Mortal Kombat: Legacy

Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Genre	Action/Martial arts
Created by	Ed Boon John Tobias
Developed by	Kevin Tancharoen
Written by	Kevin Tancharoen Todd Helbing Aaron Helbing
Starring	Michael Jai White Jeri Ryan Darren Shahlavi Matt Mullins Sam Tjhia Jolene Tran Ryan Robbins Ian Anthony Dale Kevan Ohtsji Shane Warren Jones Peter Shinkoda
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	9
Production
Producer(s)	Kevin Tancharoen Lance Sloane Tim Carter
Running time	9-12 minutes
Production company(s)	NetherRealm Studios Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Warner Premiere Digital
Distributor	Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
Broadcast
Original channel	YouTube
Picture format	1080p
Original run	April 11, 2011 (2011-04-11) – July 24, 2011
Chronology
Preceded by	Mortal Kombat: Rebirth

Mortal Kombat: Legacy is an American web series anthology that debuted on Machinima.com's YouTube channel on April 11, 2011.^[1] The show is an adaptation of the fictional universe of the Mortal Kombat video game franchise. The show's premise originated with director Kevin Tancharoen's short film entitled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, portraying the original game's story in a realistic way, a concept he eventually submitted to Warner Bros. seeking the green-light for production on a re-imagined Mortal Kombat film.^[2] Warner Bros. declined to back the film, despite the attention and positive fan reception,^[3][4] but Tancharoen did receive the go-ahead to shoot the web series.^[5]

Mortal Kombat: Legacy takes place before the events of the first tournament and tells the background stories of several characters from the franchise, culminating in their reasons for participating in the upcoming tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, on which the first game was based. The series is a non-linear anthology, with each episode independent of the rest, and devoted to the story of a specific character or characters.

Production

Conception

On June 8, 2010, Mortal Kombat: Rebirth surfaced on YouTube amid confusion about its origins and intentions.^[6] Written, directed and edited by Kevin Tancharoen with friends and colleagues donating time, the short film was made without studio involvement on a $7,500 budget, filmed over a weekend, and completed in two months to show Warner Bros. Tancharoen's vision of a re-imagined Mortal Kombat film.^[7] Before submitting it to Warner Bros., he intended to privately upload the short to YouTube to gauge the response of a colleague, but he accidentally made it available to the general public, who quickly voiced an overwhelmingly positive response.^[8]

With the favorable fan reception, Tancharoen met with Warner Bros. executives, who stopped short of green-lighting a motion picture, but agreed to fund a web series based on the Mortal Kombat franchise.^[9] The final step was convincing Ed Boon, co-creator of the franchise and current executive producer at NetherRealm Studios, who just produced the latest video game installment, to agree to the series. Boon was impressed with Mortal Kombat: Rebirth^[10] but not entirely sold on Tancharoen's re-imagined vision.^[11] After he met with Tancharoen, Boon was surprised by his enthusiasm for the franchise and quickly came on board.^[8]

Production

Mortal Kombat: Legacy is produced by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Warner Premiere. Kevin Tancharoen, Lance Sloane and Tim Carter serve as producers. It consists of nine 8-12 minute episodes, each written by Tancharoen and Spartacus: Blood and Sand writers Todd Helbing and Aaron Helbing, with Tancharoen directing. Larnell Stovall, who worked with Tancharoen on Rebirth, is the stunt coordinator. The series was filmed in Vancouver in February and March, with Tancharoen tweeting daily updates of their progress.^[12][13][14] Post-production began in March^[15] and continues alongside release.^[16] Visual effects are being handled by Goldtooth Creative Agency.

When Kevin Tancharoen made Mortal Kombat: Rebirth in 2010, he took the traditional Mortal Kombat story, for 20 years based in a supernatural world, and re-told it based on a real-world scenario. The characters remained, the basic plot of a tournament remained, but most mystical elements like alternate realms, sorcery and the back stories of characters such as Baraka and Reptile were adjusted to fit the realistic universe. This "new take" on the franchise is what prompted Ed Boon to remark that Rebirth "probably crosses the line" in terms of re-imagining.^[17] Warner Bros., however, were receptive to the new style.^[18] For Legacy, Tancharoen teamed up with Boon, Warner Bros. and NetherRealm Studios and promised fans the web series would be true to the franchise, including the mystical and supernatural elements famous to Mortal Kombat.^[19] The small budget forced some stories to be set in a realistic world to avoid the high costs of creating a fantasy world with visual effects. Of Boon's involvement, Tancharoen said he "was instrumental in this show adhering to the canon of the series" but that he allowed Tancharoen to include his own ideas.^[18]

The first two episodes are based mostly in a true-to-life universe. Episode three follows suit, but ends with the first hint of supernatural themes when Shang Tsung appears to freeze time to converse with Johnny Cage. Episodes 4 and 5 reveal the most in the issue of Tancharoen's stylistic approach to the real-world/mysticism debate. Baraka is portrayed true to his original form from the video games and ideas such as sorcery and multiple realms are fleshed out. Criticism has been leveled at the production team for abandoning the original real-world approach of Rebirth for Legacy, despite Tancharoen continuously stating that the supernatural elements of Mortal Kombat would be included in the series. In an IGN interview on May 16, 2011, Tancharoen explained that some stories could be told in his realistic Rebirth approach but that other stories were too grounded in the supernatural to be converted to real-world.^[18] The release of Episode 6 includes a note from Tancharoen himself, written to the fans before the episode begins. It reads: The following episode represents my different take on the Mortal Kombat universe. I think it combines the perfect amount of gritty realism mixed with a hint of mysticism. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Casting

Michael Jai White, Jeri Ryan, Matt Mullins and Ian Anthony Dale reprise their roles from Mortal Kombat: Rebirth as Jax, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage and Scorpion respectively.^[20] Michael Jai White was offered the role of Jax in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat and the 1997 film, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, but accepted the lead part in Spawn instead, being replaced by Lynn "Red" Williams.^[21] Johnson Phan and Fraser Aitcheson replace James Lew and Lateef Crowder to portray Shang Tsung and Baraka respectively. Kano is played by Darren Shahlavi^[22], Tahmoh Penikett plays Kurtis Stryker and Sam Tjhia plays Kitana.^[23] Episode 4 revealed Aleks Paunovic as Shao Kahn, Jolene Tran as Mileena, Kirby Morrow as King Jerrod and Beatrice Ilg as Sindel. The characters of Sub-Zero (Kevan Ohtsji), Sektor (Peter Shinkoda) and Cyrax (Shane Warren Jones) were revealed in the first official trailer released April 11, 2011.^[24] Ryan Robbins was revealed as Raiden^[25] and Michael Rogers was revealed to be playing Quan Chi in the credits of Episode 7. Ed Boon makes a cameo appearance in Episode 3 about Johnny Cage, playing Ed Goodman, a TV producer who has previously worked with Cage.^[26] His appearance is a reference to the firing of martial artist Daniel Pesina, who was the original digitized actor for Johnny Cage.^{[citation needed]}

On April 9, 2011, Tancharoen revealed to Hadoken.net that both Liu Kang and Kung Lao would appear in a potential second season.^[27] In a May 10, 2011 interview with Tancharoen, Movieweb revealed that Kabal and Goro are also planned for season 2.^[27] Goro's brother, Durak, has been rumored to appear in the series.^[28][29] Stunt coordinator Larnell Stovall also expressed interest in including Kenshi and Nightwolf in the second season.^[30]

Characters

• Michael Jai White as Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs – A Major in the Deacon City police department and Sonya's loyal partner, Jax is investigating the Black Dragon cartel and its leader, Kano, with whom he has a previous history. His arms were severely damaged and experts at the Department of Defense "have a plan".
• Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade – A Lieutenant in the Deacon City police department and Jax's partner, also investigating Kano and the Black Dragon. She too is shown to have a previous antagonistic history with Kano, who killed her previous partner. Sustained injuries when Jax protected her from the explosion in the Black Dragon warehouse.
• Darren Shahlavi as Kano – A known career criminal and head of the Black Dragon crime cartel. He has a prior history with Jax and Sonya, displaying sadistic sexual interest in her and admitting to the murder of her previous partner. Lost his right eye in a fight with Jax and had it replaced with a "red eye", an advanced weapon from stolen Department of Defense robotics parts.
• Matt Mullins as Johnny Cage – A former teen heartthrob from Power Rangers and worldwide A-list action star of the small screen, John Carlton – better known by his stage name Johnny Cage – is a martial arts master. His fame was destroyed by his growing ego, and he now struggles to maintain his career. Encounters Shang Tsung, who entices him with "a way out of everything".
• Samantha Tjhia as Kitana – Former princess of the realm of Edenia and the daughter of King Jerrod and Queen Sindel, Kitana was adopted and raised solely by Shao Kahn after he invaded her realm while she was only a baby. Growing up a loyal assassin for Kahn, she soon learned from her long lost father, King Jerrod, about Edenia's downfall.
• Jolene Tran as Mileena – A half-Edinian half-Tarkatan clone of Kitana, Shao Kahn ordered Shang Tsung to create her so that he could have a daughter to return his love. Trained under Shao Kahn with her sister, Mileena served as his assassin, killing the former Edenian king, Jerrod.
• Ryan Robbins as Raiden - God of Thunder and Protector of Earthrealm, Raiden descended to the Earth and was incarcerated in a psychiatric institution. With the help of another inmate, Blue, he managed to escape in order to attend the Mortal Kombat tournament.
• Ian Anthony Dale as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion – General of the Shirai Ryu clan and famed for his legendary mastery of the kunai. He, his wife, Kana, son, Jubei, and his clan were killed by Quan Chi under the guise of Sub-Zero. Subsequently agreed to fight at the Mortal Kombat tournament on the side of Quan Chi, Shang Tsung and the Netherrealm in exchange for vengeance against Sub-Zero.
• Kevan Ohtsji as Bi Han/Sub-Zero – A ninja for a rival clan of the Shirai Ryu. Impersonated by Quan Chi, who then deceived Scorpion into thinking Sub-Zero killed him, his family and his clan.
• Shane Warren Jones as Cyrax – A loyal ninja assassin for the Lin Kuei clan who initially refuses when he is chosen for automation. He reluctantly undergoes the process and becomes Unit LK 4D4, one of the clan's two most advanced cybernetic ninjas.
• Shane Warren Jones as Hydro – A loyal ninja assassin for the Lin Kuei clan who undergoes the process of automation. Becomes Unit LK 1V1, the clan's early version cybernetic ninja.
• Peter Shinkoda as Sektor – A loyal ninja assassin for the Lin Kuei clan who willingly accepts the process of automation as his duty to the clan he loves. Becomes Unit LK 9T9, one of the two most advanced cybernetic ninjas for the clan
• Tahmoh Penikett as Lieutenant Kurtis Stryker – A Lieutenant in the Deacon City police department, his instinct is to follow police procedure, but like Sonya and Jax, will break protocol to complete his mission.
• Johnson Phan as Shang Tsung – A mysterious figure serving Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn. A skilled sorcerer, he cloned Mileena from Kitana's blood, offered Johnny Cage a secret deal, and worked surreptitiously with Quan Chi to trick Scorpion into fighting on the side of the Netherrealm in the Mortal Kombat tournament.
• Aleks Paunovic as Shao Kahn – Emperor of the Outworld realm, Shao Kahn ordered an invasion of Edenia, merging the realm with his own, marrying its queen, Sindel, and adopting her daughter, Princess Kitana. Ordered Shang Tsung to clone Kitana and raised both as his twin daughters, personally training them in the art of combat. Has plans to invade and merge Earth with Outworld.
• Beatrice Ilg as Queen Sindel – The former queen of the realm of Edenia, wife of King Jerrod and mother of Princess Kitana. Fearing Shao Kahn would corrupt her daughter, Sindel took her own life shortly after Kahn took power to merge her soul with Kitana's.
• Fraser Aitcheson as Baraka – General of Outworld's Tarkatan warriors, Baraka led an invasion of Edenia under the orders of Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn.
• Kirby Morrow as King Jerrod – Former King of Edenia, father to Kitana and husband to Sindel. Ran away as Baraka's soldiers stormed his castle. Killed years later by his daughter Kitana's twin sister Mileena after revealing to Kitana her true parentage.
• Michael Rogers as Quan Chi – A sorcerer allied to Shang Tsung on the side of the Netherrealm. Impersonates Sub-Zero and kills Scorpion, Scorpion's family and the Shirai Ryu. He then offers Scorpion life and a chance to enact a false revenge against Sub-Zero in exchange for allegiance at the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament.

Non-game characters

• Victor Lucas as himself, host of The Electric Playground
• Ed Boon as Ed Goodman, TV producer
• Tracy Spiridakos as Blue, a manic depressive mental patient who befriends Raiden
• Peter Hall as Dr. Gadsen, a psychiatrist who attempts to treat Raiden
• Colin Foo as Lin Kuei Grand Master, current head of the Chinese Lin Kuei clan
• Serge Houde as The Doctor, the head of the Lin Kuei's Cyber Initative and the surgeon who replaces Kano's missing eye with a robotic part

Episodes

#	Title	Director	Writer(s)	Length	Original Air Date
01	"Jax, Sonya and Kano (Part 1)"	Kevin Tancharoen	Kevin Tancharoen and Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing	12:25	April 11, 2011 (2011-04-11)
In the Black Dragon's warehouse, Kano supervises his cartel as they prepare to ship stolen robotics under the codename "Cyber Initiative" to an undisclosed location. Sonya Blade has infiltrated the warehouse and transmits her report to Jax. Inside Deacon City police headquarters, Kurtis Stryker briefs his police squad on Sonya's transmission, their past difficulties apprehending Kano and that the Black Dragon stole robotics from the Department of Defense. After a minor disagreement about whether to follow protocol and wait for Sonya to confirm her findings, Jax and Stryker decide to infiltrate the warehouse. It is then revealed that Sonya had been captured shortly before transmitting her report to Jax and that Kano delayed its transmission for two days, allowing the shipment to take place. Unaware that the report they received is two days old, Jax and Stryker's men head to the warehouse where Kano is planning an ambush. When the police arrive, a shoot-out ensues between them and Kano's men, who are using advanced weaponry. Jax separates from the group to search for Sonya but finds Kano instead, who engages a fistfight. Kano picks up a grenade launcher during the fight and accidentally fires off a round. The blast separates Kano and Jax. Sonya is chained to the ceiling just below where the grenade exploded. The blast is enough to weaken her bonds, allowing her to escape.
02	"Jax, Sonya and Kano (Part 2)"	Kevin Tancharoen	Kevin Tancharoen and Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing	9:08	April 18, 2011 (2011-04-18)
Jax and Kano awake from the explosion while the gunfight between Stryker's men and the Black Dragon clan continues. Sonya sneaks up behind three of Kano's men and kills them. She then enters a security control room. Upon observing Kano running from Jax on a closed-circuit monitor, she flees to find them. Jax, still demanding to know where Sonya is being held, engages another fist fight with Kano, who continues to taunt him with threats against Sonya. Jax severely beats Kano, dislodging his eyeball. Sonya arrives to see Kano unconscious and Jax resting. She takes out one final henchman but not before he tosses a grenade towards her partner. Jax rises and runs towards Sonya to keep her safe from the blast. A week later, Sonya wakes in a hospital intensive care unit. Stryker tells her that the Black Dragon got to Kano before his team could and Jax sustained serious injuries in the process. Damage to his arms required him to be sent to a special medical facility at the Department of Defense where they "have a plan". Following the beating, a backroom surgical team prepares Kano for an emergency eye procedure, removing the remnants of skull around his right eye socket and rebuilding it with metal plates. A mechanical arm completes the procedure, inserting a cybernetic eye that was partially exposed to strike fear into his victims. As Kano awakens, his new eye glows red.
03	"Johnny Cage"	Kevin Tancharoen	Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing	11:49	April 25, 2011 (2011-04-25)
Episode 3 opens with a faux E!-style documentary on fallen action star Johnny Cage. The show summarizes his life from his early martial arts days and worldwide fame to his many arrests and stalling acting career, using home video footage and interviews with friends and associates from his personal and professional life. In the present day, Johnny is pitching a new crime-fighting reality show called You Got Caged to two TV executives. They are both unimpressed, spouting off clichéd arguments about their target demographic and their reluctance for martial arts and reality shows. But an insistent Cage earns himself a second chance to convince them that he and the show are bankable. Three weeks later and Johnny has re-shot a mature trailer for You Got Caged with a gritter, realistic style of violence. The executives are once again uninterested, this time cutting the entire project and releasing Johnny from his network contract. A dejected Cage leaves the meeting and walks onto the set of a new production, overhearing the same executives pitching his exact idea to a new female action star under the name You Got Saved. Enraged, Johnny attacks one of the executives and several security guards. Then suddenly, time literally freezes around him, leaving everyone else in a state of suspended animation. One other figure remains invulnerable to the anomaly. Shang Tsung approaches Cage and offers him "a way out of everything".
04	"Kitana & Mileena (Part 1)"	Kevin Tancharoen	Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing	9:10	May 2, 2011 (2011-05-02)
A narrator tells the story of the downfall of Edenia and its royal family: A long time ago, Edenia's peaceful realm was invaded by Outworld after it lost ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments. Its lush, vibrant kingdom was reduced to a flaming wasteland, its people slaughtered by the Outworld Tarkatans under their leader, Baraka, himself under the orders of Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn. Edenia's king, Jerrod, reluctantly abandoned his wife and daughter and ran from Baraka's approaching warriors. Jerrod's wife, Queen Sindel, cradled their child as the castle was attacked by the Tarkatans. A knight, posing as the king, tried valiantly to protect his queen and her daughter but Baraka killed him before they could escape. Shao Kahn became the new Edenian ruler, taking Sindel and her daughter, Kitana, as his own. The real King Jerrod never returned to Edenia as it once was. But Shao Kahn was frustrated that Sindel and Kitana would never return the love that he truly felt for them, so he enlisted Shang Tsung to create an identical daughter who would. Baby Kitana was cloned, her twin sister, Mileena, a half-human half-Tarkatan. Afraid Kahn would corrupt Kitana's soul, Sindel took her own life so that her soul could merge with her daughter's, and Kahn began raising Kitana and her twin sister to believe in his cause. Years later, Mileena grew jealous of her sister's close relationship with their father, unable to control the violence and anger of her Tarkatan heritage. As they grew older, Kahn trained them in the art of combat, both possessing immense skill and a maturing ability to deceive.
05	"Kitana & Mileena (Part 2)"	Kevin Tancharoen	Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing	8:30	May 9, 2011 (2011-05-09)
Despite Mileena's growing resentment towards her more favored sister, the siblings maintained a close relationship, working as Shao Kahn's personal assassins to keep Edenia safe from attack. He entrusted them to finish his takeover of Edenia by hunting down and killing those who opposed his rule or could expose the truth of the invasion to Kitana. The twins also found and killed all of Jerrod's imposters, as they scoured Edenia for the former king. All of their searching left Kitana with lingering questions she could not answer. But on a cold night in the Edenian forests, the sisters found King Jerrod in hiding. Before Mileena callously killed him, he revealed to Kitana that she looked very much like her mother, and that he was her father. Now fueled by the knowledge that her life with Shao Kahn may have been a lie, she returned to Jerrod's abandoned castle, left as it was when Baraka invaded many years earlier. Within the castle walls, her mother's soul presented Kitana with visions of what she had witnessed before ending her life: Jerrod cradling baby Kitana, Shang Tsung taking Kitana's blood to create Mileena, Baraka killing Jerrod's knight, and Queen Sindel herself taking her own life. Now that her real father's dying words were confirmed in her eyes, and as Shao Kahn revealed plans to merge Earthrealm with Outworld, Kitana silently harbored a desire for vengeance against the Emperor, who remained unaware of her recent discovery.
06	"Raiden"	Kevin Tancharoen	Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing	12:58	May 16, 2011 (2011-05-16)
At night, an electrical storm appears to teleport a man into the yard of a psychiatric institution, leaving him electrified in a dirt crater. The next morning, a patient named Blue finds the man, who wakes suddenly and vomits blue blood. Blue claims ownership of the man as three guards confront them and incapacitate them after a brief struggle. The man is held within the Valleyview Rehabilitation Center for three months in a solitary room. Security vision captures his growing frustration and impatience. He is periodically treated with sedatives and restrained in a strait jacket. In a session with Doctor Gadsen, it is revealed that the man refers to himself as Lord Raiden, God of Thunder and protector of earth. Raiden is demanding to be set free so that he can participate in the Mortal Kombat tournament and stop Shao Kahn invading. The doctor refuses, administering a lobotomy to curtail his disruptive behavior. Blue also encourages Raiden to stay, but he wants her to escape with him. After another violent outburst where he demands to be released, Raiden is lobotomized again. Blue enters after the surgery, locking the doctors out. Under Raiden's order, she reluctantly stabs him in the chest with a surgical tool, vaporizing him in a burst of electricity and blood. In another electrical burst, Raiden appears, this time in the backstreets of Chinatown. He steals a man's conical hat and walks away. The episode opened with a message from director Kevin Tancharoen on the continuity, presumably used to avoid negative reaction from fans.
07	"Scorpion and Sub Zero (Part 1)"	Kevin Tancharoen	Kevin Tancharoen	10:51	May 23, 2011 (2011-05-23)
The head of a rival clan narrates the story of the Shirai Ryu – a once proud clan whose leader, General Hanzo Hasashi, mastered the kunai weapon for combat, becoming known as The Scorpion. On a winter's day spent playing with his child, Hanzo learns that his son, Jubei, longs to train with his father's weapon, to join the Shirai Ryu, and to become general. Hanzo is reluctant to let his son be a part of this life but chooses to begin training Jubei anyway. At dinner, Hanzo's wife, Kana, asks about the progress regarding the shogun's arrival to their village. She is surprised to learn that their son has not prepared a ceremonial song, as he is busy training with his father. Hanzo insists Jubei sing for the shogun, and while their son practices, Kana explains that she does not want their son to join the Shirai Ryu. Before they could finish, messengers on behalf of Lord Ryuk interrupt to request Hanzo's presence, as the shogun will be arriving early. Dressed as a ninja and carrying his famed kunai weapon, Scorpion sets off on his journey alone, tracked by unknown assailants. Trekking through the forest, he finds the shogun dead, his entire body frozen in a chair, left behind so that Hanzo would find him. Bi Han, also known as Sub-Zero, approaches and attacks Scorpion, admitting to the shogun's assassination as a way to lure the general of the now defenseless Shirai Ryu away from his village. Meanwhile, his family left alone, Hanzo's home is infiltrated, and his wife is taken.
08	"Scorpion and Sub Zero (Part 2)"	Kevin Tancharoen	Kevin Tancharoen	8:09	May 30, 2011 (2011-05-30)
Jubei watches as his mother is held captive by Sub Zero's men, contemplating attacking them with one of his father's kunai. After engaging Scorpion in a fist fight, Sub-Zero tries unsuccessfully to freeze his enemy, allowing Scorpion to impale him with his kunai and land a final blow. Upon realizing the danger his family is in, Scorpion begins running back to his village, unaware that Sub-Zero has woken. Hanzo returns to the village and is met with the strewn bodies of his people. He is distraught to see his wife's body completely frozen, her arm cracking upon being touched. Not far away, lies his son, also motionless. As Hanzo drops his guard and sits in grief, he is impaled by Sub-Zero. Hanzo's enemy leaves one final taunt about the end of the Shirai Ryu, and an insult that his family rot in the afterlife. As Sub-Zero stands, Hanzo's body quickly begins to freeze solid. Shang Tsung arrives and questions whether Scorpion can be made to fight for them. Before answering, Sub-Zero morphs into his true self, revealing Quan Chi has been impersonating him all along. Quan Chi is convinced his plan to fool Scorpion into thinking Sub-Zero, his sworn enemy, killed his family is enough to ensure the ninja's allegiance to Shang Tsung and himself. He asks Scorpion to fight on the side of the Netherrealm in the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament, in return for life as a spectre and the chance to enact vengeance on the man who killed his clan, his family and himself. Given the power to awaken, Scorpion emerges from the ice in flames, reminding the Deadly Alliance, that his name is not Hanzo Hasashi, but Scorpion.
09	"Cyrax & Sektor"	Kevin Tancharoen	Kevin Tancharoen	10:26	July 24, 2011 (2011-07-24)
The Lin Kuei clan has trained the most feared ninja assassins for over 800 years by kidnapping children as new recruits. Complete submission to the Grand Master was demanded, disobedience not tolerated. Two of its assassins are en route to a warehouse to take part in the Lin Kuei Grand Master's new Cyber Initiative: Cyrax, against his will, convinced they are headed for death; and Sektor, believing the new initiative is the future of the clan. Inside the warehouse, doctors watch alongside the Grand Master and a pre-cybernetic eyed Kano as two henchmen approach Cyrax and Sektor. The assassins easily account for the henchmen, revealed to be digital projections of robots. Cyrax vents his frustration by removing the robot's head and throwing it at a security camera. The Grand Master gives the command to begin Phase One. Unit LK-4D4 (Cyrax) and Unit LK-9T9 (Sektor) are strapped down, electrical wires and grease protruding from dissections in their bodies. Developments in speed and outer casing advancements precede weaponization and emotional recalibration, a procedure to maintain the subjects' memories while severing emotional connections to them, preventing visceral responses in favor of cerebral ones. Cyrax continues to struggle, displaying anger and discomfort. By far the most advanced of the cybernetic models to date, the ninjas are outfitted with their robotic casings ready for Phase Two: a practical test against a previous model, Unit LK-1V1. Unit LK-1V1, Project Hydro, is initialized alongside Project Cyrax and Project Sektor as the doctors observe. During the fight, Hydro manages to overpower his more advanced counterparts. When working together, however, Cyrax and Sektor disengage Hydro. Cyrax, previously showing the most resistance to the cybernetic automation, is the one to initiate a merciless fatality by decapitating Hydro and the human within. Project Sektor and Project Cyrax are complete and the Grand Master gives the command to begin automating the entire clan.

Release

On April 7, 2011, a scene from the series was released on Machinima's YouTube channel as a teaser trailer. The short clip revealed the title of the series to be Mortal Kombat: Legacy.^[22] On April 11, 2011, the first official trailer debuted.^[31] It comprised clips from all nine episodes of the series, confirming characters Sub-Zero, Sektor and Cyrax, and revealed the story to concern the motivations of several characters before the beginning of the tournament portrayed in the first Mortal Kombat video game.

Tancharoen confirmed the first episode's premiere to occur before the release of the latest installment of the video game.^[32] On April 11, 2011, the first full episode of the series was released on Machinima.com and on YouTube^[33], with episode 2 airing one day before the video game's release. After episode 2 was released, it was quickly pulled down and replaced with a censored version that eliminated some of the more gratuitous violence and imagery. Episode 3 was released beginning with the censored version, muting profanities. On April 29, both episodes were released in their uncensored format. Episode 4 was released without censorship. Tancharoen later explained that the censorship was required by YouTube after an overwhelming amount of inappropriate "flags".^[18] An agreement was reached between the studio and YouTube that any episodes requiring censorship will be released with offending material removed, with the uncensored versions released several days later requiring age confirmation.

In a Movieweb interview on May 10, 2011, Tancharoen revealed Episode 6 will center on Raiden, followed by Scorpion and Sub-Zero, and then Cyrax and Sektor.^[27]

In several tweets on June 4, 2011, Tancharoen stated that the final episode would not be released along the usual pattern of midnight, Tuesday morning, but will premiere some time during the 2011 Comic Con event to be held between July 21-24, 2011.^[34][35] On July 7, 2011, Shock Till You Drop received an image teasing the final episode of the series with characters Cyrax and Sektor, and explained that the episode is being "fine-tuned" before it debuts during the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Comic-Con panel on Thursday, 21 July between 2-3pm.^[36] The episode was officially released on Machinima.com's YouTube channel on the 24th of July.

Reception

The first episode became YouTube's most viewed video for that week, notching up 5.5 million views, where Tancharoen's short, also considered a success, received only 2.1 million in total on the official account.^[37] President of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution Thomas Gewecke expressed excitement about the first episode and its prospects for future adaptations, saying, "it's an incredibly powerful, strong and well done piece of filmmaking. It's a reinterpretation of the franchise in live-action form that we'd like to explore as different concepts and see what approach works best."^[38] Episode two aired with considerably less attention, possessing only a quarter of views when compared with the first episode. The release of the fifth episode garnered only 424,000 views in the first 24 hours.^[27] One day after the release of episode five, the total views for the entire series to date surpassed 30,000,000.^[39]

IGN adjudged Legacy the "most elegantly produced web series", giving particular mention to episode one for "effective action sequences and some great cinematography"^[40] It looked favorably upon episode 4 for the first use of "extraordinarily effective" animation and "poetic" voice over narration, the removal of censorship, the "fascinating character lore and dazzling fantasy [and] a beautifully crafted land of Outworld".^[41] Episode five was praised for the score, the injection of character and story, the editing and "quite great" visual effects.^[42] CraveOnline praised the animation style used in episode four, saying Mileena's emerging heritage and the Tarkatan invasion were the episode's best parts.^[43] G4TV praised the third episode in the series for its shift towards character development, while not at the expense of the action set forth by the first two episodes. It "allowed the series to broaden its horizons a bit" by creating a likeable Johnny Cage, commenting, he "finally lets loose and makes you appreciate the character in a whole new way".^[44] Houston Press also joined in the praise of the series' devotion to character development upon the release of Raiden's episode. While the martial arts took a backseat, the drama of Raiden's "christlike" story was well executed, giving audiences a reason to identify with his character in a way the franchise has never been able to do.^[45] The Escapist called the Scorpion and Sub-Zero-themed episode 7 "one of the best episodes" in the series, lending an emotional weight to the most famous tale in the franchise.^[46]

The series has also received its fair share of criticism, led by the very same agencies who have praised it. CraveOnline was not pleased with the new Johnny Cage, rating the episode a 4 out of 10, claiming Mullins' Johnny Cage "doesn't quite have the right look, a good delivery or impressive martial arts moves".^[47] IGN noted of episode one that the "production values don't seem quite as tight and concise as [Rebirth]" in addition to light story and "flat" editing and performances.^[40]

By far the most criticized have been episodes four and five for their shift away from the realistic style of Rebirth and the first few episodes, to the "traditional mythology well known to longtime Kombat fans". Tancharoen also acknowledged the audience split that the Kitana & Mileena episodes created, stating theirs was a story that could not be told in a realistic environment, and that Warner Bros. "wanted to make sure this web series tied into some of the story lines of the Mortal Kombat canon."^[18] Unlike for episode four, IGN criticized the use of animation this time, stating it cost the episode its energy and created a glut of continuity errors. Cheaper makeup, costume effects and set design due to budgetary constraints, and a short running time were among the other gripes.^[41] Upon the release of the Raiden-themed episode six, Houston Press suggested that Tancharoen was forced to steer episodes four and five into the traditional Mortal Kombat mystique by Warner Bros. to test how fans would react. Episode six, according to the reviewer, was the studio allowing Tancharoen to return to his own style, finally delivering "cinematic greatness" and "the best [episode] he's done so far. Possibly even better than the original Mortal Kombat: Rebirth".^[48] Film School Rejects bemoaned the series' expectation that its viewers are knowledgeable about the franchise's history, explaining that without previous knowledge of the games, the viewer is left with too many unanswered questions that may never be answered.^[49]

DVD and Blu-ray release

Tancharoen revealed plans are in place for an uncensored^[18] DVD and Blu-ray release. On August 10, 2011, High Def Digest reported Warner Premiere has revealed a Blu-ray release date of November 8, with no mention of a DVD release date. Special features will include Mortal Kombat Legacy: Fights, a feature exploring how fatalities and extreme violence aid in Mortal Kombat storytelling, Mortal Kombat Legacy: Fan Made, a feature with Tancharoen explaining his interest in the franchise, and documentaries Mortal Kombat Legacy: Expanding The Netherrealm, Mortal Kombat: Mysticism and Mortal Kombat: Gear, covering the franchise universe, the powers of its characters and the weapons they use, respectively.^[50]

Future

Series continuation

In an interview with Movieweb, Tancharoen revealed several elements in the future of Mortal Kombat: Legacy. On the creative agenda, he has spoken to Warner Bros. about a second season, stating he is always working on stories and would prefer to work with the same cast and crew. Season two would concern the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, as was portrayed in the original video game, but with a different story and outcome to that seen in the game and the first film. Also concerning a second season, he spoke about the prospect of introducing Goro and the method for which he could be portrayed believably, and better than in the film. The introduction of Kabal was also raised. He also has hopes for a movie, confirming he has a "very detailed treatment, that plots out the entire story line".^[27] Regarding a movie, he told IGN that it would not focus on trying to include as many franchise characters as possible the way the second film did.^[18] Warner Premiere’s general manager Eva Semple David mooted television as a possible medium on which the series could continue.^[51]

Feature film

On September 29, 2011, The Hollywood Reporter reported that New Line Cinema, sister studio to Warner Bros., has hired Tancharoen to direct a new feature-length movie based on the franchise. Oren Uziel, who wrote the original short film, Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, but was not involved in Mortal Kombat: Legacy, is returning to pen the story, while no actors, nor other crew have been confirmed. Story details known state that the film will not be an extension of the game, nor of Legacy.^[52]

In interviews for Entertainment Weekly, New Line President Toby Emmerich said that the success of the video games combined with Tancharoen's vision means, "You don't have to squint too hard to see how it might make a good movie", while Tancharoen says discussions have only concerned an R-rating, with darker, brutally real martial arts.^[53] The Los Angeles Times writes that Tancharoen had discussions at the 2011 Comic Con with Uziel and Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon and to expect a very big origin story with the sensibility and realism of Rebirth and Legacy as opposed to the traditional Mortal Kombat mythology.^[54] He said, "I've always been a fan of properties like Batman where you can expand the universe in different directions. Mortal Kombat is big enough that you can allow for multiple different kinds of storytelling."^[55]

But as for its continuity with the web series, Tancharoen said "you won't have to have seen all ten episodes previously - or have played the videogame - to understand the movie."^[56] Shooting is expected to begin in March of 2012^[57] with a budget of well under $100 million and a release date of 2013, coordinated with the next installment of the video game series being produced by the same studios.^[58]

References

1. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Ep. 1 - Jax, Sonya and Kano (Part 1)". YouTube. 2011-04-11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s6UiEuCYXA. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
2. ^ "UPDATE: What is Mortal Kombat: Rebirth?". ComingSoon.net. 2010-06-09. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=66904. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
3. ^ Posted on Apr. 8th, 2011 by admin (2011-04-08). "‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Film Clip | Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Celebrity News". Mytimekiller.info. http://mytimekiller.info/movies/mortal-kombat-legacy-film-clip.html. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
4. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Rebirth Short Film To Be Expanded In 10 Webisodes « Spinoff Online – Covering TV, Film and Entertainment News Daily". Spinoff.comicbookresources.com. 2011-01-17. http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2011/01/17/mortal-kombat-rebirth-short-film-to-be-expanded-in-10-webisodes/. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
5. ^ Ashcraft, Brian (2011-02-07). "How Mortal Kombat’s Director Went From Dancing Shoes To Severed Heads | Kotaku Australia". Kotaku.com.au. http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/02/how-mortal-kombats-director-went-from-dancing-shoes-to-severed-heads/. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
6. ^ Phil Pirrello (2010-06-08). "Best. Mortal Kombat Movie. Ever? - Movies News at IGN". Au.movies.ign.com. http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/109/1095467p1.html. Retrieved 2011-05-06. 
7. ^ "Exclusive Interview with MORTAL KOMBAT: REBIRTH Director Kevin Tancharoen; Learn How it Came Together and What He Wants to do in a Feature Film!". Collider.com. 2010-06-09. http://collider.com/kevin-tancharoen-interview-mortal-kombat-rebirth-feature-film/31318/. Retrieved 2011-05-06. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "How Mortal Kombat Accidentally Became a Web Series: Online Video News «". Gigaom.com. 2011-03-20. http://gigaom.com/video/how-mortal-kombat-accidentally-became-a-web-series/. Retrieved 2011-05-06. 
9. ^ Tom Goldman (2011-01-16). "The Escapist : News : Warner Commands Mortal Kombat: Rebirth Director to Finish It". Escapistmagazine.com. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106978-Warner-Commands-Mortal-Kombat-Rebirth-Director-to-Finish-It. Retrieved 2011-05-06. 
10. ^ Boon, E. (June 11, 2010) "A million people asked me what I thought of the MK Rebirth video. Personally I thought it was awesome. Super high production quality!" Twitter.com
11. ^ Boon, E. (June 11, 2010) "Its TOTALLY different & probably crosses the line. But as a "re-imagining" and as a film piece on its own, u can't deny its well put 2gether" Twitter.com
12. ^ Tancharoen, K. (February 25, 2011) "Having a blast shooting #mortalkombat! Can't wait for everyone to see." Twitter.com
13. ^ Tancharoen, K. (February 26, 2011) "Guess who we're filming today. #mortalkombat. http://moby.to/gz5ffo" Twitter.com
14. ^ Tancharoen, K. (March 4, 2011) "Friendship or Fatality? Which do you prefer? http://moby.to/m6l4ld" Twitter.com
15. ^ Tancharoen, K. (March 27, 2011) "Color Correction today for episode 1! #mortalkombat http://moby.to/bhyzur" Twitter.com
16. ^ Tancharoen, K. (April 18, 2011) "My computer screen on a Sunday night. Episode 3 #mortalkombatlegacy http://moby.to/5attv5" Twitter.com
17. ^ noobde (2010-06-10). "Twitter / noobde: Its TOTALLY different & pr". Twitter.com. http://twitter.com/noobde/status/15886974857. Retrieved 2011-03-05. 
18. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Mortal Kombat: Legacy Director Talks Future Stories, Censorship and More". IGN. 2011-05-16. http://au.tv.ign.com/articles/116/1167761p1.html. Retrieved 2011-05-18. 
19. ^ Tanch, K. (April 9, 2011) http://twitter.com/#!/KTANCH/status/56623470087389184 "@MKMoviefan2011 check mk history...it's actually completely accurate. And don't worry....the super natural elements are coming."] Twitter.com
20. ^ "Twitter / Jeri Ryan: Heading to the farmer's ma". Twitter.com. http://twitter.com/JeriLRyan/status/34343834640982017. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
21. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)Trivia". IMDB. May 8th, 2011. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119707/trivia. Retrieved 2011-05-08. 
22. ^ ^{a b} "Mortal Kombat Legacy: Jax fights Kano". IGN. April 7th, 2011. http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/04/07/mortal-kombat-legacy-jax-fights. Retrieved 2011-04-07. 
23. ^ Tancharoen, K. (March 22, 2010) "Hey guys...meet Kitana. @SamTjhia #mortalkombat" Twitter.com
24. ^ "Debut Trailer (Brand new live action MK series!)". YouTube. 2011-04-11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov63lTUvNok. Retrieved 2011-05-06. 
25. ^ "First Look at Ryan Robbins as Raiden in the MORTAL KOMBAT Web Series". The Daily BLAM!. http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2011/03/04/first-look-at-ryan-robbins-as-raiden-in-the-mortal-kombat-web-series. Retrieved 2011-05-06. 
26. ^ Tanch, K. (March 21, 2011) http://twitter.com/#!/KTANCH/status/60910684464091136 "FYI. The man himself-Ed Boon makes a cameo in the next episode about Johnny Cage! @noobde #mortalkombatlegacy"] Twitter.com
27. ^ ^{a b c d e} "EXCLUSIVE: Hadoken.net interviews MK Legacy’s Director Kevin Tancharoen". Hadoken.net. April 9th, 2011. http://www.hadoken.net/?p=3096/. Retrieved 2011-04-09. 
28. ^ "Warner Premiere's 'Mortal Kombat' Tourney Goes Websides!". Bloody Disgusting. http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/23052. Retrieved 2011-01-14. 
29. ^ "That Incredible Mortal Kombat Trailer Is Now A Series". Kotaku. http://kotaku.com/5734272/that-incredible-mortal-kombat-trailer-is-now-a-series. Retrieved 2011-01-14. 
30. ^ "Exclusive Interview With Larnell Stovall (Mortal Kombat: Legacy)". Shogungamer.com. May 19th, 2011. http://www.shogungamer.com/news/exclusive-interview-larnell-stovall-mortal-kombat-legacy. Retrieved 2011-05-19. 
31. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy: Debut Trailer (Brand new live action MK series!)". YouTube. 2011-04-11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov63lTUvNok. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
32. ^ Tancharoen, K. (March 21, 2010) "To all that are asking. The first episode will premiere before the game Komes out...see what I did there?" Twitter.com
33. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Episode 1". YouTube. April 12th, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s6UiEuCYXA&feature=channel_video_title. Retrieved 2011-04-12. 
34. ^ Tancharoen, K. (June 4, 2010) "Bad News: there will be no new episode next week." Twitter.com
35. ^ Tancharoen, K. (June 4, 2010) "Good News: we will premiere the new episode at Comic Con!!!!" Twitter.com
36. ^ "MTeaser Image from the Final Episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy". Shock Till You Drop. 2011-07-07. http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=19869. Retrieved 2011-07-08. 
37. ^ "Mortal Kombat Legacy Hits 5.5 Million Views In One Week". Industry Gamers. 18 April 2011. http://www.industrygamers.com/news/mortal-kombat-legacy-hits-55-million-views-in-one-week/. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
38. ^ "New weapon for 'Kombat'". Variety. 18 April 2011. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118035561?refCatId=13. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
39. ^ "‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Web Series Brings Franchise Favorites To Life". Game Rant. 15 May 2011. http://gamerant.com/mortal-kombat-legacy-web-series-dyce-84389/. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
40. ^ ^{a b} "Mortal Kombat: Legacy - "Episode 1" Review". IGN. 12 April 2011. http://tv.ign.com/articles/116/1161281p1.html. Retrieved 4 May 2011. 
41. ^ ^{a b} "Mortal Kombat: Legacy - "Episode 4" Review". IGN. 3 May 2011. http://au.tv.ign.com/articles/116/1165694p1.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
42. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy - 'Episode 5" Review". IGN. 10 May 2011. http://au.tv.ign.com/articles/116/1167035p1.html. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
43. ^ "MORTAL KOMBAT: LEGACY Episode 4 Review". CraveOnline. 5 May 2011. http://www.craveonline.com/tv/reviews/167397-mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-4-review. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
44. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy: Episode 3 Gets Caged". G4TV. 27 April 2011. http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/712133/mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-3-gets-caged/. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
45. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy: Our Prayers are Answered With Thunder". Houston Press. 17 May 2011. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2011/05/mortal_kombat_legacy_our_praye.php. Retrieved 23 May 2011. 
46. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy Finally Breaks Out the Ninjas". The Escapist. 24 May 2011. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110320-Mortal-Kombat-Legacy-Finally-Breaks-Out-the-Ninjas. Retrieved 31 May 2011. 
47. ^ "MORTAL KOMBAT: LEGACY Episode 3 Review". CraveOnline. 28 April 2011. http://www.craveonline.com/tv/reviews/167095-mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-3-review. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
48. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy: Our Prayers are Answered With Thunder". Houston Press. 17 May 2011. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2011/05/mortal_kombat_legacy_our_praye.php. Retrieved 23 May 2011. 
49. ^ "Review: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Episode 8". Film School Rejects. 2011-05-31. http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/review-mortal-kombat-legacy-episode-8-scorpion-sub-zero.php. Retrieved 2011-07-08. 
50. ^ "'Mortal Kombat: Legacy' Dated for Blu-ray". High Def Digest. 2011-08-10. http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Disc_Announcements/Warner_Brothers/Mortal_Kombat:_Legacy_Dated_for_Blu-ray/7425. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
51. ^ "‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ DVD & TV Plans; New Image of Baraka". Screenrant. 2011-04-16. http://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-legacy-dvd-baraka-schrad-111097/. Retrieved 2011-05-16. 
52. ^ "'Mortal Kombat' Video Game Headed Back to the Big Screen". The Hollywood Reporter. 2011-09-29. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/mortal-kombat-video-game-headed-242218. Retrieved 2011-09-30. 
53. ^ "New 'Mortal Kombat' movie 'needs to feel brutal,' says director". Entertainment Weekly. 2011-09-29. http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/09/29/mortal-kombat-movie-kevin-tancharoen-new-line/. Retrieved 2011-09-30. 
54. ^ "‘Glee’ director prepares for ‘Mortal Kombat’ film". Los Angeles Times. 2011-09-30. http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/09/30/glee-director-prepares-for-mortal-kombat-film/. Retrieved 2011-10-01. 
55. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy Coming To The Big Screen". The Fan Carpet. 2011-10-01. http://www.thefancarpet.com/NewsPage.aspx?n_id=4816. Retrieved 2011-10-02. 
56. ^ "Mortal Kombat: Legacy Coming To The Big Screen". The Fan Carpet. 2011-10-01. http://www.thefancarpet.com/NewsPage.aspx?n_id=4816. Retrieved 2011-10-02. 
57. ^ "‘Glee’ director prepares for ‘Mortal Kombat’ film". Los Angeles Times. 2011-09-30. http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/09/30/glee-director-prepares-for-mortal-kombat-film/. Retrieved 2011-10-01. 
58. ^ "New 'Mortal Kombat' movie coming via partnership of Warner units". Los Angeles Times. 2011-09-29. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/09/mortal-kombat-movie-coming-as-warner-video-game-and-new-line-units-partner.html. Retrieved 2011-09-30. 

External links

• Mortal Kombat: Legacy at the Internet Movie Database
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy at Machinima.com's YouTube channel
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy at the Mortal Kombat wiki