Things are looking grim for Outworld Emperor Kotal Kahn. His army is defeated. Legions of Shokan and Oni warriors await outside the city walls, despite Kotal killing the Shokan emperor in battle.
In Kotal's mind there is only one solution: to sacrifice himself so that his subjects may live. A hard but noble choice, and it's one that causes Kotal Kahn's closest allies to think back about the first time they met the man they now call emperor.
This issue we get not one origin story but three, as characters like Reptile, D'evorah and Ferra/Torr each recall their history with Kotal Kahn. Until this point we've only guessed as to why these characters are so fiercely loyal to the new emperor of Outworld, as opposed to Mileena, Shoa Khan's successor.
Turns out that is because Shao Kahn was kind of a jerk. He invaded D'evorah's world and enslaved her people. He used Reptile and then discarded him. His subjects separated and nearly killed Ferra and Torr.
But Kotal always arrived to save the day. He saw potential (and potential allies) in each and every case, and went out of his way to bring them into the fold. So when the time came to take control of Outworld after Shao Kahn's death, Kotal already had a long list of allies willing to fight by his side.
While the majority of this issue takes place in the past, it doesn't lose its sense of forward momentum. Kotal Khan wants to leave and to surrender for the good of his people, yet is stopped every few feet by another member of his group sharing their story. Just when it looks like Kotal has finally made up his mind and his followers have said their piece, an unexpected arrival transforms the playing field entirely.
Origin stories, in this series and in others, often kill the pacing of the current story arc. This issue's three mini-origin stories, however, make for an entertaining read. Writer Shawn Kittelsen gets to experiment with a number of different voices as he hops between characters, sharing their stories. Ferra and Torr's tale in particular is a highlight, with Kittelsen nailing the playful yet demented nature of the characters perfectly.
Cramming this series with yet another origin tale had the potential to backfire, but instead this issue manages to contribute more to our understanding of Kotal Kahn and his leadership than all the issue's before it. And knowing more about Kotal and his subjects will make whatever comes next in Mortal Kombat X all the more meaningful.
Story
★★★★☆
Art
★★★☆☆
Overall
★★★★☆
More Comic Book Reviews:
Mortal Kombat #18
Batman: Arkham Knight #12
Batman #40
Convergence #5
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