Moana 2 expands the original movie’s mythology, introducing a new villain and showing that the seafaring adventures of its titular character will soon take her beyond the horizon. The post-credits scene, in particular, sets up significant plot points to be developed in Moana 3. However, we all know that the box office is king, and without enough profit, Walt Disney probably won’t officially greenlight a threequel. Fortunately for fans, the mixed critical reaction the sequel got hasn’t prevented it from winning big in theaters.
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WARNING: MOANA 2 SPOILERS!
Thanks to a strategic release right before Thanksgiving, Moana 2 is already breaking box office records. That’s not exactly a surprise, given that the holiday traditionally brings different generations together, and there are no other big, family-friendly movies to challenge Moana 2’s domain. Plus, fans have patiently waited eight years for a sequel. The good news is that Disney Animation has learned its lesson, and the studio shouldn’t take too long to release Moana 3, with Moana 2’s mid-credits scene already teasing the franchise’s future.
Nalo Is Still a Threat
Moana 2 reveals that the Motonui people live isolated from the rest of the world due to the whims of a vengeful god. Many centuries before the movie’s events, Nalo (voiced by Tofiga Fepulea’i), the storm god, decided to break apart the ocean currents, which allowed different tribes to visit each other. Without external communication, each tribe is fated to slowly vanish into oblivion, their history erased from the face of the Earth.
Of course, once she uncovers the truth about Nalo’s curse, Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) sets sail toward a new adventure to retrieve the mythical island of Motufetu from the bottom of the ocean. As soon as any human touches this island, Nalo’s curse is dissipated, and the tribes can once again travel towards each other.
While Moana and her allies break Nalo’s curse, the post-credits scene underlines how the storm god is still around. In the scene, Nalo tells Matangi (voiced by Awhimai Fraser) that a mere human should not been able to challenge him, and he’ll soon be back for revenge. As for Matangi, her punishment should be over once the curse has been broken. However, Nalo traps her again, suspecting she had something to do with Moana’s victory. Moana 3 has to tie these loose threads, ending Nalo’s devious quest and releasing Matangi from her torment.
The end-credits scene of Moana 2 also teases how Nalo will have some backup for the threequel. The scene features Tamatoa (voiced by Jemaine Clement), the giant hermit crab that Moana and Maui (voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) battle in the first movie to retrieve the demigod’s magical fish hook. Tamatoa is the sworn enemy of Maui, and his appearance teases how Moana 3 will unite old enemies against the hero’s team.
Moana Has New Powers
Even if Nalo and Tamatoa are fierce villains, Moana will appear in Moana 3 with some welcomed upgrades. At the end of Moana 2, the spirits of the heroine’s ancentrals grant her their strength. The actions of the spirits save Moana from drowning, but they also grant her demigod powers. Now, Moana has tattoos on her arm and a magical artifact, her oar, which she uses to change ocean currents. These powers will come in handy when it’s time to face Nalo.
Moana’s demigod powers should also change the balance between her and Maui. Moana is resourceful and brave, but Maui’s demigod abilities always place him as the powerhouse of the duo. Now that Moana also has demigod powers, the two can stand side-by-side as equals on the battlefield.
Moana 2 Has Expanded the Franchise’s Horizons
Moana 2 ends with the heroine finding the wayfarers of other tribes, who have been summoned to Motufetu once Nalo’s curse has been broken. In its final moments, the sequel shows how this fateful encounter allows people to trade knowledge and technology, pushing everyone towards the future. Moana 3 has to explore the alliances Motonui is forging with other tribes as humans unite against the wrath of an envious god.
The existence of other tribes also means Moana 3 has the opportunity to take the franchise towards uncharted territory, showing how different Polynesian tribes had developed during centuries of isolation. Finally, the sudden summoning of wayfarers can also lead to conflict, as it’s unlikely everyone will get along well once communication has been re-established. So, Moana 3 will probably force Moana to restore everyone’s trust in each other before the tribes can stand together against Nalo.
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Moana 2 is currently playing in theaters worldwide.
