Post by The One Being on Feb 21, 2023 14:11:12 GMT
About The Netherrealm
Netherrealm appears to be like Outworld, a realm composed of thousands of different layers. In the Mortal Kombat universe, deceased souls or entities who have committed major crimes descend into the Netherrealm to undergo endless torture. In the older timeline, it was as if one could not enter the Netherrealm without being evil or having a tainted soul. Additionally, magic users and magical beings are slowly weakened while in this realm. It is an alternative, more generic name for the Abrahamic concept of Hell, as one of its former rulers was Lucifer (whose name appears only in the Sub-Zero game manual but not in-game). It is also described as "the darkest region of reality", and is inhabited by demons, monsters, and beings of the purest evil.
Though exits from and entrances to the Netherrealm are very limited for obvious reasons, the world had quite a tumultuous history. Millions of years ago, the fallen Elder God Shinnok was banished there. After ages of imprisonment, he was able to break free, deposing Lucifer in the process. He restructured the realm to bear some resemblance to Earthrealm, the world which he had long desired to make his own. He later used it as a staging ground for the invasion of Edenia, but found himself cast into the depths of the realm again after this invasion was foiled. The abandoned war machines of Shinnok were then put to good use by one of his former acolytes, Noob Saibot.
Two locations within this realm include the Bridge of Immortality and the Prison of Souls. These are almost like the Di Yu in Chinese Mythology. The Prison of Souls is the Chamber of Grinding and so is the Slaughterhouse. Shinnok's Spire resembles that of Yan Wang's spire in 'Journey to the West.'
In Mortal Kombat: Deception's Konquest mode, Shujinko arrives during the "Festival of Torture", in which dead bodies burn and inhabitants watch them.
Trivia
• The base area of the realm contains a city built by sorcerers, called Nekros, as a source of protection against the environment which drains life energies from the living.
• Within the Netherrealm are Soul Stones, artifacts which can temporarily give energy to travelers to survive in the hostile environment.
• The Netherrealm is one of the only two realms that is infinite in size.
• References are made in both Scorpion and Quan Chi's bios to the "fifth plane" of the Netherrealm, where Scorpion was always reincarnated until becoming the Champion of the Elder Gods. This strengthens the parallels between the Netherrealm and the Abrahamic Hell, as Dante Alighieri's Inferno names the fifth circle as the abode of the Wrathful.
• It is often said that only those with an evil taint can access the Netherrealm. However, some individuals were capable of accessing the realm:
◦ Taven, in the Armageddon Konquest mode, is able to freely access the realm. It may be that Taven's half-god status allows him to enter the Netherrealm despite lacking the required evil taint.
◦ Sareena and Sub-Zero, in her Armageddon bio, both of them were able to access the realm. Although Sareena's entrance can be explained by being of the Netherrealm, an explanation for Sub-Zero is not given.
◦ The Elder Sub-Zero, in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, was able to enter, however Raiden stated that he already had an evil taint in his heart, but only he can change it.
◦ Shujinko, in the Deception Konquest mode, was able to enter in the Netherrealm by tainting his heart through working with the Lin Kuei, although it might have been because he was working for Onaga.
◦ Nightwolf, in his Deception bio, is stated to have corrupted his soul with the Sin-Eater ritual, which would therefore allow him to enter the Netherrealm. After imprisoning Onaga in that realm, he was released from his corruption and returned to Earthrealm.
• It is seen that some demons dislike the harsh environment of the Netherrealm, as both Ashrah and Sareena desired to escape. Even Moloch and Drahmin (given their cruel nature and that they seem well-adapted to its nature) desired to escape too (though it was only because Quan Chi's offer instead of their conscious decision).
• It has been stated several times throughout the series that only people who have evil in their souls are capable of properly entering the Netherrealm. By that logic, every being in the universe should be able to enter.
Relationships with other Realms
As one could expect, the Netherrealm could be said to pose the biggest threat to the Heavens, being its polar opposite. Most inhabitants of other realms fear the Netherrealm and avoid contact with it if at all possible. Under Shao Kahn's rule in Outworld, however, alliances have been formed between certain of its denizens and those of the Netherrealm (an example being the interaction between Shang Tsung and Quan Chi). Aside from that, it has no other known allies and seems to be viewed as a threat by the citizens of every other realm, being the place of eternal damnation.
Kombat Locations
• Bridge of Immortality.
• Hell.
• Krossroads.
• Nekros.
• Netherrealm (Arena).
• Netherrealm Cliffs.
• Prison of Souls.
• Pyramid of Shinnok.
• Quan Chi's Fortress (Mortal Kombat X).
• Scorpion's Lair.
• Sea of Blood.
• Sea of Immortality.
• Shinnok's Bone Temple.
• Shinnok's Spire.
• Shinnok's Throne Room.
• Slaughterhouse.
• Cobalt Mines of Shokan (implied in Mortal Kombat: Conquest).
Netherrealm appears to be like Outworld, a realm composed of thousands of different layers. In the Mortal Kombat universe, deceased souls or entities who have committed major crimes descend into the Netherrealm to undergo endless torture. In the older timeline, it was as if one could not enter the Netherrealm without being evil or having a tainted soul. Additionally, magic users and magical beings are slowly weakened while in this realm. It is an alternative, more generic name for the Abrahamic concept of Hell, as one of its former rulers was Lucifer (whose name appears only in the Sub-Zero game manual but not in-game). It is also described as "the darkest region of reality", and is inhabited by demons, monsters, and beings of the purest evil.
Though exits from and entrances to the Netherrealm are very limited for obvious reasons, the world had quite a tumultuous history. Millions of years ago, the fallen Elder God Shinnok was banished there. After ages of imprisonment, he was able to break free, deposing Lucifer in the process. He restructured the realm to bear some resemblance to Earthrealm, the world which he had long desired to make his own. He later used it as a staging ground for the invasion of Edenia, but found himself cast into the depths of the realm again after this invasion was foiled. The abandoned war machines of Shinnok were then put to good use by one of his former acolytes, Noob Saibot.
Two locations within this realm include the Bridge of Immortality and the Prison of Souls. These are almost like the Di Yu in Chinese Mythology. The Prison of Souls is the Chamber of Grinding and so is the Slaughterhouse. Shinnok's Spire resembles that of Yan Wang's spire in 'Journey to the West.'
In Mortal Kombat: Deception's Konquest mode, Shujinko arrives during the "Festival of Torture", in which dead bodies burn and inhabitants watch them.
Trivia
• The base area of the realm contains a city built by sorcerers, called Nekros, as a source of protection against the environment which drains life energies from the living.
• Within the Netherrealm are Soul Stones, artifacts which can temporarily give energy to travelers to survive in the hostile environment.
• The Netherrealm is one of the only two realms that is infinite in size.
• References are made in both Scorpion and Quan Chi's bios to the "fifth plane" of the Netherrealm, where Scorpion was always reincarnated until becoming the Champion of the Elder Gods. This strengthens the parallels between the Netherrealm and the Abrahamic Hell, as Dante Alighieri's Inferno names the fifth circle as the abode of the Wrathful.
• It is often said that only those with an evil taint can access the Netherrealm. However, some individuals were capable of accessing the realm:
◦ Taven, in the Armageddon Konquest mode, is able to freely access the realm. It may be that Taven's half-god status allows him to enter the Netherrealm despite lacking the required evil taint.
◦ Sareena and Sub-Zero, in her Armageddon bio, both of them were able to access the realm. Although Sareena's entrance can be explained by being of the Netherrealm, an explanation for Sub-Zero is not given.
◦ The Elder Sub-Zero, in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, was able to enter, however Raiden stated that he already had an evil taint in his heart, but only he can change it.
◦ Shujinko, in the Deception Konquest mode, was able to enter in the Netherrealm by tainting his heart through working with the Lin Kuei, although it might have been because he was working for Onaga.
◦ Nightwolf, in his Deception bio, is stated to have corrupted his soul with the Sin-Eater ritual, which would therefore allow him to enter the Netherrealm. After imprisoning Onaga in that realm, he was released from his corruption and returned to Earthrealm.
• It is seen that some demons dislike the harsh environment of the Netherrealm, as both Ashrah and Sareena desired to escape. Even Moloch and Drahmin (given their cruel nature and that they seem well-adapted to its nature) desired to escape too (though it was only because Quan Chi's offer instead of their conscious decision).
• It has been stated several times throughout the series that only people who have evil in their souls are capable of properly entering the Netherrealm. By that logic, every being in the universe should be able to enter.
Relationships with other Realms
As one could expect, the Netherrealm could be said to pose the biggest threat to the Heavens, being its polar opposite. Most inhabitants of other realms fear the Netherrealm and avoid contact with it if at all possible. Under Shao Kahn's rule in Outworld, however, alliances have been formed between certain of its denizens and those of the Netherrealm (an example being the interaction between Shang Tsung and Quan Chi). Aside from that, it has no other known allies and seems to be viewed as a threat by the citizens of every other realm, being the place of eternal damnation.
Kombat Locations
• Bridge of Immortality.
• Hell.
• Krossroads.
• Nekros.
• Netherrealm (Arena).
• Netherrealm Cliffs.
• Prison of Souls.
• Pyramid of Shinnok.
• Quan Chi's Fortress (Mortal Kombat X).
• Scorpion's Lair.
• Sea of Blood.
• Sea of Immortality.
• Shinnok's Bone Temple.
• Shinnok's Spire.
• Shinnok's Throne Room.
• Slaughterhouse.
• Cobalt Mines of Shokan (implied in Mortal Kombat: Conquest).