A new Mortal Kombat poster has fully revealed Cole Young’s weapons and battle outfit, possibly offering some clues to his true identity. Cole will lead the cast of the new live-action film, despite having never appeared in the video games. Mortal Kombat will also feature an ensemble cast of classic fighters from the franchise’s history, such as Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Scorpion, Raiden, and Jax.

Since his initial reveal, many theories have circulated about who Cole Young actually is. Some have speculated that he’s a descendant of Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi, while others believe he is connected to Sub-Zero. It’s even been guessed that Cole is secretly Johnny Cage prior to his successful career as a movie star. Whether or not Cole actually has ties to any of the classic Mortal Kombat characters, it seems clear that his role in the film is more complicated than has been revealed. The birthmark on his chest has fated him to participate in the tournament, and there must be a reason beyond his exceptional martial arts skills.

Related: Why Scorpion Appears To Cole Young In Mortal Kombat's Trailer

A new poster for the Mortal Kombat reboot gives fans their first clear look at Cole in his full battle garb, complete with what seems to be his signature weapon – a bladed tonfa. His outfit is a curious, textured bodysuit, reminiscent of both cloth wrappings and battle armor. A few shots from the Mortal Kombat trailer featured Cole with the armor/wrap and tonfas, but they all either moved too quickly or were too far away to get a good look, or even to confirm that the character in question was in fact Cole.

Mortal Kombat Roster Poster

Now that it’s been confirmed that the tonfa-wielding fighter is indeed Cole, a few more details have fallen into place. Cole is the one facing Goro in the trailer – suggesting that he does quite well in the tournament – and he’s the one fighting Sub-Zero alongside Scorpion. The Mortal Kombat poster also could offer some clues about Cole’s connection to the tournament. In the games, only Jax, Stryker, and Tanya wield tonfas, though Stryker’s is a police baton and therefore likely isn’t connected to Cole.

Tanya is the only character who regular uses proper tonfas. In the games, she’s an Edenian – a member of a humanoid race from another dimension. The Edenians are major players in the larger story of Mortal Kombat, and there’s a chance Cole could have some connection there, given his weapons of choice. His armor-and-bladed-tonfa look is also oddly reminiscent of the Tarkatan warrior, Baraka, though that similarity is likely coincidental. And of course, there’s high probability that Cole’s weapons are simply meant to be distinct, and that he has no greater ties to the lore of the franchise. His role in the story won’t become fully clear until Mortal Kombat releases on April 16.

Next: Casting Johnny Cage For Mortal Kombat 2

Source: Warner Bros.

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