Mortal Kombat: Ranking All 7 Female Ninjas From Worst To Best
These femme fatales are forces to be reckoned with.
Boasting only one female character in its original roster – that being Sonya Blade – Mortal Kombat has since expanded to include the likes of Sheeva, Sindel, and newbies Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs, among others.
From MK II onwards, fans saw strong women combatants get much more time in the spotlight, taking their places as icons alongside familiar faces such as Scorpion and Sub-Zero. Notable of these are the multi-coloured, ninja-styled fighters whom fans have come to love just as equally as – if not a little more than – their male counterparts. Fierce, compelling and adept in an assortment of fighting techniques, these ladies are definitely not to be trifled with.
Granted, their portrayal has been called into question, due in part to their risqué clothing and exaggerated body proportions (thankfully, this has been toned down somewhat in Mortal Kombat X). However, it's also their diverse movesets, backstories and involvement in the game's array of plots, not just their designs, that has led players to becoming invested in them.
Taking these factors into consideration, all seven female ninjas have something to offer in the MK franchise, but which is the best?
7. Khameleon
Debuting as a secret, palette-swapped character in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Khameleon's mimicking abilities meant that she possessed the fighting skills and powers of every female ninja (Kitana, Jade and Mileena) in the series.
Borrowing their moves and weapons meant that she was a pretty impressive fighter. During gameplay, however, her flickering in and out of invisibility made it hard for the player to even see her. What's more, Khameleon didn't possess any unique Fatalities or signature moves, not even when she returned to the Wii version of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. She gains Tanya's Yellow Surge attack but she's still invisible, save for her clothing.
At least her back-story is explored: the last survivor of the extinct Saurian race (no thanks to Shao Kahn), a vengeful Khameleon fights for the side of good and aligns herself with Reptile. Beyond that, there's nothing else.
It would have been great to see Khameleon in the franchise's current timeline, working as an assassin of sorts for Kotal Kahn or a rogue warrior fighting for her own gain. In terms of gameplay, her invisibility could be controlled à la Reptile.
Plus, her ability to imitate the other ninjas' movesets could be condensed into a single variation, thus allowing room for the folks at Netherrealm Studios to design movesets specific to her.