So it’s no secret that Netherrealm Studios is hard at work on the next Mortal Kombat, which is reportedly set to arrive sometime this year. Considering how well Mortal Kombat 11 sold (millions of units at the time of this report), it’s inevitable. But now comes the next big question – who’s going to be in it?
And I don’t mean the main roster, mind you. Favorites like Johnny Cage, Sub-Zero and Scorpion are obviously going to make the cut. Liu Kang is more of a loose cannon, but…he’s alive again, I think? Anything’s possible.
But I mean the guest characters. Over the years, we’ve seen everyone from Robocop to John Rambo to the Joker from the DC universe pop up and take people apart in the game. But we’ve also seen a fair share of horror icons, like the Alien, the Predator, Spawn (with Keith David returning to voice him!), the T-800 from the Terminator movies (with Schwarzenegger’s likeness!), Jason Voorhees, Leatherface and Freddy Krueger.
So who’s next? We’d figure we would go ahead and get the ball rolling with our recommendation of who should make the cut – and that’s good ol’ Ash Williams from the Evil Dead films.
Wait, Ash?! Didn’t He Retire?
It’s true, Bruce Campbell, the actor who played the character across three films, a TV series (Ash vs. Evil Dead) and a number of high-profile games, “retired” him a few years ago, which may explain why producers are moving forward with something new in the Evil Dead series with Evil Dead Rise, arriving in theaters next month.
That said, it’s not like the character really went away. Ash continues to live on in the horror lexicon. And what’s more, he continues to be popular in games. Evil Dead: The Game has a fairly strong community loving what him and the Ghostbeaters (his crew) are delivering. Not to mention that he also appeared in, of all places, Fortnite, as well as Dead by Daylight, Organ Trail: Director’s Cut and Poker Night 2.
So it only makes sense for him to return in the world of Mortal Kombat. “But just how much would he fit in?” you’re probably asking yourself. Well…
He’s Practically Fit For Battle
Ash is one tough mama, even in his 50’s. And if you don’t believe me, just watch his antics in Ash vs. Evil Dead, where he rips through Deadites like they were papier-maiche. Of course, it helps to have a right hand that can take a chainsaw, as well as a fully-loaded sawed-off shotgun from S-Mart. (“Shop smart!”)
So, yeah, this could mix up all kinds of possibilities. He could create close-range combos with the help of some closed fists, as well as using his chainsaw for quick slashes. His shotgun can also work for pushing an opponent back or landing a long-range blow. But there’s also other things that you can add to the mix.
For instance, Deadites could try to pop up out of the ground to hold the opponent while Ash runs over and lands a quick combo. He could also call upon his classic 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale (a car of choice for director Sam Raimi) to run over an opponent, both in its original form and its “souped-up” edition in Army of Darkness. And, of course, there’s the potential of some bloody finishers, like blasting someone’s head off with the shotgun or maybe even letting his chainsaw do the work.
And of course, with Campbell portraying the character, there’s all sorts of possibilities for charisma. If Johnny Cage can pull it off, why can’t Ash?
So Could It Happen?
The main issue that could stop Ash from appearing in Mortal Kombat 12 would be licensing. While the rights to Evil Dead are secure and in one place, Army of Darkness is another story, being owned by Universal.
But still…it really comes down to whether Campbell’s on board. He obviously has no problem lending the character to star in other games (like Dead by Daylight and Evil Dead: The Game); and I’m sure he’d have a field day having a discussion with the likes of Raiden or Shang Tsung.
It’s just a matter of how he’s applied – but seeing as how Netherrealm has a mostly unbeatable track record of taking care of guest characters, I’d say he’s in good hands.
Now, Mortal Kombat 12 hasn’t even been officially announced yet, though summer is around the corner and that’s just the right place to make such an announcement. But somewhere down the line, we’d like to see Ash jump into the game, if only because he’d make quite a memorable impact. And, of course, he could chop Scorpion to bits while muttering, “Groovy” under his breath.
Give it consideration, Netherrealm. For the fans. For Bruce. For Ash!
And now, an Army of Darkness classic trailer to remind you of Campbell’s awesomeness.
Want a new console to play Mortal Kombat 12 (or maybe even 11) on? We’re giving one away!
