Raiden (also spelt Rayden) is the guardian deity of Earthrealm in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Commanding the powers of thunder and lightning, he has regularly guided the mortal heroes of Earth in their efforts to protect it from the forces of darkness.
History[]
Original timeline[]
For countless centuries, the thunder god Raiden has served the Elder Gods as Protector of the realm of Earth. In fact, it was by Raiden's pleas that the Elder Gods created the Mortal Kombat tournament as a safeguard to give Earthrealm and other realms a fighting chance against Shao Kahn, who sought to dominate all the realms and merge them with Outworld. As Protector, Raiden was appointed the mission of seeking out and recruiting the best warriors Earth had to offer to compete in the tournament and face the fighters of Outworld.
As a god, Raiden is not permitted from directly taking part in Mortal Kombat, but has taken a more active role in Earthrealm's defence since the last official tournament, personally training fighters and offering them guidance. He has even forfeited his immortality on occasion in order to fight alongside the chosen warriors without breaking the tournament rules, and did the same again during the Outworld Invasion of Earthrealm. After leading the Forces of Light to victory over Shao Kahn and later the fallen god Shinnok, Raiden would be granted Elder God status, entrusting Earthrealm to the wind god Fujin.
When the threat of the Deadly Alliance rose years later, Raiden refused to stand idly by and watch as events unfolded, relinquishing his Elder God status in order to return to Earth and lead its champions into battle once more. The Forces of Light travelled to Outworld and fought to stop Quan Chi and Shang Tsung from resurrecting the mummified army of the Dragon King, Onaga. Sadly, most of the warriors fell in battle and Raiden was forced to battle the two demonic sorcerers himself, but he also was not powerful enough to stop them. Their epic battle was interrupted when Onaga himself returned and Raiden mustered all of his ethereal energy to destroy the Dragon King. He unleashed a huge blast of energy that seemingly destroyed him, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, but it was not enough to fell Onaga.
Raiden's essence soon gathered again in Earthrealm where, because his essence was corrupted by Onaga, he had now become furious with the way Earthrealm's inhabitants had treated their own realm. He became even more enraged when he learned that Shujinko had foolishly unleashed the Dragon King by attaining the Kamidogu of various realms for him. With that, his patience exhausted, Raiden then decided he was going to punish those who placed Earthrealm in harm's way.
Raiden's shift in attitude comes to a head when he tried to brutally slay Shujinko for his errors, but Shujinko was able to survive Raiden's attack. Surprisingly, Raiden turned his attention away from Shujinko and towards Liu Kang's corpse.
Removing Liu Kang's body from its grave, Raiden took it to an underground temple that belonged to an ancient sect of necromancers called the Houan, whom he had destroyed centuries earlier. Binding Kang's body with enchanted shackles the Houan had used to control their revived undead, Raiden spoke the enchantments etched into the temple's walls that revived his former ally, infusing it with a thunderclap of lightning. The corpse of Liu Kang was now the enforcer of Raiden's will, and he sent it on a mission to wreak havoc on those he believed did harm to Earthrealm. This caught the attention of Shinnok, who appeared before Raiden and offered him an alliance. If Raiden were to assist him in whatever he wanted, Shinnok would try to ensure the safety of Earthrealm. Raiden was well aware of Shinnok's deceptive nature, but he accepted the offer in an attempt to secretly uncover Shinnok's plans.
During the Battle of Armageddon, Raiden appeared to have regained at least some of his sanity and fought alongside the Forces of Light at the Pyramid of Argus. All of the kombatants were slain over the course of the battle until only Raiden and Shao Kahn remained, but Kahn had gained the power of Blaze and Raiden was unable to defeat him. Before Shao Kahn finally destroyed him, Raiden used the shattered remains of his amulet to send his past self a cryptic message: "He must win".
Alternate timeline[]
Raiden's past self would receive his future message during the Mortal Kombat tournament and he would spend the coming days trying to determine the meaning behind the words. As he struggled to comprehend his future message, events unfolded as they had done for the most part, though some of the warriors of both Earthrealm and Outworld would perish or take different paths than they had done in the previous timeline. By the time Raiden realised the meaning of his message, most of Earth's champions had been slain. The message "He must win" meant that Shao Kahn must succeed with his invasion of Earthrealm. Since Kahn had broken the rules of Mortal Kombat to make his invasion possible, the Elder Gods would surely step in to stop him from achieving final victory. This proved to be correct and an empowered Raiden defeated Shao Kahn and reversed the merger of Outworld and Earthrealm, but at the terrible cost of many of Earth's champions.
While the Outworld invasion had been overturned, the dimensional fabric between the realms had been severely weakened. This instability had been masterminded by the fallen Elder God Shinnok and the Brotherhood of Shadow, and with the dimensional barriers weakened so, Shinnok and his unholy army of demons were able to escape the confines of the Netherrealm and launch a devastating attack on Earthrealm. Shinnok, aided by many demonic beasts and an elite guard consisting of revenant versions of Raiden's former allies who had fallen during the war against Outworld, intended to corrupt the Jinsei, the life force of Earth itself. Fortunately, Raiden was aided by fellow deity Fujin, the Shaolin and the Special Forces. With them and the surviving kombatants from the Outworld invasion, Raiden succeeded in thwarting Shinnok's menace, trapping the evil deity within his own amulet.
For twenty-five years following the Netherrealm War, Earth enjoyed a period of relative peace. This peace was threatened, however, due to difficult relations with Outworld, which was dealing with its own civil war. Worse still, the threat of Shinnok's return loomed large as his amulet had fallen into the possession of Mileena, Shao Kahn's heir. Mileena had gained significant power from the amulet, but the forces of Kotal Kahn were able to take it back from her and Mileena was then executed. D'Vorah, Kotal's closest ally, was in fact working for Quan Chi, and stole the amulet in order to deliver it to the necromancer.
With the amulet, Quan Chi would be able to free Shinnok, but he was intercepted by Sonya Blade and the Special Forces. While in custody, Quan Chi was attacked and killed by his former servant Scorpion, but not before he was able to carry out the spell that would release Shinnok from his prison.
Released from the amulet, Shinnok gathered his revenant followers and led them to the Jinsei Temple. Raiden is attacked by the revenants and kept at bay while Shinnok proceeds to the Jinsei Chamber where he will corrupt Earth's life-force. Raiden is able to defeat the revenants and follows Shinnok, but ultimately fails to stop him from tainting the Jinsei. He is held in captivity along with Johnny Cage and warns Shinnok that there are still other warriors who will oppose him. He is proven correct as help arrives in the form of Johnny's daughter Cassie Cage, who has inherited the same mystical fighting power her father had used to defeat Shinnok before.
Cassie battles against a transformed Shinnok and defeats him before releasing Raiden. Raiden then steps into the Jinsei in order to purify it, saving Earthrealm from destruction once again. However, after emerging from the purified Jinsei, Raiden has adopted a much darker persona. He is last seen meeting with Liu Kang and Kitana in the Netherrealm, warning them that any further aggression towards Earthrealm will be dealt with decisively and ruthlessly. To illustrate his point, Raiden throws the severed but still-living head of Shinnok before the revenants' feet, then vanishes in a flash of lightning.
Having adopted a much more aggressive stance towards Earthrealm's defence, Raiden decides that he cannot wait for his enemies to make their move and rallies the Special Forces for a preemptive strike against the Netherrealm. During the battle, Raiden keeps the bulk of Liu Kang's demon army occupied by himself while Sonya Blade leads her force into the Bone Temple in order to destroy it. The attack is ultimately successful, though it results in many human deaths, including the death of Sonya. Raiden assures Cassie that her mother died a warrior's death, though this does nothing to lift her spirits.
Not long after the destruction of the Bone Temple, the flow of time is disrupted when Kronika, the Keeper of Time, enacts a plot to create a new, perfect timeline, one where Raiden doesn't exist. The corrupted Raiden of the present disappears from the timeline while his untainted past self suddenly appears in the Outworld Koliseum, having arrived from the Outworld Tournament along with younger versions of Jax Briggs, Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage as well as the still-living versions of Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana and Jade. Also appearing in the Koliseum are Shao Kahn, D'Vorah, Baraka, and younger versions of Kano, Kabal and Erron Black. Battle erupts amid the confusion, but ends with the retreat of Shao Kahn and the other evil kombatants.
After allying with Kotal Kahn, Raiden returns to Earthrealm in order to consult with the Elder Gods. He learns of what had transpired in the years since the Mortal Kombat tournament: the failed Outworld invasion, the deaths of many of Earth's champions and his own fall to darkness after Shinnok's defeat. With this knowledge in mind, Raiden vows not to repeat the mistakes that led to those events. Later, Raiden goes to meet with the Elder Gods again, only to find that they have been betrayed and slaughtered by Cetrion, who now aids her mother Kronika in her plan to reshape the timeline.
As the heroes convene in the Shirai Ryu Fire Gardens, Scorpion appears. However, it is the undead Scorpion that has sided with Kronika, not Grandmaster Hasashi, and so his arrival is met with hostility. Having witnessed the death of his older self, Scorpion tries to tell Raiden that he has decided to help him, but the thunder god does not listen and attacks him. Liu Kang steps in to try and convince Raiden to hear Scorpion out, but Raiden then turns his aggression towards his old student and the two fight. In the heat of battle, Raiden stops as he comes to a realization: he recalls he and Liu Kang fighting before, many times across multiple battlefields and timelines. Those battles, and this one, were all due to Kronika's machinations, and Raiden realizes that Shinnok's amulet is beginning to corrupt him. He discards the amulet, apologizing to Liu Kang and healing Scorpion.
Suddenly, time freezes as Kronika appears before Raiden, congratulating him on figuring out the pattern and revealing that both he and Liu Kang pose the greatest threat to her plans. Raiden assures Kronika that he will continue to oppose her, but the Titan then disappears, taking Liu Kang with her. Time then unfreezes and the remaining heroes are confused as to where Liu Kang has gone, Raiden explaining that Kronika has taken him and that they must begin their assault on Kronika's keep in haste.
As Kharon leads Raiden's strike force to Kronika's keep, Kronika sends Frost, the older Jax, Geras and the Cyber Lin Kuei to stop them. Raiden orders the group to protect Kharon at all costs, just as the elder Jax challenges him to battle. Jax states that he is doing what is right, but Raiden defeats him in kombat and tells him that Kronika intends to revive Shinnok, who was responsible for his revenant enslavement. Geras then appears and challenges him in kombat, but Raiden defeats him. When Geras proclaims that he cannot die, Raiden notices an anchor and binds Geras in it before moving it off-ship, as he will be unable to escape the bottomless Sea of Blood. Frost then battles him, who reveals that she is in command of the Cyber Lin Kuei.
Upon defeating Frost, the revenant Liu Kang then attacks Raiden. Raiden is shocked to learn that the malicious revenant Kang has learned soul magic and used it to consume his past self's soul, becoming an abomination. Thunder god and revenant fight and Raiden prevails, but instead of killing Kang, Raiden merges his own godly essence with him. This results in the past Liu Kang's consciousness resurfacing and taking control, now possessing Raiden's powers and amplifying his own dragon fire, transforming him into a fire god.
With his new godly powers and the knowledge about the Hourglass and Kronika's plan, Liu Kang is able to kombat her and her time manipulating abilities. The armies of Earthrealm and Outworld begin their assault on Kronika's keep. Once inside however, Kronika reverses time, sending Liu Kang's allies back to Kharon's ship, forcing Liu Kang to the battle the revenant counterparts of his friends alone. Liu Kang eventually defeats the revenant Kitana, Kung Lao and Jade, then battles Cetrion and defeats her. Kronika then reverses time for the final time to the Prehistoric Age.
Liu Kang finally kills Kronika at the dawn of time, putting a stop to her plan. Raiden is then separated from Liu Kang who remains a god while the latter has become mortal. The former thunder god bestows the title of Protector of Earthrealm and the keep to Liu Kang, with the latter accepting his former master's words. When Raiden describes the task of watching over time, Liu Kang believes he cannot handle the task alone. Raiden suggests that he will advise Liu Kang as long as he lives. Together, they start to shape the sands of time.
New Era[]
Raiden in the New Era
In Liu Kang's new timeline, Raiden is reborn as a human, effectively taking Liu Kang's place in the mortal world. As a human, he lives in the rural Chinese village of Fengjian as a farmer along with his best friend and sparring partner Kung Lao. While he does not possess any inherent magical abilities like his previous incarnations, Raiden's martial arts prowess is second to none. As such, he is chosen by Liu Kang to represent Earthrealm in an upcoming inter-realm tournament as its champion.
After completing his training at Wu Shi Academy, Raiden was gifted an amulet by Liu Kang. This amulet granted Raiden power over thunder and lightning, thus evening the playing field against the more magically-inclined warriors of Outworld. With this power and his own natural abilities, Raiden would go on to win the tournament as well as aid his friends in thwarting the schemes of Titan Shang Tsung.
Powers and abilities[]
- Immortality - As a god, Raiden is unbound by mortal laws of life and death. He must, however, take on a mortal form in order to take part in Mortal Kombat.
- Thunder Magic - Raiden has absolute control over the power of the storm and can summon blasts of lightning and electrocute opponents with a touch.
- Flight
- Teleportation - Raiden can teleport anywhere within a realm at will. He must create portals in order to travel between realms.
- Healing Magic - As well as healing his own wounds quickly, Raiden can heal the injuries of others with his godly magic.
- Martial Arts - Raiden's favoured fighting styles are Jujutsu, Nan Chuan and Tae Kwon Do, but he has practiced virtually all Earth martial arts over the millennia of his life.
Appearances in other media[]
Mortal Kombat live-action films[]
Raiden is portrayed by Christopher Lambert in the first Mortal Kombat movie. Throughout the film, he acts as a guide to the Earthrealm kombatants competing in the tournament, especially towards Liu Kang. As a deity, he is forbidden from taking part in the tournament himself. When Shang Tsung kidnaps Sonya and takes her to Outworld, Raiden is unable to follow as he has no power in Outworld, instead leaving Liu and Johnny to go after Sonya without him.
In Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the part of Raiden is played by James Remar. In this film, it is revealed that Raiden and Shao Kahn are brothers and sons to the Elder God Shinnok. As Shao Kahn merges Earth with Outworld, Raiden's powers begin to fade. After the Elder Gods refuse to intervene in the invasion, Raiden willingly sacrifices his godhood in order to fight alongside the human warriors. He uses the last of his power to transport the heroes to Outworld where they fight Shao Kahn and his generals, but Raiden himself is killed after Kahn strikes him with a magical blast. When Liu Kang defeats Kahn and reverses the merger, the Elder Gods resurrect Raiden and accept him into their ranks.
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm[]
In the animated series, Raiden (voiced by Clancy Brown) leads a group of heroes in the defence of Earthrealm as it comes under constant attack by otherworldly forces. Though he guides the Defenders and offers them counsel, he rarely aids them in battle and is often vague as to why. He does, however, become involved in battle when his powers are disrupted by Shang Tsung using a mystical orb that controls the elements. Much like his movie counterpart, in fact to a greater extent, this version of Raiden has a snarky sense of humour; he also quarrels frequently with Jax who often complains about the thunder god's lack of involvement during their battles.
Mortal Kombat Legacy[]
In the live-action webseries, Raiden (portrayed by Ryan Robbins) decides to fight in the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament, taking on a mortal body and descending to Earth. Unfortunately, he awakens within the confines of a mental institution. He tells the doctors that he is the God of Thunder, but they conclude that he is suffering from insane delusions. After three months of therapy with no change, Raiden is lobotomized, but he recovers thanks to his godly status. Ironically, he only escapes the hospital after begging one of the orderlies to kill him. The orderly stabs him with a knife and he disintegrates upon death, thus returning to the Heavens. He returns to Earth again some time later and goes on to guide the other kontenders.
Mortal Kombat Legends[]
Raiden appears in Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, once again guiding Earthrealm's chosen defenders in Mortal Kombat. He advises Liu Kang and the others on what challenges they will face, but cannot take part in the tournament himself. During the tournament, he argues with Shang Tsung and reprimands him for his treacherous actions. He also advises Scorpion against following the orders of Quan Chi, knowing that the sorcerer is only using him for his own nefarious ends.
In Battle of the Realms, the direct sequel to Scorpion's Revenge, Raiden aids in the defence of the White Lotus temple when it is attacked by Outworld's armies. Shao Kahn agrees to stop the assault if Raiden agrees to a new tournament in Outworld, one that will finally settle the inter-realm conflict should Earth's warriors be victorious. Not only does Raiden agree, he also requests the Elder Gods allow him to compete in the tournament, giving up his powers and immortality. Raiden does well during the tournament until he faces Shao Kahn himself, suffering a terrible defeat and death.
Mortal Kombat (2021)[]
Lord Raiden is portrayed by Tadanobu Asano in the 2021 live-action film. He once again acts as a mentor and guide to the Earthrealm warriors chosen to fight in Mortal Kombat, but has seemingly lost faith in humanity as they have forgotten their mythology. After having lost nine tournaments in a row, Raiden has little hope that Earthrealm can secure a victory and avoid being destroyed by Outworld.
When Earthrealm's latest chosen fighters are assembled at Raiden's temple, the thunder god's pessimism is made evident. He is not convinced that Cole Young is a capable fighter and is completely dismissive of Sonya Blade since she does not bear the dragon marking that identifies chosen kombatants. With little time before the tournament is due, he tries to train Cole and Kano how to unlock their arcana and gain the mystical powers that they can wield in the tournament. While Kano unlocks his arcana fairly quickly, Cole struggles and Raiden believes him to be a liability.
When Shang Tsung sends his warriors to kill off the Earthrealm fighters before the tournament, Raiden casts a force-field around the temple. However, Kano later destroys the shield's power source when he decides to join forces with the Outworld kombatants. After Kung Lao is killed by Shang Tsung, Raiden teleports the surviving fighters to the Void. By this point, Cole has unlocked his arcana and urges Raiden to send each of the fighters back to confront one of Shang Tsung's warriors.
After the heroes defeat each of the Outworld fighters, Shang Tsung confronts Raiden, warning him that the battle is not over and that Earth will still lose the tournament. Raiden teleports Shang Tsung back to Outworld mid-rant before sending Cole and the others across the world to find new fighters to represent Earth in Mortal Kombat.