Strong female characters, these three words can send shivers down a movie enthusiast’s spine knowing how bad they typically are now. Talking about female characters, overpowered Mary Sues and unnecessarily annoying girls with “in your face” attitude easily pop into the imagination of movie enjoyers. However, there was once a time when Disney, out of all company, actually managed to create a great strong female lead, if not the perfect one. Disney, who are well-known for their selection of princesses, slipped in a warrior-like female character in the form of Mulan. Set in the Chinese culture, the depiction of Mulan by Disney tell the tale of a young girl who voluntarily step in her father’s conscription requirement facing the war against the Huns.
The tale of Mulan is a story of self-sacrifice and heroic feats among soldiers. This makes the setting rather interesting. Because, in Chinese culture at the time, women were not illegible for military service. However, Mulan pushed the boundaries and forced her way into the ranks, saving her father from possible death on the war. The movie starts strong with one of Disney’s most famous tear-jerking songs. Audience is guaranteed to be wrapped around the passion behind the movie and Mulan’s rogue journey.
A Rebel With A Cause
In the story, Mulan was depicted as a young daughter of the Fa family. The father was a war veteran who unfortunately suffered from an injury that left him limping. The old age had visibly left its mark on the old man’s physique. However, when the Emperor called for war against the Huns, the father accepted the request with dignity, pride, and all his might how little it is may be. Mulan opposed the idea of her father going to war, fearing him to be struck down brutally by the enemy. So, without her family knowing, Mulan embarked in her father armor, posing as the son of the Fa family. With a short introduction, Disney established her character as someone who was willing to break the rules for the greater good.
Woman Among Men
Arriving at the camp, Mulan maintained her façade of being the rowdy son of Fa family. It was obvious for Mulan that she had to keep her identity secret. In times dominated by men, Mulan had to stick to her decision of going to war. It was never to be an easy business. She was falling behind in training and often caught the Captain’s side-eyes. It true that many would claim that women will never be able as strong as men physically. But, Mulan managed to keep up with the rest of the soldier and did what others could not do. In that scene, Mulan was certainly an exemplary model that women can achieve what men can do if given the chance
Hard-Worker And Dedicated Soldier
Having prepared herself for the war, Mulan was shaped into a hardy soldier with a knack of cleverness. Her main motive being the love for her father, motivated her to work hard under the unforgiving Captain Li Shang’s training. Even to the point that she outperformed her fellow soldiers. With the Huns closing in, her regiment was battle ready even though with little to no actual fighting experience. However, she showed no fear before the terrible leader of the Huns. Even to the point of risking her own life for a chance to defeat the whole Huns army in one big sweep. Not to mention, when her cover was blown and was abandoned by her regiment, she returned to them with a warning that the Huns were not defeated yet.
Cunning And Got Result
Throughout the movie, Mulan was always shown as a resourceful individual. Making everything around her to be of use, although sometimes in eccentric ways. It was subtle at first, the movie starts off by showing Mulan as a lazy girl who essentially gave her chores to her dog with a simple trick. The impact of her cleverness gradually emphasized throughout the movie. Finally, her quick-thinking came in clutch in the later phase of the movie. Her bold decision to use the last fire cannon on the mountain instead of to attack Shan Yu resulted to the demolition of nearly everyone in the Huns army. Mulan showed that a little bit of brain can bring more result than fighting only with brute force.
True Deadly Beauty
The original animated Mulan was not born with a natural superpower that can carry her story. All the actions that she did were the result of hardcore training and her zeal to protect her family. Even though she was a woman among fighting men, she showed equal if not greater prowess at combat to the point of matching Shan Yu’s sword fighting skills. Her actions really brought back memories of Yu Shu Lien and Jen Yu’s sword fighting actions, albeit within the limit of an animated kid movie. Mulan was not the typical Disney princess that needs protection by others. Instead, she was the protector of the whole Empire of China for that matter. The movie showcased how a well-written strong female character could be.
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