Spoilers ahead.
“The only reason you are still alive is that I find your stupidity mildly amusing.”
“Well, thank you. But I find your evilness extremely annoying.”
“Who do you think you are, panda?”
“Who do you think I am, peacock?”
Kung Fu Panda … I was very young (still am, at 21!) when the first movie came out in 2008. My pre-teen years revolved around school and fun when Kung Fu Panda 2 came out in 2011. Finally, when Kung Fu Panda 3 came out in 2016, the reality of college life started to set in. I loved all three movies, and so I was elated when I saw my dad watching Kung Fu Panda 2 on Netflix!
Now that I’m a full-grown (except in height) adult, I did learn a thing or two from the movie from a young professional’s point of view. These are things I definitely wouldn’t have caught when I was younger!
1) Ambition can kill … literally.
Image: Rotoscopers
Ambition is very important. You’ve got to have ambition in life so you can be financially stable. Hopefully, a good and moral ambition at that! However, too much could lead to disaster and could kill you as it did with Lord Shen, the peacock.
Lord Shen wanted to rule over Gongmen City and all of China. However, a soothsayer foretold that “if Shen continued down this dark path, he would be defeated by a warrior of black and white.” This ambition drove him to kill all pandas, which he failed at doing — see Kung Fu Panda 3! The massacre only sealed his fate — it led dragon warrior Po to be adopted and eventually discover Kung Fu in the Jade Palace. Shen stopped at nothing to fulfill his evil ambitions and suffered the cost.
2) Amidst difficulties in life, add in humor to ease the pain!
The quotes above, an exchange between Lord Shen and Po, speak for themselves! Amidst pain, add in a little good and sensitive humor to the situation, and things might just look better. Humor makes life so much brighter.
3) Inner peace…
Here, I’m not talking about connecting with the energies within yourselves or to the flow of the universe. I’m talking about being contentedly desiring, meaning a desire for self-improvement while still being content with what you already have.
I personally don’t come from a very financially well-off background. It’s the drive to become better, supported solely by God’s grace through the opportunities that come my way, that help me get to where I want to be. Perhaps Master Shifu would be proud!
4) “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.”
Image: MagicalQuote
And this is perhaps the best quote of the entire movie. Nearly all of Po’s family members were killed (again, see Kung Fu Panda 3). And a goose, Mr. Ping, raised him. No matter. Mr. Ping became a great father, and Po himself became a warrior of great service. He defeated Tai Lung in the first movie and Lord Shen in this current movie, saving China.
That’s perhaps Po’s greatest legacy. Yes, his past may not have been happy. Yes, his present has been defined by being a Kung Fu master. But all of this — besides the fact that he self-praises at times — is dedicated ultimately not for his own good, but for that of China.
I certainly hope there’s a Kung Fu Panda 4!
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