With the announcement and release of six Kameo fighters were added to the game's starting roster, which I believe was one of the best rosters in franchise history for its variety and combination of fan-favorite 3D era characters, like Ashrah, Reiko, Nitara, and Havik, with series staples, like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden.

With for MK1 seemingly at an end, there are still several characters that never made it to the game, including some series staples. Mortal Kombat is one of the longest-running fighting game franchises, and it now has over 70 characters, not including the iconic guest characters or unplayable super bosses. The roster might be complete, with the final addition being the T-1000 from Terminator 2, but there are several characters that desperately need to return to the main roster for the game's eventual sequel.

10 Kung Jin Hasn't Had Much Of A Spotlight

The Archer Needs A New Target

After MK1, the only "Kombat Kid" that hasn't made an appearance since his debut in Mortal Kombat 10 is Kung Jin. According to some leaks and rumors here and there, Kung Jin was planned to be DLC for MK1, but we may never find out whether he was going to be a Kameo or a main roster fighter.

Kung Jin briefly appears near the end of the MK1 story mode, alongside the other "Kombat Kids." He had a new design in that brief appearance, which led to plenty of speculation that he was going to be DLC at some point for MK1, much like Takeda ended up being.

Kung Jin had an interesting move list in MK10, with the variation system highlighting both his archery and staff skills. He's also the only confirmed male LGBTQ+ character, so it would be nice to see him return with at least one of the other "Kombat Kids" and find out how his story might progress.

9 Kabal Has A Memorably Punishing Moveset

There Were Some References To Him In MK1

Kabal might have been one of the most annoying characters in both MK9 and MK11 due to his oppressive zoning and high damage, but there's no denying he is a fan-favorite. As a member of the Black Dragon clan, he is consistently a "jobber" that shows up just to get beaten in a fight against the good guys in the story modes, but his gameplay and iconic design were definitely missed in MK1.

Notably, both the T-1000 and Ghostface have references to Kabal in MK1. T-1000 makes Kabal's hook swords with his liquid metal, while Ghostface recruited two of the Black Dragon clan for his killer escapades throughout Earthrealm as part of his complex gameplay. Considering these continued references to the character, it would be bizarre for the series to abandon him for long.

8 Cassie Cage Is A Fun Combination

The Daughter Of Johnny And Sonya Has Even More Potential

Cassie Cage (or whatever her name and family relations end up being in Liu Kang's New Era) was one of the most popular additions to MK10, which had several new characters. While not all of them were hits with fans, Cassie was the one who stood above the rest, also serving as the main protagonist of that game's story mode.

Cassie returned in MK11, albeit in a slightly smaller story role. On top of being hilarious, she cleverly combines moves from both her mother and father to create something unique. She was also allegedly going to be DLC for MK1 at some point, so even though that doesn't seem to have worked out, she should certainly earn a place on the next game's base roster.

7 Jax Deserves More

He's Too Big For Just A Kameo Spot

While Jax was technically in MK1 as a Kameo, he wasn't fully playable. He needs to return to the game's full roster, regardless of whether MK1's Kameo System stays for the game's sequel (which it probably won't). As one of the original MK characters, Jax is an iconic figure, and he's always had one of the best personalities to boot.

While the reception to his daughter, Jacqui Briggs, has been predominantly negative, fans tend to love Jax. He made an appearance in Kenshi's arcade ladder ending in MK1 as an FBI agent, so there seems to be tons of story potential now that he's not locked down to the Special Forces.

6 Erron Black Has Western Style

There's No Other Character Like Him

Erron Black remains one of the most popular characters from the NRS era of MK games. It's hard to ignore a more traditional gunslinging cowboy in a game series full of sorcerers, special military units, wraiths, and dragon kings. The character almost became synonymous with professional fighting game player SonicFox, as they dominated several MK10 tournaments with the character.

Erron Black's use of guns, sand, and trick shots has resonated with many fans, and there's no good alternative to fill the gap that his absence leaves in the roster. His story is nothing special, but when you're this cool, a lackluster narrative doesn't matter all that much.

5 Kano Has Never Been Hotter

The Aussie Is Ready To Return With A Vengeance

Kano is arguably at his all-time peak of popularity, especially with how the character stole the show in the 2021 Mortal Kombat film (and he even had a franchise-defining role in the original MK film as well). He's slimy, dirty, traitorous, and a whole lot of fun.

Much like Jax, Kano is one of the original Mortal Kombat characters that sat out of the MK1 main roster. He was a pretty oppressive Kameo and a popular choice for Baraka mains, but he needs to return to playable status in the follow-up.

4 D'Vorah Rises Above The Controversy

The Treacherous Kytinn Is A Great Villain

This one would be pleased to see D'Vorah return to the MK franchise. While she is a controversial character, possessing a lot of perceived plot armor and bearing the responsibility for the death of two major MK characters in MK10 and MK11, she made such a strong impact so quickly that her absence was definitely noticeable in MK1.

"D'Vorah" translates to "bee" in Hebrew. The Arabic word "daborah" roughly translates to "female hornet" in English.

D'Vorah is one of the few villainous characters who got a playable chapter in MKX, and her bug-queen design is impossible to forget. Some fans love her, others hate her, but she's one of the series' icons now. Despite the mixed reception, I think she is easily the best new character NRS has made since the MK9 series reboot in 2011, and continuing to explore the bold ideas she brought to the table would be a great opportunity for more interesting storytelling.

3 Skarlet Has So Much Potential

Blood Magic Allows For So Many Gameplay Possibilities

Skarlet debuted as a new, original character as DLC in MK9, with no voice and barely any story. Using blood magic, she is able to create weapons out of blood, manipulate her opponents, and perform blood rituals. It's an appropriately grisly Mortal Kombat concept, and the creativity offers endless potential for memorable fatalities.

Skarlet was the first DLC character ever released for Mortal Kombat. She would return as a base roster character in Mortal Kombat 11, with a heavier emphasis on blood magic zoning instead of the rushdown tools she had in MK9.

She was seemingly replaced by the vampire Nitara in MK1, but Megan Fox's portrayal of Nitara received a lot of criticism, to the point where I doubt she will return in the near future. Bring Skarlet back into the picture would be the perfect alternative.

2 Sonya Blade Is A Legend

The Original Female MK Character

Let's be honest, it's strange for a game to be called Mortal Kombat 1 and not feature the original female MK character. Sonya rarely skips a game, so it was surprising to see that she never made it over to MK1 as a main roster character. Johnny's status as the sole American survivor in MK1 is memorable, but he could have easily shared the spotlight with another legend.

She was in MK1 as a Kameo (one of the better ones, too), but she was barely mentioned in any lore or character endings. Named after Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon's sister (a tidbit he shared on X), it would be shocking if Sonya skipped the main roster again.

1 Jade Has Audiences On Her Side

Maybe The Most Requested DLC Character Ever

Jade's almost total absence in MK1 (she wasn't even a Kameo and was only referenced in character intro dialogues) was and still is surprising. Boon even stated in an interview (screenshotted and posted to Reddit by Youngstown_Mafia) that Jade was by far the most requested character. Her absence was a major disappointment, similar to how upset fans were that it took a very long time to add Mileena and Rain to MK11.

Jade has never appeared in the same game as Tanya, and given that Tanya now has a lot of Jade's original timeline role, it doesn't seem likely that the two of them will be together next. Many fans, however, would be happy to trade Tanya for Jade in the next Mortal Kombat game. Now that Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition is out, the day when we'll see which one will make the cut is starting to seem like it's not all that far away.