While Mulan and Elsa clearly have many differences, they're also similar in many ways. Mulan is often tagged as being one of the most heroic Disney princesses to grace the big screen, as it's not so often that a Disney princess goes off to join the army and becomes a war hero.
Elsa has also made a name for herself as being a feminist icon, with one of her most impactful moments being when she sang, "Let It Go." Taking a closer look at both characters and their personal journeys, they're more similar than fans might realize, and there're also some clear differences between the two.
10 Different: Mulan's Family Dynamic Versus Elsa's
Looking at both character's family dynamics, there are similarities and differences. Elsa's father is king and does whatever necessary to keep Elsa's powers at bay and keep Anna safe. Mulan's father is the same when he knows he must fulfill his duty to China as a soldier. Mulan's mother expects Mulan to grow up and be desirable to a possible suitor.
On the other hand, Anna's parents die in a shipwreck, while Mulan gets to return home to her father and mother.
9 Same: They Are Looked Down Upon For Who They Are
Mulan isn't like any Disney princess seen before her time. From the start, it's clear that Mulan is highly independent and has a mind of her own. She's fierce, loyal, and wants to live a good life for herself. But this means that her opinions aren't favored amongst her family and the other villagers. They think she's too free-spirited.
The same can be said for Elsa as well. From a young age, despite being royalty, she was forced to hide who she truly was. After accidentally hurting Anna, she goes into seclusion and feels shamed by her parents and herself for something that was out of her control. Elsa's growing bitterness leads villagers and Anna to be cautious of her.
8 Different: Elsa Has Powers
This is a clear difference between both characters. Part of Elsa's overall character and personal journey has to do with her powers. She's able to control and manipulate ice and cold. Her powers grew more and more and would sometimes be uncontrollable. Elsa is one of the rare Disney characters with such powerful abilities.
Mulan is a girl from a normal family and village. Her journey starts when the army recruits her father for training despite his inability to do so (but the Mulan live-action remake changes this a bit, audiences see Mulan use a form of magical abilities strengthened by her Chi).
7 Same: Did What They Had To To Protect Their Family
An admirable quality about Mulan and Elsa is their care and need to protect their loved ones. Many might think that Elsa's coldness towards her sister might have been a bit harsh, but it's for a good reason. Elsa realized how her powers could one day hurt Anna and would have rather been shunned than possibly let something go wrong.
Mulan's brave journey begins when she takes her father's armor and sword and takes his place in the army. She knows her father would not survive another possible war and sees it as the only way to protect her family. She even returns after her identity is discovered to warn the emperor.
6 Different: Mulan Learns Skills, Grit, And Determination
While Elsa is skilled in terms of using ice and her abilities, Mulan is skilled in a different way. Mulan learns valuable combat and fight skills while portraying herself as a man in the Chinese army. The movie is famous for its classic training montage with the song, "I'll Make a Man Out of You."
Mulan's growth and perseverance are different from Elsa's. She went through grueling days of combat, archery, sword fighting, and trying to get up the wooden pillar. Not only did Mulan have to keep her identity a secret, but she also had to prove herself to Li and the others.
5 Same: Elsa And Mulan Can Hold Their Own
It's clear why Mulan and Elsa draw natural comparisons. Both characters can hold their own against an enemy or a foe. This is clearly seen with Mulan when she was able to foil the Rouran warriors on the mountain and survive. Not only that, but she battles Böri Khan while at the palace in order to save the people of China.
Elsa also proves her fortitude to protect herself. Besides the impressive display of her powers when making her ice castle, she also uses her powers to battle the guards. Who can forget when she rides an ice horse across the water to single-handedly stop an oncoming tsunami from hitting the castle?
4 Different: Elsa Comes From Birthright Royalty
From the start of the movie, fans are highly aware that Elsa is much more than a simple princess. She's in line to become the next queen Arendelle. She has a lot on her plate with her title. She is not only under pressure to one day take the throne, but also be a leader who her people can look up to. This proves to be difficult, especially with her powers.
In the movie, audiences get to see Elsa get crowned queen after her 21st birthday. She gets the royal treatment, from a nice outfit to her exquisite and expensive staff and crown. Elsa has a lot more power over the kingdom compared to Mulan, who's a simple village girl in the beginning.
3 Same: They Don't Want Glory
Elsa learns to accept her powers in the movie when she flees from the castle. Given so much power, Elsa never wants glory or to use her powers for status. She instead keeps herself away from the kingdom and Anna. Elsa is even a bit opposed to being a queen at first before she comes to accept her role in the second movie.
Mulan is no different. To Mulan what's most important is saving the people of China. She succeeds and is given a position on the royal council by the emperor himself. A gesture of gratitude. But Mulan wants no part of it. For Mulan, what's important is being able to return home to her family.
2 Different: Elsa Has Past Trauma
When audiences are first introduced to Mulan, she lives a simple life in the village with her family. She has no real past life trauma that shaped her in any way. Elsa, on the other hand, is different. What made Elsa so cold and aloof from Anna was a traumatic event that occurred when they were children.
Still learning her powers, Elsa and Anna would play together in a room where Elsa could manifest snow. When Elsa is unable to manifest a snow mound to catch Anna, she accidentally strikes her with her powers causing her to fall. Afraid of her powers growing and hurting Anna, Elsa is kept away from everyone.
1 Same: They Don't Need A Man To Come To Their Rescue
In Frozen, the romance blooms between Anna and Kristoff. There's no romantic storyline for Elsa, and for good reason. It showcased Elsa's ability to be independent and not rely on anyone. In both movies, Elsa is never saved by a man and instead does most of the heroic actions herself. She even warns Anna that she can't marry the first man she meets.
For Disney fans, the somewhat blossoming relationship between Mulan and Li is sweet. But it's not a main focal point to admire. It's instead all about Mulan's ability to persevere in the army on her own and defy the odds to go warn the emperor. Despite having been ridiculed and thrown out for being a woman, she saves China by her own devotion and skill. The famous matchmaking scene proves that Mulan didn't see a reason to commit herself to marriage and a husband.
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