Johnny Cage

Jonathan Carlton, better known by his stage name Johnny Cage, is an action movie star and martial artist in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the seven original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game, and remains one of the most popular characters in the franchise to date.

Johnny Cage has been a central character to the series alongside the likes of Raiden and Liu Kang, a role that was later passed down to his daughter, Cassie Cage, as well.

Contents

 * Biography
 * Storyline
 * Mortal Kombat (2011)
 * Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)
 * Mortal Kombat X
 * Mortal Kombat 11
 * Part 1: Mortal Kombat 11
 * Part 2: Aftermath
 * Ending
 * References

Biography

 * Mortal Kombat (2011): "There is no greater martial arts movie star than Johnny Cage. Films such as "Dragon Fist", "Time Smashers" and "Citizen Cage" have made him one of the most highly paid actors in Hollywood. But there is more to Johnny than even he knows. He is a descendant of an ancient Mediterranean cult who bred warriors for the gods -- warriors who possessed power beyond that of mortals. This legacy has made Johnny Cage a star. More important, it will aid him in the battle to come."


 * Mortal Kombat X: "Johnny Cage, famous Hollywood action hero, joined the first Mortal Kombat tournament for the publicity. As the Thunder God, Raiden, intoned at the time about the arrogant, loquacious Cage, "He is a hero... though he might not yet know it." Raiden was correct, of course: Johnny's martial arts skills were not special effects--and were pivotal in Earthrealm's victory. Johnny became a leader alongside Sonya Blade against Outworld and later Netherrealm. Sonya's initial dislike of Johnny turned to friendship and eventually to marriage. After their daughter, Cassie, was born, however, Johnny and Sonya split up. Now older and more somber, the 50-something Johnny is a consultant with a secret Special Forces unit under Blade's command. He tolerates the occasional run-in with his ex-wife mostly to spend time with his beloved Cassie--the group's squad leader."


 * Mortal Kombat 11: "B-list celebrity, recipient of no acting awards. Following a string of lowbrow direct-to- VHS sequels to Ninja Mime, Johnny Cage's career peaked at the age of 28. Now, he fights against all odds to save Earthrealm and prove that he's an even braver hero in real life than on the silver screen."

Mortal Kombat (2011)
Before the Mortal Kombat tournament begins, Johnny Cage meets Sonya Blade and tries to hit on her, much to her annoyance. In the first match of the tournament, Johnny is pitted against Reptile, whom he assumes is merely an actor, by Shang Tsung, after making insulting comments regarding Tsung's age. He defeats Reptile, and celebrates his victory by bad-mouthing the other kombatants and flirting with Sonya before being ordered to face Baraka, who he believes is just another actor in make-up. Johnny defeats Baraka and is commanded by Shang Tsung to kill him. Initially taking this as a joke, Johnny, realizing that Tsung is serious, refuses to do so. Afterwards, everyone begins to leave and Johnny is approached by Raiden and Liu Kang, who attempt to inform him of what will happen to Earthrealm should they fail to win the tournament. Johnny, however, doesn't believe anything that they say, stating that he is an actor, and only saves the world in movies. He then leaves to catch up to Sonya, in an attempt to ask her out on a date.

Johnny finds Sonya on the bridge high above the Pit and continues to flirt with her. Frustrated by his persistence, Sonya attacks him. Johnny manages to subdue Sonya, but feels guilty about the fight. Shortly after, Kano appears and throws Johnny off of the bridge, but he is able to grab onto the edge. Kano, seeing that Sonya is "softened up" from the fight with Johnny, seizes the opportunity to finish her off. Johnny then leaps back onto the bridge, steps in and defeats Kano in combat, earning the respect and gratitude of Sonya in the process.

After Sonya helps an injured Jax escape from Goro's Lair, and defeats Kitana, Jade and Kano in combat, the three of them are lead away by Shang Tsung, leaving Sonya and the injured Jax alone. Johnny, Raiden, and Liu Kang then appear. Raiden uses his powers to heal Jax, while Johnny explains to Sonya that Raiden is a God. Johnny, Sonya, and Jax agree to help Raiden.

Later in the tournament, Shang Tsung arranges a match between Johnny and Cyrax, who is assigned by the sorcerer to kill him. Johnny is defeated by Cyrax, but the assassin spares his life on behalf of Raiden. Due to his loss, Johnny is eliminated from the tournament. When the tournament ends in triumph for Earthrealm following Liu Kang's victory over Shang Tsung in the final bout, Johnny and the other Earthrealm warriors congratulate Kang on his victory. Johnny is also present during the celebration at the Wu Shi Academy. When the Tarkatans attack the Academy, Jax is knocked unconscious. When he awakens, Johnny is one of the Earth warriors who is seen standing over him. Jax learns of Sonya's capture by Shang Tsung, and all of the warriors proceed to the second tournament.

While Liu Kang and Kung Lao are sent to free their Shaolin masters from the Tarkatans, Johnny stays with Jax and Raiden. After Jax defeats Baraka, Raiden receives a vision of Sonya's scheduled execution and teleports the three of them to the Armory. Johnny berates Raiden about his teleporting that has left the three of them lost. Still attracted to Sonya, he starts questioning Jax about his relationship with her. Jax explains that he is Sonya's commanding officer, nothing more, but loses his temper when Johnny continues to brag about his interest in Sonya and gets into a fight with him. The scuffle is ended by Raiden, and the three are confronted by Jade, who orders them to leave immediately. Jax defeats Jade and apologizes to Johnny for his behavior. Accepting the apology, Johnny continues to accompany Jax and Raiden to the Dead Pool where Sonya is being guarded by Sheeva and her guards. Defeating them, they free Sonya, and Raiden orders Johnny to stay close to him. Johnny and Raiden travel to the Living Forest, where Raiden saves Smoke from the Lin Kuei cyborgs.

After Sub-Zero is captured by the Lin Kuei cyborgs, Raiden holds back Smoke to prevent the cyborgs from taking him away as well. Johnny can be seen alongside Smoke during the events. As Raiden realizes that his earlier actions of sparing Smoke have led to the automation of Sub-Zero, he decides to speak to Kitana, to which Johnny replies, "Sure, let's go ruin someone else's life."

When the Earth warriors approach Kitana in the Wastelands, she attacks them. Johnny reluctantly fights Kitana alongside Smoke but are both defeated. After Raiden tells Kitana to search in the Flesh Pits, the Earth warriors leave. They return to the Wastelands and find Jade, who had moments earlier defeated Mileena. Smoke enters a fight with Jade, believing Mileena (Kitana's clone) to be Kitana herself and that Jade had betrayed her. After Jade defeats Smoke, Raiden talks to Jade while Liu Kang, Johnny, and Kung Lao chat in the distance, mainly consisting of the two monks belittling Cage. When Jade informs the Earth warriors of Kitana's capture, Kung Lao and Liu Kang go to free Kitana, while Johnny stays with Raiden to continue in the tournament. Johnny is later defeated and eliminated from the tournament by Ermac.

Johnny returns during the Earthrealm invasion, fighting Motaro on The Street. Raiden intervenes and kills Motaro, altering the timeline to allow Johnny's survival. Johnny appears with the Earth warriors during their discussions and when they are ambushed by Lin Kuei cyborgs, who they successfully defeat. When Sindel emerges, she battles and kills most of the Earth warriors, however, Johnny, along with Sonya, survives the onslaught.

When Raiden attempts to stop Liu Kang from attacking Shao Kahn, Johnny and Sonya arrive to witness Liu Kang being electrocuted. While Raiden tends to Liu Kang, both Johnny and Sonya attempt to fight Shao Kahn, who easily blasts them away, knocking both unconscious. After Raiden defeats Shao Kahn and the Elder Gods take Shao Kahn away for punishment, Johnny and Sonya help Raiden to his feet. Johnny, along with Sonya and Liu Kang´s body, is teleported away by Raiden.

Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)
After defeating Shinnok in the Jinsei Chamber, Johnny stayed with Sonya as the chamber's properties healed her. When Sonya awoke in his arms, he assured her the fallen Elder God was defeated and that Raiden would ensure he would never escape again. When Sonya complimented him for selflessly battling Shinnok, Johnny brushed it off and instead praised her for surviving a direct hit from the Elder God's amulet. Johnny then asked Sonya if he could take her to dinner and a movie before they went their separate ways after the war, and to his delight Sonya agreed.

Four months later, Johnny was in his condo in LA when Sonya arrived, and an excited Johnny answered his door, allowing Sonya in. Johnny talked Sonya's head off, saying he understood she didn't want a boyfriend while going on how they celebrated "like adults" after the war, before asking if Sonya had fallen in love with him. Sonya told Johnny to shut up before stunning him with the news she was pregnant.

Johnny and Sonya would marry, and Sonya would give birth to a girl they would name Cassandra Cage, but their marriage was hardly perfect. One night, years later, Johnny found Sonya preparing to leave for a mission for Special Forces to rescue Kenshi from the Red Dragon. Johnny asked if someone else could handle it, knowing Sonya would miss Cassie's birthday if she left. Johnny reminded Sonya she was responsible for Cassie and that she wouldn't forget this, but this failed to convince Sonya to stay.

Ultimately, the two would separate, though they would still see each other due to their work for Special Forces.

Johnny can be briefly seen as a projection created by Raiden alongside Sonya Blade when the thunder god mentions the few Earthrealm warriors left alive.

Though not present physically, Johnny's daughter Cassie is seen practicing with her friend Jacqui Briggs in his condo, damaging his award trophies in the process.

Johnny is revealed to have called Cassie several times in concern, not knowing his daughter was kidnapped. Sonya orders her Special Forces to get Johnny to help find Cassie in Outworld.

Johnny Cage makes his first physical appearance by snatching an attacking Reptile's tongue and urges everyone to calm down. Johnny approaches the wounded Kotal Kahn, offering medical supplies, but D'Vorah refuses, using worms to eat the bullet Sonya shot him with and seal the wound, much to Cage's disgust. Kotal Kahn makes it clear he will only speak with Raiden's champion, Johnny, with Cage not blaming the emperor after dealing with Sonya.

Johnny explains his daughter and Jacqui's disappearance while providing proof the Black Dragon were the ones who attacked them. Kotal is insulted by the accusation simply because of his connection to the Black Dragon and explains his own family loss. Johnny believes Kotal, and then shows him the picture of Erron Black Cassie took, asking if he would.

Both Kotal Kahn and D'Vorah explain Black's mercenary status and connection to the Black Dragon, as well as his frustration after the meeting with the Special Forces. Johnny tries to ease Sonya by saying Erron Black is just a rogue mercenary acting out, not Outworld declaring war but Sonya snaps at him to shut up and get Black's location. After Kahn provides Erron's location and orders Reptile and D'Vorah to take them to him, Johnny and the emperor shake hands in agreement, with Cage determined to find his daughter.

Johnny follows behind Sonya and D'Vorah as the group ventures deeper into the Outworld jungle in search of Cassie and Jacqui. Watching D'Vorah and Sonya exchange banter amuses Johnny to no end and he offers Reptile ten dollars, betting Sonya will snap first. When Sonya warns Johnny, and Cage starts to say he's only trying to lighten the mood when blood drips onto his sunglasses. Confused, Johnny looks up and announces to the group he has found their kidnapper, pointing up at the bound, bloody and beaten form of Erron Black tied to a tree.

After getting Black down and hearing the mercenary's story, Johnny is impressed when he learns Cassie is responsible for killing Mavado of the Red Dragon, observing Mavado's eviscerated body not far away. Johnny then learns that his daughter and her friend are on Shang Tsung's Island, where the chaos cleric Havik now holds them.

Johnny is with Sonya and the Special Forces soldiers at Kotal Kahn's palace in Z'unkahrah as the emperor reprimands Erron Black for his actions. When Sonya begins to break down over the possibility of their daughter and Jacqui being hurt of worse on Shang Tsung's Island, Johnny tries to comfort her but is angrily rebuffed. After Kotal Kahn explains the loss of his own people, Johnny is able to sympathize and tells the emperor he understands that he and Sonya will do anything to bring their family home. Kotal does and promises to give them his fastest ship and a battalion of his soldiers, but only if they survive the coming dawn and reveals a Shokan army will soon be upon them.

Johnny is present along with Sonya as Kotal Kahn outlines his plans to defend the city from the coming Shokan horde. Johnny is silent during the planning only to scoff in disbelief when Sonya begins to question numbers. He then witnesses the arrival of the Shokan, joined by the Oni Warlords.

Johnny secures sniper positions with several Special Forces members and some of Kotal Kahn's soldiers as they prepare to defend the city's perimeter defensive wall. Johnny is contacted by Sonya and after he confirms he and the snipers are in position, he tries to engage Sonya in conversation but Sonya cuts him off. Johnny gets serious when he cautions Sonya to watch her back, observing as D'Vorah and Ferra and Torr head off to negotiate with the Shokan, with Johnny feeling uneasy.

When the negotiations fail, Johnny reports movement in the horde and sees an Oni Warlord charging the wall. Johnny is caught in the attack as the Warlord destroys a section of the wall.

Johnny survives the Oni Warlord's attack and searches the rubble for surviving Special Forces soldiers. He finds a presumed survivor and begins to carry him away, saying once they are somewhere safe he will call Sonya, only to disappointingly realize that the soldier is already dead, cut in half at the waist. Johnny reassures the departed soldier that Sonya will no doubt blame him for his death and tries to contact his ex-wife, but only gets static.

Walking away from the destruction, Johnny is spotted by the Shokan, and their king, Gorbak, orders his death. Johnny flees, the Shokan hot on his tail, and comes across Sonya and Kotal Kahn by the corpse of a Oni Warlord. Shouting at them to get their attention, Johnny orders them to run.

In the final hours of the Shokan siege, Johnny battles against several Shokan warriors alongside Sonya Blade as Kotal Kahn duels with King Gorbak before successfully killing him and sending his horde into retreat. Johnny and Sonya observe Kotal speaking with Reptile and D'Vorah, with Johnny saying it's starting to look like Kotal's last stand, and after Sonya says they need to get the girls and go home, Johnny calls it the best plan ever before collapsing from his injuries.

Sonya asks where he was injured and Johnny shows her a bite mark from a Shokan on his side. Sonya applies pressure to his wound, saying he's lost a lot of blood, with Johnny commenting that he feels like he ran a marathon. Sonya tells Johnny to keep talking, and Johnny apologizes for Cassie freezing her out, saying he was the same at her age. After Sonya cracks a wise remark, Johnny laughs before starting to tell her something in case he doesn't make it out alive, Sonya calls him by his first name while telling him to shut up, much to his amusement.

Johnny and Sonya sit out the following battle with the Shokan/Oni Warlord Horde, refusing to fight alongside the Black Dragon. Johnny and Sonya wait in a room in Kotal's palace and when Sonya asks Johnny if she made the right call, Johnny admits he doesn't know, saying Kano could betray Kotal and take Outworld's throne for himself, while also pointing out that Kano now stands to make a fortune as Kotal's arms supplier, which will flood Outworld with Black Dragon tech.

Johnny tells Sonya that she can't save everyone and tells her they'll take a ship to Shang Tsung's Island to save what the really matters, the girls. Sonya hugs Johnny, who reminds her of his wounded ribs, when a massive explosion outside the city ruins their moment.

Johnny joins with Sonya in confronting the Black Dragon and witnesses Sonya take out Tremor with a shotgun. As D'Vorah is hauling Kano away, the Black Dragon leader takes a shot about Cassie, angering Johnny, who is held back by Sonya. Johnny is with Sonya as she and Kotal discuss venturing to Shang Tsung's Island, and the ex-star is shocked when Kotal reveals he will be joining them to stop Reiko and the Red Dragon.

Hours later, Kotal's servants are still loading the ship that will take them to Shang Tsung's Island, with Sonya getting impatient, and Johnny wondering what all Kotal is loading up. With Sonya getting angry over losing time, Johnny reminds her that they haven't been to the deceased sorcerer's island in years and tells her if Cassie wasn't involved, she'd be taking her time as well. When Sonya begins to consider the implications of what the Red Dragon could have done to their daughter, Johnny slips off his sunglasses and tells her that worrying won't help when his ex-wife suddenly becomes angered at the sight of a crate with the Black Dragon logo on it.

Johnny tells her not to lose it over some of Kano's gear when Sonya reveals the crate to be containing a W.M.D. inside it. Before Johnny can say anything, Kotal Kahn arrives, asking if there is a problem. Johnny whispers to Sonya that Kotal is there only ticket out of Outworld, and to Johnny's relief, his ex-wife plays it cool and lies easily to the emperor. As Kotal begins to lead the two to their quarters, Sonya tells Johnny they will talk about this, Johnny murmurs "The phrase every boy is just dying to hear."

As the ship sailed that night, Johnny offered Sonya a place on the bed in the cabin they shared, though Sonya refused. Johnny tells Sonya sharing a cabin wasn't his idea before wondering where they went wrong. Sonya tells him they were wrong from the start and reveals the details of her mission several years ago, when she was assigned to extract Kenshi from his Red Dragon undercover mission, telling Johnny she had been forced to kill a hostile armed with an RPG in front of her daughter.

Johnny is shocked at this, asking Sonya if she killed the girl as well, though Sonya tells him she didn't, before lamenting her lost time with Cassie. Johnny apologizes, saying Sonya never told him, though she coldly reminds him he never asked. When they are informed that the ship has almost reached Shang Tsung's Island, Johnny offers to keep talking with Sonya, but she declines, accepting the that she's lost her daughter's childhood. The two then head to the deck where Kotal Kahn informs them they will land at dawn.

The next morning, Johnny arrives on the beach of the island alongside Sonya, Kotal, and D'Vorah. Johnny muses to Sonya that he never thought they'd return here, when Reiko announces his presence by mocking how long it took for them to arrive. Johnny curses at Reiko, but his anger turns to shock when he sees Cassie and Jacqui corrupted by the Blood Code, ready to kill him and Sonya in Reiko's name.

Though Sonya tries to reach out to Cassie, this fails, and the girls attack, with Cassie going for Sonya while Jacqui focuses on Johnny. Cage blocks Jacqui flurry of punches, though he is struck in the stomach with enough force to make him hack blood, but when he hears Jacqui calling her father Jax a coward, he easily knocks her down, coming to the conclusion that the girls are not merely corrupted, but outright being controlled, and not very well. Johnny starts to tell whoever is controlling them they're abut to get Caged, when Jacqui punches his jaw, complaining how Cages never shut up.

Johnny continues to fight Jacqui and both witness Mileena and the Tarkata's arrival to the island.

Johnny refuses to fight back against Jacqui, even at Sonya's urging, and soon found himself being choked by Jacqui, only to be narrowly saved by Sonya's energy blast. After his ex-wife explained the girls now had super-strength thanks to the Blood Code corrupting them, Johnny decides to stop holding back. Slipping on his trademark sunglasses, Cage quips, "Shades on..." and unleashes a powerful Shadow Kick that knocks Jacqui off her feet while declaring, "Gloves off." Johnny is one of the many fighters struck by a Blood Code corrupted Raiden when the thunder god unleashes his lightning down on the island.

Johnny is knocked unconscious by Raiden's lightning and his body is collected by the Red Dragons and taken to the island's throne room, with Johnny having his blood drawn to be used in the ritual to ascend Reiko into godhood. Johnny regains consciousness in time to witness the ritual be completed as Reiko becomes the Blood God.

As Reiko basks in his power, he contemplates sacrificing Johnny and Sonya as tributes to himself, but is spared this fate by Havik, who states that he needs Johnny and Sonya alive to study Johnny's green energy abilities. Johnny then witnesses Reiko's violent death as Havik reveals him to be have been his pawn the entire time in an effort to summon Shinnok's amulet.

Johnny sees Havik test the amulet's power on a group of Shokan scouts that had been spying on the events unfolding, and after Havik returns from dealing with Queen Sheeva's ship, the chaos cleric has Jacqui Briggs stab John with one of the Kamidogu, enslaving him to his will. Johnny is freed from his bonds, his eyes red with Blood Magik as he declares that there are no heroes. Before Havik can drain Ermac of his souls to destroy the barrier blockading their invasion of the Netherrealm, his hand holding the amulet is severed by Takeda Takahashi, armed with his new serrated whips.

Possessed by the Blood Code, Johnny stays on the sidelines with Sonya, Mileena, and Raiden by Havik as Cassie and Jacqui briefly fight with Takeda, only to swiftly lose to the youth. When Takeda attempts to fight Havik, Johnny takes part in the all out attack on him, landing one of his signature Nut Punches on the younger boy, all the while mocking Takeda by stating Hanzo would be disappointed in him.

Johnny observes as Havik tortures Takeda with Shinnok's amulet, and when D'Vorah arrives with reinforcements from Outworld, and Havik speaks through Johnny to greet them. Cage joins his Blood Code corrupted ex-wife in battling Sheeva, having his punch deflected by the Shokan queen.

Johnny continues to battle Sheeva, finding himself on the receiving end of a stomp and quickly thrown in a pillar before the Blood Code's hold on him is broken. Johnny stands with his daughter and Jacqui as the warriors gather together, and as Cassie speaks with her mother, Johnny tries to cheer up Jacqui after she comments on her father never letting her leave home again, though Johnny is quick to add that Jax probably would slap a padlock on her door, and Jacqui is quick to inform her uncle that he is not helping. After Cassie returns from talking with Sonya, Johnny happily embraces his daughter.

A week after the battle against Reiko, Johnny is on Jax's farm along with Sonya and Cassie, watching as Jacqui reunites with her father and mother. Happy to see the Briggs family's "Hollywood ending", Johnny is unsurprised at Sonya's eagerness to get back to work, before offering to Cassie that they take a "dad-daughter detour" in Vegas, but is surprised when his daughter refuses in order to spend time with her mother on the base. Johnny is amused as he watches Cassie fall in line to Sonya's orders to move out, musing that this should be fun to watch.

Mortal Kombat X
A few years after the Battle of Earthrealm, Johnny and Kenshi join Sonya and the Special Forces in the fight against Shinnok. Along the way to the Sky Temple, their aircraft is attacked by Scorpion and Sub-Zero and the soldiers are killed. After they crash, Johnny defeats both ninjas, lamenting that he liked it better when he and Sub-Zero fought on the same side. He then joins Sonya and Kenshi and they continue on.

In the forest, the three of them and their forces are attacked by the revenant Smoke, now calling himself Enenra, Jax, and Nightwolf. After defeating Enenra, Johnny rescues Sonya from Jax and defeats him, promising to “fix him someday.” After reminding her that Jax is not himself, the two of them join Kenshi and head for the Sky Temple after the ninja finds the portal. They arrive at the Jinsei just in time to save Raiden and Fujin from Shinnok, but no one is able to defeat the fallen Elder God. As Shinnok prepares to enslave Sonya, Johnny leaps in between, blocking the attack with his inner power. After defeating the god, he kicks the amulet back to Raiden, who uses it to capture and seal Shinnok inside. He then stays in the Jinsei with an unconscious Sonya, allowing the chamber’s power to heal her. Kenshi questions why he’s smiling, and he answers that it is because she called him “Johnny.”

After the battle, Johnny learns from Raiden that his power comes from his ancestry of a Mediterranean war cult. Since he could not awaken the power after the battle with Shinnok, the Thunder God speculates that it triggers whenever Johnny sees a loved one in danger.

Sometime later, Johnny and Sonya infiltrate Quan Chi’s fortress, where they are attacked by the sorcerer and his revenants. Johnny defeats Sub-Zero and Jax, but is later stabbed in the back by the latter. As he lays dying, his revenant starts to take form. Raiden arrives and stalls the process long enough for Sonya to defeat Quan Chi. The thunder god then reverses the spell, saving Johnny and reverting Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Jax to their human forms.

Johnny and Sonya marry afterwards, and they have their daughter Cassie. However, Sonya gets caught up with her work and she spends less time with her family. This angers Johnny and the two of them divorce.

Twenty years after the victory over Shinnok, Johnny creates a special team comprising of Cassie, Jax’s daughter Jacqui, Kenshi’s son Takeda, and Kung Lao’s younger cousin Kung Jin. For their first mission, Johnny sends them to the Lin Kuei Temple to assert if Sub-Zero is still their ally. But it is later revealed that Johnny and Sub-Zero set them up so the Grandmaster can test their skills as a team.

They are then called back to base by Sonya, and they learn from the refugee leader Li Mei that Mileena is in possession of Shinnok’s amulet. When they find out that Kano is among the refugees, Johnny prepares to go with Sonya but she orders him to talk to Colonel Flagg to keep him away. He angrily confronts his ex-wife later, saying that there was a time where she put her family first before her job.

At the refugee camp, Sonya finds and defeats Kano. As she chokes him, the mercenary says that she will never find Shinnok’s amulet if she kills him. Johnny pleads for Sonya to stop so that she will not do another thing that she will regret. She complies and Kano talks.

After learning the amulet’s location, Johnny joins Sonya at Jax’s home to persuade him in helping them capture Quan Chi. He also assures Jax that Jacqui is fine and that the team will succeed in their mission, not knowing that they have been captured by Kotal Kahn.

When Jax succeeds in capturing Quan Chi, the sorcerer is brought to Earthrealm as prisoner so Raiden can make him undo the spell on his revenants. But Scorpion, now Hanzo Hasashi, infiltrates the base to kill the sorcerer for the murder of his clan and family. Johnny, Sonya and Kenshi try to stop him but are all defeated and bound. D'Vorah then arrives with the amulet, allowing Quan Chi to release Shinnok before he is beheaded by Hanzo. The fallen god defeats everyone with his amulet, and Johnny is taken captive to the Sky Temple.

At the Jinsei, Johnny is bounded by D’Vorah as Shinnok corrupts Earthrealm’s life force. D’Vorah then unleashes her flesh-eating bugs on Johnny, leaving horrible scars on his face. Cassie then arrives with Kung Jin and defeats D’Vorah. As she tries to free him, Johnny pleads for her to stop Shinnok. He whispers that he loves her before passing out. During the fight, Shinnok begins to drain Johnny’s life with the amulet, causing him to scream in agony. But Cassie steps in and unleashes her inherited powers, eventually defeating Shinnok. After Raiden heals the Jinsei, Johnny is attended to by Cassie. Sonya later arrives, and he tells her how their daughter defeated Shinnok. She replies that he did a great job with his team and calls him “Johnny,” something that he is glad to hear. The three stay close, a family once again.

Part 1: Mortal Kombat 11
In the years following Shinnok's second defeat, Johnny and Sonya have reconciled, seemingly having rekindled their romance. Johnny along with Cassie, Jacqui and the rest of the Special Forces awaits Sonya's arrival and then watches as Cassie bests her mother one-on-one in a rite of passage to get promoted to Commander. Congratulating her and exchanging a kiss with Sonya, Johnny prepares to leave for a movie shoot, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Raiden. The thunder god proposes a pre-emptive strike on the Netherrealm's cathedral to nullify their threat, and calls for sacrifice should the need arise. Johnny expresses his annoyance with Raiden's darker attitude of the past two years, saying he doesn't have a family to lose. The thunder god counters that he's no stranger to loss. Sonya defuses the tension in the room before they finalize their plan of attack. Following the strike on the Netherrealm, Johnny is present when the team returns, but his relief instantly gives way to shock and grief when he sees Cassie's tears signalling Sonya's sacrificial death. Johnny can do nothing but silently comfort his daughter as she weeps in his arms.

Following Kronika's disruption of time, Johnny witnesses the sandstorm that erupts inside the Special Forces bases, shielding a recovering Cassie and then comes face to face with younger versions of Sonya, Jax and himself from the time of Shao Kahn's tournament held in Outworld, before watching in shock as Raiden vanishes into sand before everyone's eyes. Johnny is quickly reminded of how immature and arrogant he was before the events of the invasion by Outworld had a sobering effect on him and comes to be extremely frustrated by his younger counterpart, who takes nothing seriously. He then discusses the temporal animalies with the past Raiden who was also pulled into the present along with Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana and Jade at the same time as his present counterpart's disappearance and has arrived at Special Forces to take stock of the situation and to help. He comments with paternal pride to Sonya about Cassie, only to be gently reminded that she is not "(his) Sonya". Johnny apologizes and gives her room.

Johnny starts to find common ground with his past self as they jointly admire Sonya before the younger Cage ruins it by being crass and boastful. Johnny hauls him out to teach his younger self a lesson before the base is attacked by the Black Dragon and the Cyber Lin Kuei. The two Johnnys put differences aside and fight back against the Black Dragon before the younger Johnny gets grazed on the cheek by a bullet, causing a faded scar to appear on the same spot for the present Cage. Driven into a rage, the younger Cage charges headlong into the melee, firing wildly and pushing back the Black Dragon henchmen, leaving his older counterpart to deal with an Erron Black still affiliated with the criminal group. Johnny questions the gunslinger's allegiance since his present counterpart remains in a tenuous alliance with Earthrealm by virtue of staying in Kotal Kahn's service. Black responds that he always picks winners, to which Johnny defeats him and counters that he chose poorly. The elder Cage finds Cassie, alive but injured, who informs him that Sonya from the past was captured. Johnny heads out to rescue her, comandeering a tank on his way to deal with the Cyber Lin Kuei.

Johnny's tank is taken out of commission when Sektor calls in a missile strike from an aircraft, but Johnny in turn lures the plane in and destroys it, evening the odds. Confronting the leader of the Cyber Lin Kuei, Johnny beats the cyborg before he's challenged by the past Kano, who eats a punch to the groin for his troubles. Angered by the thug's threat to his wife and daughter, the Cage patriarch beats him down, before pressing a boot to his neck. Unfortunately, he's interrupted by a bullet to his knee, fired by the present Kano; who has taken the younger Johnny hostage. The Special Forces have no choice but to watch as the Black Dragon leave with the past Sonya and Johnny in their clutches. Fortunately, Cassie places a tracker on their aircraft as it flies away.

However, their troubles are not over, as Kano had fitted Sektor with a nuclear bomb, which he had activated during his exit. They are saved by the timely arrival of Raiden who teleports them to the Shirai Ryu's fire garden seconds before the explosion. The present Johnny Cage is out of commission for the rest of the battle to stop Kronika, recuperating from his injuries.

The younger Johnny Cage is later seen being dragged into a Russian underground arena, forced to fight Sonya for the Black Dragon's amusement. Sonya refuses to fight the man she has learned is her future husband, even if he's far from the devoted and mature family man he will mellow into. Bruised and battered, Johnny responds that this is their only option to buy time for a rescue, and urges her to hit him, saying that she has been waiting for a chance to do so. Sonya very reluctantly complies, but the fight is interrupted by the rescue team, lead by Cassie.

Johnny and Sonya try to break out of the cage they were forced to fight in, before the lock is shot out by Erron Black. Johnny defiantly stands between Black and Sonya, clearly in no condition to take on the gunslinger. He's quickly taken out of the fight by a bullet to his shoulder before Sonya stops Black from killing him. Once the hired gun from the Old West is subdued, they meet Cassie, who leads them out as she and the Special Forces fight their way out for evacuation, only to be intercepted on the outside by Kano.

Sonya beats the younger Kano into submission, but the younger Johnny has been taken hostage by the present Kano, who holds him at knife point and reminds Sonya that killing him would erase the present Johnny and Cassie from existence as well. Sonya proves quicker on the draw and shoots the past Kano in the head before Johnny can be stabbed, causing an identical gaping wound to appear on the present Kano as he fades out of existence.

As Johnny and Cassie get their wounds attended to, he commends Sonya on her quick thinking, making a simple offer: dinner with him, no strings attached; to let him thank her as well as apologize for his earlier attitude. Proving to be far more tolerable without his ego in the way, Johnny makes headway as Sonya accepts. They are interrupted by the arrival of Geras; who in turn gets subdued by Sonya and Cassie while Johnny gets evacuated for medical care. It is unclear what happens to both Johnny Cages after Kronika resets time.

Part 2: Aftermath
Following his rescue from the Black Dragon, past Johnny was healed by Raiden's magic. After witnessing the defeat of his soon-to-be wife and daughter at the hands of Sindel and Shao Kahn, past Johnny steps up to fight them. However, he himself is quickly defeated and captured along with Sonya and Cassie by Shokan soldiers, leaving their fates unknown.

Ending

 * Mortal Kombat (2011) (Non-Canonical): "As the last remnants of Shao Kahn disintegrated, Johnny felt strange, as if he had lost control of his body. Suddenly, powerful energy burst forth, destroying everything around him. Johnny sought the aid of Raiden and Nightwolf, but their efforts did nothing to stop these random spasms of destruction. Desperate, Raiden transported Johnny to Seido, the Realm of Order, where he could be taught to control his power. Johnny Cage will transform into a warrior powerful beyond mortal imagining."
 * Mortal Kombat X (Non-Canonical): "Johnny Cage's life had turned out to be stranger than any science fiction film, but he knew the final scene was approaching. With Raiden's direction Johnny was able to sail to Shang Tsung's abandoned island fortress, where his adventure had begun, to contemplate his future. Amid the rubble, Johnny found an ancient tome. Its pages revealed that Shang Tsung had unraveled the secret to Edenian long life. Johnny Cage's Retirement would have to wait."
 * Mortal Kombat 11 (Non-Canonical): "This whole adventure? Capital 'I' insane. I marry Sonya? Have a kid who actually likes me? Enquiring minds want to know how the hell that happens! So I get the Hourglass to show me how kicking Shinnok's ass, which I did beautifully, turned me from Hollywood mega-star into global icon. So far, so good. Until I let that fame screw me up. Didn't hit rock bottom until I saw just how badly I'd let down my little girl. I finally got what Old Man Me was saying about needing humility and maturity. But I also knew I couldn't get there without living the same life he did. So I restored the timeline, just as it was. With one, tiny little difference... Sonya's story won't end underneath the rubble of some busted-up Netherrealm castle. Because Johnny Cage flicks always have happy endings."