Why does Mei keep her Panda Form in ‘Turning Red’?

So I still have a headache from all the tears I shed watching Turning Red, although some may have headaches from unanswered questions. After all, the main conflict in the story—the Panda Form—was resolved in a somewhat atypical way: instead of getting rid of it, Mei kept it. Some viewers might be wondering, After all that mess, she wants to KEEP IT?

And while that’s a reasonable enough conclusion to come to, they’re ultimately missing the point of the movie. Mei’s panda form wasn’t a problem in and of itself. The problem was the repression of her true self, and how familial expectations were actively harming her through this repression.

She was happier and livelier as a Panda Girl, to the point where even her friends noticed and pointed it out (Miriam in particular was the OG). When Mei was using her panda self, she was more confident, outgoing, and carefree, and she actively partook in things she enjoyed. Conversely, while trying to repress the panda, she both literally and figuratively harmed herself, whether it be through calming her nerves unnecessarily (seriously, who needs to repress their love for kittens?), or physically throwing herself against a wall.

So why did she keep her panda form? Because it meant she got to embrace her true self. And this means a lot of things in the context of the movie: she embraced her quirkiness, her budding sexuality (yes, girls go through puberty too, get over it), and her independence as an individual separate from her family. And although it scared her to admit it, ultimately she knew it was what she had to do.

And we all have to go through that eventually, don’t we?

(Featured Image: Disney/Pixar)