History Fanfic / MortalKombatDesperation

Is currently undergoing a [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13464594/1/Mortal-Kombat-Desperation-NEW rewrite]], which has its own [[Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperationNEW tropes page.]]

* MortalKombatDesperation/TropesVToZ

Is currently undergoing a [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13464594/1/Mortal-Kombat-Desperation-NEW rewrite]], which has its own [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperationNEW tropes page.]]

Is currently undergoing a [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13464594/1/Mortal-Kombat-Desperation-NEW rewrite]].

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/11590578/1/Mortal-Kombat-Desperation Mortal Kombat: Desperation]] is a fanfic by [=PinkRedRose2=] about the post-''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' situation, especially with Raiden's corruption and with his vow of not playing nice anymore.

Sometime after [[MortalKombatX beheading Shinnok]], a [[CameBackWrong now-corrupted Raiden]] lives up to his words of destroying outside threats against Earthrealm by launching a surprise invasion of Outworld. This forces a desperate Kotal Kahn to invoke Mortal Kombat and to give his realm a chance to fight back against the rogue Thunder God. Now, [[EnemyMine friends and foes]] alike [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits must work together]] if they are to stop Raiden from [[OmnicidalManiac bringing the same Armageddon]] [[HeroicSacrifice he once sacrificed]] so much to prevent.

* MortalKombatDesperation/TropesVToZ
* AFateWorseThanDeath: Sonya promises this on Kano for his torturing of Cassie, only for the mercenary to reply that Cassie is "a perfect example of that." Prior to that, Raiden promises this on Jacqui and Takeda. Although he was interrupted by Cassie whilst threatening Scorpion, the threat is still there and he reiterates it in Chapter 63.
* [[AbusiveParents Abusive Dad]]: Kano is quite abusive to his son Kevin aka Kano Jr., and there are several instances where he's scaring and beating the crap out of his son as part of the Black Dragon initiation. Several characters find it morally ''appalling'' that Kano would stoop so low to abuse his own son.
** Kira's parents were extremely abusive and even sold her into sexual slavery when she was nine.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny[=/=]ItAmusedMe: Kano and his lieutenants have a laugh at Cassie [[KneelBeforeZod being forced to grovel]] before Raiden.
** Goro also laughed at the deaths of Sheeva's champions.
** Skarlet, Goro, and the Red Dragon soldiers all laugh at watching Daegon punch Kano in the face for mocking him.
** Raiden finds it amusing whether he's torturing Cassie or Kevin (and when Cassie was [[KneelBeforeZod forced to grovel before him]] so he wouldn't torture Kevin), or when he mass-zaps Team S-F, the Lin Kuei and Fujin.
** In chapter 63, Raiden, Shang Tsung, and Hotaru mock Kotal Kahn and his allies' appeal to the Elder Gods to intervene on their behalf. They also mock the brainwashed Shao Kahn.
* ActionDad: Johnny Cage, Kenshi, Jax, Kano, and Scorpion qualify as this.
* ActionMom: Sonya, Sindel, and Delia qualify as this.
* ActionGirl: Pretty much every single female character on both sides in this story.
* AdaptationalVillainy: In the original timeline, though Raiden was an AntiVillain, he was not the BigBad. In this story however, he's the main antagonist.
* AdaptationalSexuality: Mileena and Tanya are confirmed to be [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] in chapter 55.
* AFatherToHisMen: Kotal Kahn is ''royally'' worried about his champions, especially Torr, who has slipped into a coma while his companion Ferra is in a mental breakdown - though in chapter 28, Torr awakes from his coma. Even his other warriors (Ermac, Reptile, Erron Black) are not in good shape, but despite their situation, he still cares about them. Fujin and Liu Kang also qualify, as they are equally worried - Liu Kang knows the Thunder God will target the Netherrealm after destroying Outworld, while Fujin is worried about the mental state of his fellow Earthrealm defenders (especially Johnny Cage and Sonya, whose daughter was kidnapped by Raiden so they wouldn't interfere with his plans). Even Kano counts, as he cares more for his Black Dragon comrades than his own son.
** AMotherToHerMen: Li Mei, Nitara, Sindel, Kitana, Khameleon, and Sheeva quality as this.
* AffablyEvil: Shang Tsung, as he is a seemingly BenevolentBoss to Moloch, Drahmin, Kia, and Jataaka.
* AIIsACrapshoot: Triborg. When he is activated in the 19th Chapter, he immediately grabs Sonya's hand and is tossed around like a ragdoll. He then goes on to [[CurbStompBattle curbstomp everybody]] at the S-F base and nearly takes them down before Fujin intervenes and uses his wind powers to disable Triborg. Sonya later brings in reinforcements, and they mow him down with enough bullets that penetrate his armor and damage his internal circuitry, disabling him; Sonya finally ends him with a [[BoomHeadshot headshot]].
* AmbitionIsEvil: After he CameBackWrong, Raiden intends to merge all the realms in order to "protect" Earthrealm.
* AmbiguouslyEvil: Scorpion, Daegon, Nitara, Kira, Rain, Darrius, and Dairou are this.
* AnArmAndALeg: Well, hands actually. Tasia loses both of hers whilst fighting Kira.
* AndIMustScream: Shujinko experienced this while under Havik's control.
* AntiHero: The revenants, led by Liu Kang. They only ally with Fujin and Kotal Kahn because of what [[OmnicidalManiac Raiden could do to all of the realms.]] Same goes for Scorpion, Kira, Rain, and Frost.
** Even if Liu Kang's no longer the emperor of the Netherrealm, it will take some time for his wounds (and those of his fellow ex-revenants) to heal.
* AntiVillain: Scorpion, as he's more of a NobleTopEnforcer for Raiden and as he objects to Cassie's torture by Kano. [[spoiler:Then Scorpion pulls a HeelFaceTurn.]]
** Liu Kang and the remaining revenants also qualify as this at first.
** Kira, Rain, Darrius, Dairou, and Daegon also count as this.
** Nitara was strong-armed by Raiden into serving him.
* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: This is what Raiden did to Scorpion - the former revenant contemplated suicide to atone for his rashness in Shinnok's revival, but Raiden talks him out of it and subtly [[ManipulativeBastard manipulates]] Scorpion into becoming [[TheDragon his right-hand man]].
** Kano gets two; a general pardon for his past crimes? Good. Kidnap Cassie Cage? Even better.
** For Nitara, it was either side with Raiden in exchange for the chance to defeat Ashrah and keep her people safe or become the Thunder God's enemy and have her people suffer the same fate as his other enemies.
* AntagonisticOffspring: Daegon is this to Delia.
* ArmsDealer: Kano.
* ApocalypseHow:If Raiden does merge the realms, it comes ''dangerously close'' to a Class X-5 or a Class Z - meaning that he's awakening the One Being. Many of Raiden's former allies (and by extension, the Elder Gods) now fear him more than they did with Shinnok and Shao Kahn, considering how he's [[AxCrazy a]] [[TheSociopath deranged]] MadGod with OmnicidalManiac tendencies.
* ArchEnemy: Raiden becomes this to Fujin, the Cage family (Johnny, Sonya and Cassie), Kung Jin, Kenshi, Takeda, Scorpion, Orin, Caro, Shujinko, Jax, Jacqui, Taven, Delia/Jade, Rain, Ruby, Sub-Zero, Frost, Sheeva, Li Mei, Bo' Rai Cho, Kai, Ashrah, Darrius, Dairou, Kira and Sareena. He was already this to Kotal Kahn and his warriors (Erron Black, Ermac/Jerrod, Ferra/Torr and Reptile), and also to the ex-revenants (Liu Kang, Kitana, Sindel, Smoke, Stryker, Nightwolf, and Kabal). They all view him as a heartless, sociopathic and cruel BrokenPedestal after he CameBackWrong.
** Kano is this to the Cage Family, Team S-F, Kabal, Fujin and to his own son Kevin.
** Hotaru becomes [[ItsPersonal this]] to Li Mei, considering that he [[MoralEventHorizon destroyed her village on Raiden's orders]]. He is already this to Darrius.
** Baraka, Tanya, and Mileena are this to Kitana, Sindel, Kotal Kahn, Rain, Jade/Delia, and Ruby.
* ArchnemesisDad: Kevin hates Kano with a burning passion. Cassie actually manages to help him out of his DeathSeeker slump by encouraging him to get revenge against his father.
* [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Arrogant Thunder God]]: Raiden becomes a [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]] JerkassGod following his corruption. Even Jacqui [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this when he announces his plans to kidnap Cassie and invade Outworld.
* ArtificialLimbs: Jax has artificial arms.
** Tasia has artificial hands as of Chapter 34.
* AscendedExtra: Characters who didn't get much focus in the game [[ADayInTheLimelight get whole chapters from their POV]]. Kano's son, mentioned only in Kano's MKX arcade ending, gets a name (Kevin) and is shaping up to be a major character.
* AssholeVictim: Argus. It's hard to feel sorry for him (even if he was killed by his own son) when he admitted to being ashamed of calling Daegon a son moments before Daegon kills him. One also cannot forget his lack of activity in Rain's life. After finding out how his brothers were treated, Taven begins to resent his father and see him as a BrokenPedestal.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority[=/=]FourStarBadass: Sonya Blade, to a T.
* TheAtoner: Scorpion, after realizing that he was being manipulated by [[ManipulativeBastard Raiden]] and after objecting to Kano and Raiden's torture of Cassie and Kevin.
** Liu Kang, Kitana, and the other ex-revenants are horrified as to what they did as revenants.
** Sareena, Frost, Kira, Ashrah, Ruby, and Shujinko count as this.
* AwakeningTheSleepingGiant: For all of his own individual faults and past problems, the fact that Kotal Kahn is pursuing an EnemyMine situation with other realms so they could combine their forces to take down an [[KnightTemplar corrupted]] [[AxCrazy and]] [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] [[HeWhoFightsMonsters god]] who literally wants to [[OmnicidalManiac instigate Armageddon]] just for [[ForTheEvulz his own selfish gains]].
** Say what you want to about Johnny and Sonya, but kidnapping and torturing their daughter all to keep them in check will end bad for all those involved, especially for a certain criminal/arms dealer and a corrupted thunder god.
** When Raiden threatens to do the same thing to Takeda as he did with Cassie, Scorpion realizes that he was being used as a tool by the corrupted thunder god, and pulls a full HeelFaceTurn after objecting to Cassie's and Kevin's torture by Kano and Raiden.
* AwfulTruth: Pretty much the revenants were forced into evil by Quan Chi and are now slowly getting back their old memories. They have since been revived by Jade, and are now regretting and atoning for what they did as revenants.
** How Raiden took advantage of Scorpion's guilt in killing off Quan Chi and manipulated him into doing his dirty work. He's now doing the same thing to Daegon and Nitara by preying on the former's feelings about being TheUnfavorite son of Argus and the latter's desperation to protect her race.
* AxCrazy: The Thunder God slowly becomes [[TheSociopath an insane megalomaniac]] and will brutally torture or kill anybody that crosses him.
** Mileena has shades of this.
* BackFromTheDead: Quan Chi is now working for the Elder Gods, with his free will removed.
** [[spoiler: Shang Tsung]] has returned in Chapter 50. [[spoiler: He also resurrects Mileena, Baraka, Mavado, Havik, Reiko, Kobra, Kia, Jataaka, Drahmin, and Moloch.]]
** Jade is alive, though she's now SharingABody with Delia, Argus's wife as well as Daegon and Taven's mother.
** [[spoiler:The revenants, as they have been revived]] at the end of Chapter 26.
** [[spoiler: Shao Kahn has been resurrected and brainwashed by Shang Tsung to serve Raiden's side.]]
* BadBoss: It's very clear that most of Raiden's underlings — even those who joined his faction just to satisfy their sadism — obey him out of ''sheer'' terror.
* BadassDecay: InvokedTrope. As Tasia found out the hard way, [[AnArmAndALeg Kira is just as dangerous as she was back when she was a member]].
-->'''Kira:''' "[[WhosLaughingNow Well, I just amputated both of your hands with your own weapons, so maybe I haven't gone as soft as you think]]."
* BadassGay[=/=]StraightGay: Kung Jin.
* BadassPrincess[=/=]PoliticallyActivePrincess: Kitana, as Princess of Edenia.
* BadassInCharge: On both sides:
** For Kotal Kahn's side, it's Fujin, Kotal Kahn, and Liu Kang who are taking charge, with Johnny Cage, Sindel, Sonya, Kitana, Reptile, Jax, and Darrius as Lancers.
** For Raiden's side, it's Raiden with Shang Tsung and Hotaru as CoDragons and Daegon, Mavado, Kano, Havik, and Reiko as [[EvilGenius Evil Geniuses]].
* BadassCrew: Kotal Kahn's LaResistance vs. Raiden's LegionOfDoom.
* BadassFamily: There are several examples of this:
** The Cage Family.
** Jax and Jacqui.
** Kung Lao and Kung Jin
** Takeda and Kenshi.
** Kitana and Sindel.
* TheBadGuyWins[=/=]PosthumousCharacter: Though Shinnok doesn't make any appearances in this story, he DOES manage to break his ArchEnemy Raiden by twisting him into something as evil and monstrous as himself.
* TheBaroness: Tanya, Skarlet, Tasia, Mileena, Kia, and Jataaka are of the Sexpot variety.
** D'Vorah is of the Rosa Klebb variety.
** Although Nitara looks like a Sexpot, she's more of a Rosa Klebb.
* BattleCouple: Liu Kang and Kitana, as the Netherrealm's new rulers; though they are eventually rid of their corruption by Jade/Delia, they still kick ass.
** Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade also qualify as this.
** Same applies for Jacqui and Takeda.
** Mileena and Tanya are also this.
** Khameleon and Reptile are implied to be this.
** Seeing as she is his DarkMistress, Skarlet and Daegon also qualify as this.
* BadassGrandpa: Kano, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Jax, Smoke, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Kenshi, Bo' Rai Cho, and Shujinko count as this.
* BadassBisexual [[BadassGay and Lesbian]]: Tanya and Mileena, as both are [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] and [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]].
* BattleInTheRain: In chapter 24.
* BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: Raiden, after his FaceHeelTurn.
* BerserkButton: Raiden doesn't take it lightly when his ex-allies compare him to Shao Kahn and/or Shinnok.
** Tanya does not take kindly to being called a whore by Rain.
** For Tasia, Kira [[ReallyGetsAround calling her a whore]] pisses her off plenty.
* [[BewareTheNiceOnes Beware the Nice and]] [[BewareTheSillyOnes Silly Ones]]: The Cage family, to a T.
* BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous: Hotaru and Havik, respectively.
* BigBad: Raiden, who starts off as an OmnicidalManiac KnightTemplar with a HeWhoFightsMonsters mentality, but [[MoralEventHorizon is placed into evil territory once he electrocutes Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei]] [[YoureInsane for questioning his methods.]]
* BigBadDuumvirate: Raiden forms a Deadly Alliance with Hotaru of all people. In exchange for destroying Outworld, Raiden offers to eliminate Darrius, who's the leader of the Seidan resistance.
* BigBadFriend: Raiden is this to Fujin, Liu Kang and many of his ex-allies.
* BigDamnHeroes:
** When Raiden is about to kidnap Cassie, Team S-F bursts in to her room and tries to prevent the thunder god from taking her away, but fails.
** The gist of Chapter 24, where Fujin leads an assault on the Sky Temple.
** [[spoiler: Jade[=/=]Delia]], upon rescuing Sonya, Cassie, Kira and Kevin.
** The gist of chapter 28, where Kotal Kahn and his allies are defending an assault from the Red Dragon clan.
** Chapter 44, where Delia and Taven try to stop Raiden from manipulating Daegon, but fail to do so.
* BigGood: Kotal Kahn.
* BigGuyLittleGuy[=/=]HugeGuyTinyGirl: Torr is the Big and Huge Guy to Ferra.
* BigNo: Kitana, as Quan Chi kills Jade.
* BigShutUp: The gist of chapter 53, where Raiden orders his minions to shut up or be zapped.
** Raiden's former allies do this in chapter 54, calling him out for his cruelty streak.
* BiTheWay: Mileena and Tanya are confirmed to be [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] in chapter 55.
* BlasphemousBoast: Raiden does this to the Elder Gods in chapter 63. He uses the same line Shao Kahn used before he was defeated by the Elder Gods.
-->'''Raiden''': You were right. [[WhamLine They]] '''[[WhamLine are]]''' [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu toothless worms]]. [[AGodAmI I shall enjoy squashing them.]]\\

** Taven is outraged that the Elder Gods did nothing in response to Raiden's BlasphemousBoast and soon afterwards agrees that the Elder Gods ''are'' toothless worms.
* BloodKnight: Whether it's torturing Cassie or mass-zapping the Lin Kuei, Raiden takes sadistic glee in doing this.
* BlindObedience[=/=]UndyingLoyalty: Baraka has this to Shao Kahn and Mileena.
** Mavado has this to Daegon.
** Skarlet once had this to Shao Kahn, but now has this to Daegon.
* BlindWeaponmaster[=/=]HandicappedBadass: Kenshi to a T.
* BodyguardBetrayal: The Tarkatan horde ''defects'' to Raiden's side ''en masse'' after Mileena reveals that Baraka was killed by D'Vorah on Kotal Kahn's orders.
* BondVillainStupidity: Raiden didn't anticipate the emergence of a big coalition of RagtagBunchOfMisfits to emerge and take him. He also [[MamaBear failed to realize]] [[PapaWolf just how far Cassie's parents will go to rescue their daughter]].
** Scorpion pulls a HeelFaceTurn when he realizes what could happen to his protege Takeda if he dares to [[DefectorFromDecadence defy Raiden]], noticing how the [[TheSociopath thunder god]] [[{{Sadist}} brutally tortures Kevin and Cassie]] AND after realizing he was being used as a tool by [[ManipulativeBastard Raiden]].
* BreakThemByTalking: What Raiden does to Daegon in chapter 44. The evil god manipulates Daegon into believing that his parents favored Taven over him.
** This is what he did to Nitara and Scorpion as well.
* BrokenPedestal: Raiden is seen as this by many of his ex-allies, once he crosses the MoralEventHorizon.
** Daegon is seen as this by Taven, as the former killed off their parents, but he's still struggling to become a RebuiltPedestal.
** In chapter 54, Taven considers the Elder Gods (including Shinnok) and Argus to be this.
** Noob Saibot is seen as this by Sub-Zero, who sees Smoke as a ReplacementSibling.
** Kenshi was this, but is working his way to become a RebuiltPedestal.
** Kevin sees his own father Kano as this.
** Dairou tells Shujinko that Hotaru used to be a good man before his obsession with order and killing Darrius turned him into a villain.
* BrooklynRage: Kevin's background, as he was born in Brooklyn.
* BullyingADragon: Raiden and Kano kidnap Cassie, and now Sonya is hell-bent on killing the thunder god for harming her daughter.
* TheBusCameBack: [[spoiler: Shang Tsung]] has come BackFromTheDead in Chapter 50, and also [[spoiler:revives Mileena, Baraka, Mavado, Havik, Reiko, and Kobra. He also revives Drahmin, Moloch, Kia, Jataaka, and a brainwashed Shao Kahn.]]
* CainAndAbel: Daegon is the Cain to Taven.
** Mileena is the Cain to Kitana and Skarlet.
* CainAndAbelAndSeth: Daegon is the Cain, Taven is the Abel, and Rain is the Seth.
* TheCaligula: Raiden, to a T.
* CallingTheOldManOut: Taven blames Argus for not being there for his brothers Rain and Daegon.
* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: As much as Raiden wants to kill Cassie for [[YouMonster calling him a villain]], he can't. So long as Cassie is still alive then her parents would "behave themselves."
* CantTakeCriticism: Do not compare Raiden to Shao Kahn. This becomes his BerserkButton when Kung Jin mentions this to him. Later on, when Cassie [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out]] for all the things he committed so far, Raiden [[ElectricTorture tortures]] her and Kevin. And when Scorpion disagrees with Raiden and Kano on their treatment of Cassie and Kevin, the mercenary tell-tales this to the thunder god, who then threatens Scorpion that he will do the same thing to Takeda, his protege. This ultimately becomes the catalyst for Scorpion's HeelFaceTurn. When Fujin and Delia/Jade compare him to the Outworld konqueror, Raiden goes nuts.
* CardCarryingVillain: Raiden openly gloats about conquering Outworld, relishes bringing immense pain onto others (especially the Cage family) and wants to control all the realms so he could bring down Armageddon - and it's played very darkly straight.
* TheCharmer: How Raiden manages to manipulate Scorpion, Daegon and Nitara.
* CharacterDepth:
* CharacterDevelopment: Raiden, though starting out as a KnightTemplar and WellIntentionedExtremist is initially much more collected and methodical. But as the plot progresses, he's so angry and insane that he's more than willing to throw his former allies under the bus.
* TheChessmaster: Raiden.
* ChildByRape: Kevin.
* TheConqueror: Raiden intends to conquer Outworld and the Netherrealm in order to "keep" Earthrealm safe.
* ColdBloodedTorture: How Kano, and later Raiden, torture Cassie after kidnapping her. They also do the same to Kevin.
* ColonelBadass: Sonya Blade, to a T.
* CoolShades: Johnny Cage and Darrius.
* TheCorrupter: Raiden takes advantage of Scorpion's and later on, Daegon's and Nitara's emotions by tricking them into becoming his enforcers.
* CurbStompBattle:
** Raiden vs [[spoiler:everyone, literally. He curbstomps everyone who opposes him throughout most of the story proper.]]
** Triborg, at the S-F base.
** Shang Tsung, in chapter 51.
* CryIntoChest: Sonya does this with Johnny in Chapter 17.
* DarthVaderClone: Though he lacks the facial disfigurement or the loss of a wife, Raiden is basically an {{Expy}} of both Anakin and [[VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs Regime Superman]] as he's TheParagon who went to TheDarkSide after his corruption, becomes obsessed with [[KnightTemplar "protecting" Earthrealm at]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist all costs]], amasses his own squadron of stormtroopers and is now at blows with his former allies and friends.
* DarkestHour: The attempted invasion of Outworld by a corrupted Raiden has forced Kotal Kahn to ally with Liu Kang and Fujin in order to take him down and stop him from instigating Armageddon.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Kevin. Loses his mother to a drunk driver, ran away from foster homes, tried to kill himself several times (either by overdosing himself or suicide by cop) before being found by Kano, who proceeds to torture him and try to make a mini-Me of himself.
* DarkChick[=/=]DarkActionGirl: Tanya, D'Vorah, Skarlet, Tasia, Mileena, Kia, and Jataaka.
** Subverted for Nitara as she was strong-armed by Raiden into serving him.
* DarkerAndEdgier: After his corruption, Raiden begins to use the same brutal tactics once used by Shao Kahn and Shinnok. But the tactics used by Shao Kahn or Shinnok pales in comparison to the savagery and sadism Raiden shows when it comes to silencing his former allies.
* DarkIsEvil: After his FaceHeelTurn, Raiden [[EvilWearsBlack wears black]], and is the BigBad.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Sareena, Ashrah and Sindel.
* DarkMessiah[=/=]RabbleRouser: Raiden counts as this, as he's a KnightTemplar who's willing to use brutal methods to "protect" Earthrealm by merging it with Outworld.
* DarkMistress: Skarlet currently serves as this to Daegon and formerly to Reiko.
** Tanya is this to Mileena.
** Tasia is this to Kano. It's implied that she's also this to Jarek.
* DeadpanSnarker: Erron Black pretty much speaks in deadpan.
* DealWithTheDevil: Scorpion agrees to become Raiden's enforcer, but doesn't realize that he's being used as a pawn by the corrupted thunder god until chapter 22, when Raiden threatens to torture Takeda as he did with Cassie and Kevin. By then, he realizes what a fool he was, as Cassie realizes that Raiden took advantage of Scorpion's guilt of dooming Liu Kang and the remaining revenants to stay as revenants (though they've been freed from this by Delia in chapter 26. After Hanzo [[DefectorFromDecadence defects]] to the other side, Raiden begins to use Daegon as a pawn against Delia, who tries to make her son realize that the thunder god is a master manipulator, but fails.
* DeathGlare: Just looking at Raiden directly would make anybody realize that you wouldn't want to cross [[AxCrazy a]] [[TheUnfettered deranged]] [[{{Sadist}} and sadistic]] [[TheSociopath sociopath]]. Pretty much most of the thunder god's former allies and {{Mooks}} get this the hard way.
* DefeatMeansRespect: Skarlet feels this way toward Ruby.
** Kitana feels this way toward Cassie.
* DefectorFromDecadence[=/=]NotWhatISignedOnFor: Scorpion, who pulls a HeelFaceTurn after Raiden's threat to torture Takeda as he did to Kevin and Cassie.
** Kira and Kabal also count as this due to their reasons for leaving the Black Dragon.
* DefiantToTheEnd:
** In the prologue, Kotal Kahn refuses to grovel to a corrupted Raiden, and invokes Mortal Kombat to halt the thunder god's assault on Outworld.
** Even when she's tortured by Raiden and Kano, Cassie still remains defiant, and [[WhatTheHellHero even calls]] [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Raiden]] [[YouMonster a villain]] [[MoralEventHorizon for all the savagery]] the thunder god has committed so far ''twice''.
** Sub-Zero and Frost also qualify as this, as they turn down Raiden's offer to destroy Outworld. Frost even declines Raiden's offer to seize control of the Lin Kuei from Sub-Zero. While Sub-Zero ended up in a coma, he reawakens from it in chapter 27.
** In chapter 16, Ruby refused to tell Raiden where Rain was even though he threatened to make her watch as he killed all the Edenian refugees. Luckily, the revenants arrive in time to stop him.
** Jade is this, as she did not want to be one of Quan Chi's lackeys.
** Kevin also remains defiant even when being tortured by Raiden and Kano.
** Kira and Kabal also count as this, as they realized what they were doing as Black Dragon members was wrong.
* DespairEventHorizon: After her daughter is kidnapped by Raiden and Kano, Sonya is on the verge of [[SanitySlippage losing her sanity]], and desperately activates Triborg (though it doesn't end good, and almost ends up disastrous). Fortunately, the only thing that stops her from losing all hope is that she still trusts Johnny, who assures her that they'll get Cassie back in no time.
** Delia and Taven experience after Raiden turns Daegon against them.
** Li Mei goes through this when Raiden orders Hotaru to destroy her village.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Sonya ordering [[spoiler: Triborg]] to be activated. [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters It almost ends in disaster for the heroes.]]
** To be fair, at that point, [[spoiler: Cassie had been kidnapped, Sub-Zero was put into a coma and Earthrealm was pretty much willing to ally themselves with the Netherrealm.]] They were likely desperate at that point for someone to work with.
** Raiden and Kano kidnapping Cassie in order to keep both her parents and Team S-F in check. [[MamaBear Apparently, they failed to realize]] [[PapaWolf just how far her parents will go to rescue their daughter]].
** Scorpion pulling a HeelFaceTurn when he realizes what could happen to his protege Takeda if he dares to defy Raiden, noticing how the thunder god brutally tortures Kevin and Cassie AND after realizing how he was being used as a tool by Raiden.
** Shang Tsung coming BackFromTheDead. Not only that, but he takes Triborg's data chip after knocking out Sonya.
* DisproportionateRetribution: How Raiden intends [[OmnicidalManiac to incite Armageddon]] by merging the realms.
** When Kano taunts Cassie, she tells him off. Kano responds by stomping on her hand, breaking it. It didn't help matters that Sonya had witnessed this incident.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Kung Jin is on the receiving end of this from his cousin. Eventually, Lao drops it.
** Sub-Zero is on the receiving end of this from Smoke, who later drops it.
* DownerBeginning: Kotal Kahn is forced to invoke Mortal Kombat in order to stop Raiden's invasion of his battered realm. Even some of Kotal Kahn's champions are injured, though Torr later slips into a coma (he suffered major electrical burns, incapacitating him); he later awakens from it in chapter 28.
* DrunkWithPower: After absorbing Shinnok's powers unto himself during his HeroicSacrifice at the end of ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', Raiden CameBackWrong as an insane OmnicidalManiac just so he can "protect" Earthrealm from outside threats. Just ask him how he kickstarted the story.
* TheDragon: Scorpion and Kano start off as CoDragons to Raiden. Of the two, Scorpion's a NobleTopEnforcer while Kano is in it for ForTheEvulz as well as Raiden's offer of a pardon. But after Raiden threatens to kill Takeda, Scorpion decides to defect and pull off a HeelFaceTurn; he is subsequently replaced by Hotaru in chapter 24 as Raiden's right hand man. Kano's failure to stop Kira and Sonya from rescuing Cassie results in him being demoted to EvilGenius and replaced by Shang Tsung.
** DragonWithAnAgenda: Shang Tsung.
* TheDreaded: Raiden is now feared and loathed by many of his former allies and enemies.
* DrivenByEnvy: Daegon, as he was TheUnfavorite son of Argus. This is what drove him to kill Argus and Delia.
* DrivenToVillainy: Raiden, following his corruption.
* DrowningMySorrows: Jax even tried to kill himself after recovering, but Vera managed to talk him out of suicide.
* DudeNotFunny: Chapter 63, where many of Raiden's ex-allies [[ShutUpHannibal berate him]] again for toying around with their emotions, especially since he took advantage of Scorpion's guilt and made him his NumberTwo.
* EasilyForgiven: Hanzo, surprisingly. It helped that Cassie vouched for him and he retold the confrontation with Raiden from his chapter.
* [[TheGodsMustBeLazy The Elder Gods Must Be Lazy]]: Or as Liu says, the Elder Gods now fear Raiden more than Shinnok and Shao Kahn. Despite this, they refuse to help in the fight against Raiden.
* ElectricTorture: When he's not attempting to fry you to death, Raiden will [[ItAmusedMe gleefully]] [[ColdBloodedTorture subject]] you to this. Just ask [[spoiler:Cassie and Kevin.]]
* TheEmperor: A good variant. Kotal Kahn is the Emperor of Outworld, is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure and he's also the BigGood.
** At first, Liu Kang's the emperor of Netherrealm. But this is eventually subverted for him after he's restored to life by Delia, and becomes TheAtoner afterwards.
** Noob Saibot becomes this in Chapter 61 when it's revealed that he [[FakingTheDead faked his death]] went into hiding for several years, and has taken over as emperor of the Netherrealm after Liu Kang and Kitana are revived.
* EmpathicEnvironment: In the 1st chapter, [[LampshadeHanging Kitana lampshades]] how the corrupted thunder god's appearance and presence unnerved her and Liu Kang (part of this is because he threatened to destroy the Netherrealm), and later on, is felt the same by Cassie Cage. The prologue even shows how he used his powers to block out the sun in Outworld, greatly weakening Kotal Kahn.
* EmotionControl: This is what Raiden does to Scorpion, and later on to Daegon, as he's a [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] ManipulativeBastard who is preying on their fears and emotions.
* EnemyMine: After Raiden invades his realm, Kotal must now seek an alliance with Liu Kang and Fujin in order to stop Raiden from inciting the same Armageddon he was once so desperate to stop.
** For Raiden, he has Daegon and Kano fighting for him. The respective leaders of the Red and Black Dragons, of whose clans have a violent history with one another (as the Black Dragon split from the Red Dragon) are working together.
** In Chapter 49, Dairou and Darrius agree to put aside their differences and form a temporary alliance with each other and with Fujin and Kotal Kahn in order to stop Raiden and Hotaru.
** Havik and Hotaru are also working together.
** D'Vorah proposes an alliance with Nitara.
* EnigmaticMinion: Mavado is this to Daegon.
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Daegon regrets murdering his parents out of jealousy and seems to still care about his mother to an extent.
** Rain punches Taven twice for calling his mother a whore.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Both Jarek and Tremor stop fighting to tend to Tasia after she loses both her hands. Even Kano is pissed, which distracts him long enough for Sonya to knock him out.
** When Taven calls his mother a whore, Rain punches him. Twice.
** Daegon still regrets killing his parents and still seems to care for his mother to an extent.
** Mileena and Tanya are this, as they are confirmed to be [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] in chapter 55.
** Skarlet is shown to be genuinely concerned about Daegon. Mavado shares her concerns.
** Noob Saibot still cares about Sareena.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Daegon, despite being guilty of several crimes including murder, makes it clear that he is not a rapist like Kano.
* EvilFormerFriend: Raiden is this to Fujin, Jax, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang and many of his ex-allies that will choose to oppose his actions.
* EvilGloating: When Raiden announces his plans to invade Outworld, Fujin, Team S-F and the Lin Kuei are absolutely horrified at this. Later on, when Scorpion objects to Cassie's torture, not only does Kano tell-tale on him, but Raiden threatens to kill Takeda if Scorpion dares to defect. And when Cassie mocks him for what he did to her, he instead tortures Kevin, [[KneelBeforeZod forcing her to grovel before him]].
** Raiden does the same thing in chapter 54.
* EvilMentor: Raiden is this to many of his former allies, especially Kung Lao, Liu Kang and Johnny Cage.
** Raiden also serves as this to Daegon.
** Kano tries to be this to Kevin but it's subverted as Kevin remains defiant against his father's will.
* EvilMinions: Raiden has the Seidan army, the Black Dragon Clan, the Red Dragon Clan, the Tarkatan horde, and Brotherhood of Shadow as his stormtroopers.
* EvilOverlord: Raiden claims he is creating an UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans empire by invading and merging the other realms in order to "protect" Earthrealm, though others seem to think otherwise, as he is in fact creating a DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans empire.
* EvilPlan: Raiden intends to create an UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans empire by invading and merging the other realms in order to "protect" Earthrealm.
* EvilFeelsGood:
** The Thunder God takes bone-chilling and sadistic glee in torturing those who cross him; Fujin, Team S-F and the Lin Kuei realize this the hard way.
** In a nutshell, Tasia's explanation to Kira on why she enjoys being the bad guy:
-->''Tasia:'' The problem with you and Kabal, Kira, is that you both '''knew''' what you were doing while you were with us, you '''knew''' you were killing and torturing innocent people, you '''knew''' you were doing awful things. You just didn't think about it because you didn't want the guilt to make you hesitate. It wasn't until you saw for yourselves the truth of our work, how other people suffered and died because of what we do, then you realized you'd been lying to yourselves this whole time. And that's the difference between the two of you and the rest of us; you see, we '''knew''' the whole time what we were doing and the consequences or our actions might be, we '''knew''' other people paid the price because of us, we never lied to ourselves to make things easier and do you want to know why? '''Because we just don't care.''' That's the best thing about being a psychopath; we understand concepts like mercy, love and remose, but we don't experience them as emotions. And that, my dear Kira, is why everything we do is '''so damn easy!'''
** Goro also feels this when he eliminated Sheeva's champions in chapter 28.
** Hotaru also has shades of this, especially when he destroys Li Mei's village (on the orders of Raiden) in order to break her.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: Raiden wears a darker variant of his normal outfit after his FaceHeelTurn. It's combined with GlowingEyesOfDoom and EvilWearsBlack.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Raiden snaps when Fujin calls him out for his atrocities in chapter 24.
-->'''Raiden:''' ''[suddenly shouting]'' [[BerserkButton Do not compare me to those madmen!]] They cared only for themselves whereas [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight I have always had Earthrealm's best interests at heart!]]
** Many of his former allies call him out in chapter 54, but he still ignores them.
* EvilCounterpart: Raiden serves as this to Fujin. Both are PhysicalGods of Earthrealm, but have differing goals on protecting it. Raiden wants to merge all the realms to "protect" Earthrealm, while Fujin is working with Kotal Kahn to stop the thunder god. Raiden also serves as this to Kotal Kahn.
** Mileena is this to Kitana.
** Kano is this to Sonya.
** Tanya is this to Jade.
** Shang Tsung is this to Liu Kang and Delia.
* EvilIsSexy: InvokedTrope, as Mileena and Tanya are confirmed to be [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] in chapter 55.
** Skarlet is this too, as her flirtatious interactions with Daegon show.
* EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor: In chapter 63, when Raiden, Shang Tsung and Hotaru mock at how Shao Kahn was ReforgedIntoAMinion, Scorpion berates the thunder god for toying around with the emotions of others, including Daegon and Nitara.
* EvilSorcerer: Shang Tsung, Havik, and Raiden are this.
* EvilIsPetty: Raiden kidnaps and tortures Cassie so Team S-F, Fujin, or the Lin Kuei won't be able to stop him from from invading Outworld.
** Kano tortures his own son Kevin so he could make a mini-Me version of himself.
* ExplainExplainOhCrap: In Skarlet's chapter, Kano is mocking Daegon...[[RightBehindMe who is standing right behind him.]]
* {{Expy}}: The corrupted thunder god shares many of the traits of [[FallenHero Regime Superman]] from ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs''. Also shares some traits with Anakin Skywalker from ''Franchise/{{StarWars}}'', Franz Oberhauser/Ernst Stavro Blofeld from ''Film/{{Spectre}}'', Judge Claude Frollo from ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', King Candy/Turbo from ''Disney/WreckItRalph'' and King Boo from ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon''.
** Hotaru shares some traits with Max Denbigh from ''Film/{{Spectre}}'', as both are [[KnightTemplar Knight Templars]] who believe in total order at all costs. Also shares some traits of Sinestro from ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs''.
** Scorpion is pretty much like Regime Flash from ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', who defects after seeing Raiden torture Cassie and Kevin too many times, and after the thunder god threatens to do the same to Takeda and Jacqui if he defected.
* FaceHeelTurn[=/=]FallenHero[=/=][[RogueProtagonist Rogue Thunder God]]: Raiden was once Earthrealm's protector god and mentor to many of his champions on the planet, but after [[CameBackWrong his corruption]], he's now the [[OmnicidalManiac greatest threat to all realms]], ''far'' much worse than Shao Kahn or Shinnok. Even the Elder Gods now fear him, considering that he's ''dangerously'' '''close''' to launching a Class X-4 or Class Z ApocalypseHow.
* FalseReassurance[=/=]MotivationalLie: How Raiden manipulates Daegon into believing that his parents favored Taven over him.
* FakingTheDead: Delia.
** Shang Tsung also manages to cheat death and come back in chapter 50.
** Noob Saibot also faked his death and went into hiding until Chapter 61.
* FamousLastWords: Jade to Kitana: "Never stop fighting."
* FatalFlaw: Raiden is solely driven by {{Revenge}}, {{Wrath}} and {{Greed}}.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Polite, charming, composed — Raiden appears as a SmugSnake to his ex-allies and speaks to them in a condescending and snobbish manner. But when the mask slips due to pride or rage, on the other hand, he proves himself to truly be contemptuous and AxCrazy. He's already proven to be perfectly willing to [[OmnicidalManiac put the entire Mortal Kombat universe at risk]] [[ForTheEvulz even if it meant getting revenge against Outworld]].
** During his CurbstompBattle in chapter 51, Shang Tsung proves to be this.
* FiveBadBand:
** BigBad: Raiden
** CoDragons: Hotaru and Shang Tsung. Previously, Scorpion and Kano filled this role, though the mercenary's been demoted to EvilGenius while Scorpion pulled off a HeelFaceTurn in chapter 24.
** EvilGenius: Kano, Daegon, Havik, Mavado, Noob Saibot and Reiko.
** TheBrute: Goro, Tremor, Baraka, Kobra, Jarek, Drahmin, Moloch, and Shao Kahn.
** DarkChick: Tanya, Tasia, Skarlet, Mileena, D'Vorah, Kia, and Jataaka. Subverted for Nitara.
* FemmeFatale: D'Vorah, Tanya, Skarlet, Nitara, Mileena, Tasia, Kia, and Jataaka count as this on Raiden's side. Sonya, Kitana, Jade, Ruby, Sindel, Sareena, Ashrah, Li Mei, Frost, and Delia are this on Kotal Kahn's side.
* FriendToAllChildren:
* FromBadToWorse: Chapter 54, when Raiden essentially declares war on his own allies.
* ForcedToWatch: [[spoiler: Quan Chi does this to Kitana as he kills Jade]].
** Raiden also forces Cassie and Scorpion to watch as he tortures Kevin.
** Raiden also does this to Delia and Taven when he manipulates Daegon.
* ForcedIntoEvil: Raiden, after he CameBackWrong.
** The revenants were ForcedIntoEvil by Quan Chi, but have since been freed by Jade/Delia and are trying to atone for their crimes.
* ForTheEvulz: Though Raiden claims he's [[KnightTemplar "protecting" Earthrealm at all costs]], Kung Jin and others think that he's only using this as an excuse, as it seems that he's seeking more power. He even finds it funny while torturing Cassie and Kevin, mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or speaking to his ex-allies in a [[ArrogantKungFuGuy condescending and]] [[HolierThanThou snobbish manner]].
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Raiden goes from GodIsGood with a HurtingHero personality to a deranged MadGod with the KnightTemplar, HeWhoFightsMonsters and OmnicidalManiac tendencies [[CameBackWrong after his corruption]].
* {{Gayngst}}: Kung Jin still fears Liu Kang and Kung Lao won't accept his homosexuality.
* GenkiGirl[=/=]GigglingVillain[=/=]PerkyFemaleMinion: Mileena.
* GenocideBackfire: After Raiden orders the destruction of Li Mei's village, it's very likely she'll go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
* GirlOnGirlIsHot: Chapter 55, where Tanya is seen kissing Mileena, indicating that both are [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]].
* [[GoThroughMe Go Through Us]]:
** The prologue, where Kotal Kahn and his men remain defiant even when Raiden threatens to destroy Outworld.
** Sonya and Cassie's team vs Raiden and Kano. Cue Raiden mass-shocking Sonya and the others.
** Same thing happens to the Lin Kuei in chapter 8.
** Same thing occurs in Chapter 44, where Delia/Jade and Taven try to stop Raiden from turning Daegon against them, but fail.
** Again occurs in chapter 54, when Raiden threatens LaResistance, declaring war on his now ex-allies.
* GodEmperor: This is what Raiden intends to be.
* AGodAmI: Raiden qualifies as this, even though he's a PhysicalGod. He intends to become the GodEmperor by instigating Armageddon on all realms.
* GodInHumanForm: Raiden and Fujin qualify as this.
* GodOfEvil: Raiden, to a T.
* [[GodIsEvil God of Thunder is Evil]]: The Jinsei's corruption turned [[DrunkWithPower Raiden into]] [[AxCrazy a cruel,]] [[TheSociopath deranged and]] [[TheUnfettered remorseless god]], with OmnicidalManiac tendencies.
* [[GodIsGood God of Wind is Good]]: Even if he has his own flaws, Fujin is now one of the key leaders of LaResistance, and has replaced Raiden as Protector of Earthrealm.
* GoodCounterpart: Fujin and Kotal Kahn are this to Raiden.
** Liu Kang and Delia are this to Shang Tsung.
** Kitana is this to Mileena.
** Jade is this to Tanya.
** Sonya is this to Kano.
* TheGoodKing: Kotal Kahn, as he's the BigGood of this fanfic, and one of the leaders of LaResistance. He also [[AFatherToHisMen deeply cares for his men.]]
* GoneHorriblyRight: Though Shinnok was reduced to a mere living head, he DOES manage to twist his arch-enemy Raiden into something just as evil as himself.
* GuileHero: Nitara, Darrius, Dairou, Rain and Kira count as this.
* GutturalGrowler: Raiden, especially when he's enraged.
** Skarlet is this, especially around Mileena and Reiko.
* HairTriggerTemper: Woe to anybody that compares Raiden to Shao Kahn and/or Shinnok. They get zapped, as this is his BerserkButton.
* [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe Half The Woman She Used To Be:]] Jade's fate, courtesy of Quan Chi's Mind Game fatality.
* HangingJudge: Hotaru and Raiden.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: The prologue references the Nietzsche quote, and is a major theme in this fanfic's plot. After he CameBackWrong, Raiden is so blinded by rage and vengeance that he becomes just as cold-blooded and homicidal as Shinnok and Shao Kahn, to the point of alienating his ex-allies and refusing to reconsider his invasion of Outworld. [[MoralEventHorizon Mass-electrocuting the Lin Kuei places him into evil territory for good.]]
** Sonya and Li Mei almost slip into this territory, though they relent and back out at the last moment.
** Dairou tells Shujinko that Hotaru used to be a good man before his [[KnightTemplar obsession with order]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist and killing Darrius]] [[FaceHeelTurn turned him into a brutal dictator]] [[DisproportionateRetribution who will destroy anybody who disagreed with him.]]
* HeelFaceBrainwashing: [[spoiler: Quan Chi is resurrected by the Elder Gods, his memories and free will removed, in order to kill Raiden.]]
* HeelFaceTurn: Scorpion, after Raiden [[ColdBloodedTorture threatens to do worse to Takeda]] and Jacqui. Same trope goes for Liu Kang, Kitana, Kung Lao and the remaining revenants, who have been restored to life by Delia/Jade.
* HeelFaceDoorSlam: Daegon, as he was tricked by Raiden into serving him in chapter 44.
* HeelRealization: Scorpion, after learning he was being manipulated by Raiden. The same thing goes for Kitana, Liu Kang and the revenants who are now BackFromTheDead in chapter 29.
* HellHasNewManagement: Noob Saibot takes over the Netherrealm after Liu Kang and Kitana were restored to life.
* HeroBall: Many of Raiden's former allies didn't anticipate the formation of a LegionOfDoom (which consists of zealots, murderers, criminals, backstabbers, constructs and a few AntiVillains), with the thunder god at the helm.
* HeroicBSOD: Sonya undergoes this when Raiden kidnaps Cassie, though she later manages to rescue her.
** Li Mei, when Raiden orders Hotaru to destroy her village.
** Ferra, when she sees that Torr slipped into a coma.
** Delia and Taven, after Daegon was tricked by Raiden into serving him and were unable to stop the thunder god from manipulating Daegon.
** Scorpion, after realizing that Raiden was manipulating him.
** Fujin, after noticing that Raiden crossed the MoralEventHorizon by mass-electrocuting the Lin Kuei.
* HerosEvilPredecessor: The Elder Gods have anointed Fujin as the protector-god of Earthrealm after Raiden went rogue.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Several.
** The younger Sub-Zero and Smoke
** Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Kai
** Kabal and Stryker
** Kitana, Jade, and Ruby
** Kenshi and Scorpion
** Raiden (pre-FaceHeelTurn) and Fujin
** Kotal and Reptile
** Ashrah and Sareena
* TheHighQueen: Sindel, after her HeelFaceTurn.
** Sheeva also counts as this.
* HitmanWithAHeart: Erron Black and Dairou.
* HiveQueen[=/=]InsectQueen: D'Vorah.
* HisOwnWorstEnemy: Pretty much most of Raiden's ex-allies are this.
** All of the ex-revenants feel [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ashamed of what they did as revenants]].
** Sonya feels that she [[MyGreatestFailure failed as a parent and wife]].
* HoistByHerOwnPetard: Kira causes Tasia to [[AnArmAndALeg amputate]] her own hands at the wrist by reversing Tasia's grip on her katanas. Tasia later has her hands replaced by ArtificialLimbs.
* HopelessSuitor: Rain is this towards Kitana, as he knows she is in love with Liu Kang and thinks she isn't aware of his feelings for her. He ends up getting the shock and embarrassment of his life when she reveals how well aware she is of his feelings for her in Chapter 36.
* HotBlooded: When Raiden is pissed off enough, he has a short fuse and resorts to violence.
* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: Raiden has gone from being the God of Thunder and mentor to many of his champions (especially Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Kai, Johnny Cage and Kung Jin, to name a few) to a sociopathic and bloodthirsty villain who lusts for power after he CameBackWrong.
** Daegon went from being a kind, hardworking yet troubled young man who was TheUnfavorite son to a JerkassGod into a criminal leader guilty of murder and numerous other crimes, though while Raiden is the BigBad, he is simply an AntiVillain.
** Dairou tells Shujinko that Hotaru used to be a good man before his obsession with order and killing Darrius turned him into a villain.
* HoYay: InvokedTrope between Mileena and Tanya, as they have been known to exchange flirty banter in ''Mortal Kombat X'', and are revealed to be [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] and [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] in chapter 55.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Raiden claims that he's [[KnightTemplar "protecting" Earthrealm]] by merging with Outworld, yet it's his own greed that's causing all the suffering that happens in the plot. Many of his ex-allies now see him as a tyrant NotSoDifferent from Shinnok or Shao Kahn.
** Tanya calls Rain out for treachery, apparently forgetting her own history of betrayal.
* IconOfRebellion[=/=]RebelLeader[=/=]VoiceOfTheResistance[=/=]YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: Darrius as leader of the Sedian Resistance.
** Kotal Kahn and Fujin count, in the eyes of Raiden.
* IChooseToStay: Sonya decides to remain in Outworld with her ex-husband and daughter, crediting Kira's influence regarding her decision.
-->'''Sonya:''' I've been thinking a lot since we rescued Cassie...and I think it would be best for me to stay here. I can't fight Kano if I'm busy vomitting, crying, and yelling the entire time. Plus, Cassie needs me to be close by right now. The reason Kano and Raiden managed to kidnap her is my lack of judgement and care. If she's going to recover, she should have both parents nearby. Someone opened my eyes recently by reminding me that my daughter's life is more important than revenge."
* IControlMyMinionsThrough: Raiden controls his henchmen through Fear and Corruption.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Many of Raiden's ex-allies now see him as a heartless KnightTemplar who's willing to throw them under the bus when he refuses to reconsider his invasion of Outworld.
** Nitara was strong-armed by Raiden into serving him in order to protect her people.
* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: To ensure that Johnny Cage or Cassie do not stop him, Raiden and Kano kidnap Cassie and is held as a bargaining chip to stop Sonya and Team S-F. But Cassie, along with Kevin, breaks out in chapter 23, with the help of Kira, Kabal and Sonya.
* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Daughter]]: Raiden and Kano hold Cassie hostage, though she plans to escape with Kano's son, Kevin, who despises his own father. Cassie and Kevin break out in chapter 23, with the help of Kira, Kabal and Sonya.
* InformedFlaw: While all of the kombatants on Kotal Kahn's side are loyal to each other despite their flaws, those on [[BadBoss Raiden's]] side are only there because they fear him - some are even contemplating of defecting from Raiden (Nitara and Daegon) or have done so (Scorpion).
* IOweYouMyLife: In Sub-Zero's chapter, Cassie tells her mother and the others to lay off of Scorpion, as he's the reason that she's still alive.
** Skarlet feels this way toward Daegon for restoring her legs.
* IShouldHaveBeenBetter: Sonya feels she should have been a better wife and mother to her family.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Raiden turned to [[WellIntentionedExtremist dictatorial tactics]] because [[KnightTemplar he thought it was the only way to keep Earthrealm safe]], but after kidnapping and torturing Cassie, his selfish side shows, mass-zapping his former allies for daring to question him.
* ItsPersonal: On both sides of the fence:
** Kano has ''one big target'' on his back. If Johnny and Sonya don't kill him for aiding Raiden in kidnapping and later, torturing Cassie, then Kabal will, as Kano not only masterminded his maiming at the hands of Kintaro, but also raped his widow, resulting in Kevin's conception. Kevin also wants revenge on Kano for torturing him.
** Tasia lost her hands thanks to Kira, and now she wants revenge.
** Goro wants to kill Kotal Kahn (for killing his father and cutting off his arms) and Sheeva (for stealing his throne)
** Daegon wants to not only kill both Taven and Rain, but he also wants to kidnap and torture Takeda for the crimes of his father and those of his teammates.
** Skarlet wants payback on Ruby for defeating her in Chapter 28.
** Li Mei wants Hotaru's head on a spike following [[MoralEventHorizon his mass slaughter of her fellow villagers]].
** Scorpion starts off as part of Raiden's team, but flips when he witnesses Cassie and Kevin being tortured one too many times, and Raiden threatening to worse to Takeda and Jacqui should he betray him.
** Tanya and Mileena want to kill Kotal Kahn, Kitana, Jade/Delia, Rain and Ruby.
** Raiden himself is ''one big target'' for his allies because of his list of crimes so far: invading Outworld, kidnapping and torturing Cassie, allowing Kano to torture his own son Kevin, psychologically and physically abusing his ex-allies, mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or Team S-F, attacking the Edenian Resistance, threatening to torture Takeda or Jacqui, berating his own minions, tricking and strong-arming Scorpion, Daegon and Nitara into serving him and ordering the destruction of Li Mei's village, blatantly insulting the Elder Gods.
* ItsPersonalWithTheDragon: Sonya wants Kano's head after he and Raiden kidnapped and tortured Cassie.
** Li Mei's gunning for Hotaru after he and the Seidan guard slaughter her fellow villagers on Raiden's orders.
** Liu Kang and Delia are awaiting for a rematch with Shang Tsung.
* IgnoredEpiphany: In chapter 18, Raiden has moments reflecting that [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope he's gone over]] [[MoralEventHorizon the edge and]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone starts doubting his actions]], especially once he realizes that Armageddon has not been averted, but it doesn't stick and he immediately starts [[NeverMyFault blaming his problems]] on the Elder Gods.
** Nitara has this in chapter 39.
** Daegon also experiences this in chapters 43 and 44.
* InsaneEqualsViolent: This is what happens to Raiden. As {{Lampshaded}} by Kung Jin in chapter 56, nobody never knows when he'll go AxCrazy - he could appear calm and collected one minute, but in the next one, he'll cackle like a madman. And woe to anybody that compares Raiden to Shao Kahn and/or Shinnok. They get zapped, as this is his BerserkButton.
* InterruptedSuicide: [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Remorseful for the role he inadvertently played in Shinnok's near-konquest of Earthrealm]], Scorpion offers to commit hara-kiri. Raiden, however, had other plans: he makes Scorpion his TrustedLieutenant by manipulating his emotions.
** Jax attempted to kill himself once but Vera stopped him.
* IronLady: Jade, Delia, Sonya, and Ruby qualify as this.
* {{Irony}}: Raiden claims that he's invading Outworld just so he can [[KnightTemplar "protect" Earthrealm]] from external threats at all costs, yet many of his former allies see a tyrant who's NotSoDifferent from Shao Kahn or Shinnok in terms of invading the other realms, especially in chapter 54, when Kung Jin calls him out again.
* JourneyToFindOneself: The gist of Kai's chapter.
* [[JerkassGod Jerkass Thunder God]]: As if being evil wasn't enough, Raiden is also a rude, callous and sociopathic asshole.
* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Raiden only cares for himself.
** Kano also counts as this towards his son Kevin.
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: After his HeroicSacrifice at the end of ''Mortal Kombat X'', Raiden CameBackWrong as a deranged and insane MadGod, who's now DrunkWithPower and now has the KnightTemplar, OmnicidalManiac and HeWhoFightsMonsters personalities. He crosses this by invading Outworld, and it all goes downhill from there.
* KansasCityShuffle: While Fujin leads the heroes (and Quan Chi) to the Sky Temple to distract Raiden, Sonya and Kira infiltrate the Black Dragon hideout to rescue Cassie.
* KarmaHoudini: Raiden gets away with insulting the Elder Gods in chapter 63.
* KickTheDog: After he CameBackWrong, Raiden's MyWayOrTheHighway attitude on "protecting" Earthrealm and willingness to throw his allies under the bus has alienated many of them (especially Fujin, Johnny Cage, the Lin Kuei (Sub-Zero and Frost), Team S-F (Jax, Jacqui, Kung Jin, Sonya, Cassie, Takeda, Kenshi), Bo' Rai Cho, Kai, Kira, Scorpion, Delia, Jade, Taven, Shujinko, Ashrah, Sareena and Li Mei among others; Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana, Smoke, Nightwolf, Stryker, Kabal and Sindel were already alienated by him, while Kotal Kahn, Reptile, Ermac/Jerrod, Erron Black, Ferra/Torr, Sheeva, Ruby, Rain, Kevin, Darrius, Khameleon, Chameleon and Dairou have a negative view of Raiden given what he's done so far), to the point that they're now ArchEnemies.
** Kano tortures and abuses Kevin.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX Prior to the fanfic's events]], Raiden does this by decapitating Shinnok and then threatening Liu Kang and Kitana with a similar fate if they threaten Earthrealm.
** Tasia loses both her hands when Kira reverses Tasia's grip on her katanas, causing Tasia to amputate her own hands.
* KirkSummation: Fujin gives one to Raiden in chapter 24, when he calls out the thunder god's savagery.
** Delia tries to stop her son Daegon from supporting Raiden, but he just ignores it.
** Kano gets called out for abusing his son Kevin by Scorpion, Sonya, Cassie and Kira, yet the mercenary ignores it.
** Many of Raiden ex-allies (especially Fujin, Sonya and Kung Jin) call him out for his savagery, comparing him to a blood-thirsty butcher and homicidal maniac in chapter 54.
-->'''Kung Jin:''' Oh, shut up already! Why don't you just admit it? [[EvilCannotComprehendGood You don't care about protecting Earthrealm.]] [[AmbitionIsEvil All you care about is power.]] [[{{Sadist}} You like torturing and killing other people]] [[EvilFeelsGood because it makes you feel good]]. [[LackOfEmpathy You don't give a damn for anybody]] [[TheSociopath who suffers or dies at your hands]] [[TortureTechnician because you enjoy putting them through that agony!]] That's exactly how Shao Kahn would act!
* [[KneelBeforeZod Kneel Before Raiden]]: When Cassie objects to Kevin's torture by Raiden, the thunder god forces Cassie to grovel before him in chapter 22. This, along with Raiden's threat to kill Takeda, becomes the breaking point for Scorpion to pull a HeelFaceTurn. You know he's ''really'' gone to the dark side when he pulls this.
* KnightTemplar[=/=]WellIntentionedExtremist: Hotaru and Raiden count as this.
* KnightOfCerebus: Raiden, who takes it UpToEleven. You clearly know that he's a [[AxCrazy blood]]-[[TheSociopath thirsty]] [[FauxAffablyEvil and]] [[EvilFeelsGood deranged]] MadGod whom you don't want to cross.
* KubrickStare: Kung Jin gives one to Raiden in chapter 54.
* LadyInRed: Kira, Skarlet, and Ruby qualify as this.
* LadyOfWar: On both sides.
** D'Vorah, Tanya, Skarlet, Nitara, Mileena, Tasia, Kia, and Jataaka count as this on Raiden's side.
** Jacqui, Cassie, Sonya, Kitana, Jade, Ruby, Sindel, Frost, Sareena, Ashrah, Li Mei, and Delia are this on Kotal Kahn and Fujin's side.
* LaResistance: After Outworld is invaded by Raiden, Kotal Kahn is now the BigGood of a RagtagBunchOfMisfits, with Fujin as TheLancer and Liu Kang as TheSmartGuy.
* LackOfEmpathy: Raiden takes [[KnightOfCerebus bone-chilling]] [[AxCrazy and]] ''[[{{Sadist}} sadistic]]'' [[ItAmusedMe glee]] when torturing Cassie and mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or Team S-F, and shows no remorse even when crossing the MoralEventHorizon by ordering the destruction of Li Mei's village.
** Kano also shows no remorse for torturing Cassie and Kevin, masterminding Kabal's disfigurement at Kintaro's hands and raping his widow, or any of his crimes in general.
** Tasia, in her EvilFeelsGood speech, declares her pride in being a psychopath to Kira, claiming that she simply doesn't care about who suffers or dies because of her actions.
** Hotaru doesn't show any remorse while destroying Li Mei's village on Raiden's orders.
* LastOfTheirKind: Subverted for Reptile in chapter 41.
** Kotal Kahn qualifies as this.
** Li Mei, after Raiden orders Hotaru to burn down her village.
* LaughingMad: See the MoodSwinger trope below regarding Raiden's insanity.
* LawfulEvil: Hotaru.
* LawmanGoneBad: Again, Hotaru.
* LeaveNoSurvivors: This is what happens when Raiden orders the destruction of Li Mei's village.
** Previously, Raiden tried to do this to the Edenians Resistance, but the revenants arrived in time to stop him.
* LegionOfDoom[=/=]VillainTeamUp[=/=]LesCollaborateurs: This is what Raiden's faction comprises of - traitors, zealots, criminals, murderers, constructs and [[KnightTemplar Knight Templars]].
* LightIsNotGood: Raiden, to a T.
** Nitara and Daegon also count as this, although while Raiden is the BigBad, they are simply AntiVillains.
* LikeASonToMe: Like Raiden (prior to his corruption), Bo' Rai Cho has this sentiment about Liu Kang and Kung Lao and even wanted to hug them, but could not do so because of their current situation as revenants. He also has this sentiment about Kai and Kung Jin.
** Hanzo has this sentiment about Takeda. It leads to his HeelFaceTurn.
** Caro had this sentiment about Daegon before the demigod's FaceHeelTurn.
** Kabal has this sentiment about his stepson Kevin.
* LikeFatherUnlikeSon: While Kano is a criminal psychopath, Kevin is simply a troubled young man traumatized by the loss of his mother as a child and recovering from depression and suicidal thoughts.
* LittleMissBadass[=/=]PintSizedPowerhouse: Ferra.
* LovableSexManiac[=/=]SexIsViolence[=/=]InterplayOfSexAndViolence: Mileena, Tasia, Skarlet, and Tanya use their looks to get what they want.
* MagicalGuardian: Orin is this to Taven, while Caro is this to Daegon.
* {{Mangst}}: Dairou, after his family was murdered.
* MamaBear: Sonya qualifies as this, as nobody would want to mess with her or her family. She comes close to wanting to kill Kano for his torture of her daughter, but Kira opts to fight Kano in order to buy mother and daughter some time to flee.
** Sindel will scream the brains out of anyone who dares to lay a finger on Kitana.
** Delia is very protective of Taven and Daegon and threatens to kill Raiden rather than let him harm her family. Witnessing Daegon being manipulated by Raiden naturally increases her determination to murder the Thunder God - [[ShutUpHannibal she even calls him out for the savagery he's done so far.]]
** Although Li Mei isn't a mother, there's no denying how protective she is of her people and that she views them as her only true family. Unsurprisingly, she wants Hotaru's head on a stick after he burns her village to the ground under Raiden's orders and is filled with anger, guilt, and grief at the loss of her loved ones.
* [[MadGod Mad Thunder God]]: Raiden, following his corruption.
* MadeOfIron: Gotta give Cassandra Cage credit for enduring several days of torture from Kano and the occasional lightning blast from Raiden.
** Kevin also qualifies for surviving the 'training sessions' from his dad and Raiden nearly killing him.
* TheManBehindTheMan[=/=]GreaterScopeVillain: In Quan Chi's ending in ''MKX'', it's alluded that Raiden is now under the One Being's influence, who is pulling the strings from behind the scenes while Raiden seeks to merge the realms.
** Though Shinnok doesn't appear in the story, he does make a lasting impact by twisting his ArchEnemy Raiden into something just as evil as himself.
* ManipulativeBastard: This is what makes Raiden such a vile person in his former allies' eyes. After he CameBackWrong, he becomes a disingenuous, manipulative liar by [[KickTheDog throwing his allies under the bus]], [[TheUnfettered using dirty and brutal tactics to silence opponents]], [[CantTakeCriticism claiming to "protect" Earthrealm as a shield against criticism]], and [[{{Hypocrite}} flip-flopping on his own principles]]. The bad thing is, he isn't even that ''good'' at it. He just refuses to ''stop''. He also shows [[LackOfEmpathy no emotions even when]] [[MoralEventHorizon he crossed the line]], as he's now a deranged {{Sociopath}}. All of this on top of becoming a MASSIVE JerkassGod, and it's no wonder why his ex-allies now see him as a heartless and cruel {{Sadist}}. After Scorpion realized that Raiden toyed around with his emotions, can some of his henchmen (especially Daegon and Nitara) see that [[BigBad the thunder god]] is using them as pawns?
* MaskOfSanity: Raiden will [[FauxAffablyEvil put off a charming and suave persona even when zapping his enemies]], but beneath that mask lies a [[AxCrazy cold-blooded,]] [[TheUnfettered deranged megalomaniac and insane]] [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who is not only a MadGod, but is willing to [[OmnicidalManiac incite Armageddon]] [[ForTheEvulz just for his]] [[ItsAllAboutMe own selfish gains]] [[KnightTemplar to "protect" Earthrealm]] at all costs, even if it meant eliminating and torturing anybody who crosses him, and is slowly breaking down.
* MaternalDeathBlameTheChild: Ruby's father is said to have been guilty of this.
* MoodSwinger: Kung Jin sees Raiden as this.
-->'''Kung Jin''': But from Raiden, you don't know what to expect. One minute he's calm and collected, the next, he's cackling like a lunatic and screaming not to be compared to Shao Kahn and/or Shinnok.
** Even D'Vorah begins to see Raiden as this, as she was strong-armed by the thunder god into serving him.
* MoralityPet:
** Johnny Cage to Sonya Blade.
** Kung Jin to Kung Lao.
** Takeda to Scorpion.
** Viviana to Dairou.
* MoralSociopathy: Raiden claims that [[KnightTemplar he's "protecting" Earthrealm]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist at all costs]], but shows no empathy even when he crosses the MoralEventHorizon.
* MoreThanMindControl: Raiden uses [[ManipulativeBastard mind games]] and BreakThemByTalking speeches to Scorpion, Nitara and Daegon so he could use them as his henchmen.
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: Raiden's now using dictatorial tactics in order to silence his enemies after he goes rogue.
* MyCountryRightOrWrong: Hotaru follows this dogma, considering that he's the leader of the Seidan guard.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Pretty much the gist of Jax's chapter, where he and the other ex-revenants are horrified of what they did intend to atone for it.
** Also when Scorpion realizes that [[ManipulativeBastard Raiden]] was using him as a tool, and when he sees the thunder god torture Cassie too many times.
* MyGreatestFailure:
** For Kitana, her being forced to watch as Quan Chi kills Jade.
** For Sonya, not being able to stop Raiden from kidnapping Cassie and being a mother to her daughter in general.
** For Scorpion, being unable to stop Raiden and Kano from torturing Cassie and Kevin, being used as a tool by Quan Chi and Raiden and regretting breaking his truce with Sub-Zero.
** For Delia, not being able to stop her son Daegon from supporting Raiden. She tries to warn him that the thunder god is just using him as a pawn, but he ignores it. When she and Taven try this again later, Raiden manipulates Daegon into staying on his side.
** Caro blames himself for what Daegon has become due to having awoken him early by mistake.
** The now ex-revenants all regret what they did as revenants.
** For Nitara, if she makes a mistake, her people will see her as a failure who ruined them because of a single error in judgement.
** For Smoke, not being able to stop the Lin Kuei from turning Sub-Zero into a robot.
** Daegon regrets murdering his own parents.
** For Liu Kang, failing his duties to protect Earthrealm as its champion.
** For Li Mei, not being able to stop Hotaru from raiding her village.
** For Kenshi, not being there for his son.
** For Dairou, not being there to save his family, particularly his daughter, from being murdered.
* MythologyGag: Takes place after the events of ''Mortal Kombat X'', with Raiden's corruption and how he's [[SanitySlippage slowly losing his grip on sanity]] after invading Outworld.
** A number of the characters' arcade endings come into effect or are alluded to: [[spoiler:Quan Chi is resurrected and brainwashed by the Elder Gods to kill Raiden]]; Sonya has that nightmare in which Jax gets shot after she rescues Cassie; Raiden decides to conquer all the realms in order to "protect" Earthrealm, enlisting Scorpion and the Shirai Ryu, while Kotal Kahn invokes Mortal Kombat to prevent Raiden from conquering Outworld; and Kano tracks down his son and forces him to undergo a hellish training regimen. Bo' Rai Cho offers to train the Outworld warriors after hearing of Raiden's attempted invasion of Outworld.
** In Mortal Kombat 9, Liu Kang usurps Raiden's role as protector of Earthrealm and becomes a DrunkWithPower tyrant. In this fanfic, it is Raiden who absorbs Shinnok's powers into himself, becoming [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity an insane]] [[DrunkWithPower power-hungry megalomaniac]] bent on [[OmnicidalManiac inciting Armageddon]] [[ForTheEvulz for his]] [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish gains]].
* NeverMyFault: Raiden blames his problems on the Elder Gods.
* [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Nice Job (Almost) Breaking It, Sonya]]: Good job, Sonya. Activating a RoboticPsychopath goes as well as expected.
** Sonya gets this again from Jax and Jacqui in chapter 51 as she was carrying Triborg's data chip all the time, and Shang Tsung manages to snatch it.
* [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Nice Job Fixing It, Raiden]]: Nice going, Raiden. Invading Outworld, kidnapping and torturing Cassandra Cage and how you plan to incite Armageddon has forced a big coalition of RagtagBunchOfMisfits to emerge and take you down.
** And then the thunder god [[spoiler:threatens Hanzo that he'll do the same thing to Takeda as he did to Cassie, causing the former revenant to pull off a HeelFaceTurn.]]
*** Of course, the aforementioned HeelFaceTurn wouldn't be possible had it not been for Kano snitching on Hanzo. [[DidntThinkThisThrough So yeah, nice job, Kano and Raiden.]]
** Nice going, Hotaru. Burning down Li Mei's village will more than likely have her gunning for your head, and also the head of Raiden.
** Good job, Kano. Torturing Cassie to the point she's half-dead means now that Sonya wants to kill you.
* NightmareFace: Raiden.
* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: Again, Raiden.
* NominalHero: Kotal Kahn, who himself is the BigGood of this fanfic.
* NotInThisForYourRevolution: Dairou.
* NotSoDifferent: Many of Raiden's former allies now see the thunder god as a tyrant no better than Shinnok or Shao Kahn, who's using the same brutal methods of merging the realms.
* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: Raiden claims that he wants to "protect" Earthrealm from external threats. However, his real motive seems to be genocide against all those realms that he considers as a threat to Earthrealm, especially Outworld.
* ObliviouslyEvil: Raiden, as he is now corrupted. He claims [[KnightTemplar to "protect" Earthrealm by invading Outworld]], yet it is his ruthlessness, sadism, brutality and greed that has alienated his ex-allies, to a point that they're now his ArchEnemies.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Liu Kang and Kitana immediately know something is ''really off'' about Raiden when he tossed the still-living head of Shinnok at their feet during [[OmnicidalManiac his threat to destroy all realms.]] When Cassie and her team later drop by in the 1st chapter, Kitana explains the goings-on about Raiden following his corruption. Their suspicions about Raiden's corruption are confirmed when Kotal Kahn and Fujin sought an alliance with them in order to stop the power-mad thunder god.
* OhCrap: Kitana and Liu Kang when Raiden drops Shinnok's head at their feet.
** You know you're evil when [[spoiler:Hanzo bluntly states that he'd rather work for [[ArchNemesis Quan Chi]] (albeit a brainwashed one) than you, Raiden.]] Cue Hanzo's HeelFaceTurn.
** Skarlet and the Red Dragon when Torr awakens from his coma to save Ferra and attacks them.
** Daegon when Delia, unable to kill her own son, allows Jade to take control of their shared body. The demigod immediately gets his ass handed to him by the former revenant before Raiden arrives to collect his Red Dragon minions.
** Kano upon realizing that Daegon, whom he is mocking, is standing right behind him.
** Everyone when Shang Tsung returns.
** Also occurs in chapter 54, when everyone realizes that Raiden was snooping on their conversation, and when he declared war on his ex-allies.
* OpposedMentors: Daegon is torn between Delia, who still cared for him despite their individual differences and Raiden, who's a ManipulativeBastard and a ConsummateLiar. He chooses Raiden at the end of chapter 44.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Namely Nitara's species are called Moroi belonging to the realm of Vaeternus, a world that was long conquered by Shao Kahn. They are only weakened by Earthrealm's sun, and apparently only wooden stakes and the holy sword Ashrah carries can kill them.
* [[OverProtectiveDad Overprotective Parent]]:
** Johnny Cage and Sonya are this to Cassie.
** Jax is this to Jacqui.
** Scorpion and Kenshi are this to Takeda.
** Delia is this to Taven, Daegon, and Rain (although she's a stepmother to the third).
** Sindel is this to Kitana.
** Liu Kang and Kung Lao are this to Kung Jin.
** Bo' Rai Cho is this to Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kung Jin and Kai.
* PapaWolf: Johnny Cage, Jax and Kenshi qualify as this.
** Hanzo, as a ParentalSubstitute to Takeda. [[spoiler:It leads to his HeelFaceTurn.]]
** Bo' Rai Cho, as a ParentalSubstitute to Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kung Jin and Kai.
** Torr serves as this to Ferra - it's heartwarming to see that he's genuinely protective of his rider.
** Kabal and Stryker become mentors and [[ParentalSubstitute parental substitutes]] to Kevin.
* TheParanoiac: Raiden has the hallmarks of one: he blames [[NeverMyFault the Elder Gods for his problems]]; is obsessed with conquering Outworld; views his own henchmen with some degree of suspicion, considering that Scorpion defected from him; is an utter JerkassGod; [[LackOfEmpathy showed no empathy or a sense of guilt]] while mass-zapping the Lin Kuei, torturing Cassie or ordering the destruction of Li Mei's village; is willing to [[KickTheDog throw his ex-allies under the bus]]; and is a [[KnightTemplar firm believer]] in MightMakesRight when it comes to "protecting" Earthrealm.
* ParentalIssues: There are several examples of this:
** Sonya's obsession with her job hasn't given her the best relationship with Cassie, but they still love each other very much. Sonya goes MamaBear and nearly loses her grip on sanity when Cassie is kidnapped by Raiden and Kano, but Johnny manages to keep her sane until their daughter is rescued.
** Kenshi's abandonment of Takeda has damaged their relationship greatly, but they have somewhat reconciled and are growing closer now that Kenshi is working to become a better father to his son.
** Kano kidnaps and tortures his son Kevin, whom he conceived through rape, and shows no concern whatsoever for the boy's fate, calling him a weakling and a waste of space. In return, Kevin hates Kano with a burning passion and it is only his desire for revenge that keeps him from allowing himself to die.
** While Argus wasn't abusive to his children and was very supportive of Taven, he treated his two younger sons Daegon and Rain like dirt. Daegon hardly received any attention or praise from Argus and had to turn to Caro and others for a father figure while Rain, who was conceived through infidelity, was exiled from Argus's family and unaware of his true paternity until Raiden told him after Shao Kahn's death. Argus even went as far as to tell Daegon to his face that he was ashamed to call Daegon a son moments before the demigod killed him. As a result, both Daegon and Rain are extremely bitter and angry at their father, with Rain seeing his deceased adoptive father as his true father.
*** After Taven learns that Argus treated Daegon and Rain like dirt, he begins to see his father as a BrokenPedestal alongside the Elder Gods (including Shinnok).
** Kira's parents sold her into sexual slavery when she was nine years old. After killing her slaver several years later, she hunted her parents down and killed them.
** Jade's parents gave as a gift to Shao Kahn as a sign of loyalty to the emperor when she was very young.
** Ruby's father is said to have blamed her for her mother's death and hated her deeply.
* ParentalSubstitute:
** Raiden (pre-corruption) to Liu Kang and Kung Lao.
** Bo' Rai Cho to Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kai, and Kung Jin.
** Scorpion to Takeda.
** Caro (formerly) to Daegon.
** Stryker and Kabal to Kevin.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: How the corrupted Thunder God kick-starts the story by threatening the Netherrealm and later on, invading Outworld.
** Dairou tells Shujinko that Hotaru used to be a good man before his obsession with order and killing Darrius turned him into a villain.
* PetTheDog: Even Scorpion knows that a live hostage is better than a dead one, which is why he tends to Cassie's injuries against Kano's wishes.
* PhysicalGod: UpToEleven, as Raiden takes it to a [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] extreme. He is clearly more powerful than ''everyone'', and now he has no problem showcasing [[JerkassGod his]] [[ItsAllAboutMe superiority]] [[SmugSnake and]] [[ArrogantKungFuGuy arrogance]]. Jacqui even calls him thick-headed and arrogant for this reason.
* ThePowerOfBlood: Skarlet is literally made up of blood and gets stronger by absorbing the blood of others into her skin while Nitara is a vampire.
* PrinciplesZealot: Hotaru and Raiden are this.
* PromotedToLoveInterest: Kevin (Kano's son) and Cassie are being shaped to this.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: Kotal Kahn, Fujin and Liu Kang ask Raiden to go away in chapter 54, but not before he declares war on Outworld.
* PsychopathicManChild: Raiden takes sadistic glee in torturing his former allies.
** PsychopathicWomanChild[=/=]CuteAndPsycho: Mileena.
* PsychoForHire: Except for a certain few (Nitara and Daegon, who are AntiVillains) most of Raiden's henchmen are this - zealots, murderers, thugs, traitors, and constructs.
* PsychoLesbian[=/=]DepravedBisexual[=/=]LipstickLesbian: Tanya and Mileena are this.
* RageBreakingPoint: After seeing the state that Cassie was left in thanks to Kano and Raiden's torture, Sonya's definitely reached hers.
** Daegon reaches this during a flashback in Chapter 43 after his father practically disowns him.
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: This is Kano's MoralEventHorizon. He not only masterminded Kabal's maiming at the hands of Kintaro, but also raped his widow, resulting in Kevin's conception.
** Daegon, despite being guilty of several crimes including murder, makes [[EvenEvilHasStandards it clear that he is not a rapist like Kano.]]
* [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Ragtag Bunch of Kombatants]]: ''Both sides.''
** Raiden's invasion of Outworld has led Kotal Kahn to pursuing an EnemyMine situation, forcing him to ally with groups that would not support the corrupted thunder god's actions, and as well as revenants who have their own individual beef with Raiden (though they have been since restored to life). Despite their own individual flaws, it's the best group Kotal Kahn has mustered so far.
** For Raiden, he has assembled the worst of the worst to fight for him, of which includes traitors, zealots, criminals, backstabbers, constructs and murderers.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Kotal Kahn, Liu Kang and Fujin qualify as this.
** Sonya, Jax, Kenshi, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Sindel and Johnny Cage also count as this, as are Bo' Rai Cho and Delia/Jade.
* {{Revenge}}: The whole gist of the plot - basically, Raiden (after he CameBackWrong and went FaceHeelTurn) was pissed off at seeing Earthrealm getting invaded too many times, so he decided that Outworld and the Netherrealm need to be destroyed just so he could "protect" Earthrealm. [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope And then things go downhill from there]].
* RebuiltPedestal: Kenshi is working his way to become a better father towards Takeda after years of neglect.
** Daegon is struggling to become this.
* ReforgedIntoAMinion: Shao Kahn is now brainwashed to serve Shang Tsung and Raiden.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Raiden and Hotaru are this.
* RoboticPsychopath: Triborg.
* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: Chapter 55 is a GirlOnGirlIsHot scene where Mileena and Tanya are caressing each other, as they have been known to exchange such flirty banter in ''Mortal Kombat X'', and are revealed to be [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] and [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]].
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Kitana, Sindel, Kotal Kahn, Delia, and Taven are this.
** Fujin counts, as he's descended from the Elder Gods like Raiden.
* TheRival: There are several examples of this.
** Raiden to his ex-allies.
** Kano to Sonya, Jax, Johnny Cage, Takeda, Jacqui, Kung Jin and Cassie.
** Skarlet to Ruby.
** Nitara to Ashrah.
** Tanya to Jade.
** Mileena to Kitana.
** Shang Tsung to Liu Kang and Delia.
** Hotaru to Havik.
* SadisticChoice[=/=]ScrewYourUltimatum: Raiden gives Kotal Kahn and his allies the chance to surrender or face war. Their response?
-->'''Kotal:''' Go.\\
'''Fujin:''' To.\\
'''Liu:''' Hell.
* {{Sadist}}: Raiden tortures, torments, and destroys because he enjoys the suffering, pain, and despair of others (whether mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or Team S-F [[ForTheEvulz out of amusement]], ordering the destruction of Li Mei's village, attacking the Edenian resistance or [[TortureTechnician torturing Cassie and Kevin]]), and the sheer display of sadism he shows is far much '''worse''' than what Shao Kahn or Shinnok did. Kung Jin and Cassie [[LampshadeHanging even call him out for his barbarity streak.]]
** Tasia is also this, [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded by her]] EvilFeelsGood speech to Kira.
** D'Vorah, Hotaru and Kano also count as this.
* SanitySlippage:
** Raiden has lost his grip on sanity after he CameBackWrong.
** After Cassie is kidnapped, Sonya is on the verge of losing her sanity and could go MamaBear any time soon. Fortunately, Johnny is there to keep her sane and things calm down somewhat with Cassie and Kevin back safe in S-F hands.
** Ferra was on the verge of this after seeing her GentleGiant companion Torr in a comatose state, but thankfully recovers from this once Torr awakens from his coma.
* SarcasticClapping: Raiden does this in Chapter 44, as he overheard Delia/Jade and Taven's conversation with Daegon. Delia was trying to convince her son to pull a HeelFaceTurn, but fails as Raiden managed to trick Daegon.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem and I Make The Rules]]: Raiden, whose actions alienate his former allies.
* SelfMadeOrphan: Daegon and Kira.
* SexyDiscretionShot: Chapter 55 is a GirlOnGirlIsHot scene where Mileena and Tanya are caressing each other, as they have been known to exchange such flirty banter in ''Mortal Kombat X'', and are revealed to be [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] and [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]].
* ShameIfSomethingHappened[=/=]ImpliedDeathThreat: Raiden promises to torture and kill Takeda and Jacqui (and possibly, let Kano and his Black Dragon thugs rape Jacqui), and reiterates it again in Chapter 63. Jax and Kenshi go PapaWolf on Raiden's thinly-veiled threats to their children.
* SharingABody: Delia, who shares Jade's body with its host. Same goes for Jerrod, who's now sharing Ermac's body with its host. [[spoiler:As it turns out, Shao Kahn is also in Ermac's body. Although Shang Tsung ends up stealing Shao Kahn's soul for himself later on]].
* ShoutOut: In chapter 18, Cassie Cage's quote about [[HeWhoFightsMonsters Raiden]] [[FaceHeelTurn going]] [[KnightTemplar rogue]] is taken from [[Film/TheDarkKnight Harvey Dent]]. Bonus points for her as she even says it, word for word. [[BerserkButton Unsurprisingly, Raiden does not take this lightly]] and zaps her. Also counts as a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
--> '''Cassie Cage:''' I remember watching this movie a few years back and hearing this one phrase that I never forgot. [[HeWhoFightsMonsters 'You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.']] I always thought it was stupid, but after [[MoralEventHorizon seeing the shit you caused]], I'm starting to reconsider that.
** Kung Jin later recites the same quote in chapter 54.
* [[ShutUpHannibal Shut Up, Raiden!]]: When Raiden is about to torture Cassie again in chapter 22, she [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech chastises]] the thunder god for [[MoralEventHorizon the savagery]] he's done so far. This goes too far, where he [[ColdBloodedTorture tortures Kevin]] and threatens Scorpion of what could happen to his protege Takeda if he dares to defect.
--> '''Cassie Cage:''' [[YouMonster You fucking monster!]] You cold-blooded, bat-shit crazy, worthless piece of shit! I thought Shinnok was bad, but you're way worse! You make the Joker look like a nice guy! Go ahead. Zap me again. I don't care! I've been blasted by Kano's eye laser, stabbed, slapped, kicked and thrown around like a ragdoll, and electrocuted by you twice already. And even after all that, I'm still alive and cursing you out without a qualm! Face it, Raiden; '''you can't break me!'''
** Fujin also gives one in chapter 24. See the KirkSummation trope above.
** Kira takes a more physical approach in response to Tasia's EvilFeelsGood speech by chopping both her hands off.
** Even though both are part of Ermac, Jerrod gives one to Shao Kahn in chapter 37.
** Delia/Jade try this on Raiden, but he just ignores it and tricks Daegon into serving him.
** Raiden's ex-allies do it again in chapters 54 and 63, calling the thunder god out on his cruelty streak.
* SlasherSmile[=/=]PsychoticSmirk: The creepy and blood-chilling smirk on Raiden when he mass-electrocutes Team S-F and the Lin Kuei, combined with an EvilLaugh. Also gives this look when he's torturing Cassie Cage and Kevin, and when he's manipulating Daegon. You could tell that he's clearly an AxCrazy MadGod whom you don't want to cross.
** PutTheLaughterInSlaughter: Whether he mass-electrocutes Team S-F and the Lin Kuei or tortures Kevin and Cassie, it's combined with a [[EvilLaugh blood-chilling cackle]] and a SlasherSmile.
** PsychoElectro: Raiden uses electricity to torture and silence his enemies with a [[SlasherSmile sickly grin]], and [[AxCrazy gleefully]] [[EvilLaugh cackles when]] mass-zapping them. He ups the ante when enraged enough, especially when Cassie [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls]] [[WhatTheHellHero him]] [[ShutUpHannibal out]] ''twice''.
* SlidingScaleOfVillainThreat: Since Raiden is an OmnicidalManiac, he's a Multiversal Threat if he does merge the realms - and this would result in a Class X-5 or Class Z ApocalypseHow.
* SlowlySlippingIntoEvil: The story does a good job taking a step-by-step approach to emphasizing Raiden's increasing comfort with violence and extremist methods to protect Earthrealm. The thunder god genuinely claims to be heroic, but his conscience and kindness get hardened. He slowly drifts from goodness, alienates his own former allies and his reactions towards protecting Earthrealm become [[DisproportionateRetribution more extreme and disproportionate]], until there's nothing left but a deranged and rage-fueled [[TheSociopath sociopath]].
* SmugSnake: Raiden appears this to his former allies.
* TheSociopath: [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative]], [[AxCrazy cold-blooded]], [[{{Sadist}} sadistic]], [[LackOfEmpathy remorseless]], [[TheUnfettered ruthless]], [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]], [[SmugSnake pompous]], [[NeverMyFault arrogant]], [[FauxAffablyEvil evil]], [[{{Jerkass}} rude]], [[EvilCannotComprehendGood and unable to realize the collateral damage caused by his actions]]... yes, Raiden is clearly one to a T.
** Tasia's EvilFeelsGood speech confirms her status as a sociopath.
** Kano is this, as he doesn't show [[LackOfEmpathy any remorse]] [[AbusiveParents torturing his son]], and [[ItAmusedMe finds it funny]] seeing Cassie get tortured by him and Raiden.
* SoftSpokenSadist: Raiden, when he's in his FauxAffablyEvil mode.
* SorcerousOverlord: Raiden, as he's a PhysicalGod and an EvilOverlord.
* StartOfDarkness[=/=]TheParagonAlwaysRebels: What drove Raiden to a path of villainy? After his HeroicSacrifice at the end of ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', Raiden CameBackWrong as an EvilOverlord with a mix of the OmnicidalManiac and HeWhoFightsMonsters personalities, and will not stop at creating an UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans empire (by merging Outworld and the Netherrealm) in order to [[KnightTemplar "protect" Earthrealm,]] no matter who may die in the ensuing violence.
* StrawHypocrite: Raiden claims to "protect" Earthrealm at all costs, yet many of his allies point out that he's lusting for power like Shao Kahn or Shinnok. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Kung Jin in chapter 54.
-->'''Kung Jin:''' Oh, shut up already! Why don't you just admit it? [[EvilCannotComprehendGood You don't care about protecting Earthrealm.]] [[AmbitionIsEvil All you care about is power.]] [[{{Sadist}} You like torturing and killing other people]] [[EvilFeelsGood because it makes you feel good]]. [[LackOfEmpathy You don't give a damn for anybody]] [[TheSociopath who suffers or dies at your hands]] [[TortureTechnician because you enjoy putting them through that agony!]] That's exactly how Shao Kahn would act!
* StressVomit: Sonya experiences this in Chapter 17 after Cassie was kidnapped.
* SurroundedByIdiots: Raiden berates and beats up several of his henchmen for fighting like children. This includes Havik, Hotaru, Mavado, Reiko, Mileena, Baraka, D'Vorah, etc.
* SurvivorGuilt: Pretty much the ex-revenants are this, as they still are horrified of what they did as revenants under Quan Chi's control.
* SympathyForTheDevil: Many of his former allies (especially Fujin and Kung Jin) share this sentiment, considering that Raiden's now a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled MadGod after he CameBackWrong.
* TeamworkSeduction: Mileena and Tanya are to be [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]].
* TheDogBitesBack: Scorpion defects to Fujin's side after being threatened by Raiden, and after witnessing Cassie's torture too many times.
* ThenLetMeBeEvil: The gist of [[spoiler: Kitana's chapter, after Quan Chi killed Jade.]]
* ThisCannotBe: Raiden, after seeing that Shao Kahn was not only revived, but also ReforgedIntoAMinion by Shang Tsung.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Scorpion and Kano, who are CoDragons to Raiden, though Scorpion is more of a NobleTopEnforcer...[[spoiler:until he switches sides.]] Scorpion is later replaced by Hotaru while Kano is demoted to EvilGenius and replaced by Shang Tsung.
* TokenEvilTeammate: Rain, Darrius and Dairou count as this on Kotal Kahn's side.
* TokenGoodTeammate: Scorpion, who objects to Cassie's and Kevin's torture by Raiden and Kano, and pulls off a HeelFaceTurn when he realizes that [[ManipulativeBastard Raiden was using him as a tool]] and when the thunder god threatens to do the same thing to Takeda as he did to Cassie and Kevin.
** Nitara begins to have feelings of this, as she was strong-armed by Raiden in order to serve him.
** Daegon has feelings about this, but this is ultimately subverted when the thunder god [[ManipulativeBastard manipulates him]].
* TookALevelInCynic[=/=]TheCynic: Dairou after his family was murdered.
* TookALevelInJerkass [[{{Superdickery}} and Super Dickery]]: Raiden becomes a selfish and sociopathic JerkassGod with OmnicidalManiac tendencies after his corruption.
* TortureTechnician: Kano, with Cassie and Kevin on the receiving end of it. Raiden also gets in on the action.
* TotalitarianUtilitarian: Raiden has [[TheUnfettered no qualms]] about [[TheConqueror invading other realms]] following his FaceHeelTurn, and [[DisproportionateRetribution using the same tactics to silence his enemies]].
* TragicKeepsake: Jade's staff, as Quan Chi allows Kitana to keep it as a reminder of what would happen if she crossed him. [[spoiler: She later returns the staff to Jade after their reunion]].
* TragicVillain: After his HeroicSacrifice at the end of ''X'', Raiden CameBackWrong as a [[FaceHeelTurn corrupted]] [[KnightTemplar version]] [[HeWhoFightsMonsters of]] [[RogueProtagonist himself]] with OmnicidalManiac tendencies, and after torpedoing through the MoralEventHorizon, he becomes a downright [[AxCrazy insane,]] [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]] [[TheSociopath and deranged]] MadGod who takes [[{{Sadist}} sadistic]] [[SlasherSmile glee]] [[PutTheLaughterInSlaughter in torturing his enemies]].
* TranquilFury: When you don't piss Raiden off, he'll gleefully torture you by zapping; this all goes away when Cassie pisses him off enough.
* TheUnapologetic: Raiden shows no remorse about what he's done so far, whether it's invading Outworld, kidnapping and torturing Cassie, allowing Kano to torture his own son Kevin, psychologically and physically abusing his ex-allies, mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or Team S-F, attacking the Edenian Resistance, threatening to torture Takeda or Jacqui, berating his own minions, tricking and strong-arming Scorpion, Daegon and Nitara into serving him, ordering the destruction of Li Mei's village, or threatening to torture Takeda and Jacqui.
* TheUnfavorite: Argus clearly favored Taven over Daegon.
* TheUnfettered: Raiden has no qualms about invading other realms following his FaceHeelTurn, and using the same tactics to silence his enemies.
** Hotaru doesn't flinch even when he crosses the MoralEventHorizon by destroying Li Mei's village.
* UnholyMatrimony: Liu Kang and Kitana, as the rulers of the Netherrealm, were this prior to being restored back to life.
* TheUnintelligible: Torr does not speak any earth language and relies on Ferra to translate for him. The catch is that [[HulkSpeak Ferra isn't very good at communicating with Earthrealmers, or anyone else for that matter either.]]
* UnwittingPawn: Scorpion realizes that Raiden has manipulated him into becoming his {{Dragon}}, and atones for this by defecting to Fujin's side in chapter 24 after Raiden threatens to torture Takeda and Jacqui if Scorpion dared to defect.
-->'''Scorpion''': I would prefer to work with the undead, brainwashed sorcerer than a MadGod lusting for power.
** Raiden later does the same thing to Daegon, as he's now playing on the latter's emotions about being TheUnfavorite son of Argus.
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Daegon.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: What Raiden plans to do after merging Outworld and Netherrealm, though Sheeva (in chapter 7) thinks that the thunder god would actually create a DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans empire, after explaining to Ferra what could happen if Kotal Kahn loses the Mortal Kombat tournament.
** Hotaru also belives in this, as he'll ally with anybody who's [[KnightTemplar willing to keep order at all costs]], even if it meant [[MoralEventHorizon outright genocide.]]
* VillainBall: Raiden didn't anticipate the formation of a big coalition of RagtagBunchOfMisfits to emerge and take him down.
** The thunder god didn't how Cassie's parents would go to extreme measures to rescue their daughter, and how Li Mei would go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge after ordering her village to be destroyed.
* VileVillainSaccharineShow: While Mortal Kombat itself is pretty much a CrapsackWorld and isn't that saccharine, the fact that the Elder Gods fear Raiden more than they did with Shao Kahn or Shinnok did in the past (after he CameBackWrong and is now an OmnicidalManiac with [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] [[AxCrazy tendencies]]) really shows how ''dangerous'' the deranged thunder god can be, considering that he's ''really'' close to pulling off a Class X-5 or Class Z ApocalypseHow.
* VillainsActHeroesReact: Raiden.
* VillainousFriendship: Raiden and Hotaru are the BigBadDuumvirate.
* VillainousBreakdown: Though it's slowly emerging, Raiden is beginning to show signs of a breakdown.
* VillainOpeningScene: The prologue, where Raiden launches a surprise assault on Outworld, and things go downhill rapidly from there.
* VisionaryVillain: [[KnightTemplar Raiden claims to "protect" Earthrealm]] by launching a surprise invasion of Outworld.
* WarRoom: While Raiden was meeting with his lackeys in chapter 52, Shang Tsung shows up, offering an alliance with the corrupted thunder god. Not only that, he also revived Mileena, Baraka, Mavado, Havik,Reiko, and Kobra.
* WomanInWhite: Ashrah.
* WhamEpisode: The prologue, where Raiden's invading Outworld.
** Also during Cassie's chapter, when Cassie and Team S-F are horrified that Raiden will merge the realms just so he can "protect" Earthrealm from outside threats.
** Chapter 52, when Mileena, Baraka, Mavado, Havik, Reiko, and Kobra show up alongside Shang Tsung.
* WhamLine: When Scorpion announces that he'd rather work with an undead and brainwashed Quan Chi than a power-hungry MadGod in chapter 24.
-->'''Scorpion:''' I would prefer to work with the undead, brainwashed sorcerer than a Mad God lusting for power.\\

* WhamShot: You know you're evil when [[spoiler:Hanzo bluntly states that he'd rather work for [[ArchNemesis Quan Chi]] (albeit a brainwashed one) than Raiden.]] Cue Hanzo's HeelFaceTurn.
** Also when Shang Tsung comes BackFromTheDead and revives Mileena, Baraka, Mavado, Havik, Reiko, and Kobra.
* [[WhatTheHellHero What the Hell, Raiden]]: Kotal Kahn, Team S-F, the Lin Kuei, Liu Kang and Cassie Cage call out Raiden when he plans to merge Outworld and the Netherrealm with Earthrealm.
** Fujin also gives one in chapter 24. It also counts as a KirkSummation, ShutUpHannibal and TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
** Fujin, Liu Kang and Kotal Kahn call out the Elder Gods for their refusal to intervene in chapter 63.
* WhiteAndBlackMorality: Raiden starts out as a WellIntentionedExtremist and KnightTemplar, but as the story progresses, he slowly becomes a deranged and sociopathic tyrant who's more than willing to use brutal tactics to conquer realms (and to silence anybody if they stand in his way), alienate and throw his ex-allies under the bus, and as well as manipulate, cheat and extort anybody to serve him, effectively becoming a real villain.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Daegon.
** WellDoneDaughterGirl: Kira and Skarlet.
* WeNeedADistraction: Fujin leads an assault on the Sky Temple while Sonya and Kira infiltrate the Black Dragon hideout to rescue Cassie and Kevin.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: [[BigBadDuumvirate Raiden and Hotaru]] qualify as this. One's a [[AxCrazy deranged]] [[TheSociopath and sociopathic]] MadGod, while the other is a KnightTemplar zealot.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: [[DrunkWithPower Raiden is]] [[SanitySlippage slowly losing his grip on sanity]] following his corruption. This is even [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Kitana in the 12th chapter.
--> '''Kitana:''' "I have heard the pleas for help and explanations of the situation from all of you and after some consideration, we have come to a decision. It is clear by now that Raiden has gone [[DrunkWithPower insane]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity following his purification of the Jinsei,]] which resulted in his own corruption. [[AxCrazy He]] came here and stood before myself and Liu Kang and threw Shinnok's living head at our feet. [[TheConqueror He]] and the Shirai Ryu have invaded Outworld and will surely target the Netherrealm next. The only way to stop him is through victory in Mortal Kombat. And loath as I am to admit it, we must work together to achieve that victory."
* WithUsOrAgainstUs[=/=]MyWayOrTheHighway: Raiden's ex-allies are alienated by his MyWayOrTheHighway attitude on "protecting" Earthrealm.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: Given what he did so far, all of Raiden's ex-allies (Fujin, Ashrah, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Frost, Delia, Taven, Li Mei, Kai, Shujinko, Bo' Rai Cho, Team S-F, Jax, Jade, Kenshi, Sareena, and the Cage Family) see him in nothing but contempt after he crosses the MoralEventHorizon by mass-zapping the Lin Kuei. Their sentiments about Raiden are shared by Liu Kang and the ex-revenants (Kitana, Kung Lao, Smoke, Nightwolf, Kabal, Stryker and Sindel), by Kotal Kahn and his warriors (Ermac/Jerrod, Reptile, Ferra/Torr, and Erron Black) and by others (Rain, Ruby, Sheeva, Kira, Darrius, Dairou).
** Kotal and D'Vorah also qualify as this.
** Dairou and Shujinko used to be friends with Hotaru.
* WorthyOpponent[=/=]VillainRespect: D'Vorah still regards Kotal Kahn as a worthy opponent. She also holds Nitara with respect.
** Hotaru sees Darrius as a worthy opponent.
* WouldHurtAChild: In chapter 16, when forcefully interrogating an Edenian named Ruby on Rain's whereabouts, Raiden threatens to kill all the Edenian refugees in the camp, particularly women and children.
** Many of the Lin Kuei he either killed or maimed after crossing the MoralEventHorizon were in ''their early teens''.
** Also when he orders the destruction of Li Mei's village.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Dairou feels that there is a [[MoralEventHorizon line that he would never cross]] while working as a mercenary - hitting or killing a child. This is because his family was murdered and is justifiably cynical as a result.
* WouldHitAGirl: Raiden and Kano kidnap and torture Cassie Cage to ensure Johnny or Sonya won't interfere in their plans.
* YouAreWhatYouHate: Raiden claims to "protect" Earthrealm, yet many of his ex-allies see him as a ruthless and cold-blooded megalomaniac no worse than Shao Kahn or Shinnok.
* YouCantMakeAnOmelette:
* YouExclamation: Kotal and Kitana do this to Mileena in Chapter 54.
* YellowEyesOfSneakiness: Raiden proves to be a heartless ManipulativeBastard by toying around with Scorpion's and Daegon's emotions by making them his henchmen.
* YoureInsane: Many of his now-former allies call Raiden out, but [[KickTheDog Raiden just ignores them by mass-electrocuting his former allies.]]
** This is the whole gist of chapter 54, when Raiden's former allies berate him for what he's done so far.
* YouHaveFailedMe: Kano and the Black Dragon are on thin ice with Raiden following the successful rescue of Cassie Cage by her mother and the two ex-Black Dragons.
* YouKeepTellingYourselfThat: Kung Jin gives this to Raiden in chapter 54, telling how far he's fallen.
-->'''Kung Jin:''' Oh, shut up already! [[NoYou Why don't you just admit it?]] [[EvilCannotComprehendGood You don't care about protecting Earthrealm.]] [[AmbitionIsEvil All you care about is power.]] [[{{Sadist}} You like torturing and killing other people]] [[EvilFeelsGood because it makes you feel good]]. [[LackOfEmpathy You don't give a damn for anybody]] [[TheSociopath who suffers or dies at your hands]] [[TortureTechnician because you enjoy putting them through that agony!]] That's exactly how Shao Kahn would act!
* YouMonster: Raiden, once he torpedoes through the [[MoralEventHorizon line]] by mass-zapping the Lin Kuei and is responsible for Sub-Zero's comatose state. Cassie Cage, and later on, Kung Jin even call him an outright villain, referencing the [[Film/TheDarkKnight Harvey Dent]] quote about [[BrokenPedestal paragon figures like]] [[HeWhoFightsMonsters Raiden turning rogue]].
* YouNoTakeCandle: Ferra seems to talk like this. The funny thing is that it verges on Hulk Speak for her when Torr is the Hulk of the duo.

* AFateWorseThanDeath: Sonya promises this on Kano for his torturing of Cassie. Kano replies that Cassie is "a perfect example of that." Prior to that, Raiden promises this on Jacqui. Although he was interrupted by Cassie whilst threatening Scorpion, the threat is still there and he reiterates it in Chapter 63.

** Raiden's ex-allies do it again in chapter 54, calling the thunder god out on his savagery.

* TheSociopath: Raiden, after his corruption, is this to a T. Combine these: LackOfEmpathy, FauxAffablyEvil, ManipulativeBastard, SmugSnake, AxCrazy, ItsAllAboutMe, {{Sadist}}, EvilFeelsGood, BloodKnight and EvilCannotComprehendGood and a willingness to gleefully cross the MoralEventHorizon. WordOfGod even confirms his status as this.

* TheUnapologetic: Raiden shows no remorse about what he's done so far, whether it's invading Outworld, kidnapping and torturing Cassie, allowing Kano to torture his own son Kevin, psychologically and physically abusing his ex-allies, mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or Team S-F, attacking the Edenian Resistance, threatening to torture Takeda or Jacqui, berating his own minions, tricking and strong-arming Scorpion, Daegon and Nitara into serving him or ordering the destruction of Li Mei's village.

** Hotaru also belives in this, as he'll ally with anybody who's [[KnightTemplar willing to keep order at all costs]], even if it meant [[MoralEventHorizon genocide.]]

** Fujin also gives one in chapter 24. It also counts as a KirkSummation, ShutUpHannibal and TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. See the KirkSummation trope above.

** WellDoneDaughterGirl: Skarlet.

** Tasia is this to Kano.

** Kira also counts as this due to her reasons for leaving the Black Dragon.

* LackOfEmpathy: Raiden takes [[KnightOfCerebus bone-chilling]] [[AxCrazy and]] ''[[{{Sadist}} sadistic]]'' [[ItAmusedMe glee]] when torturing Cassie and mass-zapping the Lin Kuei or Team S-F, and shows no remorse even when crossing the MoralEventHorizon.

** Skarlet is shown to be genuinely concerned about Daegon in Chapters 48 and 52.

** Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Kai

** Kitana and Jade

** Mileena and Tanya

* LikeASonToMe: Like Raiden (prior to his corruption), Bo' Rai Cho has this sentiment about Liu Kang and Kung Lao and even wanted to hug them, but could not do so because of their current situation as revenants. He also has this sentiment about Kai.

** Liu Kang and Kung Lao are this to Kung Jin

** Sonya, Jax, Kenshi, Sub-Zero, Scorpion also count as this, as are Bo' Rai Cho and Delia/Jade.