History MortalKombatDesperation / TropesAToB

* * It's debateable whether Darrius is this or an AntiHero, though he certainly thinks he's the latter.

** Darrius is a shining example of this. While he certainly does uses dark methods due to his 'ends justify the means' attitude such as secretly arranging the murder of Dairou's family ([[WouldHurtAChild including his young daughter]]) and framing another man for the crime whom he then allowed to be killed, he seems to genuinely want the best for his realm as much as he wants power for himself. Furthermore, he sees things more rationally than [[BothOrderandChaosAreDangerous the order-obsessed Hotaru and chaos-obsessed Havik]].

** Daegon. His crimes such as [[SelfMadeOrphan killing his parents]] and arranging Suchin's murder are not ignored, but [[EvenEvilHasStandards he clearly has standards]], as proven with his disgust with Kano for being a traitor and [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rapist]] both things he hates and also looks out for his men, even standing up for Skarlet when Reiko insults her and not tolerating disrespect toward his followers.

** A brainwashed Shao Kahn is revealed to be very aware of his actions despite lacking control over them. His chapter even directly references the quote from this trope.
* 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.

* ActionGirl: Pretty much every single female character on both sides in this story.

** D'Vorah. She's very [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder traitorous]], cunning, deceptive, and power hungry, but her desire for power stems from a belief that power is the key to survival, which has been her ultimate motivation since Shao Kahn conquered her people. She refuses to die, which is a sharp contrast to the many other characters who believes in FateWorseThanDeath. She understands why people think like that, but prefers to suffer and live than die.

** The majority of Raiden's allies fear and/or hate him, but given their own crimes, it's hard to feel sorry for them.

** Darrius is a shining example of this. While he certainly does uses dark methods due to his 'ends justify the means' attitude such as secretly arranging the murder of Dairou's family ([[WouldHurtAChild including his young daughter]]), he seems to genuinely want the best for his realm as much as he wants power for himself. Furthermore, he sees things more rationally than [[BothOrderandChaosAreDangerous the order-obsessed Hotaru and chaos-obsessed Havik]].

** D'Vorah. She's very traitorous, cunning, deceptive, and power hungry, but her desire for power stems from a belief that power is the key to survival, which has been her ultimate motivation since Shao Kahn conquered her people. She refuses to die, which is a sharp contrast to the many other characters who believes in FateWorseThanDeath. She understands why people think like that, but prefers to suffer and live than die.

** AMotherToHerMen: Li Mei, Nitara, Sindel, Kitana, Khameleon, and Sheeva quality as this.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: Scorpion, Daegon, Nitara, Kira, Rain, Darrius, and Dairou are this.

* AdaptationalSexuality: Mileena and Tanya are confirmed to be [[DepravedBisexual Depraved Bisexuals]] and [[PsychoLesbian Psycho Lesbians]] in chapter 55.

** Kano seems to be loathed by many, for what he and Raiden did to Cassie, and as well as his crimes in general.

** Argus was quite abusive towards Daegon and Rain.

* AffablyEvil: Shang Tsung, as he is a seemingly BenevolentBoss to Moloch, Drahmin, Kia, and Jataaka.

* 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]].

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Raiden is universally loathed by all of his ex-allies as well as most of his current allies, given what he's done so far.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny[=/=]ItAmusedMe: Kano and his lieutenants have a laugh at Cassie [[KneelBeforeZod being forced to grovel]] before Raiden.

** In general, Raiden finds it funny whenever he's psychologically toying around with his former allies. For example, he 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.

* 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.

* {{Blackmail}}: How Raiden managed to convince Nitara into joining his faction or face the loss of her people.

** Skarlet once had this to Shao Kahn, but now has this to Daegon.

** In general, Raiden finds it funny when he's
*** 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.

** 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.

* 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.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Raiden is feared and hated by all of his ex-allies as well as most of his current allies.

* BlofeldPloy: In chapter 22, Cassie thought that Raiden was going to torture her, but instead, he tortures Kevin. He only stops when Cassie was forced to [[KneelBeforeZod kneel before him]].

** Kenshi was this, but is working his way to become a RebuiltPedestal.

* 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.

** In chapter 54, Taven considers the Elder Gods (including Shinnok) and Argus to be this.

** Kevin sees his own father Kano as this.

* 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.

** 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.

* [[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.