The Phoenix is a mythological bird associated with analogs in many cultures - more often in Arabic and Greek mythology. It is a bird that would often set itself in fire, degrade into ashes, and then result in a new one rise from the ashes of the old one. Despite being a well-known mythological creature, it makes uncommon appearances in Disney properties.
Background[]
Origins[]
The phoenix is a bird often associated with various mythologies with the most common one associated with Greek mythology. The one featured in a Greek analog is the most common interpretation of the bird where in Greek mythology, the phoenix would regenerate when it faded into ashes and then arise from the ashes of its predecessor to become reborn again. Various analogues of the phoenix differ depending on the version being read.
Appearances[]
Shorts[]
It's Tough to Be a Bird[]
The phoenix appears in one sequence (specifically the animated sequence) where the M.C. Bird is narrating a tale of the phoenix bird where he explains that after the phoenix degrades itself into ashes, it then rises from the ashes to replace its predecessor just before looping to a topic that describes the harpy from Greek mythology.
Films[]
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe[]
A phoenix was summoned via arrow during the battle of Beruna in the 2005 Disney/Walden Media adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The phoenix that appears in this film appears to have a forked tail and can set itself on fire at will.
During the battle, Edmund commands a centauress archer to fire an exploding arrow which summons a phoenix which flies across Beruna.
In the extended version of the film as the phoenix is summoned, archer black dwarfs attempt to shoot the phoenix with their arrows to which it successfully dodges the arrows while a harpy on the battleground sees the phoenix and flies off to intercept it. Seeing the harpy, Peter grabs a spear from a dead cyclops and tosses it at the incoming harpy, successfully killing to prevent it from tackling the phoenix. With the harpy killed, Peter then encounters a goblin attempting to fire an arrow at the phoenix to which Peter kills it in time as well as dispatching two more minotaurs just as the phoenix continues arriving at the battlegrounds with no archers or harpies attempting to stop it.
As the phoenix arrives, it sets itself on fire to create a fire barrier that successfully blocks Jadis and her army, burning any who try to cross it, just as Aslan's army cheers for a success. The fire barrier is suddenly undone when the two polar bears on Jadis' chariot use an icy breath against it to undo the fiery wall just as Mr. Beaver gives out the signal for Edmund.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil[]
In the 2019 sequel to the Maleficent film during Maleficent's encounter with the Dark Fey, a species of dark fairies hunted down to near-extinction due to many of them killed by heroic humans, Conall explains to Maleficent that she is a descendant of the phoenix. Throughout her discovery, the Feys residing in the kingdom prepare for war while Maleficent masters the power of the phoenix while Conall gets wounded during battle while trying to protect her. Later during a battle between the people of Ulstead and the Dark Fey, Maleficent threatens to kill Queen Ingrith for her tyranny and prejudice against fairies, much to Aurora's worry. However, Maleficent sacrifices herself to save Aurora from Ingrith's arrow. Soon as Ingrith announces to the people of Ulstead that Maleficent is killed so that everyone can celebrate, Maleficent, however, later revives herself in the form of a phoenix, much to Aurora's delight and Ingrith's horror just as the other Ulstead inhabitants and the surviving Fey react to see Maleficent who has been revived. Maleficent, in her phoenix form, then saves Aurora from falling to her death after being pushed away by Ingrith. However, Maleficent finds herself unconscious just as she manages to get herself back up just as the other Dark Fey bow to see Maleficent in respect, much to the other humans' worry just as Maleficent transforms to her normal form to reconcile with Aurora. Ingrith is later transformed into a goat as a punishment for her tyranny and crimes.
Mulan (2020)[]
This phoenix that appears in the 2020 remake of Mulan is completely different from its common western counterpart - specifically based on the fenghuang of Chinese mythology. The phoenix also serves as a replacement for Mushu in the remake and is said to be a female.
In the Imperial City, Mulan, as a little girl, chases a chicken back to its coop across the village, accidentally breaking a wing from a phoenix statue. After successfully doing so, she notices her father Hua Zhou staring at her for the mess she did in the village. Later, Hua Zhou and her daughter are repairing the broken statue of the phoenix where he asks his daughter why the phoenix sits at the shrine entrance, to which he explains that the phoenix is the emissary for their ancestors. Hua Zhou then tells the myth of the phoenix to his daughter, to which he explains to Mulan that the phoenix can still protect her even when the wing of the statue of herself is broken.
As Mulan talks to her father about the phoenix, he explains that the phoenix has followed him to battle and that she will protect him when he goes to battle just as he also explains to his daughter that to face her fears, she must be courageous to honor her family. Soon as Mulan takes her father's sword to conquer her fear and help prepare for battle then studies it just before leaving, Hua Zhou tells the ancestors to send in the phoenix to protect her during battle to make sure she is safe.
Far away from the Imperial City, the phoenix arrives to help protect Mulan who is at a canyon while Mulan is readying herself for the imperial camp just as Mulan notices the phoenix summoned by the Hua family ancestors. Later during a battle between the Imperial Army and the Rouran Army, Mulan reads the inscription on Ha Zhou's sword and sees the phoenix far from her attempting to protect her where she decides to return to the army and continue fighting against Böri Khan's army rather than getting escorted for safety. Later towards the end of the film during the final battle against Mulan and Böri Khan, the phoenix then guides Mulan to fight against him in a duel, while Mulan cuts a rope for Böri Khan to fall off a platform and with the help of the Emperor, the two were able to throw the arrow back at Böri Khan, killing him and saving the Imperial City from the Rourans. The phoenix is last seen at the end of the film flying around the Imperial City just as Mulan is praised for all the honor she brought to her family and ancestors as well as the Imperial City and her home.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings[]
The Chinese variant of the phoenix, the fenghuang, also appears in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings living in the kingdom of Ta Lo seen by Trevor Slattery, Katy Chen, Shang-Chi, and Xu Xialing. Upon seeing them, Trevor comments on the fenghuang about what makes the fenghuang a unique creature, just as the group drives towards the Ancient Village.
Printed Material[]
Gargoyles[]
A sentient phoenix was featured in the SLG adaptation of the Gargoyles TV series. The origins of the phoenix in the Gargoyles universe are unknown - although it lived within the Phoenix Gate. It was introduced in the Gargoyles: Clan Building, Volume Two storyline released on August 2009.
In "The Gate", the Phoenix Gate appeared in front of Brooklyn who touched it, unleashing a phoenix which swallowed him, which transported him to Scotland in the year 997. Later in "Phoenix" which the issue itself is named after said entity, the phoenix then appeared once again to bring Brooklyn through time for the next forty years where it carried Brooklyn through time before returning to Manhattan.
In "Everywhere" (published on July 5, 2023), Demona used the Tracking Spell to locate the Phoenix Gate, alongside the Grimorum Arcanorum and the Eye of Odin. While using the spell, she learns that the Gate dissolved unleashing the phoenix into the timestream, in addition to the Grimorum being devoured by the Archmage consumed by its power.
Disney Parks[]
BraviSEAmo![]
In the former Tokyo DisneySea show, Prometeo, a fire spirit, takes the form of a phoenix which appears during the part where fire appears on the lagoon in the shape of a rune which Prometeo retires for a while. Bellisea, the water spirit, starts singing which Prometeo notices her singing just as the two spirits get along with each other as the show ends with the elemental spirits being "swept away" by love where Prometeo's fiery wings become curtains of sparks with body sparkling with blue lights while Bellisea launches fireworks. The show then follows the ending song "Swept Away" with Bellisea and Prometeo remaining on water as the show ends.
Garden of Wonders[]
In the Hong Kong Disneyland attraction Garden of Wonders at Mystic Point, one of the three anamorphic statues representing creatures from Chinese folklore depicts a statue of a phoenix (specifically the based on the fenghuang from Chinese mythology). It can be seen next to the statues representing a qilin and a carp respectively.
Skipper Canteen[]
An illustration of a phoenix is depicted on a map showcasing the Legendary Flying Beasts of the Mekong in the Magic Kingdom restaurant located at the Adventureland area.
Trivia[]
- The red bird from Once Upon a Time was originally going to be a giant phoenix in season six, but this idea was eventually cut due to script changes.[1]
- While no actual phoenixes appeared in the 2020 Disney/Pixar film Onward, there is a magical gem known as the "Phoenix Gem" which Ian and Barley use in order to bring back their father; in mythology, a phoenix's life cycle has the phoenix be born again from its ashes after they age, which is why the gem is named after the aforementioned creature.
- One of the deleted scenes included in the Blu-ray and Digital releases of the 2020 remake of Mulan depicts the scene where Xianniang threw a dagger at Mulan, knocking her into a volcanic lake where she finds herself underwater only herself to be rescued by the phoenix where she drags her underwater to get her out for safety. According to director Niki Caro in the optional commentary, the reason why this scene was deleted in the final version of the film was due to the fact that it could lead to confusion to audiences of having a phoenix underwater and above water, despite the fact that it made Caro herself sad that the scene was scrapped in the final version of the film, leading every scene where the phoenix appears to be entirely on land[2].
- In one of the deleted scenes included in the Blu-ray and Digital releases of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a flock of fenghuang took part in battle against the Soul Eaters during a battle at Ta Lo while being led by Trevor Slater aided by Morris where many of the phoenixes clashed with the Soul Eaters, killing many of the evil creatures, giving Kathy Chen a chance to shoot the Dweller-in-Darkness with her arrow. The reason why this sequence was cut from the final version of the film is unknown[3].
Gallery[]
_-_Phoenix_(entity).jpg "Gargoyles (SLG Comics) - Phoenix (entity).jpg (230 KB)")
_(73).png "Mulan (2020 film) (73).png (865 KB)")
See also[]
- The Firebird - A mythological bird from Slavic mythology often used as a synonym to the phoenix.
References[]
External links[]
- Phoenix on Wikipedia.
- Fenghuang on Wikipedia.
Phoenix on Narnia Wiki
- Phoenix on GargWiki.
Fenghuang on Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
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