Netflix's original dystopian sci fi thriller Altered Carbon is an awesome series about a future where humans have all but achieved immortality. The show is blessed with a tight storyline, swift pace and memorable characters, one of whom is Kristin Ortega (portrayed by Martha Higareda).
Granted, she was largely a stereotype bilingual Latin American person but even so, fans still loved her. She was tough, witty and righteous. Femininity and sheer badassery oozed out of her every line of dialogue and every kick she threw. Without further delay, here are 10 facts about Altered Carbon's Kristin Ortega that you might have missed out on.
Kristin Is Still Mostly Organic
Kristin Ortega was born in circa 2350, which means she is in her early thirties in the first season. She is still in her (birth) organic sleeve. The genetic enhancements she has include a cybernetic eye, called ONI, which is connected to all her devices. She wears her ONI because it allows her to get online and access her devices and also because, it is required on Harlan’s World.
She has a highly advanced mechanical arm courtesy of Takeshi Kovacs, which he paid for, after her fight with Mister Leung.
Kristin Is A Stereotypical Latin American Character
Ortega was born on Earth before she became a cop in the Bay City Police Department. She is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish with the same ferocity. She is quite ill tempered at times and believes in kicking ass before asking questions or giving explanations.
Ortega is by far the most stereotypical character throughout the two seasons of Altered Carbon, but there's a lot more to here than just these stereotypes.
Kristin's Family Is Personally Connected To The Police
Ortega's mother is Alazne Ortega and her father was Francisco Ortega, an officer at the Bay City Police Department. After the death of her father, Ortega joined police force to follow in his footsteps.
Alazne, her mother, was in a happy relationship with Aboud, her partner at the Police Department. The rest of her family died in an attack by Mister Leung.
Kristin Is Secretly Affectionate & Loving
Ortega was always a tough cop, but she is known to be very tender and doting towards her mother and family. She renounced her Neo-C coding when Francisco Ortega, her father, died. At the time, Ortega was in a romantic relationship with Elias Ryker, who was also a cop.
When Kovacs was resleeved in Ryker's sleeve, she indulged in a complicated romantic relationship with Takeshi Kovacs. At the end of the first season, she reunited with Ryker.
Kristin Is A Former Neo-Catholic
Kristin has a deeply religious family. Everyone in her family has been coded as Neo-C, which means all of them are Catholics. They believe in souls and that if they allow their consciousness to be coded into stacks or resleeved, they wouldn’t be able to enter to heaven.
Originally, Kristin was Neo C too, but she renounced her religious feelings to escape death after her father died.
Kristin's Beef With The Bancrofts Is Personal
Ortega, in general, does not like the Meths or their accomplices. She is also hugely against the differences these wealthy people have created in society and their treatment of poor people.
Ortega initially did not have any personal issues with the Bancrofts... that is until the Bancrofts rented Ryker’s sleeve on lease, which she thought they did on purpose.
Kristin's Difficult Relationship With Kovacs
For fans and Higareda herself, Kristin's most emotionally charged moments in the show were the intimate scenes she had with Takeshi Kovacs because their relationship was very complicated.
She wanted Kovacs but she didn't want to step forward because she knew the mind possessing her former lover's body was Ryker, but Takeshi Kovacs. It was a very tender and conflicting moment.
Martha Higareda Loved The Naked Sword Fight
Fans loved the sword fight that a naked Reileen and Kristin indulged in towards the end of the show's first season. As it turns out, the actresses involved also shared their fans' enthusiasm for the unforgettable clash.
In an interview, Higareda said it was liberating for both of them to play those intense scenes. Martha also mentioned how satisfying it was to bring their own diverse cultural ethnicities on board and contribute towards bringing more balance in the industry.
Kristin Has A Bigger Presence In The Series
In the series, Kristin Ortega has been one of the lead protagonists for a while and she even got a bit more screen time than Reileen. Her family, religious beliefs and personal life were explored in detail while in the books, her character is not that important.
The book does not say much about her personal life or romantic relationships. She has been talked about in fleeting instances and has a crucial but small character arc.
The Real Kristin Is Still On Earth
In the first season, Elias Ryker was acquitted of all accusations, allowing him and Ortega to be reunited. In the second season, Ortega was shown to be fighting with Takeshi Kovacs in the Circle for the execution on the Harlan’s World but that wasn’t the real Ortega. That was a Circle fighter.
The real Ortega is still on Earth serving the Bay City Police Department, happily living with Ryker.