Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 1 redefined character backgrounds, creating fresh storylines for iconic characters.
- Mileena's Tarkat infection could lead to an intriguing character evolution in the next Mortal Kombat game.
- Mileena could incorporate her Tarkat abilities into her fighting style even more in the next game, with the disease having an even greater impact on Mileena going forward.
Mortal Kombat 1 reinvented several members of its cast, but one fighter in particular could gain a lot from embracing a new aspect of their character. There are already a lot of paths forward for the series after Liu Kang's rewrite of the timeline shook up the status quo in Mortal Kombat 1. Many of the characters will see themselves on completely different journeys compared to past games, with one iconic character in particular able to experience a significant evolution in the next game by focusing on one area. This could lead to many exciting ideas for them.
In the wake of Mortal Kombat 11's canonical ending, Liu Kang became the new god of fire and used his newfound power to create a new universe. In his ambition to make a timeline where peace thrived, several characters had their backgrounds changes significantly. Mileena was now Kitana's sister rather than an attempted clone of her, Kenshi had not yet lost his sight, and so on. Unfortunately, this timeline still saw strife, and some characters such as Shang Tsung and General Shao once again fell to their evil ambitions. Even in spite of that, the Mortal Kombat world's future looks more hopeful after Mortal Kombat 1, with Mileena likely to have an interesting role going forward.
Five Years Later, Mortal Kombat 11 Still Has a Lot to Teach MK1
Originally released on April 23, 2019, Mortal Kombat 11 turns five years old today, and it still has a lot it could teach its younger sibling.
Mileena's Tarkat Disease Can Further Shape Her Role In Mortal Kombat 1's Sequel
Tarkat is a Disease in Mortal Kombat 1's Universe
One major lore change is Mortal Kombat's Tarkat disease. While the Tarkatans were a warrior species in past timelines, in Mortal Kombat 1's timeline they are instead people who were infected by the Tarkat disease. In most cases, those suffering from the disease become frail, but Baraka was an exception, retaining his previous strength combined with his newfound sharp teeth and arm blades. Unfortunately, Tarkat affects the mind as well, and no cure has been found yet. In addition to Baraka, Mileena is also affected by Tarkat, which played a significant role in her arc in Mortal Kombat 1.
Mileena's Tarkat Infection Could Set Up Her Next Arc
There are a lot of good things that happened to Mileena in Mortal Kombat 1, from having a loving family to a committed relationship to becoming Outworld's empress. However, the effects of Tarkat still take their toll. This is an area that could be expanded further in Mortal Kombat 1's sequel. With Mileena revealing her status as a Tarkat infectee, the goal of creating a cure is sure to make at least some appearance in the plot. At the same time, her own experiences with the disease and attempts to protect other Tarkat infectees hold a lot of potential for Mileena's storylines to come.
Mileena Could Incorporate Her Tarkat Abilities Into More Moves
Tarkat and its effects can impact more for Mileena than her role in Mortal Kombat 2's story. Since she will have spent more time living with Tarkat, she could potentially incorporate her arm blades and sharp teeth into more of her moveset. Of course, there are several iconic parts of Mileena's design that shouldn't be touched, such as her sais and rolling attack. At the same time, more Tarkat-inspired moves could help further Mileena's development as a new character compared to her previous incarnations. A few moveset tweaks could give Mileena's fighting style a new flavor in Mortal Kombat 1's sequel.
In Mortal Kombat 1 , Mileena does use her Tarkat attributes in some moves, but mostly in her Fatalities and Brutalities.
Mileena is one of the characters that benefited the most in Mortal Kombat 1's new universe, and with the way Mortal Kombat 1 set up its sequel, her arc could expand even further. The way that Mileena accepts and deals with Tarkat can be reflected in several ways. Her fighting style as well as her personal story arc can see some significant growth by exploring this part of her further in Mortal Kombat 2.
Mortal Kombat 1
The 12th mainline entry in Warner Bros' franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 is set to be a soft reboot. Along with staples like a single-player campaign and online multiplayer, the 2023 game will also introduce Kameo Fighters.
