In the Mortal Kombat franchise, Lord Raiden has been one of the most iconic characters. He's a mainstay, playable in all games except Mortal Kombat 3 and the Ultimate version. More so, the Thunder God has been the driving force of the series and the battle with Shang Tsung, Emperor Shao Kahn and other evil forces using the tournament to corrupt and control all the realms.
However, following Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, it becomes perfectly clear the franchise has to move past Raiden ASAP and hand his mantle off as Earthrealm's main protector to his younger brother, Fujin.
Now, this isn't to knock Raiden. He's been a great character, mentoring Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Jax, Johnny Cage and the rest of the heroes against sinister opposition across cartoons, movies and comics. He's also been key with the White Lotus in cranking out Shaolin monks like Kung Lao, especially in the war with the Elder Gods. He knows how they've been using everyone as pawns, which is why he stood against them, including the time goddess Cetrion. It didn't matter they were his kind; he did whatever he had to to protect all the realms.
It culminated in him even using Shinnok's amulet for his own nefarious purposes, getting lost in the belly of the beast. The heroes had to contend with evil Raiden, but thankfully in the good ending of Aftermath -- the one it's assumed MK12 will pick up from -- he's good again, as well as Liu Kang and Kitana, who are no longer revenants. In fact, Liu Kang has become a Fire God, mentoring Kung Lao in what seems to be merged timelines for a new tournament. And this reboot opens the door for Fujin to replace his brother.
Fujin is the Wind God, after all, but he also worked to look after Earthrealm. The thing is, unlike Raiden, who stayed in the heavens, Fujin spent time on Earth connecting with humanity. It didn't matter about creed, gender or race; Fujin genuinely loved humankind, as opposed to Raiden, who saw them as a means to an end. And honestly, after time-travel and a heel turn, the series can't do anything else with Raiden, so it's best to have him on the council, monitoring the Elder Gods and their makers, the Titans. This would let Fujin be the connector to the tournament, and whether it's against Shang Tsung or Shao Kahn, it's a chance for a new style of leadership. He's close with Liu Kang, too, so they could forge a new dynamic.
These gods are always seeking a champion, so Fujin may even look for champions of his own, doing things a way Liu Kang or Raiden never could. His individual ending also had him rebuilding the timeline and giving everyone a second chance to make their own decisions. This alone shows he isn't into power and control like the other gods. In that sense, Fujin relates more to the warriors on a cerebral and personal level. This can be the perfect way for Raiden to learn lessons he couldn't see when he was on the ground.
Ultimately, the last game showed Fujin as a breath of fresh air after so many years of Raiden and the central focus he played in recent games. Seeing how well fans received Fujin after being gone for 14 years, MK should continue in this direction. It'd offer great room for stories in the game with him and Raiden's family, hopefully linking their parents into a potential sibling rivalry and maximizing the character's flair and edge. With his wind powers and brutal hurricane-like Fatalities, he is just as electrifying as Raiden. Still, given his personality and rapport with other fighters, he'd bring a welcomed dimension to the game after the time warp and evolve the game for a new generation that is also going to be soaking in a film reboot soon enough.
Developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Mortal Kombat 11 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC and Google Stadia. Its Kombat Pack 2 and Ultimate Edition are also available now.