Mileena is a clone of Kitana, created by Shang Tsung's sorcery in his flesh pits for Shao Kahn, using Tarkatan physiology. Vicious and evil, she despises Kitana, and feels that it is her own right to rule Edenia as Princess in her place. Her fondest wish is to kill her "sister", and claim her existence for her own. Something of an opportunist, she will make use of any chance to seize power that comes within her hands.
Appearance
UMK3 Character Design by John Tobias
Originally, as with all MK female ninjas, Mileena wore a tight bodysuit (and mask), with her uniform being colored in shades of magenta. Later on, her costumes changed, some of them rather loose, but usually more revealing than Kitana's. In terms of physical features, she is identical to Kitana apart from having shorter hair and her face, which is twisted by the Tarkatan DNA flowing in her veins, giving her a large mouth rimmed with long, sharp teeth and and orange sharp eyes much like Baraka.
In Deception, she compensates for this by wearing revealing apparel to show off more of her lascivious physique, wearing a veil to keep her face hidden.
In Mortal Kombat (2011), she boasts an even more revealing outfit, much like her alternate costume in Deception and her eyes are Tarkatan-like. In Kitana's part of the Story Mode, Mileena's appearance when Kitana encounters her in Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits showed Mileena with her Tarkatan teeth on show and wearing nothing but bandages on parts of her body giving a half-naked appearance.
Combat characteristics
Powers and abilities
Mileena, half Edenian, half Tarkatan, has proved that she is a deadly combination of beauty and beast. She has been shown to be able to fight with brute strength rivaling that of a Shokan, if not surpassing it, and has shown an incredible amount of agility and acrobatic prowess. In addition, she possesses an incredible amount of super human speed, making her one of the deadliest kombatants in the whole series. Mileena wields a pair of sais, and is able to teleport, roll, and bite the opponent with her deadly Tarkatan teeth. As seen in her story ending, Shang Tsung allowed her the gift of stealing power from Shao Kahn. Because of her being Kitana's clone, she is equal in strength to her. In the Mortal Kombat 2011 game, Mileena does not have the same knowledge of martial arts as her former versions, but replaces it with more wild, fierce attacks that make her the exactly same or even deadlier in terms of ferocity, although she is more mentally unstable.
Gameplay
Being Kitana's clone, Mileena possesses equal combat strength, aptitude and agility. What separates her from Kitana, though, is her weapon of choice in the sai. She exhibits proficiency with the sai that is equivalent to Kitana's with her fans. Coupled with the Tarkatan blood coursing through her veins and physique that allows for superb agility, this makes Mileena one of the most vicious and deadly characters in the entire series.
As shown in Mortal Kombat (2011), Mileena becomes enshrouded in a pink, flame-like aura when executing her signature techniques, including the Rolling Thunder, Soaring Sai and Kick from Above.
Signature moves
Mileena's Soaring Sai in MK (2011)
Soaring Sai: Mileena throws two sais, charged with purple energy, at her opponent. In the older games (and MK 2011), it was a charged move and could be performed in mid-air. In MK 2011, this is called Sai Blast. (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
The enhanced version is called Sai Bursts. She fires one Sai at the opponent, and then the second Sai.
Kick From Above: Mileena teleports and quickly hits her opponent from above with a jump kick. In MK 2011, this is called Teleport Drop. (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
The enhanced version is called Tricky Teleport. She teleports again and hits a second kick to the opponent from the other side.
Rolling Thunder: Mileena tucks into a ball and rolls toward her opponent knocking them off of their feet. In MK 2011', this is called Ball Roll. (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MKG, MK:SM, MK:D, MK:A, MK 2011)
The enhanced version is called Smashing Roll. Mileena will leap up in a ball first and then roll into the opponent.
Leaping Neckbite: Mileena leaps onto her opponent's chest and begins eating away their face or neck. Also, if the opponent has a sai lodged in their neck before Mileena performs this move, she'll pull out the sai and stab them repeatedly. (MK 2011)
The enhanced version is called Leaping Lunch. After Mileena finishes biting (or stabbing) the opponent, she will kick them away.
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X-Ray Move - Femme Fatale: Mileena grabs hold of her opponent, and in an homage to her MKII Fatality, she rapidly stabs her opponent's torso with her sais, breaking their ribs and damaging their innards. She then knees them in the face, breaking their skull. (MK 2011)
Other moves
Throw: Mileena grabs her opponent, thrusts herself into the air, doing a handstand on their shoulders, then swings herself back down, kicking them in the stomach. She then either she repeats the move, knocking the opponent to the floor, or she flips herself completed over their head and kicks them in the back, knocking them to the ground. (MK 2011)
Frankensteiner: Prior to MK 2011 but specifically in Deception and Armageddon, Mileena executes a Frankensteiner in which she hops on her enemy's shoulders performing a head scissors with a backward somersault to slam her enemy to the ground. Kitana had an earlier variation of this move in UMK3 and MKT whereas Mileena used a Suplex Throw. (MKD, MKA)
Bridging German Suplex: Mileena grabs her opponent by the waist, lifts him/her up and slams him/her backwards while bridging. Kitana also shares this throw. (MKII)
Leaping Sai: Mileena jumps into the air and stabs her opponent in the shoulder with one of her sais. (MK 2011)
Sai impale: Mileena stabs her sai into her opponent's stomach. (MK 2011)
Splits: Mileena does a split kick that hits her opponent in the head. (MK 2011)
Sai Stabs: Mileena pulls her Sais out and stabs her opponent to death. In Shaolin Monks, after stabbing them, she delivers a powerful kick which sends them flying across the arena. This was made into a part of her X-Ray in MK 2011. (MKII, MK:SM)
Man Eater: Mileena's most well-known fatality. She removes her mask and literally inhales her opponent. She then turns to the other side and regurgitates a torrent of bones onto the ground. (MKII, UMK3, MKT)
Nail Shooter: Mileena removes her mask and fills her mouth with a bottle full of nails. She then unleashes a deadly barrage upon her helpless foe. (UMK3, MKT, MKG)
Sai-Anara: Mileena throws a number of sais at her opponent, hitting all areas of the body. Her final throw ends up in her victim's head. This fatality is almost an exact duplicate of Reiko's Ninja Star fatality. (MKG)
Ferocious Bite: Mileena removes her veil, then charges at the opponent and bites into their neck. She then tears the head off with her teeth and spits it out on the floor behind her. She then smiles grotesquely (yet apparently pleased), going "Mmmmmm...." before laughing maniacally. (MK:D)
Sai Lodge: Mileena throws her sais into the air and kicks them towards her opponent. The sais drive into the enemy's shoulders, killing them. (MK:D)
Boss Fatality: She assists Jade in this Fatality. Jade sweeps the enemy to the ground with her Bojutsu, Mileena then throws her Sai into the opponents palm. Jade then slams her Bojutsu in his face, eventually crushing it. (MK:SM)
Be Mine: Mileena throws both of her sais into the opponent's torso. She walks over to them and seductively embraces them, only to rip their head off and chew on it. She then throws it to the ground and moans positively. (MK 2011)
Rip Off: Mileena hurls both of her sais, one at a time, into her opponent's feet. She then rips off their body from their upper legs. This was originally one of Kira's Fatalities in Deception. (MK 2011)
Other finishers
Friendship #1:The Planter: Mileena plants a seed that turns into a flower. (MKII)
Friendship #2:Cute Face: Mileena removes her mask and gazes into a mirror, and the mirror shatters. Shao Kahn then says "Crispy." (UMK3, MKT)
Animality:Stinky Murder: Mileena transforms into a skunk and sprays the opponent to death. (UMK3, MKT)
Hara-Kiri:Brain Surgery: Mileena drives her sais into the sides of her own head . (MK:D)
Babality: Mileena hisses and attempts to attack her opponent, but trips and starts crying. (MK 2011)
Movie and TV appearances
Dana Hee as Mileena in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
In Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Mileena (played by Dana Hee) served as an assassin for Shao Kahn. She fought Sonya Blade, who initially mistook Mileena for Kitana. Sonya killed Mileena, causing the dragon tattoo on Mileena's shoulder to come to life and quickly disappear. The similar appearances of Mileena and Kitana are the only connections between the two characters that the film makes. Mileena's name is never mentioned in the film, when Sonya notices that Raiden shares the same dragon tattoo as both Mileena and Cyrax later in the film, she refers to them only as "a robot and a woman" who both tried to kill her. However, the end credits identify her as Mileena. Appropriately, Dana Hee was the stunt double for Talisa Soto (Kitana) in both movies.
Mileena unmasked in Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Mileena appeared in one episode of the television series Mortal Kombat: Conquest, in which she had no initial relation to Kitana and was here depicted as an initially very repulsive and aggressive Outworld warrior sent by Shao Kahn to assassinate the weakened Kung Lao, with a magic spell placed over her to give her Kitana's look, which she loved (for a second, he called her his "new daughter" before saying that her beauty was temporary and if she failed he would take it away); as punishment for her taking too much time in her mission, Kahn allows her to keep her beauty with the exception of making her teeth more exaggerated and pointy and making her voice sound like that of an old woman, her outer beauty to remind her of trying to be something that she is not. As giving her the face with fangs and the haggish voice makes her ugliness much more appalling, she starts to wear her signature mask, which Kahn gives her before ordering his guards to take her away. She was portrayed by Megan Brown in both forms, and by Audie England in the form of Kitana.
Mileena, wearing a green costume, succeeded in seducing Kung Lao, but could not bring herself to kill him during their night of passion and was also explicitly warned by Shang Tsung to not do it. She makes excuses for Kahn and later fights an inconclusive duel against Kitana, broken by Shao Kahn.
Jolene Tran as Mileena in Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Michelle Lee as Mileena in Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2
In Mortal Kombat: Legacy, Mileena (played by Jolene Tran) is very different from her other iterations in that when Kitana was still a baby, Mileena was created to give Shao Kahn a daughter who wouldn't hate him when she found out he killed King Jerrod, Kitana's biological father and Sindel's first husband. With this change, neither Kitana nor Mileena know they aren't actually sisters. Another big difference comes in the form of Mileena's mouth. It appears normal most of the time, changing to her Tarkatan teeth at random, which also causes fits of rage. The girls grew up believing themselves to be sisters under Shao Kahn's parenting after Sindel sacrificed herself to protect Kitana's soul. They soon were being influenced at a very young age to distrust each other by Kahn and to act as his warriors, not his children. Mileena and Kitana are sent on a mission to first kill the impostors and then the real King Jerrod. Kitana first interacts with the real Jerrod, allowing Mileena to strike him fatally with a sai throw. Mileena walks away from her sister and the dying king after retrieving her weapon, then shoots her sister a smirk. Mileena is seen wearing a purple outfit that covers her full body and is shown to already be able to throw her sais with her classic purple ki at a young age. Mileena also has facial scaring similar to a Glasgow smile on her cheeks due to her mouth's form changing. Actress and stuntwoman Michelle Lee portrays Mileena in Season 2 of Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
Character Relationships
Movies
One of Shao Kahn's assassins in the second movie.
Tried to assassinate Sonya Blade but was defeated and killed.
Legacy Timeline
Created by Shang Tsung to give Shao Kahn a daughter who wouldn't resent him.
Trained alongside Kitana by Shao Kahn.
Killed a man upon seeing her Tarkatan teeth for the first time.
"So pretty, so fair, so sad and alone... Come. Let us be a family!" (to Kitana)
"Do not let her get away!" (when Jade is about to rescue Kitana)
"Others pursue. I find." (to Jade)
"You must return with me! There is to be a celebration for my sister! She's going away..." (to Jade)
"Looking for a new playmate!" (to Stryker)
"Raiden has killed Motaro." (to Shao Kahn)
"No one attacks the Emperor!" (to Kabal)
Trivia
She is the first female in the series to be aligned with evil.
She is the closest thing to a daughter Shao Kahn has. In 1994, Malibu Comics released a special spin-off issue of their non-canon Mortal Kombat series, where this is discussed in detail. It is revealed here that Mileena was specifically created by Shang Tsung for Kahn through sorcery (Mileena constantly refers to herself in these comics as "Shao Kahn's true daughter"). Also, in MK 2011, Shao Kahn refers to Mileena as his "true daughter."
MK co-creator Ed Boon has described Kitana and Mileena as the female equivalents of Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
While still razor sharp, Mileena's elongated Tarkatan teeth have become progressively shorter throughout the series.
Mileena sports more revealing and provocative clothing than Kitana in every game they appear in together.
The Achievement/Trophy called "Best...Alternate...EVER!" is given for unlocking Mileena's Flesh Pits Costume.
In the Arcade, Sega Saturn, and DS versions of Ultimate MK3, Mileena was the only hidden character with the finishers: 2 Fatalities, a Pit Fatality, a Friendship, an Animality, and a Babality just like the normal characters.
Despite being the clone of Kitana, Mileena does not resemble her more so than other female characters in recent games. This may have been caused by her absence in MK: DA, when developers designed Kitana from scratch, so it became different. In MK:D, Kitana makes a small appearance in the ending of Ermac and Sindel with costumes very similar to that of Mileena. However, in MK 2011 Mileena seems even more distinct from her "sister".
The only games Mileena does not appear alongside her "sister" Kitana are MK: Deadly Alliance, MK: Deception (because Kitana isn't a selectable character in MK:D but in MK:U) and MK vs. DCU.
She was ranked 5 out of 11 for Top 11 Mortal Kombat characters from UGO.com.
Mileena was the first female character to be confirmed for Mortal Kombat (2011).
Mileena never had any new special moves since MKII, until MK 2011.
She can be considered one of the most evil and treacherous characters in Mortal Kombat. Examples of this include taking control of Kitana's army, misleading Shujinko to use as a bargaining chip gaining Onaga as an ally and seizing Shao Kahn's fortress in the name of peace.
Of all the characters featured in Deception (or perhaps Armageddon), Mileena has the loudest scream when most fatalities are performed on her. This also applies to her in MK 2011.
A variant of her X-Ray move was originally used by Johnny Cage.
From MKII to MKT, her name is pronounced MA-LEE-NA and from MKG to MK 2011, is pronounced MI-LEE-NA
Strangely, the announcer in the character select and the winning round in Armageddon pronounced the name as MI-LEE-NA, but Konquest Mode and Argus in her ending pronounced the name as MA-LEE-NA.
In MK 2011, her Fatality Rip Off is taken from Kira's Fatality Torso Rip from Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Mileena's Be Mine Fatality may be based off of her Ferocious Bite Fatality from MK:D.
When Mileena's Be Mine Fatality is performed on Kratos, she will not eat his face; instead, she will immediately slam it on the ground.
When Mileena performs her Be Mine Fatality while wearing her Klassic costume, no blood comes out when she chews on her victim's face.
Janet as Mileena and Cleveland as Scorpion
In the episode "Another Bad Thanksgiving" of The Cleveland Show, Janet (Cleveland's sister-in-law) appears dressed as Mileena while she is killed by Scorpion (Cleveland).
When Mileena performs her victory pose in her masked Kostumes (1, 2 and UMK3 Kostume), she will throw her mask to the floor. In her Flesh Pits Kostume, this motion has been removed and she will only moan before jump on the screen.
In Challenge #184 of the Challenge Tower in MK 2011, If Baraka has been defeated (Mileena is only your partner), and you defeat Reptile with Mileena, she will do Baraka's victory pose.
In a Top 10 list hosted by Screwattack.com, Mileena was placed at #7 of the ugliest chicks in gaming history, due to being half Tarkatan.
In the concept art for Mileena's primary costume in MK 2011, a bloodied hand-print can be seen on her rear, which doesn't actually appear in gameplay.
Mileena's Character Bio in Mortal Kombat (2011) states that "Though she has the appearance of a mature woman, she is more child than adult." alluding to her immaturity and mental instability.
Considering the PlayStation Vita version of Mortal Kombat (2011), Mileena is the character to possess the most number of costumes, with a total of 5.
In MK 2011, if Mileena uses the Leaping Lunch enhanced special move when a sai is lodged in the opponent's back, and finishes gnawing and stabbing and jumps off, she will not put her veil back on, thus exposing her face. This change is not displayed on her X-Ray Move or on her Fatalities. It can be fixed if she uses and lands another Leaping Neckbite. This could possibly be a glitch.
In Arcade Ladder, if you finish Shao Kahn with Mileena's Leaping Neckbite, his neck will still be bleeding as Mileena defeats him in her victory cinematic. This could possibly be a glitch.
Christina Aguilera, in her Stripped World Tour, wore a costume similar to alternate costume of Mileena on MK:D/MK:U/MK:A.
