Mushu
Oh no! The water! I'm in big trouble if I don't fetch it!
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Mushu is a recurring character in the Kingdom Hearts series, and a summon in Kingdom Hearts. He is the guardian of Fa Mulan and resides in The Land of Dragons. He first appeared in the Disney film Mulan.
Story
Kingdom Hearts
Mushu survives the destruction of his home world, The Land of Dragons, in the form of a Summon Gem. He aids Sora in many battles and returns to his world following its restoration after the defeat of Ansem.
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
On Sora's journey through Castle Oblivion, Mushu lends the Keyblade wielder his power once again. This time, however, he is merely a figment of Sora's memories.
Kingdom Hearts II
When Sora, Donald, and Goofy visit The Land of Dragons, Goofy notices a young man cowering before a massive, dragon-shaped shadow. Donald believes the creature is a Heartless, and Sora decides to attack it, even though Goofy cautions him to reconsider this decision. Just as the trio is about to attack, the shadow reveals itself to be none other than Mushu. The "little, lethal, and legendary" dragon is delighted to see his old friends again, and the young man proudly introduces himself as "Ping, son of Fa Zhou." Ping states that Mushu is one of his family's guardians; Mushu declares that borrowing someone as important as a family guardian puts Sora, Donald, and Goofy in Ping's debt. Ping and Mushu ask Sora and company to join them as they attempt to enlist Ping in the Imperial Army, and it is soon after this that Goofy deduces Ping is a girl in disguise. Mushu is amused by Sora and Donald's shock when Ping confirms this to be true, telling her that "those two would fall for anything."
At the Imperial training camp, Mushu instructs Ping to act "manly." After a brawl starts between Sora, Donald, Yao, and Ling, Ping begs them to stop. Ling calls Ping a "shrimp," angering Mushu.
Later, in the mountains, after Ping has successfully joined the army, Mushu tells him, Sora, Donald, and Goofy that he saw the villainous Shan-Yu in a nearby cave. This turns out to be false information; the group returns to the village in the mountains to find it burned almost completely to the ground. A wounded Captain Shang tells Ping and the others that the enemy went towards the summit, and they depart to take care of it. At the summit, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mushu, and Ping are attacked by Shan-Yu and his army of Heartless. Ping uses Mushu to light a cannon brought by Yao, Ling, and Chien Po; she directs it away from the leader of the Hun army and towards a nearby mountaintop. This triggers an avalanche that buries Shan-Yu and the Heartless. Ping rescues the approaching Captain Shang from the avalanche as Sora, Donald, Goofy, Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po flee; this action grants Ping the Captain's trust. Mushu emerges from the snow soon after and tells Ping they should return home, calling her "Mulan" as he is completely oblivious to Captain Shang's presence until she points it out.
The knowledge that Ping is truly a woman named Mulan angers Captain Shang. He abandons Mulan, Mushu, Sora, Donald, and Goofy in the mountains, and it is at this point that Mulan decides to return home as Mushu suggested. However, Shan-Yu and some of his Heartless are revealed to still be alive. With the knowledge that Shang, Yao, Ling, Chien-Po, and, most importantly, the Emperor are in danger, Mulan decides instead to travel to the Imperial City to warn them of Shan-Yu's survival.
In the Imperial City, after Shan-Yu is defeated, Mushu proudly declares, "Mulan's the best!" He quickly reconsiders this, instead proclaiming, "Mushu's the best!" After the Emperor praises Mulan for saving China, Mushu accidentally reveals that he is truly no longer a guardian. This angers Sora, who starts to chase Mushu. When Sora, Donald, and Goofy prepare to leave The Land of Dragons, Mushu remains behind with Mulan, Captain Shang, and the Emperor.
On Sora, Donald, and Goofy's second visit to The Land of Dragons, Mushu continues to aid them in battle.
Appearance
Mushu is a small, red, serpentine Chinese dragon. He has spindly limbs, two-toed feet, and four-fingered hands. His claws are dark red, as is a small tuft on the tip of his tail. His belly and two whiskers are yellow-orange. His eyes are large, close set, and appear to be a very dark shade of brown or red. Mushu's teeth are sharp and white, and his floppy ears have dark red tips. The bottoms of his feet and the insides of his ears are pink. Mushu's nose is dark red-violet, and he sports two small, sky blue horns with a dark blue tip on the top of his head.
Personality
Mushu is the overconfident, impulsive friend of Mulan who strives to help Mulan in hopes of reclaiming his family guardian position. Although selfish and careless at times, he means well and seeks to help his friends. If needed, Mushu resorts to lies or blanking details in order to put forth a better image of himself.
Abilities
Kingdom Hearts
As a Summon, Mushu appears on Sora's head and spits fireballs from his mouth at his targets. While Sora is using him, he cannot attack directly but rather let Mushu attack from a distance.
Mushu's fireballs are only ineffective against those that are immune to fire magic, such as Wizard Heartless, Red Nocturne Heartless, or Leon.
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
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Mushu appears as a summon card obtained from Hollow Bastion first Room of Rewards. When his card is used, Mushu shoots fireballs at enemies. Stocking multiple Mushu cards create the Flare Breath Lv2 and Flare Breath Lv3 sleights, which increase the effectiveness of his attack and allow the player to control its aim.
Mushu is essential in Terror, Mega Flare, and in the original Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, Firaga Break. Additionally, Mushu can be used as part of magic sleights that require the use of any summon card, including Gifted Miracle, Confuse, and Tornado.
Kingdom Hearts II
Mushu serves as Mulan's guardian and becomes her source of power after her identity as a female is exposed to Captain Shang. No longer needing to hide, Mushu uses fire-based attacks, such as Mushu Fire and Flametongue, at Mulan's direction.
Although he is not used directly as an ally, Mushu is used in the last stage of Mulan's Red Rocket limit, launching a series of fiery attacks at foes which ends with a downpour of large fireballs.
Origin
Mushu originates from the Disney 1998 film Mulan. Prior to the start of the film, Mushu was once a guardian spirit of Mulan's family, but he was demoted to the humiliating position of an incense burner and gong-ringer for Mulan's deceased ancestors when he failed to protect a family member, a soldier named Fa Deng, resulting in his death by decapitation. Shortly after Mulan runs away from home to serve as a soldier in her father Fa Zhou's place in war against Shan-Yu and the Huns army, the spirits of the ancestors choose to send the Great Stone Dragon to simply bring her back safely and tasks Mushu with awakening it. After several unsuccessful attempts, he ends up accidentally destroying the dragon statue. Although Cri-kee (the Fa family's pet cricket and "good luck charm") suggests that Mushu bring Mulan back home himself to avoid punishment, Mushu decides to make Mulan a war hero to regain his position as a guardian.
After meeting her in a bamboo thicket overlooking the army camp, Mushu assists Mulan in keeping her true identity as a female from being revealed and helps her in her training in preparation for war. When Mushu hears from the Emperor's advisor Chi-Fu feels the troops are still unqualified for the war, he creates a false message alerting Captain Li Shang and the troops to head to the front to keep his plan intact. However, after being ambushed by the Huns and Mulan's secret exposed, Mulan is left on a mountain summit as punishment and Mushu reveals the real reason he chose to help on her mission. Having come to realize his own selfish nature, he apologizes to her and vows to stay by her side. During the film's climatic battle at the Emperor's palace, Mulan leads Shan-Yu onto the roof where Mushu fires a rocket at the villain, blasting Shan-Yu in fireworks tower (which kills him in the explosion). Once Mulan is deemed China's bravest warrior, Mushu regains his job as guardian and rejoices.
In the film, Mushu was voiced by veteran actor and comedian Eddie Murphy. To date, this is the only media in which Murphy voiced Mushu, the role being taken afterwards by Mark Moseley, Murphy's voice double.
