The Trailer: A Taste of the Future

Before the next episode airs, I figured that we should take a look at the trailer that was posted before the first episode. It shows clips from the entire series, and gives us a look at what the characters will look like.




Of course, it looks different. Again, in adaptations, it is to be expected. However, there's something to keep in mind when observing changes: changing one important character trait can completely change the character all-together, good or bad. This counts visually, as well. In instances like in The Dark Knight, where The Joker is changed from a criminal who suffered from an intense chemical reaction into a psycho who was given a Glasgow smile, it doesn't count because "The Joker" was still a "clown" who committed crimes and fought Batman. But that's only one case.

In the case of this webseries, they seem to have went completely bipolar: some characters have little to no change, while others have almost complete 180's (or 90's, at the least).

Now mind you, these are only a few instances caught from the first few times watching this trailer. And this, like the trailer, is only the first impression.

Almost Unchanged

Scorpion and Sub-Zero

While they don't look 100% game authentic, they are still the same characters: assassins who both use strange weapons in battle, and who will inevitably be killed by eachother. They still have their masks (though the look has changed) and the same color schemes (although Sub-Zero's black has been replaced with gray). All in all, it's minor wardrobe change; nothing major.

Quan Chi

Again, he's not game authentic, but almost no change has been made to the character or his appearance. He still seems to be a necromancer from the Netherrealm that raises Scorpion from the dead to exact his revenge. In fact, the black eyeballs make him look even more diabolical.

Changed

Mileena

This right here is taken right out of the Christopher Nolan Book of Cosmetic Character Change: need a new look? Give them a Glasgow smile! Changing her mouth from a Tarkatan's into a regular pair of lips with clean scars (the OutWorld must have dynamite health care judging by the work done) changes the character completely.

Original Character: A clone of Kitana fashioned by Shang Tsung using Tarkatan DNA.
Our Prediction: Kitana's overlooked younger sister looking to prove herself to The Emperor.

Baraka

Ironically, this (originally) Tarkatan character looks more like a figure that was magically bred than belonging to an actual race existing in the OutWorld. Early shots show him with the trademark wrist-blades, but outside of that, he's virtually unrecognizable.

Original Character: The leader of a nomadic race of bloodthirsty warriors who serve the ruling party of the OutWorld.
Our Prediction: The reanimated corpse of a General or spy in the OutWorld.

Shao Kahn

Finally, we get to the Laughing Emperor himself. Instead of appearing as a large, dominant figure who can crush a man's skull with one sharp blow to the head, he appears as a calculating tribal leader, looking incredibly out of place with his bowl haircut.

I know there are a lot of fans whose biggest complaint of this incarnation is the loss of the helmet. But without it, at least he looked like this:




Just by making the character look more human (especially when it's a character who rules an entire world) weakens the original impact that the game's character has, and makes him seem like a different character entirely.

Original Character: Universally strong.
Our Prediction: Mega weak.

Remember, these are just the first impressions from the trailer; only by seeing the episodes that these characters are featured in can we determine what their real deal is.

What was your first impression of the trailer?

And by the way, who the hell is this?

We're guessing Reptile, however we've heard people guess that it's Baraka after visual effects done in post. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.