| “ | I'm glad Shifu sent you. I was beginning to think I'd been forgotten. Fly back there and tell them… the real Dragon Warrior is coming home. | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung's first words. |
| “ | Finally! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary! | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung's most famous quote. |
| “ | See you on the other side, Dragon Warrior. | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung bidding farewell to Po while taking the Chameleon with him to the Spirit Realm. |
Tai Lung is the main antagonist of DreamWorks' 16th full-length animated feature film Kung Fu Panda and a supporting character in its sequel Kung Fu Panda 4.
He is a mighty snow leopard who was Shifu's ex-student, adoptive son and arch-nemesis, Tigress' adoptive older brother, Peng's uncle and was originally trained by Shifu hoping to become the Dragon Warrior. However, Oogway sensed that Tai Lung had darkness in his heart, so the wise turtle denied him the Dragon Scroll; in response Tai Lung ravaged the Valley of Peace, leading him to be defeated and sent away in prison before returning to face the true Dragon Warrior after his breakout.
He was voiced by Ian McShane, who also played Judas Iscariot in Jesus of Nazareth, Manuel Borbon in Miami Vice, Dr. Brinkman in Agent Cody Banks, Captain Hook in Shrek the Third, Iofur Raknison in The Golden Compass, Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Leigh Emerson in American Horror Story: Asylum, Winston Scott in the John Wick film series and Tobias Moore in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and his vocal effects were provided by Frank Welker. In the film's video game adaptation, he was voiced by Peter McHugh.
Quick Answers
What led to Tai Lung's downfall in Kung Fu Panda?
Who was Tai Lung's original trainer in Kung Fu Panda?
What was Tai Lung's relationship with Shifu in Kung Fu Panda?
Why was Tai Lung denied the Dragon Scroll in Kung Fu Panda?
How did Tai Lung's actions affect the Valley of Peace in Kung Fu Panda?
Appearance[]
Tai Lung is a tall, slender, muscular gray snow leopard with yellow eyes with golden irises, two teeth sticking out of the bottom of his mouth and whiskers that are shaped like a moustache. He also wears purple pants and a brown belt.
Spirit Warrior[]
His physical appearance remains unchanged but outside of the Spirit Realm, his body is surrounded by a golden aura representing his Kung Fu.
Personality[]
Tai Lung is best described as a warrior whose pride and ambition led him down a dark path. As a young cub, he was promising in the art of Kung Fu and had a close bond with his master, Shifu who in his eyes was his true father. However, as he grew older and more skilled, he became overconfident, prideful, and vain, until he believed that it was his destiny to receive the Dragon Scroll and become the Dragon Warrior. However, while approached by Oogway, the elderly tortoise saw darkness in his heart and didn’t see him as worthy enough to be the Dragon Warrior. After Shifu neither said nor did nothing after hearing this, Tai Lung considered this an act of treachery and his pride was replaced with anger. Tai Lung went on the warpath across the Valley of Peace, laying waste to everything in his path and chose to take the Dragon Scroll by force. Resenting on Shifu for not defending him, he aggressively ambushed his old master and father-figure when the latter, who was hesitating, opposed him.
Subdued by Oogway and remaining in jail for two decades did not soothe his loathe and fury. Instead, he became even more determined that he was the Dragon Warrior, even telling Zeng he was "the real Dragon Warrior" after he got away, even though one was chosen already. Tai Lung retains his pridefulness and aggression; he couldn’t believe for one second that Po, an overweight panda, could be the Dragon Warrior which ironically was a factor in his defeat. Despite his heartless and insensitive exterior, Tai Lung is naturally unassertive and insecure as well, so he never believed in himself to start with, and needed the Dragon Scroll to believe so-Thus ironically as long as he could not believe in himself, he could never win against Po.. Whilst fighting Shifu at the Jade Palace, he hollered at his adoptive father that all he ever did was only to make him proud, indicating that despite nearly two decades of alienation between the two Tai Lung still wants his old master's approval. Even after hearing Shifu's confession that he was constantly proud of him and made an apology for letting it blind him to what he became, Tai Lung finally saw that Shifu still cared for him, but still he hardened his heart as he wanted the Dragon Scroll.
Many years after his defeat, Tai Lung continues to view Po as an unworthy fool for being chosen by Oogway as Dragon Warrior, though no longer covets the title for himself anymore, showing that he let go of his obsession. Other than that, Tai Lung retained his pride, refusing to share his own talent in Kung Fu with anyone, especially when he quickly deduced that the Chameleon only wanted to use him. His defeat after the Chameleon stole his Kung Fu made Tai Lung bitter and he later viewed Po more as a disappointment for losing the Staff of Wisdom to the Chameleon, which let her steal the other Spirit Warriors' Kung Fu. But once Po and Zhen successfully defeat the Chameleon and restore his Kung Fu, Tai Lung finally sees the panda as worthy of Oogway's choice as the Dragon Warrior and respectfully bows before him, something he has never before been able to do because of his own past selfishness. Tai Lung even admits that Oogway was wise to pick Po as a worthy successor, which comes to show to he has finally developed a certain respect toward Po; he even considered the Spirit Realm as his new home as he personally requested Po to send him and the other spirit warriors back to the Spirit Realm. Even before leaving while taking the Chameleon to make her pay for her crimes, Tai Lung happily bids farewell to Po, promising to meet him in the Spirit Realm when he dies. This comes to show that Tai Lung has abandoned much of his pride and selfishness to posthumously become a better person in spite of his notorious crimes. Thus ironically Tai Lung has finally achieved his life long goal of becoming a Dragon Warrior in his own way.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Master of Kung Fu: Through his arduous training in Kung Fu since he was very young, Tai Lung is a true force of nature, capable of easily defeating enemies larger than him and has practically spent twenty years locked up without his strength having deteriorated. He was even noted as being the very first to master all 1000 scrolls of kung fu. His main technique is the nerve attack which allows him to paralyze opponents with a strike of the finger and index finger near the heart, although this is unsuccessful against opponents with a lot of belly fat, such as pandas. He defeated the Furious Five in combat, who themselves are skilled and experienced kung fu masters famous across China. During his fight against Shifu, he initially appeared on par with his former adoptive father but Tai Lung ended up surpassing him thanks to his ferocity. Against Po, Tai Lung only slightly had the upper hand over the panda due to being fixated on retrieving the Dragon Scroll rather than fighting until he eventually defeated Po out of frustration, taking out the panda in just two attacks. A few years later, Tai Lung easily defeated the Chameleon's army of lizard warriors, and when using his abilities, the Chameleon was able to completely overwhelm Po and knock him down the ground twice. His eventual downfall in the second round of his fight with Po came from his denial and his underestimation of the panda, as well as his failure to accept that the secret to true power simply comes from within.
- Immense Strength: He demonstrated colossal strength, capable of supporting the weight of two huge rocks, breaking a chain handle, throwing giant crossbow bolts into the air, shattering a metal shield, breaking down a steel door, make rhinos waltz with powerful blows, shattering the ground with a kick and making a large crater while also causing a huge shockwave.
- Immense Durability and Endurance: Along with his formidable strength, Tai Lung also possesses strong resilience to pain and high endurance, having fought non-stop after undoing his chains and not showing much fatigue once the rhino guards were knocked out. He also easily shrugged off attacks from the Furious Five and Shifu. His fight against Po finally got the better of his resilience when the panda sent him flying high into the air before he crashed to the ground, leaving him tired and in poor condition, although without too serious an injury.
- Immense Agility and Speed: Despite his muscular physique, Tai Lung is capable of impressive feline agility and speed. As he fell into the Chorh-Gom chasm, Tai Lung jumped from debris to debris until he reached the ceiling. Tai Lung is also quite fast, being able to move in quadruple to gain speed and cover a longer distance, having taken only a few days to reach the Valley of Peace after his escape. He was also able to keep up with Shifu in combat, as well as speed-blitz the Furious Five and Po, with Monkey noting that Tai Lung was too fast.
- Claws: As a feline, Tai Lung has sharp claws that are as useful in combat as they are for climbing rock structures.
Relationships[]
Family[]
- Shifu (adoptive father and master)
- Tigress (adoptive younger sister)
- Peng (nephew)
Allies[]
- Oogway (former enemy, posthumously)
- Po
- Zhen
- Lord Shen (posthumously)
- Kai the Collector (posthumously, currently)
- The Spirit Warriors (posthumously)
Enemies[]
- Po (formerly, forgiven)
- Shifu (archenemy, formerly)
- Oogway (sworn enemy/formerly)
- Furious Five (former enemies, possibly forgiven)
- Tigress
- Monkey
- Mantis
- Viper
- Crane
- Zeng
- Commander Vachir (victim)
- Chorh-Gom Prison Wardens
- Kai the Collector (formerly)
- The Chameleon
Quotes[]
Kung Fu Panda[]
| “ | Tai Lung: Where's the Dragon Warrior? Tigress: How do you know you're not looking at her? Tai Lung: (laughs) You think I'm a fool? I know you're not the Dragon Warrior—none of you! I heard how he fell out of the sky on a ball of fire. That he's a warrior unlike anything the world has ever seen. Monkey: Po? Tai Lung: So that is his name. Po. Finally! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary! |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung and Tigress |
| “ | Shifu taught you well… (uses the Nerve Attack on Monkey, much to the other's shock) …but he didn't teach you everything. | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung defeating the Furious Five with the nerve attack |
| “ | Tai Lung: I have come home, master. Shifu: This is no longer your home, and I am no longer your master. Tai Lung: Oh yes, you have a new favorite. So where is this, Po? Did I scare him off? Shifu: This battle is between you and me. Tai Lung: So, that is how it's going to be? Shifu: That is how it must be. |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung about to fight Shifu |
| “ | Shifu: You were not meant to be the Dragon Warrior! That was not my fault! Tai Lung: Not your FAULT?! Who filled my head with dreams?! Who drove me to train until my bones cracked?! Who denied me my DESTINY?! |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung accusing Shifu during their battle |
| “ | WHAT?! WHERE IS IT!? | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung furiously asking Shifu where the scroll is while strangling him |
| “ | Tai Lung: Who are you? Po: Buddy, I am the Dragon Warrior. Tai Lung: You? (laughs) Him? (to Shifu) He's a panda! (to Po) You're a panda! What are you gonna do, big guy? Sit on me?!?! Po: Don't tempt me. [laughs as well] Now... I'm gonna use this. (takes out the Dragon Scroll much to Tai Lung's shock) Ha ha! You want it? Come and get it. |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung meeting Po |
| “ | Tai Lung: Finally! Oh, yes. The power of the Dragon Scroll is mine! (opens the Dragon Scroll only to find it blank) It's nothing! (Po groans while getting up) Po: It's okay. I didn't get it the first time, either. Tai Lung: What? |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung upon taking the Dragon Scroll |
| “ | Tai Lung: (weakly) You...can't defeat me. You...you're just a big...fat...panda! (tries to punch him) Po: (pinches Tai Lung's finger) I'm not a big fat panda, I'm the big fat panda. (lifts up his pinky finger) Tai Lung: (gasps in horror) The Wuxi Finger Hold?! Po: Oh, you know this hold. Tai Lung: You're bluffing. You're bluffing! Shifu didn't teach you that. Po: Nope. (Tai Lung smiles weakly) I figured it out. (flexes his pinky finger, with Tai Lung's eyes widening in an "uh-oh" stare) Skadoosh. (Unleashes a rippling wave of light that vanquishes Tai Lung) |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung's last words of dialogue, before Po defeats him by using the Wuxi Finger, sending him to the Spirit Realm, putting an end to his reign of terror once and for all. |
Kung Fu Panda 4[]
| “ | Chameleon: Tai Lung, big fan. Tai Lung: Who are you and what are you doing with that staff? Chameleon: This was given to me by an old friend of yours. Tai Lung: The puffy panda? Heh, Po might be an idiot but he'd never willingly hand over Oogway's staff to the likes of you. Chameleon: Who said anything about willingly? (reveals her magic cages) Tai Lung: Apparently, I misjudged you, lizard. Now, why have you brought me back? Chameleon: I summoned you here so that you could teach me your most legendary kung fu moves. Tai Lung: I don't share my skills with anyone. (attempts to leave) Chameleon: It wasn't a request. (closes the door to the Spirit Realm) |
„ |
| ~ The Chameleon to Tai Lung, welcoming him back to the land of the living before attempting to steal his kung fu. |
| “ | Tai Lung: What have you done to me? Chameleon: All of your kung fu is now mine! And the best part is: I'm just getting warmed up. |
„ |
| ~ The Chameleon psychotically revealing to Tai Lung that she now possesses his kung fu and that he was merely the start. |
| “ | Tai Lung: Panda. Oogway made a mistake choosing you as the Dragon Warrior. I just didn't realize how big a mistake it was until now. Po: Whoa! Tai Lung? I'm gonna get that staff back, restore your kung fu and return you all to the Spirit Realm. You'll see. Tai Lung: All I see... is a broken promise. |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung and Po reuniting after the events of the first film and the former not believing the latter when he promises to give him back his kung fu. |
| “ | Well, I saw that coming. | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung after seeing Po fail to reason with The Chameleon. |
| “ | What? Is that how I sound? I don't sound like that, do I? | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung commenting on the Chameleon's imitation of him. |
| “ | Tai Lung: Give 'em a left! A right! Uppercut! Scott: Which one are you rooting for? Tai Lung: I'm not sure. This is all very confusing. |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung commenting on how the fight confuses him. |
| “ | Maybe Oogway was right about you. You aren't completely useless after all. | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung recognizing Po as the Dragon Warrior. |
| “ | I think it's time you send us home, panda. | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung requesting to Po that he return him and all the other kung fu villains and masters back to the Spirit Realm. |
| “ | Chameleon: Zhen, do something!!! Zhen: Third rule: No one's interested in your feelings. Tai Lung: See you on the other side, Dragon Warrior. [The Chameleon screams] |
„ |
| ~ Tai Lung bidding farewell to Po and taking the Chameleon with him to the Spirit Realm. |
Trivia[]
- Tai Lung appeared in the first Kung Fu Panda video game, in which he was the primary antagonist again and (just like the movie) broke out of jail and went for the scroll; however, unlike the movie, the Furious Five get captured by the villainous leopard and his army of wolves. So it is up to Shifu to go rescue them and stop Tai Lung.
The Lang Shadow Army.
- Tai Lung was originally intended to lead a villainous army named the Lang Shadow Army comprised of wolves, as well as gorilla and ox allies in the film. The concept was scrapped but was kept in the video game and later reused as Shen's army instead.
- Tai Lung returns in the video game Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors, in which he is the main antagonist (again) and also the final boss. This time, he comes with a troop of enemies to aid him but is once again stopped, defeated, and killed by Po and the others.
- Tai Lung is seen roaring several times in Kung Fu Panda. In reality, snow leopards cannot roar as they lack the vocal cord tissue necessary to create a roar-like sound.
- According to the creator's commentary, the color gold was used to symbolize heroism in the movie, and Tai Lung saw himself as the hero of the story, hence they gave him golden eyes, even though he is the villain of the story.
- He is the only villain of the trilogy to mention Po by name at least once.
- Tai Lung can be considered a foil and dark parallel to Po and Tigress:
- Po: Both characters were orphans, raised by adoptive fathers comparatively smaller than them. Additionally, they wear only pants that were handmade, though Po’s is clearly stitched and patched together while the work on Tai Lung’s is more refined. They were both candidates for the Dragon Warrior status, however, while Po is a kind-hearted and humble individual who is chosen unexpectedly to become a martial artist as a miracle due to how big-hearted he is and his dreams of being a martial artist, Tai Lung is very ambitious, arrogant and overconfident and refuses to change his ways. They both harbored deep insecurities and turned to kung fu for self-improvement. If Po was taught under Shifu's way of teaching about being the Dragon Warrior and never saw the spiritual aspect of kung-fu, he would've ended up like Tai Lung.
- Tigress: Both are orphaned felines who were raised by Shifu as his son and daughter. Trained in the art of kung-fu under their surrogate father, they were physically powerful, possessing fierce tempers, and desired his praise. They sought this through becoming the Dragon Warrior and were envious when they were passed over for Po. However, Tigress is more honorable (which made her worthy enough that Oogway very likely would have chosen her if Po didn’t appear) and compassionate, as she appeared to be remorseful for how she treated Po upon learning of his low self-worth. Tigress receives a lesson in humility when she and the rest of the Five are defeated by Tai Lung. However, Tai Lung serves as an example of what Tigress would've become if she never experienced humility after she was defeated by him as well as been overly praised by Shifu as he had been.
- Tai Lung and Tigress are felines: a Snow Leopard, and a Tiger since snow leopards and tigers are related in the Felidae Family Genus.
- In real life, snow leopards are the natural predator of both the Giant Panda (Po's species) and the Red Panda (Shifu's species).
- In the TV series Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness, he has a nephew named Peng, meaning that he may have at least one sibling.
- Tai Lung and Shifu are shown to have the exact same reaction upon opening the Dragon Scroll, both trying to read it sideways and repeatedly opening it to try and find a message. This is likely symbolic of Tai Lung's insecurities and remaining desire to please him. Furthermore, Tai Lung's whiskers are shaped in a manner similar to Shifu's moustache when he was younger, displaying that deep down he still admires his father and wants to please him.
- It is implied that while in the Spirit Realm, Tai Lung reunited with Oogway as he recognized the latter's staff when the Chameleon had it in her possession. It could be that the elderly tortoise played a part in Tai Lung's reduced bitterment before it eventually vanished and the snow leopard finally acknowledged Po as the Dragon Warrior and bowing to the panda as well as his successor Zhen.
- Kai, Shen and Tai Lung bowing to Po after the Chameleon's defeat mirrors how the Furious Five and the Valley of Peace villagers bowed to Po after Tai Lungs defeat in the first film.
External Links[]
- Tai Lung on the DreamWorks Wiki
- Tai Lung on the Universal Studios Wiki
- Tai Lung on the Kung Fu Panda Wiki
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