Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2” is finally here.
The sequel to 2016’s Oscar-nominated animated musical sees Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) venturing out on an even-more-dangerous mission – to find a mythical island called Motufetū that has been shrouded by a demigod’s curse. If she can get to the island, she thinks she can open up the channels between her home and everyone else out there (actually based on historical occurrences). She assembles a larger crew, with both Hei Hei and Pua on the journey, and, of course, Maui (Dwayne Johnson) also shows up to help the cause.
This being a Disney animated movie, there is of surely a happy ending. But there’s a mid-credits sequence that does throw into question just how happy that ending really is.
Let’s get into what the mid-credits sequence means and how it could impact future installments of Disney’s seafaring franchise.
The biggest and most major of spoiler warnings. Do not proceed unless you have seen the movie. If we could somehow conjure a mythological storm to keep you from reading (until you’ve watched the movie), we would.
Just to get caught up, what happens at the end of the movie?
A lot, actually! They defeat the monster storm and the demigod (Nalo) that has been keeping the island secret for all of these years. As it turns out, he’s not only encased the area in endless storms, but he’s also sunk the island to the bottom of the ocean. Moana helps break the curse by diving down and touching the island; Maui then uses his magic hook to lift it out of the sea (in a fun callback to the first movie, he lassos the sun to help out).
During all of this, Moana tragically dies — but she’s visited by the ghosts of her ancestors, who turn her into a demigod. Her paddle becomes embroidered with magic, just like Maui’s hook. And she even gets some killer tattoos, which depict Motufetū.
The island, now on top of the water, starts attracting voyagers and wayfarers from different islands; Moana is responsible for connecting disparate tribes from different areas. At the end of the movie, she is setting out with Maui to discover even more islands and bring the world closer together. She is Moana, after all!
OK, so what happens in the mid-credits scene?
The mid-credits sequence opens with Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), a woman who can control bats and who was, at least initially, presented as one of the main villains of “Moana 2.” She keeps Maui as a prisoner and doesn’t allow him to access his magic hook. We later learn that she too is a captive – of Nalo. And she gives Moana some sage advice (through the song, “Get Lost”): When it seems like you’ve hit a wall, there’s always another way to get through.
Anyway, she is there with her magical handcuffs on, demanding that Nalo let her go. Somebody broke the spell … that should mean she can leave. But he says no, he’s got bigger plans for her. This isn’t the end, he suggests – merely the beginning.
The moment is set-up like one of the early Marvel Studios post-credits scenes that introduced Thanos as the big bad for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nalo is scheming in a similar fashion (it should be noted this is the first time we see Nalo in the flesh; up until this point, he’s just been a giant storm hovering over the horizon).
But before the scene can end, we get a brief cameo from one of our favorite “Moana” villains – Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement), the giant crab who is obsessed with “shiny” things. He suggests that he also would like to deliver some expertly timed payback for Moana and Maui. Tamatoa has also been attempting to rebuild his collection of objects that adorn his back, but they are all skeletal remains and brittle pieces of ships, which fall apart as he climbs up on the platform that Nalo and Matangi are on. He then threatens to sing a new song (he’s cut short).
The implication of the scene is that Moana and Maui’s foes are united for revenge. Eep!
Will there be a “Moana 3?”
Disney hasn’t formally announced anything about another sequel, but if the box office is any indication it would not be a surprise.
Does this suggest that “Moana 3” is setting up a battle of the demigods?
It very well could be! We do hope it is something more personal, since it’s hard to relate to a bunch of demigods battling it out. But we are looking forward to more Tamatoa either way.
“Moana 2” is now playing in theaters.
