Mortal Kombat 1’s Kabal Appearance May Have to Break Its Own Rules
Kabal's ties to the Black Dragon and his past as a police officer could create problems for his appearance in NetherRealm's new timeline under Fire God Liu Kang.
Mortal Kombat 1 has largely been a successful release for NetherRealm Studios despite a few hiccups along the way. Fans of the long-standing franchise have taken its reboot of many characters’ narratives quite well, buying into how their individual stories are now going on a path that has never been taken before in previous installments.
While some characters have received more changes – and screen time – than others, many players are wondering how its upcoming DLC could switch things up for a character that has been around for a long time and shares a complicated history with several other familiar faces in the latest title.
Kabal Speeds His Way Into Mortal Kombat 1
The former Black Dragon member has a layered narrative that has seen him switch sides and work against his former gang with Earthrealm’s Sonya Blade, even as his troubled relationship with Kano has been examined from various angles throughout the franchise’s history.
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Kabal’s addition to Mortal Kombat 1 could be a conundrum for NetherRealm Studios, as the character’s allegiances being changed by Liu Kang’s new timeline could complicate things for its narrative. The studio will need to find a way to balance his role as an antihero in his past appearances against the need to revamp his narrative in order to blend with its extensive cast’s new roles.
What Do Mortal Kombat 1’s Players Expect for Kabal?
Speculation is rife about Kabal’s revised history, with many players hoping that NetherRealm is able to find a way to let him retain his signature powers and history with the Black Dragon even as he continues to be a threat to the forces of good.
While it would be interesting to see how Kabal is presented in the new timeline from a fresh perspective, many players have taken to guessing how his appearance in Havik’s new world could take shape, with the post below bringing up many interesting theories.
Some players believe that Takeda’s new role as Kenshi’s cousin could be the perfect way to introduce Kabal into the overall narrative.
Other fans of Kabal’s character hope that NetherRealm Studios finds a way to fix the mistakes of Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, in which Kabal’s redemption arc was struck down in favor of making him a mindless revenant in Quan Chi’s service.
Another player had a great idea in which Kabal’s antihero tendencies could be paired with another favorite character from the previous games.
However NetherRealm decides to play with Kabal’s narrative, it’s clear that fans of the character are hoping to see his ties to the Black Dragon and law enforcement intact even as they find a way to ensure that he remains a nuanced and compelling character just like he has in the past.
