Summary
Mortal Kombat IIcould be setting up Cole Young for an ironic fate as the sequel shifts focus to Johnny Cage. WhenMortal Kombatwas released in 2021, it gave moviegoers a game adaptation that embraced the aesthetics and characters fans loved. The film also achieved financial success, and it was released when theaters were still reopening after the COVID-19 shutdowns, demonstrating its appeal to returning audiences.
The first trailer forMortal Kombat IIwas finally released, teasing the characters and violent action that fans have come to expect. The trailer also shows that the sequel has some unique plans for the story, which will feature new characters, like Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage. However, the tease ofMortal Kombat IIalso holds back on Cole Young, with some speculating that his future may come with an ironic twist.
Mortal Kombat IILooks To Be Shifting Protagonists From Cole Young To Johnny Cage
MKFans Have To Be Happy With That Development
Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan, is an original character created for the 2021Mortal Kombatadaptation.He had neverappeared in a prior game, unlike the rest of the eclectic roster, as the character was created to allow audiences to connect to the mystical world of the other fighters from a neutral standpoint. While it technically worked from a story standpoint, most game fans found it to be one of the weaker aspects of the movie, as Cole didn’t elicit the same fervor as known characters.
Mortal Kombat IIlooks to be makinga change in its central protagonist, with Johnny Cage looking to be the focus of the sequel.Karl Urban taking on the role of the fan-favorite character garnered attention when it was announced, and now that gamers have seen him in the trailer, he looks to have given Cage his proper due. However, the trailer also focuses on Johnny as the central figure, rounded out with others, like Sonya, Jax, and even Kano. This looks to be a clear response to the backlash surrounding Cole Young, but it still leaves audiences wondering what will happen to the original character now that he isn’t the protagonist.
Johnny Cage Led A PastMortal KombatFilm, And Met His End Early In The Sequel
The Less Said AboutAnnihilation, The Better
This is not the first timeJohnny Cage has led aMortal Kombatmovie.The 1995 adaptation from director Paul W.S. Anderson featured three central protagonists, with the movie focusing on Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Liu Kang.Cage’s role saw him as the cocky action movie star the games envisioned, and he survived his bouts, with his fight against Goro being a standout moment in the film.Mortal Kombatalso ended with a cliffhanger, teasing Shao Kahn for the sequel.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilationfollowed in 1997, picking up directly from where the first film ended.However, the sequel suffered from numerous problems, including new actors in known roles, which made the experience all the more jarring by immediately following the first film’s events, and some of the worst VFX in cinema history. Still, beyond its numerous problems,the sequel chose to kill off Johnny Cage in the opening scene.Cage had become a favorite from the first film, and while the production had its reasons, it alienated many from the start and went downhill. Many considerMortal Kombat: Annihilationone of the worstvideo game adaptations ever made, but the franchise persisted with gamers, and the 2021 film reboot has brought the series back to theaters.
Fans Think Cole Young Could Meet A Similar Fate InMortal Kombat IIAs Johnny Cage Takes Over
Say It Ain’t So, Johnny
Thanks to the trailer forMortal Kombat II, audiences get to see Johnny Cage back in movie theaters, and he looks to be stepping back into his protagonist role for the sequel. Many speculate that the character will die in the new movie due to Cole’s absence in marketing materials. Mortal Kombat is known for killing characters, as the games thrive on it, but the movie’s dispatching of Cole comes with a certain level of irony.
WithJohnny Cage being the leadof 1995’sMortal Kombat, only to die off immediately in 1997’sMortal Kombat: Annihilation, fans think Cole could meet the same fate.Given that Cole was the central protagonist of 2021’sMortal Kombat, only to be left out of the marketing forMortal Kombat II, he may meet a quick end in the sequel, just like his replacement previously did before the franchise reboot.While this has yet to be confirmed, as the character may be living a happy life with his family from the first film, it may be bizarrely more satisfying for fans to see him killed off.
If Cole dies inMortal Kombat II, it seems unlikely he’ll get theresurrection treatment like Kano. Sure, he could still return in some form, or even be given a meaningful send-off. Still, with the dark sense of humor and reliance on brutal deaths that have allowedMortal Kombatto thrive, Cole Young could be set for an ironically dark fate that mirrors the very character replacing him. Cole’s fate remains to be seen, but given the fervor to see him gone, no matter how his role in the sequel is reduced,Mortal Kombat IIwill likely be better for it.
