The Mortal Kombat series is chock-full of different kinds of fighters. What else would you expect from one of the most popular fighting game franchises? However, only a small portion of those fighters are female in comparison to the male fighters. Nevertheless, just because there is such a small amount of female characters to play as, does not mean that those female fighters are any less fun to use than the males.
While characters like Sub-Zero and Raiden are well-known staples of any Mortal Kombat game, characters like Sonya Blade and Cassie Cage have made their mark on the series as well. Let’s take a look at some of the strongest female fighters in the new game.
Updated July 16th, 2020 by Amanda Hurych: The Mortal Kombat series is not going away any time soon. That means every new entry in the franchise promises opportunities for players to receive new female fighters to the story. With an evolving narrative, this can only be good news. With that said, let’s take a deeper look into the world of Mortal Kombat, combing through every title for the best female fighters gamers can enjoy. In the future, these characters could enjoy wider recognition for their contribution to the series.
15 Nitara
Nitara first appeared in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, and not enough credit is given to her as a fighter in the series. She’s a vampire that preys on the blood of her opponents. If that doesn’t strike fear in the hearts of players, what will?
One of her best fighting moves is Blood Spit, which involves Nitara spitting a large ball of blood at her opponent. While Nitara drains her victims of their blood instead of their soul, she could still give Shang Tsung a run for his money when it comes to being one terrifying fighter.
14 Sareena
Starting out as a non-playable boss character is a surefire way of becoming an interesting playable fighter down the line. Sareena is no exception. When she did become a playable character, both her story and her fighting style contributed to making her a memorable addition to the Mortal Kombat roster.
Her ferocity in a fight could be attributed to her being a demon from the Netherrealm. Most of her moves involve a flurry of blows, she even has a Fatality called the “Whirlwind of Doom.”
13 Frost
Frost was first introduced to Mortal Kombat players in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. She is Sub-Zero’s impetuous apprentice. Her freezing powers are not as potent as Sub-Zero’s –which is made abundantly clear in the story when she tries to take over leadership of the Lin Kuei from him– but she makes up for that with an increase in speed.
To play as Frost, players need to have a head for strategy. Most of her moves require precise placement, with an emphasis on mobility. She’s no Sub-Zero, but that’s actually one of her strengths.
12 Cetrion
Don’t let Cetrion’s devotion to life and nature fool you. She will not hesitate to bring down her opponent in a matter of seconds. First introduced in Mortal Kombat 11, Cetrion is a veritable goddess of pummeling other fighters into submission.
Her fighting style relies on keeping opponents away from her, as her attacks aren’t exactly ideal for close-range combat. She can create barriers between herself and others, and she can also hurl chunks of earth at her enemies.
11 Jacqui Briggs
Alongside Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs made her debut in Mortal Kombat X. While she does not possess the godly powers of other fighters, she should not be undervalued because of that. Her close-range combat skills make her a force to be reckoned with. Plus, she has a wide variety of moves that can assist players in getting opponents into a corner.
Not only is Jacqui a supremely satisfying fighter to play as, but her involvement in the story is also top-notch. Her practicality and tactical knowledge allow her to be a great foil for other, less stable characters.
10 Kronika
As of this writing, Kronika has yet to be a playable character, functioning instead as a non-playable boss in Mortal Kombat 11. However, from what has been seen of her, nothing but excitement dwells in players’ hearts. Her intriguing mastery over time and space allow for some very creative moves during combat.
Teleporting behind opponents when they least expect it, reversing time, and freezing fighters in place are just a few of her abilities. Fans of Mortal Kombat are keeping their fingers crossed she returns.
9 Sindel
Sindel comes across as a bit of an elderly character, given the fact that she has long, flowing grey locks. Don’t let that fool you. She is a robust fighter and one of the more interesting characters in the story. Sindel is the Queen of Edenia, and she is not to be messed with.
Being the ruler of one of the most beautiful realms in the universe must have prepared her for all the fights she would participate in. Her hair can be used as a weapon to grab opponents and toss them around. Then there’s her Banshee Scream, which can stun enemies and give players time to land a few hits.
8 Li Mei
Outworlder Li Mei is a solid fighter to have at your disposal. Not only does she excel at hand-to-hand combat, she has magical abilities at her fingertips as well. Her Nova Blast, for instance, allows her to shoot off a ball of purple fire at her opponents.
Like Frost, Li Mei was introduced to players in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. One of the best things about Li Mei as a fighter is that she had four Special Moves available for players to use in her first game. Most other characters only have two or three.
7 Mileena
More than Princess Kitana’s clone, Mileena is a beast of her own making. Well, technically she was made by Shang Tsung in his grim flesh pits, but we’re talking about her fighting style here. As a combination of Kitana and a Tarkata, Mileena blends incredible strength with dizzying speed.
Where Kitana uses her two fans, Mileena prefers sais. Her sharp Tarkatan teeth also make for fearsome weapons. She can perform a Leaping Neckbite that is frightening to behold. If you want to scare your opponent before you beat them to a pulp, Mileena should be one of your chosen fighters.
6 Cassie Cage
Since Cassie Cage is the daughter of characters Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, it makes perfect sense that her abilities would be a blend of her parents’. Utilizing the Special Forces skills learned from her mother, Cassie has the reach of her two pistols and the close-quarters skills of hand-to-hand combat.
She also possesses mystical energy from her father, which showcases itself in the green aura that surrounds her body when she performs certain moves. Plus, the story is definitely spiced up by Cassie’s inclusion in Mortal Kombat X. She demonstrates what it’s like to have Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade as parents.
5 Sheeva
If you are looking for a strong female fighter in Mortal Kombat, look no further than Sheeva. Sheeva is a Shokan, a race of beings described as half-human and half-dragon. If that does not impress you enough, her four-armed fighting style might.
Using all four of her arms, Sheeva can grab her opponents and pummel them into submission with a flurry of blows. She can also throw powerful fireballs that knock people to the ground instead of just nudging them backwards. As if that wasn’t enough, she can also perform stomps on the ground that deal out damage to anyone nearby.
4 D’Vorah
D’Vorah is a very unique character, introduced to players in Mortal Kombat X. She has insectoid origins, functioning as a collection of insects within a human-looking body. This, of course, allows for very interesting fighting moves.
Distance is her game, since D’Vorah can toss the bugs inside her body at her opponents. These bugs can be positively lethal, especially since some of her attacks can cause her opponents to get poisoned. The poison, on contact, can thus negatively affect other fighters over time.
3 Jade
Jade started out life as a hidden, unplayable character in Mortal Kombat II. She looked exactly like Kitana, except with a different color scheme. When her character became playable, Jade developed her own persona and style that makes her one of the best fighters in the Mortal Kombat series.
She uses a staff and two “razorangs” to deal oodles of damage to her opponents. She can also perform a move called Dodging Shadows, which allows projectiles to pass through her without hurting her. In the story, Jade is utterly loyal to Kitana and serves as her protector. (Not that Kitana needs a lot of protecting.)
2 Kitana
Kitana is one of the most iconic female fighters in the Mortal Kombat series. She first appeared in Mortal Kombat II, and her use of fans during a fight made her one serious contender. She had the ability to toss her fans in midair, hitting opponents while they were in the middle of a jump (this ability eventually had to be toned down in order to make fights against Kitana fairer).
In the story, Kitana usually has a strong sense of right and wrong. She stood up to Shao Khan when she realized the dark path he was leading her down, and she has proven to be one of the more reliable forces for good in the series.
1 Sonya Blade
Sonya Blade was the first female character in the Mortal Kombat series. She made her appearance in the first game and has been a mainstay in nearly every Mortal Kombat game ever since. She is an extremely agile character, and her playstyle is all about speed.
Her moves revolve around close-quarters, hand-to-hand combat, with recent games incorporating more technology in her Special Moves, such as Drone Drops and Stun Grenades. She was a wide variety of signature moves at her disposal. Of all the females in the series, Sonya is the first and the best of them all.
NEXT: Mortal Kombat II: 10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn’t Know About The Arcade Version
