21. Mulan Rescued Shang Li And The Emperor, And Also Got To Marry The General
In the film, Mulan saves everyone and her father, along with the rest of China, honor her. However, before Mulan, most Disney movies that feature a “princess,” or a female in the lead role, were about a damsel who was in some distress. Prince Charming, in whatever form he should appear (even as a beast), had to save her. Mulan is different in that, while there is a love interest, it isn’t until the very end of the movie.
And this is another place where Disney gets it right. In the ancient Chinese story, the heroine is not rescued by any man. There are some versions where she does fall in love with the general, but there are also versions where she remains celibate. In one version, she even commits suicide to keep from becoming a concubine.