#but really lin kuei attacking baraka's people has no sense from strategic point

[cienie-isengardu]

Thank you and yes, no matter what the reasoning is, Kuai Liang is not honest toward Syzoth. But in all fairness it can be said the same about the whole Mortal Kombat Tournament, as what Sindel or Liu Kang told in privacy to their champions about the danger of the other realm and what they officially claim the Tournament is (“To continue the tournament that he founded with Lord Liu Kang in hopes that it would foster peace among realms."). Or how Bi-Han in privacy interacts with his brothers as he openly complains about Liu Kang’s behavior toward Lin Kuei and expresses a wish to change the nature of their relationship but up until the betrayal, he does follow Liu Kang’s orders as a good, loyal subordinate should. And let's not start how Sindel is hiding her daughter's sickness while all sick people are treated as a trash on her own orders. Those are examples of dishonesty, but all make sense within the presented story, because all involved characters are politically connected to each other and are forced to do their duty to their realms and families. Which is why I personally give Kuai Liang the benefit of doubt in the mentioned intro between Scorpion and Reptile. As in, Kuai Liang will withhold his own doubts to secure the alliance that Earthrealm needs and/or to not spread doubt between Liu Kang’s supporters toward their leader. Something that their enemies would definitely use against them at any given chance. 

I guess that could be the Lin Kuei upbringing that demands to put duty above inner doubts, but also what taught Kuai Liang and Bi-Han to not share their every personal feeling with outsiders and think “politically”, the way Sindel and Liu Kang secure their realms.

But this is what politics is, I guess. A small diplomacy lie here and there in the name of greater good. Annoying I know, but also a great source material to see how relationships between characters differ depending on who speaks with whom about what. 

How well aware Kuai Liang is about Lin Kuei’s activity is a very good question indeed. Considering he and Smoke are tracking Bi-Han through the Outworld and the trail led them to the capital city of Sindel/Mileena’s empire I think there is a great chance the attack on Tarkatan colony isn't any big secret. Especially since Baraka and Mileena have their working relationship to improve the living conditions of the exiled, sick people while Shirai Ryu maintains their relationship with Empress and her sister. Bi-Han’s attacks are a reason for concern for Mileena and it feels to me as a natural the turn of events she would inform Kuai Liang about his brother’s activity - unless of course they fell out with each other, as Tomas and Kuai Liang refused to bring their brother for Mileena’s judgment. 

I understand your point, as Kuai Liang’s intros can be seen as him being manipulative and narrow-minded - and the way sources present Harumi and Tomas as an addition to Scorpion and not as separate characters with their own goals and character development doesn’t help much change that impression. What makes me think about the possibility that someone could manipulate Kuai Liang’s feelings actually comes from how easily Shang Tsung can play on his anger. This may not be the best example, but hopefully it will illustrate my point, so please, bear with me on this one:

Shang Tsung: It was all too simple, pulling your brother's strings. Scorpion: It sickens me that he was so easily exploited.

This intro gives me an impression that Shang Tsung can go and lie about Bi-Han and Scorpion will swallow the bait, despite personally witnessing Bi-Han’s action. Shang Tsung on purpose annoys Kuai Liang by being smug about Sub-Zero joining him and the sorcerer presents it as some easily done manipulation and/or how he was in control of the situation, right? But the thing is, Bi-Han wasn’t manipulated the way Sindel was, as Shang Tsung’s offer for Sub-Zero was the opportunity that only hastened the thing that would happen at some point anyway. Kuai Liang was well aware about his brother’s desire to break off with tradition he considered enslavement, as was noted in Scorpion’s BIO, story mode and intro dialogues. So Shang Tsung’s “pulling your brother’s strings” doesn’t make much sense to me, as it doesn’t feel like Shang Tsung exploited Bi-Han’s weakness, the way he exploited Sindel’s love for Mileena. Both men used the opportunity for alliance to advance their plans that already were in the motion.

The whole Bi-Han and Kuai Liang’s chapters feel rushed and quite illogical in the way the events were structured (and this is not about the betrayal scene alone but how Lin Kuei are bad at infiltrating mission), but Kuai Liang’s answer really bothers me, like he does not acknowledge that Bi-Han made decision for himself and he would choose to break off from Liu Kang whatever Shang Tsung’s offer happened or not. Dunno, maybe it is just me, but the way he says Bi-Han “was so easily exploited” give the impression as he believe Shang Tsung had or still has control over his brother - and as intro dialogues show, Bi-Han and Shang Tsung’s working relationship is currently rocky, better than what Lin Kuei has with General Shao but still not fully secured alliance. 

Which is why I feel that if Shang Tsung at some point would claim Bi-Han is helping him to weaponize Tarkat sickness, Scorpion would swallow the bait - even if Sub-Zero has no interest in it and if he knew about Shang Tsung’s laboratory before the mission (something that Liu Kang apparently didn’t bother to tell about Lin Kuei) it could affect his decision of joining forces with sorcerer. Maybe I’m reading too much into that intro, but Scorpion is angry at Bi-Han to the point considering everything the worst about him. He literally calls Sub-Zero disgrace to family and clan - a clan that supports Sub-Zero even despite knowing well how it puts them on a collision course against Fire Lord. So I do think that the burning anger blinds Kuai Liang in a way that makes it easy for other people to manipulate him. All they need is just fed up Scorpion's idea of how low his brother fell down from grace. Even if Bi-Han has no real part in their schemes. Would Shang Tsung do so? Sure, lying is his favorite forte and if his alliance with Sub-Zero breaks down for good, he could use Kuai Liang to hunt down and annoy Bi-Han more, as a way of revenge and refocusing Shirai Ryu effort on someone else. 

Hell, even Bi-Han could do that to Kuai Liang, as a way to keep his brother on a false trail and confuse the pursuit. All he needs is either ask one of his allies to lie - and Shang Tsung would do it happily - or fabricate evidence himself. In the case of the latter, attacking Tarkat people who has no strategic importance to Lin Kuei’s plans and spreading rumors about the supposed research how to weaponizing sickness. That could easily lure Kuai Liang to Tarkat colony while Bi-Han and his men could infiltrate Sun Do in relative peace. There are plenty of possibilities that NRS most likely won’t think about. 

But I think it is worth to keep in mind that what Kuai Liang says about Bi-Han may not be an evidence Scorpion is lying on purpose, but him believing in the lies of other characters. Because he is too emotionally involved in the situation to think objectively, the same as Hanzo was in the past.

Oh, thank you for checking that out for me! I always thought Bi-Han isn’t one to lie and manipulate the way, let’s say Shang Tsung is implied to do. But I guess Sub-Zero may be just too done with people around him to bother anymore XD

Kuai Liang is a liar

We need to talk about a Kuai Liang intro I've recently discovered that honestly left me flabbergasted. I have no idea how I didn't come across this intro earlier or why no one else ever talked about it, but the more you look into Kuai Liang's dialogues, the worse it gets. Blatant ableism towards Kenshi, arrogance and disrespect towards his own allies and now this...

Baraka: I wouldn't wish Tarkat upon my worst enemy. Scorpion: Then help me stop Bi-Han from weaponizing it.

What is this? Just what on earth is he talking about here?

Bi-Han never intended to weaponize Tarkat. He wants it extinguished. Not once in the story mode does Bi-Han talk about or show any interest in Tarkat or the Tarkatans, it's not mentioned in his tower ending or any of his intro dialogues with other characters. What Bi-Han wants is an army similar to Shang Tsung's dragon army, so he can take control of a part of Earthrealm. To achieve this, he started the Cyber initiative.

What does any of that have to do with Tarkat? Bi-Han has no need for it. In fact, he made it very obvious what he thinks of those infected with Tarkat.

I looked at every line Bi-Han said in the game that mentions Tarkat as well as all his dialogues with Baraka and Mileena, the two characters that are infected with it.

Sub-Zero: Expect no compassion, freak. Baraka: Such a cold heart, Sub-Zero.

Sub-Zero: Your kind should be exterminated. Baraka: Disease does not make us disposable.

Sub-Zero: Your affliction is divine punishment. Baraka: Actually, it is fate's cruel joke.

Sub-Zero: If your subjects learn your secret -- Mileena: You dare threaten me, Bi-Han?!

What we learn from these dialogues is that Bi-Han wants Tarkat and Tarkatans gone. He thinks their affliction is some kind of punishment, he seems appalled by it, not interested in it. He tries to use Mileena's condition against her only as a method of extortion, but other than that, Bi-Han does not care about Tarkat in the slightest.

Kuai Liang is lying. He's lying to Baraka to turn him against Bi-Han.

How bad can the "bad guy" be if the supposed "good guy" has to lie to make him look worse?

Shang Tsung is the one trying to weaponize Tarkat and yes, Bi-Han was Shang Tsung's ally, but he stopped working with him and told Liu Kang he wasn't aware of Shang Tsung's experiments.

This isn't even the first time Kuai Liang was lying to one of his allies.

Scorpion: Liu Kang's revelation has shaken my faith in him. Raiden: Understandable, given what he chose to hide. Reptile: Am I right to put faith in Liu Kang? Scorpion: He's always proven worthy of mine.

You might remember this dialogue from the second part of my character analysis for Kuai Liang, in which I already talked about how much of a two-faced character he is.

Truth is, Kuai Liang, just like Bi-Han, doesn't hesitate to lie to others when there's an advantage to gain for him. This yet again proves that Kuai Liang has no honor. I don't know how much lower this character can sink and that's not even including the story dlc events. Kuai Liang is a disgrace to the Scorpion mantle. Hanzo might have been a flawed character, but I don't recall him lying and manipulating others to get his way.