the switch from ‘a girl worth fighting for’ to coming upon the decimated village in mulan is THE MOST kick-in-the-teeth mood change IN ALL OF CINEMA
That scene shift did more for our generation’s understanding of the horror of war in ten seconds than Game of Thrones did in eight seasons, and it did it without showing us a single dead body.
Remember when they subtly but clearly told us a little girl had been murdered?
It’s almost like you actually don’t need to depict graphic murder, rape, and torture to elicit a serious and emotional response from your audience.
The girl worth fighting for was the child who lost her life in the ransacking of the village. She and every other innocent who was murdered. and all the innocents who would be murdered if the soldiers didnt fight.