Hanzo Hasashi died once already, alongside his entire clan, slaughtered on Quan Chi's orders and dressed up as Bi-Han's betrayal to feed his hatred all the more.
Pulled back from the Netherrealm's flames by that same sorcerer, he's never really stopped burning since, a vengeance so total it eventually became the only anchor he had left in the eternity forced upon him.
When the Order of the Waking Flame tore open a rift in the swamps of Blackwood meant to link them to Mehrunes Dagon's Deadlands, what came through wasn't a servant of the Prince, but Scorpion, kunai already thrown before his feet ever touched the mud.
The cultists expecting to welcome a Daedric emissary in ceremonial robes barely had time to realize their mistake before the burning chain closed around the first of them.
They were looking for a fire god to worship.
What they found was a ghost who stopped serving anyone a long time ago, not even the one who brought him back.