After over four years since the release of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures’ 2021Mortal Kombatfilm, fans will finally see its story followed up this October with 2025’sMortal Kombat 2. Once again directed by Simon McQuoid, 2025’sMortal Kombat 2will reportedly focus more on the titular Mortal Kombat fighting tournament while introducing a swath of classic characters to this cinematic universe, including Johnny Cage, Kitana, Quan Chi, and the ruler of Outworld, Shao Kahn. Meanwhile, the film will continue to follow its original protagonist, Cole Young, as he, Cage, and Earthrealm’s other champions begin to fight to stop Kahn’s invasion. IfMortal Kombat 2is well-received, NetherRealm Studios should consider implementing Cole Young into the games.
The 2025Mortal Kombat 2film is different from the storyline featured in 1993’s arcade cabinetMortal Kombat 2and likely the storyline featured in the inevitable sequel to 2023’sMortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat’s Cole Young Explained
From the beginning of 2021’sMortal Kombat, Cole Young’s family is forever scarred by a foregone tragedy. In the 17th century, several members of Young’s ancestors in the JapaneseShirai Ryu clan were killed by their rival Lin Kuei clanled by the cryomancer Bi-Han, otherwise known as Sub-Zero. Among the Shirai Ryu killed in the attack included Hanzo Hasashi, his wife Harumi, and his son Satoshi. However, Hanzo Hasashi’s currently unknown daughter survived the attack after being hidden by Satoshi and was subsequently rescued by the thunder god Lord Raiden. Roughly 400 years later, Young would be born as an orphaned American descendant of Hasashi’s daughter, though Young initially knew nothing of his Shirai Ryu heritage.
Young grew up to become an MMA champion and eventually married a woman named Allison and together the two had a daughter named Emily. One day, Sub-Zero attacked Young and his family in fear that a prophecy that the blood of Hanzo Hasashi would lead Earthrealm to victory in their tenth tournament of Mortal Kombat may soon come to pass. Young eventually receives help from Jax Briggs, Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Raiden, where he learns he is destined to fight inEarthrealm’s defense in Mortal Kombatand that he is a descendent of Hanzo Hasashi. After returning home to defend his family from Goro, Young was able to unlock his magical arcana abilities that allowed him to manifest powerful golden armor and tonfas in battle.
Cole Young and Scorpion’s Battle Against Sub-Zero
Following Young’s defeat of Goro, Raiden gifted the MMA fighter a blade once used by Hasashi. While Earthrealm’s chosen defenders attempted to defeat the forces of Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero attacked and froze Young’s family, enraging and cutting off Young from his companions. In a now frozen gym, Young attempted to fight Sub-Zero and was almost defeated until the ancient blade summonedHasashi’s spirit, now known as Scorpion, from the Netherrealm. Together, Young and Scorpion freed Allison and Emily and subsequently killed Sub-Zero. Afterward, Raiden sent Young and his companions to find other champions across Earthrealm, with Young specifically going to Hollywood to recruit Johnny Cage, setting up the events of 2025’sMortal Kombat 2.
The Potential of Cole Young in Liu Kang’s Timeline
InMortal Kombat 1, Titan Liu Kang is shown to have created an entirely new universe after claiming control of the Hourglass and altering certain events to make it as peaceful and tranquil as possible. Here, some slight and major differences can be found between this timeline and prior ones, such asScorpion now being Kuai Liang, the previous second Sub-Zero, Raiden no longer being a god, and Cyrax and Sektor both being female instead of male. Given thatMortal Kombat 1is essentially a reboot, not every character from the series’ near 33-year-old history has appeared in the game, but DLC has introduced brand-new fighters never seen before in the franchise, such as theTerminator’s T-1000.
Based on the changes and additions, NetherRealm could potentially add Cole Young in futureMortal Kombat 1DLCs or in the inevitable gameMortal Kombat 2after 2025’sMortal Kombat 2release. Young’s past and character direction may have to be entirely changed, but other classic characters have already received similar treatments in this new timeline. Instead of being a descendant of Scorpion, Young could be depicted as one ofthe Shirai Ryu’s latest recruitsalongside the adolescent Hanzo Hasashi. This could still maintain Young and Hasashi’s clan connection but divert the two fighters' destinies into entirely different journeys unseen in any medium thus far. Alternatively, NetherRealm could simply introduce the cinematic Young into the games through a non-canon DLC appearance similar to how some versions of Takeda are from alternate timelines inMortal Kombat 1.
