Mortal Kombat 1 Confirms That Everything Is Canon

thegamer.com:

Mortal Kombat canon is a bit all over the place. For years, every game instalment kept stacking new story developments on top of each other - which was fine when the characters didn't change all that much. Big bads would come and go and everyone's alignment pretty much stayed the same, as did their roles in the story. That is until NetherRealm was formed, rebooting the series altogether.

Now, as Mortal Kombat 1 introduces yet another timeline reboot, all of these contradicting story elements can coexist as one. This is thanks to the whole idea of the hourglass and the keeper of time, allowing different universes and timelines to be referenced in the new game. We're already seeing some of these references in pre-fight banter, as characters mention everything from spin-off movies to the 3D era.

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These new lines of dialogue come to us courtesy of Mortal Kombat 1's stress test, allowing a lucky few to play the game early. Of course, the community is just as excited about the story as it is about the gameplay mechanics, so many are sharing all of the character interactions available in the game so far.

One of the first to jump out is a reference to Onaga, who debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception. This is surprising, as Onaga was never included in the NetherRealm-era canon. Players get this reference in a mirror match between two Liu Kangs, with one stating that Onaga rules their timeline. This has fans wondering if the dragon king will be an antagonist in the story, rather than just a throwaway line.

It isn't just previous games getting a shout-out. For the first time ever, one of the animated films has been referenced, with a version of Kenshi