There is no clear consensus on what race or species Shao Kahn belongs to. Some sources suggest that he is from a race of god-like beings, the original inhabitants of Outworld, and that he decimated his own people in his rise to power. Other sources describe him as belonging to an unspecified race, hailing from Outworld, where he rose to power by betraying the previous lord. It is also unclear whether he was originally meant to be Tarkatan. One source suggests that he is an immortal, and that the nature of immortals varies from realm to realm. Overall, there is no definitive answer to what race or species Shao Kahn belongs to.