3. The Emperor Conscripts An Army
In order to fight off the invading Huns, the emperor and his counsel decide to conscript an army of men. In the movie, the counsel travels to villages throughout China, including Mulan’s, to announce that one man in each family must enlist in the army.
In Mulan’s family, the only man is her father. He drops the cane that he walks with as he steps forward to accept the draft notice. He is ready to die in the service of the emperor, but Mulan is not willing to let that happen.