Making Waves: Moana's Journey in Becoming a Heroine

 “I am Moana of Motunui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti.”

    Moana is the titular character of the animated Disney Movie "Moana" released in 2016. This film follows the main character as she hopes to save her village from the corruption of a scorned god. Moana, along with the shape-shifting demigod Maui, must travel to  to return the heart of Te Fiti back to its rightful place. Through her adventure, Moana not only saves Motunni from total destruction, but also finds the courage to break free from the expectations placed upon her and explore her dual identity as a chiefess and a wayfinder. Following through the lens Smidt's Heroine's Journey, watchers follow Moana embrace her full potential as a daughter blessed by the ocean. 

The beginning of the movie's narrative clearly sets the stage for the first step of Smidt's template, otherwise known as The Illusion of a Perfect World. Moana's life on Motunnui seems to be a wonderful place and an ideal life: her people are safe and happy, she has a loving family, and she's set to be the next chieftess as the chief's daughter. However, this last reason actually contradicts her satisfaction with her seemingly perfect life - Moana craves to explore the ocean, which has always called to her. Unfortunately, her father is against this desire: he fears Moana will get swept away to her death in the dangerous waters like his friends in the past, and immediately shuts down any suggestion of wayfinding. 

"But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try".

Yet with a terrible infection plaguing the plants and animals of the island, Moana comes to the conclusion that she must leave her village in order to save her tribe from starvation. Through Schmidt's template, the narrative arrives at the Betrayal or Realization stage: it is revealed to Moana by her grandmother, Tala, than her people were originally voyagers! Additionally, the blight affecting her village was due to the darkness of Te Ka, a demon that emerged after TeFiti's heart was stolen by the demigod Maui. Her grandmother pleads Moana to restore the heart back to Tefiti before the island becomes totally destroyed. 

With this information revealed to Moana, she starts preparing for her journey. At this part in the movie we approach the Awakening and Preparing for the Journey stage: Moana is gifted with the heart of Tefiti by her grandmother, given blessings by her mother, and told to find Maui, who will help her on her journey. In this part of Moana's path in becoming a realized heroine, she has left a newly shattered perception of her "perfect" world and has embraced her destiny. 

Moana eventually finds Maui, but is initially disappointed in his reluctance to save the world and his greater desire to save his own hind. Both of them struggling to relate with each other and work together, and find themselves in grave danger with a few monsters. In Smidt's template, this stage can be perceived as the The Descent - Passing Through the Gates of Judgement. After their escape, they grow closer, with Moana being taught how to wayfind and Maui regaining his powers through regaining his magical sailor's hook. Moana's quick thinking through their battles with the monsters allows her to overcome the situation and her fears, even though initially she struggles, uncomfortable in this very different, dangerous environment. 

Yet in this moment of peaceful hope for the final stage of their journey - returning the heart back to Te Fiti - everything goes downhill for the both of them. In a stage described in Schmidt's template as the Eye of the Storm, Moana makes a mistake that tears her and Maui apart. In arriving at Te Fiti's island, everything seems to be doing well until Te Ka, the demon attacks them. Moana, feeling so close to victory, stubbornly refuses to sail back to safety and indirectly causes the damage of Maui's hook. Maui, angered by this decision, Maui abandons Moana. 

Indeed, at this moment, it seems like All is Lost. Moana reaches a part of her journey where she experiences hopelessness and has given up. Schmidt represents this stage as Death. Moana feels so despondent that she even tells the ocean to give her quest to another, worthier hero. 

However, as "Moana" is a movie about a hero, the story doesn't stop there. Moana is greeted by her recently deceased grandmother's spirit, who urges her to remember who she is and what she truly wants. With the Support of her grandmother and Maui - who suddenly decides to return - Moana finds herself and grows emboldened to finally approach Te Ka and Te Fiti once more.

"Who am I?

I am the girl who loves my island

I'm the girl who loves the sea"

    In once of the powerful and important scenes of Smidt's template, Rebirth - The Moment of Truth, the heroine has been awakened to her true identity and is finally ready to defeat her last obstacle. In "Moana", it's confronting Te Ka and returning the heart to Te Fiti. The final battle is subverted, because Moana realizes the true identity of Te Fiti is Te Ka - who is only corrupted due to her missing heart. Instead of fighting Te Ka, she apologizes and returns the heart to Te Ka/Fiti - and the world is safe one more. 

    As Moana Return(s) to the Perfect World after her "defeat" of Te Ka, she reunites with her family. She has changed, and proven herself worthy of who she wants to be, and her parents accept this. With the newfound safety of the ocean established by the reunion of the heart to Te Fiti, she is allowed to not only take up her role as a chieftess, but also a wayfinder. 

    Through using Schmidt's template to analyze Moana's journey, we watch how a young girl can flourish into something incredible when they follow their inner voice and utilize the strength of love and compassion. The movie also shows how important a support system is - in multiple parts of the movie, Moana is guided and helped to advance in her journey through her loved ones. "Moana" shows that you aren't constrained by what people expect you to be, and that you can break through and embrace your true self. 

Ultimately, Moana is the story of a girl who overgoes obstacles in order to reach her true desires. 

Image Citation: 

"File:Moana (character).png." *Wikipedia*, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moana_(character).png. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.