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Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Spider-Man has declared that this article is still under construction. |
Raiden is one of the three deuteragonists (alongside Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade) of the Original Timeline and the overarching protagonist of the Titan Trilogy of the Mortal Kombat franchise. He is the God of Thunder and the Protector of Earthrealm.
Raiden was portrayed by Carlos Pesina from Mortal Kombat to Deadly Alliance, Michael Garvey in MK Mythologies: Sub Zero, and was voiced by Ed Boon in MK 4, the late Allan Stagg in Deadly Alliance, and Dan Bakkedahl in Shaolin Monks.
History[]
Protecting Earthrealm[]
Raiden was created in the far distant past, and appointed by the Elder Gods to act as Earthrealm’s protector in the early days of the realm. Raiden was forced to defend Earthrealm from Shinnok, a power-hungry Elder God. The war threatened to rip apart Earthrealm itself and one of its native races at the time, the Saurians, were almost wiped out and forced to move to another world, Zaterra. Raiden eventually defeated Shinnok with help from the rest of the Elder Gods and took from him the source of his powers, his amulet. The thunder god banished his foe to Netherrealm and hid the amulet in the Temple of the Elements, which he built in Nepal, and selected four gods to guard it, the gods of fire, earth, water, and wind (Fujin).
During his guardianship of Earthrealm, Raiden defeated the necromancers known as the Houan. Raiden also trained the Great Kung Lao as Earthrealm's champion against the treacherous sorcerer Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat tournament, which he won. Five hundred years later, however, Kung Lao was killed by Goro, leading Raiden to find a new champion, founding the White Lotus Society.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero[]
In the modern day, the elder Sub-Zero succeeded in besting the defences of the temple and stole the amulet for Quan Chi, who set out to bring it to Shinnok. Raiden appeared and demanded that the Lin Kuei go to Netherrealm and bring back the amulet, since he was unable to do it, because he would lose his powers there. Sub-Zero did as he asked, but upon his return he asked Raiden if it was true that he would be damned to the Netherrealm if he died (something Quan Chi told him). The thunder god confirmed this to be true, but told Sub-Zero that if he changed his ways, he would avoid that fate.
Mortal Kombat[]
Shortly after, Raiden received an invitation from Shang Tsung to participate in his Mortal Kombat tournament. Aware that if the warrior of Earthrealm were defeated the realm would be doomed, Raiden accepted and competed, helping Liu Kang and the others opposing Shang Tsung. After the island began to collapse, Raiden managed to save the Earthrealm champions, personally rescuing Johnny Cage and throwing him through a portal to safety.
Mortal Kombat II/Shaolin Monks[]
Raiden discovered Shang Tsung had returned, attacking the Wu Shi Academy, inviting him to take part in the Mortal Kombat tournament being held in Outworld. Knowing the treachery of Shang Tsung and brutality of Shao Kahn, Raiden found he had no choice but to accept, hoping that their victory would lead to Outworld abandoning their claim once and for all. He and the rest of the Earthrealm warriors, including Jax Briggs, the younger Sub-Zero and Kung Lao succeeded in defeating Shao Kahn and returned to Earthrealm.
Mortal Kombat 3[]
The Earthrealm fighters victory was short lived and Raiden was forced to quickly use his powers to protect the souls of his warriors when Shao Kahn invaded Earthrealm, by reaching across the realms to reclaim his resurrected Queen Sindel. Raiden could not fight alongside his warriors because of the merging of Outworld and Earthrealm, but eventually the threat became so great that Raiden had no choice and gave up his godhood to fight alongside his warriors. After Shao Kahn’s defeat, the thunder god regained his godhood and status as protector of Earthrealm.
Mortal Kombat 4[]
Raiden’s battle to protect Earthrealm began again after Shinnok escaped his imprisonment in the Netherrealm. His attack caught the Elder Gods off guard and many of Earthrealm’s gods were slain, and Raiden managed to save Liu Kang and Kai from Netherrealm demons. Raiden retrieved Fujin and headed to battle Shinnok's forces in the heavens, while Liu Kang would unite with his fellow warriors, and face the Army of Darkness in Edenia. Raiden aided the fighters in the battle in Edenia and together, they defeated Shinnok.
In honour of all he had done, the thunder god was given the status of Elder God, giving his staff to the Shaolin Kai for him to use in his wanderings, and made Fujin protector of Earthrealm in his place.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance[]
Several years later, during the rise of the Deadly Alliance, Raiden could not interfere because of his status as an Elder God. Raiden was horrified at the death of Liu Kang, and pleaded with the Elder Gods to intervene. When they refused, Raiden disgustedly gave up his place amongst the elders, gathering his fighters, namely Kung Lao, Sub-Zero and Frost, Sonya and Jax, and Johnny Cage, to battle the Deadly Alliance. After revealing the threat to both Outworld and Earthrealm to them, he summoned Shang Tsung's Nethership from the ocean and transported themselves through a portal to Outworld. In his non canon ending, Raiden and his allies were able to defeat the Deadly Alliance, and he was left to muse upon any potential threats to Earthrealm.
Mortal Kombat: Deception[]
Unfortunately, as revealed in Mortal Kombat: Deception, the majority of his warriors were slain in a battle with the Tarkata and Raiden was forced to confront Quan Chi and Shang Tsung on his own. Though he put up a good fight, the thunder god was overwhelmed by the power of the two sorcerers and defeated. Raiden managed to get back up after Onaga the Dragon King appeared and attempted to help Quan Chi and Shang Tsung defeat him. But the thunder god realized that their attacks were only slowing down Onaga and in one last desperate attempt, unleashed his godly essence wiping out the palace, the Soulnado, Raiden, and apparently the Deadly Alliance. However the Dragon King survived without harm.
Raiden was seen in the game's Konquest mode, set immediately prior to the first game's Mortal Kombat tournament. He sought to secure a portal in Earthrealm to prevent the other realms intruding. He discovered the Earthrealm warrior Shujinko was the one using it, and he claimed to be a champion of the Elder Gods. He was suspicious of this claim, but found after they sparred that Shujinko was mighty enough for his story to be legitimate. He asked if Shujinko would fight for them, but the warrior admitted, despite that being his original goal, he was being sent on his quest to the Netherrealm. Raiden thanked him for offering assistance when his quest was over and wished him luck. Much later, during the events of Deadly Alliance, Raiden re-encountered Shujinko and asked him for his assistance. After revealing the alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, Shujinko agreed to rendezvous in Outworld. Raiden was glad to have an Elder God champion on their side, but he was not able to join in time for the assault.
In the modern day, the thunder god’s essence gathered in Earthrealm, but had been corrupted by Onaga's influence, and now Raiden was furious with the way that the people of the realm had treated it. His rage increased when he found out that the foolish Shujinko had allowed the Dragon King to return by gathering the kamidogu from Earthrealm, Netherrealm, Chaosrealm, Outworld, Orderrealm, and Edenia. His patience now gone, Raiden decided that he would punish all who attempted to harm Earthrealm himself. The thunder god attempted to brutally finish off Shujinko for what he had done, but he survived the attack. However Raiden’s attention shifted to Liu Kang’s dead body, which he dug up and brought to a temple belonging to the Houan. Raiden bound Liu Kang’s corpse in enchanted shackles that the necromancers had used to control their undead. The thunder god spoke the enchantments on the walls, reviving his ally as a zombie and infused it with a bolt of lightning. Raiden then sent out his new enforcer to destroy those that he thought were threats to Earthrealm.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon[]
The thunder god’s drastic actions caught Shinnok’s attention, who made him an offer, if Raiden would do whatever the fallen god commanded, then he would do whatever he could to keep Earthrealm safe. Knowing how deceptive and treacherous Shinnok was, the thunder god accepted anyway so as to find out what his plans really were.
After Taven fought his way into Shao Kan’s fortress so as to try and get to Quan Chi, he was confronted by Raiden after Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, Shao Kahn, and Onaga left through a portal to Edenia. Raiden revealed that he had made a deal with Shao Kahn, he would let the emperor conquer all other realms, but he would leave Earthrealm alone. In exchange, the thunder god would eliminate Taven so that Kahn could claim the power of Blaze for himself. Raiden battled the demigod, but was defeated and left unconscious while Taven followed Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, Shao Kahn, and Onaga, shocked by the thunder god’s actions.
Battle of Armageddon[]
| “ | He must win! | „ |
| ~ Raiden's future self's message to the past. |
Dark Raiden fought in the Battle of Armageddon at the Pyramid of Argus. While still dark, Raiden seemed to have regained some of his sanity, fighting alongside the Forces of Light, with him taking on Shinnok. As glimpsed at in Mortal Kombat 11s montage, Dark Raiden fought Zombie Liu Kang, and presumably was the one to kill him. In his non canon ending, Raiden defeated Blaze and became a god of unimaginable power, unleashing it upon the realms. He destroyed them all, meaning that none would ever threaten Earthrealm. At the end of Armageddon, as seen in Mortal Kombat 9's prologue, the Force of Light and Darkness respectively were wiped out, leaving only Raiden and Shao Kahn alive. Shao Kahn defeated Raiden, who desperately pleaded with Kahn to stop. Raiden realized the battle was lost and just before he was killed himself, Raiden sent a telepathic message to his past self with the words "He must win!". In his final moments, his eyes returned to their natural blue aura just as Shao dealt the finishing blow.
Quotes[]
| “ | You have been chosen to represent Earth in Mortal Kombat. Be warned. Although your souls are protected against Shao Kahn's evil; your lives are not. I cannot interfere any longer as your world is now ruled by the Outworld Gods. These are the words of Raiden. | „ |
| ~ Raiden's message in the Mortal Kombat 3 intro. |
| “ | He transforms himself into a mortal warrior to fight alongside his human comrades - this time risking his place in the pantheon of gods and giving up his immortality. | „ |
| ~ Raiden's biography in Mortal Kombat Trilogy |
| “ | You are a superb warrior, Sub-Zero. Only you can control your destiny. Not even the gods can alter your chosen path in life. | „ |
| ~ Raiden to the original Sub-Zero about whether he can change his fate, Mortal Kombat Mythologies. |
| “ | I can no longer stand idly by and watch this evil consume the world. I have relinquished my status as Elder God to return to Earth and lead you all to battle against our old adversaries. We must act now. We must stop this Deadly Alliance! | „ |
| ~ Raiden in the intro of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance |
| “ | But one thing is certain... Earthrealm must be protected. I have abandoned my status as Elder God to aid these mortals... an act defiant of the Heavens. I will instead remain here on Earth... as GOD OF THUNDER. | „ |
| ~ Raiden's ending in Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance |
Gallery[]
Images[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- Raiden was characterised very differently in the original Mortal Kombat game, as an arrogant God who wished to prove his strength, and in his ending, he takes over the tournament along with his fellow Gods, leading to Earth's destruction. This characterisation would be erased by the rest of the franchise.
- Raiden was not originally playable in Mortal Kombat 3, only becoming so in Trilogy.
- Raiden and Fujin are not mentioned as brothers within the games, with the MK 4 strategy guide mentioning this. This would be made explicit in with his second timeline self.
- Raiden narrates the endings of Deadly Alliance.
