Why didn't the great stone dragon wake in Mulan?

Why didn't the great stone dragon wake in Mulan? - Stone Dragon Head

In the original Mulan movie, Mushu is sent to wake the great stone dragon to go bring Mulan back. The dragon doesn't wake up, and Mushu eventually ends up destroying the statue in his attempts to waken it. Is there a known reason for why the great stone dragon doesn't wake up?



Best Answer

The 1998 junior novelization of Mulan implies a problem with the Great Stone Dragon itself.

In the illustrated junior novelization of Mulan, published in 1998, it says:

(Page 37) Then they [the ancestors] told him [Mushu] to wake up the Great Stone Dragon for the important mission. (Page 38) But the Great Stone Dragon could not be roused! Frustrated, Mushu hit it with his gong. The Great Stone Dragon crumbled. (emphasis added)

The use of the passive voice in the emphasized sentence absolves Mushu of responsibility for the failure and implies that the Great Stone Dragon itself was somehow unable to be roused at that time. While the novelization does not give the specific reason why, it is clear that there is some problem with the Great Stone Dragon itself, not Mushu's efforts to awaken it.

In the film, Mushu never strikes the gong properly, but his background probably rules that out as the cause.

In the movie, Mushu taps the gong he is holding, but never strikes it and allows it to vibrate the way a gong is supposed to be struck. He ultimately uses the gong to hit the Great Stone Dragon and it crumbles. While it is tempting to theorize that it was Mushu's improper gong work that resulted in the failure to wake the dragon, Mushu's background makes this doubtful. Mushu was himself once a guardian like the Great Stone Dragon, so it seems unlikely that he would fail to realize why the dragon wasn't waking if his improper gong strikes were the reason.




Pictures about "Why didn't the great stone dragon wake in Mulan?"

Why didn't the great stone dragon wake in Mulan? - Ancient animal spine skeleton in rocky terrain
Why didn't the great stone dragon wake in Mulan? - Picturesque landscape of Great Wall of China on hill with green trees and mountains on background on sunny day
Why didn't the great stone dragon wake in Mulan? - Full length great white heron standing on stone on tranquil pond in lush green park on sunny summer weather



Why doesnt great stone dragon wake up?

The dragon doesn't wake up, and Mushu eventually ends up destroying the statue in his attempts to waken it. Is there a known reason for why the great stone dragon doesn't wake up? Because Mushu broke it. It's a stone, not a dragon turned into stone.

Where was the great stone dragon in Mulan?

Location(s) The Great Stone Dragon is a stone dragon located outside the Fa family household. It makes a minor appearance in Mulan.

Was Mulan The Great Stone dragon?

Mushu is the former dragon guardian \u2013 more of a lizard than a dragon \u2013 of the Fa family. Mushu was demoted of his post of guardian after he failed to protect one of Mulan's family members.



Why Didn't You Stop Me?




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: king Siberia, Brett Sayles, Diana, Chris F