Released in 1998, Mulan has remained one of Disney's most beloved animated classics to date. One reason for its popularity is the character Mushu. Excellently voiced by Eddie Murphy, Mushu is a wisecracking dragon and a disgraced former guardian, keen on making Mulan a war hero so he can regain his status as a family guardian.
Mushu is one of the funniest characters in Mulan, and perhaps one of Disney's funniest characters overall. As a result, he has a number of fantastic and memorable quotes frequently recited by Disney fans and even sometimes used in internet memes.
Mushu Explains His Size
"I'm Travel Sized For Your Convenience. If I Were My Real Size, Your Cow Here Would Die Of Fright."
After a brilliantly theatrical entrance to introduce himself, Mulan is confused and disappointed to find that Mushu is rather on the small size, initially calling him a lizard. So when Mulan expresses her concerns, Mushu simply explains "I'm travel-sized for your convenience. If I were my real size, your cow here would die of fright."
The first part of this quote sums up Mushu's personality well, as it essentially reflects a small dragon with a large personality. But what makes this quote even better is how Mushu ignorantly calls Khan, Mulan's horse, a cow. It's clear from the moment Mushu introduces himself that the proud horse doesn't like the little dragon and this leads to some small yet really funny moments.
Mushu Pretends To Be The Great Stone Dragon
"Did I Mention That I Was The Great Stone Dragon?"
Failing to get a second chance from Mulan's ancestors, Mushu is made to awaken the Great Stone Dragon, the most powerful guardian of the Fa family, to go and protect Mulan. Instead, Mushu accidentally destroys the statue and desperately uses its still intact head to pretend to be the Dragon when the head ancestor calls for him.
Considering how wise the head ancestor seems to be, it's extremely baffling yet amusing how he not only did not recognize Mushu's voice but also his skinny red body under the statue's head and the mannerisms of Mushu's speech. "Did I mention I was the Great Stone Dragon?" should have been a real giveaway but it somehow wasn't. Still, it is just as well he did not recognize Mushu, for the disgraced guardian managed to help make Mulan a hero.
Mushu Asks For Fireworks
"Citizens, I Need Firepower."/ "Who Are You?" / "Your Worst Nightmare!"
As part of Mulan's impromptu plan to defeat Shan Yu, Mushu and Cri-Kee fly on a kite to get some fireworks. He lands and proudly demands "Citizens! I need firepower!" When the men ask in fear "Who are you?" Mushu spreads the wings of the kite and says in a sinister voice "Your worst nightmare!"
The image itself is brilliant and verging on iconic, with Mushu seemingly parodying Batman with the deep voice and the spread-out batlike wings to resemble the Dark Knight's cape. The icing on the cake is little Cri-Kee doing his best to look menacing as well, being an adorable Robin to Mushu's Batman.
Mushu Confesses
"You Risked Your Life To Help People You Love. I Risked Your Life To Help Myself. At Least You Had Good Intentions."
The inevitable soon happens and Mulan is revealed to be a woman, where she is left behind by her fellow soldiers. In a genuine attempt to make her feel better, Mushu confesses that he's also a fraud and that the ancestors never sent him to help her.
He openly confesses to how selfish he had been by risking Mulan's life for his own gain whilst Mulan had been selfless. The above quote is funny in a bittersweet way, but it is also perhaps a turning point for Mushu. He was initially self-centered and he soon realizes the importance of not only his friendship with Mulan but his task in protecting her as well.
Mushu Makes Mulan Breakfast
"Look You Got Porridge! And It's Happy To See You... Hey, Get Out Of There! You're Going To Make People Sick!"
After Mulan's first night at the soldiers' base camp, Mushu cheerily wakes her up bright and early using Cri-Kee as a makeshift alarm clock. Wearing the cutest pink apron, he gives Mulan a large bowl of congee, a savory rice porridge.
Mushu's congee porridge is among one of Disney's most iconic foods and it's easy to see why with the adorable fried egg and bacon smile on top, and the quote that goes with it. The quote is already wholesome and funny but it's even better when Cri-Kee pops out of the porridge and Mushu throws him to one side, crossly claiming he's "gonna make people sick!"
Mushu Insults Yao
"Chicken Boy? Say That To My Face, You Limp Noodle!"
The start of Mulan and Mushu's relationship sees Mushu trying to coach Mulan to act like a man when she arrives in camp. It's extremely awkward and funny to watch, and it's here that supporting characters Ling, Chien-Po, and Yao are introduced.
Despite some misguidance and a close call with Yao, Mulan manages to walk away unharmed, that is until Yao quietly calls her "chicken boy," causing Mushu to pop out and scream: "Chicken boy! Say that to my face, you limp noodle!" If it weren't for this line, Mulan could have perhaps made friends with the other soldiers much sooner.
Mushu Delivers A Fake Message
"What's The Matter? Never Seen A Black-And-White Before?"
To bring Mulan and the soldiers onto the front line, Mushu and Cri-Kee create a fake message from the General to deliver to Chi-Fu, the arrogant counselor of the Emperor. When Khan refuses to give the little dragon a ride, Mushu has to make do with what he has and somehow manages to obtain a panda to use for a steed instead.
This is one of the funniest scenes in Mulan. As with the head ancestor failing to recognize Mushu as the dragon, Chi-Fu is fooled by the fake soldier on a panda Mushu crafted in minimal time. Ultimately, Mushu's trick paid off as the soldiers were able to arrive and ultimately defeat the majority of the Hun army.
Mushu Expresses His Concerns About The Surviving Huns
"They Popped Out Of The Snow, Like Daisies!"
After a heart-to-heart, Mulan and Mushu soon discover that Shan-Yu and some of his men had survived the avalanche. Realizing she has to stop them, Mulan sets off after them. Only Mushu initially expresses some concerns, exclaiming "They popped out of the snow, like daisies!"
Comparing something as strong and brutal as Shan-Yu to a dainty and fragile daisy is a really odd image but there's no doubt that it's extremely funny. Mushu's concerns are a simple quote but it's funny and has proven to be one of Mushu's most memorable. Regardless, Mushu's concerns are put to one side due to his loyalty to Mulan, and confidently exclaims "Let's go kick some hunny buns!"
Mushu Consoles Mulan
"We Started This Thing Together, And That's How We'll Finish It. I Promise."
Considering Mushu was initially with Mulan for his own selfish reasons, Mushu grows fond of Mulan and soon sticks by her out of true loyalty rather than for his own gain. When abandoned in the mountains together, Mulan is despondent and unhappily decides to return home.
So in a rare moment of genuine emotion and care, Mushu tells her, "We started this thing together, and that's how we'll finish it. I promise," and the two share a hug. This moment proves how Mushu is much more than comedic relief and this is why it's not only one of Mushu's best lines but one of the best quotes in Mulan.
Mushu Puts Dishonor On Everything
"Dishonor On You! Dishonor On Your Cow..."
When Mulan slaps Mushu for unwittingly making a dirty reference, an upset Mushu starts to "put dishonor" on Mulan, her family, and "her cow" until Mulan apologizes.
Whether it's down to Eddie Murphy's brilliant voice work, the simplicity of the quote, or the idea of dishonoring a horse but calling it a cow, there is something behind this quote that is side-splittingly funny. There are a number of Disney quotes that are recited over and over by Disney fans and this classic line from Mushu is one of them.