what about kai? would he beome the champion of earth? i mean how do you make him interesting so hes just not another boring liu kang copy??

The dislike for Drahmin is proof that MK fans (And Boon) have terrible taste. He's a great concept, design and story wise, he just needs a solid set of moves. And his old moveset wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Elaborating on his ball of flies move, perhaps he could have some control over insects, incorporating that into some moves and a Fatality. Maybe his club-less hand could have sharp claws on it, giving him some Freddy-esque moves, in addition to his powerful club swings.

Drahmin should be a lot more popular.

I second this.

I can agree with this as well. While I don't think he was the best in the MK4-MKA period, he certainly wasn't the worst.

I have a black list actually.lol

These include

Jarek
Frost
Hsu Hao
Darrius
Dairou
Taven
Daegon
Kobra

Those are the ones I see absolutely no hope for. I'm sorry but I just couldn't take any of them back. They were just the blandest characters to me period.

Also to the guy asking about Kai. Didn't someone say he was supposed to originally fight upside down? Like walk on his hands? Please Ed Boon get some kind of game mechanic to make this work. I don't care how. Because if Kai played like this he would be an instant favorite.

In between as in MK4. Sorry.

I have no attachment to any of the clowns in that game. That part was an overall catastrophe.

I kinda like MK:DA and upwards characters alot more than classics.

why? og characters seemed to have better concepts just never fleshed out.

I'll agree with you that Trilogy characters are just in general better, but that doesn't mean tha somet characters from MK4-MKA can't be just as interesting given the chance. However, that's some. That's what this whole thread's about really. Who really DESERVES it?

Anyone on my blacklist I don't think deserves it ever.

I want to ask this to Chrome though. You don't like any of the MK4 characters at all? Fujin, Tanya, or Kai?

Kai could come off as boring I get it. However, if they made him standing on his hands like the original concept was for him, then he would be one of the best characters in general.

Reiko is on my list to return, but honestly I'm not the biggest fan. I just looked at the newer characters and thought, who really deserves a second chance and with the fans he has, he does. He could also be a good replacement for Kahn to rule Outworld in the future. They need to give him a new original moveset though and make him more interesting.

I don't get it with Tanya or Fujin though. I think they are in general interesting characters. Everyone thought Tanya would be the next big good guy and then she pulled the switcheroo and flipped. Also with Raiden being crazy as hell in MK9 I think Fujin would be a good replacement.

Even if Kai and Reiko weren't brought back I would hope that Tanya and Fujin would.

Ya know....

MK4:
Kai
- If he does appear, he can gain capoeira style and some shaolin styles. Liu is the dragon and Kai is the tiger. So Tiger fire attacks would suit Kai.

Fujin
- When Raiden is gone in the next game, Fujin deserves to take his place as the new protector of Earthrealm.
- Fujin's wind attacks should become upgraded somehow.

Reiko
- Reiko deserves to be the new emperor of Outworld.
- He can gain some of Kahn's moves and can have incredible moves of his own.

Tanya
- She's gonna be a tough one with her moves that are fire-based.

Jarek
- Maybe when Kano dies at the hands of Sonya, then Jarek should take his place this time. Maybe some new moves of his own instead of sharing Kano's.

MKDA:
Kenshi will appear and so will Rain & Skarlet. Since Skarlet is blood-based, Nitara... I guess should be gone.

Li Mei
- Go kung fu-style and keep the sparkling moves.
- Her story... not easy.

Bo'Rai Cho
- Drunken style.

Sareena
- Share some of Ashrah's moves and maybe new moves of her own.

Frost
- Wonder if she'll use some of Sub-Zero's moves that aren't use for him since the old games.
- Wouldn't be nice for Scorpion's son Jubei to appear in the game? It'd be a good rivalry for them.

MKD:
Dairou
- He should go geokinetic (earth-style) technique.

I hope they dont bring back Kai's design from MkA. It was horrbile. He does have a good moveset to start out though, his story and look just needs major enhancment.

I pretty much agree with who everyone wants back.

Well,,,doesn't redo imply they need work? I think Havik is good to go, interesting story, design, special moves, and name as well.

Ashrah is one of them, great design(so non-stereotypical), good redemption story. All she needs is some distinctive moves, calling upon her voodoo esque powers, the spin should probably go..Kung Lao and Baraka's province.

Kai give him Capoeira and make him interesting, he could be brash and bold, perhaps a bit of a sarcastic witty type. Kai isn't boring, it's just that we never learned anything about him and that's why it's a problem.

Jarek needs his ropes, bring on Wild Wild West Jarek and he'll be cool :)

Fujin bring back all of his original wind moves and get rid of that dive kick, substitute for his dashing knee, an actually unique special move. Roll with his MK Armageddon costume.

Tanya bring back all of her MK4 stuff neck snapper, drill kick, flip kick, boomerang etc and blend it with some of her tricky stuff from Deception.

Drahmin's good, just some special move revisions, I concur with Mime.

Reiko is fine, give his Armageddon costume, keep everything else about him and he's good.


Bo Rai Cho's good, just tone down the puke and turn it into wine he spills on the floor and get rid of the farting, he can be a funny drunken master without that nonsense.


Kira I dunno what to do with her,..anything to make her original lol.

Shujinko make him the edge master of this game, he doesn't even need a story, but most fighting games have a "character who randomly gets the fighting styles of all other characters" so put that trait to suitable use, make him the Mokujin of MK.

Kobra- No fire please, make him fight dirty, like a psychotic street thug, I wanna see him use barbed wire bats, brass knuckles, and stuff like that, he'd be different from Kano, Kobra would be the street grunt, whereas Kano would conduct himself like the big boss he is.

Dairou Everyone doesn't have to be tied directly to the main plot, he could easily serve as a well placed wild card, one minute getting contracted to kill a political threat, the next being assigned to kill a prominent hero or villian, he's supposed to be an assassin and in his ending it talks about him not taking any risks and ambushing those he had been hired to kill....so drop the fire. The fire is flamboyant and obnxious, make him actually behave like a stealth assassin, using sneaky blades, evasive moves, and incorporate some acrobatic style into his moveset, every single fire move should go for two reasons: It's bland, forgettable( everyone has it) and two it doesn't fit an assassin who prides himself on taking no risks and ambushing those he is assigned to kill.

Darrius his rebel angle is okay, he just needs unique moves.


Nitara needs some more vicious moves, befitting of a vampire, using her wings, speed, and flight. Her costumes are good.

Shinnok- bring back his Armageddon moveset, nothing further needed.

Taven and Daegon I do not know, but please make them less forgettable, please get rid of the generic fire moves...everyone has them, not interesting. Give them an unexplored element, like light or something.

Hotaru is fine as he is move wise, story wise and gameplay wise, he's good to go.

Li Mei, Sareena, and Hsu Hao- these characters have respectable stories and gameplay, Li Mei just needs to drop some of her clone moves from the other females and get new stuff. Sareena needs some demonic powers to go with her blades, Hsu Hao needs his grappler style emphasized.

Frost her whole gimmick is being Sub-Zero's apprentice and a female ice warrior, her moves are separate enough from him, so I guess she's fine.

Mavado needs moar grappling hook moves and less hookswords, that's Kabal's signature, his should be those grappling things.



Whew! I hope that's everyone

@ Espio

I'm glad you think that they all can come back Espio but I don't. That's basically what this is is weeding out those who we deem unworthy.lol.

You don't think any of them are unworthy?

Taven, Daegon, Jarek, Darrius, Dairou? KOBRA? I mean come on. Some of these guys just don't deserve it. They can be made into good characters, but basically are they worthy to replace any of the original trilogy. That's where the thread came from are they worthy of replacing anyone? I don't think any of those names I suggested are.

Many of the people I listed I do not like...such as Daegon, Taven, Kobra, and Darrius. I also do not like Shujinko, I was originally going to write do not want, but it's not constructive dialogue, so I left it out and instead I opted to offer ways to make them interesting, viable, and more fitting/worthwhile characters. I added my true list of people down at the very bottom, that's who I want to see in the future.


I'm an optimist, no character is that bad that they can't be salvaged, despite my dislike of Kobra and others, there are ways to make them great additions to the cast.

This universe has room for the Trilogy and post Trilogy characters, there is no reason to get rid of classics to make room for 3D era characters or vice versa, blending what's great is the way to go.

Tekken has a roster of 40 playable characters in Tekken 6, I feel confident in saying their next sequel will probably continue to expand upon that, there is nothing wrong with a large roster, provided the gameplay is solid, balanced, fun, and engaging. Armageddon was bad because it's foundation was bad, unbalanced, clunky, unfun controls and that's why it sucked.

If I had it my way everyone from the Trilogy era would come back next game as playable, and just add onto that, we've got a solid, diverse roster, my view is, when you have something great, add onto it, refine it, don't throw it away before its time.


Edit: I guess to answer your question of who I want to see: Kai, Havik, Ashrah, Drahmin, Tanya, Fujin, Reiko, Bo'Rai Cho, Sareena, Shinnok, Li Mei, Nitara, and Hotaru. 13+ 30 from this game gives us 43, I can dig that.

Bring Frost back, she was one of the only female kharacters who weren't dressed up like sluts.

I'd also like to see them re-do

Reiko
Fujin
Mavado
Havik
Sareena

Do not care about the other ones.

@ Espio

Nice, I dig your list Espio. Also I can agree with you somewhat, my only problem with that is if they reveal such a big roster for the game then we won't be surprised when everyone from the trilogy era is there. I almost like the surprise factor as long as guys that should be in every game are there. Like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, and Sonya. Those four should be in every game. After them though I want a little surprise.

In fact I think we should get that out the way here too guys. Who from the original trilogy would you eliminate for the next game?

My list goes:
Sindel
Baraka
Nightwolf
Jax
Kano
Kung Lao
Kabal
Stryker
Sheeva
Shang Tsung
Reptile
Kitana

The last two would end up DLC for me.

I'll throw out my roster one more time

Sub-Zero
Scorpion
Smoke
Sektor
Sonya Blade
Raiden
Noob Saibot
Liu Kang
Cyrax
Jade
Johnny Cage
Ermac
Mileena
Rain
Skarlet
Quan Chi
Kenshi
**New**:
Tanya
Reiko
Fujin
Kai
Li Mei
Bo Rai Cho
Mavado
Nitara
Havik
Hotaru
Ashrah
Sareena

So then everyone is equally replaced and two of the more popular kharacters in Kitana and Reptile come back as DLC which would rake them in some money.lol

@ C-sword.

You forgot about Ashrah I don't remember anything slutty about her. Also I just don't like Frost. I don't like clone characters though and all she is is a female Sub-Zero. that's it.

It's your opinion though so no hate.

Kitana better be in from the start or I'll enter THE RAGE MODE!

The roster I'll be stickin' with will be....

In:
- Kenshi
- Rain
- Skarlet
- Kai
- Li Mei
- Bo'Rai Cho
- Ashrah
- Hotaru
- Havik
- Tanya
- Reiko
- Shinnok
- "Maybe" Drahmin
- Johnny Cage
- Sonya
- Raiden
- Fujin
- Sub-Zero (returns human)
- Scorpion
- Sareena
- Ermac
- Reptile
- Smoke (returns cyborg then enenra or returns human again but still enenra)
- Jade
- Liu Kang
- Kitana
- Quan Chi
- Sheeva
- Cyrax
- Sektor
- Baraka
- Mileena
- Stryker
- Kabal
- Earth Warrior

Out:
- Kano
- Kung Lao
- Jax
- Sindel
- Shang Tsung
- Nightwolf
- Shao Kahn

I can give Fujin a chance, and something can be done with him depending on what they do with Failden.


As it is, Failden is on an all-time low: I thought the mentor angle introduced in post-MK2 did the character in. A temperamental thunder god was far more interesting to me than Yoda in a coolie hat. MK9 proved that he is an idiot.

Tanya? Poor man's replacement for Kitana. Obligatory black chick, really, the only thing she had that somehow was relevant that she was the Brick, that is it, MKD did more for her than her first appearance.

Jarek, Reiko, these clowns rank lower than some of my most disliked characters, I would rather have Freddie Mercury guest star in MK than see those failures again. Quan Chi only became interesting after they changed his looks in MKDA, but I get the character.

Kai, eh.

Lol I completely agree with you about Raiden in MK9. That guy is a complete idiot.lol. Fujin may have to pick up because he dang sure can't.

I guess we can just agree to disagree on Tanya.

On Reiko and Jarek. First I think Jarek is a joke, period. Next, Reiko is iffy with me. I feel he could somewhat replace Shao Kahn. On the other hand, he seems like a poor man's replacement. The reason he makes my list though, is because I see a lot of people wanting him in. However, he really is one that I could take or leave. If he's not in I'm not going to cry about it.lol.

Quan Chi, I hate really. I think Shang Tsung is ten times better characterwise and took a back seat in MK9 so that this clown could have more spotlight, what and idiot mistake on their part in my opinion.

Kai give him Capoeira and make him interesting, he could be brash and bold, perhaps a bit of a sarcastic witty type. Kai isn't boring, it's just that we never learned anything about him and that's why it's a problem.


Giving Kai a capoeira style of fighting wouldn't fit him, since he supposedly has an alliance with Liu Kang and the White Lotus Society and I don't see them ultilizing capoeira in that type of background setting. I think Kai should have a more aggressive style of fighting such as Shotokan or something mixed in with a combination of a traditional Chinese Kung Fu fighting style like a Dragon/Tiger Style Kung fu fighting style.

If anything if MK introduces capoeira in the next installment I would hope that they include it with a whole entirely different character new the MK series of video games. I just don't see capoeira fitting Kai since capoeria is a style that demands a lot of acrobatic movement and is mainly leg based with less emphasis on the hands. Kai would seem like he would ultilize his hands more in a fighting style.

Kai has always had an acrobatic or kick oriented special move, he had the hand stands in MK4, that kick pop up special in Armageddon and he jumps in the air to launch out his fireballs, Kai is highly acrobatic and always has been acrobatic, he has never been portrayed differently.

Also, why would they make him like Liu Kang and Kung Lao? He's supposed to be unique, having him do a Chinese martial art, that's similar to Liu's? That's the province of Liu Kang and Kung Lao, that's why people didn't like him anyway...he was a blander version of Liu Kang. If he's going to be just like Liu Kang and Kung Lao, he really has no purpose in showing up if you actually think about it.



They have enough underdeveloped characters as is...capoeria would fit Kai just fine, why make another character when you have one that is lacking.

Kai was also a wanderer.


Most importantly, Kai has NEVER had a truly established style.

Seidan warriors like Hotaru, Dairou & Darrius are gonna be tough.

Hotaru's okay.

If there was an earth warrior, Dairou would be perfect since Tremor won't be a part of the franchise.

Darrius... (tongue stickin out)

I'd like to see Bo'Rai'Cho,Shinnok,Dairou,Fujin,Tanya,Sareena,Khameleon,Kai,Dairou,Ashrah,Havik,and maybe Hotaru. I'd also think a secret option or kombat kode that enables skinless kombat would be pretty sweet so we could play as meat without actually having him in it. I have a few thoughts on some of these characters.

Bo Rai Cho- Espio, I'm glad you had the same idea as I did spilling wine across the floor to substitute the puke. I'd like to see him have a parry move..like he grabs the opponents arm and s
ort of lands on them not in a silly way (The parry could also function as a throw having a back and forward animation) He would be sort of using his weight as an advantage. He should have drunken style of course.

Shinnok- I believe A Flame Teleport/Dream Shift (purple flame would be my preferance to make it differen) and Skeleton Claw/Hell Spike moves derived from Freddy Krueger would compliment his moveset. Not completely aping freddys entire moveset mind you just those two moves. Maybe A Skeleton version of Freddy Fingers as well...maybe. I think if he ends up being a boss there should be two seperate versions of him one that is an annoying bitch with exclusive powers from his amulet (the shield and fireball) and the more nerfed amuletless version. As for Monster Shinnok idk I'd just prefer if he transforms as a fatality or something like if its the hand from hell fatality from MK4 squeezing his opponent with his own hands as the monster instead of the skeletal one he summons.

Reiko: I'm personally not sold on him (even though I did like him and his anti-quanchi attitude in Armegeddons konquest) even turning him into a mini Shao Khan is ehh. I only include him here since he's likely to show up if that whole Kenshi vs Reiko thing is right.

Tanya: This sounds crazy but I think she should have a whip with a little blade on the bottom of the handle. Nothing too insane but maybe similar to How Jade fights Her staff is a big part of how she fights but its never just the staff alone. Special moves like maybe an anti air grab or a whip trip to go along with her old moves would be cool. Story Wise I think she should remain a traitor to the good guys..yes I know we'd all see that coming but mainstream audiences who don't know who she is or what she's about would get a kick out of that I think if they don't overdo her faking to the point its really obvious.
The Flames she uses should be purple again (A subtle reference to Tanyas Allegiance/Worship to Shinnok should he have a purple flame teleport) And her thigh neck snap fatality should definitely make a comeback.

Sareena-Garlador (or was it T-Rex?) Had the great idea of incorporating more of her demonic side but he can go into more detail about that then I can.

Khameleon- She doesn't have to be a copy character. Considering she's not Human I'd like to see her have a human looking outfit (think of it like a gray female equivalent to the Human Reptile outfit found in the Mortal Kombat artbook) As for moveset I think she should have an unusual fighting style like Zafina from Tekken for example.

Kai-Capoeira,Acrobatic. Rising Air Fireballs ala MK4.

Dairou- Remember the MK:DA Dairou concept sketch? With those twin swords? Yeah You bring that back and make him and his slashes quick but not severely damaging.

Fingers crossed they go the Tekken route. I mean I hope they don't change the characters movesets and they shouldn't..just outfits and some fatalities if they think of any good new ones for returning characters.

Dairou and Darrius are two of the people who are going to be dang near impossible. They should probably just scrap them all together.

I really do wonder though if they are going to try to revive a lot of these guys though, because honestly i don't want to see some of them in the next game. Literally, if I turn on the next game and find out Dairou, Darrius, and Frost have been put in over characters like anyone from the Trilogy then I will be pissed. I guess I just don't feel that EVERY character from the MK4-MKA era deserves a second chance.

Especially if they think they are going to leave Sub-Zero out. I won't buy it for that fact period, but if by some chance I turned on my game and seen Sub-Zero was out and Frost was in I would take it back for a full refund.

The White Lotus aren't the same thing as the Shaolin Monks, it's a fighters' club with international membership, the only common thing that unites them is believing in Raiden and wanting to save Earth from other realms.

It would actually make MORE sense for us to meet members who don't use Chinese styles, as a demonstration of how diverse the club's members are supposed to be.

That said though, the White Lotus wasn't mentioned anywhere in MK9, it's possible the society doesn't exist in the reboot universe, to make Liu and Kung's backstories shorter and simpler.