Status Updates From Reflection

Loving this so far!

Officially just made it to chapter 26. I do not want to put the book down. I repeat I do not want to put the book down.

Really enjoying this re-telling! Just filmed my first “read with me” video. Hope to have it up on the channel (YT channel: purposeful pursuits) within the next week (hopefully sooner!)

Loving it so far 😬

🐛

We start with the battle in the snow. It is a great moment in the film, and a really good hook. Shang isn't looking great, and to be honest I am surprised he is still alive (we know she goes to the underworld, and he was wounded on page 8. Looking forward to finding out more about the Chinese afterlife

Falta menoooos

Yo: La película de Mulán es lo mejor que ha dado Disney al mundo

También yo: Ojalá este libro hubiera sido la segunda película, que me muero 🥰🥰🥰

AAAAAAH 😭😭😭😭

Odio las despedidas, las odio muy fuertemente.

"Un recordatorio de que, donde hay belleza, también hay fuerza, coraje y resistencia" 😭😭😭😭

Oooh, dios mío 😭

Quiero mucho a Mulán 😭😭😭

WHAT, QUÉ ACABA DE PASARRRR 💔💔💔

Shang: "Eres importante"

Yo: 🥰❤️😍 😭😍❤️🥰

Mira, eh, mira, tengo el corazón así ahora mismo: 💔💔💔
Cómo no salgan de esta, me mato.

😭😭😭
.
"No hay ningún Ping. Solo... Mulán"

Shang confesses his feelings to Mulan & they head out together. Back in the real world, it seemed like Shang had forgotten everything, but Mulan was just happy that he was alive. Through their journey back to the Emperor, Shang calls Mulan over & tells him what he vaguely recalls. Mulan tells him that it was all real & that she is Mulan not Ping. He reaffirms his feelings for her & it ends with them being together.

Mulan reunites with Shang and ShiShi. She realizes her feelings for Shang at that moment too. King Yama prepares them to leave, but General Li comes by one last time before them and it touched my heart. He gets me to tears everytime! After his farewell to each of them, he ascends to heaven and Mulan and Shang head out of the underworld. They must part with ShiShi, but they’ll see him again :)

Mulan chose correctly and won the bet with King Yama. She meets Meng Po in her true form and learns that MP was the hero of the legend and the sword belonged to her. MP turns the sword into a magnolia flower and gives it to Mulan to remind her that “where there is beauty, there is also strength and courage and resilience.” I love that and it’s so fitting for Mulan! ❤️ After MP, she heads to King Yama.

They escape the Cauldron & land in Youdu, The City of the Dead. They can’t find the exit & hear that only through the Chamber of Mirrors is there a way out. Mulan volunteers to take the trial. She faces betrayal but stays true to herself & passes the 1st test. The next test, she must find her true reflection. She sees variations of herself, but ultimately chooses the reflection she has always been - Fa Mulan.

Mulan gets trapped under Meng Po’s illusion, but Shang & ShiShi rescue her in time. Shang apologizes about deserting her & they continue their journey together. They end up in the Chamber of Boiling Despair (Cauldron) & fire demons attack them. Mulan uses her sword which turned out to be the Sword of the Blazing Sun that a hero used before and battles the demons. They’re almost out, but Mulan faces one obstacle.

The Fa ancestors lead them to the portal, but they are super suspicious, especially Fa Ren. Anyways, this encounter puts doubts into Shang about Mulan’s identity. She tells him the truth and he feels betrayed and tells them to go their separate ways which devastates Mulan. She thought he would understand. She’s on her own now. She makes it to the next portal and goes in then gets trapped by Meng Po once again.

As they are about to head down the mountain, there is a familiar roar! They see ShiShi and reunite :) yes! Luckily, ShiShi found a portal in the mountain and escaped. But his roar woke up the ghosts. They attack and try to kill Mulan. She calls for her ancestors and there are 3 that answer. They get the ghosts to go away and leads them to a portal shortcut, but it’s dangerous. But it’s the only choice. Good luck!

Mulan and Shang make it to the top where it’s relatively safe and free of ghosts (unlike what ShiShi warned about). Mulan takes interest in a sword that has the word Fa inscribed into it. She takes it as a sign to keep it. They take a breather and talk but it soon heads towards Shang’s ideal woman and it confuses Mulan. She almost reveals to him the truth but instead lets him know of the deal with King Yama.

They run to a dead end, but Mulan sees the Mountain of Knives and they climb it but the demons catch up. They’re halted as the demons are throwing spears & knives at them. ShiShi sacrifices himself and fights the demons giving time for Mulan & Shang to climb up the rest of the mountain. His fate is unknown and it’s heartbreaking. I cannot take another loss or another sad scene! Let there be a miracle for ShiShi!

Mulan and ShiShi go to the Tower of the Last Glance to Home and rescue Shang, it did take some convincing from Mulan and General Li’s help. But as they leave they fall deeper into Diyu and land on the 24th level where Meng Po - Lady of Forgetfulness - tried to erase their minds with her tea. They escape, but Meng Po summons demons after them.

ShiShi - Li family’s guardian lion - is so arrogant and full of pride, I love it! Glad that General Li sent him over to help Mulan save Shang in Diyu. King Yama gave Mulan a chance to save Shang: she must find his spirit and escape Diyu before sunrise or she will be forever trapped in the underworld. Mulan and ShiShi meet General Li before leaving and General Li’s words to Shang makes me tear up every time. 😢

Not going to lie, at the start of this, I thought I was missing a chunk of it. This starts at the big battle with the Huns at the end. Loving this so far!

Chi-fu sucks! Have some damn compassion for your commander when he’s on the brink of death! Mulan is doing everything she can to help Shang survive. Shang’s dying and it’s heartbreaking and heart wrenching to read. Especially when Shang’s father’s spirit came and wept over his son. But he gave Mulan hope to save Shang - go to King Yama in the underworld and have him change his mind on Shang’s death.