Moana was a sensation when it first hit cinemas in 2016. Introducing a stunning new Disney princess representing an ethnic background and showcasing the narrative of a marginalized yet magnificent culture rarely explored in modern Hollywood, the film soared to global success. Various interpretations floated around concerning the underlying messages in Disney films, a common trait given their depth. However, the arrival of a sequel effectively dispels the theory that Moana died in the storm at the start of the movie.
Moana (2016)
Moana tells the gorgeous story of the firm and adventurous daughter of a Polynesian village (basically making her a princess). After her grandmother dies, the only person in the village that she feels understands her, Moana sets out to protect her village in her own way to “stop the darkness from spreading from island to island”, which is linked to the dormancy of the goddess Te Fiti.
Moana sets sail, leaving the safety of her island, and is almost immediately caught in a terrifying typhoon almost at the start of the movie. After the storm, she awakens, marooned on an island with the demigod she was looking for, Maui (Dwayne Johnson). Realising that they have to work together, the two go on a journey to return a forgotten relic, the heart of Te Fiti, to the dormant goddess, needing to traverse the realm of monsters and unknown dangers on the way.
Fan Theory: Moana Died In The Storm
Knowing that Moana was sucked into this terrifying storm, and everything fades to darkness before she awakens, conveniently on an island with the demigod that she was hoping to find, fans theorise that Moana didn’t make it through the storm and that the entire event of the movie was just her journey to the afterlife.
Fans think this because, after the shipwreck, the only beings she interacts with from that point on are her deceased grandmother, gods, demigods, and other legendary creatures like monsters. Just her being able to enter Lalotai, the realm of monsters, suggested to many fans that she must have died in the storm.
Naturally, this doesn’t account for the fact that she goes home and interacts with her people, but that is explained by the moment that she returns the heart of Te Fiti to its rightful place. In doing so, she revived the goddess of life, and many think this act also resurrected her.
Of course, Disney has not confirmed any of these theories, but the sequel seems to suggest that one is incorrect.
Moana 2 Debunks The Theory That Moana Died
While very little has been shared about the sequel itself, the mere existence of the sequel debunks the idea that Moana died and was resurrected in the movie. While it is still entirely possible, it is doubtful that Disney will ever address or confirm the theory, making it all the more unlikely.
Alternatively, another theory might answer everyone’s questions about Moana’s crazy journey in the first film.
Moana has always had a beautiful connection to the ocean. Still, the ocean hides from her family by not showing its interaction with her when she is a baby and only interacting with her when she is alone. Many fans think she survived her journey, not because she was dead and didn’t survive, but because she is a demigod, much like Maui, with powers connected to the ocean. This would make sense, as Maui starts leaving little hints that Moana might be a demigod herself, commenting that no mortal should have been able to enter Lalotai and survive everything she did.
Could Moana 2 confirm that Moana is actually a demigod? Follow her as she starts to understand her connection to the ocean and why she was the chosen one to return the heart of Te Fiti.
Which theory is more likely: Moana died in the storm in the first movie, or is Moana a demigod?
