Mortal Kombat Movies: One Major Lore Gap Kitana and Mileena Still Need to Address

The 2021 Mortal Kombat film introduced several key elements to the franchise, including Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion. It also featured game-accurate fatalities and Josh Lawson’s portrayal of Kano. However, the movie made some unconventional choices, many of which director Simon McQuoid corrected in the sequel, Mortal Kombat II.

Mortal Kombat II eliminated arcana and the character Cole Young, while reintroducing the iconic Mortal Kombat tournament. Yet, one unresolved lore issue remains: Kitana, played by Adeline Rudolph, never acknowledges her clone and sister, Mileena, who died in the first film.

Kitana and Mileena’s Complicated Relationship

For Adeline Rudolph, there is still room to address this connection in future installments. “Kitana is over 10,000 years old,” Rudolph told Hollywood Reporter. “So much time could have passed between that beginning scene of the movie and when we see her as an adult. So I definitely think there is a lot of room left for Mileena to have her own [sisterly] storyline with Kitana. I wouldn’t necessarily close that door.”

The Evolution of Kitana and Mileena’s Story

Kitana and Mileena first appeared in the 1993 video game Mortal Kombat II as palette swaps of one another. Both characters shared the same move set, with Kitana wearing blue and Mileena wearing pink and featuring jagged teeth under her mask. Their backstory is deeply tied to the franchise’s convoluted lore.

In the movies, Kitana was raised by Emperor Shao Kahn after he killed her father, Jerrod, and took her mother, Sindel, as his bride following the conquest of her peaceful home realm, Edenia. Distrusting Kitana’s loyalty, Kahn ordered the sorcerer Shang Tsung to create a double of her. Shang Tsung complied but mixed in Tarkatan DNA, giving Mileena her distinctive appearance.

Over time, the sisters’ rivalry evolved, adding layers to Kitana’s conflict against Shao Kahn. This dynamic introduced backstabbing, plot twists, and mistaken identity scenarios. The 2011 game Mortal Kombat X streamlined their origins slightly, revising Mileena as Shao Kahn’s attempt to create a perfect daughter. However, the 2023 game Mortal Kombat 1 rebooted their story again, making Mileena the firstborn daughter of Jerrod and Sindel, afflicted with the Tarkat virus.

Future Films Could Resolve the Lore Gap

Simon McQuoid’s films balance respect for the lore with an acknowledgment of its absurdity. If Mortal Kombat III introduces Jade, played by Tati Gabrielle, Kitana could finally address Mileena’s absence. This would provide closure to their complicated history and align more closely with the games’ evolving narrative.