You don't think that a video game is a legitimate way to promote the ideals of the people making it. I 100% disagree with that.

You say you're fine with other games promoting equality and gay issues, but not Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat isn't Tetris or Pac-Man. There's an actual story, and it's been growing since day 1. It's got over a hundred diverse characters with intertwined story arcs. There are so many detailed backgrounds to characters that are never touched on during gameplay. They were created to make the world feel more alive, more real, to the player. There are gay people in the world. Everywhere. Why should they be excluded from Mortal Kombat?

Why does a gay character have to be perfectly written and crafted to exist in a game? Not every gay character has to be an after school special that teaches you something. They can just be an awesome character who happens to be gay. Kung Jin is that. The gay talk between him and Raiden could have been cut, and it wouldn't have affected his story. The reverse would be true for ANY character with a sexual orientation that hasn't already been defined. There's absolutely no reason why a character like Rain or Cassie or Erron couldn't have the same kind of moment in the story, where their sexual orientation is casually confirmed.

But I also don't think they always have to play it low-key and safe. I'd love for there to be a flamboyantly gay character, or a butch lesbian, or an incredibly sexy muscular guy who flirts with male characters the way Johnny flirts with the women. There's nothing WRONG with those stereotypes, in life or in art. We shouldn't push away people who fall into those stereotypes, or pretend they don't exist or matter. We should embrace them and treat them like the human beings they are.

People don't like changes for the sake of changes. Especially if they're just done for a publicity stunt.

Proclivity. a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition towards a particular thing.

Proclivity does not equal sexuality. It just means something you do on a regular basis. Aka. if you go to the gym everyday that's your proclivity. Kung Jin used to be a thief. That's [or was] his proclivity.

Does he smile when Cage grabs his nuts?

There is a rumour that one of the X-rays had Scorpion shoving a sword up the opponents ass, but Kung Jin got a hard on

There's a rumor that these jokes are stupid and juvenile...I choose to believe that one.

Nah rumor has it that Kung Jin is actually loving Kai! BBC for all homie.

I'm sure someone already posted this but was watching thru Mileena's intros and in one with king Jin she goes something like:

Mileena: come closer
Kung Jin: I'm afraid your not my type.

Totally gay subtext there.

I hope you're being facetious.

Why would she be facetious? That's totally the joke.

I dunno, are you?

Because even my admittedly limited exposure to Thor is enough to tell you that his powers don't quite work that way.

It's true that many other people have wielded Mjolnir because they were deemed "worthy", yes. But picking up Mjolnir does not actually transform a person into Thor - it gives them a Thor-like costume and a Thor-like set of powers, but they get to maintain their own identity. So when Wonder Woman picked up the hammer in one of the crossovers, she did not become Thor. Her costume changed, and she gained Thor's powers, but she never stopped being Diana. Thorse/Beta Ray Bill was the same way. Same thing with Captain America. No idea about the frog, wasn't he from some silly alternate universe with animal Avengers or some shit?

Alternately, there have also been several instances where normal human beings have actually become Thor Odinsson. What is very important to understand is that none of these men became Thor because they picked up Mjlonir. What actually happened is that in each of those cases, the wielder had become merged with Thor Odinsson into one being by various means. When that happens, Thor's physical mass replaces the wielder, kind of like how Hulk replaces Banner. Thor BECOMES them.

The problem with Thorina is that neither of these cases applies to her, which doesn't make any sense in terms of canon. But despite that, this woman (or, rather, Jason Aaron, the writer of this fucking shlock) still insists on being called Thor.


Aaron has actually gone on record as saying: "This is not She-Thor. This is not Lady Thor. This is not Thorita. This is Thor. This is the Thor of the Marvel Universe. But it's unlike any Thor we've ever seen before."


What's important to keep in mind that "Thor" isn't just a mantle to be carried or a codename to be adopted. It's the man's literal given name that he's had his whole life. But to add the fucking insult to injury, the Thor that we know (guy Thor) isn't calling himself Thor anymore. He now refers to himself only as Odinsson and has essentially given this woman his name. It would be like if Sam Wilson became the new Captain America (which did happen and is fine) but insisted that people call him Steve Rogers, and the original Cap was no longer allowed to be called Steve Rogers.

Which, if you've been paying attention up until this point, doesn't make a lick of sense. This is why people are fucking pissed.

And of course, it also doesn't help that on top of being a canon-breaking asspull, the character herself is a shitty Mary Sue.


I admit that you make a good case for Miles, but alternate universe or not, the point still stands - all you're doing is cribbing off of an already established hero and riding his coattails instead of creating an original minority character who can stand on his own. It's a literal admission of creative impotence in exchange for a chance to score some progressive brownie points, and considering how transparent some of these are getting, it's a worrying trend.

I mean, I'm pretty casual, so feel free to correct me, but have there actually been any original black capes since Static? Dwayne McDuffie must be spinning in his grave, the poor bastard.


So out of curiosity, if some hack writer with a agenda to push takes over a comic with a gay character in it and turns them straight, you reaction will be just as blase, right? :^)

Like, I dunno, let's say Ultimate Colossus gets captured by the anti-mutie purists and sent to Reverend Stryker's reeducation camp, where Stryker uses his newfound psychic powers or someshit to literally pray the mutie (and the gay) away, turning Colossus straight (+/- depowered).

So when you get righteously upset over it, I'll say something like: "What's the big deal? For some people, "gay/bi-curious" literally is just a temporary phase they go through when they're experimenting in college, and once they graduate, they often decide it's just not something they are, and they feel a lot more comfortable being straight, so that's what they settle on from that point on. It happens in real life. There's no need to be upset, you silly straight-phobes, get over yourselves. :^)"

Because that's kinda what you sound like, m8.


I never said stereotypes can't be amusing. Hell, the entire blaxpoitation genre is built on fun stereotypes.

And sure enough, like you just said, if you have a writer on board who is skilled enough, they can certainly work against the initial impression that the character makes and salvage them into something more.


So I guess the real question at this point is "if you have a writer on board who is skilled enough to pull off something like that, then why bother including stereotypes in the first place?"

I dunno, seems counter-productive to me.


Fucking this.

Like I said, I hang out on Russian MK boards, and as uh... "open-minded" as we generally are, the overall sentiment when it comes to Jin is, and I'm slightly paraphrasing here, "if more gay characters in games were like this, no one would have a problem with them."
Hell, quite a few people didn't even pick up on that one line, and those that did are pleasantly surprised that he doesn't act like a fucking tumblrina, isn't used as some kinda mouthpiece for ham-fisted propaganda and doesn't even tell anyone to check their privilege once.
Instead, he fucks people up in horribly gross ways just as well as the rest of them, he's probably the most well-developed character out of the four Muppet Babbies, and his little character moment actually adds to his (and Raiden's, let's be generous here) personality instead of feeling tacked-on.

Jin stands on his own as a character. And the fans like it.

From where I'm standing, this is what "mainstream acceptance" looks like. It's a reason to feel triumphant.


But instead of celebrating that a step forward has been taken, people are fucking bitching that they haven't gained a whole mile.

It's SJW Rhetoric 101. And that's the precise point where rational discourse starts to go out the window.


Again with the "women", dude.

The only woman he ever hits on is his future wife. Looking back at it after MKX, it's kinda endearing.


If they made Johnny into a promiscuous horny douche who is desperately trying to get his dick wet and creeps up to every female he meets with a "NICE ASS YOU GOT THERE BABE I BET IT'D LOOK EVEN BETTER BOUNCING ON MUH DIK AYYY", I have a sneaking suspicion people wouldn't like him nearly as much as they do.


I think there's something to be said about trying to make a distinction between real people, who in most cases can't help what they are, and fictional characters, whose personality and extent of development depend entirely on the skill of the writer.

Shitty writing is shitty writing.


With that said, let's take a look at some of the more recent stereotypes, shall we?

There's Dorian, who is "SHEPARD HAVE I TOLD YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE DICKS TODAY" v2.0, because it wasn't obnoxious enough the first time.

And then there's Iron Bull. The best praise I can give to Bull is that he's so crude and casually offensive to everyone around him that it can be kinda funny sometimes, and half the time it's not even Bull himself that's funny, but the reactions of other party members. But that's it. Aside from that, he's literally "Sexual Deviancy: The Character."


So once again, let me ask the question no one in this thread has adequately answered yet - do you feel comfortable being represented by THESE stereotypes?

Yes. I think Dorian was a fantastically written character. Also, he never talked about dick, so don't exaggerate. Telling someone that you are attracted to men isn't the same as talking about how many dicks you sucked this week, which is a strange thing I've noticed you keep bringing up. Is someone who brings up the fact that they're married and have kids stuffing it down your throat how much the love to eat vagina?

Where the hell are you getting this oversharing overtly sexual stereotype from? If it exists anywhere, it's more so in straight male roles (pretty much any R rated raunchy comedy).

You don't get sexy dialogue with any of the guys in Dragon Age without giving them the go-ahead anyway, so if you got the Iron Bull trying to get all up in that, it's because you were leading him on.

WAIT...light bulb! Do you think about guys sucking dick when they talk about being gay because...you LIKE imagining it? When my straight friends talk about how much they love their gfs or wives, I never think about them having sex. It doesn't interest me. Maybe the gay stuff interests you more than you want to admit...hmmmmmm?

A Borderlands 2 talent called "Sexual Tyrannosaurus" comes to mind.

A Correction: Steve from ME3 was "Have I told you how dead my husband is and how sad that makes me?" Not "Have I told you how much I like dicks"

Right? How is this any different from Kenshi in MKX going on about his dead wife.

Hello guys!

I didn't read every post, but the theory is interesting. I very like Kung Jin and his shaolin style.

I'm not homophob or gay, so I will focus only on the facts.

My opinion is- the gay characters are very rare in the video games. The not stereotype gays are even rarer. So we have a not stereotype but awesome gay character in a MORTAL KOMBAT, (not just a random game, in a bloody and brutal classic game), and the Netheralm didn't use for marketing this fact?

I don't think so. The not stereotype gay character a big think in every game, but in the Mortal Kombat it's a shocking and huge new, what blow up the media.

If he would be gay, the Netherealm studio has been used in marketing campaigns.


Sorry my English is bad, I know, I just learn this language.

GAYTALITY!

Kudos to you then, you speak/type it quite well :)

I wouldn't wanna come into contact with Kung Jin's blood...

Well Kenshi doesn't whine and cry over his lover/wife the whole damn game like Steve does over his husband.

I hated Steve but he never really hits on you. There's playful banter with Vega sure but that's mostly it. You have to go out of your way to romance him.

The only romance that actually sneaks up on you in Mass Effect is the VS in ME1 and that's because you talk to them too much.

Really? Wow.

8/10

Got a good chuckle out of me.

Oh come on, that was totally a joke. It's not like he said anything straight up spiteful or hateful to anyone or about the character.