Taja

Taja is a character featured in the television show Mortal Kombat: Conquest, played by actress Kristanna Loken. A former thief, Taja is a quick and skilled fighter with an upbeat personality.

Taja was born to a poor, nomadic family, but led a happy childhood. When she was twelve, her family disappeared in a forest in which they had set up camp, and were later all found dead. Following this tragedy, Taja found herself alone and had to resort to theft to survive. She became a very proficient and skilled thief while also learning martial arts to defend herself.

Taja's career as a thief comes to an end after she and an accomplice attempt to rob the wealthy Jen Reyland and her bodyguard Siro. Siro defeats the thieves and detains Taja. He takes her back to the trading post owned by Jen’s father, Baron Reyland and her life is spared, but she is forced into servitude. Taja is still a servant in the trading post when she is visited by a beggar who is actually the thunder god Raiden in disguise and a desperate Jen who convince her that she will be freed if she helps save her lover Kung Lao from being executed by The Baron. Taja aids in the plot to free Kung Lao and she escapes together with Kung Lao, but Jen is left behind in the clutches of her furious father. Taja and Kung Lao decide to return to rescue Jen and are joined by the now banished Siro. The three are ambushed by the Baron’s guards, and the Baron himself is killed in the fray by the assassin Scorpion, who is disguised as Siro's replacement. Scorpion takes Jen hostage in order to escape and unintentionally kills her in his escape. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Taja joins Siro and Kung Lao in dedicating their lives to protecting Earthrealm. Feeling that she needs to find a higher purpose in life, Taja vows to use her skills as a thief only for good.

Despite the plethora of supernatural allies, foes, and realms that the three friends encounter, Taja is the most skeptical. As the series progresses, she gradually suspends her disbelief in otherworldly forces. Nonetheless, she has little patience for people with such abilities, particularly Raiden who, by his refusal to openly aid Earthrealm with his powers and knowledge, annoys Taja no end.

Later in her adventures, Taja meets a powerful human fighter named Tomas who wants to join their cause. Taja falls in love with Tomas, causing Siro to become jealous. The evil emperor, Shao Kahn, sees Tomas as a threat, and frames him for murder. At first, Kung Lao and Siro do not believe in his innocence, while Taja does, and it is later revealed that it was Reptile who has framed Tomas. In a final act of loyalty, Tomas sacrifices his life to save Kung Lao from an acid ball attack from Reptile. Taja also later encounters a friend from her thieving days, Dion, but the heroes are betrayed by her, delivered into the hands of Shao Kahn. Dion later sacrifices herself to open a portal to Outworld permanently and she is banished to the Cobalt Mines.