Li Mei

I cannot deny that I feel strangely drawn to a new power taking a hold in this realm... -- Mortal Kombat: Deception Bio

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 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 villiagers: 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 Li Mei's ending in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, she was filled with the energy of Blaze, and she had but one purpose for her new found power. In retribution for the deaths of her people, she banishes the souls of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung to an obelisk, where they were forced to fend off wave after wave of aggressors for eternity.

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..."


 * Armageddon Bio Card:"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."

Signature moves

 * Nova Blast: Li Mei shoots a purple ball of energy at the opponent. (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)
 * Carnival Spin: 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)
 * Flipping Heel Kick: 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 his/her innards. She keeps it there for a second before pulling it out, then kicks the victim's head off. (MK:DA)
 * Brutality: Li Mei punches her victim all over his/her torso, and in the face, at an incredible speed. She then backs off, allowing her victim to explode with no further action on her part. This fatality seems to borrow from Asian pressure-point myths. (MK:D)
 * Head Grenade: Li Mei punches her victim's head into the air and kicks the head into the opponent, causing it to explode. This is done differently to Liu Kang's Shaolin Soccer. (MK:D)

Other finishers
Hara-Kiri: Li Mei throws her sword into the air and bends over. The sword falls back down and cuts off her head. ''(MK:D)

Endings

 * Deadly Alliance: "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."

Trivia

 * 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.

Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance:
 * Has the same voice actress as Nitara.
 * She has the same sais that Mileena has.

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.
 * Many fans have criticized her ending. The ending had many negative views or opinions because it involved Li Mei turning on the good guys and teaming up with Onaga.
 * In Mileena's Deception Ending, Li Mei is shown holding a naginata instead of her weapon in the game, which is the Kunlun Dao. Ironically, 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.

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):
 * Li Mei along with Kira can be seen chained in the background of Shao Kahn's Arena.

Character Relationships

 * She and her village 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 invited to enter the Deadly Alliance's "tournament".
 * Won the Deadly Alliance's "tournament", then her soul was almost casted out into a mummified soldier by Shang Tsung.
 * Rescued by Bo Rai Cho from the Deadly Alliance.
 * Joined the Forces of Light in the final battle in Armageddon.
 * Severely injured by Hotaru in Armageddon.

Stage Relationships
Li Mei's people had been forced by the Deadly Alliance to build the following:


 * Dark Prison
 * Palace Grounds
 * Shang Tsung's Palace

Additionally, it was within the palace that Li Mei's soul was transferred to the undead soldier.