Mortal Kombat 1 is Smart to Lean into Homelander’s Unhinged Side

When it comes to the upcoming Kombat Pack DLC addition, The Boys gives Mortal Kombat 1 no shortage of absurd and outlandish Homelander source material to adapt. Season four of The Boys launches on Prime in June, right around when its psychotic lead antagonist is scheduled to arrive in Mortal Kombat 1, and it’s already been made plain that the new DLC character will be as eccentric as his live-Action counterpart. NetherRealm recently revealed a brief snippet of Homelander gameplay, though instead of his actual moveset it chose to tease his cinematic outro, intro, and Fatalities.

Homelander’s intro and Fatalities—or possibly his Fatal Blow—guarantee that his laser vision will be a centerpiece of his abilities and likely what he relies on in many of his normal or meter-oriented attacks. Indeed, Homelander’s laser vision is the villain’s staple power. However, while no acts of heinous and gratuitous violence that Homelander has committed in The Boys is too much for a game as gory as Mortal Kombat 1 to handle, it’s a bit surprising and wholly fortuitous that NetherRealm has also decided to depict how pathetic and deranged Homelander is and that’s clear from his outro alone.

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Homelander Drinking Milk is Already a Hot Topic in Mortal Kombat 1

Anyone unfamiliar with The Boys may have watched the opening seconds of Homelander’s Mortal Kombat 1 gameplay reveal teaser in horror as he lustfully drinks from a bottle of milk. This is evidently the iconic scene NetherRealm chose to homage in Homelander’s win outro with milk spilling down his chin and without any context it’s likely to come across as the strangest victory frame in all of Mortal Kombat 1.

The explanation for why Homelander is drinking Madelyn Stillwell’s breast milk doesn’t necessarily do the scene any favors, either, but adapting this scene from the show provides an abridged lens through which players might better understand the character.

Mortal Kombat 1’s Homelander Needs to Be Portrayed Authentically as Horrifically Unwell

Homelander is an unhinged maniac who’s desperate for attention, whether that’s via adoration or terror toward him, and he’s only become more untethered in subsequent seasons. Like Mortal Kombat 1’s Omni-Man only being able to deliver a truncated portrait of Invincible’s Viltrumite, it’s impossible for NetherRealm to perfectly encapsulate an antagonist as complicated as Homelander.

Thankfully, this adaptation of such a vulnerable and cringe-worthy scene demonstrates that Mortal Kombat 1 isn’t afraid to portray the ugly and vulgar sides of Homelander that truly make him a unique character. The incredible strength Homelander possesses is far more banal as a result and where comparisons to other superpowered characters might come into play, but it’s his capacity for malevolence and malice that allows him to wield his powers in wicked and egregious ways.

There’s a great chance NetherRealm adapts him looking around in wary apprehension before gradually and nervously smiling as his murderous actions are accepted by the public, for example. Homelander will undoubtedly have a lot of gruesome cinematics involved in his Fatalities, Brutalities, and Fatal Blow inspired by startling moments in The Boys, but if Mortal Kombat 1 can toss in any other animations or cinematics inspired by his more racy or troubled moments it will feature a more complete picture of the perpetually star-spangled and deeply narcissistic villain.

Mortal Kombat 1

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The 12th mainline entry in Warner Bros’ franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 is set to be a soft reboot. Along with staples like a single-player campaign and online multiplayer, the 2023 game will also introduce Kameo Fighters.

Released

September 19, 2023

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. games

Genre(s)

Fighting

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

7 Hours

Metascore

83

Platforms That Support Crossplay

PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

PS Plus Availability

N/A