History TearJerker / MortalKombat1

* Ermac's Tower ending shows Jerrod was unable to maintain control of the souls comprising Ermac's being and the collective consciousness has regained control. While Ermac faces the prospect of CivilWar within himself, think of it from the point of view of Mileena and Kitana, they've now seemingly lost both their parents, with it being unknown if Jerrod and Sindel will be able to regain control of Ermac's body.

* Ermac's Tower ending shows Jerrod was unable to maintain control of the souls comprising Ermac's being and the collective consciousness has regained control. While Ermac faces the prospect of CivilWar within himself, think of it from the point of view of Mileena and Kitana, they've now seemingly lost both their parents, with it being unknown if Jerrod and Sindel will be able to regain control of Ermac's body.

* Ermac's Tower ending shows Jerrod was unable to maintain control of the collect souls comprising Ermac's body and the collective consciousness has regained control. While Ermac faces the prospect of CivilWar within himself, think of it from the point of view of Mileena and Kitana, they've now seemingly lost both their parents, with it being unknown if Jerrod and Sindel will be able to regain control of Ermac's body.

* ''Chapter 5: Weird Science:''

* Rain's Tower ending. Having become a fugitive for his role in General Shao's rebellion, but no longer wishing to ally with them, Rain finds Havik to be the only person who seems willing to take him in, leading him to create a massive flood that drowns the capital of Seido. In seeing the destruction, Rain finds nothing but absolute horror, [[HeelRealization and laments that by not controlling his ambiton, he doomed half a million people to a horrific death]]. In despair and seeking to atone, he turns himself in to Mileena, willing to accept whatever judgment may come.
* Omni-Man's Tower ending. Having been stolen from his timeline by Titan Shang Tsung to help in his fight against Liu Kang, Omni-Man decides to kill Titan Shang Tsung and claim the timeline for the Viltrum Empire in hopes it would redeem himself for not completing his mission to conquer Earth in his timeline. But after years of dominating the Realms, Omni-Man knows that due to his people's excellent memory, sooner or later, The Empire will set its sights back on Earth in their original timeline and hopes that their time conquering the Mortal Kombat realms has allowed his son time to prepare. Creator/JKSimmons delivers in a forlorn tone that makes you feel that although his loyalty is to Viltrum, the father in Nolan ''really'' doesn't want to fight Mark again.
* Invasion Mode Season 1 reveals a Hanzo Hasashi from another timeline where things went as usual: His clan was butchered by the Lin Kuei, especially his wife Harumi, who was murdered. This Hanzo managed to gain dimension-hopping skills and searched for a timeline where Harumi lived, to no avail, until he came to Fire God Liu Kang's timeline and found out that she was alive.... but was already married to [[{{Hunk}} Kuai Liang]], a former member of the Lin Kuei and the Scorpion of this timeline. Already frustrated by his failures, he [[RageBreakingPoint snapped]], vowing that he will [[EvilIsPetty burn this entire timeline]] -- [[IfICantHaveYou if Harumi is forever destined to elude his embrace, then he shall make sure no one else gets to have her]]. However, Liu Kang [[EasilyForgiven is able to give him a happy ending]] through the hourglass.

* [[WesternAnimation/Invincible2021 Omni-Man's]] Tower ending. Having been stolen from his timeline by Titan Shang Tsung to help in his fight agains Liu Kang, Omni-Man decides to kill Titan Shang Tsung and claim the timeline for the Viltrum Empire in hopes it would redeem himself for not completing his mission to pacify Earth in his timeline. But after years of dominating the Realms, Omni-Man knows that at some point, The Empire will set its sights back on Earth in their original timeline and hopes that their time conquering the Mortal Kombat realms has allowed his son time to prepare. Creator/JKSimmons delivers in a sorrowful tone that makes you feel that although his loyalty is to Viltrum, the father in Nolan ''really'' doesn't want to fight Mark.

** First, we see Johnny got a role as the lead in a short film as a favour from a director. Because of this, Johnny is convinced his career (which has apparently hit a low point) will take off again, but his wife Cristina wants him to be more realistic, and start by selling their BigFancyHouse and stop [[ConspicuousConsumption splashing out on fancy toys, art pieces and relics]]. He tries to convince her that this is all just part of being Johnny Cage, but instead, his words just drive her away for good.
--> '''Cristina:''' ''I didn't marry ''Johnny Cage''! I married ''John Carlton''... [[ThatManIsDead I'd give anything to have him back]].'' [Grabs her purse and leaves.]

* ''Chapter 11: Civil War'':

* Few, if ''any'', of Omni-Man's intros imply him to be better than his comic or animated versions, heavily hinting that in ''all'' timelines Nolan will experience the same events, both the good and the bad, no matter ''how'' history changes. Some even imply he could have turned out '''worse'''.

** From the same chapter, Li Mei is introduced as Raiden's first kombatant in the tournament. She is there by tradition: Sun Do's First Constable is always the first fight. Sindel, however, makes it abundantly clear that's the only reason she's there, as she wants nothing to do with her, blaming her for Jerrod's death.

** When we are introduced to Reptile, he's working with Shang Tsung, but not willingly, as the sorcerer claims to [[IHaveYourWife have his family held hostage and will kill them if he disobeys.]] When Syzoth fails to stop Johnny Cage, Kung Lao, Kenshi, and Baraka from escaping their prisons in the Flesh Pits, Shang Tsung casually drops the fact that he had Syzoth's family killed...''[[DeadAllAlong months ago]]''! Poor Syzoth takes it poorly.

* Johnny's chapter gives us [[ActionFilmQuietDramaScene a low-key sad scene]].

-->'''Cristina:''' I didn't marry ''Johnny Cage''! I married ''John Carlton''... [[ThatManIsDead I'd give anything to have him back]]. ''[Grabs her purse and leaves.]''
** Afterwards, Johnny realises what he's done and promptly [[DrowningMySorrows gulps down the drink in his hand before going over to pour another]], muttering "How do you like that, Mr. A-List?" to himself. Story mode dialogue and pre-match intros confirm she filed for divorce and Johnny ended up having to sell his mansion anyway due to legal expenses.

--> ''In one evening, Johnny had lost his beloved wife and his most prized possession. Never had he felt more alone.''
* Sindel is introduced in Chapter 3 as the wise and benevolent ruler of Outworld, who still mourns the murder of her husband Jerrod. The pain in her voice is palpable.

* Mileena in this timeline starts off as a legitimate twin sister to Kitana, but still slowly has to succumb to her iconic monstrous appearance, which would jeopardize her status as Kahn.

* Kenshi's blinding is equal parts horrific and heartbreaking; unlike in the previous timeline, where arrogance was his downfall, [[AdaptationalNiceGuy a much nobler]] Kenshi loses his sight [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished because he tried to help people]]; assuming that Shang Tsung was trying to infect Mileena with Tarkat, Kenshi (along with Johnny and Kung Lao) intervened and wound up [[NiceJobBreakingItHero preventing Mileena from getting an injection to suppress Tarkat]], causing her to go berserk, and when Kenshi stops her from mauling Johnny's face, she grabs her sais and ''brutally'' gouges out his eyes. Later, the blinded and despairing Kenshi notes that he is now useless and even briefly tells his friends to leave him behind, needing Johnny's encouragement to even keep moving. When Liu Kang sees his condition, he's horrified, having hoped that in the New Era, Kenshi could manage to keep his sight.
* Tarkatans in this timeline are victims of a disease responsible for their appearances that drives them to madness and savagery. We also learn more about how much more tragic Baraka's story is in this timeline. Before he was infected, he lived a life most would dream of: he was a successful merchant with a tribe, a home, and a wife and child. Once he got infected by Tarkat and exposed, by Sindel's decree, he had his assets taken away and was thrown to where all Tarkat-infected people go. While Baraka lives, his family slowly perishes, leaving him to take the mantle of guarding every infected person.
--> '''Baraka:''' We are victims of Tarkat. It disfigures, then debilitates. In time, it will turn us all into bloodthirsty monsters. [[MercyKill Death]] is our only release.
* Reptile, despite his home realm of Zaterra and people existing in this timeline, is still all alone as he's an outcast due to his shapeshifting ability.
** When we are introduced to him, he is working with Shang Tsung, but not willingly, as the sorcerer claims to [[IHaveYourWife have his family held hostage and will kill them if he disobeys.]] When Syzoth fails to stop Johnny Cage, Kung Lao, Kenshi, and Baraka from escaping their prisons in the Flesh Pits, Shang Tsung casually drops the fact that he had Syzoth's family killed...''[[DeadAllAlong months ago]]''! Poor Syzoth takes it poorly.
* From Reptile's chapter, you can tell that Kitana is in a difficult situation of trying to support her sister's eventual ascension to the throne, even if Mileena's brashness and decision-making skills pose a risk to her future rule. When she notices Mileena and Tanya subtly flirting with each other at a festival later in the story, she warns Mileena that such an entanglement could potentially ruin her rule, telling Mileena that she has eyes, as do her detractors, and that if she's patient enough she can remove the restriction on Umgadi celibacy when she becomes Empress. Mileena storms off in frustration, clearly irritated by Kitana trying to help her, the latter clearly striking a nerve with her sister when she was only being nice to her as a sister and a best friend.
* Despite Sub-Zero being [[{{Jerkass}} a rude, callous, aggressive man]], his FaceHeelTurn still comes as a shock to Scorpion, who is both horrified and disgusted by how low his brother is willing to sink, especially when Bi-Han reveals that when their father had his fatal accident, Bi-Han was there and [[MurderByInaction just let him die]]. To say that Kuai Liang is heartbroken and betrayed by his brother's actions is a massive understatement.
* Sindel's death at the hands of her Dark counterpart. Especially since unlike her previous timeline counterpart this Sindel has been shown to be a good person throughout. Fortunately, Ermac (under King Jerrod's control at that point) was able to save her soul and store it within Ermac, allowing the two to be TogetherInDeath.
* At the end of the story, while some of the villains to get a second chance in the New Era managed to become better people, others, for whom Liu Kang only wanted to give a second chance, still succumbed to their worst instincts, and in some cases, needed very little if any prodding to do so. Even his old ArchEnemy, Shang Tsung, who Liu Kang deliberately put into a mediocre life as a precaution, got a chance to do something better, and he ''gleefully'' threw it away in exchange for power.
* Losing a fight in story mode is [[ItsAWonderfulFailure followed by a caption box that reveals the aftermath of your defeat]]. While some are minor, others can be outright sad:
--> '''Li Mei vs. Reiko or Tanya:''' ''Once again, Li Mei had fought to defend the royal house. [[HistoryRepeats Once again, she had failed]]. [[CondemnedByHistory History would not remember her kindly]].''
--> '''Li Mei vs. Mileena:''' ''Mortally wounded, Li Mei could only watch as Princess Mileena was completely overcome by Tarkat disease. Li Mei died heartbroken by the loss.''
--> '''Mileena vs. Evil!Sindel:''' ''Mileena couldn't believe that she had lost both her mother and her empire. She welcomed death as a release from her misery.''
** Even Shang Tsung gets one:
--> '''Shang Tsung vs. Evil!Rain or Evil!Scorpion:''' ''As a huckster in Outworld's hinterlands, Shang Tsung dreamed of wielding great power. Though he held it only a moment, it was worth every sacrifice he had made to get it.''

* A Liu Kang MirrorMatch hints that [[Franchise/{{Batman}} The Joker]] [[Franchise/{{Injustice}} tricked one of them into killing his version of Kitana]].