Warning! Spoilers for Moana 2 ahead!
Moana gets a vision in Moana 2 that sets her on a journey to the mysterious island of Motufetū—but what does all this mean? The 2024 sequel picks up a handful of years after Moana’s original adventure to restore the Heart of Te Fiti and sees the hero of Motunui face a far more dangerous challenge than ever before. It quickly becomes clear that, to save her people, Moana must lose herself entirely and become something new, and the true test is whether she would be willing to do so. This all started with a vision she received in Moana 2 when she became Motunui’s official Tautai.
Between Moana and Moana 2, the titular hero had begun exploring the ocean in search of other islands and villages. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had any luck. Moana knew there must be more people out there, but any islands she discovered were void of human life. However, when she found a jar depicting an island full of people below a constellation, Moana regained hope. Still, it wasn’t until she went through the ceremony to become Motunui’s Tautai—lead Wayfinder—that Moana understood what this island truly was and how its mysterious curse would impact her village.
The Lost Island Of Motufetū Explained
This Hidden Island Is Meant To Connect All The Others
When Moana was dubbed Tautai, she received a vision from her ancestor explaining lost island’s significance. It was called Motufetū, which translates from Samoan to mean “Star Island.” A thousand years before the start of the first Moana movie, Motufetū served as the central hub of all the Pacific islands. It connected the people and their various islands and allowed them to travel from place to place. It’s implied that this was pivotal to the people’s survival, so when the god Nalo sank Motufetū and placed a curse upon the island, everyone became magically separated.
It’s because of this that Moana was unable to reach any other inhabited islands during her years of travel. Motufetū has intersecting lines that divide dozens of pie-wedge sectors, each containing separate islands and villages. With the hub island sunk, sailors like Moana were unable to cross into other sectors and were instead restricted to their own area of the ocean. They could not trade knowledge or supplies or feed that desire to exchange with different people and create a broadened sense of community. Without this, Moana’s island was doomed to eventually die out, and it was up to her to stop it.
Why Nalo Sank Motufetū To The Bottom Of The Ocean
The God Of Lightning, Nalo, Wanted More Power
Nalo is the god of storms and lightning in Moana 2. He is described as vengeful and envious and seems to have a deep dislike for humans. Nalo believed that keeping humans separated would increase his own power, though precisely why is never fully explained in Moana. Still, this likely has something to do with the sense of unity that comes from the islands of the Pacific Ocean remaining connected by Motufetū. There is clearly power involved in these villages remaining unified, and this seemed to be something that Nalo felt threatened by.
There is a lot of room left after the end of Moana 2 to further explore Nalo and his motivations. The sequel’s mid-credits scene shows this god in the flesh, enraged that Moana had somehow managed to break the curse he had placed on Motufetū. He also exclaims that he is only just getting started with his villainy, so it’s likely Disney will produce more Moana sequels or spinoffs to break down Nalo’s story further. Perhaps then, it will become a bit clearer why Nalo was so determined to keep the people of the Pacific separated. For now, it can be attributed to his own desire for power.
Moana’s Vision Of Tautai Vasa Led Her To Motufetū
Moana Learned Her Destiny From Her Ancestor
Moana was called to break the curse of Motufetū when she received a vision from one of her ancestors, Tautai Vasa. This same ancient chief was seen in the first Moana movie, and the sequel revealed that he carried the title of Tautai before the village of Motunui hid all their boats away following the theft of Te Fiti’s heart. When Moana became a wayfinder, her father, Cheif Tui, decided it was time for his daughter to become Motunui’s Tautai. So, they held a ceremony in which Moana was officially given this honor—and the door was opened for her next big journey.
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Moana was struck by lightning during her ceremony, and in the brief moment she was unconscious, Tautai Vasa appeared to her. He explained how to find Motufetū and showed her precisely what would happen to Motunui if she failed. Vasa also made it clear that his mission would be far beyond Moana’s previous journey. It’s implied that this ancestor’s own attempt to break Nalo’s curse on Motufetū claimed his life, and Moana is aware that this is precisely what was at stake as well. Still, she knew she had to try, and though Moana was successful, she technically lost everything in the effort.
How Moana Broke The Curse Of Motufetū
Moana’s Success Came At A Cost In Moana 2
With the help of her crew, Maui, and the surprising anti-villain Matangi, Moana successfully reached the island of Motufetū. The initial plan was for Maui to pull the island from the sea so Moana could set foot on it, thus breaking the curse. However, Nalo wouldn’t allow this. Maui lost his powers as a demigod in the effort and was lost to the waves, and Moana quickly realized that she would have to follow Matangi’s advice and “get lost” if she hoped to achieve her goal. So, she dived into the water and swam deep for the sunken island, knowing she likely wouldn’t return to the surface.\
She dived into the water and swam deep for the sunken island, knowing she likely wouldn’t return to the surface.
Moana’s self-sacrifice allowed her to successfully break Nalo’s curse, and she lost her life just as Tautai Vasa warned. However, Moana’s efforts were rewarded when all her ancestors, including Gramma Tala, came together to bring her back. Though it’s never explicitly stated (Maui interrupts Moana before she can say the words), it’s implied that Moana has been resurrected as a demigod, just as Maui had been when he was tossed into the sea as an infant. With her newly earned tattoo and Maui’s restored powers, Motufetū was pulled from the sea, and the islands of the Pacific were finally reunited in Moana 2—a happy ending.
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
- Director
- David G. Derrick Jr. , Jason Hand , Dana Ledoux Miller
- Release Date
- November 27, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Walt Disney Pictures , Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Distributor(s)
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Writers
- Dana Ledoux Miller , Jared Bush , Jason Hand , Ron Clements , John Musker
- Cast
- Auli’i Cravalho , Dwayne Johnson , Alan Tudyk , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Nicole Scherzinger , Hualālai Chung , David Fane , Rose Matafeo , Awhimai Fraser , Gerald Ramsey , Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda
- Character(s)
- Moana , Maui , Hei Hei , Tala , Chief Tui , Sina , Moni , Kele , Loto , Matangi , Tautai Vasa , Simea
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes