Overview

Major rewrite changes

  • Focus on the central theme of heart vs. duty
  • Mushu’s weird selfish plot device instead becomes a thematic arc to learn duty
  • Covering plot holes: reasons why the Emperor can’t just use his own army
  • Mulan instead becomes the paragon: perfect union between heart and duty
  • Antagonistic Huns attack the gang every time they put heart over duty
  • Characteristic dialogue
  • Climactic battle rewritten from scratch
  • Resolution with consequences

Rewriting

While the plot beats from the original source are mostly summarised in default colour (assuming the reader is familiar with the source), any changes are explained in more detail and coloured in red.

Scene headers are labelled accordingly:

  • (no label) - The scene has roughly the same purpose in the plot as the original.
  • CUT - The scene was entirely cut out. Useless.
  • NEW - The scene did not exist in the source material, and was concepted just for the rewrite.
  • DEFERRED - The scene originally happens earlier in the story, but was delayed for later.

Cast

  • Mulan
  • Shang
  • Mushu
  • Gang of Three:
    • Yao,
    • Chien-Po,
    • Ling
  • Princesses (Middle Kingdom)
    • Mei,
    • Su,
    • Ting-Ting
  • Emperor (Middle Kingdom)
  • Emperor Qin (Northern Qui Gong Kingdom)
  • Princes (Qui Gong)
  • Huns Soldiers + Huns Leader
  • Fa Zhou (Mulan’s dad), Mama Fa, Grandma Fa

Original Plot Structure

  • Hook: Mulan trains some girls, and Shang comes to propose to her.
  • Inciting Incident: The Emperor summons the Mulan and Shang to the palace for a secret mission. Mushu finds out he would lose his status as family guardian, as well as Mulan, should they get married.
  • Key Event: The duo decide to call off their wedding, and head to the palace. The Emperor quests them to escort his three princess daughters to form an alliance with Lord Qin to protect them from a coming Mongol invasion.
  • First Plot Point: They leave their kingdom with the three princesses and three guards.
  • First Pinch Point: Mushu sabotages the carriage, destroying it. They must stop and set up camp.
  • Midpoint: The oldest princess, Ting-Ting, asserts to her sisters that they must follow their duty over their heart. Nevertheless, they sneak out with the guards to attend a festival.
  • Second Pinch Point: Shang catches them in the village, puts his foot down, and forbids their blossoming relationships. Mulan is incredulous and they break their own relationship off.
  • Third Plot Point: Continuing their journey, they get ambushed, resulting in Shang falling to his death. They regroup and mourn. Mulan decides to offer herself in the princesses’ place.
  • Climactic Inciting: Shang crashes the wedding, apparently alive. The people don’t like him.
  • Climactic Midpoint: Mushu masquerades as the Great Dragon to dissuade Lord Qin.
  • Climactic Moment: Lord Qin gives in, and weds the duo on the spot.
  • Resolution: China is saved, due to the alliance. Mushu is added onto Shang’s family guardians, which means he still gets to be with Mulan.

🚨 Spoiler Alert! 🚨 Everything that follows is spoiler territory, obviously…

Rewrite Plot Structure

  • Hook: Three princesses play around. Their Queen Mother reprimands them, sorrowful herself.
  • Inciting Incident: The Emperor summons the Mulan and Shang to the palace for a secret mission. Mushu finds out he would lose his status as family guardian, as well as Mulan, should they get married.
  • Key Event: The duo decide to call off their wedding, and head to the palace. The Emperor quests them to escort his three princess daughters to form an alliance with Lord Qin to protect them from coming Hun raids.
  • First Plot Point: They leave their kingdom with the three princesses, three guards, and an entourage of guards.
  • First Pinch Point: They get ambushed by Huns, separating them from the rest of the soldiers. They press on ahead to make the deadline.
  • Midpoint: The oldest princess, Ting-Ting, asserts to her sisters that they must follow their duty over their heart. Nevertheless, they sneak out with the guards to attend a festival.
  • Second Pinch Point: They get ambushed again at the festival. Shang puts his foot down, and forbids their blossoming relationships. Mulan is incredulous and considers to break their own relationship off.
  • Third Plot Point: Continuing their journey, they get ambushed, resulting in Shang falling to his death. They regroup and mourn. Mulan decides to offer herself in the princesses’ place.
  • Climactic Inciting: Huns ambush the Qin palace. Everyone retreats inside.
  • Climactic Midpoint: The three guards joins the fight. They must fight their way to light the signal fire to call for reinforcements, but gently fan it to make it grow.
  • Climactic Moment: Reinforcements are called. One last Hun makes an attempt on Lord Qin, which is blocked by Shang, alive. Shang announces that the village that his father had died protecting was actually in Qin's dynasty. Shang demands for Qin to honor them by not requiring Mulan's marriage, to which Qin is pressed to fulfill.
  • Resolution: China is saved, due to the alliance. Upon accusations of treason, the princesses vouch for the guards. They all attend Mulan and Shang's wedding, whereupon Mushu officiates and completely fulfills his duty.

Act 1

1.x - Mushu intro - CUT

1.1 Princesses Intro - NEW

  • Three princess sisters, as children, run wild around the palace.
  • The Queen reprimands them, shoves fans into their hands, and forces their posture.
  • The girls are: heartbroken; disgusted; conflictingly obedient.
  • The Queen sings Who Could Ever Ask For More (Like Other Girls’ intro): Playing your role is the ultimate thing you can do.
  • By the end, the girls are all emotional and just bury their faces in their mom’s chest. She wants to scold them for breaking posture again — but decides otherwise, wrapping herself around them.

1.x Family Intro - CUT

1.2 Mulan Intro

  • Time jump: Present
  • In a wild field, little girls come running wildly to Mulan wanting to learn how to fight and be like her.
  • She sings Lesson Number One: You must be both tough AND gentle.
  • The oldest girl exaggerates being tough, imitating a man, and destroys her sparring partner. Mulan offers to spar with her, and by being fluid and gentle whilst firmly blocking some hits, defeats her without ever landing a hit herself. She’s learnt lesson number one.
  • Shang arrives! Manly war general, come to confess his love. The girls giggle at the manly emotionalness and stutter.
  • Shang confesses his love and admiration for Mulan’s bravery and honour, proposing there on the spot.
  • Mulan says yes.

1.3 Reacting to the Engagement

  • As Mulan dresses up in her room, she breaks the news to Mushu
  • He establishes it’s been two years since Mulan I
  • Mulan affirms that Mushu is her most trusted friend, AND beyond dutiful as her guardian: Mushu has proven to be honourable.
  • Mulan explains how they had talked about it already and how Shang had planned it all in advance, and they are set to marry the next afternoon already.
  • Shang enters. “Your Grandma invited someone to help us celebrate.” “Who?” “Close relatives.”
  • Cousins fill the courtyard. They go out to greet them.
  • Mushu wakes up the ancestors. He gloats at how much he went beyond his duty, not just keeping Mulan safe, but also helping her find love.
  • The ancestors remind him that once Mulan is married, Mushu loses fulfils his guardianship of Mulan. This means Mushu will go back to sleep as a stone guardian.
  • He realises. Bragging doesn’t matter anymore: he will lose Mulan.
  • The ancestors dare Mushu: how honourable are you, really? Will you keep to your duty to see the marriage through, even if it means losing Mulan?

1.x Mushu Hatches His Plan - CUT

1.4 Differences

  • Back at the crowded courtyard, relatives compliment the Fa parents
  • “Everyone is here, especially when their cousin is a perfect bride and a perfect daughter!” “Your daughter, Mulan, is worth seven sons!”
  • Shang’s mother hugs him proudly, “Your father would’ve been so proud of you.”
  • The duo wade through relatives, and disagree on things. Her parents comment, “Perhaps a not-so-perfect husband.”
  • Mulan expresses to some young cousins that she is basically being plucked away from her own family, and grafted into Shang’s. It’s gonna be tough duty.
  • An imperial messenger announces before everyone, “The Emperor sends his congratulations!—And also a special summon to a secret urgent mission—hopefully the couple accepts.”
  • Mulan thinks that it would be a dishonour to accept the mission and postpone the marriage when the relatives are all here already. Shang overrules her that it would be a dishonour to refuse this request from the Emperor, especially in front of the entire family.
  • They purposely accept the call.
  • Later, in the barn:
  • Papa Fa also gives Shan Yu’s sword for Mulan to use , as well as put a flower in her hair. He repeats, “The greatest honour is having you as my daughter.”

1.5 Palace Quest

  • They arrive at the palace.
  • “Ah, General Li Shang, the most dutiful man in all of China, just as his father before him. There is no one else I’d rather appoint to lead this important mission. And I’m sure there’s no one else you’d rather have beside you than Fa Mulan, a warrior worth ten thousand men—also, your fiance. Congratulations, by the way.”
  • The Emperor explains the quest:
    • Last of the Huns are one big nomadic group, raiding our cities
    • Taking advantage of Shan Yu’s mostly successful military campaign from the previous movie
    • The number of fit males-of-age are too depleted.
    • In Mulan I, they relaxed the conscription conditions, so desperation is why they extended the conscripted Mulan’s old father, along with Shang’s troop made up of previously “unfit for war” males like the Gang of Three
    • Instead: we will send princesses to make an alliance with a neighbouring kingdom.
  • Mulan doesn’treact about arranged marriages, but does voice her concern for the princesses: the Emperor replies that they understand their duty and accept the honour.
  • Shang asks why the alliance demands marriage. Reply: Emperor Qin is demanding and unhonourable—but he’s our last hope.
  • The Emperor provides them an entourage with a squad of palace guards
    • Shang requests to have an additional three special unit soldiers…

1.6 The Gang of Three

  • The Matchmaker kicks the Gang of Three out. “You three are WORSE than Mulan! Better hope you have her luck!”
  • They sing a shorter A Girl Worth Fighting For (Redux): how they’ve returned from war, fulfilling the expectations of a man, yet not yet found a girl
  • Mulan and Shang enter, and recruit them

1.7 Leaving the Palace

  • The three princesses (Mei, Ting-Ting and Su) enter the carriage, hiding their faces with their fans. Mei drops her shoe. None of the entourage notices (Remember, they have an entourage now).
  • Yao deliberates, then decides to pick it for her. Mei mutters, “You’re just the guard – it’s not your duty to do that.” “No, but it would be my honour.” Mei blushes, "No, the honor is mine, that I would have the privillage to be escorted by a soldier who is more than his strength." Yao runs back, his heart racing.
  • Shang swears their safety, on the basis of his generalship.
  • Mulan prods them: she herself was matchmade to local men, but they would stay forever in a foreign land.
  • They affirm that just as Mulan saved their kingdom with the sword, they can save the kingdom with their marriages. As Mulan honoured her father, they must honour the Emperor.
  • Mulan mulls, and starts a thought: “You know when I took my father’s place in the army, I had to sneak out without my father knowing, right? Oh! We’re going. Princessess... with your sacrifices, you bring honor to us all.”
  • As brazen as the princesses show themselves to be, now that they’re alone, the princesses sigh sadly.
  • Mulan and Shang say aloud they should just about make the 3-day-deadline

Act 2A

2A.1 Reactions on the Road

  • Mulan and Shang discuss the arranged marriages in light of their own happy one.
    • Shang: “A soldiers’ duty is to die in war; a princess’ duty is to live in an arranged marriage.”
  • Mushu tells Cri-Kee that he’d test the relationship, just to be “really sure that Shang was worth him losing Mulan”. With only a slight hint ofselfishness.
  • Yao expresses his infatuation to the Gang of Three, but the other two remind him that these princesses are engaged, and that to be entrusted as a royal escort was the highest honour for a soldier. Who could ever ask for more? Yao huffs.
  • Mei simps over Yao to her sisters. Ting-Ting reminds her of the solemn oath, the consequences and the great dishonour she would bring. They hide their faces with their fans again.

2A.2 Water Break

  • The princesses are allowed out of their carriage.
  • Mei pours her heart out to Yao, who is surprisingly a smooth talker. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m worth nothing.” Reply: “Right now, you’re worth more than all our lives combined!”
  • Su struggles to pick fruits, and Chien-Po hoists her up, to her delight.
  • Ting-Ting spies on them. Ling tries to woo her with jokes, but Ting-Ting hides her face in her fan, stifling what sounds to be a disgusted noise. She books it.
  • Mei compliments how honourable Mulan was to take her father’s place in the army.
  • Mulan: “Yes, I went for my father; but I also went to prove my heart.”
  • Mei asks, "Which is more honourable: following your duty, or following your heart?”
  • Mulan replies, "The highest honour is to let both duty and heart guide you."

2A.3 Runaway Carriage

  • We see shadows hiding in the grassfields. Hun assassins whisper, “So our scouts were right—we need to prevent the alliance.”
  • The Huns AMBUSH. Amazing fight sequence. Mulan executes a tactical plan with the help of Mushu that wins the upper hand.
  • Mushu lights a firecracker/smoke bomb combo that Mulan tosses into the field. The Huns are visually and audibly blind, causing them to fight each other.
  • Mushu sabotages Shang—prematurely igniting his bomb. It goes off while on him, spooking the carriage horses.
  • This accidentally causes the carriage with the princesses to runaway and break from the main fight.
  • The gang and some enemies break off to catch the runaway carriage. The main entourage soldiers are busy fighting
  • They travel quite far; the gang has to jump the carriage across a chasm.
  • The carriage is destroyed.
  • The Huns retreat for a more opportune moment.
  • The entourage arrive at the chasm, but cannot cross it.
  • They establish it would take at least a day to route the chasm. Shang shouts across, “To make the deadline, we must travel without the entourage!”

2A.4 Conflicting Plans

  • Mulan and Shang quarrel over how to travel. And who was to blame for the runaway carriage?
  • Mushu feels bad for sabo’ing Shang, and decides to do the dutiful thing to aid the marriage. He spots a nearby town and puppeteers a dummy to inform Yao. Yao, in turn, informs the couple of the informant (secretly Mushu) and of the nearby town.
  • The couple apologise: they both acknowledge they both must be more gentle. They note that before Chien-Po finishes his watch shift, they can do some sparring practice: their way of reconciling.
  • The Gang of Three try to impress the princesses.
  • Mei teases Ting-Ting, but Ting-Ting leans too much on duty, while Mei leans too much on heart.
  • “How can you hide from your duty?” “How can you hide from who you really are?” Mei storms out.

2A.5 Princesses Break

  • Mei throws away her fan and pens a goodbye/runaway letter.
  • Her sisters catch her in the act: “All this because some guard gave you his heart?!”
  • “No! It’s not about his heart, it’s about MINE. This… isn’t who I am inside.”
  • Ting-Ting mentions “duty” and Mei breaks down.
  • Ting-Ting tries to sing Who Could Ever Ask For More
  • Her sisters break out into Like Other Girls: They all fantasize a life without duties and all heart. (without the racist part)
  • Ting-Ting ugly laughs. The sisters join in.
  • BUT, at the end of the song, Ting-Ting hardens again:
    • “It doesn’t matter who you are on the inside, because on the outside, you’re a princess. A princess worth a hundred thousand citizens."
    • "You saw the Huns who just attacked us, who would destroy our kingdom."
    • "Mother had given me the special duty to make sure we do what we must.”
  • Mei says, “I hate that you’re right,” and storms out of the tent.
    • Ting-Ting softens in pain, because she hates that too.

2A.6 Going Crazy

  • Mushu regrettably sees things going too well. Conflicted, he decides to sow seeds of doubt. As the couple spars with bo staffs, Mushu ignites one of the bombs, ruining some supplies. 
Mushu blows a flame onto one of the bombs, and it goes off with a BANG!

SHANG
An ambush!

MULAN
I think one of the bombs just exploded by itself.

They run over to their supplies pile. Scorch marks stain and ruin various items.

SHANG
Our supplies are ruined! Mulan, you were supposed to watch the bombs!

MULAN
No, it becomes your duty after sunset!

They clean up the mess. Mushu and Cri-Kee watch them closely, hidden in a tree.

MUSHU
It's working!

SHANG
The runaway carriage was not my fault, and I'm sure it wasn't an accident. I'm an elite soldier — nothing gets past me.

Without warning, Mulan crashes a bo staff down onto Shang from behind.

Shang rolls out of the way, aghast.

MULAN
(smirking)
I got past you, didn't I?

Mulan continues attacking, so Shang ditches the supplies and picks a bo staff of his own to spar.

SHANG
Are you taking the mission seriously?

MULAN
Tonight would’ve been our honeymoon night, so, no, I’m not! Are YOU taking our MARRIAGE seriously?

Mulan's attack causes Shang to step back, and pause.

SHANG
(solemn)
Listen, Mulan. If somehow, during the mission... I somehow... die... will you complete the mission?

MULAN
(appalled)
If you DIED?! Why would you DIE?!

They continue, but Mulan starts throwing fatal blows.

SHANG
Because of the mission! I just said so! It’s a simple question — why’s it so hard to give me a simple answer?

MULAN
(talking over each other)
You can’t die! We were supposed to be married! What kind of question is that?!

Mulan sends Shang's staff flying, jabbing her own staff at Shang’s neck in victory.

MULAN
I told you we SHOULDN'T have come on this mission.

Shang wrestles the staff out of Mulan’s hands, reversing their position.

SHANG
No – I need to do this mission.

MULAN
(softens)
Shang – tell me what’s on your heart.

SHANG
(waves it off)
Nothing. I’m going to rest before tomorrow’s journey. Good night.

Shang tosses away his staff and heads into his tent. Mulan takes over the night watch with Mushu.

2A.7 Sneaking Out

  • The Gang of Three invite the princesses to sneak out to the nearby village to have fun.
  • Chien Po: “We risk our lives everyday to become a true, real man; we just want to be like other guys…”
  • The other two sisters look to Ting-Ting and she can’t bear their hurt. She huddles them together and whispers, “We’re going to spend the rest of our lives following our duty. You both get one night to follow your heart.”
  • The sisters bittersweetly nod yes. The Gang of Three celebrate! And lead them off.
  • Mushu sees this and informs Mulan, who leaves.
  • Shang wasn't asleep, he was just mad. Much later, he also notices the princesses are gone, and leaves.

Act 2B

2B.1 The Festival

  • Su and Chien Po bond over picking out food
  • Yao tries to impress Mei with his strength, by stopping an escaping thief. The thief rages. Yao decides against whacking him further, instead gently correcting him by teaching him his own anger issues techniques, impressing Mei further.
  • Ling wooes Ting-Ting with more jokes but she just turns away, making some gagging noise.
  • Ling admits defeat, accidentally lighting firecrackers. Ting-Ting accidentally drops her fan, letting out a snorty laugh.
  • She reveals she had been taught to suppress her un-princess-like laughter. Ling says he loves her for it; she replies that he’d be the first.
  • Time jump to the end of the night. The three pairs bask in the fleeting moment over a bridge. They look in their reflection: Yes—this is who they are inside.

2B.2 Breaking Up

  • An archer has his sights aimed on Mei. He releases the arrow — but it’s cut out of the air by Mulan’s sword.
  • The pairs scatter — Huns run along the rooftops chasing each pair. The guards put up a very good fight, but there's just too many.
  • Shang enters, taking on a whole group of them, and at one point he would’ve died had not Yao saved him.
  • The Huns flee again.
  • Shang confronts the guards for endangering the mission, saying how they should be executed right there for treason.
  • Mulan steps in, defending them that it would’ve been worse to have been ambushed in the woods. Besides, at one moment, Yao saved Shang's life — just like Mulan did back in the first movie.
  • But Shang harshly shushes her, puts his foot down and forbids the pairs to talk.
  • Now alone, Shang blames Mulan for filling their minds with heart over duty. Mulan replies that Shang was too uptight, and that the guards gave the princesses honour by taking them out one last night. “In marriage, women leave their family, not the men — and sometimes, they rarely ever get to visit. These three young girls will never return home forever. Not that you’d understand.”
  • Shang huffs, “Men, all across the nation, way too young AND far too old — they leave their family over some piece of parchment if it had their family name. I understand perfectly that almost all of them, my father included, NEVER came back home to their mothers, wives… and children. [pause] At his age, your father wouldn’t have, either.”
  • That’s a low blow. Mulan fumes through tears of anger, “Shang! Don’t you dare speak about my father like that–“
  • Shang exclaims that his father died to these very same Huns, and he won't let it be in vain. He will see this mission through, whatever it takes. This is his duty to honor his father. He assumes leadership. They give each other the cold shoulder.

2B.3 Confession Valley

  • They all silently make their way down a narrow pass.
  • Ting-Ting tries to crack a joke with Ling when Shang wasn’t looking, but Ling doesn’t break.
  • Ting-Ting chucks a pebble into the distance in a fit. It soars over the walls, tumbling down, and knocks the back of a Hun. There’s a huge Hun camp nearby; they investigate.
  • Mulan lags behind, and Mushu confesses that he’s been sabotaging Shang. Mulan is deeply hurt, and says he’s unforgivable.Yet, she acknowledges that Shang and herself have escalated the problems on their own.
  • Still, Mulan affirms she will not marry Shang if he goes down this road of extreme duty.

2B.4 Ambush

  • Ohno they get ambushed again. Mulan throws some firecracker/smoke bombs like last time, but the Huns bat it all back like baseball. Shang takes a hit for Mulan.
  • Mushu fights and bravely defeats an enemy wolf.
  • A Hun captures Mei. About to kill her, his boss stops him. “Don’t kill her, you fool! Use her as a hostage for her sisters!”
  • Shang and Mulan chase them to a bridge over ferocious rapids. Shang saves and retrieves Mei, and she runs off the bridge to solid ground.
  • The duo take out many of the Huns along the bridge, but the Huns cut the rope.
  • The flailing bridge is swept downstream by the coursing river, and the duo are thrown off-kilter. The guards hold the bridge in place from their end.
  • Mulan and Shang fall into the river. Mulan grabs a rope hanging by its thread. Shang holds onto and weighs on her, being pulled by the current.
  • “The rope can’t hold us both. A soldier’s duty is to die in war, huh? …You’re the craziest person I’ve ever met. It is my honour to owe you my life.”
  • With that, Shang lets go gets swept under by the currents. The guard trio retract the rope, finding Mulan alone and wailing.

2B.5 Grief

  • The three pairs solemnly take shelter under a rock as it rains that night.
  • Mulan grieves in the rain, with Shang’s sword and helmet: what’s left of him.
  • She looks into the torrenting river, hard to make out her reflection.
  • “Look at me: I will never pass for a perfect bride; or a perfect soldier. Can it be; I’m not meant to choose my heart? Now I see; that if I were truly to be myself… I could never play my part.”
  • She holds her sword to her hair—this time instead of cutting it, she cuts her hairband, letting out her long hair.
  • WIth a loud wail against a thundercrack, she drives the sword into the ground. She sets Shang’s helmet on it, just like his father’s grave.

2B.6 The Palace

  • Next morning, the guards and princesses awaken. Mulan’s gone.
  • They note that her sword and uniform were left here, but Mei’s own makeup and one of her dresses are missing.
  • Cut to the Qui Gong palace.
  • Mulan (offscreen) implores to Emperor Qin to not require the arranged marriage, but he stubbornly doesn’t even look at her. “You’d have to convince the entire kingdom before convincing me!”
  • The camera pans and we finally see Mulan, all prettied up in Mei’s dress, vows and offers herself instead in marriage for the alliance.
  • Emperor Qin‘s counsellors tell him, “This is Fa Mulan, the hero who saved China! She is worth more than three princesses!”
  • Emperor Qin accepts the offer, and introduces his crown prince.
  • Shang walks through the door. Mulan is shocked; she shakes her head. It’s just the crown prince, a regular looking guy. She’s grieving and hallucinating.
  • Qin announces the wedding will be later at sunset!

Act 3

3.1 Shang and the Gang - DEFERRED

  • As the afternoon sun fades, the princesses and Gang of Three connect the dots and realise where Mulan’s went.
  • They stumble upon the Hun camp. They overhear that the Huns will make a small attack during the wedding (but to be conservative, saving troops for the later war).
  • The gang hastens towards the palace. “They wouldn’t believe us if we warned them. We need another way in… oh no, I feel a deja vu coming up.”
  • Back with the Huns, they continue talking, “Did you see that Chinese soldier who fell into the river?” “Yeah, he looks just like that general we fought a year ago at that village!”
  • At the broken bridge, Shang’s sword and helmet are gone.

3.2 Goodbyes

  • Mulan is in her dressing room, accompanied by handmaidens.
  • They put make-up on her—she bursts out in tears. They furrow in understanding, then leave the room to give her some space.
  • She mumbles to herself, “You defeat armies… but to them, you’re still just a woman to marry.”
  • Mushu steps out of hiding. “When you marry this prince, I’ll lose you tonight.”
  • “Then, I forgive you.” Mushu is confused but relieved. Mulan continues, “That’s what my heart wishes I had said to Shang.”
  • “You couldn’t fulfil your duty; I can still fulfil mine. Goodbye, Mushu.”

3.3 The Wedding

  • The handmaidens come back to finish her make-up, then stand to the side as she is revealed before the citizens on the palace stage.
  • She walks up to the crown prince. Emperor Qin, who’s officiating the wedding, hands her a goblet as he makes his speech. She looks down wistfully in her reflection in the goblet.
  • Shadowed figures silently take out the guards at posts. A shadowed figure takes out other shadowed figures. Huh?
  • Qin ties a sash between the pair, symbolically uniting two lives and the two kingdoms.
  • Qin asks Mulan to affirm the marriage, who glances one last goodbye to Mushu. She opens her mouth to repeat the vow…
  • An arrow whistles towards her. Mulan instinctively jerks back so the arrow tears the sash instead.

3.4 Battle of Qi Gong Palace - NEW

  • Dozens of Huns ride in through the main doors. They stand at the gates so no one can leave. Everyone scatters. Big battle.
  • “Where are my guards?” Huns have been stealthily taking out most of the guards already. Cut to a bulky silhouette tearing through palace guards and Huns alike.
  • A few Huns make it to the crown prince, and though Mulan protects him successfully, they are forced back. “Into the palace and lock the doors!”
  • They lock the doors, but some Huns enter from the windows. They all split up.
  • While the Huns pursue the other palace guards, some palace guards hide the three princes in a hiding spot.
  • Mulan is slowly backed into a dead end corridor with her defenseless handmaidens. She’s hopelessly outnumbered.
  • “You might need this.” A handmaiden behind her hands her Shan Yu’s sword.
  • The handmaidens reveal to be the Gang of Three in makeup. Mulan smirks, and they take on the Huns.
  • Mulan: “Wait, then where are the princesses?”
  • The crown prince: “My wedding day is ruined! I wanted it to be perfect!” The other prince argues, “It was supposed to be our weddings too!”
  • One guard huffs, “You’re princes who get everything your heart could ever want. Who could ever ask for more?”
  • “I could,” said the third prince. “We’re not like other boys—we’re princes. We’re not like you. It doesn’t even matter to us if you lived or died after this.”
  • Another guard speaks up, suddenly in a higher pitch. “Every guard in here would die for you. Some already have. You’re not worthy of us.”
  • Dramatically, the princesses take off their helmets and guises, hair flowing. “So, the sentiment is mutual.”

3.5 Fanning the Fire - NEW

  • The Gang of Three wrestle with a few Huns.
  • A palace guard comes up. “Warrior!” Mulan turns around and the guard is surprised to see the bride leading the fight. He shrugs, anyways—“There’s a signal fire on the palace walls! If we light it, our reinforcements will scare the Huns away!’
  • Mulan gets the Gang of Three to pick up firewood and to follow her and deal with the Huns in the way. The princesses join and help wherever they can.
  • A Hun leader cries, “Don’t let them light that signal!”
  • A Hun nearly gets Mulan, but Mushu saves her by straining to blast all the fire he’s got.
  • The male palace guards try to brute force their way to the signal fire. It doesn’t work.
  • In contrast, Mulan fluidly weaves herself (like in S1.2) and reaches the firepit first. She sets down her firewood—
  • The matchsticks are gone. She turns to Mushu—he musters a mere little flame—he’s all out of fire.
  • Mulan gets preoccupied with fighting—the Gang of Three come to fan the flame with their strength: it nearly dies with the first blow.
  • The princesses push them aside. They fan it slowly and gently. The flame steadily grows.
  • The Huns see the flame, verbalise that reinforcements are coming, and retreat.
  • On the palace stage, one last Hun makes a desperate dash to strike down Emperor Qin.
  • Mulan ties a bunch of floating lanterns together and jumps/floats down from the wall.
  • She can’t make it in time—but Shang does. Tattered clothes and all, he parries the blow. The Hun flies backwards. Shang’s survived the rapids and came back to save the day.
  • The Hun: “We will come for you, next time with the entire army, and we will crush your family name.” Shang knocks him out cold.
  • The battle is over. Everyone cheers.

3.6 Dishonour - NEW

  • Mulan and Shang reunite tenderly. Amidst the celebrations: “Hey, that’s my wife!” says the crown prince.
  • Qin walks up to them. “I still expect you to keep your duty of marrying my prince!”
  • “Two years ago, General Shang, my father, went against direct orders so he could save your village from a Hun attack—beyond his duty to his own kingdom! Even the Huns could say that he fought honourably until the last child was escaped. As his son, I demand that you release Fa Mulan, and make the alliance.”
  • Qin laughs proudly. “Am I your Emperor? Is it my duty to honour him?”
  • Mulan has had enough. “That’s it! Dishonour! [turning to Shang] Make a note of this. Dishonour on you! Dishonour on your family! Dishonour on your kingdom!”
  • Qin is incredulous. He’s about to pronounce a death sentence.
  • “Dishonour!” Chien-Po cries from the crowd. “Dishonour on you!” some citizen echoes. “I will fight! For honour!” The courtyard is in uproar.
  • Qin looks around panickingly. He’s baffled. “Okay! Okay!” He grovels at Mulan’s feet. “Please! Please grant us the honour to make the alliance with you!”
  • Shang stares off into the sky, “I understand now, dad: one grain of rice can tip the scale.”

3.7 The Three Reunited - NEW

  • Back home, The Gang of Three are tossed at the Emperor’s feet.
  • Some soldier accuses, “These guards sabotaged the mission! Their duty was to protect the princesses, but they only flirted with them and put them in danger!”
  • The princesses step out, “These men have protected us, besides saving our kingdom too?!! And most of all… they brought honour to us all.”
  • “We will cut our royalty ties, and live as nobodies, if it means to be with them.”
  • The Emperor raises an amused eyebrow. What happens is left vague.

3.8 The Marriage - NEW

  • Mulan brings Mushu in front of a room to meet Shang.
  • “So this is the talking lizard!” “No, see, I don’t do the tongue thing. I breathe fire, though!”
  • Mushu turns to see the room before him: Mulan’s parents, Shang’s mother, the Gang of Three and the princesses. “Wait, so you’ve told everyone. I thought we had a little something special!”
  • “Of course I told everyone. You’re my most special friend who agreed to officiate my wedding!”
  • Mushu officiates the wedding, tearing up in pride. Mulan says yes.
  • Mulan goes in to kiss Shang. She pulls back, and Mushu’s gone.
  • Bittersweet moment: Mushu has fulfilled his duty. Mulan and Shang are married. Princesses/Gang of Three are happy. China (Middle Kingdom) is saved. Woooo