#snake tsung looks so good tho

[arttrampbelle]

Snake man/Naga au shang tsung

Ok ok hear me out

snake man shang tsung. Or naga shang tsung. Whichever one you prefer to use.

Ok listen. This is a fun au idea.

And no this isn't about mk1 2023 shang tsung! Picture any other shang tsung. Plz. Even. Chin hans shang tsung from the mk 2021 movie for all i care. (Tho i pictured tagawa's shang but thats just me)

But anyways.

Snake man shang.

Cw:none really. I guess au shang tsung? Snakes?

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Imagine.

Shang tsung as a snake man

His eyes are of a gold and green. The pupils almost look like they have galaxies in them,secrets of the unknown. Hidden knowledge of the universe and the magics of the veil and void. Flashed gold when angered and threatened. And in darkness.

And scales of viridian dark greens fading into an iridescent metallic lime green. Golden flecks throughout the scales.

Claws are black painted with golden tips.

Hair is a deep black ink. The deepest black and long tresses neatly kempt. Adorned with the finest hair ornaments. Some were "trophies" of the souls he took and the warriors he devoured.

His fangs while intimidating,only produced venom when nessicary. Tounge is long, serpentine,when he speaks his s's hiss and his R's growl. You can feel the primal sounds.

His upper half was of a handsome man. In his mid to late 40s. That of far eastern decent. Nose distinctly hooked and that of serpentine. Smile is soothingly sinister. As if he is knowing before one speaks. A golden tan to his skin reflects that of a man who loves sunning. Sleeping on his island domains beach and shore is his favorite pastime. Nicely muscled and very active.

His voice is of honey. Rich,deep,thick. Sweet words of lulling. Only to extrap you in his coils. And by then...it is all but too late. He has you.

The master of his den,keeps it spotless. Takes very good care of it. Adorns it with only the finest treasures,jewels,silks,and decor. His island home is absolutely beautiful. All are welcome. But few ever want to leave....or....*laugh* could leave. Books upon books scattered about his lair tells of an intellectual man. Various tinkering of devices also states of a man who is engineering. Alchemy and science. Magic and practicality. This is a man of absolute brilliance. Deadly and terrifyingly intelligent.

To look upon this man. Is to look at the devil face to face. How you face said devil. Tells more about you traveler. Than the serpentine you gaze upon.

Some run,some hide,some act in righteous fury,some cry in fear. And some...just some...look upon him.

And feel free. Alive. And even fall into a deep love and compassion.

These are the people you should be wary of.

For they do not fear death nor hell.

And they find comfort,in his deathly coils.

Shang tsung,lord of souls. High mage of magic. Emperor of the grey isle. Master of death itself.

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Oh boy this was so much fun to write! Lemme know if you guys want more!

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[mrstsung]

DEADASS old man shang tsung should be loved more

Like mk legends shang tsung specifically is absolutely delicious.

(Minus some things like not really showing his treachery to shao kahn. Like it's playing a bit too safe in the cunning department. And honestly makes it look like he's a sinp for shao kahn when he fucking wasn't and hated his guts and would happily stab shao in the back 1000 times over if you ask him and given him the opportunity to. And not to mention it's so convenient around plot. And i hate that. Because honestly holy shit this shang had potential. He had the presence,the aura,but never really shown to fight. And it sucks. Because shang is supposed to be a beast in kombat. He was a fucking boss after all. Like gdi nrs. Why you gotta fumble this guy so hard?! Like the writing is right there!)

Anyways. Old man shang. Let's get back to that.

The reason why i feel old man shang or at least how shang tsung IS SUPPOSED TO BE.

This mofo is cursed. To age. Less he takes the lifeforce/souls of others Because he decided to say "fuck you elder gods! Imma take your ritual healing dark magics and apply it to kombat. Imma take this shit and make it my own!" DEADASS a Dracula energy/soul vampire. Like this man despite everything,still could whoop your ass because he is fucking 500yrs old! From old dynasty china. In earthrealm. Yeah.

This man used to be a warrior from earthrealm,got into beef with raiden,and said fuck you im switching sides as soon as he caught whiff of an opportunity to(at least in his mind at the time) be treated "better" (which he really wasn't as better off,maybe even worse,but he had some power and some better standing tho at a cost)

Like you could take shang tsung in many ways. But all in all he doesn't need to be twirly mustache to be evil. Nor does he need to be good or "SOME GODS PLAYTHING!" to be righteous or do honorable things.

Legitimately mofo shang tsung as an old man should be written as a person who comes off as uncannily and eerily calm,a air of danger but you can't really run away nor want to. You're too damn curious even tho you're screaming inside to run. He needs that true fucking snake vibe.

Very few people have written and portrayed this successfully. And tagawa pioneered that well vibe for villains imho. (Tho the man was unfortunately typecasted by Hollywood this man by god set the bar high. He did it so damn well. He put his whole heart into this. And honestly out of all his roles,this was the most notorious of his roles. Tho i hope this man gets more leisure roles and happier roles in the future. And eventually has a safe,and peaceful retirement. He deserves it. Fr. Thank you Mr. Tagawa seriously. <3 )

Artt butler did a fantastic job with shang tsung,tho given a better script it would be better.

Same with alan lee. I feel his would have made me like it more if fans and story weren't shit.

But all in all shang tsung being rejuvenated and young is nice. And should be shown especially since he is cursed. But his default,unpopular opinion here but. His old man form should be his default look. If not old man old man,then a but of salt n pepper at bare minimum.

Honestly,shang i prefer at his old man look because thats what i well grew up on. And that's kinda how i see him. 🤷‍♀️ *shrug*

Like guy is a flashier more fancy pai mei from Tarantino's kill bill to me. Maybe slightly bit more nicer and considerate but not by much. Lol.

I could go on and on about old man shang tsung specifically. But I'll leave this at.

Honestly we just need to bring him back. We need to bring back shang tsung with that vibe. We need to not make him conveniently made for plot. No give me the shang tsung that i fucking knew.

That bastard needs to make a comeback. And mk11 can't be the only game that he does it in.

And mk legends can't be the only media outside the games that does it either.

Anyways,old man shang. I love this foxy grandpa.

[mrstsung]

I want this shang but only the version in my head. Only the version i handcrafted away from the narrative and the hype schlock that was mk12/mk1. The version that is his humble beginnings,freshly cursed by the gods,former warrior of earthrealm,having a falling out with his former friend and mentor lord raiden and cohersd by shao kahn to serve under him thus betraying earthrealm. The version i handcrafted and carefully made with love. Tho it can apply to any and many of the various iterations of shang tsung over the years. I feel a young shang's misadventures is long overdue or at least a proper backstory that isn't overtaken and overshadowed by corporate meddling. (I would absolutely love to have mr.tagawa's input more on this personally,and his opinions and thoughts on my backstory for shang. But alas maybe some day)

But anywho. A young shang tsung would be nice but better written or given at least a better script.

Because mr. Alan lee is such an amazing talent. And i feel he deserves so much better as shang tsung,one of THE if not THE MOST iconic antagonist of the mortal kombat series. (As with many other actors and VA for said character.)

Like this shang's aesthetics(minus the claws gauntlets tho they are growing on me but they could look better. Maybe more snake or dragon motifs?),the charm is there,the feeling,the attitude,the actor does an amazing job,but the problem is....legitimately....everything else. When your "antag" is better than everyone else,and i mean that genuinely. Better than the script and plot,better than the protags,better than the other antagonists,etc. Then....it's not good. Of course i love shang and want a win for him once. Especially now he has legitimate reasons why he does what he does,why he is how he is,and you genuinely feel sorry for him,and want to hug him,give him a friend,ffs you just go "ah fuck man, you good?" Yeah. He actually has something shown at least. Not my personal flavor. However for canon to be bold enough to do so is shocking. But what pisses me off as a fan of both mk and shang tsung. Is that...

1. It took them waaaaay too long to make that happen.

2. It doesn't feel sincere even when they did.

3. It feels rushed and plot convenient. And centering shang's whole backstory around liu kang instead of well....shang tsung. At least it feels that way. It doesn't feel like the character has agency. So it feels like a half assed apology for doing shang dirty.

So that's why i don't like the story that shang is centered around. Now if we take the character,the concept of a shang tsung down on his luck,barely surviving off of scraps,even tho he serves a powerful kingdom and emperor with a cushy job as a court mage. That i would love to see. That's exactly how i always saw his og backstory, if you want him to rectify mistakes ACTUALLY FUCKING DO IT AND NOT BACKTRACK FOR STATUS QUO FOR YOUR "PROTAGS OR HEROES" TO WIN!!!! Like holy shit dude. Like crap,the Fanfics are better than canon writing and nrs knows it! They seem to even try to copy what we as fans to but fail so hard. But it's sad it feels so half assed when a "professional gaming company" is supposed to make this. But i feel its corporate meddling,and Hollywood greed that prevents this series,at least storywise and narratively from reaching its true potential.

Sorry for this vent. But this character I'm very very passionate about. But mostly this game series. I love this game. I love playing it. Almost all the games. It's my childhood as many others. And I'm not gonna stand for mediocrity and slander to one of my faves.

But anyways. Enough rambling. Back to shang.

Like mk12/mk1 shang tsung isn't bad at least looks wise. No more different than anyone else. But it still bothers me they all look "samey" and not in a memey,jokey,fun way. It looks sloppy next to him. Ignoring everyone else around him,looking at shang individually. Omfg he's a cutie. He's smug,he's the shang i know n love but just....younger. like in His 30s or so. Around my age. Which is cool. But....i still kinda wish his old man shang wasn't a ruse. I ignore it was a ruse tho so it doesn't count. In fact like i said. I'm rewriting the whole thing period.

Will it be kinda self indulgent? Maybe a bit self inserty,Yes. But i don't care. Because he deserves better than that.

We owe it to mr.tagawa. to shang's character. To all the voice actors and actors and amazing talent over the 30+yrs mk has been around. We deserve a good story,a better story,and even more so,a better fucking game. To play. To learn. To have fun with. Without paying and arm and a leg to even access it. Period.

Shang tsung baby you deserve better. So so so much better.

[mrstsung]

Me looking down on nrs and writing a young shang way better than them in canon.

"PATHETIC"

Yeah I'm petty,salty,and a bitch. Deal with it.

My shang doesn't have fugly needle gloves.

My shang is from earthrealm,once a champion of mortal kombat,perviously chosen by the god raiden but betrayed his realm due to miscomunication and hurt. Coerced into serving the emperor shao kahn in his court. Suffering from a tyrant. FOR CENTURIES!

A young courtly shang tsung would be less tactful,more arrogant(not by much as not much changes over time but his approaches),more bold and cocky. And a bit inexperienced in his magics and just a fresh new master of soul magic and the dark arts. So yeah his magic man prime days.

Again not much would change from courtly days to tournament master shang tsung we see in the 95 movie or mk9 and mk11. Cept he's a bit wiser and has more knowledge. And has gained more power and influence over time.

So that being said. A young courtly shang like in mk12/mk1. Would be just a bit more feral.

Maybe even tho he dresses nice,fancy,has nice things. But they are hand outs from shao kahn due to his "winning streaks" or "good servitude" oof. Like he's going around in outworld,in the markets of edenia. Very much a foreign country/realm. And having all this nice shit but he's still a fucking hobo. And only after earning the shokans favor. Does shao kahn give him a place to dwell. Aka his island fortress. Or even a place in shao kahns fortress. Either way he gets some places to properly work. No he isn't a fucking snake oil salesmen. Yes he is an alchemist. But he works for the court. Not for the people. Also it's against his will. As he's basically shao kahns mage bitch boy. Which he despises immensely. And he hates shao Kahn more so then the gods,and he reeeeealy hates the gods. (Titans dont exist to me never have,and is absolutely redundant af to have them. When we already have elder gods. so dont come at me with that shit.)

Like bruh. I could do him so much better. Without making him reduced to plot convenient villain.

Wtf. How is this hard for people to do?! Im not getting it.

You dont have to go 100% like the lore but ffs people. Make him actually feel like a person.

I dunno y'all.

Young shang can get it but only the one in my head. Hc courtly young shang tsung only y'all.

Sass master tsung will be better again. Trust me on that. I will write him better so help me elder gods!

[mrstsung]

My self ship with shang in a nutshell

*may be subject to change because im still working on it fully*

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In my au. Shang after a certain amount of times he got his ass kicked by liu kang (my hc verse the whole thing in aftetmath did happen but things got "reset" and everyone sorta lived but don't remember shit cept in vague dreams n visions well the gods do at least. Therefore i can keep some things while rearranging the furniture so to speak. The crown is rewritten as an elder god artifact and shang only added to it not created it. And kronika gets killed off waaaaay before any of that shit. And is rewritten to be an elder god of time(of future) and geras(of past) because f that stupid titans bullshit. Cetrion is rewritten to be a main antagonist and more important. And basically I'm making this way better than canons shitshow of a so called "plot" ). He got sent to gay baby jail . And now is fighting for his freedom. Many years go by. Every 10yrs or so he can challenge for his freedom. In a minor tournament of mortal kombat. No fatalities,no powers,only fists. Basically a normal martial tournament however fatalities are not required,only suggested. However you still only get 3 mercys/friendships/sparings. Because rule of 3. Anyways. Basically shang is lonely,desperate and tired.

So....here comes me. Washed up randomly on his beach. (I haven't come up with any true background before yet. So go easy on me.) And shang's like owo whats dis?! Because look this binch aint got none in how long? And also is hella desperate to get free like i said. Theres more to it but I'll leave it at that for now.

At first he's like

You can check out any time you like,but you can never leave. Hotel California head ass.

Then he's like

I would be happy to train you. Because he needs help. He definitely at first tho before this plays the "cute helpless old man" because of course shang would. -_-

But I'm not gonna make it easy on you.

Then i train hard. A few years go by. Things heat up between me n shang. And well feelings develop. And he's not sure if he wants me in a tournament. Because he's scared of actually losing me.

Cute ol man. Look don't judge me. Old man shang is hella cute too. Like i love all shang tsung ok? Im a shang tsimp.

And then somehow,some way anyway. Entered into a minor tournament. Either snuck in or he gave in. Either way.

Shang isn't happy. But he allows it,under close supervision.

But somehow. By a miracle. I win

This pleases shang. Now he has his freedom. Lucky for them thats all he got. And nobody truly died. But shang is now a free dude. And no longer bound to his island.

But of course shit dont stay so sweet because its mortal fuckin kombat.

This asshole gets resurrected somehow,and kidnaps me because reasons.

Bald ahh binch.

Shang isn't happy

But it's ok because he saves me. And that's when things get super serious for me n shang. And he of course gains his youth and vitality more back(which would be jarring for me ngl but its all good). And of course after that close call he trains me slightly in magic,only enough for defense of course. Nothing major. As he doesn't want me to not only surpass him.(its shang ok you knew this was gonna be a problem) but also because he wants me to not end up like him. The one pure soul he cares for. That and some dope ass magic armor.

And after that pretty much we live on the island for the most part in peace.

Minus the occasional outside problem or two

(Srry for the mk legends shang tsung spam tho. Because bruuuuuh. He is hella cool in that movie. Nothing beats tagawa,he's the og after all. But mk legends BOTR and SR shang tsung is dope af design. The voice is ok. I always imagined shang to have a lower set voice tho. Mellow and snakey and almost hypnotic. Like fr. Smooth like butter. Because how else can someone so notoriously snake tongued be not having a voice that sound delicious? And also knows Exactly how to treat someone? Or exactly what to say or comfort. Like fr. This is basic 101. (I do believe shang tsung can love deeply. And genuinely. Its just been a hot ass minute since that and he dont trust easy due to a lot of factors but a majority of that is when he was in service under shao Khan)

But yeah that's basically it.

[mrstsung]

🐍💚Shang Tsung sfw abcs hcs💚🐍

Cw: may be a few things here n there. Maybe a death mention. And cussing. But none really you should be alarmed by. Y'all should know by now if you read the rules.

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A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?): well shang at first isn't the most...physically affectionate guy. But he over time is. He is more acts of service and quality time and gift giving type of guy. And words of affirmation like physical affection,is more so over time than initially. But in private,he is more so affectionate than in public but especially in front of his adversaries...at least at first. But don't worry,its not because he doesn't love you. He's just cautious is all. But also he may show you off too. It really really depends on the "type" of relationship you have too. The closer and more intimate,the more protective and territorial he may become. Again he can be physically affectionate,just give him some time. Tho he isn't the one to say no 100% if you are the "huggy" type. He finds this endearing believe it or not. But again getting it back may take some time and trust build up.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?): ok you want shang as your friend. Because him as an enemy is most unwise. But he's a good ally. When you can have him as one. Again he's a slippery snake. So be cautious. But a genuine friendship with him? Omg loyal till you give a reason not to be. He'd kill a man for you...plz dont shang.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?): in private. Of course. (Again he is a show off buuuuut within reason)

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?): well he has servents,so most of the time they do these things for you two. but he's pretty chill when he's domestic. He's actually a pretty doting husband. Surprisingly as that is to some people. But he does tend to you as you to him. Again he has servents to do so but sometimes he wants to actually spoil his beloved you know? He wants to make you a meal or tea every now n then. Just let him when he does ok? Somft shang is a good thing remember? (Less trouble for everyone else) (he's not that lazy ok?)

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?): just leaves. Look i aint gonna sugar coat that. But he'd be devastated. May go on a rampage. Depending on how you left. If you were killed in a tournament or worse by his enemies. Oh elder gods help them because he's about to flip his shit! If you just left because you wanna "break up" . It wouldn't be easy to say the least. But honestly i don't know what his reaction would be. Because it could be many things. Honestly shang may even just cry,we dunno with him. He's an enigma of emotions. But either way it would hurt. Also why do you wanna do that? Bruh you got it good with shang tsung,wealth,power,status,a whole island yo yourself,an no offense shang tsung is a gorgeous man. Even shang in his foxy grandpa look is pretty good looking. And rejuvenated shang tsung is a fucking babe! An absolute hunk! Why in elder gods name would you break up with that?! What's wrong with you?!

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?): once he makes up his mind about you. You damn well bet you're gonna be Mrs.Tsung soon. I'm sorry once he is in deep,he is absolutely obsessed about you. Your soul is his! Lol

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?): to his lover? Like the softest petals. To his enemies? Bitter and ruthless.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?): at first he's gonna be like "what is this?!" But he'll be tsundere af about it. Over time he's "omfg plz hug me T_T" but as soon as his adversaries come in the vicinity. He may be back to tsundere. But you know,only you knows ♡ ^-^ teehee

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?): tbh it may be a bit to say it. He'll show it before saying it. Buuuuut he while being the snake he is. He is serious about love. Once he says it. He means it. (Tbh shang saying i love you for the first time would have me all 🥺💖)

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?): ahahahahha! Let's just say don't push your luck with the dark sorcerer. If someone he doesn't like,or at worst yet,hates. Breathes wrong in your direction. There'll be hell to pay. Don't make him your enemy. Ever.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?): i hc his kisses to be passionate,sweet,soft but in control. He definitely knows what he's doing honey. He loves to kiss the crook of your neck or neck in general. Lips of course. And your hand. He is a classy man after all. He loves it when you kiss him anywhere really. Forehead kisses are sweet and reassuring to him. Hand kissing is respectful. But if he's feeling spicy,his inner thigh. ;) ♡

L = Little ones (How are they around children?): indifferent. He doesn't hate them. But he doesn't harm them,and actually finds that abhorrent. (Despite all his other atrocities),he'd rather not have kids if he can help it. but if he did had children of his own officially? Oh he's a proud pappa. And always makes sure his kids are given the best,nothing less. Again,not to say he couldn't or wouldn't want children. It's just more of he doesn't want them to get hurt,considering of what he is,what he does,his enemies,the fact mortal kombat could have anytime and anywhere. Yeah. Not a place for tiny ones. But again,if that happens. He would want you to go through with it if you so choose. And he will be there every step of the way. Again he's not broken up if you have or don't have kids. This to him is entirely up to you,and even if you change your mind and want out of said pregnancy before it becomes a problem,  he will also support that decision as well(yeah i said it! Shang is pro choice. Fuck what ya think!!!). Either way he leaves the whole thing for you to decide.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?): calm,serene. A cup of tea. Silk sheets. Finest luxury.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?): same but steamier. Sometimes nightly walks in his garden.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?): it truly depends. But most of the time,tbh. It's slow. But it's on a need to know basis at first and at his own terms. Until trust is established. But once he's made up his mind. Like i said. Oof freight train hits you with the knowledge and affection.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?): depends on who you are and the situation. But dont press your luck honey. But he'd never harm his beloved. At least on purpose. He is patient until you push him not to be.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?): oh he wants to know evvvvvverything about you. And shang tsung will remember that.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?): well in my self ship with him. I guess him just opening up to me. Or the day i practically became his queen in a way i guess.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?): oh boy. Well he is definitely protective. Nobody is gonna fuck with you as shang tsungs wife/spouse. Like he is the type to get really pissed at someone for messing with his queen. While normally his is cunning,calm,and collected even angered in a fight. With you....oh no,that simply won't do. He's quiet or hot angered words. Stinging you in every way. He will bring hell upon anyone who dares to go against him and his beloved. Like he's ruthless. Not just your soul he will take,he will destroy it. He expects the same from you/reader as his beloved.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?): all the effort. How he gets it or affords it. He is loaded. Canonlly he is. Very wealthy,mostly from his time serving shao kahn i assume.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?): well......a lot of things tbh. But a tame one might be smoking hookah.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?): he takes pride in his appearance. He always smells and looks good.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?): he would be crushed. He may become even more vengeful and unhinged than before. Oof. Plz halp him.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.): he writes poetry,and loves tending to his bonsai tree. Also has a house shrine he prays to. Even tho he is a sorcerer of the dark arts. He still has his beliefs in a way. There is a sliver of shang tsung that hopes that maybe people will see the one truth in life,one certainty in life. Is death. And to live life in its fullest and become more powerful than you were yesterday is the only goal one should have. At least he used to believe heavily. Deep down he wants power but because simply he was told he was never to amount to greatness. 

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?): well he loves canonlly strong willed women and women who are sassy and holds her own. Not necessarily in fighting,but in spirit and attitude. But i think he wouldn't like a woman who is too harsh either? I dunno. He likes balance. If you can't fight,he will teach you to hold yourself in battle. Because no wifey of shang will not know basic defense. Also the harder you play "coy" or "hard to get" the harder he will chase. He definitely expects you to defend him not just physically but also defend his name and word too.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?): he loves sleeping in the nude. But on occasionally he will wear his robes and silk undergarments.

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As stated. Hcs are Subject to change. But these are what i have so far.

Enjoy