Shang Tsung is secretly a villainous man out to conquer the realms. But for now, he disguises himself under the title of a powerful sorcerer only wanting to help the Outworld Kingdom.

One of the things he needed to find a cure for the soon to be empress/Mileena’s disease is an apprentice, the user. Shang Tsung teaches the user magic/science.

When he realizes the user’s strength, he sees the opportunity to manipulate them and use them as a pawn in his plan, but eventually he falls for them. 