In a surprising twist, director Simon McQuoid’s sequel, “Mortal Kombat 2,” delivers a jaw-dropping moment with the demise of Cole Young (played by Lewis Tan), the protagonist introduced in the 2021 “Mortal Kombat” film. Despite being central to the original film, Cole meets an untimely end in his first battle of the sequel, falling to the newly formidable villain Shao Kahn (portrayed by Martyn Ford), who unceremoniously ends Cole’s life by submerging him in a pool of acid. This brutal exit underscores the formidable threat that Kahn poses to the characters.
Warner Bros. Pictures
The decision to kill off the main character wasn’t made lightly. In a conversation with GamesRadar+, screenwriter Jeremy Slater shed light on the rationale. Slater clarified that the choice wasn’t a reflection of Tan’s performance or professionalism. Instead, it was a strategic response to fan feedback. By removing Cole, the sequel aimed to rectify what many fans perceived as a misstep in the first movie, where the original character played a significant role, much to the chagrin of some.
“The idea was very much we need some deaths that are going to shock everybody,” Slater remarked. “I love Lewis Tan. I think Lewis is the best, but Cole was a character that the hardcore fans did not respond to in the first movie, and they were very vocal about that, and very vocal about calling for his head.”
Slater acknowledged the divide between the passionate, vocal fanbase and the casual viewers who may not engage with online debates over casting and storytelling. By eliminating Cole, “Mortal Kombat II” managed to address both groups. Those who were critical of Cole’s presence saw their wishes granted, while his unexpected death shocked casual fans accustomed to seeing him as the lead character.
“Cole was a great example of a character where killing him would shock the casual fans, the people who are not terminally online and just went to see the movie and enjoyed it,” Slater explained in the GamesRadar+ interview. “It’s going to be a really shocking moment for them, but the hardcore fans are expecting him to die.”
Mortal Kombat 2 went for shocking deaths
Jeremy Slater is well aware that there’s a distinct divide between the vocal hardline fandom and the people who don’t really keep up with various online outrages about casting and storytelling decisions. By killing Cole, “Mortal Kombat II” was able to score a twofer that affected both ends of the fandom spectrum: The people who aggressively disliked Cole would finally see him removed from the franchise, and the viewers who were used to seeing him as the main character would get a sharp jolt to the system.
“Cole was a great example of a character where killing him would shock the casual fans, the people who are not terminally online and just went to see the movie and enjoyed it,” Slater explained in the GamesRadar+. interview. “It’s going to be a really shocking moment for them, but the hardcore fans are expecting him to die.”
Slater went on to explain that the other massive death in the movie — the apparent demise of regular franchise MVP Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) during the climactic fight against Shao Kahn – was crafted for a similar purpose. The difference is that this particular death was aimed at the hardcore fans as well, since Liu tends to be portrayed as the franchise’s tournament-winning protagonist.
Cole Young is likely done, but Lewis Tan might still return for more Mortal Kombat
“Mortal Kombat 2” sets up another sequel fairly blatantly, and its several character resurrections show that the series treats death as a minor inconvenience. Jeremy Slater has already confirmed to Variety that Liu Kang will be back for “Mortal Kombat 3.” So could Cole Young potentially return, as well?
In all honesty, it doesn’t seem likely. Cole was the sole character in the film series that was not part of the game canon. “Mortal Kombat 2” also largely forgets the major plot point of Arcana, which was a key aspect of Cole’s character journey. As such, chances are he’s gone for good. However, there is some suggestion that Lewis Tan might still return in some shape, form, or way. “The one thing I will say is death is never permanent in the ‘Mortal Kombat’ universe,” Slater told Variety. “So just because I don’t think you’re ever going to see Cole Young again, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to see Lewis Tan again in some regards.”
Tan himself has dropped similar hints in an interview with Vulture. “I think Cole is done,” he said. “If I were to come back in ‘Mortal Kombat III,’ it would be in a different way. We’ll figure that out as it goes, but there have been a lot of fans asking for a casting for different characters, and there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes talk about how we can make it work.”