The recent installment of the Mortal Kombat franchise, Mortal Kombat 1, has brought our beloved franchise into a brave new era with many fan favorite characters getting drastically different back stories and relationships. Kitana and Mileena are now biological sisters with a seemingly unbreakable bond, Tanya is no longer a deceitful scoundrel but a pious and fierce protector of Outworld's royal family, and even Baraka has been given a backstory.

The biggest difference in this timeline is Liu Kang no longer being Earthrealm's champion, but a god who has the ability to mold the timeline and alter fate, to an extent.

One of the most exciting aspects of this new era of MK are the new relationships that could potentially form between characters, albeit alliances, friendships, and even romances.

Prior to the game's release, intro dialogues began making their rounds on YouTube, Reddit and the forums. One of the most talked about of these intros were the interactions between the characters Johnny Cage and Princess Kitana. The two characters have had little to no interaction in prior iterations of MK and the dialogues have always portrayed Johnny Cage and Kitana having a somewhat negative relationship with Kitana regarding Cage with a fair amount of disdain and loathing despite them being allies.

However, something seems, different, in their dialogues for MK1.

These dialogues display quite a bit of chemistry between the two characters, their banter doesn't come across like the popular, snooty girl browbeating an obnoxious nerd, but more like bantering friends who may share a mutual attraction, yet only one side cares to admit it. One of the dialogues even claims that Johnny Cage introduced Kitana to the art of cinema.

The vibe between the pair is quite akin to the relationship between Peter Quill/Starlord and Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy, or just about any couple depicted in a romantic comedy where polar opposites attract.

When these dialogues began making the rounds, speculation began to swirl and a lot of it was positive outside of certain forums. There has been fan art and even fan fiction made about the Johnny/Kitana ship, so there's definitely support out there to see this happen.

I think it should happen for a number of reasons that I feel will benefit both characters and the franchise in it's new era.

Reason 1: Opposites Attract: Kitana and Johnny Cage are polar opposites in terms of personality and background. Kitana is a noble and skilled warrior princess from the mystical realm of Outworld, while Johnny Cage is a Hollywood action star who comes off as immature with a big ego. Their differences could lead to engaging character development and interactions as their relationship progresses.

Reason 2- Comedic Potential: Johnny Cage is known for his wit and humor, and his interactions with the more serious and reserved Kitana could provide comic relief within the Mortal Kombat universe. Their banter and clashes in terms of personality could create memorable and funny moments.

Reason 3- Growth and Development: A romantic relationship between Kitana and Johnny Cage could lead to significant character growth for both. Kitana may learn to loosen up and embrace a more relaxed outlook on life off the battlefield, while Johnny Cage could become more grounded and focused, moving beyond his self-centered persona.

Reason 4- New Story Arcs: A romantic relationship between Kitana and Johnny Cage could open up new story arcs and plot twists in the new era. It could introduce challenges, conflicts, and alliances that enrich the overall narrative of the franchise that has yet to be explored.

Reason 5- Fan Interest: Shipping characters in fictional universes is a common fan activity, and there are already fans who support the idea of Kitana and Johnny Cage as a couple. Meeting fan expectations and desires can be a way to engage and excite the Mortal Kombat fan community.

 Besides, having Johnny/Kitana become a thing would be much more interesting than Raiden/Kitana, which would just be a repeat of Liu Kang/Kitana from previous games. Let's try something new that fans will surely talk about and will add new dimensions to the lore and story arc of MK in Lord Liu Kang's "New Era".