Dynasty Warriors plot summary
Set during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Dynasty Warriors boasts an epic story of warring kingdoms and the struggle for power. Underlying all this is the ambitious and opportunistic Dong Zhuo.
Determined to overthrow his evil rule, Cao Cao plans a conspiracy that ultimately goes wrong. He escapes and is determined to get his revenge.
In parallel, there are three noble and formidable warriors - Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Together, they decide to help Cao Cao overthrow the evil dictator and restore balance to the Han Dynasty.
Which army wins at Hulao Pass?
As the battle lines are drawn, a devastating battle ensues during the film's final act. Dong Zhuo sends his right-hand man Hua Xiong with an impressive number of infantry to meet the rebels on the battlefield.
As the fighting begins, Hua Xiong kills a number of rebel warlords. As the soldiers are in fear, it is left to Guan Yu to fight him. Quan defeats Hua Xiong, but the damage is already done.
General Lu Bu appears at Hulao Pass to confront the rebels. The royal army's manpower also struck, triggering a three-on-one battle.
Lu Bu fights in a deep abyss with three brothers who match him to strike them down. However, he suddenly backs out at the last moment, promising to meet the brothers again in the future.
Was Dong Zhuo killed in battle?
King Dong Zhuo escapes from the Royal Palace in Luoyang. She also takes the young Princess Khan with her, along with Diao Chan, whom she wants to marry. This also explains why Lu Bu left. Dong Zhuo destroys Luoyang before leaving.
In Dong Zhuo's absence, Sun Jian lets greed get the better of him, and he captures the Imperial Jade Seal to become the next Grand Commander. In doing so, this deprives Dong Zhuo of his claim to the throne.
Despite his banishment, it's fair to say this isn't the last we'll see of the warlord.
What's going on with Cao Cao? Does he get his revenge?
While most of the characters are pretty one-dimensional when it comes to their motivations, Cao Cao is one of the deeper and more complex characters.
Cao Cao actually plays the antihero archetype. He is morally corrupt and out for revenge. Even after killing his father's blood brother's family, he is unrepentant and focused on stopping Dong Zhuo.
However, given that Dong Zhuo had escaped and was currently hiding, he still had not been successful in his search.
How does Dynasty Warriors 2 set up?
During the film's epilogue, we flash forward several years later. General Cao Cao arrives to meet Liu Bei at the beach. There they discuss the current state of the country and who among them is the real hero.
18 warlords have so far returned home, intending to increase their power and profit from this period of crisis.
As the film ends, Cao Cao leaves and mumbles his intentions. He realizes that the only way to achieve peace is to conquer. This forms the story of the three Kingdoms.
We've already seen snippets of this throughout the film, but given that this story is regarded as one of the great Chinese literary masterpieces, it certainly has big shoes to fill. If they greenlight a sequel, we could see more of this Three Kingdoms story with the rise of Jin.