At some temples, two men stand together. They begin to fight.



The man in black is Shang Tsung, who easily dominates the battle. After defeating his opponent, he tells someone that their brother's soul is his, and he is next! Shang suddenly melts into a skeleton.



This brother is Liu Kang, who wakes up. It was a dream. Liu gets up and looks at a message he'd received. It is a simple note from his grandfather, telling him that his brother is dead, and that he is to return home.






A special forces team, led by Lieutenant Sonya Blade and her partner, Jax, enters a nightclub. Sonya wants to find a man called Kano. The nightclub is packed and as the team barges through the crowds, Kano finds out that Sonya has entered the building, right on time. He tells someone that he loves punctuality in a woman, and asks Mr. Shang Tsung if he agrees. He then asks if he's sure Sonya will follow him.



Shang tells Kano that he had killed Sonya's partner, so she'll follow him into hell. He tells Kano to just make sure she's on the boat, as she must be at the tournament. Kano wonders if he and Sonya should share a cabin, so they could have their own little honeymoon cruise. Shang warns him that if he so much as touches her, he'll need a seeing eye dog. He pulls out a switchblade.



As Sonya reaches the back of the club, one of Kano's men starts firing at her. She fires back...



...and blasts the guy through a window. She gets up to where he is, and sees an open hatch. She asks the guy she just shot where Kano is.






Johnny Cage is standing before four guys, who pull out weapons. He challenges them and they begin to fight, but even without a weapon Johnny is in total control. He beats up everyone, and then starts pounding the last remaining guy. But after punching and kicking him a few times, the guy is still standing.



He has to remind the guy that this is where he falls down. As the guy falls, it's revealed this is all part of a movie shoot. Johnny asks where do they get these guys? The director yells cut, and wants to do another take, but Johnny refuses. He'd rather return to his trailer and shoot himself than be in this movie!



As Johnny storms off, a member of the film crew tells him there's someone here to see him. Johnny finds someone sat in his chair, holding a newspaper which has a cover story about Johnny being a fake. It's Master Boyd, who says he sees that the press are still giving Johnny a hard time. He tells Johnny that he's one of the best martial artists in the world, and he can help him prove it. He tells Johnny about a tournament, which is held once in a generation.



He passes Johnny a scroll, and says that the best fighters in the world are invited to it. If Johnny was to win this tournament, he'll win respect, and the press will tell the entire world that Johnny is the real goods. Johnny asks how he gets there, and Boyd tells him about a boat which will leave from pier 40 in Hong Kong tomorrow. He tells Johnny to be on it. Boyd leaves, but as he does, he suddenly changes into Shang Tsung!






Liu Kang returns to his temple home, and meets with his grandfather. His grandfather shows him the place where they found the body of Liu's brother, Chan. He explains that after Liu left for America, Chan tried to follow in his footsteps, and prepare for the tournament. Liu is annoyed that his grandfather tried to also fill Chan's head with that nonsense, but his grandfather tells him to save the world is not nonsense. Liu says that men fighting in a simple contest don't decide these things. He can't believe a wise man would believe such things, but his grandfather says they all believe it, and so did Chan.



Later on, the monks gather together. Liu's grandfather says Liu has been given the dream, and is the chosen one. But some of the other monks disagree, saying that Liu left the temple, and turned his back on them. One of them asks Liu why he has come back. Liu says he wants to represent the Order of Light at the tournament, as the man who killed his brother will be there. One of the monks says they can't be his only reason for going, or he will fail. Liu sarcastically says he forgot to mention that they're fighting for the fate of the world. Someone then says that's why Liu left the temple and ran away.



Lord Rayden appears, and tells Liu that the great tournament was too much responsibility. But vengeance is so much simpler. As the monks bow down, Rayden tells Liu that he's still running away from his destiny. Liu tells his grandfather to get up, as this guy isn't their god of thunder and lightning, he's just a beggar! Liu's grandfather asks Rayden to spare Liu, as American life has enfeebled his mind -too much television!



Rayden asks Liu if he's going to win the tournament, and Liu says he is. Rayden asks him to show him how, or is he afraid of a simple beggar? Liu steps forward, only for Raiden to easily throw him. Liu gets up and asks that if he is Rayden, why did he let Chan die, why didn't he protect him? Raiden asks Liu why he didn't do this. Liu says he's had enough of this.



He says he'll find his brother's killer at the tournament, with or without their consent. As he walks off, Liu's grandfather says Liu isn't ready, and they've lost so much time. Rayden says he knows, but there is no one else.






Johnny Cage arrives with his luggage. He sees a guy with a paper and snatches it off him, and it seems even in Hong Kong he's making front page news for all the wrong reasons. He then recognizes the guy he just took the paper from -he's Art Lean, a martial artist he's seen fight in London before. Art says he's seen a couple of Johnny's films, and knows Johnny didn't fake his moves. Johnny says to tell that to the press.



Johnny wants someone to carry his bags and load them onto the boat, and he sees a guy. What he doesn't know is that this guy is Liu Kang, and after rudely asking him and offering him money, Liu says he's got it. He picks up a suitcase and dumps it into the water, then walks off. Johnny is glad he didn't ask him to park the car.



Nearby, Jax and Sonya are also at the bay, looking for Kano. Jax thinks that the guy Sonya got the info from may not have been telling the truth, and that Jax could be a thousand miles from here. The two then see a large boat heading towards the dock. Johnny and Art realize that this ship is what they will be traveling on.



Sonya then sees Kano, who boards the boat. Despite Jax's warnings, Sonya runs out into the open and heads towards the boat by herself. As the boat leaves, the fighters stay on the deck. Johnny sees Liu Kang and goes to confront him...



...but he bumps into Sonya instead. He's about to start a fight, but stops when he realizes she has a gun. She tells him she's looking for Kano, but Johnny has no idea what she is talking about. He's sure he can help her find him, but she tells him to get out of her way. Liu tells Johnny that Sonya must be another star struck fan. Meanwhile, Sonya heads down into the boat.



Shang appears, and says it's an honor to finally meet her. He introduces himself and says he's at her service. She says she's looking for a murderer who boarded this ship, and whilst Shang says he's impressed, this is his boat. If she'd like a tour, he'd love to give it to her himself. Johnny and Liu then appear, and Johnny tells Shang to be nice to the lady, as she's just doing her job. Sonya tells him if she wanted back up, she'd radio for it. Two men then enter: Sub-Zero and Scorpion.



Shang says these two are the deadliest of enemies, but slaves under his power. Sonya points her gun at Sub-Zero and tells him to move aside, but he places his hand on the tip of it. He is able to encase part of it in ice, which he then snaps off.



Scorpion opens up one of his own hands, revealing a spear. But before either of them can attack, they both suddenly get blasted across the room!



Rayden appears, and says that's enough. Shang thinks it's good of Lord Rayden to grace them with his presence. Rayden says Shang's sideshow freaks attacked his fighters, which is expressly forbidden before the tournament -as his emperor well knows.



Shang offers his sincere apologies, and promises it won't happen again. Rayden says he'll see to that, and Shang says of course -until they reach the island, where Rayden has no dominion. Sonya asks about the tournament. Shang tells her that she has been chosen, much to his delight. He then walks off.



Rayden tells the others to come with him, then teleports out of the room. Liu and the others head back up, and Johnny can't believe what he just saw. He wants to know what's going on here, but Sonya says they should think this through, as there has to be a rational explanation for this. Liu says that Rayden is the god of lightning, and protector of the realm of Earth. Rayden then suddenly appears, and tells them that what they are about to face is vastly more important than Johnny's ego, Sonya's enemy and Liu's quest for revenge. They've embarked on a sacred mission, and have been chosen to defend the realm of Earth in a tournament called Mortal Kombat.



Sonya asks who they are defending it from. Rayden says Earth is but one of many realms, and one realm is a forsaken land called Outworld. This place is ruled by an immortal who has crowned himself emperor. This emperor now seeks a new world to conquer and enslave. Johnny wonders that if this guy is so powerful, why doesn't he just invade Earth? Rayden says that to enter the realm of Earth, the emperor's demon sorcerer, Shang Tsung, and his warriors have to win 10 straight victories in Mortal Kombat. They have won 9, this will be the 10th tournament.



Sonya asks if he really means that a handful of people on a leaky boat are going to save the world, and Rayden says exactly. The essence of Mortal Kombat is not about death, but life. Mortal men and women, defending their own world. Sonya asks why he's only telling them this, what about the others? Rayden says the others are all great fighters, but he's looked into their souls. It's going to be one of the three of them who will decide the outcome of the tournament. Liu asks about Shang Tsung.



Rayden asks him if he's still concerned only with vengeance. He warns him that if he challenges Shang Tsung now, he will lose his life and soul. Liu says Shang will pay for his brother's death, but Rayden tells him he's not ready. He then tells them to look. They turn around and see the a skull in the sky. Shang declares that it has begun!



Later on, the boat arrives at an island -the land where Mortal Kombat shall take place. As the fighters board smaller boats, Sonya tries her radio, but it's dead. The boats arrive on the island, and the fighters leave them.



Johnny tries to leave his boat, luggage and all, and ends up falling into the water with it like an idiot. Sonya tosses her radio aside, and says that electrical disturbance must have blown out the transistors. Liu says her radio equipment is fine, and tells her to look at her compass. She does so, and sees that it's spinning around wildly.



As Johnny catches up with the others, they wonder where they are exactly. Johnny wonders what's going on, and Liu says he doesn't know, but he wonders if all the legends were true. Johnny asks what legends, as they follow the other fighters and head towards a temple.


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