Origin
Jade hails from Edenian nobility, and was a very close childhood friend of Princess Kitana, daughter of King Jerrod and Queen Sindel, King and Queen of Edenia. This makes Jade over ten millennia old despite her youthful and nubile appearance. At some point in the past the Emperor of Outworld Shao Kahn would succeed in conquering Edenia and would come to merge the Edenian realm with Outworld to rule over both. Still a young child at the time Jade would be given to Shao Kahn as a tribute and gift by her family. Shao Kahn would take the young girl and force her into intense training, honing and chiseling the young Edenian into a lethal fighting machine, and proficient assassin. Centuries of intense training molding Jade into a fearsome and skilled warrior, one of the many in the service of Shao Kahn alongside others such as Kitana and her sister Mileena who had likewise received similar disciplining and training. Jade would eventually be recognized for her efficiency and effectiveness as a warrior and ninja and chosen by Shao Kahn to serve as a bodyguard for his adopted daughter Kitana the two woman establishing a deep bond and friendship.
Clad in green ninja wear Jade would gain a reputation as a confident, ruthless, sassy warrior with incredible agility feats and sleek stealth skills, and she would prove herself loyal, sincere and sympathetic towards her friend and charge Kitana. Eventually Lady Kitana would develop doubts over her father Shao Kahn’s actions and motives, and when she looked for answers and truths she would discover horrific betrayals, deception, murder and regicide. Kitana would learn that Mileena was not her true biological twin sister rather a clone of herself, one created by Shao Kahn’s most trusted adviser Shang Tsung and his dark sorcery and magic.
Furthermore Shang Tsung would infuse Kitana’s clone with Tarkatan genetics as Shao Kahn had wished for a more ferocious and loyal daughter to replace Kitana with should she rebel. Princess Kitana would also learn Shao Kahn’s actions towards her true parents, his murder of her pure and good father King Jerrod and the tampering of her memory. Her life was effectively a lie. Disgusted Kitana would rebel against her father and would chose to ally with the Earth Realm warriors aiding them where she could and developing a fierce rivalry with Mileena.
Shao Kahn would at first send Jade to recapture Kitana for lack of loyalty and the two friends would fight each other, Jade puzzled by Kitana’s actions and attitude. When Jade would also realize the truth surrounding Kitana’s past and Shao Kahn’s misdeeds and the creation of Mileena she would reconcile and side with Kitana, freeing her friend from Shao Kahn’s dungeon. Jade would also go on and become and ally to the Earth Realm warriors, and would also go on to embrace her Edenian heritage, seeking to restore her native realm of Edenia to its former glory.
Jade would also lead as the General of the Edenian Army. Jade arms herself with a mystical metal extendable bo staff and typically wears tight fitting ninja garb with green and black as her signature colors.
Creation
Jade was created for the popular video game fighting game franchise Mortal Kombat, the popular femme fatale created by Mortal Kombat head designer and comic book writer John Tobias. Jade first appears in the second installment of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II released in 1993, but her role would be as a secret non playable character, and she would share a character palette and leotard costume style with the characters Kitana and Mileena, each female fighter distinguished by a signature color. Jade would be identified with green, Mileena purple and Kitana blue.
Jade’s likeliness would be inspired by Katalin Zamiar initially and Becky Gable in later Mortal Kombat games. With greater memory limits Jade would develop greater visual differences from Kitana and Mileena. Jade would be voiced by Linda Lee. Mortal Kombat would eventually expand into the comic book medium, published by Malibu, Jade would first appear in the comic medium in Mortal Kombat Battlewave #2 released in 1995. Jade would also appear in the Mortal Kombat Rayden and Kano mini series.
Character Evolution
Although arguably not as popular or iconic as her Mortal Kombat companions Kitana or Sonya Blade, Jade otherwise is one of the franchises most popular and recognizable characters, and one of its characters that has appeared in various mediums, video games, movies, novels and comic books. Jade first appeared as a secret background character in Mortal Kombat II, it was not until later games that she would become a playable character with her own story.
Jade would initially be visually identical to characters Kitana and Jade save for wearing a green skin tight body suit and appearing to have a tanner skin tone. A part of Jade’s popularity would owe in parts to the characters sex appeal, a trait played up when the character would appear in a Girls Gone Wired promotion.
Jade’s depiction in the Malibu published comic books would reflect the characters Mortal Kombat 2 era appearance and style rather than the characters modernized look, and Jade would be partnered with the ninja character Smoke, a reference to both characters secret character status in Mortal Kombat 2. Jade would otherwise play a minor supporting role in the story arcs.
Major Story Arcs
Jade and Smoke
Jade and Smoke would be acting under service of Shao Kahn, acting as his top assassins. When Goro would return after his defeat in the first Tournament he would seek vengeance by targeting Earth Realm warriors and severely beating them. His victim would be the US Special Forces agent Jax. Jax would survive Goros attack but require hospitalization and it was during this period that Shao Kahn would order his assassination by the hands of Jade and Smoke.
Powers and Abilities
Jade is extremely long lived, by virtue of her Edenian physiology. Still considered very young by Edenian standards Jade possesses over ten millennia of life experience and combative fight training. As well as being a superb and skilled hand to hand fighter Jade is also proficient with many manners of weaponry, including steel fans, bo staff and razor-edged boomerangs.
Physical Characteristics
Height: 5’7″
Weight: 118 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Age: 10,000 years old
Other Media
Movies
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Jade appears in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and is played by Irina Pantaeva.
Video Games
Mortal Kombat II (1993)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat II
Jade’s first appearance comes in the sequel to the successful Mortal Kombat game Mortal Kombat II. Jade’s appearance is based on martial artist and actress model Katalin Zamiar. Jade is a secret opponent but can not be controlled by the player.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)
For Further Information: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Jade appears in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. An updated and improved version of Mortal Kombat 3. This game marking Jade’s first playable role.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Jade appears in Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Mortal Kombat Trilogy complies the first three Mortal Kombat games as well as offers additional extras.
MK: Deception (2004)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat: Deception
Jade appears in the sixth official installment of the Mortal Kombat franchise Mortal Kombat Deceptions. Both Sindel and Jade attempt to rescue Kitana from Onaga’s mind enslavement.
MK: Unchained (2006)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Jade appears in Mortal Kombat Unchained which is a hand held video game version of Mortal Kombat Deception. Her role is as similar.
MK: Shaolin Monks (2005)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Jade appears in Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks, which stars Liu Kang and Kung Lao. The plot is a retelling of the events of Mortal Kombat II from the vantage of the two Shaolin Monks. Jade serves as a boss, along with Mileena and Kitana. All three would be defeated by Liu Kang with Jade actually killed by Liu Kang finishing her with Mileena’s weapons.
MK: Armageddon (2006)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Jade appears in the seventh installment of the hit fighting game franchise. Like almost all the fighters apart from Shao Kahn and Raiden she is killed during the massive brawl.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
For Further Information: Mortal Kombat
Jade appears in the 2011 version of Mortal Kombat, which is the series attempt to refine and reestablish itself with a new cleaner continuity. Raiden has sent his younger self a message through time and much of the back history of Mortal Kombat has been altered as a result.