Mulan Quotes

“Seize the wind," I whispered. "Don't become the kite that never flies.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Spin the Dawn

“A Pandava must be so precise and so skilled that they can separate a shadow from its host! They can grab the wind! They are as swift as - '
'A river!,' shouted Aru.
Mini hollered, ' With the force of a great typhoon!'
'With all the strength of a raging fiiiiire - ' sang Brynne.
'STOP SINGING MULAN!' shouted Boo.”
― Roshani Chokshi, Aru Shah and the Song of Death

“I needed to prove that I, as a woman, could be better than the rest of them. That I too could belong. That I too could be free.”
― K.X. Song, The Night Ends with Fire

“Her reflection's hair was short, but she wore a simple violet robe tied at the waist with a blue sash. At her hip was her father's sword, and tucked in her hair- a blossom from their family's cherry tree.
Mulan knelt and lowered her fingers to the glass. It rippled at her touch. "This one. This is me."
A beat. Are you sure? asked the girl in the mirror.
"Yes," said Mulan firmly. "It doesn't matter whether I'm a girl dressed like a bride, or a girl dressed like a soldier. I know my heart."
Mulan flattened her hand against the glass, facing her reflection. Together, they said, "I am Fa Mulan, a girl who would sacrifice her life for her family and for China. I am a girl who journeyed into the Underworld to save her friend from dying. I am a girl who has fought battle after battle to finally recognize herself in the mirror. And now I do.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“I always have a plan. Now, whether it’s a good plan can only be determined after it’s implemented.”
― Madisyn Carlin, ARROW

“Thief, caring friend, purloiner of treats—what’s the difference?”

“According to my vocabulary knowledge—which, apparently, is far superior to yours—there’s quite a bit of difference.”
― Madisyn Carlin, ARROW

“The Lady of Forgetfulness passed the sword to Mulan, but Mulan shook her head. "It's yours, not mine. I have my father's sword waiting for me back in the real world."
Meng Po smiled again. "Then take this, as a memory of the battles you have fought here."
The sword disappeared, and in its place was a magnolia blossom. Its petals were soft and pink like the blush of a peach.
Meng Po tucked the blossom behind Mulan's ear. "There. A reminder that where there is beauty, there is also strength and courage and resilience.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“only the brave may enter, but only the worthy may leave.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“There’s a balance here of yin and yang, a dance between aggression and gentleness that creates real strength in any warrior. Attack, and fall back. Thrust and parry. It’s beautiful, really.”
Mulan thrust her sword forward and then skipped back. “A balance of yin and yang,” she repeated. “I don't have to turn myself into a man to fight or rule. And I don't have to be a docile woman like my ministers expect me to be. I can be gentle and strong as circumstances requires.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Mulan's watery reflection stared back at her: a girl with bloodshot, swollen eyes, pale cheeks, and bruises all over her arms and legs.
But that wasn't all Mulan saw. She saw a young woman who'd thrown her heart into becoming a warrior, who'd fought battle after battle, whether it was to please her family and honor their expectations, or to protect China from invaders.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“Making use of the break, Mulan untied the knot on her head. Her hair tumbled down again, brushing against the nape of her neck. She unfastened her armor, freeing her shoulders of their heavy burden.
The demons watched her in disbelief. "A girl?"
"I am Mulan." She raised her sword high. She'd never fought as herself before- as a woman, not a woman pretending to be a man. No more hiding, no more pretending. No more fears that she'd endanger herself and her family.
She was who she'd always wanted to be.
Even if that feeling could only last here in Diyu- even if they made it back to the real world and she had to go back to pretending to be Ping, Mulan knew she'd never forget it. Taking off the mask was exhilarating; it spurred her courage.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“Meng Po raised her arms.
At once, the gashes on Mulan's skin healed. Her wounds closed, and the dull pain in her ankle vanished. The rips and tears on her sleeves mended themselves, and her soldier's uniform, which had seen battle on Earth as well as in the Underworld, began to shimmer- until the simple muslin and linen cloth became a rich, forest-green silk. Her tunic lengthened, stretching until it flared behind her calves. Fitted over her chest was the finest armor, emblazoned with pink lotus blossoms and a red dragon.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“Soy Fa Mulán, una chica que sacrificaría su vida por su familia y por China. Soy una chica que viajó al inframundo para salvar a su amigo agonizante. Soy una chica que ha peleado batalla tras batalla para finalmente reconocerse en el espejo. Y ahora lo hago.”
― Elizabeth Lim, Reflection

“The project was already in development before I joined the division. I was at Touchstone Pictures in live action, and I had heard that they were doing Mulan, it was picking up heat, and they were interested in moving it beyond development. That was actually the reason why I went over to Disney Feature Animation. I was like, if they’re going to make Mulan, I have to be a part of it, because this isn’t going to happen again for 20 more years. And in fact, the next time there was a Chinese family in a global animated film, it was Abominable, 21 years later.”
― Jeff Yang, Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now

“Looking at Mulan, the soldier felt pride, but also compassion. Mulan had mastered the art of war, but there remained obstacles ahead, dangers more nuanced than a simple exchange of swords. She was close to fulfilling her destiny, but first, she'd have to learn the way of the spirits, to use their strength as her own. And she would know pain. Because the fenghuang, the phoenix, that guardian of imperial harmony, does not grant its blessing to everyone. Only the most honest, loyal, and selfless. The one who is brave against encroaching darkness.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“From up here she had a clear view of the garden below. Just next to the wall was the worn bench where Mulan had so often sat with Grandmother, helping her sort vegetables as Nai Nai told fantastic stories of the monkey king, the zodiac animals, the thunder god's wife, and the woman on the moon. When Mulan expressed awe at those adventures, Grandmother told her about the adventures in store for her.
"See how wide your forehead is?" Grandmother would say. "That means you'll travel far and bring back good fortune."
"I will?" Mulan responded, rapt.
"Yes, but it will not be easy," Nai Nai said, and she'd point to a scar on Mulan's temple from a childhood fall. "That scar means you'll struggle and face hardship, but if you persevere, you will overcome it."
How right Grandmother been. During long cold nights in the army, when the ground sent icicles through her hopes, Mulan had clung to Grandmother's words.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Don’t you realize you’re a hero?” said Shang. “Your legend grows by the year. Fa Mulan, fearless warrior and savior of China. The one who buried Shan Yu’s armies under a mountaintop of ice.”
“It was just a well-aimed rocket.” Mulan remembered the crack of ice, the avalanche cascading down.
“The warrior who came to the emperor’s aid when Shan Yu took him hostage. Who fought and defeated Shan Yu in mortal combat atop a palace roof, saving the emperor and restoring China to its rightful ruler. All while wearing a dress.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“You are the hero whose quick thinking saved our country. You are the warrior who risked great personal loss and dishonor to protect your family and, by extension, all of China.”
It was absurd, the disconnect between the emperor’s words and Mulan’s own conception of herself. Yes, she supposed she had done these things, but she was also just Mulan, Fa Hsu’s daughter, who tripped over chickens and stole sweet buns from the kitchen.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“I heard the story of how you dressed up as a man to join the army, and I was awestruck at your act of rebellion. I mean, I had long given up on behaving as a virtuous woman should, but what you did was something else altogether.” She took a large sip of wine. “It was only after I met you that I realized you were one of the biggest rule followers in existence.”
Mulan didn’t think “rule follower” was quite the right term, but she understood what Liwen meant. Mulan felt the binds of duty strongly. It was no rebellious streak that had sent her into the army, but her love for her father. Her absolute refusal to let him die a senseless death.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Mulan found it easier to face the morning by pretending that her clothes were armor. The stiff coronation robe Ting was smoothing down over her shoulders? She imagined it woven with threads of spun gold, the embroidered phoenixes stitched with blazing-red iron. Her sash, hanging loose down her back, was a shoulder guard of blue iron, and the phoenixes on her shoes were spikes and spurs.
“Please keep your head forward, Empress.”
A handmaiden gripped a handful of hair, pulling it taut enough to make Mulan’s eyes water. The hair, at least, was easy to imagine as a helmet. By the time the maid finished wrapping it around multiple combs and adorning the layered buns with everything from flowers to jade to tiny golden bells, Mulan’s coiffure would stop arrows far better than anything the imperial blacksmiths could craft.
The maid inserted one last pin and stepped back. “All done.”
She pulled the train of Mulan’s robe out as Mulan stepped in front of a full-length mirror. Mulan’s reflection was warped and metallic on the coppery finish, but she could see that she was made up as intricately as the finest ladies of court, her face powdered white, her eyes lined with charcoal, and her lips painted red as her sash. Her eyebrows had been shaved and drawn back in with blue-black pigment. Tiny silver beads adorned her yellow-tinted forehead, and three flowers had been painted on her right cheek.
“Armor,” Mulan said under her breath.
“Your Majesty?”
“Nothing, just talking to myself.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Mulan found it easier to face the morning by pretending that her clothes were armor. The stiff coronation robe Ting was smoothing down over her shoulders. She imagined it woven with threads of spun gold, the embroidered phoenixes stitched with blazing-red iron. Her sash, hanging loose down her back, was a shoulder guard of blue iron, and the phoenixes on her shoes were spikes and spurs.
“Please keep your head forward, Empress.”
A handmaiden gripped a handful of hair, pulling it taut enough to make Mulan’s eyes water. The hair, at least, was easy to imagine as a helmet. By the time the maid finished wrapping it around multiple combs and adorning the layered buns with everything from flowers to jade to tiny golden bells, Mulan’s coiffure would stop arrows far better than anything the imperial blacksmiths could craft.
The maid inserted one last pin and stepped back. “All done.”
She pulled the train of Mulan’s robe out as Mulan stepped in front of a full-length mirror. Mulan’s reflection was warped and metallic on the coppery finish, but she could see that she was made up as intricately as the finest ladies of court, her face powdered white, her eyes lined with charcoal, and her lips painted red as her sash. Her eyebrows had been shaved and drawn back in with blue-black pigment. Tiny silver beads adorned her yellow-tinted forehead, and three flowers had been painted on her right cheek.
“Armor,” Mulan said under her breath.
“Your Majesty?”
“Nothing, just talking to myself.”
― Livia Blackburne

“China is indeed favored by the gods to have such a lovely blossom grace its throne.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Mulan saw Shang’s expression darken. She too heard the insult in those words. Flowers were beautiful and delicate. Ornamental.
She bared her teeth in a thin smile. “I’m quite fond of flowers myself. After your’e settled in the state guesthouses, you must tour the imperial gardens. There’s a particular variety called snow lace, a white blossom with rose-tinged petals. I collected it myself from the Tung-Shao Pass. Are you familiar with that region?”
The ambassador’s smirk froze on his face. The Tung-Shao Pass was where Mulan’s regiment had defeated Shan Yu’s men. There were already multiple ballads commemorating how Mulan used a rocket to trigger the avalanche that buried his entire army. “Yes, I am familiar with that pass.”
“I’m glad,” said Mulan. “It’s the mark of a good ambassador to know his host nation’s land and history, and I’m sure you are one of the very best.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Most women don’t have the option to say no to men or refuse their orders. You are the empress. You have the strength of the spirits, of women who came before you and who will come after you. Why let your decisions be made for you?”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“The first female empress in history is hardly everyday politics. You must have some thoughts about her qualifications.”
“There’s more to ruling than ability,” said Mulan, unable to fully disguise the bitterness in her voice. “The most competent man in the world will drive a country to ruin if he wields his power for his own gain. A ruler needs to be honest and honorable, to rule with the good of the country in mind.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Make me a banner of gold and red. I want an emblem of a dragon and a phoenix, and it must be completed tonight.” Dragon for emperor, phoenix for empress. Dragon for power and authority. Phoenix, that symbol of yin-yang harmony, because she was a woman and unashamed to be one.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“Mulan was proud of these women. Proud of their calm preparations, proud of the ease with which they strapped on their weapons, their gentle yet firm touch with their horses. And she was proud, most of all, of the banner that flew over their heads. It was mud yellow rather than the rich gold of palace silks, since mud yellow was the only shade Ruolan could manage with the herbs at hand. The dragon and phoenix pictured on it were bare outlines. But Ruolan and Wenling had stayed up all night to embroider them, and Mulan could see the heart that had gone into every stitch. Now they would put down their needles and wield their swords with no less skill.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“You say that hens should not announce the dawn.” She spoke powerfully enough for all to hear. “And yet it has happened every morning since the day I was crowned. You presumed to know Heaven’s will, claiming that the five falling stars at my coronation were Heaven’s disapproval of me, rather than indictments of your own treachery. But the spirits have spoken. I am the rightful empress of China, chosen by my predecessor and given the Mandate of Heaven. And I will remain empress of China until the gods, not you, decide otherwise.”
― Livia Blackburne, Feather and Flame

“At least when she'd been a soldier in the army, she'd had a clear idea of what was expected of her: fight to defend China. But the war was over, and thanks to her, Shan-Yu had been defeated. It was unheard of for a woman to be a military hero, and the last thing Mulan had anticipated was for the Emperor himself to publicly honor her in front of the entire capital, then ask her to become one of his advisors--- the most coveted and respected position in the Imperial City, offered only to the top scholars in all of China!”
― Elizabeth Lim, A Twisted Tale Anthology

“She needed to go back to the Imperial City. Not only to continue serving her country but also for the young women in her town, the young women in China. She'd been given the extraordinary chance to set an example for them and for the generations that came after: she could show all of China that a woman was capable of anything--- not only of becoming someone's wife.”
― Elizabeth Lim, A Twisted Tale Anthology

“It's hard to be interested in what men have to say when all you think we should do is bear sons."
The advisors gasped collectively.
But the Emperor smiled. "Then tell us, Fa Mulan. What should a woman do?"
Mulan lifted her chin. "A woman is equal to a man," she said firmly. "She should have the chance to be educated as a man, and she should be able to speak her mind and be heard and listened to."
One of the advisors snorted. "Next you'll be saying that women should be able to own land and take the civil exams!"
The men laughed.
"Well, why not?" Mulan challenged. "Or are you afraid that we'll surpass you all?"
Their laughter died.”
― Elizabeth Lim, A Twisted Tale Anthology