#shang tsung could go so so so far into his character development and go far even beyond that!

[mrstsung]

I'm doing this shang tsung MY WAY!

Which ignoring canon that he was in. And placing him in my version of mortal kombat. (Which aligns more to the original timelines)

So a young shang tsung,who was once an earthrealm warrior,felt betrayed and was cohersd by shao kahn to join his court in outworld and fight on "his side" so to speak.

As for the dark magic/soul magic. He was always curious,but only curious. He only dived deeper because he was 1. Forbade to without so as much as a decent explanation on why it's "forbidden" and 2. Because he was trying to help earthrealm in any way possible,by any means. But he was again told no. So in his mind. It's like "wtf do you want me to do? It's like i bring a solution and you don't like me playing by the rules you created,which i try to follow yet. I get it spat back in my face" type deal. Course there's nuance to this and it's mainly raidens falt for not telling shang properly and handling things better. And yes,shang was his chosen and student before great lao. Great lao came in a tad bit later. Then came the tournament. He was actually trained by the shadow priests,who worked for shao kahn but revered shang. As they saw a prodigy in him. And magic aside. That man was a fucking excellent warrior,deadly as is. Add sorcery to him and he's a beast. <3

But anyways

Like i have a whole backstory more on shang tsung and i feel alan lee's shang is a good baby days shang tsung. Freshly cursed,freshly courtly mage,etc.

When we get tagawa's shang,is only after he gets his island. Which i hc was given to him by shao kahn as a gift. He wasn't gonna use it. So it was shang's dominion. In doing so he kinda fucked up because now,shang tsung was a lord of his own realm or pocket dimension. He has full jurisdiction and power over his island. The island's natural soul well was fortified to work in shang AND ONLY SHANG TSUNGS favor. He made the island self sufficient. (More on shang's island in another post) now. Only after spending years there,gaining knowledge,power,secrets,etc and a bit of forcefed defeat. Does our lovely sorcerer become more of the shang tsung we know and love. Wisdom and decades even centuries of knowledge gained.

Now back to young shang.

Young shang(alan lees shang/ mk12/mk1 shang) is a tad more prideful,maybe even jovial,always ever confident but in a youthful way. A spirit never breaking no matter how many times kicked down. These traits are amplified in his youth. He gets chiller and more relaxed and composed as he becomes more and more like out like elder shang tsung (tagawa's shang tsung/mk 95/mk11 shang) so that being said. Not too much difference,yet the aura is different and more of someone genuinely scholarly. Tagawa's shang is already a master,to get to that part. We need more development.

Now Lee's shang has great potential but i doubt that nrs ever would give him that genuine opportunity given how the script and story is being written. It feels its holding him back. And that kills me because it's such an amazing talent.

Now a young shang tsung to me is ever the curious. Not that ever stopped. But in his youth,he was always asking why or how. He wants to just know. He has to know. That can bite him in the ass or save his ass. Either way that is a core trait.

Shang tsung not being given an opportunity to join earthrealms warriors is a crime and honestly really really stupid on nrs.

It's rushed and they know it but they dont care because $$$ and micro transactions...

Anyways. Young shang tsung to me also needed a lot of reassurance not because of that lack of confidence,nah it's more of a reminder of "is this good? Is this wise? Am i crazy for feeling this or is this pride getting in the way?" He is confident in skills,he is not with other aspects more so he just doesn't want to disappoint. And Because he doesn't want to screw things up for the long run. But as trial and error happens,he gets more confident in his decisions.

He has his moments too and showing vulnerability and humanity in antagonists is very important. But not done in a backhanded slap to the character and audiences intelligence. Which unfortunately mk12/mk1 kinda does unfortunately.

And honestly,i felt bad for him. More than i ever did.

In conclusion,young shang tsung should be shown and given an opportunity to show with that an insight into shang's mind,heart,and things we actually don't see.

And some things in mk12/mk1 shang i absolutely am like "YES YES YES!" but because of everyone else,it's hard to enjoy because everyone else is insufferable.

Genuinely. Insufferable.

Like compared to shang tsung who gets something real,raw,human,believable,grounded,and interesting.

Nobody else in the story feels like characters,they feel like action figures playing along. And in a way that feels forced and fake to fit a boxed in trope. The script and writing feels ai generated.

Shang tsung seems to be the only one given some kinda agency and not even 100% either. It's not the greatest and it has flaws but by comparison it's great. Comparing that shang to every other shang tho? Kinda rushed and sloppy. And a disappointment. But it sucks because i want to really like that shang tsung.

So i jusy said fuck it. Im rewriting that shang.

Young shang tsung,mr. Alan lee. You deserve better. And honestly i think it's a wasted opportunity to have a shang centric game for once. It would be different,fun,and a change of pace.

*kisses forehead* lemme save you from shitty narrative and writing shang. Plz.

[thisonehere]

Hello! I really like how you write the boys, I'd like to request a smut one with them being the receiving end? Perhaps a prostate massage from their s/o? I would love to see Bi-han and Johnny Cage but you can also choose others I'd love to see them too!

Thank you and have a lovely day c:

Omg, Yes! I'll do it! :D

A totally normal Prostate Exam

NSFW HEADKANONS A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait, I hope you enjoyed this. Oh, and Merry Christmas and a horny new year lol Tags: MK1, MK1 AU, C/w: NSFW, Anal sex, fingering, pet names, dom!sex, mentions bodily fluids, you make them your b!tch, not fully proofread, g/n reader Characters: Bi-Han, Johnny Cage, Kung Lao, Tomas, Shang Tsung Next part

Bi-Han

As Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, Bi-Han has always been a very dominant man. Especially when it came to you and the sex. He would always put you into specific positions where he had all the power and then he'd fuck you sore.

But this time, things are different. You want to try something different with him. Namely, you wanted your finger inside him.

Bi-Han was against this very concept at first. The very idea even offends him, the idea of you dominating him infuriates him and goes as far as offending him. Maybe he'll even give you the silent treatment for days. But as more time passes, the idea begins to intrigue him more and more. The idea grew more and more enticing and he finally gave in to the temptation.

Pulling you into a room, Bi-Han was sure to shut and lock the doors and cover the mirrors. He didn't want a single soul to see or know about this except you.

Finally comfortable knowing that anyone would see him, Bi-Han took off his clothes and lies on the bed, revealing his plump ass to you.

As you enter him, you can hear Bi-Han struggling to stifle his gasps. "Keep going." He demands though. As you continue, you notice him fighting too keep in moans as he balls his clutches at the sheets.

The room gets colder, no doubt a result of Bi-Han loosing control of his powers as you finger fuck him. You start to get faster and faster as time goes on. Bi-Han struggles even harder to hold in his whines as the feeling starts to overwhelm him.

The climax finally comes, Bi-Han can no longer hold back anymore. His hot semen spills it onto the bed and slowly sinks into the mattress. He raises his head abruptly and basically screams in pleasure. His cries are so loud that you are sure that it echoes off the walls, making sure that everybody heard him.

You pull out your fingers finally and Bi-Han collapses onto his stomach. He faintly looks up at you, a bit of embarrassment can be sensed on his face. "That was... adequate, Y/n." He attempts a compliment, obviously flustered as blush slowly develops onto his face.

Johnny Cage

When you first proposed the idea, Johnny almost bent over right then and there. At the end of the day, Johnny is very much a freak. Name anything kinky and he'll no doubt be into it.

He would insist that you do it right then and there, he could care less where you were, on a movie set, the royal palace, the Wu Shi academy, the man lacks public decency.

Finally finding the perfect place to do it, Johnny would insist that you record him, he wanted everything to be captured.

He took off his clothes excitedly, even tearing off some of his clothes in the process. If there is a bed, he throws himself onto the bed and rolls onto his back. He lifted his legs to reveal the tight, little hole in his big round ass. It pulsed, eager awaiting your touch.

Johnny moans as he feels your fingers enter him. "That's it, baby, fuck me." He whimpers, fully embracing your touch. He grabs his cock and begins to masturbate, perfectly in sync with your rhythm.

He laughs. "You're pretty good, Y'n, are sure this is your first time or are you holding out on me?" he jokes.

You get faster and faster and so does he, he's not exactly a screamer but he doesn't hesitate to let loud moans and whining as you get closer and closer to the climax.

Finally, seen spill out of his dick and it gets all over him. Painting his body with the hot sticky fluid.

He wipes it off and immediately goes to look at the the footage you recorder. As he reviews it, he looks at you with a smile. "Well, baby, looks like we got something award winning on our hands."

*Holiday Bonuses*

Kung Lao

Kung Lao laughed it off at first. You? Top him? He didn't think so.

But as he began to think about it, his pride began to get the better of him. Could you fuck him better than he can you? That thought would cloud his head and distract him almost every day.

Kung Lao finally succumbs to the curiosity and before you know it, he's on his back with his legs in the air, his nice ass laid out perfectly before you.

"Alright, Y/n, let's get this over with. But don't be disappointed when you don't get it right. After all, no can fuck better than the great Kung la-OOOHHHH!" you stick your finger inside of him before he can finish boasting. He gasps in surprise at the touch of your fingers suddenly inside of him, rubbing his anal walls.

Kung Lao attempts to play it cool at first, trying to pretend as it didn't feel as good as it actually is.

He grips at the sheets, doing his damnedest to contain his composure. He tightly shuts his mouth to prevent any moan. He can't allow you to know that he's enjoying this.

He looks at you and forces out a smile. "Okay, maybe you are pretty okay. But this is nothing compared to the way I fuck you." And with that, you go at a faster pace.

Kung Lao's eyes grow wide with surprise, he lets out a slight squeal at this. He can't even think straight anymore. Finally, he cums. The semen spills out and spreads across his body, glistening against his abs.

He struggles to catch his breath as he tries to contain you composure. His cheeks are flushed and he is dizzy. He slightly gets up to look you trying to smile, but you fucked him so hard that he can't help but feel emasculated by you. "That was-um- n-nice. Uh, how about you come here? I'll show you what a good finger-fuck feels like."

Tomas

His face is red with blush the moment you suggest this. During sex, he was never really submissive, but he wasn't dominant either. It isn't hard to convince him, he immediately gives in when see's how excited you are to try it.

He undresses and lies down onto his stomach, anxiously looking back at you. His beautiful ass sits there before you, it quivers at your touch.

As you plunge your fingers into it, Tomas throws his face into the bed, grips the sheets, and lets out a muffled scream in surprise. "K-Keep going, you're doing great." he attempts to encourage you.

You continue to finger him, pulling in and out at a steady tempo. Tomas slowly adjusts to this feeling, it starts to feel better and better as you continue.

He whimpers and whines from the pleasure he is receiving. He thinks to himself that if just your fingers could do this to him, what would something bigger do to him, say, a dick?

He looks back at you and smiles. "You're doing amazing, I love you so much." His endearing smiles encourage you to go on.

You go faster and faster, Tomas's moans soon turn into screams. His climax is getting closer and closer, he starts making inaudible sounds that make no sense. It's like he's speaking gibberish.

Soon he cums finally. His hot seed splashes and squirts everywhere. Onto his body, onto the mattress, it even finds it's way onto you.

And with that finished, Tomas lied on his back for minutes as he catches his breath and fully processes what just happened. He sits up and looks at you with an innocent smile, as if he wasn't fingered just a few moment ago. "Maybe we should, um, do more of this. I'd love for you to do more stuff to me, maybe I could even do some stuff to you." He says with his innocent smile. It seems that you've awoken something in him, and might never go back to sleep.

Shang Tsung

When you suggest such a thing to Tsung, he doesn't refuse at all, in fact even is kind of into it. Tsung is quite a freak himself, evening going as far as insisting that Quan Chi and a few of his other servants watch.

With a snap of his finger you two are suddenly naked and gets onto his back and spreads his legs. "Be sure to not waste my time, poppet, or else I'll have to... punish you.". You shiver, you know how ruff Tsung lies to get when he punishes you.

You stare at his delicious ass as it pulses, inviting you inside. You stick your fingers in and Tsung purrs.

He takes his giant cock into his hand and starts to masturbate and locks eyes with you.

You begin to thrust harder and faster causing Tsung to let out what sounded like a laugh mixed with moaning. He makes a strange gesture and you suddenly feels something inside your own ass. The bastard out spell on you to make you feel like you were being fingered too. Not that you were complaining.

You both start to moan loudly and in sync, you hear Quan Chi and the others chuckling and you notice that they are playing with themselves as they watch you.

Tsung makes a gesture with his hand and your head swivels over back to him. "Focus, Y/n, you'll get your turn to fuck them in just a second. First, you fuck me."

And with that, you both feel your climaxes coming. You cum and so does Tsung... onto you. He castes a spell which caused both of your semen to spill to splash onto you. Your covered with his hot jizz as it drenches you and makes you sticky all over.

Tsung Laugh as he magic his clothes back onto him, but not you. "That was beautiful, Poppet. In fact, why don't I have my boys show you my appreciation." He said with cocky smirk.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Kung Fu Panda Kwestions Answered...

Universal also made a big presentation at CinemaCon today, a little after Disney did theirs...

In addition to previewing some stuff for this year's DreamWorks animated films RUBY GILLMAN: TEENAGE KRAKEN and TROLLS BAND TOGETHER, they surprisingly dropped some big deets on KUNG FU PANDA 4!

We finally know who is at the helm. The film is being directed by Mike Mitchell. Mitchell is no stranger to DreamWorks, having been a story artist on ANTZ, SHREK 2, SHREK THE THIRD, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS... and director of SHREK FOREVER AFTER and the first TROLLS. Curiously, his involvement with the KUNG FU PANDA series was very minimal, merely voicing some additional characters in the third movie. Outside of DreamWorks, he also directed THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, which - despite the general ho-hum reaction to it in early 2019 - I quite loved and almost considered to be on par with the excellent first LEGO MOVIE. So, good choice! Not who I expected, but I'm curious to see what he brings to the series.

The plot involves Po leaving the Valley of Peace for an undefined big city, as he seeks to train the next Dragon Warrior... This must be set **a while** after the third one, then. Reminiscent of THE LAST WISH, I feel... Spent some time away from our favorite characters, and we come back... It's like they've been away for a while, too. Not the story continuing right where it left off, a la something like Pixar's INCREDIBLES 2. I think that's the logical way to go, honestly. Some time has passed, now it's the next step in an ever-changing life. Something new happens, even after the story seems to be over. Po might be significantly older this time around.

The new antagonist is named The Chameleon, who can "summon" Po's past foes. Summon? As in, he can shapeshift into them? Not dissimilar to Shang Tsung* from MORTAL KOMBAT? Or does he bring the likes of Tai Lung, Lord Shen, and Kai back from the dead? Either way, that's quite the opponent for Po!

Interestingly, there were a pair of characters named Chameleon and Khameleon in the MORTAL KOMBAT franchise, but they couldn't turn into the other characters like Shang Tsung could. In the early MK games, the developers took a character and then changed the color of their outfit, creating a separate character altogether. Saved time and money. This spawned the common video game saying "palette swap". For example, in the original MORTAL KOMBAT, there were three ninjas: Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and the secret Reptile. It was the same digitized live actor and the same costume, but the costume in a different color. Palette-swapped ninjas. Sub-Zero blue, Scorpion yellow, Reptile green. They did this again for MORTAL KOMBAT II, for a trio of woman fighters named Kitana (blue), Mileena (purple), and Jade (obviously white!). In addition to them, MKII added an all-black shadow ninja named NOOB SAIBOT, the creators' last names spelt backwards. And in MORTAL KOMBAT 3 and its updated versions (ULTIMATE MK3 and MK TRILOGY), added even more palette-swapped ninjas, like red ninja Ermac (based on a glitch that apparently turned Scorpion red in the original MK) and purple ninja Rain... So in the PlayStation version of MORTAL KOMBAT TRILOGY, they added a new character named Chameleon. Basically the base actor/costume, but the color changed, and so did his abilities. In the Nintendo 64 version of MK TRILOGY, they had Khameleon, the same idea, but as the women fighters.

I know a lot about classic Mortal Kombat, thanks for reading the tangent if ya did...

Anyways, The Chameleon from KUNG FU PANDA 4! Is that all the character can do? Since Po fought all three of these characters and defeated them, he can just do that again... I can only assume The Chameleon has crazy-challenging powers of his own, and perhaps might resurrect foes Po never fought!

A lot to guess and speculate, but it sounds very, very cool so far...

However, Universal/DreamWorks appear to be keeping the film in the March 8, 2024 slot... Despite the fact that Disney is opening Pixar's original space adventure movie ELIO the week before, their live-action SNOW WHITE two weeks later, and Sony opens SPIDER-MAN: BEYOND THE SPIDER-VERSE three weeks later... That's plenty of family-friendly/PG competition right there. Not that KUNG FU PANDA 4 has to worry, given how well its predecessors did at the box office... Plus an 8-year wait should help this one fine, some nostalgia-driven success.

I still feel Universal will put it in the February 9, 2024 reserved for an undetermined animated movie. Illumination has nothing between MIGRATION and DESPICABLE ME 4, and that third LEGO MOVIE Universal is doing is not that far along. If it was, they would've said that today... I think Uni will put KUNG FU PANDA 4 in February 2024, or they'll remove the reserved slot from their calendar.

I also predict that KUNG FU PANDA 4 won't be the title.

After Comcast bought DreamWorks Animation in 2016, their sequel titles dropped the numerals and adopted subtitles...

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD

TROLLS WORLD TOUR

THE CROODS: A NEW AGE

THE BOSS BABY: FAMILY BUSINESS

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

TROLLS BAND TOGETHER

So yeah, it'll probably be KUNG FU PANDA: INSERT SUBTITLE HERE. If I had to predict what it could be... Uhhh... Something Something THE CHAMELEON? DAWN OF THE CHAMELEON? ATTACK OF THE CHAMELEON? THE NEXT DRAGON WARRIOR? Couldn't tell ya!

Either way, I love the KUNG FU PANDA trilogy, the first and second movies really resonate with me in a special way, so I'm ready for the saga to continue in a big and unexpected way. Hopefully we hear more about the not-sequel DreamWorks animated movie sharing the year with KUNG FU PANDA Quattro, sometime soon...

[tobiasdrake]

Mortal Komparison: Liu Kang

So, let's kick this off with the hero of the piece. Liu Kang, the Champion of Mortal Kombat. Who did it best?

The Source Material

In the original Mortal Kombat trilogy, Liu Kang was the central protagonist. In a genre where characters were largely defined by their relationships to other characters and a few specific Plot Actions, Liu Kang's big thing was simply that he was the main character.

Going into the tournament, Liu Kang was the ace in the hole. He was descended from the Great Kung Lao, the legendary Champion who defeated Shang Tsung and won the Mortal Kombat tournament centuries ago. He had studied at the Wu Shi Academy, a Shaolin monastery that revered martial arts and the Great Kung Lao.

Kang had been personally trained by Master Bo Rai Cho. Bo Rai Cho was a master of martial arts from Outworld who fled from Shao Kahn's rule and sought to thwart his claim on Earthrealm. Bo Rai Cho could not compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament himself, however; as an Outworld native, he would qualify as an Outworld fighter, not an Earthrealm one. So he instead took up residency at Wu Shi Academy, training Liu Kang in his style.

Going into the tournament, Liu had a lot of things going for him. So much, in fact, that one of those became a separate character: Kung Lao, who is actually the descendant of the Great Kung Lao and we meant for that to not be Liu this whole time, we swear!

Liu Kang and Kung Lao form a delightful Odd Couple duo. Kung Lao's arrogance and overbearing personality are offset by Liu Kang's kind heart and pleasant demeanor. Some adaptations even go so far as to make Kang outright naive and foolish next to Kung Lao's heartless cynicism.

But Liu Kang was invited to the tournament and Kung Lao wasn't, for whatever reason. He stepped up to the plate and gave it his all for Earthrealm. There's not a lot to talk about there; of the three major fights in the tournament, two of them belong to Kang. He defeated Goro, then was challenged by Shang Tsung and promptly defeated him too.

Kang would go on to have many more victories and to develop a brief romance with Shao Kahn's plundered "daughter", Princess Kitana. He would even help Kitana liberate her realm of Edenia from Outworld. However, when offered a chance to remain in Edenia as King to her Queen, Kang refused; his loyalty to Earthrealm as their Champion was too great.

In a tragic twist of irony, Liu Kang was murdered like one week later so it didn't actually matter what choice he made. Whoops! But we're getting far ahead of ourselves. The point is, Liu Kang is the goodiest of goody-goods to ever goody a good. He is also the greatest martial artist that ever lived, triumphing not only over the Great Kung Lao's killer Goro but also over Shao Kahn himself and even over an Elder God. These are his main two character points.

In fact, he's such a goody-good that he didn't even kill Goro and Shang Tsung. Liu Kang straight-up did not have a fatality in the first game; he had a bloodless finisher consisting of a butterfly kick followed by an uppercut. This was meant to reflect his faith in the Shaolin way, which forbid taking a life for any reason.

Both Goro and Shang Tsung walked away from their defeats alive. Though later games gave him Fatalities in gameplay, his practice of sparing his opponents remained a consistent character trait through the initial Trilogy. The guy wouldn't even kill Shao Kahn.

The 1995 Film

In the 1995 film, Liu Kang was made into a more sarcastic and jaded character. He was still ultimately a good guy, but there were some changes made to his personality and backstory.

Kang was given a brother by the name of Chan Kang. The funniest thing about Chan is that his name betrays the Americentric perspective of the film's creators. Liu Kang is from China, where surname comes before given name. The proper name for his brother would have been Liu Chan.

Kang was selected to fight in the Mortal Kombat tournament years ago, but he fled from that calling to the United States. Chan stepped up to fight in his place, but was attacked and murdered one night by Shang Tsung. Tsung devoured his soul.

Note that this is the same film that said Shang Tsung was forbidden from pre-emptively assassinating Earthrealm's fighters. Whoops! I guess Raiden was on the john at the moment.

After receiving a vision of Chan's death, Kang returned to the monastery to accept his destiny and enter the tournament. For the most part, all this addition does is serve to explain why his dialogue is often sarcastic, bitter, and irreverent. He's kind of a jerk, but in a fun way.

The film hones in on Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade as its central characters. It develops their relationship with each other as a rag-tag group of misfits guided by Raiden. Their interaction with one another is arguably the best part of the entire movie.

It also introduces Kitana early so that her romance with Kang can begin immediately. This involves a bizarre tournament match where Kitana spouts cryptic advice in the midst of sweaty grappling, until Shang Tsung abruptly cancels the fight out of well-founded fears that their clothes might come off.

One of Liu Kang's two major achievements from the tournament, defeating Goro, is taken away from him and given to Johnny Cage instead. This makes a bit of sense; it gives another character something meaningful to do. But it sorely complicates the follow-up, where Kang faces Shang Tsung in the deciding match. The weird rule lawyering that takes place to get from Johnny Cage vs. Goro to Liu Kang vs. Shang Tsung strains the film's credibility.

But that plot point of Chan Kang adds an extra layer to the actual culminating fight between Kang and Tsung. It gives Kang a personal stake: not only did Tsung kill his brother, but Tsung ate his brother's soul. Kang was fighting not only to avenge Chan, but to save him.

The non-lethal ways of the game were lost on this rendition. This Kang kills without hesitation or remorse. He impales Sub-Zero on an ice spike and knocks Shang Tsung into a spike pit. It's not very Shaolin of him, but an argument can be made that in a story like Mortal Kombat, a protagonist who refuses to take a life is a weird fit.

The 2021 Film

Kang is largely a supporting character in the 2021 film. His goody-good personality makes it over almost entirely intact, resulting in a character that's fairly bland in terms of personality. This, however, isn't a drawback; it allows him to contrast with the much stronger personalities on display from the rest of the cast.

Kang is the mentor. The teacher. The uncomplicated good guy. He's the bar that the other characters must rise to meet. This is a good use of Liu Kang that doesn't require compromising his personality.

That being said, the film compromises his personality even harder than the 1995 film did. Mortal Kombat gave up on the idea of Kang not being a killer a long time ago. Starting with Shaolin Monks, the games have merrily shown Kang killing with impunity. This change in attitude is reflected in the film, which doubles down on Kang killing without reservation.

Kang's role as the greatest martial arts master is swept under the rug. This is a superhero film. While the martial arts are present, the emphasis is placed on Liu Kang being a master firebender. Fire manipulation is his arcana, his unique mutant power. He unlocked this power by hunting down and killing a man who trafficked orphans.

That's right. Liu Kang is so profoundly lethal in this rendition that killing a man who deserved killing was how he got his superpowers. That was the defining moment of his existence that made him the man he is today: when he murdered an asshole and suddenly gained the power of pyrokinesis.

Could be worse. He could have unlocked his Animality by refusing to have sex with Kitana's BFF.

Unlike the first film, Kung Lao exists. Liu Kang's best bro made it into this particular adaptation and their relationship is as tight as ever. So tight, in fact, that the film uses Lao as the new version of Chan: Kang is forced to watch Shang Tsung kill Lao, filling him with personal motivation for the upcoming tournament.

We'll talk more about that in Kung Lao's entry. But it's basically the same concept, but with an established canon character to give it that extra punch and explain why Lao didn't make it to the tournament.

Kang is also given a personal adversary in this film and it's, uh. It's Kabal? For some reason? The film's use of Kabal as a generic minion of evil is weird, but the usage of Kabal as Kang's personal rival is even moreso. Especially in a film that features both Goro and Kitana's twisted "sister" Mileena, but one imagines they didn't want to jump the gun on either of those. Still, Kabal? Why Kabal?

So Who Did It Best?

The original version of Liu Kang is often derided as being a bland and boring character. I will say that an uncomplicated protagonist who develops the other characters around him rather than changing or growing any himself has value in storytelling. However, the fighting game genre isn't really a great place for it.

I disagree that the original Kang is boring, but I understand where the accusations are coming from. There's a reason that the franchise has been trying to move on from Kang for years. But there's also a reason that they keep coming back to him.

With this in mind, I believe the best version of Liu Kang is the 1995 film. The alterations made to his background and role allowed Kang to develop an actual personality. The camaraderie between him and the other protagonists was consistently entertaining and gave him a personal magnetism with the other protagonists that even the games struggle to match.

The 2021 movie has a lot of visually cool fight scenes making great use of their Kang's firebending arcana. The 1995 movie goes the opposite direction; aside from a brief jolt of red electricity in his final blow to Shang Tsung, Kang has no superpowers whatsoever. But this allows the narrative surrounding his fights to remain focused on what matters: that Kang is the world's greatest martial artist first and foremost. This change complements his narrative, while the 2021 film's change detracts from it.

The one thing that the 1995 film is lacking is his relationship with Kung Lao, who doesn't even show up in the awful sequel. This is the one edge that 2021's Kang has over 1995's, but it's not enough to overcome 1995's fun personality, protagonist acknowledgment, and focus on martial arts.

The winner of Best Liu Kang is the 1995 movie.

[cienie-isengardu]

Bi-Han

How I feel about this character:

Look, the same as Vader, Bi-Han is one of my longest favs. As a kid, I loved MK movie and kept playing the game with my sister & cousins on every occassion. And man, playing it on arcade game during vacations is so good childhood memory! I love ice-themed characters, and Bi-Han (then known to me just as Sub-Zero) catched my attention on the first look. I love his no-nonsense attitude, his sarcasm and lack of social skills. I love that such cold-blooded killer is also pretty complex character, depending on the source, even sometimes heroic on his own way. Thinking about him, either as Sub-Zero or Noob Saibot always makes me happy!

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character:

None. For me, Bi-Han is aromantic/asexual to the core, interested only in two things: 1) keeping his little brother/closest friends allies alive and, as much as it’s possible, safe and 2) perfecting his skills. He cares, yes, but has like zero need for romantic relatonship, thank you very much.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character:

His relationship with Kuai Liang is such roller coaster of emotions it’s hard to not love those two together as family, or bitter enemies!  Lately I also get into Bi-Han & Sektor dynamic to the point, I feel like they could be much more close to each other than lack of screentime suggests. There is something really interesting how different and how similar they are at the same time. A traditionalist and techno geek. Cold bastards that cares way too much that it seems on first glance. I could go on for hours, really. Also, Bi-Han & Shang Tsung working together is always a fun thing to imagine. I mean, well spoken, polite old sorcerer and don’t caring about etiquette/social norms cryomancer sounds just about right! :3 Oh, and Noob Saibot, because cute murderous shadow, along ice and black armor, is my thing too.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Dunno, if this unpopular opinion or not, but I think Bi-Han would be pretty good grandmaster. Like, not so open the way Kuai Liang is, but with far away from the opression nature of previous leader. Though he would hate to be in charge because that means dealing with other’s people problems and he really does not like that at all.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

I wish either to see more Bi-Han’s interaction with Kuai Liang or other Lin Kuei members or for Noob Saibot to actually get the respect his character deserves; as in: get some development and storyline that does not treat him as minor obstacle to beat down. There is so much stuff about Bi-Han/Noob connection to main (old) heroes and Netherrealm, it’s so shame it was never truly used in latest games.

Favorite friendship for this character:

I feel like repeating myself, because my fav no-romantic relationships to a large degree are the friendship I need so much.

Okay, with Shang Tsung, friendship may be too big word, but anyway...

Also, the friendship between comics!Hydro and Bi-Han is precious for me, since it seems like Hydro was the only one person around whom Bi-Han could be much open with his feelings and actually could show weakness, even if just for a moment. I like also Bi-Han/Noob & Sareena, as two traumatized people (or demons) thatdecided to take over Hell support each other in need. 

My crossover ship:

I’m not really a shipper, but I would like some Naruto/MK crossover, so Bi-Han could meet Haku, a fellow ice warrior with special bloodline. Maybe it’s just me, but the Lin Kuei vs. Shirai Ryu kinda remind me the contrast of Kirigakure (Village Hidden by Mist) andKonohagakure (Village Hidden in the Leaves)

.

[sasorikigai]

Ask me top five of anything || @desxderium​ || accepting 

I’m also going to include the obvious and ramble about them (as usual), because I have no self control. 

1. Hanzo Hasashi; Your typical anti-hero gone astray to becoming a reformed hero after he realizes that his fate had been entangled in the machinations of Quan Chi. The moment I fell in love with his character was when in MKX, with the aid of Kenshi, he severs his ties to "the darkness" and is leading an effort to rescue and train orphans stranded by the Netherrealm War, forming a new Shirai Ryu in the process. 

I absolutely love the trope he goes through, for a revolving door moves in a circle and so does Hanzo’s character in terms of morality. A villain decides to give heroism a try (for whatever reason) and switches sides but then goes back to being a villain and back again (through the time disruption). This phenomenon works the other way, as well. A hero loses perspective and becomes a Well-Intentioned Extremist (Scorpion’s persona), and then comes back from the edge again. He's done it before — why not do it again? The long-term result is the same either way — the character in question will switch sides often enough that, in the long run, he doesn't have a side. I love the neutrality of Hanzo’s character, yet the roaring rampage of revenge does not consume him any longer and that the fact of his growth is what makes him one of the best characters ever. 

My favorite part of the storyline, by far, is witnessing Hanzo's reaction in that ‘tea party’ with Sub-Zero, which is not only remorse for the pain he's caused Kuai Liang in killing his older brother Bi-Han (the elder Sub-Zero), but also because he threw away his one chance to restore his wife and son. The sheer amount of self-disgust in his voice is palpable.

Scorpion: (having witnessed evidence of Quan Chi's guilt in exterminating the original Shirai Ryu) Harumi... Satoshi... Sub-Zero: Had I known of my clan's complicity in the Shirai Ryu's extinction, our history would be different. Scorpion: I killed your brother because I thought he... Sub-Zero: Quan Chi is responsible for Bi-Han's death.

2. Kuai Liang; I love the duality he wears, the badass vibe ("I will freeze your very soul," "I destroy whom I please!" and "You will know the sting of winter.” And of course, who could forget the Lin Kuei's badass creed? “Be as stealthful as the night and as deadly as the dawn.”) with the heart of gold. He’s THE best Sub-Zero to ever hold the mantle of the Grandmaster, despite having started out as a silent assassin in II/9, but when the Lin Kuei becomes interested in cybernetics in 3/9, he splits because he disagrees with the methodology. From 4/X his character evolves greatly and becomes one of the most morally aware characters of the series, even taking over his former clan to lead them in a more righteous direction.

I also love the fact that his name, Kuai Liang, can translate into "fast ice," or more prosaically, "quick freeze." Considering his abilities and the fact that he's a Chinese Cryomancer, this is likely intentional even in-universe (which I especially love, because that name just sticks to me as a ‘cyromancer.’). He is one of the most good characters in the MK universe and the fact that he’s able to endure so many hardships, going through excruciating transformations. And he still holds that innocence, that naivety because he was forced to act much older than his age ever since Bi-Han and him were kidnapped to the Lin Kuei, only to be raised into mindless assassins and kill even the innocents. Unless it’s dark magic, his heart would never be corrupted or shattered beneath the unbearable weight of the world threatening to collide into him. I absolutely admire the fact that he’s phlegmatic and stoic, but could crack a joke (mostly through puns) and being ever so snarky. 

Sub-Zero: The Lin-Kuei are restored, Shang Tsung. Shang Tsung: I sense this is no amicable visit. Sub-Zero: How perceptive, sorcerer.

3. Hannibal Lecter; He is a quintessentially affable evil character, as he does genuinely have sincere regard for the other characters he interacts with. The events of the first season can be seen as the doctor's efforts first to make Will into his friend and get him to quit profiling in order to ensure he never captures Hannibal, and then deciding to betray Will and make him an enemy, because otherwise Will would ultimately capture Hannibal. Allowing Will's encephalitis to cloud his mind could similarly be seen as pre-emptive self-defence. He seems to display genuine regret for Will's incarceration and Abigail's murder, evil though he might be. Of course, in keeping with the source material, this is left deliberately ambiguous... and I also love the fact that he may be the most complex and enigmatic character in the cinematic universe. I absolutely love him also as the anti-villain, because he’s so subverted. The first season was crafted to lull the audience into developing a fondness for him before really springing the duplicity and mind games and worse, and eventually clarifying his depraved motives for what were earlier seemingly, possibly well-intentioned actions.

4. Anthony Edward Stark, aka Iron Man; As easy as it often looks to be Tony Stark—the success, the money, the endless array of awesome gadgets—the question of who, exactly, Tony Stark is as a person is more difficult to pin down. From movie to movie (and often even within a single film), no other character goes on as transformative a journey as Iron Man. The character arc, with the notion of a powerful man sunk beneath ever-agglomerated hubris, and from mocking Steve Roger (Captain America)’s valorization of nobility, that’s precisely what Tony does at the end of the Infinity War; from being in-denial of his panic attacks and personal traumas without having much compassion for the others to work with them to willing to work with others, humble about the scope of his abilities, and comfortable in his own skin for the first time since his first appearance—is what makes for such a fascinating journey indeed. 

Most importantly, Tony’s desire to build a family in his personal life, in his work, and the inevitable overlap between the two. The ultimate outsider, the one who used to look down on everyone, is now just trying to get the band back together and I believe even in the most heroic death of all, Tony has achieved them all. 

5. Darth Vader, aka Anakin Skywalker; The one who was strongly believed to be the Chosen One of the Force by the Jedi Order and developed from a lowly slave on Tatooine to a hero of the Clone Wars, but his promising career tragically did not last when his personal demons lured him into turning to the Dark Side and becoming known as Darth Vader. What’s most remarkable about this character arc is the fact that never do we see Vader’s face beneath the mask, but we can feel his anguish. It’s a transformation anchored by physicality and vocalization alone and I find that most unique and most difficult. Also, what makes Darth Vader so special to me is the depth of his character as he went from hero to villain to hero. 

[terryblount]

Mortal Kombat 11 – Review

Mortal Kombat is more than a game: it is the closest thing we as gamers have to a counter-culture. It is an I.P. that has consistently laughed in the face of censorship boards by never compromising on giving fans the unfiltered carnage of close combat. This was literally (part of) the reason why there exists an ESRB rating system today.

What’s more, this violence is not just for looks – it is also about skill. The genius of Mortal Kombat’s formula has always lain in demonstrating the player’s fighting ability through how sadistically they can crush their opponent. You don’t just K.O. an opponent in this game; you FINISH THEM!!!

Is it weird to admire the way blood is animated in a game?

I am quite pleased to say that this 27-year-old spirit of Mortal Kombat is alive and well within the eleventh arrival. Let’s not beat around the bush here. This is essentially the perfect fighting game, and players and pros alike will surely regard it as one of the best this series has ever produced. This is because Mortal Kombat 11 manages to include every modern convention that works, while being mindful of the old-school novelties that cemented the I.P. in gaming culture.

Time and time again

In the single-player ‘kampaign’, Earthrealm yet again comes face to face with an apocalyptic threat. The story opens with a now corrupted Raiden (see MK XL) decapitating the elder god Shinnok as a message to anyone who dares to threaten his domain. This was was a most serious error in judgement as Shinnok turns out to be the son of a new character, Kronika – the guardian of time itself.

“But know this–the arc of the universe bends to my will.” – Kronika

Needless to say, Kronika is rather unhappy not just about her son being reduced to the usefulness of a bowling ball, but also due to the balance of good and evil now being uneven. She vows to restore equilibrium in the timeline up to the events of her son’s beheading, but is also aware that Raiden and the Earthrealm gang could present a troublesome thorn in her side in any dimension.

Kronika therefore merges the past and present together, and teleports an army of Netherrealm’s most formidable villains, like Baraka and Shao Kahn, from the past into the present as her insurance policy. As per usual, the player will represent the fight for Earthrealm’s fate from the perspective of Johnny Cage, Kotal Kahn, Kung Lao, and other classic and contemporary characters.

I get that the whole time travel motif has been done to death, but the team at NetherRealm have once again shown their practiced hand for storytelling. They have wisely used the motif of temporal distortion as a McGuffin to re-imagine and bring back some of the franchise’s most beloved figures for the modern gaming climate.

Johnny squared!

This makes for a deeply interesting plot with some exciting and unexpected alliances forming or breaking between characters from different time periods (because their major clashes haven’t happened yet). More than that, Netherrealm sets up the opportunity to introduce characters like Cetrion and Geras who have fighting abilities centred on the manipulation of time.

Overall the story really oozes the kind of cinematic quality that would make Marvel Studios sweat bullets. The combination of excellent graphics, captivating voice acting, and the return of favourite characters will most definitely have new fans engrossed, and old fans spiralling into nostalgia.

In with the old, out with the new

Objectively speaking, Mortal Kombat 11 plays it extremely safe. This game demonstrates the old adage that players are bound to enjoy what lies in their comfort zone, and it is not necessary for sequels to reinvent the wheel. Instead, MK 11 goes for the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but make it a whole lot prettier’ approach.

Indeed,  MK 11 plays just as slick and precise as every game Netherrealm has developed thus far. What can be perfected has been tweaked, but a whole slew of small changes collectively add up to an experience that will still feel fresh and engaging to long-time players. Not much is new here, and I am very happy about that.

You get to see quite a lot of Sub Zero’s face in this game.

So aside from the single player campaign, the ‘Klassic Towers’ mode also makes a return in which the player must defeat a sequence of opponents to ascend up the tower. Except for infinite modes, these always end with Kronika as the final boss. Defeating her also gets you a brief cut scene that fills in some story details specific to the character you happen to be playing much like Tekken or Street Fighter.

You will not find the ‘Living Towers’ of the previous installment as Netherrealm has ditched this mode in favour of the ‘Towers of Time’. These differ from Klassic Towers in that opponents get more challenging as you approach the top, and players are also permitted to activate certain modifiers (they unlocked as loot) either for one match, or for the duration of the entire tower.

As an example, you can assign Jade one or two of Cyrax’s cyber webs to fire at her opponent stunning them momentarily. Alternatively, the match might have a vampire modifier in which the player’s health bar drains constantly to the opponent’s, so it is best to finish the match sooner rather than later. These towers can certainly get infamously punishing, but the game drowns you in rewards for completing them.

Lemme smash! This is who you will be playing in the Krypt. Note the three currencies in the bottom of the screen.

The Krypt is back again, of course. This time the event plays out on Shang Tsung’s island (see MK 2011) during which you open chests, smash vases and crush meteorites for some sweet loot and unlockable goodies. The Krypt also adopts a third person perspective now which only makes the act of swinging around Shao Kahn’s colossal hammer at vases and statues all the more gratifying.

Light puzzle solving is also a way of collecting some treasures, and it is clear that the developers really want the player to enjoy exploring for goodies to make your game more interesting. I have always been intrigued and, a little creeped out by this subsection of Mortal Kombat games, so it’s nice to see it return here. It’s really beginning to feel like a crucial component of the experience.

Kompletely Unreal

I have never been shy to express my admiration for the Unreal Engine, but what Netherrealm has achieved on a visual level in this game is outright astounding. Here we have a super modified version of the Unreal Engine 3 no less, throwing around particles and rendering high definition textures like it is trying to put Frostbite and Unity out of business.

Even though certain sections of the game have been mysteriously capped at 30fps (most of which can now be fixed by a mod), this game flows on the PC like butter down a centrefold’s butt cheek. In contrast to Mortal Kombat XL, the vibrant graphical tone of MK11 really throws the bountiful details of the visuals into sharp relief. I feel like the unique cast of characters that has always defined this series finally get the representation they deserve.

Damn this game is beautiful. This allows for particularly dramatic cut scenes.

The environments and fighting arenas have also been given the deluxe visual treatment through dramatic lighting and environmental effects. I found the arenas to have an enigmatic and refreshing feeling to them, and a particular favourite of mine became the decaying Shaolin temple where the corpses of dead monks observe your match. I clearly have issues.

They are noticeably the tightest fighting planes that Netherrealm has implemented within one of their games, but this has the pleasing outcome of somehow making the action feel closer… more immediate. The close-quarter combat also places more importance on finding openings in the opponent’s technique rather than just  flying from one combo to the next.

Combos are still just as important, but it is clear that MK 11 wants shorter, more potent moves to play a bigger role too. This means that the one guy with supersonic thumbs you always get paired with online is less safe than he thinks this time round. You know who you are!

The fatalities and other post-match tomfoolery have, naturally, also been given an obvious graphical upgrade. Seriously, seeing brains being splattered and bones being shattered in this level of realism is not at all for the faint of heart. Be that as it may, I nevertheless have a hard time imagining a more beautiful, albeit visceral fighting game.

The very definition of fighting chance

As I mentioned, the roster of fighters is a mixed bag of old and new characters including the original 7, but like all the other yobs on the internet, I feel like some characters leave a conspicuous absence. Where the hell is Goro!? I also miss, Takashi who had a snappy and responsive feel in his fighting that appealed to my playing style in the previous game.

Perhaps old Goro will get his chance with DLCs, but the roster is still a bit smaller than I would have liked. It is once again too obvious that most of us will be expected to fork out more of our hard earned cash as extra content later down the line. Netherrealm has chosen quality of quantity, but this rather anemic roster just smacks too much of leaving room for microtransactions.

At least Geras more than makes up for my four-armed favourite being conspicuously M.I.A. His time-travelling abilities allow him to execute a punch, blink back in time, and execute another attack before my opponent could even find a moment to move. I also liked the beefy, warlock look he had going on which looks particularly slick during fights. Definitely my favourite new character in this game.

Geras warping back in time behind his opponent. Cannot remember who the other is… uhm was…

It also helps that the developers have really gone the extra mile to give MK 11 a truly comprehensive and helpful tutorial segment. They even included a lesson on frame times and hit advantages – something I usually ignored and left to subconscious strategy until I actually paid attention to it in this game.

Best of all, for the really nasty combos and chained assaults the game will actually demo the move on screen with button prompts. I am embarrassed to admit that some combos in previous games took me upwards of an hour to get right. With this new system, it was ten tries tops. As such, newcomers to Mortal Kombat, and fighting games in general, will undoubtedly feel more welcome than ever before.

On the subject of techniques, MK 11 has swapped out X-ray moves for a new system called ‘Fatal Blows’. Like X-ray attacks, they are once-off, deadly attacks taking you microscopically close to your, or your opponent’s, cracking jaw and rupturing internal organs. Except there is one crucial difference: Fatal Blows can only be activated in the last third of your health.

In other words, if the player has only been maintaining a slight lead with their opponent throughout the fight, the last section becomes indescribably tense. You can no longer rely on short-distance techniques or longer combos to win because if you allow even one opportunity to have a Fatal Blow performed on you, you’re toast.

Let us have the talk

So what exactly is the deal with this grind getting everyone all upset? Well, the manner in which MK 11 deals with in-game currency makes us all want to gather our raincoats for the inevitable microtransaction storm that is surely going to hit soon. At the time of writing, MK 11 has very little to offer in the way of DLC on Steam.

Still, something tells me that this will change soon not just because this is the nature of our industry, but because fighting games are also particularly lucrative opportunities for monetisation. They always have been because it is so satisfying seeing no grey blocks on your roster, or adding some cosmetic personality to your favourite fighter.

This is my only major issue with MK 11 because it feels like there is simply too much being gated off from the player when you start the game. Every time I completed a fight, the game goes through a huge pomp and circumstance to inform me of all the different currencies I just earned. Not that the handouts are even that generous mind you.

You read that correctly. This time there is not just the Koins  used to unlock outfits, fatalities and modifiers for tower modes. Even in the Krypt, you now have to juggle multiple kinds of currency units like hearts and soul fragments if you want all off the riches the hidden content has to offer. Oh, and the Krypt chests are randomised so your friend may find a liquid metal suit for Sonya Blade in the same place you get concept art…

Playing around with some of the unlockable skins and finishing moves.

Even though I have never really cared much about cosmetic items in the games I play, I don’t like the sense of gaminess MK 11 creates with the endless pop-ups eagerly informing me how much I have earned. I am playing because I am having fun, and this just feels like Netherrealm is trying to force me into some scheme inevitably leading to microtransactions.

FINISH IT!!

In case that last section threw you off a bit, I want to state again that Mortal Kombat 11 is essentially fighting game perfection. This game is completely saturated with the kind of creative vision that has been the worked into the design of my favourite fighting games. This game looks great, sounds great and feels great.

If Netherrealm vow never to turn the superfluous currencies online into an evil plot of monetisation, I will not need another fighting game for the next ten years at least. Combined with an excellent story, this will become an essential classic in your Mortal Kombat collection.

Remember to check out our Mortal Kombat 11 performance analysis!

Tight and refined combat

Tutorial section

Story

Excellent visuals and sound

Design of new fighters

Temporal fighting abilities

Somewhat limited roster

Too focused on currencies

          Playtime: About 28 hours total. 10 hours on the single player campaign with much of the remaining time spent online.

Computer Specs: Windows 10 64-bit computer using Nvidia GTX 1070, i5 4690K CPU, 16GB RAM – Played using an Xbox Controller (Thanks to my friend Niel for lending me his!!)

Mortal Kombat 11 – Review published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[ripemsystem]

Philadelphia's Underappreciated Championship: Disgruntled Real World Champ - Part 2

SHANE DOUGLAS MEANS MORE TO WRESTLING THAN THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR!

I suppose I should be thankful for the downtime of a Monday (and strangely a Friday). With a youth soccer tourney coming in next weekend, it is best to make use of my moments of sanity (especially after the kids from the Bar Mitzvah were discouraging my limited Yidish go to expletive phrases). Writing a new blog with this time is better than reloading the stats page to see if I got any views for the previous volume.

Tomorrow maybe a good time to watch the AAW matches to construct the opening scene to the pilot I am trying to write. Then again, its my one day off from making somebody else serious cash. Considering my stance that I am pro-wrestling's premier Cubs fan, it may be best that I head up to Wrigley. Of course, as long a CM Punk is holding out on Colt Cabana, I doubt anyone would allow him to take that claim from me.

A writer has got to write, and piss people off in the Internet age, so again, do it when you get the chance and imagine the wage is going towards that.

This "Real World Champ" series may not be worth much if I do not get any discussion about it. Thankfully, I got a few likes on Twitter and amused the newest mark at my retail job. Otherwise the lack of discussion is not getting to me. Until I hear people tell me that Shane Douglas was not more important than the Ultimate Warrior, I will let my fingers march on about this topic with the knowledge that I am right.

When I left off the last blog, I stated that Shane Douglas had elevated the ECW World Heavyweight Championship to the most important belt of gold in professional wrestling. Some of you may agree with the circumstances for the claim to the title, but not for the length of his reign. I believe he did not have a title defense between May 3, 1998 and his loss of the title to Taz on January 10, 1999. I believe the self-professed critic KB from KB's Wrestling Reviews would agree with this (but his review of ECW Wrestlepalooza '98 shows he may not have an understanding of context).

If we cut the reign off on May 3, your championship options would be Steve Austin (whose reign would end in a swap with Kane, to be followed up with a vacating of the WWF Championship), Hollywood Hogan (who would lose WCW's Big Gold Belt to Goldberg, whom most marks would disqualify because of his limitations) and the NWA's Dan Severn (if it is not being seen, is it happening?). I do not see any of these reigns as qualifying for the Real World Championship.

A way to recognize the importance of the so called Attitude Era would be to give the REAL title to Austin, who will lose it to Hogan. The hiccup in Austin's reign makes it so you cannot put the belt back on him, so you give it to Goldberg, but he would lose it to Kevin Nash who would lose it back to Hogan via the finger poke of doom. The Rock could not take the title from Goldberg since his WWF title win was a sham, so Mankind could not with the REAL title from Nash.

Five hall of famers, but no great reigns. But through all this talk, the importance of Austin's game-changing title win can be recognized if we include the most extreme American version of the World Heavyweight Championship.

1st Debatable Real World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Steve Austin (1)- 5/3/1998 - 6/28/98

2nd World Champion - FTW's Taz (1) - 6/28/98 - 12/19/98

This was Paul Heyman's best way to keep your interest in the ECW Championship, by knowing that the baddest man would be his next contender, and have him not be afraid to prove it by claiming he was the champion. If your interim champ is not the top, but he is excelling, imagine what your real champ should be capable of.

The only problem with this debate is that Taz laid down for Sabu to assure he could challenge Douglas for the heavyweight championship. When will pro-wrestling adopt the Interim Championship concept?

Actually, that was 2003 when the NGW Light Heavyweight Championship was vacated. I felt justified in calling myself the NGW's Interim Light Heavyweight Champion (complete with Jakks Pacific toy replica of the WWF's Light Heavyweight Championship) since I was the ruler of Peoria's division at the time of "Wrestle America's" 2004 deadline for promotional submissions. Sadly, practicing a spot for the Unification match that afternoon with the man who won the eight-man tourney for the belt, IWA-Midsouth's Ryan Phoenix, broke my wrist. So the angle did not work, but I tried.

If only WWE would have gone that route with Wrestlemania 31. Bryan v. Lesnar would not have delayed the never-to-be empire.

Until Vince McMahon watches a UFC event, we better stick to the path I have laid out thus far.

Philadelphia: The Center of the World.

25th Real World Heavyweight Champion - ECW's Taz - 1/10/1999 - 9/19/99

More reason to dislike the WWE, the Network has made it difficult to find his "Living Dangerously '99" promo where he called out the WWF (Austin) and WCW (Flair) champions. This promo made me believe he was the real thing, and since ECW was not a land of giants, it was not until February 2000 that I realized he may suffer from leverage issues.

26th World Heavyweight Champion - ECW's Mike Awesome - 9/19/99 - 12/17/99

He was the height and mass ECW needed.

27th World Heavyweight Champion - ECW's Masato Tanaka - 12/17/99 - 12/23/99

No shame in swapping the titles over seas to the home countryman. Big Show's title reign was a bit weird and the WCW title was either vacant/or being vacated twice during the reign.

28th World Heavyweight Champion - ECW's Mike Awesome (2) - 12/23/00 - 4/13/2000

The Only Game in Town

Pun unintended: You know how many times that I had to say my gimmick, "The Student of the Game," was not an homage to Hunter? The ECW championship was a booker's nightmare. Tazz would briefly hold that belt and did the favor to Triple H in putting the WWF title above ECW's. In WCW, the disastrous promotion for "Ready to Rumble" was occurring.

29th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Triple H (1) - 4/13/00 - 4/30/00

30th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's The Rock (1) - 4/30/00 - 5/21/00

31st World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Triple H (2) - 5/21/00 - 6/25/00

32nd World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's The Rock (2) - 6/25/00 - 10/22/00

33rd World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Kurt Angle (1) - 10/22/00 - 2/25/2001

34th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's The Rock (3) - 2/25/01 - 4/1/01

35th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Steve Austin (1) - 4/1/01 - 9/23/01

During this reign, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship was introduce to the WWF, but was never placed higher on the card than the WWF.

36th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Kurt Angle (2) - 9/23/01 - 10/8/01

37th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Steve Austin (2) - 10/8/01 - 12/9/01

38th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Undisputed Champ Chris Jericho - 12/9/01 - 3/17/2002

39th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF's Undisputed Champ Triple H (3) - 3/17/02 - 4/21/02

40th World Heavyweight Champion - WWF/WWE's Undisputed Champ Hulk Hogan (5) - 4/21/02 - 5/19/02

Originally, I wanted to drop in Mixed Martial Arts legends who held the NWA championship. Hogan's reign was meant to give the Undisputed title some sense of historic importance. Ken Shamrock was Jim Cornette's answer to, "What if Bret won't drop it?" Dan Severns is the Original Beast. But, Shamrock won a vacant belt and Severns was the one who vacated it. Hence, no legitimate monster champs at this time.

41st World Heavyweight Champion - WWE's Undisputed Champ The Undertaker - 5/28/02 - 7/21/02

42nd World Heavyweight Champion - WWE's Undisputed Champ The Rock (4) - 7/21/02 - 8/25/02

43rd World Heavyweight Champion - WWE's Undisputed/WWE Champ Brock Lesnar (1) - 8/25/02 - 11/17/02

44th World Heavyweight Champion - WWE Champ The Big Show - 11/17/02 - 12/15/02

If The Big Show had a consistent character, or if they developed him like Andre instead of just being the semifinal boss of a video game (Goro before Shang Tsung/Sagat before M. Bison), I would not resist recognizing his title reigns. The World Heavyweight Championship was yet to be truly developed, just a way for Hunter to put himself over...and over...and over (should I repeat it two more times, SUCKER?)

45th World Heavyweight Champion - WWE Champ Kurt Angle (3) - 12/15/02 - 3/30/2003

46th World Heavyweight Champion - WWE Champ Brock Lesnar (2) - 3/30/03 - 7/27/03

47th World Heavyweight Champion - WWE Champ Kurt Angle (4) -7/27/03 - 9/16/03

48th World Heavyweight Champion - WWE Champ Brock Lesnar (3) - 9/16/03 - 2/15/04

No better way to end this blog than with the best trilogy since Flair/Steamboat. Hopefully, every 24 entries will be like that. Did WWE know how to book back in the oughts, or am I going to be glad I was too focused on my career to notice at the time?