The Kung Fu Panda franchise is one of the better film franchises of the late ’00s. The franchise has three films, with a fourth coming soon. It also has multiple TV shows and short films. With its excellent depiction of the Wuxia genre and Po’s journey, it is no surprise that Kung Fu Panda is often referred to as one of the better Dreamworks film franchises. Many believed the franchise was over after the third film, but we eagerly await the lessons Grand Master Po will learn in the upcoming movie.
An Intro to Wuxia
Wuxia focuses on martial artists. It revolves around themes of chivalry and heroism. In this trilogy, each kung fu master uses their skills to defend against those who wish to bring harm. Becoming a kung fu master is painted as an act of altruism in this universe. While some use it to harm, learning the art of kung fu is depicted as something to be respected. This has made this franchise extremely popular in China.
However, it wasn’t just Dreamworks’ attention to detail that made this series so beloved.
The Panda of the Hour
Po is the silly, goofy dude at the heart of the franchise. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and trusts his allies to hold their own. While enemies may underestimate him, they soon realize Po is not here to play. Well, when someone is trying to stir up actual trouble.
Throughout all three films, we learn about Po’s past and watch him develop as a kung fu master.
At the beginning of his story, Po is underestimated for a good reason: he has no formal training in martial arts when he’s bestowed the title of Dragon Warrior. Throughout the film, he struggles to speedrun becoming a kung fu master.
Despite the initial lack of support from everyone around him, Po eventually earns himself a spot amongst the other masters by being authentic about who he is. Sometimes, it throws the other masters out of their depths, but that’s what makes Po endearing.
The second film is the much more serious one out of the three as it focuses on Po’s tragic past. Throughout the film, Po struggles with achieving inner peace as he has PTSD flashbacks while facing the main antagonist. In the chaos, Po learns that his father, a goose, adopted him after finding him abandoned in an alley. While this causes Po great distress, his steadfast love for his father remains intact. Accepting the past and facing the truth of his situation allows Po to achieve inner peace and level up as the Dragon Warrior.
In the third film, Po meets his birth father. This causes a lot of problems for Po, who also needs to help stop another antagonist from using kung fu for evil. Amid the chaos, Po learns about the power of chi and how to wield it. Now, with Po fully realized as a master of kung fu and chi, he earns the title of Grand Master, completing the journey of the Dragon Warrior.
TL;DR
Overall, the series does a fantastic job of showcasing Po’s evolution from novice to Grand Master. It’s the perfect underdog story, and each film does a fantastic job of upping the stakes and knocking Po down, only for him to get back up and fight harder than ever.
