It's been almost two weeks since the release of Mortal Kombat 11's second DLC, Kombat Pack 2. In that time, players have had plenty of opportunity to get reacquainted with one of Mortal Kombat's most iconic characters, the deadly and twisted Mileena.
Mileena's long-awaited return to the Mortal Kombat series has been a source of contention for many fans, especially after she was excluded from the original Mortal Kombat 11 release. A fan-favorite villain with ties to some of the most famous Mortal Kombat characters, the new Mileena is just as insane, violent, and vengeful as ever.
MK11: Who is Mileena
Originally created in the flesh pits of the sorcerer Shang Tsung, Mileena is the mutant-hybrid clone/twin-sister of Kitana, who also made her debut in the second Mortal Kombat title. At the orders of Outworld Emperor Shao Khan, Mileena was created by fusing Kitana's physiology with Tarkatan blood. This unusual combination gives Mileena a host of physical advantages, including incredible speed, strength, and agility. However, despite her otherwise human appearance. the genetic experiment also left Mileena with a mouth of needle-like Takartan teeth. As an antagonist in many Mortal Kombat titles, she's not above using her most monstrous feature in her fighting, showing off a savagery that matches that of her fellow Tarkatan Baraka.
Mileena has appeared in some of the best Mortal Kombat titles to date, which is why fans were angry that she wasn't included in the original Mortal Kombat 11. Cruel, insane, and evil on a genetic level, Mileena's temperament is in sharp contrast to Kitana's and puts her squarely in the role of antagonist. However, despite serving in Shao Khan's army, Mileena's main goal has always been to outdo her clone-sister Kitana.
Mileena's Moves in Mortal Kombat 11
Mileena's fighting style has always been defined by her primary weapons: her twin sai and her sharp teeth. She combines these deadly weapons with ninja stealth and acrobatic maneuvers, as well as ethereal teleportation. The combat in Mortal Kombat 11 greatly expands these abilities, as well as bringing back plenty of classic moves.
One of the new Mortal Kombat 11 powers that Mileena has gained is a combination of her twin sai and her teleportation abilities. She can now plant her sai on the ground to have them fly up from below, and summon new versions of the weapons out of thin air to strike from multiple angles.
Expanding on her supernatural/assassin abilities, Mileena has also gained the ability to turn completely invisible for a time. Unfortunately her position is revealed by a magical aura that continues to follow her. In previous titles these more supernatural powers used to be shrouded in a pink light, but in Mortal Kombat 11 they are also accompanied by a hint of blue, perhaps reflecting her dual-nature. Although her general position can still be traced, the real advantage of Mileena's new invisibility move is that it hides what move she is winding up for next, giving her the element of surprise.
Bringing back the Brutal
In addition to a new roster of Brutality finishers, Mileena also has a rather brutal ending to her story in Mortal Kombat 11, at least from Kitana's point of view. Players who reach the end of Mileena's story-mode will be treated to a cutscene showing how Shao Khan's adopted daughter uses the power of Time to her advantage. Finally overcoming her sister, Mileena devours Kitana and uses her new abilities to make herself the Empress of Netherrealm and the Kahnum of Time. She rules alongside her parents, at long last accepted as the perfect daughter in Kitana's place. Finally, she has a child with her lover Tanya, and the last scene shows them feeding the baby with strips of fresh human.
Mileena's return to the Mortal Kombat series was certainly driven by the community outcry following her absence from the original Mortal Kombat 11 character line-up. This also likely explains why she's changed so little from her previous incarnations, giving nostalgic fans a chance to enjoy stepping into the shoes of Kitana's twisted sister once again.
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
