A Case for Mushu: Why Mushu is the most Integral Character in Disney’s “Mulan”

Here it is: a post that no one asked for and probably already realized.

As so many millennials do, I have recently been revisiting films of my childhood in a search for meaning that only Disney seems to be able to provide for us. The mouse sure did a great job of getting us addicted and coming back for a new fix. The reality is that, at least for the last 25 years or so, some of the most interesting and creative individuals have been pouring their passion into the Disney brand. That’s not to say that there aren’t problems with the issues of representation or in the massive corporate structure of “Big Disney”, but they are still responsible for some of the most groundbreaking and influential films of the past 20 years. Perhaps I’m a little late to the game in stating this, but before there was the empowering narrative of independent sisters in Frozen, Disney’s Mulan was the best picture of female empowerment and independence that many millennial kids could absorb about what a woman, particularly in an extreme patriarchal society, can accomplish through determination. Mulan is the star of the show and with good reason: she is brave, loyal, intelligent and cunning. However, in this past viewing, I noticed a few key, simple details that I did not in the past about everyone’s favorite dragon: Mushu. Mushu might be a crowd favorite and, with a talent like Eddie Murphy playing him, how could anyone dislike him? Yet, there are 3 key moments in the film that are often overlooked wherein Mushu acts as the Linchpin for all the events in the story, and without Mushu’s involvement, would certainly have resulted in the fall of China.

1: Mushu Falsifies a Letter from General Li

While one might argue that Mushu’s guidance is patently blundering, at least one step in Mushu’s interference in Mulan’s training is essential to the story and to the well being of China. While Li Shang considered his troops trained and ready for combat, Chi Fu sees his arrogance and his desire to join his father in combat, so he tells him that his troops need more training. Mushu takes it upon himself to write an a false order to Chi Fu to bring the troops to the pass where the rest of the forces are. If Mushu had not falsified orders, Shan Yu’s forces would have crossed the pass and taken the Emperor hostage without any interference.

2. Mushu Alerts the Enemy Forces of their Position

Mushu and Crikey’s antics are hilarious and get them into a lot of precarious situations, most of which that end up being important to the story. One of the most important flubs that the duo makes is when they light off one of the cannons from the back of the ordinance wagon while Li Shang leads his troops over the mountain pass toward the city, accidentally alerting the huns to their presence. While this causes casualties and is ultimately responsible for Mulan getting exposed as a woman, the ambush that would have occurred had Mushu not set off the cannon would have given Shan Yu even more of an advantage and probably would have resulted in the Emperor’s death.

3. Mushu is a Fire Breathing Dragon

Perhaps this one is too simple and obvious, but so much of the story depends on the little dragon’s ability to breathe fire. Had the rocket in the back of the artillery cart not been shot off, presumably by Mushu’s fire breath, the troops would have been ambushed; had Mulan not had Mushu to “use” to light the rocket that starts the avalanche, the forces of Shan Yu would have destroyed Li Shang’s troops easily; and finally, had Mushu and his incredibly convenient fire power not been used to light the massive firework that ultimately destroys Shan Yu, the landscape of China might have been changed forever.

I don’t want to diminish the bravery and courage of Mulan in this post. That’s not the point. In terms of cunning and intelligence, she far outstrips her male counterparts in accepting her role in a war for her country that would certainly result in her death if she is caught. I simply didn’t realize before this just how convenient and important Mushu is to the story. He is the unspoken ex-machina that we all love to love. The great stone dragon can suck it; Mushu proved himself to be the most important guardian and we love him for it.