Sub-Zero shows up Stryker in a target practice exercise by getting a higher score than him whilst wearing a blindfold. It means Sub-Zero won the bet they'd made on it, but the team are then informed by Nightwolf about another dimensional rip. Sub-Zero realizes it's Smoke, who he explains to the team was his old friend who got converted into a Cyber unit against his will. Wanting to know if Smoke still has a soul, he says he must face him alone. Sub-Zero arrives at where the rip is and finds Smoke, but Smoke tells him he's programmed to capture his target.

Things get worse when the leader of the Lin Kuei ninja clan, Oniro, appears along with Cyrax, Sektor and many Cybers. Cyrax and Sektor use their nets to capture Sub-Zero, but then the rest of the Defenders of the Realm appear and help Sub-Zero out. Sub-Zero refuses to fight Smoke, and tries to remind him of the oath they'd taken: they would never fight each other in actual combat. Smoke deploys smoke everywhere, causing Oniro to transform into a bird and fly away. Believing that their master has fled, Cyrax and Sektor decide to retreat through the portal, as most of the remaining Cybers follow them.

Rayden then appears and seals up the portal. He's asked about whether or not Smoke still has a soul, but admits he doesn't know. Smoke and Sub-Zero are on a cliff, but Oniro appears and attacks Sub-Zero. Smoke stops him from landing a finishing blow, but the two almost end up off the cliff themselves. Sub-Zero saves Smoke, but Oniro falls. However, he transforms himself into a bird again and flies away.

Smoke tells Sub-Zero that as he is an enemy of the Lin Kuei, they are no longer friends -but he will honor their oath. He deploys more smoke and vanishes, as Sub-Zero tells him they will meet again. Later on, Sonya tells him he was right about Smoke. Sub-Zero says he believes their soul is the only thing that no one can take from them. Jax says there are plenty of things he could take from Stryker, since he won the bet. Sub-Zero decides to make Stryker his student for one week, so he can teach him the ways of the ninja. Stryker asks Sub-Zero if he's sure he wouldn't prefer cash, but Sub-Zero says money means nothing compared to the endeavors of the spirit. Stryker is going to be enlightened for one week.

Notes

-In the games, the human Smoke (who first appeared in Mortal Kombat II and was playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3) always had a mask on, whilst in this episode, he has no mask.

-Oniro was never in the games, and was made up just for this episode. He shares some similarities with Shang Tsung, as he can shape shift and even says "Your soul is mine!" as Shang did in the 1995 live action movie.

Errors

-During the opening scene, Stryker seems to be slightly misaligned with the background when he's running around, making it look like he's running on the lava rather than the rocks.
-Part of Nightwolf's hair is colored white instead of black during this shot.
-During Sub-Zero's flashback, he's wearing gloves during this shot, but then suddenly isn't during this shot.
-Cyrax, Sektor and one Cyber are sent to fight Sub-Zero. Sub-Zero seemingly destroys them all with an ice blast, but then suddenly Cyrax and Sektor are stood next to Oniro.
-Cyrax and Sektor are both seen firing net rockets at Sub-Zero, but a second later Cyrax's net has changed to a traditional missile.
-During this shot, Cyrax is colored like Smoke.
-When Oniro sweeps Sub-Zero, the wrong background has been used, making it look like the two are fighting in midair.
-Sub-Zero's chin slightly overlaps Smoke's shoulder during this shot.