It's... a movie reference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqcLjcSloXs

I noticed that. Liu and Quan also have an intro that mentions Shang. "I am no Shang Tsung". No Quan Chi, you're definitely not.

I'm still trying to decide if I want Ermac's ending to be canon in the next game. Partly because I fanboyed out when seeing Shang's possible return. It's almost too fitting really. A harbinger of thousands of souls would be the perfect well to drink from when you're a weakened sorcerer that strives on and sustains life by absorbing souls.

As for why I'm partially against it - well....because Ermac is one of my favorites.

Shang Tsung get's mentioned a hell of a lot in this game, especially the endings. I wouldn't be suprised if he was back for MK11. As far as making it into MKX as playable though, it's very doubtful.

I'd say he makes into MK11, I'd love to see them revisit the Deadly Alliance storyline, it is still one of my favorite storylines MK has done. Obviously with Quan-Chi's story involvement,(being dead an all) something would have to be redone(could always resurect him), but we all know no one actually stays dead in MK

Shang is a wildcard...he was not definitively killed in MK9 - Shao Kahn infused his very being into Sindel, empowering her, but Shang was not present as a revenant or disjointed soul. He may still be "fused" to Sindel, which may be interesting if she is resurrected somehow.

I think Shang will be back - I'd like to see him mastermind MKXI, or be a significant threat. They can very well revisit Deadly Alliance (though the NEW Deadly Alliance was pretty much forged as Sub-Zero/Scorpion). If Quan Chi is dead (doubtful), perhaps Shang will have a new "Deadly Alliance" ally, but who?

There were definitely enough references to him in-game to suggest he will return.


In fact - if you recall Shang's arcade ending in MK9, he was empowered by Raiden and the Elder Gods to fight a resurrected Liu Kang. That setup is now here - Kitana and Liu are the "deadly alliance", and Shang may perhaps be a key to defeating them.

I don't want to get the Deadly Alliance story with Shang Tsung and Quan Chi again. We've branched off the original timeline to just replay it differently? Meh.

I'm thinking maybe Shang Tsung died when Sindel did and Quan Chi used his soul for other purposes because of how powerful he is... but when Quan Chi and Shinnok died his soul was freed and it somehow found its way back to Outworld were it summoned Ermac to reshape itself.

Shang Tsung in the next game going around with Ermac hovering behind him like a Shadow Priest would be insanely bad ass.

No, it wouldn't, really. After his disastrous treatment in MKX, the last thing Ermac needs in the next game (if he even appears) is to be attached to Shang's hip.

No doubt in my mind that Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn will be back in MK11

Hopefully just as regular characters

In one of Reptile's mirror match intros, one of the Reptiles claims to be Shang Tsung.

I get that it's a movie quote, but the way he says it in such a dry raspy voicr, I really think nrs wanted to give the impression we are sometimes facing Shang Tsung in these mirror matches. To the person worried we'll get the deadly alliance pt 2 for mk11, did you see scorpions chapter in mkx? We might get a deadly alliance again, but it's definitely not going to be quan and Shang, cue ball got a free lobotomy

it took me about five seconds to decide "Yes, this needs to happen." :D

My thought is that shang will be in mk11 and quan will be out.

I forsee mk becoming a revolving door, since there are too many characters to include all in one game, they will find ways to swap in and out characters with certain likenesses.

With quan taking the bench for a game I think shang can truly shine.

I also think other characters will be swapped, Ermac and Reptile will ride pine for Noob and smoke.