EVERY Mortal Kombat Realm EXPLAINED
Earthrealm
Yeah, let’s just get this one out of the way. Everyone knows what EarthRealm is. It’s just Earth. It’s where us Earthlings live in our own messed up harmony in the “Mortal Kombat” world, and it has no idea that it’s a part of anything outside of its own bubble. And a good chunk of our heroes hail from this part of the universe. Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, the Special Forces crew, Nightwolf, even everyone’s favorite weirdo Hsu Hao. Despite being completely oblivious to the possibility of other “realms”, Earthrealm is basically the one that is under constant threat. As we see at the start of the first “Mortal Kombat” (with further clarification provided by MK9), Earthrealm has been eating dirt and lost too many tournaments. So, there’s a lot riding on the one that picks up the story because if they lose, Earthrealm belongs to Outworld. As far as weapons go, it’s no surprise given that most Earthrealmers do not have access to magical abilities like residents from other realms do. Most of them, such as Jax and Sonya, only have a bunch of high-tech toys to fight with. And of course, since this is where most of our main cast is, Earthrealm gets to enjoy its own plot armor and never be conquered a single time…well, save for those couple of times where Shao Kahn deliberately broke the rules and invaded it anyways.
Outworld
Outworld is basically the opposite of Earthrealm. Whereas Earthrealm excels in technology, Outworld has access to all forms of magic thanks to its diverse denizens. However, in a similar manner to Earthrealm, there is a significant power imbalance between Outworld’s people and its leaders. While Shao Kahn rules over from a comfortable fortress, his subjects are forced to build defenses and live in squalor. The Tarkatans especially are typically treated worse than the others, often used as soldiers for Shao Kahn’s conquests. But one thing you’d notice from walking around in Outworld is that, just like in Earthrealm, no one is truly an Outworld native. It is inhabited by individuals of all races from Shokans to Saurians to Edenians to even Vampires and Dragons. Sure, you have folks like Bo’ Rai Cho and Li Mei wandering about who are Outworlders, but who’s to say they didn’t descend from Earthrealm or some other realm? We do get glimpses of Outworld in better times between MKX and MK1. In the former, Kotal Kahn leads the people on a path to make Outworld a prosperous realm where everyone is treated as equals. In the latter, Outworld seems like it’s living a luxurious life with Sindel ruling. However, the Earthrealm warriors soon learn that it’s become plagued with political conspiracies as well as the dreaded Tarkat disease. This realm truly can’t ever catch a break.
Netherrealm
In the world of “Mortal Kombat”, Netherrealm is essentially Hell. It is a world covered in rock, brimstone, lava, and fire, and it is where the souls of evildoers go once they have perished. Many of the individuals who have gone here would reappear in new forms. For example, when Bi-Han died, he was sent to Netherrealm where he would be born again as a vengeful wraith. Because of this process, Netherrealm doesn’t really have any notable residents. Anyone who lives there has come from other realms. The only true native creatures inhabiting Netherrealm are the various demons roaming around the land. And what’s horrible for them is that they are never allowed to leave. Should they try to step outside of Netherrealm, they will suffer a slow and painful death as their bodies rapidly decay. One individual you’ll see frequently is the sorcerer Quan Chi, who often uses Netherrealms demons and victims as part of his visceral experiments. Some demons claim that Quan Chi is actually from Netherrealm, but that has yet to be confirmed.
Khaosrealm
With residents like Havik running around, one would think that Khaosrealm is a sort-of Hell where people deliberately choose to go to. That would be a good guess, but the reality is much simpler than that. Khaosrealm is a realm fueled entirely by the concept of anarchy. To them, anarchy isn’t just a form of governance - it is a religion to follow. It is a way of life. Anything goes here, and there is nothing anyone can do or say otherwise to change things. What might be the strangest part about Khaosrealm’s history is how Havik is the only notable resident to ever exist. From what we’ve seen in “Mortal Kombat: Deception”, Khaosrealm denizens typically keep to themselves, spreading their own conspiracy theories or breaking the fourth wall. Other than that, it’s a realm you only venture into at your own risk. There isn’t much reason to be here for level-headed folk.
Orderrealm
For as dumb as its name sounds out loud, Orderrealm exists practically to be the yin to Khaosrealm’s yang. Orderrealm is where everything is dictated by law and…well, order. Everything is done a certain way, rules are in place to maintain the status quo, and everyone strives for honest success. However, this way of life has put them at odds with Khaosrealm, though not for the reasons you may think. The feud between the two realms isn’t just because of their differing religions, but primarily because of the resources Khaosrealm holds. Surprisingly, Khaosrealm holds a great wealth of water, and Orderrealm wants some of that for themselves. Despite how important this war may be between these two realms, it doesn’t seem like anyone from the other realms really care all that much.
Edenia
Out of all of the realms one may want to reside in, Edenia would be the ideal choice. To many, Edenia was absolute paradise. Aging wasn’t much of a concern, the cuisine was immaculate, and the military was strong enough to hold its own…or so they thought. King Jerrod, Edenia’s ruler, had chosen warriors who failed to win a single tournament for ten consecutive years, thus allowing Outworld to merge with Edenia. And so, Shao Kahn took control of the realm and made Sindel, Kitana, and Jade his servants. The people of Edenia did not back down so easily, though. Outworld’s invasion of Edenia was a total bloodbath, resulting in the loss of many Edenian lives. The only notable denizens remaining are primarily those who served under Sindel’s rule before the invasion. Perhaps one of these days we’ll get a “Mortal Kombat” game where Edenia gets a new story, one where its not under the thumb of Shao Kahn. But asking NRS for an original idea is like asking Coca-Cola for a new recipe; you’re just gonna get New Coke, which is just regular Coca-Cola again in a different package.
Which realm can you see yourself residing in? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays.
