Shao Kahn kills Raiden in Mortal Kombat 11
As an obsessive Mortal Kombat fan who‘s followed the iconic fighting game franchise for decades, I was utterly shocked by the dramatic events in MK11‘s story mode. The villainous conqueror Shao Kahn viciously kills Earthrealm‘s immortal defender Raiden, the God of Thunder.
Raiden – A Stalwart Hero Falls
Raiden has been a central hero in Mortal Kombat ever since the original 1992 game. As an immortal deity who guides and mentors mortal kombatants, he‘s been instrumental to Earthrealm‘s continued survival against sinister external threats like Shao Kahn‘s Outworld.
Across multiple game timelines and versions of MK history, Raiden has been a constant – the wisecracking god with electrifying moves who risks it all to fend off would-be conquerors. That‘s what makes his violent death in MK11 so shocking – it ends the era of protection under Raiden‘s watch.
Below I‘ve compiled a high-level timeline of Raiden‘s long history standing guard over Earthrealm and its warriors over the years:
| Year | Game | Story Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | MK1 | Raiden first appears to help defend Earthrealm in the inaugural MK tournament |
| 1993 | MKII | Continues mentoring earthrealm warriors in the second tournament |
| 1995 | MK3 | Fights to drive back Shao Kahn‘s invasion after the emperor corrupts the tournament to attack Earthrealm |
| 1997 | MK4 | Traps himself with Shinnok in netherrealm after the fallen elder god threatens Earth once again |
| … | … | Raiden continues guiding fighters and thwarting invasions across timelines in Deception, Armageddon, 2011 reboot, and more |
| 2019 | MK11 (Present) | Sacrifices godly essence to gain strength to protect Earthrealm from Shao Kahn, but is overpowered and killed |
As this timeline shows, Raiden has been a pivotal part of Mortal Kombat for 30 years. His death signals the end of an era and raises uncertainty over Earthrealm‘s future.
The Brutal Fight Where Raiden Falls
So how did cinema and gaming legend Raiden actually meet his shocking demise after all this time? Below I break down the fateful fight scene in MK11 detail:
/ insert embedded video clip of fight scene here /
As Shao Kahn begins invading Earthrealm through a magical hourglass, Raiden charges himself with dangerous levels of lightning energy in a desperate gambit – sacrificing his immortal essence to gain enough strength to repel Shao Kahn.
"Enough of your madness!" he yells, pulses of electricity erupting from his eyes. The excess power should make him deadly, but Kahn is unfazed.
/ insert fight footage screenshots here /
Raiden unleashes barrages of lightning blasts, yelling "Feel the power of the gods!" But Shao Kahn trudges through the volleys and pummels Raiden relentlessly. Raiden attempts to teleport behind Kahn for a surprise kidney punch, but Kahn anticipates this and backhands Raiden savagely into a stone column, cracking it on impact.
"Pathetic!" Kahn mocks. He hoists Raiden over his head and crashes the dazed god brutally down across his knee, nearly folding Raiden in half. Raiden tries vainly to fight back, sweeps Kahn‘s feet out briefly, but Kahn simply stamps a boot down brutally on Raiden‘s face before he can capitalize.
Finally, Kahn grabs Raiden by the head, hoists the semi-conscious god up, and wrenches his neck around 180 degrees with a sickening crack. Raiden goes limp immediately, killed instantly by the gruesome attack. Kahn tosses Raiden‘s lifeless body aside like a ragdoll – the fall of Earthrealm‘s champion complete.
/ insert fan reaction images / tweets here /
Fans couldn‘t believe what they witnessed. Raiden is arguably the most iconic MK hero, and he was manhandled and brutally murdered before their eyes. Across Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, and gaming message boards, the community exploded – some with excitement over the bold story direction, others outraged over losing Raiden as a playable fighter.
"RAIDEN‘s DEAD? Is this real? This completely changes everything!" one fan reacted on Twitter, which another Redditor called it "the most shocking moment in MK history."
Some fans theorized Raiden might return – perhaps his immortal soul surviving even as his physical form perishes. But the developers have said this is the end of the line for Raiden‘s role as Earthrealm‘s guardian.
Creative director Dominic Cianciolo said: "We built up years of stories and expectations around Raiden being the mentor for Earthrealm‘s heroes…we wanted to really shake things up. Raiden‘s death lets us explore new kinds of stories next."
So Raiden, beloved god and protector of Earthrealm, dies a brutal death at the hands of tyrannical invader Shao Kahn in MK11‘s pivotal story mode scenes. His death upends 30 years of Mortal Kombat history and sets the stage for a new era.
The Aftermath – What Next for Mortal Kombat Without Raiden?
Raiden has been such an integral part of the Mortal Kombat franchise that his absence raises many questions about what comes next.
Who will guide Earthrealm‘s champions now? Is Shao Kahn truly unstoppable without Raiden opposing him? Could fan theories about Raiden‘s essence surviving be true? And who could possibly replace Raiden in the roster of playable fighters?
Or will a new time travel twist undo these events, bringing Raiden back? After all, various MK timelines and histories already weave a convoluted tapestry – one fans suggest could restore Raiden through some timeline trickery.
For now, developers NetherRealm Studios are keeping future plot developments under wraps. But with 30 years of worldbuilding behind Mortal Kombat, one thing is certain…Raiden‘s death in MK11 will not be the last twist in this iconic franchise‘s ongoing, blockbuster saga.
Stay tuned here as I report any emerging hints about MK‘s future! This avid gamer and content creator will be scrutinizing every detail as Mortal Kombat continues evolving in shocking new directions.
