#humble thunder; (raiden

[1-up-chump]

Hello! (^-^) I saw your post in which you said that you would be happy to talk about pre-MK1(2) Raiden, and so I have to ask: Would you be so kind to share your headkanons about Lord Raiden?👉👈

So my HCs for raiden mostly have to do with a backstory/lore addition thingy ideas for a story. Its all in my head and not written down concretely so it may be a mess.

Raiden as a young god was fierce, and scary to anyone who gained his ire. Luckily he was pretty reclusive and traveled slowly. His brother fujin, on the other hand, was more likely to interact with mortals and cause mischief. Contrary to what mortal kombat set up, Although young god fujin interacted with mortals more, it was only for his own amusement.

Raiden was dragged into helping mortals by his other fellow shinto pantheon when the elder gods contacted them. Raiden's first interaction with a mortal was in mortal kombat as a demonstration from shinnok (who at the time wasn't fully evil/did evil things) and raiden lost due to his own arrogance. The mortal was a middle aged woman who was exceptionally skilled with a bo staff, she inspired raiden to fight mostly with a staff and prefer it to any other weapon. She was his first unofficially trained warrior, although she was trained by inari first in preperation to fight against raiden.

So raiden has a fondness for older women, but women warriors in general. Needless to say this mysterious milf left quite the impression on raiden (did he fall in love with her? Thats a question lost to time)

Raiden's second humbling moment came from bo rai cho, as raiden was ment to travel earthrealm and meet the mortal masters who would train warriors to participate in the very first mortal kombat earthrealm would face. Raiden and bo rai cho first met at a tavern, got wasted, raiden was mad and fought bo rai cho for putting him through all these hijinks, and then lost bc bo rai cho kicked his ass with drunken style. And ever since then, the thunder god and drunken immortal were best friends.

In the very first tournament to defend earthrealm, they lost the first rounds badly. And raiden firsthand felt the taste of what mortal kombat brought. But in the final rounds one of his warriors saved the first tournament and became the first mortal kombat champion of earthrealm. Shang tsung.

But shang tsung had many personal problems that raiden could not understand as a god, and due to miscommunication and mishandling of emotions, along with dealing with the aftermath of shinnoks betrayal and slaying of many of his fellow gods. raiden drived a wedge between him and shang tsung. And that would cost earthrealm dearly in more ways than one. For shang tsung brought them their first victory, and their first betrayal and defeat.

Raiden learned from his mistakes and trained the great kung lao, became more sympathetic with mortality and his training less harsh. But Although the great kung lao defended earthrealm greatly, alas he was unprepared for greater threats of outworld. Great kung Lao was ultimately no match for prince goro.

Bitter defeat after bitter defeat, raiden was desperate for warriors. And ultimately when the turning of the modern ages came, raiden yet still, saw hope. In three young boys, liu kang, chan kang, and kung lao descendant of the great kung lao. Either one of them held potential to be the new mortal kombat champion, the protector of earthrealm. But so did many a warrior before them...

Raiden at this point in the time became more like what we see in the 95 movie or defenders or the realm. Wise, stubborn, a bit cheeky, but hopeful.

But enough about story, time for more personal hc! (Put under read more for convenience)

Raiden hates coffee and loves tea, will playfully give you shit for drinking coffee.

Kid thunder is actually raiju, the thunder beast that is raiden's furry companion. He had transformed into a youthful miniature version of him in recent years, raiden does not know why they do that. Johnny cage had given raiju's nickname out of misunderstanding that the thunder beast is blood related to raiden. Raiden is confused but accepts this.

Bo rai cho is actually not really from outworld and is from earthrealm. But he disclosed both times that fact while drunk, only raiden knows the truth. Raiden does not disclose the truth because he thinks it's amusing to see people guessing.

Raiden adores spicy foods, almost to intolerable degrees. He remains completely unaffected by the spice. It unnerves even his brother, fujin. His favorite food is spicy chicken karaage, which is basically fried chicken.

Raiden does not care about sexuality nor gender, he's a god and his true form is condensed electricity in the form of an oni-like being. But he's definitely masculine above all else.

Raiden is of yang (order, light) orientation but in a destructive manner. Fujin, his brother, is yin (chaos, dark) and opposite of him. But they love each other and have a strong brotherly bond. When fujin arrives, his brother is not far behind. Hence why fujin was depressed to be left guarding the sky temple alone while raiden trained warriors to protect earthrealm from mortal kombat, but fujin does not tell a single soul this fact.

Raiden and fujin are the only gods left in earthrealm. The other gods have not yet reincarnated, and several gods in other realms are unknown or dead and also awaiting reincarnation.

Raiden used to admire cetrion before she eventually lost his trust as well as the rest of the elder Gods.

Raiden has a complicated relationship with all of the ninjas, to varying degrees amongst each one. Raiden keeps his opinions about them to himself, lest he accidentally inact Mortal kombat...

Raiden adores children and protects them especially fiercely. Tries to make them feel comfortable and protected.

Raiden likes taking long hot baths.

Raiden does not like asserting his divine authority when unnecessary. Over the centuries he's learned that divinity is overrated, but he cannot help feel some satisfaction when using his power towards those that earned it. Good or bad.

Raiden has a strong bloodlust connected to his nature to destroy with light. It took many years to repress and hone this, only failing when shinnok's influence brought out those traits. Raiden has once told fujin that if he ever were to fall down such a path again, if it threatened earthrealm, to kill him. Without hesitation.

Raiden's hatred of shang tsung is not only out of resentment for betrayal, but of guilt from causing shang tsung down such a path. Raiden regrets and represses, shang tsung has forgotten the exact reason why he resents raiden in such a personal way beyond foiling his ambitions.

Raiden hates walking around when he can teleport. Raiden is lazy in certain areas.

Raiden has a dry sense of humor, as well as crude Although he tries to be appropriate.

Raiden sees kung lao as much a son as liu kang, and sonya and Johnny as well.

Raiden hates anything even remotely related to the nether realm, which makes his relationship with hanzo hasashi as an ally very... interesting.

Raiden wears a headwrap to not only hold his hair back in practical komabt use, but because he is lazy to tie it up in another style.