Summary
With the reveal ofMortal Kombat 1’s first season pass of DLC characters, rumors regarding the extra additions to the yet unreleased fighting game’s roster have finally been confirmed. Classic staples of the series Quan Chi and Ermac are set to return as extra content alongside Takeda Takahashi after not appearing sinceMortal Kombat X, all while base roster fighters are still being unveiled as well. The traditional side of the season pass was rather predictable for fans looking forward toMortal Kombat 1, but the game’s groundbreaking guest characters are what has truly sparked discussion.
It may have been a surprise to see Kombat Pack 1 unveiled so soon, but the lineup of licensed fighters on the roster has come as even more of a shock.Peacemaker ofThe Suicide Squadfamehas been fully realized in the nearly photorealistic style ofMortal Kombat 1, but the similarities between the other two guests, Omni-Man ofInvincibleand Homelander fromThe Boys, have players already speculating about their gameplay. The fact of the matter is that both Omni-Man and Homelander were conceived as dark inversions to Superman’s infallible heroic personality, but that doesn’t automatically mean they need to play in the exact same way.
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Omni-Man’s Honor Can Translate Into His Moveset
Subverting Kal-El’s origin story, Omni-Man comes from the warrior civilization of Viltrumites and embodies the strict code of his people. While his acts of extreme violence throughoutInvinciblemake Nolan Grayson seem psychotic, he actually possesses a strict sense of honor that drives his controlled brutality.Season 2 ofInvincibleis on the way, and it is set to see Nolan’s arc progress past his previous villainy as he develops into a more nuanced anti-hero role. Far removed from the spiraling psyche of Homelander, there is great potential for Omni-Man to define his own niche inMortal Kombat.
Likely to end up employing a brawler playstyle, Nolan naturally lacks projectiles and focuses on utilizing his devastating physical strength through trained Viltrumite techniques.The morally complex Omni-Manmay be a near godly being when compared to the average human, but his control over his power allows him to operate just as tactically as he maintains his sense of warrior’s dignity. Strong basic attacks and intense mobility are likely to characterize Omni-Man’s gameplay, which would deviate fromInjustice’s Superman effectively.
Homelander’s Callousness Offers a Contrast to Omni-Man
The Boys’ Homelander, despite his similarities to Omni-Man on the surface, is actually a highly distinct, much more psychopathic character at his core. Perfect for thesignature ultra-violence ofMortal Kombat, Homelander has shown himself to have no remorse for his heartless abuses of power. An artificial creation of the sinister corporation Vought International, Homelander inherently lacks many of the basic traits that make up a healthy human personality. Homelander is far from Omni-Man through his status as a cold, attention-seeking narcissist with no true moral code, and his gameplay is the perfect opportunity to showcase this.
One of the fundamental aspects of the character as shown inThe Boysis that Homelander lacks actual fighting skill or training due to the immense power he innately possesses. Oftentimes abusing signature Superman abilities like his laser vision in place of utilizing actual combat techniques, he actually fits perfectly into the infamous zoner archetype. An egotistical god among men, Homelander could carve out his own niche through a raw, untrained fighting style that properly conveys his complete disconnection from tradition. Despite sharing inspiration, Omni-Man is ultimately still the same flavor ofcomic book guest inMortal Kombatthat Spawn previously brought to the table, while Homelander has opened the door to TV’s darkest characters.
Mortal Kombat 1launches July 17, 2025, for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
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