Fa Mulan

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This article is about the Disney character. For the legendary person, see Hua Mulan.
Fa Mulan
Mulan depicted as a soldier known as "Ping".
First appearance Mulan (1998)
Created by Robert D. San Souci
Voiced by Ming-Na (speaking)
Lea Salonga (singing - Both Movies)
Also known as Fa Ping

Fa Mulan is the protagonist of the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan and its direct-to-video sequel, Mulan II. She also appears in the Disney/Square Enix Playstation 2 game Kingdom Hearts II. She is inspired by the legendary Hua Mulan from the Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan. She is voiced by Ming-Na in all three titles (singing voice provided by Lea Salonga), and is one of the nine Official Disney Princesses. In the Japanese dub of the movie, Mayumi Suzuki does both her singing and speaking voices.

Contents

[edit] Role in Disney canon

[edit] Mulan

Main article: Mulan

At the beginning of this film, Mulan is sent to the matchmaker to find her a husband but she fails as a result of "lucky cricket" Cri-Kee's intervention.

The Huns, led by Shan Yu, invade China, and Mulan's war veteran father, Fa Zhou, is called up to fight. Mulan decides to go in his place posing as a man, taking the name Ping (suggested by Mushu, a dragon supposedly sent by her ancestors to protect her; according to him, Ping was the name of his best friend growing up). Mulan barely gets through training (at one point, she is told to leave, and subsequently climbs up a pole with weights attached to her hands to retrieve an arrow shot to the top of the pole for the soldiers to retrieve, which helps her prove herself and gets to stay, immediately improving in everything else) and participates successfully in the war against the Huns until she is injured. Mulan and "Ping" are animated slightly differently from each other, possibly to make Mulan convincing, even to the audience, as a boy. "Ping" loses the color in Mulan's cheeks as well as her lips and "his" eyes are slightly rounder than hers, especially when surprised.

After being treated, "Ping" is discovered to be female - and Captain Li Shang, Mulan's officer, is ordered to kill her, but instead expels her from the army. The battalion moves to the Forbidden City, leaving Mulan behind. A disappointed Mulan and Mushu decide to return home, but after seeing the Huns emerging from snow, they go to the Forbidden City instead.

Mulan's attempts to warn the celebrating Chinese of the Huns' counterattack are ignored. As the Emperor addresses the crowd, the Huns, disguised as parade characters, kidnap the Emperor and lock out would-be rescuers. Mulan devises a ploy with the cooperation of Chien Po, Ling and Yao to dress as women, scale the castle wall and more easily infiltrate the castle interior by pretending to be concubines. A tough battle follows but the Huns are defeated, Shan Yu killed and the Emperor saved.

A peeved but grateful Emperor offers his congratulations, and Mulan returns home to embraces from her family and a visit from her former captain.

[edit] Mulan II

Main article: Mulan II

The sequel finds Mulan and Li Shang preparing to marry, but distracted by a task from the Emperor, who wants three princesses escorted to their own marriage ceremony. After many arguments and estrangements the couple finally marry under the celebration of Mushu, who was worried that Mulan would abandon him.

[edit] Personality

Mulan is generally determined and strong-hearted for her friends and family, especially after her training in the army. Unlike most young women in her time, Mulan shows many typical traits of modern girls, such as horse-riding, being very clumsy, and most notably, being outspoken. However, she has extraordinary ingenuity which enables her to solve nearly any difficulty quickly and efficiently.

Mulan loves and respects her family, but struggles with the culture's traditions and how they conflict with her own views; she doesn't think that she can be a perfect daughter for her family (as depicted in her signature song "Reflection"). When she returns home as a great hero, she finally feels that she has brought her family honor and knows that she'll see 'someone worthwhile' in her reflection.

[edit] Other Disney media

[edit] Kingdom Hearts II

In Kingdom Hearts II, Mulan is part of the Land of the Dragons world. She aids Sora in battle, taking the place of either Donald or Goofy. She uses a Chinese sword for regular combat, and her combination attacks include Red Rocket and other fire attacks, thanks to Mushu. She goes under her pseudonym of Ping in the first visit to the Land of Dragon up until her cover is blown by Mushu. As Ping, Mulan is seemingly useless, often tripping over her feet in battle. When she drops her guise however, she becomes quite an adept and more confident fighter, supplying Sora with his first Limit Break that uses Mushu's dragon breath and fireworks against their opponents.

Mulan is the second Disney Princess to appear in Kingdom Hearts who is not one of the Princesses of Heart and the second female character to join your party besides Ariel. Ming-Na reprises her role as Mulan in the English version of the game.

It is unknown whether or not Mulan will feature in future Kingdom Hearts installments (such as Kingdom Hearts III), although fellow Disney Princess Pocahontas will reportedly make an appearance.

[edit] References

Mulan
Films Mulan | Mulan II
Characters Fa Mulan | Mushu | Li Shang | Shan Yu
Songs "I'll Make a Man Out of You" | "Reflection"
Soundtracks Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | Mulan II Soundtrack
Languages