Kotal Khan was a young boy in the warrior realm of Osh-Tekk when it was merged with Outworld by Shao Kahn. He grew up admiring the Outworld emperor. But Kotal kept hidden from Shao Kahn a secret Osh-Tekk portal to EarthRealm. Kotal's 'magical' appearances and demonstrations of great power in EarthRealm led its inhabitants to declare him a god, whom they called Buluc. After Shao Kahn was killed in the war with EarthRealm, Kotal served Shao Kahn’s heir Mileena. But her instability eventually led Kotal to overthrow her and assume the emperorship.