#but the thing with hanzo in mk11 is that his older self was meant to show his younger self that he is capable of being more than purely

[ntaras]

the reason that kuai liang cannot work as scorpion is because kuai liang and scorpion are foils to each other in terms of how they handle their emotions.

scorpion is all-consuming rage, rage that blinds him and harms others for the sake of revenge- not justice. kuai liang, though well capable of feeling anger, has a hold of his anger. he can contain himself from exacting revenge because it is not what drives his character.

kuai liang’s role of scorpion makes him a very strange mash of two very opposite characters. we see scorpion’s rage unsheathe itself as he begins beating his enemies with his own chains, and even attempt to kill bi-han because he is so fueled by his own anger which blinds him to the consequences of killing his brother. kuai liang shows his character when after beating bi-han, he does not harm him further, but carries his body back to the temple. he spares his own brother as kuai liang would do, but scorpion’s character is gone as scorpion is hellbent on vengeance- meanwhile kuai liang isn’t.

we could see kuai liang work through his anger, bring himself to slowly forgive bi-han, but with that happening, where would scorpion go? we can see scorpion never forgive bi-han, instead constantly fueled by the pain that is his father’s death and brother’s betrayal, but then where would kuai liang go?

these characters cannot exist as each other, these characters are meant to exist by each other.

#we can also discuss how older hanzo in mk11 wasn’t his vengeful self and shows how scorpion could get to that point #but the thing with hanzo in mk11 is that his older self was meant to show his younger self that he is capable of being more than purely #revenge driven #like their was a reason for older hanzo and younger hanzo and older hanzo being not as antogonistic and fucking stuff up #*a narrative/story driven reason for a character we’ve known for decades #it’s just like. kuai liang cannot support the role of scorpion because that then removes how the anger in scorpion ruins himself further #into rage #and scorpion cannot support the role of kuai liang because kuai liang’s temperament clashes with what scorpion represents #kuai liang is not hellbound rage #scorpion is not self-control #anyways sorry that gif set of kuai liang and hanzo set me off #kuai liang #scorpion #mortal kombat

[wandering-koyote]

Im using this chance to scream about my mortal kombat hot take that turned into a rlly long ramble (only loosely related bc its about two normal humans lol):

Everyone says Cassie and Jacqui shouldn't have been in MK11, since Cas has had the main character spotlight in MKX and Jacqui has the personality of cardboard, while Takeda/Jin are more interesting. HOWEVER I actually think they deserved to be in the game 500% more, but that Netherrealm completely fumbled them. Jacqui more than Cassie, like horribly so.

Both really need something 'unique' about them, and MK11 was that chance, but instead Jacqui is just. A plot device really. She only exists to support other character arcs and be a borderline macguffin for Jax to have motivation- her own damn tower ending is her dying to further someone else's life. MK11 should've given Jacqui something to define herself a bit more in the story! Some kind of plot!! Cassie's story is sorta interesting, but Sonya coming back kinda dulls the impact of Sonya, yknow, dying. Hanzo's death is more impactful since his character arc was just wiped, Sonya doesn't get that. The whole "you're my mom who just died but not yet because you're from the past and im really conflicted about this" angle was, as my dad who watched me play said, "really fucked up" (in a good way imo), but they really only confined that to one scene. If you're gonna go at that angle, put ur whole pussy into it babe!!!

Takeda/Jin have more than enough to separate themselves from their parents, so yeah Cassie and Jacqui really needed an extra game to grow. Unfortunately they didn't, they're just kinda static. So im delving into personal story ideas!

Cassie would've really benefitted from gifted kid syndrome- girl just killed a god and saved the world, mk11 shouldve rlly leaned into the idea that shes pulling herself apart to try and keep being the main character. Kid of Johnny and Sonya, god killer?? Make that shit keep her up at night. Make her take charge in every situation where the older characters aren't there, make her self sacrificial, make her want to be the hero not because she wants that fame again, but because earthrealm is notorious for crumbling without someone to protect it and she cant bear to have anyone else shoulder that weight. She did it once, she can take it again. Then make Sonya die doing exactly what Cassie's doing, sacrificing herself for the mission and for Earthrealm.

Then she comes back, younger and a little less hardened. I think it's infinitely better if we flip the whole "ur my mother" thing- make Sonya conflicted that this is her child who is writhing in agony over her mother's death and Sonya isn't sure what shes meant to do. Everything screams to go and comfort her- its her DAUGHTER for crying out loud, but how would Cassie react? Would it only make things worse? What the HELL did her future self do to make Cassie look at her with such mixed emotions? It's mentioned a few times that present Sonya valued work heavily over her family, and that it got worse and worse over time, so i think it should culminate in a scene where Sonya from the past tells Cassie that her future self was wrong- the mission isnt everything, and she has family she needs to look out for. I think it'd mirror the Johnny's well too, since old Johnny literally beat the shit out of younger Johnny because he refused to take his (future) family seriously.

Jacqui on the other hand? She just needs her own damn arc. Keep Jax becoming a bad guy, thats fine imo, but touch on the mother's death and Jacqui's feelings about it. Her damn MOTHER died and the story is completely "ohhh jax became a bAD GUY ABOUT THIS" and I don't even think Jacqui gets to like, I dont even think her death is mentioned around Jacqui at all. I think just adding a few scenes between present Jax and Jacqui would fix a lot. Have the two not talk since her death; Jacqui really wants to talk about it, acknowledge what happened and try and heal, while Jax is ignoring her attempts and distancing himself (depression) and simultaneously trying to protect Jacqui. Replace the Kronika and Jax scene with a scene of the two in a fight, Jax trying to tell Jacqui to leave the military and dodging any conversation about how badly theyre both hurting, while Jacqui is pissed that he's shutting himself off and is basically regressing her into a child as a way to cope. Jacqui leaves in a huff, and Jax alone going "please, i just want to protect my little girl", queue the clicking of the grandfather clock stopping the tears freezing midair. Dont even show us the conversation, just hard cut away- the fight tells us everything we need to know about why Jax is doing what hes doing. I think that ALONE would help with Jacqui a lot (we've acknowledged she has feelings about her mom's death and that she has a conflict with her dad going on now), but going further you might be able to replace the cassie/raiden scene with JACQUI instead. Have Jacqui be upset that Jax is so deep in grief that hes joined the bad guys, and that she cant even tell what type of person her father is anymore. Is he the father that pushed her on the swing when she squeeled 'higher!', who hugged her so gently with his metal arms, or is he the man he is now, joining with criminals and thieves and murderers in the name of her 'protection'? Is that who he's always been? Have Raiden tell her that it doesnt matter who her father is, but who SHE is. Is she the type of person who give up on her dad? Or will she look him in the eye and tell him "I love you despite everything" and fight to save him?

Jax and Jacqui should reconcile before the boat scene entirely so they can get a plot beat to just talk. Too much action for a pause in the boat scene. My timeline of events is iffy but maybe this can happen at the Tiara scene- iirc Cetrion LITERALLY threatens to kill Jacqui and Jax is STILL on Team Kronika after this. CMON. Have Jax switch sides and attack Cetrion when she tries killing Jacqui- Past Jax is a bit iffy to me as an addition to the scene, he doesnt rlly add anything. Have Jax snap out of everything at the realization that its not the military putting Jacqui in danger, its HIMSELF. Have him admit hes wrong, and the two finally get a moment to grief (even if briefly bc the world is dying again). Have Cetrion note this interaction too. Whens the last time her mother ever hugged her like that? When was the last time they grieved the loss of Father? Even MENTIONED Father? Is Kronika even her mother beyond just the name? Hot take but have Cetrion try and betray Kronika at the end of the plot because of this moment, and Kronika goes "lmao no" and absorbs her essence anyway.

VERY LONG ASK I KNOW BUT I NEED TO GET THIS IDEA OUT!!! It also adds a layer of theming around family and love, something thats vaguely there in MKX and MK11 but its like. Hidden and an afterthought. Jax protect Jacqui bc shes family. Cassie is grieving the death of a family member. The villian is the mother of two other villians and kills one and discards the other. Cassie and Jacqui deserve better thats my message im here all night folks

Yesss! The family themes need to hit hard! This is why I’m sad they rebooted when we could’ve had more familial growth, but maybe we’ll get it in the next few games 😭

I don’t have much input because I agree with so much (if only I could ring up NRS and get you hired)! BUT IM POSTING CUZ YOU COOKED FR FR AND NEED RECOGNITION 🔥🔥🔥

#mortal kombat #johnny cage #mortal kombat 11 #Cassie cage #jacqui briggs #jax briggs #sonya blade

[sasorikigai]

Ten Most Pivotal Emotions for Hanzo Hasashi and Kuai Liang. 

1. Happiness (or lack thereof): One of the first core emotions Hanzo experienced was happiness; when he was younger, happiness was an emotion derived from a sense of safety and security from his parents. It arose from the knowledge that he was being loved and being taken care of. as he grew older, he began to associate it with feelings of contentment and emotional connection originated from building solid, trustful relationships with his peers and later, with Harumi. Joy, pleasure or satisfaction all existed to remind him of what it is he values the most. Kuai never got to experience the true sense of happiness, at least the safety and security aspects that he could get from his parents, since he was orphaned at a very young age along with his brother. 

2. Sadness: Sadness is probably the most complex and nuanced emotions that they can go through; because they can vary in degrees and manifest in a lot of different ways. And it also helps them to process grief and disappointment. Feeling sad allows them to take a step back and allow themselves to take a look at themselves and their situations to better understand what it is that’s causing them such pain. It teaches them to be introspective, resilient, and to learn from their mistakes. Hanzo’s rebirth as a hellspawn specter was originated from the very guilt and incompetency that he could not stop not only his family’s death, but the Shirai Ryu’s complete extinction. Kuai has lost so many of his peers, and notably Bi-Han (in the hands of Scorpion) and Smoke (in the Netherrealm) due to the corruption of the Lin Kuei. Sadness is one of the most raw, visceral and persistent emotions they would experience throughout their lives, only exacerbated by their PTSD and depression. 

3. Anger: Clenched fists, tense muscles, flushed face may constitute as negative somatic sensations, but anger could be a learning experience if they take their time to introspect in their own ways. Anger definitely does more than beg an individual for it to be unleashed; it forces them to act and fight against the problems that they’re facing. One of the most associated emotion towards Scorpion had been anger (along with vengeance), deeply originated from his guilt and incompetency to protect his loved ones. That manifested and exacerbated his need to be manipulated and misguided by Quan Chi, to stand against the Forces of Light protecting the sanctity and sustenance of the Earthrealm to fight for the Forces of Darkness. While Kuai was turned towards the evil’s side against his volition, he too, is, like any other human, is susceptible to be prone to anger, mostly at himself for killing the innocents. 

4.  Anticipation: It is the psychological state of arousal, that they experience when excited, anxious, or uncertain about what’s to come. It’s mind’s way of reminding them to plan ahead of time and better prepare themselves for the future. It’s less of nervous excitement that pushes them outside their comfort zone, because they both has mounted spectrum of experiences that define them as capable, hardened and ferocious warriors. As both of them being mortal humans with only supernatural powers (pyromancy and cryomancy) as their weapons, both Hanzo and Kuai obviously cannot predict anything for the future, but as they are prominent figures in the Earthrealm as two of the most popular clans in the Earthrealm (the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei, respectively), they do their best in their abilities and capabilities to prepare for what’s to come. 

5. Fear: Evolutionary psychology tells them fear is the basic survival mechanism of their ancestors, which is meant to keep them safe from potential danger. That’s why they have innate fight or flight response that is triggered whenever they feel physically or emotionally threatened by someone or something. Most often, they feel fear towards something that are not lethal; such as failure, uncertainty, emotional vulnerability, and loss of control. Both Hanzo and Kuai never let fear take complete control, despite highly probable to experience such fear mentioned above (Hanzo much more prone to all of them compared to Kuai), preventing them from taking risks, challenging themselves and going after what they want. Hanzo tends to experience extremes of such, for his depression runs more bone-deep and he still faults and blames himself for being turned into the wretched Netherrealm spectre. Despite his fear of all those four aspects mentioned, he is paradoxically more likely to take risks, jump into danger to protect another and act on his aspirations quicker than Kuai. 

6. Loneliness: Loneliness results when they feel isolated even with people around them. One of the most basic human needs is the need for belongness, along with the physical needs for food, water and shelter. As a human being, one of the deep-seeded requirements is social interactions, and feeling of loneliness tells them they need to reconnect with their loved ones and attend to relationships with those who they care about. While loneliness is a common emotion they both go through, Hanzo had more luxury of experiencing various kinds of relationships, including platonic, fraternal (with some of his peers, as he was an only child), romantic/sexual (Harumi) and paternal (Satoshi), and even serving as a surrogate father for Takeda Takahashi. Obviously compared to Hanzo, the scope of Kuai’s relationship lacks both depth and spectrum, as loneliness is more of a Kuai’s deep-seated fear that he has accepted as his fate. 

7. Jealousy (or lack thereof): Jealousy gives way to insecurity and lower self-esteem, because it makes you to think that you are not good enough to have everything that you want. It’s important for you to pay attention to what sparks that very feeling in you, because it speaks volumes about what exactly is missing from your life. Jealousy isn’t something both Hanzo and Kuai feels; because they are confident, proud, assertive in their mannerisms without coming off as too imposing and commanding (although their gravitas as the Grandmasters of their clans may exude such aura), and when they get into any relationships, they are based on utmost trust and devotion. 

8. Disgust: Disgust is another emotion rooted in their evolution; they could feel repulsed by things they consider unclean or disease-ridden. Most likely, they often feel repulsed by things that go against the most fundamental social norms, such as heinous crimes or abnormal sexual behaviors. Feelings of intense dislike and aversion and disgust are emotional responses they feel towards something that is unhealthy for them. Since they have faced other nonhuman kombatants and literally been hell and back, both of them find repulsed by amorality and lack of honor and code of ethics; for example, they both find D’Vorah disgusting, not only because she is a non-human insect who has ovipositors, but her morality is abominable and contemptible. 

9. Surprise: Surprise is something they feel when something unexpected happens to them, or those around them. Shock and surprise can intensity their current emotion, like happiness, anger and despair. When they become surprised, they become more curious and alert, because it forces them to change their perspective, and adapt to new situations. While Hanzo and Kuai has experienced ample positive emotions, such as for Hanzo, when he married Harumi, he watched Satoshi being born, and when he rebuilt the Shirai Ryu multiple times and watching it thrive and prosper etc. Kuai has only experienced shock in such negative connotations. He has came to acknowledge Bi-Han’s death, had gone through excruciating change from being cyberized, back to turning into a Revenant, and losing so many loved ones to evil including Smoke and Frost. And he also lost Hanzo in MK11 storyline. Hanzo also has fair share of dealing with negative shocking, as mentioned above, including his own death and reliving his family’s death and clan’s massacre over and over again. 

10. Trust: While trust isn’t as an instinctive feeling as the other emotions, it is still a feeling that they both experience in daily to daily basis. Trust is an emotion built on their experiences; and it’s meant to remind them both the good and the bad that the other people have done to them, so that they can better protect themselves against emotional pain. Often times, trust and love go hand and hand. In the end, the self-exploration towards emotional awareness towards the other through trust will help gain more emotionally fulfilling lives. For both, trust is a hard-earned trait; they had been deceived, manipulated and violated as pawns doing the bidding of the darkness and evil, and as protectors of the Earthrealm, the one that serves the light even in the midst of the dark, they are loyal and fully devoted almost to a fault once such hard-earned trust solidifies and anchors. 

#✗ obsessive cathartic (headcanon) #✗ the ineffable testimony of spawned hellfire (scorpion) #✗ bone-deep chill of despair (sub-zero) #✗ seeking reconciliation with his own humanity (iii) #✗ you are an equal amongst deceivers (iii) #(GDI this took the majority of my night) #(but this was such an important HC!!)