Mortal Kombat 1 is set to welcome a surprising group of characters including Omni-Man, Homelander, and Ermac with the Kombat Pack 1 DLC bundle.
Mortal Kombat 1 is going in a different direction from previous installments of the series. Alongside being a reboot, it is introducing an assist mechanic similar to the one seen in games like Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes. These “Kameo Fighters” can be summoned during fights, but aren’t fully playable characters in their own right.
That means that a lot of faces will be appearing in the game, even if they aren’t actually playable characters. But while one might those who don’t thematically fit into Mortal Kombat to receive that treatment, the Kombat Pack will instead add some of the most powerful figures in comic books as fully playable characters.
Mortal Kombat 1 DLC playable characters in Kombat Pack 1
Kombat Pack 1 will add six new playable DLC characters including Omni-Man, Homelander, Peacemaker, Ermac, Takeda, and Quan Chi. These six will not be available as Kameo Fighters initially but are instead fully playable characters. Here is where these characters come from and what history they have in Mortal Kombat, if any.
Omni-Man
Omni-Man is the first major antagonist of the popular indie comic book series Invincible. While Invincible had long been a favorite among comic book fans, it broke into the mainstream thanks to the animated adaptation that launched in 2021. The character is arguably the truest “bad Superman” character there is outside DC Comics. He’s an alien that looks perfectly human and adopts an alter-ego as a writer but reveals himself as a double agent planning to lead an invasion by his native species.
Homelander
There are plenty of similarities between Homelander and Omni-Man. Both are “bad Superman” characters from cult classic comics that became widely known thanks to television adaptations. They also both enjoyed runs as popular internet memes. Homelander is the main antagonist of The Boys, with Mortal Kombat 1 seemingly using the TV version of the character played by Anthony Starr. This iteration of the character has a Superman-like set of powers, but is erratic, prone to violence, and obsessed with maintaining his public image.
Peacemaker
Peacemaker is a DC Comics character that has bounced in and out of relevance over the many years since his introduction. The character has been reinvented and the mantle has been passed around on many occasions, but the Peacemaker appearing in Mortal Kombat 1 is the one seen in the 2021 Suicide Squad film. Played by pro wrestler John Cena, this version of Peacemaker is essentially a cross between Captain America and a frat boy.
Quan Chi
Quan Chi debuted in the disastrous Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero spin-off as its hokey main villain, but entered the mainline series in Mortal Kombat 4. He was last seen in Mortal Kombat X, where he had a set of tools that allowed him to excel in controlling space and zoning.
Ermac
Ermac is a fan-favorite character who debuted in Mortal Kombat 3 as “the red ninja;” yet another palette swap of Scorpion and Sub-Zero. He had the look of a mummy-ninja hybrid in recent iterations of the game but Mortal Kombat 1 sees him lose the bandages to reveal a withered face, something that hasn’t been well-received by fans.
Takeda
Mortal Kombat X introduced a new set of protagonists for the story mode, who were effectively successors to classic characters. While that narrative turn has largely been invalidated by Mortal Kombat 12 becoming Mortal Kombat 1, the successor to Scorpion wasn’t forgotten about. Takeda returns in the Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack after largely missing out on the action in Mortal Kombat 11.
Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack adds five Kameo Fighters
Alongside the six new playable characters of the Kombat Pack are five Kameo Fighters. The list includes a mix of surprise returns from previous Mortal Kombat games as well as a repurposed Johnny Cage, who is already confirmed as a playable character. The full list includes:
- Ferra
- Johnny Cage
- Khameleon
- Mavado
- Tremor
In addition to all these new characters, the Kombat Pack 1 will also add an extra skin for Johnny Cage. The skin is directly based on actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and is exclusively available through the Kombat Pack. The Kombat Pack is included in premium versions of the game, with pre-orders letting players have early access to Mortal Kombat 1.
