Mulan Rewrite
I recently rewatched Mulan, the 1998 animated movie not the thing Disney made in 2020, and got hit with some creativity about a few things I would change.
In my rewrite the start of the movie is basically the same till Mulan runs away: the Huns attack the Great Wall, the Emperor sends out the conscription order, we meet Mulan, Honor to Us All, matchmaker, Reflection, Chi-Fu arrives with the conscription order, Mulan and her dad argue, Mulan runs way, Ancestors awake and Mushu decides to go after Mulan himself.
The only change I would make to the beginning of the movie is give Mulan two younger siblings. I'm taking this from the original Ballad of Hua Mulan (yes in the Ballad Mulan's sister is older, but I want Mulan to be the oldest sibling.) The Ballad doesn't give the brother and sister names so I'm calling them Hua Chun (12F) and Hua Wei (10M) they serve as another reason for Mulan to war in her dad's place, because her siblings are still young and need him in their lives. Mulan is 16.
So Mulan runs away, and after a few days, she sees the army camp in the distance. This is when Mulan and Mushu meet. Mushu is still the comic relief but is also really helpful. He points out that Mulan hasn't even come up with a fake name, and Mulan, after thinking for a bit she decides on Ping. Mulan explains that Ping was a friend of her dad's who served with him in the army and died in battle after saving his life.
Anyways Ping enters the army camp and is completely out of his element. Hijinks ensue, the rice is spilled, and the general of the army shows up.
Some explain. In this version Shang is a regular soldier, he is the son of a respected general and has promise to one day be a good general himself, but right now he's serving as a the assistant to the general overseeing this band of recruits.
Back to the story, General Jiao asks who's responsible for the mess, and everyone blames Ping. He's surprised to learn that "Ping" is the son of war hero Hua Zhou and says that he has very large shoes to fill, and so far, he's failing.
Skip to the next day and I'll Make a Man Out of You. During the song through day-night cycles its going to show that several days have gone by, about a week or two. By the end Ping earns the respect of his fellow soldiers, and Shang who Ping starts becoming friends with. General Jiao is impressed with Ping and tells him that he has his father's intelligence.
Shang approaches Ping and complements him for getting on General Jiao's good side. They talk for a bit, and Ping asks why Shang is overseeing some recruits rather than leading his own army to battle. Shang explains that about a month ago, he accidently launched one of their rockets into an armory, causing the whole place to blow up, and he was sent to the camp as a sort of punishment. Ping laughs, and Shang, embarrassed, asks Ping not to tell anyone, Ping agrees on the grounds that Shang beats him in a race to a tree on top of a nearby hill. Shang accepts the challenge, and the two race, Shang wins, Ping agrees to keep their previous conversation a secret. The two start walking back towards the camp and as they do Shang looks at Ping, this cute recruit that he's started seeing in a strange new light, and he unknowingly started reaching for his hand but as soon as their hands touch Shang pulls away. Ping apologizes, but Shang tells him not to think about it.
The next day, the army gets mobilization orders, real ones not ones made up by Muchu and Cri Kee, and the army packs up and starts marching towards the front. During A Girl Worth Fighting For, Ping opts to sing along to not draw too much attention to himself. I think he'd say something along the lines of, "A girl well versed in philosophy, who always speaks her mind." This gets a chuckle out of the others, and Shang says he respects Ping's taste.
The army sees the destroyed village and the battle field, General Jiao orders everyone to search for survivors. While searching, Ping finds the girl's doll and picks it up. Ping eventually meets back up with the army as Chien Po returns with General Li's helmet and sword and gives them to Shang. Shang sticks the sword to the ground and places his dad's helmet on it, kneels down, and says a silent prayer. General Jiao gives Shang his condolences, but quickly orders the army to head out, saying they have to head towards the Tung Shao Pass to intercept the Huns before they reach the Imperial City. As the army starts to move, Ping kneels down next to Shang and hugs him, Shang hugs him back. Then Shang sees the doll, takes it, and rests it against his dad's sword. Shang and Ping get up and join the rest of the army.
As the army moves through the Tung Shao Pass, they are discovered by the Huns and a battle ensues. The Huns have larger numbers and the edge in the battle. With only one rocket left, Ping takes it, runs in front of the army, and aims it towards a high snow-covered mountain top. By the time Ping is able to launch the rocket, Shan Yu almost reaches Ping. Shan Yu taunts Ping, mocking him for missing at point-blank range, and Ping grins. Shan Yu looks back to see the rocket hit the mountain and the start of the avalanche. Furious,Shang Yu attacks Ping.
Then we have the scene where Ping saves Shang when they fall off the cliff. After reaching safe ground, Shang, thanks Ping, calling him the craziest man he's ever met. But not long after Ping passes out front the wound he got from Shan Yu.
After waking up, Mulan's identity is revealed. Chi Fu demands Mulan be executed, but General Jiao lets her live, saying she saved everyone's life but still leaves her alone in the mountain.
Mulan is ready to turn home when she discovers the Shan Fu, and a few Huns survived the avalanche. She rides towards the city and tries to warn Shang and General Jiao of an attack, but they both silently ignore her. A while later, the Huns attack and capture the Emperor. While trying to save the Emperor, General Jiao is injured by Shan Yu. Shang takes the lead of the rescue mission, and he and a few soldiers try to break down the doors of the palace using brute force.
Mulan arrives on the scene and draws their attention, saving she has an idea. Yao, Ling, and Chien Po quickly follow her, followed by Shang. They scale pillars and enter the palace, specifically the wing where the concubines live. Mulan has Yao, Ling, and Chien Po as concubines to distract the guards so she and Shang can reach Shan Fu and the Emperor.
A fight ensues, Shan Fu's remaining Huns are apprehended, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po escape with the Emperor, and Mulan cuts the rope so Shan Fu can't follow them. Shan Fu goes to kill Shang when Mulan reviles herself to be the soldier that destroyed Shang Fu's army. Shang Fu furious chases her across the palace till they get on the roof. Looking around, Mulan sees the tower with the fireworks and asks Mushu to get her the largest one.
As Mushu gets the rocket, Mulan and Shan Fu fight, and eventually, she disarms him using her hand fan, just in time for Mushu to arrive and light the rocket. The rocket sends Shan Fu flying to the firework tower and is blown up. Mulan, Muchu, and Cri-Kee safely get off the roof before the explosion and land on the steps to the Palace.
Shang runs up to Mulan and hugs her, glad she's safe. Shang tells her that using the fireworks was an insane idea. Mulan laughs, saying she got the idea from him. Shang laughs, embarrassed, and reminds Mulan she promised to keep his accident a secret, Mulan tells him his secret is safe with her. Then Yao, Ling, and Chien Po show up and congratulate Mulan. They're followed by General Jiao, who congratulates Mulan, telling her she is as great a soldier as her father.
Then Chi Fu shows up and berates Shang, Yao, Ling, Chien Po, and General Jiao telling them to stand aside. Shang stands up to defend Mulan when the Emperor shows up.
The Emperor silently tells tells them to step aside and looks at Mulan. Mulan bows to him as he goes on his speech on all the laws Mulan has broken in the last few weeks "I've heard a great deal about you Hua Mulan, you stole your father's armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese army, destroyed my palace, and... you have saved us all." Then the Emperor bows to Mulan as everyone else in courtyard kowtows to Mulan.
The Emperor offers Mulan a job in his council, but Mulan asks to go back home. The Emperor accepts and gives her his medallion and the sword of Shan Fu.
As she leaves, Mulan hugs Yao, Ling, and Chien Po, General Jiao shakes her hand, and then she goes to Shang, who tells her, "You fight good." Mulan sadly walks past him as she mounts Khan and rides home as the crowd cheers.
Shang looks at Mulan riding away as the Emperor walks towards him. At first, the Emperor tries to be nice and says, "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." Seeing that Shang is not getting the hint, the Emperor talks bluntly and tells Shang."You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty!" and walks away.
Cut to a few says later at the Hua residence. Mulan arrives home to see her dad sitting in the garden under the cheery blossom tree. Hua Zhou is shocked to see her, but before he can say kneels before him and gives him the sword of Shan Yu and the Emperor's medallion. Zhou throws them aside and hugs Mulan, telling her, "The greatest gift in honor is having you for a daughter."
Mulan's siblings run to her and hug her. They immediately start asking Mulan questions about her adventure, and Zhou tells them to give Mulan some room to breathe.
We switch to Mulan's mom and grandma looking at the other with the Grandma, saying that Mulan should have brought a man. At that moment, Shang shows up, asking if Mulan lives there, and the Hua Li and Grandma Hua point toward Mulan.
Shang walks towards Mulan and Zhou. Shang bows to Hua Zhou. After seeing Mulan, he tries to give her back her helmet but starts to panic a little. Mulan looks at her dad, who silently gives her a go-ahead. Mulan takes the helmet and invites Shang to stay for dinner. Grandma Hua in the background invites Shang to stay forever. Shang accepts, despite having Chun and Wei glaring at him from behind Mulan.
The Ancestors restore Muchus' status as a Hua family guardian.
End of movie.
Overall I didn't make that many changes mostly adding a few extra scenes here and there. But Mulan is already almost flawless, so there's not much that does need change.
During the credits, I would add in a few drawings showing what all the characters are up to after the war. Mulan is home, teaching some local kids some basic marshal arts techniques like she did at the beginning of Mulan II. Shang is now a general training soldiers. Mushu's statue is proudly displayed among the Hua family gradians. And so on for other major characters like Yao, Ling, and Chien Po.
