Mulan 2 Hero's Journey Essay

The story of Mulan 2 is a hero’s journey, based off of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth. First, according to the Hero’s Journey article by Joseph Campbell, all heroes remain in their ordinary world, just to set off on an adventure to a strange one. As reported by the article, “Often heroes are considered odd by those in the ordinary world and possess some ability of characteristic that makes them feel out-of-place.” Evidently, Fa Mulan, who resided in China, is considered quite abnormal by her peer group, for she is the heroine of China, and even received special recognition from the Emperor, for her deeds. This shows that Mulan 2 follows the hero’s journey, because step 1, status quo, aligns with the first part of Mulan 2. Next, the monomyth claims

that a hero must depart from their ordinary world , into an unknown territory. Mentioned by the article, “As [the heroes] embark on their journey, the heroes enter a world they have never experienced before.” Clearly, it can be understood that Mulan 2 is a hero’s journey, because Mulan leaves the security of her normal life with her parents and fiance, to face an unknown area.

This basically explains the fifth step of the hero’s journey. Then, the heroes’ face a main trial, and a series of lesser ones, that lead to the main trial. The Monomyth by Joseph Campbell states, “The heroes progress through a series of tests, a set of obstacles that make them stronger, preparing them for their final showdown.” It can be seen that Mulan follows the hero's journey, because she is faced with the the three princesses who prefered other love, rather than their political “love,” because of this obstacle is lead to another one, where she breaks up with her fiance. By these events, Mulan is strengthened for when she loses her true love, in a life or death situation, and he is deemed to be either badly injured or dead. She completes the “obstacle course” set before her, which is why her story complies with the Monomyth. Finally, the Hero’s Journey article by Joseph Campbell states that a hero will return with a kind of elixir, knowledge, or physical item, that they can apply to their world upon

return. The Monomyth states it as , “ Success on the heroes’ quest is life-changing, for them and often many others… Often they return with the elixir, an object or personal ability that allows them to save the world. The heroes have also grown in spirit and strength.” This applies to Mulan 2 because Mulan is successful in her quest, and return with the satisfaction for her own desires, and that of others. She uses that satisfaction to restore peace with her beloved and their spirits grow together. Therefore, the story of Mulan 2, follows the Hero’s Journey, by Joseph Campbell.