I really enjoyed the series as a whole, but my god Sub Zero looked a dickhead in the present-day. They went to so much effort to try and make the Japanese scenes feel beautifully grounded in realism, with gorgeous old-fashioned costumes and masks... then Subz turns up on the island like a SWAT officer going dirt-biking and I remember just losing all my enthusiasm for the battle because he looked an utter twat. Luckily Scorpion ripped his head off, which should have been for fashion crimes alone!
Definitely agree about Shao Kahn. He was clever, sadistic, relished in his power, didn't kill his legions just out of moronic anger (like MKA's Kahn who killed Rain... for having taken two great warriors prisoners? That he could still torture or kill if ordered to do so? What? Now you've lost one of your best warriors and still have two prisoners that you can still kill at your behest!?) and instead dominated, belittled and reminded them of how much they owe him their duty and loyalty out of what he may do to them otherwise.
And the set may have been minimalistic (or cheap) but he looked amazing in the cascading light of the between-realm he fought Raiden in during the last episodes; his chainmail and armour backlit for terrifying effect, they're almost like devil wings as he runs out of the darkness. The costume too just looked fantastic (well except for the awful "classic" helmet he wore in the pilot) and would love to see the outfit replicated in a game.
It's a shame Chris Casamassa's voice acting is so awful, because Kahn is deliciously villainous here, love the sheer arrogance:
How he roars at Shang Tsung "HOW DARE YOU BEG FOR DEATH!" then so patronisingly belittles him with "only victors are granted their desires."
And yes, the overlays were all very cheap and very made-for-90s-TV, but the ending with its SURPRISINGLY good use of Mortal Kombat Annihilation stock footage actually proves that with a more talented eye, some of that movie's visuals of the extermination squads could have been used to far greater effect, the montage looks suitably creepy. This Kahn didn't want to kill or destroy Raiden... he relished in watching him be broken, and the greatest reward was simply making him bow to him! Love it