Our story begins in rural Japan away from city life. Bruce Wayne ditched Selena Kyle in Tokyo to experience the tranquility of nature and hopefully become the Last Samurai. He farmed the land, helped with construction projects, and got to know the women well. One day, Bruce was fetching some water when he noticed a commotion in the village. He ran back and found some frozen statues.
"Well...that's fucking weird," he muttered.
One frozen statue was a mother and child that had been stabbed through to add insult to injury. "I will avenge you," Bruce promised and then started to look around for the assailant.
Chinese men in ninja outfits approached Bruce with their swords. Bruce took out his own sword and easily dispatched them by breaking necks, cutting off limbs, and stabbing through backs and skulls. He then threw his sword at the last one dropping him as he scored a hit on his back. More Chinese warriors arrived wearing masks and bladed weapons. Bruce took out a Batarang attached to a chain and expertly sliced the Chinese warriors as he swung it around. As more Chinese warriors came by, Bruce used his Batarang as a knife and sliced them up in close combat. Bruce then looked around for the leader having killed a dozen men in brutal fashion.
He found the leader chilling on a rock waiting for him. "The great warrior," Bi-Han identified. "Bruce Wayne."
"Who the fuck are you?" Bruce asked.
"My friends call me Bi-Han, but you can call me...Subzero," he said menacingly. "The mighty Shirai Ryu clan has been exterminated by me," he said proudly.
"I wish I gave a shit," Bruce said dismissively.
"I have to kill you now," Subzero said to him.
"Tall order," Bruce scoffed and then threw his Batarang right at his head. Subzero dodged the blade just in time allowing it to stab into a tree behind him. Subzero smirked at him until Bruce pulled his Batarang back via chain slicing into his face.
Bruce and Subzero fought evenly in hand-to-hand combat. The two struggled over the Batarang in an attempt to stab each other with it. Subzero managed to turn the Batarang against Bruce and slice into his gut. Bruce headbutted him and took back his Batarang. Subzero grabbed Bruce by the throat and began to freeze him. Bruce sliced into Subzero's gut and escaped his grip. The two fought evenly with Bruce getting another slice on Subzero but then Subzero slammed Bruce's head against a rock.
The two continued to fight with punches and kicks until Bruce had his Batarang pointed at Subzero's face. Subzero dodged the attack and threw Bruce against a tree stunning him. Taking the Batarang from the tree, Subzero sliced into Bruce's shoulder with it. "Do not forget this face, asshole," Bruce said to him as he passed out.
Subzero let Bruce fall to the ground and assumed him mortally wounded. He then walked off like a boss.
Mortal Kombat
Bludhaven, New Jersey
Dick Grayson casually got himself ready for his next MMA fight. At his side was Barbara Gordon, his wife, and his pre-teen daughter, Robyn. When Dick wasn't out fighting crime in his new city as Nightwing, he was an MMA fighter for hire. He generally kicked ass in the cage. During this particular fight, James Olsen was there to watch. Dick easily defeated his opponent with an armbar. Before Dick could break his opponent's arm, the referee called it.
After the fight, James went to see Dick in the locker room. "Dick Grayson, the Nightwing," he identified.
"Have we met?" Dick asked.
"No. The name's James Olsen. I bet a lot of money on you," he smiled.
"Glad I could make you some money," Dick said and then took off towards the exit.
"I think you have the mark. I have it, too. It can only be seen using a special scanner," James said to him.
"That sounds like bullshit. I'll see you around, James," Dick said dismissively and then walked out of the gym.
Dick met up with Barbara and Robyn at a diner. "Still in one piece," Barbara said pleased and then gave him a kiss. "How did it go?"
"Daddy kicked ass," Robyn reported.
"You sure you're okay?" Barbara asked concernedly.
"I'm still standing," Dick smiled.
Barbara gave him a pissed-off expression. "Oh, too soon?" Dick realized.
"Yeah, too soon. I was stuck in a wheelchair for years, asshole," Barbara tore into him.
Meanwhile, James was eying Dick from across the street in his car. "I'm pretty sure he has the mark. He's with his family," he said to Lena Luthor via phone. It then suddenly started to snow and then frost appeared on the windows.
Subzero emerged from the fog and suddenly slammed ice down on the area. Robyn took cover under a table just as the ice was about to crush her. "Robyn!" Dick shouted for her.
James went into action driving his truck up to the Grayson family. "Get in the truck!" he shouted. They obliged him, getting into the truck just as Subzero was about to slam them with another icefall. James then sped off. "Lena, I got him," James told her via phone.
"What the fuck is that thing?" Dick asked.
"He calls himself Subzero. He controls ice," James told him and then scanned Dick with his device. "Just as I thought. We both have the mark."
"What is it?" Dick wondered.
"I think it means we're chosen to fight in Mortal Kombat," James said super-serious.
"Nice," Dick smiled only to get a dirty look from Barabara. "I mean, that's terrible. I'm not the fighter I used to be. I suck ass."
"Like it or not, Dick, you're the guy," James told him. "So long as you have that mark, they'll be coming for you and they will kill anyone they have to in order to get to you."
"Like Terminator," Dick realized.
"Exactly," James agreed.
James went around a corner only to be stopped by Subzero. He materialized an ice-spear in his hand and threw it at the truck's engine disabling it. "Everyone out," James said as the truck was dead.
"You got a plan?" Dick asked.
"Yeah, go to Wayne Manor," James advised as he took out a bad-ass shotgun.
"Maybe we could take him together," Dick suggested.
"And have your family dead in the crossfire? If we split up, it will be harder for him to get to you and your family," James said.
As James moved against Subzero, the Grayson family ran off on foot. Subzero advanced on James and attempted to take his rifle away from him. James fired on him point-blank. The shotgun pellets froze in midair. Subzero then sliced the frozen shotgun in half. The two fought hand-to-hand with James getting his ass kicked in the alleyway. James got back up and got some good hits on Subzero to even out the fight.
"I've done six tours...as a photographer...mother-fucker," James told him off.
Subzero was unimpressed and gave James a solid beat down. Subzero then grabbed him by the neck, froze his throat, and cast him back to the ground. Unable to breathe very well, James weakened quickly. Subzero put him in various holds as he froze his arms and shoulders. In the end, he held James' arms out, froze his arms solid, and then shattered them.
"All my gains," James muttered.
Subzero gave him a condescending pat on the shoulder and then pushed him lightly to the pavement. Continuing his style of not verifying that his opponent was truly dead, Subzero walked off like a boss.
The Grayson family managed to get a cab and made their way to Wayne Manor where they were invited in by Alfred. Dick tucked Robyn into bed and had a chat with Barbara. "We'll be safe here," Dick said confidently.
"In Wayne Manor? This place is constantly attacked," Barbara scoffed.
"He's after me. So, I'm going to leave," Dick said.
"Maybe that sexy muscular black man killed him," Barbara said, turned on by the thought of it.
"We have to make sure," Dick said reasonably.
"So, where are you going?" Barbara asked.
"To Wayne Tower. I know some people that may have some answers," Dick said and then took off.
Dick chose one of Bruce's more expensive cars and drove to Wayne Tower. He entered the Bat-Cave easily enough and looked around. "Anyone here?" he asked. Immediately, he was attacked from behind. A woman struck him several times, placed her knee around his neck, and dropped him to the ground. "Kate?" he wondered.
Beth sighed and got off him. Brainiac 5 casually walked towards them both. "It's just a Dick," Beth said to him.
"I saw him come in," Brainiac 5 revealed.
"Look, James Olsen told me about some kind of mark. He said it had to do with Mortal Kombat," Dick said.
Brainiac 5 scanned Dick's body. "He has it."
"Kate Kane is gone for the foreseeable future. I am Beth Kane, her twin sister," Beth said and then gave him a hand up. "So, where is this James Olsen?"
"He stayed behind to fight this guy called Subzero," Dick said.
"He's a dead man," Brainiac 5 said bluntly.
"What is this?" Dick asked.
"According to legend, there are death tournaments between this world and another universe. These tournaments are referred to as Mortal Kombat. Only those with the mark are chosen," Brainiac 5 said.
"Who decides who gets the mark?" Dick asked.
"Elder gods choose warriors to represent them in the tournament. Apparently, you and James Olsen were chosen," Brainiac 5 said.
"Wait...I'm good...but I'm not the best fighter on Earth. Why was I chosen?" Dick asked.
"The Elder god that supposedly watches over Earth has a poor track record on choosing champions. The Earth has lost nine straight tournaments. If Earth loses again, it will allow for an invasion from Outworld. Not even Supergirl may be able to prevent the Earth from being defeated and enslaved," Brainiac 5 said grimly.
"How many others have the mark?" Beth asked.
"There are typically five altogether," Brainiac 5 replied.
"Wait...why is Dick being attacked before the tournament has even begun?" Beth asked.
"It's called cheating," Brainiac 5 said obviously.
"Is there a way to get a mark? I want in," Beth said enthusiastically.
"Legend has it that if you kill a champion of your own realm, you become a champion," Brainiac 5 said as he showed various cultural artifacts on the viewing screen.
Dick immediately went into a fighting stance. Beth took out a pistol and aimed it at him. "We should talk about this," Dick said to her.
"What's to talk about? I kill, you don't. I use guns, you don't. I'm clearly the better choice," Beth said as she cocked her pistol.
"She has a point," Brainiac 5 allowed.
"You're both nuts," Dick said of them.
Beth then lowered her pistol. "Just kidding," she smiled. "You should have seen the look on your face."
"Fuck you, I have a family," Dick told her off.
"I do, too, sort-of, not really," Beth said awkwardly.
"Where's the pisser around here?" Joseph Wilson aka Deathstroke asked as he casually walked about the cave.
"What the fuck is this?" Dick asked outraged.
"Nice to see you, too, Boy-Wonder," Joseph mocked.
"Why are you here?" Dick wondered.
"None of your fucking business," Joseph told him off.
"Be nice," Beth ordered. "He's also a champion."
"This man is a member of the Black Dragon mercenary clan, an arms dealer, drug runner, and an assassin. I say you kill his ass and transfer his mark to you," Dick said.
"I have an arrangement with Black Mask. We're not allowed to kill each other," Beth said vaguely.
Dick eyed Beth long-and-hard. "Well, okay then."
Their conversation was interrupted by alarms in the Bat-Cave. "The motion detectors have been triggered," Brainiac 5 explained. The four of them looked around for the source of the intruder.
"Where the fuck is it?" Beth asked as she pointed a flashlight at the dark cave walls.
Dick was suddenly thrown to the ground and Joseph was slammed against the ceiling and brought down to the floor hard. Joseph struggled against the cloaked creature as it sliced into his face. Beth fired on the invisible creature several times. When she ran out of bullets, she threw two Batarangs at the creature. The invisible reptile creature roared at Beth and scrambled away. Beth threw a Batarang at the reptile only to hit Joseph's leg instead.
"The fuck was that?" Joseph asked dismayed.
Reptile swatted Beth to the ground while Dick swung a staff at it. Joseph took the Batarang out of his leg and swung around the cave hoping to get a hit. Reptile was finally hit with several paintballs. The three looked back to see Brainiac 5 with a paintball gun. "Damn, that's smart," Joseph remarked.
Reptile dropped his cloak completely and engaged them all at once. Reptile avoided their blows and kicked ass on all of them. Reptile wrapped his tongue around Joseph's neck and brought him closer. Beth took a knife and stabbed Reptile to the chest. Reptile smacked her away where she hit a cave rock. Joseph took Beth's knife, sliced upward into its throat, and punched deep into Reptile's chest. He grabbed Reptile's heart and forced it out of its body. Reptile then fell to the ground dead.
"May I?" Brainiac 5 requested as Deathstroke still had Reptile's heart in his hand.
"Sure," Joseph said and then went to wipe his glove clean of green goo.
"Well, at least we defeated one of their champions," Dick said.
"That wasn't a champion. A mere foot soldier," Brainiac 5 corrected.
"Fawk," Dick realized.
"You got anything to deal with this?" Joseph asked referring to his face.
"Of course," Brainiac 5 said and proceeded to heal his facial injury with a healing ray.
"I need a pen and paper so I can draw this epic kill," Joseph requested.
"Why?" Dick wondered.
"Working on a graphic novel of my greatest kills," Joseph said.
"He's a psychopath," Dick pointed out to Beth and Brainiac 5.
"Well...he's not the only one," Beth smirked.
"What's the plan?" Dick asked anxiously.
"We need to bring the enemy to us away from populated areas," Brainiac 5 reasoned.
"Hold up, I'm not interested in being involved in any Mortal Kombat tournament. I mean, what do I get if I win?" Joseph asked.
"Your life," Dick said obviously.
"I can wait this out," Joseph said confidently.
"I'll give you two million dollars," Beth offered.
"Sold," Joseph agreed.
"What the fuck? You have access to Wayne's trust fund?" Dick asked incredulously.
"Yeah," Beth said nonchalantly.
"You know, I never took Bruce's money. I wanted to be my own man," Dick said to her.
"I hate the man even more than you do but money is money," Beth told him.
"Damn straight," Joseph agreed. "So, where are we going?"
Brainiac 5 piloted the Bat transport plane to the mountainous desert wasteland that was New Mexico. Upon arriving at the spot, Dick, Beth, and Joseph suited up as Nightwing, Batwoman, and Deathstroke. Beth and Deathstroke loaded up on weapons and ammunition while Dick simply watched. "I took the liberty of replicating your sticks," Brainiac 5 said handing them to him.
Beth and Joseph scoffed at them. "One hit from one of these and you're done," Dick said defensively.
"Not very lethal, I would say," Joseph mocked.
"If you so choose, push this button and the sticks become lances," Brainiac 5 said.
"Thanks, but I don't think I'll need it," Dick told him.
"Time to go," Joseph said as the ramp opened.
"It's been a while," Dick said to the others.
"I'll be right behind you, princess," Joseph mocked as he kicked him out of the plane.
The three of them parachuted into the mountains as the Bat transport plane went on its way. The three made their walk not wearing their masks. Not long afterward, Joseph slowed down. "Fuck this. I need a break."
"We just had a break," Dick protested. "Too many beers?"
"Let's look at the scoreboard. I killed the lizard man, took his heart out. What have you done?" Joseph mocked. "I'm carrying a lot more gear than you are."
Beth and Dick ignored him and kept going. "I see what's going on. You two are plotting to kill me. I'm right here. You want the mark, all you got to do is kill me and take it," Joseph said to Beth. "Come on, you want to dance?"
Beth and Joseph stared each other down. "Nah," Beth said finally.
"Suit yourself. I offered," Joseph said as they continued their walk.
Eventually, they came upon a figure wearing white-and-blue. "Hi, guys!" Nia said cheerfully.
"What the fuck is this? Who the fuck is she? You fucking serious?" Joseph mocked her.
Nia powered up an orb in her hand and blasted him on his ass. "I don't think we've made your acquaintance," Beth said dryly.
"I'm Nia Nall," she introduced herself.
"You're one of the champions? How can that be? You're an alien," Beth said.
"I'm actually half-human. I guess the human part of me counts for something now," Nia explained. "Hey, where's James?"
"Let's just say he got disarmed," Joseph joked.
"Meaning?" Nia asked confused.
"He fought Subzero, and we haven't heard from him. I'm sorry," Dick said sincerely.
Nia closed her eyes in grief. "That...sucks," she said tearfully.
"So, where are we spending the night?" Joseph asked getting back to business.
"Come with me," Nia said leading them back the way they came.
They eventually arrived at an underground bunker in the mountains. "Barney made a number of these bunkers over ten thousand years ago," Nia said as she lit the way through the cave.
"Was it really necessary for us to come all this way for a bunker?" Joseph asked skeptically.
"Barney didn't really explain why it had to be this place," Nia shrugged.
On the walls were cave paintings of Supergirl, Mon-El, and Brainiac 5 involved in battles against various cultures and nations over thousands of years. "You telling me Supergirl is ten thousand years old?" Beth scoffed.
"Yes-and-no. She went back to the past too far. Every so often, she would exit hypersleep and go on an adventure before going back to sleep again," Nia explained.
Metropolis
An unconscious James was placed on a medical table in Lex Corp. Tower. Lena winced as she saw the damage. "His wounds have been cauterized. He will live," Brainiac 5 told her.
"I should have stopped him," Lena shook her head tearfully.
"Had he not found Dick Grayson in time, he and his family would now be dead," Brainiac 5 reminded her.
James woke up groggily. "Find someone...to kill me," he said sacrificially.
"Wait...what the fuck?" Lena asked incredulously.
"I'm useless as I am. The world hangs in the balance. Find someone strong to kill me and then the mark will transfer to them," James said.
"No, I won't let you die," Lena objected. "We're going to make you stronger, better."
"How?" James wondered.
New Mexico
A man dressed in black wearing a red helmet entered the bunker. On his belt were two pistols. On his back were two swords he had stolen from the Amazons. "About time you showed up. I've been kicking ass on these losers all day," Joseph said to him as Red-fucking-Hood arrived.
"Spare me," Red Hood said dismissively.
The two entered the dining hall where Dick, Beth, and Nia were eating. "No way," Dick realized upon seeing him.
"Nice reunion, bro," Red Hood said to him.
Dick got up and stared him down. "You're not my bro, bro. You betrayed the code."
"Is that before or after Batman sided with me on killing people?" Red Hood mocked.
"I will bring Bruce back to the light," Dick said resolved.
"Please. What have your school-boy heroics ever achieved? Bludhaven is still a shit-hole. Perhaps, I need to make a little visit to clean up your mess," Red Hood antagonized.
"I'm sorry, who is this guy?" Nia asked confused.
"I'm Red Hood, champion of Earth, and a total bad-ass," he introduced himself.
"A Robin reject," Dick corrected. "Who got his ass killed by the Joker," he added.
"What's one loss when you have hundreds of wins?" Red Hood said defensively.
"Your helmet makes you look like a fucking power ranger," Dick pointed out.
"That poor excuse of a mask isn't fooling anyone," Red Hood shot back.
"Can we stop measuring dick sizes? I'm trying to eat," Beth said dismissively.
Red Hood gave her a mock bow. "Of course, princess," he said and then slowly took off his helmet to reveal Jason Todd.
Outrealm
The dark wizard, Shang Tsung met with his champions in the middle of an inhospitable desert. His champions for this tournament were: Nitara, Reiko, Goro, Kabal, and Mileena. Subzero was also present. He wasn't a champion, just an asshole that decided to join Shang's cause. Nitara had large bat-like wings but looked otherwise human, Reiko was a bald man with a hammer, Kabal was a human mercenary that wore a breathing apparatus over his entire face, and Mileena was a woman that could open her mouth wide revealing sharp teeth. Mileena was crazy-as-fuck with blood perpetually on her mouth from always killing fools.
"My loyal warriors, I have seen the so-called champions of Earthrealm and they're no match for all of you. We are on the precipe of victory from taking Earthrealm forever. However, the Earth champions have decided to gather together under a stockpile of primitive nuclear fission devices. They're trying to lure us into a trap. If we all attack them at once, they will surely detonate their explosives killing you all. If we attack with only one champion, that champion will likely lose," Shang said to them.
"Quite the dilemma," Kabal said dryly.
"My patience wears thin. Find a way to remove them from that mountain," Shang ordered.
"Goro smash!" Goro agreed.
New Mexico
Kabal went into the bunker alone and found Joseph on guard. "Well, well, well, you one-eyed, two-faced, backstabbing mother-fucker," Kabal said of Joseph while keeping his distance.
"Kabal," Joseph addressed.
"Hey, Deathstroke. It's been a while," Kabal said.
"Your eyes look a little redder than usual," Joseph mocked referring to his mask. Some time ago, Joseph had betrayed Kabal by sending a grenade directly into his face. The damage blasted off Kabal's face forcing him to wear a mask to see, hear, and breathe. And...Kabal took that personally.
"You're on the wrong side, tough guy," Kabal taunted.
"You working for that wizard?" Joseph mocked.
"Not working for him, working with him," Kabal corrected. "Trust me, it has its perks."
"Like what?" Joseph asked curiously.
"This is fucking tragic. Look at yourself. You used to be someone to fear. You've fallen a long way since you led the Black Dragon," Kabal insulted.
"I am the Black Dragon," Joseph told him off.
"Which one is your boss? Is it the tranny?" Kabal said offensively referring to Nia.
"I don't take orders from anyone. Wait...she's trans?" Joseph wondered.
"No shit, Sherlock," Kabal said obviously.
"Damn," Joseph shook his head realizing he needed to reassess his orientation.
"Fight with us and you'll have more money than you will know what to do with. Just name your price, double it, and double it again. What are you waiting for, asshole?" Kabal tempted.
"What good is money if the planet is sacked?" Joseph refused.
"Do you know you're underneath a stockpile of nuclear weapons? That's why you're here. To lure us all in and then blow the mountain sky-high. Too bad we're not that stupid," Kabal revealed.
"Yeah...well...fuck," Joseph said disturbed by this revelation.
"With friends like these, who needs enemies?" Kabal mocked. "Lure them out of this shit-hole, and we'll give you whatever you want."
Kabal then left Joseph to his thoughts.
Metropolis
Brainiac 5 and Lena worked together to fit mechanical arms on James' stumps. James flexed his fingers and saw how bulky his arms were. "I think I can fight now," James said eagerly.
"You still need time to recover," Lena objected.
"The others will need me. I have to go now," James insisted.
"James, you are the champion that must live. Your role in this game is to simply survive," Brainiac 5 said to him.
"What are you saying?" James wondered.
"Once all of Outrealm's champions enter the bunker, I'm going to detonate the nuclear explosives I have placed there. No one will survive," Brainiac 5 said.
"What about Nia?" James asked stunned.
"No one," Brainiac 5 said coldly.
New Mexico
The next morning, Joseph decided to tell the others what Kabal had told him during training. Dick and Jason fought evenly as the others watched. "You're too slow, old man," Jason antagonized as he sliced Dick's arm with his sword. Dick worked to avoid Jason's strikes and then shocked him with his sticks dropping him.
"We're under a huge stash of explosives, FYI," Joseph revealed. "Set to blow whenever your robot friend feels like it."
"Barney would never do that...wait...yes, he would," Nia realized.
"Why am I not fucking surprised?" Beth shook her head dismayed.
"You're telling me we're bait for a trap?" Dick questioned.
"Sure seems like it. If five of their champions die but only four Earth champions die, Earth wins," Joseph said simply.
"Surely, it's just a contingency plan," Nia said shocked and appalled.
"Wake up! That robot has no emotions, no morality, no conscience. He'll sacrifice us without hesitation," Joseph said to her.
"Precisely," Shang said as he emerged from black smoke.
The others immediately pointed their weapons at him. "I am a god. Your weapons cannot harm me," he told them.
"But you can't harm us either. That's the rule," Nia said to him.
"Correct," Shang allowed. He then turned to Dick. "Your family is unprotected. It would be a shame if my champions were to visit them."
"You leave them out of this," Dick stared him down.
"You can stay here and let your family die, or I can take you to them," Shang offered.
"He's just trying to divide us to pick us off one-by-one," Beth said to him.
"She's not wrong," Shang smiled and then created a portal of black smoke.
Dick turned to the others. "I'm sorry," he said and then entered the portal.
"Any others?" Shang asked.
Joseph, Jason, Beth, and Nia remained firm. "Very well then," Shang said disappointedly and then disappeared from their sight.
Wayne Manor
Dick emerged from the portal and entered Wayne Manor. "Dick!" Barbara shouted upon seeing him.
"We need to get out of here. They know where we are," Dick told her.
"Dick, Wayne Manor is the most secure place we could go," Barbara pointed out.
Machine gun turrets suddenly activated on the Wayne Manor lawn. Dick and Barbara turned to the window to see a large monster man approaching. Goro charged the machine gun turrets and destroyed them with his four arms. Explosive mines went off all around him. As the smoke cleared, Goro emerged looking pissed-off. "Take Robyn to the cave," Dick ordered Barbara.
She complied and went to get Robyn. Dick waited for Goro ready to fight him with his two sticks and Nightwing armor. Goro punched through the door and went after Dick trashing the mansion as he did. Dick hit Goro several times with his sticks but the electricity had little effect. Goro disarmed Dick and smacked him around the halls. With two arms, he kept Dick still while punching him repeatedly with his other two arms. Finally, Goro punched Dick through a wall. The two struggled to get out of the way as the ceiling collapsed on them. Goro soon threw the debris off of him and put Dick in a stranglehold around his neck and waist with all four arms.
"Now, I take out your spine," Goro said to him. "A champion that won't kill is useless," he taunted.
A Batarang suddenly sliced into Goro's leg. Goro roared in rage and then turned to see Barbara in her old Batgirl uniform. Turning away from Dick, Goro went after Barbara to give her a second broken back. Barbara held her own for a short moment as Goro swiped at her. One of Goro's punches connected sending Barbara to the floor. Goro was about to slam his four fists on her when Dick intervened. He grabbed one of his arms and twisted it out of position and then tripped him up. Dick got on top of Goro and punched at him as hard as he could.
"Get off of me," Goro said as he punched Dick off of him.
Goro got back to his feet and twisted his arm back into position. Goro engaged Dick and began to beat on him. Dick could only block as he was getting hammered. Finally, Dick managed to get an uppercut on Goro. This only enraged him. Goro leaped up and slammed Dick to the floor. Alfred came behind a corner and fired shotgun rounds into Goro greatly annoying him.
"Master Dick," Alfred said as he threw his sticks to him.
"Thanks, Alfred," Dick said appreciatively. Looking around him he knew what was at stake. If he lost, Barbara, Robyn, Alfred, and the entire world would be done for. At this point, Dick knew what he had to do. He activated the button on both sticks extending out sharp blades.
Goro was undeterred and charged Dick once more. This time, Dick sliced him good to the chest. Dick leaped up and slashed his upper right hand off. While Goro was distracted from the pain of losing his hand, Dick sliced deep into his gut. In a twirling motion, Dick slit Goro's throat with one lance and sliced through his right eyeball with the other. Goro fell to the floor dead with his organs falling out.
Dick then noticed Barbara and Robyn staring at him. "It's okay," Robyn assured him as she saw the body.
"Yeah...it is," Dick nodded.
Metropolis
Reiko teleported inside Lex Corp. Tower and went for the lab smashing doors and walls as he did with his hammer. "We have an intruder," Brainiac 5 said obviously.
"We have to evacuate," Lena said urgently as alarms went off throughout the whole building.
"No, we stop them here," James insisted as he did some shadow boxing with his new robot arms.
Reiko entered the lab and swung his hammer around at the sensitive equipment. James went to fight him but didn't have proper coordination with his arms. Reiko slammed James' arms repeatedly with his hammer. He took James by the throat and roared at him. "God damn, your breath stinks," James complained.
Reiko didn't take kindly to that observation and bashed James a few more times with his hammer. Finally, he slammed James up against the wall and focused on Lena and Brainiac 5. Lena fired a pistol on him that merely bounced off his skin. Brainiac 5 sprung out cables that wrapped around his hammer and arm. Reiko charged Brainiac 5 and slammed his hammer on his head destroying it. The Brainiac 5 drone fell to the ground without a head. Reiki swung his hammer nearly taking out Lena's head. Instead, he brought lighting equipment suspended from the ceiling. The equipment fell on Lena pinning her.
Seeing Lena's precarious situation, James got back to his feet and charged Reiko with solid punches. James backhanded Reiko to the face, took hold of his hammer, and then snapped it in two. Throwing the hammer aside, James punched Reiko hard to the face splattering his left eye. James punched him to the gut dropping him and then punched him again to the left side of his face caving in the eye socket. While Reiko was on his knees, James punched him repeatedly to the face crushing his nose. Finally, James slammed his hands together blasting apart Reiko's head spraying blood all over the walls, the floor, and on James' arms.
"Yeah, these mother-fuckers work," James said pleased.
"James!" Lena cried out still pinned down.
"Oh, shit," James realized. With his robot arms, he pulled the equipment off of her. Lena then saw the gory scene that was once her lab.
"The clean-up bill is going to be outrageous," she realized.
New Mexico
Shang, Subzero, and the three remaining Outrealm champions teleported into the bunker confronting Beth, Joseph, Jason, and Nia. "By now, my champions have killed two of yours. You are now at a disadvantage," Shang said not realizing it was the opposite.
"You're bluffing," Beth accused.
"Am I? Do you have the courage to die here? I can sacrifice three of my champions here and still win," Shang told them. "Or we can take this to a more appropriate venue."
"We're staying right here," Jason said to him. "If we die, we'll take three of your champions with us."
Mileena, Kabal, and Nitara gave each other looks. "Maybe we should reconsider this," Kabal said to Shang.
"Silence!" he scolded him. "Let Mortal Kombat begin," he ordered.
Beth engaged Mileena in close combat. Milenna fought twin sai blades while Beth blocked with her armbands. Beth threw a Batarang only to have it deflected away. Mileena swiped at Beth's suit unable to get through it. Beth disarmed her of one sai but was stabbed through the shoulder with the other. "The fuck?" Beth realized as the sai actually penetrated the suit.
Mileena grinned and then kicked Beth to the ground. She flipped in the air and came down on top of Beth. She pulled out the sai and licked the blood off it. "Wait...this isn't the blood of a chosen one," she realized.
"No shit," Beth spat.
"Your death has no worth," Mileena judged and then teleported away.
Meanwhile, Nia tried to hold her own against Subzero in a narrow hallway. She fired an energy pulse at him. He easily dodged the strike. "Bitch, please," he said as he blasted her to the floor with an ice burst. Subzero rushed Nia and froze her shoulders in place. Subzero then formed an ice dagger in his hand for the kill. Nia formed a forcefield around her body preventing Subzero's dagger from stabbing her through. As the two struggled against each other, Nia powered up an orb in her hand and blasted Subzero off of her. Subzero hit the wall hard momentarily stunned.
Nia gasped with relief and pain. As Subzero got back up, Nia formed energy cables around his legs and swung him around the bunker where he hit the walls several times before being cast a good distance away. Nia then fell to a knee as she felt the intense cold around her.
Joseph took on Kabal, his old rival. He took cover in the hallways and waited for Kabal to zip by. Once he did, Joseph fired a grenade shell on him. Kabal sliced the grenade in half before it could hit him with his hook blades. Joseph was quickly disarmed of his rifle by the fast-moving Kabal. Joseph fired his pistol into his gut to no effect. Kabal slammed Joseph against the walls and then placed his hook at his throat.
"What's the matter, Deathstroke? Do you need me to slow things down for you?" Kabal taunted.
Joseph pulled a grenade and allowed them both to get hit. Kabal cried out as he fell to the floor, his mask severely damaged. Joseph fell to the floor stunned by the blast but reasonably protected by his armored suit and mask. Kabal's breathing became erratic as his mask started to malfunction. Joseph took out his sword and swiped at the tube on his mask. Kabal immediately lost his super-speed as he could barely breathe. Joseph kicked Kabal a good distance away, took up his rifle, and fired another shell. The grenade shell hit Kabul to the gut and exploded in a fireball.
"Fatality," Joseph smirked as Kabul was blown to bits.
In the training pit, Jason fired twin pistols at Nitara as she flew around. She screeched at him as she got a few hits on him with each pass. Jason took his sword and threw it in the sand where it remained upright. Nitara went for another pass. This time, Jason leaped onto her back. The two struggled briefly into the air until Nitara fell to the ground. Jason's sword sliced right through her head and torso cutting her clean in half. Jason cried out in sick pleasure as he jumped off Nitara's back to avoid getting sliced in half, too. He then retrieved his sword.
"Flawless victory," Jason smiled with blood all over his helmet and uniform.
Mileena suddenly teleported right next to him for a surprise attack. "Oh, shit," Jason realized as he blocked her bite with his sword. Jason struggled with Mileena as she held onto Jason's back with her legs. Nia wandered onto the training pit overwhelmed.
"A little help," Jason called to her.
"Like what?" Nia wondered.
Jason finally pushed Mileena off of him. Nia fired an energy burst right at Milenna blasting a hole through her gut midair. "Oh my God. I am so sorry. I did not mean to do that," Nia said freaked out.
"You did good," Jason assured her.
"Coming from you, I must be fucked," Nia said distressed.
Subzero teleported next to the near-dead Mileena. Seeing her condition, he took hold of her neck and snapped it. With this kill, the mark transferred to Subzero. "Did you just steal my kill?" Nia asked incredulously.
Subzero merely turned away and teleported away.
Metropolis
Dick linked up with James at Lex Corp. Tower. "Holy shit," he remarked at all the damage and then Reiko's body. "What's the score?" James asked concernedly.
"I took out the four-armed World of Warcraft troll," Dick told him. "I see you took out one, yourself."
"Yeah, I did. These arms are legit," James said, proud of them. "Is your family safe?"
"Safe as can be," Dick said confidently.
Hank, the Martian Manhunter, M'gann, Mon-El, and Alex Danvers entered the room. "Now that we're all together, we can finish the others," Hank said confidently.
"I fight alone, thank you," Mon refused.
"Mon, for once, be a team player," Alex scolded.
"I sense a presence that's really cold," M'gann said looking around.
Subzero suddenly teleported into the room. Alex immediately fired her pistol on him. The bullets slowed down in midair until they merely bounced off Subzero's armor harmlessly. Mon fired on Subzero with an energy beam. Subzero quickly created an energy field around him to block it. "Can we not do this in my building?" Lena asked horrified as static electricity sparked all around them.
Mon let off and Subzero's energy field went down. "You really think you can take us all on?" Hank taunted.
Subzero opened his palm revealing Robyn's bracelet. "No," Dick realized. Subzero opened a portal and gestured for Dick to follow him. "Stop, it's a trap!" Alex warned him.
Dick ran through the portal before anyone could stop him. "Well...shit," Hank muttered.
Bludhaven
Exiting the portal, Dick found himself back in his martial arts gym only it was completely frozen with ice everywhere. "Damn, this is cold," Dick said as he felt the radical temperature drop. He then saw Barbara and Robyn frozen up against the metal cage in the center of the gym.
"Barbara, Robyn!" Dick shouted as he ran over to them.
Subzero blocked his path and punched him back. "Finally, the Grayson bloodline will end."
Dick got back to his feet and engaged Subzero with his blades. Subzero easily manhandled him and froze his blades up against his chest. He then threw Dick across the room while disarming him. Subzero flipped into action and continued to kick ass on Dick. He grabbed onto Dick's Nightwing uniform and froze his chest. "Now you will die with your family," Subzero taunted.
Dick desperately took a Batarang and slashed Subzero's armor with it. Subzero disarmed him and pointed the blade at his throat. "The blade of Batman," Subzero remarked as he looked at it. He then sliced downward towards Dick's neck for the kill.
A Batarang sliced through Subzero's arm stopping his motion. Subzero dropped the Batarang and gave his opponent a look of shock and amazement. Dick eyed Batman with fear and relief. "Get over here," Bruce said gruffly as he pulled back his chain linked to the Batarang. Subzero was pulled backward, smashed through a frozen guardrail, and then fell to the floor.
Bruce pulled his Batarang out of Subzero's arm and took out a sword. Subzero formed an ice blade to defend himself. "How did you rise from hell?" Subzero questioned him.
"Because I'm Batman," Bruce replied.
The two engaged in a fairly equal swordfight. They both ended up disarming each other of their swords and devolved to hand-to-hand combat. Bruce stabbed Subzero to the gut with his Batarang. He then withdrew the Batarang, threw it towards his sword, hooked it, and then pulled his sword back into his hand like a badass. As a weakened Subzero remained on the floor, Bruce took off his cowl.
"Do you remember this face?" he asked as he threw his cowl aside.
Subzero got back to his feet and formed a sword blade out of ice. This time, Subzero got the better of the fight slicing into Bruce's side. He took the blood splash from the hit and froze it into a second blade. Subzero then stabbed Bruce in the back, formed an ice wall behind him, and tossed Bruce through it with super-human strength. Bruce quickly got back to his feet and fought Subzero with his sword and Batarang. Subzero dodged his Batarang chain hitting an ice wall instead. Bruce pulled the Batarang back but Subzero caught the blade this time.
The two of them got tangled in the chain as they fought. Bruce pulled his Batarang chain back to himself and kicked Subzero into the cage arena. Subzero quickly formed an ice statue of himself as Bruce went for a kick on him. He slammed into the ice statue shattering it. At this point, Bruce noticed Barbara and Robyn still frozen. Dick was still using his stick blades to try to get them out of the thick ice.
Subzero extended his ice blade and flung icicles at both of them. Bruce and Dick both blocked the icicles with their arms and gave each other looks. They were going to take him on together. In a coordinated effort, Bruce and Dick got several hits on Subzero and tossed him towards the other side of the cage. With his armor in shambles, Subzero decided to take it off. Touching the floor with his ice blade, he froze Bruce's feet and legs preventing him from moving. Dick and Subzero fought with their blades dangerously close to Barbara and Robyn's frozen bodies. Dick held his own disarming Subzero and slicing him deep into his chest. Dick then flipped Subzero back onto the floor.
Bruce tore through the ice around his legs and feet and then threw a device at Barbara and Robyn's feet to warm them up. Subzero got back to his feet tired and injured. He took off his mouth shield as he panted for breath. In a coordinated move, Bruce threw out his Batarang chain towards Dick. He redirected it right into Subzero's chest. Dick picked Subzero off his feet and slammed him to the floor. Bruce then casually ripped the Batarang out of Subzero's chest.
"Leave him to me," Bruce said to Dick as he advanced on the mortally wounded Subzero.
Dick merely nodded and broke Barbara and Robyn out of the ice. Bruce lit a flare from his utility belt and tossed it towards Subzero lighting him on fire. "The heat is on," he told him. Subzero struggled briefly in the flames before he fell to the floor dead. Bruce then turned to Dick, Barbara, and Robyn. "Take care of your family," Bruce said to Dick and then looked to take off.
"Bruce, they're your family, too," Dick said extending his hand to him.
Bruce gave Dick a look of amazement and then shook Dick's hand. He gave Barbara and Robyn a warm smile and then walked off out of view.
The next day, Dick went back to his MMA gym to give notice he was leaving. "I got another fight for you," a promoter told him.
"I'm done fighting for $200 a fight. I'm going to Hollywood," Dick told him.
"What's there?" the promoter asked skeptically.
"I think I want to be a stuntman on movies," Dick said ambitiously.
"Well, okay then," the promoter said leaving him be.
James entered the gym with new biological arms. "What happened to your arms?" Dick asked.
"As much as I loved my badass arms, Lena wanted me to go back to before. At Lex Corp., we can clone human tissue including arms," James explained.
"Well, I think my fighting days might be over," Dick said referring to his move.
"You and me both, man," James agreed.
"I hope our worlds cross again," Dick said sincerely.
"I'm sure they will," James smiled as they parted ways.
Author's Notes: I wasn't quite sure where in the season I should place this bonus episode but seeing as how events could quickly change in the next episode or so, I'm just going to put it here to shake things up. Jax is played by Mehcad Brooks who played James Olsen on SG. I have mixed feelings as to whether Brooks did himself a favor by leaving SG to do this movie where he had very little to do and half of it made no sense. Brooks incorrectly made statements that Raiden was a white-washed character in the '95 version. That is simply not the case and making Raiden Asian in this version was not necessary and confuses him with another MK god, Fujin, that is Asian.
Cole's weapons and armor were too similar to Nightwing for me to not notice. Yes, Cole is being whitewashed to become Dick Grayson here but Cole's character was originally going to be Johnny Cage before the studio decided that a white character saving the day was not woke, so I think it balances itself out here. I leave it up to you to decide if Cole +woke Johnny Cage. Kano was so close to Deathstroke, Sonja to Beth, and Batman to Scorpion that it just fit. Raiden was a walking plothole, so I deleted him altogether.
There are a number of references to Adventures of Supergirl in this episode so check that out if you want more context.