White Lotus Society (Mortal Kombat)
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The White Lotus Society is a faction within the Mortal Kombat universe. It is sometimes used synonymously, and sometimes considered to merely be a part of the Temple of the Order of Light.
[edit] About the White Lotus Society
Like the Lin Kuei or the Special Forces, the fictional White Lotus Society has a real counterpart under the form of a Buddhist sect which sympathises with the poor, oppressed and aimed at ousting foreigners from China. The fictional White Lotus Society is more ambitious and attempts to shield Earthrealm from the malicious influence of evil deities like Shinnok, or foreign conquerors such as Shao Kahn. It also trains warriors to compete in Mortal Kombat.
[edit] History
The White Lotus Society was started after the Great Kung Lao defeated Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat. It continued training new warriors to compete in the tournament after Kung Lao's defeat and death at the hands of Goro, but it would last another five centuries until the warriors representing the Order of Light were able to win again. A descendant of the Great Kung Lao, Liu Kang, defeated both Goro and Shang Tsung. Ever since, he has been the undisputed champion of Mortal Kombat.
In response to Shang Tsung's defeat, Shao Kahn, emperor of Outworld, sent Tarkatan hordes to attack and destroy the Temple of Light and massacre all warrior monks. As Shang Tsung and his emperor had hoped, this propelled Liu Kang into a rage. The only other survivor of the bloodbath, Kung Lao, joined Liu Kang in his quest. Like Liu Kang, Kung Lao was a descendant of the Great Kung Lao. It was him who, when both monks returned from Outworld, tried to reform the White Lotus Society, but scrapped these plans when Shao Kahn invaded Earthrealm.
Ever since the events of Mortal Kombat 3, the White Lotus Society has been working in the shadows, and Kung Lao pledged to a life of non-violence. This vow was broken a few years later, when Liu Kang was murdered by the Deadly Alliance. Kung Lao travelled to Outworld once more, alongside other Earthrealm warriors, but he perished in kombat against the Deadly Alliance. Subsequently, Onaga resurrected him and his allies to serve him as undead slaves. The current fate of the White Lotus Society is unknown.
[edit] Trivia
- The fact that Kung Lao and Liu Kang are descendants of the Great Kung Lao may mean that the Great Kung Lao was not a monk all his life, and that not all members of the White Lotus are monks belonging to the Order of Light. However, in Japanese Buddhism, Buddhist monks are permitted to marry.
- Since the events after Mortal Kombat 4, the goals and techniques employed by the Lin Kuei and the White Lotus have a considerable overlap, likely due to Sub-Zero taking over the Lin Kuei and turning it into a force for good.
