History Awesome / Moana

* During [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qzKbOXw4D8 her and Lin-Manuel Miranda's performance of "How Far I'll Go" at the 2017 Oscars]], Auli'I Cravalho is actually accidentally bumped on the head by one of the flag-holders behind her. Despite this, she continues singing without missing a beat, as though it never hit her, which is nothing short of impressive. Way to hold it together, Auli'I!

!!Movie

** [[spoiler:He still stands his ground against Te Kā even ''after'' his fish hook is destroyed, performing the Haka, a traditional warrior chant and accompanied dance of Polynesian cultures meant to show prowess and strength to intimidate the enemy, risking everything he had left to save Moana and he was going to go out chanting boldly in defiance of Te Kā.]] And given how much he seems to love having fun and just life in general, his [[FaceDeathWithDignity willingness to die]] for Moana is very powerful.

* Moana using Maui's own trick of [[spoiler:spinning the boat]], that he had used earlier to evade the Kakamora, this time to [[spoiler: misdirect Te Kaa and give her time to get past her.]]

* [[spoiler:Maui, [[HeroicBSOD who left Moana after his fish hook gets cracked after his first battle with Te Ka]], [[ChangedMyMindKid returning to help Moana get the heart back to Te Fiti]] by fighting Te Ka, providing a distraction so Moana can get past. His rapid-fire shape-shifting is a truly EPIC sight to behold, and he slices through Te Ka's limbs with his fishhook like they were hot butter, repeatedly forcing her to regenerate them instead of throwing lava bombs at the vulnerable Moana.]]
** His opening move is to fly up close and then turn into a whale in midair. He promptly falls into the water, the splash drenching Te Ka, simultaneously creating a wave that propels Moana forward.
** [[spoiler:He still stands his ground against Te Ka even ''after'' his fish hook is destroyed, performing the Haka, a traditional warrior chant and accompanied dance of Polynesian cultures meant to show prowess and strength to intimidate the enemy, risking everything he had left to save Moana and he was going to go out chanting boldly in defiance of Te Ka.]] And given how much he seems to love having fun and just life in general, his [[FaceDeathWithDignity willingness to die]] for Moana is very powerful.
* Moana's [[spoiler:[[UnflinchingWalk determined, almost serene, slow motion walk across the parted (at her request) ocean to confront Te Ka, as the terrifying lava god charges at her. SHE DOESN'T EVEN FLINCH.]] With good reason - by this time, she figured out that Te Ka and Te Fiti [[FallenHero were one and the same]], and returning her heart would calm her rage.]]

** It should be pointed out that while Moana knew [[spoiler:restoring her heart would calm her, she didn't have the option of just putting it back in.]] So what does she do? [[spoiler:Armed with nothing but her voice and her compassion, she calms Te Ka ''herself''.]]
* Moana's CharacterDevelopment is second to none: a brave, stubborn {{Determinator}} used to fighting, stunting, persuading, or commanding her way around obstacles, her approach gets her in trouble when she follows her dream--voyaging onto the ocean--and faces forces she has no way to command or control, starting with ''the ocean itself'' and followed by a sequence of gods, monsters, and demons. What does Moana do? Learn to be a navigator: read the signs, use finesse and know-how to optimize her actions to the environment, and find her own way. Her {{Determinator}} tendencies get her in trouble during her first attempt to [[spoiler: breach the outer islands and deliver Te Fiti's Heart past Te Ka, when she tries to power through a gap under heavy fire.]] After everything goes disastrously wrong in her DarkestHour, what does she do? [[spoiler: Use the skills she learned as a wayfinder to work her way cleverly past Te Ka, despite being completely alone, a single powerless UnchosenOne with no demigod and no ocean to back her up.]] Her compassion [[spoiler: is what saves Te Fiti]] but the intelligence and skill that she learned along the way in dealing with tremendous forces is what gets her there [[spoiler: and makes her the perfect one to re-awaken the traditions of her people as their voyager-chief.]]

** For sailing reference, [[https://hawaiianpaddlesports.com/outrigger-canoe-maui/the-history-of-canoe-surfing/ Moana is surfing the canoe in on a wave]], which is a ridiculously difficult and dangerous technique. In pre-colonial Hawai'i, canoe surfing was a technique reserved only for the ali'i or royalty.

* This [[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/world/asia/maori-moana-new-zealand.html?mcubz=1 article]] talks about how an officially Disney-sanctioned Maori dub of the film the film managed to help a dying language thrive once again.

* This [[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/world/asia/maori-moana-new-zealand.html?mcubz=1 article]] talks about how the film managed to help a dying language thrive once again.

'''Maui:''' ''[Does a little child-like dance in overjoyment, but doesn't even dare to take the Hook from the Goddess' hand.]''\\

'''Te Fiti:''' ''[Gives a deadpan "Cut around the crap" look]''\\

* Moana's Rotten Tomatoes score is sitting at 95%! In Clements and Musker's long and successful career at Disney, this still stands as by far their most critically-acclaimed picture. [[note]]And if the "Top Critics" button is pushed, the score goes ''up'' to 98%![[/note]] Looking at the box office numbers, it's displaced ''Aladdin'' as their top-grosser, at least when not adjusting for inflation.

[[caption-width-right:350:The Ocean chose me for a reason.]]

** [[spoiler:He still stands his ground against Te Ka even ''after'' his fish hook is destroyed, performing the Haka, a traditional warrior chant and accompanied dance of Polynesian cultures meant to show prowess and strength to intimidate the enemy, risking everything he had left to save Moana and he was going to go out chanting boldly in defiance of Te Ka.]] And given how much he seems to love having fun and just life in general, his [[FaceDeathWithDignity willingness to die]] for Moana is very powerful.]]

** [[spoiler:He still stands his ground against Te Ka even ''after'' his fish hook is destroyed, performing the Haka, a traditional warrior chant and accompanied dance of polynesian cultures meant to show prowess and strength to intimidate the enemy, risking everything he had left to save Moana and he was going to go out chanting boldly in defiance of Te Ka.]]

** Maui's actions during this scene should also be noted. [[spoiler:His fish hook is destroyed, and he wouldn't stand a chance against the lava monster. But he still challenges Te Ka, [[GeniusBonus even performing the Haka to try and provoke her]], [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming simply to protect Moana in any way he can]]. And given how much he seems to love having fun and just life in general, his [[FaceDeathWithDignity willingness to die]] for Moana is very powerful.]]

* Something must be said for the wayfinders of Moana's flashback. These bold people who set off into the uncharted ocean, not sure what they'll find, or if they're find anything at all, blown by the wind and navigating by the stars, ''singing'' as they go. Each and every one a BoldExplorer that would gave Ferdinand Magellan an inferiority complex.

* When Moana leaves Motunui on her little boat, she has to go on the most basic knowledge of sailing possible (it seems unlikely her father even let her learn how to steer a fishing boat), and she has trouble just keeping her balance on the craft. At the end of the movie, [[spoiler: Moana's parents watch her return to the island, cutting across the sea as though her boat is an extension of her own body. The music and the [[http://caps.pictures/201/6-moana/full/moana-disneyscreencaps.com-11159.jpg hero shot]] of her show that the movie knows exactly how incredible she has become.]]

** For that matter, this is one of the few films in the Disney animated canon [[spoiler: that has ''zero'' deaths, as even the villain is simply a FallenHero lashing out over having her heart stolen by Maui]].

* When Moana leaves Motonui on her little boat, she has to go on the most basic knowledge of sailing possible (it seems unlikely her father even let her learn how to steer a fishing boat), and she has trouble just keeping her balance on the craft. At the end of the movie, [[spoiler: Moana's parents watch her return to the island, cutting across the sea as though her boat is an extension of her own body. The music and the [[http://caps.pictures/201/6-moana/full/moana-disneyscreencaps.com-11159.jpg hero shot]] of her show that the movie knows exactly how incredible she has become.]]

* Maui himself. Think about it. He was [[spoiler:an abandoned child, left to die by his parents,]] but he managed to become the greatest hero in Polynesian legend. Heck, between all his amazing heroic feats, he practically SHAPED the world Moana lives in. In this universe, this guy is single-handedly responsible for ALL the MagicalUnderpinningsOfReality.
** Also a serious case of ShownTheirWork for the creators, as everything that Maui says he did in this movie are in fact deeds attributed to the Maui of Polynesian Myth.

* "We Know The Way" can be read as the BadassCreed of [[spoiler: Moana's voyager ancestors.]] Traveling across open ocean, for days, weeks, months at a time, without any navigation aids beyond their own knowledge? No problem; we're wayfinders. This is our way of life and we excel at it. "We know the way".

* "We Know The Way" can be read as the BadassCreed of [[spoiler: Moana's voyager ancestors.]] Traveling across open ocean, for days, weeks, months at a time, without any navigation aids beyond their own knowledge? No problem; "we know the way".

* Moana's [[spoiler:[[UnflinchingWalk determined, almost serene, slow motion walk across the parted (at her request) ocean to confront Te Ka, as the terrifying lava god charges at her. SHE DOESN'T EVEN FLINCH.]] With good reason - by this time, she figured out that Te Ka and Te Fiti were one and the same, and returning her heart would calm her rage.]]

** This becomes incredibly evident when Moana shows impressive leadership skills from teaching the young ones their customs to finding the main cause behind a leaky roof that the home's owner couldn't figure out.

** This becomes incredibly evident when Moana shows impressive leadership skills from teaching the young ones their customs to finding the main cause behind a leaky roof that a carpenter couldn't figure out.

** One can't help but cheer during her TriumphantReprise when she belts out "I AM '''MOANA!'''"

* Something must be said for the wayfinders of Moana's flashback. These bold people who set off into the uncharted ocean, not sure what they'll find, or if they're find anything at all, blown by the wind and navigating by the stars, ''singing'' as they go. BoldExplorers all.