Li Mei is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She made her debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
Storyline
Li Mei's home village was forced into slavery to help construct Shang Tsung's palace around the Soulnado, which had been a long-time legend of her people. In attacking Kano, however, she gained the attention of Quan Chi, who promised her freedom if she could win a tournament. Around this time she befriended an old warrior among her enslaved villagers: the supposed "Champion of the Elder Gods" Shujinko, captured by Kano during his 40 year quest for the Kamidogu. Shujinko offered to train her even though he felt that her chances in the Deadly Alliance's "tournament" were slim.
In Mortal Kombat: Deception, Li Mei returned (most of the newly-introduced fighters did not). Though her ending in Deadly Alliance depicted her winning Quan Chi's tournament, and "winning" the right to be imprisoned forever in one of the Dragon King's soldiers' bodies, Deception had Bo' Rai Cho rescuing her from this fate. However, he was apparently only partially successful, and Li Mei took on some of the aspects of one of these ancient warriors. As such, she is far more battle-oriented in this game, wearing armor, for example.
In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Li Mei joins the Forces of Light in the Battle of Armageddon. She becomes the first casuality in the battle when Hotaru impales her with his Naginata.
Biographies
- Deadly Alliance: "The Deadly Alliance commanded Kano and his troops to force a small population of people to construct a palace fortress. One of those enslaved was Li Mei, who rebelled against the invaders and attacked Kano himself. Recognizing the warrior spirit she possessed, the sorcerer Quan Chi offered to free her people if she could win the Deadly Alliance tournament. If she did not win, however, she would be forced to serve the Alliance and her people would remain slaves forever. Li Mei had no choice but to accept the offer. During the construction of Shang Tsung's palace, Li Mei discovered that it would be constructed around the ancient stone structure located on a nearby plateau. Her people have regarded the relic as sacred for as long as anyone could remember. Legends told that it was a portal to the heavens left behind by the gods themselves. When Quan Chi activated the portal with his mysterious amulet and countless souls spewed forth, trapped between the realms, it was clear that the legends had been true."
- Deception: "I had entered the tournament held by the Deadly Alliance in hopes of winning the freedom of my enslaved town -- I was a naive fool. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi had no intention of rewarding a victor. Instead they prepared to transplant my soul into the last remaining corpse of Onaga's ancient army. Had it not been for the surprise intervention of Master Bo' Rai Cho, I would have become a servant of evil. Master Bo' Rai Cho brought me back to health, and for this I am forever in his debt. The brief moment my soul occupied the warrior corpse changed me in ways I may never fully understand. Master Bo' Rai Cho has trained me well during the time I have spent with him, and I feel a sense of duty to Outworld like never before. But I cannot deny that I feel strangely drawn to a new power taking hold in this realm..."
- Bio Kard: "Fighting for the freedom of her enslaved people, Li Mei was trained by Shujinko in the art of kombat. Now she is a formidable warrior who battles for her people and for persecuted souls everywhere."
Combat Characteristics
Signature Moves
- Nova Blast: Li Mei shoots a purple ball of energy at the opponent. In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance this special move is called Sparkle (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)
- Flipping Heel Kick: Li Mei flips forward in a circular motion, bringing her feet over her head kicking the opponent and then landing back on her feet. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)
- Flying Flurry: Li Mei launches herself forward with a series of punches to the opponent's face. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)
- Carnival Spin: Li Mei spins backward and kicks the opponent in an impossible fashion. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)
Fatalities
- Fatal Kicks: Li Mei kicks her victim's stomach, lodging her foot in the opponent's innards. She keeps it there for a second before pulling it out, then kicks the victim's head, causing it to explode. (MK:DA)
- Brutality: Li Mei repeatedly strikes at the torso and head of her opponent very quickly, and then stands, striking a pose. The confused opponent then screams in pain a few seconds later and explodes in a shower of gore. This fatality seems to borrow from the Asian martial arts study of pressure-points. (MK:D)
- Head Grenade: Li Mei walks up to her opponent and with one swift uppercut, knocks her foe's head straight into the air. Li Mei patiently waits for it to come back down before she kicks it hard at her opponent. When the head strikes them, they explode into piles of blood and bone. This is done in a different way than Liu Kang's Shaolin Soccer. (MK:D)
Other Finishers
- Hara-Kiri: Deadly Limbo: Li Mei throws her sword into the air and bends over. The sword falls back down and decapitates her. (MK:D)
Endings
- Deadly Alliance: (Semi-Canonical) "Li Mei had been promised that her people would be freed from enslavement if she could win the tournament held by the Deadly Alliance. Now that she had emerged victorious, the true purpose behind the tournament was finally revealed to her. Her soul would be the last one Shang Tsung needed to completely revive the Dragon King's lost army. Her people would never be freed and Li Mei herself would remain trapped inside the mummified remains of a dead soldier... cursed to serve the Deadly Alliance... forever."
- Deception: (Non-Canonical) "An alliance had been formed of warriors from vastly different origins, but with a similar goal: to defeat Onaga. Li Mei marched uneasily into battle against the Dragon King. The closer she got to him, the more she came to understand which side was truly deserving of victory. Li Mei turned on her former allies and gave her emperor the time he needed to finish merging the Kamidogu. The Dragon King was now all-powerful. He had the means to control the universe, to make and unmake as he saw fit. Li Mei watched in delight as the Elder Gods fled before his might. Onaga then transformed her into his queen, to be forever at his side. He had given her power beyond anything she has ever imagined. Together they will rule the One Realm and slay the last of the Elder Gods."
- Armageddon: (Non-Canonical) "Filled with the energy of Blaze, Li Mei had but one purpose for her new found power. In retribution for slaying her people, she banished the souls of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung to an obelisk. Trapped inside the relic, they must fend off wave after wave of aggressors for eternity. Justice has finally been done."
Character Relationships
- In some point, she met Kai in one of his journeys in Outworld.
- She and her home in the village of Sun Do were enslaved by the Deadly Alliance to build them their palace.
- Trained by Shujinko to fight the Deadly Alliance.
- Fought and defeated Kano.
- Encountered Quan Chi and was invited to enter the Deadly Alliance's "tournament."
- Won the Deadly Alliance's "tournament", then her soul was almost cast out into a mummified soldier by Shang Tsung.
- Rescued by Bo' Rai Cho from the Deadly Alliance, after this she was trained by him.
- Joined the Forces of Light in the final battle in Armageddon.
- Presumably killed by Hotaru by getting impaled by his naginata during the Battle of Armageddon.
Stage Relationships
Li Mei's people had been forced by the Deadly Alliance to build the following:
Additionally, it was within the palace that Li Mei's soul was transferred to the undead soldier.
Trivia
In General
- Li Mei is rather notable in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance for having four special moves; most characters have only two or three. She retains all these moves in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
- In Mandarin Chinese, "Li Mei" means "Plum". This is largely resemblant to her purple color scheme.
- She is the only normal character to use the "Baji Quan" fighting style, although created characters can use it in Armageddon.
- Her Flying Flurry special is almost like a punching version of Liu Kang's Bicycle Kick.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
- Has the same voice actress as Nitara.
- She has the same sais that Mileena has in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
- One of the only three character to possess a "tragic" ending in the game, when she has her soul transferred to a mummified soldier by Shang Tsung. The others being Scorpion and Frost.
Mortal Kombat: Deception
- After offering to train Li Mei, Shujinko foreshadowed her ending in Deadly Alliance by warning her that fighting Shang Tsung and Quan Chi alone would "end in misfortune."
- She has the same fighting style that Bo' Rai Cho had in Deadly Alliance: Mi Zong.
- She has the same voice actress as Jade and Mortal Kombat: Unchained Kitana.
- Many fans have criticized her Deception ending. The ending had many negative views or opinions because it involved Li Mei betraying the heroes and teaming up with Onaga. However, this ending is non-canon.
- In Mileena's Deception Ending, Li Mei is shown holding a naginata instead of her weapon in the game, which is the Kunlun Dao. Coincidentally, Li Mei was "severely injured" by a naginata in the Armageddon intro video, by means of Hotaru.
- In the character select screen, when Li Mei is locked, she is obviously shown in her alternate costume in her character space.
- Li Mei had a large face makeover between Deadly Alliance and Deception. In Deadly Alliance, she had big, brown eyes and big lips, however, in Deception, she had small, green eyes and smaller lips. Her alternate costume in Deception still keeps her Deadly Alliance face model.
- Li Mei might have met Kai at some time during his journey in Outworld because in a rare moment speaking to Li Mei she tells of a dark skinned monk, that might have been him.
- Li Mei is described as The Defender of the People of Outworld.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
- She appears in Konquest Mode attacking Shinnok in the Netherrealm cliffs. When Taven shows up, he fights off Li Mei. It is not made clear whether this was the real Li Mei, or simply a clone Shinnok created to test Taven's strength.
- She is the first character to receive a critical wound in the opening Armageddon cinematic, by means of Hotaru.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
- During the beginning of Story Mode, her corpse can be seen, still pierced by Hotaru's naginata.
- A woman that resembles Li Mei appears in Jade's MK 2011 ending.
- In one of the older patches, Li Mei was seen chained in Kahn's Arena in Kitana's place, using her primary costume from Mortal Kombat: Deception/Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Now, if the player chooses to play as Kitana, Tanya's chained in her place.