It's been said countless times already, and I guess I'll say it again so I can be a part of the thread, lol. The three females most likely to make it in are Sonya, Kitana, and Mileena (BTW, I'm not just going with everyone else, I had a discussion about the cast with Barakaz_cuz and I said these three before anybody else! >=[ ...). Ed Boon's clearly going with the iconic, most easily-recognizable characters, and in the MK Universe, those three take the cake.
These three chicks were around since MK's beginning, and that helps them out a lot, because they've had more "camera time" than any of the females that came into the story later on. Not only that, but due to their early appearence, they became fan favorites instantly, so that when characters like Tanya or Frost came into the picture, the "favorite female" spots were already taken and it was tougher for them to steal them.
But that's not to say that an early appearence are the only things that make them iconic. I mean, Liu Kang was, like, the first MK character to ever "show up", and he's one of the least liked. Sure, he might make it into the next game (shit) because this fact makes him recognizable, but Sonya, Kitana, and Mileena have more going for them and up-ing their chances way past the likes of Kang's. The three girlies actually have a huge fan base.
1. Sonya Blade
Sonya is the essential heroine of Mortal Kombat. Since she appeared in MK1, that spot was immediately open for her. She was made into sort of the standard female protagonist that almost every storyline similar to MK's has. I don't know much about DC, but from what I know, she's to MK what Wonder Woman is to DC; the sexy, tough female that mostly hangs out with the main guys so the "good side" isn't a sausage-fest, lol.
Since then, she's always maintained that role of hers. Sonya's storyline in the many MK's she's appeared in has always consisted of Sonya Vs. Evil. Her actions and goals are more or less always to kick the ass of anything considered evil and keep the peace. Having this role since the beginning of the franchise grants her the title of female protagonist, which consequently makes her very likely to show up in MKDC.
Another thing she has going for her is the fan base. It's not at all uncommon for a random MK fan to either like Sonya or be a big fan of hers. By including her in the upcoming roster, Boon would be making a move where he couldn't go wrong.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention something nobody else has. Believe it or not, I think Sonya's hair color is yet another thing she has going for her. There's no other blond female. Even someone who's only played MK once or seen someone else play MK once would be likely to recognize her, if not for her deeper qualities, then as "that blond chick".
2. Kitana
Kitana's another iconic face in the MK franchise, IMO, thanks mostly to her weapons. Her fans allowed Kitana to stand out among the other fighters of MK:II, and made her more than a female Sub-Zero or just another "ninja". She also had a very interesting entrance in MK, which I think gave her quite a bit of fans since the beginning. Her being an assassin for Shao Khan, then gradually switching sides, made her memorable story-wise once MK:II was over and done with.
That and her personality have, fortunately, helped her to have a unique identity next to Sonya. The role that Kitana was meant to have in MK since the beginning is, in essence, very similar to Sonya's, which is a female hero. But she grew into that role though her storyline rather than instantly popping up as such. Had she been introduced instantly as a friend of Liu Kang's or something similar, she might not have the fans she has today, and she might've ended up living in Sonya's shadow. But thanks to a smart introduction, we now have Kitana as not just one of the female good guys, but a tactical, determined woman with a troubled past and a personality much more low-key than that of Miss Blade. That's a major factor that allows her to be labeled as iconic among the rest of the girlies.
I'm not that big of a fan of Kitana's - her absence in MKDC or another upcoming MK Title wouldn't trouble me. Still, it can't be denied that when it comes to recognizable faces in Mortal Kombat, she's up there on one of the top spots with the likes of Sub, Scorp, Sonya, etc.
3. Mileena
Mileena's one of my all-time favorite MK characters, a second to Sonya. She has a personality that just stands out, no questions asked, not only with the other females, but the entire cast. Like queve said, she's an evil psycho-bitch and that's very very sexay; oh yeah, and to top it all off, she's got a creepy little secret hiding under her veil. How cool is that?
If you asked me if Mileena would have this chance she has now at the time of MK:3 and 4, I would tell you probably not, or I'd have to at least think hard about it. Thankfully, MK: Deception gave her a vital role in the storyline and, along with her re-invented look and attire (ALT. is the best), it helped skyrocket Mileena up the Top MK Female ladder. Lucky her that there was no one to cast any slight shadow on her resurrection, since Deception didn't include the likes of Sonya and Kitana. I, for one, was ecstatic with this chance she was given to shine. So as of right now, Mileena's returned to her glory of MK:II, and fans love it.
The fact that she's got a new direction to go on (no more Kitana-hating only) and a recent revival make me say with almost 100% certainty that Mileena's got big chances of coming back. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I saw her in MKDC - hell, I'd love it!
Given Boon doesn't fuck up the roster, I can't wait to see Sonya and Mileena's new looks, storylines, and fighting. Yeah, yeah... now that the horrorfying shock of MKDC's announcement has passed, I might as well start looking forward to some positives, lol.
