Ryan’s Completely Objective Ranking of the MK11 Friendships

The wonderfully demented geniuses at Neatherrealm Studios released Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath last week, and with it, plenty of fun additions to the most recent addition of the gloriously gory fighting franchise. Along with new fighters, new maps, and a second story-mode, Aftermath saw the return of Friendships, the peaceful alternative to fatalities.

So, during lock-down, my brother and I sat down, booted it up, waited the 189 hours for the DLC to install/update/install, and won matches as every single character, executing the friendship most of the time.

Could we have simply gone to YouTube and watched them all? Sure. But would that have been the same? Would it really have meant as much, would we have understood or appreciated each friendship if we hadn’t earned them?

Probably. Almost definitely.

Ryan’s Completely Objective Ranking of the MK11 Friendships

34. Cassie Cage– Feeling Cute, Might Delete Later

This one doesn’t really do anything for us. Cassie’s MK11 character is known to take the occasional selfie before and after fights, but it ultimately felt very underwhelming and unoriginal.

33. The Joker– Come On Bats

The Joker is one of the most legendary characters in comic book lore. He’s one of the most devious, creative villains in fiction, and all we got was this? I would’ve taken a spoof of Jack Nicholson’s Prince scene from Tim Burton’s Batman over this.

32. Kotal Khan– G.T.L.

He just kinda tans, doesn’t he? For those that weren’t old enough to endure Jersey Shore a decade ago, GTL stands for gym, tan, laundry. And I get that Kotal’s gimmick is the sun, but… really?

31. Johnny Cage– Dub Dub WB

If most of the target audience isn’t old enough to remember Jersey Shore, they’re definitely not old enough to remember the dancing from from Warner Brothers television. I’m a literal fossil, so I got a kick out of it, but this feels very underwhelming for a staple such as Johnny Cage.

30. Sindel- Sweet Serenade

Full confession, I’m a Sindel Main. I think her moveset is one of the most fun in the entire game. And they did a good job of employing her famous screaming here, but it still feels like they could’ve dreampt a little bigger.

29. Nightwolf- Matokan Sideshow

Don’t get me wrong, I like this one, but… that’s it? The best part is definitely the bear at the end.

28. Cetrion- Serenity

Again, this is solid, but it just feels like they mailed it in. She could’ve made anything happy, but just a swing? It feels like a waste of a creative possibility.

27. Kano– Kiss the Crook

This is where they start to really turn the corner and get good. Most of the friendships are pretty good, starting with this one.

26. Raiden– Earthrealm’s Got Talent

This is the opposite of the GTL and Dub Dub WB friendships, where the target audience might be too old to get this America’s Got Talent Kidd Thunder throwback.

25. Jade- I Want Kandy

This one’s cute. Using Jade’s staff to destroy a Shao Khan pinata is such an out of this world (or outworld) idea.

24. Kabal- Bop It

I can’t tell you how much higher this would’ve been if he’d played the Mortal Kombat theme. Though they may have saved that for a different friendship…

23. Frost- Frost-Capades

Okay, I need to talk about this Friendship, because it’s good, it’s sweet, I like it a lot, and then the ending happens. And it’s haunted my nightmares ever since.

22. Shao Khan– Winner Winner Outworld Dinner

What I really like about this one is the attention to detail. Watch the video and see if you can read all of the easter eggs on the hammer game.

21. Erron Black– What The Duck

I really like how they capitalize on the western motif in such a silly way with this one. My only criticism is that he doesn’t get a stuffed animal (maybe Goro?) or something as a prize for winning the game.

20. Baraka– Nailed it

This one works because it’s so over-the-top silly. Getting hit by the last piece of cake is, and I’m sorry about this, the cherry on top.

19. The Terminator– Stuntman

This one is great because it’s still just Arnold Schwarzenegger. He gives a big cheesy smile, flashes the T2 thumbs up, and just performs all sorts of silly stunts. I would pay good money to see this in real life.

18. Jacqui- Wibbly Wobbly Kronibop

What really made this one for me? Is that the punching doll is Kronika, and after she thinks she’s done away with it, it comes back for revenge. So goofy while paying homage to the story.

17. Sheeva– Krystal Clear

This one is brilliant. Using Sheeva’s multiple arms to do something as silly as making music, in such a creative way? Is brilliant. I love it.

16. Spawn– Hellish Desires

This one is great too. Spawn’s reading a risque novel in a hammock (his cape), and the contrast is so dramatically different from his character.

15. Kollector– One Man Band

I never cared much for Kollector, but this is a fantastic friendship. It does what makes Sheeva’s version great, even better.

14. D’Vorah– I Feel Pretty

This is such a sweet alternate character for one of the most disturbing monsters in Mortal Kombat. This one just makes me smile.

13. Liu Kang– Shaolin Hustle

No comment. Just watch and laugh.

12. Shang Tsung– Rainbow Konnection

I like how silly this one is. The ultimate deceiver, Shang Tsung, creating an innocent little rainbow is something to behold.

11. Scorpion- Teddy-ality

When I was looking for videos of this friendship, my keyboard stuck, and I got stuck with “scorpio friendships.” Apparently they’re the best, AND the worst.

As for the MK11 friendship though, I like it a lot. It’s simple but silly.

10. Sonya– Fetch, Good Drone

This one does something that many of the friendships don’t, it combines the silly nature of friendships with the brutal nature the game is known for. This is more like what I expected Cassie’s to be.

9. Skarlet– Masterpiece

I think the thing I really love about this friendship is just how much time and energy goes into the painting considering the reveal of what the painting actually is.

8. Robocop– Breakin’ It Down

This one is just silly. The stoic crime-fighting machine (literally), pop, lock, and moonwalking is just… something else altogether.

7. Fujin– Let’s Go Fly A Kite

This one got extra points from me because at one point, the wind pulls the kite away, dragging Fujin behind. It’s very cute.

6. Kitana– Do You Want To Build A Shao Khan?

This one is more bittersweet than funny. It shows a sisterhood that Kitana and Mileena never actually got to have. Also, credit to Ed Boon for being such a troll and including Mileena in the game in such a small capacity.

5. Kung Lao– Kung-Ductor

This is hilarious! We’ve spent so long watching that hat perform gruesome fatalities, tearing people apart, and now? It’s the track for his choo-choo. Lovely.

4. Jax– Jaxophone

I wanted it to be much higher than this. This one made me laugh out loud. There’s a video on YouTube that’s an 11 hour loop of this, and I do cardio to it. Extra points because it ends with the Mortal Kombat theme.

3. Sub-Zero– Frosty Treats

Do you wanna know what made this friendship great? It’s how absolutely giddy Sub-Zero is. It’s silly and applies to the character. It’s wonderful.

2. Noob Saibot– Me And My Shadow

I love this one because the friendship checks all the boxes. It’s uncharacteristically silly, employ’s the fighter’s gift (the shadows), and is completely unexpected.

1. Geras– Beach Party

This one was my personal favorite. In MK11, Geras is so serious and brooding all the time. To see him gleefully build a sandcastle before carefully planting the happy little flag on the top? Perfection.