btw it's so fucking stupid you can be anxious physically in your body even after you've decided mentally you don't care. I'm supposed to be in charge here
been thinking about how one of the first things that mao mao gets when she decides that she wants to be with jinshi is a warning. ah duo summons her and essentially tells mao mao that there's still time, there's still an out, there's still a way for her to be free in ways that ah duo never was. it's said over and over that a woman can never leave the palace once she's slept with a member of the imperial family. we've seen woman after woman stuck there for their entire lives. mao mao and jinshi's romance is directly tied to sacrifices on mao mao's end. it is, in all ways, mao mao taking a giant leap off a cliff and hoping she'll land on her feet. mao mao knows this. ah duo knows this. at this point in the story, even jinshi knows this. and ah duo, who's seen so many women suffer in the rear palace and doesn't want another woman to end up like her, hands mao mao one more out despite the fact that mao mao and jinshi being together is what will make her son, who she never even got to raise as her own, happier than anything.
and mao mao knows all of this, and she still jumps anyway, but not after taking years to build herself a net. ah duo was offering her a way off the cliff, but mao mao had already prepared herself to survive the fall.
Disney Renaissance Appreciation - Mulan (1998), Or What True Equality Looks Like
Mulan often gets labeled by boring people who are dead inside as "one of the few good Disney Princess" because she's, supposedly, strong in a way characters like Cinderella, supposedly, are not. After all, she, supposedly, doesn't need anyone to come to her aid, doesn't let men control her life, and is the ultimate badass.
Not only is this bullshit reading unfair to the classic princesses, it is also SUPER innacurate, and downright disrespectful, to Mulan - which is why the 2020 live action that basically made her a Marvel superhero was such trash (ya know, besides the immorality of pandering so hard to the chinese government that Disney thanked them for the opportunity to make a movie near their concentration camps).
When Flaws Become Strengths
LiveAction!Mulan is a martial arts prodigy that doesn't like being the perfect woman, but is very much capable of playing that role - to the point that her sister is the one to mess up when seeing the match-maker, because God forbid a female protagonist isn't perfect. She knows exactly who she is, what she wants, what's her place in the world... and at no point does her time at home or at the army change her in any way.
She doesn't struggle when joining the army, so there's no joy in finally being challenged after being stiffled and condescended to for years, nor a moment of her getting impostor syndrome and fearing everyone had been right about her place in the world, and now she'll die horribly because she didn't listen, only to then slowly improve and feel validated after all her hard work.
We don't even get her being the super badass that will help everyone in the army get better only to be rewarded by having the same guys that showed her respect and camaradary throwing her aside like she's nothing when they find out she's a woman, only to then regret it when she shows she's the bigger person and saves their asses at the end anyway. Instead she's the lone wolf that doesn't really bond that much with anyone because BADASS.
She doesn't need to grow, because she's already perfect. She doesn't need to learn to love herself because she already knows she's great. She doesn't even need to turn the other cheek when people wrong her because she never cared enough about their unfair opinion of her to feel hurt by it. This is her movie and she has no arc in whatsorever.
(No arc, no friends, no boyfriend, no sidekicks, no flaws, no qualities, no songs - seriously, the fuck does this girl, and by extension this movie, even have?)
People give Aurora a ton of shit for being less of a protagonist and more of a title character, but goddammit, girl just wanted to fall in love, met the guy of her dreams, discovered she could not be with him because her whole life was a lie, fell into a deep despair because of it and the villain took advantage of said despair to kill her, and then she was miraculously saved by true love and got to meet her bio parents while staying close with her adoptive family. This is WAY better, and way more emotional, than "I'm great" "No, you're not" "Yes, I am" "Yes, maam"
Cartoon!Mulan however is complex. She is very much a woman of her time, and as a consequence, she internalized plenty of horrible lessons about what she needs to be like - and to her horror, she's bad at all of it.
Women are supposed to be dutiful, blend into the background, just looking like beautiful potential brides, and not speaking unless spoken to? Mulan is a walking disaster that is always late for stuff, slacks on doing her chores at home, accidentally wrecks a ton of shit, cannot pick up on the social cues of "stay quiet, bitch", and when she IS supposed to speak up, she doesn't know the right thing to say, to the point of needing to cheat by writing stuff in her arm - and fucks up at that too because she didn't realize "I better write this down AFTER I bathe, not before it."
She is no good at, in her own words, passing for a perfect bride or perfect daughter, and not only is she ashamed of herself for it, it makes her unable to feel she has an identity of her own because what feels right to her is not what people expect of her.
Then, her father is about to be sent to war and will obviously die, all because he doesn't have a son to send in his place. So Mulan, who feels she failed as a daughter due to not impressing the matchmaker, decides to try becoming the son her father needs. And good God, she's even worse at being a man than she was at being a woman.
If at home she was struggling with being a delicate little thing that is composed, proper and just quietly sets the table while the men talk, in the army she's struggling to not cower before everyone, to not overcompensate for that by being too aggressive at the wrong times, and to not get her ass kicked during training. Girl doesn't know the right way to set up a tent, to hold a sword, to walk, to talk, it's all just an absolute mess.
The 1998 movie trusts it's audience to not see a woman's struggles as a sign that she's lesser, so, for Cartoon!Mulan, her coming of age story is a (literally) painful, embarrassing experience that might cost her her life - and that's exactly why she's so beloved.
What Makes A Hero
As I said before, Mulan is obviously an underdog, and while that makes audiences more prone to be on her side, what really made her someone admirable was how she dealt with her unfair circumstances.
Mulan is a pro-active character and, despite having some slacker tendencies, she will put in the hard work when it's important. Even when given the option to go home by her commander because she's terrible at training and Li Shang's not about to send "Ping" to his death (nor risk anyone else's life by having "Ping" potentially fuck up in battle), Mulan decides to stay and keep trying, because she's commited for once, in a way that she never truly had been to being the perfect bride - and it pays off in one of the most legendary Disney scenes ever, with her cleverly using the weights (that canonically represent discipline and strength, the two main things she had been lacking before) to support herself as she climbs to the retrieve the arrow atop the pole.
This is not the first or the last time Mulan's intelligence is highlighted. She found a way to get her chores done without doing them herself, she's shown to be quite skilled with strategy in a game during the dress up montage, she managed to avoid getting beat up by the guys she angered at the army with a sneaky trick, she defeated Shan Yu's whole army in battle with a single strategic cannon blast, she was the one with a plan to get into the palace and save the emperor, and then cleverly used the fireworks of the festival to take down the much stronger villain that would clearly eventually get the upper hand if she kept fighting one-on-one.
Cartoon!Mulan is also extremely kind, which is, once again, shown throughout the movie because it is a damn good movie that knows what it's doing. She steps in when a little girl is being picked on, she wants to do right by her family even if it means playing a gender role she doesn't like, she risks her own life to save her father's (once again playing a gender role she doesn't like), she doesn't hold a grudge against her fellow army men for literally trying to beat her up and constantly messing with her due to the terrible first impression she made.
She also doesn't hold a grudge against Shang for being really strict because she understands his reasons, and even tries to comfort him when he's second-guessing himself and when his father dies. She also pays homage to a little girl that was killed in the wrecked village they discover.
She immediately forgives Mushu when he reveals he was not meant to be her guardian/guide in this journey and is just there because he's a self-serving fuck up, and then risks her life once again (both in battle and in the sense of "the emperor will find out I broke the law that has execution as consequence for breaking it") to save the entire country (again, including the army that just kicked her out, the guy that was pushing for her to be executed, and the emperor who approved of the unfair law that caused this whole mess in the first place).
But unlike the Live Action, the 1998 cartoon understands that being kind is not the same as being a pushover.
She steps in when her father is being told he's obligated to join the army, she is the one who escalates the topic into a fight during dinner because she's understandably FURIOUS that her father is being sent to die and that they're expected to just go along with it, she's gets defensive when her animal side-kicks make fun of her for being bad at pretending to be a man, she decides to stay on the army because Shang saying "You're terrible and will never, ever get better" is a blow to her ego and she wants to prove him (and everyone) wrong, she explains her reasons for breaking the law in an effort to have her life spared, and she calls out Shang's double-standard for losing all trust in her solely for her gender since he KNOWS why she had no choice but to do what she did. She doesn't let it blind her, but she DOES have her pride.
LiveAction!Mulan has only ONE personality trait that movie tries, and fails, to convince us is heroic: she's a bootlicker for the emperor because Disney REALLY wanted that China money.
So she's constantly feeling guilty over breaking an unfair law that was going to get someone she loved killed if she didn't do something about it, she's the one to reveal to the army that she's a woman despite that being reckless and stupid, SHE ASKS TO BE EXECUTED FOR HER CRIMES, she's the one to say "I know my place" like it's a good thing instead of having "learn your place" thrown in her face being the final straw that pushes to risk it all and join the army, she bows to the emperor instead of the other way around, and then his men go after her at the end of the movie to ask her to work for the emperor after she already told him she didn't want to (because nothing says "We respect women" quite like "Bitch, you're not allowed to say no to me")
The worst slap in the face however, is Mulan's father only looking proud when she tells him all the way the emperor is proud of her. This is the worst change possible because the cartoon made it crystal clear that, long before the conclusion of her arc, Mulan was already...
A Girl Worth Fighting For
When the matchmaker calls Mulan a disgrace, her parents and grandma (who was visibly mad at said matchmaker for speaking to her granddaughter like that) comfort her. When she runs away, they all panic and clearly feel helpless that they can't go after her to bring her home since exposing her secret would mean her execution.
Much like the audience, Mushu grows fond of Mulan because she's a fuck up and the army trio of Yao (king of the rock!), Ling and Chien-Po grow to respect her for being hardworking.
Said army trio, who had a whole song in which they can only imagine fighting for a girl that they're interest in and explicitly say "A girl who's got a brain and always speaks her mind" (aka Mulan's description of herself) doesn't interest them AT ALL, also freak out and try to step in when she's about to be executed, feel bad about leaving her behind, and immediately join her when she comes back because that's their friend, dammit.
Shang gives "Ping" a way out so he doesn't die at war and is visibly proud of "his" progress. When Mulan's secret is revealed, Shang spares her not only because he relates to her motivation, but because he (and everyone there really) owes her his life. He is man enough to recognize that she is right when she calls him out for his sexism, and is then ready to not only fight alongside her, but to throw hands with anyone who speaks ill of her.
And when she comes home with gifts given to her by the emperor himself and kneels before her father, clearly hoping this will be enough to earn, if not his approval, then at least his forgiveness, he throws all that shit on the ground like it's meaningless and hugs her saying "My greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter."
The cartoon doesn't think Mulan has to prove herself useful (to the government, to the army, to her father) or superior to men and/or to other women to "earn" basic decency and respect. The journey is about reminding both herself and those around her that she and all women have ALWAYS deserved it on the basis of "they are human beings" - which is the same reasoning to why she forgives everyone for wronging her and saves their lives.
And the way she does it brings us to the final reason why the cartoon has WAY more balls than that stupid live action.
Accidentally The Gayest Disney Movie
Mulan is a woman who very much identifies as a woman. However, she feels her society's limited understanding of what a woman can do/be is suffocating her.
The movie addresses and validates that by, in Mushu's words, having "little Miss Man taking her Drag Show on the road." The plot and, more importantly, the humor of the movie, repeatly uses her try-hard attitude at playing the roles of both man and woman (something her friends also do) as a way to show that boxing people up like that and trying to determine their personalities and capabilities based on gender is not only reductive, but silly in a downright childish way.
Mulan gets called a crossdress by one of her ancestors and her whole arc is about becoming confident in her identity as a woman after being temporarely forced to "be a man" - and that exactly line of the song blares as her friends then dress up as women and flirt with the huns to sneak into the palace with her.
This movie also somehow achieved the impossible - having a Disney Princess that we know is attracted to men (the way the camera practically licks Li-Shang's abs when showing us Mulan's POV doesn't lie) swimming naked with three equally naked men that are very much attracted to women, and it's all jokes and absolutely zero sexual tension, and then culminates in and even more absurd moment of downright negative heterosexual activity dectected in which Mulan is forced to witness ALL the guys of the army run naked right before her eyes after she just said she never, ever wanted to see a naked man in her life again.
It's funny as fuck, and it fits the Disney Renaissance's theme of having their movies acknowledge that *gasp* Sex is a thing! People fuck! Lions fuck! Villains and heroes get horny for the girls that dance on the street for a living! Myths like Oedipus Rex, aka incest, are a thing people watch plays about! And adults very much do like see other adults, usually of the opposite sex, naked, so it's funny when they don't want that for a change!
And that brings us to the final thing that these live action remakes that are devoid of any sensuality, edge, anything interesting to say about gender or attraction could never give us: actual gay subtext that borders on text because it is THAT impossible to miss instead of a 35th "First openly gay character" that is all over the promo stuff but is on screen for 3 seconds so it can be cut by any censors that got a problem with that.
Disney cutting Li-Shang, king of confused bisexuals that didn't realize they DO swing both ways, from the live action was one of the worst cases of "Movie doesn't know it's own audience" I have ever seen in my life.
Shang being clearly into "Ping", supposedly a man, and that attraction remaining after he realizes "Ping" is in fact Mulan, a woman, was genuinely a bold thing to do in the late 90s, especially in a kid's film (and little me sure did appreciate it) and, of course, it led to an absolute goldmine of memes (like people realizing Li-Shang was the only guy that had no lines in "A Girl Worth Fighting For", or the infamous "Can't believe I was in love with a chick" screenshot of his reaction the Mulan reveal, or fanart of Mulan having to put the armor back on to get him going).
It perfectly fit the theme and plot, it's one of the most popular elements of the movie, and makes for great humor - and Modern Disney said "No, thanks!" because we can't have nice things. We can't have fun, we can't have actual explorations of themes, and we can't have a coherent message, we just need half-assed pandering to twitter and hardcore pandering to a government that hates the groups that loved the original Mulan.
Conclusion
Dishonor, dishonor on aaaallll the Disney execs, write it down: Dishonor on them, dishonor on their cashcows.
POV your favorite Disney princesses growing up were the ones that didn’t need a man (Elsa, Mulan, Tiana, Merida) and you always wondered how people fall in love so easily and why they want to be co-dependent and why the ideal life is marriage and kids
I watched Mulan today while making lunch and I had a Vision – the apothecary diaries mulan AU where maomao dresses like a man, freckles and all, poisons herself but also the Huns, saves China and Jinshi's ass with Lihaku, Lahan and Basen and no one suspects her because their own general is prettier than their wives. Bonus points if Lakan thinks that one soldier Jinshi's so attached to reminds him of someone. Extra bonus points if Jinshi sings when will my reflection show who I am inside
What in-universe information do we have on the Great 7 and their exploits? (Gotta remove the child murder somehow…)
Each of the Great Seven statues on Main Street have an inscription that talks about their exploits ^^ I did my best to compile other lore about the G7 that I could find.
***PLEASE NOTE: This post ONLY contains information about the Great Seven. Other important historical figures in Twisted Wonderland (such as the Righteous Judge, the mermaid princess, the sultan, etc.) are NOT compiled here.***
Below the cut due to length!
Queen of Hearts: A queen who ruled over a maze of roses and brought the rule of law to a chaotic kingdom. Under her strict leadership, no rose was off-color, nor was any playing-card soldier out of step.
The Queen of Hearts brought control and order to a land of chaos. Though history remembers her as being very strict, this strictness is often lauded as "necessary" or perceived as "cool".
She has a husband, the King of Hearts, who devoutly supported her; they were a close couple that worked together and had a happy marriage.
Heartslabyul's crown is styled after the Queen's.
She wrote poetry, although it tends to be nonsensical.
Potions in her domain tasted like pies and juice.
Referred to card soldiers by numbers.
She loved croquet and is very skilled at it, to the point of dual-wielding flamingos. Her shots would curve to go through the hoops.
Her preferred color for her croquet flamingo is green. Because of this, green is a popular flamingo choice in Heartslabyul.
She once held a croquet competition in which a card soldier allowed a hedgehog to escape. The Queen of Hearts had his head for this transgression.
The White Rabbit served her; he was always dashing from place to place and played a bugle to summon the queen's subjects or to call a meeting. He ran around all day and was never late; as a result, he earned her trust.
The QoH did not spare card soldiers who blamed one another. She immediately punished them all.
Her card soldiers are said to never be late and never break formation.
NRC has possession of the Queen of Hearts' scepter.
Trey and Cater speculate that she most likely had a sweet tooth, as she was "delighted when the Hatter gave her a cake."
She loved parties and other social events.
The Queen of Hearts was very physically strong; she could rip a whole rose bush out with her bare hands.
The White Rabbit announced her arrival with a trumpet.
Once, a 1 km tall defendant threw a fit in her court; they were tried "guilty of defying the Queen".
She is often depicted as scary, but she is said to have a cute side to her as well. For example, there was once a child lost in her castle and the queen welcomed her with a match of croquet. Cater comments, "A big-wig queen still makes time for the little people! Isn't that the sweetest?" The Queen of Hearts also fraternized with prickly subjects.
She always wore a dress and her crown in trials.
She ruled over a strange land full of even stranger residents, including a broom-faced dog (that cleans her castle), butterflies with bread wings, talking flowers, and glasses-birds.
The Queen of Hearts' unbirthday cake has enough candles on it to be a fire hazard.
She did not allow for chatter during croquet.
She used card soldiers for croquet hoops. The QoH never cut corners for entertainment.
The sentence for the smallest offense under her rule was beheading.
She was considered a head of state, a genius, and a legal specialist who served as chief judge. It is through her expertise that she was able to manage even the most disorderly of courts.
She loved admiring the roses; it is said her rose labyrinth was one of her most prized possessions.
The card soldiers once got in trouble for sullying white roses behind the queen's back.
She understood the importance of greetings; The Queen of Hearts taught people to speak properly, with their mouth wide open.
The Queen of Hearts knew all 810 laws by memory.
There was a trial in which a mouse was an important witness; the card soldiers had to carefully transport it to her courtroom.
In her court, the verdict came first. The sentence came after.
She is described as "unceasingly vigilant" by Riddle. "No information escaped her consideration, no matter how trivial [...] She refused to turn a blind eye to even the most minor of details."
She was not noted to have any special magic, but was still able to be highly successful as a ruler and jurist, which Ace thinks is cool.
King of Beasts: Through grit and determination, this king of beasts overcame his lesser claim of succession to rule over a vast savanna. He sought equality for all creatures—even those once banished from the realm.
Though he was not born to the throne, he used his cunning + persistence to earn his position as king. Once he came into power, he advocated for equal treatment of all animals. Because of this, he is considered an "enlightened ruler without equal".
His elder brother is the King of Lions.
The King of Beasts' military success was thanks to the efforts of one brave lioness.
In his time, the entire country would come together to celebrate the birth of a royal heir.
A great famine once struck the land the King of Beasts ruled. The citizens constantly complained to him. He was able to rally the masses and lead them to a better future.
The King of Beasts once fought atop a cliffy rock surrounded by flames. It is said he fought bravely to protect his land and people.
Before the King of Beasts, the strong ruled over the weak and only power mattered. He worked to change this, depose his brother, and built a "better, wiser kingdom".
The triangular pattern on the Savanaclaw dorm uniform is modeled after the King of Beasts' mane.
Often slept in front of his subordinates.
The King of Beasts was a no-show for his nephew's birth ceremony. Leona suggests that he forgot the date, but Jack doesn't believe it.
Jack states that the King of Beasts "took a special interest in his rascal of a nephew. He was always protecting that kid by extricating him from dangerous situations." The King of Beasts is described by Jack as "protective" and "good with kids".
Back in the day of the King of Beasts, they thought the stars were fireflies or kings of the past.
He welcomed outcast hyenas and gave them central roles under his rule. This was because the King of Beasts hired based on merit and talent.
The King of Beasts would always warn the hyenas to "be prepared".
Royalty in the day of the King of Beasts were betrothed at birth.
A warthog and a meerkat served the King of Beasts.
All animals back in the King of Beasts' era could communicate perfectly with one another; this was because individual Animal Languages had not formed yet.
His kingdom was a land of plenty; one strange lion even ate bugs.
Once a great famine swept his kingdom and the people complained to the King of Beasts. He rallied the animals and led them out of starvation.
There was one hyena that always spoke his mind to him.
Women did most of the hunting during his era.
A hornbill butler served the royal family as a chamberlain to the king and a chaperone to the prince. He was very organized and always spoke his mind; the King of Beasts appreciated his loyalty.
The hornbill sometimes soothed the king with song, as he was sometimes tired from always strategizing.
The feathers on the Savanaclaw dorm leader's staff has feathers in tribute to the hornbill advisor. Leona complains that he'd probably get scolded if he took the feathers off.
The King of Beasts "always sang a merry song, no matter how dire the straits." Because of this, many Savanaclaw students love upbeat songs that get their blood pumping.
He saved hyenas--social pariahs--from starvation (by sharing the spoils of his own hunt), which earned him their fealty. They did many odd jobs like hunting, scouting, and patrolling to pay him back and were considered very brave and persistent, even leaping into prickly bramble to chase a stubborn foe.
The King of Beasts had a scar on his left eye, which he got from a battle in which he was protecting his pack. (In the Sunset Savanna, scars are seen as signs of bravery.)
He never discriminated, even against the smallest herbivores.
He personally went to the outlands to negotiate with the hyenas and speak about how to best utilize their abilities.
Sea Witch: A compassionate sea witch who dwelled in a grotto deep beneath the waves. To repent for past misdeeds, she devoted herself to helping troubled souls, guiding even seemingly hopeless romances to a true happy ending.
Interestingly, the Sea Witch is the one member of the Great Seven who has said to have committed wrongs in the past (though it is not described what she did). She, however, is seen as "reformed" and was respected for this.
Azul praises her for admitting to her flaws and reflecting on them.
There is a story about how someone tried to deceive a prince into marrying them, but a seagull saw through their lies. We know that this is talking about Ursula, but this is treated like a separate instance in Twst.
In addition to words, she valued gestures and body language as a way to communicate.
It should be noted that the term "witch" is considered an offensive and outdated way to refer to mages. The fact that the Sea Witch is still referred to by the term may be an intentional reminder of her past misdeeds.
She's good at giving compliments and encouraged a lovestruck mermaid to pursue her feelings.
She is capable of making a potion that no other was able to reproduce. This potion heals all maladies of the throat and tongue.
It's said that there is no wish she cannot grant.
She's willing to help the less fortunate, but clients must be willing to pay the steep price for her mighty magic.
She rebuked rude merfolk and taught them how to properly behave and have manners.
Floyd's socks have an octopus pattern on them as a tribute to the Sea Witch.
Jade says that Octavinelle's dorm uniform is black to emulate her tentacles.
The entrance to her cave was built of sea dragon bones.
The Atlantica Memorial Museum has a replica of her cauldron.
She never hid her past misdeeds and wanted to work hard to restore her reputation and earn the people's respect.
Her magic was so powerful, it could affect the land above. For example, she could brew sea storms, charm humans just by walking among them, and brew a potion that gives merpeople human legs.
She did her brewing underwater, yet the salt water never interfered with her potions.
She cared a lot about her appearance, taking care of her hair and makeup daily. The Sea Witch always wanted to be prepared to greet any visitors.
She is most famous for making a shapeshifting potion to facilitate a romance between a human and a mermaid. Nowadays, such a thing is rare and regulated by the government.
She once claimed a beautiful voice as part of a contract and kept that voice in a spiral shell. The Coral Sea profits from this story by selling replicas of said shell (sometimes on a chain or string, so it can be worn as a necklace) as souvenirs.
One of Azul's voice lines expresses a similar story in which the Sea Witch uses a "snail shell" to "contain her magic." Azul considers doing the same with the pin on his dorm uniform hat.
The Sea Witch once turned herself into a human and caught the eye of a prince that sought to marry her the next day.
Even though she was once feared and called a monster, she was very kind to her subordinates. When she lost her favorite moray eel companions, her grief "shook the seafloor".
Her moral eel companions were well-coordinated and skilled at finding troubled merfolk.,
Modern day form-altering potions last 7-10 days maximum. However, the ones the Sea Witch brewed were semipermanent. This is considered advanced magic.
The contracts she drew up were so unbreakable that not even a powerful spear or trident could damage them.
There was only one flaw in her transformation potions; her true form would always be reflected in mirrors.
She grew flowers in her own garden.
The most challenging contract stipulation the Sea Witch demanded was for her client to get the "kiss of true love" from a prince. Floyd says he "respects the hustle".
She became gigantic and sunk a ship in a whirlpool to admonish those who broke their contracts. This story is taught to merkids, who love to play pretend and reenact it.
The mermaid princess lived at the same time as the Sea Witch.
In her time, merpeople would dare each other to visit shark-infested sunken ships.
The morays who served the Sea Witch were diligent and capable, acting as her eyes and ears, as well as he guards. They could flip over big boats with just their tails and worked together well. When they saw sad or distressed merfolk, they would advise them to see the Sea Witch for help.
The Sea Witch's morays monitored and supported a mermaid that gained legs to gain the love of a human man. They flipped over a boat the mermaid and man shared in order to test their love.
Sorcerer of the Sands: A wise sorcerer of a desert kingdom who used his keen insight to obtain a magic lamp that granted him great power. He supported his king by regularly offering carefully considered words of advice.
He served as the royal vizier and an advisor to a sultan (who was goofy but an excellent judge of character).
A sultan took in the Sorcerer as his Minister of State.
Through his wisdom and insight, he exposed a trickster that pretended to be a prince in order to deceive the sultan and the sultan's daughter. Everyone was deceived by the trickster, but the Sorcerer never stopped doubting and was about to use magic to reveal the truth.
He is respected in the Scalding Sands.
He built many machines well beyond the technology of his time, including an artificial lightning generator.
To honor his example, the leaders of the Scalding Sands hire mages and engineers specifically to research and adopt the most cutting-edge technologies.
He used his snake staff to banish a charlatan.
He is known for making many magical tools.
The Magic Lamp is considered to be a Wish Piece, which had a great impact on the course of history.
We have this text written in an ancient language (translated by Malleus): "The Sorcerer of the Sands once raised an enormous edifice in the midst of the desert, all in the blink of an eye. A great gate of sand stood at the entrance, and inside lay numerous traps to ensnare anyone unworthy of being there. People in the Scalding Sands tried to emulate the legend by constructing houses made of sand. For if there was one thing they did not lack for, it was sand. But even with extensive trial and error, solidifying the sand into a stable surface remained a daunting prospect. Their endeavors served as a reminder to the people of how extraordinary the Sorcerer of the Sands truly was."
The Sorcerer of the Sands utilized many magical artifacts, such as the Magic Flying Carpet, the Magic Lamp, the Great Serpent Staff, and the Hourglass of Clairvoyance.
Jamil credits the Sorcerer of the Sands' teachings for many of the modern technologies that exist in the Scalding Sands.
The Sorcerer of the Sands created a divination tool that was passed down in the Scalding Sands. It is described as a magical hourglass that only works on stormy, lightning-filled days. He built a lightning generating device (which resembles a treadmill) to go with the divination tool.
It is said he could turn into a cobra. Scarabia's dorm uniform belt has a cobra pattern in order to emulate this ability of the Sorcerer.
The golden scarabs on Scarabia's sandals are inspired by the Sorcerer's search for one.
He obtained a magic lamp that granted him great power. The man spent many years and endured countless ordeals to get this lamp.
He came from humble origins and rose up in the ranks. They say that this magic lamp was used to help the sorcerer become a sultan himself.
He had a keep eye for talent had had a habit of discovering “diamonds in the rough”. The Sorcerer would personally scout them.
He was very observant.
He kept a red parrot and brought it with him everywhere. It had the ability to mimic human voices and speech.
Someone would constantly give his parrot crackers/snacks.
The Sorcerer of the Sands granted a handsome reward to the person who could bring the other half of a golden scarab to him. The full scarab served as a key to a magical cave with a great treasure inside.
In the end, he transcended human limitations and became a genie.
He is described as a man prepared for any possible circumstance, both in the affairs of the country as well as personal affairs.
Fairest Queen: The fairest queen of all, and one who was always diligently striving to better herself. She utilized the powerful magic at her command to tirelessly pursue her ideals.
The Fairest Queen's domain had a mine filled with precious stones. Rook credits her beauty leading the land to also be beautiful.
She sat on a luxurious chair.
Her lore is passed down in Fairest City/Maquillaville. Many chemists were inspired by her own skill and settled there.
When her position was threatened, she did anything and everything she could to maintain that position.
She had a pet crow.
Pomefiore's crown is styled after a motif the Fairest Queen favored.
She had a secret room in her castle’s basement.
A highly loyal huntsman served her--as well as his own heart, which led to some blunders. He has inspired Rook to wear a feathered cap.
Her favorite makeup included purple eyeshadow and red lipstick. She painted her nails beige to balance her look.
She trusted her huntsman so much that she would directly give orders to him. Sebek assumes he must be very diligent.
She once disguised herself as an old woman and visited a girl/princess that lived in the forest to deliver apples to make a dish. This was supposedly done to help the girl find true love. Lilia suggests that the reason why the Fairest Queen made herself look old was to not intimidate the girl, as someone that is exceedingly beautiful can be difficult to approach.
There is another story in which the Fairest Queen gifts a kind, pure-hearted girl a magical apple to help her dreams come true.
Her throne had a peacock engraving.
She infused an apple with special magic, although it is not stated why she chose apples over another fruit. Epel theorizes she must have deeply loved apples.
She is famous for her famous black and purple royal gown. A high-end fashion brand models its most famous color after her.
Some believe the Fairest Queen had a child.
She wore a cap far longer than even the Pomefiore dorm uniforms.
She studied potionology, astrology, and alchemy. Her specialty is poisons.
She was also supposedly quite well-versed in astrology and alchemy, striving constantly for beauty rather than settling for what she was born with.
The Fairest Queen considered her posture, even when disguised as an "ugly crone". Her observant nature only served to bolster her beauty, according to Vil.
She had a magic mirror that assessed her beauty on a daily basis.
She could disguise a poison apple such that it would return to a vivid shade of red.
Her famous poison apple caused a sleeping death that could only be cured by love's first kiss.
The well in NRC's courtyard is based on the one at her castle. The original well is said to have the power to grant wishes. A princess wished to fall in love right away at that well.
Even though she was skilled at potions, even the Fairest Queen suffered from terrible pain when undergoing a potion-induced transformation.
There is a story about how she needed a heart for one of her potions; her huntsman brought a pig's heart for her.
She had a preference for apple pies and beautifully red apples. Harveston once would offer the reddest apples from the season's harvest to the Fairest Queen. Over time, this became an apple competition.
There was an animated movie about the Fairest Queen. Vil promotes a live-action remark of that film.
Pomefiore's dorm uniform is the same color as her dress. The inner lining features apples, which the Queen was fond of.
NRC's ceremonial robes are based on the robes the Fairest Queen wore in the guise of an old woman.
Epel states that the Fairest Queen was willing to take on a "hideous form" to "win her place as the fairest."
King of the Underworld: The lord of the Underworld, and guide to the wandering souls of the dead. He carried out his fearsome duties with diligence and care, motivating even the defiant to offer their aid.
Idia describes the King of the Underworld as "diligent" and with "a sense of humor", a "decent, down-to-earth king." He also notes that the King of the Underworld was very charismatic.
His primary duties involved ruling over the dead.
He has an automated system to manage his subjects (ie the dead).
He lived during the age of Myth.
He noticed even when a subordinate changed the footwear they wore.
He would reward subordinates that performed noble deeds.
He kept a mighty three-headed guard dog named Cerberus. If offered their favorite sweets, they would lower their vigilance. Sometimes the heads would fight, but they'd always obey Hades.
He was good with people, able to coax information out of goddesses with his silver tongue. He's also good at small talk and negotiating.
He had a "super helpful" assistant who was a human woman. They had troubles with compromising very often. Once, she reported incorrect information to him and failed in another task. The King of the Underworld did not abandon her and instead gave her a second chance. Azul praises him for his clemency.
Though he ruled over a gloomy place, he never lost his smile or sense of humor.
He consulted with the Goddesses of Fate while drafting up a great plan.
He had blue fire for hair, but it turned red when he was mad.
He liked to watch fighting sports while eating snacks.
He encourages a busy young man to take a break, despite being a hard worker himself.
The King of the Underworld strategized using a chess board or boards from other games.
He had minions that could shapeshift at will. Malleus comments that they must be extremely competent retainers.
He had the Hydra and Titans (the original Phantoms) at his command.
He rode in a flying chariot.
The triangles on Ignihyde's dorm uniform are inspired by the King's own outfit.
Ortho says, "The high-capacity storage drives attached to my waist have a skull motif based on the King of the Underworld."
In order to rescue a captured comrade, he personally went to free them.
Thorn Fairy: A fairy who reigned over a mystical mountain, wielding magical powers that included mastery over storms and thorns. Proud and refined, she cherished solitude even as she commanded her countless minions.
She lived in a magical mountain and was known for her powerful curses. Not even a trio of royal fairies could break her curses.
Her magic was so strong that she covered an entire kingdom with briar and commanded storms.
An uninvited guest barged into a party celebrating a princess’s birth. This guest cast a sleeping curse on the princess, leading her father, a human king, to destroy all spinning wheels in the land. The guest is described as “a foul witch” and “the mistress of evil”, but is not said to be the Thorn Witch.
She is considered the most powerful of the Great Seven.
She was able to transform into a dragon and burn down stone bridges with her fiery breath.
Her most famous spell is the Spinning Wheel Curse. It is said that no one could break it.
The Thorn Fairy once told a man that he was the destined hero of a fairy tale.
When she visited the human lands, she was met with animosity.
She has several minions who don't mind doing menial tasks for her.
Her minions were bad at finding people. They were once tasked to find a baby, and they took 16 years to achieve this. The Thorn Fairy scolded them severely for their blunders.
After punishing her minions, she would forgive them. Sebek calls this “generosity”.
Her minions would celebrate her achievements by dancing around a green fire.
She was welcoming and hospitable to all who visited her castle. If anyone felt down, she would cheer them up.
On Halloween, the Thorn Fairy's minions would set themselves on fire and dance throughout the night.
She once invited the prince of an enemy nation to her castle.
Of all her subordinates, her pet crow was the most capable. (The rest were incompetent.) It served as a scout and guided her allies, serving as her right hand.
In her time, the kingdom held a party to celebrate a princess's birthday. She was not invited to this party, as the host feared her. However, the Thorn Fairy maintained perfect decorum despite this offense.
A human king feared her curse so much that he burned every spinning wheel in his kingdom.
Her castle had gargoyles.
The green on Diasomnia uniforms represents her fire. Lilia also says that the thorn pattern on his tights is in honor of the Thorn Fairy.
Diasomnia's hats are meant to emulate her horns. Malleus's hat is specially tailored to suit his natural horns.
The accessories at the Diasomnia students' waist are spools. They're meant to be evocative of the spinning wheel the Thorn Fairy blessed.
Malleus's dorm uniform cape has a briar pattern woven into it. It is tailored as such in honor of the Thorn Fairy.
They say her beautiful flames used to charm people.
The skies in her domain rumbled when she was mad.
She loved fairy tales. Once, she told her guests the story of lovers that found each ch other after 100 years.
- Snow White's yandere nature stems from her abandonment issues and desperate need for validation and love.
- Their cultivated image of perfect, gentle grace is a powerful shield. No one would ever believe the sweet, kind princess could be capable of such things, making their actions all the more hidden and effective.
"Someday my Prince will come".
- This isn't a hopeful dream; it's a desperate prayer that became an all-consuming obsession. You are her prince. You are her salvation. You have a script to follow, and she will make you stick to it.
- She "owes" her life to you (and the dwarfs, but mostly you). This creates a suffocating dynamic where she believes her unwavering, obsessive devotion is simply repaying a debt. How could you possibly refuse her gratitude?
- All the creatures of the forest are her eyes and ears. A bird saw you speaking a bit too long with a lady-in-waiting. A rabbit noticed you admiring a painting of a former queen. She knows. She always knows. And she will ask you about it in her sweet, innocent voice, her head tilted, her eyes just a bit too wide.
- Her ideal life is locked in a cottage of comfort she creates for you. She'll bake endless apple pies, sing you to sleep, and dote on your every need. Leaving this perfect little world she's built for the two of you is a rejection she cannot bear.
- Method of elimination? Poisoned apples, of course. Thanks to the Evil Queen's influence. But also "tragic accidents" in the forest—quicksand that wasn't there yesterday, a sudden rockslide, a venomous snake bite. The dwarfs, utterly devoted to their "mother," would help cover it up without question, believing they are protecting her happiness.
Cinderella
- Cinderella's yandere nature is born from years of abuse, neglect, and the constant message that she was "not enough."
- After a lifetime of having everything taken from her, you are the one thing she was given. She will not let anyone take you away. She earned you through suffering. You are hers.
- Any compliment you give to another woman, any mention of a beautiful dress or lovely singing voice, is not a simple observation. To her, it's a direct comparison. It means she is failing. She is not enough. And if she's not enough, you might leave. This thought triggers a panic that quickly curdles into something darker.
- The famous glass slipper isn't a symbol of romance; it's a symbol of her claim. She will often hold it, caressing it while watching you.
"It fit only me. I am the only one who belongs with you. There are no other options."
- Years of being a servant taught her how to be invisible and how to clean up messes. A rival's ballgown will be subtly torn moments before a royal event. Their drink will be ever-so-slightly spiked to make them ill and unable to attend. Their reputation will be dismantled by perfectly timed, whispered rumors from "anonymous" sources.
- Having survived gaslighting and abuse, she's a master at turning it around. If you confront her about a disappearance, she will look heartbroken. She will make you feel guilty for suspecting her.
"After all I've suffered, how could you think such a thing of me? Do you not trust me? I thought you were my hero."
Aurora
- Aurora's yandere nature is a product of her isolated upbringing, the magical manipulation of her life, and the literal splitting of her identity.
- Maleficent's curse and the fairies' solution taught her that love is not a choice; it's a destiny to be fulfilled. You are not a partner; you are her predetermined "true love." Resisting this fate is not an option she can comprehend.
- The peasant girl "Briar Rose" is the mask she uses to be close to you without the constraints of royalty. She may run away from the castle and find you as Rose, her personality more wild, impulsive, and possessive. As Princess Aurora, she is ethereal, distant, and regal, but her eyes follow you with an unsettling, knowing intensity.
- Her greatest fear is not death, but being asleep and powerless again—unable to watch over you, to ensure your devotion. If she feels you are pulling away, she might feign illness or a deep sleep, only to wake when you are a sobbing, apologetic mess at her bedside, having promised her your eternal love.
- She often seems detached from reality because, in a way, she is. Her actions don't feel entirely real to her. Making a potential rival simply... "vanish" feels like removing a bad dream. She’ll just wave her hand vaguely and say:
"The thorns took her. She won't trouble our dream anymore, my love."
- It's never directly her fault; it's just a tragic accident in the woods she loves so much.
Ariel
- Ariel's yandere nature is fueled by her obsessive curiosity, her tendency to view the human world as a collection of treasures, and the drastic, body-horror adjacent sacrifice she made for love.
- You are the crown jewel of her collection of human things. This makes her ownership feel absolute. How could she ever let go of the thing she paid for with her very essence?
- Her secret cave isn't filled with general human artifacts anymore. It's a shrine to you. It contains your discarded belongings, portraits she's commissioned, locks of your hair, the cup you drank from once—all meticulously collected and arranged. This is where she goes to indulge her obsession when you're busy with royal duties.
- Her inability to speak becomes a source of deep, paranoid anxiety. She can't ask you what you're thinking, can't verbally confront a rival, can't scream her love and possession. This silence forces her obsessions inward until they manifest in drastic, physical actions. She expresses her love through intense, clinging physical touch and her rage through silent, brutal efficiency.
- In her mind, the sea is hers to command. A potential rival invited on a boat trip? A sudden storm claims them. They're simply lost at sea. To Ariel, this isn't murder; it's a return to the natural order. She might even see it as a peaceful end, a beautiful sinking into the silent world she loves.
- Her greatest fear is you rejecting her world, the world she mutilated herself to join. If you ever tried to leave her, her love would curdle into a terrifying, vengeful despair. She wouldn't kill you. She'd drag you down to the depths, to a palatial prison in Atlantica where you could be together forever, whether you wanted to or not. You'd become the permanent centerpiece of her collection.
Belle
- Belle's yandere twist is intellectual and philosophical. She didn't just fall in love; she rationalized it, and she will use her formidable intelligence to justify keeping it.
- She frames her obsession not as madness, but as the logical conclusion of a great love story. She's read all the tales; this is how it's supposed to be. The Beast's possessiveness wasn't a red flag to her; it was a blueprint for true, all-consuming love.
- She knows everything. She has meticulously cross-referenced court schedules, servant gossip, and her own observations to create a perfect model of your daily life. Any deviation from the pattern—a sudden need to take a walk alone, a new maid you smile at—is flagged for her attention.
- She doesn't just remove rivals; she discredits them. She will use her knowledge of law, history, and psychology to fabricate a perfect story where the rival is a traitor, a spy, or mentally unstable. She presents the evidence with cool, calm logic, making their ruin seem like an unfortunate but necessary conclusion. She makes the court thank her for uncovering the threat.
- Her time taming the Beast convinced her that she alone can see the true soul beneath the surface. If you express a desire for freedom or space, she doesn't see it as your wish; she sees it as a symptom of you not understanding your own heart. She will lovingly, patiently restrict your choices "for your own good," until you agree with her version of reality.
- Her ultimate threat is isolation. If you defy her, she won't yell or scream. She will simply have you moved to the West Wing, with all the books you could ever want. You will have everything you need, except the company of anyone but her. She will visit daily for stimulating conversation, waiting for you to finally admit that her love is the only thing you truly need.
Jasmine
- Jasmine's yandere nature is a product of a lifetime of being told everything in the kingdom belonged to her—except her own freedom. Now that she has it, she believes you are her rightful property.
- She rejected suitors because they sought to own her. But she has chosen you, and therefore, by her new rules, she owns you. It's the ultimate inversion of the system she hated.
- She was raised as a ruler. If she wants something, it is hers. This sense of entitlement is absolute. Seeing you talk to another is not a betrayal of trust; it's a subject unlawfully touching royal property. And the punishment for theft is severe.
- Just as Rajah is fiercely protective and answers to no law but his own for her safety, Jasmine adopts the same feral, animalistic protectiveness over you. She doesn't just get jealous; she gets territorial. She will mark you with her scent (her perfume, a specific jewel she insists you wear) and see any rival as a predator encroaching on her claim.
- She has the power to make people disappear. A word to the guards, a whispered order to Jafar's less-scrupulous successors, and a rival is arrested on false charges of treason. The dungeons of Agrabah are deep, and the desert sands are vast and hungry. She is the princess; her word is law, and her actions are never questioned.
- Her entire arc was about escaping her gilded cage. The ultimate irony is that she would not hesitate to place you in one if you tried to leave. You showed her a whole new world, and that world belongs to the two of you alone. If you try to explore it without her, she will simply bring the world to you—in the form of a luxuriously appointed, heavily guarded palace wing where you can want for nothing, except your freedom.
Pocahontas
- Pocahontas's connection to the natural and spiritual world doesn't soften her obsession; it sanctifies it. Her love isn't just a feeling; it's a destiny written in the wind and the streams.
- The world itself is her confidant and her weapon. The wind whispers your whereabouts to her. The leaves rustle warnings about anyone who looks at you with interest. She doesn't need to spy; the entire world is her surveillance system, and it is utterly loyal to her.
- In her mind, your meeting wasn't chance; it was the work of the Grandmother Willow and the spirits. You are the answer to her prayers for guidance. To reject her is to reject the spirits themselves, an act of profound imbalance that must be corrected.
- She wouldn't see removing a rival as murder. It would be "removing a sickness," "weeding the garden," or "allowing the river to take its course." A rival might fall ill after being exposed to a rare plant, or have a hunting accident where the animals behave against their nature. The wilderness is unpredictable, and Pocahontas understands its rhythms perfectly.
- If you were to betray her, her rage would be as vast and untamable as the land itself. She would make the world forget you. The paths you walk would become overgrown. Your own people would find the land turning against them until they were forced to leave. She would erase you from her world completely, leaving you alone and exiled on the shores of a land that no longer wants you.
- Her love is all-encompassing and eternal. In life, you are hers. In death, your spirits would be forever entwined. This belief makes her actions in the present feel insignificant in the face of your eternal connection. What is one mortal life compared to forever?
Mulan
- Mulan's yandere nature is forged in the crucible of war. Her love is not a gentle emotion; it is a military campaign. You are her primary objective, and she will use every tactic, every ounce of her strength and cunning, to achieve total victory: your unwavering and exclusive devotion.
- She approaches love with a soldier's discipline and strategy. She has reconnaissance (knows your schedule), intelligence (understands your desires), and a primary objective (you). Any rival is an enemy combatant to be neutralized with extreme prejudice.
- Her entire story was about loyalty to her family. That loyalty has now been transferred entirely to you. She expects the same in return. Any perceived disloyalty—a glance, a compliment to another, a missed appointment—is a court-martial offense. The punishment is swift and efficient.
- She saved China for you. She endured pain, humiliation, and near-death for you. You owe her your life and your devotion. This debt is unpayable and absolute. The mere thought of you being ungrateful for her sacrifice is enough to send her into a cold, silent rage.
- On the training grounds, "accidents" happen. During a military campaign, the chaos of battle claims many lives. Who's to say if that arrow was from the enemy or a friendly bow? As a respected war hero, her word on such matters is beyond reproach.
- If you were to try and leave, she would "protect" you. She'd lock you in a secure, comfortable room, bringing you food and reading to you.
"It's too dangerous out there. I lost you once on the battlefield. I won't lose you again to your own poor judgment. I will keep you safe, even from yourself."
Tiana
- Tiana's obsession is born from a lifetime of relentless work and sacrifice. Her dream wasn't just a restaurant; it was a testament to her father's love and her own worth. You became part of that dream, and now the entire, fragile structure depends on your presence.
- Her father's gumbo, her restaurant, and you are all fused together in her mind as the recipe for her perfect life. Remove one ingredient, and the entire dish is ruined. You are not just her husband; you are a fundamental, structural component of "Tiana's Palace."
- She worked her fingers to the bone for this. She almost died for this. She sacrificed her youth, her social life, everything for her dream, which now includes you. To threaten that dream by showing interest in another is not just a betrayal; it's an attempt to demolish the monument she built with her blood, sweat, and tears. She will defend it with the same ferocity she used to build it.
- Her years in the service industry taught her how to clean up messes efficiently. A rival food critic who flirts with you might find a health inspector shutting down their establishment. A socialite might have her reputation shredded by expertly spread rumors, delivered by the gossipy dinner guests Tiana serves every night. She handles problems with practicality and brutal finality.
- There are sharp knives, boiling pots, and slippery floors. It would be a tragedy if a rival, perhaps one who insisted on touring the kitchen to meet the famous chef, were to have a terrible accident. So sad. Tiana would be devastated, of course, but the restaurant must go on.
- Her greatest fear is you becoming lazy or complacent, like Prince Naveen initially was. If you backslide, if you stop being the driven partner she built her dream with, her love will turn into a harsh, controlling discipline. She will micromanage your life, your schedule, your friendships, all under the guise of "helping you live up to your potential." She will work you as hard as she works herself, because the dream cannot have any weak links. The dream must be perfect.
Dude I think every Disney Princess has someone who has/would kill for them.
The dwarfs pulled up with weapons, they were relentless
The mice and birds are more than 100% capable, though they almost never chose violence (except with Lucifer - they tried to stab him with forks, light him on fire, dropped plates on him, before eventually siccing the dog Bruno on him, and Lucifer jumped out the window just to escape).
Philip killed Maleficent, but the fairies blessed the sword to guarantee he wouldn't miss.
Eric killed Ursula, Triton absolutely would've killed somebody for Ariel's sake.
The Beast almost killed Gaston but Belle went and made him want to be a better man - the castle staff however, I'm not sure all of the mob made it home.
Jasmine has a tiger, nuff said there, but Aladdin did come at Jafar with a sword.
Mulan was in the army, she herself has a body count, but her closest comrades were on the way to assist when she enacted her genius plan
It’s been a point of debate for twenty-seven years and counting, ever since Mulan was released to American theaters all over the country on June 19, 1998. You still see debates about it on the internet, you still see people aggressively insisting that Shang is 100% heterosexual and only fell for Mulan after she was outed as a girl, you still see people making bisexual edits of Shang and holding him up as a “bisexual icon” and accusing Mulan (2020) of practicing LGBTQ+ censorship by removing Shang’s character.
My personal belief is simple: Shang was in love with Ping, but the cisgender and heterosexual filmmakers were not thinking about bisexuality when they wrote his and Mulan’s love story.
Sound confusing? Yes. But I’ll try to break it down for you in simple terms, so you’ll hopefully understand where I’m coming from. Hopefully, it might even make you want to rewatch the movie and look for what I’m talking about, because I think it’s very obvious if you’re just paying attention to the film itself, not internet discussion based on nostalgia.
The thesis is this: Shang was unconsciously drawn to Ping, Mulan’s male disguise, but only believed his attraction was “brotherly love”. He felt brotherly affection and respect for Ping at first, as indicated by him smiling at Ping for “his” impressive progress in the second half of “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” and looking back at Ping for the “You’re a great captain” comment. These feelings slowly started to change off-screen, somewhere between the training montage over three weeks (“I’ll Make a Man Out of You”) and the time passing montage of the platoon traveling (“A Girl Worth Fighting For”), as he felt more and more drawn to Ping during their off-screen friendship and comradery in the army.
This friendship culminated in Mulan/Ping reaching out to Shang and telling him, “I’m sorry”, as condolences during his grieving for his father at the ruined village. Shang touched Ping’s shoulder to acknowledge that “his” condolences meant a lot to him, and he valued “his” friendship.
After Ping saved Shang’s life in the avalanche, Shang realized he had fallen in love with Ping. He showed this by touching Ping’s shoulder again and, this time, smiling at “him” and telling Ping “he” has his trust. This is tantamount to a love confession from someone as reserved, stoic, and Chinese as Shang. He does not smile at any of his men unless it’s sarcastic (“Yao, thank you for volunteering.”), and is not friendly with any of them except Ping. Ping is the sole exception to his very nature, the one person he thought he could trust and even love after his father’s death.
But of course, that was when Mulan fainted from the sword wound Shan Yu gave her, was treated for her injury, and had her secret exposed as a result. And Shang is catatonic, devastated, and so angry and hurt by the fact that not only did his true love lie to him the entire time they knew each other, but also the fact that he has to kill her for being a woman who joined the army despite knowing the law against it.
Shang spares Mulan’s life because she, as Ping, saved him during the avalanche. He leaves her behind with her provisions because he cannot bear to look at her anymore.
And it is when Mulan bravely leads a rescue mission to save the Emperor, and proves she loves Shang by saving him from Shan Yu, that Shang realizes he truly loves Mulan, and wants to be with her, because he does not care about her gender. He cares about what he saw in her heart: her kindness, strength, courage, and intelligence. He never cared about what was between her legs; all he wanted was her love, and in the end, he got it.
That’s what makes Mulan and Shang a perfect match, in my opinion. They deserved each other so much, and they got to be together in the end. A kiss would have been nice, but in the end, it wasn’t necessary. They already proved their love without one.
In addition to Chapter 4 and 9, I believe a separate list of important information would be helpful for some of you to refer to. Most of them are not canon, except the five clans marked [Canon], but their roles in the Court are slightly altered and expanded. The list will be updated as the story progresses.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
[The following layout took some references from canon, but it is mostly designed for the fic.]
I - Organizational Structure of the Outer Court
The design was inspired by the canon and the “three departments and six ministries (三省六部)” systems of many ancient Chinese dynasties. The ruling Emperor directly controls three official organizations and one shadow organization.
Department of State Affairs
It is the primary executive institution led by the Prime Minister, separated into six ministries. Each ministry is led by one minister/commander, followed by two vice-secretaries.
i. Ministry of Personnel - responsible for selection, promotion, welfare, and termination of all Outer Court personnel, which includes the Physician Office
ii. Ministry of Treasury - responsible for tax collection, financial management, and auditory of other ministries and departments
iii. Ministry of Rites - responsible for ceremonies and religious affairs
iv. Ministry of Military - responsible for managing military personnel training, national defense strategies, and arms
v. Ministry of Justice - responsible for law enforcement, judiciary, and prisons
vi. Ministry of Works - responsible for public infrastructure development and agricultural planning
Central Secretariat
It is the advisory body to the Emperor in laws and policy formulation.
Imperial Guards
It is responsible for protecting the Emperor and the security of the Royal palace.
Intelligence Bureau
It is a shadow organization that higher-ranking officials know exists. Because of their jobs, its members are never revealed, so they never attend court. Rumor has it that its members work in other departments and ministries under disguise.
II - Organizational Structure of the Inner Court
The Inner Court is led by the Emperor, delegating his power to the Empress or the Empress Dowager when he has yet to name an Empress. Consorts are divided into three ranks: low, middle, and high. Despite no limit on the number of low and middle consorts, there are only four high consorts who live in the Diamond, Garnet, Jade, and Crystal Pavillions.
All matters in the Inner Court are managed by the Office of the Interior, divided into three major sections:
Domestics Services Department
The primary organization manages all duties through six Shangs, including Wardrobe, Housekeeping, Catering, Gardening, Furnishing, and Administration.
Office of Eunuchs
It is responsible for recruitment, allocation, and welfare of eunuchs. Since Emperor Yang had ceased all castration practices, the office is shrinking and aging.
Office of Serving Women
Similarly, it is responsible for recruitment, allocation, and welfare of serving women.
III - The Twelve Named Clans
Ma 馬 - [Canon] the Clan responsible for the Imperial Guards for generations. Their de facto family heads are the females at home, as the males are expected to stay frontline protecting the Royal Family. They often marry the Mi Clan due to their close working relations.
Mi 巳 - [Canon] the Clan that fully controls the Intelligence Bureau. It is a ‘family’ not born by blood but maintained between masters and disciples, trained and excelled in intel collection, spy work, and martial arts. Most of their identities are unknown to the others, except a few of the ruling Emperor and Ma Clan members with whom they share close relationships.
Kan 漢 - [Canon] the Clan of over a century of standing recently rose to power due to their fourth head of the house, Lakan, earning the position of the Ministry of Military. They do not stand with any factions in the Court and remain distanced from other Clans. Rumors were that the daughter of the Military Commander had a close relationship with the Moon Prince, earning caution and jealousy from different Clans.
You 楊 - [Canon] the Clan named for its governance of the Western Province. Despite its member, Gyoukuyou, rising to power as the Empress Dowager, the fall of her brother Gyouku-ou led to its isolation from other clans.
U 卯 - [Canon] the Clan that once held great power over the Court during the time of the Empress Regnant but was currently weakened. Its head of the clan was the father of the former Consort Lishu, who worked as the vice secretary of the Ministry of Rites.
Ryou 梁 - the Clan leading the Ministry of Personnel. The former head of the clan, father of Great Consort Lihua, was the current governor of the Northern Province. His younger brother, the current head, was the Personnel Commander. Part of the conservatives’ faction.
An 安 - another Clan of the conservatives’ faction. Family of the Great Empress Dowager, Anshi. They controlled the Ministry of Justice. (I knew Anshi came from a Named Clan in canon, but their name was never mentioned in the LNs, so I named it instead.)
Kyou 姜 - another Clan of the conservatives’ faction. Its head is the Commander of the Ministry of Rites.
Shin 沈 - the Clan leading the Ministry of Treasury. Part of the reformists’ faction. The clan head Heyi 合義 was famous for being objective and fair.
Tei 鄭 - the Clan leading the Ministry of Works. Part of the reformists’ faction.
Lei 黎 - the newest Named Clan, ascended after the fall of the Shi Clan as their head Liansheng 蓮生 became the Prime Minister. Both factions disliked him and isolated him at the Court, and some officials called him the ‘Puppet Minister.’
Han 潘 - the Clan with members scattered in the Ministries of Treasury, Justice, Works, and the Central Secretariat. They did not take a stance with any faction or the Prime Minister.
IV - Other Notable Political Families
Dan 段 - Part of the conservatives, working in the Treasury and the Justice ministries.
To 杜 - Relatives of the Prime Minister, working in the Personnel and Rites ministries.
Syuu 周 - Part of the reformists, working in the Personnel.
Sai 蔡 - Part of the reformists, working in the Works.
From Snow White’s cherry-red lipstick to the balloon sleeves on Ariel’s wedding gown, every Disney princess reflects the trends of their debut era, even though many of them take place during some nebulous history period.
origamiaround
ellievsbear
snowghoul
kianamaiart
kaledo-art
romaincrisis
gummygunk
dededos
