Ed Boon is leading the charge for Mortal Kombat X at this year's E3 - and the results have been impressive! The Creative Director hosted an illuminating demo during the PlayStation Live Cast (yesterday), but it was a more sedate affair when he was a guest on Giant Bomb: The casual atmosphere not only made for a human conversation, but also dripped a couple more interesting details out of the project head:

The meaning of the X continues to stew in dubious analogies, but its pronounced status as "Ex" remains in tact. What's also in tact -- in some fashion -- is the new Mortal Kombat timeline.

Ed revealed the new game will continue the story some time after the end of Mortal Kombat (2011), before making large leaps in time across the already confirmed twenty-five year timespan. It won't begin immediately at the conclusion of the last story mode, but it also will not be a completely linear affair. To us, that sounds like revelatory flashbacks and other story-dependent deliveries of information.

This hyper-extended timeline is obviously the reason we'll seeing dramatic new developments, like the introduction of Cassie Cage -- daughter of Mortal Kombat originals Johnny Cage & Sonya Blade! Ed notes the light hearted predicament of allowing fatalities on family members -- a possible clue to the inclusion of mom & pop?

Choose Your Destiny: Scorpion faces D'Vorah in the E3 select screen.

As for the twenty-four silhouettes on the character select screen -- don't count those chickens just yet! As has been the case in previous years, that E3 select screen isn't final! Think you recognize some of the shapes? You probably do, but those too aren't to be trusted! There are hints of truth, but Ed makes no bones about the misleading shapes. "We just wanted to mess with people's heads."

Further emphasis has been placed on separating the stage interactions from Injustice: Gods Among Us, as well. Just as in the PlayStation Live Cast - Ed highlights the ability to garner leverage from interactive elements like walls and other location based influences. He also notes the conceptual scaling, keeping MK's interactions more low key than the bombastic super-human feats of the DC fighter.

Stamina meter management is also further discussed, with the reveal that there's no run button! Dashing to run is on the agenda, but obviously that will be subject to meter status.

The mysterious new online mode (revealed in the press release) is described as a 'persistent meta game'. That's certainly in keeping with existing interpretations of the mystery mode.

Mortal Kombat X is at E3 for the next two days! Check the live stream schedule for updates. Register to join in and immortalize your reactions on the forum! Be sure to support the site by liking & sharing stories via @MK_Online & Facebook, as well!