Overview
Li Mei is an Outworldian warrior in the Mortal Kombat series, first introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Throughout the series, she does what she can to help the people of her home village of Sun Do, whether it be participating in a tournament held by her oppressors (original timeline), escorting a group of refugees (alternate timeline), or being its police constable (New Era timeline).
Story
Original Timeline
In the original timeline, Li Mei is first introduced sometime after the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung formed their "deadly alliance". A resident of the Outworld village of Sun Do, Li Mei was enslaved along with the rest of her village and forced to construct a massive palace fortress for Shang Tsung. She learned that the fortress's location was intentionally built around an ancient stone structure believed to be a portal to the heavens, and witnessed Quan Chi activating a "soulnado" at the portal.
She one day rebelled against her oppressors and attacked its leader, Kano. Quan Chi recognized her fighting spirit and made her a deal she could not refuse; enter a martial arts tournament and win, and she and her people would be freed. However, if she failed, her people would be enslaved forever. At the time, she befriends an elder Shujinko, who trains her in the art of combat.
Although she uses Shujinko's training to win the tournament, the sorcerers betray her and transplant her soul into the last remaining warrior corpse of the ancient army of the Dragon King Onaga. However, Bo' Rai Cho intervened and rescued Li Mei from her intended fate, transplanting her soul back to her body and nursed her back to health. Although she has been saved, the brief time spent within the vessel of the warrior corpse has had an influence on her, and she began to feel drawn towards the power of Onaga. Despite this, she remains with the forces of light during the fated Battle of Armageddon and is slain in battle among countless others.
Alternate Timeline
In the timeline with Raiden's intervention, Li Mei is introduced as the leader of a group of refugees from Sun Do, seeking asylum in Earthrealm after the Outworld Empress Mileena began a campaign of destruction from the Amulet of Shinnok. She has a minor role in the story, helping Earthrealm's forces understand the threat.
New Era Timeline
In the timeline forged by the Fire God Liu Kang, the village of Sun Do is now Outworld's capital city and Li Mei became a member of the Umgadi, a group of warrior priestesses who guard the royal house. Despite her close relationship with the royal family, she was blamed for the murder of Emperor Jerrod and resigned out of shame. She joined the city's constabulary, becoming the First Constable.
Despite a tense relationship with the rest of the royal family, she later aids Liu Kang in proving his innocence with the royal family, help stop General Shao's attempted coup, and mend her relationship with the royal family. She was offered the position of the leader of the Imperial Police by Empress Mileena and accepted, but resigned shortly after as she was not a bureaucrat, remaining the First Constable.
Endings (non-canon)
Upon winning the Deadly Alliance tournament, Li Mei learns that Shang Tsung and Quan Chi had no intent of freeing her people. Instead, her soul is ripped from her body and placed into a warrior corpse in Onaga's army; the last required for the army to revive. Li Mei would be cursed to serve the Deadly Alliance forever.
Though Li Mei initially fights alongside others intent on defeating the powerful Onaga, she gradually comes to understand that it is Onaga that is deserving of victory. To buy Onaga the time he needs to merge the Kamidogu, she turns on her former allies. Once merged, the Kamidogu grant Onaga almighty power; enough to frighten off the elder gods. As a reward for her service, Onaga then transforms Li Mei into his queen, granting her powers beyond her imagination. She and Onaga rule the realms as they kill off the remaining elder gods.
After defeating Blaze and receiving the power, Li Mei turns her attention to Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. In retribution for what the pair had done to her people, she traps them in an obelisk, where they must fight endless waves of attackers for all eternity.
Fighting Styles
Deadly Alliance
Fighting Styles: Lui He Ba Fa and Baji Quan
Weapon Style: Sai
Deception
Fighting Styles: Lui He Ba Fa and Mi Zong
Weapon Style: Kunlun Dao
Armageddon
Fighting Style: Lui He Ba Fa
Weapon Style: Kunlun Dao
Costume
Alternate: Deception
According to an entry in The Krypt:
"A struggle now brews within Li Mei, putting her honor, ideals and humanity in peril. The silk garments she previously wore are now gone, she now has an altered version of the armor that was to be her eternal confinement as death tightened its grip on her soul, threatening to claim her. She is a deeply scarred warrior, her spirit is as cold and hardened as the metal that protects her. "
Concept sketch by Herman Sanchez
Special Moves
Deadly Alliance
- Kartwheel: D, B, LK
- Klock Kick: F, D, HK
- Sparkler: D, B, HP
Fatalities
Deadly Alliance
- Thrust Kick: F, F, D, F, LK
Deception
- "Brutality": (Sweep distance) F, F, F, F, HP
Li Mei strikes her opponent many times in a few moments, and when she's done, she steps back and they explode.
- Decap Kick: (Sweep distance) U, B, F, F, LK
Li Mei uppercut's her opponent's head off, then roundhouse kicks it in-air, into the body, where the torso explodes.
- Hara-Kiri: U, D, U, D, HK
Li Mei throws her sword into the air and then bends over, allowing the falling blade to decapitate her.
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