Simon McQuoid told Fandom that Cole functions as the "audience surrogate," i.e. a character entering an unfamiliar world for the first time. It's a situation that almost anyone can relate to, so it gives the audience someone for whom to root, and it's also a handy way to deliver exposition in an organic way. McQuoid pointed out that while the Mortal Kombat franchise has millions of longtime fans who have been around for decades — and the film does cater to them — the film also has to appeal to a new generation of moviegoers.
Garner mentioned that there's another reason for including Cole that will be clear by the end of the film. He didn't specify beyond that, but he did shoot down various fan theories that Cole is actually Johnny Cage, Sub-Zero, or Scorpion. Based on Garner's comments, it's likely Cole will have a similar connection to the series lore. Besides, longtime Mortal Kombat fans will still get to see plenty of familiar faces; Kano, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Sonya Blade, Goro, and Jax are just some of the Mortal Kombat characters who will be appearing in the reboot. Johnny Cage won't be in Mortal Kombat, but McQuoid did leave the door open for a potential sequel appearance. For now, we'll see if Cole Young can hold his own alongside the heavyweights.
