The brutal and surprising demise of Cole Young in Mortal Kombat 2 was a deliberate choice by director Simon McQuoid to maintain high stakes and keep audiences on edge. McQuoid explained that he and screenwriter Jeremy Slater aimed to create a sense of constant peril, ensuring that "anyone could die at any point."

"We couldn't not have people die. I mean, it's Mortal Kombat, right?" McQuoid stated in an interview. The creative team approached the film's narrative with a structured plan for combatants and their fates, comparing the process to organizing a tournament. The goal was to make every fight and its outcome surprising, considering not only who perished but also the setting, opponent, and placement within the film's chronology.

One such strategically placed fight was between Liu Kang and Kung Lao, staged on a set inspired by the Blue Portal from the original Mortal Kombat video game. This symmetrical confrontation was designed to occur at the film's midpoint, but it was preceded by a shocking death intended to serve as fan service and immediately establish the film's unpredictable nature.

"There was this sort of idea that anything's up for grabs and what better way to show that than to have Cole Young (Lewis Tan) die early on," McQuoid revealed. "It was an attempt to keep the stakes high and keep the tension ratcheted up so you feel like, 'Wow. OK. So, anyone's up to go out now.'"

McQuoid described Lewis Tan as an exceptionally talented martial artist and actor who understood the narrative necessity of his character's death. The director likened the cast's understanding of their roles to that of a sports team, where individual player's minutes might vary but all are part of a larger strategy. While Cole Young's death was presented as definitive, McQuoid did not rule out the possibility of his return in future installments, acknowledging the franchise's history of resurrecting characters through various means.

Mortal Kombat 2 is currently available for digital rental and purchase, with a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release scheduled for July 28.