A talented cosplayer recently revealed a retro recreation of Sonya Blade, one of the Mortal Kombat franchise's oldest and well-known "kombatants." Since 1992, the brutal fighting game franchise delivered - and continues to deliver - fast-paced action, gory finishing moves and memorable characters to an ever-growing fanbase of gamers. Despite the truly monstrous nature of many series mainstays, Mortal Kombat cosplays have become quite popular among those dedicated to dressing up for a beatdown.
With nearly 30 years of history behind it, the Mortal Kombat series has established a huge variety of playable characters that remain recognizable today. The original installment's roster of seven merciless kombatants - particularly the opposing duo of Scorpion and Sub-Zero - are still considered shoe-ins for each new entry in the bloody saga. The two elemental ninjas are often the subject of cosplays, along with other classic characters like Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage and Raiden; and numerous sequels and spin-offs have introduced even more unusual designs. The insectoid creature D'Vorah was introduced in 2015's Mortal Kombat X, and even this winged warrior has been recreated through the breathtaking use of prosthetics and makeup. A cosplay of Mortal Kombat X's Mileena design is similarly spectacular, with the character's demonic mouths recreated using film-worthy makeup effects.
In a picture-perfect Mortal Kombat cosplay, Redditor Tniwe recreated Sonya Blade's iconic look from the original arcade fighting game. While the military-grade warrior received a large number of redesigns and cosmetic costumes over the years, this particular attire is based on her retro 1992 getup. Tniwe brings back Sonya's original design down to the last detail, including her hairstyle, shining white sneakers, bizarre armbands and red lipstick. Even the character's pose is maintained, with Tniwe standing kombat-ready with one fist raised forward and the other ready to strike at her opponent.
While the relentlessly gory fighting game franchise has come a long way, many Mortal Kombat fans like Tniwe still remain loyal to the series' 1990's roots. Mortal Kombat 11 brought extensive character customization and nearly photorealistic graphics in 2019, but many gamers still want to see a remaster of the original Mortal Kombat trilogy. An independent game developer named Eyeballistic recently started a petition to develop such as project, with 4K-rendered screenshots of the retro games serving as a proof-of-concept. The indie studio claims that they pitched the idea to Warner Bros. five years ago, but they were turned down despite the support of series co-creator Ed Boon. With cosplayers like Tniwe recreating classic character designs, it seems that there exists some demand for a remake of the franchise's first entries.
Through almost 30 years of epic battles and time-bending storylines, the Mortal Kombat series has assembled a wide cast of characters and a large fighting game fanbase. While some gamers are content to embody their favorite characters in-game, others go the extra mile by transforming into these fighters through cosplay. Tniwe's Sonya Blade recreation is a throw-back to the franchise's retro origins, bringing Mortal Kombat's most deadly woman into the real world.