onilordasmodeus

pretty much this.

At the risk of sounding like I'm over thinking things (which I tend to do when it comes to MK), it is more than just an A+B=C thing when looking at these 2 characters. Liu and Raiden are likely multiplied together here, where all the souls Shang absorbs are additive (and subtractive in some instances).

In the case of Liu and Raiden it is more like:

• Liu Kang (and every version of him across the billions of timelines)

X

• ALL of Raiden (and also Raiden has Earthrealm's Jinsea flowing through him, the life force of one of the most powerful and sought after realms)

The Hourglass itself is a debatable power up as far as combat goes. It is implied to be on par with Kronika herself in terms of power, but its really just a tool to control an aspect of One Being (time in the realms), and it was created from Kronika's knowledge and probably a portion of her own soul (I would guess).

Also remember than Liu Kang himself is the chosen one, where just one his souls (from the billions of timelines) is apparently the equivalent of the soul of an Elder God or something. There was a reason he was able to defeat Shinnok in MK4, and his soul was said to be special in that as he is the on the only mortal who can apparently handle the full power of ALL the EGs power being funneled through him (but that is from a movie).

Shang Tsung's powers and how they work, on the other hand, is MUCH different than just about everyone else in the MKU. He USES souls as a power source, and there really is no telling how much power he's burning through at any given time. I would imagine that him being able to fight on the level of a Titan would mean he's burning through thousand/millions/billions of souls at a time...who knows. Regardless, for him it's more like...

• Old Shang Tsung (maybe MK1...IDK)

+

• MK9 Sindel (with Mk9 Shang Tsung soul inside of her)

+

• Shao Khan (though it is VERY unclear what level of power this Kahn is at here)

+

• Fujin and Raiden (a large portion of their souls, but not the entire thing)

+

• Nightwolf,

+

• The Well of Souls (Kronka's Crown was really a medium for all the souls Shang had stored on his island),

+

• Kronika's soul (we can debate Kronika actual power level. Part of me believes her power was just time manipulation and the knowledge she's gained throughout he life),

+

• etc...

The possible subtraction part comes from all these souls (depending on their power) fighting against Shang from the inside. It is said that Shang has complete control over the souls he takes, but really it all depend on Shang's stamina at the time as if he is weakened, his power over them is weakened as well.

Bottom-line, Keeper of Time Shang vs Fire God Liu is like a legion of slaves fighting against a battalion of finely honed soldiers. Sure the soldiers can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers or force, but its a much more even fight than you would think. And if you really think about it, this fight is really just the same as regular Liu Kang vs Regular Shang Tsung. Even in base, Shang on paper should have the edge as he has the power of thousands of souls at his disposal, where Liu is just one highly trained guy.

Nah man. In canon, projectiles like Liu Kang's and Shang Tsung's fireballs are a kin to an RPG blast. Tsung downs a military chopper on a whim in MK9, and Liu does the same in MKX. In MK Armageddon, Shao Kahn no sells Tsung's blast straight to the chest. A regular gun is nothing to the boss level threats, as many of the champion level characters can react to lightning, block/dodge RPG-like fire, among all the other stuff.

Goro does similar feats to Kahn in the old comics and in the shaolin monks game. Goro was a beast, taking Raiden's full force lighting to the chest in the comics, fighting all 7 of the OG cast at once in Shaolin Monks and the comics, and much more. ALL the boss characters got down graded in the new timeline, making them in to semi-joke characters.

And yes, I feel as though Goro may have gotten the worst of it.

About Earth's Tech...The Earthrealm tech brings Earth somewhat in contention with the magic of the other realms, it doesn't put them above them. Remember, Kahn's and Shinnok's forces subdued the entire earth. In MK3, Nightwolf's shaman abilities played a HUGE part in slowing Kahn's take over down. Earth's tech was generally useless as it was Liu's training that got them over..

Lol!

I'll go Outworld team all rounds. To many threats. To many hax.

The Cyber Lin Kuei would probably be the strongest version of the Lin Kuei teams, but even then I think the Outworld team is to strong / versatile.

He's right. MK11 especially just jacked up all the power scaling of the characters. In all media prior the MK characters were portrayed as human with super human skills. Sure they had high durability in some instances, and could do major damage to things, but they were street level, with some super human feats.

In the new timeline they just became super human through and through. Jumping dozens, and maybe hundreds of feet in the air, competing with planetary threats like shao Kahn on a whim, and other things. Before, there was a clear contrast between bosses, champions, and regular characters, and fodder / jobbers. Now, they are all jumbled.

With some of the instances you can explain away the PIS, but in other instances they just too far out there.

Examples:

• Cassie beating Shinnok was BS
• Kung Jin beating Kotal during the day with no issue was BS
• Shao Kahn got a massive downgrade in the MK11 base game (though I believe aftermath redeemed him somewhat)
• Shang being portrayed as not as big a threat in the MK9 story was trash
• Goro being MASSIVELY downgraded in MK9 was a travesty

I honestly could go on and on. Many of these characters were legendary threats in the OG timeline, able to take only 3 or 4 or 5 characters at a time and wreck shop, but the new timeline just shat all over them to tell a lack luster story in some cases.

This is spot on.

The only thing I'd add is that Shinnok's forces are endless...unless he himself is ended. But yeah, Kahn would beat a full power Shinnok, thus that would end Shinnok's ability to will beings into existence to fight for him.

Sector and company would have captured Smoke in their first fight too if Raiden hadn't interfered. Most MK matchups come down to circumstances. In all versions of the Smoke's story (games, comics, other media) Sektor always wins. The only time Smoke got the upper hand is when Raiden interfered.

But that is kind of the theme with the new timeline, that Raiden is changing fates by interfering in the "sacred timeline."

This. Couldn't have said it better, BUT Sindel isn't the heavy here, it is always Kahn.

Even with their godly amp, I believe JC and Cassie would die to the combined might of Sindel and Kahn plus Tsung.

@krishnyak: Sure the Rev versions were "worse" than the OG versions...they were zombie-fied in some ways. Scorpion specifically though, was never a revenant. Scorp was always himself, just maybe angrier back then. If anything, current Hanzo is a bit softer than "Scorpion", as Scorpion doesn't hold back, and his power is just ridiculous in comparison. Scorpion is/was also immortal, so his body was presumably always at its prime (no training needed), while Hanzo is/was human again, and aging.

I know we are really only referencing the new timeline, but OG Scorpion is a monster, especially in the MKA era. But even that being true, peak JC (in the new timeline) would still beat him.