OVERLAY REPORT

The plot of *Kung Fu Panda 2* (2011) is set in motion by a combination of historical atrocities and immediate catalyst events that force Po to confront both a national threat and his own forgotten past. The following specific actions start the plot: ### 1. Lord Shen’s Genocide and Banishment (Historical Catalyst) The foundational action occurs years before the film’s main events. **Lord Shen**, the heir to Gongmen City, discovered that the black powder used for fireworks could be weaponized. When a **Soothsayer** prophesied that a "warrior of black and white" would defeat him if he continued his dark path, Shen took preemptive action: * **The Panda Massacre:** Shen led his wolf army to exterminate the panda population of China to "defy fate." * **The Banishment:** Horrified by his cruelty, Shen's parents banished him from Gongmen City. Shen swore revenge, promising to return and conquer all of China with a weapon that would render kung fu obsolete. ### 2. The Raid on the Musicians' Village (Immediate Catalyst) In the present day, Shen’s wolf army, led by the **Wolf Boss**, raids the **Musicians' Village** to steal scrap metal (specifically brass instruments and pots) needed to build his fleet of cannons. * **The Flashback:** While Po and the Furious Five are defending the village, Po sees a specific **red-and-white eye symbol** on the Wolf Boss’s armor. * **The Internal Conflict:** This symbol triggers a sudden, repressed memory of Po’s mother, causing him to freeze in the middle of the battle. This action is the "Internal Inciting Incident," as it begins Po’s personal quest to find out who he is and why he was abandoned. ### 3. The Death of Master Thundering Rhino While Po is questioning his father (Mr. Ping) about his origins, a message arrives at the Jade Palace with dire news: * **The Coup:** Lord Shen has returned to Gongmen City and used his new weapon—a **cannon**—to kill **Master Thundering Rhino**, the leader of the Kung Fu Council and protector of the city. * **The Threat to Kung Fu:** This is the first time a weapon has been shown to overpower a high-level kung fu master so easily. Master Shifu realizes that if Shen is not stopped, he will destroy the tradition of kung fu and take over China. ### 4. The Mission Assignment The plot officially moves from the Valley of Peace to the broader world when **Master Shifu sends Po and the Furious Five to Gongmen City**. Their mission is two-fold: to stop Lord Shen and to destroy his weapon "before it's too late." This journey physically moves the characters into the main conflict of the film, where Po’s need for "Inner Peace" and Shen’s quest for dominance finally collide.