When Kitana was very young, Shao Kahn invaded Edenia and killed her father, King Jarrod, then took Queen Sindel as his wife and took Kitana as his step-daughter. However, Sindel committed suicide rather than be Shao Kahn's "Queen." Afraid of what Kitana would do if she found out the truth, he created a copy of Kitana to watch over her and make sure she didn't learn the truth.

During this time, Kitana and Mileena, aswell as Kitana's best friend Jade became Shao Kahn's elite assassins. Kitana however would learn the truth and became resentful and remorseful, but would pretend to be loyal to Shao Kahn anyway. When the Earth warriors ventured to Outworld to fight Shao Kahn, he grew suspicious of Kitana and sent Mileena to spy on her. When she found out she was conspiring with the Earth warriors, Millena attacked but was killed when Kitana defended herself. This action revealed Kitana's treachery and after the Earth warriors returned to save their realm, Kitana was tried for murder. But she managed to escape during the invasion and joined with the Earth warriors to find her reincarnated mother and save her from Shao Kahn's control. However, Shao Kahn sent Jade and Reptile to kill her. She managed to convince Jade to help her fight off Reptile and they saved Sindel, helping the Earth warriors force Shao Kahn to leave Earth.

Her and her mother began to rebuild Edenia after freeing it from Shao Kahn's hold, but a new threat would appear in the form of Shinnok who was allowed entry into the realm by an Edenian traitor known as Tanya. Kitana and Sindel were imprisoned, but Kitana escaped and ran into a resurrected Mileena whom fought her. Kitana won and imprisoned Mileena. After Raiden and the Earth warriors defeated Shinnok and his forces, Kitana asked Liu Kang to rule Edenia with her, but Liu Kang hesitantly turned her down, saying that he has to protect the Earthrealm.

After this, Kitana arranged a peace treaty between the warring Shokans and Centaurians and they allied with her against Shao Kahn's armies.

Much later, Kung Lao would come to Kitana, telling her of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi's alliance and how they killed Shao Kahn and Liu Kang. While upset at the loss of Liu Kang, she agreed to aid them. Raiden and the Earth warriors attacked the Deadly Alliance but were killed by their Tarkatan hordes. They however would be resurrected by Onaga as his servants, and together they attacked Edenia and imprisoned Sindel. Jade however freed Sindel and together they tried to find a way to free Kitana and the others from Onaga's control. They would ultimately be saved by Liu Kang's spirit and an unlikely ally, Ermac who had broken free from Shao Kahn's control. As she returned to Edenia, she crossed paths with Blaze who warned her of Armageddon and told her to find allies to face it. She wondered if the fighting would ever end, and Blaze said it would.