Spoilers for Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1 ahead.
Summary
- Geras in MK11 had a full backstory reset in MK1, tied to Kronika and Liu Kang, making him a central character in the new storyline.
- However, Geras retains memories from MK11 and now works with MK's protagonists as the Guardian of the Hourglass.
- Geras' visual changes reflect his evolved character in MK1, but he maintains his time-manipulating combat style with added abilities.
Mortal Kombat 1 has a roster chock-full of iconic new and returning characters, each with their own array of deadly martial skills for the player to master and dish out hours of macabre entertainment. With this iteration of the series, however, Netherrealm Studios threw the book at the game's canon continuity and reset the clock, starting the Mortal Kombat multiverse anew once more with new origins for all characters, even ones introduced as recently as the preceding title, Mortal Kombat 11. One such character affected by this shift is Mortal Kombat 11's beloved sand-bending time mage, Geras, but not quite in the same way that the other Mortal Kombat 1 kombatants are.
A lot of timeline-jumping shenanigans occurred between Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1 thanks to the nature of the plotline Netherrealm Studios went with in introducing the antagonist, Kronika, a Titan in the Mortal Kombat universe, (former) Keeper of Time and Architect of the Universe's destiny. Geras, being a construct and (also formerly) loyal servant of Kronika, was imparted a fraction of her abilities and witnessed time from its very beginning as well as its litany of variations and refabrications many times over. This lexicon of experience granted him sagacity beyond what's possible for a mortal, and this distinction allowed his story not to face the same decimation and rebuild as everyone else.
From Kronika's Keeper to Mortal Kombat's Titan of Time
A quick look at the new and improved Geras will show that he:
- has retained his memories of the previous events in Mortal Kombat 11,
- is now working with Liu Kang and the protagonists, and
- has retained all of his abilities without any alterations (canonically) as opposed to others in the cast.
Geras is a creation and servant of Kronika as well as immortal and timeless by any stretch of definition (including his ability to recover from any wound no matter how fatal, being that he is a "fixed point in time"). He was also a slave to his master's whims with no free will of his own. Following Kronika's defeat in Mortal Kombat 11 and Liu Kang's ascension to his position as Keeper of Time, he was freed and permitted to retain his memories in addition to being appointed the Guardian of the Hourglass.
This position has him supervise the timelines and keep balance. With a will now all his own, Geras willingly utilizes his abilities in the role of a protagonistic side character rather than a villainous brute that served as a recurring obstacle in Mortal Kombat 11's story. Liu Kang's secession of his position as Titan of Time in Mortal Kombat 1's story even sees Geras become one of the most powerful characters in Mortal Kombat. Suffice it to say, for all the changes that the cast of Mortal Kombat has undergone, Geras made out like a time-manipulating bandit.
Geras' Visual and Gameplay Changes
What's more, Geras' design is updated to reflect his evolution of character as well. Previously he was possessed of a bulkier build and adorned with white armor with golden accents befitting of a servant of Kronika, complete with a glowing blue energy beneath the seams of his skin akin to the energy radiated by Kronika. In Mortal Kombat 1, Geras sports a more scholarly appearance and clothes more aligned with that of a monk (even following Liu Kang's noted color scheme). He is slimmer, cutting a figure that's still imposing but less menacing, with a dragon tattoo spiraling over his upper left torso and arm.
He is also, of course, still a very capable fighter. A vicious grappler with flashy, time-manipulating abilities that even goes so far as to undo damage inflicted upon him, the only revisions from MK11 in his Mortal Kombat 1 combat style are the noted improvements to mobility, visual flair, and combat capability, as with most of the updated roster. The sandman's martial acumen in tandem with his near-boundless wisdom makes him far more dangerous than he ever was in Mortal Kombat 11; however, the nature of his character, as well as the direction of Mortal Kombat 1's story inspires hope that he won't again become the force of calamity he threatened to be at his origin.
Mortal Kombat 1
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- September 19, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Brothers Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to a new era of Kombat. NetherRealm Studios ushers in a new era of the iconic fighting franchise with a total reset that changes the entire world as we know it. Following the thrilling climax of Mortal Kombat 11, the all-powerful Fire God Liu Kang has created a New Era in the hope of bringing peace to Earthrealm and beyond. Through the series' most cinematic story mode yet, you'll be reintroduced to a cast of legendary warriors as you've never seen them before. Expect twists on classic friendships and rivalries, as well as new backstories that will change everything you think you know about your favorite Kombatants. Discover a host of new offline and online game modes as you master a revitalized fighting system that boasts bone-crunching Fatal Blows, defensive Breakers and the most creatively vicious Fatalities yet.
- Franchise
- Mortal Kombat
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- How Long To Beat
- 7 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
