Mortal Kombat 30th Anniversary: 10 Greatest Story Moments Ever
6. Deadly Alliance's Victory - Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance had the sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi team up as the titular duo. Together, they managed to take down two of the biggest threats standing in their way, Shao Kahn and Liu Kang. Naturally, you'd expect Raiden and the remaining heroes of Earthrealm to stop the pair but as the opening of Mortal Kombat: Deception shows us, things don't go according to plan.
The intro reveals that Raiden's Champions failed as we see their bodies littered outside Shang Tsung's palace. Even Kung Lao and Kitana, the two closest to Liu Kang, squared off against the Deadly Alliance but lost their lives in the process.
This was a shocking moment for the series as the previous entry set these characters up to avenge Liu Kang only to show that they never stood a chance.
With no one left to stop them, Raiden defies the Elder Gods' wishes and faces off against Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. He puts up a good fight but despite his skill and abilities, the duo has become too powerful and bests the Thunder God. For the first time in the series, the villains finally won and all hope seemed lost.