Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Moana 2!
Moana gets a special tattoo at the end ofMoana 2, and here is what the tattoo is of and what it means, explained. Although the epic journey of the originalMoanaconcluded at the end of the first film, this was far from the end of Moana’s adventures, withMoana 2seeing the titular protagonist set out on an all-new quest with an all-new crew.The consequences of Moana’s journey inMoana 2are even bigger than the ones that were seen in the original film, with it all culminating in the addition of a new tattoo.
The sequel to the 2016 classicMoanahas finally been released in theaters, withMoana 2’s box office performancemaking it one of the biggest films of 2024.Moana 2has been a massive hit with audiences, withthe cast ofMoana 2bringing back characters like Moana and Maui while also introducing all-new additions to Moana’s wayfinding crew. While Maui is the only demigod on the team at the beginning ofMoana 2, this isn’t the case at the end of the film, with Moana’s massive transformation being signaled by her new tattoo.

Moana Gets A Tattoo After Becoming A Demigod In Moana 2
Her Near-Death Earned Her The Tattoo
ThroughoutMoana 2, Moana’s mission is to make it to thelegendary island of Motufetu, with her hoping to break the curse of the villainous god Talo and reconnect all of the wayfinding civilizations once again. to do this, the wayfinding crew discovers that they have to get to Motufetu, use Maui’s hook to raise the island up out of the ocean, and have Moana touch the island. They believe that this will break the curse and restore peace to the wayfinding civilizations, although things become more complicated than they initially planned upon reaching the island.
Once at Motufetu, the wayfinding crew attempts to pull their plan off. After making it through several dangerous storm systems, Maui flies over the island of Motufetu and hooks it, with him pulling it out of the ocean so that Moana can touch it. While doing this, however, Nalo strikes Maui with a bolt of lighting, stripping him of his demigod powers. As the island is sinking back into the ocean, Moana jumps into the water. She manages to touch Motufetu right as Nalo’s lightning strikes and kills her.

Moana 2 Just Raised The Stakes For Disney’s Next Big Sequels
After the successful premiere of Moana 2, Disney is going to have its hands full with its future sequels, which must do just as well to keep up.
to save her,Maui finds Moana’s body and begins reciting a chant. This chant allows Tala, Tautai Vasa, and Moana’s other ancestors to revive her, with her returning to Earth as a demigod. Alongside some new powers, Moana realizes that she has gained a tattoo that signals her demigod status and her connection to her wayfinding ancestors. Using her new powers, Moana and Maui then save the island of Motufetu, break Talo’s curse, and reunite the wayfinding civilizations.

What Moana’s Demigod Tattoo Is Of
It Represents The Island Of Motufetu
Moana’s tattoo isn’t just of anything, as it actually has a clear connection to her adventure inMoana 2.The tattoo that Moana gets is a representation of the mountain peaks of Motufetu and the star pattern above the island, with this highlighting the journey that Moana had to go on in order for her to achieve her demigod status. The tattoo will act as a reminder of the story ofMoana 2, with any futureMoanamovies most likely featuring this tattoo as a callback to Moana’s second big adventure.
The specific Motufetu design that Moana’s tattoo is modeled after also has some significance, with it being a callback to what started her journey. At the very beginning ofMoana 2, Moana finds a pot from a former wayfinding civilization, with the pot bearing the image of Motufetu’s mountain peaks and the star pattern above the island. This image is exactly what is added toMoana’s body after she becomes a demigod, further signaling her connection toMoana 2’s story, Talo’s curse, and her wayfinding ancestors.

The Significance & Meaning Of Moana’s Tattoo
& It’s Connections To Maui’s Tattoos
Moana’s tattoo at the end ofMoana 2is a big deal, as it has a lot of significance to the franchise and meaning to the character of Moana. The most important part of the tattoo is that it signals her status as a demigod, with demigods in theMoanauniverse featuring tattoos of their adventures and deeds. Maui explains this in the song “You’re Welcome” from the originalMoana, and while Moana only has onetattoo compared to the many images that Maui bears, futureMoanaadventures could lead to the gods granting Moana even more tattoos.
Moana 2 Highlights A Big Challenge Frozen 3 Has To Overcome
Moana 2 continues a major Disney sequel trend, proving that Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 need to make a major change after Frozen 2’s failures.
On top of that,Moana’s tattoo also highlights her wayfinding roots, with her obsession with her ancestors being what led to her adventures inMoanaandMoana 2. The tattoo of Motufetu is symbolic in that is represents the connecting point of the world’s wayfinding civilizations, with Motefetu allowing the various groups that live in theMoanauniverse to meet. Moana breaking Talo’s curse is what allowed the civilizations to meet once again, meaning that, much like Motufetu, Moana is at the center of this civilizational collaboration.
How Moana’s Tattoo Connects To Her History
Moana’s tattoo is also significant in how it connects to her history. Although the exact rules of how someone is granted demigod status in theMoanauniverse aren’t clear,Moana 2provides a major hint, with it being connected to her wayfinding ancestors. The magical chant that Maui recites allowsMoana’s ancestors to come back and give her demigod status, with this tattoo being the result of their magic. So, Moana is now literally wearing the mark of her ancestors wherever she goes, making her tattoo even more special.
Moana 2’s Demigod Twist Sets Up A Sad Reality For Moana
The shocking twist at the conclusion of Moana 2 set Moana on a completely different path, and will eventually yield a sad reality for her.
Moana’s history is central to the stories of bothMoanamovies so far, and the character’s first tattoo proves that this will continue to be the case. From now on, Moana will be able to show her physical and spiritual connection to her ancestors through her status as a demigod. The addition of Moana’s tattoo inMoana 2is an exciting one, as it means that futureMoanasequels have the potential to let Moana earn even more tattoos, further filling out the catalogue of her adventures and deeds.
Moana 2
Cast
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.