Mortal Kombat Part 1

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Phil: It's just yeah, it's just
when you've been driving all
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night long the sun's about to
come up and you're like, I just
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need to get home. Yeah, and I'm
gonna go to sleep and forget
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this ever happened and home is
seems so far away
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Kevin Erhard: just out of reach.
Just seems just out of reach,
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Phil: just out of reach,
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Kevin Erhard: but you know, it's
always in reach. What's that?
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Hey there, everybody. Welcome
back to big slit. My name is
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Kevin. Alongside with me as
always as Phil, and today we're
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starting a brand new book. Oh,
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Phil: this is gonna be
interesting.
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Kevin Erhard: This is gonna be
interesting. Oh, yeah. So Phil,
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we are reading Mortal Kombat,
which came out in 1995. Yes. The
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book. I mean, Mortal Kombat by
Jeff Roven. Yeah, yeah. So what
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do you know about Mortal Kombat?
Phil?
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Phil: Ah, I mean, that was that
was Mortal Kombat was one of
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those first video games I can
recall growing up in the 90s.
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And it was the first one where
parents seemed concerned Yeah,
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like obviously that we have a
grand history of video games
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where parents are concerned
before combat really stirred the
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turret it really got some shit
started. And yeah, I didn't. I
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was a Street Fighter kid. I
didn't play much Mortal Kombat.
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But he was legendary. Just
because everyone was talking
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about the fatalities. You know
this in this is our first
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fighting game book, isn't it?
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Kevin Erhard: It is. Yeah, yeah.
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Phil: So yeah. Fighting game. It
did a lot of at first it did a
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lot of the oh, what would you
call it? It was actual
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Kevin Erhard: photos. Yeah, it
was like rotoscoped pictures of
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writers that they they basically
got all the they they took, like
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photographs of and or in video
of and kind of stitched it
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together. So Right. It had this
seamless look of? Yeah, it was
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it was a weird way to do
graphics.
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Phil: Yeah. And it was all about
brutality and blood. And yeah,
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you know, it was the first video
game of its kind that had a
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system where after you'd won the
fight, you could still do a
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move. Right? The fatality system
that was such a strange, because
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that was just for the fun of it.
That was just yesterday rig.
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That you
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Kevin Erhard: there's no Yeah,
you didn't need to do it. You
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just know it was on the game. It
was it was something that was
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whispered about on the
playground. Right?
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Phil: Right. And you could find
it in you know, Electronic
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Gaming Monthly or game pro would
have like, right, almost a
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fatality combos in there. Yeah.
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Kevin Erhard: Yeah. And I
remember there was a big deal
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between it being on Super
Nintendo versus it being on the
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Genesis because on the Genesis
it was uncensored. Yes. And on
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the Super Nintendo, you needed
to enter a code in order to to
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actually get the blood. I think
that's I'm remembering it
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correctly.
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Phil: Did it wasn't an actual
code. I think there was a Blood
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Kevin Erhard: Code. Yeah. To
turn it on.
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Phil: It speaking as a Sega kid,
I didn't I didn't know my first
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SNIS until, like, long after the
GameCube had come out. Alright,
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but it was it was one of the
only things that people could be
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jealous about you for having
agenesis unless they were just
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real big fans of Shining Force,
which
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Kevin Erhard: I wish I was. Let
me tell you the you know, it is
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a fan of tactics based RPGs the
pickings were slim and Shining
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Force was it was pretty damn
pretty damn good ones.
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Phil: Not half bad. I still play
it from time to time I beat it
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like I beat the first one. Two
years ago or face yeah, the fun
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of it that that's a great series
said
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Kevin Erhard: it's a fun series.
I never played the third one
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because I didn't have a want to
say came out on the Saturn.
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Phil: They had a third one that
came out on the Game Gear that I
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was a huge fan.
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Kevin Erhard: Okay. Yeah, the
game year one as well. I think
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there was one of the Saturn two.
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Phil: I think well actually, I
think they're like, oh, like
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over a dozen of them now like
Saturn. It's it's still that
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franchise is still crazy
popular. Ah. Shining Force
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anymore. It's shining. Whatever.
Yeah, the
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Kevin Erhard: latest release
shining resonance refrain in
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March 2018. Yeah, yeah.
Interesting.
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Phil: It's all over the place. I
think they I think they go
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through different genres, too.
So I don't think they're
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tactical games anymore,
necessarily, but I could be
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totally wrong there. Yeah. It's
kind of like Final Fantasy. It's
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the same kind of deal. You know,
right. They're not necessarily
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connected. It's all just kind of
a it's they all have. They're
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all different flavors of
Lacroix. It's all the same, same
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aromas.
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Kevin Erhard: Did you ever you
ever play the first one The The
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Shining in the Darkness.
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Phil: Yeah, yeah. The dungeon
style. Yeah, yeah, I have that
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one too. Yeah, actually, I love
it. I'm looking at it. I have it
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on my bookshelf.
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Kevin Erhard: Man we're talking
about. We're I totally forgot.
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We're talking about Mortal
Kombat we're not talking about.
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Phil: I'm gonna go ahead and do
a quick search to see if there
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are any novelizations of Shining
Force.
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Kevin Erhard: But yeah, I can't
remember. I liked Mortal Kombat.
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I guess I remember having it.
And it was just kind of like a
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game I played. But I wouldn't
call myself a mortal kombat
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super fan by any stretch of
imagination.
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Phil: No, me either. Mortal
Kombat was the people who the
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favorite game of the people
whose favorite game was Mortal
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Kombat. You know, we're I had a
bunch of friends who were like
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that, who loved that that and
Mortal Kombat was kind of like
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for a while there. If that was
your favorite game, that was all
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you fucking played? Yeah. You
learned everybody's move set.
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That kind of thing. Of course,
nowadays, with fighting games, I
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guess that really hasn't
changed.
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Kevin Erhard: People have their
own. I mean, and there's so many
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fighting games now. Especially
now, you know, more fighting
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games. There was a time where it
seemed like fighting games, it
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was rare that they would get
imported over from Japan. Like
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there's a lot more in Japan and
there were over in the States.
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But now there's just so many to
choose from, that you really can
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find your own flavor that you
like, and stick with it.
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Phil: Oh, absolutely. And people
do you know, and it's it's Ah,
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shut up you.
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Kevin Erhard: Siri Siri is
yelling at Phil
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Phil: Mike. Like my Kindle. This
is what I get your Kindle? Yeah.
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Kindles yelling at you. It was
trying to connect to the
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internet. And that's my problem
for some reason. What the fuck
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Bezos.
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Kevin Erhard: So, Mortal Kombat
this book was written in 1995.
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It was written by a fellow by
the name of Jeff Roven Roven.
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And I thought it was
interesting. It actually starts
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with a little note from him.
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Phil: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I
loved this. Were
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Kevin Erhard: the guy like
basically everything that
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appears in the book outside the
characters from the game. He
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developed out of a lot of the
mythology, the actual mythology
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from China. So he wrote, he read
a couple books. He recommends
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great civilizations, China by
Ian Morrison. Which sounds like
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a British guy. Sure. So let's
let the British guy do it. Write
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the book. And the wonderful
alchemy, medicine and religion
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in the China ad 320. In
particular, the James R where
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translation and actually that
name sounds familiar. I think
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I've I've read or skimmed
through another Chinese book.
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Okay, by that was the the. So
the original texts, I believe,
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for Suikoden which I did a video
on several years ago is a
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Chinese book. And I believe it
was it was where who did the
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translation of that? Oh, that's
cool. Okay, if I'm recalling
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correctly. That's interesting.
Yeah.
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Phil: Well, for a little
background on our boy, Jeff
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Roven. Here he is. He's like a
lot of our guys writer for hire.
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He's done some video game books.
He actually did like how to play
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video game books. And he also
did. He's done a lot of Tom
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Clancy novelization stuff just a
lot of novelization in general,
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including April Fool's Day.
Reanimator. cliffhanger, Broken
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Arrow and the game all mid late
80s. Mid to late 90s. So last
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acts.
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Kevin Erhard: He did it. He did
a novelization of the movie.
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Reanimator That's right, which
was an adaptation of this short
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story. Reanimator. That's right.
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Phil: That's right. He adapted
an adaptation, a photocopy of a
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photocopy. But I think but
here's the thing. I think the
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most interesting thing about
Jeff Roven might be that he was
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actually the editor in chief for
weekly world news.
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Kevin Erhard: Huh? You mean like
The Bat Boy,
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Phil: that is absolutely
correct. For those of you
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playing the home game, Weekly
World News was not just a
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tabloid because tabloids is like
oh, you know the the Queen's
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having a secret love affair with
one of her bodyguards Weekly
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World News was stuff like
Satan's face scene and volcanic
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eruption over Maui or something
like that. Like they
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Kevin Erhard: bet your child
food and fav everyone you have.
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If you're at home listening, you
have seen this cover of your bat
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child found in cave and it's
just this this kid with gigantic
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eyes a huge mouth and pointy
ears screaming
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Phil: Yeah, the Bat Boy Yeah,
made a musical based on that
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character. Yeah. And, and, and I
bring all of that up, because
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he's also he also has a very
serious career as a just a
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general fiction writer. He's
written his own stuff. He's He
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is a professional writer. You
know, working stiff writer, and
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very prolific, like a lot of the
guys we've read the work of, and
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I but I only bring that up,
because I don't think there's
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any franchise out there. That is
more confusing in terms of its
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tone than Mortal Kombat. Yes.
Because Mortal Kombat, if you
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recall, is a game about pulling
the spinal columns out of your
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enemy, while doing fatalities at
the end, and maybe friendships,
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Bay valleys who could who could
forget the ability to turn your
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opponent into a little baby
version of themself, stuff like
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that. But it also when they are
allowed to make something that
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isn't just a video game, and
even then sometimes, they get
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very deep and serious about the
mythology. Yep, and the gods and
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the legends behind all of it.
And you could break your neck
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with that kind of a toe. Yeah,
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Kevin Erhard: I there is there
is zero worlds in which outside
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of this book, I would make the
effort to try to backstory in
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Mortal Kombat. Absolutely. And
there is plenty of backstory.
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Phil: Oh, yes. And and oh, and
we're gonna get into
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Kevin Erhard: we're getting into
it because it feels like this
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book might have been the
inspiration for a lot of the the
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big backstory that they they
start shelling out later. I'm
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not Yeah, well, yeah, the
relationship between this book
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and the games is necessarily,
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Phil: I don't know, either, but
I will say and I always I didn't
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pass the first few. I think
Mortal Kombat three was probably
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the last Mortal Kombat game that
I played with any level of
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regularity at all. So I haven't
kept up with the mythology with
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the world or anything like that.
Every now and then a new one
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comes out or some DLC comes out.
And I stick my head into the
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room and say you kids playing
nice. Oh, that's interesting.
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And you got
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Kevin Erhard: Jason from Friday.
13th. Right. That's cool. Is
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that
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Phil: is that spawn? I didn't
know you kids new spawn was all
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right. I think that was actually
that was another game. But any
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case, Joker? Yeah, that's
injustice dad.
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Kevin Erhard: Justice, which is
just Mortal Kombat with DC
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rockers. That's exactly what it
is.
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Phil: So I guess what I'm saying
is I haven't kept up with the
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tone and the storyline or
anything. But from what I've
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seen, I feel like it hasn't
changed all that much. Oh, but,
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but I think you might be right.
I think this might be this might
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have shaped the future of how
they treated Mortal Kombat. More
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than more than even people who
play the game now. might guess.
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Yeah.
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Kevin Erhard: So the book starts
with a prologue, which is just a
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full on creation myth about a
god named pawn coo. Who just
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existed at the beginning of
time, and was the only thing to
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exists when basically when when
time started. Then Pong Q
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eventually dies and breaks apart
and all of the body parts of
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pawn qu create the various
things in nature. That That
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about sums up the long and
short.
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Phil: Yeah, including the gods.
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Kevin Erhard: Like yeah, the
gods have become our different
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parts of him. There is a there's
a there's a god named Tian,
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which so Punku dies with and
there's a guide called tn which
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is created in a TN creates the
other gods, right and then also
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creates, then the gods start
creating beasts. And then
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eventually the gods get bored
and create create humans because
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like the beasts are too dumb and
they need some something that
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will get into trouble. So humans
and humans they're they're so
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silly,
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Phil: right? But they kind of
they kind of have to back off
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that because they don't want to
be like discovered by the humans
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are right,
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Kevin Erhard: exactly so a lot
there's a lot centered around a
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mountain mount
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Phil: mount II fuku Bay
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Kevin Erhard: fuku Bay is
basically the mountain in which
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they live. And yeah, it's it's
it's just a full on creation
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myth and it's pretty, it's it's
kind of dense and it gets
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there's more in the creation
myth that kind of gets teased
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out later. But, but it's it's
like, right off the bat, here's
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like, here's this creation myth,
you're gonna need to remember
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some of this.
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Phil: Right? Right. Here's a
little bit of background, it's
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gonna help you to understand
some motivations in here. But
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yeah, it is a straight up. You
know, there's so many aspects of
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it. That feel it feels kind of
genuine. As far as creation
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myths are concerned, sure. I
don't I don't know a ton about a
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lot of the old pagan pantheons.
But it does, it did have a lot
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of similarities to Norse
mythology. Yeah.
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Kevin Erhard: And I don't it
might be. I wouldn't be
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surprised given that he
references those the books on
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Chinese mythology, I wouldn't be
surprised if these are just
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basically lifted right out of
those books. Like I wouldn't
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either. Yeah, this is this is
this is some Chinese mythology.
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And here we go.
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Phil: Right. Right. Exactly.
It's we have definitely never
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had a book that started off on
this grand of a scale. We are
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literally this is world building
like this, this world building
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in the most literal sense of the
word comes in and says, Here's
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where the world came from.
Here's where the people came
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from the gods, the animals, the
trees and the flowers. And holy
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shit. That's that's a lot to
start off in your first three
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and a quarter pages. Yeah, like,
that's crazy.
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Kevin Erhard: It is. The we move
into chapter one, which sets us
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in ad for ad. So we're not,
we're not present day. We're
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not. We're back in the day. And
the point of view is we get is a
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character named Kung Lao Kung
Lao. Wow, who I did a quick
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search Kung Lao was introduced
in Mortal Kombat to Yeah, his
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hat. His hat was razor bladed
hat. But we'll, we'll talk about
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we'll get to that. You know,
we'll talk about this. But
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basically come Lau is in chapter
one. He is discussing with his
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aunt about like, he wants to
leave. He wants to he wants to
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go find the gods because he
found a he found a piece of
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cloth that had writing on it.
And yes, only he can see the
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writing. No one else can he's
like showing it to everybody.
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And like his aunt is like, No, I
can't see it either. What are
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you doing? He is basically just
trying to do something
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interesting with his life is
kind of the vibe that I get.
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Phil: It's like a wave vaguer
version of, you know, the Disney
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princess. I want son. Yeah, he
he knows he's being called to
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some sort of higher purpose. But
he isn't sure what. And we do.
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We do get a little background on
his family and kids. It's really
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it's a little insane. Because
he's, he's being cared for by
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his aunt, because his dad's
dead. Because they like,
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Kevin Erhard: well, his dad died
because he messed up with
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proportions for gunpowder. Right
and blew herself up.
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Phil: Yeah, yeah, we got let's
see. My father. We Tasty. I am
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not wasn't an AI who warned him
not to mix those powders and set
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them a fire. Yes, she said and
after we buried what remained of
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him? Didn't you return to the
hills collect more of those
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rocks, grind them together and
burn them? I did. He admitted. I
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learned from father's example
the correct proportions. It's
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two. It's like this is but you
know what? It is the fifth
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century AD. Yeah. So like that
is how it's working at the dive.
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It's like we're still at a point
where they're like, Okay, those
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are new mushrooms. Let's one of
you eat them. And let's see what
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happens to you. When you eat
that one of these fun ones are
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killer was
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Kevin Erhard: these fun ones are
killer ones. Were like, oh, both
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okay. Oh, wow.
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Phil: Oh, his head went very
far. Yeah.
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Kevin Erhard: I had that
highlighted because I was. I was
305
00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:54,900
like reading reading where
you're like, wait, what?
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Phil: It kind of comes out. And
that's the thing. We've talked
307
00:21:00,030 --> 00:21:03,060
about the creation myth and the
gods and we've got this noble
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Kevin Erhard: whiplash of Mortal
Kombat is very present, right?
309
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It
310
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Phil: doesn't waste any time.
It's like I'm a holy warrior.
311
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And I want to go and learn how
to be a holy warrior. Like,
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like, oh, okay, so your father
was a holy warrior? Do he maybe,
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you know, die in a tournament or
something. So he built himself
314
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up with gunpowder he was he was
smoking next to an oxygen
315
00:21:26,430 --> 00:21:27,120
workout.
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Kevin Erhard: We had to collect
what remained of him to bury
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Phil: it. Yeah, right off the
bat. Right off the bat. We're
318
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:40,710
like, Oh, it's so yeah. So he's
just spending this time trying
319
00:21:40,710 --> 00:21:44,010
to give him his answer. Just let
him go. And by the way, this
320
00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:48,450
clip a cloth he has that only he
can read. Here's what it says.
321
00:21:48,450 --> 00:21:50,130
Because you're I know what
you're thinking. You're like, Oh
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00:21:50,130 --> 00:21:53,790
my god. Well, he fake whether
anyone can read it or not. What
323
00:21:53,820 --> 00:21:59,400
is written on it must be some
crazy, direct religious shit to
324
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like, push him towards this
life. You know, if he,
325
00:22:02,460 --> 00:22:04,350
especially if you can only read
it. I'm gonna go ahead. I
326
00:22:04,350 --> 00:22:09,150
highlighted this part where he
cannot die yet does not live to
327
00:22:09,150 --> 00:22:13,890
his true. He is more than all.
And all is Pon coup.
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00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:17,250
Kevin Erhard: I gotta go to the
mountain.
329
00:22:17,429 --> 00:22:22,949
Phil: Gotta go to the mountain
man. I don't know, man. I like
330
00:22:22,949 --> 00:22:28,229
leave everyone who I loved. And
sell all my possessions and
331
00:22:28,259 --> 00:22:30,899
follow Jesus into the wilderness
with that kind of bra.
332
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Absolutely, really?
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Kevin Erhard: Yeah, this is
really direct a direct call to
334
00:22:35,700 --> 00:22:40,050
action is what I would call
this. The other thing that I
335
00:22:40,050 --> 00:22:43,440
noticed and like, I guess we're
just, we're just gonna ignore
336
00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:47,670
the fact that why does it rhyme?
Because
337
00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:51,900
Phil: they have a good
translator on it.
338
00:22:51,930 --> 00:22:54,240
Kevin Erhard: There's a really
good translator who really wants
339
00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:57,060
a rise in both languages
somehow, right? That's how good
340
00:22:57,060 --> 00:22:57,390
it is.
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00:23:00,780 --> 00:23:03,840
Phil: I just I just imagined the
author going alright guys, back
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00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,090
off. What do you want?
343
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Kevin Erhard: What do you want
from me?
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00:23:08,730 --> 00:23:12,210
Phil: Yeah, if if I'd written in
Chinese or something, you'd be
345
00:23:12,210 --> 00:23:17,160
pissed off over that. Yeah.
Yeah. And we get a little
346
00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,480
interesting Scott up. He he gets
kind of a girlfriend his aunt
347
00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,780
does what aunts and grandmothers
and mothers all over the world
348
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do with their bachelor sons.
He's talking about leaving
349
00:23:28,380 --> 00:23:32,070
everything behind leaving all
his possessions and going on
350
00:23:32,070 --> 00:23:37,110
this holy crusade. And then he
like casually mentions quote, V
351
00:23:37,110 --> 00:23:43,680
egg girl Lee, and that they like
to sit and talk. And she
352
00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:47,100
immediately goes, Is Lee
interested in you? And I was
353
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just like, oh my god mom, could
you please but that just my own
354
00:23:50,850 --> 00:23:53,550
mother's? So you have grown
issues? Is this one series?
355
00:23:53,910 --> 00:23:59,400
Good. Is she nice? What's your
parents like? You know, she
356
00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:06,120
doesn't have any tattoos does
she sorry mom. Getting a little
357
00:24:06,150 --> 00:24:07,350
flashback here.
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Kevin Erhard: It gets it's
starts to get more and more
359
00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:11,280
specific.
360
00:24:12,900 --> 00:24:14,310
Phil: Suspiciously so
361
00:24:15,780 --> 00:24:18,540
Kevin Erhard: my favorite line
in this whole sequence where
362
00:24:19,050 --> 00:24:22,050
he's talking about the people
that he showed the the piece of
363
00:24:22,050 --> 00:24:27,900
paper to or the thing to is Dr.
Child drinks rice wine but
364
00:24:31,710 --> 00:24:35,130
Phil: yeah, he's like yeah, I
went to Dr. Chow he said the
365
00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,400
said I'm fine this is like what
Dr. Child drinks Rice was
366
00:24:39,420 --> 00:24:42,180
Kevin Erhard: an alcoholic
fuckin but he disagreed with
367
00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:42,360
you.
368
00:24:42,930 --> 00:24:45,810
Phil: Yeah, it's the fifth
century version of he smokes
369
00:24:45,810 --> 00:24:50,280
crack Yeah. Yeah, it's for ice
one. I think I think we'd all
370
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,670
like a little rice wine and
maybe if you drink some I've let
371
00:24:53,670 --> 00:24:55,740
me follow God.
372
00:24:55,770 --> 00:24:58,080
Kevin Erhard: All the other kids
all the other ants are letting
373
00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:03,570
their their nephews I adapted
nephew's go to the mountain,
374
00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:05,190
right? Why can't
375
00:25:05,190 --> 00:25:10,530
Phil: my friends, my friends and
let him buy Wolfenstein 3d?
376
00:25:11,610 --> 00:25:16,770
Didn't matter that I had blood
in it. That was another
377
00:25:16,770 --> 00:25:19,290
controversial video game that
was similar time period.
378
00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,650
Kevin Erhard: So basically, the
rest of the chapter plays out
379
00:25:22,650 --> 00:25:25,530
with, but what about this
person? They'll miss you. And
380
00:25:25,530 --> 00:25:30,750
he's like, right? And I'm like,
okay, that's your brother. Like,
381
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,500
he hasn't been home in months.
And I'm like, but he'll come
382
00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:36,990
back and they're like, and then
he'll go home go on another
383
00:25:36,990 --> 00:25:41,400
building project. It's like,
right, right. There's just it
384
00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:46,170
basically every loose end had to
be tied off before he's loose
385
00:25:46,170 --> 00:25:49,440
ends that we didn't know exist,
didn't know existed and did not
386
00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:53,250
have to be did not have to exist
in this right in the spirit of
387
00:25:53,250 --> 00:25:54,450
editing and brevity.
388
00:25:55,830 --> 00:25:59,430
Phil: You just gotten cut? Yeah,
just just everybody, everyone,
389
00:25:59,430 --> 00:26:02,460
we just got to make sure that no
one will be even halfway upset
390
00:26:02,670 --> 00:26:05,910
that you're climbing a mountain
because of this vague couplet.
391
00:26:06,330 --> 00:26:07,500
You know, that's, that's
392
00:26:07,590 --> 00:26:12,420
Kevin Erhard: a big couplet
written by Shakespeare. Yeah. So
393
00:26:12,420 --> 00:26:18,660
in chapter two, we get a little
bit more history about where in
394
00:26:18,660 --> 00:26:21,690
China, this is taking place.
395
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,230
Phil: Yeah, this was
interesting. So like the nation,
396
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,380
gives us He does everything
would give us the longitude and
397
00:26:28,380 --> 00:26:29,430
latitude. Yeah.
398
00:26:29,460 --> 00:26:31,410
Kevin Erhard: Well, so
basically, it's in central
399
00:26:31,410 --> 00:26:38,310
China, in a nation called Chun
Cuomo. And following the
400
00:26:38,310 --> 00:26:41,340
unification under the chin,
China was ruled by the Han
401
00:26:41,340 --> 00:26:46,260
Dynasty, for whom Kung Lao had
little regard. So he's Kung Lao,
402
00:26:46,290 --> 00:26:50,430
not a fan of the Hans. He is not
a touch anti Han anti Han
403
00:26:50,670 --> 00:26:51,720
Dynasty. Yeah.
404
00:26:54,060 --> 00:26:57,630
Phil: So it's, it's an
interesting detail. It will not
405
00:26:57,630 --> 00:26:58,620
be coming up. It will
406
00:26:58,620 --> 00:27:01,320
Kevin Erhard: not be coming up
again. political leanings.
407
00:27:05,100 --> 00:27:07,770
Phil: Die Hard Democrat back in
those days.
408
00:27:09,990 --> 00:27:12,240
Kevin Erhard: Back when the
Democrats were racist,
409
00:27:12,510 --> 00:27:17,670
Phil: right. Yeah. The old
school Democrats. Like right now
410
00:27:17,670 --> 00:27:17,880
when
411
00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:22,680
Kevin Erhard: they're right. You
know, what this reminded me of
412
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:26,490
we had we just got a one star
rating by somebody who said, we
413
00:27:26,490 --> 00:27:30,240
talked about politics too much,
and compared our political
414
00:27:30,270 --> 00:27:38,070
discourse to the the Neo liberal
babblings of children from the
415
00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:42,720
from Chapter, the chapter two of
the book 1984. And
416
00:27:44,070 --> 00:27:46,260
Phil: I am just where we get all
of our ideas.
417
00:27:47,430 --> 00:27:52,080
Kevin Erhard: And I am offended.
I am not neoliberal.
418
00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:58,470
Phil: No. I got a terrible
feeling, by the way, that this
419
00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,530
person in JET has not gotten to
the Bioshock. And
420
00:28:02,190 --> 00:28:03,870
Kevin Erhard: no, because it
421
00:28:03,870 --> 00:28:05,760
Phil: felt a little because he
even said at the end, he was
422
00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,520
like, I'm gonna keep listening,
just in case and I was like, oh,
423
00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,800
no, he hasn't. He hasn't even
definitely
424
00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,600
Kevin Erhard: BioShock episodes.
Oh, boy. So anyway, Kung Lao,
425
00:28:15,780 --> 00:28:22,500
big anti anti honar. Right. He
is he's walking, and we're
426
00:28:22,500 --> 00:28:25,740
getting a lot of landmarks.
427
00:28:28,590 --> 00:28:32,490
Phil: Yeah, we're sending a lot
of yeah, just like, This is what
428
00:28:32,490 --> 00:28:35,760
ancient China was like. I think,
you know, it's nice, because
429
00:28:35,790 --> 00:28:40,980
it's interesting. I didn't
expect like, of light tourists
430
00:28:40,980 --> 00:28:47,340
guide to Ancient China from this
book, but it's, it's
431
00:28:47,340 --> 00:28:51,960
interesting. It's also a little,
I don't know, unnecessary. Yeah,
432
00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,750
the way to get into a fantasy
worlds.
433
00:28:54,750 --> 00:28:57,300
Kevin Erhard: Yeah, like, yeah,
the one really interesting part
434
00:28:57,300 --> 00:29:00,900
of this chapter is when it
reveals that the real reason
435
00:29:00,900 --> 00:29:04,980
kung loughs Dad was obsessed
with with explosives was because
436
00:29:04,980 --> 00:29:06,780
he wanted to build a rocket to
the moon.
437
00:29:07,650 --> 00:29:11,730
Phil: Right? Remember how we
talked about that? Whiplash,
438
00:29:11,730 --> 00:29:17,880
kids? Here we go again. Yeah.
This is by the way, by the way,
439
00:29:17,910 --> 00:29:20,310
I don't want you guys to
misunderstand. This is not
440
00:29:20,310 --> 00:29:24,030
played for laughs This is dead
serious. This is dead serious.
441
00:29:24,060 --> 00:29:31,290
It just happens to be hilarious.
That's all. It's so the choices
442
00:29:31,290 --> 00:29:35,520
are really interesting. But
yeah, it basically gives us a
443
00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:40,740
little background on Kung Lao
and his family and how the
444
00:29:40,770 --> 00:29:44,910
seeker kind of gene has been
strong.
445
00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,390
Kevin Erhard: That generation a
generation, right, how do you
446
00:29:48,390 --> 00:29:52,590
think the family just goes off
and dies?
447
00:29:53,010 --> 00:29:57,690
Phil: Right? They ask a lot of
questions of the gods and then
448
00:29:57,690 --> 00:30:02,550
they die. That seems to be It's
like Lieutenant Dan in Forrest
449
00:30:02,550 --> 00:30:06,600
Gump. Yeah. Someone from their
family has died from every
450
00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,050
single god over the course of
generations. Yeah.
451
00:30:10,830 --> 00:30:19,590
Kevin Erhard: Yeah. In chapter
three, Kung Lao is is now he's
452
00:30:19,590 --> 00:30:28,620
kind of in the vicinity of the
Mountain. And he's climbing now
453
00:30:28,620 --> 00:30:35,340
he's tired and talking to
himself. And there's there's
454
00:30:35,340 --> 00:30:40,590
just a lot of like a description
of, you know, catching fish and,
455
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,620
and I think at one point, he
eats a grub.
456
00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,150
Phil: Yeah, it's a lone Mortal
Kombat edition. It's yeah, it's
457
00:30:48,150 --> 00:30:48,420
really.
458
00:30:48,780 --> 00:30:53,010
Kevin Erhard: Yeah, it's Naked
and Afraid. Mortal Kombat,
459
00:30:53,010 --> 00:31:00,960
right. first few pages of
chapter three. things get
460
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:08,190
interesting. Eventually, Kung
Lao runs into an unnamed
461
00:31:08,190 --> 00:31:12,990
character. Who is mysterious,
and there's thunderclaps every
462
00:31:12,990 --> 00:31:16,800
time he does anything, which are
probably just covering up his
463
00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:17,340
farts.
464
00:31:17,940 --> 00:31:20,340
Phil: I mean, I think they are
as far as they are. They
465
00:31:20,340 --> 00:31:21,330
probably are his farts.
466
00:31:21,450 --> 00:31:25,290
Kevin Erhard: God's fart because
he's business. Hey, now it's
467
00:31:25,290 --> 00:31:27,360
Raiden Raven,
468
00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:31,590
Phil: classic, classic Rana. You
cannot have Mortal Kombat
469
00:31:31,590 --> 00:31:33,210
without writing. That's just all
there is to
470
00:31:33,210 --> 00:31:37,860
Kevin Erhard: it. So, yeah,
Kung, LAO and Raiden just they
471
00:31:37,860 --> 00:31:43,560
have a heart to heart about. You
know what it means to really
472
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:48,840
give oneself over to the gods.
It they talk a lot about how
473
00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,440
there's the duality and the
duality theme is going to come
474
00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:57,630
up a lot. How long was he saw
Raiden earlier as a beggar and
475
00:31:57,630 --> 00:32:00,870
now he's seeing him as a guide.
And Melinda
476
00:32:00,870 --> 00:32:04,110
Phil: and also heavily implies
that because he's seen his dad,
477
00:32:04,140 --> 00:32:08,160
when his dad was a seeker and he
was alive, he would spend time
478
00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:12,030
with this kind of cloaked
shadowy man in the distance
479
00:32:12,030 --> 00:32:14,700
like, and he didn't know who he
was. And it's heavily implied
480
00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:18,450
that Raiden appeared to him in
the past, and probably
481
00:32:18,450 --> 00:32:25,170
generation for generations
before. So kung loughs lineage.
482
00:32:25,740 --> 00:32:27,750
Reign really likes them. Yeah.
Right.
483
00:32:27,750 --> 00:32:29,970
Kevin Erhard: And like some he
tends to talk them into doing
484
00:32:29,970 --> 00:32:34,950
stuff that gets them killed, but
he likes them. Yeah, yes.
485
00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:37,980
Phil: We do get a good we do get
a good line here with him
486
00:32:37,980 --> 00:32:42,120
realizing who Raiden is. Braden
says, Your father was not the
487
00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,930
chosen one. He said, You were
you understand? You understood
488
00:32:45,930 --> 00:32:50,340
the duality of all things. I did
say Kung Lao. Which which I
489
00:32:50,340 --> 00:32:57,000
responded he did. I did, but
he's a little he was a little
490
00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,910
kid. It's like you're looking at
this little kid and going, yes,
491
00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:03,870
that little six year old. He
knows about duality. He's the
492
00:33:03,870 --> 00:33:08,970
shit. Right? Right. And, you
know, look, duality is a
493
00:33:08,970 --> 00:33:15,060
fascinating topic, but I think
most people understand duality
494
00:33:15,060 --> 00:33:19,650
in the world and understand
paradoxical ideas.
495
00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:24,000
Kevin Erhard: Yeah, basically,
Kung Lao was Anakin Skywalker.
496
00:33:24,570 --> 00:33:25,770
Phil: Right? Right.
497
00:33:28,590 --> 00:33:33,300
Kevin Erhard: If we want to if
we want to get down to it Raiden
498
00:33:33,330 --> 00:33:40,860
was was was what's his name Qui
Gon Jinn and I was Anakin
499
00:33:40,860 --> 00:33:42,120
Skywalker. Yeah.
500
00:33:42,150 --> 00:33:47,010
Phil: Oh, yeah. And so to give
him an example of what rate is
501
00:33:47,010 --> 00:33:50,130
like, Raiden is going I saw
something in you and he says,
502
00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:53,610
That night the sky was split by
a single streak of lightning,
503
00:33:53,790 --> 00:33:58,260
which struck and destroyed the
tree. And you were afraid. It's
504
00:33:58,260 --> 00:34:03,330
like, okay, yeah. So far, so far
that setbacks, to calm your
505
00:34:03,330 --> 00:34:05,880
fears, you began to think about
the lightning bolt and you
506
00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:10,560
realize the flash that destroyed
also provided light that there
507
00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,170
are two sides to everything.
darkness, light, fear, courage,
508
00:34:13,170 --> 00:34:18,810
life, death, a beggar. God,
like, okay, you know, I will
509
00:34:18,810 --> 00:34:21,810
admit, if I met a five year old
who was thinking about shit like
510
00:34:21,810 --> 00:34:26,310
that, I would be I'd be
impressed. I'm not sure it would
511
00:34:26,310 --> 00:34:32,670
be like, send him on an epic God
quest impressed? Yeah. But it
512
00:34:32,670 --> 00:34:34,920
might be like, Oh, we're gonna
put them in the talent and
513
00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:40,140
gifted program. We're gonna make
sure that he knows is you know,
514
00:34:40,140 --> 00:34:43,110
multiple occasions in elementary
school, yeah,
515
00:34:43,170 --> 00:34:45,660
Kevin Erhard: we're gonna we're
gonna move off a grade because
516
00:34:45,660 --> 00:34:47,670
he seems a little bored. And
this year
517
00:34:47,670 --> 00:34:50,640
Phil: yeah. And you know, when
they're bored, it gets just get
518
00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:51,390
into trouble.
519
00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:57,990
Kevin Erhard: midstream start
mixing their explosive rocket to
520
00:34:57,990 --> 00:34:58,620
the moon.
521
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,210
Phil: But because they think
they can find God that way or so
522
00:35:03,210 --> 00:35:07,410
but I don't know. Your dad was
kind of a moron
523
00:35:08,700 --> 00:35:11,130
Kevin Erhard: what we forget to
mention is this whole scene is
524
00:35:11,130 --> 00:35:12,600
set to fly me to the moon
525
00:35:15,450 --> 00:35:18,030
Phil: come to Laos like getting
misty eyed. Suddenly he hears
526
00:35:18,030 --> 00:35:20,910
the background music. Don't
play.
527
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:32,880
Kevin Erhard: Let me play among
the stars. So yeah, we get we
528
00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:34,770
move on to chapter four.
529
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:40,470
Phil: New care another classic
character here Shang, Shang son.
530
00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:41,310
Yeah.
531
00:35:42,090 --> 00:35:47,970
Kevin Erhard: Shang Sung is
basically he's been researching
532
00:35:47,970 --> 00:35:54,630
the hell out of how to get to
the nether world the outer
533
00:35:54,630 --> 00:35:58,380
worlds whatever you want to call
it. He's been reading the Greeks
534
00:35:58,380 --> 00:36:01,770
he's been reading the the
Japanese has been reading the
535
00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:05,820
Chinese scholars he's been
reading literally every scholar
536
00:36:05,820 --> 00:36:10,380
he can find he's also left his
family to do this. He just like
537
00:36:10,410 --> 00:36:16,440
got up and left one day. And the
I think the the one who he is
538
00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:21,300
kind of leaning on for a lot of
his ideas is in Egyptian scribe
539
00:36:21,540 --> 00:36:27,240
named amo tap, which I believe
is one of the names used in the
540
00:36:27,240 --> 00:36:32,640
mummy. Starring Brendan Fraser.
Oh no emo tip was was the moment
541
00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:38,730
Yeah. So amo tip is the Egyptian
scribe. They're trying to reach
542
00:36:38,790 --> 00:36:46,020
the dead place. So Shang Sung
has been trying to figure figure
543
00:36:46,020 --> 00:36:48,360
this out. Yeah, highlighted
years before he had left his
544
00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:52,080
position as a tax collector for
his death by killing and
545
00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:56,070
disfiguring another man and
changed his name in order to do
546
00:36:56,070 --> 00:37:01,800
what his wife's brother wing Lao
had done. Experiment quest. Seek
547
00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,380
knowledge. So,
548
00:37:04,650 --> 00:37:08,280
Phil: so that makes shank son,
kung loughs.
549
00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:13,470
Kevin Erhard: Uncle uncle by
marriage. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep.
550
00:37:13,860 --> 00:37:20,880
Because wing WoW is coming Laos,
Papa. Wing, and he tried to fly
551
00:37:21,090 --> 00:37:24,030
moon. Oh, God, I
552
00:37:24,030 --> 00:37:27,420
Phil: didn't think about that.
Oh, for pizza.
553
00:37:28,770 --> 00:37:32,700
Kevin Erhard: Boy. But yeah, we
recap again. That wing had blown
554
00:37:32,700 --> 00:37:40,980
himself in an experiment. But he
was always he was always a
555
00:37:40,980 --> 00:37:45,090
little bit jealous of wings
ability to just like, seek
556
00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:53,460
knowledge, you know? Yeah. And
he is he's not he was not a fan
557
00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:59,340
of Kung Lao. Or his or the the
kids or the nephews or what have
558
00:37:59,340 --> 00:38:05,970
you. Yeah. So yeah, we get a
whole lot of detail about just
559
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:07,680
his research.
560
00:38:08,910 --> 00:38:14,010
Phil: Yeah, it's he, like,
again, it makes you think like,
561
00:38:14,010 --> 00:38:19,800
is this possibly based on actual
ideas or anything like that?
562
00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,950
Yeah, it's interesting. They get
very specific and, like you
563
00:38:22,950 --> 00:38:27,750
said, the philosophers that he's
looking into, and I do admire
564
00:38:27,750 --> 00:38:32,340
how they did this because
instant usually, when you're
565
00:38:32,340 --> 00:38:36,030
setting up a character who
schooled in the dark arts, you
566
00:38:36,030 --> 00:38:41,880
have, you know, a vague tome of
evil or something like that. But
567
00:38:42,210 --> 00:38:44,910
our author here actually makes a
point of saying like he studies
568
00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,970
minerals, he studies animals he
studied
569
00:38:48,810 --> 00:38:52,590
Kevin Erhard: everything it's
not just one like Necronomicon
570
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,850
that he writes it's basically he
needs there is no set of
571
00:38:56,850 --> 00:38:59,910
instructions he basically needs
to put put together the
572
00:38:59,910 --> 00:39:03,660
instructions himself based on
right what everybody else has
573
00:39:03,660 --> 00:39:08,340
figured out across the world. So
he sails to this like islands
574
00:39:08,340 --> 00:39:13,440
that is just kind of gave me the
vibes of it's like the the
575
00:39:13,470 --> 00:39:16,680
intersection point of ley lines
that which is like that
576
00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:20,790
supernatural thought of like
these like a point of like power
577
00:39:20,820 --> 00:39:25,980
like supernatural power. So he
goes to this island to do this
578
00:39:26,010 --> 00:39:30,870
ceremony that he picked up from
the God not the God the scribe
579
00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:36,660
amo tap, and he begins to recite
the words and suddenly there's
580
00:39:36,690 --> 00:39:42,780
there's just this this wall of
fire around him, and in cases
581
00:39:42,780 --> 00:39:47,730
him and he is somewhere else
now. Yeah,
582
00:39:47,910 --> 00:39:54,750
Phil: yeah. He basically takes
over this little island for a
583
00:39:54,750 --> 00:40:00,000
little. It's, it's, again, it's
this level of detail that lay
584
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:05,040
Oh, yeah. Oh, hold on, hold on.
I'm looking at something that I
585
00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:08,010
almost forgot. It's just a
detail but it cracked me the
586
00:40:08,010 --> 00:40:10,530
fuck up he's looking at he's
looking at all kinds of stuff
587
00:40:10,530 --> 00:40:13,950
the air was damp and cold at
times a trick of fog, diffused
588
00:40:13,950 --> 00:40:18,660
sunlight, and then says rocks
and cliffs that seemed lumpy and
589
00:40:18,660 --> 00:40:23,040
jagged from afar were smooth up
close, and they're trying to set
590
00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:28,110
this world up that he has found
himself in as like, strange and
591
00:40:28,170 --> 00:40:31,800
geometry doesn't work the right
way. So that you know, you see
592
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:34,410
it a lot of stuff, but the first
thing I thought was like, Oh,
593
00:40:34,410 --> 00:40:36,630
sure, it's an old video game.
The rendering was shitting
594
00:40:37,830 --> 00:40:39,540
Kevin Erhard: the draw distance
was all
595
00:40:40,529 --> 00:40:41,609
Phil: it was all fucked up.
596
00:40:43,050 --> 00:40:47,250
Kevin Erhard: And I was like, in
the back of my head I'm like,
597
00:40:47,310 --> 00:40:50,610
this place is strange and
unusual. And then the Lydia
598
00:40:50,610 --> 00:40:54,060
deeds line of I too am strange
and unusual.
599
00:40:54,690 --> 00:41:00,390
Phil: That's exactly it. That's
exactly it. Yeah, he's he's
600
00:41:00,390 --> 00:41:06,360
found himself in this place
where he can, you know, get into
601
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:08,010
some trouble like you can
sorcerers
602
00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:11,910
Kevin Erhard: he can. He can
fuck about, you know? Indeed, he
603
00:41:11,910 --> 00:41:15,540
can indeed cast some spells.
Meanwhile,
604
00:41:15,570 --> 00:41:16,830
Unknown: I will. Meanwhile,
605
00:41:17,220 --> 00:41:19,740
Kevin Erhard: in the outer I
forget what they're called in
606
00:41:19,740 --> 00:41:22,290
Mortal Kombat. It's like the
outer realm or outer worlds.
607
00:41:22,500 --> 00:41:29,610
Something like Yeah. So we had a
conversation between a demon and
608
00:41:29,670 --> 00:41:37,020
demon king. Shao Kahn, the big
baddie, the, it's like Shang
609
00:41:37,020 --> 00:41:42,720
Sung is like the, he's like,
it's like running a d&d campaign
610
00:41:42,720 --> 00:41:46,470
and having a big, bad evil guy
like an ad Shang song, and then
611
00:41:46,470 --> 00:41:49,530
you kill them and you realize,
oh, there's an even bigger,
612
00:41:49,530 --> 00:41:52,440
badder evil guy that Shao Kahn.
613
00:41:53,250 --> 00:41:56,970
Phil: Yeah, if you guys saw the
first Mortal Kombat movie, and I
614
00:41:56,970 --> 00:42:01,050
know you did, at the very, very
end after they defeated Shang
615
00:42:01,050 --> 00:42:03,720
Sung and everything like that.
And there's the crazy guy with
616
00:42:03,720 --> 00:42:07,560
the skull helmet in the clouds
shouting at them about taking
617
00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,470
their souls and stuff and they
go, I don't think so. And they
618
00:42:10,470 --> 00:42:15,120
strike a pose and the credits
roll and that escapable fucking
619
00:42:15,270 --> 00:42:21,750
techno song starts playing that
guy in that dude, that's
620
00:42:21,750 --> 00:42:25,290
Chicago. That's the guy at
Chicago. And for the record, it
621
00:42:25,290 --> 00:42:28,770
is unavoidable. You will be
hearing that song in your head
622
00:42:28,980 --> 00:42:30,780
the entire time. You're reading
this book,
623
00:42:30,810 --> 00:42:34,140
Kevin Erhard: fun fact and a
sequel. Shao Kahn comes down
624
00:42:34,140 --> 00:42:38,970
Johnny Cage. Does a does a jump
kick, Adam and Shao Kahn catches
625
00:42:38,970 --> 00:42:39,990
him and breaks his neck.
626
00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:42,660
Phil: Just breaks his neck.
627
00:42:43,140 --> 00:42:45,030
Kevin Erhard: That's a big
Johnny Cage.
628
00:42:45,150 --> 00:42:50,760
Phil: Yeah, like less than five
minutes. That movie was a piece
629
00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:54,930
of shit. That's why I think
that's why we remember it. You
630
00:42:54,930 --> 00:42:57,780
ask people like what do you
think is like a really good
631
00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:02,520
video game movie and most people
will go you know, Mortal Kombat
632
00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:05,010
is a lot of fun. Like that was a
good one. And here's the thing.
633
00:43:05,070 --> 00:43:07,110
It is a lot of fun. It's a
terrible movie.
634
00:43:07,890 --> 00:43:09,780
Kevin Erhard: So oh, so
635
00:43:09,780 --> 00:43:10,320
Phil: bad Mortal
636
00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:13,830
Kevin Erhard: Kombat to just
walk garbage pile combat
637
00:43:13,890 --> 00:43:17,430
Phil: is I think Armageddon,
Mortal Kombat Armageddon yet,
638
00:43:17,850 --> 00:43:21,930
even for a video game movie. Now
here's the thing. Mortal Kombat
639
00:43:21,990 --> 00:43:28,080
to the movie was the movie that
when you're a little kid, and
640
00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:30,390
this is a little tangent, but
it's totally related. I swear to
641
00:43:30,390 --> 00:43:35,430
God, yeah. When you're a kid,
most movies are good. Most
642
00:43:35,430 --> 00:43:37,650
movies are good. Yeah, ladies,
you might get it. Like that's
643
00:43:37,650 --> 00:43:41,010
great. I love it. Yeah, yeah,
you might or even you might go
644
00:43:41,010 --> 00:43:44,250
That's boring. It's a boring
movie. You don't say that is a
645
00:43:44,250 --> 00:43:48,330
shitty movie. It's badly made.
It's badly performed. It's badly
646
00:43:48,330 --> 00:43:51,930
edited, et cetera. You just go I
don't want to watch that movie.
647
00:43:51,930 --> 00:43:55,740
It's a boring movie, right? That
was the first I saw it in the
648
00:43:55,740 --> 00:44:00,810
theaters when I was in middle
school. I want to say whatever
649
00:44:00,810 --> 00:44:03,270
it came out, and that might have
been one of the earliest movies
650
00:44:03,270 --> 00:44:08,070
that I watched and went, Oh,
that is a bad movie. Right? That
651
00:44:08,070 --> 00:44:11,910
is not like and for the record.
That was the same theater that I
652
00:44:11,910 --> 00:44:14,730
saw Anaconda three times.
653
00:44:14,910 --> 00:44:18,210
Kevin Erhard: You watch summer
Anaconda three times. Yeah,
654
00:44:18,240 --> 00:44:21,900
Phil: I paid money to see
Anaconda three times in the
655
00:44:21,900 --> 00:44:26,340
movie theater that summer. I
don't know if it was the same
656
00:44:26,340 --> 00:44:29,850
summer is when Mortal Kombat two
came out. But that was the same
657
00:44:29,850 --> 00:44:34,140
theater. And I happily did it.
And Anaconda is a stinking piece
658
00:44:34,140 --> 00:44:37,170
of shit. Yeah, I still went
yeah, that was pretty great. I'm
659
00:44:37,170 --> 00:44:40,230
gonna watch that again. I'm
gonna totally watch Ice Cube
660
00:44:40,230 --> 00:44:42,960
call a giant snake of bitch one
more time. That's going to be
661
00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:47,640
great. And but I walked out of
the theater for Mortal Kombat
662
00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:52,260
Armageddon, just going oh, that
was that was horribly made who
663
00:44:52,410 --> 00:44:53,430
greenlit that?
664
00:44:53,760 --> 00:45:00,000
Kevin Erhard: So, so they what's
amazing is in between the first
665
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:05,490
In the second movie, they recast
ridin. Raiden. Yeah, so the
666
00:45:05,490 --> 00:45:12,810
first movie is what am I? Oh,
he's a guy that I question why
667
00:45:12,810 --> 00:45:17,850
he ever had a career. It goes by
the name of Christopher Lambert.
668
00:45:20,400 --> 00:45:24,120
I have there is, you know, go to
the guest section of the website
669
00:45:24,120 --> 00:45:28,260
and look up. There is an
appearance that I had on another
670
00:45:28,620 --> 00:45:32,910
person's podcasts talking about
Highlander. I think I have it in
671
00:45:32,910 --> 00:45:36,480
there. Just Just listen to that
instead. Because it's basically
672
00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:42,120
two hours of me talking about
Christopher Lambert's mush mouth
673
00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:49,860
accent. That is just, it's just,
but they recast him with James
674
00:45:49,860 --> 00:45:56,880
Remar. Who James Remar was it
like by so it's such a better
675
00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,910
actor. Whatever,
676
00:46:00,270 --> 00:46:04,590
Phil: but also, possibly one of
the most missed cast actors I've
677
00:46:04,590 --> 00:46:09,210
ever seen. Like, of course, he
was almost Hicks, for Christ's
678
00:46:09,210 --> 00:46:14,340
sake. So who knows? Who knows
what's right. I'm just saying
679
00:46:14,370 --> 00:46:19,200
Sex in the City zone. Was was
playing the god of thunder and
680
00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:19,620
lightning,
681
00:46:19,620 --> 00:46:20,940
Unknown: so why not?
682
00:46:21,780 --> 00:46:23,910
Phil: What the fuck do I know? I
don't know. James
683
00:46:23,910 --> 00:46:28,410
Kevin Erhard: Remar. Dexter,
too, right. He was in Dexter.
684
00:46:28,440 --> 00:46:31,260
Right? He was he was late to
play Dexter's dad. That's right.
685
00:46:31,439 --> 00:46:34,379
Phil: Ladies and gentlemen. We
have been interrupted by an
686
00:46:34,379 --> 00:46:39,299
impish child, impish being the
perfect word for it. She
687
00:46:39,389 --> 00:46:45,119
possibly found the smallest
crack available. Like you take a
688
00:46:45,119 --> 00:46:50,279
door. You open it up a fraction
of an inch, maybe even half a
689
00:46:50,279 --> 00:46:55,469
millimeter. I think she did even
less than that. With her tiny
690
00:46:55,469 --> 00:47:01,829
little elephant hands to strike
up a bargain with her father. I
691
00:47:01,829 --> 00:47:06,419
don't think it's gonna go well.
I think. I think she's just
692
00:47:06,599 --> 00:47:14,609
pushing man. Yeah, James Remar.
Let's see. Yeah. All right. So
693
00:47:15,029 --> 00:47:18,329
for those of you at home who
didn't know this, alright, so
694
00:47:18,329 --> 00:47:21,569
James Remar. Yeah, he played
Raiden. In the second second
695
00:47:21,839 --> 00:47:25,349
Mortal Kombat movie. He was in
Django and Chang Chang, who's in
696
00:47:25,349 --> 00:47:28,439
Sex in the City for a while was
kind of a prominent guy in that
697
00:47:28,889 --> 00:47:32,459
was the Dan the end Dexter. He
was in the warriors like this,
698
00:47:32,459 --> 00:47:36,779
the students had a really crazy
career. And if you look him up,
699
00:47:36,779 --> 00:47:40,379
you will know him from
something. I guarantee it. That
700
00:47:40,379 --> 00:47:45,449
dude was nearly Hicks from
aliens. Like he actually, I
701
00:47:45,449 --> 00:47:50,519
think they cast like, what they
cast him and I think they filmed
702
00:47:50,519 --> 00:47:56,579
like a shit ton of it, with him
in it. And your experience with
703
00:47:56,579 --> 00:48:00,509
him and whether or not you based
on where you've seen him in the
704
00:48:00,509 --> 00:48:05,339
past is going to color your
opinion of whether or not he
705
00:48:05,639 --> 00:48:10,739
could possibly have been Hicks
in Aliens for God's sake. The
706
00:48:10,739 --> 00:48:13,079
fact of the matter was the one
of the earliest things I ever
707
00:48:13,079 --> 00:48:17,249
saw him it was sex of the city.
So the idea of him playing kicks
708
00:48:17,279 --> 00:48:22,439
seems insane to me. Apparently,
he had I think you had a bit of
709
00:48:22,439 --> 00:48:27,059
a drug problem. And they said we
cannot put up with that shit.
710
00:48:27,719 --> 00:48:30,989
But check it out. Like look it
up. There's pictures of him on
711
00:48:30,989 --> 00:48:36,269
the set as Hicks. It's kind of
crazy. If you're used to the
712
00:48:36,269 --> 00:48:41,909
cast that I am given, just given
the people a quick history
713
00:48:41,909 --> 00:48:47,399
lesson on James Remar who almost
played Hicks and aliens.
714
00:48:47,490 --> 00:48:49,920
Kevin Erhard: Oh, yeah, that
would have been weird casting.
715
00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:52,950
Phil: That's See that's what I
was saying. I said your your
716
00:48:52,980 --> 00:48:55,860
your belief as to whether or not
he could have played Hicks is
717
00:48:55,860 --> 00:48:59,250
going to be colored entirely
based on what you first saw him
718
00:48:59,250 --> 00:49:01,770
in? Yeah, consciously. Right.
And actually, one of the
719
00:49:01,770 --> 00:49:03,930
earliest things I ever saw I
mean was sex of the city. So it
720
00:49:03,930 --> 00:49:05,910
just wasn't going to work.
Right. Right. Just was that was
721
00:49:05,910 --> 00:49:09,570
never gonna work. I think he had
a drug problem. They kicked him
722
00:49:09,570 --> 00:49:12,660
out. Oh, really? Yeah.
723
00:49:13,230 --> 00:49:15,300
Kevin Erhard: I mean, it's good
that he though that he's he's
724
00:49:15,300 --> 00:49:19,110
managed to maintain a really
solid career. I mean, he tends
725
00:49:19,110 --> 00:49:20,010
to just lace
726
00:49:20,040 --> 00:49:21,150
Phil: He's everywhere man.
727
00:49:21,180 --> 00:49:23,910
Kevin Erhard: He's everywhere.
He doesn't just guest appear in
728
00:49:23,910 --> 00:49:31,110
TV shows by the way. Yeah, he is
like in them for easy they're
729
00:49:31,380 --> 00:49:33,540
recurring character or whatever.
730
00:49:34,050 --> 00:49:37,050
Phil: He's he's a good actor.
He's a quintessential that guy.
731
00:49:37,260 --> 00:49:41,100
Like, very much so he isn't he
isn't he isn't that guy, gold
732
00:49:41,100 --> 00:49:47,250
star. If you want something real
fun and kind of sad. Watch the,
733
00:49:47,850 --> 00:49:50,850
what's the series on Netflix
about like, the movies that made
734
00:49:50,850 --> 00:49:56,490
us they do want on aliens, and
they interview him and he talks
735
00:49:56,490 --> 00:50:00,000
about it. And he's really humble
and very and very charming.
736
00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:03,270
about the whole thing, but you
can tell like there's a serious
737
00:50:03,270 --> 00:50:06,120
sense of regret like not would
have not been able to be an
738
00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:10,020
alien Ian Oh, absolutely. He
regrets it. So it's it's
739
00:50:10,020 --> 00:50:14,280
fascinating. It's worth a look.
Meanwhile, we're, we're in hell
740
00:50:14,280 --> 00:50:18,600
Kevin Erhard: we're now. Shao
Kahn is the Lord of the
741
00:50:18,600 --> 00:50:24,060
Outworld, master of the Furies,
King of the dark arts, Breaker
742
00:50:24,060 --> 00:50:29,190
of Chains, Mother of Dragons.
And he got an MBA from abroad
743
00:50:29,220 --> 00:50:36,840
and he has a he has an MBA from
Deborah University is talking to
744
00:50:36,870 --> 00:50:39,090
a little fat demon called Ruth
a.
745
00:50:39,900 --> 00:50:43,620
Phil: Like Ruth. I wish they'd
give us more Ruth a more relator
746
00:50:43,620 --> 00:50:45,540
was every there was a It feels.
747
00:50:46,500 --> 00:50:49,560
Kevin Erhard: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, yep. Energy. Really? Yeah.
748
00:50:49,560 --> 00:50:54,420
Yep. Energy with Ruth a. Yeah,
they really? I want to say Jeff
749
00:50:54,420 --> 00:50:56,610
really shortchanged us on that?
750
00:50:58,110 --> 00:51:01,470
Phil: I think so. That's, that's
where I got frustrated. That was
751
00:51:01,470 --> 00:51:04,710
first time I was like, I don't
know, man. No. It's kind of
752
00:51:04,710 --> 00:51:05,340
bullshit.
753
00:51:06,660 --> 00:51:10,980
Kevin Erhard: So Ruth is
reporting to Shao Kahn that
754
00:51:11,460 --> 00:51:16,320
there's another human found
himself in the Outworld. But oh,
755
00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:18,630
we think this one actually might
be the one that you're looking
756
00:51:18,630 --> 00:51:23,370
for. So Shao Kahn has been
waiting for a human to show up?
757
00:51:23,670 --> 00:51:27,030
And lo and behold, it is
758
00:51:30,720 --> 00:51:34,830
Phil: he makes it clear that and
yeah, he and so we get this
759
00:51:34,830 --> 00:51:39,600
interesting dialogue back and
forth between Shang sun and Shao
760
00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:45,300
Kahn. And basically the gist of
it is that different embodiments
761
00:51:45,300 --> 00:51:50,970
of Shang Sun generations of him
versions of him have come to
762
00:51:50,970 --> 00:51:58,140
Shao Kahn over and over and over
again to basically serve Him in
763
00:51:58,140 --> 00:52:03,450
a mission to open a portal
between the out world and earth
764
00:52:03,480 --> 00:52:08,970
right. Yeah, so he said that
Shao Kahn can send his army of
765
00:52:08,970 --> 00:52:09,810
fat little demon
766
00:52:09,810 --> 00:52:14,190
Kevin Erhard: babies army every
phase, zombie Ruth days
767
00:52:14,220 --> 00:52:18,570
Phil: through and by the end of
their conversation shank soon
768
00:52:18,570 --> 00:52:22,590
remembers, and they've got a
plan where basically Shang son
769
00:52:22,590 --> 00:52:28,980
has to collect souls, because a
soul is a piece of Pan who the
770
00:52:29,010 --> 00:52:29,580
God
771
00:52:29,580 --> 00:52:33,540
Kevin Erhard: a God who created
every well exists death started
772
00:52:33,540 --> 00:52:35,610
the process of everything being
created.
773
00:52:36,030 --> 00:52:39,660
Phil: Right, right. And so Shao
Kahn says I'm going to send you
774
00:52:39,660 --> 00:52:43,800
back with Ruth day here, and
you're going to start collecting
775
00:52:43,800 --> 00:52:47,370
souls for me. Yeah. And the more
souls we get, the bigger the
776
00:52:47,370 --> 00:52:49,860
portal will get and eventually
we'll get a portal
777
00:52:52,440 --> 00:52:56,430
Kevin Erhard: for the armies to
exhibit exactly because Shao
778
00:52:56,430 --> 00:53:03,240
Kahn's Shao, Kahn's idea is that
the intention of Pan coo panuku
779
00:53:03,240 --> 00:53:08,730
never intended for there to be
an Outworld and a for there to
780
00:53:08,730 --> 00:53:12,720
be multiple realms is only ever
supposed to be one realm. And
781
00:53:13,020 --> 00:53:16,230
that's pretty bold of Shao Kahn
to like really talk about the
782
00:53:16,230 --> 00:53:23,820
intentions of a pawn coo who
doesn't exist anymore. And
783
00:53:23,820 --> 00:53:28,860
right, as we learn later that I
believe we learned later that
784
00:53:28,860 --> 00:53:33,600
Raiden is the only one who knows
what pan coos intentions ever
785
00:53:33,600 --> 00:53:37,200
would have been. Because yeah,
there's a brief mention that
786
00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:44,640
Raiden inherited the memories of
Pan KU so not even tn Who was
787
00:53:44,640 --> 00:53:49,440
the guy that basically started
the whole process of using Pong
788
00:53:49,440 --> 00:53:54,570
whose body parts right not even
tn really knew had the memories
789
00:53:54,570 --> 00:53:56,430
upon cool only Raiden does.
790
00:53:56,760 --> 00:54:00,870
Phil: Right? explains why Raiden
is kind of chumming up with the
791
00:54:00,870 --> 00:54:04,410
human side of things because he
knows how fucked up this could
792
00:54:04,410 --> 00:54:04,710
get.
793
00:54:04,740 --> 00:54:09,210
Kevin Erhard: He knows he knows
shits chip can get really real,
794
00:54:09,510 --> 00:54:10,350
right quick.
795
00:54:10,950 --> 00:54:16,290
Phil: Right? And one last thing,
any of the souls that they use
796
00:54:16,380 --> 00:54:19,980
to open the portal wider and
wider. They have to be souls
797
00:54:19,980 --> 00:54:25,800
that Shang Sung has one that he
has taken. Yes, otherwise, it
798
00:54:25,800 --> 00:54:29,130
comes out of his ass literally
like pieces of him was gonna
799
00:54:29,130 --> 00:54:32,340
Kevin Erhard: be Yeah, he has to
use his soul to keep the portal
800
00:54:32,430 --> 00:54:39,090
living. So we jump over to
chapter six and Kung Lao has
801
00:54:39,090 --> 00:54:47,010
basically he, this is years
later, Kung Lao has is a warrior
802
00:54:47,010 --> 00:54:55,290
priest. And, and all that stuff
he and oh, here's here it is on
803
00:54:55,290 --> 00:55:01,890
like on the next, the second
page of this chapter He, Kung
804
00:55:01,890 --> 00:55:06,510
Lao says he learned that alone
among the gods Raiden carried
805
00:55:06,510 --> 00:55:11,970
the member, the memory of the
parent God, even tn did not have
806
00:55:11,970 --> 00:55:16,680
the knowledge that Raiden did.
So, yeah, there you go, right.
807
00:55:16,679 --> 00:55:17,699
Phil: It's pretty important.
808
00:55:17,970 --> 00:55:19,050
Kevin Erhard: It's pretty
important.
809
00:55:19,650 --> 00:55:22,350
Phil: And Raiden has been
passing on that same knowledge
810
00:55:22,350 --> 00:55:23,340
to Kung, LAO
811
00:55:23,369 --> 00:55:26,309
Kevin Erhard: and Raiden is all
about the yes, there must be
812
00:55:26,309 --> 00:55:32,099
duality. And Shao Kahn is like,
no duality, only oneness.
813
00:55:32,489 --> 00:55:36,899
Everything needs to be the same
thing. So there you go.
814
00:55:36,929 --> 00:55:40,979
Phil: Yeah. Raiden is part of a
very unique sect on the
815
00:55:40,979 --> 00:55:43,949
internet. Called both sides are
good.
816
00:55:47,760 --> 00:55:50,940
Kevin Erhard: Raiden is the guy
who shows up on your on your
817
00:55:50,940 --> 00:55:59,010
tweets. He's actually the drill
tweet. He's he is the. Or Shao
818
00:55:59,010 --> 00:56:03,690
Kahn, the drill tweet. Who is
the drill? One of them is the
819
00:56:03,690 --> 00:56:06,630
drill tweet where it says
there's no difference between
820
00:56:06,810 --> 00:56:10,410
either side, you buffoon you
would or something?
821
00:56:11,970 --> 00:56:14,460
Phil: Yeah, let's see. Oh,
that's
822
00:56:14,459 --> 00:56:16,919
Kevin Erhard: I guess it's
raining? Because I think it's
823
00:56:16,919 --> 00:56:19,409
right. Yeah, let's say Raiden.
Is that drill tweet.
824
00:56:20,040 --> 00:56:23,670
Phil: Ravens, the guy who pops
up in your replies that you're
825
00:56:23,670 --> 00:56:26,670
you say you're not wrong, you're
just an asshole. Yes.
826
00:56:28,320 --> 00:56:31,950
Kevin Erhard: Both sides is
talking about both sides all the
827
00:56:31,950 --> 00:56:37,830
time. And he wants more context
whenever he sees a story, right
828
00:56:37,830 --> 00:56:40,350
that the police misusing say
that.
829
00:56:40,740 --> 00:56:44,550
Phil: What do you mean, but what
do you mean by that? We find out
830
00:56:44,550 --> 00:56:49,140
that con Lau is now wearing a
smooth white orb amulet around
831
00:56:49,140 --> 00:56:50,190
his neck. Don't get
832
00:56:50,190 --> 00:56:52,950
Kevin Erhard: used to it. He's
getting rid of it. Yeah,
833
00:56:52,980 --> 00:56:56,130
Phil: yeah, he's he's getting
rid of it. We basically get the
834
00:56:56,130 --> 00:57:00,420
idea that he has been studying
up here in the mountains. He has
835
00:57:00,420 --> 00:57:06,480
been fighting a lot. He sees
we've jumped ahead a lot. You
836
00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:10,560
know, yours at this point. And
we were talking about servers.
837
00:57:10,560 --> 00:57:14,490
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And he has
been fighting in a tournament
838
00:57:14,490 --> 00:57:18,570
called Mortal Kombat for all of
those years, and he has won it
839
00:57:18,660 --> 00:57:23,370
every year. Yes. And the reward,
the final test is always against
840
00:57:23,370 --> 00:57:28,860
Shang some. And the reward is a
immortal life. So even though he
841
00:57:28,860 --> 00:57:35,550
has gone forward for 1314 years,
he has not aged he's still he's
842
00:57:35,550 --> 00:57:40,590
still as young as he ever was.
Right? So, but this time around,
843
00:57:40,650 --> 00:57:41,490
and he's always had
844
00:57:41,520 --> 00:57:43,920
Kevin Erhard: well, he's has two
things working for him. He's got
845
00:57:43,920 --> 00:57:47,460
the fact that he's winning, but
he also has this amulet, which
846
00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:51,360
also makes him immortal. He's
got double immortality,
847
00:57:51,360 --> 00:57:51,930
basically
848
00:57:51,930 --> 00:57:56,820
Phil: double immortality. And
he's, he's not he's not
849
00:57:56,820 --> 00:58:02,400
interested in using that amulet
anymore. No. Why? Why does he
850
00:58:02,550 --> 00:58:03,780
get rid of the AMA?
851
00:58:03,810 --> 00:58:07,350
Kevin Erhard: I missed that. I
don't know. I it's not. It's not
852
00:58:07,350 --> 00:58:10,560
super clear. He just basically
said I'm not going to use it
853
00:58:10,560 --> 00:58:14,460
anymore. Yeah, yeah, it's I
don't even know why it was
854
00:58:14,460 --> 00:58:15,780
introduced to be honest.
855
00:58:16,169 --> 00:58:19,889
Phil: I choked it's this thing
that it's kind of like a
856
00:58:19,889 --> 00:58:23,099
failsafe for him. Yeah. The
power he
857
00:58:23,100 --> 00:58:26,220
Kevin Erhard: lost the amulet
would prevent him from dying.
858
00:58:26,790 --> 00:58:30,180
Phil: I think I think the gist
of it is is he here? He has
859
00:58:30,180 --> 00:58:33,990
heard through I don't know what
kind of a grapevine does living
860
00:58:33,990 --> 00:58:38,310
on a mountain by yourself with a
thunder god have. But he heard
861
00:58:38,310 --> 00:58:43,350
through something that there's a
new competitor in this year's
862
00:58:43,380 --> 00:58:46,710
Mortal Kombat. And there's a
pretty good chance that he will
863
00:58:46,710 --> 00:58:49,980
lose and I think he's worried
about the amulet getting into
864
00:58:49,980 --> 00:58:53,790
the wrong hands. Sure. But
865
00:58:54,600 --> 00:58:56,910
Kevin Erhard: But yeah, that
wasn't that was not super
866
00:58:56,910 --> 00:59:02,340
cleared. Oh, I did like this.
This is a concept that's brought
867
00:59:02,340 --> 00:59:06,540
up he wished he could return the
amulet to Raiden but he knew
868
00:59:06,540 --> 00:59:09,990
that wasn't possible. What a God
has given to mortals can never
869
00:59:09,990 --> 00:59:14,250
be returned for it is no longer
deistic even to touch it would
870
00:59:14,250 --> 00:59:19,020
make the God no longer a god but
a mortal as like to that's
871
00:59:19,020 --> 00:59:21,690
actually a really cool concept.
Like yeah,
872
00:59:21,870 --> 00:59:26,010
Phil: yeah. I liked that, too.
That was that was really that
873
00:59:26,010 --> 00:59:29,940
was again this guy's building
this mythology. And it's pretty
874
00:59:29,940 --> 00:59:31,950
kick. Kick Ass.
875
00:59:31,980 --> 00:59:34,500
Kevin Erhard: It's a kick ass
it's a it's a bitch and Van art
876
00:59:34,500 --> 00:59:35,340
mythology.
877
00:59:36,720 --> 00:59:40,140
Phil: Is it really it's a
fucking heavy metal album epic.
878
00:59:40,410 --> 00:59:45,540
And which makes sense when you
think about it because what what
879
00:59:45,540 --> 00:59:49,230
do heavy metal nerds love, they
love their blood and guts. This
880
00:59:49,230 --> 00:59:50,580
is crazy.
881
00:59:50,790 --> 00:59:54,870
Kevin Erhard: mythology that
Frank Frazetta would would would
882
00:59:54,990 --> 00:59:56,400
be right at home painting.
883
00:59:56,459 --> 00:59:58,649
Phil: He would have been
thrilled he would have he would
884
00:59:58,649 --> 01:00:00,449
illustrated the fuck out of
this.
885
01:00:01,110 --> 01:00:06,960
Kevin Erhard: So Kung Lao breaks
up some rocks with his fists and
886
01:00:06,960 --> 01:00:11,730
then buries the amulet and goes
showing off of that goes off for
887
01:00:11,730 --> 01:00:16,020
his week long journey to mount
to Kashi which is where the
888
01:00:16,020 --> 01:00:22,830
place is going to be. So you
arrives and chapter seven. He
889
01:00:22,830 --> 01:00:27,420
basically arrives and we get
some lowdown on all of the like
890
01:00:27,420 --> 01:00:31,890
the sights and sounds of of this
weird little temple out here and
891
01:00:31,890 --> 01:00:35,880
Shamar Island which is I guess I
didn't put together just now
892
01:00:35,880 --> 01:00:42,030
shimmer Island is the islands
earlier that Shang sung had
893
01:00:42,030 --> 01:00:47,850
basically used to he that's
where he started the whole thing
894
01:00:47,850 --> 01:00:48,060
is this
895
01:00:48,060 --> 01:00:50,910
Phil: home base base. Yeah,
yeah, he's been he's been
896
01:00:50,910 --> 01:00:51,570
renovating the
897
01:00:51,570 --> 01:00:53,220
Kevin Erhard: place renovating.
Yeah, he's
898
01:00:53,220 --> 01:00:57,030
Phil: an old like, shaolin
temple ruins that he's trying to
899
01:00:57,030 --> 01:01:01,410
like, you know, fixer upper kind
of thing. So up the resale
900
01:01:01,410 --> 01:01:02,130
value, he's
901
01:01:02,160 --> 01:01:05,430
Kevin Erhard: he's up the resale
value, he's it but it's not a
902
01:01:05,430 --> 01:01:09,000
Love It or List It situation.
He's really, he's really got to
903
01:01:09,150 --> 01:01:14,010
learn to love it. So rate is
Raiden had worn Kung Lao before
904
01:01:14,010 --> 01:01:18,090
leaving an image of TN will be
present on Kakashi and not as a
905
01:01:18,090 --> 01:01:22,170
friend. Now, if you remember
earlier in the book, they
906
01:01:22,170 --> 01:01:25,590
described in the prologue,
there's a description of what tn
907
01:01:25,590 --> 01:01:32,130
looks like. And he's basically
he's got a bunch of arms, and
908
01:01:32,130 --> 01:01:41,190
he's a beefcake. And I guess
that kind of spoils what what's
909
01:01:41,190 --> 01:01:42,720
going to be coming up soon.
910
01:01:43,620 --> 01:01:45,690
Phil: We all know where that we
know where that's going.
911
01:01:45,720 --> 01:01:51,600
Kevin Erhard: But so he was
like, so Kung Lao was like,
912
01:01:51,600 --> 01:01:55,350
Yeah, I have only ever seen
multi limbed creatures tn T and
913
01:01:55,350 --> 01:01:57,450
depicted as a multi legged
creature. So I wonder what's
914
01:01:57,450 --> 01:01:58,920
going on. Anyway.
915
01:01:59,310 --> 01:02:02,040
Phil: And we know and we both
know, that can't be right. So
916
01:02:02,040 --> 01:02:04,470
I'm sure it means something else
come to dumped exam.
917
01:02:04,470 --> 01:02:11,550
Kevin Erhard: Yes. So one of the
things that that they he talks
918
01:02:11,550 --> 01:02:15,480
about Kung Lao is noticing is
every time he comes back Shang
919
01:02:15,480 --> 01:02:21,480
Sung is older and older and
older. And we learn a little bit
920
01:02:21,480 --> 01:02:30,060
more about that about the why of
that later. But yeah, Kung Lao
921
01:02:30,120 --> 01:02:38,760
also, is this is this as I was
thinking of, what is He? Is he
922
01:02:38,760 --> 01:02:45,480
doing the thing? What? Oh,
there's a there's a moment later
923
01:02:45,480 --> 01:02:48,420
we're Conwell basically starts
flagellating himself.
924
01:02:49,350 --> 01:02:54,930
Phil: Oh, yeah. Yeah, we get a
little bit he basically start
925
01:02:54,930 --> 01:02:56,940
Yeah, he starts hitting himself,
926
01:02:56,970 --> 01:02:59,160
Kevin Erhard: okay. No, it
didn't happen. It's not in this
927
01:02:59,160 --> 01:03:04,110
chapter. This chapter, this
chapter basically just continues
928
01:03:04,140 --> 01:03:08,100
on as as a pretty detailed
description of the temple. And
929
01:03:08,130 --> 01:03:12,780
and the people living at the
temple and all that stuff. So
930
01:03:12,780 --> 01:03:17,580
that's chapter seven. We'll get
to the he's got a bad feeling.
931
01:03:17,580 --> 01:03:20,310
You got a bad boss. He's getting
getting bad vibes about that.
932
01:03:21,030 --> 01:03:22,950
We'll get to the flagellating
that happens soon.
933
01:03:23,879 --> 01:03:26,189
Phil: Trust me, we're not going
to we're not going to.
934
01:03:28,800 --> 01:03:31,320
Kevin Erhard: So chapter eight,
we get shanks on. And we get a
935
01:03:31,320 --> 01:03:37,380
little bit more detail as to why
is he so so old now. Basically,
936
01:03:37,380 --> 01:03:43,020
in chapter eight, he has he has
a hidden room in the temple. And
937
01:03:43,020 --> 01:03:49,890
Ruth A is is in this room as
like an anchor for the portal to
938
01:03:49,890 --> 01:03:56,040
the Outworld. And Ruth a has
gone insane because he has not
939
01:03:56,040 --> 01:04:00,990
been allowed to move for 13
years. Yeah,
940
01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:04,380
Phil: yeah. And here's the
thing, it's kind of implied that
941
01:04:04,380 --> 01:04:09,810
it's like it's a it's it's a
stretch of his mind for being so
942
01:04:09,810 --> 01:04:13,830
far away from where he's from,
from the realm that he's from.
943
01:04:13,830 --> 01:04:19,500
Yeah, but honestly, you can just
read it as he hasn't been able
944
01:04:19,500 --> 01:04:23,430
to move from one spot for 13
years. I think we'd all be ready
945
01:04:23,430 --> 01:04:26,220
to snap Yeah, yeah. Mortal Realm
or no
946
01:04:26,250 --> 01:04:29,010
Kevin Erhard: mortal realm or
not. I think we would have some
947
01:04:30,600 --> 01:04:40,080
we'd have some issues. Yeah, so
basically, shanks on this
948
01:04:40,080 --> 01:04:44,370
chapter details shank sons
initial efforts when he gets
949
01:04:44,370 --> 01:04:47,250
back from the Outworld. First,
he's like, Well, I'll just kill
950
01:04:47,250 --> 01:04:50,130
some travelers and throw them
their souls into the portal and
951
01:04:50,130 --> 01:04:54,810
like, wow, I didn't really do
anything. Oops. So he gradually
952
01:04:54,810 --> 01:04:59,790
works his way up on who he's
killing, to try their souls out.
953
01:05:00,990 --> 01:05:05,340
And basically it's it's only
going to be great warriors, the
954
01:05:05,340 --> 01:05:09,570
soul of a great warrior that
really helps him open the portal
955
01:05:09,570 --> 01:05:15,780
up. So that's when he comes up
with the idea for Mortal Kombat.
956
01:05:16,620 --> 01:05:21,780
So he, he sends out a dream to
warriors from across the land to
957
01:05:21,780 --> 01:05:26,070
come out, come to come here,
come to this island and face off
958
01:05:26,070 --> 01:05:31,410
in a great fighting tournament.
And he kills a bunch of I want
959
01:05:31,410 --> 01:05:35,850
to say this is where he kills a
bunch of pirates. And yeah, and
960
01:05:35,850 --> 01:05:40,650
then he he takes their souls as
much as chefs. Yeah, basically,
961
01:05:40,650 --> 01:05:44,370
he he kills a bunch of people
that are like, that can be like
962
01:05:44,370 --> 01:05:48,270
workers and they build this
temple. And they like, so they
963
01:05:48,270 --> 01:05:51,090
don't, they're just dressed in
all black. And in the previous
964
01:05:51,090 --> 01:05:54,630
chapter, Kung Lao was talking
about how it's like, oh, yeah,
965
01:05:54,630 --> 01:05:56,910
there's these weird dudes that
are always just wearing black
966
01:05:56,910 --> 01:05:59,130
and you can ever see their face
and be like, yeah, that's
967
01:05:59,130 --> 01:06:01,110
because they're corpses that are
just walking.
968
01:06:02,130 --> 01:06:07,500
Phil: Yeah, yeah. Shang son gets
his necromancer on and basically
969
01:06:07,500 --> 01:06:11,790
has this small army of undead
servants that are rebuilding
970
01:06:11,790 --> 01:06:15,000
everything that kind of weighed
on him. And, you know, because
971
01:06:15,000 --> 01:06:19,320
he can't do it all alone. No, he
needs some rotting corpses to
972
01:06:19,320 --> 01:06:20,640
help get things along
973
01:06:20,640 --> 01:06:27,450
Kevin Erhard: fresh. Some some
goals. Yeah. Yeah. So then the
974
01:06:27,450 --> 01:06:31,470
chapter kind of breaks down like
there's a full beat by beat
975
01:06:31,890 --> 01:06:36,900
breakdown of the first fight
that Shang Sung and Kung Lao had
976
01:06:36,900 --> 01:06:42,990
ever had at the end of the first
Mortal Kombat tournament. That
977
01:06:42,990 --> 01:06:46,650
it's just like, here's, here's
what's happened. Shang, Shang
978
01:06:46,650 --> 01:06:50,670
Sung was should have one he's
like he really regrets it. He
979
01:06:50,670 --> 01:06:53,610
like he basically relives it
every day because he's like,
980
01:06:53,640 --> 01:06:55,200
Yeah, I should have won that
first one.
981
01:06:55,319 --> 01:06:59,699
Phil: I should have won that.
It's eating up and it's been
982
01:06:59,699 --> 01:07:02,669
eating them up inside for 1313
years,
983
01:07:02,670 --> 01:07:07,920
Kevin Erhard: you've been really
bitter about it. And so
984
01:07:07,920 --> 01:07:17,130
basically, he, he realizes that
he should have one that one and
985
01:07:17,280 --> 01:07:23,490
he calls Kung Lao. He's really
bitter about Kung Lao. And he
986
01:07:23,490 --> 01:07:27,510
calls him a little goldfish who
enjoyed swimming in the pool of
987
01:07:27,510 --> 01:07:32,790
his own piety. Like is it kind
of allows this holier than thou
988
01:07:32,790 --> 01:07:34,770
piece of shit, basically. Yeah.
989
01:07:35,880 --> 01:07:39,810
Phil: Yeah, Shang son is Homer
Simpson and Khan Lau is Ned
990
01:07:39,810 --> 01:07:43,320
Flanders. That's what Yes. As
far as he's concerned. Yeah. He
991
01:07:43,350 --> 01:07:47,970
and but and despite all of that,
he knows that Kung Lao has this
992
01:07:47,970 --> 01:07:50,580
magical amulet given to him by
Raiden that gives them extra
993
01:07:50,580 --> 01:07:55,080
power and so but he still says
it's more than just the amulet.
994
01:07:55,110 --> 01:07:58,500
It's not just the amulet, right?
causing him to kick my ass.
995
01:07:58,800 --> 01:08:01,530
Because not only did come
though, beat him on the first
996
01:08:01,530 --> 01:08:04,380
tournament, he's beat him every
single day
997
01:08:04,380 --> 01:08:06,630
Kevin Erhard: Every single year
since
998
01:08:07,890 --> 01:08:11,370
Phil: and Shang son is losing
more and more of his power he's
999
01:08:11,400 --> 01:08:16,230
aging and at a incredibly
accelerated pace because
1000
01:08:16,230 --> 01:08:19,590
Kevin Erhard: he has to take out
a piece of his own soul and feed
1001
01:08:19,590 --> 01:08:23,460
it to the portal in order to
keep the portal open every year
1002
01:08:23,460 --> 01:08:26,340
exactly every year that he
doesn't do it and they give us a
1003
01:08:26,340 --> 01:08:35,910
little breakdown of basically if
if the if roof a were to fully
1004
01:08:35,910 --> 01:08:44,190
cross over it would obliterate
basically all of the good like
1005
01:08:44,190 --> 01:08:46,680
destroy the universe or
something like that. Yeah,
1006
01:08:46,710 --> 01:08:51,810
Phil: it's also the one thing
just just just that little thing
1007
01:08:51,839 --> 01:08:53,999
Kevin Erhard: there there's also
this this great little
1008
01:08:53,999 --> 01:08:57,779
description while he was here
trapped atop a circle route a
1009
01:08:57,899 --> 01:09:01,919
was still rooted in the Outworld
but if the doorway were shut, he
1010
01:09:01,919 --> 01:09:06,539
would be nothing more than an
Intuos smear only if God were to
1011
01:09:06,539 --> 01:09:10,229
cross from one realm to the to
the other redefine the nature of
1012
01:09:10,229 --> 01:09:13,349
the life and matter there. Could
the two worlds be mixed?
1013
01:09:14,040 --> 01:09:18,360
Phil: Yes. So a lot right.
1014
01:09:18,360 --> 01:09:20,790
Kevin Erhard: And there's a lot
riding on this.
1015
01:09:22,140 --> 01:09:26,340
Phil: Yeah, and and Chang suns
feeling the pressure too. So
1016
01:09:26,370 --> 01:09:31,800
this year, he knew he needed a
bit of an A she needs a ringer.
1017
01:09:32,160 --> 01:09:35,190
He really needs to hear. That's
exactly what he needs.
1018
01:09:35,520 --> 01:09:39,750
Kevin Erhard: Because he's
promising Shao Kahn this this is
1019
01:09:39,750 --> 01:09:42,720
the year and Shallcross. This is
like one It better be the year
1020
01:09:42,750 --> 01:09:45,510
or else I'm gonna take what your
mate says I'm going to take what
1021
01:09:45,510 --> 01:09:51,300
remains of your soul and I am
going to put it as a boil on my
1022
01:09:51,300 --> 01:09:52,500
Dragon's tongue.
1023
01:09:53,280 --> 01:09:56,430
Phil: Right now that Kevin is
not yet and Kevin is not like
1024
01:09:56,430 --> 01:09:58,050
making anything up that is
literally,
1025
01:09:58,500 --> 01:10:00,630
Kevin Erhard: literally with
Shao Kahn threatens him With so
1026
01:10:00,630 --> 01:10:06,930
chanson stakes are high. Yeah,
they're up there up there. So
1027
01:10:06,930 --> 01:10:13,980
okay, chapter nine. Kung Lao has
a ritual. Yeah. Camilla has a
1028
01:10:13,980 --> 01:10:21,990
ritual where he basically takes
a thorn branch. And he, he drags
1029
01:10:21,990 --> 01:10:26,490
it over every inch of his body.
So he's just like, criss crossed
1030
01:10:26,490 --> 01:10:29,190
with like, just bloody cuts.
1031
01:10:29,700 --> 01:10:34,380
Phil: Yeah, whatever. Yeah. And
it says here it says the thin
1032
01:10:34,380 --> 01:10:38,010
superficial wounds did not
weaken him, but come round knew
1033
01:10:38,190 --> 01:10:42,000
that of his flesh were sore, he
would react to that much quicker
1034
01:10:42,060 --> 01:10:48,390
to protect himself from being
hurt. I feel like that's not how
1035
01:10:48,390 --> 01:10:53,160
it works. But then again, anyone
who's been threatened with a
1036
01:10:53,160 --> 01:10:58,290
flyswatter when they have a
sunburn? Yeah, maybe maybe
1037
01:10:58,290 --> 01:11:01,230
Kevin Erhard: it would maybe it
would work I don't know about
1038
01:11:01,230 --> 01:11:04,620
how he like would refuse to eat,
because the hunger would really
1039
01:11:04,620 --> 01:11:08,280
focus in like, I've never
noticed thought that hunger made
1040
01:11:08,280 --> 01:11:12,570
me more focused usually just
made me a little bit. My brain
1041
01:11:12,660 --> 01:11:13,860
less worky.
1042
01:11:14,759 --> 01:11:19,619
Phil: Now, if he said if he said
he stopped eating so that he'd
1043
01:11:19,619 --> 01:11:23,759
be extra irritable and take his
rage out on his enemies. Now
1044
01:11:23,759 --> 01:11:24,959
that's something I would
1045
01:11:25,020 --> 01:11:28,050
Kevin Erhard: I would be I
believe that 100% He's like, I
1046
01:11:28,050 --> 01:11:30,720
stopped eating. So I'm hangry
during the fight, so like,
1047
01:11:30,929 --> 01:11:33,449
Phil: now a younger guy would be
like, Oh, no, we're not fucking
1048
01:11:33,449 --> 01:11:34,799
with this guy. No,
1049
01:11:35,009 --> 01:11:39,239
Kevin Erhard: we're not fucking
with this guy at all. Yeah, so
1050
01:11:41,729 --> 01:11:47,159
that's, that's chapter nine.
Superduper short, chapter 10 We
1051
01:11:47,159 --> 01:11:50,759
get a description, more
description of the courtyard of
1052
01:11:50,759 --> 01:11:55,649
the Palace. And there's a really
cool description of Shang sung
1053
01:11:55,679 --> 01:11:56,339
throne
1054
01:11:56,370 --> 01:11:59,190
Phil: which is I was hoping you
were gonna bring up the throne
1055
01:11:59,190 --> 01:11:59,400
which
1056
01:11:59,400 --> 01:12:04,440
Kevin Erhard: is bad guy throne.
101. The chair was made of made
1057
01:12:04,440 --> 01:12:09,330
of iron forged in the shape of
human bones, cushioned with
1058
01:12:09,330 --> 01:12:13,110
mystically preserved blubber of
a whale, and covered with a
1059
01:12:13,110 --> 01:12:17,670
thick throw of fur from one of
the sacred Pandas for only one
1060
01:12:17,670 --> 01:12:19,800
such as Shang would dare to
take.
1061
01:12:21,750 --> 01:12:24,630
Phil: I love the panda in detail
and
1062
01:12:24,690 --> 01:12:28,530
Kevin Erhard: detail is amazing.
a canopy of unknown material
1063
01:12:28,530 --> 01:12:32,370
supported by a column of
constructed of shark teeth,
1064
01:12:32,910 --> 01:12:36,720
protected him from the hazy sun.
Some said the material was human
1065
01:12:36,720 --> 01:12:40,440
flesh, but few thought that even
the vicious Shang could be
1066
01:12:40,440 --> 01:12:45,480
capable of such a vile and
corrupt display. Kung Lao was
1067
01:12:45,480 --> 01:12:46,680
not one of the few
1068
01:12:48,600 --> 01:12:54,750
Phil: it's it's just fucking so
over the top. So
1069
01:12:54,750 --> 01:12:55,500
Kevin Erhard: over the top.
1070
01:12:56,100 --> 01:12:58,200
Phil: It's wonderful. Also,
1071
01:12:58,500 --> 01:13:00,870
Kevin Erhard: something that I
guess is never really touched
1072
01:13:00,870 --> 01:13:07,470
on. Does Shang does does Chang
sung ever like, mentioned that
1073
01:13:07,470 --> 01:13:12,630
Kung Lao? Is his nephew by
marriage? No, or his Kung Lao
1074
01:13:12,660 --> 01:13:16,650
ever recognized? Shang son? No,
no,
1075
01:13:16,650 --> 01:13:20,850
Phil: not to my knowledge.
There's no and let's face facts,
1076
01:13:21,210 --> 01:13:24,600
they would have taken that
opportunity for one of them to
1077
01:13:24,600 --> 01:13:27,840
chew the hell out of the
scenery. Sure, with something
1078
01:13:27,840 --> 01:13:30,540
like that. So I think that's not
I don't I don't know if that's
1079
01:13:30,540 --> 01:13:34,200
happening with this particular
section of
1080
01:13:34,200 --> 01:13:39,990
Kevin Erhard: the book. Because
we're coming to an end. Yes. To
1081
01:13:40,500 --> 01:13:45,060
this section of the book,
because we've we've already
1082
01:13:45,390 --> 01:13:50,070
pretty much we're towards the
end of the of the tournament
1083
01:13:50,160 --> 01:13:56,070
already. We got some scripts,
some quick descriptions of of a
1084
01:13:56,070 --> 01:13:58,290
couple of the fights the final
round
1085
01:13:58,290 --> 01:14:01,650
Phil: Yeah, we some some basic
five basic fights,
1086
01:14:02,070 --> 01:14:06,480
Kevin Erhard: con, loud defeats.
A guy named will feel the
1087
01:14:06,480 --> 01:14:12,750
Ostrogoths we get, we get some
nice German representation here.
1088
01:14:13,020 --> 01:14:16,620
Well, just a little. He doesn't
know martial arts, he just uses
1089
01:14:16,620 --> 01:14:17,580
a spiked club.
1090
01:14:19,740 --> 01:14:22,980
Phil: He's not gonna get a lot
of crane kicks from this, you
1091
01:14:22,980 --> 01:14:23,640
know.
1092
01:14:23,880 --> 01:14:29,580
Kevin Erhard: And then mohatta,
Marian, who recites the Vedic
1093
01:14:29,610 --> 01:14:34,740
Vedic hymn of creation. So
India, that's a which is in from
1094
01:14:34,740 --> 01:14:38,910
India, I believe. Right? The
Vedas are Yeah, yeah. But
1095
01:14:38,910 --> 01:14:42,060
basically, once he lost his
teeth, he had trouble because he
1096
01:14:42,060 --> 01:14:45,060
was he used this hymn of
creation to focus his himself
1097
01:14:45,060 --> 01:14:47,700
while he was fighting, but then
he gets a few teeth knocked out.
1098
01:14:48,090 --> 01:14:52,290
And basically the fight falls
apart there. And then there's a
1099
01:14:52,290 --> 01:15:00,600
Roman wrestler named Troy Cyrus,
who nearly beats Kung Lao. But
1100
01:15:01,230 --> 01:15:05,460
they circle back the self
inflicted lacerations are what
1101
01:15:05,460 --> 01:15:11,730
give con Lau the focus to break
the pin. So, no point is a good
1102
01:15:11,730 --> 01:15:21,090
strategy to point for Toy Cyrus
on the pin. So basically, they,
1103
01:15:21,450 --> 01:15:24,270
they kind of fast forward
through all the fights Kung Lao
1104
01:15:24,270 --> 01:15:29,730
was victorious. And he is the
champion again. And we have a
1105
01:15:30,030 --> 01:15:35,010
back and forth between Shang
Sung and Kung Lao, debating the
1106
01:15:35,010 --> 01:15:39,270
merits of religion and magic and
all that fun shit.
1107
01:15:40,050 --> 01:15:44,370
Phil: Yeah, yeah. The classic
line religion is not magic. Kung
1108
01:15:44,370 --> 01:15:50,550
Lao said, a debatable point for
some other time. All right. All
1109
01:15:50,550 --> 01:15:50,970
right.
1110
01:15:51,000 --> 01:15:59,400
Kevin Erhard: All right. That's,
that's fine. So So basically,
1111
01:15:59,430 --> 01:16:02,850
they they have their little,
their little back and forth
1112
01:16:02,850 --> 01:16:07,590
their little war with words.
And, and so here's the thing is
1113
01:16:07,590 --> 01:16:15,180
that Kung Lao? He has defeated
everybody and ordered to get the
1114
01:16:15,390 --> 01:16:20,670
title of the champion, he has to
defeat the host, which is, I
1115
01:16:20,670 --> 01:16:24,630
believe, at this point, an
optional fight. Like the only
1116
01:16:24,630 --> 01:16:28,170
way to to be champion and not
age for the next year is if he
1117
01:16:28,170 --> 01:16:34,080
beats the host. He can back out
now and everything is fine. And,
1118
01:16:34,140 --> 01:16:40,230
and Kung Lao was like, No, I got
a i Why would I back away? I'm
1119
01:16:40,230 --> 01:16:40,980
the champion.
1120
01:16:42,390 --> 01:16:45,600
Phil: You know, for a guy who
was nervous about this fight and
1121
01:16:45,600 --> 01:16:49,380
everything because of not
wearing his amulet. He's, if he
1122
01:16:49,380 --> 01:16:50,910
makes some dumb calls, let's
1123
01:16:50,910 --> 01:16:53,700
Kevin Erhard: just Yeah, so
Shang song is like, Oh, by the
1124
01:16:53,700 --> 01:16:58,890
way, I'm not the one fighting.
According to the rules of Mortal
1125
01:16:58,890 --> 01:17:03,270
Kombat, I can name somebody
else. The rules that I made up
1126
01:17:03,270 --> 01:17:06,420
because it's my tournament. Like
it's my tournament tournament
1127
01:17:06,420 --> 01:17:12,570
because my tournament goddamnit.
So he has he lets somebody fight
1128
01:17:12,570 --> 01:17:16,740
on his behalf. And all this
time. There's just been
1129
01:17:16,740 --> 01:17:22,470
thundering footsteps coming in
off the distance. And Kung Lao
1130
01:17:22,470 --> 01:17:25,950
is like, this is a sinister
presence, all that all that
1131
01:17:25,950 --> 01:17:35,760
stuff. And who could it be? Oh,
no, it's goro goro. Right. Who
1132
01:17:35,760 --> 01:17:42,000
would have thought claymation
monster himself from? I think
1133
01:17:42,000 --> 01:17:43,560
he's quite mentioned in the
first four.
1134
01:17:45,540 --> 01:17:48,000
Phil: Or something. It's like,
it's definitely a practical
1135
01:17:48,000 --> 01:17:48,810
offense everyday
1136
01:17:48,810 --> 01:17:55,080
Kevin Erhard: practice. So So
basically, it's it's going to be
1137
01:17:55,080 --> 01:18:02,250
a fight against Goro. And this
fight, basically, is it it's
1138
01:18:02,280 --> 01:18:06,210
it's that it's that fight from
Game of Thrones. It's the
1139
01:18:06,210 --> 01:18:12,090
mountain Oh, yeah. Versus the
Mandalorian what's his name?
1140
01:18:12,390 --> 01:18:20,820
Yeah. Yeah. Pedro, Pascal's
character Pascal. Where the only
1141
01:18:20,820 --> 01:18:23,790
way he's going to win is if he's
like, if he's basically going to
1142
01:18:23,790 --> 01:18:30,960
be super fast and and fight and
try to avoid this. This big
1143
01:18:30,960 --> 01:18:41,520
beefy boy. Right? And Chapter,
Chapter 11 is it's basically
1144
01:18:41,550 --> 01:18:42,990
just the entire fight.
1145
01:18:43,650 --> 01:18:47,610
Phil: Yeah, it's it's, it's the
whole fight. It goes back and
1146
01:18:47,610 --> 01:18:51,120
forth. In fact, at first it
looks like Khan Laos pressing
1147
01:18:51,120 --> 01:18:54,690
the advantage he's doing pretty
good to start with to start
1148
01:18:54,690 --> 01:18:57,900
Kevin Erhard: to start with but
the fact that Goro has extra
1149
01:18:57,900 --> 01:18:59,610
arms really comes into play.
1150
01:19:00,960 --> 01:19:04,590
Phil: Now you know, it's not
just for show it really
1151
01:19:04,680 --> 01:19:06,120
Kevin Erhard: really are
practical,
1152
01:19:06,780 --> 01:19:13,410
Phil: practical application. It
turns out and yeah, it's we do
1153
01:19:13,410 --> 01:19:19,950
get one little detail here,
which is confusing to me. I have
1154
01:19:19,950 --> 01:19:24,780
heard Goro referred to as Park
dragon, but in the description
1155
01:19:24,780 --> 01:19:31,560
here it says as much dragon in
appearance as human when
1156
01:19:31,590 --> 01:19:35,730
describing Goro and I can if you
tell me like dragons have a
1157
01:19:35,730 --> 01:19:38,550
fascinating mythology. There's
all kinds of shit with them. And
1158
01:19:38,550 --> 01:19:41,580
if you're telling me that he's
part of Dragon fine sure good.
1159
01:19:42,090 --> 01:19:47,460
It's referring to girl as
equally dragon Yeah, appearance
1160
01:19:47,460 --> 01:19:48,330
as human just
1161
01:19:48,330 --> 01:19:50,520
Kevin Erhard: a confusing mental
image. Like
1162
01:19:50,580 --> 01:19:53,610
Phil: like real quick. If you
could describe a dragon to me
1163
01:19:53,610 --> 01:19:54,840
just let's just for fun.
1164
01:19:55,320 --> 01:19:57,210
Kevin Erhard: Just get on the
same page as to what kind of
1165
01:19:57,210 --> 01:20:00,150
Dragon we're talking about.
Right there. It's been duly and
1166
01:20:00,150 --> 01:20:03,810
types of Dragon out there. Just
saying drinkies dragon and
1167
01:20:03,810 --> 01:20:05,820
appearance, not helping me
1168
01:20:06,270 --> 01:20:08,280
Phil: not helping not help
especially
1169
01:20:08,280 --> 01:20:11,400
Kevin Erhard: something saying
China. It's like like because
1170
01:20:11,400 --> 01:20:17,700
because like Chinese mythology,
dragons they have their own
1171
01:20:17,700 --> 01:20:18,480
thing going.
1172
01:20:19,110 --> 01:20:21,540
Phil: They have a pretty
distinct look. Yeah.
1173
01:20:22,080 --> 01:20:29,340
Kevin Erhard: So I don't know,
Jeff if I if I buy that. But
1174
01:20:29,370 --> 01:20:29,760
yeah, that
1175
01:20:29,760 --> 01:20:31,830
Phil: one I'm not so sure
regardless,
1176
01:20:33,210 --> 01:20:36,510
Kevin Erhard: Cora wins, he
wins. I mean, it seems like it
1177
01:20:36,510 --> 01:20:43,080
would it seems like Kung Lao is
is is might have some chance but
1178
01:20:43,110 --> 01:20:49,410
that is really each time kind of
loud presses his advantage Goro
1179
01:20:49,410 --> 01:20:53,250
is able to counter by like
catching him. He like sprains
1180
01:20:53,280 --> 01:20:59,040
kung loughs knees or his ankles,
he hurts his shoulder. He throws
1181
01:20:59,040 --> 01:21:04,440
them into a wall basically. He
is not doing any damage to Goro
1182
01:21:04,440 --> 01:21:07,920
and Kung Lao is just getting
beat worse and worse. And
1183
01:21:07,920 --> 01:21:11,790
eventually Goro just throws him
into the wall and just pommels
1184
01:21:11,790 --> 01:21:17,730
him can like just over and over
and over again. And finally,
1185
01:21:17,790 --> 01:21:23,850
finally, Shang son just tells
Goro Give me his heart. And the
1186
01:21:23,850 --> 01:21:31,290
last thing that Kung Lao sees is
to two arms holding him by his
1187
01:21:31,290 --> 01:21:35,790
shoulders, and a third hand just
coming for his chest.
1188
01:21:36,299 --> 01:21:43,109
Phil: Yeah. And I can't help but
think that that. That's a wrap
1189
01:21:43,289 --> 01:21:44,129
on kung fu that
1190
01:21:44,130 --> 01:21:47,250
Kevin Erhard: is a wrap on Kung
Lao. That is a wrap on this Kung
1191
01:21:47,250 --> 01:21:48,690
Lao. And I
1192
01:21:48,690 --> 01:21:50,760
Phil: know you're confused
ladies and gentlemen, because
1193
01:21:50,760 --> 01:21:56,340
you're like he didn't even get
to throw his razor has razor hat
1194
01:21:56,820 --> 01:21:58,170
is sharp sombrero
1195
01:21:58,200 --> 01:22:03,990
Kevin Erhard: is sharp sombrero.
slicey sombrero fear and I. This
1196
01:22:03,990 --> 01:22:09,210
is just the first Kung Lao the
car we all know and love. Not
1197
01:22:09,210 --> 01:22:09,780
this guy.
1198
01:22:11,670 --> 01:22:13,560
Phil: Not this particular guy.
1199
01:22:13,590 --> 01:22:15,720
Kevin Erhard: Not this
particular guy. Because,
1200
01:22:16,350 --> 01:22:24,030
meanwhile, 600 miles away, we
get kung loughs. Brother, right?
1201
01:22:24,390 --> 01:22:28,470
Or cousin, whatever. I think
it's his brother. This brother
1202
01:22:28,470 --> 01:22:34,320
is in his brother's having a
kid. And wouldn't you know it?
1203
01:22:34,410 --> 01:22:38,340
They do the whole Luck of the
fry Irish Futurama episode.
1204
01:22:39,660 --> 01:22:48,180
That's exactly what they named
the boy. Kung Lao. So basically,
1205
01:22:48,570 --> 01:22:51,300
there's like a sudden
premonition from his brother
1206
01:22:51,300 --> 01:22:56,100
that he needs to name the kid
Kung Lao. And he does so. So.
1207
01:22:57,270 --> 01:23:00,210
Maybe, and meanwhile, Raiden is
somewhere else. And we're like,
1208
01:23:00,270 --> 01:23:02,280
Well, maybe it's this next one.
That is
1209
01:23:02,280 --> 01:23:05,790
Phil: actually, like, seem to
have fucked up with that last
1210
01:23:05,790 --> 01:23:10,320
prediction. This one though, and
you can't help but think that
1211
01:23:10,320 --> 01:23:13,020
this has happened a lot in his
life. You
1212
01:23:13,020 --> 01:23:15,420
Kevin Erhard: can't help but
think that Raiden is just been
1213
01:23:15,450 --> 01:23:21,480
for millennia. Fucking things.
With this family tree.
1214
01:23:22,530 --> 01:23:27,780
Phil: Oh, terrible. God, this is
so stupid. Okay. I am a God. And
1215
01:23:27,780 --> 01:23:30,150
you're the chosen one Honest,
1216
01:23:30,180 --> 01:23:35,370
Kevin Erhard: honest. No one
will use those rocks there. Oh,
1217
01:23:35,670 --> 01:23:36,330
shit.
1218
01:23:39,360 --> 01:23:40,440
Phil: Anyway,
1219
01:23:40,469 --> 01:23:43,799
Kevin Erhard: so that's the end
of Part Part One. That is part
1220
01:23:43,799 --> 01:23:54,959
one. Yeah, that is the first
third of the book. Ah that's
1221
01:23:54,959 --> 01:23:56,369
very pregnant. Because Phil,
1222
01:23:56,910 --> 01:24:01,560
Phil: there was a there was an
awful thing. It's an awful long
1223
01:24:01,650 --> 01:24:09,150
first third of the book on like,
a very specific moment in Mortal
1224
01:24:09,150 --> 01:24:11,820
Kombat. Like, I feel like if
this were the TV version, or
1225
01:24:11,820 --> 01:24:15,480
that TV version of the film
version, this whole thing would
1226
01:24:15,480 --> 01:24:17,910
have taken about 15 minutes.
Yeah,
1227
01:24:17,940 --> 01:24:22,320
Kevin Erhard: this. Yeah, I
agree. Yes,
1228
01:24:22,320 --> 01:24:24,990
Phil: no, that doesn't make it
bad. Doesn't make it bad
1229
01:24:24,990 --> 01:24:30,360
Kevin Erhard: does not make it
bad. But, but Right.
1230
01:24:30,510 --> 01:24:36,060
Phil: I'm just very high. Don't
know where they're going with
1231
01:24:36,060 --> 01:24:36,360
this.
1232
01:24:36,360 --> 01:24:42,000
Kevin Erhard: Yeah, I mean,
it's, it's I've already looked
1233
01:24:42,000 --> 01:24:45,900
at the first sentence of the
next chapter. And I know it's in
1234
01:24:45,900 --> 01:24:49,200
the next section with present
day and it starts right out with
1235
01:24:49,200 --> 01:24:52,920
Keno. Who is so a fan favorite
villain.
1236
01:24:53,850 --> 01:24:59,010
Phil: He's easily one of my
favorites. So I mean, we got Oh,
1237
01:24:59,010 --> 01:25:00,120
that'd be maybe something good.
Let
1238
01:25:00,120 --> 01:25:02,880
Kevin Erhard: me something good
here. But yeah, I agree. I feel
1239
01:25:02,880 --> 01:25:11,880
like this is a lot of this is a
lot of prologue for the real
1240
01:25:11,880 --> 01:25:13,200
meat of the story.
1241
01:25:13,949 --> 01:25:19,889
Phil: Yes, it is a lot for for.
Yeah, exactly as you said and a
1242
01:25:19,889 --> 01:25:20,309
lot.
1243
01:25:21,059 --> 01:25:25,259
Kevin Erhard: The other thing
is, it's weird that we spend so
1244
01:25:25,259 --> 01:25:33,149
much time on on Kung Lao. I
guess maybe Kung, LAO and wall
1245
01:25:33,149 --> 01:25:37,139
characters who? Who is okay,
fine. He is one of the main
1246
01:25:37,139 --> 01:25:40,829
characters starting it from
Mortal Kombat to going forward.
1247
01:25:41,219 --> 01:25:46,949
But it's like, it's Kung Lao.
It's not Lukang Lukang is like
1248
01:25:48,720 --> 01:25:54,240
Phil: this to be you know? Yeah.
It's kind of very consistently
1249
01:25:54,240 --> 01:25:59,100
been our protagonists. Yeah. In
this series for a very long for
1250
01:25:59,100 --> 01:25:59,280
as
1251
01:25:59,280 --> 01:26:01,530
Kevin Erhard: little as I know
about Mortal Kombat. When I
1252
01:26:01,530 --> 01:26:06,990
think of the guy I think of
Lukang. He is He is your Ryu an
1253
01:26:06,990 --> 01:26:11,220
analog from Street Fighter? He
is. He's your dude, you know?
1254
01:26:11,580 --> 01:26:16,050
Phil: Yeah. Yeah. So it's, it's
I don't interesting to not hear
1255
01:26:16,050 --> 01:26:18,150
from him at all.
1256
01:26:18,210 --> 01:26:23,040
Kevin Erhard: 0%. And I
understand establishing it.
1257
01:26:23,040 --> 01:26:27,840
Okay. So Kung Lao Kung, the
first Kung Lao is very, like
1258
01:26:27,870 --> 01:26:33,450
involved in the backstory of
Shao Kahn. Yes. And Shang song.
1259
01:26:34,080 --> 01:26:40,230
I think okay, I can agree to
that. But it feels weird that it
1260
01:26:40,800 --> 01:26:43,590
you know what it is, I think
about if it was a TV series, and
1261
01:26:43,590 --> 01:26:46,530
I know this is a book and all
that fun stuff, whatever. But if
1262
01:26:46,530 --> 01:26:51,030
it was a TV series, this would
not be told. Right all upfront,
1263
01:26:51,390 --> 01:26:54,570
this would be something that
would no pieced out over time.
1264
01:26:55,230 --> 01:26:59,070
Yes. So we were just talking
about before we started
1265
01:26:59,070 --> 01:27:02,670
recording, we were talking about
the Godfather series. And one of
1266
01:27:02,670 --> 01:27:05,550
the great things that the
Godfather series says is that
1267
01:27:05,550 --> 01:27:12,060
you don't actually get anything
about about once. Corleone,
1268
01:27:12,570 --> 01:27:18,300
what's his name? The Godfather
veto veto? Until part two? And
1269
01:27:18,300 --> 01:27:22,950
it's these interspersed scenes
in which you got Robert De Niro
1270
01:27:22,950 --> 01:27:27,840
playing like young veto. And you
that's when you get all the
1271
01:27:27,840 --> 01:27:30,930
information about I'm like, Oh,
what, like why does he have that
1272
01:27:30,960 --> 01:27:38,850
raspy voice and all that that
stuff? So yeah, it in any other
1273
01:27:38,850 --> 01:27:42,300
media, this information would
not have just been.
1274
01:27:44,430 --> 01:27:48,780
Phil: Right. Right. It's, it's
an interesting, it's a very
1275
01:27:49,620 --> 01:27:51,480
Kevin Erhard: bold choice to
paste.
1276
01:27:53,910 --> 01:27:57,840
Phil: Right, right. And that's
the thing. It's like, I'm not
1277
01:27:57,840 --> 01:28:02,820
saying this won't work. I'm just
saying it's a bold choice. And I
1278
01:28:02,820 --> 01:28:04,050
feel like we haven't actually
1279
01:28:04,050 --> 01:28:05,580
Kevin Erhard: started this book
yet.
1280
01:28:06,389 --> 01:28:10,169
Phil: Right, exactly. And the
fact is, we are a third of the
1281
01:28:10,169 --> 01:28:15,359
way through the book. If this
was a much longer book, like
1282
01:28:15,359 --> 01:28:18,299
twice as long as this, then I
would go okay, all right, that
1283
01:28:18,299 --> 01:28:22,559
makes sense for an opening. Kind
of, but that was sort of
1284
01:28:22,559 --> 01:28:23,609
situation. Yeah.
1285
01:28:23,700 --> 01:28:26,340
Kevin Erhard: But that was 1/3
of the book we just covered
1286
01:28:26,340 --> 01:28:27,720
right now. Yeah,
1287
01:28:27,750 --> 01:28:32,190
Phil: that was that was a lot of
the book. And so it's really
1288
01:28:32,190 --> 01:28:38,220
interesting. Now, having said
all that, this book has no
1289
01:28:38,220 --> 01:28:39,270
business being this. Well.
1290
01:28:40,320 --> 01:28:43,110
Kevin Erhard: The other thing I
was gonna get to is like, yeah,
1291
01:28:43,560 --> 01:28:46,920
like, this is a fucking Mortal
Kombat book. This is
1292
01:28:46,950 --> 01:28:49,770
Phil: for all of our bitching
about that aspect of
1293
01:28:49,769 --> 01:28:53,339
Kevin Erhard: the about the
story structure. Right?
1294
01:28:53,670 --> 01:28:57,480
Phil: He didn't have to come so
hard for Mortal Kombat playing
1295
01:28:57,480 --> 01:28:58,230
so
1296
01:28:58,230 --> 01:28:58,830
Kevin Erhard: hard.
1297
01:28:59,280 --> 01:29:04,380
Phil: So I feel like I feel like
the I just imagined being like
1298
01:29:04,380 --> 01:29:07,860
an editor working for this
publisher. Like we've acquired
1299
01:29:07,860 --> 01:29:11,220
the rights to Mortal Kombat, we
can sell a million of these
1300
01:29:11,220 --> 01:29:16,680
books to 10 to 16 year old boys
all over the United States.
1301
01:29:16,830 --> 01:29:20,670
Let's let's let's crank
something out. 200 some odd
1302
01:29:20,670 --> 01:29:24,630
pages, make it fast, make it you
know, action packed and, you
1303
01:29:24,630 --> 01:29:27,870
know, a little gory, and let's
just fucking just do boom, boom,
1304
01:29:27,870 --> 01:29:30,750
boom, let's do it. And they call
this guy up and they said, Here
1305
01:29:30,750 --> 01:29:32,400
you go. Could you make it
happen? He was like, yeah,
1306
01:29:32,400 --> 01:29:34,860
here's your here's your first
draft. And they're like, what?
1307
01:29:35,640 --> 01:29:39,540
We we can't pay you more than we
offered. He was like, that's
1308
01:29:39,540 --> 01:29:42,210
fine. I didn't. I didn't do it
for you.
1309
01:29:43,470 --> 01:29:46,770
Kevin Erhard: This is for me.
This is for me for bad play.
1310
01:29:50,640 --> 01:29:53,400
Phil: I want you to work batboy
into the next Mortal Kombat.
1311
01:29:54,960 --> 01:29:56,580
Kevin Erhard: We'll get back to
you that I wouldn't be
1312
01:29:56,580 --> 01:29:59,130
surprised. I wouldn't be
surprised though. If this guy
1313
01:29:59,130 --> 01:30:05,790
worked. and talk directly with
like Ed Boon because I feel like
1314
01:30:05,790 --> 01:30:15,060
Ed Boon and who's the other guy,
John Tobias are like very into
1315
01:30:15,270 --> 01:30:18,930
because they've been with Mortal
Kombat. I want to say the entire
1316
01:30:18,930 --> 01:30:22,800
time. It I don't think they've
left the series. I think Edie
1317
01:30:22,800 --> 01:30:27,360
Boone is still working on it. I
think he's still gonna you might
1318
01:30:27,360 --> 01:30:30,750
be the producer on it still.
Let's let's check that is
1319
01:30:31,230 --> 01:30:39,690
Phil: Boone. Ah, let's see. It
looks like he might still be
1320
01:30:39,690 --> 01:30:45,180
there. was employed Midway Games
15 years.
1321
01:30:45,840 --> 01:30:49,560
Kevin Erhard: Yet he's been he's
worked on every Mortal Kombat
1322
01:30:49,560 --> 01:30:58,170
title. Yep. From the first one
to two, Mortal Kombat. 11 and
1323
01:30:58,170 --> 01:30:58,980
2019
1324
01:30:59,009 --> 01:31:02,189
Phil: Yeah. 2019 That's right.
You're the voice of Get over
1325
01:31:02,189 --> 01:31:02,639
here.
1326
01:31:04,530 --> 01:31:06,600
Kevin Erhard: That's amazing.
That's
1327
01:31:06,630 --> 01:31:08,820
Phil: a this this man's had a
hell of a career. That's so
1328
01:31:08,820 --> 01:31:09,450
cool. Shit.
1329
01:31:10,950 --> 01:31:13,470
Kevin Erhard: Yeah, that's,
that's wild, though, that he has
1330
01:31:13,500 --> 01:31:21,180
managed to. I feel like outside
of there's very few creators
1331
01:31:21,180 --> 01:31:24,510
that get to stick with the
series that they created for
1332
01:31:24,510 --> 01:31:28,140
pretty much their whole career.
And oh, god. Yeah, that does. I
1333
01:31:28,140 --> 01:31:32,790
want to say like Hideo Kojima
was able to do it for the most
1334
01:31:32,790 --> 01:31:37,950
part with Metal Gear. But, yeah,
the fact that Edie Boone has
1335
01:31:37,980 --> 01:31:42,090
been able to just stay, you
know, basically stay with first
1336
01:31:42,090 --> 01:31:46,470
midway. And then as as the
series got acquired, you know,
1337
01:31:46,470 --> 01:31:49,860
as midway and the companies got
acquired, he just stayed with
1338
01:31:49,860 --> 01:31:50,490
it. So,
1339
01:31:51,240 --> 01:31:55,320
Phil: yes, it is impressive.
That is not something you you
1340
01:31:55,320 --> 01:32:00,240
see very frequently or at all.
Really. Yeah. So that's really,
1341
01:32:00,300 --> 01:32:05,490
Kevin Erhard: so I wouldn't be
surprised if, if, if Jeff
1342
01:32:06,300 --> 01:32:08,130
consulted with Ed Boon on this.
1343
01:32:09,030 --> 01:32:11,100
Phil: Yeah, yeah. I wouldn't be
surprised at all. Yeah.
1344
01:32:11,760 --> 01:32:15,450
Especially with we know how, you
know, particular these
1345
01:32:15,450 --> 01:32:18,690
publishers and that sort of
thing are with their
1346
01:32:18,720 --> 01:32:22,260
franchisees, so I'm sure it has
something to do with it. Yeah.
1347
01:32:22,710 --> 01:32:27,960
So very interesting start. Let's
see where it goes. I'm very
1348
01:32:27,960 --> 01:32:31,710
curious. And it flies by it is a
crazy page turner,
1349
01:32:31,740 --> 01:32:37,380
Kevin Erhard: it is quick read,
it moves fast. So that'll do it
1350
01:32:37,380 --> 01:32:43,800
for tonight's episode. If you
have the means, a Twitter
1351
01:32:43,800 --> 01:32:49,050
account if Twitter has not been
bought by Elon Musk, yet, in the
1352
01:32:49,080 --> 01:32:53,700
intervening weeks, since Vegas
is we're recording this and when
1353
01:32:53,700 --> 01:32:57,840
that happens, if you can give us
a follow on Twitter at pixel at
1354
01:32:57,840 --> 01:33:01,560
pod, give us a follow on
Instagram. Also at pixel it pod,
1355
01:33:01,560 --> 01:33:06,120
check out our website pixel ID
pod.com. And rate us five stars
1356
01:33:06,240 --> 01:33:11,220
on the platform that you listen
to us on and I believe that it's
1357
01:33:11,220 --> 01:33:16,590
going to be Apple, Apple,
iTunes, Spotify, and audible
1358
01:33:16,590 --> 01:33:21,150
allow for five star ratings. So
if you listen on one of those
1359
01:33:21,150 --> 01:33:26,580
platforms, go ahead. Give us a
five star rating. And share
1360
01:33:26,610 --> 01:33:29,520
share us with your friends share
us with your family shares with
1361
01:33:29,520 --> 01:33:34,890
anybody who you think is vaguely
interested in video game and a
1362
01:33:34,890 --> 01:33:39,720
little adaptations in a video
game novelisations. Please,
1363
01:33:39,750 --> 01:33:41,430
please. We need
1364
01:33:41,430 --> 01:33:42,420
Phil: your validation. It's
1365
01:33:42,780 --> 01:33:46,140
Kevin Erhard: your validation
and support. Because that is how
1366
01:33:46,140 --> 01:33:50,760
we pay ourselves through your
validation. And it's delicious.
1367
01:33:51,510 --> 01:33:54,030
Phil: It's so good. So good on
fries, y'all.
1368
01:33:54,330 --> 01:33:58,050
Kevin Erhard: It's like
mayonnaise on fries. Yes. Yeah,
1369
01:33:58,050 --> 01:33:58,260
it's
1370
01:33:58,260 --> 01:33:59,220
Phil: just enough. Just a little
1371
01:33:59,220 --> 01:34:01,950
Kevin Erhard: little. You mix
the mayo with the ketchup, and
1372
01:34:02,880 --> 01:34:07,440
it's delicious. Anyway, have a
good night everyone. Hungry