Blood Ties begins several years after the end of the "Netherrealm War", when Shinnok led Netherrealm in an attempt to conquer Earth and the other realms in the wake of Shao Khan's death. Shinnok was defeated and his undead armies pushed back, save for a number of dead warriors who were restored to life. Meanwhile, Outworld fell into a civil war as Mileena was overthrown by her warchief Kotal Kahn. In the Himalayan wilderness, Kenshi and his son Takeda flee from members of the Red Dragon and are saved by Scorpion and his rebuilt Shirai Ryu clan. Kenshi explains that he was infiltrating the Red Dragon when he was exposed, causing the group to target his son, whom he did not know he had. Kenshi leaves Takeda with Scorpion and leaves to complete his mission and find the Red Dragon's leader. Meanwhile, Kuai Liang, the younger Sub-Zero (who has also been returned to life) attacks a Red Dragon Temple in China. He enters the inner chamber only to be attacked by Kano, who has taken the Kamidogu (which are daggers in this timeline) within and scars him with it, stating that the Kamidogu are cursed. Years later, Scorpion is approached by Raiden. After ensuring the Kamidogu is safe, he warns Scorpion of a demon from another realm that seeks to kill Earth's champions. Later that night, Takeda's friend Fox is driven mad by voices. Taking the Kamidogu, he is possessed by the demon and kills the rest of the Shirai Ryu, before being killed by Takeda and Scorpion. After paying their respects to the fallen, the two leave to find Raiden to seek answers. At the Sky Temple, Raiden converses with the Wind God Fujin, before using another dagger to invoke blood magic to find the demon. He discovers that they are too late and that events are already in motion. At a Special Forces base, Sonya Blade meets with Kotal Khan, Emperor of Outworld, who was captured entering Earth. Kotal explains that Mileena's resistance in Outworld is in league with the Red Dragon, and that he and his warriors are there to eliminate them. He asks for their cooperation, though Sonya refuses, and a fight ensues, but Raiden intervenes and Kotal departs, threatening to make them pay. Elsewhere, Sonya's daughter Cassie Cage, takes Jax's daughter Jacqui Briggs to what she believes to be a legal fight club, but are forced into an illegal death match against Frost. The match is interrupted by Black Dragon members Jarek and Tasia, who attempt to take Cassie and Jacqui. The two are sucked through a portal, but Cassie is able to take a picture of one of their abductors from her phone, Erron Black, one of the warriors who had been with Kotal, leaving it for Sonya. Sonya finds Cassie's phone and prepares to take her men and Johnny Cage (Cassie's father) to Outworld. In Outworld, Kotal Khan sends his father to find Prince Goro who has disappeared while looking for Mileena. Unknown to Kotal, Goro has betrayed him and joined Mileena. Goro kills Kotal's father, driving Kotal to empower himself with his Kamidogu and face Goro personally, tearing his arms off. As Kotal and his warriors leave, they are confronted by Sonya demanding her daughter's location. Kotal denies involvement but agrees to help after Erron Black is shown to be involved. Elsewhere, Erron, Kano and the Black Dragon are taking Jacqui and Cassie to an unknown location when they are ambushed by Mavado and the Red Dragon. Kano abandons Erron who is wounded and the girls kill Mavado before being taken prisoner once more. In Earthrealm, Scorpion and Takeda near the Sky Temple and are attacked by Raiden, who is under the effects of the Kamidogu's curse. Takeda is seemingly killed, causing Scorpion to savagely beat Raiden, freeing him from the curse. Raiden saves Takeda's life and explains that following Shinnok's defeat the Elder Gods locked him away in another dimension. The Kamidogu were empowered with Blood Magic to act as the keys to his prison, and entrusted to powerful warriors by Raiden, keeping their true purpose and power hidden. Scorpion is furious at the deception. Raiden apologizes, explaining that he had not foreseen the demon corrupting the magic and cursing the blades. He informs him that all the blades are accounted for, save for one which has been stolen by Sub-Zero, who was possessed when Kano scarred him with one years earlier, and Scorpion agrees to help track him down. In Outworld, Mileena's chief advisor Reiko plots with the demon cleric Havik, who promises to grant him the power to become ruler of Outworld if he brings him the Kamidogu. Meanwhile Sonya's team finds Erron Black who delievers a message that Reiko and Havik are waiting for them on Shang Tsung's island.
