The story begins in China, where Jet Li plays a Chinese emperor (or general) from 200 BC who, because of his cruelty, is cursed by a witch (played by Michelle Yeoh). He and his army are transformed into terracotta warriors, sealed underground, waiting to be awakened. By 1946, Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn (Maria Bello) are given their "final mission" - to return a precious artifact stolen from the Shanghai Museum in China to its rightful owner. At this time, their son Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford) has grown up and, without his parents' knowledge, has followed in his father's footsteps to become an archaeologist, currently conducting archaeological excavations in China.