Mortal Kombat 1: Who is Onaga?

by

Mortal Kombat 1: Who is Onaga?

As a devoted Mortal Kombat fan with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that Onaga, the Dragon King, is one of the most intriguing and formidable characters in the series’ rich lore. His history is as old as the realms themselves, and his power is such that even gods tremble at his mention.

In the vast expanse of the Mortal Kombat universe, a diverse array of creatures and individuals inhabit its six realms. Ranging from the primitive beings of Chaosrealm to the near-eternal denizens of Edenia, this world teems with beings of various forms and sizes. They participate in the defining Mortal Kombat tournaments that shape their respective realms. Yet, some entities are so fearsome and potent that they pose a threat to the existence of all realms and dimensions, even those who are not gods or titans. One such formidable character is the mighty Dragon King Onaga, frequently mentioned in Mortal Kombat 1.

Mortal Kombat’s Dragon King Onaga Explained

Introduced in “Mortal Kombat: Deception” back in 2004, Onaga was the initial ruler and mentor to Shao Kahn in the realm of Outworld. Similar to Shao Kahn, Onaga was a powerful conqueror who had the power to resurrect the deceased, making his army appear almost invincible. However, unlike his invincible army, Onaga was not invulnerable and sought eternal life by consuming the blood of a Great Dragon’s infant. Before he could attempt this quest for immortality, Shao Kahn poisoned him and seized his throne. Many centuries later, after Shao Kahn’s death at the hands of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung in “Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance”, Onaga’s spirit managed to manipulate a material artist named Shujinko into resurrecting him within the body of Reptile, transforming him into a fearsome, dragon-like form.

In the story of “Deception,” Onaga swiftly overpowers the lethal coalition, including Thunder God Raiden, despite his army, now imbued with souls, being annihilated. Realizing his part in Onaga’s revival, Shujinko traversed various realms, amassing the skills of numerous combatants to vanquish the Dragon King. Simultaneously, Onaga gathered the six Kamidogu charms and the Amulet of Shinnok, with the objective of using them to dominate and fuse the realms with an army of reanimated warriors. Eventually, Shujinko, harnessing the power of every Mortal Kombat fighter then in existence, managed to defeat Onaga and eliminate the Kamidogu.

Onaga’s Fate in the Original Mortal Kombat Timeline

After losing to Shujinko, Onaga’s spirit was confined to the Netherrealm. There, Elder God Shinnok offered an alliance with the Dragon King, alongside Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, to help Shinnok acquire unlimited power by defeating Blaze. In exchange for his aid, Onaga would rule Overworld. However, Onaga secretly aimed to seize Blaze’s power instead. During the epic Battle of Armageddon, Onaga clashed with a revived Shao Kahn; their battle ended off-screen, but at the start of 2011’s Mortal Kombat, Kahn was depicted as victorious.

In various Mortal Kombat games, Onaga is mentioned or appears, but he has only been a playable character in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon as of now.

Onaga’s Potential Future in Mortal Kombat

In Mortal Kombat 1, Lord Liu Kang rewrote many characters’ stories and fates within his fresh timeline. Yet, the menace of Onaga persists. Legend has it that centuries ago, General Shao’s forefathers were instrumental in defeating and imprisoning Onaga beneath Mount Tsaagan, deep within Outworld. Now, driven by ambition to overthrow Queen Sindel and Mileena, and annihilate Earthrealmers, General Shao aims to release and subdue Onaga, turning him into a tool for his uprising. In the ending where Reiko resides in his tower, we see General Shao trying to tame Onaga. Moreover, certain dialogue sequences before battles hint at General Shao’s claim of already having tamed the Dragon King. Characters like Geras and Liu Kang also discuss the danger of a Titan named Onaga in these pre-battle conversations.

In this particular storyline, details about Onaga’s past are scarce, but Sindel described him as the most perilous creature to traverse Outworld. It’s unclear in this timeline whether the Dragon King’s Army was spawned by Onaga, although they still exist. The upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 or Mortal Kombat 1 DLC could see the Dragon King emerging as the main adversary if he is controlled by General Shao, or as an invasive Titan from a different reality. Regardless of Onaga’s origin in this new version, he may prove to be the most formidable challenge yet for Titan Liu Kang and his allies, given his ease in overpowering the lethal alliance led by Raiden.

Read More

2024-11-13 23:04