My favorite moment still has to be when Po was like "I just discovered my father isn't my father." And tigress is like: your father... the goose... must have been tough.
I also really love how she doesn't insult him or anything-she recognizes that, no matter how obvious it was to her, it's a shock to Po, and what he needs is comfort right now-not shame or embarrassment.
Which is what I was hoping for 3 and now 4, but I am disappointed when Po said that he couldn't teach/lead the Five in training in the third film. He was literally combining techniques with them in the Musician's village in the second movie. What happened and who wrote that? What happened to the balance between comedy, drama, and good action? And now 4 is still presenting Po as a numbskull, who just so happens to know Kung Fu and master Chi.
@@RavenclawDaisy95 quit yo bitching. In the third movie Po had never learned or had been trained to teach others, so of course he was skeptical about teaching people, especially when they happened to be trained Kung Fu masters who have more experience than him, that’s understandable. Not to mention the third movie was written to be more lighthearted because some adults complained that the second movie was a bit too serious and dark for their kids. And the fourth movie ain’t even came out yet so you rlly can’t judge too much until it releases
Yeah in the commentary for 2 they highlight that he’s skilled but there’s still a bit of roughness to it bc of his unique Po-ness like heaving himself up on surfaces & breathing hard midfight
Just rewatched this movie and realised that Mr Ping has changed his restraunt is now "noodle AND TOFU", a fantastic call back to the first scene with them in the first movie when Mr Ping talks about how when he was young, he wanted to run away and learn to make tofu. A beautiful detail that's easy to miss, it's only a small line of dialog that shows how Po has inspired him, but such attention to detail in this movie
Fun fact: The prophecy of Shen being slain by a warrior of black and white possibly wasn't referring to Po. In the end, Shen himself (a black and white peacock) cut the ropes holding the cannon above his raft.
As a comment already said, Shen isn’t black and white, he is primarily white with a bit of grey. When she said warrior of black and white, I think she meant that Shen, whose beliefs are all black and white, was the one who would slay himself. We already see the ‘white and black’ theme when we cut to a montage with Po and Shen covered in different parts of the Yin Yang. Shen being black and Po being white. (It was technically red and yellow but you get my point)
I think you guys are too enamored with the idea of coming up with a clever alternate read on the prophecy. It's ultimately more thematically appropriate to the movie overall to simply read the prophecy at surface level, and allow the depth to come from _how_ the chain of events comes about.
When it comes to shen's animation and fighting style utilizing the fact that he is a peacock, my favorite aspect is his tail feathers. He often opens his feathers up quickly in his opponents faces, disorietating them. It also creates a greater sense of movement, which tends to cover up the fact that he is less skilled in kung fu. The metal talons also give him an advantage, since he weaponizes them. His tail feathers bright red makes it even more distracting and eyecatching, and the talons have a distinctive sound, which you can easily associate with him
You can always tell when he's approaching, and the lack of subtlety in his attacks, as well as the distracting feathers, kinda say something about his character
Shen is a fascinating villain and I think you said everything perfectly but I want to remind about the best scene in the entire movie where the wolf leader declines firing at his own men, and Shen kills him. He just kills him immediately, there's no hesitation, no battle, no focus on the camera even. It's just there and it's so chilling and captures his villany so perfectly
The actor for the wolf leader read that line perfectly, the darkness and insistence in the one word, "No.". He looked at Shen and judged him for being willing to kill his own soldiers, and Shen thought "Fine, I'll do it myself." And got him out of the way.
@@butternutcrunch Right?! I always thought that wolf-boy did really well, as he started doubting his leader, and then refused him at the end. It was just a single word, but there was so much there. Weariness, sorrow and loss. Also, he knew he would die, but refused anyway.
@@jonbaxter2254 But I read someone's comment a long time ago that the wolf leader deserved to die because he disobeyed Shen for the right reason as if he didn't know why he did it.
Because he's an alfa Wolf and his loyalty only for his wolf pack, expert believe that human can fully domesticated any wild wolf but not a male alfa wolf. Human can brake his spirit and be his master, but if he had to choose between his new human master or his pack...mfs would always choose his wolfpack 😂
I want to point out that Shen is not just crushed by a ship mast, but the destroyed remains of his great cannon. He’s literally killed by his own tool of death and subjugation. It’s also worth noting that Shem himself could be considered “a warrior of black and white” since his color scheme is primarily white with some black accents. Everything Shen did, from weaponizing gunpowder, killing the pandas, and trying to conquer China led him inexorably to his own death. It’s almost a Greek tragedy in that he is his own undoing. Po is the primary opposing force to Shen, but only because of the consequences of Shen’s actions.
@@cruixmee I get what you mean. He doesn't want to understand the nuances a person can have. Nor the complexity of the world or life for the matter. I don't know if he was "born" evil or had bad influence. But it was never really showcased that anyone influenced him to be this way. Either way, he refuses to understand that his parents only wanted the best for him and for their family's legacy to be used for good such as entertainment or inspiration. He also thinks that having everything in the world is the answer to his empty heart. There were some people who had unfortunate circumstances in life that lead to them being unable to develop their social skills which leads to being unable to function in society. Doesn't mean they automatically become serial killers but a combination of these factors are the reason for this outcome.
Don't forget the fact that his reckless, furious swings at Po were what cut the ropes holding up what was left of the cannon. His poor choices being his downfall is really just brought up to zero subtlety there.
My favorite villain line of any movie: "Oh it’s a parting gift, in that it will part you. Part of you here, part of you there and part of you waaay over there *STAINING THE WALL."*
@@treddox5880 Off-topic and I only mention that because I find it funny. In my language(Polish) the verb version of the word entertainment/fun literally means "to tear something". The origin of that is probably people using those things(entertainment) to tear sadness/despair. So yeah this line in my language's dub meant both "I will entertain you" and "I will rip/tear you apart".
I had an assignment in my theatre class where we voice acted a scene of our choosing and that's the one I chose. It was very fun, I got to say that line (one of my favorites too) and I even tried foley by scraping butterknives together to sound like his walking or metal cleaning. I got a little taken off because I had a hard time differentiating the voices of Ox and Rhino but I had a blast doing it and seeing what everyone else did. Tldr: I like that line, it is very funny
19:20 ALSO this "your parents didnt love you" happened RIGHT AFTER Shen let go of the Soothsayer after she said "your parents loved you and it killed them" Like, I feel like this is Shen, like, projecting his parental issues by saying something that he himself found hurtful? Or something? Idk if thats the right words... I think he went "ur unlovable by your fam" to hurt Po because its something that hurts him? Ugh. Words are hard.
That actually makes sense, after finding out his parents died of grief after having to send him away broke him, i think you could see his mouth quivering realising all along his parents loved him dearly. He was so far in the rabbit hole it was too late to quit this due to the consequences he'd face, him projecting was probably his coping mechanism to cope with the fact he did everything he did for nothing.
"your story may not have such a happy beginning. but that doesn't make you who you are. it is the rest of your story. who you choose to be. so... who are you, panda?" as someone who was an adopted kid just like po, that was beyond beautiful
I know 😭 I always cry like a baby because I’m adopted too and have had a lot of health issues over the years. This movie just reminds me that we can have such traumatic backgrounds and memories but what we do with it defines us
You forgot to add a win where in Kung fu Panda, Po asked his dad if he had any other dream apart from making noodles. His dad answered that he wanted to run away and make tofu but then later changed his mind because it was a stupid dream. Meanwhile in Kung fu Panda 2, the goose dad names his store "Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu" or something. Could it be because Po made his dream to be a kung fu warrior come true that made his father realize that perhaps making tofu isn't so much of a stupid dream after all?
11:34 Overly Sarcastic Productions pointed out in a video that this is a movie that changes genre depending on who's the character in focus. Yes, from Po's perspective it's a comedic Kung Fu film with some emotional moments. But if you look at it from Shen's POV, the whole thing suddenly turns into Macbeth
Another underrated aspect of this movie is the environmentalism. That lies between the Valley of Peace's natural beauty and Gongmen City's polluted economy. The way this theme is delivered encourages the audience to weigh the pros and cons of innovation and preservation.
To be fair, Master Croc and Ox dont wanna fight Shen because he'd turn his canon to the people of the city, not necessarily because theyre afraid of his cannon
@RisingJay that film also shows how they weren't heroes, they just fell into it, so It makes sense seeing a Canon they stop. They tried to stop vs 3 cats so
I think it’s a mix of both. They’ve convinced themselves that if they resist, Lord Shen will hurt the civilians, and not that they fear the cannon, which is a valid and possible scenario, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t scared of the cannon
Po's dad (Li Shan) did not use a hammer on Boss Wolf, he used a rake, but due to the lighting of the situation, it made the rake look more like a hammer.
Hans Zimmer and John Powell's compositions were absolutely *legendary.* One of their soundtracks 'Po Finds The Truth' perfectly describes trauma, sadness, motivation, and courage. And the duo blended four emotional beats in such a heartbreaking but eventually satisfying way. God, KFP2 is the *GOAT* for a reason!
As a kid that scene where Po's mother running from the wolves carrying baby Po with Hans and John's music in the background scared the shit outta me. It took me a while to rewatch the movie just because of that flashback scene which was traumatizing to watch
I got to speak with James Hong at a convention once. He said Mr Ping was probably his most favorite role, and that he really enjoyed getting to play such a loving and caring father figure.
I don't watch James Hong all that much but when he was part of the Everything Everywhere All At Once award shows and spoke at the SAG Awards, my head instantly went "Wait, have I hear this guy before?" And holy shit looking at his filmography, he was Mr Ping
Tbh his role as Ping more or less defined him for me since I'd never seen him in anything else, so when I saw his role in Everything Everywhere and how that ended up going I felt a lot of whiplash lol
calling Tai Lung "slightly pissed off" while funny in the context of the joke, is also SEVERELY underselling the contempt he had by the time he finally broke free. man's was told from birth, essentially, that he was great, that he would become the greatest, and was trained as such. the amount of rage and pain during his confrontation with Shifu really speaks to how deep this goes with him. "who filled my head with dreams? who trained me until my bones cracked? who denied me my destiny?" Shifu even tries to deflect the blame, claiming it "wasn't his fault", that "it wasn't [his] decision to make". i REALLY, REALLY hope that KFP 4 is a story of redemption for Tai Lung.
@@KuramenoKai was ok, above average I’d say, but VERY underwhelming compared to the two other amazing villains we had in the first two movies. I guess it’s because he was getting ridiculed quite often in the movie and his background and character wasn’t so developed. If they developed the part of oogway betraying him from his perspective, it may had made oogway a more morally gray character while giving Kai a more built up background and contrast with the way oogway has been presented
@@Dracon350 A Tai Lung redemption arc would be cool, but I think it's frankly unlikely. We got a two second cameo, and then a trailer full of a different supporting character who's obviously going to have a central role, which wouldn't really leave enough time to devote to him. If they're intentionally setting up a bait and switch, I'll be absolutely here for it, but I really wouldn't hold your breath.
@@iker9095Im not sure people are ready to handle the reality Oogway used to be a warmongering warrior as in Omniman or past Iroh if we're using a similarity. We didn't even see much of Iroh's past and Omniman is a flat out villain.
I’m so glad you touched on the soothsayers and Shens relationship. I always loved the scenes of them talking because they’re not only funny but provide a lot of insight to their relationship. Like I loved how when they were talking the soothsayer would randomly grab his robe and try to eat it and he would just snatch it back from her and continue talking. It really shows you how close they are, especially if you consider what might happen if anyone else were to do that
"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it" exactly. Even Shifu did so because sending the duck gave the feather Tai lung needed to escape. That was exactly what Oogway was warning him about.
My favorite exchange in this movie is definitely this part: Shen: "Greetings, panda. We meet at la-" Po: (out of breath, barely looking at him) "Hey, how are ya doing?" Shen: (confused) "...Hey."
@InevitableOption-ic2vx And on top of that, the groans Po makes with the heart-pounding thuds that turns out to just be one of the gorilla henchmen stomping on the steps. A perfect example of bait-and-switch if I ever saw one.
I love that Shen still has his funny moments, but it's never too over-the-top or cartoony. It's the right amount, so you can still take him seriously as a threat.
I also like the scene when it looks like Po is talking Shen down from a distance, but then we cut to his point of view and we can’t hear what Po is saying, then Shen says “what?”.
Cinema Wins described this scene perfectly. "You can clearly hear Gary Oldmans disdain in that line. Pompous english thespian versus well.....Jack Black."
23:45 I should mention, Po doesn't just bring radishes because Mr Ping found him in a box of radishes, it's because Mr Ping made a point of mentioning that he'd stopped making soup with radishes after Po arrived and ate them all. It works both as a way to make amends with his dad after leaving without giving him a proper answer earlier in the movie, and I also believe it follows the central theme of the movie, with Po healing and growing (and being mature enough to apologize) by revisiting his past. It's actually really sweet and touching.
Shen straight up even saw the mast falling and just didn't attempt to move and let it kill him. (And we would of been able to move away cause he is able to move very fast)
the MAD cartoon parody of this movie highlights the vagueness by having various black and white things challenge Shen & fail, including Reshiram & Zekrom from Pokemon lol
About Shen's prophecy of being defeated by a warrior of "Black and White", you can interpret a lot of things with how his actual destiny turned out. You can say that the prophecy was fulfilled, that Po defeated Shen. But you can also say that Shen chooses to choose his own destiny by letting himself be killed by his own invention, thus signifying that his prophecy was wrong. But, my favorite interpretation to Shen's demise/destiny was that he was defeated by a warrior of "Black and White"; himself. Though, he's composed of red, Shen is still colored black and white- a perfect mirror to Po, with the addition that certain sequences always plays them at the symbol of Yin and Yang.
I like that interpretation too. The idea that Shen was his own worst enemy. That his colors reflect the mask his ego casts over the truth. The red colors over his black and white. Where-as Po wears his truth on his sleeves. Dresses quite frankly, in only his shorts, his black and white colors on display. Very brilliant contrasts and layers of irony and tone. Whether intentional or otherwise, it is truly art. It's also worth noting, Schaff mentions the tones of red that cast over Po a lot, during moments where he doubts himself, when Shen's influence weigh's heavily on Po, even when Po doesn't realize it. I like that Po isn't necessarily trying to mask his dark truth and traumatic past. Some people don't even realize they have issues until it just...reaches the surface. And Po is forced to deal with this phenomenon, almost relinquishes who he is and forget what is important as a result. This is not only entirely relatable, but it's a very interesting, unique conflict you rarely see anywhere. Dreamworks has a knack for giving their heroes complex, human conflicts. Not only backed up by amazing, complex villains, but an internal conflict within the hero. It gives these stories timeless appeal. Shrek's insecurities, Po's doubt, Puss's denial, Hiccup's Heritage. It is fascinating characterization. I hope more writers and directors learn from this.
You could even go more meta, in that a "warrior of black and white" could refer to someone with black and white opinions. No shades of grey. Which is actually fitting, since neither of them is looking for any philosophical shades of grey. Shen is too self absorbed to see anything as other than helpful or harmful to him, and Po is to philosophically undeveloped to have nuanced opinions of anything.
one can argue that Shen was already defeated by Po several minutes before his death both physically and philosophically, his later death to me is more like the epilogue or aftermath of the defeat, hence why I find the first while the most obvious kinda the more favored interpretation P.S. ur username of Ms and Binibini made be chuckle, I suddenly remembered that chai tea scene all over again XD
17:30 Slight rebuttal about Master Croc and Master Ox being a bit dumb: they were right next to Master Rhino, one of if not the greatest kung fu masters at the time, when he was blasted to bits by Shen's canon. They were probably still grieving and under shock, so even if the whole "hiding is better than dying" bit sounds dumb, I think their reaction isn't all that surprising. Time and a stern pep talk by Shifu was enough to spring them into action.
I think besides Po’s naïveté about being adopted, he’s also been so happy as Ping’s son that he’s never really considered the possibility of anybody else besides Ping as his father.
I saw it as one of those things you learn at such a young age it just becomes an accepted part of how the world works, to the point you don't even question it. It seems like no one else around him ever brought up Po being adopted while he was growing up, so he just always thought of Mr. Ping as "Dad" and never questioned it beyond that due to never being given a reason to.
21:50 so something you missed is just before this Shen orders his head wolf to fire the canon. The wolf refuses because it’ll kill their own men, but Shen tells him to fire it anyway. Shen then fires the canon himself, promptly causing the mass destruction and the killing of most the wolves. This shows how Shen is so blinded by his pursuit of power that he’ll ignore the safety of his own men in order to kill his enemy.
Especially since that wolf (and likely many/most of the others) was with him from the start. They stood by him when he massacred the pandas. And then followed him into exile, even though he probably couldn't pay them anymore (at least for a while). They where so absolutely loyal to him that I am certain that they began as his child hood personal Honor Guard. Then he just cuts his loyal second in command down without a second thought.
that was one of the most brutal deaths in an animated film was shen killing boss wolf. it wasnt cinematic or noted heavily by the movie. just a point blank knife to the chest
To add a final point. Shen seems to only kill people who can't do their jobs. Seriously, watch the movie he only actively kills people who can't do their jobs. (Technically, Po didn't stop shien the first time in the towers. Thus, not being the main guy and not doing his job.
I think one of my favorite aspects of Lord Shen is how he manages to be such a difficult opponent for Po despite being much less strong than him. While he is a very competent fighter, it's clear that Po totally outclasses him in all of the scenes they fight in. Yet, Shen psyches him out and gains the upper hand due to the trauma he inflicted upon Po from so many years ago, and has the answers to Po's past to hold over his head in a pinch. It's a really cool way to make a villain intimidating and pull off some wins without simply making them more powerful than the protagonist.
thats honestly my favorite feature about him too and makes him just as good if not better then tai lung, his power doesn't come from strength or technique, hes powerful in strategy, resources and politics, his charisma was so grand and beliefs so powerful that he literally convinced an entire armies worth of wolves to follow and conquer for him. Its a great way to separate him from other antagonists in the franchise, as you cant just simply "punch harder" then him, you've got to fight through his capacity for absolutely cruelty.
11:03 The Soothsayer was Shen Nanny and someone he has a familial like bond. If noticed in the Film Shen never lays a hand on her, even despite her plucking his feather or eating his expensive robe, he gets angry at her but never harms her when he can do so easily. It is clearly out of mercy since he still cares for her And I don’t think Shen knew his Parents still love him, if anything the scene showed he was unaware of this detail and realizes he kinda fuck up but it is kinda too late now as he now too deep in with the goal and there is no chance of redemption or mercy for him
Po’s arc is reminiscent of a traditional Chinese practice that involves using inner peace called “the firewalk.” Its where you walk barefoot on hot coals (its a real thing, I’ve done it twice). the mind has to be in the right mental state, and if you focus on the pain of the coals, or in po’s case, his past, you will burn your feet. But it can still be crossed, if the mind is trained to block out the burning beneath your feet and focus elsewhere. I love how Po literally does a firewalk with both his mind and his hands considering how he throws the cannonballs right back at Shen, symbolizing his growth to cross to the other side of a painful path.
@@lordshennington2756 I'm sure there are other cultures who have a similar tradition. But how it works is that as long as you keep moving and don't stand on one spot for too long, the coals (due to being wood) won't have the time needed to transfer enough heat to your feet to burn you. It works the same way a wooden spoon can rest in a metal pot and grow warm, but it will never burn you. The rate at which it transfers heat is too slow to do more than warm you up. Since the coals are hotter they are a danger, but only if you linger.
@@bababooey8330 Usually people walk across them because it's incredibly impressive looking and part of the point. Most often it's either a flex to get across a pointto the audience or its a trial for the person walking, in both cases being a demonstration of the ability to remain calm, focused, not panic, belief/trust, etc. The specifics vary but that's the gist of it. But if you mean physically possible, then yeah it would work.
Something I noticed when rewatching the film, after Shen dismisses the Soothsayer, the jokes with him slow down significantly, as well as being more willing to kill his own men (he literally killed the wolf general because he refused to shoot the canon that would kill a lot of his men). To me it shows that the Soothsayer was that last bit of his humanity he had left, he could've easily harmed or kill her but he didn't, he just let her leave, hinting that she was the only person Shen still cared for (it's especially heartbreaking when you find out in a deleted scene it's revealed that she was actually his nanny when he was young). But by letting her leave, he was letting go of the last bit of humanity he had left, he had let himself fully become the monster he was always destined to become
I have a theory that while they were his parents, it was the soothsayer who raised shen. I always believed he didn’t kill her because he sees her as a family member or elder, and respected and cared about her, in his own messed up way.
However even in the films end there was seemingly some humanity left with it seemingly hurting Shen to tell Po how he took everything from him (Shen even had to look away when he got to the word "Everything)
The details of their relationship were never made clear but I do think the movie did a good enough job portraying it that by the time he sent her away, I kinda just assumed he let her live because he considered her family. She clearly knew his parents very well and was around when he was growing up, so I never questioned it.
Most pure evil villains: start out genuinely calm and collected until the final act where they have their third act breakdown Lord Shen: has been in a constant state of third act breakdown since even his origin story
The decision for Shen to primarily use a variety of bladed weapons was a great move to maintain tension. Po is already established as being nearly immune to blunt force, even from someone as strong as Tai Lung but a very fast precise opponent with a spear and knives can conceivably hurt or kill him.
I always appreciate it when "kid's movies" don't shy away from serious topics. Avatar the Last Airbender and Kung Fu Panda 2 have a lot in common, but one of the things I like most about it is how serious it treats the topic of genocide, and the effect such atrocities have on those involved.
@@bauloprete3905I still like that movie but man what a huge downgrade from 2. Hope 4 steps it up again but I keep hearing divided reviews. Looks like it'll be the Shrek Forever After or Toy Story 4 for the series.
Hot Take: Shen is the best Dreamworks villain and i will die on that hill. He gave Po the closest thing to PTSD in a kids movie, fucking has one of the highest kill counts and committed genocide in a film i watched with my 5 year old cousin. Like, the director and writers looked at the first movie, with an extremely strong villain and went like: “interesting, lets ramp it up to 11”. And also his design is gorgeous but i ain’t talking bout that here because it’ll make me go off on a tangent.
I agree. Shen not only hit Po emotionally and send him to the darkest place possible. When Po tries to stand up to initially, he gets DESTROYED. Shen said "you're inferior to me in every way possible and im going to keep rubbing salt into the wound"
Shouldn't be a hot take, because you're right. No Dreamworks villain comes close, which is insane, because Dreamworks has some of the best villains in animation (and everything else). And please feel free to go on that tangent. His design is indeed amazingly beautiful, to the point I wish they could have showed him fighting more (but I understand that it was incredibly labor intensive to animate him). Who would have thought a peacock could use his tail feathers as a weapon like that? Almost like a war fan.
17:10 I like to think that the other masters stayed in the cell due to witnessing the power of the explosions firsthand. Imagine being completely unfamiliar with the concept of a manmade explosion and then seeing people around you, possibly even people you know (like master rhino at the beginning of the film) blown to bits.
I love how you did the editing at 14:19, implying that Po is: 1. In the middle of a fight with civilians on the line 2. Sees the symbol 3. Just fucking turns around and leaves
You really wouldn’t expect a movie called "Kung Fu Panda 2" to be as extremely well written and emotionally mature as this movie was. Tackling dark topics like PTSD, and showing Lord Shen literally attempting genocide on Po’s village. Definitely one of the best animated movies I’ve ever seen.
23:35 I think it's worth mentioning that the mast only fell because Shen cut the ropes holding it up while he was fighting Po. Once again, Shen's actions directly cause his downfall
also worth mentioning that its not a mast - im pretty sure that since the ship got utterly blasted by po, the frontal cannon was sent into that position. would explain why the whole thing blew up the moment it fell. the cannon that shen was so proud of was ultimately what killed him.
Its also worth noting that Shen purposely let it happen in the end. He saw the mast falling and choose to do nothing despite it being very likely he could of got out of the way.
@@jammygamer8961 I always noticed that ever since I first watched the movie, it gave me the impression that in that moment, Shen realized that he had lost everything and there’s no turning back for him, so he just accepted his fate once and for all
Ok yall realize that thats not a mast and its actually one if his cannons right. He was literally killed by the very thing he thought would lead him to greatness.
One thing I love about this one is how it uses the 2D animation. It's established in both this one and the first that the use of 2D animation signifies a dream. Every time 2D animation is used is for a dream, except for the flashbacks. They're in 2D, because Po doesn't want to see them as real. He wants to bottle up the trauma, forget about it, write it off as a bad dream. It all culminates in the inner peace scene, where it shifts to 3D animation, Po accepting his trauma, seeing it for the reality that it is, instead of the bad dream it was shown as before
Gary Oldman's voice for Shen contributes to that quality. He's well written, the humor doesn't take over even so it's hilarious to see him rehearse Po's arrival or his relationship with the soothsayer .. and him welcoming his end just ties the beautiful and grim knot around the tragic tale he wrote about himself.
It is Kung Fu Panda 2, among others, that shows how kid movies can have a dark/serious undertone while still remaining "fun for the family." These types of movies are really the only PG movies I watch.
2 things 1: Tigress was about to say she was adopted as well (it was shown in Secrets Of The Furious Five) 2: at the end just before he gets crushed Shen seems to accept it.
yea Shen is really the only villain to have any sort of arc in his film which was him being in denial of Po defeating him and the prophecy but ending with Shen accepting it.
"Your story may not have such a happy beginning.....but that doesn't make you who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you CHOOSE to be. So, who are you panda?"
Just wanna say, as a young adult who deals with severe ptsd, this scene has always and will always stick with me. No matter how haunting your memories are, they don't make you who you are. You have the power to shape your own destiny, to become your own person.
This is pretty similar to the message of the Perks of Being a Wallflower: “We can’t choose where we come from, but we can choose where we go from there.”
That quote honestly relates to literally every protagonist in cinema history. A main character losing someone he or she loved and now they choose to rise up and fight against evil hear's some examples: Luke Skywalker Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader Peter Parker/Spider-Man Harry Potter Megamind Bruce Wayne/Batman Avatar Aang Katara and Sokka and many many more.
@@Mario_001 True, but it's not necessarily about losing anyone. It's about allowing your past to be a part of you, but not be a part of who you are. It's about accepting the pain and letting go of it.
It could just be either that he was less fearless/was enraged by what was happening in the past which got him to fight and now he could have ptsd of some kind or just can't fight as well as he used to
@@TheaverageSpartan4 the thing is that it was more of an active threat in the past, with his wife and child actually about to be murdered like hed already seen others around him get murdered. It is just a shitty excuse for bad writing but still lol
It's amazing how this movie can make a peacock of all animals so scary. I've always considered Lord Shen the closest thing DreamWorks has to Scar, one of Disney's best villain. He's cold, calculating, his past directly ties in with the protagonist's, and there's so much depth to his character, plus Gary Oldman's performance is impeccable. I also love Po's struggle to find his true self and inner peace, and that "Po Finds the Truth" sequence in the panda village is so beautiful, yet so heartbreaking.
one of the things i like most sbout shen is that the way that peacocks actually intimidate others by fanning out their feathers was also included in the way he fought, it's always cool to see movies about animals actually incorporate their behaviours
15:13 As an adopted kid, one day you realize you actually have two sets of parents. You have the people who brought you into this world, and you're obviously grateful for it, even if you never learn who they are. You also have your parents, the people who raised you, who taught you how to ride a bike, how to use a knife safely, who covered up sockets and made sure that pan handles were facing away from you just in case you got curious. You want to meet your birth parents, to put faces to names, to see what you got from your mum and what you got from your dad. You want to know more about them, and you want to know why they gave you away. I met mine, and I met others like me who had the same experience. They'll tell you why, and they'll insist they always loved you, and you'll wrestle with that knowledge for a while until you finally realize - some people become parents before they're ready, and you wouldn't have the life you have now if they didn't do what they did. It's hard, but it's manageable, and then comes the acceptance. When people ask me who my parents are, I have an automatic image in my head, and it's my adopted parents. Sometimes I feel guilty about it, I know that my birth parents are just as valid as my adopted ones, but my adopted parents raised me. I am who I am because of my adopted parents, I have my mum's stubbornness and my dad's music taste. I am their daughter.
The fact the panda village's genocide scene made reflect on people to save pandas and made it so they are no longer an endangered species is another level of WHY THIS MOVIE IS SO GOOD
I find Shens death to be subtly cool that I didnt notice as a kid. It's that when the cannon is about to fall on top of him, he closes his eyes and begins to accept his demise. Shens fixation of defying his fate throughout his life got to a point that if he's going to die at his lowest point, it won't be by the hands of the warrior in black and white. His final act was death by his own creation, his own doing, his final act of defying his fate.
I saw another comment I loved that summarized was 'he was able to defeat his fate by accepting it' he was able to choose his own way to go out. Even in the 'fight' hes not aiming for Po and probably even purposely steps back before looking up. He didnt defeat his fate by fighting it which only brought it closer but by accppeting it and choosing to change it.
In the new film, Po’s father (the panda) is in the same place in the finally and clearly sees Lord Shen. Not a single word is spoken about that. SUCH WASTED POTENTIAL.
One of the reasons I like 2 more than 1 is because it has one of my favorite tropes: the silly comic relief character has a horrifying and tragic backstory
@@omarmansuri7099 It actually took me a while to recognize the voice when i first watched because i didn't know how Gary was at the time this movie was released and of course as you might expect, the first movie that i watched with his name on it was Harry Potter so i used to call Shen as Sirius Black guy voicing a peacock in a DreamWorks movie lol
Shen is one of the best villains I’ve ever seen from an animated movie. The way he’s drawn in the 2D sequences make him appear like a demon from someone’s nightmares. And in the end… Po finds peace with the demon in his own way.
and the fact that he accepts his death tells is kind of tragic. he could've avoided it by not attacking Po but he got crushed by his cannon, the very thing he has been using to bring terror.. His own creation. *chefs kiss*
16:50 I feel like Tigress’s empathy also comes from the fact that she used to be an orphan as explained in one of the special shorts. Which tbh makes it all more heartfelt
She understands what it's like to be alone, then a failure, have your destiny taken from you, then accept all three of these (see her short, Tai Lung's backstory, and all movie 1). Her moments of character development are compact, but extremely well told. What a great character ;-;
@@fredy2041Kai had the ingredients to be just as good as Tai Lung and Lord Shen, but the execution really did leave something to be desired. I think if they had focused more on his relationship with Oogway and played his frustration with being forgotten by the world straight instead of as a recurring gag, it could’ve added more depth to him
@@pigglesgoomshby7249 He was just toned down really. Completely fair reaction after how dark the 2nd film was. Heck, Oogway was supposed to be shown in 3 as this warmongering warrior when he was younger. Like Omniman or past Iroh levels of past he is not proud of.
The fight choreography is my favorite part of the film by far. They took advantage of how silly animation can be while also utilizing the characters’ skill set, personalities, size, and characteristics to make their fighting unique in every way.
The relationship between Shen and Soothsayer is one that's always interested me as well, and a few months back I finally decided to look into it. I can't confirm if it's 100% canon, but it's said that she was his nanny when he was a kid. Obviously, compared to his parents, he's an albino which usually tends to be weaker or sickly in the animal world. So she may have attended to him from time to time and the two developed a bond. Like a few scenes in the movie and a deleted one, the Soothsayer is seen pushing his buttons but he doesn't really punish her or truly snap at her, the same way she doesn't fear him when he gets agitated compared to his henchmen. It's like a relationship with a family member. They put up with each other. And then the scene where he lets her go further supports the idea of care he has toward her, as well as what was mentioned in the video. Much like Tai Lung’s scene with Shifu, there is a paused look in Shen’s expression as she gets through to him before he basically admits that he must continue regardless. Personally, I’m holding onto these theories and ideas because it adds more depth between the two, especially with their interactions. Also, Shen is my favourite Dreamworks villain, plus having one of my favourite actors (Gary Oldman) voice him- was just icing on the cake, so I'll take any added lore that makes sense for the feathered psycho.
It almost feels like a twisted and extreme version of Zuko and Iroh's relationship to me. One where he wasn't able to get through to Zuko and saw him go down this obsessive path until he destroyed himself.
@@FuryMcpureyI think he's supposed to be Albino (The Red eyes are a heavy indicator of this, as only Albinos have red eyes like that) but they thought a purely white character might be a bit plain and boring.
Shen never got closure from his parents' deaths: he throws his father's throne out a window, yet a day later struggles with the fact they "hated" him, which the Soothsayer definitively proves wrong. Yet, rather than double down on the hatred, he simply denies the relevence of the past. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's no reason for him to be so insecure and hurt about his dead parents' love unless he's got baggage. Meanwhile, the Soothsayer does everything she can to convince Shen he was loved, and can still save himself. Tbh everything you said could hardly be "theories," because their relationship is at least that complex.
I love how shen was the only succesful villain in the trilogy, his goal was to change his destiny, which was to die in the hands of a panda, and in the end, he died by his own
One could argue that his actual goal was to conquer all of China and wipe out Kong Fu with his weapons, plans he couldnt execute if a warrior in black and white kills him.
And he changed his destiny by accepting it. It ties back into the theme that you often meet your destiny on the way to avoid it. In his final moments he closed his eyes rather than trying to escape, actually changing his fate.
I love the detail that po was tapping into chi is present in both the first and second movie before they explain it in 3, it's brilliant. In 1 it's the wushi finger hold, in 2 it's when he starts redirecting the canon balls where they change to the same color as his chi appears in 3.
i do find it kinda funny that with the "magneto gets attacked wiht the holocaust memories" meme going arround shen does literally use it unironically in the movie to emotionally stun po in the middle of battle like what
One thing I’m kind of surprised you missed is a detail in Shen’s death. After so much emphasis on him meeting his own destiny by avoiding it, the way he dies is by cutting the ropes that kept the ship from falling on him. In his final desperate attempt to eradicate pandas, he caused his own death.
@@FrostFire425 And also... He was not aiming at Po during that last fight. He even intentionally stumbles and looks backward, and then readies himself for it. He commited suicide. He saw that he could never be like Po and that his scars would never fade away, and went through with it.
@@QuintaFeira12I love the idea he did it as his answer to Poe's question. He realized he's gone too far and could never turn back. Not necessarily because he physically cant but because he realized he would never allow himself to heal. So his answer to Poes' question is to break the prophecy by letting his cannon fall ontop of him that way he wasn't defeated by a hero of black and white but by his own creation. Deciding to destroy the prophecy in his mind and accept his demise in a way that he chose himself rather than one determined for him.
Hi adopted kid here, this film remains as one of my favorites and certainly one that I resonated the most with as an adoptee. I remember when this film came out, I was still relatively young, but even then it resonated with me as an adoptee especially as someone who had just found out that they were adopted. One of my favorite scenes is on the boat with Tigress when Po tells her that his "dad isn't really his dad" and Tigress incredulously says "your dad the goose". I laugh because Po is definitely me in this situation, I am Vietnamese and pretty dark. Both my parents are white and my sisters are pretty pale, yet for quite a long period of my life me being blood related to them was just obvious to me. So finding out that I was adopted was quite shocking to me and it took a significant amount of time for me to come to terms with that, just like Po did. Adoption is a hard process that is typically quite traumatic for all involved, but it is still so worth it to find a family. And to anyone who needs to hear this adoptee or not, blood has nothing to do with family. Even today I get questions about where my "real family" is. My real family are the people who raised me and the ones who continue to support and love me through thick and thin. Take it from someone who knows, family are the ones who love you unconditionally and family are the people YOU choose, it has nothing to do with blood.
My birth parents didn’t love me. I was passed from guardian to guardian because no one felt like raising me. If family is not defined by blood, then I have no family.
@@TumblinWeeds Are you staying with anyone now? If you are, and have been for the longest time, then aren't they your family? (Also, sorry if this comes off as insensitive, I was intrigued by your statement.)
I’m really sorry to hear about ur experience like that, but I also think it gets better. On one hand, yeah not having a place in the world is really difficult, and that is entirely a failure of your biological family. On the other hand, I personally wouldn’t want to be connected-blood or otherwise-to people who treat me like that. Clear them out to make room for the family you choose ;). And I think that OP’s comment doesn’t invalidate or oppose your upbringing, if anything they’re two sides of the same coin. For all we know, their biological parents also didn’t care for them. Hope you find somewhere, best of luck
i’m not adopted but my mom is, my grandparents couldn’t have children biologically and my mom was surrendered by her bio parents at a young age. i still forget constantly that my grandparents aren’t blood related to me because they love and care for me and my mom unconditionally. they raised me better and continue to do more for me than my dad who i am blood related to.
@@tanoak_matsutake I’m in university now. I worked for a year and on summers to afford school. Hoping to build a life away from my family when I graduate. When I was a kid I stayed with each guardian for about a year before they sent me off to the next one. They had legal liability for me (joint custody), so they couldn’t throw me out, but they damn well didn’t want to keep me. My mom would ask my dad for compensation because he didn’t feel like doing his half of the custody, and she felt cheated. She didn’t feel spending the money on me either. I was sent to aunt and uncles and grandparents and I overstayed at every friend’s home that my parents would treat like daycare. I saw each friend’s parents more than I saw my own mother. If she couldn’t find a caretaker, I’d be home alone while she went out with friends. She taught me to cook when I was 7 to earn my stay. Whenever I was hungry or needed anything she’d bark at me to do it myself. There was rarely food in the fridge, and my mom would hide any snacks or leftovers where I couldn’t reach it. I went to school myself, and no one ever showed up for parent teacher meetings. I was reminded often that I ruined their lives. My dad could’ve gotten a research opportunity if he wasn’t stuck with me one summer. My mom could’ve held down a job if my dad hadn’t sent me over to her when he got sick of dealing with me. My dad says they got divorced because of me. Says every argument was because of me. Says my mom was so full of life before she gave birth. My mom says I was a mistake, a hole in the condom. My mom wanted an abortion, and she considered killing me as a baby when I came out. My dad wanted a boy, but I came out instead. I’m 22 now, and they report being so much less stressed now that I’m gone.
I think a really underrated moment of this movie is the Wolf Leader standing up to Shen. He's taken his shit the whole movie, and when Shen's spoiled sociopathy tells him to shoot everyone, their own men included, the Wolf Leader refuses. And, with NO FANFARE, gets immediately kills. That's it. Shen stabs him and he's firing the cannon himself. This secondary antagonist we've seen throughout the movie as mostly pretty goofy, and had quite a bit of banter with Po, gets killed the moment he shows a sign of possible good in him. Never seen or mentioned again. It does a lot to highlight both Shen and the Wolf Leader in the span of like, 10 seconds. Also, surprised you didn't mention how Shen essentially killed himself at the end. He cut all the ropes that led to the cannon falling on top of him. And after his failure, he closes his eyes and accepts it. He doesn't really get humiliated like Kai and even Tai Lung at the end of their fights. He goes out getting a cut on Po, and just quietly accepts the death he pretty much brought upon himself.
I always forget about the wolf captain until I watch the movie again, and I'm so glad they added that character moment for him. It adds depth that wasn't necessary at all, but it just adds extra spice and flavor to the movie. Great decision to have that scene
Kung Fu Panda establishes Po's identity. Kung Fu Panda Two gives Po back his personal history. Kung Fu Panda Three gives him his culture back. So, we think Oogway is a stranger to Po when Oogway selects Po-Oogway knows Panda Culture and History, and sees Po as The Panda Who Survived-the monotonous existence we see Po enduring is presented as a chore, then his life is revealed to be a quiet Victory.
*A couple of alternative perspectives on the video:* *1.* The soothsayer being freed can also be one last middle finger from Shen as he disproved the prophecy, or at least up to that point. *2.* The two masters who didn't show up until the end probably gave up after seeing their superior get one-shot'd . *3.* Mr. Ping is still the best character of the trilogy.
2. and 3.: yesss 1: that peacock viciously gloats at everyone he possibly can, there's no way he couldn't have thought up a better clapback than "the past is in the past" if he was doing just fine. Especially since his only confidant just challenged his entire worldview. But, as a villain enjoyer, I'm super biased.
Especially 2 because Rhino was known as having the kung fu style that made him the pinnacle of defensive combat… and he got one shot. Like, if your friend and mentor who you consider a superior is so easily one tapped, what can you do?
I still remember how epic it was for kid me to see Po throwing those canons back at the ships and turning into the yin yang symbol. And when he said "SCADOOSH"... always gives me chills lol it's just SO EPIC! Love this movie easily the most rewatchable and the best of the series.
As someone who loves catching little animation details, I love the fact that most of the flashbacks about Po- being in 2D for the distinction- when most of the shots of him being put in the veggie cart, the last shot of it while Po is processing his trauma is in 3D, as if to show without telling that he’s learning to overcome his trauma issues.
5:24 actually a cool thing about that prophecy is that it could not be talking about Po at all. Lord Shen is also a warrior of black and white, so it could’ve meant that his list for power will lead him to his downfall. Especially since Shen ends up dying not by Po’s hand, but by his own cannons.
For all we know, the "warrior of black and white" line could've been purely symbolic. It could've just meant a warrior who has mastered inner peace, as we now know leads to physical and mystical power from both Kung Fu Panda 2's ending and one of the core themes of Kung Fu Panda 3. Peace with oneself gives tangible power that can destroy Shen. It didn't have to come from a panda specifically.
Also, if we think about it, even if Shen succeeded at hunting down all pandas and even conquering a whole China with his armade, the prophecy would've still been true. Due to the fact that Shen himself was that "warrior of Black and White" at the end, after conquering China and *obviously not finding the inner peace and happiness even after all that,* he would've most certainly took his own life out of despair. The prophecy for Shen was basically "if he won't stop hurting others, he will end himself" all along.
the MAD cartoon parody of this movie highlights this by having various black and white things challenge Shen & fail, including Reshiram & Zekrom from Pokemon lol
as someone who can't stand looking at the color red due to how much of a bright color it can be, this movie knew how to blend the red coloring and shading very impressively well. when done right, the color red can portray such an intense look and tone to any scene. just watching any red scene in this movie made me not want to look away from it because of how wonderful it all blends.
A great detail that I love is when Shen is shooting those cannons at Po during the end; the color around the cannon ball is red but after Po catches and throws them, the color changes to gold. There's many ways that you can interpret this, from Po getting rid of the malice to Po no longer being affected by trauma (which red symbolized throughout the film).
Well in China The color of golden yellow, specifically gold, has almost always been a very holy color, almost every emperor robes were draped in it, the palaces only covered monsters and gods and men of myth and legend in gold, everything else is a typically lacquer red(expensive yes but normally seen as just a very exclusively rich thing to have), hell the emperor’s title of the golden dragon is similar to the animals of the cardinal directions(azure dragon, white tiger, red phoenix, black tortoise) with the dragon being above them, often in art is literally placed above them like they’re limited to the second dimension while the gold dragon is above them on the third
Something that I just realized is that aside from the color red, shen’s main colors are black and white. At the end of the final fight with Po, shen is the one who ends up cutting the ropes that let to the cannon falling on him. If it weren’t for him not accepting his defeat then he might have not been “defeated by a warrior of black and white” (and red)
Shen is not only the best villain due to his outstanding vocal performance, the visuals, and the overall story. He’s the best out of the trilogy for me because he fits perfectly with Oogways warning to Master Shifu, “ Those who try to avoid their destiny often meet it.” He ties in thematically in many other ways, but that’s just a neat detail.
"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it" is the official quote, if I recall correctly! I always bring this up when discussing Shen with my friends. This film is my absolute favorite. 😊
“Warrior of black and white” can also refer to Shen himself. In the end he becomes dirty with soot. Blending black and white in his clothes. And how does he die? He ends up accidentally killing himself. Crazy stuff
20:53 "Leaving both Po and presumably the audience on the verge of tears." Bro I've been crying for like, the past five minutes just remembering this film from the clips you're playing
This movie means a lot to me. It was there for me during an incredibly dark time in my life. Watching Po find inner peace is truly one of the most impactful scenes for me in all cinema. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that scene changed my life. Im kind of choked up right now even writing this because it just brings back those feelings of peace and relief.
Okay, two things: Firstly, the "mast" that crushes Shen in the end? That's not a mast. That's his own cannon. Which is very fitting, if you ask me. Secondly: you touch on the fact that the "Warrior of black and white" doesn't have to be a Panda. Well, there's actually a theory going around that it's not. It's Shen himself. He is an albino peacock, and in that one scene where we see him and Po prepare, he is literally portrayed in black and white. And he is most definately a warrior. And as you yourself pointed out, Shen's undoing is almost enterly of his own making. The thing that makes me believe it, however, is his final moment. The cannon falls on top of him (because he cut the ropes that were keeping it up), and Shen just... lets it happen. He doesn't try to run, he just closes his eyes and accepts his fate. It's as if, in his final moments, he realized what the prophecy meant all along.
Taking the black part of his coloration into account, I think we can safely say Shen is actually leucistic, which is almost albino but not fully lacking pigmentation like in true albinism.
My favorite moment still has to be when Po was like "I just discovered my father isn't my father." And tigress is like: your father... the goose... must have been tough.
shes trying her best lol
Kinda reminds me of Mr. Krabs’ daughter Pearl being a whale. 😂
I also really love how she doesn't insult him or anything-she recognizes that, no matter how obvious it was to her, it's a shock to Po, and what he needs is comfort right now-not shame or embarrassment.
"You are literally the stupidest person I've ever met but I respect you too much to make fun of you." - Tigress internally
"Thats rough buddy"
I also liked how the film didn't reset Po's training and make him a joke. He is still a Kung Fu master, just with bigger responsibilities now
Which is what I was hoping for 3 and now 4, but I am disappointed when Po said that he couldn't teach/lead the Five in training in the third film.
He was literally combining techniques with them in the Musician's village in the second movie.
What happened and who wrote that? What happened to the balance between comedy, drama, and good action?
And now 4 is still presenting Po as a numbskull, who just so happens to know Kung Fu and master Chi.
@@RavenclawDaisy95 quit yo bitching. In the third movie Po had never learned or had been trained to teach others, so of course he was skeptical about teaching people, especially when they happened to be trained Kung Fu masters who have more experience than him, that’s understandable. Not to mention the third movie was written to be more lighthearted because some adults complained that the second movie was a bit too serious and dark for their kids. And the fourth movie ain’t even came out yet so you rlly can’t judge too much until it releases
@@RavenclawDaisy95Not all good learners are good teachers, I know a lot on history, but I doubt I could teach you enough to get a 5 on the APUSH
Yeah in the commentary for 2 they highlight that he’s skilled but there’s still a bit of roughness to it bc of his unique Po-ness like heaving himself up on surfaces & breathing hard midfight
@@RavenclawDaisy95 nah nah it’s cool man. Apology accepted 👍🏾
Just rewatched this movie and realised that Mr Ping has changed his restraunt is now "noodle AND TOFU", a fantastic call back to the first scene with them in the first movie when Mr Ping talks about how when he was young, he wanted to run away and learn to make tofu. A beautiful detail that's easy to miss, it's only a small line of dialog that shows how Po has inspired him, but such attention to detail in this movie
I never noticed that, good stuff
I forgot about it and tbh I’m glad he followed that dream, I assume bc of Po that influenced him
That's so sweet omg
First time reaching 1k on a UA-cam comment! Thank you so much everyone!
Impressive how they remembered that, kfp4 should take notes in doing proper callbacks.
Kung Fu Panda 1: Don't let others define you
Kung Fu Panda 2: Don't let trauma define you
Kung Fu Panda 3: Let yourself define you
How was that the theme of the 3rd film? It felt flat so much and was so dissapointing that You can't see any of let yourself define you
@HawkknightHelp others find their way.
@@memecliparchives2254he did that in three that was the whole point, I’m pretty sure let yourself define you will be 4 I hope so
Spoiler?
Kung Fu Panda 4 : Define others from yourself.
@WoWJedilet definitions define you
Fun fact: The prophecy of Shen being slain by a warrior of black and white possibly wasn't referring to Po. In the end, Shen himself (a black and white peacock) cut the ropes holding the cannon above his raft.
nah, it was supposed to be a Zebra, but shen changed his fate through genocide
@@crisdelgadillo6502MARTY WAS MEANT TO KILL SHEN
As a comment already said, Shen isn’t black and white, he is primarily white with a bit of grey.
When she said warrior of black and white, I think she meant that Shen, whose beliefs are all black and white, was the one who would slay himself.
We already see the ‘white and black’ theme when we cut to a montage with Po and Shen covered in different parts of the Yin Yang. Shen being black and Po being white. (It was technically red and yellow but you get my point)
Shen is white and red
I think you guys are too enamored with the idea of coming up with a clever alternate read on the prophecy. It's ultimately more thematically appropriate to the movie overall to simply read the prophecy at surface level, and allow the depth to come from _how_ the chain of events comes about.
Its funny how peacocks are always the biggest dreamworks villains
Both Lord Shen and the streaming service that released the megamind sequel
nice
Facts 😂
Lmao
this is way funnier than it has a right to be
That is just TOO good
When it comes to shen's animation and fighting style utilizing the fact that he is a peacock, my favorite aspect is his tail feathers. He often opens his feathers up quickly in his opponents faces, disorietating them. It also creates a greater sense of movement, which tends to cover up the fact that he is less skilled in kung fu. The metal talons also give him an advantage, since he weaponizes them. His tail feathers bright red makes it even more distracting and eyecatching, and the talons have a distinctive sound, which you can easily associate with him
You can always tell when he's approaching, and the lack of subtlety in his attacks, as well as the distracting feathers, kinda say something about his character
Can you tell this is my favorite kung fu panda? X3
I love the sound he makes when his feathers fluff as well, it’s almost like a snake hissing.
@@nervousneko5119more power to you my brother ❤❤
@@nervousneko5119 You're so valid, and honestly, I'm here for it.
Shen is a fascinating villain and I think you said everything perfectly but I want to remind about the best scene in the entire movie where the wolf leader declines firing at his own men, and Shen kills him. He just kills him immediately, there's no hesitation, no battle, no focus on the camera even. It's just there and it's so chilling and captures his villany so perfectly
The actor for the wolf leader read that line perfectly, the darkness and insistence in the one word, "No.". He looked at Shen and judged him for being willing to kill his own soldiers, and Shen thought "Fine, I'll do it myself." And got him out of the way.
@@butternutcrunch Right?! I always thought that wolf-boy did really well, as he started doubting his leader, and then refused him at the end. It was just a single word, but there was so much there. Weariness, sorrow and loss. Also, he knew he would die, but refused anyway.
@@jonbaxter2254Very powerful overlooked moment.
@@jonbaxter2254 But I read someone's comment a long time ago that the wolf leader deserved to die because he disobeyed Shen for the right reason as if he didn't know why he did it.
Because he's an alfa Wolf and his loyalty only for his wolf pack, expert believe that human can fully domesticated any wild wolf but not a male alfa wolf. Human can brake his spirit and be his master, but if he had to choose between his new human master or his pack...mfs would always choose his wolfpack 😂
I want to point out that Shen is not just crushed by a ship mast, but the destroyed remains of his great cannon. He’s literally killed by his own tool of death and subjugation. It’s also worth noting that Shem himself could be considered “a warrior of black and white” since his color scheme is primarily white with some black accents. Everything Shen did, from weaponizing gunpowder, killing the pandas, and trying to conquer China led him inexorably to his own death. It’s almost a Greek tragedy in that he is his own undoing. Po is the primary opposing force to Shen, but only because of the consequences of Shen’s actions.
My thoughts exactly
His mindset was also very black and white. I could expand on this, but I don't really have enough energy to do so lol
@@cruixmee I get what you mean. He doesn't want to understand the nuances a person can have. Nor the complexity of the world or life for the matter. I don't know if he was "born" evil or had bad influence. But it was never really showcased that anyone influenced him to be this way. Either way, he refuses to understand that his parents only wanted the best for him and for their family's legacy to be used for good such as entertainment or inspiration. He also thinks that having everything in the world is the answer to his empty heart. There were some people who had unfortunate circumstances in life that lead to them being unable to develop their social skills which leads to being unable to function in society. Doesn't mean they automatically become serial killers but a combination of these factors are the reason for this outcome.
That’s actually so smart, wtf
Don't forget the fact that his reckless, furious swings at Po were what cut the ropes holding up what was left of the cannon. His poor choices being his downfall is really just brought up to zero subtlety there.
My favorite villain line of any movie:
"Oh it’s a parting gift, in that it will part you. Part of you here, part of you there and part of you waaay over there *STAINING THE WALL."*
I always thought that line was a little awkward. It has to jump through some hoops to get where it wants to go.
@@treddox5880 definitely can agree with it being a bit corny. but gary oldman's delivery of it is so damn good that i dont particularly care lol
I felt like that was on purpose, which I think suits the character@@treddox5880
@@treddox5880 Off-topic and I only mention that because I find it funny.
In my language(Polish) the verb version of the word entertainment/fun literally means "to tear something".
The origin of that is probably people using those things(entertainment) to tear sadness/despair.
So yeah this line in my language's dub meant both "I will entertain you" and "I will rip/tear you apart".
I had an assignment in my theatre class where we voice acted a scene of our choosing and that's the one I chose. It was very fun, I got to say that line (one of my favorites too) and I even tried foley by scraping butterknives together to sound like his walking or metal cleaning.
I got a little taken off because I had a hard time differentiating the voices of Ox and Rhino but I had a blast doing it and seeing what everyone else did.
Tldr: I like that line, it is very funny
19:20 ALSO this "your parents didnt love you" happened RIGHT AFTER Shen let go of the Soothsayer after she said "your parents loved you and it killed them"
Like, I feel like this is Shen, like, projecting his parental issues by saying something that he himself found hurtful? Or something? Idk if thats the right words... I think he went "ur unlovable by your fam" to hurt Po because its something that hurts him?
Ugh. Words are hard.
That actually makes sense, after finding out his parents died of grief after having to send him away broke him, i think you could see his mouth quivering realising all along his parents loved him dearly. He was so far in the rabbit hole it was too late to quit this due to the consequences he'd face, him projecting was probably his coping mechanism to cope with the fact he did everything he did for nothing.
"your story may not have such a happy beginning. but that doesn't make you who you are. it is the rest of your story. who you choose to be. so... who are you, panda?"
as someone who was an adopted kid just like po, that was beyond beautiful
I know 😭 I always cry like a baby because I’m adopted too and have had a lot of health issues over the years. This movie just reminds me that we can have such traumatic backgrounds and memories but what we do with it defines us
You forgot to add a win where in Kung fu Panda, Po asked his dad if he had any other dream apart from making noodles. His dad answered that he wanted to run away and make tofu but then later changed his mind because it was a stupid dream. Meanwhile in Kung fu Panda 2, the goose dad names his store "Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu" or something. Could it be because Po made his dream to be a kung fu warrior come true that made his father realize that perhaps making tofu isn't so much of a stupid dream after all?
5 and 6 aren’t confirmed yet
Oh wow nice catch!
Never would have caught that! Man, I love these movies!
@@jeffreyquinde6707 yes they are
i have always loved this detail
Props to Shen for having one of the HIGHEST kill counts of any DreamWorks Villain.
😂
@@DreLinyard ok
He was so worried about being defeated due to the prophecy, that he committed f****** Panda genocide.
He pulled a Frieza
Death:
11:34 Overly Sarcastic Productions pointed out in a video that this is a movie that changes genre depending on who's the character in focus. Yes, from Po's perspective it's a comedic Kung Fu film with some emotional moments.
But if you look at it from Shen's POV, the whole thing suddenly turns into Macbeth
Another underrated aspect of this movie is the environmentalism. That lies between the Valley of Peace's natural beauty and Gongmen City's polluted economy. The way this theme is delivered encourages the audience to weigh the pros and cons of innovation and preservation.
To be fair, Master Croc and Ox dont wanna fight Shen because he'd turn his canon to the people of the city, not necessarily because theyre afraid of his cannon
They're just afraid of the cannon by extra steps then?
Plus they just lost their friend Master Rhino from the very same Cannon. (RIP)
The “Secrets of the Masters” short does more to flesh them out as a unit, but yeah in the film they seem a little undercooked narratively
@RisingJay that film also shows how they weren't heroes, they just fell into it, so It makes sense seeing a Canon they stop. They tried to stop vs 3 cats so
I think it’s a mix of both. They’ve convinced themselves that if they resist, Lord Shen will hurt the civilians, and not that they fear the cannon, which is a valid and possible scenario, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t scared of the cannon
Fun fact, the one eyed wolf who is so antagonistic to Po lost his eye to Po’s dad when he struck him with his hammer in the flashback.
Po's dad (Li Shan) did not use a hammer on Boss Wolf, he used a rake, but due to the lighting of the situation, it made the rake look more like a hammer.
I love how obssessed that wolf was with describing how soft Po was tbh
honeslty that makes more sense to how the wolf lost his eye@@granolanumberonefan
@@scylla1772bro was seething at the fact that someone as soft as a panda made him lose an eye 😭😭
He doesn’t even have that many lines but even as a 7 year old I found him to be an incredibly memorable and integral part of this movie
23:34 That's not a mast, it's the remains of his own destroyed cannon. Further reinforcing the idea that his downfall was of his own creation.
Hans Zimmer and John Powell's compositions were absolutely *legendary.* One of their soundtracks 'Po Finds The Truth' perfectly describes trauma, sadness, motivation, and courage. And the duo blended four emotional beats in such a heartbreaking but eventually satisfying way.
God, KFP2 is the *GOAT* for a reason!
As a kid that scene where Po's mother running from the wolves carrying baby Po with Hans and John's music in the background scared the shit outta me. It took me a while to rewatch the movie just because of that flashback scene which was traumatizing to watch
I got to speak with James Hong at a convention once. He said Mr Ping was probably his most favorite role, and that he really enjoyed getting to play such a loving and caring father figure.
James Hong, the same guy who played a funny flamboyant noodle dad and a flamboyant asshole who is sexist and wears blue.
I don't watch James Hong all that much but when he was part of the Everything Everywhere All At Once award shows and spoke at the SAG Awards, my head instantly went "Wait, have I hear this guy before?" And holy shit looking at his filmography, he was Mr Ping
James Hong, that one guy who played both a flamboyant and funny noodle dad and a flamboyant and annoying sexist who wears blue.
Awwwww
Tbh his role as Ping more or less defined him for me since I'd never seen him in anything else, so when I saw his role in Everything Everywhere and how that ended up going I felt a lot of whiplash lol
The villain progression of Kung Fu Panda literally went from slightly pissed off leopard to Peacock Hitler to another slightly pissed off bull. 👍
calling Tai Lung "slightly pissed off" while funny in the context of the joke, is also SEVERELY underselling the contempt he had by the time he finally broke free. man's was told from birth, essentially, that he was great, that he would become the greatest, and was trained as such. the amount of rage and pain during his confrontation with Shifu really speaks to how deep this goes with him. "who filled my head with dreams? who trained me until my bones cracked? who denied me my destiny?" Shifu even tries to deflect the blame, claiming it "wasn't his fault", that "it wasn't [his] decision to make".
i REALLY, REALLY hope that KFP 4 is a story of redemption for Tai Lung.
The first two villains were great. Not so sure about Kai but he was at least intimidating
@@KuramenoKai was ok, above average I’d say, but VERY underwhelming compared to the two other amazing villains we had in the first two movies. I guess it’s because he was getting ridiculed quite often in the movie and his background and character wasn’t so developed. If they developed the part of oogway betraying him from his perspective, it may had made oogway a more morally gray character while giving Kai a more built up background and contrast with the way oogway has been presented
@@Dracon350 A Tai Lung redemption arc would be cool, but I think it's frankly unlikely. We got a two second cameo, and then a trailer full of a different supporting character who's obviously going to have a central role, which wouldn't really leave enough time to devote to him. If they're intentionally setting up a bait and switch, I'll be absolutely here for it, but I really wouldn't hold your breath.
@@iker9095Im not sure people are ready to handle the reality Oogway used to be a warmongering warrior as in Omniman or past Iroh if we're using a similarity.
We didn't even see much of Iroh's past and Omniman is a flat out villain.
I’m so glad you touched on the soothsayers and Shens relationship. I always loved the scenes of them talking because they’re not only funny but provide a lot of insight to their relationship. Like I loved how when they were talking the soothsayer would randomly grab his robe and try to eat it and he would just snatch it back from her and continue talking. It really shows you how close they are, especially if you consider what might happen if anyone else were to do that
KFP 2 being a worthy sequel to it's predecessor is a massive understatement. If anything it's the cornerstone of all the movies of DreamWorks
"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it" exactly. Even Shifu did so because sending the duck gave the feather Tai lung needed to escape. That was exactly what Oogway was warning him about.
Wasn’t that the whole reason the line was in the first movie? Oogway says it in response to Shifu sending the duck
My favorite exchange in this movie is definitely this part:
Shen: "Greetings, panda. We meet at la-"
Po: (out of breath, barely looking at him) "Hey, how are ya doing?"
Shen: (confused) "...Hey."
@InevitableOption-ic2vx And on top of that, the groans Po makes with the heart-pounding thuds that turns out to just be one of the gorilla henchmen stomping on the steps. A perfect example of bait-and-switch if I ever saw one.
I love that Shen still has his funny moments, but it's never too over-the-top or cartoony. It's the right amount, so you can still take him seriously as a threat.
I also like the scene when it looks like Po is talking Shen down from a distance, but then we cut to his point of view and we can’t hear what Po is saying, then Shen says “what?”.
lol
Cinema Wins described this scene perfectly. "You can clearly hear Gary Oldmans disdain in that line. Pompous english thespian versus well.....Jack Black."
23:45 I should mention, Po doesn't just bring radishes because Mr Ping found him in a box of radishes, it's because Mr Ping made a point of mentioning that he'd stopped making soup with radishes after Po arrived and ate them all. It works both as a way to make amends with his dad after leaving without giving him a proper answer earlier in the movie, and I also believe it follows the central theme of the movie, with Po healing and growing (and being mature enough to apologize) by revisiting his past. It's actually really sweet and touching.
Shen is literally the Dreamworks equivalent of Frollo from Hunchback of Notre Dame and I'm living for it
Only without the lustful part
@@nicholassims9837 True
There is one possible interpretation of “a warrior of black and white” that always stuck with me.
Shen dealt his own killing blow.
Shen straight up even saw the mast falling and just didn't attempt to move and let it kill him. (And we would of been able to move away cause he is able to move very fast)
Black is also part of shen's color scheme, so yeah. that makes sense
the MAD cartoon parody of this movie highlights the vagueness by having various black and white things challenge Shen & fail, including Reshiram & Zekrom from Pokemon lol
@@RisingJay I remember that parody, good times with CN of back then
@@RisingJaydamn, Zekrom must've been running a bad set then
About Shen's prophecy of being defeated by a warrior of "Black and White", you can interpret a lot of things with how his actual destiny turned out. You can say that the prophecy was fulfilled, that Po defeated Shen. But you can also say that Shen chooses to choose his own destiny by letting himself be killed by his own invention, thus signifying that his prophecy was wrong. But, my favorite interpretation to Shen's demise/destiny was that he was defeated by a warrior of "Black and White"; himself. Though, he's composed of red, Shen is still colored black and white- a perfect mirror to Po, with the addition that certain sequences always plays them at the symbol of Yin and Yang.
I like that interpretation too. The idea that Shen was his own worst enemy. That his colors reflect the mask his ego casts over the truth. The red colors over his black and white. Where-as Po wears his truth on his sleeves. Dresses quite frankly, in only his shorts, his black and white colors on display. Very brilliant contrasts and layers of irony and tone. Whether intentional or otherwise, it is truly art.
It's also worth noting, Schaff mentions the tones of red that cast over Po a lot, during moments where he doubts himself, when Shen's influence weigh's heavily on Po, even when Po doesn't realize it.
I like that Po isn't necessarily trying to mask his dark truth and traumatic past. Some people don't even realize they have issues until it just...reaches the surface. And Po is forced to deal with this phenomenon, almost relinquishes who he is and forget what is important as a result. This is not only entirely relatable, but it's a very interesting, unique conflict you rarely see anywhere.
Dreamworks has a knack for giving their heroes complex, human conflicts. Not only backed up by amazing, complex villains, but an internal conflict within the hero. It gives these stories timeless appeal. Shrek's insecurities, Po's doubt, Puss's denial, Hiccup's Heritage. It is fascinating characterization. I hope more writers and directors learn from this.
I’ve always loved this interpretation of the prophecy, it’s such a well done piece of writing
You could even go more meta, in that a "warrior of black and white" could refer to someone with black and white opinions. No shades of grey. Which is actually fitting, since neither of them is looking for any philosophical shades of grey. Shen is too self absorbed to see anything as other than helpful or harmful to him, and Po is to philosophically undeveloped to have nuanced opinions of anything.
one can argue that Shen was already defeated by Po several minutes before his death both physically and philosophically, his later death to me is more like the epilogue or aftermath of the defeat, hence why I find the first while the most obvious kinda the more favored interpretation
P.S. ur username of Ms and Binibini made be chuckle, I suddenly remembered that chai tea scene all over again XD
Lol you took this from the shen analysis video by sage rain
17:30 Slight rebuttal about Master Croc and Master Ox being a bit dumb: they were right next to Master Rhino, one of if not the greatest kung fu masters at the time, when he was blasted to bits by Shen's canon. They were probably still grieving and under shock, so even if the whole "hiding is better than dying" bit sounds dumb, I think their reaction isn't all that surprising.
Time and a stern pep talk by Shifu was enough to spring them into action.
kung fu panda: be you
kung fu panda 2: overcoming the past
kung fu panda 3: Who am i?
kung fu panda 4: LITERALLY NOTHINGG
LMAOOOO
I think besides Po’s naïveté about being adopted, he’s also been so happy as Ping’s son that he’s never really considered the possibility of anybody else besides Ping as his father.
I saw it as one of those things you learn at such a young age it just becomes an accepted part of how the world works, to the point you don't even question it. It seems like no one else around him ever brought up Po being adopted while he was growing up, so he just always thought of Mr. Ping as "Dad" and never questioned it beyond that due to never being given a reason to.
🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃
Li Shen may be Po's father, but Ping is Po's daddy.
@@wyslanniknewworldorder9525 R.I.P. to Yondu, the coolest Mary Poppins that ever was.
@@LeSpongedeStardust _Meat_
21:50 so something you missed is just before this Shen orders his head wolf to fire the canon. The wolf refuses because it’ll kill their own men, but Shen tells him to fire it anyway. Shen then fires the canon himself, promptly causing the mass destruction and the killing of most the wolves. This shows how Shen is so blinded by his pursuit of power that he’ll ignore the safety of his own men in order to kill his enemy.
Especially since that wolf (and likely many/most of the others) was with him from the start. They stood by him when he massacred the pandas. And then followed him into exile, even though he probably couldn't pay them anymore (at least for a while). They where so absolutely loyal to him that I am certain that they began as his child hood personal Honor Guard. Then he just cuts his loyal second in command down without a second thought.
"But sire! Our troops!"
that was one of the most brutal deaths in an animated film was shen killing boss wolf. it wasnt cinematic or noted heavily by the movie. just a point blank knife to the chest
@@shiruotakuno28i feel sad for that silly wolf's death
To add a final point. Shen seems to only kill people who can't do their jobs. Seriously, watch the movie he only actively kills people who can't do their jobs. (Technically, Po didn't stop shien the first time in the towers. Thus, not being the main guy and not doing his job.
I think one of my favorite aspects of Lord Shen is how he manages to be such a difficult opponent for Po despite being much less strong than him. While he is a very competent fighter, it's clear that Po totally outclasses him in all of the scenes they fight in. Yet, Shen psyches him out and gains the upper hand due to the trauma he inflicted upon Po from so many years ago, and has the answers to Po's past to hold over his head in a pinch. It's a really cool way to make a villain intimidating and pull off some wins without simply making them more powerful than the protagonist.
thats honestly my favorite feature about him too and makes him just as good if not better then tai lung, his power doesn't come from strength or technique, hes powerful in strategy, resources and politics, his charisma was so grand and beliefs so powerful that he literally convinced an entire armies worth of wolves to follow and conquer for him.
Its a great way to separate him from other antagonists in the franchise, as you cant just simply "punch harder" then him, you've got to fight through his capacity for absolutely cruelty.
11:03 The Soothsayer was Shen Nanny and someone he has a familial like bond. If noticed in the Film Shen never lays a hand on her, even despite her plucking his feather or eating his expensive robe, he gets angry at her but never harms her when he can do so easily. It is clearly out of mercy since he still cares for her
And I don’t think Shen knew his Parents still love him, if anything the scene showed he was unaware of this detail and realizes he kinda fuck up but it is kinda too late now as he now too deep in with the goal and there is no chance of redemption or mercy for him
Po’s arc is reminiscent of a traditional Chinese practice that involves using inner peace called “the firewalk.” Its where you walk barefoot on hot coals (its a real thing, I’ve done it twice). the mind has to be in the right mental state, and if you focus on the pain of the coals, or in po’s case, his past, you will burn your feet. But it can still be crossed, if the mind is trained to block out the burning beneath your feet and focus elsewhere. I love how Po literally does a firewalk with both his mind and his hands considering how he throws the cannonballs right back at Shen, symbolizing his growth to cross to the other side of a painful path.
there’s always something new to learn about the kung fu panda movies
So that's why people walk on hot coals? That's actually really cool!
@@lordshennington2756 I'm sure there are other cultures who have a similar tradition. But how it works is that as long as you keep moving and don't stand on one spot for too long, the coals (due to being wood) won't have the time needed to transfer enough heat to your feet to burn you.
It works the same way a wooden spoon can rest in a metal pot and grow warm, but it will never burn you. The rate at which it transfers heat is too slow to do more than warm you up. Since the coals are hotter they are a danger, but only if you linger.
@@gunnarschlichting9886 so is someone allowed to just sprint across the coals or does that kinda defeat the purpose?
@@bababooey8330 Usually people walk across them because it's incredibly impressive looking and part of the point. Most often it's either a flex to get across a pointto the audience or its a trial for the person walking, in both cases being a demonstration of the ability to remain calm, focused, not panic, belief/trust, etc. The specifics vary but that's the gist of it.
But if you mean physically possible, then yeah it would work.
Something I noticed when rewatching the film, after Shen dismisses the Soothsayer, the jokes with him slow down significantly, as well as being more willing to kill his own men (he literally killed the wolf general because he refused to shoot the canon that would kill a lot of his men). To me it shows that the Soothsayer was that last bit of his humanity he had left, he could've easily harmed or kill her but he didn't, he just let her leave, hinting that she was the only person Shen still cared for (it's especially heartbreaking when you find out in a deleted scene it's revealed that she was actually his nanny when he was young). But by letting her leave, he was letting go of the last bit of humanity he had left, he had let himself fully become the monster he was always destined to become
I have a theory that while they were his parents, it was the soothsayer who raised shen. I always believed he didn’t kill her because he sees her as a family member or elder, and respected and cared about her, in his own messed up way.
However even in the films end there was seemingly some humanity left with it seemingly hurting Shen to tell Po how he took everything from him (Shen even had to look away when he got to the word "Everything)
The details of their relationship were never made clear but I do think the movie did a good enough job portraying it that by the time he sent her away, I kinda just assumed he let her live because he considered her family. She clearly knew his parents very well and was around when he was growing up, so I never questioned it.
Never think that way before, it does make sense. For me, shen let the soothsayers go because he wanted to prove to her that the prophecy is wrong.
Most pure evil villains: start out genuinely calm and collected until the final act where they have their third act breakdown
Lord Shen: has been in a constant state of third act breakdown since even his origin story
The decision for Shen to primarily use a variety of bladed weapons was a great move to maintain tension. Po is already established as being nearly immune to blunt force, even from someone as strong as Tai Lung but a very fast precise opponent with a spear and knives can conceivably hurt or kill him.
I always appreciate it when "kid's movies" don't shy away from serious topics. Avatar the Last Airbender and Kung Fu Panda 2 have a lot in common, but one of the things I like most about it is how serious it treats the topic of genocide, and the effect such atrocities have on those involved.
I think my love towards Avatar: The Last Airbender is the reason why I love Kung Fu Panda 2 more than the first movie.
A shame that kfp 3 went back to be a tipical kids movie
@@bauloprete3905 Yeah 😔
@@bauloprete3905I still like that movie but man what a huge downgrade from 2.
Hope 4 steps it up again but I keep hearing divided reviews. Looks like it'll be the Shrek Forever After or Toy Story 4 for the series.
@@spider-boy1962KFP4 will most likely be a coin flip in terms of quality.
Hot Take: Shen is the best Dreamworks villain and i will die on that hill. He gave Po the closest thing to PTSD in a kids movie, fucking has one of the highest kill counts and committed genocide in a film i watched with my 5 year old cousin. Like, the director and writers looked at the first movie, with an extremely strong villain and went like: “interesting, lets ramp it up to 11”.
And also his design is gorgeous but i ain’t talking bout that here because it’ll make me go off on a tangent.
I agree. Shen not only hit Po emotionally and send him to the darkest place possible. When Po tries to stand up to initially, he gets DESTROYED. Shen said "you're inferior to me in every way possible and im going to keep rubbing salt into the wound"
Shouldn't be a hot take, because you're right. No Dreamworks villain comes close, which is insane, because Dreamworks has some of the best villains in animation (and everything else).
And please feel free to go on that tangent. His design is indeed amazingly beautiful, to the point I wish they could have showed him fighting more (but I understand that it was incredibly labor intensive to animate him). Who would have thought a peacock could use his tail feathers as a weapon like that? Almost like a war fan.
Go off I wanna hear your thoughts on his design
Not a hot take, Shen is the best villain in any Dreamworks production, which says something considering how good they are in creating villains
The wolf from Puss in Boots 2 inflicts PTSD as well.
17:10 I like to think that the other masters stayed in the cell due to witnessing the power of the explosions firsthand. Imagine being completely unfamiliar with the concept of a manmade explosion and then seeing people around you, possibly even people you know (like master rhino at the beginning of the film) blown to bits.
I love how you did the editing at 14:19, implying that Po is:
1. In the middle of a fight with civilians on the line
2. Sees the symbol
3. Just fucking turns around and leaves
You really wouldn’t expect a movie called "Kung Fu Panda 2" to be as extremely well written and emotionally mature as this movie was. Tackling dark topics like PTSD, and showing Lord Shen literally attempting genocide on Po’s village. Definitely one of the best animated movies I’ve ever seen.
ikr
Thats the third movie, sadly
For real!!!
Honestly just made me realize that Tai Lung is a villan whos a predator animal, Shen... isn't, he's a peacock, and thats like really interesting
Everything was perfect tbh
23:35 I think it's worth mentioning that the mast only fell because Shen cut the ropes holding it up while he was fighting Po. Once again, Shen's actions directly cause his downfall
Defeated by a warrior of Black and White, Lord Shen was that warrior
also worth mentioning that its not a mast - im pretty sure that since the ship got utterly blasted by po, the frontal cannon was sent into that position. would explain why the whole thing blew up the moment it fell.
the cannon that shen was so proud of was ultimately what killed him.
Its also worth noting that Shen purposely let it happen in the end.
He saw the mast falling and choose to do nothing despite it being very likely he could of got out of the way.
@@jammygamer8961 I always noticed that ever since I first watched the movie, it gave me the impression that in that moment, Shen realized that he had lost everything and there’s no turning back for him, so he just accepted his fate once and for all
Ok yall realize that thats not a mast and its actually one if his cannons right. He was literally killed by the very thing he thought would lead him to greatness.
One thing I love about this one is how it uses the 2D animation. It's established in both this one and the first that the use of 2D animation signifies a dream. Every time 2D animation is used is for a dream, except for the flashbacks. They're in 2D, because Po doesn't want to see them as real. He wants to bottle up the trauma, forget about it, write it off as a bad dream. It all culminates in the inner peace scene, where it shifts to 3D animation, Po accepting his trauma, seeing it for the reality that it is, instead of the bad dream it was shown as before
22:09
This is the exact moment when shen finally realized "oh snap, this panda really IS the chosen one!"
Nothing but pure fax.
My father is a firm believer that Shen is the most imposing villain in all of Kung Fu Panda. I have to agree.
Shen is the best villain of all of them.
I Will have to add that tai lung is overrated
Gary Oldman's voice for Shen contributes to that quality. He's well written, the humor doesn't take over even so it's hilarious to see him rehearse Po's arrival or his relationship with the soothsayer .. and him welcoming his end just ties the beautiful and grim knot around the tragic tale he wrote about himself.
"See that's the thing Shen, scars heal"
"No they don't...wounds heal"
"Oh yeah, what do scars do? They fade i guess?"
“I don’t care what scars do…”
Do scars actually heal? I’m quite curious. Or they don’t?
@@KingGojiEditsthey don’t heal as scars are left after already healed wounds. they fade overtime though sometimes not entirely
Honestly, they do whatever they want. I've had a few surgeries, and some scars are nigh invisible @@KingGojiEdits
Scar from the lion king: are you trying to insult me, peacock?!
It is Kung Fu Panda 2, among others, that shows how kid movies can have a dark/serious undertone while still remaining "fun for the family." These types of movies are really the only PG movies I watch.
3:49 Bro really tried to sneak in cars 2 💀
We all know It does not fit that criteria.
2 things
1: Tigress was about to say she was adopted as well (it was shown in Secrets Of The Furious Five)
2: at the end just before he gets crushed Shen seems to accept it.
Omg tsym 😭 I had always wondered what Tigress wanted to say in that scene, I can’t believe they never brought that up again in the movies
yea Shen is really the only villain to have any sort of arc in his film which was him being in denial of Po defeating him and the prophecy but ending with Shen accepting it.
Yeah Shen made no attempt to avoid the falling cannon, only to close his eyes and accept it.
more people need to watch those Secrets specials, they're really good for expanding on the side characters (even the Ox & Croc from this movie!)
That's how I always interpreted Shen's final moment. Not a dramatic *"NOOOO"* or *"CURSE YOU!!"* but with acceptance.
"Your story may not have such a happy beginning.....but that doesn't make you who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you CHOOSE to be.
So, who are you panda?"
Just wanna say, as a young adult who deals with severe ptsd, this scene has always and will always stick with me. No matter how haunting your memories are, they don't make you who you are. You have the power to shape your own destiny, to become your own person.
I am Po...and I'm gonna need a hat.
This is pretty similar to the message of the Perks of Being a Wallflower: “We can’t choose where we come from, but we can choose where we go from there.”
That quote honestly relates to literally every protagonist in cinema history. A main character losing someone he or she loved and now they choose to rise up and fight against evil hear's some examples:
Luke Skywalker
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Harry Potter
Megamind
Bruce Wayne/Batman
Avatar Aang
Katara and Sokka
and many many more.
@@Mario_001 True, but it's not necessarily about losing anyone. It's about allowing your past to be a part of you, but not be a part of who you are. It's about accepting the pain and letting go of it.
How have I only just clocked that the sheep healed po in his own home from the flashbacks
They did po dad so dirty he had a massive hammer and took on wolves yet can’t stand up for himself in the later media
It could just be either that he was less fearless/was enraged by what was happening in the past which got him to fight and now he could have ptsd of some kind or just can't fight as well as he used to
@@newi_the_deltafell_guy in the original fight you might have been in enraged but don’t you think he would’ve felt the same in kung fu panda 4
@@TheaverageSpartan4 the thing is that it was more of an active threat in the past, with his wife and child actually about to be murdered like hed already seen others around him get murdered. It is just a shitty excuse for bad writing but still lol
If kung fu panda 4 is bad i’m going to cry
Yep I think I will be better than 3 but no where near 2 or 1
3 was already a downgrade from 1 & 2.
Same here.
@@LarryWater not by much tho
@@LarryWaterShrek 3 was also a downgrade, but Shrek 4 is pretty good, so ya never know
It's amazing how this movie can make a peacock of all animals so scary. I've always considered Lord Shen the closest thing DreamWorks has to Scar, one of Disney's best villain. He's cold, calculating, his past directly ties in with the protagonist's, and there's so much depth to his character, plus Gary Oldman's performance is impeccable. I also love Po's struggle to find his true self and inner peace, and that "Po Finds the Truth" sequence in the panda village is so beautiful, yet so heartbreaking.
One of the greatest animated villains of all time.
I think frolo is their best villian because the lion king is mostly a reimagining of Macbeth
@@InevitableOption-ic2vx he said scar is Disney's best villian where I was responding to that
It makes sense. Scar is based on a Shakespeare villain, and both he and Shen are voiced by Shakespearean actors.
I do love that he's Po's enemy, much like how Tai Lung was to Shifu in the first movie.
one of the things i like most sbout shen is that the way that peacocks actually intimidate others by fanning out their feathers was also included in the way he fought, it's always cool to see movies about animals actually incorporate their behaviours
15:13 As an adopted kid, one day you realize you actually have two sets of parents. You have the people who brought you into this world, and you're obviously grateful for it, even if you never learn who they are. You also have your parents, the people who raised you, who taught you how to ride a bike, how to use a knife safely, who covered up sockets and made sure that pan handles were facing away from you just in case you got curious.
You want to meet your birth parents, to put faces to names, to see what you got from your mum and what you got from your dad.
You want to know more about them, and you want to know why they gave you away. I met mine, and I met others like me who had the same experience. They'll tell you why, and they'll insist they always loved you, and you'll wrestle with that knowledge for a while until you finally realize - some people become parents before they're ready, and you wouldn't have the life you have now if they didn't do what they did. It's hard, but it's manageable, and then comes the acceptance.
When people ask me who my parents are, I have an automatic image in my head, and it's my adopted parents. Sometimes I feel guilty about it, I know that my birth parents are just as valid as my adopted ones, but my adopted parents raised me. I am who I am because of my adopted parents, I have my mum's stubbornness and my dad's music taste. I am their daughter.
The fact the panda village's genocide scene made reflect on people to save pandas and made it so they are no longer an endangered species is another level of WHY THIS MOVIE IS SO GOOD
UM is no one talking about the purple border over everything in this video?
@@Dinosaurianationazationschaff added it so the video wouldn’t be taken down for copyright
@@Dinosaurianationazation so that the video is transformed with the audio and DreamWorks can't murder Schaff
They aren't endangered anymore?
@@gamerstheater1187 I hope so
I find Shens death to be subtly cool that I didnt notice as a kid. It's that when the cannon is about to fall on top of him, he closes his eyes and begins to accept his demise.
Shens fixation of defying his fate throughout his life got to a point that if he's going to die at his lowest point, it won't be by the hands of the warrior in black and white. His final act was death by his own creation, his own doing, his final act of defying his fate.
I saw another comment I loved that summarized was 'he was able to defeat his fate by accepting it' he was able to choose his own way to go out. Even in the 'fight' hes not aiming for Po and probably even purposely steps back before looking up. He didnt defeat his fate by fighting it which only brought it closer but by accppeting it and choosing to change it.
In the new film, Po’s father (the panda) is in the same place in the finally and clearly sees Lord Shen. Not a single word is spoken about that. SUCH WASTED POTENTIAL.
Ikr
One of the reasons I like 2 more than 1 is because it has one of my favorite tropes: the silly comic relief character has a horrifying and tragic backstory
We seriously don't talk enough how good Gary Oldman was in voicing Lord Shen
A perfect blend of intimidating, cruel, arrogant with a pinch of childishness.
He was splendid✨
@@omarmansuri7099 It actually took me a while to recognize the voice when i first watched because i didn't know how Gary was at the time this movie was released and of course as you might expect, the first movie that i watched with his name on it was Harry Potter so i used to call Shen as Sirius Black guy voicing a peacock in a DreamWorks movie lol
@@omarmansuri7099'Part of you will be over there, STAINING THE WALL!!!'
Shen is one of the best villains I’ve ever seen from an animated movie. The way he’s drawn in the 2D sequences make him appear like a demon from someone’s nightmares. And in the end… Po finds peace with the demon in his own way.
He almost looks like he's done partially in 2D, especially his face
Plus a great performance from Gary Oldman. I can hardly believe it’s him! He really proves that sometimes celebrities can be legit good voice actors.
Am i the only one who wished the kung fu panda movies were fully animated in the same artstyle of those 2d sequences.
and the fact that he accepts his death tells is kind of tragic. he could've avoided it by not attacking Po but he got crushed by his cannon, the very thing he has been using to bring terror.. His own creation.
*chefs kiss*
@@chillbizz74well he could be called a warrior of black and white, so it could well be himself the prophecy reffered to
This video was amazing!!!😩 I love watching videos about my favorite movie of all time! Thank you so much 🩷🩷
Speaking of self fulfilling prophecy shen is in fact a warrior of black and white
16:50 I feel like Tigress’s empathy also comes from the fact that she used to be an orphan as explained in one of the special shorts. Which tbh makes it all more heartfelt
I've seen it. And it all the more made me tear up a little for her.
I also love that they gave her and Po a brother-sister dynamic. It shows her growth quite well
She understands what it's like to be alone, then a failure, have your destiny taken from you, then accept all three of these (see her short, Tai Lung's backstory, and all movie 1). Her moments of character development are compact, but extremely well told. What a great character ;-;
A cool fact is that the first 3 movies villains/ acts talk about the body, mind and soul. Really smart storytelling
Yet Kai was lucklaster
@@fredy2041Kai had the ingredients to be just as good as Tai Lung and Lord Shen, but the execution really did leave something to be desired. I think if they had focused more on his relationship with Oogway and played his frustration with being forgotten by the world straight instead of as a recurring gag, it could’ve added more depth to him
@@pigglesgoomshby7249 pretty much.
@@pigglesgoomshby7249 I can agree with that. But you gotta admit his theme was a banger!
@@pigglesgoomshby7249 He was just toned down really. Completely fair reaction after how dark the 2nd film was.
Heck, Oogway was supposed to be shown in 3 as this warmongering warrior when he was younger. Like Omniman or past Iroh levels of past he is not proud of.
The fight choreography is my favorite part of the film by far. They took advantage of how silly animation can be while also utilizing the characters’ skill set, personalities, size, and characteristics to make their fighting unique in every way.
I got chills when I heard Byrnes theme played. Spirit tracks will forever be one of my top 5 favorite games
The relationship between Shen and Soothsayer is one that's always interested me as well, and a few months back I finally decided to look into it.
I can't confirm if it's 100% canon, but it's said that she was his nanny when he was a kid. Obviously, compared to his parents, he's an albino which usually tends to be weaker or sickly in the animal world. So she may have attended to him from time to time and the two developed a bond.
Like a few scenes in the movie and a deleted one, the Soothsayer is seen pushing his buttons but he doesn't really punish her or truly snap at her, the same way she doesn't fear him when he gets agitated compared to his henchmen. It's like a relationship with a family member. They put up with each other. And then the scene where he lets her go further supports the idea of care he has toward her, as well as what was mentioned in the video. Much like Tai Lung’s scene with Shifu, there is a paused look in Shen’s expression as she gets through to him before he basically admits that he must continue regardless.
Personally, I’m holding onto these theories and ideas because it adds more depth between the two, especially with their interactions. Also, Shen is my favourite Dreamworks villain, plus having one of my favourite actors (Gary Oldman) voice him- was just icing on the cake, so I'll take any added lore that makes sense for the feathered psycho.
I feel he's more leucistic due to his deep gray/black beak. Leucistic is basically almost albino but still has some pigmentation.
@@FuryMcpureyOhh, ya that would make sense
It almost feels like a twisted and extreme version of Zuko and Iroh's relationship to me. One where he wasn't able to get through to Zuko and saw him go down this obsessive path until he destroyed himself.
@@FuryMcpureyI think he's supposed to be Albino (The Red eyes are a heavy indicator of this, as only Albinos have red eyes like that) but they thought a purely white character might be a bit plain and boring.
Shen never got closure from his parents' deaths: he throws his father's throne out a window, yet a day later struggles with the fact they "hated" him, which the Soothsayer definitively proves wrong. Yet, rather than double down on the hatred, he simply denies the relevence of the past. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's no reason for him to be so insecure and hurt about his dead parents' love unless he's got baggage. Meanwhile, the Soothsayer does everything she can to convince Shen he was loved, and can still save himself. Tbh everything you said could hardly be "theories," because their relationship is at least that complex.
I love how shen was the only succesful villain in the trilogy, his goal was to change his destiny, which was to die in the hands of a panda, and in the end, he died by his own
Still by a warrior of black and white (and red)
One could argue that his actual goal was to conquer all of China and wipe out Kong Fu with his weapons, plans he couldnt execute if a warrior in black and white kills him.
And he changed his destiny by accepting it. It ties back into the theme that you often meet your destiny on the way to avoid it. In his final moments he closed his eyes rather than trying to escape, actually changing his fate.
I thought his destiny was that he will be DEFEATED and STOPPED by a warrior black and white?
Still defied his destiny by accepting death and defeat
I love the detail that po was tapping into chi is present in both the first and second movie before they explain it in 3, it's brilliant. In 1 it's the wushi finger hold, in 2 it's when he starts redirecting the canon balls where they change to the same color as his chi appears in 3.
i do find it kinda funny that with the "magneto gets attacked wiht the holocaust memories" meme going arround shen does literally use it unironically in the movie to emotionally stun po in the middle of battle like what
One thing I’m kind of surprised you missed is a detail in Shen’s death. After so much emphasis on him meeting his own destiny by avoiding it, the way he dies is by cutting the ropes that kept the ship from falling on him. In his final desperate attempt to eradicate pandas, he caused his own death.
and also that it isn't just a mast that falls and causes his death. it's the cannon.
@@FrostFire425 And also... He was not aiming at Po during that last fight. He even intentionally stumbles and looks backward, and then readies himself for it.
He commited suicide. He saw that he could never be like Po and that his scars would never fade away, and went through with it.
@@QuintaFeira12I love the idea he did it as his answer to Poe's question. He realized he's gone too far and could never turn back. Not necessarily because he physically cant but because he realized he would never allow himself to heal. So his answer to Poes' question is to break the prophecy by letting his cannon fall ontop of him that way he wasn't defeated by a hero of black and white but by his own creation. Deciding to destroy the prophecy in his mind and accept his demise in a way that he chose himself rather than one determined for him.
@@raine-master-of-potatos Ironically, Shen has “white and black” features, so you could argue that he still (unknowingly) fulfilled the prophecy.
@Dr.Oofers that would make Po also whatever his eye color is. It says warrior of black and white, not white, red, and a bit of black.
Hi adopted kid here, this film remains as one of my favorites and certainly one that I resonated the most with as an adoptee. I remember when this film came out, I was still relatively young, but even then it resonated with me as an adoptee especially as someone who had just found out that they were adopted. One of my favorite scenes is on the boat with Tigress when Po tells her that his "dad isn't really his dad" and Tigress incredulously says "your dad the goose". I laugh because Po is definitely me in this situation, I am Vietnamese and pretty dark. Both my parents are white and my sisters are pretty pale, yet for quite a long period of my life me being blood related to them was just obvious to me. So finding out that I was adopted was quite shocking to me and it took a significant amount of time for me to come to terms with that, just like Po did. Adoption is a hard process that is typically quite traumatic for all involved, but it is still so worth it to find a family.
And to anyone who needs to hear this adoptee or not, blood has nothing to do with family. Even today I get questions about where my "real family" is. My real family are the people who raised me and the ones who continue to support and love me through thick and thin. Take it from someone who knows, family are the ones who love you unconditionally and family are the people YOU choose, it has nothing to do with blood.
My birth parents didn’t love me. I was passed from guardian to guardian because no one felt like raising me. If family is not defined by blood, then I have no family.
@@TumblinWeeds Are you staying with anyone now? If you are, and have been for the longest time, then aren't they your family? (Also, sorry if this comes off as insensitive, I was intrigued by your statement.)
I’m really sorry to hear about ur experience like that, but I also think it gets better. On one hand, yeah not having a place in the world is really difficult, and that is entirely a failure of your biological family. On the other hand, I personally wouldn’t want to be connected-blood or otherwise-to people who treat me like that. Clear them out to make room for the family you choose ;). And I think that OP’s comment doesn’t invalidate or oppose your upbringing, if anything they’re two sides of the same coin. For all we know, their biological parents also didn’t care for them. Hope you find somewhere, best of luck
i’m not adopted but my mom is, my grandparents couldn’t have children biologically and my mom was surrendered by her bio parents at a young age. i still forget constantly that my grandparents aren’t blood related to me because they love and care for me and my mom unconditionally. they raised me better and continue to do more for me than my dad who i am blood related to.
@@tanoak_matsutake I’m in university now. I worked for a year and on summers to afford school. Hoping to build a life away from my family when I graduate.
When I was a kid I stayed with each guardian for about a year before they sent me off to the next one. They had legal liability for me (joint custody), so they couldn’t throw me out, but they damn well didn’t want to keep me. My mom would ask my dad for compensation because he didn’t feel like doing his half of the custody, and she felt cheated. She didn’t feel spending the money on me either. I was sent to aunt and uncles and grandparents and I overstayed at every friend’s home that my parents would treat like daycare. I saw each friend’s parents more than I saw my own mother. If she couldn’t find a caretaker, I’d be home alone while she went out with friends. She taught me to cook when I was 7 to earn my stay. Whenever I was hungry or needed anything she’d bark at me to do it myself. There was rarely food in the fridge, and my mom would hide any snacks or leftovers where I couldn’t reach it. I went to school myself, and no one ever showed up for parent teacher meetings.
I was reminded often that I ruined their lives. My dad could’ve gotten a research opportunity if he wasn’t stuck with me one summer. My mom could’ve held down a job if my dad hadn’t sent me over to her when he got sick of dealing with me. My dad says they got divorced because of me. Says every argument was because of me. Says my mom was so full of life before she gave birth. My mom says I was a mistake, a hole in the condom. My mom wanted an abortion, and she considered killing me as a baby when I came out. My dad wanted a boy, but I came out instead.
I’m 22 now, and they report being so much less stressed now that I’m gone.
I think a really underrated moment of this movie is the Wolf Leader standing up to Shen. He's taken his shit the whole movie, and when Shen's spoiled sociopathy tells him to shoot everyone, their own men included, the Wolf Leader refuses. And, with NO FANFARE, gets immediately kills. That's it. Shen stabs him and he's firing the cannon himself. This secondary antagonist we've seen throughout the movie as mostly pretty goofy, and had quite a bit of banter with Po, gets killed the moment he shows a sign of possible good in him. Never seen or mentioned again. It does a lot to highlight both Shen and the Wolf Leader in the span of like, 10 seconds.
Also, surprised you didn't mention how Shen essentially killed himself at the end. He cut all the ropes that led to the cannon falling on top of him. And after his failure, he closes his eyes and accepts it. He doesn't really get humiliated like Kai and even Tai Lung at the end of their fights. He goes out getting a cut on Po, and just quietly accepts the death he pretty much brought upon himself.
I always forget about the wolf captain until I watch the movie again, and I'm so glad they added that character moment for him. It adds depth that wasn't necessary at all, but it just adds extra spice and flavor to the movie. Great decision to have that scene
Man... this video made me cry, making me re-live the movie which has been years since I've last watched it
Kung Fu Panda 2 was the peak of the franchise and had the most emotional moments
agreed
I mean, pretty much. Definitely had the best score as well.
Kung Fu Panda establishes Po's identity.
Kung Fu Panda Two gives Po back his personal history.
Kung Fu Panda Three gives him his culture back.
So, we think Oogway is a stranger to Po when Oogway selects Po-Oogway knows Panda Culture and History, and sees Po as The Panda Who Survived-the monotonous existence we see Po enduring is presented as a chore, then his life is revealed to be a quiet Victory.
the peak of the franchise was po talking to oogway in the spirit realm
@@KFP_Fanboy *gives him a hand*we are two
*A couple of alternative perspectives on the video:*
*1.* The soothsayer being freed can also be one last middle finger from Shen as he disproved the prophecy, or at least up to that point.
*2.* The two masters who didn't show up until the end probably gave up after seeing their superior get one-shot'd .
*3.* Mr. Ping is still the best character of the trilogy.
2. and 3.: yesss
1: that peacock viciously gloats at everyone he possibly can, there's no way he couldn't have thought up a better clapback than "the past is in the past" if he was doing just fine. Especially since his only confidant just challenged his entire worldview. But, as a villain enjoyer, I'm super biased.
Especially 2 because Rhino was known as having the kung fu style that made him the pinnacle of defensive combat… and he got one shot. Like, if your friend and mentor who you consider a superior is so easily one tapped, what can you do?
I still remember how epic it was for kid me to see Po throwing those canons back at the ships and turning into the yin yang symbol. And when he said "SCADOOSH"... always gives me chills lol it's just SO EPIC! Love this movie easily the most rewatchable and the best of the series.
As someone who loves catching little animation details, I love the fact that most of the flashbacks about Po- being in 2D for the distinction- when most of the shots of him being put in the veggie cart, the last shot of it while Po is processing his trauma is in 3D, as if to show without telling that he’s learning to overcome his trauma issues.
I agree. The first movie dealt with the physical aspect of warrior while the second dealt with the mental prowess of a warrior.
3rd kinda tried with the spiritual side... but dropped the ball there.
@@DemiIsNotHerehard disagree there
5:24 actually a cool thing about that prophecy is that it could not be talking about Po at all. Lord Shen is also a warrior of black and white, so it could’ve meant that his list for power will lead him to his downfall. Especially since Shen ends up dying not by Po’s hand, but by his own cannons.
Shen ironically caused the fate he desperately wanted to avoid.
For all we know, the "warrior of black and white" line could've been purely symbolic. It could've just meant a warrior who has mastered inner peace, as we now know leads to physical and mystical power from both Kung Fu Panda 2's ending and one of the core themes of Kung Fu Panda 3. Peace with oneself gives tangible power that can destroy Shen. It didn't have to come from a panda specifically.
@damonlam9145
That's basically how any good classic tragely with a prophecy works.
Love it!
Also, if we think about it, even if Shen succeeded at hunting down all pandas and even conquering a whole China with his armade, the prophecy would've still been true. Due to the fact that Shen himself was that "warrior of Black and White" at the end, after conquering China and *obviously not finding the inner peace and happiness even after all that,* he would've most certainly took his own life out of despair.
The prophecy for Shen was basically "if he won't stop hurting others, he will end himself" all along.
the MAD cartoon parody of this movie highlights this by having various black and white things challenge Shen & fail, including Reshiram & Zekrom from Pokemon lol
The scene where Shen said *Run run little Panda!* solidified him as the goat of KFP for me
as someone who can't stand looking at the color red due to how much of a bright color it can be, this movie knew how to blend the red coloring and shading very impressively well.
when done right, the color red can portray such an intense look and tone to any scene.
just watching any red scene in this movie made me not want to look away from it because of how wonderful it all blends.
A great detail that I love is when Shen is shooting those cannons at Po during the end; the color around the cannon ball is red but after Po catches and throws them, the color changes to gold. There's many ways that you can interpret this, from Po getting rid of the malice to Po no longer being affected by trauma (which red symbolized throughout the film).
also the general color of the first film was yellow/gold
@@nileprimewastakenplus, his mom is bathed in gold. When she leaves him in the crate, so does the golden hue.
Well in China
The color of golden yellow, specifically gold, has almost always been a very holy color, almost every emperor robes were draped in it, the palaces only covered monsters and gods and men of myth and legend in gold, everything else is a typically lacquer red(expensive yes but normally seen as just a very exclusively rich thing to have), hell the emperor’s title of the golden dragon is similar to the animals of the cardinal directions(azure dragon, white tiger, red phoenix, black tortoise) with the dragon being above them, often in art is literally placed above them like they’re limited to the second dimension while the gold dragon is above them on the third
Something that I just realized is that aside from the color red, shen’s main colors are black and white.
At the end of the final fight with Po, shen is the one who ends up cutting the ropes that let to the cannon falling on him.
If it weren’t for him not accepting his defeat then he might have not been “defeated by a warrior of black and white” (and red)
The red might as well symbolize the blood he shed or his own.
How did i not get this sooner on my feed i have been wanting for this
"it's your parting gift...part of you here, part of you there and waaaaaay over there Staining the Wall". that one quote is why i love this film lol
Shen is not only the best villain due to his outstanding vocal performance, the visuals, and the overall story. He’s the best out of the trilogy for me because he fits perfectly with Oogways warning to Master Shifu, “ Those who try to avoid their destiny often meet it.” He ties in thematically in many other ways, but that’s just a neat detail.
Totally agree!
"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it" is the official quote, if I recall correctly! I always bring this up when discussing Shen with my friends. This film is my absolute favorite. 😊
@@FuryMcpurey Yeah it probably is, I kinda type this out off of my memory thanks!
“Warrior of black and white” can also refer to Shen himself. In the end he becomes dirty with soot. Blending black and white in his clothes. And how does he die? He ends up accidentally killing himself. Crazy stuff
Plus, his actual body is black and white
20:53 "Leaving both Po and presumably the audience on the verge of tears." Bro I've been crying for like, the past five minutes just remembering this film from the clips you're playing
This movie means a lot to me. It was there for me during an incredibly dark time in my life. Watching Po find inner peace is truly one of the most impactful scenes for me in all cinema. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that scene changed my life. Im kind of choked up right now even writing this because it just brings back those feelings of peace and relief.
Okay, two things:
Firstly, the "mast" that crushes Shen in the end? That's not a mast. That's his own cannon. Which is very fitting, if you ask me.
Secondly: you touch on the fact that the "Warrior of black and white" doesn't have to be a Panda. Well, there's actually a theory going around that it's not. It's Shen himself. He is an albino peacock, and in that one scene where we see him and Po prepare, he is literally portrayed in black and white. And he is most definately a warrior. And as you yourself pointed out, Shen's undoing is almost enterly of his own making.
The thing that makes me believe it, however, is his final moment. The cannon falls on top of him (because he cut the ropes that were keeping it up), and Shen just... lets it happen. He doesn't try to run, he just closes his eyes and accepts his fate. It's as if, in his final moments, he realized what the prophecy meant all along.
Taking the black part of his coloration into account, I think we can safely say Shen is actually leucistic, which is almost albino but not fully lacking pigmentation like in true albinism.
@@FuryMcpurey That just adds more proof to this theory, then, doesn't it?
@@beterbomen Yeah, I wasn't going against it, just tryna be more accurate lol
I actually very much enjoy and support this theory!
“Finally! A worthy sequel! This movie will be LEGENDARY!”
Haven't played Spirit Tracks in years but man, Byrne's theme never fails to give chills
I watched this movie a few months ago and the scene where Po remembers his past made me cry. Even listening to the score hits me in the feels.