I used to enjoy the Mortal Kombat Series back in the 90's and was a fan of it's Characters (that changed once I stopped following the series after 4,but that's besides the point). So on the XMas (of '97) that I received my Sony Playstation,one of the games I would get would be Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
I had little to no idea that the game even existed at that point,but I was interested to play this nevertheless. When I played it,I was impressed by the Music and Visuals,but not the most important thing for a Video Game - The Gameplay. It played like a Classic MK game in the form of a Side Scrolling Beat 'em-Up. However,Turning was Manual and you needed to use the Right Shoulder Button.
The jumping mechanic was flawed and so was the hit detection. One of the best things about this game was it's Cut Scenes. The Cut Scenes used Live-Actors,which was normal for the franchise at the time,and I think this game marked the end of that practice,as MK4,the next game in the franchise,would use CGI.
Anyway,the Cut Scenes were entertaining and despite the dialog being a bit cheesy,that didn't bother me one bit (after all,I am a fan of the '66 Batman show). So to give myself (and others) a Blast from the Past,here is the Script for Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
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Intro
Thousands of years ago,the Earth was Devastated by a
battle between the Gods. It was a War between Good and Evil. A War that
would decide the fate of the World and plunged it into Centuries of
Darkness. Now the World is in danger of being fought once again. Only
one Mortal can stop it.
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Shaolin Temple - China
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Scorpion: You will fail. Hahahaha.
Scorpion runs...
After finding Scorpion...
Scorpion: The map is mine Sub-Zero. Fight!
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Lin Kuei headquarters
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Successful in his mission, Sub-Zero escapes from the Shaolin temples...And returns to the secret
Lin
Kuei headquarters,hidden high above the mountains of northern China. He
enters the Grandmaster's Chamber,where the Lin Kuei Grandmaster awaits
on his throne.
Sub-Zero: Grandmaster, in honor of the Lin Kuei,I bring you this sacred Map of Elements.
Grandmaster: Once again, our most cunning assassin and thief is successful. At ease, my Lin Kuei warrior.
An evil-looking sorcerer carrying a bag arrives - This is Quan Chi.
Quan Chi: Greetings, I see the ninja has been successful in retrieving my map...as I have forseen.
Sub-Zero: Let's get something straight...I am not a ninja. I am Lin Kuei. Scorpion was a ninja!
Quan
Chi: Ah yes, your Japanese counterpart.It's unfortunate that you
happened upon him in your battle with the pesky Shaolin monks.
Sub-Zero:
Scorpion was tipped off... he knew I was breaking into that temple, and
if he weren't there - there wouldn't have been a battle! You are
responsible for this sorcerer!
Quan Chi: I admit... I also retained Scorpion's services. In case you failed, I needed some assurances.
Sub-Zero: Well, your peace of mind almost cost me this mission.
Grandmaster: Enough!
Grandmaster gets up from gets throne and walks toward Quan Chi and Sub-Zero
Grandmaster: Quan Chi...Tell me,what about our payment?
Quan
Chi: Oh yes, I almost forgot... In this bag are bones of your arch
nemesis,and leader of Scorpion's ninja clan,the Shirai Ryu.
Quan
Chi dumps the contents of the bag onto the floor. Which are a bunch of
bones and a Skull. Grandmaster picks up the Skull and laughs.
Grandmaster: Our ancient foes have been vanquished in one transaction.
Quan Chi: I've personally made certain that every last remnant of their clan has been eliminated... forever.
Grandmaster:
You see Sub-Zero... you can trust a sorcerer sometimes. Now you will
use the map on your next mission. Quan Chi has once again retained your
services.
Sub-Zero: Fine, give me the details.
Quan Chi opens the Map and shows Sub-Zero it's contents.
Quan
Chi: This map you stole... it shows the way to a temple which predates
man's recorded history on Earth. For thousands of years,the Temple of
Elements has been hidden in what are now known as the Himalayan
Mountains of Nepal. This map is the only evidence of its existence.
Sub-Zero: Fine... I get to the temple and then what? What's inside?
Quan Chi: An Amulet. A small amulet... worthless to you, but..let's just say it has great sentimental value to me.
Sub-Zero: If it's so precious, why don't you get it yourself?
Quan
Chi: I cannot enter the temple until the four elements within its walls
have been eliminated. And I am not on the best of terms with the Gods of
your Realm... especially your God of Thunder
Sub-Zero: Tell me about these elements.
Quan
Chi: They are the four elements which compromise the very existence of
your realm... Wind, Earth, Water, and Fire. With your mastery of the
element of cold, you have an advantage that no other human has... the
ability to defeat the elements. I have forseen this...
The Next
Day,Sub-Zero scales the gorges of the massive Himalayan Mountains.There
he discovers the entrance into the Temple of Elements.
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Temple of Elements
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Sub-Zero
ascends the staircase leading to what he believes to be the Ancient
Amulet he is looking for. As he approaches, he studies the inscriptions
that trace its edges and prepares to take hold of the Ancient Artifact,
never before touched by the hands of a mortal.
But, before he can get to it... An unexpected visitor manages to take hold of the Amulet first.
Quan Chi: The Amulet... I have Shinnok's Amulet!
Sub-Zero: Who's Amulet?
Quan Chi: He is my deity, ruler of the Neatherealm and soon destroyed of your Earth Realm. This is definitely Shinnok's amulet!
Sub-Zero: What are you talking about?
Quan
Chi: This amulet is the key to Shinnok's power as an Elder God. When
returned to him he will retain his powers and be freed from the confines
of the Netherealm.
Sub-Zero: But I thought Shao Khan was the....
Quan Chi: Shao Khan is nothing but a Peasant Ruler of a long dead Realm. Shinnok is the Master of All Realms..including Khan's Outworld.
Sub-Zero: You're insane. That Amulet isn't worth the Bronze that it's molded from.
Quan Chi: Believe what you will, Sub-Zero. Good-bye... ninja.
Sub-Zero
watches as the Evil Sorcerer Teleports away. Then,suddenly, a blue bolt
of electricity strikes the ground with thunderous fury. A new shape
begins to form..But this time it's the god of thunder,Rayden.
Rayden: Do you realize what you've done??
Sub-Zero: I was just earning my living.
Rayden: Your clan's ignorance and greed will cost this entire realm. You now must set things straight.
Sub-Zero:
Quan Chi could simply be a lunatic sorcerer. I've never heard of an
Elder God named Shinnok or of a Place called the Netherealm.
Rayden:
Well, you'd better start believing in both, because you're going to the
Netherealm and you're going to get the amulet back. We must act
quickly. I have no dominion in the Netherealm... You are reality's only
hope.
Sub-Zero: I'll do it, Thunder God... but only because I have no choice.
Rayden: Then stand back...
Rayden
creates a portal into the Netherealm. Lightning and warped space
converge as he points his staff at the center of the portal's surging
energy.
Rayden: This is a portal into the Netherealm. Once
through, follow Quan Chi and try to get the Amulet before he gives it to
Shinnok. I also offer this advice... beware the Brothers of the Shadow.
The Netherealm is a place for lost souls. If you fail, your soul will
join theirs..and so will the souls of this entire realm.
Sub-Zero bows to The Thunder God and charges through the portal.
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Prison of Souls (Scorpion Spared)
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Sub-Zero
ambushed by a Big Guard while chasing after Quan-Chi in the Prison of
Souls. Captured and now imprisoned,Sub-Zero peers out of the bars of his
cell and ponders his escape. A Guard strikes the bars with his weapon
and shouts in an unknown language at him before leaving. The Lin Kuei
also fails to notice the shadowy figure of an Old Sage behind him.
Old Sage: He says escape is futile.
The Warrior turns and sees the figure.
Sub-Zero: Who are you?
Old Sage: A lost soul. The Guard is right,you know. Where would you escape to? If you are here,then you must belong here..rejected from your own Realm,no doubt.
Sub-Zero: I wasn't rejected,I was sent.
Old Sage: Rejected or sent. You couldn't exist here,unless your soul contained the impurities of evil.
The Lin Kuei turns his attention back to the Cell Door,trying to find an escape.
Sub-Zero: Haven't You ever tried to escape,Old Man?
Old Sage: Escape? Oh,I'll be leaving this Realm shortly. But first I must play Rayden's game.
Sub-Zer turns around and the Old Sage is suddenly gone. Not only that..but the Cell Door is wide open.
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Prison of Souls (Scorpion Killed)
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Captured
and now imprisoned,Sub-Zero peers out of the bars of his cell and
ponders his escape. A Guard strikes the bars with his weapon and shouts
in an unknown language at him before leaving. The Lin Kuei also fails
to notice the shadowy figure of a Warrior behind him.
Warrior: Don't bother worrying about escape.
Sub-Zero turns to face the Warrior.
Sub-Zero: And You are?
Warrior: I am a dead man. But somehow you have retained your mortality, which would mean you are vulnerable to death.
Sub-Zero: Wait... that voice.
Scorpion: Yessss... I am Scorpion. You killed me in cold blood.
Sub-Zero: I had no choice.
Scorpion: You could've let me live.
Sub-Zero: Then I would be the dead one.
Scorpion: But my clan and family would still be alive!
Sub-Zero: What??
Scorpion: It wasn't enough to kill me... you had to destroy every last remnant of my being... including My Wife and Child!
Sub-Zero: You're mistaken... Quan Chi is responsible for their deaths!
Scorpion: Words will not save you Lin Kuei warrior..
Sub-Zero and Scorpion prepare to fight.
After Scorpion's defeat,the Cell Door opens.
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Bridge of Immortality
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High
atop a tower, overlooking the prison's crushed gates,3 figures watch as
Sub-Zero makes his way to freedom. These women are Kia,Jataaka,and
Sareena - Quan Chi's personall assassins. Kia spies the mortal through
binoculars.
Kia: Well, he's definitely a mortal. His soul is still contained within his body.
Jataaka: A mortal can't exist here with his soul intact!
Kia: Unless Shinnok allowed it to be.
Sareena: I'll inform Quan Chi. The two of you continue to track him.
Shinnok's
fortress looms over the Sea of Immortlity. Within its walls, Quan Chi
is well aware of Sub-Zero's plight as Sareena enters his sanctuary.
Sareena: Sir, a mortal has escaped from the prison of souls. He is headed toward the Sea of Immortality.
Quan Chi: A mortal?
Sareena: Yes, a mortal... with the ability to freeze.
Quan Chi: Alert the Keepers and send a full garrison to intercept. Make sure that he does not cross the bridge.
Sareena: The Keepers? But he is just a mortal.
Quan Chi: Do not question me Sareena... and more importantly... do not fail me. We have toyed with the ninja long enough.
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Shinnok's Fortress
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Quan Chi waits patiently on his throne as Sub-Zero teleports into his chamber.
Quan
Chi: Welcome to my home, Sub-Zero. If you're still looking for the
amulet,you can find it at the pyramid's apex... around Shinnok's neck.
You've arrived a little late.
Sub-Zero: I was busy.
Quan Chi gets off his throne and comes toward Sub-Zero.
Quan
Chi: Don't you realize why Rayden sent you? The Netherealm is a place
for evil beings. You could not exist here unless your soul was tainted with
evil. You belong here. Join my Brothers of the Shadow and worship our
lord, Shinnok.
Sub-Zero: Never sorcerer!
Quan Chi: Then, so it shall be... ninja.
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After Quan Chi is defeated and if a fatality was not performed on Sareena...
Sub-Zero: Why did you help me?
Sareena: You are still mortal... that means you can escape the Netherealm.
Sub-Zero: There won't be anywhere to go if I don't get the Amulet back.
Sareena: Take me with you... I've waited an eternity to escape.
Sub-Zero: You don't understand. I can't leave without the...
At
that moment a searing beam of energy cuts through Sareena's
chest,causing her to scream. Now dead,Sareena falls into Sub-Zero's
arms. Sub-Zero looks up at her attacker - It's Shinnok! .
Sub-Zero
fights Shinnok and eventually steals the Amulet from the Evil Elder
God. A Portal opens and Sub-Zero runs through it. The portal closes
before Shinnok can chase after the Lin Kuei Warrior.
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Back At The Temple of Elements (Ending)
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A
portal opens and Sub-Zero comes bursting through - with Shinnok's
Amulet in hand. He lands with a thud onto the rocky floor at Rayden's
feet. Smoke billows from his body as he struggles to get up. Out of
breath,he does his best to speak.
Sub-Zero: Here... the Amulet.
Rayden: Impressive, Sub-Zero. Perhaps you can reconcile your reckless past after all.
Sub-Zero: That's it? Not even a thank you?
Rayden: Thank yourself for undoing a problem you created.
Sub-Zero: One question? Quan Chi told me that you sent me because my soul was tainted with evil... is that true?
Rayden: You are a superb warrior, Sub-Zero. But only you are in control of your destiny. Not even the Gods can alter your chosen path of life.
Sub-Zero: Was that a yes, or a no?
Rayden: That was a yes.. But only you can change it.
Rayden takes his leave.
Mist all but covers the Mongolian ruins as the sun struggles to rise from its slumber.
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Lin Kuei HQ (Ending)
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Sub-Zero enters the Grandmaster's Chamber.
Sub-Zero: I vow to serve and obey the Lin Kuei
Grandmaster: Welcome back, my warrior. I have a new undertaking for you. It seems your recent exploits have caught the eye of yet another sorcerer. I'd like you to meet the retainer of your services.
A Sinister-looking Old Man with a Fu-Man-Chu,wearing a Blue Robe appears.
Grandmaster: His name is Shang Tsung. He would like you to compete in a small tournament.. called Mortal Kombat.
Sub-Zero turns to Shang Tsung and bows. The sorcerer smiles evily as we fade to black.
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Well that was a nice Nostalgia trip,wasn't it?
Until next time,Stay Gold Space Cowboys and Resist Modern Attitudes.
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