DEATH BATTLE: Lord Raiden VS Raiden Shogun

Mortal Kombat vs Genshin Impact

Connections:

Both are lightning-themed characters belonging to video games and are inspired by Raiden, the god of thunder from Japanese mythology. They both have control over electricity and lightning, as well as being skilled fighters martial artists in their own right.

Both act as a divine guardian of their homes (Earthrealm and Inazuma respectively) and have assembled powerful groups of fighters under their leadership to enact this divine charge (The Defenders of Earthrealm and the Tenryo Commission respectively), these groups of fighters including an archer with lightning powers (Nightwolf and Kujou Sara respectively)

Both have polearms (Raiden's staff and Shogun's spear) despite this not being their main weapon (Raiden mainly using electricity and Shogun's sword the Musou No Hitotachi)

Both eventually snapped and decide to enact their will in a far more violent manner, turning into villainous versions of themselves with questionable methods (Raiden becoming Dark Raiden and eliminating realms that threaten Earthrealm and Raiden Shogun enacting the Vision Hunt Decree to seize mortals of their visions, executing anyone who stands in their way)

Both are also part of a pantheon of six gods (The Elder Gods and the Archons respectively) However Raiden became an Elder God after the second defeat of Shinnok and Zhongli isn't an Archon anymore so there's only six Archons remaining