The plot is set about 20 years after the events of the previous game where the ending revealed that Shinnok used the void after Shao Kahn's death to attack Earthrealm with his army of Netherrealm forces. Several characters work together to steal Shinnok's amulet and imprison him inside, but eventually Mileena hatches a plan to release Shinnok by bringing the amulet to Quan Chi who escaped when Shinnok was imprisoned. The gap in years is mainly used to introduce the new characters to the cast, such as Cassie, the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade (who married and divorced), Kotal Kahn as the new emperor of the Outworld, and Takeda, the son of Kenshi.