KITANA
 He is Emperor Shao Khan.

 JOHNNY CAGE
 That Outworld honcho?

 Liu Kang rushes up to Rayden.

 LIU KANG
 He can't do anything. We won the tenth 
 tournament. He can't enter Earth.

 Rayden looks at Liu Kang with no answer.

 All around, the Shaolin monks are gathering, looking with. 
 At the EYE of the PHENOMENON, is a light, PULSING 
 hypnotically.

 EXT. LIN KUEI TEMPLE - COURTYARD - NIGHT

 The warriors stare silently up at the clouds. Suddenly the 
 clouds pick up VELOCITY.

 EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLE - NIGHT

 The pinnacle of the pagoda is illuminated in RED LIGHT. PAN 
 HIGHER, the hurricane-like clouds spinning furiously.

 EXT. LIN KUEI TEMPLE - COURTYARD - NIGHT

 For a moment, everyone and everything is silent. Then -- 

 The temple rumbles and SHAKES. Cracks forming on the ground. 
 Smoke blasting through the fissures shooting dirt out like 
 spaying water.

 The warriors stumble and fall against each other. Chaos.
 
 EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLE - NIGHT

 The same effect. Monks running for their lives. The ground 
 breaking up, and coming apart.

 Kitana screams as she loses her balance. Liu Kang grabs onto 
 her tightly, riding out the quake.

 JOHNNY CAGE
 Explain this whole Mortal Kombat concept 
 again one more time!

 RAYDEN
 Shao Khan must have found another way to 
 open the gateways.

 LIU KANG
 I thought our victory in Mortal Kombat 
 closed those portals?

 Something dawns on Kitana, her face realizing.

 JOHNNY CAGE
 What the hell? A couple of million 
 planets in this universe to pick on and 
 we gotta be it?

 EXT. MOUNTAINS - NIGHT

 Zhongling and Xiaoxun exchange glances. They quickly dash 
 down the hill back to the Temple. 

 EXT. LIN KUEI TEMPLE - COURTYARD - NIGHT

 Suddenly, a HUMONGOUS STONE GATEWAY, a la the original Mortal 
 Kombat, forces up out of the ground. At the center of the 
 gateway, the serpent symbol gatekey spins, UNLOCKS.

 SHANG TSUNG
 It has begun!

 INT. N.O.R.A.D. - COMMAND CENTER - DAY

 Several RADAR TECHS are working over the radar consoles. 
 Flashes flare up suddenly on the screen.

 RADAR TECH #1
 I got one, two, five bogies, uh, ten, 
 Holy God...

 Jax is behind them, shocked to the core. RADAR TECH #2 hits 
 a KLAXON alarm. Other TECHS immediately jump to phone lines.

 EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT

 Traffic slams to a halt. WHITE CABBIE is craning his neck 
 out the window, mouth agape, looking up at the sky. He gets 
 REAR-ENDED by another TAXI.

 TIGHT ON KOREAN CABBIE, the car in back, as he pops his head 
 out, screaming.

 KOREAN CABBIE
 Hey, you craz-ee fuck-ee!

 A projectile the size of a dump truck SCREAMS through the sky 
 and blasts the intersection into a FIERY INFERNO. White 
 Cabbie's taxi is lifted off the ground from the IMMENSE 
 FORCE, slamming upside down into the Korean Cabbie.

 More projectiles explode in the street. Cars get thrown 
 everywhere.

 The TOPS OF BUILDINGS - crumble. Mortar, bricks and dust 
 everywhere.

 WIDE ANGLE OF A DEMOLISHED STREET

 Cars burn, debris falls from the top. People racing down 
 when suddenly with a large CRASHING SOUND a building behind 
 the crowd begins to CRUMBLE.

 People SCRAMBLE to get out of the way as DEBRIS from the 
 falling BUILDING litters the area.

 Bursting out of the crumbling corner of the building we SEE 
 an enormous OUTWORLD BEAST. It growls with a THUNDEROUS 
 boom, smashing buildings on both sides as it SWINGS its arms 
 violently.

 EXT. PARIS - NIGHT
 
 People running, people screaming.

 A FIREBALL smashes through the EIFFEL TOWER, the entire top 
 steel frame, and BODIES, come crashing down into the streets.

 EXT. NEW YORK CITY - TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT 

 The phenomenon spins over ONE TIMES SQUARE. Suddenly, we 
 see what appears to be DEBRIS being SUCKED up into the 
 clouds. People are stunned. The debris... they're WRITHING. 
 The shapes aren't debris, but they are SOULS.

 Human instincts take over. The people run away from the 
 phenomenon, screaming, pushing each other out of the way.
 
 ANGLE ON THE FLEEING CROWDS

 Just as a light washes over them.

 TIGHT ON A MAN as a WRAITH-LIKE SPIRIT bursts from his spine 
 in a fountain of green light, then his body shrivels into a 
 dried husk... it falls to the floor.

 EXT. BEIJING - CHINA - NIGHT

 A whole wave of PEOPLE drop to the street. More corpses.

 WIDE ANGLES OVER BEIJING
 
 Thousands of writhing specks, from the entire city all drawn 
 up into the eye of the portal like light to a black hole. We 
 follow, and PLUNGE IN and find ourselves in --

 OUTWORLD EDENIA

 The trail of souls lead right into the Outworld Palace, 
 dominating the horizon, almost Gothic in appearance, dark and 
 ornate. 

 CUT TO:

 INT. THE THRONE ROOM - OUTWORLD PALACE - NIGHT

 TRACKING along a dark, smoke-filled hall. The floor is 
 honeycombed with thousands of cells; beneath each glass-like 
 surface, we see human shapes. Souls writhe in perpetual 
 torment.

 On both sides, walls rise up to incomprehensible heights, 
 wreathed with sulphorous smoke, lit intermittently by shafts 
 of crimson lightning. 

 Then, we come upon the throne, where Emperor SHAO KHAN sits.

 ANGLE ON SHAO KHAN, watching as the cells snatch souls from 
 out of the air with invisible hands. In his eyes, these 
 images invigorate him, almost sexual pleasure.

 SHAO KHAN (V.O.)
 I can feel them, Motaro.

 Nearby are his own two guardians. No ninjas. The leader, by 
 far the largest and mean looking Centurion is MOTARO, and a 
 tall FOUR-ARMED Amazon named SHEEVA.

 SHAO KHAN (CONT'D)
 A father wondering where his daughter 
 had gone. A child lost in the street. 
 A boy and a girl unsure what love really 
 means. All of these emotions, thoughts, 
 stored in a vessel of flesh so fragile.

 He waves a hand. IMAGES appear, MYSTICAL FEEDBACKS from 
 Earth, each displayed on individual whirlpools of light. San 
 Francisco, Paris, cities all in the process of decay.

 More images display Centurion armies invading, millions.
 
 SHAO KHAN (CONT'D)
 And yet only through the inebriation of 
 hubris, they survive. 

 MOTARO
 It is time, your Majesty.

 SHAO KHAN
 Sindel is found?

 MOTARO
 Yes, your Majesty.

 SHAO KHAN
 And the sorcerer?

 MOTARO
 The map is ours.

 SHAO KHAN
 Excellent.
 (standing up)
 Long have I waited for this moment. To 
 finally have in my possession the 
 gateway to all gateways.

 SHEEVA
 Your Majesty, perhaps it is best if you 
 remain here until our armies have 
 recovered the Queen and the amulet.

 Shao Khan shoots her a disapproving glance.

 SHEEVA
 Forgive me. I did not mean to...

 SHAO KHAN
 Silence! Save your concerns for the 
 dying, like your own kind.

 Motaro smirks behind Shao Khan. 

 Shao Khan lifts a hand, touching the whirlpool images. His 
 eyes impassioned.

 SHAO KHAN
 This world, this Earth, has eluded me 
 for far too long. I will be there to 
 witness its final breath.

 He turns away. His two guardians follow dutifully behind.

 EXT. LIN KUEI TEMPLE - COURTYARD - NIGHT

 The Master watches in horror as the CENTURIONS make their 
 appearances. Each of them, man-like, except their entire 
 lower torso is built like a horse. They are ugly, huge red 
 sleek overdeveloped muscles bulging from every corner. The 
 Centurions part, making way for --

 ARCHAIC LIGHTNING explode from the gate, arcing through the 
 bodies of the Lin Kuei warriors. Each one of them drop to 
 the floor, just like the people we saw from the cities.

 THE MASTER spins to Shang Tsung, who promptly grips him by 
 the throat, and squeezes the life out of him. He grins 
 wickedly.

 SHANG TSUNG
 My deal protects you from Shao Khan, but 
 not from me, thief-master.
 (pulls him closer)
 Your souls are mine!

 CRASH! THE GATE explodes inwards VIOLENTLY, sending shards 
 of frozen wood and steel every which way. In walks 
 Zhongling, combat ready --

 Shang Tsung tosses the lifeless body of the Master over the 
 rail.

 SHANG TSUNG
 Seize them!

 A CENTURION bellows from across the yard, charges like a 
 locomotive.

 Zhongling pulls back his hand, and a SWIRL OF BLUE LIGHT of 
 snow and ice forms in his palm -- PHWOOSH!

 ANGLE ON THE CENTURION as his entire body goes from deep red 
 to deep blue, FROZEN. The momentum sends the Centurion 
 CRASHING past Zhongling and Xiaoxun. The creature explodes 
 into a million particles.

 The Centurions hesitate, witnessing this power. One look at 
 Zhongling and we can see he's tapped into a well-spring of 
 fury after witnessing the death of his clan. Major ass-
 kicking is in order here.

 Zhongling tears into the Centurions, unleashing a blizzard of
 martial arts moves. He powers a right hook into the first
 Centurion's face, then pivots, launching a devastating 
 spinning back-fist into the face of a second.

 EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLE - NIGHT

 The Centurions and the Shaolin monks fight it out over the 
 grounds. Stone stained with blood. Bodies strewn. The 
 Shaolin monks are losing. Bad.

 VARIOUS SHOTS --

 Sonya head-butts a CENTURION, does a spinning backhand.

 Liu Kang unleashes a FIREBALL from his two hands, hitting a 
 CENTURION clear off it's hind legs with a WHUMP! It falls 
 over the edge. He grabs Kitana.

 LIU KANG
 Help Grandpa take the children deeper 
 into the Temple.

 Kitana and other ELDERLY MONKS usher a group of CHILDREN into 
 the lower levels of the Temple. CENTURIONS drop from above 
 behind them, ROARING. Kitana reaches down to her boots, 
 pulls out double shin-length serrated BLADES. In front of 
 the Centurions -SCHINGGG!- they unfurl into nasty TESSENS 
 (Oriental combat fans).

 KITANA
 Run!

 Kitana moves like lightning, slashing her way into TWO 
 CHARGING CENTURIONS. Kitana spins again, cuts ANOTHER 
 CENTURION clean in half --

 ON THE FAR END OF THE CORRIDOR,

 a SWORD-WIELDING CENTURION charges. Kitana flings her tessen 
 like a boomerang --

 THE TESSEN arcs, slashes across the Centurion's neck. It 
 gurgles, and drops dead. 

 Rayden makes his way across the field, not at all looking 
 concerned of the battle raging around him. His eyes are 
 focused somewhere else. A CENTURION gets in his way. Rayden 
 presses his palm against the creature, FLASH -- CRACK! The 
 Centurion is blown back. Another Centurion. Same deal. 

 Rayden never breaks his stride or takes his eyes off of -- 

 THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID, where Shao Khan, Motaro and Sheeva 
 emerge from a portal.

 RAYDEN stops at the base.

 RAYDEN
 How fitting it is of you to break the 
 rules when you realize you cannot win.

 SHAO KHAN
 I have broken no rules. I am here only 
 to reclaim what is rightfully mine.

 RAYDEN
 The Earth was never yours to begin with.

 SHAO KHAN
 Earth? Yes. I give your people too 
 little credit, Rayden. They struggle, 
 and they endure. Qualities I admire.

 RAYDEN
 Qualities you fear, Shao Khan. The 
 reasons why you will never control this 
 realm.

 Shao Khan eyes Rayden. For that moment a rush of animalistic 
 rage, but just as sudden, he smiles.

 SHAO KHAN
 Very dramatic of you, however 
 irrelevant. Have a look around you. 
 Your world is decaying. My armies have 
 already advanced into regions around 
 this realm, and as every other realm 
 before Earth... 

 He drops the expression, going back to the sneer.

 SHAO KHAN
 In six days this world was created, so 
 too shall it be destroyed.

 RAYDEN
 I don't think so.

 Both of his hands FLARE UP with intense light. He starts to 
 move up the stairs.

 The last Tournament survivors gather up at the foot of the 
 pyramid.

 LIU KANG
 Lord Rayden!

 Rayden doesn't even hear. 

 EXT. LIN KUEI TEMPLE - COURTYARD - NIGHT

 Both Zhongling and Xiaoxun are putting up a hell of a fight. 
 A snap kick, an overhand elbow strike, a knee stamp that
 shatter's the Centurion's forelegs. An upward block, a jab, 
 a cross, a shin kick aimed at a Centurion's quadriceps.

 Shang Tsung's voice booms over the noise of the battle.

 SHANG TSUNG
 IMBECILES!

 FROM THE PORTALS,

 Reinforcements are showing up along with TWO SILHOUETTES 
 backlit by the light. They emerge. Machines. Chrome bodies 
 with HYDRAULIC MUSCLES, and STEEL CABLE TENDONS. Under the 
 steel, something BREATHES.

 SHANG TSUNG
 Cyrax. Sektor. Finish them!

 Servos WHIR. The two machines turn and fix their gazes on 
 Zhongling and Xiaoxun.

 Shang Tsung motions to Ermac.

 SHANG TSUNG
 Go.

 Ermac leaps from the balcony down to the courtyard.

 CLOSE ON ZHONGLING, backpedaling. 

 The two machines start to advance.

 Zhongling brings together another ice sphere, launches it at 
 the lead machine, Cyrax.

 The sphere hits some shield, which FLASHES brilliantly. They 
 continue to advance, unfazed.

 XIAOXUN
 Come on!

 Xiaoxun drags Zhongling away. They run to the gates. 
 Centurions have already blocked it off. They change 
 direction, and head off deeper into the Temple.

 EXT. NEAR TEMPLE WALLS - NIGHT

 THREE CENTURIONS give chase. Zhongling turns, the same blue-
 white light enveloping his hands. He throws his hands high 
 up, sends an umbrella of the color into the sky. The rain 
 passing through BECOME ICICLES, needle sharp, and they fall 
 on the Centurions, puncturing skin. Painful ROARS.

 The two reach the wall that is roughly twenty feet high. 
 Xiaoxun drops to one knee, cups his hand. Zhongling dashes, 
 jumps, and Xiaoxun helps catapult him up onto the top.

 Zhongling leans down with his hand.

 Xiaoxun runs to a distance, turns around, then starts 
 speeding up for the jump. He leaps into the air, smashing 
 against the wall. Their fingers touch. The hands GRASPED.

 Zhongling looks up and sees Sektor and Cyrax coming around 
 the corner.

 ZHONGLING
 Climb up! Hurry!

 Xiaoxun is trying to scramble up, but the walls are slick 
 from the rain.

 Zhongling hears the WHINE of hydraulics. He looks down at 
 Xiaoxun, urgency in his eyes.

 ZHONGLING
 Climb! Xiaoxun!

 Xiaoxun looks back at the machines.

 XIAOXUN
 (shouting)
 Go!

 He tries to push off, but Zhongling has him in a grip. He 
 won't let go. Their hands are locked tight.

 XIAOXUN
 Run! Dammit!

 With one final push off, Zhongling loses him.

 ZHONGLING
 Xiaoxun!

 Xiaoxun, on the ground, prepares to face off as the two 
 machines advance.

 Cyrax and Sektor attack. Xiaoxun leaps high over their 
 swings, does a double-kick between the two. The machines 
 adjust, but Xiaoxun vanishes in a puff of smoke.

 The machines spin, Xiaoxun rematerializes, uppercuts, in one 
 smooth motion to Sektor. Flesh hits steel.

 The machines press on, and Xiaoxun is sledgehammered back.

 ANGLE ON THE WALL as Xiaoxun is thrown in a heap, smashed 
 against the wood.

 ON ERMAC dropping from high up above, grabbing the top of the 
 wall. Zhongling, startled, falls over to the other side.

 ANGLE ON XIAOXUN lifting up his head. His face streaked with 
 blood.

 HIS POV: Sektor's steel fist draws back for a death blow, and 
 then it comes crashing down. Everything goes BLACK.

 ON THE OTHER SIDE,

 Zhongling turns and runs into the forest.

 Ermac, perched on the wall top, leaps down like a predatory 
 cat.

 EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLE - NIGHT

 Shao Khan and Rayden are locked in a fist to fist fight. 
 Every parry, every swing, comes with SHOCKS and FLASHES from 
 impact. No cheese here. This is pure rage and hate.

 Shao Khan unleashes his fireballs, STACCATO PACE. Rayden 
 sidesteps with superhuman speed. The balls detonate 
 harmlessly behind him. 

 They both take the air, leaping towards each other, Rayden 
 knocks him silly. Shao Khan falls, and Rayden follows it up 
 with his TORPEDO. FLASH! - CRACK!

 Motaro and Sheeva square off with Liu Kang, Kitana, and 
 Sonya, preventing them from joining in. 

 DOWN BELOW, 

 Johnny Cage sends an open palmed punch up, knocking out his 
 CENTURION. Beat. He looks up the pyramid.

 BACK ON SHAO KHAN as he staggers backwards from another blow. 
 He's getting the daylights beat out of him. An UPPERCUT, 
 Shao Khan falls backwards, on his knees. Rayden steps slowly 
 towards him, inscrutable face masking the hatred.

 RAYDEN
 Return to Outworld, and the Elder Gods 
 may forgive your crime. Stay, and I 
 will destroy you.

 SHAO KHAN
 This ends now!

 He reaches with his hand --

 A SHAOLIN MONK is pulled off his feet by some unseen force, 
 thrown across the air into Shao Khan's hand. His fingers 
 wrapped tightly around his throat.

 RAYDEN
 You will hide behind a human?

 SHAO KHAN
 This coming from a fool who has hid 
 behind them throughout his miserable 
 existence.

 Rayden lifts his hand. A GIANT BALL OF LIGHT traps Sheeva, 
 Motaro inside. Air is cut off. They go nuts on the ball 
 like caged animals.

 RAYDEN
 Then I will take your minions with you. 
 I do not bend towards your will.

 SHAO KHAN
 A fair bargain, Lord Rayden. This 
 useless life for your world. 

 Sonya glances down, SEES the whole Centurion army coming up.

 SHAO KHAN
 Surrender to me. 

 Rayden tightens his fists. So does Shao Khan. The monk 
 kicking his feet in the air, struggling for air.

 SHAO KHAN
 Surrender!

 Rayden wrestles with his conscience. He knows Shao Khan has 
 him beat. 

 JOHNNY CAGE

 climbs up to the top of the pyramid. He sees the monk and 
 Shao Khan.

 JOHNNY CAGE
 (sotto voice)
 Let's dance. 

 He races forward, his image BLURRING, leaps into the air. 
 The kick lands true, Shao Khan staggers forward from the hit. 
 He drops the monk.

 Rayden loosens his hold on Sheeva and Motaro, ready to attack 
 but --

 Shao Khan backhands Johnny Cage, grabs his head between his 
 giant hands, and still in the midst of his rage, does a 
 sickening TWIST. The SNAPPING of bone. Johnny Cage crumbles 
 to the floor.

 SONYA
 No!!!!

 Liu Kang drags Sonya back. It takes all his strength.

 KITANA
 This is not a fight we can win here. We 
 must go. Now!

 Sonya is irrational, screaming. Rayden has no choice, spins 
 away, grabs the remaining survivors and in a FLASH -- they 
 disappear into his portal.

 Johnny Cage's body is lost under the incoming horde of 
 Centurions pouring over the top.