So, as readers of this blog know, I did a big retrospective on Mortal Kombat’s Kitana—looking back on her debut and backstory … development into one of the franchise’s best characters and heroes … downfall into a damsel in distress and princess stereotype … hitting rock bottom with retcons and getting stuffed in the fridge … and finally capping it off with a somewhat happy ending.
As I said at the end of the retrospective, I was content to accept her MKX arcade ending as closure for the Kitana I knew and loved—the Kitana from MK2 to Armageddon, dubbed Kitana Prime. I decided to take the ending as confirmation that there are multiple parallel timelines and therefore Kitana Prime and the original MK timeline not only still existed, but that she had survived Armageddon, eventually united the realms, and finally defeated Shao Kahn once and for all.
A satisfyingly happy if bittersweet ending, leaving the Kitana introduced in MK9—dubbed Nu-Kitana—to carry on as Empress of the Netherealm in the current timeline.
I figured if she appeared in future games, it would be that version of the character, allowing me to effectively retire my fandom as it was.
But of course, as it does, news of Mortal Kombat 11 crossed my path. And wouldn't you know, they couldn't leave well enough alone.
