cha0skitties ★

Kuai Liang: You're free of Outworld's captivity?

Shang Tsung: I stand before you, don't I?

Kuai Liang looks so shocked and almost scared in this.

I've talked about this before but now I'm positive: Shang Tsung broke out of Outworld prison and the first thing he did was coming to Earthrealm to see his beloved feisty Kuai Liang. He jeopardises his own freedom for Kuai. That's why Kuai Liang is shocked and scared. Shang Tsung had only recently broken out of prison and no one had been warned yet.

these two has been in my brain for a while now….

It started from this scene:

Shang Tsung gets up after this smacking he just got and the first thing he says about Kuai Liang:

Even Shao is annoyed.

Later Shang Tsung makes a temporary alliance with the gang and listens to Kuai devising a strategy. Then makes it a point to compliment Kuai Liang, to the point it feels like flattery:

Kuai is not impressed:

Shang Tsung's reaction:

Shang Tsung's adoration carries on to the intros as well. He's absolutely disappointed Kuai Liang didn't join him. He snaps at Bi-Han about it. Look how angry Shang looks.

He even complains about it to Tomas.

Shang Tsung never laments losing an ally even though he lost a plenty in this one, from Bi-Han to General Shao. He's only fixated on Kuai Liang rejecting him.

And in their intros, Shang Tsung shows he hasn't given up on pursuing Kuai Liang. Look at his smile, Shang is trying his best in this:

Then in a desperate attempt, he offers to teach Kuai Liang shapeshifting; his biggest secret and ability. Shang Tsung's trump card. And he offers to share it with Kuai Liang. This is very significant.

Shang Tsung never shows this much interest in anyone else. He has no interest in winning back lost allies. At best he wants to inform them about soul wells but he never tries this hard. Except for Kuai.