| “ | He's a panda! You're a panda! What are you going to do, big guy? Sit on me? *chuckles* | „ |
| ~ Tai Lung confronting Po for the first time |
Tai Lung is the sole antagonist of Kung Fu Panda. He was Po's enemy, Shifu's former student and adoptive son and Tigress's adoptive older brother.
He is voiced by Ian McShane.
Biography
Beginnings
Tai Lung found by Shifu outside the Jade Palace as a newborn
Tai Lung was found as an abandoned cub by Master Shifu. Shifu raised him as his own son, showered him with love, and trained him in the arts of Kung Fu. As Shifu trained him, he grew more and more confident in his abilities, due to Shifu's constant assurance that he was destined for greatness and he would be the Dragon Warrior.
Tai Lung as a slightly older cub
Growing into a proud and formidable fighter, Tai Lung began to see the Dragon Scroll, and being the Dragon Warrior, as his destiny, and the final step in his life as a hero.
Tai Lung angrily destroying the Valley after being denied the scroll by Grand Master Oogway
The day arrived when Shifu felt that Tai Lung was ready for the Dragon Scroll, but Shifu's mentor, Grand Master Oogway, respectfully refused to let him have it due to seeing a dark potential in his heart. At that point, Tai Lung's pride dissolved into rage, and he rampaged through the Valley of Peace, laying it to waste. He then attempted to take the scroll by force, barrelling through the thick wooden doors into the Jade Palace's Hall of Warriors, where Master Oogway and Master Shifu were waiting for him.
Shifu attempted to stop Tai Lung from getting to the scroll, but was unwilling to harm the one he considered to be his son. However, Tai Lung had nothing but hatred for Shifu, due to the fact that Shifu was unable to stand up for him when Oogway denied him the Dragon Scroll, and violently struck Shifu aside, crippling him in the process. Just before Tai Lung was about to get the Dragon Scroll, he was stopped by Master Oogway, who blocked his chi, rendering him unconscious.
Tai Lung imprisoned
He was then locked into a prison with thousands of guards, weapons, two boulders chained to his arms, and a jade shell on his back to immobilize him as punishment for his crimes against the Valley.
In Kung Fu Panda
Tai Lung escaping prison
20 years later, Tai Lung escapes from Chorh-Gom Prison; meanwhile, in the Valley of Peace, the potential Dragon Warrior (Po) is being trained to fight Tai Lung. The Furious Five attempt to stop him, against Shifu's orders, and though managing to fight him for a time, he defeats them without serious effort, paralyzing all but Crane.
Though Tai Lung at first gives Shifu a chance at welcoming him home, in disregard of his earlier crimes, he shows no mercy to his surrogate father when he refuses and is challenged, beating him mercilessly and nearly killing him, despite Shifu attempting to reach out to him at one point.
Tai Lung attacking Shifu during their battle in the Jade Palace
During the final battle, he and Po came face-to-face and fought over the Dragon Scroll. With Po managing to outmaneuver Tai Lung until the end, where Tai Lung finally gets the Dragon Scroll. Not understanding it, Tai Lung attacks out of frustration.
Tai Lung's last moments
Using the Wuxi Finger Hold, Po finishes Tai Lung, causing him to disappear in a rippling golden wave.
Gallery
Trivia
- Tai Lung appeared in the first Kung Fu Panda video game, in which he was the primary villain 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 leopard and his army of wolves. So it is up to Po to go rescue them and stop Tai Lung.
- He returns in the video game Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors, in which he's the main villain (again) and also the final boss. This time, he comes with a troop of enemies to aid him. He's once again stopped, defeated, and killed by Po and the others.
- According to the creator's commentary, the colour gold was used to symbolise heroism in the movie, and that Tai Lung saw himself as the hero of the story, hence they gave him golden eyes.