The titular Moana of Motunui was chosen by the ocean to restore the Heart of Te Fiti, but a fan theory suggests that she wasn’t the first. The daughter of the chief was selected as a toddler because of her kind heart, but it wouldn’t be until she was a teenager that she would carry out the mission. The first step of her journey required her to go beyond the reef surrounding her island, something she had already tried and failed to do. However, on her second attempt, Moana managed to set out on her long journey, but hints throughout the Disney film indicate that she hadn’t been the first one tasked with saving the world.
From when Moana was a baby, she had been drawn to the ocean. However, Moana’s father, Chief Tui, was adamant that no one sail beyond the reef that surrounded Moana‘s island of Motunui. It’s later revealed by Moana’s mother, Sina, that Tui understood his daughter’s longing to sail since he had felt the same when he was younger. However, he understood the dangers of the ocean and wanted Moana to stay safe. It’s assumed that he knew nothing of his daughter’s destiny, but a theory from Tiktoker Super Carlin Brothers suggests that he knew precisely why Moana was drawn to the sea.
Moana Theory Suggests Her Father Was Chosen By The Ocean
The fan theory by Super Carlin Brothers suggests that before Moana, Chief Tui—and perhaps several other of their ancestors—had been chosen by the ocean to bring the Heart of Te Fiti to Maui and assist him in restoring it to its rightful place. Of course, we know that no one else successfully made it to Maui’s island. When Moana arrived there later in Moana, he clearly indicated that she was the first human he had seen in a thousand years, and Maui was still under the impression that he was widely loved and appreciated by the human race.
Still, we know that Tui had the same draw to the ocean as Moana, and just like her, he had once tried to sail beyond the reef. It’s possible that the reason he did this was because the ocean had already presented him with the Heart of Te Fiti. Sina told Moana that Tui’s friend had “begged to be on that boat,” which could mean that the doomed boy had wanted to join the future chief on an adventure to save the world. Of course, since neither had any experience sailing, catastrophe struck, and Tui’s friend drowned—just as Moana and Pua the pig nearly did on her first attempt to leave Motunui.
Moana’s Father Appears To Recognize The Heart Of Te Fiti
The evidence that the ocean had chosen Chief Tui goes far beyond the reveal that he had once tried to leave Motunui. After Gramma Tala presented Moana with the Heart of Te Fetit, the heroine rushed to her father to tell him she had the answer to all their problems. Enraged, Tui told Moana that he should have burned the boats of their ancestors a long time ago (revealing that he already knew all about them) and grabbed the heart that Maui had stolen, stating, “This is just a rock!” before flinging it away.
Chief Tui didn’t so much as take a second glance at the glowing stone or try to reason with Moana by asking where she found it. Instead, he was simply eager to get rid of it. This seems to indicate that he had seen it before. His mother may have shown it to him after she saw the ocean bestow it on Moana, but that doesn’t explain Tui’s fear of the Heart of Te Fiti. Instead, the chief’s proclamation that it was nothing but a rock seems to come from a decision he made long ago—perhaps when his best friend died thanks to his eagerness to fulfill the mission the ocean had given him before his daughter.
The Motunui Chief Necklace Seems Made To Hold The Heart
Another feature of Moana that supports the idea that Chief Tui, and possibly several other chiefs before him, had been chosen to restore the Heart of Te Fiti is the necklace seen throughout the film. At first, Gramma Tala is seen wearing it, and it is later revealed that she had been keeping the Heart of Te Fiti hidden within ever since the ocean gave it to Moana. However, when Tala’s granddaughter entered the cavern of canoes and saw the vision of her voyaging ancestors, it was revealed this necklace was an ancient heirloom, passed from chief to chief for generations. This is interesting, considering the way the shell pendant seems made to hold the heart.
Since this necklace is so important to the chiefs of Motunui and was used as a symbol of one passing on their position to the next, it’s strange that Tui would choose not to wear it. However, when looking at the version of the necklace worn by his ancestor compared to the one Moana later inherited from Gramma Tala, it’s clear the article had undergone some changes. In truth, Chief Tui is wearing a version of the necklace in Moana, he just seems to have removed the heart’s pendent, likely after his friend was killed. Of course, his mother kept the ancient pendant for herself and continued to teach the village about the Heart of Te Fiti, much to Tui’s frustration.
Why Moana Succeeds In Restoring The Heart Of Te Fiti (If Others Before Her Failed)
The fact that the Motunui chief’s necklace seemed designed to hold the heart of Te Fiti indicates that the ocean had selected Moana’s ancestors on several occasions, but if this is true, why was Moana the first to succeed in returning the heart to Te Fiti at the end of Moana? It is revealed that Moana’s ancestors had stopped voyaging because fewer and fewer boats were making it back to the island thanks to the ever-growing darkness. It’s possible that the chiefs of that time had been trying to find Maui’s island but couldn’t make it through the dangers and ultimately gave up.
Since the darkness hadn’t made it to Motunui until Moana was a teenager, there may not have been enough urgency to get the job done. As Chief Tui said, “Motunui is paradise,” seemingly untouched by the curse that had resulted when Maui stole the Heart of Te Fiti. However, that was no longer true by the time Moana set out on her journey. Time was limited, and the heroine knew she couldn’t afford to fail. Of course, like many before her, Moana’s resolve faltered for a moment, and the ocean willingly took the heart back. However, thanks to her own unique spirit and the support of her ancestors, Moana of Motunui was able to pull through.
