the TimeSkip, Kung Jin intended to steal a valuable treasure his family had offered to Raiden's Temple, as he blamed the Thunder God for the death of Kung Lao (who was his older cousin) in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. After a confrontation with Raiden, the latter convinced him to leave the wrong ways in favor of fighting to protect Earthrealm, and also encouraged him to join the Wu Shi Academy to train. Raiden then lets Kung Jin have Kung Lao's treasure, which further pushed him to the bright side.
* PutOnABus: There is no explanation what happened to Cyrax following ''[=MK9=]'' in-game. The comics show that [[spoiler:the resurrected Sub-Zero implanted a virus that struck the entirety of the cyberized Lin Kuei in order to restore their free will; however, by this time, Sektor had already supplanted the cyberized ninjas with clones with no free will to speak of. Cyrax, being one of the first cyber Lin Kuei, had his humanity restored to him and turned on Sektor. When Sub-Zero killed him, the clones declared Cyrax the new Grandmaster, as he was now the last of the original Cyber Initiative. Cyrax then performed a HeroicSacrifice, self-destructing and taking the entire Cyber Lin Kuei base with him, to allow Sub-Zero to start anew.]]
* RedEyesTakeWarning: As part of their EvilCostumeSwitch and [[ReforgedIntoAMinion subsequent transformation]] into the Netherrealm's PraetorianGuard, the heroes that were killed off at the end of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' and turned into brainwashed revenants by Quan Chi and Shinnok sport reddish-orange eyes.
* RedshirtArmy:
** The comic books have Kotal Kahn's armies being mauled by [[spoiler:Goro and Rain]].
** Any member of the Special Forces which isn't a playable character or someone important to the story also qualifies. For example, Chapter 1 of the Story Mode has eight soldiers in the helicopter accompanying Johnny Cage, Sonya and Kenshi. [[spoiler:Six of them are offed by Scorpion and the remaining two by Sub-Zero.]] However, [[CharacterDevelopment they get better over the course of the story]], even managing to [[spoiler:stop Quan Chi and his revenants from escaping on horseback]]. Lampshaded by Quan Chi, who notes that he's only interested in turning the named characters into revenants; he has no use for mooks.
** The Tarkatans.
*** Kotal Kahn shreds tons of them in Chapter 2. In a flashback in Chapter 10, Raiden, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao plow through a whole army while on a mission to rescue their fellow monks. Lampshaded by D'Vorah.
--->'''D'Vorah''': ''(to Baraka)'' Tarkatans are beaten so easily?
*** Not even [[spoiler:star Tarkatan Baraka]] is safe from this.
*** The comics are even worse for them: when Ferra was telling the story of how she and Torr first met Kotal Kahn, the ones that attempted to enslave the duo got easily slaughtered by the Osh-Tekk. They were eaten afterwards.
** Kotal Kahn's own soldiers aren't much better. In Chapter 11, Cassie and her team wipe out most of Kotal's troops in an ambush.
** Subverted with the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu. The former help their grandmaster Sub-Zero restrain Team SF in Chapter 3 and then [[spoiler:help pull off a BigDamnHeroes scene in Chapter 11]], while the latter are decreased in the comics to only Takeda and Hanzo Hasashi in their sleep, [[spoiler:they seem to have regained their numbers and lead a successful attack on the Refugee Camp and subdue the Special Forces in Chapter 9.]]
* RedSkyTakeWarning: The last part the story has Shinnok absorbing Earthrealm's energy while corrupting it with his own life force. Shinnok's actions change the sky from normal to a deep, bloody red. Only when Shinnok is defeated and Raiden purges the corruption does the sky return to normal.
* ReforgedIntoAMinion: Several of the heroes who were killed off in [[VideoGame/MortalKombat9 the last game]] are revived as [[RevenantZombie undead]] [[BrainwashedAndCrazy minions]] of Quan Chi and [[BigBad Shinnok]]. [[spoiler:Granted, some are eventually [[BackFromTheDead restored to life]], but most of them remain bound to Shinnok due to Scorpion [[KilledOffForReal killing off Quan Chi]] [[RevengeBeforeReason without understanding why he was needed]].]]
* {{Retirony}}: Inverted. Jax spends a decade as an undead revenant before being revived by Raiden and another decade quietly working on his wife's farm, before being convinced to help bring down Quan Chi, to which he succeeds at without injury. [[spoiler:Then immediately played straight in a few characters' endings with him defending the Special Forces from an ambush in one, and in another, shot by an unnamed assassin.]]
* RevenantZombie:
** This is what has become of everyone who died in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', barring Shao Kahn. Raiden managed to turn Jax, Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang), and Scorpion back to human, [[spoiler:but [[RevengeBeforeReason Scorpion killing Quan Chi]] prevents him from restoring the others in the same way.]]
** According to ''MKX'' lore, this is what [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] is.
* RevengeBeforeReason: [[spoiler:Scorpion couldn't care less for letting the other fallen Earthrealm warriors return to life: he's gonna kill Quan Chi for destroying the Shirai-Ryu and his family and manipulating him, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop him.]]
* SavedFromTheirOwnHonor: In the comics we're treated to the aftermath of Scorpion's humanization: turns out that the killings he did for Quan Chi took a heavy toll on him, and was about to commit {{seppuku}} after being turned back into Hanzo, thinking [[DrivenToSuicide he didn't deserve to live]]. Then Kenshi snaps him out of the action, and Hanzo dedicated the rest of his life to rebuild the Shirai Ryu.
* SenselessSacrifice: One such sacrifice happens when [[spoiler:where Raiden does so to purge the Jinsei of Shinnok's taint, but the process has not only corrupted him, it also radically [[FaceHeelTurn changed]] his outlook]] on defending Earthrealm from external threats. After absorbing Shinnok's power and gaining control of the fallen Elder God's amulet, he decides to take a militaristic, "zero-tolerance" stance to defending Earthrealm, starting by launching a surprise invasion of Outworld and swiftly conquering it.]]
* SequelHook: The story mode ends with [[spoiler:the still revenants [[DragonAscendant Liu Kang and Kitana]] [[HellHasNewManagement ruling Netherrealm]]. Dark Raiden vows to go on the offensive to defend Earthrealm.]]
* SeriesContinuityError: There are a number of timeline hiccups and continuity errors between the comic and the game, and even within the game itself.
** Following Shinnok's defeat, the story jumps forward twenty years, though Jax's chapter (within the same general timeframe) has Jax say that it's been twenty-''five'' years since then.
** Johnny Cage's narration at the beginning states that Shao Kahn's defeat at the second tournament occurred two years prior to Shinnok's escape from the Netherrealm. Combined with the twenty years that passed between Shinnok's defeat and the events of the main story, this would put a twenty-two year gap between the two games. However, a flashback in Raiden's chapter indicates that the second tournament occurred '''twenty-five''' years ago (which is in line with what the official summary says). The only logical way to explain this three year discrepancy would be to say that Shinnok's attack on Earth occurred three years after his escape from Netherrealm.
** Kotal Kahn tells Sonya in the comic that (as of the comic events) he has been fighting Mileena for at least ten years. However, the flashback to the initial rebellion against Mileena in-game was only five years prior.
** Treading the line between these and AdaptationNameChange, the comics say Scorpion's wife and son were named Kana and Jubei, but the game has Scorpion refer them as Harumi and Satoshi. The comic also shows that Hanzo's wife and son were killed by being frozen in ice, despite the previous game establishing that Bi-Han killed them with a sword.
** Confusing things even more, Issue 21 of the comic shows Ermac to still be on Mileena's side after Kotal's coup. This is despite the fact that D'Vorah's flashback in the game has Ermac [[HeelFaceTurn switching sides]] during the coup. [[spoiler: This was later rectified, since the comics has shown him having turned on Mileena after Havik got his head ripped off, because he believes that Outworld needs proven leadership.]]
** Finally, in Chapter 4 of the game, Kotal Kahn tells the Special Forces that [[spoiler:Outworld had no saying about where Shinnok's amulet should be kept]], then comes Issue #33 of the comics, where [[spoiler:Raiden gives Kotal Kahn the choice to keep the amulet, which he refuses as Outworld was in the middle of a civil war]].
* ShootingLessonsFromYourParents: The prequel comic implies this was the case for Jacqui Briggs after her and Cassie's ordeal through Outworld. With Jax giving her a handgun at the end and promising her to teach her how to use it.
* ShutUpHannibal:
** [[spoiler:Scorpion cold-cocks Quan Chi with a rigid backhand when the sorcerer tries to smooth things over with the man whose family he killed and whom he manipulated into being his servant.]]
** [[spoiler:Quan Chi doesn't finish his opening sentence before Jax [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom uppercuts him into a wall]], knocking him out.]]
* {{Squick}}: InUniverse, this is Cassie's reaction to [[spoiler:D'vorah's execution of]] Mileena.
-->'''Cassie:''' Well, thanks for that. I know I'll never eat again.
* SpectatorCasualty: You can throw audience members at the opponent, killing them.
* TheStinger: See SequelHook above.
* TheSlowWalk: When Kotal Kahn [[spoiler:invades Earthrealm at the game's climax, when he orders his army to go after Cassie's squad, Ermac and Erron Black both walk forward slowly in contrast to everyone else charging forward]].
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Scorpion would still have [[spoiler:doomed the revenants]], but [[spoiler:Shinnok]] would have been foiled had [[spoiler:Quan Chi]] not had the magical ability to say an entire incantation in the span of time it took an amulet to be thrown his way. The scene is in slow motion, but his talking is clearly not slowed down nearly as much as the ninja's sword, which doesn't touch him at all until the slow motion ends, at which point it instantly [[spoiler:decapitates him]].
* TokenMinority: Inverted with Cassie's squad. In a group composed of two Asians (one of them gay), and two women (one of them black), only Cassie is white.
* TogetherInDeath: [[spoiler:One small upside of Raiden being unable to save most of those slain in the previous game is that it solved the problem with Liu Kang and Kitana's relationship and they can be together at last. And they seem okay with it for the most part. Unfortunately, in one part of the Story Mode, Sindel takes this concept far too literally; when Cassie calls her out for what she did last time, Sindel scoffs, telling her that her allies are "bonded in death" and that Cassie will be joining them.]]
* TookALevelInJerkass:
** Sonya, after the time skip, acts very coldly toward her ex-husband and daughter.
** ''Damn near everybody'' with the pre-fight dialogue. The returning characters have something nasty (or at least snarky) to say to one another before every fight, with VERY few exceptions.
* TrailersAlwaysSpoil:
** The announcement trailer reveals [[spoiler:Sub-Zero]]. And not only that, but [[spoiler:''human'' Sub-Zero]], freely spoiling the fact that [[spoiler:Sub-Zero not only survives being a revenant, but is also rebuilt as a human after being killed as a cyborg]] at the end of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''.
** The first 12 issues of the comics[[note]]Issue 13 onwards were released after the game[[/note]] also spoil, among other things, [[spoiler:Scorpion coming back as a human]].
** The Launch Trailer shows [[spoiler:Shinnok]], shown in several previews to be [[spoiler:sealed away in the first chapter]], no longer imprisoned and [[spoiler:poisoning the Jinsei Chamber]].
* WellDoneSonGuy: Each of the four members of the squad under Johnny's command have a lot to live up to. Better resumed in this dialogue from the intermission between Chapters 6 and 7:
-->'''Cassie:''' Well, if they don't kill us, my mother will. Me, at least.\\
'''Takeda:''' Tough being the general's daughter?\\
'''Cassie:''' You have no idea.\\
'''Kung Jin:''' I do. My great-whatever grandfather took down Shang Tsung. Saved Earthrealm. How often do you think that comes up to family gatherings?\\
'''Cassie:''' That was six-hundred years ago.\\
'''Kung Jin:''' And yet, you'd think it happened yesterday.\\
'''Jacqui:''' No pressure there.\\
'''Cassie:''' I've trained all my life... can fight my way out of nearly anything... But still I feel like a second-rate Cage.\\
'''Takeda:''' At least you grew up with people expecting things from you.\\
'''Jacqui:''' I thought you and your dad were best friends.\\
'''Takeda:''' Now. He was a no-show for a long time.\\
'''Jacqui:''' I can relate.\\
'''Kung Jin:''' What was that like growing up? Having an ex-revenant father? (...) Couldn't have been easy.\\
'''Jacqui:''' He was just a bit overprotective. When I joined S-F, Mr. Cage insisted on being the one to tell my dad. He thought it'd go smoother.\\
'''Cassie:''' I'll never forget that day. My dad came home with a broken jaw.\\
(...)\\
'''Jacqui:''' Being the son of a telepath also has its perks.\\
'''Takeda:''' I didn't used to think so.
* WhamEpisode: Near the end of Chapter 9, [[spoiler:Scorpion kills off Quan Chi for good, but [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom unwittingly dooms several of the fallen heroes to remain as revenants]] because of his RevengeBeforeReason]].
* WhamShot: TheStinger shows the return of [[spoiler:Dark Raiden, supposedly corrupted after cleansing the Jinsei Chamber of Shinnok's influence, and the reveal that the revenants [[DragonAscendant Liu Kang and Kitana]] [[HellHasNewManagement are the new rulers of the Netherrealm]].]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** [[spoiler:Jade]], despite being seen as one of Quan Chi's revenants at the end of ''9'', her only mention in the game is on of Kitana's Variations, Mourning, which uses some of her moves. [[spoiler:Until Kitana's ending shows that Jade is under the control of the being in her ending in 9 probably still forced to return the timeline to normal, where it got better after Raiden died.]]
** Despite the presence of their comrades, [[spoiler:the revenants of Stryker, Kabal, and Nightwolf]] are conspicuously absent from [[spoiler:Shinnok's return]].
** Cyrax and Sheeva receive no mention at all in the game in any form[[note]](Cyrax's fate is explained above; Sheeva had succeeded King Gorbak, Goro's father, as the Queen of the Shokan, and decided to keep her brethren out of the conflict due to the mass slaughter perpetrated by Kotal Kahn's forces in a failed attack on him by the Shokan)[[/note]].
** [[spoiler:Fujin]] shows up in Chapter 1 but isn't seen again. [[spoiler:Jax and Sareena]] also disappear from the plot after Chapter 8, though they may still be [[spoiler:fighting other forces in the Netherrealm.]]
* WhatTheHellHero: Sonya and most of her team give one to [[spoiler:Scorpion for trying to kill Quan Chi off (in single-minded rage, [[RevengeBeforeReason natch]]), because if he dies, the rest of their allies who died in Shao Kahn's invasion won't be restored.]]
* TheWorfEffect: Anyone who played the previous game knew [[StoryBreakerPower how much of a powerful character]] [[spoiler:Sindel]] became. In this game, not only does [[spoiler:she]] not have the same effectiveness at killing people, but [[spoiler:she]] gets beaten by [[spoiler:Jax]], and later [[spoiler:Cassie]]. (Justified, [[spoiler:her]] onslaught was caused by being infused by [[spoiler:the multitude of souls Shang Tsung had kept in her body]], and thus the magic could have been nullified, either through [[spoiler:Sindel's re-death at the hand of Nightwolf's sacrificial play]], or Shao Kahn's death at Raiden's hand.)
* WorfHadTheFlu:
** It's mentioned in-story as well as shown that in the TimeSkip between the Netherrealm War and the present, Quan Chi lost a ''lot'' of power, to the point that he goes from being able to deflect gunshots easily to being stopped by a firing line. This is explained explicitly as a consequence of extended time without [[SealedEvilInACan Shinnok]].
** The revenants come off as cannon fodder in the story mode. If Quan Chi's power loss from Shinnok's absence carries over to his thralls, it may explain why all of the revenants are so easily walloped, [[spoiler:particularly towards the end of the game]].
* WorkingWithTheEx: Sometime during the TimeSkip between the first two chapters, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade married, then divorced, and are still working together. [[TeethClenchedTeamwork Begrudgingly.]] They also have a daughter, Cassandra "Cassie" Cage. [[spoiler:By the end of the game, though, they've upgraded to AmicableExes, and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' shows Johnny and Sonya back together for good.]]
* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: Sonya Blade refers to Johnny Cage by his last name at first, but after he saves her from Shinnok, she calls him by his first name. Some time after, they have a daughter.
-->'''Kenshi''': The war is not over; Quan Chi has escaped. Why are you smiling?\\
'''Johnny Cage''': ...she called me "Johnny"...
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: After [[spoiler:Quan Chi got his head hacked off by Scorpion while freeing Shinnok from his prison. Though Shinnok could have resurrected Quan in a snap, he basically says "sad he didn't live to see this" and keeps it moving. He decided right there he had no more use for Quan. Though, given what everybody know about Quan Chi's character, Shinnok was right to do that.]]
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