—Baraka to Ashrah in Mortal Kombat 1. |
Biography
- Mortal Kombat 1: "Baraka was once a respected Outworld merchant. But that life ended in an instant when he contracted the dreaded Tarkat plague. Incurable, contagious, and the cause of severe physical deformities, Tarkat turned Baraka into a monster. He was cast out and doomed to live out his days in a colony of similarly afflicted Outworlders. When Baraka first arrived, the colony was in disarray. His fellow Tarkatans had given up and were ready to die. Their hopelessness lit a fire in Baraka’s heart. He spares no effort to better his fellow Tarkatans’ lives. He knows that as long as he fights, he will never truly be a victim."
Storyline
In restarting the timeline, Liu Kang designed the fates of every inhabitant, including his old allies. In doing so, he designed the fate of Baraka to be an Edenian merchant living in Outworld with his family. At an unknown time, however, Baraka succumbs to the Tarkat disease, disfiguring him and bringing a monstrous appearance like in previous timelines while also unfortunately taking his family, leaving only Baraka left. Having been infected, Baraka, like others, are later outcasted by his fellow inhabitants of Outworld.
Mortal Kombat 1
Baraka is first encountered by Johnny Cage, Kenshi and Kung Lao within the Tarkatan Colony. There, they witness Shang Tsung extracting bone marrow from Baraka's spine. After freeing himself, Baraka fights and attempts to kill Shang Tsung, but is stopped by the Earthrealmers. Believing them to be Shang Tsung's minions, Baraka attacks Kenshi but is defeated. After explaining the situation, Baraka reveals he is the leader of the Tarkatans within the Colony, a base he established to protect them from Outworld's army. When asking about Shang Tsung, Baraka also explains that the sorcerer comes to the Colony once a month to extract his bone marrow but is unsure why. Baraka commands his Tarkatans to stand down and he leads them to Shang Tsung's Lab near the Colony to help the Eathrealmers capture him.
At the Lab, the Earthrealmers attempt to save Mileena from Shang Tsung and General Shao. Unknowing to the Earthrealmers, their interference prevents Shang Tsung's treatment of Mileena's Tarkat infection, causing her to become berserk and blind Kenshi with her sais. General Shao and his forces capture them all, including Baraka. Within the Lab, the group meet a subordinate of Shang Tsung, Syzoth, who is tasked with preparing experimentations on the group, however Baraka protects everyone from the mutant Tarkatans sent after them. Shang Tsung returns to the Lab, finding his subjects have escaped. He releases a gas to poison the group, however Baraka frees them, and Syzoth joins them after Shang Tsung reveals he killed his family. Needing to get back to Earthrealm, Baraka leads the group to the gates of Sun Do.
On the journey, they venture into the Living Forest, where they meet the demoness Ashrah. She explains she is a former associate of Quan Chi, a sorcerer similar to Shang Tsung working alongside him. In the forest, the sorcerers plan to create Soul Stealer to harness the souls within the Living Forest. There, they face off against Quan Chi and his forces, destroying the Soul Stealer, and capturing Quan Chi. Baraka decides to remain in Outworld while the Earthrealmers, Ashrah and Syzoth head to Sun do to return to Earthrealm.
As circumstances escalate, within Outworld and Earthrealm, a Shang Tsung from another timeline arrives and reveals his intentions to the Earthrealmers and Outworld forces. After the revelation of multiple timelines, Liu Kang forms a new Forces of Light to kombat this alternate version of Shang Tsung that had been meddling with the timeline by bringing in Titans and kombatants from other timelines to aid him in the upcoming battle. Baraka joins neither side, however other timeline counterparts of his participate in the upcoming battle.
Liu Kang arrives in Titan Shang Tsung's timeline with his Forces of Light to battle Titan Shang Tsung's Forces of Darkness. A battle ensues with kombat and death all around. Titan Shang Tsung summons a Titan version of Quan Chi, thus reforming The Deadly Alliance for the battle at hand. As the battle wages to the top of the Pyramid, a good version of the Deadly Alliance briefly fight the Titan Deadly Alliance before being quickly killed. At the top, the Titans fight Liu Kang and an ally, only to be bested by Liu Kang's ally in kombat. Liu Kang uses his Temporal Power to erase both Titans, but in doing so, causes the timeline seemingly begins to collapse. Running out of time, Liu Kang sends his ally back to their respective timeline before doing so with himself.
Ending
- Mortal Kombat 1 (Canonical): "While the regime had changed, little else had. My people still suffered in silence, ignored by the rest of Outworld. Though now I knew Empress Mileena's secret: that she was also afflicted with Tarkat. If anyone would help, it would be her. But how to get an audience? Syzoth. He was the Empress's new emissary to the Zaterrans. I asked him to introduce us. At great personal risk, he agreed. And as I'd prayed, the Empress was willing to meet. Even better, she would visit the colony. She was shocked to see how we lived. She moved quickly to provide for our care and comfort. Thanks to the Empress and Syzoth, we Tarkatans are no longer pariahs. Until our disease can be cured, that will do."