Tiger's Apprentice, The (2024)

[bunniefuu]

["Tian Mi Mi" playing on radio]

[fireworks exploding]

[singing along in Mandarin]

[baby coos]

[chuckles]
Look who's finally awake.

Just in time
for your first fireworks.

[sighs] Aren't they beautiful?

Just like you, my sweet bun.
[giggles]

[static on radio]

Hmm?

That's odd.

Oh, no. They found us.

Baby, hang on to your Binky.

Grandma's got this.

["Low" playing]

♪ Boots with the fur
With the fur ♪

Look at the silly yaoguai.

Bye-bye, dolly!

[honks]
[coos]

"Bye-bye" is right.

Don't worry, Tom.
Help is on the way.

[growls]
[giggles]

♪ She turned around ♪

♪ And gave that
Big booty a slap ♪

So long, suckers!

♪ Shawty got low, low
Low, low, low, low, low, low ♪

[giggles] Huh?

♪ She had them
Apple bottom jeans ♪

♪ Boots with the fur
With the fur ♪

♪ The whole club
Was lookin' at her ♪

[Tom] Meow, meow.

There you go.
Nothing to worry about, see?

Come on. Come on.

Where are you?

[growls]

[clucks]

Excuse me. Watch out.
Coming through.

Make way for
the Pork Chop Express!

Who says pigs can't fly?

Look who finally decided
to show up.

Clear the path, Goat.
[bleats]

Let's go. You know the drill,
Zodiac. Protect the Guardian.

att*ck!

Eat feathers, yaoguai!

Kick and kick and kick.

Cute att*ck!

Horse, round them up.

[whinnying]

[Grandma] Ooh, that's not good.

[Tiger] Mrs. Lee!

Tiger, no!
Wait for us!

[cackles]

[growls]

["damn Right" playing]

♪ One two fleeka
You wanna pop my speakers ♪

♪ Three, two, three, better
Blow your mama's teeth out ♪

♪ I chew like I'm Pika
Then I spit like I'm Nina ♪

[shouts]

[grunts]
[students laughing]

Watch where you're going
next time, loser.

Maybe you can watch
where you're walking, winner.

[yelps]
[students gasp]

I guess not.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm great.

Hey. You're the new girl.

[chuckles]
Been a girl for a while now.

I'm Tom. [yelps]
Okay, I'll be right back.

[grunts] You are so dead.
[students gasp]

Not just mostly dead,
but actually, like,
a hundred percent dead?

He's not worth it, man.

Run away, freak!

This is a walk,
not a run.

Anyone ever see his house?

The whole place is covered
with this junk.

Magic charms and incense.

It's his crazy grandma's.

What is she,
some kind of witch?

Okay, for real, can we leave
my grandma out of this?

Or what?

[grunting]

Say, "My grandma's
a crazy witch."

Your grandma's a crazy witch?

Wait. No, no, no! Your--
[students laughing]

This is what you get.
You and your witchy grandma.

I told you,
leave my grandma out of it!

[classmates gasp]

[screams]

You see that?

[exclaims]

[laughing]

You can see his underwear.

[chattering]

[panting]

[chattering]

[horn honks]

What is happening?

Yo! Fight Club!
[exclaims]

[thuds]

It's okay. It's just me.

Yeah. Well,
you snuck up on me.
[chuckles]

I'm Rav.

I'm Tom.

Yeah, you mentioned
that earlier,

right before you threw a dude
into the ceiling. Hello?

You know,
maybe it's that protein bar
I had this morning.

Wow. I gotta
get one of those.

[chuckles]
[horn honking]

Oh.

Wait for me?
Okay.

Hi.

I told her I'd walk home.

["Imagine" playing]

Let's go. Come on.

Got you.

♪ Put the studio
In the mansion ♪

♪ Pull up
In a new high fashion ♪

♪ Pull up just like
"Ooh, you a baddie" ♪

♪ Imagine ♪

So your grandma makes these?

Uh-huh.
Wow.

My foster mom,
she loves these things.

My grandma's actually
got a whole story about how
they ward off evil spirits.

Okay, stop right there.
Evil spirits?

Sorry!
Coming through!

You know how grandmas always
tell the craziest stories.

Yeah, actually, I don't.

Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to...
It's all good.

[Rav] I finally hit
the foster jackpot.

The place I'm at now
is pretty rad.

That's cool.

My grandma took me in
when I was super little.

But she's great.

You know, she can be--
What?
Weird and embarrassing?

Yeah. But she's cool too.

[chuckles] I'd go live
with a cool witch any day.

Do I have something in my teeth?

Nope. You're good.

How 'bout now?

[coughs]
[chuckles]

[Tom] Hey, Gigi.

Ooh, is that thing okay?
Should she look like that?

Yeah, yeah. She just, you know,
sleeps with her eyes open.

[snoring]
[Tom] Bye, Gigi!

[Rav]
Your eyes must be so dry, dog.

Please just turn back now.

Once you see it,
you can't unsee it.

Oh, come on, Tom.
I'm sure it's fine.
Uh-huh.

People b*at me up because
of my totally normal house.

[Rav scoffs]
It can't be that bad.

Oh, dang.

[Tom] A lot of people
leave oranges on our stoop

because they think
our house is a temple.

But on the plus side,
free oranges.

[Mrs. Lee] Hey, Tommy!

Hey! Who's your friend?
She looks so cute.

Oh. Hi, Tom's grandma.

k*ll me now.

Ah Tom,
you should invite her in.

All right.
I'll be right there, Ah Ma!

I'll see you tomorrow.

["Moon Represents My Heart"
playing]

You know, your parents met
in high school.

Ah Ma, chill.

She's just a friend, okay?

She probably got scared off
anyway by our crazy house.

Crazy amazing?

[sighs] At least
she didn't see the inside.

Tom, even if these charms
seem silly to you,

they are important to me.

I still don't even know
what they mean.

You don't have to know
to understand.

Ah Ma, you're talking
to me in riddles.

One day,

you will see yourself
for what you truly are

and not what you appear to be.

And what does that mean?

[exclaims]

We talked about this.

Ah Tom, we don't use these.

We use this and this.

We don't have to fight.

Besides, you're not
too good at it.

The kid called you a witch.

So? Maybe I am a witch.

Ha-ha. Very funny.

This bully at school,
he needs your compassion.

What? Why?

Because he himself
was probably hurt
at some point.

People are
inherently good, Tom.

Our family has always
believed this.

What family?
It's just you and me.

Your lineage goes back
a thousand generations.

Our traditions
live on in you.

Yeah, well, maybe we could try
being a little less traditional
for once.

Obviously,
I'm proud of it
or whatever.

"Or whatever"?

[sighs]

I just wanna be normal.

[chuckles]
Ah Tom, you are not normal.

Great. Thanks.

Our entire family
is very not normal.

I've been waiting to talk to you
about this for a long time.

But first, you must
put the charms back up.

And then, we'll talk.

[sighs] Okay, Grandma.

[Mrs. Lee speaks in Mandarin]
Hurry up!

[person] You can't just
put them up like that.
[gasps]

Whoa, dude!

There's a system.

Who are you?

How long were
the protective charms down?

Like, for five minutes, okay?

Do I know you, man?
No.

But I know you.

Whoa! Ew! Are you sniffing me?

Yeah. And you reek, kid.

[sniffs] No, I don't.

Where's your grandmother?
Mrs. Lee, are you okay?

Dude. Okay.

Keep your shoes on.
That's not rude at all.

There we go.
So you have tracking mud
and all that stuff, okay.

[gasps] Hu!
Mei Ling.

It's so good to see you.

No pinching necessary,
all right?
We spoke about this.

Tom, this is Hu,
my old friend.

An old friend?

Like, what kind of friend
are we talking here?

Platonic, hopefully.

Ugh, there's no time
for this.

I picked up the scent of fashu
at the boy's school today.

Magic?

I know. I felt it too.

He stinks of it.
You could be in danger.

Calm down.

We were just about
to have "the talk."

Ew. Ah Ma, no,
I don't need the talk.
I'm 15.

So the charms are down,
the kid still doesn't know
who he is,

and none of the Zodiacs
have been following
any of my protocols.

Tom, your fight today.
What exactly happened?

I mean, this kid,
he got all mad at me.

Huge guy, you know?
Shoulders all puffed out.
Kinda like you actually.

[mock chuckles]
Cut to the chase.

It wasn't me.
This kid, he started it.

Did you finish it?
What?

Did anything strange happen?

Yeah-- No, not really.

Other than
when I threw him
into the ceiling.

Oh, boy.

Wait. Nobody saw you, right?

No, no, not really.
Just about a hundred kids or so.

Oh, we gotta
get out of here.

Grandma, who is this guy?

[chuckles] "This guy"?

I'm a Warrior
of the Circle of Twelve,

sworn to protect
the Guardian of the Phoenix.

Ah Ma, like
from the kids' stories?

I'm a Zodiac.

Okay. Hi.
I'm Tom, House of Lee.

Lactose-intolerant and guardian
of a Steph Curry rookie card.

"Kids' stories"?

I wanted to give him time.

Time for what?

Seriously? Guys! Hello!
I'm right here.

We know, kid.
We know you're here.

Dude, what is your problem?

Everybody knows you're here!

Does anything you say
make sense?

[muffled]
Everything I say makes sense.

Something's here.
[rumbling]

Whoa! Whoa, whoa, earthquake!
Nope.

Put on your shoes, Tom.

[gasps]
How did you do that?

Whoa.

Ah!

Ah Ma.
Oh, yeah!

I'll cover the front,
you get the back.

No. This is powerful fashu.

You and Tom need to go.

What? No!

Get him to safety.
He needs you, Hu.

Tom. Tom, look at me.

I promise
I'll explain everything,

but right now
you have to go with Hu.

I'm not leaving you.

Loo.
Go! Now!

No, wait--
Go!

Whoa!

[Loo] Mrs. Lee.

Loo.

We can make this easy.

You know what I want, old woman.

Then come and get it.

Go!

Bring me the Phoenix.

[growling]

How precious.
[chuckles]

[Tom] Grandma!

Whoa. Whoa.

Oh, whoa! No, no, no, no, no!

Back off!

Huh?

Oh, I really missed doing that.

What happened to your pants?

Oh, great. More yaoguai.

What the heck is a yao--
[exclaims]

No Zodiac Warriors
to protect you now.

Just you and me.

Unless you prefer I start
with your darling grandson.

Stay away from him!

[grunting]

Come on! Come on!
Giddyap, tiger! [screams]

Say that again,
and I will eat you.

No, no, no, no.
Wait, wait, wait!
Hold on! [screams]

[roars]

No, no, no! Oh, my gosh!

No, no, no! Get off my--

Ow! Watch what you're kicking.

Oh!

[screams]

Tiger! Tiger, help!

[screams]

[grunts]

[chuckles]

[grunts]
[cackles]

Look at you, so fragile now.

So old.

Do you need a hand?

[shouts]

I'll give you two!

[groans]
Right on a used diaper.
[Tom] Ah Ma!

Ah Ma!

Ah Tom, are you okay?

[grunting]

You think
I'm so easily defeated?

I'll take that.

No! Let her go!

Not while I'm Guardian!

Ah Ma.

[Tom] What?

What is that?

[Hu] The Ghost Cart.

Comes to carry away the souls
of the great and the noble.

Ah Ma!

Come on, kid. Keep up.

Quick, inside.

I have to alert the others.

What good is that gonna do?
No. No, we need to...

Why are we in a junk shop?
Antique shop.

Not junk.

I live here.

I've been here
watching over you.

You and those monsters--

Yaoguai. Loo's creatures.
Vicious little creatures.

They were just crazy stories
my grandma told me
when I was little.

Well, they're not stories, okay?

Not stories, kid.

[grunts]

Your grandmother
was a Guardian, Tom.

One of the best.

She gave her life
to protect that.

Her necklace?

It's the Phoenix.

Ever since goddess Nu Kua
used the Phoenix
to create humanity,

dark forces have been trying
to capture it.

Whoa.
Now the duty of
protecting it is yours.

What? That's not...

I have to go home.
I have school tomorrow.

And Grandma, she's...

You can't leave, kid.

It's my job.

I don't even know you, man.

If you're a Zodiac Warrior,
I thought your job was
to protect Ah Ma!

Tom--
You left her there!
You could've saved her.

Hey.

I gotta get out of here.
Stop. No, no.

You can't go-- Wait.
Get off of me!

No, no, no.
You need to know about...

[grunts]

[panting]

...the exit spell
on the door.

[sighs]

Mrs. Lee put you in my care.

That makes you my apprentice.

There's a room upstairs.
Why don't you take it?

Fine.

Dumb tiger.

[sighs]

[siren wailing in distance]

This can't be happening.

Just a junky necklace.

[sighs]

Whoa!

Come on!

[screams]

Who dares wake
the Empress Nu Kua?

Um, Tom?

Oh, it's you.

You walk two worlds now--

the mortal world
and the world of magic.

[screams, panting]

Okay.

I really am losing it.

I thought
she was gonna be okay.

I'm sorry, kid.

[sniffles]

[clears throat]

I don't know what they put
in incense these days,

but it really
irritates my eyes.

Yeah.

Yeah, me too.

[snoring]

[sighs]

Psst. Hey. Tom?

Tom. Kid!

Wake up already!

Ow. Cut your nails.

[roars]

[panting]

What the heck?
Is that how you wake people up?

Well, next time
I'll sing you a song.

Now, come on.
Time to get to work.

Work? I don't know what
you're thinking with all
this apprentice stuff,

but I'm not waxing cars
for you, man. Whoa.

I know it's cool. Come on.

I need to see
what I'm working with.

Try to hit me.
What? For real?

Unless you don't think
you're up for it. [roars]

[grunts]
Oh, it's on, fur face!

You'll have to do
better than that.

You think a yaoguai
is just gonna stand there
and wait for you?

So, I can't hit you.

Is that the big point
you're trying to make?

No. The point is,
you're missing the point.

Exactly how many times
did you try to strike me
just now?

I don't know.

Eight.

And how many times
did you check

to make sure that
the Phoenix was still with you?

Not once.

That's the point
I'm trying to make.

Rat!
[squeaking]

[gasps]

I told you to stay
out of my wallet!

Get over here!

No, no, no, no,
that thing's ex--

[crashing]
You're gonna pay for that!

That's what you get!

How many years of--
[exclaims]

Stop stealing my stuff!

Hi there!

Oh, my gosh!
Did you see that? I did it!

The thing!
I did the thing,
the bow, bow, bow!

Don't get cocky.
That was a defensive fashu.

It's reflex.

Tom, this is Rat.

Wait. He's a Zodiac.

He's like you.

Are you trying to insult me?

Sidney's my name.
Acquisitions is my game.

[laughing]

Acquisitions?

You're a thief.
Thief?

You stole
my Ming dynasty sword.

Make sure he didn't
steal your watch.
I don't have a watch.

No problem.
I got a bunch. Want one?
I'll give you friend prices.

[Hu] Sidney,
what are you doing here?

Oh.

And we're going
with rat again. Okay.

Hu, that's what
I came to tell you.
I saw Loo last night.

What?

Sid, that's not possible.

We saw her die.

I was out wandering around
the old high-rent district

by the sea cliffs.

They got
the most exquisite trash.

I found a primo clam chowder
in the gutter.

And then, out of nowhere,
there's Loo!

It was at this
abandoned mansion,
and I thought,

"Now, is she here
for the clam chowder too?"

She looked disgusting.

And I don't just throw
that word around.

She crawled
into this creepy fountain,

and the water, Hu,
it healed her!

Obviously,
I came straight here.

I know that place.
What are we waiting for?
Let's go get her.

What? No!
Why not?

Because you're gonna
get yourself k*lled.

Loo isn't
just another yaoguai.

She's as powerful
as a Guardian.

She can access
the darkest magic.

We should go to the temple
and get the rest of the Zodiacs.

Exactly! Let's do that.
Team Zodiac assemble!

I work better alone.

Come on, Hu.
You know it'll
be safer for him

with all of us together.

[sighs]
[yelps]

Fine.
We'll go get the Zodiacs.

Yes!

I already regret this.

[sighs]
You gotta be kidding me.
Hey.

Got a little
new Guardian gift for ya.

Whoops! That's not it!

Found that on the bus,
so you know it's good.

You might need this.

Now, remember,
you didn't get this from me.

Whoa.

Is that Ming dynasty?

Sweet!

Chinatown is the most
delicious place in the world!

[sniffs] Excuse me.

Oh. Mmm.

Do you smell that?

Rotting fish,
splattered soy sauce.

[patron screams]
[waiter shouts]

[yelps] Rude!

Is that moldy ginseng?

Dumplings!
Can you believe someone
threw these out?

Come on, Rat.

[Sidney] Yes! [chuckles]

There it is.
Wait, we're getting dim sum?

[Hu] Not everything
is what it seems, kid.

[Sidney shrieks]

It's only one of them.

I'm pretty sure
I can handle--

Crap.
Not everything is
what it seems, right?

[Hu] Oh, yeah.

Mess with the Tiger,
you get the claws.

What? That's not a thing.
Yes, it is.

No, it isn't.
No one says that.
Tigers do.

Whoa.

Oh, you!

[chuckles] What?

Ah. Come on. Let's do this!

Show-off.

[roars]

Yeah, yeah, you can fly.

Yo! That was incredible!

Gentlemen.

Mistral.

I was doing just fine
without you.

Yes, I saw.

It's good to see you, rodent.

[giggles]
She called me "rodent."

[Mistral] Thomas Lee.

It will be my honor
to protect you and guide you.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
Mrs. Lee entrusted him to me.

So I'll be the one
watching over
and guiding him.

Oh. Like you guided him
into this trap?
[mock laughs]

Okay, look,
I'm taking the kid
to the temple.

Good idea.

You can probably
find him a master there
with fewer trust issues.

You know what?
Nobody asked you.

Asked me what? To save you?

You're welcome,
by the way.
[blows raspberry]

Dragon just can't
help herself, can she?

[chuckles]
Oh, same old Hu.

What's the saying
about the tiger and his stripes?
[cackles]

You're hysterical.

I know.

Hmm?
Cynthia!

We are closed.
What?

Ooh.
Tell me more about how
you have all this handled.

Cynthia, it's me, Tiger.

It's Hu.

Open the door.
[chuckles]

You're embarrassing me
out here.

Closed!

This is Zodiac business.

And this is
dim sum business.

And we open in three hours.

Nicely done.

Does anybody like you?

I know how to deal with this.
Mmm.

In exchange for entry,
I offer you this 65-year-old
wild ginseng.

Hey, Rat,
no more stealing soy sauce.

Are you sure
you're not confusing me
with another talking rat?

[Mistral]
Will a hundred bucks do?
Oh!

We just opened! Come in.

[grunts] Not a word.
You're welcome.

[chuckles]

Oh, that smells so good.
Could we, like, stop
and get a char siu bao?

Nope.
[Mistral] Forgive Hu.

He doesn't
understand humans.

Or feelings.
Or the modern world.

Or much of anything,
to tell you the truth.
[chuckles]

Boy reeks like armpits
and new magic. Who is he?

He's under my protection.
Our protection.

Zodiacs.

Hmm, so what's
going on here?

The Temple of the Twelve
is inside a freezer? Really?

[chanting in Mandarin]

[chanting continues]

[mumbles]

It's been a minute.

Hey, thanks for the bun.

You needed it. Too skinny!

Oh. She's a frog.

Whoa.

[Sidney] Welcome to
the Temple of the Twelve.

Ooh. So this is like
your magical fortress?

You ain't
seen nothing yet.

[buzzer blaring]
[sighs]

And now, introducing
our starting lineup.

What are we,
a basketball team?

Let Rat do his thing.

Presenting the amazing,

the astonishing Zodiac Warriors!

First up,
here is your wake-up call
from Mr. Early Bird himself...

[crows]

[Sidney] ...Rooster!

Feathers of fury!

Whoa.

Pawing his way into your heart,

you gotta love him,
stinky breath and all,

Dog!

Slobber tsunami!

[Sidney] Next is the big guy,
all muscle and tussle,

the unstoppable Ox!
[bellows]

Put your opposable thumbs up
for the simian sorceress
herself: Monkey!

The lean, mean
shrinking machine!

[chuckles]
[whoops]

She puts the pork in chop
and the belly in flop! Pig!

The ham slam!

Bringing the heat,
she's the maniac of pyro.

Give it up for...
Too hot to handle.

[Sidney] ...Dragon!

That's not bad, actually.
Don't encourage this.

[Sidney]
If you said it, she's heard it.

The adorable Rabbit!

Cute att*ck!

[Sidney]
She's flexible, she's fanged,

and you definitely
don't want to find her
in your sleeping bag!

Snake!

Let's snuggle.

The thoroughbred
of speed: Horse!

Maximum horsepower!

[Sidney]
Our expl*sives expert,

the "baaa" of boom...

[bleats]

[Sidney] Goat!
Whoa.

And he's serious,

he's complicated,
he's selfish...

[chuckles]
[sighs]

That's it. Show's over, Rat.

I'm bringing them in.
[buzzer blares]

Rude.

[Sidney] Huh. That's weird.
Usually there's all 12 of us.

This is it?

This is barely a petting zoo.

Who's the kid?
This is Tom.

He's the Guardian now.
Hey.

New Guardian, huh?
[chuckles]

Are you pulling my feathers?

Look at this kid.
He's barely hatched.

Says a chicken.

I'm a rooster! You hear me?

A rooster!
Will you knock it off?

Last time we clucked,
you said

you could protect the Guardian
all by yourself.

Isn't that right, Goat?

[bleats]
[expl*si*n]

No explosions indoors.

Are you guys gonna help me?
Loo has to pay
for what she's done.

Kid, this isn't about revenge.
That's not what Guardians do.

Well, maybe they should.

You're staying here
in the temple.

We'll deal with Loo.
What? No!

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Did I miss a meeting

where someone
put Mr. Whiskers in charge?

Believe me, drumsticks,
I don't wanna be here
with you either.

Drumsticks?

I'll show you
what drumsticks taste like!

Do I need to knock
you two down a size?

Guys. Hey. Hey!

Fine! If you want me
to show you...

That's adorable.

Not helping, Naomi.

Think you're
so big and tough?

Roosters take out cats
all the time.

Thousands of years old,
and you still behave
like children.

[laughs]
So tiny. And so angry.

You're one peck away from death.
The death peck.

Well, you're lucky
you're not lunch.

Hey! Where's Tom?

Where'd he go? Rabbit?

Okay. I hear running.

Into the alley and--

The kid
totally ghosted us.

Yeah, he's gone.

Come on.
We can't lose him.

[sighs]

[twig snaps]

[squeaks]

Sorry.

Wait, you don't talk too,
do you?

[squeaking]
Of course you don't.

Squirrels don't talk,
just tigers and rats
and monkeys and dragons.

[doorknob rattling]

Whoa!

What the...

[screeches]

Tom!

[Sidney]
If I had known this place

was so nice on the inside,
I would have robbed it
a long time ago.

It's all an illusion.

There's dark fashu
at work here.

[inhales, exhales]

[audio feedback]

Let's split up.
We can cover more ground
that way.

No. We're stronger together.

Fine.
We'll stick together.

But separately.

How is that sticking together?

[audio feedback]
Huh?

["Hello" playing]

Am I the only one
who's hearing this?

Everybody can hear it,
furball!

I'm so happy for you,
but it sounds better
in my ears.

♪ Look at us, yeah
What's your score? ♪

♪ Can't help but look
'Cause we're gonna blow ♪

♪ Jumping the mic
Like it's up in the show ♪

♪ We say hello
Hello, hello, hello ♪

[Sidney]
Man, this is a long hallway!

[bleats]

♪ You lose your mind ♪

♪ We say hello
Hello, hello, hello ♪

♪ Hola, hola, konnichiwa ♪

[Rooster] Goat!

[Naomi] The other Zodiacs!

Loo must have
captured them.

Listen up! My ears got this!

[shouts]

[grunts]

Go! Find the others!

I'm on it.

[clucking]

Okay, umbrella!

Get ready for some wings!

Rav?

Rav?

[grunts]

Tom! Hi. Um...

What are you doing here?

I'm living in here.

Is that a sword you're carrying?
What is this, cosplay?

You never mentioned you lived
in a haunted mansion.

Haunted?
[Loo] Rav.

Aren't you going to introduce me
to your little friend?

Yeah, sorry. This is Tom.

Tom, this is
my foster mother, Loo.

Loo?
[chuckles]

[shouts, screams]

[Rav] Tom! What are you doing?

Hello, Thomas.

You are truly a delight.

What the heck?

What are you?

[chuckles]

Go!

He's wearing a necklace, Rav.
[gasps]

I can't stop!

[Loo] Bring it to me now.

Tom, I--

The necklace, Rav?

He's not wearing one.
What?

He doesn't have anything!
Just let him go!

Enough!

Rav!
Where is the Phoenix?

[Hu] Tom!

Tom!

I've been searching
for the Phoenix
for a thousand years, Thomas.

Tell me where it is,
and I'll spare you.

You and sweet, stupid Rav.

Tell me where it is!

Okay, okay. Please, wait.

Wait.

It's under a rock on my porch.

Wait, wait.
No, no, it's actually
inside my pocket.

Unless it's inside my sock--

You think I'm a fool?

No. For sure it's in my hat.

Wait, I'm not wearing a hat.

[grunts]

Tom!

[grunts]
[roars]

Tiger.

Dragon.

Rat.

Where's Monkey? [cackles]

Ah, perfect.

When the last of you Zodiac
die here with young Thomas,

there will be no one left
to stop me from finding it.

[Zodiacs exclaiming]
[cackles]

[Sidney] What's happening?

Everyone hold on to something!

Whoa!

Ow! Sidney!
Is that my sword?

What?

Uh, everyone can swim, right?

[Sidney] Swim? Yes.
Breathe underwater? No!

[gasping]

[panting]

Guys, I think I found a way out,

but I might be
the only one who can fit.

Oh, I'll make us fit.
Everyone, hold tight!

Come on!

Okay.

[gasping]

Um, Naomi,
does this shrinking spell
have an expiration date?

Holy shrimp fried rice!

I feel so weird.

We may have a problem!

Hurry, Dragon!
Oh.

What?

[all screaming]

[all grunt]

Well done, Naomi.

Guys? Guys?

Anyone?

Tom, I--

Thank you for saving me.

[grunts] I can't see!
It's all darkness!

Oh, is this the end?

Phew! Well, that went great.

[low growling]

[Hu] Yaoguai.

Tom, now this is very important.
Where'd you stash the Phoenix?

Someplace lucky.

I-I hope.

In a bowl of fortune cookies?

Super smart, right?

I guess it's "fortunate"
nobody ate it!

[laughs]
[sighs]

[laughing]

[shrieks, laughs]

I thought it was funny.

[Tom] I've seen place mats
like these all my life.

And the whole time,
they were based on you guys.

Loosely based.

Look at this.

What is this, a sausage?
With legs? [scoffs]

I do not have facial hair.

I do. And I look good.
[chuckling]

[sighs] I miss Pig.

[Sidney] I miss them all.

They're our family.

We gotta save them.

Whatever I need to know
to be a Guardian,
you have to teach me.

Please.

The Guardian always trains
the next Guardian.

[sighs]

Look, the kid's right.

Without Mrs. Lee,
we don't have much choice,
do we?

Your job is to connect
with the Phoenix.

Mistral?

Whoa.

Clear your mind
of all distraction.

In order to see the Phoenix,
you must focus, Tom.

The power of the Phoenix
is the greatest
in this universe.

In the right hands,
it creates.

And in the wrong hands,
like Loo's, it destroys.

So what happens
if she gets it?

She'll unleash its power
on Lunar New Year,

when the chi is
at its most potent.

Then use the Phoenix
to destroy all of humanity

and reign over the world
in darkness for all of eternity.

Okay, that does sound bad.

[Hu] If it were ever unleashed,
no one could touch it
and survive,

not even a Guardian.

But it's okay to wear it
around my neck, though.
Got it.

[Cynthia] Steamed dumplings.
Very delicious.

I'm not hungry.

Eat it!
I mean, mmm.

Tom, pass me the soy sauce.

Without your hands.

How?
Chi lines.

You know, it's like strings
of magical energy
that are everywhere.

You just grab on to one.

Like this.

Oh.

[chuckling] Yo!

[chuckling]

Can you see the Phoenix?

No.

I'm easily scared of everything,

so protection spells
come in handy. [yelps]

Protection spell! [chuckles]

Protection spell.

[gasps]

Nope. Can you teach me
to blast stuff with fashu now?

Wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait.

What did you say?
Fashu.

[laughing]

[Mistral]
Feel the chi inside you.

And let it flow.

Terrible idea.

[laughing]
Fashu?

Fashu.

Yeah, fashu.

Fashu!

Fashu?
[Hu] Your intonation's
all wrong.

No.

[Tom] Yo! Did you see that?

Fan-- Fan-shu.

You just said
"sweet potato"!

"Sweet potato"!

[laughing]

[Tom] Yeah!

[Cynthia] Dessert!

Yes!
[gasps]

Really?
No.

Yeah!

[exclaiming]

[yowls]

[laughs]

[sighs]

All of this amounts to nothing
if you can't see the Phoenix!

Hu.
Whatever!

I'm sorry I can't connect
with the magic bird better, okay?

All the stories Mrs. Lee
told you about the Guardians
and the Zodiac

weren't just
to get you to sleep.

She was teaching you, Tom.

I told you,
I didn't know I--

You don't need to know
to understand.

How about
we all take a break
and cool off.

Fine!

[sighs]

He hates me.

Is that what you think?

Hu gave his life for you.
What?

That night on the bridge.
You were just a baby.

[screams]

[roars]

[grunting]

[Mistral] Hu saved your life
at great cost.

The Ghost Cart
was coming for him.

Only by giving him
a part of her soul,
by joining it with his,

was Mrs. Lee able to save him.

There's a part
of my grandma's soul
inside Hu?

You can see it sometimes.
It's in the eyes.

[Sidney] I'm impressed.
He's really coming along.

It's not enough,
and you know it.

Without a Guardian to teach him
how to connect with the Phoenix,

none of the rest matters.

We're doing our best, Hu.

But we're not Mrs. Lee.

[Hu] I've been watching him
a long time.

You want to know why
he can't connect
with the Phoenix?

'Cause he doesn't know
who he is.

Maybe he never will.

["Void" playing]

♪ Hello, friend from the road ♪

♪ I wanted to write a note ♪

♪ To let you know that
All in all ♪

♪ It ain't all what it seems ♪

♪ I feel like I've hit a low ♪

♪ One I've never hit before ♪

♪ Lately, I been feelin' small
As the salt in the sea ♪

♪ Oh, it's so much to do
In so little of time ♪

♪ I feel like I fell
A little behind ♪

♪ Hold up, hold up, hold up ♪

♪ It seems so out of reach
To place upon the bay ♪

♪ Whoever thought
I'd get there anyway? ♪

♪ Hold up, hold up, hold up ♪

♪ I find it hard to get ♪

♪ Way too hard to live ♪

I'm home, Ah Ma.

I don't understand.

Why didn't you tell me?

How am I supposed to
do this without you?

[floor creaking]
[gasps]

No. No, that's impossible.

Are-- Are you--

Is it really you?

Did you think they could
get rid of me that easily?

Ah Ma.

What happened?
Where did you go?

A bedtime story for later.

Now tell me,
do you still have my necklace?

[chuckles]

You never should have
given it to me.

I am no Guardian.
I can't even see the Phoenix.

It's okay, Tom.
Everything's going to be okay.

I'll take it now.

[Rav] It's not her!

[Tom] No!

[gasps]
[Tom] Leave her alone!

Oh, look at you.
Somebody's been learning.

And you. So ungrateful.

You disappoint your Mama Loo.

Yeah?
You were a terrible mom!

[screams]

And your cooking sucked!
Let's go!

Go, go, go!
Okay!

[exclaims]
[grunts]

[grunting]

[cackles]

Thank you, Thomas.

I can't believe
he did this again.

Why does he keep
running away from me?

Oh, does he? Or do you keep
pushing him away? Hmm?

That's not true at all.
Oh, really?

I've had about enough of--
Ha!

Typical cat behavior.

What? I don't--

Fiercely independent?
Territorial?

Should I even mention
the excessive grooming?

Hey.
A cat won't come to you
when you call them.

They want everything
on their own terms,
when it suits them,

even with the people
they truly care about.

Am I wrong?

No.

I pushed them all away.

Tom, the Zodiac,
you probably the most.

But you wouldn't
leave me, Dragon.

Why is that?

[sighs]
I guess I'm just a cat person.

[door opening]

Tom!

I lost it.

Loo has the Phoenix.

[gasps]

[sighs]

[sighs]

I thought
maybe if I went back
to our house,

I could understand
why she didn't tell me,

and I just found this.

Wow. I gave that to you
when you were just a baby.

You did?

I've been watching over you
your whole life.

Ever since that night
on the bridge.

We knew
Loo would be back.

So your grandma and I
decided to hide you,
to protect the bloodline.

And it worked--

Until I threw that kid
into the ceiling?

And pulled down
the protective charms.
But you didn't know.

I let Loo take the Phoenix.

That's on me.
[clicks tongue]

I'm sorry I wasn't
the best mentor.

But what I'm finally realizing
after a thousand years

is what matters most,

and that's how
you move forward.

I don't know if I can be
who you need me to be.

You already are.

It's in your blood.

You come
from a thousand generations
of Guardians, Tom.

Your grandma
gave you the necklace.

She believed in you.

All right.

How do we find Loo?

We find the Phoenix.

[crowd chattering]

Loo's waiting for sundown,
when the energy is at its peak.

[cheering]

[Hu] All right,
reach out and find that Phoenix.

[screams]
It's too much.

Tom, focus.

I can't. I'm losing it.

Just breathe.
Find something to hold on to,
something to anchor yourself.

It's okay. You're okay.

Loo!

Thomas, just like
your grandmother.

Persistent to the end.

[crowd screaming]

Whoa!

Hey!

[retches]

Face full of monkey paw!

Tear the animals apart.

Naughty, naughty yaoguai!

Oh, now your hand
is a dumpling!

Mind if I borrow this?
Huh?

Bye. Thanks!

Yeah!

[roars]

[screams, yelps]

Protection spell!

[Loo] Protection spell?
[cackles]

If only you were there
to protect your grandmother.

[roars] Monster!

Hang on!

No!

[Mrs. Lee] Ah Tom.

Ah Ma.

Tom!

Tom!

[cackles]
No! [shouts]

Hu!

I just can't seem
to stop taking away

all the people you care about.

[grunts]

[yelps]

Poor Thomas.

Do you know why
I didn't k*ll you
that night on the bridge?

Even then,
I saw it in your eyes.

You were no thr*at,
because you were no Guardian.

No, that's just another lie.
Hu saved me that night.

Well, where's
your tiger now?

Hey! Loo's umbrella!

Quick, grab it!
We gotta free the other Zodiacs!

This is crazy! This is crazy!

I got it. I got it.

No!

I got it!
Chasing an evil umbrella
through a swarm of monsters.

This is fine!

Naomi! A little help here.

[screams]

This is how you help?

You have no idea
how long I've waited
for this moment.

With the power of the Phoenix,
I can remake the world

without humans,

and I've saved you
a front-row seat.

[crowd grunting]

Anytime, Naomi!

Let my friends go,
you stupid umbrella!

[chanting in Mandarin]

All right, Zodiacs.
We got a Guardian to protect!
Together.

Let's do this!

[bleats]

Tom? [gasps]

No. No!

Look at it, Thomas.
Isn't it beautiful?

We're coming, kid!

[Horse]
Way ahead of you, Tiger!

Giddyap! [laughing]

I'll show you who's in charge!

Cannonball!

[Dog barking]

Throw me another one!

Yeah, that's right.

Can you hear that?

[bleats]

Hu! Yeah! Zodiac up!

Whoa.

[screams]

Whee!

Whoa!

Monkey foot!
[screams]

[crows]

Hi-yah!

Goat!

[chuckles]

[grunts]

[cackles]

You're too late!

Enough!

Now I end this
once and for all.

Come, Thomas.

You can die fighting

just like your grandmother did.

[cackles]

We don't need to fight.

What do you think
you're doing, boy?

We don't need these.

We need this.

And this.

I understand now, Ah Ma.

Come, boy. Fight me.

Tom.

I see the Phoenix.

No!

[screaming]

Shh. Hey.

It's okay.

I'm here to protect you.

In your hands,
the Phoenix destroys!

No!

But in the right hands...

[groaning]

[sighs]

[sighs]

Tom! Wake up!

Tom, do you hear me?

Guys, he's not breathing.

[whimpers]
[sniffles]

Tom?

Come on, stay with us, buddy.

No. No!

We just can't let him die.

Nu Kua?

Do it.

Okay, quick!

It's gonna take
all of us together.

Thank you, my friends.

Empress! I seek your help!

Empress!

My apprentice,
he sacrificed himself
to save the mortals.

[Nu Kua]
The boy is beyond healing.

[Hu] But not beyond saving.

Look down, Tiger.
Tell me, what do you see?

Water. An ocean.

[Nu Kua] The Sea of Tears,
where all souls go at the end.

Take mine instead.

Merge our souls
as Mrs. Lee did for me!

You could die
along with him.

I'm not afraid.

I see that.

Your spirit has never
been subtle, Tiger.

[sighs]

Repeat these words.

"With my blood, I join you."

With my blood, I join you.

"With my breath, I bind you."

With my breath,
I bind you. [roars]

[sighs] Hey, kid.

What happened to you?

What do you know?

I guess a tiger
can change his stripes!

Great.
Now I'm gonna be hearing
that one forever.

So you couldn't
let me die, huh?

Yeah, let's not make
some big fuss about it.

[Hu] Thomas Lee,

we name you Guardian.

[cheering]

Nice work.
Congratulations.

You're gonna do great, kid,
the sooner you listen
to everything that I say.

They grow up so fast.

[blows nose, sobs]

Is he your fiancé?

What? No.
We're in high school.

[chuckling]
It's not too late.

There's just one more thing
I have for you.

A sacred gift.

Uh, cool. It's empty.

What?

Hmm, okay, okay.

It's like a metaphor,
isn't it?

Sid.

What? Oh, sure, blame the rat.
I see how it is. [exclaims]

I have no idea
how it got there.

I-I-I made you a key
to my shop.

That's your sacred gift?

I figured you've got
more training to do and you're
gonna need somewhere to stay,

so maybe it would make sense
if you, I don't know,
consider it your--

Home?

Yeah. I mean, if you want.

Well, I do have
a piece of your soul in me,

so I guess that
kind of makes us family.

[chuckling]

Okay, I knew we were
gonna need tissues.
You big softy.

I'm proud of you, Hu.

It's whatever they're
putting in the incense
these days.

Yeah. Good cover.

I get that you're,
like, old-school,

but it's okay
to have emotions.

[titters]

You're about to see
some emotions, apprentice.

Apprentice? Guardian.

You've still got a lot
to learn. [chuckles]

[chuckles] I'm sorry.

Were you the one who grabbed
the actual Phoenix
and saved the world?

I don't think so!
[Hu] I'm the one who saved
your sorry butt over and over.

[Tom] Did I ask for your help?
I had it back there.

["Eye of the Tiger" playing]

[Tom] "Eye of the Tiger"?
You gotta be kidding me.

[Hu]
It's a classic.

[Tom] That's not the point.
[Hu] What?

You're a tiger.
So what?

[Tom] Are you really not
understanding how this is--

[Hu] This song is
written for me.
[Tom] Let me just--

Do not touch that.
Just let me play my music.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah. That's my jam.

You really need to get out more.

And you need more training.

Whoa! [screams]

Okay, hold on!

Hu enjoys this
far too much.

Five bucks
the kid aces it.

You're on.

Just FYI,
I don't have money.

Whoa. Hey,
what are you doing? [screams]

Whoa! Stop!
No! Wait! Hey. No. No.

[gasping]

[shouts, grunts]

Cool.

Okay, we're not sharing
the same litter box.

["Eye of the Tiger" continues]

♪ Rising up
Back on the street ♪

♪ Did my time, took my chances ♪

♪ Fly away
Now I'm back on my feet ♪

♪ And that keeps me dancing ♪

♪ So many times
It can happen too fast ♪

♪ Change your passion
For glory ♪

♪ Don't lose your grip ♪

♪ On the dreams of your past ♪

♪ You gotta tell them
To instruct me ♪

♪ It's the eye of the tiger
It's the thrill of the fight ♪

♪ Moving to the pulse
Of our rivals ♪

♪ If they come to me
In the middle of the night ♪

♪ I'll be watching
With all of the eye ♪

♪ Of the tiger ♪

♪ Of the tiger ♪

♪ Of the tiger ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Of the tiger ♪

♪ Fly high
I feel like I'm on top
Of the world ♪

♪ In the sky, yeah ♪

♪ Feel like I'm on top
Of the world ♪

♪ Can't deny I feel like
I'm on top of the world ♪

♪ Fly high
I feel like I'm on top
Of the world ♪

♪ In the sky, yeah
Feel like I'm on top
Of the world ♪

♪ Can't deny I feel like
I'm on top of the world ♪

♪ I survive 'cause I ♪

♪ Came from the bottom
Now I'm on the mountaintop ♪

♪ Came from struggle
One that caught me ♪

♪ Now, like rock 'n' roll
I rock it ♪

♪ This is all I got
I don't need to be specific ♪

♪ Want the stars on my spaceship
Feeling futuristic, ah ♪

♪ I like nice things
They like me too ♪

♪ I dream so sweet
I feel so new ♪

♪ It's what I say
When I want you ♪

♪ Fly high
I feel like I'm on top
Of the world ♪

♪ In the sky, yeah
Feel like I'm on top
Of the world ♪

♪ Can't deny I feel like
I'm on top of the world ♪

♪ I survive 'cause I feel
Like I'm on top of the world ♪

♪ I don't really care
What they say about me ♪

♪ Leave 'em like the seas
I'll whoa, whoa ♪

♪ I don't really care
What they say about me ♪

♪ Leave 'em like the seas
I'll ♪

♪ Feel like
I'm on top of the world ♪

["Pleasures" playing]