Moana 2 is now streaming on Disney +, so today I sat down and indulged in some beautiful animation instead of doing responsible adult chores. I laughed, I cried, I was uplifted and deeply moved. I did NOT expect another out-of-the-ballpark home run for Disney. But WOW. This is only the second time in my life that the sequel is better than the original. And in Frozen fashion our beautiful heroine is transformed by the end of the movie.
Warning there are spoilers in this article. So if you haven’t seen the movie yet, run over to the TV and watch so we can sit down and chat. Because boy oh BOY, I wanna chat about this movie!
Moana answers the Ancestor’s call
My first moving moment was when Moana’s mother spoke to her as she was feeling overwhelmed at the idea of traveling to the other end of the ocean. Moana has become a Wayfinder. But she is elevated to a new position as Tautai, or the chief Wayfinder. The Tautai is responsible for teaching others how to explore the sea.
There hasn’t been a Tautai for her people for a thousand years. And the last Tautai never came home. So it’s a pretty big thing. Anyway, Moana’s mother said, “For some things, we never feel ready.” Mike drop moment, because that hit home for me. YES, when duty calls, or when divinity calls, you can’t be ready for it you just have to be ready to act.
Setting Sail
And of course, Moana acted. She assembles an adorable, quirky crew who help her travel across the ocean to defeat an evil being set on the destruction of all humans. Her goal is to free this magical island so all the currents that connect the ocean can open, allowing all people to unite like they did a thousand years ago. The theme that we are all connected is beautifully woven throughout the film. There is a point when someone says that if they don’t connect the whole human family they are facing their end.
Does that sound familiar to you? It does to me! I think of Geneology and this scripture from Doctrine & Covenants 2:2-3.
2 And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.
3 If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
In case you’re not drawing the same conclusion, I’m referring to genealogy connecting the whole human family to our ancestors. Moana is answering the call of her ancestors as she sets sail to find the lost island of Motufetu. It’s not just lost, it’s in a cursed ocean. And it’s surrounded by an intense storm, and it’s been sunk to the bottom of the ocean. I honestly can’t imagine anything more difficult than reaching this island.
Originally the plan is to follow the fire in the sky. That symbolism reminds me of the tribes of Israel as they journeyed in the wilderness. During the day the Lord used a pillar of smoke to guide them. And at night it was a pillar of fire that marked the path they should travel. For Moana, it’s a comet that streaks in the direction of Motufetu.
Unlikely Allies
They haven’t been sailing long when they come across the Kakamora, the coconut pirates from the last movie. And in a twist, I was not expecting, they discover the Kakamora have been searching for their home all this time. So Moana and her crew team up with the adorable and hilarious Kakamora to find the lost island of Motufetu.
All this time Maui has been held captive by a mysterious woman in an underwater place. We soon find out that it’s the giant clam the Kakamora have been fighting that houses Maui’s prison. And as the boat crashes into the whirlpool in the clam, Moana is separated from her crew. As the crew finds and frees Maui, Moana is meeting with the mysterious lady who seems to run the place. She gets amazing advice when she is instructed to look at things differently when trying to solve a problem.
Maui joins Moana and her crew as they escape the giant clam, and Maui comes up with a plan. He will pull the island of Motufetu up from the bottom of the ocean, and one of the humans will touch it. Because when a human touches Motufetu’s shores again the curse will be broken. But the storm is much bigger than they expect, and it seems to regenerate and target the humans. Then Moana gets a brilliant idea. She thinks of things differently, and decides instead of having Maui lift the island out of the ocean so she can touch it, she will go underwater and touch it where it sits.
Moana 2 Final battle
In a harrowing scene of lightning and storms, Moana makes it to the bottom and touches the tip of Motufetu just as lightning from the evil storm strikes her. Instantly everything changes. The ocean is no longer cursed and can be her friend again. The storm disappears, and Maui (who has lost his powers and his magic tattoos during this awful battle) dives into the ocean to get to Moana.
Sadly the lightning has done its job, and Moana is dead. The ocean forms a bubble around Maui and Moana as he gently picks her up and cries. Then we hear singing, and her ancestors appear out of the ocean. There are dozens of them and they form a spiral around Moana and Maui. Suddenly a bright light comes from the ocean, and travels through the ancestors and we see Moana begin to glow. Glowing tattoos appear on her arm, and she wakes up.
Maui’s magic fish hook flies toward him, and as he catches it his tattoos return and he glows too. Then Moana’s oar flies to her, and as she takes it, glowing symbols appear all over the oar. Moana has become a demi-god like Maui! What? I was NOT expecting that. What a beautiful symbol that we grow and become stronger as we overcome challenges. And what an amazing gift to be granted by her ancestors.
Triumphant Return
Then Maui lifts the island of Motufetu out of the ocean and you see the currents glow and spread over the entire ocean. And almost immediately boats with people appear on the horizon, showing Moana is not the only one seeking others. The movie ends as Moana brings all these lost tribes home to her family. The lost tribes remind me of the lost tribes of Israel discussed in the scriptures. I am sure we will celebrate as Moana did when they are discovered one day.
After the credits you see the evil being and the lady from the clam who was holding Maui prisoner discussing Moana. I have a feeling there will be a Moana 3, and that Moana and Maui will become a powerhouse team of demi-gods that fight evil. I love this movie. And I love how we see Moana growing in responsibilities and powers.
The eternal parallels to our growth and eternal journey are so beautiful. I want to tell all my friends to watch this movie. My heart is so full and I am so proud of Disney and their writers for finding a truly meaningful and rich storyline. I loved the first Moana movie, but Moana 2 is a cut above. You won’t be disappointed.
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