Mulan's History
In a village, we see Mulan as a little girl chasing a chicken back to its coop across the village, accidentally breaking a wing from a phoenix statue. After successfully doing so, she notices her father Hua Zhou staring at her for the mess she made in the village. At home, Hua Xiu helps Mulan take care of her hair. Hua Li then asks her husband Hua Zhou to know about the Matchmaker, who would help Mulan find a good husband. Outside, Hua Zhou and her daughter are repairing the broken statue of the phoenix. He explains that the phoenix is the emissary for their ancestors. Hua Zhou then tells the myth of the phoenix to his daughter, to which he explains to Mulan that the phoenix can still protect her even when the wing of the statue of herself is broken. Zhou asks him that chi is for warriors, not daughters, telling her it is time for her to hide her gift away. He then asks Mulan to bring honor to the family and make her family proud.
Years later, Mulan rides her horse, Black Wind, home, passing by two rabbits following her back to the village. When she gets back her mother Hua Li explains that the Matchmaker has found a promising match for her. Upon meeting the Matchmaker, who would help find a promising match for her, the meeting was unsuccessful as an incident with a spider caused the Matchmaker to reject her, causing dishonor on her family. Later, the Hua family receives messages from the Chancellor at the Imperial City that the Rourans have invaded China, explaining that every man must contribute to the fight. Mulan then disguises herself as a man to help fight against the Rourans in place of her father.
As Mulan talks to her father about the phoenix, he explains that the phoenix has followed him into battle and that she will protect him when he fights. Hua Zhou also explains that to face her fears, she must be courageous to honor her family. Hua Zhou leaves just as Mulan looks at his sword, reading the inscription translating as "Loyal, brave, true". To conquer her fear and help prepare for battle, Mulan studies it just before leaving, just as Hua Zhou tells the ancestors to send in the phoenix to protect her during battle.
Far away from the Imperial City, the phoenix arrives to help protect Mulan from danger. Mulan (disguised as "Hua Jun") arrives in an army camp where she encounters Commander Tung, who tells Mulan that there is no fighting tolerated at the camp. He then asks Mulan who she is, to which Mulan explains that she is "Hua Jun, son of Hua Zhou". The next day, Mulan trains with the other soldiers being commanded by Sergeant Qiang. After a tough training, Mulan later baths herself at a lake to clean herself, just as Chen Honghui talks with her about him being equal to her in fighting against the Rourans. The next day, Sergeant Qiang arrives and tells Mulan to report to Commander Tung, who explains that Hua Zhou, her father, is a great warrior who focused on his chi and masters it carefully just as Mulan learns the power of chi. During training, Mulan and the rest of the warriors follow what the inscription on Hua Zhou's sword says in order to fight against the Rouran army and later confesses with Commander Tung about the three virtues she should have.
Later, when the Rourans arrive, Mulan participates in the battle against Böri Khan and his Rouran army, riding on Black Wind. During the battle, far away from the Rourans, the witch Xianniang arrives and confronts Mulan, engaging her in battle while the Imperial soldiers continue fighting the Rourans. Seeing the inscription on Hua Zhou's sword and removing the projectile Xianniang threw at her, Mulan then sees the phoenix far from her, and upon reading the inscription again, Mulan rides on Black Wind and decides to return to the army (though removing her "Hua Jun" disguise armor). Just as she arrives at the battlefield, a Rouran throws a spear at her, which Mulan uses her chi to deflect. She then notices the Imperial army being attacked by Xianniang, who had transformed into thousands of black birds swarming the Emperor's army. Using one of the Rouran's catapults, Mulan fires a flaming boulder at the snowy peaks, causing an avalanche to engulf the Rourans just as Mulan escorts Qiang, Honghui, and the rest of the army out of the avalanche's path.
Mulan survives the avalanche while Commander Tung tells Sergeant Qiang that the enemy was defeated. Hua Mulan reveals her true identity and asks Qiang and Tung to forgive her, and they finally find out that "Hua Jun" was actually Mulan in disguise. Mulan ends up receiving penalties for breaking Qiang's rule, as she is banished from the army. Mulan, alone, remembers what Xianniang explained to her that she can never return home for disgracing someone just as Mulan faces her. Xianniang tells Mulan to merge paths with her as she explains that Böri Khan has survived the avalanche, and is going to take over the Imperial City. Mulan is determined to stop him before the Emperor falls. Mulan rides on Black Wind to alert Commander Tung that Böri Khan has survived the avalanche and has started attacking the Imperial City. Mulan convinces Tung to believe in her, even though she was just banished from the army. They refused to believe in her at first but end up gaining faith in Mulan's warning. With that, a small squad of soldiers decides to follow Mulan to the Imperial City to find Böri Khan and stop him from killing the Emperor.
During the ambush, Mulan fights along with the Imperial soldiers against a couple of Rourans. Just as she closes the door so no Rourans can burst into the palace, Mulan finds Xianniang on the Emperor's throne. As Xianniang transforms into a falcon, Mulan chases her as the Imperial army continues fighting against the Rourans. Arriving at the guards' post where Böri Khan is, Mulan sees Xianniang intercepting an arrow shot at Mulan, dying at the hands of the Rouran leader to save her. Mulan engages in a duel with Böri Khan but drops her sword into molten metal. The phoenix then arrives, guiding Mulan in her fight. Fighting unarmed Mulan holds her own, avoiding all of Böri Khan's attacks and jumping onto a platform held by one single rope. Taking the Rouran's sword, cutting the rope, and grabbing onto the rope at the last second, Böri Khan falls to his doom while Mulan stayed dangling on the rope. While Mulan freed the Emperor, Böri Khan somehow survived the fall and fired an arrow at the Emperor, but he caught it, and throwing it into the air Mulan kicks the projectile back at the Rouran leader, killing him.
With the Rourans defeated and their leader dead, the Imperial City celebrates the victory of the Imperial army against the Rourans as an esteemed guest talks to the Emperor, introducing Hua Mulan to him. The Emperor praises her for her heroism for saving his life from Böri Khan and saving the Imperial City from danger. Mulan then pledges an oath to be loyal, brave, and true, and she returns to her family in devotion.
Mulan meets her friend, Chen Honghui, and they bid eachother farewell before Mulan leaves for her family. Mulan rides on Black Wind once more, returning home and reuniting with her family once again. Hua Zhou then forgives Mulan for stealing his horse, his sword, and his armor. Mulan then regretfully explains to her father that she lost the sword during battle. As the Imperial army arrives, Mulan is presented with a new sword for saving the dynasty from the Rourans for bringing honor to her ancestors, her village, and her family. Mulan receives the sword with the inscription reading "loyal, brave, and true" followed by "devotion to the family" written on it just as Mulan has brought honor to her family for saving China for her bravery, just as she is praised by everyone who she met, for bringing honor to them.
