Mulan doesn’t rely on her beauty to conquer and achieve her goals in this film. She also can’t rely on strength alone either; she uses her smarts to get her through situations on more than one occasion. In my eyes she is one of the few Disney princesses who we should be considering “role models.”
She Believes in Herself
We all know that Mulan could pretty much hold her own, but she was the only soldier to think ahead. She shows her resourcefulness when she aims the cannon into the snowy mountain. Mulan wins every battle she faces, and that is because she is the perfect balance of strong and smart.
Realistic Romance
Her motives were not driven by romance and it wasn’t until she actually got to know Shang before she actually began to like him. There was none of that love at first sight BS. She had to defeat Shang in training and then save his life twice in order to gain his honesty, trust, and respect. They actually have things in common like bravery, loyalty, and being leaders. They are even more powerful together than they are alone.
She never lost herself
She knows where she came from and knows her place is at home with her loving family. She could’ve had riches and power, but she had already done her duty – saving her father and China. That reward was enough in itself. She is by far the most selfless Disney princess. She never thought twice about putting on armor and taking a bullet (or, in this case, sword) for her friends and family.
Diversity
Although Disney has gotten better at this recently, we can all admit they haven’t exactly been very inclusive with their animated features. White princesses have ruled the big screen, but Mulan set forth to be Disney’s first Chinese heroine.
Gender Roles
This entire movie DESTOYS gender roles. Mulan always speaks up for herself and is offended by the song “Honor Us All” and “A Girl Worth Fighting For” because it implies women are made for marriage. She knows she’s more than what society expects her to be and this makes her even more determined to be the strongest of all the soldiers. Women can be smart, determined, and strong too – it has nothing to do with gender. Let’s not forget that basically all the lead characters had to cross-dress to save the day. Enough said.