For those who are somewhat unfamiliar with the Mortal Kombat franchise, it may seem like a series of simple fighting games, but of course that’s not true. Besides being a world wide phenomenon, there are complex story lines, intense character arcs, and deep lore. And though she may not be the most recognizable of the Mortal Kombat fighters, Sonya Blade is the original female character of the series.
General Sonya A. Blade is an American female soldier who was a member of Earthrealm’s Special Forces unit known as Outer World Investigative Agency (OIA). Now she commands all the operations of the Special Forces and Units. She is one of the original Mortal Kombat characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat game in 1992. Her goal in most of the games is to pursue and capture Kano, as well as eliminate his criminal syndicate, the Black Dragon. In later games, she’s joined by her comrade, Jax. She’s also the only Earthrealm female to be part of Raiden’s Chosen Warriors, which makes her not just one of the strongest fighters in Earthrealm, but all of the realms.
Sonya is blonde, beautiful, leggy, stern, and tough-as-nails. She represents a very emancipated and headstrong woman, but for all her stubbornness, she cares deeply about the lives of her friends and cohorts. Basically, she’s someone you want on your side.
Her backstory and characterization has been fleshed out through the years in the various games, as well as in the live action Mortal Kombat movies, the animated television show from the 1990’s, and the comic book series. While not as tough in-game as some of the other kombatants, Sonya is integral to many of the main story arcs.
Considered “more realistic” by many gaming writers and critics than Street Fighter peers Chun Li and Cammy, her costumes have always been less fantastical and much more like something a badass woman can actually fight in. For proof, look no further than gorgeous Ms. Hatred‘s take on Sonya Blade. Just look at her. She’s got the attitude down! Besides the attitude, she’s got the look. The hat, the gloves, the bandoleer, the tank top…it’s all there and it’s all working. Ms. Hatred definitely looks like she could do Sonya’s signature leg grab move on us. Not that we’d be opposed to that. Who knows, we might just get lucky enough to snag a Kiss of Death. In the world of Fatalities, there are worse ways to go.
Photography credits: il fantasma del castello and Danilo Olivieri
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