Hanzo Hasashi, a skilled ninja warrior of the Shirai Ryu clan, lives a peaceful life with his wife, son, and extended family. When his village is suddenly attacked by the ruthless Lin Kuei clan, led by the cold assassin Sub-Zero, Hanzo loses everything he loves. His family and clansmen are slaughtered, and in his final confrontation with Sub-Zero, Hanzo meets a tragic fate. Upon death, he finds himself in the torturous Netherrealm, where his soul is tormented by his inability to protect his family. The sorcerer Quan Chi manipulates Hanzo's despair, offering him a chance at vengeance and resurrecting him as the fiery specter, Scorpion. Burning with the need for revenge, Scorpion escapes the Netherrealm, vowing to kill Sub-Zero.

Meanwhile, the fate of Earthrealm hangs in the balance with the emergence of the Mortal Kombat tournament, orchestrated by the malevolent Elder God Shinnok and the sorcerer Shang Tsung. Earth's greatest warriors are summoned to compete in this interdimensional fighting tournament to prevent the forces of Outworld from conquering their realm. Among these warriors are Liu Kang, a Shaolin monk with a strong sense of destiny; Johnny Cage, a self-absorbed Hollywood actor who is unaware of the true nature of the competition; and Sonya Blade, a Special Forces operative seeking vengeance against the mercenary Kano who killed her partner. As these Earthrealm champions converge, they must discover the strength within themselves to not only fight their opponents but to resist the temptations and manipulations of their otherworldly enemies.