Highlights
- Ashrah's unique backstory and exciting fighting style make her a strong addition to Mortal Kombat 1, despite her limited appearances in the series.
- Ashrah, a demon with the ability to wield holy powers, brings an interesting gimmick to the game and has the potential for a compelling redemption quest storyline.
- Ashrah's early entrance into the timeline could impact her character's personality and offer new possibilities for character development in future games.
Ashrah's entrance to Mortal Kombat 1 sees her bringing one of the series' more unique backstories along with an exciting fighting style. Ashrah may be far from a series mainstay, but she's still a strong fighter to bring back for Mortal Kombat 1, especially considering present company. Ashrah's relatively late debut and low amount of appearances may make her one of the most surprising roster reveals to date. However, it's well-established at this point how much Mortal Kombat 1 will be shaking up the timeline. What may be more intriguing is Ashrah's own stake in the story.
Ashrah's appearance in the debut of Mortal Kombat 1's rebooted universe is her first playable appearance in quite some time. A highly skilled demonic swordswoman, she fights with a combination of her blade and light-based powers. Despite Ashrah herself being a demon, she is capable of wielding holy powers thanks to her mystical sword, Kriss. This is furthered by Ashrah's bright white outfits, as well as a move shown off in the trailer that shows her with a pair of angelic-looking wings. Being a demon wielding holy powers gives Ashrah an interesting gimmick, and she has remained a little-used character with interesting potential, at least until now.
Ashrah's Redemption Quest Will be a Part Of Mortal Kombat 1
The original debut of Ashrah in Netherrealm's Mortal Kombat universe was in Mortal Kombat Deception, where she was a former minion of Quan Chi who turned against him. Using Kriss, she is on a quest to slay demons, which in turn purifies her soul bit by bit. By the time of her first appearance, Ashrah is very human-looking, to the point that one essentially has to be told that she's a demon. She remained as a solid ally of the heroes until the timeline reset after Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. After that, she effectively disappeared from the series until her surprise reveal for Mortal Kombat 1.
When Ashrah was unveiled in the latest fighter reveals for Mortal Kombat 1, she appeared to have a similar backstory. While she retains her light-based powers and white outfit, her face is more clearly demonic than her original incarnation. This could be a sign that she is earlier in her purification journey than she was in the original timeline, a theory backed by her earlier appearance. Despite that, she is no less skillful at wielding Kriss, and she seems equally devoted to her mission. The addition of Quan Chi also gives her an obvious enemy to fight at the same time.
The early entrance of Ashrah into the timeline has the potential to be a game-changer for Mortal Kombat 1. Her and Quan Chi's rivalry being injected into the story early could change the dynamics of the storyline. Not to mention, with her appearing earlier, she may be able to complete her ascension from demonhood during the timeline, offering a new form and storyline for her in the future. If her participation isn't cut short, then she could easily become an important figure on the heroes' side. She is the latest sign of Mortal Kombat 1 shifting its storyline in a new direction.
Mortal Kombat 1's roster is looking more interesting with every update, and that includes Ashrah's entrance. As a member of Mortal Kombat 1's launch roster, Ashrah is bringing a unique and flashy moveset as well as a built-in storyline that should be interesting to see unfold. How Ashrah's quest to purify her soul is yet to play out, but it is among good company with the many other character subplots that will be taking place. Ashrah may not have been a character many expected for Mortal Kombat 1, but she will be a fine addition to the rebooted universe.
Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
