Mulan – A Possibly True Story with a Very Non-Disney Ending
Modern telling of Hua Mulan is the story of spirit, determination, and loyalty to family. But in the original story from northern China, a tale so old nobody knows whether it is based on a real person or not, the hero is also the tragic character. Upon her father’s approval and fight training at home, she takes his place for military service, disguised as a man. She assimilated with the other soldiers quite well, fighting-by-side with them for ten years. Over time, she didn’t even have to disguise her identity. The tale’s ending changed over the years. Some versions see her married with her own children. But one tragic version has her father dying and mother remarrying while Mulan is away. The Emperor commands Mulan to become his concubine. But she would rather die than be the Emperor’s concubine, and kills herself in front of his envoy.