Headscratchers / Mortal Kombat: Armageddon

• How is Taven okay in the Netherrealm? Only evil mortals can go there without suffering.
  • Perhaps it is because he is a demigod. Raiden in Mortal Kombat 9 was able to go to the Netherrealm and back without any difficulty when he unsuccessfully tried to to make Quan Chi an offer of his and other fighter's souls to change sides against Shao Kahn unaware that the Emperor of Outworld and the Necromancer had already made an arrangement of their own. Though there is another question that should also be asked: Why is there an obelisk in the Netherrealm?
  • This bit of Fridge Logic is furthered with the events of Mortal Kombat X: so far Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Jax and Kenshi were able to venture into the Netherrealm and escape alive. Perhaps they were infused with Raiden's power?
  • The Netherrealm can house any being for a very short amount of time with no ill effects, but those who are tainted with evil can stay without corruption overtaking them. This is actually demonstrated on different accounts. In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero Sub-Zero was able to go to the Netherrealm in chase of Quan Chi after the latter entered the Temple of Elements and snagged Shinnok's amulet moments after Sub-Zero defeated the last God. Sub-Zero wasn't by any means evil at all, neither was the Lin Kuei, it was merely what they did that left a taint on his soul. Quan Chi even explains this before Sub-Zero fights him. He tells him that he could not exist here unless his soul was tainted with evil. After escaping with Shinnok's amulet and returning to Raiden, Raiden confirms what Quan Chi said was true, but that it could only be changed with himself. Taken a step further, with Shujinko in Mortal Kombat: Deception the first time he enters the Netherrealm after his affiliation with the Lin Kuei. He is able to return a second time even with his soul cleansed by Nightwolf, as well. Which leads to a bit of a contradiction, if you consider Ashrah. Her sword, the Kriss, supposedly purifies her soul with each demon slain. She claims that if she was purified completely, the Realm would spit her out. In that case, either Shujinko wasn't completely cleansed, or Ashrah was blindsided by whoever gave her the sword, my thoughts on the latter. Even Divine Beings, who are often implied to be pure, should be cast out, as they do have a soul regardless of their God-Like status, but they can step foot there with no harm. The realm itself is a natural corrupting force, given its denizens, so over time truly pure beings would succumb and slowly turn into something terrible after a prolonged time. Of course, to the first troper, Taven DID spend a grand amount of his quest before that moment randomly popping heads of mooks like they were dandelions, that's not anything remotely rainbows and sunshine, no matter life or death. Given that knowledge, however, it's not a stretch to imagine that Johnny, Sonya, Jax and Kenshi are able to endure, especially if you take into consideration the lot of them have committed some acts that could be considered evil, even though their intentions are ultimately good.

• Why don't the Elder Gods allow Armageddon? Why try to prevent it? Armageddon is supposed to destroy the Realms aka the One Being. The Elder Gods have made it clear their are indifferent to the realms unless a direct threat to them arises. If Armageddon destroys the realms than their is no more One Being and no more threat to them. So why take steps to prevent it?
  • If I had to guess, destroying the Realms probably wouldn't take the One Being with them. Instead, that would probably just wake it back up. Which begs the question: Why would the Elder Gods let anything that led to Armageddon happen? Why would they let Shao Kahn do his thing (albeit greatly delayed due to the Mortal Kombat tournament) rather than simply warn him once to stop his inter-realm conquest, and then if he persists, kill him like they do at the end of MK9? Why would they let any villain get even the slightest bit close to reawakening the One Being? Why would they foist everything that needs to be done to ensure their own survival to mere mortals and lesser gods rather than use their own incredible, divine power? It's like they don't even care that their sheer laziness is the only reason why the One Being can ever return to threaten them.
  • While it's never been stated outright there are some hints that the Elder Gods are just as limited by the rules as mortals are. It's not that they choose not to interfere directly so much as they can't just interfere except in certain circumstances. Likely because the Realms and everyone in them are formed from the One Being.

• The main goal is to get to the top of the pyramid and fight this fire dude. Onaga has wings why didn't he just fly to the top of the pyramid instead of having to go through the levels like the other characters?
  • In regards to gameplay, well... In regards to the intro, just to throw it out there, Maybe Onaga's vendetta against Shao Kahn was big enough to distract him from Blaze. ...Meaning it's probably one hell of a grudge.
  • You think the fact that Onaga doesn't use his wings is bad? Raiden can teleport.
    • Shit, in Armageddon, 90% of the characters can teleport.
  • I get the feeling that the big fight around the pyramid was more symbolic than anything else.
  • It had better be. Otherwise, we're really left to ask why they stop fighting their arch-nemeses to play King Of The Hill without anyone knowing what's at the top.
    • In the Konquest mode of Armageddon, it's established that the kombatants believe there is some great power involved. Once they see Blaze at the top, they know for sure.
  • I would imagine that if everyone is fighting near the foot of the pyramid and look up to see Onaga (or anyone who just teleported up there) fighting Blaze, all focus of attack would be brought to bear on the one trying seize control. Even Onaga couldn't win if every kombatant ganged up on him at once.
  • Maybe I'm misremembering but I was under the impression that only the last kombatant standing would be allowed to fight Blaze, so going straight to the top wouldn't help much anyway.

• Why is Hotaru on the side of the Forces of Darkness when that's the side that all three of his arch-enemies^note Havik, Darrius, and Dairou are on? Seriously, how did that not set off any red flags for him!?
  • Hotaru sided with the Forces of Darkness because Shao Khan wants to unite the Realms under a single ruler, himself. Hotaru sees this as an act of order and so sides with him. Havik sides with Shao Khan because his wars bring great chaos among the realms. Havik sides with Shao Khan's short term effects while Hotaru sides with the long term goals.