Pretty much Mortal Kombat is a Crapsack World, but that doesn't mean Mortal Kombat: Desperation lacks its own sad moments:
- The premise of the story itself is one big, long Tearjerker. Raiden, who sacrificed so much to save Earthrealm and prevent Armageddon, has been Forced into Evil after nearly sacrificing himself to purify the Jinsei of Shinnok's corruption, resulting in himself being corrupted and almost dying. Now he has become a sadistic, sociopathic monster much worse than Shinnok and Shao Kahn combined and responsible for killing, kidnapping, and torturing innocents and his former allies have no choice but to destroy him or else he will unleash Armageddon.
- Many of Raiden's former allies (especially Bo' Rai Cho, Fujin and Liu Kang) lament at how Raiden became a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled Fallen Hero after he Came Back Wrong.
- In the prologue, Kotal Kahn desperately invokes the Mortal Kombat tournament after dealing with a surprise invasion from Raiden.
- Sareena lets herself get captured by the revenants in the 1st chapter while letting Team S-F escape back into Earthrealm.
- Erron Black, Kitana and Sheeva being concerned about Ferra's mental state, considering how Torr has suffered massive burns from being electrocuted by Raiden and is now in a comatose state.
- Johnny Cage is appalled to see that Sonya sent Cassie and Team S-F to the Netherrealm as emissaries. He later consoles her, despite their previous differences.
- Sindel gets confused why Ermac stopped her, and later realized that one of the souls was that of her deceased husband Jerrod.
- Cassie Cage gets captured by Raiden, and subjects her to extensive torture, while Sonya Blade is on the verge of losing her sanity. Kano also subjects his son to extensive abuse.
- Sub-Zero, Frost and the Lin Kuei being mass-electrocuted by Raiden after they turn down his offer to destroy Outworld. Sub-Zero later slips into a coma (like Torr), while Frost and the surviving Lin Kuei suffer from stab wounds and electrical burns.
- Ermac/Jerrod consoling Kitana and talking about her past. Jax and Sonya still hold hope that the revenants could be restored to life.
- Fujin tells Nightwolf about how Raiden was haunted by the loss of many of his fellow Earthrealm defenders prior to his corruption, and when he confronts the thunder god, he tries to stop him, but Raiden just ignores it, forcing Fujin to lead an assault on the Sky Temple.
- Kitana legitimately regretting to see her friend Jade being killed by Quan Chi, and is haunted by what she had done while under Shinnok and Quan Chi's control.
- Also when Jade is revived by Delia, Kitana couldn't be happier than seeing her long-lost friend alive.
- Delia and Fujin explaining to Taven everything that he has missed since he was in a coma.
- Bo' Rai Cho regards Liu Kang and Kung Lao as sons, much like how Raiden (pre-corruption) had this sentiment. He even wanted to hug them, but backed off as they were now twisted versions of themselves.
- He and Li Mei share the same sentiment with Fujin in regards to what Raiden has become following his corruption.
- Delia (while possessing Jade) tries to stop her son Daegon from supporting Raiden, but to no avail.
- She and Taven later try this again and nearly succeed in getting Daegon to join their side, but fail as Raiden manipulates Daegon into staying on his side.
- The revenants, after being revived, are now traumatized of their experiences as revenants for 20+ years.
- The gist of Kevin's background. To say this guy has had a tough life doesn't begin to cover it. He's a Child by Rape who had a happy childhood with his loving mother until she got run over by a drunk driver right in front of him after she pushed her son out of the way. He ends up turning to drugs and attempts Suicide by Cop because he does not have it in him to commit suicide himself. Then Kano finds him and tortures him for days. If Cassie hadn't snapped him out of his Death Seeker stage, he would've died.
- Jerrod (while possessing Ermac) talks with Sindel and Kitana and the three end up sharing a tearful embrace as a family for the first time in years.
- Jax's chapter when it's revealed he tried to kill himself once and was saved by Vera's arrival and revelation of her pregnancy with Jacqui.
- Li Mei vows to go on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge after Raiden orders Hotaru to destroy her village of Sun Do.
- Kevin tells (or rather writes a note) Kabal that he wishes he was his father instead of Kano. Kabal shares the sentiment completely. Doubles as Heartwarming.
- Erron's past. He tells Li Mei that the offer of slowing his aging process from Shang Tsung in exchange for killing a warrior had another factor: amnesia. Erron had suffered something so sorrowful and traumatic that he wanted to forget his entire past. He is not even sure if Erron Black is his real name.
- Kira's past. Her own parents, who never loved or wanted her sold her into sexual slavery when she was nine. She then spent several years getting raped and trained to become a killer, all while planning her revenge. She finally managed to kill her slaver and then tracked down and murdered her parents. Then she is consumed with guilt for rejecting Kabal, the closest thing she ever had to a father, and witnesses Nell be tortured and raped by Kano for days before snapping and helping her escape. She then spent twenty years in hiding until Kabal recruited her in the fight against Raiden.
