------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Storyline Differences FAQ: VERSION 1.02 -Created, Edited and Compiled by: Psychochronic (Brettdude in Gamefaqs) of Shoryuken.com Another form of Psychochronic Literature! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Update: November 24, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notes before reading this document: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1) This document is NOT a list about moves, combos, or any advanced tactics. This is a point-out of storyline comparisions in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks for XBOX and PlayStation 2 so don't expect anything answered like "Why is this character good?" and "How to defeat certain bosses". If this is not the information you are looking for, please close this text now. 2a) This document is protected by US Copyright Law, and the Berne Copyright Convention of 1976. This document is for private and personal use only--it cannot be reprinted in part or inwhole or reproduced in any way or in any form (written or otherwise). It is a free document that cannot be used in any sort of commercial transaction, including selling it or giving it away as a gift. Although I am...the author in the majority of the text, please respect the other authors whose work I have included in this guide. 2b) This document cannot be hotlinked to any other forums/ sites other than Gamefaqs, MortalKombatOnline and Shoryuken. To kinda repeat point #2a, this guide cannot be referenced, altered, or used by anybody (including webmasters, publishers and magazine staff) without my express written permission. This guide is created and is owned by me, Brett "Psychochronic" Navarro (aka. "Brettdude" in Gamefaqs) of Shoryuken. Plagarizing is a crime and is punishable by law. 3) This document is better read on Notepad with the Font set on "Times New Roman" on Regular setting, Size "10" and the screen resolution set on 1024x768. Use the Find feature (Ctrl + F) to find whatever term you're looking for easy mobility. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Table of Contents: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1) Version Changes 2) Storyline Points -Shaolin Monks vs. Mortal Kombat II -Controversial/Questionable 3) Contact 4) Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Version Changes: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.02 - November 24, 2007: Various points were updated thanks to Vultyrex. 1.01 - September 10, 2006: Added a Goro, Scorpion, Mileena, Shao Kahm and Sub- Zero point. 1.00 - August 29, 2006: Compilated on August 29, 2006 around 2:01am EST and finished around 4:46am EST. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Storyline Points: *Split into two seperate sections: Shaolin Monks vs. Mortal Kombat II and Controversial/Questionable. Shaolin Monks vs. Mortal Kombat II: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -The official Mortal Kombat II comic book is canon and written by John Tobias himself. -Kung Lao's story told in Mortal Kombat II is was said that he did not want to be the Champion of Mortal Kombat and was more of a quiet, brooding, reluctant hero who only fought when he had to. Instead in Shaolin Monks, Kung Lao is depicted as being arrogant and shows resentment towards Liu Kang for winning the Mortal Kombat tournament and desires to be Champion himself. -Kung Lao was not present in the original tournament (Mortal Kombat), explaining that he didn't want to be the Champion of Mortal Kombat. But in Shaolin Monks' story, he sneaks into Shang Tsung's island and poses as a guard of his troops which obviously never happened. -Liu Kang was not present when the Tarkatas attacked the Shaolin Temple as it is clearly stated in his Mortal Kombat II biography. In Shaolin Monks, he is present and helps fight off the Tarkata around the premises of the Wu Shi Academy. -The Mortal Kombat II comic in its entirety is contradicted by the story as presented in Shaolin Monks. While the fundamental basics remain the same (Shang Tsung's island crumbles, the Shaolin temples are destroyed, Shang Tsung regains his youth, the Earthrealm warriors are lured into Outworld etc...), the details and order of many events and whom fought whom are largely different between the two. They are two wildly different versions of the same basic story. -The Elder Sub-Zero (seen in Mortal Kombat) was originally killed by Scorpion at the end of the first Mortal Kombat tournament. In Shaolin Monks, they both survive the tournament itself, and Scorpion doesn't kill him until the tournament's aftermath. -In Shaolin Monks, Kitana is shown having had full knowledge of what Shao Kahn did to her family for quite a while (and, thus, have been fighting against his rule during that time), and is put under a holding spell by Mileena and Jade (herself under the same spell) by Shao Kahn to gain her loyalty. In Mortal Kombat II, it is only recently that she learned the truth, having grown up completely loyal to Kahn and ignorant of her past, and only feigns loyalty to the Emperor during the tournament, with absolutely no spell or magic involved. -Kitana hints at a relation between Mileena and Reptile, saying that if Mileena is around so is Reptile. This is most probably taken from the non-canon Malibu Comic series, where both characters are portrayed sharing a love-hate sort of relation but in the actual storyline, it's really Baraka that has a love-hart sort of relation with Mileena. -There is no mention of Sub-Zero's mission to complete his brother's failed assignment to assassinate Shang Tsung, though it could be argued that just because it isn't mentioned doesn't mean it's been invalidated as it's never contradicted, just noticeably not brought up. More of an oddity than a difference. -Originally, Goro was supposed to have been thought killed in the original Mortal Kombat tournament. In Shaolin Monks, he survives the first tournament as seen in the opening FMV, but is "killed" shortly there- after in Outworld. The Canon plot points out that Liu Kang defeat's Goro, and the Prince is 'lost', only to return during the events of Mortal Kombat Gold. There's a bit more story beyond that. Johnny Cage, Sonya and Kano all fought Goro on the pit's bridge right as Liu Kang was about to defeat Shang Tsung. When Shang Tsung escaped and the island started to crumble, the bridge fell apart and Goro fell down off the bridge and was never seen until his return in Mortal Kombat Gold. The reason why he waited so long was that he was embarrassed that he lost to a human. -When the player meets Reptile for the first time on Shang Tsung's island, Reptile states that he doesn't serve the sorcerer, but his Mortal Kombat II biography states that he served as a bodyguard to Shang Tsung during the first game, and only came into Shao Kahn's service fully after the second game. -In the game's mythology, Sub-Zero does not know about his brother's whereabouts and believes that he has "mysteriously disappeared", until he finally meets his brother as an undead wraith in Noob-Smoke's Mortal Kombat: Deception ending. However, in Shaolin Monks, Sub-Zero knows that Noob Saibot is his brother, and warns Liu Kang and Kung Lao that he will kill them should they try to harm his brother. -In Shaolin Monks, Kitana reveals that Mileena is created by Shao Kahn. In Mileena's Mortal Kombat II ending, it's known that she was created by Shang Tsung. -In Shaolin Monks, Shao Khan does his upward rush attack and fireball moves. Those moves were intro- duced in Mortal Kombat 3 as his projectile in Mortal Kombat II was an arrow throw and only had a ground rush attack. -Quan Chi getting the amulet at the end of the game spurred a huge controversy among fans of the series. It is believed that Quan Chi had it since the end of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero as Sub-Zero snatches it from Shinnok. Here, it is rather strange that Shao Kahn has it and Quan Chi gets it from him. This would've been assumed that Shao Kahn stole it or defeated Shinnok for it which obviously never happened in the timeline since Shao Kahn was first introduced in the events slightly before Mortal Kombat II and that Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero took place before the first Mortal Kombat tournament. -Shaolin Monks shows in a FMV in the Soul Tombs as Shang Tsung restoring his own youth with a combination of fresh souls and powerful magic, however in Mortal Kombat II, Shang Tsung's biography and the Mortal Kombat II comic clearly state that Shao Kahn restores Shang Tsung's youth and strength when he convinces Shao Kahn to grant him a second chance instead of facing execution for his failures and apparent death of Goro. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Controversial/Questionable: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -The reasons behind Scorpion's boss battle has been highly criticized by fans, who felt it was out of character for Scorpion to just go after Liu Kang and Kung Lao all of a sudden. This made it look like Scorpion had an evil alignment, even though Scorpion is meant to be a neutral character throughout the course of the Mortal Kombat timeline. It's noted that in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance that Scorpion's alignment is neutral and throughout the timeline, has had feuds with Drahmin, Moloch, Sub-Zero and Quan Chi. -The location of the Warrior Shrine has been changed. Originally, the shrine was found on Shang Tsung's island, but now it's located near the Shaolin Temples which clearly doesn't make any sense. -It's known in the Nintendo 64 version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy that uppercutting the opponent from Goro's Lair leads to The Armory and from there, leads to the Kombat Tomb. The locations are different in Shaolin Monks as Goro's Lair is in Shang Tsung's island, The Armory is in The Foundry and the Kombat Tomb is near the Soul Tombs. -Jax's ability to open portals to Earthrealm, contradicting the whole reason why the Outworld Investigation Agency was created. If Shaolin Monks takes place during the time- frame in between the first and second Mortal Kombat tournament, then Jax was a member of the Special Forces and the Outworld Investigation Agency did not exist until Mortal Kombat 4 (hinted in Sonya's Mortal Kombat 3 ending). The technology to create portals from one realm to another didn't even exist, during that time, and Jax only entered Outworld through his accepting of the invitation to Shao Kahn's tournament and through Raiden (who opened a portal from Earthrealm to Outworld) in order to find Sonya who was missing during the events of Mortal Kombat II. True story (based on Special Forces) is that Jax was able to enter Outworld through the portal in the city of Sian Kiang. It was the portal that Kano used once before to escape the Special Forces before but he failed and the portal was never destroyed. It wasn't said how the portal appeared in that city. -The ability to create portals is also something that is never seen by Mortals, only Gods, sorcerers, deities and through use of other magic. -Reptile appearing like a lizard even before starting his de- evolution in Mortal Kombat 4. This is more of an oddity than a real change. It clearly looks like the middle of it seen as his Mortal Kombat 4 character. His de-evolution is that he is in human disguise (Mortal Kombat II), he has a human structure with near-half amphibian features (Mortal Kombat 4) then becomes it with full amphibian features (Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance). -Sub-Zero gets the scar on his face when Kung Lao slices his hat in Shaolin Monks. Sub-Zero's scar is one of the most falsely explained things out in the Mortal Kombat story but the 100% proven truth as said by Tobias and Boon. Sub-Zero and Scorpion finally found each other during the Mortal Kombat II storyline, however, Scorpion was the victor but couldn't kill Sub-Zero. During the battle between the two, Sub-Zero got the scar by Scorpion's spear when it grazed his head. Scorpion decided to grant him mercy and leave him alone. Sub-Zero's bio for Mortal Kombat 3 was completely misinterpreted. It did indeed say that he was marked for death but the actual term for Sub-Zero being 'marked for death' isn't true. Its more or less... He's now the target for the Lin Kuei's cyborg assassins. -Scorpion is seen in the opening FMV doing his backflip kick to Sub-Zero. He didn't get that move in his movelist until Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Just thought I'd point that out. -Kano's death but at the wrong time of events and the only character of the list of boss deaths compared to the others. Although it's believed Kano was thrown off a building by Sonya, though this occurred during the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, the real story is Kano did not die from the fall off the building during the Trilogy story. Motaro found his body clinging to life and had Shao Kahn revive him. -Jade's death didn't make sense. Nowhere in the Mortal Kombat II storyline says that any earthrealm warrior got Mileena's sais by stabbed it through Jade's eyesockets while she was under the spell seen in Shaolin Monks. The storyline indicates that she works undercover (most likely it's Shinnok) and sides with Kitana and Sindel to save Edenia from Shao Kahn's wrath. -Reptile's death. He didn't die by bashes to the face and a strangling. Remember that Reptile's timeline is to go back into his reptile homeworld before it was destroyed by the hands of Shao Kahn (Mortal Kombat II ending) and that he became Onaga due to the Dragon Egg (Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance ending). -Baraka's death. He didn't die by explosion from skull fireballs. After Mortal Kombat II, Mileena was killed and Baraka was sent away to the low-life sections (possibly Wastelands) of Outworld as he comes back during Mileena's resurrection during the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy. -Goro being killed by Johnny Cage (much like in the first Mortal Kombat movie). Everyone expected that to happen so my guess is it's a reference for kicks- and-giggles by Midway. -Quan Chi already bearing his tattoos - he gained them during Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. However, Quan Chi's tattoos (which were gained when Quan Chi magically burned them into his skin before the discovery of Onaga's grave) could be an indirect reference to the Dragon King's existence. -On the pause menu, a map is displayed. The map shows the locations of all places previously/currently visted by your characters, and is clearly not a map of Earth or any- where in Earthrealm, so it is assumed that this is a map of Outworld. Despite this, it displays locations of places you have visited in Earthrealm, such as the Wu Shi Academy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact me! Here are the following e-mails and internet forums you can find me at: E-Mails: MSN Messenger/Hotmail: b_unit905@hotmail.com Yahoo!: psychochronic2004@yahoo.ca Internet Forums: Gamefaqs.com: brettdude Shoryuken.com: psychochronic MIRC (channels on EFnet): #Capcom (The main channel for Shoryuken.com) #Gamecombos (The main channel for Gamecombos.com) #Srkgd (The General Discussion part of Shoryuken.com) #Srklive (The XBOX Live part of Shoryuken.com) My Fighting Game Site: www.geocities.com/psychochronic2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Credits: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Props to those who made this guide possible: Me for writing down this guide so Mortal Kombat fans will know what's canon and what's non-canon in the storyline while playing Shaolin Monks and Vulytrex for pointing out corrections in this FAQ. Peace. -Psychochronic ps. Damn, I typed this guide up fast! Copyright (c) Brett Navarro 2005-2007