A/N: Normally, I would do this at the end of an Arc instead of the middle of one. However, being busy with other projects, I decided to do this now. Whenever I upload anything to GbNF, it, more often than not, acts as a sign that a new chapter is coming soon. These are the Kombatant Koncepts starring our new leading ladies of Arc IV, Amaterasu, Mulan, and Nox, and a bonus section with Dakini, now an adult.
Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun
To start, Amaterasu, Mulan, Nox, and the last new character you'll meet in this Arc are all inspired by their depictions in Smite. I started playing it more often, but the additional inspirations set them all apart.
For Amaterasu, it's her Lore in Japanese Mythos. She is still the Goddess of the Sun in the myths and is treated like the favorite child in most stories she's included. In the chapter where Ammy and Tsuki were wed instead of being twins, the story of trapping herself in a cave and only being convinced to come out by Ame-no-Uzume's dancing is a direct reference to the actual story. Yes, Amaterasu in myths locked herself in a cave because Susaano was an asshole. I left the part where Susaano chucked a dead horse into one of her worshipper's weaving halls. (Actually true; look it up) In response, Amaterasu locks herself in a cave.
In the story, Ame-no-Uzume dances for the other gods outside where Ammy is sulking and strip-danced. Remember, Ame-no-Uzume is the god of fun, parties, dancing, and the DAWN. She was definitely up for it. She'd probably strip in the mythos if the world wasn't at stake. After hearing the sounds of joy outside, Amaterasu emerges to see Ame-no-Uzume strip-dancing and the other gods enjoying it. She is visually confused seeing the other gods and seals up the cave. Taking it even further, this brings up the idea that Amaterasu in the myths is either bisexual or lesbian since a Goddess convinced her to 'come out', and I believe it.
Think about it.
The Dawn (Ame-no-Uzume) has to 'reveal' itself for the Sun to 'come out'. This is why Amaterasu is gay and married to Kim in GbNF, the daughter of Ame-no-Uzume's reincarnation. I want to say I planned that far ahead but really didn't. Everything fell into place, but I'm not complaining.
Another inspiration for Ammy was the concept of Amaterasu being a character in the MK universe. I characterized her as if she was introduced by the MK Team instead of being an OC I came up with. Honestly, I'm surprised they didn't develop this idea sooner, seeing as Japanese and Chinese movies inspired John Tobias in tandem with comics. But I added some MK darkness since my first and favorite MK game was Deception (My favorite as well), the second darkest entry in the series next to Deadly Alliance.
In myths, Ammy is the sibling of Raijin and Fujin, so I included that in this depiction of her. Not many people involved Raijin, Fujin, and Ammy, so I created the relationship myself. I also developed her personality once I made her an actual cast member. When Xan was introduced, she acted like a stereotypical deity, with Tsuki being the one with personality. Ammy is depicted as a no-nonsense protector of her people (Japan) but displays a softer side around her friends and lovers. Unlike Raiden, despite being more powerful than him and Fujin combined, she isn't full of herself. I also included her being stern to her younger brothers (A retcon since in Arc IV Raiden was the older sibling, but I changed that). Especially Raiden since he's so driven in being the Protector God of Earthrealm but repeatedly screwing things up. In her eyes, Raiden (or Raijin as she calls him) is still a child trying to be a grown-up. Depending on how you look at it, that's what Raiden is.
We need to talk about her appearance to further differentiate herself from Raiden and Fujin. Instead of looking like the other playable gods like her brothers, Cetrion, Shinnok, and Kronika, Amaterasu looks like a Japanese woman. She is a very gorgeous Japanese woman but still looks human. This adds to her humility and ability to learn new things despite being instrumental in Japan's creation. Unlike her brothers, who clearly give off the appearance of deities. Xan taught her the five disciplines of Kendo and used those over the self-taught style she used when Shinnok first invaded.
And so Amaterasu or my take on her was born. As the older sister of Raiden and Fujin, she is an example of what a good protector looks like while displaying a slow but steady deterioration of her relationship with them.
Any comments/questions/concerns about Ammy?
Will Ammy's role in the story change as it progresses?
In a perfect world, Ammy is like Yao in that she prefers to be left alone. After they retrieve Izanami and Daegon is dealt with, she'll most likely transition into her mortal life as a Lawyer and Kim's wife. Then Liu Kang will get killed, and she'll have to dedicate most of her time to being Amaterasu the Sun Goddess. I want more to Amaterasu, but that would be heavy spoilers. So I'll keep my mouth shut.
Truly the definition of a loner, it seems. Ammy wants to do what's right and won't hesitate to use various methods.
What is Ammy hoping to accomplish besides supporting allies and friends?
Japan's safety is almost always Ammy's priority. If you asked her where her allegiances lie as a young Pantheon Leader, she'd say that she wasn't Pro-Earthrealm but Pro-Japan and Anti-Invader. As the stories progresses, we'll see Ammy more as the Goddess of the Sun than Ammy, the down-to-earth deity among mortals. How she handles things better than her brothers will prove why Amaterasu is the Japanese Pantheon Leader.
It doesn't surprise me that Ammy wants to protect her people as opposed to Earthrealm as a whole.
Would there ever be a scenario where Ammy reconciles with her brothers?
Ammy, while firm, in terms of deific duties, isn't hard to please. Just do your job and do it well. She didn't choose Raiden and Fujin as Earthrealm's Protector Gods. In fact, she didn't have any say. Despite this, she didn't think they were up to the task as not too long before, they were rampaging throughout Japan via Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, and Hurricanes. As we've seen with Shao Kahn invading and Daegon's gross sense of entitlement shows that neither of them has been doing a good job. To truly reconcile with her, Raiden and Fujin need to step up in terms of protecting Earthrealm.
This answer makes me wonder who Ammy would've chosen rather than her brothers if they were doing such a poor job.
Nox: Goddess of the Night
Like Ammy, Nox was inspired by her appearance in Smite. If you look up Nox's default appearance in Smite, you'll see she's in an elaborate dress with her hair covering her eyes like Shermie. I used that design as a base but replaced elaboration with elegance. As Ammy said, Nox normally dresses like she's going to the Met Gala or a Ball. Everything about her is or will be elegant or divine. In her eyes, Nox is the benchmark for how Deities should dress and act.
I characterized Nox this way because to quote Q-Tip: "There's activities a plenty in the night time."
Most events of note take place when the sun goes down. Award shows, nightclub openings, dances, etc. If Nox is the Goddess of the Moon like Tsuki, she'd be characterized differently. Gods in my verse of MK take pride in what they vanguard. The night is representative of spiritual darkness, intuition, and femininity among other things. Nox has those three primary character traits to some extent. Her intuition plays into her being a historian. Her only wearing formal clothing like dresses and gowns shows she embraces her feminine side and revels in it.
Spiritual Darkness is a pious term. The cliff-notes version is not to be faithful to the patron God of your religion. Depending on who you ask, Nox is actually a villainous deity. She revels in gaining new worshippers and stealing them from other Pantheon Gods. The risk is some deities respond more violently than others. Nox can fight as we'll see while traveling with Ammy, Kim, Xan, and Baiken to the Netherrealm. No, she doesn't box as elegant as Dudley. Out of the characters who took inspiration from Smite, Nox had the least influence. There's not much more I can say as Nox only appeared in two (soon to be three) chapters as opposed to Amaterasu having an entire arc and Mulan being an Arc Protagonist. Speaking of which,
Any comments/questions/concerns for Nox?
What's Nox's true motive?
Nox will serve as the historian. She becomes better acquainted with the other cast members and will provide all the tea concerning the other deities. As for her other motive, that's diving into deep spoiler territory. (I'll tell you in a PM) On that end, I'll maintain my silence.
Ah, yes. Every group or faction needs someone like Nox in the background to provide information and research—a perfect role for her. I'm curious as to what else you have in store for her.
Does Nox have any family?
In the Roman/Greek myths, Nox had numerous kids who were minor deities or daimons. In this continuity, she has a sister named Dies, the Goddess of the Day. While acting much differently than Nox does, they are social butterflies and get along well despite being polar opposites. The fact she bore (or will bear in this continuity) many children shows how powerful Nox is. Despite that, she's still significantly weaker than Ammy. Night is often associated with death. It's the fact that Jupiter, the Roman Pantheon Leader, is afraid of her. Simultaneously, the Night can be a beautiful sight, and Nox portrays each aspect perfectly.
If I were to describe Nox in one word: Enrapturing.
Hua Mulan Sareena Maddox
Of the three characters (technically four because Smite also influenced Ishtar) influenced by their appearance in Smite, Mulan takes the most inspiration from her Smite counterpart. At the same time, Mulan takes the most diverging inspirations from other forms of media. But let's talk about her Smite inspirations first.
Mulan is unique compared to Ammy and Nox; she isn't a 1:1 copy-pasting of her Smite counterpart. Last time I checked, the historical figure Hua Mulan wasn't a half-human but a half-humanoid who is also half-black. She also doesn't wear armor at all. Where does the inspiration come from besides her name? Her weapons. Mulan in Smite uses three weapons: A Jian, a Qiang, and a Bow. That transfers to Mulan in the story. She prefers the Jian because most of Mulan's attacks involve the Jian in Smite. Her basic attack string, Ability 1, and Ultimate all use her Jian. Mulan no longer uses a Bow because we already have a Maddox known for her Archery skills, so I twist her ranged weaponry while reminding the audience whose daughter she is by giving her a Revolver. Despite never using her weapons in a confrontation during this edition of Kombatant Koncepts, Mulan is like Michelle Yeoh with a Jian in her hand. Which segues into one of her other inspirations.
Chinese/Wuxia Films.
I initially conceived Mulan as a love letter to Chinese Martial Arts Cinema. Hong Kong has a chokehold on Martial Arts Cinema; look at how big the Ip Man Series got. And need I explain the phenomenon that is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? She can use her Reality Magic to fight for her but chooses to fight like a lead in a Wuxia movie.
Speaking of her powers, that was also given to her via inspiration. Two things inspired her powers. The anime Bleach, specifically Shinji Hirako and his powers as a Hollow and his Shikai, which disorients the senses. The second is the painting, House of Stairs. The painting has the theme of defying logic, and that's what Reality Magic is all about. Her ability to use this (House of Stairs) is because of her Sunglasses/Mask (Shinji and his Hollow Powers). Her appearance also takes inspiration from Shinji, and I'm not talking about his million-dollar smile. Her normal getup is based on Shinji's outfit when he fought Grimmjow in the Arrancar Arc. We've seen small glimpses of Mulan's powers in the story through her use of her Doors, which act as her own spin on portal spells. No incantation or chanting was needed; she spawns it, and the other side is where she wants to go. She can also use it to transport others to random locations and is key to her Reality Magic powers. Her Reality Mask which she masks through her sunglasses amplifies her powers to what they normally are. If I ever decide to have Mulan use her Mask in a fight, it'll showcase how insanely powerful she is.
In short, Mulan Maddox is my take on a modern version of the Chinese Heroine in the world of Mortal Kombat. Her inspirations are all on her person though if it weren't for this edition of Kombatant Koncepts it would take a sharp eye to point out all of those inspirations and references. But we have another Third Gen Maddox to discuss, don't we?
Any comments/questions/concerns for Mulan?
Does Mulan feel pressured to live up to Callie's status?
Of course, she does. Mulan explained the insurmountable pressure that she and Dakini have to live up to what their parents did. Despite everything she's done and the people she's saved, Mulan still thinks she's barely keeping up. The same pressure was the biggest reason why Mulan joined the Air Force instead of following Callie's footsteps and joining Special Forces.
This is the pressure almost no one talks about regarding kids. It's nearly impossible to exceed, let alone match, what their parents did. Unfortunately, Mulan and Dakini fall into this category. What makes this interesting is how their parents encourage them to be themselves.
What is Mulan's relationship with Kung Lao since he's mostly off-screen now?
Lao was Mulan's preferred parent since he brought her to the Opera that inspired her name. She spent more time with Lao in her timeline before he passed away, as he never moved to Edenia per his request. As for her relationship with the present Lao, we'll see that firsthand soon, so I won't say much. But I will say he'll be thoroughly impressed with his future daughter.
I had a feeling this was the case. And I believe you stated Lao will be featured more in this arc with Taven's arrival.
Has Mulan learned anything from Dakini, and vice versa?
Mulan taught Dakini never to give up and to always fight for what they think is right. Inversely, Dakini taught Mulan that not every problem can be solved in a physical confrontation. Sometimes, being diplomatic is the better method to solve one's problems. She also taught Mulan to at least trust her other family members since Mulan inherited Callie's trust issues though not to the same extreme.
Looks as though each gained something from their mother. Mulan with Callie's trust issues, and Dakini with Jade's compassion.
Adult Dakini Maddox
As we know now, you all should have met three different incarnations of Dakini. Her future self is Nightwolf, presently an infant, and as a grown woman. I say should have because if you didn't read the OC Showcase in Moments of Inspiration or my interview of her, you never met Adult Dakini. Regarding physical appearances, Future Dakini is currently an adult, though she's still a young kid in Edenian years. From this point in the story onward, I will slowly build Future Dakini into Adult Dakini over the last few story arcs. I can't say much because I'll be spoiling many things if I do. I have to be careful with what I say here.
One thing I personally think Future Dakini lacks is a sense of identity. All her life has either been in pain and suffering or living under someone else's moniker. The first thing led to the other. Being Nightwolf and stopping Onaga are the only things Future Dakini knows. If you think about it enough, you realize Dakini isn't much of a character in terms of originality despite being an Arc Protagonist and regular cast member. That lack of originality is the one thing she's missing. Everything else about Adult Dakini that makes Adult Dakini is present. No Nightwolf powers or no Hamlet. Save for the lack of control over her powers and confident attitude, Adult Dakini is already here. With only three Arcs left, our little Dakini has plenty of time to blossom.
Does Dakini feel more secure about her future now?
A bit, but Dakini won't let that make her complacent. She knows better than anyone how much of a threat Onaga is. He's biding his time, and Dakini plans on being the most prepared before the inevitable return.
She might be the lone person to conduct Onaga's downfall, merely based on her knowledge of do's and don'ts from the future.
How much will Dakini factor into the current arc?
Not as much as you'd think. Arc V will start her final stages of personal development, but I don't think it'll peak until the next Arc. However, I don't plan on neglecting her as much as I did in Arc IV. She was the protagonist of Arc III, much like how Benji and Callie were of Arcs I and II. They now share the spotlight with Mulan, much like how they shared it with Xan and Kim last Arc.
This is possibly the most underrated aspect of this tale. The protagonist(s) isn't solely on one cast member. It shifts every so often to allow variety.
What are Dakini's inner thoughts about her immediate family?
Benji: She thinks this version of her dad is so cool. Compared to what little she retained of her Benji who was more bitter due to the circumstance they were all a part of. Present Benji is calmer and more fatherly than hers. He's one of the most significant role models for her.
Jade: Present Jade is one of her idols and the standard Dakini holds herself to. She wants to be like her mother as a genuine adult. Dakini will also learn not to be as protective of her loved ones as her present mom since being too much of anything will only drive them away.
Sareena: Dakini learned from Sareena in this timeline that everyone deserves a second chance. Sareena came from the lowest of lows and now lives the life she only dreamed of. Another thing she learned was understanding others. Benji and Jade also understand, but not as much as her surrogate mother. Being a former demon allows a grander perspective on her surroundings than her husband and wife.
Theodore 'Theo' 'Teddy' 'Ted': Ted didn't have a future counterpart as Future Dakini is an only child. In the present, Ted's the oldest ahead of Dakini. But Future Dakini is very protective of her younger older brother, showing she's already inheriting Jade's nature. She wants to ensure that Ted never has to go through strife, especially one on her dark level.
I don't look at being protective as a negative, per se. Does it need to be toned down? Absolutely. However, I'd rather a family member care too much than not at all. That's when resentment sets in. I think Dakini will take in what she's going through with Jade and turn it into a learning moment.