Big TL:DR here but I was bored and I like speculating on the MK characters. And that's all this is; just speculation on the characters and where they are or where they currently fit chronologically after the events of MK2011. These aren't necessarily scenarios I'd personally like to see happen, they're just speculations on what I think could happen to certain characters based on their bios and what happened in the previous game.

Because Raiden only sent a message to his past self at the time of MK1, Delia and Argus had already began the quest to prevent Armageddon, and tonnes of things that happened in the previous games had already been set in motion long before MK1, so technically, those games should still occur in some form or another. Raiden's victoy in MK2011 should only have prevented Kahn from winning Armageddon, it should not have prevented Armageddon itself. Now granted, it's MK and the likelihood of these scenarios playing out in favour of a liberal use of retcons is slim to say the least. But I decided to give it a go anyway.

I also probably have missed biographical details and stuff that makes some of these completely off-key but here goes:

Ashrah: Is either in demon form, a member of the Brotherhood of Shadow and serving Quan Chi or has already defected and is 'cleansing' her soul with the Kriss. Either way, she hasn't escaped the Netherrealm yet.

Baraka: Last time we saw him, he was in Kahn's throne rooms suggesting that after the Emporor's demise, Mileena should rule. He's likely to be still alive in Outworld. In the original timeline, he was approached by Quan Chi and offered to serve Shinnok during his invasion in Edenia so it's possible history will repeat itself.

Blaze: When Raiden sent a message to his past self, he only stopped Shao Kahn from winning Armageddon. He didn't stop Armageddon from actually occuring. If he'd wanted to do that, he would've had to send a message to Delia and Argus centuries ago telling them not to create Blaze, the pyramid, the swords, the armour and all that other crap. Also, the fact that Kano is still a Black Dragon thug, a clan founded by disatisfied Red Dragon members which was initially founded by Deagon centuries ago suggests that Deagon still 'woke up' early and that the 'quest' is still underway. So Blaze should still be the Guardian of the Dragon King egg.

Bo' Rai Cho: He's mentioned in MK9, having taught Liu Kang. Bo' Rai Cho never fought in previous tournaments because his birthplace ensured it would be a victory for Outworld. Now that Outworld faces invasion from the Netherrealm, he'll likely return.

Chameleon: The only sold biographical knowledge we have on him is his ending in MKA which didn't happen anyway so when or even if he returns is anybody's guess.

Cyrax: The last time we see him in MK9, he was defeated by Nightwolf before Sindel showed up and made the whole clan look redundant. He more than likely survived the fight. It was around this time in the previous timeline that Cyrax malfunctions and becomes lost. The Lin Keui find him but the experience changes him, or rather, changes him back as Human Cyrax was shown to be an honourable warrior. He may still approach the OIA after Shinnok's invasion and Sonya may still save him, but I imagine her first priority will be saving Jax.

Daegon: As mentioned above, if the Black Dragon still exists, so does the Red Dragon, which means Deagon awoke much earlier than anticipated. In fact, we can see him in MK9. Deagon struck some sort of alliance with Shinnok years ago so he could easily be called upon.

Dairou: He could be a Seidan Guard or a Seidan prisoner depending on whether or not his murdering of the man accused of killing his family has actually occured yet. Unless Seido and Chaos somehow fit into the upcoming storyline, he has no reason for returning. But it's possible someone will call upon the other realms for assistance during Shinnok's invasion. If Dairou does show up, the events of MK9 probably haven't changed him.

Darrius: Set up Dairou to gain his alliegance as part of the Seidan resistance. Again, his status is very much the same as Dairou's. Unlike Dairou, who, despite his neutrality has been depicted as one of the 'good guys', Darrius's obsession with liberating Seido and his methods make him unlikely to want to participate in Shinnok's war unless it suits his goal.

Drahmin: Drahmin and Moloch only really come into play after Scorpion discovers the truth that Quan Chi killed his family and clan. In the original timeline, Quan Chi hired them to protect him from Scorpion. That'll probably happen again, and in serving Quan Chi, they'll probably be serving Shinnok too. Lackies seem to be communal these days amongst the MK villains.

Ermac: The last time we saw Ermac, he had been beaten by Sub-Zero in the belltower, though he likely survived. Kenshi freed Ermac from his servitude to Shao Kahn and Ermac taught Kenshi some telekinetic techniques. His ending in MK9 suggests that Jerrod may be one of the souls he is composed of. Whether this will actually become canon remains to be seen but it's likely that he will join the good guys again. Perhaps to help save the ones killed by Sindel.

Frost: Frost becomes Sub-Zero's protege after winning a tournament held by his newly reformed Lin Keui in the original timeline. However, Sub-Zero is dead (and also a cyborg, not sure how relevant that is, if it all) and the Lin Keui is still the same old Lin Keui. That being said, Sub-Zero was never really what Frost was after. The Dragon Medallion, which at the moment belongs to Sektor's father, the Lin Keui Grandmaster, is what Frost wanted so if she does appear, that would likely be her goal.

Fujin: Where the fuck was he when Earthrealm was falling apart and Sindel was slaughtering people left, right and center? I know it's an UMK3 themed reboot but if you can have Quan Chi arsing about making things easier for the bad guys since MK1 then Fujin should've been there atleast during MK3. Being Earth's Wind God and an ally of Raiden should have him somewhat invested in Earthrealm's safety. Regardless, Fujin was introduced during Shinnok's war on the Gods and is almost certain to return. Most likely in pretty much the same way he did in MK4.

Goro: Still alive. But with Kitana and Kung Lao dead, an truce between the Shokan, Edenia/Earthrealm and Centaurs will have to wait if it's going to occur at all. Especially since Edenia doesn't even exist at this point but we'll get to that later. And Motaro's dead. So a new centuar will have to be reintroduced which seems unlikely. Whatever Goro will be up to in MK10 may not have anything to do with what he did during this time in the original timeline.

Havik: Since Havik thrives on all things entropy, there's really no telling where he's gonna fit in in any scenario. He is seen killing Shinnok and Quan Chi in Noob's ending in MK9, but again, this is Havik whose whole raison d'etre is his unpredictability. Whatever ensures the most chaos. Shinnok's war on the Elder Gods is sure to create a lot of chaos, so Havik could very well want to fan those flames. OR, if Shinnok were to be successful, it would mean oppression accross many different realms, which Havik may want to avoid.

Hotaru: Much the same as Dairou, Darrius and especially Havik. Whether Seido and Chaos become involved in Shinnok's war is anybody's guess. On a personal level, Hotaru lives to ensure Order, he's the polar opposite of Havik. Shinnok's war affects a lot of realms, so Hotaru may ally with the forces of light to stop him, or may ally with Shinnok to ensure order/oppression across all realms.

Hsu Hao: Part of me just wants to write 'Like we'll ever see him again?' and move on but I'll indulge Hsu Hao. It can't be easy being one of the co-creator's most hated characters. Hsu Hao was originally introduced as a Red Dragon, infiltrating the Special Forces in order to hunt down Black Dragon members. Shortly before MK4 in the original timeline, Sonya was down to her last Black Dragon member, Jarek, so if Hsu Hao was to return, he would be at this point in time, allied with her. However, Sonya journeying to the Netherrealm to help defeat Shinnok might force Hsu Hao to reveal his true nature as a Red Dragon spy due to Daegon's alliegance with Shinnok. But, more realistically, like we'll ever see him again?

Jade: Dead. Her soul is trapped in the Netherrealm after she was killed by Sindel and she is now serving Quan Chi as one of his slaves. Shao Kahn's payment for the Netherrealm's alliegance. As a slave, Jade will likely play a passive role in the upcoming conflict. Her ending in MK9 is one of the more mysterious due to unnamed shimmering woman that possesses her. Some have specualted that this character is Delia. Daegon's Armageddon ending suggested that Delia was still alive, having only feigned death to guage her sons true natures. I think it's a possibility, but with Jade dead, that ending definitely didn't occurr.

Jarek: Jarek, during MK4, was being hunted by Sonya but formed an uneasy alliance with her in order to fight Shinnok. Whether he'll return is questionable. Especially since he was only introduced due to Kano's 'supposed' death in MK3. Since Kano's still alive, and Sonya probably isn't in the mood to hunt down Black Dragon lackies with half of her friends dead in the underworld, Jarek probably has no reason to return. Then again, maybe Jax's death will spur Sonya on to hunt down the Black Dragon as a means of grieving, or Kano might enlist Jarek's help in whatever it is Kano's gonna do next. Both could wind up allying with the good guys, if only to save their own asses.

Jax: Dead. Just like Jade. Jax could either play a passive role in the upcoming conflict or perhaps could be used against Sonya. I get the feeling however that until the crisis with Shinnok and Quan Chi is over, all of the enslaved heroes will be doing sweet fuck all.

Johnny Cage: Alive. Miraculously. Unlike in the previous timeline. Not that that death stuck. Nor any death in MK. Raiden saved Johnny Cage from Motaro who killed him in the previous timeline. This time, Raiden changed things by killing Motaro. Which led to Sindel being sent to Earthrealm. Which led to the death of nine other heroes (not counting Kung Lao who had been killed prior). Nine characters for Johnny Cage. He was awesome in this game but he better prove that worth next game. Cage's ending shows him travelling to Seido to help him control his abilities. It's a possibility but I'm far more certain of him fighting alongside the forces of Light against Shinnok. Cage is nothing if not dependable.

Kabal: Dead. Like the others. As far as other character relationships go, Stryker is also dead and Kano, though awfully chummy with him, is still a bad guy so no one is coming to personally rescue him. Of all the slain heroes, Kung Lao, Kitana and Jax are the only two with surviving friends. Assuming Liu Kang is still alive. If not, that just leaves Jax. If he's going to be rescued, it's probably going to be a group rescue, similar to the way Ermac and Spirit Liu saved the heroes killed by the Deadly Alliance. Otherwise, Kabal will likely play a very passive role in the next game.

Kai: With so many heroes killed by Sindel, Kai will likely have to step in to battle Shinnok just like he did in MK4. But this is assuming Liu Kang is still alive. Raiden may also recruit him. All and all, if he does show up, it's likely be the same role, perhaps expanded, that he had in MK4.

Kano: Alive. And not thrown off a rooftop by Sonya Blade so he's probably one of the few characters to actually benefit from Raiden's meddling. Since Kano wasn't almost killed by Sonya at the end of this game, his plot could potentially go a completely different route than it did after MK3. Since Motaro was killed earlier, had Kano fought Sonya this time he would've certainly died since Motaro was the one who saved him in the original timeline. He also most certainly won't come into contact with and betray a murderous Sheeva, leading to her death as well and now I'm starting to regret doing this cause it's getting complicated.

Kenshi: Kenshi was hunting Shang Tsung to in order to free the souls of his ancestors. This obviously occured before the events of MK2011 because DLC Kenshi was blind. However, Shao Kahn vaporised Shang Tsung and gave his souls to Sindel so does that mean that Kenshi's ancestors souls are in Shang Tsung's soul which is in Sindel's soul trapped in the Netherrealm? Soulsception? Does Shang even have a soul? Or were those even souls that were being transferred. If it is the case, then Kenshi could be a valuable assett to reviving the fallen heroes. Otherwise, what the hell else has Kenshi got to do with Shang gone?

Khameleon: Khameleon is basically the same as Chameleon only with a purpose and a point. Whether she ever returns is again, anybody's guess. The developers have spent a long time keeping Reptile from achieving his goal of restoring his race and realm. Khameleon too. Maybe it's time they succeedd. We've got tonnes of Tarkatan, Shokan, Oni and Vampires running around willy-nilly. Why not throw in some raptors? However, in terms of Shinnok's invasion, Khameleon doesn't have much need to return. Unless it's to stop Zaterra, which is currently merged with Outworld from being merged with the Netherrealm as well. Realmception.

Kintaro: Alive and not vaporized by Raiden which is what I believe was supposed to have been the reason for his disappearance after MKII until everyone was dragged back for Armageddon. What becomes of Kintaro is as debateable as Goro's or Sheeva's future but I imagine neither as proud Shokan warriors will be too keen on Shinnok's invasion. Like many surviving Outworlders, an alliance with Earthrealm or other realms might come to fruition.

Kira: With no evil Kabal to recruit her in to the new Black Dragon, Kira will likely still be selling weaponry to terrorists at this point and oblivious to Shinnok's invasion. On the other hand, Kano may be wishing to expand the Black Dragon and may take Kabal's place in this timeline. OR, AFTER Kabal is revived, the experience is the reason he falls back on the side of evil and reforms the Black Dragon and recruits Kira. But regardless, Kira has no reason to return yet.

Kitana: Dead. Like the others. And unfortunately, unlike in Deception, Jade and Sindel aren't alive to come rescue her. But, Ermac might. Again, this could be Kenshi and Ermac's purpose in the next war. Liu, if still alive, will likely have a strong desire to rescue Kitana and Kung Lao and could possibly join in this mission. It's interesting to note that by this time in the original timeline, Edenia had been freed by Kitana, Sindel and Jade. By MK4, Sindel was Queen once more until Tanya betrayed her. MK4 pretty much took place in Edenia and the Netherrealm. But now Edenia is still merged with Outworld. If Kitana does become freed soon, her mission would likely be freeing Edenia after Shao Kahn's death.

Kobra: Like Kira, with no evil Kabal to recruit him in to the new Black Dragon, Kobra will likely still be picking fights in back alleys with no knowledge of Shinnok's invasion. But, if he did hear about it, his lust for combat and his probable not-wanting of two grey dudes from the boweld of hell from taking over the world could have him join the forces of light. He's depicted as a villain but he's also depicted as a regular guy. More than likely though, he has no return to return.

Kung Lao: Dead. Like the others. But being Liu Kang's best friend, he'll likely have an invested interest in saving him. But again, that's assuming Liu is alive. Whatever the case, Kung Lao will be saved eventually, by somebody but he'll likely play a passive role in the upcoming conflict. He could however be used to taunt and/or kill Liu Kang.

Li Mei: With no Shang Tsung, meaning no Deadly Alliance to enslave her village, Li Mei may not have an interest in going in to battle. But Shinnok's invasion will likely affect all of Outworld so, like Bo' Rai Cho, she may feel compelled to fight. If she is reintroduced soon, it could under very different circumstances than last time.

Liu Kang: Unlike most other cases in MK9, we don't even know if Liu Kang is alive or dead. If he is dead, he's likely to be serving Quan Chi and Shinnok with the other slain heroes. But then they were all killed by Outworld forces so maybe because it was Raiden who killed him he was spared this fate? Either way, Liu Kang defeated Shinnok in MK4 (judging by the medals in his tomb in MKD - though it could have been Raiden) so someone else will have to take his place. If he's not dead, then...great, he can do it himself. But after MK9, Liu is probably a changed man and distrustful of Raiden. Rescuing Kung Lao, Kitana and the others could be a priority for him, leaving Shinnok to Raiden.

Mavado: Like Daegon and Hsu Hao, Mavado's involvement seems to rely on Daegon's standing with Shinnok. Aside from giving Hsu Hao orders, Mavado has little to do now with Kabal dead, and no Shang Tsung to order him to kill Kensi. Unless Mavado decides to hunt down Kano and any other surviving Black Dragon members, his involvment is tough to guage.
Meat: I find him even less likely to return than Hsu Hao but you really never know with Mortal Kombat. He's a creature created by Shang Tsung in his flesh pits, like Mileena. But he escaped before he was finished. Honestly, I doubt we'll ever see him again outside of a superflous role.

Mileena: Alive. Mileena had been killed by this point in the previous timeline by Kitana, reborn in the Netherrealm and found her loyalty to Shao Kahn replaced by her fear of Shinnok. But since that's no longer the case, Mileena will probably not be so willing to bow to him. Baraka mentioned that as Kahn's heir, she should rule Outworld. Given her child-like mentality, the other Outworld denizens probably wouldn't be too pleased at her stepping in as ruler but with the oncoming invasion from Shinnok, there might not be time to argue with the Tarkatan for now. One problem at a time, eh? If Mileena does ascend to the throne, her best bet would be to ally Outworld with Earthrealm to ensure she stays there. This could be an oppertunity for her more calculating nature to emerge. If she doesn't take the throne, then her purpose during Shinnok's war is difficult to guage but it's likely she will fight for Outworld rather than against it since she's not tied to the Netherrealm by death this time.

Mokap: Canonically, probably won't return. I can see him coming back as an extra or hackable character but storywise, I highly doubt it.

Molach: See Drahmin. Although since Ed Boon apparently hates these guys too, their odds of being put to good use seem slim. Even though a Netherrealm invasion seems like the perfect opportunity.

Motaro: Dead. And his death led to the biggest change in the timeline so far. There's no telling if Motaro will return. It's Mortal Kombat so being dead doesn't mean you can't come back almost immediately. But the team hasn't seem to pushed on bringing Motaro back for some time so if he ever does, I can't imagine it being soon. And since Kitana and Kung Lao are dead, there is no one to set up a truce with the Shokan, so the Centaurs are probably still stirring the shit in Outworld but others of his kind may try to defend the realm from Shinnok, ...or turn on it for him.

Nightwolf: Killed. By himself. The only hara kiri in MK9 though it was really a last resort against Sindel. A last resort he could've done during the MK2 part on Shao Kahn and saved everyone a heap of trouble but we can't begrudge Nightwolf for not sacrificing himself too soon. Like many of the other slain heroes, Nightwolf will likely take a passive role in the upcoming conflict or be used by Quan Chi to attack the forces of light.

Nitara: Cyrax could be lost at this point, meaning Nitara has no means of recovering the orb that binds her realm to Outworld. But like Khameleon, she may not wish her merged realm to be merged with yet another and could fight against Shinnok. But this seems unlikely. If Nitara is reintroduced, she may need to find another way to recover the orb. Then again, Cyrax might be fine and Nitara might still use him. As well as Reptile, in order to get to him. Or perhaps she might try to manipulate Sektor. However, I think any involvement on her part during Shinnok's invasion is unlikely as the orb is her main goal and going after it during an inter-realm war is probably not the best time.

Noob Saibot: What happens to a Netherrealm entity after it's sucked up into a Soulnado. A Soulnado that is immediately destroyed afterwards. Scorpion, another Netherrealm being was thrown into a Soulnado but managed to escape into the Void before being ripped apart by it. Noob Saibot had nanoseconds to do the same, if he was even capable of doing that. If he was, what would the Elder Gods do with him? If he couldn't, he'd probably just wind up in the Netherrealm good as new.

Onaga: Is still an egg at this point. Being guarded by Blaze. If Nitara follows her plan like she did in the original timeline, leading Reptile to the Lava Shrine, Onaga will be reborn. Not to mention whatever nonsense Damashi has Shujinko doing at this point. Finding Kamidogu and whatnot. Shujinko had been on his quest for a good many years before the first tournament so Onaga should've still reached out to him despite Raiden's future visions. But it was Reptile's body that Onaga used as a vessel and that required him following Nitara to the Lava Shrine. If that doesn't happen, does Onaga stay being an egg? Is Blaze never freed from guarding it and thus Armageddon averted?

Quan Chi: It's a pretty safe bet that Quan Chi's gonna have a massive role in the coming plot. We know that he's gonna turn on Shinnok, that Shinnok's amulet, delivered by Sub-Zero years ago is a fake and that Quan Chi holds the real one. I think Quan Chi's biggest purpose in the newest game will be either getting his ass whooped by someone trying to free the slain heroes or getting his ass whooped by Scorpion, much like in post-MK4, pre-MKDA. Or perhaps Scorpion will aid in freeing the heroes after he learns the truth about his family and clan. Whatever the case, I think it's about time Quan Chi got an ass whooping.

Raiden: The events of MK9 is bound to have some effect on Raiden's psyche. And according to the MK4 intro, Raiden and Shinnok had thousands of years ago, and Raiden was responsible for the death of a civilisation. The new war with Shinnok could not come at a worse time for him, especially with most of his warriors dead and after electrocuting the shit out of Liu Kang. Raiden became Dark Raiden after losing to the Deadly Alliance and then Onaga but maybe the new war could bring that side out in him earlier. Raiden only has Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade to fight at his side. His main goal in MK9 is going to have to be finding allies. Whether he finds them in Earthrealm, Seido, Chaosrealm or Outworld is all possible. An alliegance with whoever holds power in Outworld after Shao Kahn's death seems the most likely scenario. And there's going to have to be some sort of a rescue mission for all the warriors he caused to die. Maybe he could do it without bargaining Johnny Cage's and Sonya's souls too.

Rain: There's no Edenia and there's no Shao Kahn so what Rain's involvement could be in the next plot is uncertain. Taven is still in incubation so unless Rain decideds to pay his other brother, Daegon, a visit, (a brother I'm not even sure has a need to return yet) Rain doesn't seem to have much reason for returning.

Reiko: Reiko was introduced in MK4 yet has seemed to have less and less to do with Shinnok and Quan Chi ever since, his main character relationship now being with Shao Kahn. But going back to MK4, Reiko was originally a general in Shinnok's army and a member of the Brotherhood of Shadow which would likely put his residency in the Netherrealm which makes his role in the upcoming plot fairly straightforward and similar to his debut.

Reptile: Last seen getting his ass handed to him by Stryker in MK9. Reptile was fiercely loyal to Shao Kahn (which is a little strange since it was Kahn who destroyed his realm and his people) so his death could have a negative effect on his psyche. Whether Reptile will start de-evolving, or losing control of his human form - whichever you prefer, again is uncertain. After Shao Kahn's original defeat, Reptile was charged by Sindel with genocide and banished to the Netherrealm. But Sindel's really busy being dead so that likely won't happen. So again, like Mileena, whether Reptile will join Shinnok this time is up for change.

Sareena: Sareena is most likely suffering in the Netherrealm for betraying Quan Chi and Shinnok in Mythologies at this point. In the original timeline, Sareena escaped the Netherrealm using the same portal Scorpion and Quan Chi used during Deadly Alliance which led to the Lost Tomb. Since that hasn't happened yet, Sareena is likely still their prisoner and even more interestingly, still in her demonic form which we haven't seen yet. If Sareena was to return before escaping, she should be in that form.

Scorpion: Raiden fought him near the end of MK9's plot and it was the last we saw of him. I imagine Scorpion's role in Shinnok's invasion would likely be very similar to his role in MK4. Serving Quan Chi just as he had until he discovers that Quan Chi had murdered his family and clan. At that point, Scorpion could go anywhere. He may even aid in freeing the heroes, or atleast be so busy pummelling Quan Chi for his treachery to give someone else time to do it. Overall, the new timeline doesn't seem to have effected him too much yet.

Sektor: Sektor's ending has him stealing his father's amulet and becoming the grandmaster of the Lin Keui, which seems entirely plausible since Sub-Zero is no longer alive to challenge him. If he were to become Grandmaster, the Tekunin may not come to fruition, or may have to wait some time before coming to being. During MK4/Gold, Sektor's orders were to monitor Cyrax after he had been lost in the desert and assert whether he was fit for duty. So Sektor's involvement during Shinnok's war could potentially hinge on Cyrax's.

Shang Tsung: See Kenshi. Plus, I don't even know where to being. Death is not really a real thing in MK so I very much doubt Shang Tsung is 'gone' gone. But as for his future involvement, I haven't the foggiest. His Armageddon bio stated that Tsung had pledged his soul to Kahn years ago, a pact that was binding even in his death but what happens to that deal when Kahn dies. Tsung's fate is definitely one of the most interesting I think.

Shao Kahn: You know he's not dead. Any supposed Elder God punishment can be explained away by some nonsense involving The One Being and energies and clones and yaddayaddayadda. You watch, he will be back. Eventually

Sheeva: Sheeva benefited from Raiden's meddling. If Raiden hadn't killed Motaro, Motaro would've been sent after the heroes. Sonya would've fought Kano. Motaro would've rescued him. Kano would've made a deal with Sheeva only to betray her and kill her. By killing Motaro, Raiden inadvertently prevented Sheeva's death. Though he did cause nine or ten others. Oop. However, with Kahn dead and Kano not betraying her and no Kitana or Kung Lao to organize a truce between Shokan and Centaur, what Sheeva could be doing during the Netherrealm invasion is sketchy. Unless, as the proud, honorable warrior she is, she decides to go to war to defend her homeland.

Shinnok: Do I even need to bother? What is curious to me is that originally, Shinnok seemed to be using Edenia as a platfrom to wage war on the Elder Gods but now his concern seems to be with Outworld and Earthrealm. Granted, Edenia doesn't exist currently but why the shift from the Gods to the realms? Purposeful retcon, simple forgetfulness. Whatever, he'll most likely be the boss of the next game and there's an infinite number of ways he'll get screwed over at the last second.

Shujinko: Since Shujinko doesn't realise what he's really doing, Onaga's likely still an egg and Quan Chi still has the amulet, Shujinko is probably out hunting down Kamidogus across the realms. The timeline in MKD's Konquest is all over the place so I find it best to just ignore it. He started his quest a long time before MK1 so he should still have his 'gift' in this timeline. Whether he wanders into the middle of this invasion is uncertain but if he does, he'll no doubt fight for the forces of light. He's probably in Seidan jail or something though.

Sindel: Dead. Again. She was alive for like five seconds after thousands of years of being dead in the sand. But she sure did do some damage. Sindel was not responsible for her actions but I'm curious to see if the others would see it that way. And what kind of effect would murdering her daughter and all those heroes have on Sindel after she regained her mind. It's interesting to me, but unlikely that we'll see yet. Sindel will likely play a passive role in Shinnok's invasion. But if she has retained her newfound powers even in death, then Quan Chi could utilise her to do some serious destruction.

Skarlet: Skarlet wasn't tricked by Quan Chi into killing Shao Kahn like in her ending so what she'll do after his death is unpredictable. She may still combat the netherrealm forces to prevent them from conquering Outworld. Or she may object to whoever takes the Outworld throne (if anyone). She may even do nothing and fade into the background, awaiting Kahn's return. Being such a new character, it's harder to guage where she could go.

Smoke: Dead. I don't know what his enenra identity could lead to (if anything at all) but as of now, Smoke is another of Quan Chi's slaves and thus will likely require rescuing like the others. As such, I suspect he will play a mostly passive role during Shinnok's invasion.

Sonya: Alive, fortunately. But judging from Sonya's ending and her last lines in MK9's story, it seems Sonya maybe set for some changes. Kahn's invasion seems to have had a serious effect on Sonya. Whether or not she'll be seeing her dead father, I don't know. But it'll likely have some effect on her participation in the war against Shinnok. In MK4, Sonya followed Liu Kang into the Netherrealm without hesitation. Could the losses during MK9 make her more hesitant to do such a thing, or even more eager to jump into battle. No doubt, if Sonya learns of Jax's fate, she's going to try to rescue him. Sonya's ending depicted her opting for a path of solitude. Maybe Sonya will journey into the Netherealm alone to try to free her friend. Working solo to avoid further losses. It's a possibility, but it seems that Sonya may finally be ready for some sort of change rather than the constant 'here's a bad guy, go kill him Sonya' routine. There's also a little matter of Kano still being alive. Kano may lay low during Shinnok's invasion or he might jump right in. With Sonya's animosity for Kano finally explained in the last game, these two will likely face each other soon.

Stryker: Dead. See All the Other Dead People. Stryker, like the others, belongs to Quan Chi now. How he will be rescued is uncertain. How he is after his own death, is also uncertain and more interesting. Stryker was given a bit of personality and attention in the recent game that suggests that the team aren't quite finished with him yet.

Sub-Zero: Dead. Also a Cyborg now. So there's that. Of all the characters to be altered by Raiden's intereference, Sub-Zero was probably the most so. What effect his death and his automation is going to have on his future destined events such as reforming the Lin Kuei or meeting Frost is uncertain. When, (and I say when not if cause it's Sub-Zero), he is ressurected, will Sonya and the OIA be able to reverse the effects of the Cyber Initiative like they once did for Cyrax? Or will just being reborn grant Sub-Zero a new human body?

Tanya: With Edenia still merged with Outworld, Tanya cannot instigate MK4 the way she originally did. But perhaps she has the means of allowing Shinnok and Quan Chi entrance to Outworld or Earthrealm? Tanya will no doubt return, especially after being such a popular DLC request for MK9 and now is her time to do just that. However, since circumstances have changed, how she becomes involved in Shinnok's war is subject to change. I'm guessing she'll still be a traitor.

Taven: My guess is he's still sleeping. He awoke after Kabal had reformed the Black Dragon, the Tekunin had been founded and Sonya had been freed from Onaga's possession which puts him waking up after Deception. So he should still be asleep.

As should I. My brain's fried from working all that out and I know it's all gonna be wrong when the new game comes out but it's still interesting to speculate. :P