With Spawn marking the end of the first Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pack, fans have turned their eyes toward the next wave of characters. Though not confirmed yet, it seems an inevitability that Mortal Kombat 11's all-star roster will continue to expand with a second wave of downloadable fighters.
There has already been plenty of speculation as to who could be added to the seasoned fighting game franchise, but there are plenty of options. From classic Mortal Kombat characters to pop culture icons, anyone is fair game to appear in the next wave of fighters.
Kenshi Takahashi
Kenshi first debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Kenshi was a critical character in Mortal Kombat X. If you've never seen him before, just picture The Matrix's Neo with a sword and a blindfold and you've got Kenshi. Kenshi is an incredibly skilled blind swordsman who wields an ancient blade called Sento. By wielding said blade, Kenshi is endowed with a "spiritual sight" that allows him to sense the souls of other living beings.
With a unique fighting style and character design, Kenshi would make an excellent addition to Mortal Kombat 11. Kenshi fights with a mixture of martial arts, swordsmanship and telekinesis. In-game that translates to some elegant looking combos that many in the MK cast can't replicate. This is all punctuated by the satisfying sight of Kenshi sheathing his blade, often without using his hands.
Mileena
Mileena is a Mortal Kombat veteran, with her first debut in Mortal Kombat II. Since then, she's appeared in almost every mainline MK game to date, with her last one being Mortal Kombat X. Mileena is a beautiful but unstable clone of Kitana, created when Shang Tsung combined Kitana's genetic material and Tarkatan DNA. Mileena's fighting style is particularly vicious, using a combination of her signature sais, fists, legs, and horrifyingly enough, teeth that would give the big bad wolf a run for his money.
Mileena is one of the most popular and easily recognizable characters in the franchise, and having her in the roster would make a large portion of fans satisfied. Additionally, it would be interesting to see how NRS could potentially redeem Mileena and Kitana's relationship, much like how Sub-Zero and Scorpion came to terms in MKX.
Stryker
Stryker made his first appearance in Mortal Kombat 3 and last appeared as a non-playable revenant in Mortal Kombat X. If John Cena had decided to join SWAT instead of WWE, the result might've looked like Stryker. In the Mortal Kombat universe, Stryker is a decorated cop with a strong sense of duty and an even more substantial arsenal of police weaponry. Initially, Stryker fought for Earthrealm, but after his death, he was resurrected by Quan Chi and forced to fight his former allies.
Our boy in blue deserves a second chance. His death was incredibly swift, and ever since then, he's played little to no role in the Mortal Kombat story. Additionally, Stryker had a distinct fighting style that separated him from the rest of the cast. Like any on-the-beat cop, Stryker utilized his nightstick, taser, gun, and even flashlight against opponents. The way Stryker used these tools against martial artists, kings, and gods made for some amusing interactions.
Reptile
Reptile is one of the original characters that appeared in the original Mortal Kombat game and has gone on to appear in basically every Mortal Kombat game. His last playable appearance was Mortal Kombat X. Despite being described as appallingly grotesque and often regarded as a paltry henchman, Reptile has a surprisingly sincere purpose. His only goal is to restore Zaterra (his homeworld) to its former glory or find the last remnants of his race.
Much like how Super Smash Brother's original main cast hasn't changed since the Nintendo 64, it would be neat if Mortal Kombat could keep its original cast in successive titles. Furthermore, the fact that Reptile is not human can give developers increased freedom in creating an uncommon move-set. For example, some of Reptile's moves from previous games included invisibility and an elongated tongue (much like a chameleon).
Dante
Dante first debuted in 2001's iconic Devil May Cry and since then has appeared in every subsequent Devil May Cry, as well as in games such as Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Viewtiful Joe. Dante is a flashy, wisecracking, pizza-loving demon hunter that possesses both human and demon blood. Despite being part demon himself, Dante specializes in hunting demons. This vendetta is driven mainly by the fact that demons slaughtered his mother and corrupted his twin brother, Vergil. In the games, Dante maintains a flippant yet relaxed attitude, even when fighting against demons twice as large as him.
Dante has been destroying demons for almost 20 years now, and Mortal Kombat is home to some of the most heinous ones. Not only would Dante fit thematically in the Mortal Kombat universe, but his diverse moveset would open up to exciting mechanics. In addition to his trusty sword Rebellion and his two handguns Ebony and Ivory, Dante could also bring his wealth of Demon Arms into the series, as well as using his various Styles to spice up variations.
Ashley "Ash" Williams
Ash first appeared in the 1981 film The Evil Dead and has since then become a pop culture icon. Ash started as a regular, everyday man working at the superstore S-Mart. However, the night he and his friends found the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, his life drastically changed. Ash and his friends unknowingly awakened a demon that slaughtered everyone, leaving Ash the sole survivor. At first, Ash only wanted to escape from the predicament he was in. However, through Ash's many encounters with deadites, demons and even his Evil self, Ash has grown into a hardened warrior.
Ash Williams would make a groovy addition to the cast because of his cult following and his background in slaying the undead. Being a popular icon, Ash would draw in a substantial amount of attention to Mortal Kombat. His chainsaw arm, "boomstick," and witty one-liners would win over a large number of players, even those who haven't heard of him. Additionally, with so much source material, developers could include a ton of fun Easter eggs and references in his interactions and moveset.
Mortal Kombat 11 is now available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and Xbox One.