Remember a couple weeks ago when I posted that I – like every other Once Upon a Time fan out there – couldn’t wait for season 2 to start? Well, after today’s news update, that goes double!

So, let’s get down to business…

According to a recent Entertainment Weekly article, Once Upon a Time will be delving into Eastern folklore in the fall with its newest casting: Jamie Chung. Word on the street is that Chung, whose credits include The Real World, The Hangover 2, and Sucker Punch, will play a recurring role as the legendary Chinese warrior Mulan.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that ABC is following in the footsteps of its parent company by reprising the plotline of yet another Disney movie, even one that is not considered a fairy tale in the Grimm sense of the word. After all, OUAT has already given us elements from Alice in Wonderland, 1,001 Arabian Nights, and even some ties to The Wizard of Oz. Why not Chinese legend?

In this case, the new character originates from an ancient poem from the Northern Mei dynasty, The Ballad of Mulan, which tells of a young woman who poses as a man to take her father’s place in the army. Disney first took on the mantle of Mulan in 1998 with its widely acclaimed and aptly-named animated film Mulan, starring Eddie Murphy and Ming-Na and the musical talents of Lea Salonga and Donny Osmond. And while we don’t yet know how Mulan’s story will align with that of Emma, Regina, Mary Margaret, and the rest of the Storybrooke crowd in season 2, we can certainly guess that the Chinese fighter will be a noteworthy addition to the list of kick-ass OUAT heroines.

But the real question is: if theories prove true and season 2 brings a war between Regina and Mr. Gold, on whose side will Mulan be fighting? And will a lucky cricket be enough this time?

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