Gramma Tala finds Moana on the beach after she tries to sail past the reef only to become shipwrecked back home and shows Moana a secret cave hidden behind a waterfall. Tala then gives Moana the heart of Te Fiti after showing her the curse of draining life away from trees and the island itself, saying that it is the only way to save her people. She goes to her father and tells him what Tala told her, but he doesn’t listen and sees it as another excuse for her to leave the island.

• Te Fiti’s heart, a small pounamu stone, was sought after by the monstrous forces of the sea, until it was stolen by the demigod Maui.
• Growing up, Moana would hear stories of the demigod Maui from Gramma Tala, including how his theft of the Heart of Te Fiti plagued the world under a deadly curse by the lava demon, Te Ka.
• As a result, a lava demon known as Te Kā swore vengeance and plunged the world into a slow-burning darkness.
• Through her teachings, Moana learns the significance of their voyaging heritage.
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• Upon being unable to find Te Fiti, Moana realizes Te Kā is Te Fiti, but corrupted without her heart.
• She further explains that despite this, she pushes herself in order to save her dying island, though she can only do so with Maui’s help.

Role in the Film

When asked why their voyaging stopped, Tala explains that it was Maui’s doing, referring to his crime of stealing Te Fiti’s heart, which filled the seas with monsters and demons. Tala reveals that she was there the day the ocean chose Moana and gave her the heart of Te Fiti, and still has it in her possession. Not knowing how to sail, Moana rushes to her people and asks for their assistance in restoring the heart. She reunites with her parents, with Tui now accepting that going past the reef suits her.

This series is…

Matangi aids Moana as Nalo being defeated means she can be free from the clam she is in. She reveals she has Maui and had him here to assure her and Moana would reunite, before sending them to where they have to go. After arriving at Maui’s Island by surviving a storm, Moana met the demigod and tried to speak with him, only to find he was egotistic, arrogant, and boisterous. Maui’s narcissism and arrogance immediately disgusted Moana and though she was amazed to learn of the benefits Maui offered to mankind, she was angered when the demigod tricked and trapped her in a cave in order to steal her boat. Upon escaping the cave and being helped by Ocean to desperately get back to her boat, Moana angrily confronted Maui, who continuously threw her off the boat, only for Ocean to repeatedly put her back on it. When Moana revealed the Heart of Te Fiti to Maui, she was amused to discover he was traumatized by the sight of it.

Animation

The wave created by the powerful impact drives Moana and Maui far from Te Fiti’s shores. After they recover, Maui confronts Moana on her recklessness, which severely damaged his fishhook. Maui refuses to return to Te Kā, instead suggesting they part ways, as all hope is lost with his Moana fishhook in such critical condition. Moana stands her ground at the thought of backing down and tearfully tries to force him to stay, only to be met with rejection and coldness from Maui, who tells her the ocean “chose wrong” when it chose her.

Gramma Tala

Moana places the heart into the spiral on Te Kā’s chest, and the lava monster’s crust crumbles away, revealing the lush and radiant Te Fiti. In the first film, Moana is slim yet slightly muscular, with brown skin, brown eyes, a small nose and waist-length wavy black hair. Her clothing consists of a coconut fibre skirt, mainly beige with golden sun patterns and a red sash around her waist. She wears a cropped red tube top around her upper torso, starting below her arms and ending above her midriff, complete with two strings of cowrie shells wrapped around her. On her neck she wears a necklace of beads, complete with a blue gemstone locket that holds the heart of Te Fiti. Her hair also appears to be a little bit longer and some of it is in front of her face now.

Maui

Maui, also regaining his powers as a demigod, finally raises Motufetu and helps Moana reconnect the people with the ocean. After returning the Heart of Te Fiti to the mother goddess, saving Motunui and every other island from dying, Moana returns home where she happily reunites with her mother. Later, when Moana becomes chief, she and her mother lead their people in voyaging across the seas where Moana teaches her mother how to tie ropes to the mast of a boat.

Moana 2

She also wears the same outfit from the first film, but the top of her red tube top switched to white single strap top and the sun patterns on her skirt switched to a new pattern. It features a white top with a pattern on it, a red skirt with the same pattern with a coconut fiber skirt. After Moana gets struck by lightning, her ancestors revive her as a demigoddess and give her a magical tattoo. Moana tries conquering the reef, but is overpowered by the tides and shipwrecked. That afternoon, Moana’s grandmother Tala shows her a secret cavern of ships and reveals Motunui’s people were voyagers until Maui stole Te Fiti’s heart; the ocean was no longer safe without it.

• When the Kakamora captured Heihei due to the chicken accidentally eating the Heart, Moana begged Maui to help rescue him, but the demigod refused, prompting Moana to rescue Heihei and recover the Heart herself.
• This era is filled with myths and legends that influence the lives of the islanders, showcasing a world where the brave venture beyond the reef to explore.
• Moana reluctantly accepts her grandmother’s dying wish, packs supplies, and takes one of her ancestor’s boats.
• Moana is overjoyed to learn that her ancestors were mighty navigators and voyagers.
• She uses her wits and agility to escape, and catches up to Maui with the help of the ocean.
• Landing back on the boat, Maui urges Moana to turn back for their own safety, but Moana refuses, unwilling to back away after coming so close to accomplishing their goal.

The movie unfolds in a time where ancient Polynesian navigation and traditions are at the forefront, reflecting the importance of the ocean in their culture. This era is filled with myths and legends that influence the lives of the islanders, showcasing a world where the brave venture beyond the reef to explore. While navigating treacherous waters, Moana and Maui face a crew of mischievous coconut pirates known as the Kakamora. This confrontation strengthens their partnership as Maui begins to train Moana in navigation.
Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi, the composers and co-songwriters of the first film, returned to score and write the songs, while Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear provided additional songs. A “meta” version of the character appears with other Disney princesses and Elsa and Anna from Frozen (2013) in the Wreck-It Ralph (2012) sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). When some of the princesses describe to Vanellope von Schweetz how they stare at “important water” to gain inspiration for their songs, Moana says she stares at the ocean. Later, when Ralph is falling from a tower and needs saving by the princesses, Moana causes water from a fountain to spiral upwards so that Elsa can freeze it into a slide to slow Ralph’s fall, saying “You’re Welcome” after saving him. After restoring the Heart of Te Fiti and saving Polynesia, including Motunui, from Te Ka’s curse, Moana happily reunited with Pua upon returning to Motunui.