The Elder Gods are omnipotent beings that exist in the Mortal Kombat series. These immortal entities preside over all the realms of reality, though they do not interfere directly with mortal affairs, content only with observing. They are responsible for creating the Mortal Kombat tournament as a means of safeguarding the realms.
History[]
Before the realms of Mortal Kombat came into existence, there was the One Being, which comprised all of known reality. The Elder Gods waged war and created the Kamidogu, powerful weapons used to shatter the One Being. The Elder Gods then created the realms from its body, with Earthrealm as the center of power.
Even though the One Being was shattered, its divided mind plotted through exceptionally powerful individuals. It acted through Onaga at first, and would later through Shao Kahn, both unaware of its manipulations.
Original Timeline[]
The Elder Gods' rule of non-interference in mortal affairs that do not threaten their own existence was evident when Shao Kahn, Emperor of Outworld, merged Earthrealm with Outworld to reclaim his wife Queen Sindel, in direct violation of the sacred rules of Mortal Kombat. Raiden begged the Elder Gods to stop Kahn, who was required by those rules to win ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments before he could take Earthrealm, but the Elder Gods did nothing. Thus, the Elder Gods show no signs of being truly benevolent or malevolent towards the various threats posed to Earthrealm. They usually only intervene if their own existence is threatened. Their non-intervention nearly cost them their very existence when Shinnok escaped from the Netherrealm and attacked them directly. Millennia earlier, rumors had it that they had cursed Shang Tsung to consume the souls of other mortals to maintain his existence, either not knowing or not caring that his need to devour mortal souls would lead to him learning the location of Shinnok's Sacred Amulet. Eventually that knowledge would reach Quan Chi, who used it to free Shinnok and take the amulet for himself. Shang Tsung's abilities however were taught to him from Shao Kahn centuries ago. Thanks to the intervention of Raiden, Fujin, and the champions of Earthrealm, Shinnok was stopped. As a reward, Raiden was granted Elder God status.
However, Raiden soon shed himself of this status when the Deadly Alliance arose as a threat to Earthrealm. Divesting himself of Elder Godhood to lead his mortal friends into direct combat, this time Raiden's efforts were thwarted, with all of his allies either killed or disabled. The threat posed by the Deadly Alliance was rendered moot, however, when The Dragon King appeared at the scene where Raiden had just been defeated by the two sorcerers. For millennia Onaga had lain in wait from beyond death to be resurrected and complete his conquest of the realms. Raiden, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi were unable to stop him. As a last effort, Raiden released his godly essence, causing a massive explosion, yet Onaga was unharmed. Soon, all of Raiden´s energies reformed in Earthrealm, but were corrupted by Onaga´s very essence. This drove Raiden to believe that he could neither trust the Elder Gods nor his mortal comrades. Most of all, Raiden was furious with the mortal Shujinko for being duped into aiding the Dragon King's return.
Ironically, this time the Elder Gods did interfere. Now aware of a possible threat to them and the realms, because Onaga had acquired all the Kamidogu and the Amulet, the Elder Gods summoned Scorpion to act as their champion and destroy Onaga. In exchange for his services, they agreed to resurrect his clan. However, after Onaga's defeat, the Elder Gods - for unknown reasons - resurrected Scorpion's clan as the undead, rather than as fully restored humans. Scorpion perceived this as an act of betrayal on the Elder Gods' part and turned against them.
Alternate Timeline[]
Long ago, the Elder Gods foresaw the possibility that Mortal Kombat might result in the rise of too many powerful kombatants whose intensifying kombat could result in Armageddon. This prophecy eventually came to pass as warriors from across the realms gathered in Edenia where the Pyramid of Argus had arisen. Atop the pyramid stood the fire elemental Blaze who held the ultimate power of Armageddon, and whoever defeated Blaze in Mortal Kombat would be granted this awesome power. Though it was intended that one of the sons of Argus, Taven and Daegon, would acquire this power and use it to restore balance to the realms, it was ultimately Shao Kahn the Konqueror who claimed the prize. Having seized such raw godlike power, Shao Kahn slaughtered the remaining kombatants, destroying the thunder god Raiden last. Before Kahn delivered the fatal blow, Raiden knelt seemingly in prayer, but actually cast a spell that allowed him to send a message back in time to his past self. The message was three words: "He must win."
Raiden's message to his past self triggered a radical change to established events, most notably the events surrounding Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm. At that time, Raiden had sought council with the Elder Gods and pleaded for them to intervene, but they refused. However, as events unfolded and the champions of Earthrealm fell one by one, Raiden eventually came to understand the meaning behind the message he had received from his future self. "He must win" actually referred to Shao Kahn; since Kahn had launched an invasion of Earth without first securing victory in Mortal Kombat, the invasion violated the Elder Gods' sacred rules and would be considered an act of treason against them. When Kahn attempted to merge Earthrealm with Outworld, the Elder Gods at last intervened. They empowered Raiden who then fought the mad warlord and defeated him in battle. The Gods then seized Kahn and together they disappeared in a flash of light, ascending to the Heavens where the Elder Gods would punish Kahn for his transgressions. With Shao Kahn's destruction, the merger did not go forward and Outworld's armies retreated from Earthrealm.
Over 25 years after Shao Kahn's invasion, Kronika, the Keeper of Time, enacted a plot to create a new timeline where Raiden did not exist. Her daughter Cetrion, who stood among the pantheon of Elder Gods, would help in this plot. As Kronika initiated a temporal merger, Cetrion turned against the other gods and slew them all, leaving Raiden and his chosen warriors with no divine support. However, Kronika's scheme was still thwarted in the end by Liu Kang, who had been elevated to Fire God status after Raiden's essence merged with him. After destroying Kronika, Liu Kang became the new Keeper of Time and rebuilt the timeline. What changes he made to the timeline are, as yet, unknown, so it is unclear if the Elder Gods still exist in the New Era.
Appearances in other media[]
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation[]
In the sequel to Paul Anderson's Mortal Kombat film, Raiden visits the Eternal Palace to seek the aid of the Elder Gods after Shao Kahn invades Earthrealm. Despite the fact that Kahn has violated the rules of Mortal Kombat, the gods still do not intervene, stating that it is still entirely within humanity's power to change its fate. Refusing to stand by while Earth is destroyed, Raiden willingly gives up his godhood to fight alongside his friends.
Towards the end of the film, Raiden is killed while Liu Kang and his allies battle Shao Kahn and his remaining generals. When it appears that Kahn is losing his battle with Liu Kang, he calls upon his father Shinnok for help. It is only then that the Elder Gods intervene, preventing Shinnok from interfering with the fight. As the Elder Gods watch, Liu Kang kills Shao Kahn and reverses the merger of Earth and Outworld. After the merger is reversed and Shinnok is imprisoned, the gods then resurrect Raiden and grant him Elder God status.
Mortal Kombat Legends[]
The Elder Gods only make brief appearances in the animated Mortal Kombat Legends films, but their role remains the same: they do not become directly involved in mortal affairs, only offering guidance to Raiden as he leads the champions of Earthrealm in their struggles against the forces of Outworld. They each have a distinct appearance and gender, though they are not named in the films.
In Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, Raiden and Shao Kahn meet with the Elder Gods to discuss the proposal of a new tournament, a final Mortal Kombat held in Outworld that will determine the fate of Earthrealm once and for all. The gods agree with the proposal, decreeing that Mortal Kombat between Outworld and Earth will be concluded forever following the contest. Over the next two days, Earthrealm's finest warriors battle against Shao Kahn and his champions and ultimately defeat the evil emperor, thereby securing Earth's future.
While the tournament is taking place, the Mad God Shinnok has hired the Lin Kuei to acquire the Kamidogu of Earthrealm. Having obtained the other five Kamidogu, he needs only one more to fulfill his plan to resurrect the One Being. Despite the best efforts of Scorpion and Sub-Zero, the Lin Kuei are successful and deliver the Kamidogu to Shinnok, though they are unaware of who their client really is or what he intends to do with the relic. With all the Kamidogu in hand, Shinnok becomes the One Being and begins merging all the realms of reality. As the merger begins, the Elder Gods meet with Liu Kang, who had just defeated Shao Kahn in the tournament. They bestow their power upon Liu Kang, who transforms into a great dragon and battles the One Being. With this awesome power, Liu destroys the One Being before it completely consumes reality, saving the realms from annihilation.