Want to know what each character does, should they best Kronika and take her Hourglass? You can find out here, and these scenarios run the gamut from humbling to horrific!
Click here for the recap of Story Mode.
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Baraka
"Kronika's power was mine, mine to share with the tribe. In the new timeline I built, Tarkatans would be slaves no more. We would rule. We easily took Edenia, then Outworld, and the Netherrealm. Last, we challenged Earthrealm in Mortal Kombat. Within a thousand years, all realms fell to Tarkatan blades... and we have not run out of meat since!"
Cassie Cage
"For the second time in my life, I kicked the living shit out of an immortal. My prize? The Hourglass. Now I can change history. Talk about ridonkulous cosmic power. But despite what you may think about Beverly Hills girls, that is so not my style. The Chosen One thing is for the Liu Kangs and Kitanas of the world. In the next timeline, all I want is to be a model soldier. To command the next generation of Special Forces. We were born to defend Earthrealm. Just like the heroes that inspired me; my parents. Okay, so there's one more thing I want; my mom back. Not just for me, but for Dad. He and my mom deserve a happily-ever-after retirement. We'll never know how different things were the last time around. But we'll be together... a family... and that's all that matters."
Cetrion
"Though I first denied their truth, eventually I realized the wisdom of Liu Kang's words. There is virtue greater than my mother's desired balance. Good must be allowed to flourish. But no matter how I reshaped time, rooting out evil proved impossible. Though freed from want, mortals still killed each other. Divided by realm and race, they easily justified their hate. Hubris, greed, envy. To appreciate my gifts, mortal sins must be cleansed. Which is why I baptize the realms with fire. For eons, mortals will battle evil, eventually achieving victory. And when they emerge from the darkness, they will be humbled... eager to embrace the light."
D'Vorah
"Vermin." That is the humanoid word for the Kytinn and our fellow insectoids. But with the Hourglass, This One can review history and give lie to that myth. Humanoids live to kill. Without a common enemy to fight, they divide. Destroy each other. Insectoids live to survive. No conflicts divide us. We build upon each other. Kin does not kill kin. So tell This One...who are the vermin? Time for This One to write a more just history. One in which pesky humanoids finally take the places they deserve... scrambling beneath our feet!"
Erron Black
"Truth be told, it surprised me, putting down Kronika. Not bad for a scrawny kid from Wickett. Now that's it's done, now what? I don't cotton to being Lord of Time, stuck on some island at the edge of nowhere. No, Erron Black likes being in the thick of it. Seems to me, time oughta stay all mashed up. It's been a hell of a ride. Gotta keep these thrills coming. Which means makin' sure no one gets a chance to screw this up. Once the Hourglass gets dumped in the Sea of Blood, ain't no one ever shaping history again. What happens next? Hell if I know... and that's just the way I like it."
Frost
"Sub-Zero dismissed me. Raiden dismissed me. They all did, even Kronika. Until I froze the smug looks off all their faces and became the Lin Kuei's new Grandmaster. The Hourglass offers even greater prospects. With it, I'll mold history to carve my name on everyone's lips. But even its power has limits. My vision can be upended by people's individual choices. Unlike Kronika, I won't let these imperfections fester until time itself must be restarted. The Lin Kuei will be my time warriors. Traveling through history, they'll get rid of those whose actions threaten my vision. From now on, no one will overlook my greatness. I'll never be dismissed again."
Fujin
"As the new Keeper of Time, I was overwhelmed by my responsibilities. Who was I to design the destinies of mortals? As their protector, I had spent eons safeguarding them. But while I had grown to appreciate mortals deeply, I understood precious little about their daily existence. So I used the Hourglass to live hundreds of thousands of lifetimes. They spanned the possibility of realm, race, gender, and faith. Most importantly, I learned the simple joy of ending each day in the warm embrace of family. Humbled by my new wisdom, I bend the arc of history, not to my will, but to the service of those who must live it. While it is beyond my power to guarantee outcomes, I will give mortals the chance to have better, more peaceful lives."
Geras
"Kronika's endless cycle of rewinding and restarting timelines had destroyed my spirit. But she refused to grant me either freedom or death. So I took her power to do what she could not. I would create one final, perfect timeline. Then, I would rest. But the task was more difficult than I imagined. Mortals refused to follow the paths I set for them. Timeline after timeline, my frustration grew. I began to understand why Kronika had been driven to madness. Perhaps mortals do not need a Lord of Time. I will sacrifice my body and my mantle to re-sculpt the Sands so that the Hourglass runs itself. And for the first time in all eternity, I can rest... in peace."
Jacqui Briggs
"The Hourglass was there for the taking, and I could think of only one thing; Dad. Killed, made a revenant, resurrected. Since coming back, Dad's never forgotten the things he did for Quan Chi. I thought with the Hourglass, I could fix all that. And I can. Dad won't die in that massacre. He'll never be a revenant. But it turns out, what my gut's told me since the start of all this is true. Dad and Mom got together when he was in treatment. He doesn't suffer, they don't meet. And I'll never be born. And you know what? I'm good with that. I'm not just protecting Dad. I'm protecting everyone he'll risk his life to save. In my shoes, it's what he would do. It's what a Briggs does. I know you'll never hear this, but, goodbye, Dad. I love you..."
Jade
"I held the power to shape time and destiny, but I was lost. Which Kahn should be restored; my lover, Kotal, or my loyal friend, Kitana? I heard Kotal's voice call out to me. "Follow your heart, Jade." So I let my heart lead, and it took me to an unexpected place... a faint memory of home and... my mother. I restored my parents and Edenia, building a new era without Shao Kahn. What a happy childhood I enjoyed... but as I matured, I sensed that I was no ordinary child. Kronika's power dwelled within me... calling me to a higher purpose. When I came of age, I ascended to godhood as the Protector of Edenia. Armed with the knowledge of past timelines, I challenged Shinnok and Cetrion. Without Kronika's children pitting the realms against each other, all could be at peace. And remain so under my watchful eyes."
Jax Briggs
"All I wanted was to fix my life. Now I have the power to fix history. Raiden warns me I can't fix everything. Change too much, and I could lose Vera. Lose Jacqui. But this power's bigger than us. If I think only about helping myself, what kind of officer am I? What kind of man? I've been lucky. My family and I have lived The American Dream. But most people who look like me haven't had that chance. I owe it to them to put things right. And I'm not waitin' centuries for people to get woke when I've got the power to speed things up. I don't get it right the first time. Or the second. Or even the third. But eventually, I knock it out of the damn park. My family's back. The world's a better place for everyone. Turns out, you can have everything. Anyone who says you can't needs to dream bigger."
Johnny Cage
"This whole adventure? Capital "I" insane! I marry Sonya? I have a kid who actually likes me? Enquiring minds want to know how the hell that happens! So I get the Hourglass to show how kicking Shinnok's ass, which I did beautifully, turned me from Hollywood mega-star into global icon. So far, so good. Until I let that fame screw me up. Didn't hit rock bottom until I saw just how badly I'd let down my little girl. I finally got what Old Man Me was saying about needing humility and maturity, but I also knew I couldn't get there without living the same life he did. So I restored the timeline, just as it was. With one tiny, little difference; Sonya's story won't end underneath the rubble of some busted-up Netherrealm castle. Because Johnny Cage flicks always have happy endings."
The Joker
"This was my dream vacation! I saw mayhem, mutilation; it was all a gas... for a while. But these nincompoops? They didn't really get me. Not even that pretty boy, Ninja Mime. Good night, sweet prince. I'd finished just about everyone worth finishing in Earthrealm and Outworld. Even lovable old Netherrealm. I was a lonely heart in search of new friends. But as luck would have it, I had just the gizmo to find them! And oh, the Hourglass spoiled me! Havik and I are going to be bosom buddies! And what's that? My new pal knows an entire realm devoted to law and order? And he exists solely to disrupt it? Well, I say, he and I need to get busy! Meet the League of Misunderstood Maniacs! We're giving Orderrealm an enema! And when we're done, who knows where we'll crash next? Maybe we'll come to your house and slip live grenades under your pillow! Maybe we'll gut your favorite pet! Or maybe we'll just... BREAK YOUR TV RIGHT NOW!!!"
Kabal
"Shit sounds cool, right? The power to control time, immortality, destiny? Well, let me tell ya, this job sucks. There's no pay, no weekends, and your shift lasts forever. The only smart play is to turn back time and give it back to Kronika. Bet your ass she's grateful too. I didn't ask her for much; just a chance to take out anyone who's ever tried to burn me. Black Dragon was always more of a gig than a brotherhood, anyway. Now I get to live large, enjoying the simple life of a well-to-do family man. And if Shao Kahn or Shinnok ever come knocking, my family and I'll take 'em down. Just like I took down Shinnok's mom."
Kano
"I'd cut a lotta deals, but none spiffier than this. I spared Kronika... and she gave up the Hourglass. The power to shape time and history to my liking? Oh, fuck yeah. I set it up so that everything came up aces. Every desire, every wish, every whim I ever had? Done and done. But I realized pretty quick I'd sucked the fun out of things. Without a fight, winning was worthless. Nah, the fun wasn't in the having. It was in the getting. So, I changed things up one more time. Now what I want is always just outta reach. I gotta earn it. I score lotsa wins, but not always. And when I do win... it's something to savor."
Kitana
"As I gazed upon the Hourglass, I knew what I must do; restore my homeland, Edenia, to existence. Experiencing Edenia's verdant lands for the first time... I've never felt such joy. But that joy was short-lived. Edenia's traditions, its languages, its culture. All were completely foreign, having been forbidden to me by Shao Kahn. I fit in with my people no better than a Tarkatan. The truth was hard. Though Edenian by blood, I am not an Edenian. I am an Outworlder. Not only that, I am Outworld's Kahn. I will use ancient Edenian teachings to make myself a better sovereign. With them, I will fulfill my life's mission to better all of Outworld's people, including Edenia."
Kollector
"Kronika made big promises. Not big enough, though, for what my people suffered. Our hands built the Koliseum, the Palace... we were slaves. We served or we died. Every coin I took from Shao Kahn's tribute, Outworld owed my people. Not that my Naknadan brothers and sisters joined arms to help me. No, every great treasure I have won, I have won myself. I do not wait for handouts. I take what I desire. That is why I am now Kahn. Netherrealm, Earthrealm, Orderrealm, Chaosrealm. I want them all. And I will take them by right... of Mortal Kombat."
Kotal Kahn
"In her last moments, Kronika tried to tempt me. Spare her, and she would re-write history. With Jade as my queen, I would rule an eternal Osh-Tekk empire that spanned all the realms. But Kronika never understood the Osh-Tekk heart. Our lives are cloth, woven from choice and circumstance. Pull even one thread, that cloth is torn asunder and made worthless. Now that I am tasked with keeping time, others beg me to have their histories rewritten. But as long as the Hourglass is mine, I will not shape destiny in any one being's favor. History will play out as determined by its players. Let the Sands fall where they may."
Kung Lao
"Of course I defeated Kronika. And when I did, there was only one thing I wanted to do with the Hourglass; undo the defeat of my ancestor, the Great Kung Lao. In my timeline, the Great Kung Lao is the undisputed Mortal Kombat champion. Earthrealm never loses another tournament. For generations, his example inspires millions to join the White Lotus Society and defend Earthrealm. They, in turn, inspire rebels to overthrow Shao Kahn in Outworld. The realms make peace. Until, inevitably, a more powerful enemy comes along...and finds Earthrealm backed by Kung Lao, immortal Lord of Time and Warrior Supreme. Beat that, Liu Kang."
Liu Kang
"What does it mean to wield the Sands of Time? To be The Chosen One? It means making choices that break your heart. For the protection of all, I shared Kronika's power with the people I trust and love most. Together, we replaced the Elder Gods that Cetrion had betrayed, and became eternal guardians of the realms. Still... my heart longs for a simpler life. The kind one cannot have being The Chosen One, let alone an Elder God. What Kitana and I would not give for those simple pleasures. Perhaps, in another timeline, they could be ours."
Mileena
"With the Hourglass won, my thoughts turned toward my sister. I was born from her flesh. We shared the same blood. I wanted us to be family... but she wanted me dead. I was not her twin; I was a monstrosity! How horrified she would be to know that I've used Kronika's power to take. Her. Place. Under my parents' adoring gaze, I rule the realms as Kahnum of Time. My sister's friends, her lover? They cherish me. Kitana is forgotten, her name buried in the sands of history. Yet even I can't reign forever. Like all queens, I need an heir; someone to carry on in my name, and see my will done across the eons. Unlike my sister, my daughter regards me with awe and wonder. To her, I am no abomination. I am perfection."
Nightwolf
"Before I was Nightwolf, I was a fool named Grey Cloud. Born into poverty, I resented my ancestors for giving up our future to colonizers. Kano offered a way out, promising riches if I stole my tribe's most sacred relics. I was sorely tempted, but then I realized that by saving myself, I'd be surrendering the last of my people's dignity. For the first time, I defended the Matoka's pride. Kano was unimpressed. But as I lay dying, the Great Spirit came to me. By rejecting Kano, I had proven worthy of an ancient honor... the mantle of Nightwolf, legendary defender of the Matoka. Now, as I inherit Kronika's mantle, the way before me is split. The Keeper of Time cannot also be my tribe's defender. Which path do I choose? Even here, at time's beginning, the Great Spirit's wisdom guides me. She calls me to restore history. The Matoka I must leave to another... to the next Nightwolf. Like all our sacred relics, the Nightwolf mantle belongs to the tribe. Any Matokan can prove worthy of its power. I enjoy imagining who will defend us next."
Noob Saibot
"Kronika said I would lead the New Era's deadliest clan. But she made such promises to many. She could never keep them all. So I betrayed her before she could betray me. When Kronika's sands fused with my shadows, my ambitions grew. Why be a ruler of mortals, when I could rule destiny itself? Mortals resisted, but could not stop my blanketing history in cold, endless night. All is dark. All are shadows. I have had many names. Now I am become Death, destroyer of worlds."
Raiden
"Kronika had manipulated me. In timeline after timeline, she stoked my anger and fed my arrogance, turning me against Liu Kang. My nose rubbed in my own fallibility, I was humbled. How could I be worthy to accept the mantle as Keeper of Time? I thought that to control time and destiny fairly, I must purge myself of all human emotion. Summoning the strongest magic, I burned away my fear and anger. All that remained was pure logic. But I learned quickly that the logical choice is often not the just choice. Unless tempered by compassion and heart, logic leads to decisions no better than those based on anger or fear. Now I am once more at time's beginning. But on this journey through history, I will infuse logic with love. In this timeline, I will finally achieve peace for the citizens of all realms."
Rain
"Kronika was dead, the Hourglass taken, and Edenia's future mine to command. I had obtained all I had wanted...all except that which I had wanted most; to know the true story of my parentage. That I was a bastard, I knew. Born of an illicit affair between the Edenian god Argus, and a mortal woman, Amara. But what I didn't know, until the Hourglass showed me, was that I and my mother were both victims. She hadn't abandoned me. Thanks to my father's lies, she had thought me stillborn. I was stolen away and left to rot among peasants, while my mother died from grief. Argus hid his scandal and his shame by killing the one person who ever loved me. For that, he will die. As will his sons, Taven and Daegon. His beloved wife, Delia? She, I will let live. Let her heart break, as my mother's did, as she weeps over her children's corpses!"
Rambo
"I didn't ask for this war. But once it started, I had to finish it. Hands down, Kronika was the toughest enemy I ever faced. All my tactics, my training, meant nothing against a god like her. In the end, it was a battle of wills. It never occurred to me that for winning, I'd get her Hourglass. At first, I hoped to right every wrong in history, but then I figured out that doing it meant I'd have to decide the fates of billions. Picking who lives and who dies for eternity? It was going to kill my soul. I'd end up no better than those old men who sent us off to war not giving a shit about what would happen. And that's not the man I want to be. It's time to walk away, for good this time, leaving the pain and the ugliness behind. After all I've been through, I've earned a little peace."
RoboCop
"OCP built me to serve the public trust, protect the innocent, and uphold the law. So when I found Kano dealing arms to Old Detroit's gangs, I had one duty; apprehend him. I never thought the chase would take me to a different universe, let alone end in a fight with Kano's protector, Kronika. And when Kronika went down, something unexpected happened. Her power washed over me, sweeping away the limits my designers had put on my programming. For the first time, I saw the depth of OCP's corruption. It wasn't just a couple of greedy executives; it was the whole damned company. OCP is making a killing playing both sides, selling to cops and criminals. When I get home, I am bringing them to justice. It will not be fast or easy. OCP has too much cash, and too much firepower, for me to clean things up alone. It is a good thing this will be an "inter-agency" effort. Welcome to the future of law enforcement."
Scorpion
"I made my future self a promise; that I would not stay mired in the past. But once I controlled the Hourglass, I could not keep that promise. I had to restore my family. Over and over I crafted the Sands of Time, yet in every new timeline my family's tragedy repeated. I was powerless to change it. After eons, I learned the truth; Kronika was not alone. She was one of many Titans, each more powerful and ancient than the Elder Gods. It is they who conspire against us. Myself, my family. We are pawns in their game. Why? I do not know. But I will find out. And then, I will have vengeance."
Shang Tsung
"Kronika's power overwhelmed me, such that I would have been driven mad...had I not spent centuries mastering the dark powers beyond the grasp of ordinary mortals. Now I am the master of time and fate. But Kronika's fall proves that even Titans can be defeated. Though my new power lets me roam infinite timelines and feast upon the souls of billions, I am vulnerable. To survive, I must return to the shadows, avoid confrontation, and work my will through the hands of others... more specifically, through the hands of my fellow Titans. These monstrous beings are plied easily by appealing to their greed, vanity, and fear. Through them, every soul in eternity bends to my influence. In my New Era, morality will be exposed as the illusion it is. The cunning will prosper while the "good" suffer. This is the word of Shang Tsung. Have a nice day."
Shao Kahn
"I conquered history like I conquered realms; merging billions of potential timelines into a Singularity. The universe has been remade in my image and all is as it should be. The weak serve the strong. The strong compete for power, wealth, and my favor in Mortal Kombat. For centuries the tournament's champion has gone undefeated. That champion... IS ME! Hail the Conqueror! HAIL SHAO KAHN!!"
Sheeva
"A lifetime of battle prepared me to conquer Kronika. But as the Keeper of Time, I must be a creator, not a conqueror. I thought of the many sons and daughters I've lost in battle through the years; imagined a better destiny for my kin. A history where the Shokan build rather than destroy. The results were catastrophic. Comfort and ease extinguished the dragon's fire that once lit the heart of every Shokan. They became weak, corrupted fools. The timeline had to start again. War, for all its tragedies, is the forge of Shokan will. My people will fight. Many will die. But I will lead us to victory. And in the aftermath, the dragon's fire will blaze in Shokan hearts for eternity."
Sindel
"In the beginning, Shao Kahn invaded Edenia, murdered my husband Jerrod, and forced me to be his bride. That's the story, but that's a lie. One I told, lest I lose the faith of my subjects, or of my daughter Kitana. The truth? Jerrod was weak, destined to fail. By betraying him, I gained a better lover, and the ultimate weapon; a conqueror to unite all realms, and put them at my beck and call. Then Kronika upended history, and I found myself confronting a future in which I'd been dead for centuries. My so-called family had failed me in every way. Kitana broke my heart worst. Instead of uniting the realms, she sought to liberate them. As if the Wastelands's savages could ever be more than serfs! Ever the caring mother, I had to discipline my little princess. And after that, I had to discipline a Titan. Now I have defeated Kronika, outgrown Shao Kahn and Kitana. I have no more family, no more rivals, no more gods. I sit above them all, on a throne that unites all realms... and all realities. Whoever you are, wherever you are, when you are before me, kneel. For I am Sindel, Empress of Time, and you exist only to serve me."
Skarlet
"Of all his daughters, Shao Kahn made me deadliest. He pulled me from the gutter, bound me to the Blood Code, made me fight for recognition. Perhaps he will commend me... when I bind the Blood Code to the Sands of Time. Now a blood god, I demand more than Shao Kahn's recognition. I demand worship. I'll have temples, ministers, acolytes, prayers... and sacrifices! Rivers of blood, shed in my name, purging heretics who dare to reject me! How proud Shao Kahn is now. How proud... and how obedient. The only thing better than my master's recognition is to make him beg for mine. All will worship me... or there will be blood."
Sonya Blade
"None of us saw Kronika coming. Not even Raiden. But with the Hourglass, I can see every terror in the realms. Any sane person would run screaming at the sight of them. It's my duty to take out these ancient, all-powerful beings. But to do that, I need an elite squad of immortal gods. Turns out, to make a new god, you've gotta destroy an old one. So I hunt the oldest I can find, an omni-deity from a forgotten, unpronouncably-named realm. It's the fight of my life. But I've got something this god doesn't; family. In my past, these were the people who mattered most. Now, they're my God Squad. My daughter. My brother-in-arms. My goddaughter. Yep, even Johnny. But only because Cassie insisted. And maybe I missed him a little. Just don't let him know that."
Spawn
"I'd snuffed out every devil in Hell... until Netherrealm invaders showed up to piss me off. It would've cost a lot of power fighting them alone. But they were being hunted by my new friends. Call them Fire and Ice. They argue constantly. Which is why I usually like to roll solo. But when it comes to killing demonic assholes, these guys don't flinch. I can get along with that. The Grandmasters tipped me off to Kronika. Said she was resurrecting some Netherrealm god named Shinnok. But that's not happening on my watch. Kronika's just as much a devil as Malebolgia; both make promises, both tell lies... both underestimate me. That's why I'll make a new hell for them, where they can burn together... for eternity. The Netherrealm's locked down, but there's still eight Hells left to purge. It's time to bring up the reserves. I've made choices in my life that sealed my fate. I'm beyond redemption. But even the damned are capable of doing some good. So all you Devils out there, making false promises and spewing lies? We're coming, and you don't have a chance in Hell."
Sub-Zero
"Once I gained the Hourglass, my first thought was to re-write history and redeem the Lin Kuei's honor. But then I thought of Bi-Han, his life consumed by evil. Before I could redeem my clan, I had to redeem my brother. With the Hourglass, I wound back time to our childhood. I studied every second of Bi-Han's life to understand why... why he embraced Sektor's corruption, why he reveled in the vile power given to him by Quan Chi. Armed with that knowledge, I re-sculpted the Sands of Time. I changed Bi-Han's life and unfroze his heart. Now we are comrades, not rivals. Together, as joint Grandmasters, we lead the Lin Kuei in defense of Earthrealm."
The Terminator
This ending is told from Cassie Cage's perspective.
"It was an epic accident that brought the Terminator here, rather than to his own Earth's past. But it didn't take long for him to adapt. He figured that terminating Kronika and taking her Hourglass gave him the best chance at achieving his mission objective; destroying humanity so that the machines prevail. Turns out the Hourglass wasn't the ultimate weapon. No matter how many times the Terminator re-booted history, the war between humans and the machines always ended the same; with their mutual destruction. He realized this war was a losing game. The only way to win was not to play. So the Terminator used the Hourglass to build a future where machines and humans don't fight; they cooperate. The Terminator knew that to preserve this future, no one else could learn about the Hourglass. The information stored in his machine mind was dangerous. It had to be eliminated. That's why the Terminator threw himself into the infinite depths of the Sea of Blood. No one would ever find him, or unlock the Hourglass's secrets. If you could ask him about it, he'd tell you he made the only logical choice. But in my book, that machine's a hero."
