Kitana's Origins (Work in Progress)

I've been working on this picture far too long. I've learned alot along the way. So much so it made me want to start over after going so far with this. But no I wanted to see this finished unlike my last painting wich became a bust. Too many uneven lines and shading issues I swear take me many months more. so for now this is it. so despite its many many imperfections I am going to upload as a work in progress so I can move on to another painting with ease and from time to time come back to this one with some improvements.

Anyway I was requested from a friend to do a picture for Kitana since they where a fan of that character. I thought long and hard how to cover her origins (since the game storyline don't tell you jack) and where the fan blades came from. Then my sister gave me an idea. I stuck with that idea and visualized it to this picture. So here it is despite its many imperfections. I hope you enjoy. Keep in mind this is my version of the story line, that being said I can't say if it is anywhere near the true story. Just my interpretation. And the story that goes along with it:

Thousands of years ago in outworld. Kitana would be an equivalent of what a 16 year old would be by her standards (since she is a fully matured woman at 10,000 years), at in Shao Khan's eyes not worthy to fight anyone. Just to smile and be pretty for the minions of edenia that was merged into outworld Eons ago. Kitana, little knowing her true father was dead and her mother gave her life and soul to protect her daughter's, believed Shao Khan to be her father. He used this to keep the minions merged from edenia at bay so they would not rise against him, her adopted father. But Kitana had one thing that was passed down to her and remains in her personal chambers, her mothers decorative fans. So beautiful and sleek they where. She took comfort in holding them. Guiding her hand as they whisped in the air.

Kitana so desired to be taken seriously as a Warrior, she trained for it all her life throwing knifes at dummies and expanding her fighting style. But none of these impressed the emporer to use her as one of his of many warriors, let alone any one of the generals who are assigned to guard him. A young girl around Kitana's age however had earned that title. Jade. Impressed with her skill at such a young age Shao Khan Assigned her as one of the few of his body guards. The others would not take her seriously of course. But Jade proved even them a shocking but worthy adversary. Eventually Kitana and her became the closest friend either one of them ever had.

Kitana hoped the day would come when she would prove herself to her emperor, and her place next to Jade and the other guards as equals. She gathered together only the sharpest knifes she could find throughout the castle, wich was not hard since the place was armed to the teeth with outworlds strongest weapons, and forged together a weapon from one of her mothers fans to make a weapon no warrior had ever seen in outworld, A fan with blades sticking out of it. She felt the blade in her hand, practiced many times with it day and night when no one saw her. She made only one for now. She planed on another. Maybe more.

While preparing to scavage for more sharp blades while Shao Khan slept one night, she spotted a man climbing the side of one of the castle towers. The man carried a knife in a holster to his side. Kitana immediately assumed the man to be a rebel Assassin. She left her bedroom to follow the man. Sure enough he made it past the guards. He killed a few to keep himself hidden. Kitana was not fast enough to save them.

She caught up to the Rebel finally. He stood outside Shao Khan's door. He brandished a clean blade. One he prepared to kill the Emporer with specially. He crept torwards the chamber doors. He stopped when he heard a noise. Kitana's blades clanked accidently. He spun around to face her. She quickly flung out of the shadows and while midair flew the fanblade directly into the mans skull. He dropped his blade mid-fall.

Time slowed down for Kitana, The world seemed frozen as she flew through the air. Like a piece of her mother guided her hand. If she only knew this was not the case. But it was indeed the birth of her unique weapon.

Meanwhile Jade, as well as two other guards, where followwing behind wich each body they found littering the ground. They too finally caught up to the two. But only to witness for a breif moment when kitana killed the rebel assassin. Jade flung her hand to the side to hold back the guards, even though she and they even stood in awe at the very sudden and grisly sight. Shao Khan of course emerged from the chambers after hearing the various sounds outside his chamber. Shocked that his adopted daughter came to serve him while he slumbered before jade or any of the others could, Shao Khan relised that she had proven herself worthy to serve him. So Kitana and Jade where for many eons since side by side as allies and equals.

But never knowing either where robbed of their true homeland until much later in their lives by the one they have defended for 10,000 years, Shao Khan.

I hope you enjoyyed this and the story that went along with it. I really wanted to do alot more then this but seriously there where to many objects I wanted that I ultimately did not want to do at this period of time.

I had a bit of help putting this picture together. I have a few references. Kitana's base was from a cartoon female base. I can't remember where it came from but it was a basic image so I don't know.

Jade was painted from an actual young woman who dressed as her. Her body type gave me an idea what Jade would look like younger.
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And the background was based on an hd upscaling of the mk 2 backround "The Kombat Tomb" by molim

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Hope you will enjoy. I will do some massive improvements down the road but for now it will be a W.I.P until I get some other and more simpler projects out of the way. Hope you enjoy.