Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Moana 2!
Because of aMoana 2line, the question of Moana’s status as a Disney princess has once again come up, bringing to light the contradictory answers. Eight years after the original movie, thecast ofMoanahas come together once again to offer audiences a new, exciting story centered on the eponymous Polynesian main character. Rather than taking on Te Kā, Moana is braving the seas with new friends in order to bring back themysterious lost island of Motufetū, which will somehow connect all the people across the islands.
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Though Moana has changed in many ways since the first movie, the character has remained steadfast in one regard. In the original film, the character insists to Maui that she isn’t a princess after he calls her one. InMoana 2,the cheeky demigod calls her a princess again, and she once again refuses the title, saying it’s inaccurate.Though the joke is amusing, it’s also potentially confusing since the term “princess” can refer to the royal title or theDisney Princess movieand merchandise brand. The ambiguity creates a space where more than one answer can be accurate simultaneously.
What Makes A Disney Princess Official: Rules Explained
Moana Qualifies For The Disney Princess Title Based On The Rules
Even though Moana insists she isn’t a princess, the character is still officially considered aDisney princess based on the rules.to be a Disney princess, a character must check off these three basic boxes:
These criteria cast a wide net, and not all the characters who check those boxes are considered official Disney princesses. This is where unofficial rules come into play. The movie has to perform well, and the character must be marketable. While the character was initially only given to princesses by title,a character no longer needs to be royalty in order to be dubbed a Disney princess. Like Mulan, she can qualify based on heroic actions, which is an important factor in the Moana Disney princess debate.
The Princess and the Frog
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Beauty and the Beast
Raya
Raya and the Last Dragon
There are also the hilarious unwritten rules that Maui points out in the first Moana movie: “If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess.” Though the line is tongue-in-cheek, Maui isn’t entirely wrong about these being trends for Disney princesses
Moreover, some royal women who check the three boxes still aren’t given the title, such as Anna and Elsa. This is because franchises under the Disney umbrella can’t be too successful if they hope for a character to receive the coveted title. As a franchise, Frozen can stand on its own, meaning the main characters don’t need the Disney princess label to sell branded products.
Why Moana Says She Isn’t A Disney Princess
Moana Is Set In A Time Period Before Kingdoms In Polynesia
If Moana is part of the Disney princess branding, the question naturally arises as to why she insists in both the original movie and the sequel that the title isn’t right. The answer lies in the expansive, well-developedworld ofMoana. The first movie takes place at the end of The Long Pause – a one-thousand to two-thousand-year historical period after the settlement of West Polynesia, where Polynesians stopped migrating.At this time in history, Polynesian islands were governed by chiefdoms, not kingdoms.The latter form of monarchy wouldn’t exist in this region until the 18th century.
Based on this historical context, Moana wouldn’t have been considered a princess but a village chief’s daughter.
While the terms chiefdom and kingdom are often used interchangeably, the two types of government have minor but significant differences. For instance, Chiefdoms are typically community-oriented and less centralized. Chiefs also generally possess less power than kings and queens.
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Based on this historical context, Moana wouldn’t have been considered a princess but a village chief’s daughter. This isn’t to say she wouldn’t have honor, prestige, and respect from that role; she absolutely would. She just wouldn’t have the same experience as a princess because of the differences in governmental structures. Ultimately, the character denying that she’s a princess inMoanaandMoana 2feels like respect for the Polynesian cultures of that time period.
Disney & Moana Disagree About Whether She’s A Princess
Neither Party Is Technically Incorrect With Their Position
The confusion about Moana being a Disney princess comes from the fact that Disney, as a company, and Moana, as a character, cannot agree about whether she’s a princess. Moana’s repeated insistence that she isn’t a princess directly contradicts Moana’s inclusion in the brand. The heroine appears in the “characters” section on the officialDisney Princesseswebsite, which lists all the characters in the current lineup. They even offer Moana-themed activities, wallpaper, and videos, solidifying their stance on the matter. Even Auli’i Cravalho, who plays the titular main character, has weighed in on the debate with her own opinion. She toldEntertainment Weeklythis:
“Films are always representative of their times. For today’s day and age, we want to see a young woman being the hero of her own story. So, yeah, she is a princess, but she’s also a hero. I like that those two words are now interchangeable."
Ultimately, the piece to go back to is the fact that a leading lady in a Disney animated movie need not be royalty in order to be considered a princess. Both parties can be correct in their statements even without invalidating the other.The character can not technically be a Disney princess due to her chieftain roots but still appear in the Disney princess lineup.Moreover,Moana’s status as a demigod at the end ofMoana 2won’t preclude her from continuing to be in the group.
Moana
Cast
Moana is a 2016 animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Set in Ancient Polynesia, the story follows the journey of a young Chieftain’s daughter named Moana as she seeks the demigod Maui to lift a curse affecting her island, exploring themes of adventure and self-discovery.
Moana 2
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.
