What you need to consider with “Moana 2”.

What you need to consider with “Moana 2”.

Make room, make room! Moana is back in Disney’s latest sequel, Moana 2, embarking on an all-new adventure. But there are definitely some things from the first film that you might want to keep in mind.

The first film is now streaming on Disney+ – in fact, it’s the service’s most streamed title to date – and centers on Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), a young girl from Motonui who becomes a hero to her people. The sequel doesn’t require you to have seen the first part, but there are a few parts that might be helpful.

If you don’t have time (or perhaps don’t feel like it) to watch the film again before heading to the cinema, we’ve rounded up the pieces for you.

Moana’s pioneering roots

Moana has always been drawn to the sea, much to the chagrin of her father, the chief. He considers the sea too dangerous to explore and always discourages his daughter and his people from going beyond the reef.

But as the island’s food supply runs out, Moana’s grandmother informs her that Te Fiti, the goddess responsible for the creation of life, is herself dying, having had her heart taken away (more on that in a moment). Gramma Tala also reveals that Moana was chosen as a baby by the ocean itself to restore the heart of Te Fiti, which is why Moana has such a strong bond with the water.

Moana 2 and Wicked

Gramma Tala then takes Moana to a hidden location on the island where Moana’s father hid his people’s boats, revealing that the people of Motonui were actually travelers and wayfinders.

So, against her father’s wishes, Moana sets out to restore the heart of Te Fiti while avoiding the lava monster Te Ka.

“How far will I go?”

Moana’s power song – or, in Disney-speak, her “I want” song – from the first film was “How Far I’ll Go.” Chances are, if you have a little kid who made up the movie, there’s no way you’ll ever forget this song.

But if you don’t have the opportunity, you may want to brush up on your skills. The song isn’t repeated in the new film or anything, but the dialogue contains one much of variations on the actual phrase that harken back to the song. The joke might land better if you remembered the song. You can listen to it below.

Who is Maui?

Maui is a demigod that Moana recruits in the first film to restore the heart of Te Fiti. Of course, he’s also the one who stole the heart in the first place.

He stole it for But the people of Motonui – that’s his thing, so to speak. He takes islands out of the sea for people to inhabit (this is especially important since this is a key part of Moana 2), he is responsible for the creation of most natural phenomena, and he aims to be a hero.

He is also covered in tattoos that appear after every adventure he goes on. One of these tattoos is a mini Maui that is actually somehow alive and interacts with both Maui and those around him.

He is cocky but generally kind-hearted and relies on a magical fishhook to transform into various creatures

Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho attend the LA premiere of "Moana" in 2016 (Source: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)

How did “Moana” end?

In the end, Moana realizes that Te Fiti actually turned into Te Ka after Maui stole her heart, unintentionally creating a monster.

Realizing this, Moana returns the heart to its proper place, restoring Te Fiti’s true, generous form. Te Fiti restores Maui’s hook, broken in battle, brings the ocean and surrounding islands back to life, and finally decides to simply rest.

Thanks to Maui’s training, Moana returns to her people on her journey as a hero and a true guide.

Tamatoa

Tamatoa is one of the secondary antagonists in “Moana”, a giant crab with a penchant for shiny objects. He’s voiced by Jemaine Clement and is just kind of goofy.

He’s not the main antagonist in Moana 2, but he’s worth remembering.

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